How To Buy Electric Guitars For Beginners – The Top 3 Beginner Guitars

If you’re just starting out with the electric guitar and looking to purchase your first one, you’re probably feeling overwhelmed with the sheer amount of information and models out there to choose from. And while it might seem exciting to go out and buy the biggest, baddest axe out there, really you should not buy electric guitars just because the model is well known, or your favorite player used the same kind. Your first guitar should be inexpensive, but of good quality as well.

How to tell a good quality, low-cost electric guitar from…well, just a cheap guitar? Make sure the wood used is of good quality. Manufacturers tend to use lower-end parts on lower price point guitars, like pick-ups and hardware, but these parts are easy to upgrade once you decide you’re serious about playing.

But there are some ‘cheap’ electric guitars that are better than others, and that are well worth looking around for:

Squier Fat Stratocaster
You’ve heard of the famous Fender Strats…these look very much the same, but made by a different manufacturer for around $199. It’s basically a budget Strat, with a maple or a rosewood neck and a pine body. Check out the hardware and the pick-ups before you hand over any cash, because they can be better on one instrument than on the other…all depends on the production series. It’s a very basic model, very no-frills, and there are better models for tone. All in all though, Squier Fat Strats are a really good beginner guitar for your money.

Dean Vendetta XM
This is a great electric guitar even if you’re not a beginner, and at around $119 or so is well worth tracking down. It’s not the flashiest guitar out there by any stretch of the imagination…it’s natural wood color. The body is Paulownia, the neck is maple and the fretboard is rosewood…all good quality. Where this puppy shines, though, is the sound. Great acoustics, a nice crunchy distortion channel, and just good, clean sound. The looks won’t wow you…but actually playing it will.

Yamaha PAC112J
Not the most exciting electric guitar, but a solid beginner model and very well made. You can take this thing out of the box and start playing, no fiddling around with the hardware or re-setting the action. It’s a great guitar to learn on, and will even get you through your first gigs. You can usually find PAC112s for around $199.

Now if you’re really serious and don’t mind spending more (considerably more)…a standard Fender Stratocaster is actually an excellent choice, even for beginners. The standard Strat will run you over $400, but if you’re a dedicated axe man, then it’s a worthwhile investment, because you can easily find aftermarket parts and customize your baby out the wazoo as you go.

Yes, generally it’s better for beginners to buy electric guitars made for beginners…but the Fender Standard Strat is a classic, and who knows…the feeling you get from playing the guitar the experts love might just give you an edge and decrease your learning curve. Well..maybe not. But it sure looks cool.