Last Updated on March 28, 2021 by Klaus Crow
These days you can buy a pretty decent guitar for an affordable price. Low budget guitars are getting better and are really popular. Almost every major guitar brand has a low budget series to serve beginner to advanced guitar players.
If you don’t want to spend a lot of money on a Fender Stratocaster you can take a look at it’s more affordable younger brother Squier also by Fender. Gibson also has a cheaper companion, Epiphone guitars, which are much easier on the pocket and they rock!
You have to take into account that these are low budget guitars, so there will be compromises in terms of materials, pickups and hardware. The experienced guitar player might require a higher standard. That being said, if you have between a 100 and 300 dollars to spend and you do want to learn to play guitar than these guitars are really worth the investment.
They are perfect guitars for the beginner but also for the intermediate or advanced guitar player who is looking for a low-cost backup guitar on stage, one to bring on a holiday, a party or a guitar to modify to personal needs. An excellent choice for all kinds of players, styles and goals.
Here are some the best low budget electric guitars that can take your playing to the next level in 2021:
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Enjoy!
Fender Squier Bullet Stratocaster – Brown Sunburst
The Fender Squier Bullet Stratocaster is one of the most popular low budget electric guitars on the market. For what money can buy around this price, it’s good value. The quality of the hardware, tuners and pickups can’t go up against the original Fender Stratocaster, but it still sounds really nice and feels good for playing, practicing and some first gigs. A perfect entry-level guitar that is worth the investment.
Body: Basswood
Neck: Maple
Neck shape: “C” Shape
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Tuners: Standard Die-Cast
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style Synchronized Tremolo
Pickups: Standard Single-Coil Strat
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Squier Bullet Strat
Squier by Fender Deluxe Stratocaster Maple Neck, Pearl White Metallic
The next step up from a Fender Squier Bullet can be a Fender Squier Standard Strat
, but if you can afford 50 dollars more you are the owner of a Fender Deluxe Stratocaster which is a really good guitar for beginners, intermediate and advanced guitar players who don’t want to spend a fortune but do want a good quality guitar which is decent enough to upgrade later on with better pickups and hardware to make it top notch. If you don’t want to spend a 1000 dollars on a real american Fender Stratocaster then this is the best alternative.
Body: Basswood
Neck: Maple
Neck shape: “C” Shape
Fingerboard: Maple
Tuners: Standard Die-Cast
Bridge: 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Block Saddles
Pickups: Duncan Designed™ Single-Coil
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Squier Deluxe Stratocaster
Epiphone LP Special II Les Paul Electric Guitar, Vintage Sunburst
The Epiphone Les Paul Special II Vintage Sunburst has a mahogany body and neck which gives the guitar a nice thick sound. The quality of the tuners and pickups are okay, not superb, but good enough for any beginner. If you are into metal, rock or blues the two Epiphone humbuckers do a pretty nice job, they sound really good and give you a nice fat sound. A pretty reliable and solid guitar even for live playing.
Body: Mahogany
Neck: Bolt-on Mahogany Neck
Neck shape: 1960s SlimTaper™ “D” Profile
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Tuners: Covered; 14:1 ratio
Bridge: Tune-o-matic
Pickups: Epiphone Humbuckers.
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Epiphone LP Special II
Squier Affinity Telecaster by Fender, Electric Guitar, 2 Tone Sunburst
The Squire Affinity Telecaster has an alder body, maple neck and fingerboard. It features two single-coil pickups with three-way switching. The tuners and hardware are solid and durable. The guitar is the cheapest telecaster in the telecaster series, but it’s still a decent build guitar. The guitar plays and feels nice. An excellent guitar for the beginner and intermediate telecaster fanatics.
Body: Alder
Neck: Maple
Neck shape: “C” Shape
Fingerboard: Maple
Tuners: Standard Die-Cast
Bridge: 6-Saddle Top-Load Tele
Pickups: Vintage-Style Single-Coil Tele
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Fender Squier Affinity Telecaster
Ibanez GRX20ZBKN Electric Guitar, Black
The Ibanez GRX20ZBKN is part of the GIO series developed for players who want Ibanez quality in a more affordable package. The guitar is suitable for all types of music, but often a favorite of rock, metal and shred lovers. It features an alder body and a maple neck which feels sleek and fast. Great for moving quickly up and down the neck for those fast riffs and licks. A solid good looking low budget guitar for the beginner and intermediate.
Body: Alder
Neck: Maple
Neck shape: “C” Shape
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Tuners: Standard tuners
Bridge: FAT-6
Pickups: 2 Power sound hum bucking pickups
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Ibanez GRX20ZBKN
Squier by Fender Vintage Modified Jaguar Electric Guitar, 3-Tone Sunburst>
The Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar is a beauty on it’s own. Back in the days the jaguar was used for country music, early rock ‘n roll and jazz, but eventually it has found it’s way onto the stage of surf, funk, alternative, grunge and rock music. The guitar features include a basswood body, maple neck, circuit selector and tone circuit switches, pickup on/off switches, skirted black control knobs (lead circuit) and black disc knobs (rhythm circuit), vintage-style bridge and non-locking floating vibrato with tremolo arm, vintage-style chrome tuners and chrome hardware. A real good guitar for the price. If you want decent and different, this is it!
Body: Basswood
Neck: Maple
Neck shape: “C” Shape
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Frets: 22 medium jumbo frets
Tuners: Vintage-Style
Bridge: 6-Saddle Vintage-Style with Non-Locking Floating Vibrato
Pickups: Duncan Designed™ Single-Coils
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar by Fender
Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Electric Guitar; Old Violin Sunburst
The Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V has an alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, two single coil pickups and a humbucker. This guitar is versatile and reliable. It features a wide variety of tone colors and it feels really solid. A really great guitar for every style of music.
Body: Solid Alder
Neck: bolt-on Maple neck
Neck shape: Medium “C” shape
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Hardware: Metal “Dome” knobs
Bridge: Vintage Tremelo with block saddles
Pickups: Single Coil X 2, ::AlnicoV Humbucker X 1
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V
The Ibanez Artcore AS53 is a semi hollow-body guitar created for guitar players from diverse genres as blues, country, rock and jazz. The guitar feels nice and has a compact and comfortable body. The tone is rich, warm and full. If you are looking for that fat hollow body sound, this guitar makes it possible to switch from jazz to every semi-hollow rocking style of music. A combination of quality and affordability.
Body: Sapele top/back/sides
Neck: Artcore Mahogany set-in neck
Neck shape: “C” Shape
Fingerboard: Bound Rosewood
Tuners: Vintage-Style
Bridge: ART-ST bridge
Pickups: Infinity R (H) neck pickup (Passive/Ceramic)
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Ibanez AS53
Epiphone SG G-400 Pro Solid Body Electric Guitar, Cherry Red Finish
The Epiphone G-400 features a mahogany body and neck and a rosewood fingerboard. It has Alnico Classic PRO™ pickups with coil-splitting on both pickups via a push/pull control on the pickups’ volume controls which gives you a lot of tonal variety. If you want to nail it like Angus Young, Eric Clapton in his Cream days or Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath, the PRO gives you the sound of a true SG without the vintage price tag.
Body: Mahogany
Neck: Mahogany, glued-in
Neck shape: SlimTaper™ “D”
Fingerboard: Rosewood with trapezoid inlays
Tuners: Wilkinson™ Vintage Classics, 14:1 ratio
Bridge: LockTone™ Tune-o-matic
Pickups: Epiphone Alnico Classic PRO™ 4-wire humbucker
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Epiphone SG G-400 Pro
Epiphone LP-100 Les Paul Electric Guitar, Heritage Cherryburst
If you have a little bit more to spend than what you pay for the Epiphone LP Special II you might want to consider the Epiphone Les Paul 100. It has a mahogany body with a maple top, mahogany neck and rosewood fingerboard. It’s got solid tuners and hardware, a 3-way switch and two tone and volume knobs. It’s slimmer and therefore much lighter than the Gibson Les Paul. The Epiphone LP 100 feels and plays good. It’s a reliable and durable guitar. A great choice for rock and blues!
Body: Mahogany
Top: Maple
Neck: Mahogany
Neck joint: Bolt-on, Tapered Heel, 4 bolt recessed
Fingerboard: Rosewood with Dot Inlays
Hardware: Nickel
Bridge: Tune-o-matic
Pickups: 700T Humbucker (bridge) 650R (neck)
More info, Prices and Reviews for the Epiphone LP-100
Good luck with your choice!
What about the Epi ES-339 Pro? Best value ever!
Hi Jean-Pierre,
Epi ES-339 is awesome, but for this post the guitar has to be under 300 dollars.
I’ve got the Epiphone Dot, Vintage Sunburst which is also a lovely guitar.
No SX strats or telecasters? Best budget guitars in this price range.
Hi Njabulo,
I mentioned the Squier Affinity telecaster in this post.
Absolutely love the Squier Fender Deluxe Stratocaster
Feels and sounds great. I can recommend it to everyone.
Can Anyone Recommend me b/w Cort CR250 and Epiphone LP 100
What about the Ibanez GRX20ZBKN? Best value ever!
I got a black Epiphone SG for $179.99. I know the SG is more popular as red, but I prefer all of my guitars black. Anyhow, SG’s are typically cheap in comparison anyway, Gibson or Epiphone.
Any ideas if Ibanez rg-421 is worth checking out?
I only managed to find something about it here
https://www.musicskanner.com/best-electric-guitars-2016-epic-guide/#8211_Guitars_Under_300_Dollars
Reading this makes me want to get a new guitar.
Thanks for the site – your stuff is really good.
what about greg bennet avion 3 its better than epiphone lespaul 100
What about Sterling S.U.B. Silo 3 ???
I am interested in electric guitar and want to play this. So far I am using an acoustic guitar for learning purposes. I have an Epiphone guitar and I have repair its wraparound bridge unit. I have gone through all the electric guitars which are mentioned here and have decided to purchase Ibanez GRX20ZBKN electric guitar.
Kinda surprised you didn’t put any 7 strings on here? While $300 is a tight budget, both Ibanez and Jackson make some very servicable models within that budget.
That said I don’t know if this article has been updated, so could just be that they weren’t on the market at the time.
Something to think about!