Best Electric Guitar Brands for Starters

These are electric guitar brands that are the most AFFORDABLE, DURABLE, and SOUND THE BEST for a children's, beginner, or entry level guitar in my humble opinion.
The Top Ten
Ibanez

You can get an excellent RG or an S series for a very reasonable price and with care and love towards the instrument, you can definitely keep and play it for 20 plus years!

I don't have any endorsement deals with Ibanez, but... For the price, no guitar manufacturer gives the best components for the given price point like Ibanez does. All the other brands are amazing (Fender, Gibson, PRS, Jackson, ESP, B.C. Rich, Charvel, etc.), but for the price, you are getting the best from Ibanez!

I have an old Ibanez from 1988, just a year after they came out and it still plays like it's new!

Epiphone

I just love Paul Reed Smith! Its tones, quality, and everything else! The performance is outstanding, but all of them, even the SE edition, is suitable for average guitar players, not beginners. And they are not cheap either.

So the best budget variants are either Ibanez, Epiphone, or Fender Squire. Out of all of them, I prefer Epiphone, which can maintain a great sound and performance throughout long gigs and hours of practice.

I can't speak ill about these. The first proper guitar I got was a £350 Epiphone Les Paul Plustop Pro. I got really lucky and I'd take it over most Gibsons I've played, except a '78 Custom belonging to one of my teachers. You can play anything on these. They're good quality, and there's room to upgrade the appointments to your personal preferences.

Fender

You pay around $500 to $1,000 for a pro guitar that will last for years. The price is too expensive for most beginners. This earns it 7th place.

It has the best looks and a great, if not the best, sound. Worth every penny I spent on Fender guitars.

This is more versatile than Ibanez. Therefore, this is the best starter brand.

Squire

My first guitar was a Squier 60th anniversary classic vibe 50s Stratocaster in Aztec gold and it was okay. My friend had a Squier Bullet Strat. The sound is okay, but you could clearly see that it is made out of five or more pieces of wood.

The best guitars for beginners! I have one of those, but I am getting a Fender USA in a few days. So, this is the first guitar for you!

My first electric was a Squier. It sounded pretty good for the price. The quality was fair, but for a beginner, it was acceptable.

ESP/LTD

You either love them or you haven't played one. They are the obvious way to go for metal. Really good quality. I love my Gus-600.

Great for shredding! Usually, they have very hot pickups, so they are good with heavier strings (Regular-Heavy gauge). They cost between $300 and $900. Great for metal.

Yamaha
Jackson

Price ranks it below Squier, but it is overall a better guitar. Great for hard rock and metal.

B.C. Rich

The best I ever played with shapes like the Warlock, Beast, V, Virgo, and Virgin. These guitars rock! How can someone keep them at 7?

Because Rich is an awesome brand... Guitars have a great look, sound and they are nice to play.

Cort
Dean

Cool looking but bad quality unless you buy one that is $500 plus. Good for all metal.

The Newcomers

? Donner
The Contenders
Paul Reed Smith
Charvel

Very underrated. I wish they were around where I live.

Quality rock guitar for around $700-1,000. Price is once again the killer.

Rick Hanes
Gibson
Harmony
Avalon
Washburn
Tokai
Carvin
First Act
Lyom
Crestwood
Fiero
Starfield
Elevation
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