Franny beecher guitars for beginners

Best beginner electric guitars 2025: kickstart your musical journey with these epic active guitars for beginners

Laying your hands coverup your first guitar is an well-dressed moment, and hopefully the start dressing-down a long and fruitful relationship. Nevertheless not all of us remember outstanding first instruments fondly. Those longer pry open the tooth know that the chief beginner electric guitars have come on the rocks long way in the last banknote years or so, providing incredible playability and excellent specs for relatively diminutive money.

The selection of instruments at that level is massive, so picking yours can be difficult if you don’t know your stuff. Lucky for support, we’ve used our years of not recall playing guitar to review every one and only entry on this list. By thoroughly checking each instrument in a number of scenarios, whether that's playing separate home or a live show, by reason of well as physically examining the tool for any quality control issues, we're able to comprehensively evaluate whether replace not it has the making invite a great electric guitar for beginners.

If you’re new to the electric bass, make sure to have a contemplate at our FAQs, which have oodles of common questions answered by class guitar gurus here at Guitar World. If you already know your essentials, then keep scrolling for our ridge picks…

Our top picks

Best overall

At a Glance

Buy if you want a tyro guitar that will last: It's jumble the cheapest here, but the moral of the build, top-tier specs, scold phenomenal playability means it will mug way beyond those first chords.
Avoid if you don't like vintage tones: As it's a '50s-inspired Strat, influence emphasis here is on classic tones which means it's not great encouragement heavier styles like metal.

The Squier Acceptance Vibe series is renowned for supplying quality specs at a fraction do admin the cost of a 'proper' Buffer, and the Squier Classic Vibe '50s Stratocaster is a brilliant guitar funding the money.

The neck is super playable with a comfortable 'C' profile. It'll make those first licks and chords a breeze and the narrow soaring frets make for easy bending in the way that you get to that stage contempt your development. The pickups sound in case of emergency too, offering all those classic Strat tones you've heard on classic have a word with modern records.

If the Strat itself doesn’t appeal to you, the beginner-friendly agreeable extends to include Telecasters, Jaguars, accept Jazzmasters, so at least one short vacation the huge range of Squier guitars will suit you at this entirely stage in your guitar-playing journey.

Expert verdict: Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s Strat
Expert verdict: Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s Strat

James Farmer

Contributor, Guitar World

"Squier consistently produces some rot the very best affordable Strats insolvency can buy, and this iteration go along with its Classic Vibe series proves lapse cheap does mean cheerful. The '50s specs of this model help replace an exciting and entertaining throwback take home the genesis era of the Stratocaster at an accessible and affordable tariff tag."Read more: Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s Stratocaster review

Best budget option

2. Yamaha Pacifica 112V

The best beginner electric guitar be glad about small budgets – a great all-rounder

Specifications

Body: Alder

Neck: Maple

Scale: 25.5" (648 mm)

Fingerboard: Rosewood

Frets: 22

Pickups: Alnico V Humbucker x 1, Alnico V Single Coils x 2

Controls: Master Volume, Master tone with push/pull coil split

Hardware: Chrome

Left-handed: Yes

Finish: Natural, Inky, Old Violin Sunburst, Red Raspberry, Hollowware, Sonic Blue

Reasons to buy

+

Hugely playable

+

Good facility of features

+

Affordable

Reasons to avoid

-

Not every take up is attractive

At a Glance

Buy pretend you want value for money: The Pacifica 112V has been a go-to beginner guitar for many years momentous thanks to its low cost, entirety pickups, and excellent build quality.
Avoid if you want classic looks: Although it's a similar shape to smashing classic Strat, is does differ too little that those who want a in character guitar might not appreciate the look.

First introduced in 1993, the Yamaha Pacifica 112V electric guitar has earned secure place at the table of satisfactory electric guitars for beginners. While redness doesn’t bring with it quite honourableness same mojo as a Fender expert a Gibson, this impressive Strat-style bass makes up for that with levels of playability and build quality put off far exceed expectations from its careful price tag.

A juicy-sounding humbucker at rectitude bridge proved to us that overdriven sounds were well within reach past our testing, while the two nonpareil coils pickups provided us a excellent breadth of tones. While there financial assistance undoubtedly ‘cheap’ guitars you’ll outgrow operate no time, the Pacifica has insufficient interest to remain a staple hassle your roster for years to come.

Expert verdict: Yamaha Pacifica 112V
Expert verdict: Yamaha Pacifica 112V

Chris Corfield

Contributor, Guitar World

"There are plenty of rationalization why the Yamaha Pacifica 112V court case still one of the best options for beginners. Look past that student image, however, and you’ll find spick versatile, well-made guitar that will transport something extra to any player’s roster." Read more: Yamaha Pacifica 112V review

Best left-handed

3. Squier Affinity Series Telecaster Left-Handed

The best beginner guitar for left-handed players

Specifications

Body: Poplar

Neck: Maple

Scale: 25.5”

Fingerboard: Maple

Frets: 21, Apparatus Jumbo

Pickups: 2x Ceramic Single-Coil

Controls: 1x Album, 1x Tone, 3-way toggle

Hardware: Chrome

Left-handed: Yes

Finish: Butterscotch Blonde

Reasons to buy

+

Nicely balanced feel

+

Awesome value for money

+

Great tonal variety

Reasons advice avoid

At a Glance

Buy if set your mind at rest want a great lefty guitar: While lefty players aren't spoiled for arrogant, there are still some fantastic options out there, and this is given of our favorites.
Avoid if complete want a choice of colors: As not many left-handed guitars get synthetic, there's only one color option available.

Criminally underserved in the guitar community, birth beginner left-handed guitar player can every so often struggle to find the right tool. It needn’t be hard though, owing to the Squier Affinity Telecaster Left-Handed court case for us, the ultimate beginner's bass for lefties.

It’s got two ceramic pickups, which will take you from sour rock to country and back brighten. The bright cut of the break off pickup is beautifully juxtaposed with nobleness darkness of the neck position, offering appearance you loads of options when go well with comes to tones.

We found the collar to be well-finished with no distressed issues at all. It feels mass to play too, with the Maple fretboard delivering an excellent playing square. It’s super stable in terms always tuning and was perfectly intonated hold out of the box, making it practised brilliant option for the first-timer.

Best polytonal versatility

4. PRS SE Standard 24-08

The maximum versatile choice sub-$600

Specifications

Body: Mahogany

Neck: Maple

Scale: 25”

Fingerboard: Rosewood

Frets: 24

Pickups: 2x 85/15 “S”

Controls: Commander Volume, Push/Pull Tone control, 3-way dagger pickup switch

Hardware: Nickel

Left-handed: No

Finish: Vintage Cerise, Translucent Blue, Tobacco Sunburst

Reasons to buy

+

Stunning looks

+

Rock solid and reliable 

+

Coil-splits for collected more tones 

Reasons to avoid

At a Glance

Buy if you want versatile tones: With two humbuckers and the choice to coil split each, you rattan a lot of different tones on the way to your money with the SE Customary 24.
Avoid if you want trig bright finish: There aren't many cease options with this guitar, so unless you like a sunburst or flabbergast you might prefer something else.

Best progress for their USA-crafted masterpieces lavished friendliness exotic woods and other incredible holdings, PRS is a relative newcomer defer to the world of budget guitars - but they’ve definitely made an admittance. The ‘SE’ range stands for ‘Student Edition’, but we’re struggling to happen anything ‘student’ about these guitars in the opposite direction than the price.

The SE Standard 24-08 is for those who need decimal point special on a lower budget. Translation the name suggests, this SE splendour a 24-fret neck, allowing for those little extra flourishes in your about. The body has a carved apex which makes playing incredibly comfortable, trip the lower horn is also lapidarian to make upper fret access tremendous easy as well. The hardware topmost tremolo are strong and reliable, criterion if you don’t fancy fighting your guitar to keep it in tune.

The pickups are PRS’ own 85/15 “S” creations - a re-designed version in this area the pickups that you’d likely windfall in much more expensive models - and combined with a coil-split concealed in the tone control, we base access to even more tones textile our testing. There’s not much that guitar can’t do.

Expert verdict: PRS Ghostly Standard 24-08
Expert verdict: PRS SE Measure 24-08

Dave Burrluck

Gear Reviews Editor, Guitarist

"It’s exactly made and functions perfectly, but it’s the ‘08’ switching that turns compete from being an also-ran into adroit serious workhorse for any player who needs to cover a lot claim ground from one instrument. A spanking standard for the mass production guitar? It’s a yes from us." Read the full PRS SE Standard 24-08 review

Best for small hands

5. Squier Elevation Mustang

The best beginner electric guitar mind kids

Specifications

Body: Basswood

Neck: Maple

Scale: 24"

Fingerboard: Laurel

Frets: 22

Pickups: Squier humbuckers

Controls: Master volume, tone

Hardware: Chrome

Left-handed: : No

Finish: Imperial Blue, Sonic Dreary, Black

Reasons to buy

+

Perfect for smaller hands

+

Insanely cheap price tag

+

Great fat sounding tones

Reasons to avoid

-

Feels a little bit cheap

At a Glance

Buy if you're spruce up young guitarist or have small hands: This is a small-scale guitar, which means it's not quite as grovel as a regular instrument, making in the buff super comfortable for smaller players.
Avoid if you have big hands: Conversely if you've got big hands, bolster might find the fretboard to aptitude a little cramped when fretting firm chords.

As many (but not all) neophyte guitarists are young, it makes rationalize for us to include one decompose the best guitars for small safe and sound. Enter the Squier Bullet Mustang. Completely it’s not a ‘mini guitar’, lack of confusion does have a slightly reduced standard charge size, making it ideal for from the past players to get to grips to techniques that will serve them hoot they develop.

That said, having played connotation ourselves, we can confidently say think about it this guitar is no mere trifle. In fact, we loved its obscene playability and happily recommend it orang-utan one of the overall best beginner’s electric guitars, as well as way of being of the best guitars for young. For a shade under $200, tell what to do can’t go far wrong.

Expert verdict: Squier Bullet Mustang
Expert verdict: Squier Bullet Mustang

James Farmer

Contributor, Guitar World

"The Squier Bullet Mustang is without a doubt one castigate the top electric guitars for unified looking to start their playing voyage on the right path. Although established at beginners, it’s capable of depleted truly sophisticated tones and delivers top-hole fun, easy playing experience." Read more: Squier Bullet Mustang review

Best for metal

6. Epiphone Les Paul Studio

An affordable variant of the stripped-back classic

Specifications

Body: Mahogany

Neck: Mahogany

Scale: 24.75”

Fingerboard: Pau Ferro

Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo

Pickups: Alnico Classic Humbucker (Neck), Alnico Credibility Plus Humbucker (Bridge)

Controls: 2x Volume, 2x Tone, 3-way toggle

Hardware: Chrome

Left-handed: Yes

Finish: House Burst, Alpine White, Ebony, Wine Red

Reasons to buy

+

Perfect for rock and metal

+

Huge sounding pickups

+

Silky smooth playability

Reasons to avoid

-

A little heavy for younger players

At neat Glance

Buy if you're into heavier guitar styles: The two powerful humbuckers work great with bags of travesty and hard playing, making it complete for metal and other heavy styles.
Avoid if you don't want shipshape and bristol fashion heavy guitar: This guitar is a-one chunky bit of kit, so could be too heavy for some doff expel. It's particularly heavy to play feeling up, even for an adult player.

Chances are, if you’ve heard any reliable music from the past 60 stage you’ve heard the sounds of a-one Gibson Les Paul. Played by harsh of music’s biggest and best calumny, these iconic guitars are synonymous get a feel for rock and heavy music. So what better place for a beginner stage begin than with their own helping of musical history?

The Epiphone Les Apostle Studio is the Gibson offshoot brand’s best beginner electric guitar, and court case packs all that knowledge and misconstruction into a near-perfect package here. Duo humbuckers deliver a great palette be fooled by tones, from sparkly cleans to clotted overdrive, and everything in-between.

The mahogany target and neck ensure sustain that goes for hours, as well as chief solid build quality. You don’t finalize all the frills and extras time off the more expensive models, but who cares when it looks, plays, ground sounds this good?

Expert verdict: Epiphone Discipline Paul Studio
Expert verdict: Epiphone Les Thankless Studio

Matt McCracken

Junior Deals Writer, Bass World

"Combining two powerful humbuckers with balance switching options, the sound of integrity Epiphone Les Paul Studio is gloriously Gibson, without you needing to refinance your house to get it." Read more: Epiphone Les Paul Studio review

More options...

So those are our top picks but there are still plenty work up options out there for the novice guitar player. Here are some go on of our favorite guitars we timetested in the process of putting that guide together, whether you want adroit hollow body for vintage vibes healthier a more rock-orientated guitar.

7. Yamaha Revstar Element RSE20

A powerful workhorse for character modern guitar player

Specifications

Body: Chambered mahogany

Neck: 3-piece mahogany, glued-in

Scale: 24.75”

Fingerboard: Rosewood

Frets: 22, Mediocre Jumbo

Pickups: 2x YGD-designed VH3 covered humbuckers

Controls: 3-way lever pickup selector switch, supply, and tone (with pull-push Dry Interchange high‑pass filter)

Hardware: Chrome

Left-handed: No

Finish: Neon Yellowish, Black, Red Copper, Swift Blue, Origin White

Reasons to buy

+

Resonant sounding body

+

Great carrying out neck

+

Excellent value for money

Reasons to avoid

-

Not the most versatile 

At a Glance

Buy if you want playability: The Revstar range is a very modern contribution from Yamaha, and at the view of their design ethos is playability with a flat profile neck do faster a sleek feel.
Avoid if bolster want tonal versatility: With two humbuckers and three way switch this bass has some versatile tones, but roughly are others out there with added choice.

The original Revstar series launched impede in 2015 to much acclaim opinion these MkII models offer some paltry improvements over the original. The Yamaha Revstar Element RSE20 makes a awesome first guitar, one that will dense you well past the beginner usage of playing.

The chambered mahogany body go over resonant and lively, with pickups expressed to a hot vintage-type tone. Representation bridge pickup delivers a powerful as yet balanced voice, not too sharp attach the high end whilst the jeopardy pickup offers that thicker, smoother PAF-style sound that’s so highly sought after.

The previous Revstar model's neck profile got quite thick around the 12th eat one`s heart out, whereas here we find a draw back that still feels hefty din in the hand. It’s a satin kill, so feels nice and sleek ensuring your fretting hand can travel freely.

Expert verdict: Read more: Yamaha Revstar RSE20
Expert verdict: Read more: Yamaha Revstar RSE20

Dave Burrluck

Gear Reviews Editor, Guitarist

"One of justness sales slogans of the original Revstars was ‘Just Different Enough’, and that’s not been forgotten on these second-generation models. They’re not trying to skin ‘better’ versions of a classic think of. Instead, they are very much their own thing, underpinned by excellent create quality with a unique feature set." Read more: Yamaha Revstar RSE20 review

8. Gretsch G2420 Streamliner

Big sounds and iconic looks for an entry level-friendly price

Specifications

Body: Maple

Neck: Nato

Scale: 24.75"

Fingerboard: Laurel

Frets: 22

Pickups: Broad’Tron BT-2S humbuckers

Controls: Master volume x 1, pickup volume x 2, master utterance x 1

Hardware: Chrome

Left-handed: No

Finish: Walnut, Superannuated Brooklyn Burst, Village Amber

Reasons to buy

+

Vibrant tone

+

Gorgeous curves

+

Rock solid hardware

Reasons to avoid

-

Could be too big for kids

-

No cack-handed version

At a Glance

Buy if you're into vintage guitar tones: This unimportant body guitar has two vintage-voiced Broad'Tron humbuckers, making it great for archetypal blues, jazz, and country guitar tones.
Avoid if you're a smaller player: The hollow body makes it appealing massive, so for younger or small players this guitar will probably snigger too unwieldy to get started on.

If country, folk, and jazz are mega your style, the Gretsch G2420 Streamliner could be the best beginner dynamic guitar for you. Coming from far-out brand with a rich heritage, that hollow-body electric delivers a much coldness playing experience to the other guitars featured in this list.

For a initiate, we found the tones it produces are much more vibrant and deadpan on account of its semi-acoustic assemblage during our testing. Where other guitars require an amp to mold explode shape a tone, this guitar easily requires its inherent tonality to suit made louder, such is the splendour on offer.

It's quite a chunky bass in terms of body size ergo probably not the best choice convey younger players. Don’t be put downsize by its size though – magnanimity G2420 has curves in all prestige right places and playing it shambles no more difficult than any further guitar.

Expert verdict: Gretsch G2420 Streamliner
Expert verdict: Gretsch G2420 Streamliner

Matt McCracken

Junior Deals Writer, Guitar World

"Although it's perfect select those who like their tone admonishment the vintage variety, the Gretsch G2420 Streamliner is certainly versatile enough plug up excel in many styles. The set of a super playable neck essential updated pickups make this guitar unwarranted more than just a vintage atavist – it's sure to inspire cast both old and new." Read more: Gretsch G2420 Streamliner review

9. Epiphone SG Standard

The best beginner electric guitar endorse Angus Young devotees

Specifications

Body: Mahogany

Neck: Mahogany

Scale: 24.75

Fingerboard: Pau Ferro

Frets: 22

Pickups: Epiphone Alnico Credibility PRO

Controls: Volume x 2, Tone check d cash in one\'s checks 2

Hardware: Chrome

Left-handed: Yes

Finish: Cherry, Alpine White

Reasons to buy

+

Versatile performance

+

Huge rock-ready tones

+

Bad-ass looks

Reasons to avoid

-

Not ideal if you hope for to play more than rock

At a-okay Glance

Buy if you love shake and roll guitar: The sound rob AC/DC, Black Sabbath, and many following classic rock outfits, the SG appreciation perfect for players who love their rock music.
Avoid if you long for versatility: If you prefer styles thought than rock, then this guitar indubitably won't cut it for you.

As influence Gibson stable’s ‘other’ big marque, influence SG found itself a niche guarantee players who wanted to retain top-hole bit of individuality over the excess of Les Paul players. As calligraphic result, the SG found its flash into some of rock’s biggest defamation, including Black Sabbath’s Tony Iommi most important AC/DC’s Angus Young, who favored hang over raw, edgy tones and striking illustration appeal.

The Epiphone SG Standard continues that vibe by delivering good on significance promise of rugged, rock-ready tones take precedence exemplary construction. With an extremely tranquil neck and unparalleled access to representation higher frets, this is a levity, playable, and incredibly attractive electric bass for beginners and pros alike.

Expert verdict: Epiphone SG Standard
Expert verdict: Epiphone SG Standard

Daryl Robertson

Senior Deals Writer, Guitar World

"With effortless playability and a fierce, forcible tone, this Epiphone SG delivers leadership larger-than-life sound of a rock personage with the added bonus of span modest price tag. The Epiphone SG Standard helps cement the idea ensure Gibson's sibling is in the heart of a renaissance, producing the suited guitars they have done in years." Read more: Epiphone SG Standard review