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Evening Standard
Evening Standard
Lifestyle
Annie Ridout

Best electric guitars for beginners to start playing whatever your budget

Whether you’re transitioning to electric guitar from acoustic or starting your guitar-playing journey anew, having the right equipment is essential.

That means the guitar itself (of course) but also an amp that ramps up smoothly, so that you can properly rock out. Before getting your kit, have a good hunt around on YouTube.

Listen to music being performed by professional guitarists - Jimi Hendrix on his Fender and St Vincent’s Annie Clark on a Hagstrom - and note the sound their guitars give out, as well as how they play them. Also check out their set-up, because while sound is most important, aesthetics matter too.

For instance, you might be drawn to more modern pastel hues, a bright yellow body or to a classic red and white.

There are also considerations in terms of what the strings are made from, the materials and colour of the fret, as well as the main body of the guitar. And beyond the electric guitar itself, there’s the option to have an external amp, or one that’s in-built.

If you’re left-handed, you’ll need a guitar strung to suit lefties, as they’re less common, while right-handed players can assume the majority of guitars are designed for their needs. To get yourself in the mood for investing in a guitar, have a think about what music you’ll be playing, as this will influence the type of guitar you are best suited to.

Are you drawn to the blues, à la B. B. King, Chuck Berry’s jazz, the rock music of legends like the Rolling Stone’s Keith Richards or Jimi Hendrix who made music spanning all three?

Whatever it is, we’ve got you covered. Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page said “I believe every guitar player inherently has something unique about their playing. They just have to identify what makes them different and develop it.”

Best electric guitars for beginners, at a glance

The best place to start is with your instrument, so let’s look at the best beginners’ guitars on the market.

Epiphone Les Paul Custom Alpine White

Best: overall

Inspired by the classic Gibson - but just a quarter of the price - the Epiphone range have a slim tapered neck, rather fancy gold-plated details and a mahogany body.

It might be the cheaper version, but it retains the quality and plays really well. This Les Paul Custom Alpine White looks slick and has a hint of luxury, without compromising the rock-n-roll aesthetic.

Epiphone has been the favoured guitar brand of legends like Noel Gallagher, Bob Dylan and the Beatles, so you’ll be in good company.

Buy now £569.00, Gear 4 Music

Harley Benton

Best for: small budget

“I’ve started recommending Harley Benton guitars,” says The Indie Killer guitarist Luke Spurrell. “They have every price point covered and different styles.” But the amp isn’t great, he says, so steer clear of the starter packs and instead, invest in a Roland Micro Cube amp, or similar.

The all-black ST-20HSS model with a satin finish looks pretty sharp and lets you play any popular style. Plus it’s a steal at just £99.

Buy now £99.00, Thomann

Loog Guitars

Best for: children

These groovy kids’ guitars come in a pleasing array of hues - mint green, ice-cream pink and buttercup lemon - as well as the classic black and white. Loog Guitars are designed for children aged 3+ and the models suited to older children - aged 8+ - are 3/4 size, so can be used by smaller adults too. The built-in speaker and amp mean it’s all in the one unit but it’s possible to add an external amp at a later date, if the practice is evolving.

Buy now £149.00, Gear4Music

Yamaha Pacifica 112J Left Handed

Best for: lefties

Some left-handed guitar players will learn to play on right-handed guitars and get on just fine. Others prefer one designed specifically suited to left-handedness. And then you have Jimi Hendrix who played a right-handed guitar upside down. Assuming you’d like one designed specifically for your needs, this Yamaha Pacifica is a great option. The sleek maple neck provides maximum comfort for hours of practice and performance and you can inject your own sound and expression with the classic tremolo bridge.

Buy now £225.00, Gear4Music

Squier Telecaster

Best for: feeling like a rock star

Jeff Beck explored blues, rock, metal, jazz and even electronica on his Fender Stratocaster, which remains one of the most popular guitars of all-time. That might be something to work towards but while starting out, the less-expensive Squier Telecaster is a great alternative.

If you’re keen to pluck and strum like a true electric guitar legend, this might just be your best option. The three-tone sunburst colours are pretty iconic but there’s also an option for plain back or natural wood.

Buy now £215.00, Gear4Music

Ibanez AZES40 AZ Essential

Best for: exploring different techniques

The Ibanez guitar range is vast and whether it’s the higher price point (£3000) or at the lower end of the scale (£179), quality is guaranteed. The AZES40 AZ Essential comes in a rather dashing mint green and is suitable for playing across genres, thanks to its versatile pickups. The T106 tremolo bridge allows for exciting exploration of different guitar-playing techniques like pitch bends and chordal shimmers.

Buy now £299.00, Gear4Music

Donner ST

Best for: easy set-up

This Donner 39-inch electric guitar comes in a vibrant sunburst and has all the bits you need to get started in its beginner kit. It comes with a neat little amp, guitar case, a strap to keep the guitar close to your body, an extra set of strings and a capo. The strings are nickel-plated, there’s a smart black fretboard and you can get this one designed for both left and right-handed players. Plus you get free access to online courses to teach you the basics. Importantly, it’s easy to set up at home.

Buy now £135.99, Amazon

Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar

Best for: strumming distinctive sounds

The Jaguar is one of the Fender models favoured by rockstars because it’s shorter, which also makes playing easier for beginners. The Johnny Marr is named after guitarist and songwriter behind the Smiths, who rose to fame in the 80s. This non-standard model is ideal for creating distinctive sounds, like those Marr creates himself. But it’s a pricier model so this one might be for the more committed guitar-players.

Also available at Reverb.

Buy now £2559.00, Fender

Fender Mini Stratocaster

Best for: mini rock ‘n’ rollers

For mini guitar-players with big rockstar dreams, this small model made by the legendary Fender will be ideal. The thin, lightweight body makes it easy to move around so you get it into the right position, it’s easy to tune and the single-coil pickups provide a crisp, rich tone. It comes in black and white, dakota red and shell pink. All rather dashing.

Buy now £149.00, Fender

Verdict

The Epiphone Les Paul Custom Alpine White is widely recommended for beginners and has the aesthetic of the classic Gibson but a more palatable price point.

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