Picking the best electric guitar under $300 that plays great and will make you sound like a rockstar isn’t easy. Not all budget electric guitars in the $300 price range are made of solid tonewoods and have great electronics and pickups. Some less expensive electric guitars also tend to cheap out on the hardware like bridges and tuners.
That’s why we made this review. We wanted to show you all of the most popular $300 electric guitars that are made of good quality materials and are worth buying. It doesn’t matter whether this if your first electric guitar or simply a beginner guitar that you want to learn on. We’ll show you which one is right for you and will make you into the rockstar you want to me.
Let’s check out some of the top electric guitar for $300 that are worth the money.
Click Below to Compare the Top Electric Guitars Below $300 in 2021
Contents
- 1 Click Below to Compare the Top Electric Guitars Below $300 in 2021
- 2 What We Recommend and Why
Here is a list of the best affordable electric guitars under $300 that are made out of high quality tone wood and look awesome.
- Fender Squier Vintage Stratocaster – Best Guitar under $300
- Jackson JS32 Rhoads – Best Electric Guitar for the Money
- Ibanez RG421
- Epiphone Les Paul SPECIAL-II
- Epiphone SG Special VE
- Fender Squier Standard Stratocaster
- Fender Squier Standard Telecaster
- Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V
- Dean Custom Zone
Fender Squier Vintage Stratocaster
Specs, features, and benefits
The Squier Vintage Modified Stratocaster is a great guitar, for an affordable price.
The body of the guitar is made out of Basswood, while the bolt-on neck is made out of maple with rosewood fingerboard on top. It is a C-shaped, 25.5″ Scale neck with twenty-one medium-jumbo frets and a large 70′ headstock. It has nice-looking, vintage-style hardware, and three Duncan Designed SC-101 single-coil pickups. Of course, there are the five-way selector-switch, the two Tone knobs, and the Volume control knob.
Pros and Highlights
- Sounds awesome – The three single-coil pick-ups sound great both clean and with distortion!
- Vintage look – The large 70’s headstock and the hardware on the guitar are giving this guitar very cool look;
- Feels great – The guitar is extremely playable.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- It might need a setup – This is not a flaw or something. But it is something you should be aware of. The guitar will probably need a setup right out of the box.
Bottom line
Many owners of this guitar are claiming that this guitar is the best Squier ever. It plays and feels nice, and it sounds great! The Squier by Fender Vintage Modified Stratocaster is a great instrument, both for beginners and for intermediate players.
Jackson JS32 Rhoads
Specs, features, and benefits
The Jackson JS32 is the affordable version of signature Randy Rhoads Jackson guitar. The body of the guitar is made out of poplar wood, while the bolt-on neck is made out of maple with graphite reinforcements. The fingerboard is rosewood one, with twenty-four frets. The neck is rounder at the nut position, for easy rhythm playing.
The JS32 has a licensed Floyd Rose Jackson double-locking tremolo bridge, and Jackson Sealed Die-cast Tuning machines. It has two Jackson-designed high-output humbucker pickups, a three-way selector switch, and Tone and Volume control knobs.
Pros and Highlights
- Sounds amazing – The two humbuckers produce a great, fat tone. They sound amazing both in clean and distorted setup.
- Great Neck – The neck is specially designed for easy and fast movements.
- The bang for the buck – If you are looking for a great value for the money, and you want this kind of guitar, don’t hesitate – you won’t be disappointed;
Cons and Potential Flaws
- No cons! – If you are a true metal-fan guitarist, and you don’t want to spend a fortune on a great guitar – the Jackson JS32 is a great choice for an axe.
Bottom line
Affordable, sturdy, comfortable and durable guitar. It feels great, and it sounds amazing. If you are a big fan of heavy music – this is all you need to enter the shredding world. Great $300 guitar for the money.
Ibanez RG421
Specs, features, and benefits
Don’t get fooled by the price of the Ibanez RG421 – this thing is a beast!
The body of the RG421 is made out of mahogany, while the neck is made out of maple. It has a rosewood fingerboard with twenty-four jumbo frets. The bridge on the guitar is not a tremolo one, however, it is of high-quality. Also, the nut and the tuning machines are not expensive, but they do perform without flaws. The pick-ups on the guitar are Ibanez Quantum – they sound great. It has a five-way selector-switch, Tone and Volume control knobs.
Pros and Highlights
- It shreds! – This guitar is great for shredding. The neck is fast, and the pick-ups sound awesome!
- Solid-body – The body is made out of mahogany. Some may not like this, because it weights more, but also, this is why the guitar sounds the way it sounds.
- Great for beginners – It is an affordable guitar, with a great amount of playability. If you are just starting out, this guitar is a great starting point.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Fixed bridge – If you are into smoking and fast style of playing guitar, you may also want a tremolo bar. The bridge on the Ibanez RG421 lacks this feature.
Bottom line
If you are a beginner, and you are into metal music, the Ibanez RG421 is a great starting point. It is an affordable and durable guitar and sounds awesome. The neck on the guitar is specially designed for fast movements!
However, if you are an intermediate shredder, or you are not into metal music, this guitar is not for you. You will probably need something more suitable for your style.
Epiphone Les Paul SPECIAL-II
Specs, features, and benefits
If you like Gibsons more than Fenders, and you are looking for a cheap Les Paul, Gibson’s little brother Epiphone makes just what you are looking for.
The Epiphone Les Paul Special-II is made out of Okoume wood, which is like a lightweight substitute for mahogany, and the body of the guitar is flat – different from the Gibson Les Paul’s body, which is curved a bit. Also, the neck on the Epiphone Les Paul is bolted, unlike the neck on the Gibson, which is glued to the body. It has a 24.75 Scale neck.
The fingerboard on the guitar is made out of rosewood and has twenty-two frets. It has two open-coil, humbucker pick-ups, which are providing a long sustain, Tone and Volume control knobs, and three-way Treble/Rhythm switch. The Epiphone LP Special-II has Tune-o-Matic bridge with stop bar tailpiece, and covered tuning machines.
Pros and Highlights
- Good for starters! – If you are just starting out and Slash or Jimmy Page is your guitar idols, and your father is not a millionaire, you should probably start with this guitar!
- Feels good – The overall feel this guitar has it’s really not far away from a “professional” guitar. In fact, with a few changes, you can take this beauty on the road!
- It sounds ok – For a 199$ guitar, this is a great sounding one!
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Bad tuning machines – They are really bad. They tend to get out of tune really quickly. If you already have this guitar, or you are planning to buy it. You should consider buying decent tuning machines and replace the old ones.
Bottom line
The Epiphone Les Paul Special-II is an ok guitar for the money. It has its pros and cons, but it is a decent one if you are just starting out. The negative sides are that the tuning machines don’t hold very well, and the pick-ups and the electronics are cheap. However, with a few modifications, the Epiphone LP-Special-II can easily become a guitar that you can play with on gigs.
Epiphone SG Special VE
Specs, features, and benefits
Affordable guitar, yet very playable! The Epiphone SG Special VE’s body is made out of poplar wood with mahogany veneer on top. The bolt-on neck of the guitar is made out of okoume wood, with a rosewood fingerboard, which has twenty-two medium jumbo, frets. The hardware on the guitar is made out of nickel, and features LockTone Tune-o-Matic bridge and tailpiece, and premium covered tuning machines.
The SG Special VE has two humbucking, ceramic pick-ups, one at the bridge, and the other at the neck position, three-way toggle switch for pick-up selecting, Tone and Volume control knobs. It is available in several different colors.
Pros and Highlights
- Affordable – If you are looking for an SG that won’t break the bank – there you go!
- Great sound – You will be amazed by the sound you will get with this guitar. The two humbucker pick-ups provide you with punchy, yet warm guitar sounds.
- Playability – The “D”-shaped neck is great for playing both rhythm and solo!
Cons and Potential Flaws
- You need something better if you are a professional musician – Although this guitar is pretty good for beginners, and it sounds decent, if you are on the “professional” side (meaning that you earn from guitar playing), you will need something that sounds and performs better.
Bottom line
If you are a big SG fan, you probably can’t find a better low-cost SG on the market. Epiphone SG Special VE is a solid-body guitar that plays and sounds decent for the price. However, if you are a professional musician, you probably need something better, something with better quality pick-ups and hardware at least.
Fender Squier Standard Stratocaster
Specs, features, and benefits
The Standard Stratocaster by Squier is a great guitar for those who are just starting out. It has a body made out of Agathis wood and a C-shaped neck made of maple with large 70′ headstock. There are two fingerboards available, Laurel and Maple. It has twenty-two medium frets.
It has 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Block Saddles bridge and standard Die-cast tuning machines. The pick-ups on the Squier Standard Stratocaster are three single-coil Standard Strat pick-ups, and they have the standard layout of controls: the five-way switch, and the two Tone and one Volume control knobs.
Pros and Highlights
- Great for beginners! – It is affordable and playable. If you are just getting into the guitar world – the Standard Strat by Squier is a good choice for an axe.
- Very nice looks – It is available in several different colors, all of them with a polyurethane finish. They look awesome.
- Playable – If you are a newbie, this guitar is great for you – it won’t back you off from playing guitar. The neck is very playable.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Cheap-made – Well, to be honest with you – there might be some better options out there. You can buy a decent Squier, but you may also get a defective one. Squier is not a very consistent company. The pick-ups on the Squier Standard Strat are far from amazing.
- The guitar is probably useless in a studio.
Bottom line
If you are just starting out, or your grandson is just starting out – The Standard Stratocaster by Squier may be a good choice. However, if you are a more experienced player, you will probably be disappointed with this guitar. It offers good value for the money, but professionals usually need a better tone and performance.
Fender Squier Standard Telecaster
Specs, features, and benefits
The Standard Telecaster by Squier is made out of Aghatis for the body, and maple for the neck. It has a vintage vibe to it, and it is very playable.
There are two options for the fingerboard on the guitar; it can be made either of rosewood or of maple. The neck is a C-shaped one, just like those made in the sixties. It has twenty-two medium jumbo frets.
The bridge on the Squier Standard Tele is a string-through-body 6-saddle bridge, and it has standard die-cast tuning machines. The pick-up on the bridge position is a standard Fender single-coil, while the one at the neck position is Alnico single-coil pick-up. It has a three-way selector switch, and Tone and Volume control knobs.
Pros and Highlights
- Great sound – You won’t get a better Tele sound for the price of the Squier Standard Tele!
- Fast neck – The neck is designed after the Tele neck that was made in the sixties, it is extremely playable.
- Ideal for beginners – If you are a newbie in the guitar world, this Tele might be a great choice for you, especially if you like blues, country, and rock’n’roll music.
Cons and Potential Flaws
- You might get sharp fret ends – This is not a big flaw, and is pretty common for guitars at this price range. It can be easily fixed with a little sanding by your local luthier, and it won’t cost you a lot.
Bottom line
If you are a beginner, and you dig the Telecaster, the Standard Telecaster by Squier is a great choice. It is a great beginner’s guitar – it has all that a beginner would need. With a few modifications, like changing up the pick-ups, it could also become your gigging guitar.
Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V
Specs, features, and benefits
The Yamaha Pacifica is famous for its low price and decent quality. They are widely known as a great beginners guitar. The Yamaha PAC112V is a solid-body guitar. Plus it’s affordable and reliable. The body of the guitar is made out of Alder wood, and the bolt-on, C-shaped neck is made out of maple with rosewood fingerboard. It has twenty-two frets.
The hardware on the guitar is pretty decent too; it has a tremolo bridge, with adjustable saddles and die-cast tuners. There are three pick-ups on the guitar, one Alnico humbucker at the bridge position, and two Alnico single-coil pick-ups. The controls are pretty standard when it comes to Strat-looking guitars, one five-way selector switch, two Tone knobs, and one Volume control knob.
Pros and Highlights
- Solid-body – The guitar has a great sustain due to the solid-body made out of Alder-wood.
- Good hardware – The guitar stays in tune, even after using the tremolo bar. This is pretty amazing for a low-cost guitar such as the Yamaha PAC112V.
- Beginner friendly – Affordable, yet decent-quality!
Cons and Potential Flaws
- Bad frets – This might be a huge drawback for some, but this problem is actually fixable – just take your PAC112V to your local luthier and he will get rid of that buzzing.
Bottom line
The Yamaha PAC112V is a great beginner’s guitar. It won’t break the bank, and it is of decent quality. The hardware is good, the neck is great, and the pick-ups sound ok. You might get a guitar with bad frets-job so this might be a drawback, but even if you have that problem – don’t worry, it is fixable. However, if you are more on the intermediate spectrum, you might find some other Yamaha guitars better.
Dean Custom Zone
Specs, features, and benefits
The Dean Custom Zone electric guitar is an interesting one due to its notable florescent-green color. You can also opt for the florescent-pink color.
The body of the guitar is made out of mahogany. The neck of the guitar is a bolt-on, and it is made out of maple. The fingerboard is made out of maple too. It has twenty-two frets. It has a tremolo bridge and Grover tuning machines.
The pick-ups on the guitar are two humbuckers, one at the bridge position, and the other at the neck position. It has three-way selector-switch, and Tone and Volume control knobs.
Pros and Highlights
- Affordable! – Very affordable!
- Stays in tune – The Grover tuning machines and the bridge are doing their job, as they should.
- Fast neck – The neck is built so you can shred on it!
Cons and Potential Flaws
- It might need some adjustments right out of the box – Many owners reported that they had fret buzzing, and the guitar needed setup right out of the box.
Bottom line
If you are looking for a cheap guitar, that sounds good and plays good, you might like this one! It is affordable, and it is of decent quality. Great guitar for beginners. However, if you are more of an intermediate player, you should be looking for a better guitar.
What We Recommend and Why
Although we can’t be completely objective when it comes to choosing a guitar in a price range, or in any other category, we try to recommend the best of the best, and the one that will suit most players. This is why we recommend the Squier by Fender Vintage Modified Stratocaster. It will suit many different genres and styles of playing. It is affordable and sounds good. In this price range, you’ll hardly find any better. But if you do – go for it. Try it before you buy it, folks.