Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V
A solid alder body, a humbucker for rock and a coil split for cleaner sounds, and owners say it plays well out of the box.
Check price on AmazonThe best beginner electric guitar
What owners say about the day the box arrives, the first months of practice and the years after, and which guitar fits the music you want to play.
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Quick picks
Squier Debut Series Stratocaster
A Fender-designed Strat for little money, the most-rated beginner guitar here, with a 2-year warranty.
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Ibanez GIO GRX70QA
Two humbuckers, a thin fast neck and the most Amazon ratings of the five.
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Epiphone Les Paul Special-II E1
Two humbuckers, a fixed bridge that helps it stay in tune, and Epiphone's limited lifetime warranty.
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Squier Mini Stratocaster
A 3/4-size Strat with a short 22.75-inch scale, light enough for a young child to hold.
Check price on AmazonJump to: Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V · Squier Debut Series Stratocaster · Ibanez GIO GRX70QA · Epiphone Les Paul Special-II E1 · Squier Mini Stratocaster
Side by side
| Pick | Best for | Pickups | Bridge | Most-cited gripe | Owner rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V | Most beginners | HSS + split | Tremolo | Occasional setup needed | 4.6 (436) |
| Squier Debut Series Stratocaster | Tight budgets | SSS | Tremolo | Rough tuners | 4.6 (2,521) |
| Ibanez GIO GRX70QA | Rock and metal | HSH | Tremolo | Hum or buzz | 4.6 (2,600) |
| Epiphone Les Paul Special-II E1 | Classic rock and blues | HH | Fixed | Setup out of the box | 4.6 (1,614) |
| Squier Mini Stratocaster | Kids and small hands | SSS | Fixed | Slack strings | 4.3 (270) |
Ratings checked on Amazon on October 19, 2026. They change over time.
Best overall
1. Yamaha Pacifica PAC112V
The verdict: The Pacifica 112V is the one we'd buy for a beginner who doesn't know yet what they'll end up playing. It has two single-coil pickups and a humbucker, plus a switch position that splits the humbucker, so it covers clean pop, blues, classic rock and heavier stuff without a pedal. Owner reviews keep saying it's easy to play and suits more than one style, and a couple say it only needed tuning when it arrived. One owner has played country, rock, metal and indie on it.
It has fewer Amazon ratings than the Squier and the Ibanez, but it comes up again and again in Reddit threads where beginners ask what to buy, usually against the Squier Sonic or Affinity. The cheaper Pacifica 012 is a different guitar. Owners on Reddit point out that it has a heavier, softer body wood, worse tuners and no coil split.
The one problem in the top reviews was electrical: an owner got buzzing and popping a few weeks in and found a badly soldered output jack, which they fixed themselves. Other owners say to budget for a minor setup or some fret leveling.
What owners keep saying
How often each theme comes up across owner reviews and forum threads.
- Easy to play from day one (praise)Often
- Covers many styles, from clean to heavy (praise)Often
- Arrived set up, only needed tuning (praise)Sometimes
- Tremolo pulls strings out of tune (complaint)Rarely
- Crackling from a loose output jack (complaint)Rarely
- Neck feels narrow to some players (complaint)Rarely
When problems show up
Day one
Two owners only had to tune it. Others say to budget for a basic setup anyway.
First months
One owner's output jack started crackling a few weeks in. It was a bad solder joint.
Best on a budget
2. Squier Debut Series Stratocaster
The verdict: The Debut is Squier's cheapest Stratocaster and one of the best-selling electric guitars on Amazon. It has the Strat layout of three single-coil pickups and a five-way switch. Six of its top eight reviews say it played well straight out of the box, with low action and good intonation. It's light at 6.7 pounds and has a thin body, which owners say makes it comfortable to hold. It also has the longest warranty here, at two years.
The cost savings show up in the hardware. One owner says the tuners feel rough and make small adjustments hard, though another expected that and found theirs fine. Two owners noticed sharp fret ends after a few months in a dry house. That's called fret sprout, and a shop can file it down.
The guitar-only box comes without a cable, strap or case. Squier also sells it as a kit with a Frontman 10G amp, gig bag, strap, cable, picks, a stand and spare strings. The kit has a 4.8-star rating from 964 owners, but Amazon showed us no written reviews for it.
What owners keep saying
How often each theme comes up across owner reviews and forum threads.
- Plays well out of the box (praise)Often
- A lot of guitar for the money (praise)Often
- Light, comfortable body (praise)Sometimes
- Holds its tuning (praise)Sometimes
- Rough tuners or a thin tremolo block (complaint)Sometimes
- Sharp fret ends after months in dry air (complaint)Sometimes
- Worth a setup before playing (complaint)Sometimes
When problems show up
Day one
Most owners tuned it and played. One raised the pickups closer to the strings, and two suggest a shop setup first.
First months
Fret ends can poke out if the room is dry. A shop can file them down.
Years in
One owner is close to two years in without a setup. Others use it as a base for new pickups and tuners.
Best for rock and metal
3. Ibanez GIO GRX70QA
The verdict: The GRX70QA is the beginner guitar for heavier music. It has a humbucker at the neck and the bridge with a single coil in the middle, and a thin maple neck that owners call fast. Most of its top reviews say it arrived set up and only needed tuning. Two owners with decades of playing behind them bought one as a cheap second guitar and came away impressed. The bridge pickup gets the most praise: one owner calls it "bright, punchy" and good for grunge.
The weak spot owners mention is the middle single coil. One owner says it sounds bad and avoids it. Reddit threads add a few electrical problems: hum when you take your hand off the strings, likely a poor ground connection at the bridge, and one guitar whose sound went weak after about ten hours of playing.
One Reddit thread asks whether it stays in tune. The answer from a forum regular: it's fine as long as you stretch new strings properly.
What owners keep saying
How often each theme comes up across owner reviews and forum threads.
- Arrived set up, only needed tuning (praise)Often
- Strong, punchy pickups for rock (praise)Often
- Thin, fast neck (praise)Sometimes
- Smooth tuners (praise)Sometimes
- Hum or buzz from a grounding fault (complaint)Sometimes
- Weak-sounding middle pickup (complaint)Rarely
- Slightly rough fret edges (complaint)Rarely
When problems show up
Day one
Check the box for shipping damage. One owner found the packing thin and other reviews mention damage.
First months
A few Reddit owners report hum or a sudden loss of sound. A poor ground connection is the likely cause.
Over time
One owner says the volume knobs can wear out if you pull them off and push them back on often.
Best Les Paul style
4. Epiphone Les Paul Special-II E1
The verdict: The Les Paul Special-II is Epiphone's best seller and the easy way into the Les Paul shape and sound. Two humbuckers give it a thick, warm tone for classic rock and blues. There's no whammy bar, so there's one less thing to knock the strings out of tune. It has been around for years, and one Reddit owner still plays theirs 14 years after buying it as a first electric.
Most of its top Amazon reviews are old, from 2010 to 2018, though the recent ones are just as happy. The usual warnings are about setup: one owner had to adjust the string height before it played well, and another needed a truss rod adjustment to stop buzzing. Two others say theirs came set up perfectly.
The controls are simple, with one volume and one tone knob for both pickups. One experienced owner thinks it takes a bit more muscle to play than a Strat-style guitar and suggests a Squier for kids under 13.
What owners keep saying
How often each theme comes up across owner reviews and forum threads.
- Great value for the money (praise)Often
- Thick, powerful rock and blues tone (praise)Often
- Good finish and looks (praise)Sometimes
- Needed a setup out of the box (complaint)Sometimes
- A string that keeps drifting flat (complaint)Rarely
- One volume and one tone for both pickups (complaint)Rarely
When problems show up
Day one
Owners split between perfectly set up and needing string height or truss rod work.
First months
One owner had a string that kept losing tension and needed regular retuning.
Years in
One owner still plays theirs 14 years on. Others keep it as a practice guitar next to pricier ones.
Best for kids and small hands
5. Squier Mini Stratocaster
The verdict: The Mini Strat is the kids' electric guitar forum regulars recommend most often. Its body is 3/4 size and the shorter neck puts the frets closer together, so small hands can reach the chords. It weighs about 3.3 pounds. The bridge is fixed, without a tremolo, which Squier says helps it stay in tune. It sounds like a regular Strat, and some adults buy one as a travel or couch guitar.
Amazon gave us no written reviews for the Mini on two tries, so this pick leans on forum threads. The short scale has one recurring side effect: strings feel slack and bend sharp too easily. Forum regulars fix that with a slightly heavier set of strings. Others complain about the tuners and want them replaced.
It's still a lot of guitar for a very small child. One parent says it was a little too big for their daughter at 8.
What owners keep saying
How often each theme comes up across owner reviews and forum threads.
- Right size for kids (praise)Sometimes
- Sounds and feels like a real Strat (praise)Sometimes
- Good travel guitar for adults (praise)Sometimes
- Slack strings that bend sharp (complaint)Sometimes
- Cheap tuners (complaint)Sometimes
- Loose or sharp bridge saddles (complaint)Rarely
When problems show up
Day one
Parents in forum threads lower the action before handing it over. If the strings feel slack, a slightly heavier set helps.
First months
One forum owner couldn't keep it in tune and tried heavier strings. Another replaced the tuners.
How to choose your first electric guitar
All five guitars here are made with beginners in mind. They differ in sound, size and weight, and in how much setup they need before they play easily. Choosing the right one is mostly about the music you want to play and the person holding it.
Match the pickups to your music
Pickups shape the sound more than anything else on a cheap guitar. Single coils (S) sound bright and clear, the classic Strat tone for pop, funk, blues and indie. Humbuckers (H) sound thicker and louder and hum less, which suits rock and metal. A guitar marked HSS or HSH mixes both, so it covers more styles.
Check the size
A full-size electric has a scale length (the distance the strings vibrate) of 24.75 to 25.5 inches. That’s right for teens and adults. Kids under about 12 usually do better with a 3/4-size guitar with a scale around 22.75 inches, which puts the frets closer together.
Tremolo or fixed bridge
A tremolo bridge has a bar that bends the pitch of every string. It’s fun, but on cheap guitars it often knocks the strings out of tune. A fixed bridge keeps them in place, which makes life easier when you’re learning to tune by ear.
Plan for a setup
Cheap guitars can arrive with the strings too high off the fretboard, a neck that needs adjusting, or sharp fret ends. Owner reviews show that most of the picks here usually play fine out of the box, but not every time. If chords feel hard to press or a string buzzes, a basic setup at a guitar shop usually fixes it.
What else you’ll need
- An amp. A small practice amp is enough at home. A headphone amp that plugs straight into the guitar lets you practice quietly.
- A cable, a strap, picks and a clip-on tuner.
- A gig bag or case if the guitar will travel to lessons.
- Spare strings. Several owners swapped the factory strings within weeks.
Questions beginners ask
Is an electric guitar easier to learn on than an acoustic?
For most people, yes. Electric guitars use lighter strings and have lower action, so chords hurt less in the first weeks. You do need an amp or a headphone amp, which an acoustic doesn't.
What else do I need besides the guitar?
An amp, a cable and a tuner, at minimum. A small practice amp or a headphone amp that plugs into the guitar is enough at home. A strap, picks and a gig bag help too. The Squier Debut kit bundles most of this.
Should I get a guitar with a tremolo arm?
It doesn't matter much at first. Owners of the Pacifica and the Debut say the bar can pull the strings out of tune, and some leave it in the box. If tuning stability matters more to you, the Epiphone and the Squier Mini have fixed bridges.
Do I need to get a new guitar set up?
Often not, but it helps. Owners report guitars that arrived ready to play, and others that needed the string height lowered or the neck adjusted. A basic setup at a local shop makes a budget guitar much easier to play.
What size guitar does a child need?
Most kids under about 12 do better with a 3/4-size guitar like the Squier Mini. Teens can usually handle a full-size guitar, and the Debut's thin, light body helps.