Music is a blessing, and we believe that everyone should have the chance to play regardless of the budget. Moreover, we find it fascinating to see (and hear) whether there’s any chance an inexpensive electric guitar can produce the same effects as its equivalence at a higher price range. Without diving deeper or emptying your wallet, here is BreatheCrolina’s pick of the best electric guitars under $200 in 2023 for children, metalheads, Indie band guitarists or beginners of electric guitars.

Best Electric Guitars Under $200 Comparison 2023

Fender Squier Bullet Stratocaster	Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster	ESP LTD EC-10	Fender Squier Bullet Mustang

$$$	$$$	$$	$$$
Best for Children	Best for Beginners	best for Metalheads	best for Indie Band Guitarists

** Below, you will find our detailed reviews of the Best Electric Guitars Under $200, but you can also click the links above to see current prices or read customer reviews on Amazon.

Detailed Reviews Of Top Best Electric Guitars Under $200

Fender Squier Bullet Stratocaster

The Squier Bullet Strat is considered among the most affordable hard-tail electric guitars available today. It is designed based on the famous HSS Stratocaster. Girls and boys who wished to learn guitar have been purchasing this instrument for years since Squier introduced it.

It has a regular shaft neck and a traditional HSS Strat “C” design. It has a 21 full fretboard and is crafted out of Rosewood. Applied to the required frets are regular fender inlays. Overall, the instrument has an outstanding layout.

Electronic wise, this Squier electric guitar is equipped with a regular single-coil neck with center pick-ups, and a humbucker bridge pick-up. Whatever arrangement you want to practice, the five-way pick-up switch helps create a seamless transfer.

Unlike most electric guitars on the market that have from three pick-ups, the Squier is equipped with only the volume knob and two 1-position tone control knobs. Moreover, its socket placement, which is on the top of the guitar frame, instead of underneath it, is not of everyone’s cup of tea.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Easy to clean
Two knobs for tone control
Perfect fretboard for beginner

Things we did not like

Jack socket placed on the top

Fender Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster

The Affinity Series Squier Stratocaster holds several records in terms of selling in the guitar business. The guitar body is made from Alderwood, and the neck is made of Maple wood in a “C” shape. There are two types of fingerboard available: the Indian Laurel or the Maple wood fingerboard, both are 21 frets.

The tuners are the default Die-cast on a broad headstock in the “70s” style. The system has three single spiral pick-ups and a regular 5-way switch, two tone control pick-ups, and a volume knob. The bridge is like retro with a hexing bar, and the guitar is available in various colors.

The Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster is good to begin with if you have just started to play electric guitar. The hardware of this guitar is not the finest, but it’s alright for this level as it sounds good and feels fine.

You should also take into account which edition of this guitar line is most suitable for you. The only difference between the two available editions is the pick-ups. While the SSS edition has a three single-coil pick-up, the HSS edition has two single-coil pick-up and a humbucker one. The HSS is best for you if you are into hard music, while if you are into blues and rock, the SSS is the right option.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Good quality for the price
Feels and sounds good
Suitable for different music genre

Things we did not like

Bad tuning machines

Gibson Epiphone Les Paul Special II

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Bossy sound produced by open coil pick-ups
SlimTaper “D”-shape neck for quick playing
Tune-o-matic bridge for quick string shifting

Things we did not like

Bad tuning machines
For individual controls of tone or volume

Fender Squier Affinity Telecaster

Squier, the company owned by the renowned guitar maker Fender, presents the Affinity Telecaster as a wallet-friendly alternative of the legendary Fender Tele guitar. It’s a strong constructed electric guitar, made of alder and Maple wood, both have vivid and shimmering wood tones that create smooth and bright notes.

Two retro-style single-coil pick-ups on a three-way switch produce the electric sound that’s great for pop, classic rock, and country styles. However, the instrument doesn’t have much to praise at the bottom end since the bass frequencies flicker in this Alder and Maple wood combination.

If you’re searching for a metal instrument, Squier Affinity won’t do well as it’s never supposed to be for heavy rock. However, if you want a bright sound with loads of high-end sparkle, this guitar is the right choice at a really affordable budget.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Soft, clean sound
Double cutaway with complete fingerboard control
“C”-shape neck for good string fretting

Things we did not like

Weak end tones
Broad neck, unsuitable for little hands
Clumsy appearance

Dean Vendetta XM

This Dean guitar is a perfect pick for entry-level metal and hard rock players. It’s a great electric guitar for beginners with a sound that spreads consistently from low to high frequencies while also providing all the sound you need for rock solos. You can mainly find a lot of kicks in the high end, the area in which many other guitars with similar price tags fall short.

If you’re a fan of hard music genres, searching for a budget-friendly weapon to get you off, the Dean Vendetta XM is one of the best electric guitars under $200 that will do it for years before you’re willing to invest in a higher-quality and more expensive electric guitar.

There’s a small issue with the sound, being so low that if you’re crunching over a ton of broken-tuning notes, you may hear some buzzing noise. However, with the right technical skill or palm muting practice, you can rock this electric guitar.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Stable, consistent sound over all frequencies
Good tuning machines and strong intonation
Low pace for riffing play

Things we did not like

Low-quality humbucker pick-ups
Fret buzzing at open playing

Jackson Dinky Arch Top JS22

Jackson is a celebrated manufacturer among metal guitarists, and this Dinky JS22 lets you get a glimpse of why that is. Its price is in the lowest range available for a legit electric guitar. Although fans of light, soft music would find this guitar to be restricting due to its overly strong low and mid tones, the Jackson humbuckers are confident to satisfy anybody who wants genuine hard rock tones.

It’s among the limited, inexpensive electric guitars that have a powerful tremolo bar, so entry-level guitarists can get a sense of what it is like to drag off great squeals and pitch changes. The Jackson guitar performs super smooth even though the amaranth fingerboard could be a little bit off if you prefer more conventional woods. Overall, it’s an affordable guitar that holds the power of those that might cost hundreds of bucks.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Rounded headrest for improved comfort
Tremolo bar with shouting twists
Strengthened neck for strong intonation

Things we did not like

Thick low and mid are too dusty for several styles
Uncommon material on the fingerboard

Yamaha Pacifica PAC012DLX

From motors to electric instruments, Yamaha’s doing pretty well. The first guitar I ever bought was of this brand, and that one gave me so many good memories, so I must say I am partial to Yamaha. Thanks to its mix of single-coil and humbucker pick-ups, the Pacifica is a highly flexible guitar.

You will get various frequencies out of this guitar, which is suitable for multiple styles, from upbeat jazz to hard-hitting metal. The one genre that the guitar might not pull out successfully is heavy metal, as such a simple humbucker doesn’t support major splits. Other than that, you have a thousand more genres to try which make this one of the best electric guitars under $200.

The only feature I’d like to improve about this Yamaha guitar would be the pick-up control, since it arrives with just a 5-way switch and a volume knob. This wouldn’t be a concern for entry-level players since they haven’t got an ear for perfect tones as the seasoned players do. However, down the road, you would find yourself hoping you could somehow alter the sound. Overall, you can do many great things with this affordable instrument, like making some very funky tones with its retro-style tremolo.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Lightweight body for more less tired experience
Retro-style tremolo
Flexible tones of HSS configuration

Things we did not like

Uncommon body material
Lacking tone controls

Ibanez GRX20ZBKN

Ibanez introduces one of the best inexpensive electric guitars for hard, heavy music fans with this GRX20 model. Ibanez is making a serious effort to make their guitars affordable, but dependable and produce nice sound. With that being said, they give this guitar a Basswood frame, a Maple wood neck, and a Rosewood fingerboard to cover. The fretboard is medium size at 22 frets.

If you’re at a starting point, and you’re on a limited budget, this Ibanez guitar is certainly one of the best choices available. However, like other cheap-made electric guitars, it certainly doesn’t pay off at the hardware. The pick-ups are very nice, but that’s about it. Also, some buyers have revealed that the fretboard on the Ibanez GRX20ZBKN has pretty rough edges that could cut you. If you can earn a hundred extra bucks, you ought to get a better guitar to save time and anxiety.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

More bounce for the ounce
Sound like a pricey Ibanez
Great for entry level

Things we did not like

Low-quality hardwares
Distortion to tones caused by magnets

ESP LTD Viper-10

ESP instruments are widely known in the metal world as they are used by several influential rock stars like Kirk Hammet or Jeff Hanneman. This ESP model has a neck made out of bolt Maple wood, a fingerboard of Rosewood, a full 24 double jumbo frets, and a frame crafted of dense Basswood.

If you love to play the more solemn rock n roll or metal music, you may love this electric guitar right away! It’s a decent standard instrument with its price in mind. What helps this guitar more remarkable than the rest is the magnet parts, which sound fantastic.

The bridge pick-up sounds fairly good either, and the neck pick-up is excellent for even the hardest girth. A few buyers mentioned getting the wrong fret end, but this could be quickly repaired by a luthier even though that may cost you a fortune.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

A shred monster for heavy, fast music
Stay at the right tunes
Built to last

Things we did not like

Sharp fretboard
Less accessible selector switch

ESP LTD EC-10 – Best for Metalheads

If you play heavy metal and you want a weapon to start chugging, this ESP model is an excellent move for you. The frame of this electric guitar is crafted of heavy Basswood, while the neck is Maple wood and the back is bolt-on. Rosewood is used for the fingerboard alongside a 24 double jumbo frets.

If you’re new with heavy metal rock, the ESP LTD EC-10 is a good guitar to start with since the neck is very fine, the pick-ups are great, it looks very cool. Especially, it remains tuned for much of the time. The ESP LTD EC-10 is a guitar at a lower price range that can walk on the stage with much pricier ones with no problems. Through a few changes, it can be a perfect instrument to play live.

When you are at the intermediate level, you can still stick with this guitar even though you may want to swap to better pick-ups. The initial sound is just perfect, but if you start performing live, or you start recording in the studio, it won’t be totally pleasant. However, if you only alter a couple items on the instrument, it can be used for whatever sort stage you perform on.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Fast and playable neck
Best for solos and riffs
Performs above the price point
Great for both new and seasoned guitarist

Things we did not like

The pick-ups need adjustments
Relatively flimsy nuts

Fender Squier Bullet Mustang

The Fender Squier Bullet Mustang is widely known in the alternative, indie music culture throughout the 80s and 90s. Many celebrities in this community played this guitar, including Kurt Cobain, John Frusciante, Buzz Osbourne, and Thurston Moore, to name a handful. That’s why Squier has reissued this edition, with more affordable materials and a reasonable price that results in one of the best electric guitars under $200.

What Squier did to Bullet Mustang made the fan shocked. It’s a perfect beginner instrument as the frets won’t damage, the knobs are all good, and the humbuckers work fine. It’s a compact and light guitar, which is ideal if you’ve got tiny hands and is also fantastic for kids.

Suppose you’re a guitarist that loves to customize your gear, you’re going to love the Bullet Mustang because, with a few adjustments, including swapping the knobs, nuts, and bridge, it is going to be a great instrument even for performing! Especially if you’re in an indie band, you can knock around with this guitar without any heartaches since it comes at an affordable price.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Good for small handed guitarists
Short-scale neck allow easy playing
Decent quality for the price

Things we did not like

No cons!

Yamaha Pacifica PAC012

This Yamaha electric guitar model is outstanding at its price point. The frame of the guitar is Agathis wood while the neck is Maple wood. It looks like several Strat models, except for the cutaways which are wider and more-defined .

Yamaha Pacifica PAC012 is a fantastic guitar for the entry level. It is an inexpensive one, but concerning the sound, it appears to climb higher than the others around its price range. Of course, it can not equate to the Gibson or Fender equivalence, but it easily beats Epiphones or Squiers at the same price.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

The solid-wood structure makes a big difference
Good tuning machines
Won’t break your bank account

Things we did not like

Need a setup after unpackaging
Too big for certain guitar bags

Oscar Schmidt OE20G

Ever imagine yourself in the most gorgeous form that you could be? Try the latest Oscar Schmidt OE20G to find out. With a Les Paul-inspired look, it’s a fantastic twist on a vintage guitar. A body built of Mahogany, with two dependable Humbuckers that produce a sound like a kiss as you recall your mother gave you as a child.

This guitar carries as much solid or gentle sound as it does in appearances. It might also fit a seasoned guitarist well with some adjustments. All in all, it is original, stunning, and, like so many of the electric guitars on this list, reasonably priced to meet your needs.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Poor tuning consistency
String buzz issue

Things we did not like

Jack socket placed on the top

Ibanez GIO Series GRG121DX

Ibanez is a brand that welcomes new arrivals to the guitar culture. They confirm it can be challenging to own and learn to play electric guitar, so they developed the GIO series. Intended as a leap stone, they inadvertently (or perhaps intentionally) created a piece of art for our list of best electric guitars under $200.

As one of the best quality electric guitars for its price, the Ibanez GIO GRG121DX delivers an innovative selection of tones and rugged looks to fit your genre. The body is quite traditional, made from Basswood with Rosewood fretboard, ceramic pick-ups, and jumbo frets. It gives you the opportunity to create the sound you’ve always wanted to hear which worths every penny you’ve spent on it.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Value for money
Beginner-friendly
Superb hardware

Things we did not like

Heavy
Poor tuning consistency

Glen Burton GE47

This Glen Burton guitar will undoubtedly make you stand out like a sore thumb. The instrument features a strong body, formed like a machine gun, which is ideal for someone that likes weapons and aims to display quite an attitude when performing. For those that want to rock their head off with an impressive guitar without paying more than $200, this is the perfect fit for you.

Rough, heavier sounds you hear in rock and heavy metal songs are best adapted for this electric guitar. However, if you like, it can also produce a wonderfully simple but vibrant sound. All in all, this Glen Burton electric guitar might be the right match if you’re searching for an inexpensive but unique gear for creating metal music.

Pros
Cons

Things we liked

Remarkable design
Excellent for creating heavy music
Aggressive tone

Things we did not like

Low-quality finish and overall fit

Buying Guide for Best Electric Guitars Under $200

It is undeniable that the electric guitar is a relatively complex musical instrument. Moreover, as the music industry continually evolves and new electric guitar editions are introduced almost every day, there’s always a variety of features and statistics you have to grasp in order to choose a good-quality and cost-effective guitar. In this part, we will try to cover the basics and clarify the most relevant requirements, offering you a buying guide of what we think will help you pick out the best electric guitar under $200.