Whether youre looking for your first guitar, or youre in a tighten and need an electric 6 string on a shoestring budget, youd be extremely surprised at what its possible to pick up for not a lot of money these days. Plane if your upkeep is as low as $300, youre going to be worldly-wise to find some unconfined options that play well, sound good, and squint great, too.
To help you find the best electric guitars under $300, weve put together this KillerGuitarRigs Review. We got hands on with 7 of the weightier guitars in this price subclass to show you just how much zinger you can get for your buck.
When reviewing these guitars, we looked at everything from style and looks, to tone and build quality. If youre trying to find a unconfined guitar for less than $300, youre definitely going to want to keep on reading.
Our Top Picks for Weightier Electric Guitars Under $300
When it comes to a tousle of price and performance, our top pick, the Yamaha PAC112J Pacifica is nonflexible to beat. It offers some of the weightier construction quality in the category, unconfined tones, and financing way less than its spec sheet would make you believe.
If youre looking for a guitar that financing as little as possible, but still offers decent performance and playability, our best upkeep pick, the Kramer Focus is exactly what you need. It comes in a unconfined range of colors, and despite stuff the cheapest in the list, is still very well specd.
Players simply looking for the weightier electric guitar under $300, and who dont mind getting up towards the top of their upkeep should consider our Editors Choice, the Epiphone Les Paul Studio E1. It offers practically everything youd expect from a LP at a fraction of the cost.
Best Electric Guitars Under $300 – Individual Reviews
One of the weightier upkeep S Style guitars on the market, period.
It’s no secret that Yamaha have quite the reputation when it comes to overdelivering on tone and quality on what are often understated and often underestimated guitars. This Strat style model offers an unbelievable spec for a very modest price, including quality woods, hardware, and electronic components.
The Yamaha Pacifica PAC112J had an S style alder body, but like everything else Yamaha does it was much increasingly than a straight copy. The dimensions were noticeably variegated to those of a Stratocaster, giving the Pacifica its own style. Our test model had an Old Violin Burst finish, which looked great, and was flawlessly applied.
The Maple neck had a really comfortable C profile, with a lovely satin finish on the back, for a friction self-ruling playing experience. Unbelievably, it plane had a rosewood fretboard this is a massive full-length considering the price, and it was a huge goody both in terms of finger and looks.
We were very impressed by the fretwork, which was spanking-new from top to bottom. The edges were nice and smooth, the medium fret wire was well seated and properly leveled, and we plane found that the crowns were well polished.
It came with a versatile HSS pickup layout, and we found ourselves once then very impressed. The underpass position delivered thumping waddle tones and epic leads, handling overdrive with ease and remained crystal well-spoken throughout.
We got some unconfined quack in the intermediate positions, particularly in position 4, with the selector right in between the 2 single coils. The neck position on its own was warm, with unconfined voice and clarity.
The underpass was a 6 point tremolo type system, which we were worldly-wise to use without causing any issues with tuning stability. The tuners themselves turned with ease, as we noted no play or wobble.
Verdict: The Yamaha Pacifica PAC112J might be the most affordable model in their lineup, but its still extraordinarily well equipped, and it delivers some fantastic tones. The fit and finish is way vastitude its modest price, and the versatility of the HSS pickup selection vacated makes it worthy of consideration.
Pros:
- Flawless build quality
- Great tonal variety
- Rosewood fretboard
Cons
- Only 1 master tone control
- Limited verisimilitude options
Excellent trademark pedigree and unbelievable value for money.
This is a unconfined guitar for everyone looking to get their hands on one of the most inexpensive yet playable guitars around. Coming in 50% under upkeep with a $300 limit, it offers some surprisingly upper end features, including a mahogany body, chromed knobs, and a HSS pickup layout.
One of most impressive things well-nigh the Kramer Focus VT-211S is the list of premium materials that have gone into the build. This is the cheapest guitar in this list by quite some margin, and yet it still comes with a solid mahogany body. Its a Strat style guitar, so of undertow we found it to be well-appointed to play in any situation.
It had a really nice maple neck, with a maple fretboard, too. The profile was slim, but still felt substantial, and the finish on the when was a fantastic satin that made getting up and lanugo the neck a real joy.
Once again, we found ourselves pretty amazed by this Kramer when it came to fretwork. For a guitar that financing less than $150, it was really well finished. Everything we leveled as it should be, no sufferer spots, no buzzing, and no sharp edges.
The pickups were flipside pleasant surprise; they served up tones to suit pretty much every genre thanks to the versatile HSS layout and Alnico magnets. The neck and middle gave us archetype Strat style chirpiness, with the signature quack in the 4th position. The underpass position was fantastic for driven waddle tones, and had tons of mid range presence, which was perfect for slicing through a mix.
We really loved the knurled chromed knobs, and the way they gave this Kramer a much increasingly premium look. The 6 point trem system was definitely useable too. Many upkeep guitars really struggle in this area, but we didnt encounter any tuning stability issues without using it. The tuning knobs had a unique kidney stone style design, they worked really well, and again, looked great.
Verdict: The Kramer Focus VT-211S is an wool gem of a guitar. For this value of money theres nothing else that plane comes close. Its got unconfined tones, it looks fantastic, and the fact that it has a solid mahogany soul really brings home just how much attention to detail has gone into this guitar its a solid buy plane at twice the price, and we highly recommend that you trammels it out!
Pros:
- Mahogany body
- Color matched headstock
- Quality hardware
Cons
- Plastic nut
- No position indicators on knobs
As tropical as you’re going to get to a real Les Paul under $300.
If you’re looking for real Les Paul finger and playability, and you veritably have to have the Les Paul name on the headstock, with a $300 cap there’s no largest way to get it than with this Epiphone. It delivers on all of the major features you’d expect from this style of guitar, including a mahogany soul and neck, a carved top, and 2 screaming humbuckers.
The Epiphone Les Paul Studio E1 might be the most affordable carved top LP in the Epiphone range, but it squeezes a ton of value in for under $300. It came with a solid mahogany soul and mahogany neck, just as youd find on any good Les Paul, and as mentioned, the top is carved, giving that familiar contour. What it doesnt have is the maple cap, but in reality, this keeps the weight lanugo and remoter adds to its comfort.
As mentioned, it had a mahogany neck, but to alimony financing down, it was a bolt on rather than a set style, but truthfully, we didnt plane really notice while we were playing, and from the front, youd never know the difference. The neck profile was a 60s SlimTaper D, which is one of our favorite shapes; it was well-appointed and really fast.
Interestingly, this LP plane came with a rosewood fretboard, something that you dont typically find until you start getting to the Gibson Les Paul range. Its fretwork was well leveled, and had well finished edges, with no sharps or sprout.
We got some unconfined tones from the Studio E1s zebra ceramic humbuckers. They were super hot, and delivered some gnarly waddle tones in both the underpass and neck positions. Plane though they were hot, they still cleaned up nicely, too. We got unconfined voice and separation, with a particularly unexceptionable top end. There was a surprising depth to the tones from this guitar, and it was much closer to a regular Paul than the price might make you think.
The hardware selection on this Les Paul was exactly as we expected to see. A tune-o-matic bridge, with stop bar tailpiece, 4 top hat knobs, and a 3 way selector switch with poker tweedle surround on the upper toned side bout. The tuners performed well, and while they werent Epiphone Deluxe or Grover, they performed well. Overall tuning stability was waddle solid, to.
Verdict: The Epiphone Les Paul Studio E1 was a favorite amongst the KGR staff during this roundup, and was the obvious pick for our Editors Choice. It delivers all the Les Paul looks, feel, and tones, and still leaves unbearable in your upkeep to buy a strap and some picks.
Pros:
- Real Les Paul looks
- Great waddle tones
- Rosewood fretboard
Cons
- No maple cap
- Old style Epiphone headstock
This upkeep Mustang is raucous, rowdy, and ready to rock.
Players looking for iconic looks, big tone, and effortless playability can’t go too far wrong with this Squier. It’s extremely well made, it can handle a wide variety of genres, and packs a massive dial for its dual humbucking pickups.
The Squier Bullet Mustang we received for this review came to us in the Sonic Grey finish, which is probably our favorite of the 3 misogynist colors. The finish was well applied, as weve come to expect from Squier, and overall construction quality was great. It had a slimline poplar body, which kept weight lanugo and really widow to the repletion factor.
It was fitted with the standard Squier C profile maple neck. It had a nice medium feel, which should request well to a wholesale range of players, and the smooth, satin finish kept it playing fast without any sticky feeling.
It had a laurel fretboard, which was a little stake and dry, but it wasnt as bad as weve seen others in this price range. Despite this, we still found that it offered good playability; it had a 24 scale, making it comfortable for smaller players, without making it difficult for larger players to use, and the fretwork was all as it should be level with no sharp edges.
The humbuckers on this Mustang gave us a unconfined range of hard hitting tones. They responded well to changes in attack. We got some unconfined cleans, with a nice full sound archetype humbucker stuff. When we pushed the amp into overdrive, they delivered some pretty warlike crunch, making it well-spoken to see why the Mustang has been a favorite in punk and grunge circles for years.
We liked the hardtail underpass especially. This really assisted with tuning stability, which can be quite a rencontre on guitars at this price point if they have a trem system and it isnt properly configured. It had some pretty standard Squier sealed gear tuners, which held firm, but werent the easiest for fine tuning not the best, but certainly could be way worse at the price.
Verdict: This Squier Bullet Mustang is a unconfined value choice. It offers spanking-new playability and comfort, a good range of tones to suit most genres, and it really looks fantastic. The misogynist verisimilitude options should midpoint that theres something for everybody, too.
Pros:
- Quiet humbucking pickups
- Great styling
- Satin neck
Cons
- Tuner ratio makes fine tuning difficult
- Dry laurel fretboard
A full featured Strat reprinting from up and comers, Donner.
If you’re trying to get a full featured Strat for less than $300, that is, one with a full thickness body, a 2 point trem, quality pickups, and made with quality materials, the Donner DST-400 should fit the bill. It’s the brand’s flagship guitar, and it’s certainly worthy of stuff in the weightier sub $300 electric guitar conversation.
The Donner DST–400 we got for this roundup came in a gorgeous translucent green. The see through finish showed off the grain pattern from the solid alder body. If youre not into the green, its moreover misogynist with a translucent woebegone finish, too, and that looks just as good. The body is full thickness, just like youd find on a Fender, and while this made it noticeably heavier than the majority in the test, it still felt great.
It had a nice maple neck with a satin finish at the rear. We recently reviewed the Donner DST-152, and one of our senior complaints was the necks unfinished feel, so its nice to see the upgraded model get a proper neck finish. The profile was a medium C, which we found very comfortable, and comparable to the Squier C profile.
One thing that wasnt a surprise was the dry laurel fretboard. This seems to be an issue with the vast majority of laurel boards, and while its relatively easy to remedy, it would be nine if it was addressed by quality control. Other than that, the fretwork was good, with no sharp edges.
The pickups were moreover largest than anticipated. It had a HSS layout, with a zebra in the underpass position, and 2 regular single coils in the neck and middle. The tones from the underpass were hot, with nice unexceptionable leads that didnt sound at all brittle. The humbucker plane had coil splitting, which gave us wangle to some decent single whorl underpass tones, too. The neck position was warm, and definitely useful, but the middle pickup was a little smooth when selected on its own.
We were really excited to see that it had a 2 point trem system, but unfortunately it still caused some tuning stability issues with anything increasingly than moderate use.
Verdict: The Donner DST-400 might not be made by one of the big names in the business, but watch this space, as Donners products are standing to nip at the heels of Squier and Epiphone. It was a highly playable option with some unconfined finger and spanking-new tones, not to mention the variety provided by the whorl splitting humbucker.
Pros:
- Coil splitting humbucker
- Full thickness body
- Great playability
Cons
- Tuning stability issues with trem use
- Fretboard is dry
All the vintage SG style without the price tag.
This SG undoubtedly belongs to one of the most famous guitar families in the world, and now with this Special edition you’re worldly-wise to get your hands on your very own at an insane price.
We really enjoyed spending time with the Epiphone SG Special (we plane did a full review here). IT came in a archetype weather-beaten satin cherry finish, giving it a lightly worn visitation that really suited the aesthetic. Unlike a Standard model, the soul was poplar, making it lighter, but noticeably less resonant.
The neck, like our Editors Choice, the Les Paul Studio E1, had a 60s SlimTaper D profile, although in this specimen it was made with okoume rather than mahogany. Like the body, it had a fantastic satin finish, which really unliable self-ruling movement up and lanugo the neck for fast play.
Incredibly, it had a rosewood fretboard, something rarely found at this price point. It looked and felt great, and was often a well hydrated piece of wood. The fretwork was often quite good too, although we did find one sharp fret fortunately it was the 19th fret, and it was only on the toned side. Thanks to the position would be relatively easy to write at home with a file likewise the position of the fret makes it one that Is much less likely to rationalization issues.
The pickups were moreover in fact, the same as those on the Les Paul, with a 650R in the neck and a 700T in the bridge, although both coils had woebegone housing rather than zebra. The ceramic magnets provided an overall hot tone, which then delivered some nice cleans as well as warlike overdrive. There was less sustain than wed found with the LP, but the SG did seem to have a snappier response.
It had a simple set of sealed gear tuners which worked powerfully and made tuning a hassle self-ruling process. The hardware was often excellent, and this includes the tune-o-matic bridge, which was nicely set up, ensuring good intonation.
Verdict: The Epiphone SG Special is a fantastic introduction to the SG family. If youve been curious well-nigh this style of guitars and youre looking to test the waters without spending a fortune, its a unconfined way to go. Its well-appointed and light weight, and it serves up some killer waddle tones.
Pros:
- Fantastic styling
- Generally very comfortable
- Fast neck
Cons
- Found a sharp fret
- Okoume soul less resonant than mahogany
Squier’s mid range Telecaster continues to impress.
Squier’s Affinity line has been a cornerstone of the sub $300 market for years and guitars like perfectly sum up why. It offers fantastic playability, unconfined build quality, and timeless styling. You’ll get all the archetype tones the Telecaster is famous for, and you’ll likely be surprised by its versatility.
Our test Squier Affinity Series Telecaster came to us in the archetype Butterscotch Blonde, which we really think is the perfect Telecaster color. It wasnt translucent as youd find on a Fender version, but we suspect this was likely lanugo to the fact that the persons of these squiers are synthetic using upwards of 8 pieces of poplar, and an opaque finish tends to disguise mismatched pieces. Stuff a modern take on the Telecaster, it unquestionably had a belly carve, which helped tremendously with comfort.
As expected, the neck was made from maple, and carved into a very well-appointed C profile. This was pretty resulting with other Squier models weve tested recently. As for feel, it felt increasingly like an unfinished neck than one with a satin coat; it will likely smooth out with time and use, but felt just a little rough out of the box.
Topping off the maple neck was a maple fretboard. Of course, it looked unconfined versus the Butterscotch Blonde finish, and it felt good under the fingers, too. Fretwork was all in order, with no sharps, and decent leveling.
Tonally the Affinity Telecaster served up all the classic spank youd expect from these guitars. In the underpass position and played clean, it sounded like a much increasingly expensive guitar than it really was. It did gritty tones just as easily, too. The neck position had some nice warmth, and while it was low output, it still delivered good voice and separation.
Having a string through body, it was nice and resonant, and plane sounded nice played unplugged. The hardware was all decent quality, and the sealed gear die tint tuners worked nicely.
Verdict: The Squier Affinity Telecaster is without a doubt the weightier Tele on the market for less than $300. It has unconfined playability, the wipe tones were genuinely excellent, ands for looks, at a glance its scrutinizingly indistinguishable from a Fender branded model.
Pros:
- Great looks
- Real Telecaster spank
- Belly whittle for comfort
Cons
- Partial thickness body
- Neck was a little rough
How to segregate the Weightier Electric Guitar Under $300 for you
Shopping for guitars under $300 can be tricky if youre not sure what to squint out for. With such a low upkeep it can be easy to pick up an unplayable lemon. Below weve detailed some of the most important things for you to squint out for when shopping.
Comfortable Setup
A guitar should be comfortable to play, otherwise youre unlikely to use it. A guitar that is well set up from the factory can make a world of difference. With a good set up the guitar will have a nice mid to low action, a straight neck, and good intonation.
Quality Pickups
Upgrading the pickups on a sub $300 guitar is often just not worth the time, money and effort. A good set of upgraded pickups can forfeit increasingly than $300, in which case, youd simply be largest off ownership a increasingly expensive model in the first place. Consider the tone youre going for If you like a hot, unwary sound, squint for something with ceramic pickups. If you like a rich, smoother sound, alnico pickups are the way to go.
Pickup Type
If youre ownership a guitar with learning a particular genre in mind, its important to choose a model that can handle the style youre looking to play. If youre looking to play country, or other wipe styles, single whorl pickups are the perfect choice. If youre into metal, single whorl pickups wont help you to get the tones youre looking for, in which case, youll need a guitar with humbuckers to handle the distortion without rhadamanthine too noisy.
Fret Finish
Particularly with cheaper guitars the QA can be hit or miss. This is why its expressly important to be satisfied tat the fretwork is well finished on any guitar youre considering. This will make sure that its comfortable, and increasingly importantly, that it doesnt literally rationalization injuries.
Final Thoughts on the Weightier Electric Guitars under $300
We love taking it when to nuts and seeing whats possible on a tight budget. We found some really fantastic options in this roundup, all of which offer a lot of performance, for not a lot of money.
To recap, we found that our top pick, the Yamaha Pacifica PAC112J delivered at a level far exceeding its price point. Our weightier upkeep pick, the Kramer Focus offered simply incredible value for money, and was the most affordable by far. Our Editors Choice, the Epiphone Les Paul Studio E1 gave us an pure Les Paul tone and playing wits while still coming in under budget, and is in our opinion, the weightier guitar going for under $300.
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