Getting an electric guitar might be one of the best decisions you ever make, whether it is for yourself or your little one. Not only are there plenty of benefits when it comes to playing an instrument, but the guitar is easily one of the coolest instruments to learn.
Before you begin your learning process, you’re going to need to figure out which guitar you are going to buy. Luckily, you don’t need to lay down a thousand dollars to start. This is why we recommend getting a cheap, beginner guitar to start with, to make sure that you enjoy playing.
Better yet, get a starter kit!
A beginner guitar kit has everything you need to start playing right away. They typically include an amp, a strap, a case, a cable, and more.
They’re also great for those who don’t want to have to buy all of the extra accessories to get started. Stick around while we dive into some of the best electric guitar starter kits on the market!
Contents
- 1 Our Top Pick
- 2 Best Budget Option
- 3 How to Choose a Starter Kit?
- 4 The Top 7 Guitar Packages for Beginners
- 4.1 Squier by Fender Affinity Stratocaster Beginner Pack
- 4.2 Ibanez IJRG220Z Package
- 4.3 Yamaha Gigmaker EG Electric Guitar Pack
- 4.4 Sawtooth Candy Apple Red Electric Guitar
- 4.5 Maestro by Gibson Electric Guitar Package
- 4.6 PylePro Full Size Electric Guitar Package
- 4.7 Silvertone Citation Electric Guitar and Amp Package
- 5 Conclusion
Our Top Pick
Best Budget Option
How to Choose a Starter Kit?
Guitar Style
There are many different styles of guitars out there, and it would take an entire article to list and describe them all. With that said, you’ll want to look at different guitars to find the best style to match you or the person you are buying it for.
If you’re looking to get a guitar for rock or metal, it might be best to look into Gibson and Ibanez-style guitars.
If you’re looking to get a guitar for blues, funk, jazz, or alternative music, look into Fender or Yamaha-style guitars.
If you’re looking to get into folk or country, you may want to start with an acoustic instead.
Accessories
An electric guitar starter pack should come with the guitar playing essentials. Here are a few things you should look for when purchasing one:
- Guitar Strap: Helps you to play while standing up
- Gig Bag: Allows you to take your guitar with you on the go
- Tuner: Helps you to get each of your strings in tune for a pro sound
- Amplifier: Allows you to plug in so you can hear your guitar
- Cable: Provides a connection from your guitar to the amp
- Picks: Helps you to pluck the strings
Some beginner kits also come with guitar stands, extra strings, sheet music, and beginner DVDs.
Start by looking for starter kits with the essentials that are bullet-pointed. Anything extra is a cherry on top!
Pickups
The biggest influence on the way a guitar will sound is the guitar pickups. Even if you don’t consider any other pieces of hardware or materials, do yourself a favor and understand the differences between pickups.
Single-Coil Pickups
Single-coil pickups are single magnet pickups with wire wrapped around them. They create magnetic fields that are bright and twangy. Think John Mayer or Stevie Ray Vaughan.
Single-coil pickups are incredibly versatile and are perfect for a variety of genres and playing styles. One thing to note is that they are most susceptible to hum and signal interference.
Humbucker Pickups
Humbucker pickups are great for those looking for warmer and fatter tones. They are made with multiple single-coil pickups wired together, which help to get rid of that annoying hum. This is where they got the name from.
Though they can be used for many genres such as blues and jazz, they are typically used for heavier genres such as rock and metal. Think of guitarists like Slash, Randy Rhoads.
Price
Price is a consideration when buying any instrument, though it’s even more critical when purchasing a starter kit.
You never know if you or your child is going to stick with playing, even if it seems to be a priority right now. You’ll be upset if you spend a ton on a starter pack just to find out that playing the guitar isn’t your forte.
It’s okay to start with a cheap starter kit. As you continue to get comfortable playing and improve your skill level, you’ll eventually be able to throw down more money to get something high quality. Plus, it’ll feel more deserved once you have some experience under your belt.
The Top 7 Guitar Packages for Beginners
It’s kind of difficult to beat a company like Squier when it comes to building electric guitars for complete beginners.
While they have many different varieties to choose from, their Squier Affinity Stratocaster Pack is one of our favorites. Available in sunburst, candy apple, and classic black finishes, the overall design is almost as versatile as the overall tone.
The package comes with a surprisingly powerful 15 watt Fender amplifier and a quarter-inch cable to plug in. You also get a guitar strap, a snap-on tuner, three picks, some strings, a handy gig bag, replacement parts with tools, and a tremolo bar to get some sweet, surfy vibrations underway.
They even included an instructional DVD that can get you off the ground with your playing!
Bottom Line: The Squier Affinity Stratocaster Pack is one of the most versatile and well-rounded starter packs out there. It comes with everything you or your little one needs to get rocking and more!
The Ibanez IJRG220Z is the perfect electric guitar package for the shredders out there. Ibanez guitars have long been known for their hi-gain rock and metal sound.
Guitarists like Steve Vai and Joe Satriani are famous for playing these bad boys.
This specific package comes with everything you need to get started, including a 10-watt amp, a gig bag, an electronic tuner, a high-quality strap, a cable, a few picks, an accessories pouch, and an online lesson card to help you get your feet wet.
The standard tremolo bridge is excellent for giving you some extra dynamic punch to your playing style, and the Infinity R Pickups give you a loud and proud sound with each pick or strum.
Bottom Line: If you or your little one are looking to get into playing rock or metal, this is one of the best guitar packages on the market.
Yamaha is another astounding guitar company that has been cranking out some of the best and most affordable electric guitars for many years now.
Their Gigmaker electric is modeled after their famed beginner guitar, the Yamaha Pacifica PAC012.
Similar to a Fender guitar in terms of style, you get two single-coil pickups and a humbucker-style pickup near the bridge. There’s a vintage-style tremolo as well for that sweet, sultry vibrato.
In terms of accessories, the package comes with everything you need to get started, including a 2-channel, 15-watt amplifier, a protective gig bag, a Qwik Tune Digital Chromatic Tuner, Guitar Cable, a set of strings, a strap, a few picks, and a very helpful instructional DVD to get you started.
Bottom Line: There’s nothing more to say about the Gigmaker except that it is an all-around versatile package for any player out there. The accessories are plenty, the tone is sweet, and the design gives you that classic feel and aesthetic.
Sawtooth has been a favorite among beginner guitarists for quite some time. The Candy Apple Red Electric Guitar Package is part of their ES Series, a line of guitars that are incredibly versatile, sleek-looking, and easy to play.
The sycamore body is incredibly unique and gives you a high-quality tone while the tremolo bridge provides for stable tuning so that you don’t have to constantly worry about re-tuning while you are trying to play.
The three single-coil pickups give you a sound very similar to a Fender guitar, especially when you consider that it is paired with the 5-way selector switch.
In terms of accessories, you get a 10-watt amplifier, a 10-foot cable for plugging in, a padded gig bag, an array of picks, a clip-on tuner, a strap, and a link for an online lesson.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking for a guitar package similar to Fender, though don’t want to spend too much, the Sawtooth Electric Guitar Package is an excellent alternative!
Gibson sells some of the highest quality rock and roll electric guitars on the market. Their guitars have been blessed by the likes of legendary shredders such as Slash, Jimmy Page, Billy Gibbons, Randy Rhoads, Zakk Wylde, and many, many more.
The Maestro by Gibson offers beginner guitarists, or guitarists on a budget, a way to get that same sound without spending thousands of dollars.
The single cutaway body shape is made of a strong Linden wood and is covered in a durable, Maple veneer for long-lasting strength over the years.
There is only one humbucker pickup onboard, making it far easier to dial in the perfect tone. All you have to do is use the volume and tone speed knobs to find your ideal tone.
In terms of accessories, you get a miniature 5-watt amplifier that is perfect for practicing, a strap, a quarter-inch cable, a few picks, some extra strings, and an instructional DVD to give you the basics.
Bottom Line: For those who love heavy rock and roll and screaming guitar solos, the Maestro by Gibson package is one of the best places to start.
PylePro is another guitar company that isn’t heard of often, though it makes some of the best electric guitars for beginners. This package is incredibly cheap too when it comes to the quality they provide.
In terms of accessories, you get a mini 10-watt amplifier that is perfect for practicing at home, a handy travel bag, a quarter-inch cable, some replacement strings, a detachable shoulder strap, a pitch pipe tuner, and a few picks.
The PylePro guitar is a hybrid of three high-quality kinds of wood, including Basswood for the body, Rosewood for the fretboard, and Maplewood for the neck. All of these together provide a resonant sound with a durable, easy-to-play feel.
The chrome accented tuner pegs are surprisingly solid, helping you to keep your guitar in tune for longer.
The three single-coil pickups, 5-way pickup selector, and tremolo bar are very similar to Fender guitars. Overall, you get a versatile sound that can help you to play everything from blues to funk, to soul, and beyond.
Bottom Line: The PylePro Electric Guitar Package is a solid all-around guitar for beginners. It’s a much cheaper option for those who want to get that Fender sound but can’t afford it.
Silvertone Citation Electric Guitar and Amp Package
Best Budget Option
When it comes to budget electric guitar packages, Silvertone got it right.
This package comes with a 20-watt performance amplifier (very solid for the low price), a nylon carrying bag, a chord chart, a digital tuner, a few guitar picks, a strap, a quarter-inch cable, and an extra set of guitar strings.
The Silvertone Citation has a contour-cut S type body, similar to that of Fender guitars, and comes with three high-output single-coil pickups, a 5-way selector switch, one volume control, two tone controls, and a maple fingerboard that feels great in the hands.
The tone on this bad boy is incredible, considering the price, giving you total versatility across many different genres. The Liquid Black finish is solid too, perfect for almost anyone who wants a classic look.
Bottom Line: The Silvertone Citation Guitar Package is about as “budget-friendly” as it gets before you start moving into toy territory. We’re blown away how they were able to pack such a high-quality array of accessories into such a cheap package.
Conclusion
All of the electric guitar packages on our list are great choices for any beginner! Obviously, if we had to pick our favorite, we would go with the Squier Affinity Stratocaster Beginner Pack.
It’s one of the most well-rounded budget guitars out there with high-quality materials and a variety of accessories that give you everything you need to play to your heart’s content!
We hope that our list helped narrow down your decisions. It’s time for you now to pick one of these up and start your dream journey of playing guitar.
Good luck and rock on!
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