Best Guitar Under 1000 – Guide with Review 2019

It is no one’s fault to think that all good guitars cost more than a thousand bucks. Even the ones under a thousand dollars listed here, look more like higher priced instruments.

So many beginners on a tight budget have become frustrated because of the high guitar price they often come across. But surprisingly, you can find the best acoustic guitar under 1000 and best electric guitar under 1000 with a little research.

Our goal is to help you find that best budget guitar to help you kick start your guitar journey. So, if interested, keep reading to learn more.

Can Reviews Help Players Find the Best Guitar on Budget?

With the numerous guitar options available to choose from, coupled with a tight budget, finding a good quality guitar can be a bit challenging.

Many people do not have the luxury of time to search for features of each guitar they want to buy. Some just settle for whatever they find that looks appealing even without giving other aspects such as the hardware, playability and other valuable features some thought.

Professional guitarists write guitar reviews. And reading such reviews will not only save your time but help unveil features of different guitar brands to help you make an informed choice.

In fact, you can easily find what you are looking for in a guitar through reviews

How We Picked the Best Guitar Under 1000 Dollars

The first thing you should know before reading this review further is that finding a good quality budget guitar under a thousand dollars is very possible.

In fact, we discovered that some of these budget guitars play well and sound almost like the expensive models.

We are professionals when it comes to string instruments. The only thing we do apart from living our normal lives with families (wives & kids) is to make music.

These reviews are written based on comments from other professionals that have genuinely had a one on one encounter with these instruments.

We also relied on our own experience with these guitars and to validate our claims further; we sampled the opinion of other real buyers.

Best Electric Guitar Under 1000

Fender American Special Stratocaster ElectrGuitaCheck Latest Price on Amazon

Fender is one of the independent guitar makers in the history of the business. They have been in business for decades and precisely since 1946.

They have never disappointed beginners looking for the best beginner electric guitar on a budget.

The Fender America Special Stratocaster is one of their most-sorted after an American-made guitar that offers great value for the money.

It comes with 22 jumbo frets, allowing you to grip the strings better for bending as well as other special techniques. Beginners with bigger fingers will have more room to navigate on the fretboard and also play harder solos and chords with ease.

The model is among the list of best fender guitar for beginners offering a great tonal variation that allows players to cover Rock, Country, Blues, and Pop as well as any other genre of music.

Features and Benefits of the Best Fender Electric Guitar on Budget

Pros

Lightweight
Jumbo frets gives more playing room and makes barre chords much easier to play
Great sustain and resonance
Suitable for playing rock, blues, country, pop and other genres of music

Cons

String gauge should be heavier considering the jumbo frets
Finish is inferior compared to higher priced US-made guitar models
Case does not protect the instrument completely

Final Thought on fender Starcaster electric guitar review

If you are just starting out on playing the guitar and don’t know which genre of music you might finally settle for, investing on this guitar model will be a significant step.

It is a well-made model that packs a punch with great sound, sustain, and resonance. And though the finish may not be superior to higher priced model, it is light and does not hamper the instrument’s sound.

Gibson Les Paul Faded T 2017 ElectricGuitaCheck Latest Price on Amazon

Gibson is a famous guitar making company with great innovation and taste. They have been in the industry since 1896.

Bringing in over a century of guitar-making experience, Gibson has never compromised when it comes to quality.

Their Gibson Les Paul Faded T 2017 is said to be among the best electric guitar for beginners seeking to take guitar playing to another level.

The Gibson is a feature rich model, ideal for practice and stage performance. It comes with a truss rod to adjust the neck when necessary.

The neck is straight as it should be. It also has 22 frets neatly polished and installed on the fretboard.

It has a slim neck profile to let you play faster and do your solos at a comfortable speed. It’s nickel hardware also adds to list of advantages it has over other models, thus making tuning much easier.

But, like other guitars, it has its bug. The neck is a little bit heavier, so expect to feel uncomfortable when you are still new on it. All you need is time, and you will get used to the weight anyway.

Also, it lends itself very well to playing the blues, rock and pop music.

Features and Benefits of Gibson Les Paul Faded T 2017

Pros

Quality humbucker pickups
clear and bright sound
Smooth body and relaxed feel
Great action with no buzzing
Neck is very fast

Cons

Neck is slightly weightier
There is a complaint of slight neck dive.

Final thought on Gibson Guitar Reviews

Though many beginners will be reluctant to spend such an amount on their first guitar, it is better and safer to spend such an amount on a trusted brand like Gibson.

Gibson has been in the guitar making business for long. They have lots of experience and good quality control to deliver top of the line guitar. They may come up with an upgrade, but among the best Gibson electric guitar, this model has a spot.

ESP LTD Deluxe EC1000VB Electric GuitarCheck Latest Price on Amazon

If you are in the market for a stylish, playable and affordable guitar, the ESP LTD Deluxe is an attractive alternative.

The company, ESP (Electronic Sound Product) has been in the guitar making business for some decades. They started production since 1975, and have made a name in the industry, producing top quality instruments with great artistry.

The new EC-1000M comes with lightweight mahogany neck, body and superior maple fretboard to offer great tonal qualities.

And by adding the 24 extra jumbo frets to the mix, the result is a smooth metal and rock machine.

The EC-1000M comes loaded with a pair of active EMG humbuckers, specifically 81 in the bridge and a 60 in the neck.

The close-aperture coils and ceramic magnates of the 60 offer a clean tone and more pronounced attack.

The rail magnet and blistering output of the 81, makes it ideal for smooth leads and aggressive rhythms.

The EC-1000M also has some downside. Its pickups are not superior compared to other brands but perfect for modern hard rock and metal.

Features and Benefits of ESP LTD Deluxe EC1000VB Electric Guitar

Pros

Very easy to setup
Great quality hardware
Affordable option for hard rockers
Fretboard feels very smooth on the fingertips

Cons

Replacing strings can be frustrating for the inexperienced beginner because of the locking design. But it gets easier after some time.
Taming the added brightness can be difficult.
Pickups are not as responsive as passive types

Final thought on the ESP guitar review

The EC-1000M produces a unique modern tone that is tough to tame, but makes a great metal and hard-rock powerhouse.

Many players may not make buying moves because of the bright sound, but you’ll easily find favorable and inspiring ESP guitars reviews and comments among hard-rockers and metal guitarists. The instrument also offers unique sonic variations.

However, considering its price tag and performance, it sure proves to be the best ESP guitar for beginners on a budget.

Ibanez PS120 Paul Stanley Signature – Silver Sparkle Electric GuitaCheck Latest Price on Amazon

For budding guitarists seeking affordable guitar with upgraded features, the PS120 Paul Stanley might make a fine choice.

Ibanez is one of the renowned makers of stylish and playable guitars on a budget.

The company has been operating since the 1970’s and made quality guitars for players at all levels.

The flashy silver finish makes the PS120PS a beauty to behold. It has a chrome hardware, which allows easy tuning and holds tune well.

It combines mahogany body neatly fitted with maple top to offer full and balanced tone. The neck is also provided with ebony fretboard to give both exceptional sustain and articulation.

The electronics consist of the Seymour Duncan ’59 model neck pickup which is very versatile and constructed in the spirit of the original 1950’s P.A.F humbuckers.

It also combines the custom five bridge pickup systems, to offer a complete range of classic rock and roll tone.

Features and Benefits of the Ibanez PS120

Pros

Great rock guitar
Delivers high sustain
Sounds smooth and clean
Smooth-playing bound ebony fingerboard
Custom-shaped Paul Stanley set neck for fast playing

Cons

The finish looks flashy but not the prettiest at this price point.
A little bit out of place for playing blues rock gigs
Requires additional setup on arrival for optimum performance

Final thought on Ibanez guitar review

Though individual preference differs, I prefer guitars with simple designs or finish. It should look attractive but simple.

While the finish on the PS120 makes it look flashy, I may go with something with a more simple finish.

However, if you read other Ibanez electric guitar review, you will notice the PS120 has a new set of the Seymour Duncan picks which is now a bit of an industry standard.

And with all the features and build, it is no doubt the best Ibanez guitar for metal

Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Electric Guitar

Schecter guitars have been in the industry for more than 35 years and have won the hearts of many budding musicians as well as professional guitarists.

Their Hellraiser C-1 is the go-to guitar for players on a budget looking to play metals or high gain music.

The Hellraiser C-1 has everything designed for the Rock or Metal player. With the EMG 89R and EMG 81TW in the neck and bridge position respectively, it sure delivers pure and healthy tone.

It’s two pickups are also ‘dual mode’ meaning they can function either as single coils or humbuckers.

Despite being a cheap guitar, the Hellraiser comes with an excellent choice of tonewood and artistry. Its superior rosewood fretboard allows it to produce richer and clear sound as the oily pores of the wood absorbs unwanted overtones.

The Hellraiser C-1 also has its bug, just like any electronics do. But considering its performance and price tag, the value for the money is great.

The pickups lack some of the highly rated qualities of passive pickups. They tend to sound too flat or aggressive tone wise.

Features & Benefits of the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Guitar

Pros

Great natural tone and sustain
Exceptional metal and heavy rock guitar with perfect neck smoothness.
Bridge pickup is ideal for tight power-chords without compromising weight of sound
The coil-tapping power of the pickups makes it great for blues, country, and jazz.

Cons

Requires proper setup to keep in tune and get the right tune
Picks lack some qualities and can be too aggressive or very flat; this will make you feel like you have lost some of your expressions in the pickups’ tone while playing blues.

Final Thought on Schecter Hellraiser c-1 review

As the name implies, Hellraiser C-1 can has a monstrous sound when setup accurately. It is rated among the best Schecter guitar for metal.

Though it might not sound the way you want right out of the box but with proper setup, the C-1 will produce a sound that is just as beautiful as it looks.

Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro Electric Guitar

The Les Paul Custom is one of the famous guitars created in 1954. The guitar was popularly called the “tuxedo” Les Paul by fans because of its beautiful design.

The Les Paul Custom Pro is a superb guitar for a decent price. They are the next best thing for players who don’t have the cash to acquire a Gibson guitar.

The superior ProBucker humbucker pickups deliver more output, smoother and warmer tone.

The Les Paul’s solid mahogany body coupled with the mahogany set neck contributes significantly to its performance.

Compared to other guitars at this price point, the Les Paul Custom packs a punch with its great sound and volume.

The guitar has the set neck which is quite difficult to repair once damaged. So if you are a careless player, you might go with a bolt-neck.

But mind you, the Set-neck has more stability, sustain and more resonant than the bolt-neck design.

Features and Buyer’s Benefits of the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Pro

Pros

Neck is very stable and resonant
Sound is warm and bright
Superb fit and finish
Upgraded with features like a phase switch, coil splitting, and SlimTaper “D” neck profile. All these combine to make it more playable and versatile.

Cons

Set neck might be very challenging and expensive to repair when damaged.
Has high action, which can be amended to desirable level with a proper professional setup.

Final Thought on the Epiphone Guitars Review

Epiphone has been in the guitar making business as far back as 1873. That is over a century of guitar making experience right?

Though the Les Paul custom is the best Epiphone guitar, you might be disappointed to expect the same quality and feel you will get from a higher priced model.

Obviously, you get what you are paying for and more with this guitar. And by all standards, it is the best guitar for beginners on a tight budget.

BEST ACOUSTIC GUITAR UNDER 1000

If your plan is to uncover the best acoustic guitar on a budget, we have made a list of the best guitar options that offers great value for the money.

You’ll find guitars with premium quality wood, tone, hardware including some impressive made-in-America models.Seagull Artist Mosaic Acoustic GuitaCheck Latest Price on Amazon

The Seagull Artist is one of the finest of guitars made in North America. The company has demonstrated that they know their onions, handcrafting quality guitars from premium materials in North America.

The body and neck are made with a large combination of mahogany and cedar.

These tone woods together with the rosewood fingerboard combine to give a bright, clear and warm sound with better volume.

In fact, you will be heard anytime you fret this guitar in smaller venues.

Investing in such a premium quality guitars is a wise step for budding musicians. But the instrument also has its downside.

The action is a bit high, and though many players will find no issue with it, most beginners frown at it because getting the strings to touch the fret requires a herculean amount of strength.

Features and Benefits of the Best seagull guitar

Pros

Lightweight
Superb playability
Perfect for fingerpicking
Long scale length makes it great transition instrument for multi-instrumentalists.

Cons

The action is high. Adjustment is needed to set it to a desirable level.
Long scale length can make it challenging for beginners with small finger size to play. Constant practice is required to master the instrument better.

Final Thought on the Seagull guitars review

Looking at the cons of this instrument, they are nothing compared to the instrument’s value. The sound, feel of the neck and construction of this instrument, suits the style of players at all levels.

And overall, it is the best seagull guitar for the money.

If you are a beginner searching for the best Taylor guitar for the money, this is what you have been looking for.

The 100 series is built to offer quality sound and for durability. It features laminate back and sides for additional resilience to fluctuating climatic conditions.

The top of this superior entry level guitar is made with premium Sitka spruce, one of Bob Taylor’s personal favorite for guitar making.

The perfect combination of elasticity and strength of the Sitka wood makes aggressive strumming, flatpicking, and fingerpicking worthwhile.

Regarding sound, you are looking at the best Taylor guitar under 1000. Though the laminate back and sides in a way hinder the sound a bit, it is still a great instrument for starters.

Features and Benefits of the best Taylor acoustic electric guitar

Pros

Lightweight
Frets are evenly seated on the fretboard
Great sound for a guitar at this price point
Slightly narrower nut width allows easy forming of barre chords on the hands

Cons

Laminate wood hinders sound a little
Not the prettiest of guitars at this price point.
Plastic soundhole rosette is a drawback otherwise 114ce 100 Series a great guitar.

Final Thought on the Taylor Guitars 114ce Review

Comparing the price money and performance of this guitar, you would see that the value is high. So if you need the best Taylor acoustic guitar to satisfy those itching fingers, the 114ce is a wise choice.

But then the cons are there but are not a deal breaker. Investing in this guitar is worth it only if you go with the laminate back and sides including its plastic soundhole rosette.

Martin DRS2 Dreadnought Acoustic-ElectricGuitaCheck Latest Price on Amazon

Players on a budget, who are looking for best Martin guitar that offers the legendary Martin tone, will find the DRS2 Dreadnought satisfying.

The DRS2 is the most affordable guitar model from Martin with all solid wood.

The guitar packs a punch with great projection and sound that will make you one satisfied and happy player no matter where you play it.

It features a solid Sitka spruce top, coupled with solid Sapele back and sides for better sustain and volume.

The select hardwood neck features 20 fret black rich lite fingerboard that offers superior playability and comfort.

Features & Benefits of the DRS2 Dreadnought

Pros

Great travel guitar
Action is perfect right out of the box
Made of all solid wood for better sustain and projection.
More fret spacing due to scale length

Cons

Many guitarists are put off by Martin’s use of strata bond/laminated neck
Though the set-in neck is stable, it is harder to repair once damaged.
Solid wood is generally more susceptible to cracking.

The DRS2 comes with a price tag many may not like to term as affordable. But overall, the quality is good, and it offers great value for the money.

It is an all solid wood guitar with excellent tonal quality and hardware. And even though the strata bond and all other features tend appears as a turn-off, it still has some admirable qualities.

Epiphone DR-500MCE Acoustic/Electric Guita

The DR-500MCE is an all solid wood acoustic-electric guitar that suits the playing style of acoustic guitarists at all levels, especially beginners.

It is considered as one of the best Epiphone acoustic guitars for players who have started to get serious about playing the guitar.

The SlimTaper neck and cut away of the Dreadnought will let you take solos high up the neck with ease.

It is constructed with Sitka top, and mahogany back and sides for better projection, sustain and volume. The feel and attractiveness of the wood material are enhanced with premium vintage sunburst finish.

Features & Benefits of Epiphone DR-500MCE

Pros

Perfect neck for high speed
Great guitar for jazz
Incredible action right out of the box
Great sound and projection

Cons

There are few complaints of sharp edges at fret ends with some products. It can also be taken care of easily with simple filling the fret edges.
It lacks individual mid, bass as well as treble controls.

Final Conclusion of the Epiphone Guitars Reviews

The DR-500MCE is a wallet-friendly guitar to invest in, but only if you can cope with it not having the mid, bass and treble controls.

Apart from this feature it lacks, the DR-500MCE is a beautiful and great sounding guitar. It is an instrument that can compete with higher priced model well.

The La Patrie Guitar is a great model for beginners, intermediate and advanced players. It features the fantastic standard concert shape commonly seen in classical, nylon stringed guitar brands.

It is constructed with standard rosewood bridge coupled with compensated Graphtech saddle for maintaining its intonation and also offer great sustain.

The neck is straight as it should be and comes fitted with a radiused fingerboard for added comfort and ease of playing. The wide string spacing and skinnier neck also make playability.

Features and Benefits of the La Patrie Guitar

Pros

Decent price
Very comfortable to play
Hard tension strings gives it great projection
Its rosewood back and sides allow for a balanced tone

Cons

Built with soft cedar top
Requires proper setup for optimum performance

Final Thought on the La Patrie classical guitar review

Many have raised concerns that La Patrie made use of rosewood in complementing the soft cedar top of the guitar.

Rosewood is so hard that it can quickly render any guitar sterile, especially if the luthier handling it doesn’t have good experience working with such material.

But, even with the rosewood, the tone is balanced, and the instrument has good projection and volume. And at this price point, investing on it won’t be a waste of fund.

The R320SWRK is an excellent vintage acoustic guitar for picky individuals. It is made entirely of solid wood with which includes a solid spruce top, and premium rosewood back and sides.

The all solid wood body, coupled with an ebony bridge, bone nut and saddle, make it sound pleasing with strong resonance.

The strings are smooth on the fingers and respond well to any form of aggression.

Unlike other guitars at this price point, there might be no need to change the strings on the R320WRK unless you have other personal reasons outside quality.

This Washburn guitar is a feature-rich model but not the prettiest of guitars at this price point. Finish is uneven but has nothing to do with the sound of the guitar. It’s just cosmetics.

Features and Benefits of R320SWRK

Pros

Portable and lightweight
Outstanding build quality
Great for blues or slides
Great for strumming and doesn’t sound thin

Cons

Finish is unevenly applied on the body
The V-neck profile will make it challenging for soft jazz players
Sound projection is not loud, but at this price point tone is great.

With the build quality, all solid tonewood and pleasant tone, the R320SWRK have all it takes to be the best Washburn acoustic guitar on the market.

Though the sound is not all that superior, it is one of the best you can have at this price point.

Final Word

Who said you couldn’t find cheap but great quality acoustic or electric guitar of your choice? Of course, you can, and we have just proved that.

There are tons of guitar brands out there, but we have managed to put together the most popular and wallet-friendly guitars out there.

We know how confusing, stressful and time consuming searching for the best guitar under 1000 can be. But, with this list, finding them wouldn’t be a problem anymore.