The Best Electric Guitar Starter Kits | Start Learning In 2021

The SS11 was actually my first electric guitar. I gave it away when I had ordered a more expensive guitar online. When my new guitar arrived I regretted getting rid of my Silvertone. It played and sounded much better than my new guitar and many other guitars I have owned since.

You may not have heard of Silvertone before as they are nowhere near as big as Fender or Gibson. However, they are an established brand with quite a large range of guitar models. Their budget-friendly guitars are outstanding for their cost.

This guitar package is my favorite pick for Stratocaster style guitars. They may be one of the cheapest of the reputable brands but they don’t skimp on quality.

The SS11, and the similar SS10, are arguably better than the more expensive Fender Squires. They play smooth, have decent sounding pickups, and look great. The custom-shaped headstock is a nice touch and makes them recognizable.

The difference between the SS10 and SS11 is the fretboard. The SS10 is maple while the SS11 is rosewood. The maple neck will give a slightly brighter tone to your playing. If you aren't into a bright tone go for the SS11.

The only let down for this package is that the included amplifier is of lower quality than some of the more expensive packages. It is still good enough to get you started and has enough volume to jam on your own. It has an AUX-in so you can play along with your favorite tracks or audio lessons too.

There is not much Les Paul about this guitar except for the shape of its body. It uses single-coil pickups so is not well equipped to create that growl you want for your blues or metal songs. It does still sound pretty good on the clean channel or with a little overdrive though.

These guitars play well and are very beginner friendly with their jumbo frets. The slim tapered ‘60s style neck is also kind to newbie’s hands.

Epiphone guitars are the budget versions of Gibson guitars. They obviously aren’t kept to the same standard as guitars that cost thousands of dollars. They are, however, are a trusted entry point throughout the industry.

Being the cheapest of all Epiphone guitars, the SL model is very basic but is fine to get you started. Yet, if you can afford the more expensive Epiphone packs you get better features. Such features include humbucking pickups and a superior amplifier.

The amplifier included is very small and battery operated. It is okay for practicing in your bedroom but you will have to be close to it to get any value out of its sound.

Of our two budget picks the Silvertone is definitely the more versatile rig. It also comes with a better amplifier so you should only go for this one if you are really into its looks.

It would make sense for a Fender guitar to be one of the best Stratocaster style guitar packages. They are the company that pioneered the shape after all.

Squier guitars are the cheaper versions of Fenders. They are surprisingly high quality for the cost. This makes them an excellent entry point into playing guitar.

These guitars have a wide variety of tones at your fingertips. They are perfect for learning to play anything from rock, to jazz, to pop, and everything in between.

These guitars are available in a range of colors. There is sure to be one that matches your taste.

It is hard to ignore the classic Fender styling of these guitars. They look good and will bring a bit of extra flair to any room they call home.

They play great and you will not need to upgrade these guitars in a hurry. The only thing you will need to upgrade to play with a band is the amplifier. It is a decent amp for a package but is a little small for jamming with a drummer.

The amp included is a 10w Fender Frontman. It is of higher quality than the one included with our budget pick. This is the defining feature between the two. The actual guitars are on par, if not a little in favor of the cheaper package.

The guitar included in the package is the Les Paul Special LE II. It is similar in appearance to the SL guitar but has more to offer.

This guitar has humbucking pickups just like a ‘real’ Les Paul. This means it sounds much better on the overdriven channel than the cheaper SL.

If someone like Slash or Jimmy Page that plays a Les Paul inspired you to learn guitar you will get closer to their tone with this guitar.

If you do want a Les Paul guitar this one is an obvious choice over the SL model.

The build of this guitar is alder and maple with a mahogany neck. These are a decent set of tonewoods for a cheap guitar. They have warm characteristics and balance well with the pickups this guitar uses.

The amplifier included is a nice little practice amp. It sounds decent and has a headphone jack to practice in silence if need be. The 3 band EQ will let you fiddle around with the sound of the amplifier. You can also use the tone controls on the guitar to help you find a tone that you are happy with.

If you want to learn heavy riffs you might as well start with a guitar designed for that. Dean is the brand of guitars that many metal artists use such as Dave Mustaine of Megadeth. Dean almost exclusively deals in guitars built for metal. You can trust that the CZone guitar included in this package is capable of high gain, high energy, and heavy, music.

The aesthetics of this guitar screams metal. The all-black hardware and paintwork are perfect to take on stage with you when you get to that point. The reverse headstock is also cool and is an inclusion not often seen with budget guitars.

The pickups are for high gain. This means they are good at playing with distortion. They are cheap pickups though so don’t expect them to sound exactly like your favorite artist.

The clean tone from these pickups is not going to be as well rounded as in the Stratocaster guitars. They will still get you by for your practice if you want to play on the clean channel.

The included amplifier is small just like all the other packages. It is fine to practice with but if you plan to get loud while playing your heavy metal you might need to upgrade your amp.

There is nothing wrong with this package. It is actually one of the best. However, it is expensive when you compare it to others. If you plan to spend this much on a guitar package you are better off buying the parts separately.

You may be a big slash fan, or not want to put the effort into deciding which individual guitar and amp you want to buy. If this is the case, this package could be a good choice if you have a decent budget.

The guitar is an upgraded version of the Epiphone Special II we reviewed earlier. It has improved pickups so it will sound better and with less unwanted noise.

The bridge is more reliable so you get trustworthy tuning stability. There is also a built-in Shadow E-Tuner which is way more convenient than a clip-on tuner.

This guitar also has an upgraded appearance when compared to the standard Special II. It has a flame maple top with cherry mahogany back and a bound body. This not only gives a premium look it provides superior tone and sustain.

The included amplifier with this package is the best of all the bundles we have reviewed. It is more powerful at 15w. Most others are 10w. It also looks better and gives more control over your sound.

It really is a nice package if you have the money for it. You should have a look at our build your own options before you make your final choice though.

This is one of the best all-around packages available. It is hands down our favorite of the Les Paul style guitars. It could have been our less than $300 Les Paul pick. At the time of writing, this guitar is under $300 on zZounds and Amazon. It has a street value of closer to $500 though so we excluded it from that category.

This guitar has a flame maple top and is available with two different types of burst paint finishes. This makes the guitar look a lot more premium than many of the other guitar packages. The raised pickguard and 4 stunning control knobs also add to the overall flair of this guitar.

This guitar is a real blues powerhouse but is also capable of covering a range of other genres.

The pickups in this guitar are low noise and capable of many different tones. They sound great and the silver housing for them makes them look the part too.

This guitar has very good tuning stability for a budget guitar. This is thanks to its quality die-cast tuners and tune-o-matic bridge. This type of bridge also makes it easy to change strings. It is handy for adjusting the intonation as a beginner too.

The included amplifier does not do the guitar justice but is fine for practicing.

The guitar will last you a long time if you take care of it. It is tough and also has good enough hardware and playability to keep you from needing an upgrade.