Top 10 Best Electric Guitars Under 300 (A Complete Buying Guide)

The GigMaker electric guitar from Yamaha is a great well-rounded guitar. If you're looking for a guitar, either just to pass the time or be a great musician, the Yamaha GigMaker electric guitar is the perfect choice for you.

Key Features

• PAC012 Pacifica electric guitar, 4 color options
• Bolt-on maple neck and rosewood fretboard with 22 frets
• 15-watt, 2-channel Drive Yamaha guitar amp
• Included tuner, cable, strap, and picks
• Protective gig bag increases the value

This guitar is made with Agathis wood and a variety of finish options including black, metallic blue, metallic red, and old violin sunburst. To be honest, the wood that has been used is less expensive. However, I don't think because of the less expensive wood; the guitar will look cheap. It's still very charming, and you can't complain about anything about the body.

The bolt-on maple neck perfectly feels comfortable and fits the hand perfectly. It has a 22 frets fingerboard that is made out of Sonokeling rosewood. The frets are very smooth with classic white dot inlays. Moreover, the package comes with wonderful accessories equal to a ton of value.

Verdict: Overall, the Yamaha GigMaker is an excellent guitar pack with amazing features at a reasonable price making it the number 1 and our Editor's Choice for today's list of the best electric guitars under 300. If you're just starting out and need extra equipment with the guitar itself, then this package can be an excellent option to consider in the first place which also comes with a great number of positive feedback from the real users. That's why we call it an all-around.

The Ibanez GRGA 120QA is an excellent electric guitar that is available with two types of lucrative finishes: transparent blue burst and transparent black sunburst and these are our premium pick for the list.

Key Features

• Double-cutaway poplar tonewood body
• Art grain quilted top with ultra-fine finish
• Beautiful arched top and body binding
• Fret profile features aggressive power chording
• Electronics feature a variety of tonal options
• Case sold separately

The guitar offers great value for money and is the perfect electric guitar for beginners or backup for more advanced players. The body of this guitar has been made using Poplar tonewood and art grain quilted maple used on top to give the guitar a premium look. It has a double-cutaway which allows easy access to the upper frets. The all-access neck joint further enhanced its playability.

This guitar is equipped with Dual Infinity R humbucking pickups that let you go from chunky riffs to fast lead lines. You can switch up how you use the HH pickup configuration with a 5-way lever on hand. The volume and tone controls allow you to put the final touches on your sound.

Verdict: Overall, the GRGA 120QA will impress you from the tone and playability to the great looks making it our number 2.

The next model on our review of the best electric guitar under 300 is Squier by Fender Affinity Telecaster and it's our budget pick as well.

Key Features

• Made from a single piece of Alder wood
• Features maple fretboard on a classic (C-shape) maple neck
• Dual single-coil pickups with a 3-way switch
• Die-cast chrome machine heads
• Also available in left-handed

It's an excellent option for any newbie guitarist looking for a new electric guitar. This one is also a great choice for playing blues and classic rock within budget. The guitar is equipped with two vintage-style single-coil pickups. These pickups are located at the neck and near the bridge. The best thing you'll love about this guitar is that you can modify it. You'll find so many resources where people discuss how they modified their guitars.

You can enjoy the different color options available on the Telecaster, including Lake Placid Blue, Butterscotch Blonde, and Sunburst. All of them are very beautiful and have a great number of positive feedback from real users (almost over 1600 at the time of writing). The body of the guitar is shaped out of a single piece of alder wood that is clear, well-rounded, and with highly responsive lows.

One drawback of this guitar is the natural tone the guitar which isn't incredible in terms of versatility. So, it's a finesse guitar that's not meant to play heavy metal or hard rock. Otherwise, this gem can do your job for what this guitar is meant for.

Verdict: Overall, the Squier Affinity Telecaster is a great budget electric guitar that is great for country and blues music for beginners and enthusiasts making it a well-deserved number 3.

The Epiphone LP-100 is a superb instrument for guitarists who are looking for a guitar with a reasonable price tag. It's a reliable electric guitar that has the classic look, sound, and feel of a Les Paul.

Key Features

• Mahogany body with Maple top construction
• Mahogany neck and rosewood fretboard with 22 frets
• Equipped with Epiphone branded 650R and 700T dual humbuckers
• Perfect for both rhythm and lead playing
• Tune-O-Matic bridge

The body is all mahogany that includes a maple top. It's lighter and slimmer compare to the full-size Les Paul's. Therefore, you'll be able to hold it easily for long practices and gigs. The neck has Les Paul's classic scale length of 24.75 inches which is relatively easier to play and tune.

This guitar feature two humbucker pickups with tone and volume control for each. These humbucker pickups ensure minimal humming. It also features all-metal hardware having premium die-cast machine tuners in it. But all-around hardware quality is not that good as it comes with a cheaper price point.

Verdict: Overall, the LP-100 has everything that a beginner or an advanced player looks for in a quality instrument making it qualified for our position 4.

We have got another gem by Ibanez called the Ibanez GRGA 120, and it’s hands down the best electric guitar under 300 in the market and the best alternative of our Editor's Choice the Ibanez GRGA 120 QA.

Key Features

• Poplar body
• GRGA Maple neck
• Treated New Zealand pine fretboard
• Dual pickup with black hardware
• Case sold separately

Ibanez is known for its incredible instruments across all price ranges. One thing they never compromise is the sound quality of the instrument. The Ibanez GRGA120 GIO is an absolute gem that comes in two different solid colors.

The body has a poplar construction with a maple neck. The fretboard is treated with New Zealand pine, which is quite standard considering an entry-level guitar. The neck is quite smooth and thin, making it easier to grab even for the smaller hands. It's equipped with a dual Infinity R humbucker pickup that generates a grunge sound. You can control the pickups by the tone and volume knobs along with the 3-way selector switches.

Verdict: Overall, the Ibanez GRGA 120 offers excellent playability for the price. This one is a perfect choice if rock and heavy metal are your preferred genres.

At number 6 on our list, we have the Yamaha Pacifica 112 which has earned quite a reputation for its low price and decent quality. It's a perfect pick for beginners.

Key Features

• Solid alder body with maple top construction
• Maple neck with rosewood fretboard
• Humbucker pickup in bridge with 2 single coils
• Vintage-style tremolo bridge
• Steel strings

The Yamaha Pacifica 112 is a solid-body guitar. You can buy it at a very reasonable price, as well as rely on it for most of your performances. The body is made using Alder wood. It comes with a C-shaped neck that is crafted from maple and includes a rosewood fingerboard. It consists of 22 frets.

The hardware of this guitar is pretty much decent. It features a tremolo bridge, along with adjustable saddles and die-cast turners. There are three pickups: one Alnico humbucker at the bridge and two Alnico single-coil pickups. It also incorporates standard controls. Moreover, you can choose from a vast number of different color options including black, lake blue, metallic red, old violin sunburst, and our featured natural.

Verdict: Overall, it's one of the best budget, versatile and beginner-friendly electric guitars.

The GRG7221M from Ibanez is an absolute powerhouse with a unique blend of speed and expression. Ibanez has induced a minimalistic feature on this one. However, this 7-string guitar has gained quite some popularity among garage and punk rockers.

Key Features

• Poplar body cloaked with a high gloss finish
• Jumbo frets are friendly for string-bending
• Infinity R pickups deliver the distorted tone and extra fat
• Perfect for metal guitarists who craved for that extra requisite fat
• A whole new level of playing experience with the Ibanez Fixed 7 bridge

The guitar has a poplar body design with a high gloss finish. The double-cutaway design enhances the playability and makes it easier to master even for novice players. The fretboards feature string-bending jumbo frets so that you can have the proper reach on all frets. The tone of the guitar is pretty decent, considering under the $300 price.

It comes with Infinity R humbucking pickup that ensures a crisp and distorted tone metal that every rock metal guitarist wishes in a budget guitar. The 7-string feature makes it a quite versatile one as well that fits well for those who want to explore the mesmerizing world of 7-strings electric guitar.

Verdict: Overall, the 7221M is an excellent guitar for those who’re into rock music and looking for a 7-string electric under the budget of $300. The Ibanez GRG7221M is also a great choice for children as it has a thin neck design that will make it easier for them to play the guitar making it a well-deserved number 7 on the list.

The Ibanez PS60 Paul Stanley Signature has earned praises for featuring distinguishing yet memorable characteristics and this one is our hand-pick for number 8.

Key Features

• Solid Poplar body construction with a high-gloss finish
• PS profile maple neck
• Equipped with high-output dual Infinity R Ibanez pickups
• Chrome hardware with Full Tune III bridge
• Control layout consists of Volume 1, Volume 2, and a Master Tone knob

Paul Stanley is an American singer and musician who is the co-founder, frontman, rhythm guitarist, and co-singer of the all-time famous band called KISS. And, Ibanez has produced the PS60 as his signature model for rock guitarists and Paul Stanley fans who are on a budget and still want the look and feel of the Paul Stanley style.

The PS60 has a uniquely shaped body that is crafted from resonant poplar. It comes with chrome hardware and a slim profile maple neck. The neck is equipped with a Bound Purpleheart fingerboard. Thanks to this fingerboard, you'll get a balanced tone from the guitar. It includes two high-output Infinity R humbucker pickups. These pickups are capable of producing a sound perfect for playing rock 'n' roll music.

Their stylish poplar body is also adorned with a bottom cutaway design. Therefore, you'll be able to play it more comfortably. It's also a great on-stage guitar as well for use in live performances. With the unique look, it's surely an eye-catcher. You have to purchase the guitar case as a separate one though.

Verdict: Overall, it's perfect for rock guitarists who're looking for an awesome yet affordable electric guitar.

At number 9, we have the classic-sounding S1 from the SonaMaster series of a lesser-known brand called Washburn.

Key Features

• Perfect place to begin the journey
• Draws inspiration from 1980's popular Washburn guitars
• Suitable for any age
• Reverse headstock
• Classic tone with muscular mid-range
• Case sold separately

Washburn SonaMaster is one of the finest electric guitars out there under $300. It has a lightweight construction that’s suitable for both children and adults. The Washburn SonaMaster S1's aesthetic combination of white and tobacco sunburst finish will surely catch the eyes on the very first look. Some other model like the S2 also has some nice eye-catchy combinations as well.

It has a solid basswood construction that looks just as good as it sounds. The guitar features a Canadian Maplewood neck with a sturdy rosewood fingerboard. The double-cutaway design makes it easier to play, and you can reach all 22-frets easily. It features three single-coil pickups with a 5-position switch. The single-coil pickup generates a classic tone that rock lovers crave. It has superior quality hardware, which makes it quite a winner for the prize.

Verdict: No matter what type of music you're into, you can play it all with this guitar. Along with playing your favorite songs, you can practice and enhance your skills with the Washburn SonaMaster Electric Guitar.

And finally, at number 10 on our review is the Dean ICON X Electric Guitar. There's actually much more to this guitar than its outward stylish appearance.

Key Features

• Double-cutaway solid basswood construction
• Bolt-on dual-action maple neck with rosewood fingerboard
• Equipped with DMT design passive series pickups with no special electronics
• Control layout consists of Volume 1, Volume 2, Tone 1, and Tone 2
• Case sold separately

This guitar is crafted from high-quality materials. While both the body and top are made of basswood, the neck and the fretboard are constructed using maple and rosewood, respectively. It proudly boasts DMT design humbuckers and chrome hardware, including Grover tuners, as well as a Tune-O-Matic bridge. All of these features make this product fantastic and ready for an outstanding stage performance. One of the major drawbacks is- this guitar will limit you to only hard rock and heavy metal.

Verdict: Overall, it's the best in terms of quality and sound making it well-deserved for the list of best electric guitars under 300. If you value the excellent balance of quality and sound, then go and purchase the Dean ICON X Electric Guitar.