The best guitar under $250 (are they any good?!)

Here's an extensive test of 8 budget friendly guitars (all under €250,-). Are they worth it?
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▶GUITARS TESTED◀
Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster FMT HSS MN Sienna Sunburst
Squier Bullet Telecaster Brown Sunburst
Yamaha Pacifica 012 II Dark Blue Metallic
Ibanez GRG140SB RG Gio sunburst
Epiphone SG Special Satin E1 Vintage Worn Cherry
Epiphone Les Paul Special VE VSB
Cort Classic Rock CR100
Harley Benton ST-62CC MN Charcoal Frost
Harley Benton HB-35 VB Vintage Series
0:00 I bought 9 guitars
0:44 The contenders
1:46 Issues! (& setups)
3:54 The build quality & feel
9:15 Learn, Practice, Play
9:53 The tone
17:06 Important message about the guitars
18:01 The final ranking
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Are €200 Guitars Any Good? (Best budget guitar!)

[@richardsandson]

The humble Pacifica has been around forever and is always under rated. They're always a fantastic budget option, especially for a beginner.

[@Harry-Guenter]

I agree, I own a Pacifica 112V (which is one step up) and it's a good guitar. In addition, through all the years I've seen and touched Yamaha instruments I've never seen something bad. Yamaha instruments are almost always among those brands i recommend to check out if someone asks me for advise. It's sad that they have this "only beginner guitar" reputation. Cause even after some years I love to play mine.

[@mikehurley5052]

@@Harry-Guenter I have 2 Pacificas, 112V and an older 112J, they are great with superb build quality, if you want to step up a bit the 611/612 is as good as any Fender if not better. For the money you cannot go wrong with a Pacifica, playability is there right out the box.

[@johnkennedy814]

Pacifica was my first and I could still pull something out of it if I hadn’t given it to my nephew

[@evandijk1983]

I agree I still pickup my Pacifica to noodle on the couch even tough ik have mote expensive guitars

[@sacorreia77]

I have a pacífica 120 h and i just love it, plays good, feels good and delivers the sou d i need

[@krumkarapetrov4316]

The Pacifica has been the first guitar for so many aspiring guitarists. It's an incredible guitar for it's price and is a wonderful and completely playable instrument

[@matissmelbergs2584]

Its gona be mine soon😝🤘🏾

[@gerryfitzgibbon9882]

Couldn't agree more. One of these was given to me as a gift by a valued friend and it is a well loved and played instrument. I am firmly of the opinion that it holds up against much higher priced guitars so if you are looking for a good return for your investment this is it. Just my opinion and no more but I do reckon it's a solid well built instrument that's tons of value.

[@michaelmilburn3094]

At one point I had around 15 guitars and when I sold down the one I kept was the Yamaha Pacifica. Seriously this cheap little guitar was my favorite.

[@Rau1S]

@@michaelmilburn3094 any ref in special you recommend for a beginner that wants a quality guitar ?😊

[@guitarman6742]

Yamaha looked expensive.

[@SpunktAlex]

You know the content is good, but the real highlight is always Paul's calm and rather quiet personality. He gets a point through without costing me nerves. Thanks PauL!

[@repoman5581]

but he goes to rave nights on bad speed for weeks afterwards :)

[@NoahLoftier]

Yet his basement...

[@kebab_boi]

My first electric guitar was an Epiphone SG Special II. I still regret to this day that I sold it, despite the fact that I own more expensive gear now. It’ll always have a special place in my heart.

[@cosmic_JAV]

Bought one for $80 bucks years ago, a I still have it and it still has a amazing tone

[@jicklesjingles8134]

I think the main "issue" with cheap guitars is that they sometimes seem to have quite some quality variation. I feel like it's a matter of luck if the quality check was done properly...

[@jasondub-is-on.]

absoluty right

[@jicklesjingles8134]

@@jasondub-is-on. I have a few cheap guitars that work absolutely fine. And (if you want) they're a great basis for upgrading/learning about guitar tech.

[@adamski101]

Yeah. Buy snother 8 of these guitars and the rankings will probably all change. The next SG might be a dog and the next Ibanez might be OK. The Yamaha will probably be the most consistent between examples.

[@stbn7777]

Totally agree. I have this HarleyBenton and no have this sensations. I fill it like a great Fender. Great afination, and low strings. Of course they need an adjustment when you buy it.

[@adriantrinidad1296]

i have the strat squier guitar that came with the beginners bundle. so far it holds just fine, it’s not that heavy and it’s so thin. only problem i’ve had was i broke my b and high evstring. other then that, it’s an amazing guitar

[@appleslayer3337]

Paul: "This one sounds a little thin and underwhelming, unfortunately..." Also Paul: *makes them all sound like guitars from the gates of heaven*

[@StoneBuzzard]

I think I don't know what tone is anymore

[@dennykitch4806]

I was thinking this too. He makes them all sound great

[@AccountRemoved101]

This guy turns the les paul into more paul.

[@liammccolgan5706]

Still have my Pacifica 17 years later. Very underrated. Thin fretboard made it great to learn on. It does what it needs to for the price. Humble guitar.

[@marctestarossa]

Mine is close to 25 years old now

[@shaggyaggy]

What amplifier do you use I just got mine

[@liammccolgan5706]

@@shaggyaggy Sorry for the late reply. I use a Roland Cube. But a standard fender or marshall amp does just fine.

[@unknown-fs3hj]

These videos remind me that I'm poor

[@NOVA-hb2ne]

nah just smart with money just you know almost all rich business man know how to manage money

[@unknown-fs3hj]

@@NOVA-hb2ne bro I'm from Syria u wouldn't understand

[@raghadibrahim9189]

​@@unknown-fs3hj im arab too I KNOW WHAT YOU TALKING ABT + الله يعين و ينتقم من اللي سبب في كذا

[@unknown-fs3hj]

@@raghadibrahim9189 alhamdulillah brother I'm from Syria where are you from

[@To_protect_and_to_serve]

*sensible. Put in quality pickups and you're good to go, unless you want a pretty and expensive furniture.

[@andertons]

Fantastic video & wonderful gesture to give the guitars away! I'd love for you to look at the Eastcoast guitar range we sell (all great value) & we could definately do something where we give a bunch of guitars away to worthy causes. Cheers man - all the best, Lee

[@uncledeadhead3674]

o captain my captain.

[@ACircadianRhythm]

If you are to peer at one comment Paul davids(look at this one)

[@TomStrahle]

That's really cool that he did that.

[@decoyz.]

i think u should like sauce me an electric Mr Lee

[@OkSharkey]

it would be really neat if someone involved with Andertons gave away the guitars they said they would

[@TomStrahle]

I'm always on the hunt for cheap guitars. Usually nothing over $100. Usually Squier Strats that I string up in weird ways. But also I like to use them for pop and funk tracks. I wrote and played Justin Bieber's ETA with a $99 Fender Squier that I got used at Guitar Center. I still string it up with 9's. There's a certain lo-fi quality that I love and can't get from my better quality and vintage Strats.

[@AnBCinemas]

Very cool!!

[@Composify]

Are you a ghostwriter?

[@TomStrahle]

@@Composify No, I'm listed as co-writer and co-producer.

[@theWARMJET]

Hehe cool!

[@JGAbstract]

I wish I could write music. Been trying to have a eureka moment playing diatonic major chords and the pentatonic scale (entire neck) for a couple years. But I just haven't had a giant click. Still just feels bland and cookie cutter.

[@taejun9017]

Yamaha Pacifica Strat was my first guitar. My dad talked me out of buying a BC Rich Warlock lol. I made a really embarrassing emo album with it, but also fell in love with guitar forever!

[@lemonlime8949]

What’s the album

[@lil_bored111]

I recently found a Pacifica at a thrift store in great condition and I managed to only pay $100 for it. I just restrung it today (it was missing a string and just needed cleaned up a bit) and I can already tell it has a decent sound and it'll serve its purpose just fine. I was excited to see it score so high on this list

[@antlereddruid8359]

as a european, Harley benton is usually the ultimate go-to for me, not only because thomann has really stepped up the build quality over the last decade, but also their customer service is absolutely elite.

[@carlosmgpinheiro]

Totally agree with you my friend. Thumbs up!

[@ajhimself1988]

They make great upgrade platforms

[@Sean_Plays_Guitar]

Agreed with from over here in states too! I am a Harley Benton believer. I own two of their SG style guitars (both were purchased for around $200). They have both been modified but both played absolutely fine straight out of the box (I wanted to learn some soldering/wiring skills). I think Thomann's selection of styles in combination with the price and acceptable playability makes them the best source for beginners. I set my father-in-law up with a Harley Benton DC60 Jr to learn how to play guitar. I am also a huge Squier Bullet series guy because you can mod them and get great sounds without going broke over it and as Paul said, they play, look and feel fantastic.

[@8odycount]

HB seems to have a good reputation nowadays and I would even buy one but somehow I resist to play one live. :D There gotta be a Fender Logo on the headstock. Yeah it's stupid but I can't help myself.

[@mhoop1]

I agree. I have an HB LP and would like to get more, but that international shipping charge has doubled the last few years (I'm the US) and it takes the 'budget' out of the equation. It'd be nice if they had a distribution center on this side of the world, lol.

[@ianboenisch-oakes4234]

The Pacifica is such a great guitar - it was my first electric and I still play it to this day! Swap some seymour duncan SSL-1's in the neck and middle + a pearly gates in the bridge and the guitar is magic, especially for the price.

[@larogero]

My first electric guitar was a pacifica 112J. It plays amazingly well. After a few easy mods (replacing the pickups, shielded the electronics, blocked the vibrato) i think it now matches a much more expensive guitar.

[@marctestarossa]

My first one was a Pacifica as well and it's getting close to its 25th birthday ^^ And the old lady still goes strong. I didn't do anything to it other than fixing the cable jack several times over the years because it tends to go bad from time to time. It's still my one and only Strat type guitar I own, but I'm an acoustic player. The other electric guitar I own is a Harley Benton SC GoToh DLX and it's awesome. I think it was around 250 € and it comes with GoToh tail piece, bridge and tuners, a TUSQ nut and stainless steel frets. What a value, honestly.

[@thisguy2973]

My first electric guitar I got when I was 11 was a Yamaha Pacifica PAC102S. Fast forward 26 years and I still have it with all original hardware minus the original jack plate and all original electronics. I still play it, it sets up well, and I still love that guitar out of all of my guitars. They’re extremely underrated.

[@mattlau]

Years ago when I started, everyone was recommending the Yamaha Pacifica. The entry level guitars have come a long way since 20 years ago. The Squier stuff is amazing for the value! Looking forward to the next comparison, maybe the $500-750 range?

[@fixedguitar47]

The great thing about Yamaha, keep in mind the 80’s 1000+ series with the Warmoth necks were in a class all their own, but they can from a tinker standpoint be upgraded. I’ve had a few on the bench, one in particular was a serious hot rod. Went to top end Dimarzio picks ups, coil splits, copper shielding, high end pots etc.

[@thomasmb3552]

My first guitar was a Pacifica in 2001, put some new pickups on it a few years ago and I still play it all the time. It’s got a special place in my heart.

[@alexosborne3642]

The Pacifica 112 has been my number 1 recommendation for a beginner's guitar for the last 5-6 years. very pleased to see the 012 performing well too :)

[@1975agc]

Pacífica 311MS with new pickups over here... Pretty happy with it!!

[@CristiNeagu]

I used to dream of owning a Pacifica... I have its little sister, a Yamaha EG 112. Maybe because it's 18 years old, so it didn't fall prey to modern conveyor belt industrialization, but it feels really nice to play. The neck is very thin, which I like. The electronics were a bit on the cheap side, but I completely gutted it and converted it to a Strat setup, and it sounds way better. Really happy with it.

[@spacebunsarah]

The Pacifica has a laminate body, though, and you can get a solid piece of wood for

[@Vivi_9]

@@spacebunsarah I have a Pacifica 112 and it's better than most guitars I've played in the sub 300 price range, I use it regularly for giving classes and sometimes just jam out on it cause it's extremely playable and the bridge humbucker sounds great, can get usable cleans on the neck pickup too though the hum is pretty bad admittedly

[@Eko8848]

Agree, I've sold my les paul studio '14 epiphone to replace it with a yamaha pacifica 612 soon. Versatile guitar with very good sound quality thanks to the alder body, excellent frets work on rosewood and maple handlebars, grover locking tuners, wilkinson tremolo, seymour duncan pickups... Value for money

[@Meylan191083]

My first guitar was an Epiphone SG. It is still a great guitar to play. Light, perfectly balanced, lots of power. Epiphone seem to do a much better job with the SGs than it does with the Les Pauls.

[@gingerbeer914]

No, the production cost of a Les Paul with a maple top and a glossy finish is so high, that they cannot compete with a faded SG. The good Les Pauls are simply in a different price range. My old 1990s Korean Epiphone Les Paul Standard is a fine guitar. I was 500 guilders USED with GraphTech String Saver saddles. It's worth more now.

[@lucaemma4485]

I have had an epi sg (Korean made) and played it for like 20 years great little guitar just traded it in for a long overdue upgrade to a fender tele (Mexico) but hey I still wish I had it !

[@gingerbeer914]

@@lucaemma4485 Patience and saving a bit longer would have been better. A Tele is not a replacement for an SG. They're totally different animals.

[@DiegoLaCruzF]

Yep sadly

[@bluntfitter]

I bought my first Epiphone SG today. Looking forward to the journey

[@nethbt]

My first Electric guitar in the early 90s was a Les Paul copy called JOY with horrible rough copper frets. The guitars presented here are like super premium in terms of quality compared to what I had back then, these kids are lucky, we live in an age where crap budget guitars are slowly disappearing.

[@phryg2035]

It's an exciting time!! I can't wait to see how many legendary guitarists pop up on the scene, unhindered by their gear. Everyone deserves a great guitar

[@ThePuchaczPL]

Cool! Would love to see another videos with guitars up to 500$ and 1000$. Was thinking about picking up Epiphone Les Paul Modern lately. Wonder if it would make to the list

[@oviaherronmusic]

I was also thinking about buying myself an Epiphone Les Paul Modern, that video would be useful

[@thomasflores7817]

As someone whos owned gibsons and epiphones, I will say that while an epiphones looks like a discount gibson, they don’t feel or sound that great. Very stiff in comparison. There are good options at epiphones price point, depending on what style you guys are playing I may be able to make some suggestions

[@thomasflores7817]

Also, don’t knock used guitars. You can sometimes get a used Gibson for the same price as a new epiphone, and old gibsons are awesome. There are gems out there for the cunning bargain hunter

[@thomashaigh6098]

In that price range, might as well get a used Gibson Les Paul studio

[@thomasflores7817]

@@thomashaigh6098 was actually the first suggestion to come to mind

[@Jond_9]

I have the squire affinity and I really love it. Same sunburst finish too. It is my first guitar, but all the other electric’s I’ve felt don’t feel as good to play. If anyone here was thinking of getting the affinity, I think it’s a great starting guitar that will last years

[@vanburn777]

I own the Epiphone SG and have been playing it for 3 years now. It really is so comfortable to play as I am a bedroom producer and just play to relax. Glad to hear it made the top spot. I was looking for a budget strat and I now have found it! Thank you Paul. Great content as usual :)

[@leeejohn214]

All of them are good but Yamaha Pacifica has the special place in my heart as it was my first guitar and the playability is incredible.

[@matthewpritchard6109]

I played a Yamaha Pacifica for ages; it's still one of my favourite guitars! I'm a little disappointed with myself that I sold it, although it went to a great home, a fantastic group of musicians in the Solomon Islands. I was sorely tempted to get another Pacifica when buying my most recent Strat, but ended up being sucked into the 'real' Fender world. Nevertheless, I'd entirely agree - very hard to go wrong with a Pacifica. It's a LOT of guitar for a great price. Glad they're still rocking!

[@-SayWhatAgainMF-]

I remember my friend having a Pacifica Super Strat style guitar that I believe was just a little more pricey than the extreme budget option we see here, but it was an awesome guitar. My buddy had an american made Strat as well that I used during our band rehersals, but i remember the Pacifica actually playing better than the Strat did. The pick ups were pretty hot and had good toan. Awesome guitars for the money!

[@chriswatson3056]

Paul, I've been playing for almost three decades and this video brought me back to my teens when I was trying to find the best guitar for what little pocket money or (after getting a job) what little money I had earned that I could afford to spend on another guitar. Even as an early teen in the mid-'90s I loved the Yamaha Pacifica. Watching this video made me realize how much that model has stood the test of time as a great begin-termediate guitar. I'm certain they don't make this model any more, but if I had an Ibanez that would change your mind, it would be the GAX70. I ended up slapping a Seymour Duncan JB in the bridge and for $210 invested that was my primary gigging and recording guitar for several years. I have a tendency to sit in a guitar shop for a couple hours testing out several guitars when I am intent on purchasing one and I never come out with the model I was looking for 😆 the Ibanez was one of those experiences. Thin neck that played like butter, intonation was perfect, and even though I went in there intent on buying a $500 guitar, I ended up with that $150 "starter guitar." There's gold to be found. Great video!

[@TheGroovyGuitarDude]

That Harley Benton Strat is a beautiful guitar, love the deep blue with the gold hardware! Not sure how I feel about a thick neck on a Strat though… I’ve recently played a few Squier Strats and Teles and was surprised by how much I liked them. I feel like they’ve gotten a lot better in the past 10 years or so! 🤙🏽

[@EstelonAgarwaen]

I have a diy tele with a super thick neck. Its amazing for riffing, not so much for shred.

[@t_ylr]

I feel like Fender has really improved their starter level guitars and amps a lot since I started playing. I bought a Squier Affinity Tele about this time last year and I love it.

[@EstelonAgarwaen]

@@t_ylr last time i bought a guitar was a prs se standard 24 late 2020. Also awesome!

[@CardboardGenie]

@@EstelonAgarwaen which is almost 3x as expensive as the Squier affinity series 😅 so it better sound good 😉

[@EstelonAgarwaen]

@@CardboardGenie even more important: it feels amazing. That neck on there is pure bliss!

[@oldschool1107]

Do the same with amps, it'll be greatly appreciated by thousands of viewers.

[@tusleplopp1]

Great video, very helpful and to the point. I really liked the format of the video and not tons unnecessary details about each guitar :)

[@jonathanrivera9007]

Oh well, you got me men! I have been looking around for a guitar to start with and ended up getting a Pacifica. Thanks for your work, looking forward to start the beginner classes later on! Happy new year 2023!

[@corallaroc2946]

A Pacifica was my first electric guitar. It is a very good "tool". The lack of distinctive character is very unsatisfying, however. I got a Fender strat 5 years later because it "had the vintage sounding strat thing going on" (11:28) and that's what had been missing so badly for all those years.

[@gryzew]

In Pacificas (at least the older ones) the lack of distinctive character would be mainly the pickups. Get some used brand pickups on the cheap and it should do anything a Fender Strat does.

[@corallaroc2946]

@@gryzew Thanks for the suggestion. But mine had DiMarzios fitted from the start. They may as well cause a part of the neutral character, but I do think there is more than the pickups to it.

[@anasg007]

what do you mean by "distinctive character" ?

[@corallaroc2946]

@@anasg007 EDIT: I responded as if you asked for "lack of distinctive character". Just a very neutral overall tone colour. No brilliance standing out in any area. Not recognisable from a particular sound feature. More concretely, this may for instance be due to: medium sustain, medium attack, strong separation of strings, low resonance, flat frequency response, i.e. not pronouncing highs, mids or lows particularly strongly, no buzz from struming very strongly like you get from

[@thecaveofthedead]

The pickups have definitely been hugely improved on the budget Pacificas compared to their earlier ancestors.

[@leonardosignorini7695]

I got a Squier Telecaster CV '50s as my first electric guitar and I am absolutely in love with it! So much value for the money 😍

[@westonshumaker6231]

There are so many expensive guitars that I want but I recently bought a 200$ parlor guitar with a tuna can pick up. Aside from having to use a noise gate on it the guitar sounded great and I got tons of questions and compliments after my gig the other night. It's important to remember that most of the iconic blues rift we all know came from the cheapest guitars of their time.

[@dylanpaterson7612]

I always love my Epiphany Special LP. Once its set up, the intonation is fine, however I do agree with the neck pickup. I took the neck pickup out and turned mine into a junior!

[@ianherdt8144]

I would absolutely LOVE to see repeat videos covering the $500 and $1000 price range! You’d be able to follow the gradual progression up the process brackets and guitarists grow and start to require more from their guitars and refine their taste/preferences/knowledge of the instrument and it’s nuances

[@jayw9879]

I have the lemon burst HB35 it actually arrived in tune, the only guitar out of all i have that stays permanently in tune, after a few mods. 11s and lower action. Huge shame it came damaged to you Paul, it really is a good one for the price point. I find the neck comfy.

[@luxford60]

I'm glad to hear that as I've been thinking of getting one, and seeing the broken switch here was putting me off.

[@cbaten2]

Very happy with my HB35 plus Lemon drop too. Great playability, balance, tone, looks. Arrived with a slightly compressed bridge (in the middle) though which was replaced swiftly by customer service (Netherlands, like Paul).

[@nikorajaniemi]

I also have the HB-35, in cherry. Have loved it for many years, not really any issues for me!

[@jayw9879]

@@luxford60 I live in the uk. bought mine back in 2018, and at that stage it was free delivery! and it took 3 days to get to the north east. pickups are actually quite good. im a semi disabled player, in that i have parts of my elbows missing. even so, the neck on the HB35 is perfect for me, very comfy. I chose to put 11s on, so that i could reduce the action,. I should have stated that I have 3 PRS se guitars. limited edition x2 and the35th anniversary model. the HB35 stays in tune better than the PRS.! may be in part due to the 11s as well. Had mine 4 years, and its still like new!!

[@rishivardhan6772]

My options were between the fender bullet strat, ibanez gio and the pacifica. I'm super glad I went for the pacifica. It might just be the best beginner guitar ever.

[@drumreaper]

You are a great player, a fantastic instructor, and a good human as well! Thank you for donating the guitars in this video!

[@jonathanratcliffe5714]

The Pacifica 012 was my first electric guitar over 20 years ago, always regretted selling it. It was a lovely guitar for very little money. Not flashy but built well and sounds and plays nicely.

[@rodjones117]

Yep, same as me...

[@Preetom_Barmon]

Great content as usual Paul! After playing acoustic about for 3 years, I bought a pacifica 012 as my first electric guitar few months ago. The guitar plays awesome. Really happy to see that I bought a decent guitar (comparing to other guitars in the similar price range), as I didn't play an electric before and had no idea what to look for.

[@fhqu2543]

I bought the SG One displayed in the video. First of all it has a great feel to it and is perfect for beginners. One major problem was that my Low E string would bounce off of the fret board of I were to strum it would cause a very metallic noise. Also, the amp plug in broke and I had to rearrange the electronics inside to allow it to connect to a amp. Overall, it’s a great guitar however there can be a lot of problems and I recommend saving your money to get a better guitar.

[@johnbhumphrey]

I play a Yamaha Pacifica Tele, I love that guitar although I switched the stock pickups to EMG's. I was glad to see you rated yours highly among the budget guitars.

[@lukeproctor5873]

When I was studying music in the late nineties/early two thousands, we had a Yamaha Pacifica in the classroom, which was the "bash it about and play whatever" guitar. The thing really was a beast for low money and despite never having owned one, I've always had a soft spot for them. It really felt and sounded just like your video here has portrayed it. Not a perfect, beautiful, classic instrument, but one which has many depths and talents for an incredibly low sum of money. I have a Les Paul and a Strat, and many other guitars, but I would actually really like to own a Pacifica for it's jack-of-all-trades simplicity and versatility.

[@scotthoward6265]

Was so looking forward to this video, didn’t disappoint, but alas, no surprises. The Pacifica has always punched above its weight classic, I’ve had a bunch of them over the years, love em!! Thanks for thinking of the kids and donating those instruments!!

[@JoshuaKrell]

I’m a full time guitar instructor in Spokane, WA, USA. Great video to share with my beginner students! Thanks Paul! I always recommend your channel as supplemental content to my students! Cheers!

[@jaunianise4172]

Regarding basswood, I always thought it was a relatively light wood until I bought a custom session Godin Telecaster. The local Canadian wood touted by the Godin brand is Laurentian basswood. This guitar is an anvil as heavy as the ash guitars I own.

[@mhoop1]

I still have and play my Pacifica that I bought in the 90's, it was my first electric guitar. Only change I made was to put a Dimarzio ToneZone in the humbucker. It's an awesome guitar.

[@Cheezeeeee]

You'll never go wrong with a Yamaha Pacifica. Played one a couple of years ago, it was just that random guitar sitting in a rental rehearsal studios and it played really well (even better than the Squire I used to play with).

[@creationinspired200]

The hardtail bullet strat limited edition has been a very welcome guitar in my collection ive bought two of them and they both were equally as impressive the hardtail just has that sound to it definitely reminds you of the Clapton strat not many hardtail stratocasters out there these are special

[@davidcardenas4633]

I got so much shit from friends about buying a squier but I got the same HT bullet Strat and it sounds just as good as my friends fender. Maybe I got lucky but that limited edition bullet line is crazy for the price

[@TomoFujitaMusic]

Thank you for sharing! Good job Paul!

[@bryceshuster6767]

My first guitar was a Costco package mid 2000's Yamaha eg-112. This was before it became the Pacifica. I still have it and I freaking love it. The sound, the feel, everything about it. It also stays in tune incredibly well. Another cool piece about it is that it has that classic big Fender Strat headstock.

[@vinisasso]

It's my first guitar and I'm loving it. It sounds right what you expect from a Strato, has a nice feel despite some cheap parts. For a beginner it's a dream come true.

[@cradd00]

Great video Paul! Its good to see a side by side comparison of all these lower end guitars, and it's terrific that you're donating them all. I personally think that most guitars with a proper setup and a decent sounding amp is all you need. I own a few of these guitars and have mixed opinions of each. A guitar that feels good in the hand and is comfortable to play will motivate more practice from my experience. The reason I own many of these guitars as a seasoned player is because these guitars provide a solid base for upgrades and modding to make them a terrific guitar for a fraction of the cost of a high end guitar. A $200 guitar with $200 pickup swap creates an animal that would cost thousands from a manufacturer! Anyways, love the channel and keep on rocking my friend!

[@dinvin7012]

Hey Paul :) I found your channel randomly and love it. I was just now thinking that some people try too hard to make things a certain way they become a little fake, but you make everything sound like a breeze so easily. And because of that, I’m gonna get your beginner guitar course soon. Thanks for the great content ;)

[@callsignprofessor]

Good luck! I usually check his videos when I try to sleep. Definitely the Bob Ross of guitar videos 😂👍🏼

[@jtoddjb]

This is just what I was looking for thanks very much

[@stu_y]

For as long as I remember the Pacifica was always the one that folks recommended (even back in... 1996 I think?) so it's good to see it's still up there!

[@adecree]

This was great I wouldn't have expected the issues you experienced or the Epiphone scoring so high! Might give one a try now 😃

[@Arntor-kf9hi]

Man, that lick you play at the opening to show off the guitars has me entranced. I need to figure that one out.

[@stevesmith7339]

I got a squire mustang from guitar center about a year ago, and I've been in love with it ever since. It was on sale for only $150 at the time, and it absolutely put my old guitar to shame. The super slim neck makes it very nice to play, and after I restrung it with lights it's like I'm playing air. that being said, the tone is a little sub optimal, but I'm really not complaining.

[@r0dr1b]

I expected Pacifica to win although I never played it (based on other reviews I’ve seen). I have been using the Ibanez in this video for about 2 years now and honestly I love it. I find it comfortable and super easy to play, feels like it fits my style. I never tried the other guitars on this list though, but the video is very interesting!

[@SewsAndCodes]

My first guitar was also the Yamaha Pacifica, the 112V. As someone without much experience I don't really have any comparisons to make but it was well engineered and did everything I needed from it.

[@aieahi1]

Just so viewers know, the “v” is not in this video. It’s a slight upgrade. Offers coil tap - single coil on the humbucker. Also has an alnico v pickup. The Yamaha guitar number explained - model name - level in the model - number of single coil pickups - number of humbucker pickups. Pacifica 112 (v means Alnico v pickups). You can get a Pacifica 612.

[@megagalactickanye454]

I feel like out of most KZbinrs I can trust your opinion on what I should want out of a guitar. You seem to be really in-tune with your instruments and what sounds you need. We appreciate your content.

[@lukebdawg494]

I’ve had both those Epiphone models and really didn’t like either of them. The ones I owned had muddy pickups and didn’t feel great to play. I currently own a few Harley Benton guitars and love them all. Even though they may not hit the same heights of my old Fender’s, they are very close in terms of playability and even sound.

[@leonelson945]

Thanks for this video Paul, it would have been helpful to me when I was looking for a guitar last year, so I am sure this will help many people looking to buy. I would love to see a comparison of the next price range. I also would love to see a similar comparison using used guitars. Something that would show how the guitars age, issues that may arise, details that should not be overlooked. Even highlight improvements that occur after guitars become broken in. The side by side comparison like this would help tremendously. Just a couple thoughts. :) Thanks so much for producing these videos! Keep up the fantastic work!

[@disguyz709]

Just bought a white Epiphone SG two days ago, glad to see I was right in choosing it

[@advaydubey]

I've got the Squier Affinity Strat. For a beginner like me, it's a great guitar with a excellent tone, finishing, setup, etc (well at least for me it is, since I've only played Squiers). It came in a kit that Fender so generously made for beginners, with a decent amp, a strap, some picks and a 3 month free trial to Fender Play as well. I would highly recommend it for those just starting out.

[@TheRed_wing]

Same here except not really a beginner at this point

[@Errk2G]

I got a Squire Bullet stratocaster. Love it so much ❤

[@tutscifriscale]

i just got an indonesian affinity (i think) strat and honestly, the playability is incredible- not comparable to my mexican deluxe strat but infinitely better than any other cheap strat i’ve played

[@stevejamieson1613]

Get a set of Fender TexMex pickups for it. Makes a huge difference for very little money.

[@lennardvanetten9764]

I have that Epiphone SG. Extremely happy with how it plays, setup out of the box was good, and stays in tune nicely. And of course, you can't beat that double humbucker sound.

[@spncrgrn]

Same here!

[@roadrunner1884]

Lucky you I had two of them and they both sucked

[@dekabean9755]

@@roadrunner1884 really why? I’m on the fence between the epiphone or the yamaha

[@roadrunner1884]

@@dekabean9755 you might have better luck but they both had hard to turn sticky cheap tuners and both of the bridges on the guitars made a bad ping sound that you cant get fixed without replacing the bridge so I brought them back to guitar center and got a epiphone acoustic that was the same price but my god it is so much higher quality

[@greghowley5942]

I bought one to hang on the wall when I was selling my house (the expensive guitars went into storage). Now in my new place, i find myself playing the SG quite often. Very comfortable, sounds good. Had to lower the action a little, but otherwise solid.

For a good while now I've been recommending the Pacifica to newer players that want an Strat type guitar, because I felt it did everything better than my Squiers, and also pushing the Epiphone SG because I have one and really, really like it. Good to see my completely unfounded recommendations weren't that misguided.

[@theena]

Beginner guitarist here. You can't go wrong with the Yamaha Pacifica range. I have the 112, which I believe is the model for the Asian market. A fantastic guitar. As Paul said, it feels right from the moment you pick it up to the moment you play it.

[@razvanv339]

What should I pick between 112 or 012? I am an absolute beginner

[@JeshuranPaul]

@@razvanv339 doesn’t matter if you’re an absolute beginner. Both are good. If you can go find them at your local store, then just get what feels better without looking at the price

[@brandonlesko3126]

I've owned a few Gibsons, a Carvin custom order, and a Fender, one of which was my dream guitar. All have since found homes with other people. What I've kept are the under $900 guitars. I've upgraded the nuts on most, upgraded the pots, and swapped out the pickups. The nut & pots out of necessity, the pickups just to experiment. I've found that modding my guitars gives me a better connection to the instrument which inspires me to play. I'm more at home and happier with my modded Sheraton compared to a $2,700 Gibson ES-335. The imports have come a long way in the QC department. Is it worth the extra money you'll shell out for the big names to get that additional, hard to quantify thing? That's for you to decide.

[@levaklevacilevactvi4221]

I understand that, I also have Sheraton and Ibanez AF 75, but I started making guitars for myself. They are not so perfect, they have processing errors, but they have a soul. My. Then we understand each other very well and it's cool.

[@andybradshaw5971]

@@levaklevacilevactvi4221 I totally agree with you. All my most played guitars are guitars I built myself - they just seem to have more mojo!

[@2011blanka]

had a lot of fun watching this video and it really helped me making a decision! thanks a lot

[@sevenswordsx7]

Always love your videos! They are among the best as reflected by your number of subscribers. Great to see you review budget guitars. They are very important to those who are passionate about playing guitar, but live on a limited budget. I had the Epiphone SG in TV Yellow. Loved everything about it. Lots of bite! Really comfortable neck. Think I will buy another one after hearing it again. .

[@mooyahmooyah8440]

My first guitar was the Pacifica 112V and I love that guitar. The only thing I've done to it was replace the nut with a Tusq and added locking tuners. It's rock solid and so fun to play.

[@MrVicente222]

The mine never get out of tune, even if i use the trem or do crazy bends xddd. Its my favorite guitar.

[@TkTronixYt]

I bought my first guitar from a guitar store and I would always recommend it for beginners! First of all, the experience of being in a guitar store exploring everything is a cool thing and also all the people working there I've met really know their stuff and can give you good advice on how to get started. The most important thing is that the guitars are properly set up by someone who knows what they're doing (eg. not me)!

[@ashleywetherall]

I always recommend Revelation guitars. They start around the £200 mark and don't usually cost more than £500 for the high end models. But the build quality is every bit at good as the top makes and the custom Alan Entwhistle pick ups make for an amazing unique tonal quality. Excellent guitars for the beginner and the more accomplished.

[@heathjones9218]

I was very happy to see this video. I was on the edge of my seat. I literally just purchased an epiphone SG. I have a few acoustic guitars. This was my first electric. So, I was very happy to see in come in at number.

[@squid667]

The Squier 51 was a very good budget instrument. It is a shame that they aren't made anymore. I also have good experience with the Affinity Stratocaster. It worked very good out of the box, and with some simple mods it is great. I also have an old Standard Stratocaster that I have owned for 17 years that I keep going back to. It was also very good out of the box, and great with some simple mods. The Vintage Modified and Classic Vibe series are more expensive, but also well worth the money. I once tried a Classic Vibe that I liked better than several Fenders I have tried. Squier has become a very good budget brand. Especially the ones that are manufactured in Indonesia seems to have a very consistent quality to them.

[@stephanrott5002]

While I'm not in the market for a budget guitar, I still really enjoyed this overview, Paul! It's great to see how much the overall quality of lower-end guitars has improved in the past 20 years. I think one thing to consider is that differences between individual guitars of the same model might also range a lot. Your HB-35 arrived defective, the next one might be okay and another customer might receive an exceptional one (for what it is). This is all understandable because this happens with instruments that are manufactured with so much cost-saving in mind, but on the other hand this is a real dilemma since these instruments are targeted at beginners who might not be able to compare different guitars or just lack the experience to spot the best one of the bunch that is presented to them.

[@p4our587]

GREAT of you to donate! You are something special, indeed? I liked the Yamaha… from the way you described it, mostly. Would love to see the "under $500" range.

[@Jeaspear]

Just bought the Pacifica 112J YNS yesterday, and I can’t wait to get it here!!! Glad to see it got the tied in this video👌🏽🥰

[@johninama585]

I have a similar SG (mine's the gloss cherry version) and it's such an amazing little guitar for the money. I bought it thinking I'd probably upgrade someday, but I have no intention of doing that. It's become one of my top guitars to play and one I'll never sell.

[@paulraider2001]

I recently bought the Epiphone SG Standard for $500. After some TLC on the fret board it plays as good feeling as my Les Paul Studio (but at a much lower weight).

[@bijnaderinzien508]

Dankjewel voor de tips!!! Ik ga me zeker aanmelden voor je lessen

[@jasonsullivan2029]

The epiphone SG pro was my first guitar. Many years and many expensive guitars later I still have it and enjoy playing. It's a solid guitar! 👌

[@calumtighe6434]

I've been playing the Epiphone sg for quite some time now and I'm glad to see that you also shared the positive experience that I also had. If your unsure which guitar you'd want the sg is easily the most versatile.

[@justchillin7274]

I tried out a used epiphone sg, but i think its an older version sg 400. Messing around with the 4 knobs and switch, it surprised me when it gave the guitar a nice low tone. Just a lot more versatile than the ones with just 2 knobs. And the design allows for playing super easy on the frets close to the body. We went around looking at other guitars, and it was easy to tell that other guitars had a fatter wood where the neck and body meet. I should be getting it soon

[@daviddigital6887]

I have the Les Paul Studio and it came with Grovers an I think the the 57 pups. It had a few issues but you can make them solid an they have great action

[@senseiruss]

On your recommendation, I got the Epiphone SG - and I agree 100% - this guitar is a gem, and the price is so good! The pickups are surprisingly powerful and clean, the neck is comfortable. The tuners are fine, but since I prefer Grover tuners, I upgraded the stock tuners to Grovers. Still, even with the tuners upgrade, this very nice guitar cost me less than $300.

[@vylia]

Great video; thank you for sharing. I want to learn guitar, and I'm looking for my first one. You clarified a couple of things I was wondering about. Thanks!

[@JasonfromEarth]

Thanks for this video! I played heavily when I was a teenager but haven't touched a guitar in at least the last decade. Looking to get back into it. I am glad the Yamaha Pacifica and the Epiphone SG tied because those were my two favorite from the start!

[@joelhixon]

I picked up an old Yamaha Pacifica for $50 and honestly I've been blown away by how well it plays for the price. Interestingly mine is quite light. The pickups sound decent but holy smokes the setup is awesome, not sure if the previous owner set it up, and the neck is just really fun and fast. I'll likely sell it rather than take up space in the studio but it's been fun to mess around with. It won't replace my daily driver Tele or anything but it's a neat little guitar.

[@willparker9235]

Best guitar I’ve ever owned (going purely on memory) was my squier affinity Jazzmaster, all I remember is it being comfortable, loud, beautiful and I learned SOOOO many songs on it plus some open tunings and still to this day I regret getting rid of it

[@Ari_Calamari]

I love mine too. Just an amazing guitar.

[@kairi]

i got the ibanez grg140 wh and its so pretty and plays really well n i fell in love with the looks and have no issues with the sound or feel

[@johnnymiller5712]

Been looking to add an inexpensive humbucker guitar to my collection. Never really considered an Epiphone SG, but based on your recommendation I tried one out. Fantastic guitar! I bought it. Thanks Paul!

[@simon_patterson]

Interesting video, which highlights some of the issues to look out for when buying a guitar. Variability of quality is what cheap guitars are renowned for. If you did this comparison 10 times, with exactly the same makes and models but different guitars each time, then I reckon the ranking list would change every time. It highlights the importance of playing a guitar before you buy it.

[@davidecheverri2392]

Epiphone SG is my first guitar. I bought it about a year ago and have loved it (named her Jane). However, I've unfortunately been slacking on my guitar learning :/ Will definitely pick the pace back up after this video :D

[@elheraldohyliano6992]

Thanks for the advices, I love music and I'm trying to improve my english, so this Channel is a bless for me.

[@OMKAR_x_beyonder]

I own cort cr100 and Pacifica 012. Both are amazing and the sound presentation is unique for both. Love them😍.

[@gerbildad]

Bought a cherry SG Special a few weeks ago, after about a decade of not playing guitar. I agree, it feels just great, but I was somewhat disappointed with the sound when I got it home. Last night raised the pickups closer to the strings. Much better now!

[@Andrey.Balandin]

It could be that you are not really familiar with SG sound and was just expecting something else? This was kind of my experience with Les Paul Studio Plus, I always thought I wanted this guitar because of Jimi Page and jus the looks, but after I finally got it and played it for a few years I ended up selling it, because the sound was underwhelming to me, especially the clean tones were too muffled for my taste. I later realized that even though I loved the look of LP, it was actually the sound of a strat, the single coil spank and sparkle that I really wanted. So I went on and bought a MIJ Fender Strat HSS, and this is the guitar I've been enjoying playing any time for the past 8 years. So, are you sure it wansn't just the looks that made you chose SG?

[@j.m6334]

I also have a cherry sg special and I really don't like the sound and honesty the strings are trash and like I just don't like the guitar and I'm so upset because I spent 400 on it

[@Andrey.Balandin]

@@j.m6334 Strings are an easy change, but don't expect a massive difference in tone. What is it exactly you don't like about the sound? I presume you find the cleans dull? Well, it's just the sound of humbuckers. Some call it "warm". The upshot is the crunchy driven tone. Are there any other humbuckers you like the sound of when played clean? I don't really.

[@mmonkeyman1403]

@@Andrey.Balandin IMO epiphone electronics are their main weak point with the mid-priced models. They nearly all sound muddy when stock.

[@yammong3943]

Squier Bullet tele was my first electric guitar, it was a good journey, love that build and feel, except the body is a little thinner than Fender tele. it definitely a good beginner/budget guitar. 100% recommend it.

[@peepeepoopooman-qs3jq]

Me too, unfortunately i got the all black one since thats all they had, it was last Christmas so everything was sold out. I would’ve gotten a stratocaster pack that i saw about a month prior.

[@vexxy7]

i like play songs of metallica and megadeth, its good for metal tones?

[@peepeepoopooman-qs3jq]

@@vexxy7 You should get the jackson dinky js12 for metal tones, look for a yt review and see if you like it. Also, spend more on the amp than the guitar because amp is more important for the tone. Look online/on yt for an amp made for metal that fits your budget. Dont cheap out or you'll get a shit tone. Very important to do research. Stick to big brand names