For all guitars, there is a bell curve of quality. There are a few that are extremely good and a few more that are extremely poor and hardly playable but in general, most guitars are fairly similar. The first thing to know when shopping around for a cheap guitar is that for almost every name brand, there exists at least one alternative model. For example, for half the price of a Gibson you can get an Epiphone.

Fender models are available in the similar, yet dramatically cheaper Squier edition. These are cheaper for fairly arbitrary reasons. A Fender Squier, for instance is cheaper simply because it is assembled in Taiwan, Japan, Indonesia or Mexico with parts and mechanics of a slightly lesser quality. Otherwise, they are essentially the same. At first glance, even the keenest of eyes may sometimes mistake an Epiphone for a Gibson.

There are also companies such as Dean, Lotus, Ibenez, Harmony, or Yamaha, which provide a wide-range of affordable guitars. The general going rate for a low-range electric guitar is about $200 to $250. A second rule of thumb when looking for a cheap guitar is that you do not necessarily have to go straight to the big name stores. In fact, sometimes you can find hidden treasures in the most unlikely of places such as pawnshops or even garage sales. Often times these places do not know what they have and you may walk away with a steal.

Just because a guitar is cheap does not necessarily make it a cheap guitar. You should always try it out and see how it feels before buying it.  The basic qualities to inspect should be the intonation (the guitar’s ability to stay in tune after being played), the action (how high the strings are set from the fret board and of course, the sound. However, preference over all of these factors may vary depending on the individual.