A new electric guitar costs from about $85 to more than $18,000. Of the 4,912 electric guitars Thomann had in stock in October 2026, half cost less than about $1,070, a quarter cost less than $415, and 632 cost more than $5,000. The brand moves the price more than anything else: the median Harley Benton costs $280, the median Fender $2,643, the median Gibson $3,825.
Here's the short version. A beginner needs $250 to $350, ideally as a set with an amp. A guitar you'll keep for years costs $700 to $1,000. Above about $1,500 you're paying for where it was made, better hardware and finish, not a guitar that's easier to play.
How much does an electric guitar cost for beginners?
Buy a starter set: a guitar, a small amp, a cable and a strap in one box. Thomann has 292 of them, with a median price of $280, so the amp is almost free compared with buying separately.
Squier Sonic Strat MN 2TSB Set, $296
Fender's cheapest Stratocaster in a set with an amp and accessories. One of the highest-ranked starter sets we track: #3 of 133 electric guitar sets.
Squier Affinity Strat HSS LR MH MBK, $302
A step up from the Sonic: a humbucker at the bridge for rock and metal, two single coils for clean sounds. Guitar only, so add a small amp. #8 of 610 ST style guitars.
Electric guitar prices by brand
| Brand | Models | Cheapest | Median | Most expensive |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Harley Benton | 1,036 | $84 | $280 | $730 |
| Squier | 165 | $176 | $350 | $607 |
| Epiphone | 144 | $314 | $865 | $3,487 |
| Ibanez | 394 | $215 | $1,102 | $10,127 |
| Fender | 613 | $612 | $2,643 | $15,753 |
| PRS | 245 | $539 | $3,164 | $18,004 |
| Gibson | 315 | $1,430 | $3,825 | $12,152 |
Prices are Thomann's as of October 18, 2026. Squier is Fender's budget brand and Epiphone is Gibson's: the same shapes, mostly built in Asia, at a fraction of the price.
The sweet spot: $700 to $1,000
This is where guitars stop being "for beginners". Better pickups, better tuners and better setups from the factory, with no need to upgrade anything.
Fender Player II Strat MN RLO, $897
The Mexican-made Stratocaster with an alder body and a modern C neck: the classic sound for less than half of a USA model. It sits near the top of our Strat-style ranking: #1 of 610 ST style guitars.
Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50s WCS, $740
The Les Paul shape and sound with a mahogany body and maple top, at about a third of a Gibson. #9 of 251 single cut guitars.
When to pay for a USA-made guitar
A USA Fender or Gibson costs two to four times more than its Asian or Mexican version. You get more hand work, better woods and finishes, and a guitar that holds its value. It's worth it for a player who knows what they want.
Gibson Les Paul Standard 50s DT TB, $2,429
The classic Gibson Les Paul with a mahogany body and maple top, in a color limited to 500 per finish worldwide. #1 of 251 single cut guitars in our ranking.
Questions
How much should a beginner spend on an electric guitar?
$250 to $350 for a starter set with an amp. The Squier Sonic Strat set costs $296.
Is a $200 electric guitar good enough?
For learning, yes. Cheap guitars from Harley Benton, Squier and Ibanez's Gio series are playable; what matters most is a good setup, so the strings sit low and the guitar stays in tune.
Why are Gibson and Fender guitars so expensive?
Their USA-made models involve more hand work and pricier materials, and the brands themselves carry a premium. Their Epiphone and Squier lines copy the same designs for much less.
How we measured. We took every electric guitar Thomann listed as in stock on October 18, 2026, 4,912 in total including color versions, and grouped them by Thomann's categories and brands, converted from euros at the European Central Bank rate. Products show today's price and rank, updated every night; the table is fixed to October 18.
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Denis Kataev runs AudioFu. Every night the site records the prices of more than 38,000 instruments and studio tools at Thomann, and he writes about what those numbers show: what got cheaper, what just arrived, and which discounts are real.
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