Cheap electric guitars just seem to resonate with me. I’ve reviewed a lot of them over the years and I'm still not quite sure why that is the case.
Perhaps it’s that I feel I can actually play them – that they don't have to kept in a display case or held by an auctioneer in kid gloves. Maybe it's simply that the build quality and longevity of the instruments has gotten much better in the last 20 years. Or maybe it’s the fact I can buy more of them – and that’s certainly the case this Cyber Monday.
Rumors have long been flying around retailers overstocking, or manufacturers over-producing, following a boom in demand for affordable instruments in the covid years.
Whether there's something in that or not, we are seeing some crazy knockdown deals this year. For me, the pick of the bunch is a whopping $200 off the Sterling by Music Man Mariposa, a guitar I, ahem, ‘borrowed’ when it came through our doors for review.
Speaking of which, it earned itself 4.5 stars from our reviewer Chris Gill, who praised the model along with the Cutlass, which is also on sale, for “their distinctive character, standing far above the generic character of most competing solidbodies in their price range”.
There are also top bargains on an ultra-versatile Les Paul, a classy Gretsch and some gorgeous Squiers, including a dual-humbucker Mustang for a ridiculous $149.
Scroll on down for all the info on our top picks this year, and hit up our Cyber Monday guitar deals and Cyber Monday beginner electric guitar deals guides for more offers.
“With its tone knob backed off this thing gets sasquatch-hairy without losing clarity. It’s a surprisingly killer stoner rock machine”: EVH SA-126 Standard review
“A huge Achilles heel with the non-traditionals”: What’s the hardest part about designing a fresh guitar? According to Novo Guitars, it’s probably not one you’d expect
