Average Cost of a Guitar

Buying your first guitar is always exciting experience. There are thousands of choices to choose from – many of which are played by some of your favorite rock stars. Guitars can be very expensive however depending on the brand and type. Guitars can also be affordable however. In this guide we discuss how much guitars cost and what’s the average price of a guitar, both electric and acoustic.

How Much is an Electric Guitar: $901

The electric guitar is the first choice of heavy rockers and tend to be more expensive than their acoustic counter parts. We found the average price of an electric guitar to be $901 on Guitarcenter.com, the U.S.’ largest retailer for musical instruments. Electric guitar prices however have a wide range meaning the average price may not be sufficient to give the whole story.  Electric guitars can cost as little as $200 to as high as $2,500 with numerous options in between.

A guitar is made up of several components which means the quality of each individual component can cause the total price to fluctuate dramatically between different guitars. As a good point of reference however, beginners should generally be able to find an electric guitar between $200 and $600, intermediate players should be spending about $700 to $1,000 on their guitar to scale up with their skills, and finally advanced players which can include touring musicians will generally opt for guitars over $1,000.

Cost of an Electric Guitar by Brand

The giants of electric guitar manufacturing are Gibson (of Les Paul fame) and Fender (of Stratocaster fame). They generally produce the best electric guitars and as such, tend to cost the most. In general, a Gibson Les Paul is going to run you at least $700 but upwards of $2,000 with all the best woods, harmonics and the other bells and whistles. A Fender Stratocaster you can find for $599 but also for over $2,000. PRS (Paul Reed Smith) is another popular guitar brand that tends to run more expensive as well. You can pick up a PRS guitar for about $700 up to over $2,000.

For those looking for something a bit cheaper, Gibson and Fender both have brands that cater to a more budget conscious crowd. Gibson’s child company, Epiphone, makes guitars that can be bought from between $150 and $500. Ibanez is also another budget brand, where you can usually pick up an electric guitar for between $150 and $300.

How Much is an Acoustic Guitar: $700

Acoustic guitars are about $200 cheaper on average than their electric counterparts. Again though, like electric guitars, there is a wide range of prices you will find. Beginners can buy “starter packs” which come with an amp and case for $150. You can even buy an acoustic guitar for as little as $50. For those more experienced and with more fine tuned ears, acoustic guitars are generally between $500 and $1,000.

Acoustic Guitar Cost by Brand:

The Fender and Gibson of acoustic guitars are Martin and Taylor. The highest quality and best sounding acoustic guitars are going to be from those two brands. The cheapest Taylor acoustics go for at least $500 while you can get some upwards of $4,000. Martin acoustics are about the same price as the Taylors.

For beginners or gift givers, a Rogue acoustic guitar is probably going to be your cheapest choice. Rogues can be bought for as little as $50 – though some go up to $150. Ibanez and Yamaha acoustic guitars are good middle grounds between Rogue and Martin/Taylor. Acoustics from those brands tend to go for $150 to $500. They give quality sound but at an affordable price for intermediate guitar players.

How to Buy a Guitar

There are various places where you can shop for your first guitar (or 10th!). In COVID-19 times, a lot of people prefer to shop online for their new instrument. There are so many online stores to choose from like Guitar Center, it can be difficult to decide which one to go for.

When looking for the best option to buy your first guitar online, there are a few things that you have to bear in mind. First, you have to make sure that you shop for a reputable store. You should do this by looking for feedback from previous customers as well as reviews. Make sure that the website is legal and that you’re dealing with a reputable company. Lastly, you should also do a little research and compare prices between various online guitar sellers.

In terms of how to buy a guitar online, there are some good sites that allow you to view the items on offer in the store. This can help you determine whether or not they’re worth your time and money. There are some other sites that do not give you access to these services and instead require you to fill out a form. So you have to make sure that you read the fine print first and then make your decision. It will take a lot of hard work to find the right site to shop for your guitar, but it can be worth it when you finally get what you were looking for.

Should You Buy a Used Guitar?

The price you pay for a used acoustic guitar or electric guitar will certainly be less than a brand new one. There is often a taboo about buying used things, but we found that taboo is often unfounded. Especially if you are a new to the hobby and just want to see how much you enjoy playing the guitar.

Pros of a Buying a Used Guitar

• Cheaper guitar price
• Can find a higher end guitar for cheaper

Cons of Buying a Used Guitar

• Guitar won’t last as long as a new one (probably)
• Likely won’t have a warranty if it breaks

Most Expensive Electric Guitars

As we said, guitars have a wide range of prices. Some guitars come with extremely high price tags. Think at least a couple month’s worth of rent. So what are some of the most expensive electric guitars on the market? Nearly all of them are Gibsons or Gibson Les Pauls.

Guitar Name	Guitar Center Price
Gibson ES-335	$3,669
Gibson Les Paul Standard HP-II	$3,629
Gibson Les Paul Standard Limited	$3,179
Gibson ES-335 Semi-Hollowbody Electric Guitar	$2,999
Gibson Slash Les Paul Standard ’50s Electric Guitar	$2,999
Gibson ES-335 Dot Semi-Hollow	$2,999
Gibson Les Paul Dark Knight Quilt Top Electric Guitar	$2,999
Gibson Robot Les Paul Studio Ltd. Electric Guitar	$2,799