Starter packs are a great way to get you or a loved one going on the guitar journey.
These packs come with different combinations of all the equipment you’ll need to start playing the electric guitar. Guitar companies aim these packs towards beginner players and even young children. There are many electric starter packs on the market today for consumers.
Let’s look at the best electric guitar starter packs for beginners.
Best Overall Value
The Zeny is an electric guitar bundle with a full-size guitar, an amplifier, cable, carrying case, guitar picks, and extra strings.
The Zeny guitar is 39 inches in length and uses steel strings. It uses three pick-ups that can be selected using the selector switch. The guitar also has volume and tone knobs to help you shape your ideal tone.
It is similar to the LyxPro but priced a little cheaper. This particular starter pack comes with many of the same accessories, including an amplifier. The amp is equipped with a clean channel and a drive channel if you’re hoping to learn heavier rock music.
The reviews for this particular bundle report the kit is fully functional and worth the money spent. There have been some reviews saying some of the parts may stop working after extended use. Overall, the value and contents of this bundle are almost the same as the LyxPro bundle.
Pros
- Ideal electric guitar for beginners
- Lower price for the number of contents
- Two-channel amplifier for drive tones
Cons
- Turners can slip out of tune
- Strings feel cheap
2. LyxPro Electric Guitar
Best for Beginners
The LyxPro pack comes with everything you need to plug in and play. It features a 39-inch guitar, a 20-watt amplifier, a cable, a clip-on tuner, a gig bag, and a tremolo bar. Other accessories include an extra pack of strings and two guitar picks.
The guitar uses an engineered wood that is similar to rosewood. Your hands will get a feel for playing with this guitar’s steel strings and Canadian maple wood neck.
The amplifier comes with a headphone jack input. That means you can practice late at night with headphones plugged in to keep things quiet.
Reviews report that the case’s material is fragile and does not protect the guitar very well. The guitar’s action is also said to be a little high. That means the strings are elevated higher above the fingerboard. Beginners might have difficulty pressing down on the strings when they first start to play.
Pros
- Powerful 20-watt amplifier
- The amplifier works for late-night and quieter practice
- Clip-on tuner makes tuning easy
Cons
- Carrying case is fragile
- The guitar is relatively high action (strings are harder to press down when playing)
3. Donner DST102-S
Most Versatile
This bundle includes the Donner DST102-S guitar, amplifier, strings, tuner, a cable, guitar picks, and even a capo.
The Donner DST102-S features a full-size guitar with an HSS (Humbucker, single coil, single coil) pick up configuration. Humbucker pickups give a beefier sound to the guitar, which is excellent for more massive rock and blues tones. On the other hand, the single-coil pickups are great for cleaner and melodic styles.
The pickups on this guitar make it incredibly versatile. The amplifier has a two-channel setting of either clean or distorted, meaning you can crank your tone up to a heavier rock, blues, or metal sound.
This pack also comes with a capo. This tool makes learning songs in different keys and alternate tunings very easy for beginners.
While it is an extremely versatile instrument, reviews have reported that the guitar tuners do not always hold. That means this guitar may fall out of tune and may frequently need to be adjusted when practicing.
Pros
- Versatile guitar tones
- Capo for alternate tunings
- Two amplifier channels
Cons
- Tuners may slip
- 3W amplifier may be limited to only room practice
4. Best Choice Products Electric Guitar Starter Kit
Great for Experimental Sounds
The Best Choice Products beginner pack includes a guitar, soft case, clip-on tuner, amplifier, whammy bar, extra strings, and six extra guitar picks. It’s everything you need to play and a little more to help you get creative with your guitar tone.
The Best Choice Products guitar features a double-cutaway body and lightweight design. The tremolo bridge and whammy bar allow you to customize and experiment with your guitar tone with the ability to warp your guitar strings.
The strap for the guitar features three pockets to carry extra picks in of you drop one while playing or for storage.
The reviews for this guitar say the contents are functional and playable. The complaints are about the strings’ high action and the difficulty in keeping the guitar in tune.
Pros
- Lightweight design
- Pockets for picks on the strap
- Whammy bar for customized sounds
Cons
- High action
- More challenging to keep in tune
5. SmartxChoices Kids Electric Guitar
Top Choice for Toddlers
This starter pack includes everything your little guy or gal needs to start learning the guitar. The collection comes with a guitar, an amp, a gig bag, a strap, a cable, and extra strings.
This guitar is for kids ages three and above. The size and weight of the guitar are friendly for small hands. The action is low, meaning the strings are easy to play. The package prices comparatively cheap, but you get many of the same accessories as other starter packs at a lower price.
Pros
- Specially designed for children
- Easy to play, low action
- Simplified set up
Cons
- No clip-on guitar tuner
6. J Reynolds Mini Electric Guitar
Best for Kids
The J Reynolds Prelude Guitar Starter Pack is for the young child who wants to start playing right away. The Prelude Guitar starter pack comes with the guitar, cable, and three guitar picks.
If you’re looking for a simplified pack with none of the other fluff, this is the one to get. This kit only has the necessities your child will need to get rocking.
Both the guitar and amplifier are smaller in size. Small sizing makes the gear easier for kids to use and work with.
Pros
- Great for smaller hands
- Essential gear only
- Guitar comes in red or black
Cons
- Amplifier does not have a built-in drive channel
7. Lagrima Full Size Electric Guitar
Budget Option
The Lagrima Beginner Guitar kit includes a guitar, an amplifier, three guitar picks, and extra strings.
The Lagrima is a competitive guitar starter pack with a lot of accessories at a lower price. Environmentally friendly wood is both visually appealing and lightweight for easy use. The guitar is designed for beginners.
However, this pack does not include a clip-on tuner. Tuners are a valuable asset for beginner players to have and learn to use for quick tuning.
Pros
- Environmentally friendly
- Competitive contents quantity and price
- Playable design
Cons
- No clip-on tuner
8. Epiphone Les Paul Player Pack
Best Value for Larger budget
This pack is a bit more expensive than some others, but you should consider it if you’re committed to learning to play.
Epiphone is a one-off brand that mimics the work of Gibson guitars. They create replicas of some of the most famous guitar bodies. The Les Paul body is a signature guitar design and is instantly recognizable as one of the world’s most famous guitars.
The Epiphone Les Paul starter pack comes with The Les Paul guitar, a 10-watt amplifier, a gig bag, a clip-on tuner, the guitar strap, and a guitar cable.
This Les Paul has a double humbucker pickup configuration. These pick-ups amplify a tone hotter than a single-coil, so they’re perfect for a player who wants to rock and get loud with their playing or practice. It’s ideal for a variety of genres.
Pros
- Known quality guitar brand
- Signature guitar body
- Built for rock and roll
Cons
- Price tag
9. Squier Stratocaster Pack
Great Premium Option
Squier is a guitar company that is owned by the well-known brand Fender. Squier guitars (try out a Fender Jaguar) mimic Fender design and performance at a lower price. This bundle is higher in price like that of the Epiphone, but you can count on higher-quality gear.
The pack includes a Squier Stratocaster guitar. A Squier amplifier, a guitar strap, a gig bag, a cable, and guitar picks. Find great strat pickups here.
The Stratocaster body is another instantly recognizable shape for guitars. This lighter Squier Stratocaster model makes it friendly to the beginning guitar player.
Pros
- Reliable guitar maker
- Signature guitar body design
- Lightweight for beginner players
Cons
- Price tag
- No clip-on tuner
Starter Pack Precautions
Do not look at starter packs to find top of the line gear. All of these packs come with the cheapest possible materials. Guitar makers try to bundle as much equipment as possible for the lowest possible price so you can get started playing.
You will most likely replace any equipment you buy in these starter collections over time. You might join a band later on and want a new amp with more wattage. Maybe you’ll find a new guitar that you want to perform with, and your starter pack guitar just won’t do.
The starter pack ignites your guitar journey at a lower price. When that initial stage of learning is over, you can look for better quality gear. Mastering the equipment in these packages will teach you how all of the essential guitar gear works.
Guitars in Starter Packs
You will likely want to replace the guitar you get in the starter pack after becoming a better guitar player. These guitars’ quality can be good for the price, but they are not for professional or extended use.
These guitars are for playing and practicing, but their build can hold you back in a performance setting. Room practice and lessons (whether you're doing in person lessons or online guitar lessons) are where these guitars are best suited.
In some ways, it’s up to you to quality control the guitar you buy. Look for any bending on the guitar neck, damage to hardware, and be sure to test all the gear in the kit if you can before you purchase the pack. Customer reviews can help you here, but nothing can replace trying out how the equipment feels for yourself.
The most important thing is that you’re able to play the guitar and enjoy your time practicing. You want it to help you start playing. So long as the guitar is playable and the gear functions properly, you will begin your musical journey in earnest.
With some practice, you can make even the cheapest guitar sound great. You might surprise yourself with how much you’ll learn with a starter pack guitar kit.
The Right Starter Pack For You
The advantage of a starter pack is that you can get all of the equipment you need to start playing the electric guitar in one bundle. All of the packages reviewed here have a guitar, an amplifier cable, and an amp.
These are the essentials for playing and practicing the electric guitar. The other accessories are added value on top of those core components.
Another factor to mention is that the performance of the equipment that you buy will be affected by the amount of time you or the person playing will practice the instrument.
In music, the largest variable is truly the player. You can buy the most expensive starter kit on our list or even the most expensive guitar, but the instrument’s quality will not save a player who does not take the time to practice.
Who is the Player? What Extra Accessories? How Much?
Professionals and even intermediate players will not look to beginner packs for reliable instruments or gear.
With that said, these starter packs still serve the purpose of kickstarting your guitar playing. The right starter pack for you comes down to who will be playing the guitar, the extra accessories you want, and your price range. Your goal will be to find the middle ground of these three areas.
Who Will Play The Guitar?
Consider who will be playing the guitar. If it is a small child, choose either the J Reynolds Pack or SmartxChoices guitar for even younger children. These will make learning much easier for little hands.
If you or the player are a teenager or adult, you have a little more freedom to consider guitar color or shape preferences.
If you or the person getting the guitar already know that they want to take up the guitar and will keep at it--we recommend you go for either the Epiphone starter pack or the Squier Starter pack.
Though they are more expensive, the instrument’s potential in these packs to perform is much higher than those of the other bundles. They will be well worth the added cost.
Consider next: Learning to play electric guitar
Which Extra Equipment is Necessary?
The starter packs we have reviewed have different kinds of accessories. Some have guitar picks. Some have clip-on tuners, and one has a capo included. These are the extra parts of the package that serve to make things convenient. Think about which of these you need and which you can do without.
Keep in mind that you can buy all of this equipment separately, but the starter pack makes it, so you have all of them together in one purchase.
We highly recommend you buy a kit with a clip-on tuner or purchase one separately. You will save time during practice or before a lesson by having a tuner handy to keep yourself in tune. The tuner’s convenience will help you spend more time playing and spend less time wondering if your strings are out of tune or not.
How Much?
Finally, the overall price should also influence which starter pack you get too. When it comes to musical instruments and equipment, you do get what you pay for.
Higher prices usually indicate better quality and more value. If you can afford to get a pack with a well-known brand like Squier or Epiphone, it might be a good idea to do so.
While these companies are one-off brands from the giants of Fender and Gibson, their guitars do have a reputation of playability and value for beginning guitar players. That said, these packs have the highest price tags. Base your decision on how long you think you’ll be playing the instrument.
Focus on purchasing the best quality guitar that you can afford. The amp, cables, and other things will not make as large a difference as the instrument. If you have the opportunity, sit down with the potential guitars you might want to purchase and play them. It is through these test drives that you can figure out which guitar feels best for you.
Final Thoughts
The best value for the price would be the Zeny Guitar Pack. The runner ups being the Squier and Epiphone starter guitar packs.
Of all the Zen options, the pack has all of the essential equipment, a worthy guitar for a beginner, and a solid price point. You won’t go wrong with this pack for any genre of music you want to learn. It gives you everything you need to plug in and play.
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As the Head Editor and Writer at Music Grotto, Liam helps write and edit content produced from professional music/media journalists and other contributing writers. He works closely with journalists and other staff to format and publish music content for the Music Grotto website. Liam is also the founding member of Music Grotto and is passionate in disseminating editorial content to its readers.
Liam’s lifelong love for music makes his role at Music Grotto such a rewarding one. He loves researching, writing and editing music content for Music Grotto.
