If you’re seeking an
electric guitar for less than £200, you’re either a) a beginner, b) the confused parent of an aspiring Hendrix, or c) a struggling semi-pro who just sold
the band’s entire rig to pay for a demo at Abbey Road and now has nothing left
to record with.
Whatever the reason, the following 13 models have been
hand-picked from the pages of Total Guitar, and while they don't stand up to close scrutiny when compared to high-end Fender and Gibson types, each model offers something different. However, all definitely provide bags of fun on a surprisingly low budget. We’ll kick-off
with the cheapest…
Encore Blaster Series
E99 £119
British brand Encore already rules the entry-level, but it
raised its game with the Blaster Series, commissioning designer Trev Wilkinson
to upgrade the spec, but not charging you for his time.
It might be the new boy, but Encore has armed the E99 to
make sure it doesn’t get bullied.
Following the format of the model it
kinda resembles but with cheaper materials, you’ve got a thick basswood body and a wuton top,
plus a pair of Trev’s highly respected
Guitar Tech humbuckers at the neck and at the bridge.
Somebody buy Trevor Wilkinson a pint. Working to a modest
budget, he’s come up with a hard-rock guitar that looks the business, weighs a ton,
has been built with decent attention to detail, and will have Jimmy Page sniffing around when he sees it.
OK, maybe not… not everyone will like the mighty body mass
and palm-filling neck profile. But then again they’d be crazy not to appreciate how these
translate into smooth, singing sustain when you plug in, and certifiable not to
agree that the overdriven growl of the Guitar Tech humbuckers is indicative of a far more expensive guitar.
Verdict
If we have one niggle with Encore’s Blaster Series guitar, it’s
that - despite generally solid hardware
- there was a bit of difficulty keeping
the E99 in tune when you’re bending the strings a la Gary Moore. But that
didn’t stop us having a blast.

Pros: Satisfying playability, fat sounds.
Cons: Weight, tuning slippage.