Long gone are the days when acoustic guitars with finger-shredding playability and woeful build quality were your only option at lower price points. Nowadays, if you need one of the best cheap acoustic guitars to add to your collection, you can get some serious bang for your buck.

In fact, you'll have the opposite problem in the modern age of guitar, as there are so many options in the lower price brackets that you'll need to know your stuff to pick out the gems. So, to help you make the right decision, we've put together this guide with some of the biggest names in the guitar game, like Martin, Fender, and more, to give you a beautiful-sounding acoustic guitar for less.

We've included an exhaustive FAQ section at the end of this guide, with common questions answered by our expert team of writers in case you're buying for the first time or just want to know more. If you’d rather get to our top choices, then keep on scrolling.

Our top picks

Best overall

With a look that references Epiphone’s storied history in acoustic guitar design, the J-200 EC (formerly known as the J-200 SCE) is a premium acoustic-electric without the accompanying price tag. There is no other conclusion to be drawn. In terms of feel, tone, and looks, it is the real deal, delivering all but flawless performance, with huge jumbo tones that really fill the mix when strumming.

During our tests, we found the acoustic voice to be exceptional. The playability was such that the J-200 EC presented severe difficulties in calling time and putting it back in the case. It sounds phenomenal, particularly when strummed, delivering a solid, warm foundation in the low end and articulate highs.

But the Fishman Sonicore pickup and preamp system seals the deal, with an onboard tuner and Presys preamp providing outstanding acoustic guitar tones when plugged in.

Best for beginners

Yamaha has a reputation for making high-quality, well-priced products - and the FG800 is undeniable proof of that. It’s something of an icon in the world of cheap acoustic guitars, having graced the hands of many beginner and intermediate acoustic guitarists over the years.

The FG800’s construction, while pretty standard, is closer to acoustic guitars costing double the price. A solid Spruce top enables the guitar to resonate wonderfully while providing a punchy and vibrant quality to the notes and chords you’re playing.

The dreadnought body size welcomes in loads of warm low-end to round out and fatten up your tone - and while the larger body size might take some getting used to, the massive, sweet sound makes it more than worth it.

Best for kids

For a cheap-as-chips acoustic with heaps of vintage kudos, the Jim Dandy Flat Top from Gretsch’s Roots Series is as good an option as any. Based on the classic 1930s Rex-era acoustics, when Rex built ‘em and Gretsch shipped ‘em, this agathis-bodied Vintage Sunburst model was rolled out at Winter NAMM 2020.

The Agathis used for the body is related to pine but is a little more hard-wearing. Tonally, it’s somewhere between alder and mahogany. Despite its small size, it's got a hearty voice, and the note articulation is really quite good.

While you won’t mistake it for a high-end acoustic, the Jim Dandy is a compact little 12-fret acoustic with an elongated body to help it project a tone that belies the price tag.

Best for small hands

The Ed Sheeran-favoured Little Martin does feel a little industrial, but from the first strum, its more conventional spruce-top voice has us captivated. If you're a classic Martin fan, this is just miniaturized with a lovely crisp-edged voice. Its conventional sound perhaps leads us to traditional 'American' fingerstyle, and its pushy voice would certainly be heard above bigger guitars, both in an ensemble or a recording.

The material may be man-made, but the fingerboard and bridge look like thick ebony, while the dark-hued HPL back and sides are dark, rich mahogany with the back's central core material giving a dark binding line, which evokes a classy feel. Our Martin has only pre-set EQ, and without that engaged, things are a little middly and boxy when plugged in. It definitely sounds more conventional with the contour switch engaged, however, which cleans up the mids a little and adds some crispness.

Like its acoustic voice, the Martin sounds very 'conventional' plugged in, and that's no bad thing. It's really easy to dial in: we scooped a little lower midrange and that was about it. Open-mic ready, we'd say!

Best with a cutaway

Cort, albeit a smaller name in the world of acoustic guitars, is producing some of the highest-quality instruments coming out of China at the moment. Cort is much more widely known for its electric and bass guitar ranges, but the Core-OC series proves that they’ve arrived, and their acoustic guitars mean business.

Like the rest of the Core-OC series, the Core-OC Mahogany possesses the OM cutaway body style. We found that this body shape and size delivers the perfect blend of tone and comfort - not quite as bulky as a dreadnought, but with a broadly similar depth of tone.

This model, as the name suggests, is constructed completely of Mahogany. This creates a warmer, more mid-focused tone than you’d find from something with a Spruce top - which we love to bits. Onboard electronics in the form of a Fishman Sonicore/Sonitone acoustic guitar pickup provide a smooth, balanced, and true-to-life representation of your tone, too - making this option from Cort even more versatile than you thought.

Best for gigs

Yamaha introduced the Storia series in 2019, promising “designs that evoke the natural colors of your day.” To that end, we have got champagne gold tuners, brass-topped bridge pins, and fancy inlay on the rosette that really make you wonder what sort of day the Yamaha R&D department has.

But we have to concede that all that champagne gold and brass really does complement the all-mahogany top, back, and sides. It’s a nice departure from the light-blonde spruce and mahogany template. Heck! The neck and fretboard are walnut.

Feel-wise, the Storia II has a super-comfortable modern C-profile that’s definitely carved with the contemporary player in mind. There are no tone controls for the under-saddle piezo but that’s no big deal. Bold looks, a comfortable bevel-edged body, and an effervescent upper-midrange make the Storia a compelling new addition to the affordable acoustic market.

How to choose

Alright, so you’re on the hunt for a cheap acoustic guitar. As you can imagine, this is a very competitive space. So we know it can be a bit overwhelming with so many options out there, but don’t worry, we've got your back. First things first, set a budget. You don’t have to break the bank to find a decent guitar. Typically, a good, affordable acoustic can be found between £200 and £400.

Next, consider the size of the guitar. Acoustic guitars come in various sizes, and you'll want one that feels comfortable to play. If you’re unsure, try a few different sizes in a shop. A smaller guitar can be easier to handle, especially for beginners. If you’re planning to play a lot, it’s crucial that the instrument feels right in your hands.

When you’re browsing options, pay attention to the materials used. Solid woods generally produce a richer sound compared to laminate, but solid wood guitars can be pricier. Don't shy away from laminate if you're looking for something more budget-friendly. Laminate guitars can still sound pretty great and are often more durable for touring or travel.

Don't forget about playability! Make sure to check the action – that's the height of the strings from the fretboard. High action can make it hard to press the strings down, which is not ideal when you're starting out.

Lastly, trust your ears! Play a few to see which one sounds best to you. Ultimately, the right guitar should inspire you. So, take your time and enjoy the hunt.

Glossary of terms

Action: The height of the strings above the fretboard; low action makes it easier to play, while high action can give a louder sound.

Back & sides: Again, like the top, the back and sides of an acoustic guitar can be made from a variety of different woods. At this price point, you’ll mostly see laminate construction, as all solid guitars are generally a lot more expensive.

Binding: A decorative strip around the edges of the guitar body, neck, or headstock that can also provide structural support.

Body style: Acoustic guitars come in various shapes and sizes, from parlor and grand auditorium to dreadnought and jumbo. Typically, what is right for you at this stage in your playing career comes down to size.

Electronics: When we talk about electronics in the context of acoustic guitars, we refer to the pickup system, preamp, or even an onboard tuner. Of course, at this early stage of your playing, you don’t necessarily need a pickup, but if you have aspirations of playing live, you’ll want to consider a model with electronics.

Fingerboard: The fingerboard is the playing surface of the neck of the guitar. This can be made from everything from rosewood to walnut, Richlite, and pau ferro. Each brings their own characteristics to the table, and which you like most comes down to personal preference.

Saddle: A small piece of material (often bone or plastic) positioned on the bridge that supports the strings and helps with intonation.

Scale length: Simply put, the scale length refers to the distance between the top nut and the saddle on the bridge – and is used to measure the total playable length of the instrument.

Soundhole: The circular opening on the top of the guitar that allows sound to project out.

Top: The top of the guitar refers to the wood on the face of the instrument. This can be solid wood or a combination of woods, which we call a laminate top. The type of wood used for the top significantly impacts the tone of the guitar.

Tonewoods: Specific types of wood used in the construction of a guitar, chosen for their acoustic properties and contributions to sound quality.

Truss rod: A metal rod inside the neck that can be adjusted to control the neck’s curvature, allowing for adjustments to the guitar's action and playability.

FAQs

Despite the fact that you’re looking for a cheap acoustic guitar, there’s no reason to think that you’ll be settling for anything less than a stellar instrument here. However, if you’re unsure of what you might require for your personal tastes, these top tips will point you in the right direction, making certain you pick the perfect guitar.

How we choose products

Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.

When choosing what we believe to be the best cheap acoustic guitars available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.

First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best cheap acoustic guitars on the market right now.

Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.

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With more than 17 years of experience, MusicRadar is the premier music-making website in the world. Run by musicians for musicians, we offer expertly written gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by an extensive team of highly experienced industry professionals.

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Related buyers guides

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• On a budget? These are the best acoustic guitars under $500/£500
• The best acoustic guitars under £/$1,000
• The best acoustic guitar strings: get more from your guitar
• Buying for a child? Check out the best guitars for kids

Did someone’s Boiler Room set put a tear in your eye and a spark in your heart? Did one of the many YouTube videos of all-vinyl funk and soul/city pop finally break your will? However you got here, it seems very much like it could be time: time for you to start learning how to DJ.

In order to learn how to DJ, you need to learn the tools of the trade. Top-flight gear like CDJs, pro mixers and Technics turntables are industry-standard tools, but also some combination of costly, inconvenient and downright obtuse to use. The humble DJ controller, when paired with a computer or smartphone, can give you the same essential workflow for much, much less.

DJ controllers are interfaces for your computer, that enable you to control DJ software hands-on. They tend to mimic the layout of a CDJs-and-mixer DJ setup, which makes them an opportunity to learn your way around these tools without forking out for rehearsal spaces or expensive gear.

They’re also excellent tools in their own right. Even pro DJs will have DJ controllers at home or in their backpack; they’re handy to have when building your digital crates or testing out sets, and they also make recording your own mixes at home a breeze. Depending on their specs, they can even be practical as actual gigging equipment. They are, fundamentally, professional pieces of gear, with all the core functionality of their venue-system big siblings.

Certain controllers are designed to work with certain software, and some are designed with different DJing disciplines in mind – which is what might make it hard for someone starting out to know which one they ought to buy. That’s where this very guide comes in, with a breakdown of the best-in-class for all manner of different criteria.

If you’d like to know a bit more about what distinguishes one controller from the next, you’ll find an extensive suite of information and suggestions in my FAQ section at the bottom, while a glossary takes you through all the key terms you might come across. Read on, though, to find out what the best DJ controllers on the market are today.

Best overall

The lowdown: Pioneer/AlphaTheta’s CDJs are essentially the industry standard, at least for club DJs. Their 2-channel DDJ-FLX4 is an entry-level DJ controller, that offers a simplified take on those high-end industry-standard devices, and that delivers the essentials – jog wheels, performance pads and a simple mixer – without threatening to overwhelm beginners.

Features: The Pioneer DDJ-FLX4 is a two-channel, two-deck DJ controller with a familiar layout. On it, you’ll find all the basic tools you’d hope to find on larger controllers and CDJ systems, including three-band EQs for each channel, hot cue and performance pads for each deck, dedicated looping buttons and access to both filters and beat fx.

The FLX4 is built to work with four different forms of DJ software: rekordbox, djay, Serato DJ Lite, and Traktor Play. rekordbox being Pioneer’s house-brand software, using the FLX4 with it means unlocking some sophisticated performance features – including Bluetooth connectivity to a smartphone or tablet running rekordbox’s mobile app, which enables you to play an entire set wirelessly and without a laptop in sight by streaming tracks directly from Beatport, Beatsource, Soundcloud or TIDAL.

Rekordbox also contains the brains behind the FLX4’s Smart Mixing features, that simplify the process of beatmatching, EQing and effects processing to make mixing a breeze. The Smart Fader automatically tweaks volume, EQ and BPM to help create smooth transitions between your tracks, while Smart CFX instantly applies a selection of multi-effects to help emphasize climactic moments in your sets.

Build quality: The PioneerDJ DDJ-FLX4 is a relatively well put-together piece of equipment. The chassis is plastic and the FLX4 quite lightweight accordingly, but it’s solid enough under-hands to be reassuring. I wouldn’t trust it with the rigours of frequent backpack transport-age or gigging, but as a piece of desktop equipment, it’s everything you’d want. The jogwheels feel pretty neat, even for their size.

Performance: Using the DDJ-FLX4 is exactly the seamless experience you’d hope for as a beginner. The layout roughly matches that of Pioneer’s CDJ and XDJ series, which makes it a great platform for learning and for easy at-home practice or mix-recording (courtesy of those handy RCA master outputs). My biggest gripe is with the size of it – useful for taking up less desk space, but not so much for the short throw of the faders, which can make slow blends more difficult.

The Smart Mixing features are fun, too, especially for stone-cold newbies. For my curmudgeonly two cents, I’d suggest they were too assistive to do any real learning with – but they work as advertised, and can be good for proof-of-concept fooling-around.

While the FLX4 works with a handful of different forms of DJ software, it’s only rekordbox that enables you to use it to its fullest extent. Given Pioneer/AlphaTheta’s industry-standard nature, most DJs working on club gear will want to be primarily using rekordbox anyway.

Best budget

The lowdown: Budget DJ controllers are, if anything, abundant. But it’s only a small minority of them that can actually be called ‘good’ – whether that relates to build quality, ergonomics or translatable, beginner-friendly features. The AlphaTheta DDJ-FLX2, replacing the Pioneer DDJ-200 that came before, is one of the good ones.

Features: The DDJ-FLX2 is a fairly bare-bones piece of kit – save for some extremely beginner-friendly modern conveniences not found on other controllers. The FLX2 is a two-channel, two-deck controller with all the basics; tempo and channel faders, a cross-fader, three-band EQs and the requisite jogwheels. There are eight performance pads per channel, that also give access to looping and hot cues; headphone cues and channel FX selections are condensed into a pair of buttons for a less cluttered control surface.

The two standout features here are the Bluetooth connectivity – which enables you to wirelessly control the rekordbox app on your device – and Pioneer/AlphaTheta’s Smart FX features, as seen on the Pioneer DDJ FLX4. CFX lets you bring in channel FX that automatically match the BPM of the track, while Smart Fader lets you transition smoothly from one track to the next by automatically adjusting BPM and adding effects.

Build quality: The DDJ-FLX2 is a lightweight device, with considerable thanks to its simplicity. There’s no audio inputs or interfacing, so no pesky circuitry to handle microphones or auxiliary ins; the simplified control surface also means less weighty knobs and encoders. In this way, the FLX2 is sure to travel well – even if it feels a little flimsy accordingly. Outside of this, the quality is decent, even equivalent to that of some bigger siblings in the Pioneer/AlphaTheta family.

Performance: Anyone but an honest-and-true beginner is likely to struggle a little with this thing. The lack of on-board browser controls means straddling the FLX2 and your DJ software of choice to line up your next tracks or even control loops properly. But the FLX2 doesn’t exist for such folk; it’s a trimmed-down DJ controller that conveys the essentials, and does so well.

The jogwheels’ essential functions mirror those of much pricier equipment, and everything else is geared well towards someone feeling their way around DJing for the first time. The Smart FX functions are intuitive and easy, if a little mollycoddling – and the three-band EQ, not often found on cheaper controllers like this, is ideal for figuring out blends from the jump.

Best for Traktor

The lowdown: Native Instruments is an audio-industry leader when it comes to matters of software. Its Kontakt VST interface is beloved by music producers and digital synth messer-around-erers, while other plugins in the iZotope series continue to push the boat out for mix engineering. Among that bounty, you’ll also find Traktor – a lesser-sung DJ software that deftly folds in performance technology with library management. It’s a true performance DJ’s toolset, and the new Traktor MX2 is the beginner DJ controller best-suited to unlocking its potential.

Features: The Traktor MX2 is a two-channel DJ controller, designed specifically to work with Native Instruments’ Traktor DJ software. It comes with a full license for Traktor Pro 4, an unusual gift in a market dominated by DJ controllers relying on free ‘lite’ versions of otherwise paid software.

With this specificity at the heart of the MX2’s design, it gives you hands-on and tactile control of Traktor Pro 4’s many forward-thinking performance-centric tools, from built-in stem separation to Pattern Player sequencing for on-the-fly groovemaking. Performance pads, rotary encoders and on-board screens are all part of the fun. Each deck on the unit has dedicated FX Units too, allowing you granular control of some very powerful digital effects.

Build quality: All this, in a surprisingly well-built piece of equipment. Yes it’s lightweight, and yes, plastic is the word of the day, but there’s still some pleasing robustness here. The faders are the weakest point, feeling a little flimsy and scratchy – but everything else, jogwheels included, feels solid.

The Traktor MX2 is one of the sleeker-looking DJ controllers I’ve seen on the market. Looks shouldn’t come to much when you’re deciding between the best budget DJ controllers, but the tasteful interface on display here is hard to discount – and actually helps a bit with workflow, too.

Performance: The NI Traktor MX2 performs, in a word, admirably; the external power supply ensures enough juice for some serious output – above and beyond those of the bus-powered DJ controllers at similar price points (with one eye cocked squarely at messrs Pioneer/AlphaTheta).

It’s not as small as other controllers either, making it a little less clumsy of a user experience. In fact, the generous smattering of encoder knobs makes controlling performance tools in Traktor Pro 4 extremely easier, whether accessing stems or programming patterns to play under your selections.

Best for Serato

The lowdown: Roland is a relative newcomer to the DJ gear realm, but by no means a newcomer to music. Its early drum machines and bass synths became the bedrock for modern music production, and its innovations since have pushed the envelope for music-making. With its line of DJ controllers, Roland aims to bring that pedigree to the selectors – in so doing, making an ideal Serato DJ controller.

Features: The Roland DJ-202 is a two-channel, four-deck DJ controller that folds in some unique functionality – functionality that reflects Roland’s own history when it comes to music and music-making. The most compelling of these is the inclusion of the brand’s iconic 808, 909 and 707 drum machines, as on-board emulations that can be programmed with the performance pads and an on-board sequencer. Alongside this, the DJ-202 also has a mic input, which benefits from several onboard vocal effects, including a gate, filters, reverb and echo.

The DJ-202 is specifically designed for use with Serato DJ, and works with Serato DJ Lite out of the box. If you upgrade to a Serato DJ Pro license, you’ll unlock some pro-level features the controller’s mapped-out for, including additional effects and deck control.

Build quality: The chassis is light but sturdy, and the jog wheels are similarly supportive-feeling – commendable even, especially against cheaper-feeling jog wheels at a similar price. It’s a small shame that the performance pads feel on the cheaper side, though, particularly when there are drum machines on board; MPC pads these are not, to say the least.

Performance: Using the Roland DJ-202, you’ll encounter more than a few “I need the manual” moments. But this is a good thing. The DJ-202 is crammed with features that exceed its size, meaning a lot of screenless menuing to access different drum machines, patterns and effects; once they’re learned, though, you have a powerful machine with capabilities beyond that of Serato alone. Speaking of which, its integration with Serato is peerless for the price.

Best for scratching

The lowdown: Hercules isn’t the most renowned of the DJ-peripheral brands out there, and I’m sure it wouldn’t mind me saying so. It sits pretty comfortably in the beginner-DJ sphere, with a range of cheap and cheerful DJ controllers that put the ‘play’ back into ‘playback’. This, though, is a little different. The DJ Control Inpulse T7 is one of the cheapest DJ controllers on the market with motorised platters instead of rotary-encoding jogwheels – making it an eminently affordable option for the budding turntablist.

Features: The Hercules DJ Control Inpulse T7 is an intermediate-like grade DJ controller at an good price. But, when you look at what it offers, that price becomes considerably more beginner-friendly. The chief selling point here is the deck platters, which are like 7-inch emulations of real DJ turntables. They’re belt-driven, each with a slipmat and a vinyl-insert disc over the top. This means when you line up a track in your DJ software, the platter spins like you’re playing a real record. And when you hold or spin the disc on top, your track acts accordingly.

These motorised platters mean authentic force feedback and feel when you’re manipulating tracks, allowing you to get a much more representative sense of finding cue points and manipulating songs. They’re housed in an uncharacteristically cheap controller, otherwise bolstered by dual RCA and XLR master outputs and a balanced mic input, as well as a suite of handy controls ranging from expected basics to unexpected boons (for instance, the shortcut buttons for one-touch stem-isolation).

Build quality: There are some cheaper construction elements to the DJ Control Inpulse T7, as is to be expected from a DJ controller that juggles high-concept interfaces and a low RRP. What is here is solid, though, and comes with a fair few modern conveniences, too; most notably, there are fold-out feet that let you lift the T7 for a more comfortable playing experience.

The faders, as is common with cheaper DJ controllers, leave a little bit to be desired – and especially for a unit designed near-explicitly for scratching, battle-mixing or turntable operation more generally. That said, it's possible to buy upgrades for the Inpulse T7 direct from Hercules, which is a nice option to have (and a vote of confidence in Hercules as a brand).

Performance: Using the Inpulse T7 is about as dreamy as it gets this low in the price range. There are some pleasing paddles, pads and potentiometers to play with, and some clever controls made all the easier to access by their abundance. The platters work well, being comfortable and even fun to use.

It’s a shame that some features are locked behind a paid Serato DJ upgrade; it’s perhaps expected not to be able to access pro tools like stem separation, but paywalling the option to switch the platter speed between 33 and 45rpm is an odd one. Still, what’s here is very enjoyable to use – and by no means to be sniffed at, from a learner scratch DJ’s perspective.

Best for smartphones

The lowdown: Hercules has featured elsewhere in this list, with a surprisingly full-featured entry-level DJ controller; here is something very different indeed. If you’re fixing to DJ a small picnic party, or get some practice in on a long journey, you want a small controller dedicated to playing nice with smartphones – and that is precisely what the DJ Control Mix Ultra is.

Features: The Hercules DJ Control Mix Ultra is a compact, portable two-channel DJ controller with a 10-hour rechargeable battery, designed to work with iOS and Android devices. There are no inputs or outputs here, save for a USB-A port through which to test and charge the thing; instead, the DJ Control Mix Ultra connects to your device via Bluetooth, and controls your DJ app wirelessly.

In order to supply the I/O you’re missing from the unit itself, Hercules include a splitter cable for your smart device, that enables you to retrieve a headphone cue mix and a master output to send to bigger speakers. The simplicity of this device in design and execution is great for beginners, and for ease-of-use out and about, but it has its shortcomings – from a guaranteed mono master output if you want to use headphone monitoring, to the Ultra’s sole compatibility with one app. That app, to be specific, is Algoriddim’s djay (or djay Pro if you upgrade). It isn’t a frontrunner choice as far as apps go, but it nonetheless offers support for streaming from Beatport, Soundcloud and various other services – along with some clever ‘Neural Mix’ stem isolation tools too.

Build quality: At this low price, it won’t be too surprising to learn the unit is quite light, and perhaps not the most robust of DJ controllers for beginners. Still, it’s solid enough, and quite happy being slung around in a backpack. This is with especial thanks to the deck-saver lid it comes with, which also doubles as a tray and smartphone stand when you want to use the controller.

Performance: This is an easy DJ controller to intuit, and actually quite fun to play with. The three-band EQ controls are a boon for something this small, even if the jog wheels themselves are a little diminutive for accurate cueing and/or scratching. Per-deck effects are accessed via the performance pads, which also give you access to hot cues, looping, and djay’s Neural Mix tech; you can also set the crossfader to and ‘FX fade’, which adjusts BPMs and adds effects of your choice to smoothen your blends.

Best compact

Numark is another key name in DJ hardware, particularly for its affordable turntables and mixers. Its input in the world of beginner DJ controllers certainly isn’t to be overlooked either, though. Numark has some decently-featured controllers in this bracket, but right now I'm excited about this: the Numark DJ2GO2 Touch.

Features: The Numark DJ2GO2 Touch is an upgraded two-channel, two-deck DJ controller that aims to be heard, not seen. That’s because it’s one of the most compact DJ controllers you’ll ever find on the market, being just 31cm wide and 8.6cm deep.

In terms of balancing size and features, it’s relatively jam-packed as far as DJ controllers go; I, for one, am impressed they made room for a rotary-encoder library browser, as well as the requisite jog wheels, crossfader, performance pads and tempo faders. No room for EQ knobs, though, sadly.

The controller is designed for use right-out-the-box with the free Serato DJ Lite, but it’s mapped and ready for use with the full paid version if and when you’re ready to upgrade. It won’t play as nicely with other DJ software, but via MIDI mapping you can absolutely make it work.

Build quality: The Numark DJ2GO2 Touch isn’t going to win any major awards for robustness, but it's certainly a capable piece of gear. Being compact, it’s somewhat dense – though still light. It’ll definitely sit comfortably in a travel bag or backpack for extended periods of time. The control surface is surprisingly hardy too, given the price.

Performance: Numark has made a big deal about the DJ2GO2 Touch’s scratch capabilities – but the practical reality is a little more pragmatic than the optimism on display here. Still, those jog wheels are actually great for their size, which is saying a lot when it comes to cheaper compact controllers. If you’re willing to get a bit weeds-y about MIDI mapping, too, you can get more of what you need out of your DJ2GO2 Touch than it gives out of the box.

Best four deck

The lowdown: Pioneer/AlphaTheta is an unsurprisingly prevalent brand in this round-up, and back again with a DJ controller that sits quite comfortably above the entry level – but which offers peerless four-deck, four-channel performance for its price.

Features: The AlphaTheta DDJ-GRV6 is a rekordbox- and Serato DJ-friendly DJ controller. It’s the largest on this list, and has a feature set that makes it a powerful professional tool as well – something that even intermediate and pro users could stand to benefit from. The core features it boasts are a four-channel mixer and four-deck functionality, via two decks which each possess a CDJ-3000X-sized jog wheel (replete with central screens) and eight performance pads.

The feature that gives the GRV6 its name, though, is that which adorns the additional band at the top of each deck – a series of controls labelled ‘Groove Circuit’. The Groove Circuit is a new software capability in rekordbox, that enables you to grab, remove or otherwise replace drum parts in your tracks for live remixing.

Given that the Groove Circuit is rekordbox-exclusive, the strip at the top may seem redundant for Serato users – but AlphaTheta’s been clever here. The same buttons control Serato’s Stem FX functionality – and in the box, you’ll find a sticker-set to relabel their functions accordingly.

Build quality: The AlphaTheta DDJ-GRV6 is undeniably solidly built, even if still somewhat plasticky in places. Where it excels is with its control surface, which utilises some quality components – one of the more impressive of which is the ‘smart rotary selector’ for the browser interface. It not only rotates and clicks in, but also pushes up, down, left and right for even easier navigation.

I’m also, naturally, a huge fan of the CDJ-3000X-style jog wheels supplied; they add some weight to the thing, not just physically but in terms of how it feels to use. The tempo and mixer faders are still a little on the short side, though, making tight control a little harder than it could be.

Performance: The DDJ-GRV6 is a delight to use, largely on account of its fairly faithful CDJ-style control interface and execution. Everything’s geared towards making DJing easier, and there’s even some club-grade features here for beginners to get their teeth into. It is a shame to see something with four channels, but with no opportunity to plug other things into those channels. Phono inputs for turntables would be a dream, but understandably a difficult ask at even this price point.

Whether AlphaTheta’s Groove Circuit is the success they’d like it to be remains to be seen, too. It could be useful in the right hands – particularly for being an in-depth iteration of the stem-separation features that so many contemporary DJs enjoy utilising –, but for me it wasn’t a huge draw. Thankfully, everything else very much is.

Best budget all-in-one

The lowdown: We’ve seen Numark once before on this list, courtesy of its micro-sized portable DJ controller – but this is very much on the other side of the spectrum when it comes to budget DJ controllers. This is the Numark Mixstream Pro +, a controller unlike any other here; it is a standalone unit, with its own onboard software for reading or streaming audio.

Features: This is a two-channel, two-deck standalone DJ controller with a shedload of options up its sleeve. It can stream audio in from a wide variety of services, receive files from Dropbox, and play audio from conventional USBs (or SD cards, for that matter); these files can be browsed conventionally using a rotary encoder, or accessed using the huge on-board 7-inch touchscreen.

The Mixstream Pro+ improves on the prior Mixstream Pro by adding controller compatibility with Serato DJ and Virtual DJ, as well as an option to access audio from Amazon’s streaming service – making it even more versatile a budget DJ controller.

And music isn’t all it controls. The Pro+ is also compatible with DMX and Philips Hue lighting, for a complete show. Finally, It has two flavours of master output for you to use, but you don’t even need these if you’re practicing at home, thanks to some handy on-board speakers. It’s the most all-in-one all-in-one you’ll find below £/$1000.

Build quality: Being a budget standalone, there are naturally some compromises made with respect to build. Despite these, it feels solid enough in your hands, and weighty enough too. That said, it’s light enough to sit comfortably in a backpack for grab-and-go performance.

Performance: It’s hard to justify turning your nose up at the Mixstream Pro+, even if you’re a self-described professional with an eye for high standards. It, quite simply, works really well. There’s a tonne of music-streaming options for newcomers, there’s the stable Engine DJ OS for ease of performance, there are balanced XLR outputs for decent master signals, and there are some gratifyingly medium-sized jog wheels to work with.

The on-board speakers are a bit pithy, but at this price – which is, I might add, less than two-thirds the price of the next standalone DJ controller – who’s counting? The mixer interface might feel a bit cramped thanks to that large screen, but it’s small beers for a mid-sized controller that does it all.

Glossary

Audio interface: A device which interprets electrical audio signals to convert them in digital information, and vice versa. Many DJ controllers are audio interfaces, in that they both receive digital information from DJ software in order to convert it into audio, and enable the input of audio (typically through a mic input) into the same software.

Beatmatching: The practice of matching the tempo of one song with the tempo of another, on the beat, so they can play synchronously – enabling you to transition from one to the next smoothly.

Belt-drive: Wherein a turntable platter is rotated using a rubber belt, linked to a separate motor. Some DJ controllers use belt-drive motorised platters to mimic the feel of real turntables.

Crossfader: A fader used to simultaneously reduce the volume of one deck and increase the volume of another, enabling swift transition from one to the next and back again. Crossfaders are more commonly used for turntablism, in tandem with scratches to create rhythmic, re-mixed compositions.

Cue: The setting-up of a track to play from a certain point; also relates to the headphone cue mix, which is an auxiliary mix that enables you to hear audio separate from the master output (including tracks you’re preparing to play).

DVS: Stands for Digital Vinyl System. DVS is a system by which vinyl records, stamped with timecode, control digital files through interpretation of the timecode as read by a turntable stylus.

EQ: Stands for equalisation, referring to the adjustment of audio frequencies on a DJ controller’s mixer channels. Three-band EQs are found as standard on most modern DJ mixers, allowing smooth blends between tracks by ‘swapping’ bands – e.g.: reducing the low end on one track to remove the drums and bass, making room for the drums and bass of the next.

Fader: A linear potentiometer, that enables you to increase or decreases a parameter by moving a slider along it. Faders are used for channel volumes, the crossfader, and tempo adjustment for each deck.

Filter: An effect that allows expressive EQing of a track for creative purposes; high-pass and low-pass filters are used to make a track thin or woolly, to emphasise a new section or to enable a transition.

FX: Stands for effects. DJ controllers enable you to control the addition and adjustment of effects like delay and reverb to a given mixer channel, or to the master output; these effects are used as performance tools, to enhance a track or to enliven transitions between songs.

Hot cue: A user-set point on a digital audio file, to which you can jump using the performance pads on your DJ controller. Hot cues are set using your DJ software, and make recalling start-points or changes in tracks easier live.

Jog wheel: The large-scale incremental rotary encoders either side of a DJ controller’s mixer, that are used to scrub through, nudge or otherwise manipulate tracks loaded to their respective decks. Most jog wheels are touch-sensitive, to allow two types of operation: scrubbing and scratching using the face, and momentary tempo adjustment using the edges.

Master: The final output from your DJ controller’s mixer, which is sent to your speakers or PA system by way of RCA or XLR ports.

Performance pads: Buttons found in the deck portion of a DJ controller, typically velocity-sensitive, which provide control over hot cue points, looping, sequencing and, in some cases, drum programming.

Platter: Typically the plate that sits atop a turntable, around the spindle, and which holds vinyl records to be played. Jog wheels stand in for turntable platters on conventional DJ controllers; some DJ controllers use motorised platters with stand-in discs on top, to simulate the feel of a real turntable.

RCA: A class of connector, often also referred to as phono, that presents as two coaxial ports – red and white respectively – on the back of a DJ controller.

Scratch: A DJ technique in which tracks are scrubbed back and forth, to create a rhythmic sound.

Stem separation: Digital technology which detects and separates different aspects of a track, enabling you to isolate different instruments for enhanced mixing or mashing-up.

Tempo: The speed at which a track plays, measured in beats per minute (BPM).

XLR: A class of audio connector, used for balanced outputs on the rear of pro DJ controllers. These enable clean connectivity to a venue PA system or audio interface.

How to choose

Choosing the right beginner DJ controller is not a task for the faint of heart – not when there’s such a huge variety of controllers on the market, all of which purport to do something different. To make your early forays into DJing that little bit smoother, let’s go through some of the essential criteria for you to bear in mind when picking the right device.

What kind of DJ do you want to be?
Different beginner DJ controllers have different feature sets and control surfaces, that benefit different styles of DJing. If you’re a selector first and foremost, you won’t be after much besides some decent jog wheels, channel EQs, effects for occasional transitions and maybe some performance pads for hot cues.

If you fancy yourself as more of a club DJ, even a performance DJ, then you might find more value in involved producer-friendly features, like stem separation, sequencing and even drum replacement. If scratching, cutting and general turntablism appeal, then something with motorised platters instead of jog wheels will give you a more tactile way of practicing without having to buy turntables and records galore (for now, at least).

What’s your budget?
While a pair of Technics 1210s or a top-flight set of Pioneer CDJs is clearly a tempting proposition for any DJ, the price of entry alone is enough to give you pause for thought as a starter-outerer. Thankfully, with the humble DJ controller, you can stave off at least some of the costlier aspects to DJing until later in your journey (brace yourself, though, for spend incalculable sums you one day will).

That said, DJ controllers still run the gamut when it comes to price – and some of those prices may well extend past your budget. Obviously, cheaper DJ controllers compromise with respect to features, so the balancing act is between your style of DJing and what you can afford.

What kind of software do you want to use?
DJ controllers are, for the most part, control-surface extensions of DJ software and the features they contain – and as such, many DJ controllers throw themselves in with a specific software, so as to offer more in-depth controls. Pretty much every plug-in DJ controller can be convinced to work as a MIDI controller with different software, but this is a fiddly process and can be difficult for beginners.

Far better, then, to figure out which DJ software speaks to you more, and to buy a beginner DJ controller that works best with that software. Unless you already have one, that is! All DJ software achieve the same essential things, being library management and performance interfaces; different apps have different strengths though. Check out the FAQ section if you’d like a little more of a low-down on the strengths of the major DJ software with which most budget DJ controllers are compatible – rekordbox, Serato, Traktor and djay.

At home, or on the go?
The next question is where you want to use your DJ controller. If you’re solely practicing at home, it might not matter how large the controller is; in fact, you might prefer a larger control surface with bigger jog wheels, and more on-board features, like the AlphaTheta DDJ-GRV6.

If you’re hoping to practice or prepare your sets on the move, you’ll want something smaller and more portable. There are compact DJ controllers like the Numark DJ2GO2 Touch, designed to sit comfortably in your bag with your laptop, and there are also battery-powered controllers like the Hercules DJ Control Mix Ultra, designed for on-the-go mixing with a smartphone or tablet.

Just for practice, or for gigging too?
Lastly, what are you hoping to get out of your DJ controller? They are indispensable learning tools, powerful set-preparation peripherals, casual party-mixing devices and professional gigging tools altogether – or they can be, depending on the specs you plump for.

If you’re only ever going to use your DJ controller in your bedroom, to play around or to practice for using house equipment at venues, you won’t need more than a simple controller with an RCA out for the master. If you want to use your DJ controller as part of a gigging rig, to play out at parties or clubs, then you’ll want something with more I/O for better, cleaner connectivity with PA systems and booth monitors.

FAQ

How we choose products for this guide

Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.

When choosing what we believe to be the best beginner DJ controllers available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.

First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best beginner DJ controllers on the market right now.

Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.

Why you can trust us

✔️More than 9,500 reviews on-site
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With more than 17 years of experience, MusicRadar is the premier music-making website in the world. Run by musicians for musicians, we offer expertly written gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by an extensive team of highly experienced industry professionals.

We also interview world-renowned musicians and stars about their creative processes and the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. This gives fans an insight into the actual craft of music-making that no other music website can.

But that's not all. We also provide excellent tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced techniques and guidance from recognised musicians.

As well as delivering high quality written reviews and features, we also produce a wealth of video content on YouTube. MusicRadarTV is where you'll find all of our access-all-areas interviews, hot gear demos and exclusive video lessons.

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• Check out the best beginner DJ mixers
• Our pick of the best DJ headphones available today
• Essential DJ accessories for the studio to the booth

Buying one of the best cheap bass guitars is an exciting step in every bassists playing career. More often than not, cheap bass guitars are intended to be picked up by beginner bassists - offering an affordable, playable starting point for budding players. Any of the best cheap bass guitars can also act as a great backup bass, or a cheaper option for those gigs where you'd rather not take the expensive stuff. All you really need to know is, whether you're going back to school and starting lessons, going out gigging or just jamming with friends, there's a lot that can be achieved with a cheap bass guitar.

In the not too distant past, cheap instruments have been ones to avoid. The occasions in which curiosity got the best of us, found us playing bass guitars which were built poorly, played badly and sounded even worse. You'll be pleased to know that those days are well and truly behind us now, with huge amounts of killer bass guitars out there to be enjoyed by all types of players. There are many hundreds of great options which cover all angles, including sound, aesthetics and playability.

Obviously, there are still a few 'questionable' cheap bass guitars out there which can muddy the waters a little, and make finding the right cheap bass guitar a tough task. That's why we're here, and why we've put together a guide to the best cheap bass guitars out there right now. Let us help you cut through the noise and show you a selection of what we think are the best bass guitars around right now that you can get on a budget.

It doesn't matter what music you play, or whether you’re a beginner or a more experienced player, you’ll want to get the best budget bass that your wallet will allow. Our list covers both old-school, traditional style basses as well as more modern designs, as well as both 4 and 5 string options - we’ve got you covered!

Best cheap bass guitars: Our top picks

If we had to narrow it down and pick the best cheap bass guitar currently on offer, then a strong contender would be the Sterling By Music Man SUB Ray5. This style of bass has been the go-to instrument for legends including Flea, Cliff Williams, Joe Dart and loads more.

Whilst it’s only got the one pickup, it’s versatile enough to cover modern and classic tones, so it’s well suited to a wide variety of applications. Also worth mentioning here is the Yamaha TRBX305 - it does a similar job, but without as much heritage or, in our opinion, aesthetic appeal.

What’s great about these basses is that they’re both available in a 4 and 5 string format, so you can pick whichever will work best for you!

Best cheap bass guitars: Product guide

Sterling By Music Man cannily offer both four- and five-string variants of this classic bass at wallet-friendly prices. We reviewed the five in 2017, discovering that the thunderous bottom end of the Music Man remains. And, though some may bemoan the lack of a midrange EQ, the SUB Ray5 remains as versatile as its more expensive siblings.

The robust build quality impresses and it’s a highly playable bass too: string spacing is narrow enough that diehard four-stringers should be happy with the inevitable wider fretboard; and that comfy satin finish neck makes for easy position shifting too.

Versatility, build quality and really very few compromises. This is a great bass that you can buy with confidence.

Read the full Sterling by Music Man SUB Ray5 review

We’ve come to rely on Yamaha’s sturdy build quality and the TRBX 305 is no exception, featuring die-cast nickel hardware, a laminate neck and a general reassuring air of roadworthiness.

A typically modern bass, there’s a characteristically powerful tone that projects well, helped in no small part by the active EQ. You’ll find bass and treble to explore the frequency extremes, but, like the Sterling, no midrange control. Yamaha’s EQ preset switch is a nice touch. Instant slap tone? Yes, thank you very much! Top end roll off for a fingerstyle solo? Just flip the switch.

Some may write off the Yamaha for being too clinical. We’d say it’s a great workhorse, especially if you’re looking for modern tones.

Read the full Yamaha TRBX 305 review

It was perhaps inevitable that Squier would appear on our list eventually, so extensive is the company’s range of affordable basses. Squier refreshed the entire Classic Vibe series earlier in 2019 and these models actually represent their midrange prices.

Channeling the look of the early P basses and featuring an alnico split-coil pickup, Indian laurel fretboard and vintage style bridge, there’s a lot to love here. And, like it says on the box, there’s certainly a classic vibe, albeit limited to two finishes – either Olympic White or Three-Colour Sunburst. We’d recommend checking out Squier’s ’60s and ’70s CV variants of both the Precision and Jazz bass. There’s sure to be something to suit you.

A sub-£350 price makes Epiphone’s recreation of this classic one of the best cheap bass guitars around. And, despite the bargain price, we found the EB-3 to be a high-calibre and proficient bass when we reviewed it back in 2017, with a fairly lightweight (3.9 kg) robust feel, plus decent quality tuners and stoptail bridge. And, though access to top frets is slightly restricted, the friendly low action more than makes up for it.

Max out the volume and tone controls, select both pickups, and thundering classic rock tones of greats like Jack Bruce and John Entwistle are easily dialed in. The full-length 864mm scale compared to the shorter scale original give this bass a clear defined voice and playability to suit modern players.

Read the full Epiphone EB-3 review

Facing stiff competition in the marketplace, the Gretsch Junior Jet II manages to stand out with cool vintage styling and great playability.

Tonally, there’s a smooth, rounded punch without too much bite or tonal harshness, best suited towards classic rock, ‘70s punk or, if you opt for the neck pickup, a warmer Beatles-y vibe. If you prefer a beefier, more contemporary sound, however, you may prefer to look elsewhere.

With its short scale neck, Gretsch’s diminutive Les Paul-esque singlecut is highly playable, with a familiar charm that should see you racing around the fretboard in no time. If you have small hands or if you’re after the punchy midrange only a short-scale bass can really deliver, the JJII might well be for you.

Read the full Gretsch G2220 Junior Jet Bass II review

Like the company’s EB-3, Gibson’s Thunderbird is very much imbued with ‘classic’ status. John Entwhistle, Gene Simmons and Nikki Sixx would regularly be seen sporting the distinctive offset singlecut. And, though Gibsons require deep pockets, Epiphone has long been providing budget offerings.

There are two models to consider. The Thunderbird IV (which sits around the $450/£350 mark) or, for a bit more cash, the Vintage Pro. Both bring a lot to the table but cost cutting measures are more evident on the IV, including a bolt-on neck. Several of the best cheap bass guitars in this list feature bolt-ons, but the through-neck design so defines the Thunderbird, we’d keep saving our pennies and hold out for the Pro Vintage - it does creep over the $/£500 mark, but it’s worth the extra cash.

The bass comes fitted with a pair of ProBucker humbucking pickups that are capable of dishing out both vintage and modern tones. Coupled with Epiphone’s great build quality the Thunderbird Vintage Pro is a stylish and reliable bass.

Featuring the classic PJ pickup configuration (a split-coil neck position humbucker and a single-coil at the bridge) and two-band active EQ, the retro-styled budget Ibanez appears ready to punch above its tonal weight.

Expect warm, not too lively traditional sounds; though it’s great to see active EQ on this budget model – the ability to add bass or treble helps bring a more modern touch to the TMB100’s sound.

In terms of playability, there’s a vintage feel from the 20-fret neck. The rounded body and rear contour aid comfort, though the top horn impedes a little top-fret access. Still, it’s part and parcel of this design and hardly a deal breaker, so if the looks appeal, this minor gripe shouldn’t deter you from parting with your cash.

Read the full Ibanez Talman TMB100 review

Squier’s bass offering includes Jazzes, Precisions, plus Jaguars and Mustangs too. So why, you may wonder, have we recommended a second Precision in this list? Well, here in Squier’s perennial entry-level Affinity series, the Precision model gives you the best of several worlds.

First, the PJ pickup configuration gives you an extra bridge pickup from a Jazz bass. It’s essentially two basses for the price of one in terms of your tonal options.

Second, the Affinity PJ is also available bundled with a 15-watt Rumble amp, a padded gigbag, strap, cable and subscription to Fender Play. You’ll need to loosen the purse strings a little, but it’s a great deal.

The Affinity series is aimed at beginners, of course, so expect it to be less posh than other Squiers, but it’s all you need to get started.

Deep body cutaways, ‘Coke bottle’ headstock and ‘lipstick’ single coils are part and parcel of the Longhorn’s cool retro styling, but its shape isn’t all show. Those extended horns allow unrivalled access to the 24th fret and provide balance when playing standing up.

One might think the plywood and masonite (hardwood) construction would make tonehounds sniff, but the Danelectro’s lofi build is a big part of its tone. Erring on the bright side, those lipstick pickups would be well tamed by a set of flatwound strings – certainly if you’re seeking warmer vintage tones.

Like most of the classic styled basses in this list, the Dano isn’t really about modern sounding extreme lows and highs, but it’s still a capable and fairly versatile workhorse.

Read the full Danelectro Longhorn Bass review

Probably Höfner’s best known model of all is the 500/1 Violin Bass as played by perhaps the most famous bassist of all time, Paul McCartney. The Ignition series is the company’s affordable line of instruments – and the one we’d recommend here.

Wisely, Höfner have kept close to the original template of the basses Macca would play, with a semi-hollow design, short scale length, Ignition Staple pickups and the renowned Höfner Control Panel. This gives each pickup its own volume control, on/off switch and a third knob to swap between ‘rhythm’ or ‘solo’ modes.

Tonally it tends to the warm side, but with that typical short-scale midrange thump – making this quirky and historic instrument best suited to blues or vintage-style rock.

Whilst it’s certainly a budget bass, the Ibanez SR300E hits way above its price tag. It delivers a clear, punchy tone, though the control panel allows you to dial in whatever sort of sound you need.

It can be a great rock bass, or a great country bass - metal, worship, blues - it can do it all. It probably leans more into a modern sound than it does traditional, though the ‘power switch’ allows you to switch from humbuckers to more of a single coil sound. You’ve also got an active 3-band EQ on there for those that really want to refine their tone.

For the price, these basses are well built, and offer really good playability. The neck profile is thin, which again is more in line with its modern day inspiration, plus the double cutaway allows for easy access to the highest frets. The look might not suit more old-school players, but if that doesn’t bother you, then in terms of sound, playability and reliability, the Ibanez SR300E is absolutely one of the best cheap bass guitars out there.

Best cheap bass guitars: Buying advice

Choosing the best cheap bass guitar for you 

If you’re just starting out playing the bass, then you might not want to spend too much money. Or, you might be a more experienced or pro player that wants another bass in their arsenal, without breaking the bank. Regardless of why you’re shopping for a new bass, there are always some key considerations to make before parting with your cash.

Firstly, the best cheap bass guitars will sound good. Whether you want an aggressive low end rumble, or a tight, mellow tone, the pickups in your bass will have a huge impact on the sound you get. Whilst you won’t get as much definition or clarity as you might on more expensive basses, a decent budget bass will have good quality pickups, without costing the earth. Some will have a single pickup, giving you a more limited range of sounds and others might have two pickups which is great for those wanting a little more versatility.

There are also single coil and humbucking options; both wielding different tones that suit different playing styles and types of music, though honestly, there are no hard and fast rules. Some of the best cheap bass guitars might even have an active EQ - this allows you to dial your frequencies in a little more accurately, as well as giving your signal a bit of a boost. Older, more traditional bass designs don’t tend to have this and some purists stand by this, but it’s all subjective!

Build quality 

A good quality budget bass will also be built to a good standard; it wants to be sturdy enough to last you for years to come and be able to withstand being taken out to gigs on a regular basis. All the choices on our list are made by well-respected, reliable brands such as Sterling (sister company to Music Man), Squier (Fender), Epiphone (Gibson), Ibanez and more.

Scale length 

Short scale basses can be a great option for players with a smaller handspan, and there are certainly some great cheap options here too. The scale is the total length of the string - from the nut at the top, to the bridge at the bottom. Short scale basses are usually a few inches shorter than full scale basses. The tuning is still the same, but there’s a slightly different feel and sound. Guitarists who are moving over to bass sometimes find short scale basses a little more comfortable.

Buying online 

It’s also easier than ever to buy a good, cheap bass without leaving the comfort of your own home. There are many great online retailers that offer a wide selection of the best cheap bass guitars. Sometimes your instrument might require a bit of a tweak once you’ve received it, to get it playing exactly how you want it, but that’s completely normal and any good retailer will offer advice on exactly what to do if you’re not sure. It’s also worth remembering that you’re always covered by a minimum of a 14 day returns policy (check with your chosen retailer for the exact policy), should you not completely love what’s been delivered.

Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.

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• Best bass strings: vintage and modern string for every style and budget
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If you're looking to buy one of the best acoustic guitars under $/£1,000 then you're in the right place. You're also very lucky - as the amount of choice when it comes to acoustic guitars under a grand is vast and frankly mind-blowing. For under a grand, you'll be able to get anything from a great beginner acoustic guitar to something that will take you on all the way to festival stages and travelling the world - ideal if you're prepping for guitar lessons with some back-to-school guitar shopping, or want something which will see you right for years to come.

In this guide, we've listed some of the very best acoustic guitars around. We did have to miss out a few killer options purely because we were running low on space to fit them all in; we hope you can forgive us? If it's a great budget acoustic guitar that isn't featured in this guide, then chances are it's featured in one of our other acoustic guitar guides, which you'll find listed throughout this one.

Let's not think about the guitars we've omitted here. We've got acoustics of all shapes and sizes, makes, materials and for all playing styles. While we know you've likely got a budget of a grand, it's not imperative that you spend it all on a guitar. What's most important is that you buy a guitar that best suits your needs - and if that costs less than a thousand dollars or pounds, then you needn't shell out anymore.

We've answered some of the internet's most frequently asked questions at the end of this guide, so if you'd like to read more about the best acoustic guitars under $/£1,000 and what to know when buying one, click the link. If you'd rather just get straight to the products, keep scrolling.

Our top picks

Best overall

Solid sapele makes a solid choice for this little beauty. It’s a sustainable tonewood choice and makes an excellent alternative to mahogany, deep-grained, with a lighter reddish hue, and often presenting with a subtle tiger stripe in the wood’s pattern.

Sound-wise, it has the low-end depth to fill out the compact dimensions of the 000 body shape, but there’s an effervescent treble to this that makes it ideal for fingerpicking. The eco-friendly appointments continue with a corian nut and GraphTech White Tusq compensated saddle, and a bridge and fingerboard fashioned from Richlite, an FSC-certified material that’s manufactured using recycled paper and a very viable alternative to ebony.

As with anything new related to guitar design, it might take some time for players to buy into it, but having played many Martin guitars of the X and Road series, the Richlite holds up. Elsewhere, there’s a “select hardwood” neck, which allows Martin to hedge its bets and use whatever’s available – it’s sure to be comfortable though, carved into the Performing Artist profile with High Performance Taper. The hand-rubbed satin finish feels just lovely. Topping it off you’ve got an excellent Fishman MX-T electronics, featuring an upgraded Sonicore pickup, a tuner, and controls tucked away in the soundhole.

Read the full Martin Road Series 000-10E review

Best for beginners

The Academy 12E is number one but in truth it could be a toss up between this and its sibling, the round-shouldered 10E dread. They share so much DNA. There has to be a winner though, and here we’re going with the grand concert-sized model, and with no regrets.

Both offer well-balanced tones, with the 10E offering a little extra heft in the low end, the 12E a more exuberant treble. Maybe that is what sold us on the 12E – it’ll really make your fingerstyle pop.

It’ll happily handle most styles, though, and strummers will love the rasping upper-midrange and how it articulates your every grace note between chord changes. The 12E is lively and dynamic, and the onboard ES-B pickup and preamp system does an excellent job in translating this when plugged through your amp.

At this price point, Taylor’s Academy Series is knocking it out the park. Now, one could make the argument that the design could do with a little more hot sauce, but frankly we like the clean lines, the rosette detail is a nice touch. And you may be too distracted by the tone and the feel. The Academy 12E might not shout fun but it is; with the armrest on the lower bout and the slim neck profile making it a joy to play.

Read the full Taylor Academy Series 12E review

Best dreadnought

Epiphone’s ‘Inspired by Gibson’ ranges have been well received by guitarists all over the world, allowing them to get one step closer to the Gibson quality and styling without the price tag. The Hummingbird in particular is an iconic Gibson model, so the chance to own an icon without breaking the bank is incredibly enticing.

The classic combination of a solid Spruce top and Mahogany back and sides is the Hummingbird’s calling card, and it’s great to see that it’s not been scrimped on here. The construction is all-solid, as to accurately accentuate the huge depth of tone that this guitar possesses, while not leaving behind the punchy jangle that the Hummingbird has become known and loved for.

Fishman has supplied their Sonicore pickup and Sonitone preamp for this model, and although we all have preconceived notions of under-saddle pickups, this hummer sounds as natural as ever amplified. Topped off with the classic split parallelogram inlays and the famous Hummingbird pickguard, you’ve got a pretty convincing classic for under a grand.

Read our full Epiphone Inspired By Gibson Hummingbird review

Best jumbo

Nobody is going to miss you when you rock up at the open mic with the Rancher Falcon Jumbo. They’ll see you from the back of the room. They’ll hear you in the next room. This is a big ol’ jumbo, retro-styled and with all of Gretsch’s vintage mojo poured into its design.

Look at the gold embossed headstock. It’s a little much don’t you think? No? Exactly, this isn’t for the shrinking violets, and we can think of few jumbos on the market at this price point that perform better for country strumming and rootsy southern rock styles.

The Fishman pickup can be a little on the quacky side but that’s easily tamed via the 3-band EQ on the preamp, and once you find the sweet spot the Falcon will offer you some big, wide and vibrant tones coming out of that unique triangular soundhole. The build and performance will blow you away. Heck, it’s just so cool.

Read the full Gretsch G5022CBFE Rancher Falcon Jumbo review

Best short scale

Yamaha’s TransAcoustic range has taken the acoustic guitar world by storm as of late, and definitely outraged some purists in the process. Yamaha are pretty fantastic when it comes to innovating new ideas, and we think this (frankly mind-blowing) tech is fantastic too.

Essentially, the CSF-TA features an actuator fitted to the inside of its back panel that vibrates in response to the vibration of your strings. The actuator’s vibrations are then conveyed to the guitar’s body, the air inside your guitar, and then your ears. Pretty mental, isn’t it?

Independent of this incredible tech, the CSF-TA still holds its own. With a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides, you can expect plenty of punch and clarity from this little guitar. Don’t judge though - for a parlour to have this much depth of tone, it’s impressive to say the least. It’s a pickers’ dream, with an exceptional amount of tonal balance.

Best parlour

Sometimes you need a small-bodied guitar. You might be travelling. You might just need something manageable and fun to knock around in the house or the studio. Well, the Fender’s superlative Paramount Series has you covered.

The PM-2 has an all solid build, with solid Sitka spruce on the top, solid mahogany on the back and sides. The short-for-Fender 24.75” scale gives it a very easy feel, so too the neck profile. Quite simply there is nothing to be intimidated by here. For young players with some growing to do, and who are serious about the instrument, this would be an excellent second guitar – a “first proper guitar,” if you like.

The onboard Fishman pickup and preamp has a 3-band EQ and is more than fit for purpose. It was designed for this body shape and does a good job of translating the PM-2’s bright and dynamic acoustic tone for the amplifier. We also love the open-gear tuners and the checkerboard purfling, rosette and binding. There’s a deluxe hardshell case included too. Quality.

Read the full Fender Paramount PM-2 review

Best for playability

“I’ve always said from the beginning that an electric guitar is first and foremost an acoustic guitar.” That’s Paul Reed Smith himself talking about the SE range of acoustics, which take their bracing patterns from PRS Private Stock models and bring a lot of that PRS feel to acoustic guitar design.

One quick way of doing that is using the same “Wide Fat” neck profile as the electrics. It’s a clever move, making the Angelus a real treat to play, and an obvious staging post for died-in-the-wool electric players going unplugged.

The traditional PRS flourishes elevate it further. There are the real abalone shell bird inlays, with the decorative shell reprised in the binding and rosette. The back and sides of the guitar comprise figured maple laminate. While we’d be expecting solid woods at this price, the flame maple is quite exquisite, and lends this cutaway electro-acoustic a sparkle and definition.

Best baritone

And now for something completely different. There are a number of baritone options on the market but, for the money, the AE275BT is tough to beat. It strikes the balance between the longer 27” scale, which makes the baritone a little intimidating at first, and the grand concert cutaway body, which never feels too cumbersome.

The build is exceptional. You’ll immediately note the wooden vine inlay on the ebony-esque katalox fretboard, and it is certainly a feature (maybe it’s a little too ostentatious but that’s a matter of taste), but wrapping your hands around the fretboard and it is in the finish, in the rolled edges and the feel that the quality presents itself.

The “comfort grip” neck is svelte by most standards, measuring 21mm thick at the 1st fret, 22mm at the 7th; just the thing you need when adapting to the more expansive geography of a baritone instrument. Elsewhere, you’ve got a bone nut and compensated bone saddle, Ibanez’s Advantage bridge pins, which have a stopper on the bulb to make them easier to work with, a lightweight scalloped bridge, and Ibanez’s very decent AP11 pickup.

FAQs

How we choose

Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.

When choosing what we believe to be the best acoustic guitars under $/£1,000 available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.

First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best acoustic guitars under $/£1,000 on the market right now.

Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.

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Unfortunately, it’s that time of year again, it's time to get ready for the return to school. Whether you’re a parent of a young one heading back to elementary school or a college student branching out into the world of further education, you’ll no doubt be stressing over all the equipment you need. Well, while we can’t help with the pens, pencils, and protractors, we can help you with a guitar - and we can save you money, too! Guitar Center is now offering 15% off beginner-friendly acoustic guitars and lessons, meaning you can have your pick of the best acoustic guitars for beginners on the market at an even more affordable price. 

Luckily, this sale sees the biggest names in the world of budget acoustic guitars represented, with the likes of D’Angelico, Yamaha, Ibanez, and Sigma all seeing sizable discounts applied the to price. Don’t worry if this is all alien to you, we are here with a few of our favourites to help point you in the right direction.  

Our first pick from this sale has to be the fabulous Yamaha F335, which is down to only $144.49. Yamaha is renowned the world over for its stellar build quality and fantastic tone, and frankly, we believe they offer the best value for money in this price category. We are also big fans of the understated Epiphone PRO-1, which delivers a surprisingly great tone despite its modest price tag - coming in at only $161.49.  

Now, both of the guitars above are in the dreadnought category, which may be a little large for some of the younger players out there, so if you are seeking a smaller-bodied acoustic guitar, then the Sigma SIG10 Mini is a brilliant option, as it combines a solid sitka spruce top, a thin neck and handsome good looks for only $186.99. If you are thinking about purchasing a premium option, then our pick would be the absolutely amazing PRS SE P20E Parlor, which in our opinion is one of the best petite acoustic guitars on the market, and the Pink Lotus finish option is down to only $424.15. 

Thankfully it’s not only instruments that are on sale, as Guitar Center is offering discounts on their popular online guitar lessons as well - meaning you or your child can get ahead of the class! For a limited time, if you buy three lessons, you get one free. All of these back-to-school offers run from now until 3 August, so be quick as your time is running out to bag a deal. 

Still not sure which guitar is right for starting out? Well our buyer's guides are here to help

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In recent years, hardware synths have grown immensely in popularity as people look to make music outside of their DAW of choice. Hardware synths deliver a hands-on, tactile approach to synthesis, combined with easily tweakable parameters and, of course, great tones. So, whether you're looking for a pocket-sized instrument that can be powered by batteries, a powerful module or easy to play keyboard, we've got all the bases covered with this guide to the best cheap synthesizers - and we've even included the best synths under $500/£500 as well.

Now, it's fair to say you have more choice at the bottom end of the synth market than ever before, with analogue and digital options being well-represented at this price point. However, in terms of which is suitable for you, that's a matter of taste and functionality - in some cases, you don't even have to choose between the two, but we'll get to that.

So, whether you're looking for your first beginner synth, or a sound designer looking to add something new to your arsenal, there's a budget synth out there to suit everyone, and today we'll break down our favourites.

Best cheap synthesizers: MusicRadar's Choice

With a price point above $500/£500, it’s arguable that the Korg Minilogue XD is pushing the boundaries of what can be considered a ‘cheap’ synthesizer. That said, there’s no denying that it offers excellent value in terms of the sonic flexibility you get for your money. The original Minilogue already was - and, in fact, still is - a very versatile analogue synth.

By adding a customisable digital oscillator and effects slot on top of the original’s framework the XD takes things to the next level and has bags more character too. If you’re after one synth that can handle a variety of duties - bass, pads, percussion, FX - then this is the way to go.

As for one of the best synths under $500/£500, the Moog Werkstatt-01 is a definite contender. It comes unassembled, so there’s fun to be had in building it yourself, and once done it’s a quirky, fun way to make some amazing sounds for not a lot of money.

Best cheap synthesizer: Product guide

The original Minilogue is still a great buy, but if you can afford to spend a little more, we'd go for this pimped-up version that adds elements from the Monologue and Prologue synths as well. More versatile than the standard Minilogue, the XD offers a more powerful sequencer, greater versatility, a user-customisable digital Multi-Engine and effects, a joystick for real-time control, user scales/tunings and a vibe that's generally more inspiring.

The keys are of the 'slim' variety but still very playable, and the casing, which is made of metal with a wooden back panel, looks and feels great. Despite taking inspiration from elsewhere, The XD has a unique personality and is a is a hugely welcome addition to the 'logue range as a whole.

Read full Korg Minilogue XD review

Behringer’s synth arm might be best known for its controversy-courting ‘tributes’, but the German brand also has a couple of excellent original instruments under its belt. Following in the steps of last year’s Deepmind, Neutron is an analogue semi-modular that packs in a lot of flexibility for its very affordable price point.

The Neutron has a few flaws, and there are some frustrating design issues, but it does sound good, and in terms of bang-for-your-buck, you can't really beat it. While it does a very good job of creating more sensible sounds, it also excels at the weird and wonderful.

Read full Behringer Neutron review

Where the original was a fairly straightforward monosynth with a few unique touches and some CV control, the MiniBrute 2 is semi-modular, boasting a beefed- up synth engine and a comprehensive mini-jack patchbay. As before, the primary oscillator can generate saw, triangle and square waves simultaneously, the outputs of which are blended via the oscillator mixer, where they’re joined by a white noise source and external audio input.

Filter-wise, the MiniBrute 2 keeps the Steiner-Parker-style filter of its predecessor, which offers -12dB low- and high-pass modes, plus -6dB band-pass and notch filtering. On the whole, the MiniBrute 2 is a real success. It takes everything we liked about the original - the analogue grit, interesting oscillator shaping and Brute factor control, which overdrives the signal chain using a controlled feedback loop - and expands on it considerably. A serious competitor, then, and the same can be said of the MiniBrute 2S, which swaps the keys for a pad-based step sequencer.

Read full Arturia MiniBrute 2 review

Originally conceived as a gift for attendees at a Moog event in 2014, the Werkstatt-01 proved so popular it has now received its own launch and is giving synth fans the chance to add a genuine Moog to their arsenal for under $/£200. For that you get a 100 percent analog monophonic synth with classic Moog filter, modulation and even a mini patch bay so you can experiment with modular synthesis or connect the Werkstatt up to a larger Eurorack system.

There are plenty of options in this guide with more in the way of features and functionality, but as a fun, inventive way of experimenting with modular synthesis the Werkstatt represents great value. You even get to build it yourself out of the box!

Circuit Mono Station is, in loose terms, a hybrid of two of Novation’s best instruments: a combination of the meaty analogue synth engine of the Bass Station II, and Circuit’s excellent sequencer. Housed in a chassis similar to - but slightly taller than - Circuit, Mono Station’s interface is roughly divided in half, with the upper section housing the synth controls and the lower portion controlling the sequencer.

Mono Station is equipped with a decent array of ins and outs, while the deep, multi-channel sequencer, flexible mod matrix and automation all add up to a workflow and creative experience unlike anything else on the market, combining the best of digital flexibility with a classic analogue synth design. The end result is much more than the sum of its parts, and at this price point this is a must-try synth.

Read full Novation Circuit Mono Station review

As one of the first ‘homage’ models off the Behringer photocopier, the Model D introduced a new generation of synth fans to the classic Minimoog sound while also adding in a few neat tricks of its own. Essentially, you get three oscillators, each with a variety of waveforms, a 24 dB ladder filter and basic modulation which makes for a rather splendid combination. We found the Model D equally adept at thick bass sounds, 80’s style pads and all kinds of experimental sonic mayhem.

We like the way Model D can be removed from its casing and installed in a Eurorack modular setup too, which makes use of the patch points across the top of the unit. It’s also good to see a variety of connectivity options, including MIDI in and thru, and USB for sending note data from a DAW. There’s a lot to like here, and for not a lot of cash either.

There are several impressive synths in Korg’s compact Volca range all of which boast sounds and feature that means it's hard to believe it's under $500/£500. Of the whole range though, the Volca Modular is certainly the most unique and interesting.

This patchable analogue synth takes its cues from ‘West Coast’ synthesizers such as those created by Buchla and Serge. These instruments eschew ‘traditional’ subtractive synthesis elements in favour of more esoteric features such as oscillators based around audio-rate modulation and random modulators.

Because of this, the Modular is the weirdest, and most niche instrument in the Volca range – it’s best for experimental sounds and unusual effects, meaning it won’t suit everyone. However, if you’re after something a bit different to add to your current setup, this is a great choice.

Read the full Korg Volca Modular review

The JU-06A is an update to one of Roland’s original Boutique synths, the Juno-106-inspired JU-06. Like its predecessor, this latest synth uses digital Analog Circuit Behavior technology to replicate the components of the original Juno, and does an excellent job of capturing the feel and sound of Roland’s classic analogue poly (albeit with a voice count reduced from six to four).

The difference here is that the ‘A’ adds multiple elements of the Juno-60 into the mix too, including that synth’s well-regarded arpeggiator and a switch engaging the 60’s punchier, more percussive filter and envelope behaviour. The result is an altogether more versatile and impressive synth – the two modes add to the sonic flexibility considerably, and pairing the arp, chord mode and mono sequencer makes this a killer tool for classic Chicago and Detroit-style club sounds.

Read the full Roland JU-06A review

The only analogue instrument in Roland's Boutique line-up, the SE-02 was created in collaboration with Studio Electronics, which is responsible for - among many other things - the Tonestar and Boomstar instruments. It features three VCOs, a voltage-controlled 24dB low-pass filter, and a dual gain-stage amplifier. The oscillators have six different waveforms, which promise the “warmth and complex character” that you’d hope for.

Considering there’s also a nicely-featured sequencer onboard, the SE-02 is a very impressive piece of kit for the price. Sonically, it’s high-quality, and can do everything from warm and smooth to harsh and aggressive. It’s a bit Rolandy and a bit Moogy/SE-ish… but then with all the versatile modulation and shaping onboard it has its own vibe, too, and it’s hard to make it sound bad. Recommended for anyone who wants a great-sounding, portable and versatile monosynth for the studio and stage.

Read the full Roland SE-02 review

The look of UNO may prove a bit divisive. Its slanted profile and push button control panel have a retro charm, but it’s a design that brings to mind the early days of home computers more than any vintage analogue synth. The lower part of the push button interface is taken up by a 27-note ‘keyboard’ for live playing, or to input notes for the onboard sequencer or arpeggiator.

Despite all of this, UNO is an excellent-sounding, versatile analogue monosynth, and you do get a lot for your money. The presets offer a ton of highly usable sounds, and we could certainly see this becoming a go-to instrument for classic basses and leads. The arp and sequencer are great for inspiring ideas, and a software editor adds to the allure. if you can cope with a few compromises, UNO is a great source of classic, punchy analogue sounds at a bargain price.

Read full IK Multimedia UNO Synth review

Out of the box, MicroFreak’s unique stylings immediately grab your attention. It’s a bold look - but we like adventurous design choices. With so many synthesis features packed into such a small box, it’s hard not to fall in love with Arturia’s quirky and affordable hardware offering.

The multiple oscillator modes cover a near-endless range of timbres; the filter is smooth and versatile; the Matrix invites exploratory modulation; and the performance and sequencing tools are the icing on the creative cake. However, the real magic lies in the combo of all these together, making this odd little beast far more than the sum of its parts. MicroFreak should be top of your ‘must try’ list.

Read full Arturia MicroFreak review

What actually is the OP-Z? A synth? A sampler? An audio-visual sequencer? The answer is, to some extent at least, all of the above. At its core the OP-Z has a 16-track, 16-step sequencer. Of those tracks, eight generate audio while the other eight are used for effect manipulation and external control. The audio tracks are divided into two groups, with the first four set up as sample-based drum tracks and the latter as melodic instruments that can each make use of a variety of synthesis engines.

Without a screen it’s difficult to keep track of things using the hardware alone, but fortunately, TE has created a free control app (currently iOS-only, but forthcoming for Android too). This runs via Bluetooth, and gives full visualisation of the sequencer, sound engines and effects (using some great eye-catching graphics), and also acts as a screen for the visual sequencers.

A few minor bugbears aside, there’s a lot we really like about the OP-Z. It’s creative and unique, and while some might bemoan the reliance on an iOS app, we really enjoy the workflow between the two devices. The OP-Z is unlike anything else on the market right now.

Read full Teenage Engineering OP-Z review

This isn’t just a monophonic version of the Minilogue, though there is a family resemblance (a real wood back panel, mini keys and the same set of inputs and outputs). This time, though, we have a smaller (and lighter) footprint, with an octave taken off the keyboard and portability enhanced by the option of battery power.

The synth architecture is relatively conventional, but there are some clever functional tricks which extend its range. There's an enhanced step sequencer, which enables you to record in real or step time. 16 physical buttons are designed for quick editing and improvisation, while the movements of up to four knobs can be captured with the motion sequence function.

There's a drive circuit to add overtones and distortion and, on a more esoteric level, support for microtuning. The Monologue is great for anyone who wants a cheap and cheerful yet powerful synth, and one that offers a surprising amount of flexibility.

Read full Korg Monologue review

Roland’s SH-101, introduced in 1982, was a small, plastic, 32-key monosynth with a simple architecture that provided direct hands-on control and no preset memories. This emulation - which goes by the name of the SH-01A and is available in the iconic red, blue and grey - uses Roland's ACB technology to deliver those classic SH bass, lead, noise and FX sounds, while adding Unison, Chord and four-voice Polyphonic modes to give you extra flexibility beyond merely monophonic operation. Improvements have also been made to the sequencer, which can now store and recall up to 64 patterns, and there’s an arpeggiator, too.

CV/Gate output enables you to control modular and vintage gear, there are multiple sync options (MIDI, MIDI over USB, LFO clock and trigger input) and you can store up to 64 presets. The SH-01A is a fun and engaging synth, and when compared to a ‘real’ SH-101 stands up very well. If you must have 100% analogue, then this isn’t for you, but if you have an open mind, you might be pleasantly surprised.

Read full Roland SH-01A review

The TB-03 is an ACB-powered clone of Roland's classic TB-303 Bass Line synth, and borrows its inspiration's look and feel. There's a 4-digit display, and you can get hands on using the tuning, cutoff, resonance, envelope mod, decay, and accent knobs. Both saw and square waveforms are included and there are overdrive, reverb and delay effects.

The original 303's Pitch and Time write modes are joined by a new Step mode on the TB-03, and you also get fine tempo control. You can switch between modes while sequences are playing, and there's a dedicated trigger input to drive the internal sequencer. MIDI I/O, USB and CV/Gate ports are also here. The TB-03 captures the essence of the original 303 and adds a twist.

Some might argue that Roland could have gone further in updating the sequencer and interface - and others will moan that it's not analogue - but if you want an convincing and affordable 303 clone, here it is.

Read full Roland TB-03 review

Introduced in 1976, and used by everyone from Stevie Wonder to Vangelis, Yamaha's CS-80 has become one of the most desirable vintage synths of all time. In many ways, the compact and lightweight Reface CS couldn't be more different (the CS-80 weighed more than 200lbs), but its five oscillator types (multi saw, pulse, oscillator sync, ring modulation and frequency modulation) enable you to create an incredible range of sounds, and the instrument can produce both analogue-style and digital tones.

The Reface CS is powered by an 'analogue physical modelling' engine, has a simple, slider-centric control set, comes with a phrase looper and offers eight notes of polyphony. While looking simple, is actually way greater than the sum of its parts, and both addictive and inspiring to use.

Read full review: Yamaha Reface CS review

Best cheap synthesizer: Buying advice

What should I look for in a cheap synth?

The rise in affordable synths has made hardware instruments considerably more accessible to newer and less experienced producers. Many people find themselves wanting to interact with something physical, rather than simply tweaking the settings of a DAW, which makes hardware synths attractive. Not to mention they sound great, too. However, while the price is less daunting, some of the terminology can still make choosing a synthesizer feel quite intimidating.

Do I want an analogue synth?

One of the most common distinctions you’ll come across is that of ‘analogue’ vs ‘digital’ – meaning whether a synth is powered by ‘real’ electronic circuitry or some form of digital signal processing (DSP). While there are plenty of people out there who will claim that analogue automatically equals ‘better’, in reality this isn’t always the case. Trust your own ears.

On the whole though, it’s fair to say that synths powered by analogue engines or virtual analogue - digital tech replicating the behaviour of a real circuit - are better for classic and vintage sounds, while digital synths can often create weirder, more unusual tones.

Do I want a digital synth?

Digital synths will likely sound ‘cleaner’ compared to analogue synths that often generate a certain amount of unpredictability and natural saturation – both of which qualities are a major part of their enduring popularity. Some of the best cheap synths in this round-up take a ‘best of both’ approach, combining elements of analogue sounds with powerful digital elements.

Another term to look out for is polyphony, meaning how many notes a synth can play simultaneously. A polyphonic synth can play multiple notes via distinct synth ‘voices’, eg. a four-voice synth allows you to effectively play up-to four instances of the same synth sound at once to generate a chord. A monophonic synth, on the other hand, only has one voice available.

What's a paraphonic synth?

Slightly less common are paraphonic synths, which sit somewhere in between – these allow multiple notes to be played by dividing the oscillators within a single synth voice. The result isn’t quite the same as true polyphony, as individual notes will share a filter and amp envelope, however it does open up the possibility of playing certain chords or patterns that a monosynth wouldn’t be capable of.

Having more voices will always mean more flexibility, although monosynths often pack more of a punch when it comes to weight and grit. For leads, basslines, percussion or FX, a mono or paraphonic synth may be the way to go.

Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.

Are cheap synths worth it?

In our opinion, cheap - or budget - musical equipment has never been better. This guide proves just how many fantastic synths are on the market for a very reasonable price.

Better yet, these synths are made by some of the best names in the industry, with the likes of Korg, Roland, Yamaha and Moog offering stellar instruments that won't break the bank.

Suppose you are new to the somewhat intimidating world of synthesis. In that case, one of the best cheap synths is a perfect gateway into the art form, allowing you to experiment with new sounds without ruining your finances.

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Piano lessons. Two words capable of striking fear into the heart of any child who’d much rather be playing football or hanging out with friends than struggling through a fumbling rendition of Frere Jacques in the presence of a stern-faced music teacher. Luckily, thanks to today’s technology, it no longer has to be such a daunting experience. If you want to learn piano - or have kids who do - the best online piano lessons deliver much more varied and palatable options for all budgets - and I'm here to walk you through the process.

My name is Dave, and I've been making music with computers since 1988 and my engineering, programming and keyboard-playing feature on recordings by George Michael, Kylie and Gary Barlow. I've used my extensive knowledge in the field to come up with what I believe to be the very best online piano lessons services available right now.

While many budding pianists head straight for YouTube to find lessons - it’s free after all, I get it - the vast amount on offer can actually hinder your progress. As videos can be uploaded by anyone there’s no guarantee as to the accuracy of the videos, the quality of the teaching on offer can be extremely variable, and finding a sensible path through your learning journey can be tricky. Plus, with so many to choose from, picking the right lessons can be a shot in the dark.

This is where the best online piano lessons services here come in. They combine the best of both worlds – the freedom offered by the internet to learn at your own pace in your own space, with dedicated software providing the structured learning and educational gravitas of a real teacher. What's more, online lessons usually work out far cheaper than face-to-face lessons. Let's take a closer look.

Quick menu

Best overall

Playground Sessions is an interactive piano lesson service that wears its musical credentials with pride, and with legendary producer Quincy Jones credited as co-creator and jazz icon Harry Connick Jr as a former tutor, that’s not surprising. Although Harry is no longer a part of the Playground team, the current teacher lineup is still impressive, a highlight being a 22-lesson course contributed by David Bowie’s long-serving pianist Mike Garson.

Based around the multi-platform ‘Playground Sessions for Piano’ app for Mac, PC and mobile devices, the curriculum is centred around three main sections. Bootcamp takes you through the basics, Courses features a series of more niche topics, while Songs offers subscribers unlimited access to an ever-expanding library of over 2,000 popular songs to learn.

The system doesn’t work with acoustic pianos, but plug in a MIDI keyboard, or a digital piano, and you get real-time visual feedback to keep you on the right track - play a note right, it turns green; play it wrong, it turns red. Earn rewards to level up and unlock extra content, and record and play back lessons to see where you went wrong and how to improve.

There’s plenty of solid music theory amongst the content, but the lesson plans are aimed at getting you playing songs quickly without getting too bogged down in theory initially. There’s a 7-day free trial to test the water, alongside three payment structures to choose from, covering monthly or annual subscriptions or a lifetime membership.

Overall, Playground Sessions represents a fantastic option for learning the piano with your computer or mobile device.

Best for lesson structure

Pianote takes the web-based, video-driven format and expands on it with access to highly trained professionals that are just a click away. In addition to two fully-structured learning paths, not only are you able to have your questions answered by real-life piano teachers, but you also gain access to weekly live-streaming video lessons, along with the ability to connect with teachers and students in the community forums.

The well-shot, high-definition videos and relaxed, informal teaching style let you know that Pianote is a premium product and a cut above the piano content readily available on YouTube. There’s no bespoke software to download, only lesson content like song charts and backing tracks, so you can use Pianote with any keyboard or piano, acoustic or otherwise.

The videos themselves are easy to follow, well presented and engaging, and there’s a library of over 100 songs to play along to. There could be more content for advanced players to dig into, but with its well-structured Method curriculum that spreads lessons over ten levels, Pianote is a fantastic resource for beginners or intermediate players to develop and grow.

Best for learning songs

Produced in collaboration with Yamaha - who, let’s face it, know a thing or two when it comes to pianos - Flowkey works well with either a MIDI keyboard or acoustic piano, providing accurate visual feedback and progress tracking with either method. In fact, if you buy a Yamaha piano, you’ll also get a three-month premium Flowkey membership thrown in.

The idea is to learn to play your favourite piano songs via a selection of intermediary lessons. Your skill level is assessed during the setup process so you can jump into the lessons at the correct starting point. The software has a user-friendly interface that’s easy to navigate, whether you want to pick a lesson plan or simply skip to a song you want to learn, and you can slow things down or pause the lesson for the difficult bits.

You can choose either a monthly or yearly subscription plan, and there’s also a 30-day free trial period to allow you to check things out, during which you can view the full list of songs and lessons, but only actually access a limited number of them.

Best for simplicity

If you’re new to the world of the piano, Skoove has interactive Beginner and Intermediate courses to get you up and running, after which you can continue with further tuition either in a Pop or Classical direction.

The ‘listen, learn, play’ approach adopted by the software helps you quickly master new playing skills, plus there’s basic advice on how to begin to improvise, all with a healthy emphasis on the importance of good technique.

The interface is well laid-out and easy to get to grips with for young and old alike, and you can either use a MIDI or conventional keyboard – the system recognises either type quite happily. All-in-all, Skoove embodies a simple and effective method for learning piano online.

Best for children

Simply Piano is an iOS/Android app for mobile devices aimed at getting newcomers up and running quickly and easily on the first few steps of their piano journey. That doesn’t mean that it’s only for newbies and kids though.

With an appealing, game-like interface, you simply plonk your mobile device on top of your piano or keyboard and you’re ready to go. The app either receives MIDI data from a connected keyboard as you play or listens to your instrument’s audio output through your device’s microphone.

The animation, sound effects and the way the courses are paced contribute to that ‘just one more go’ factor particularly well, and there’s enough content here to keep you interested well beyond the beginner stage, with plenty of intermediate lessons and a generous library of current songs to play along with.

Best for classical piano

If classical piano is your thing, probably the best online piano lessons for learning classical music come courtesy of ArtistWorks’ Piano with Christie Peery program. Featuring hundreds of lessons for every level of expertise from novice to advanced, the site is part of the ArtistWorks Video Exchange platform, meaning that as well as access to the Video Exchange Library archive, you can submit videos yourself and have them personally reviewed by Christie, a renowned concert pianist and teacher, who then passes on feedback on your performance.

These interactions are shared with other ArtistWorks users (and you can see theirs, obviously), so a library of personalised advice is being built up all the time

3, 6 or 12-month subscription plans are available, with the price dropping the longer you subscribe for. For instance, 3 months works out at $35 a month, dropping to $23 a month for a 12-month subscription. As well as a keyboard, you’ll need access to a metronome and video recording device (you can just use a smartphone for this) so you can capture and submit your own practice sessions for review.

The clue to ArtistWorks’ MO is in its title – this is a teaching site that puts the credentials of its tutors to the fore. Piano is just one of many instruments you can learn, and as well as classical there are also jazz and pop piano courses available, so if you like the idea of one-to-one learning, you can sign up for a free lesson to test the water.

More options...

So those are our top picks, but there are many more great online piano lessons options to choose from that offer something a little different in terms of features. We've selected some more of our favorites below.

Pianoforall is a video-based online piano teaching site that differs slightly from the rest, not just in that there’s a one-off payment of $79 for lifetime access to all of its content (plus free future updates), but that it aims to teach you to play by ear, improvise and compose, rather than taking a more traditional route.

There’s a strong emphasis on chord shapes and how to use them to play popular songs quickly, so if you’ve struggled with more traditional piano lessons, Pianoforall might well end up being Pianoforyou!

Including loads of video content and an online app, Piano Marvel is designed to be used with a MIDI keyboard so that you can receive instant feedback on your progress. The library is geared towards popular songs, with over 1,500 to choose from across multiple genres, and the game-like lesson plans include thousands of exercises to work through.

Your playing is graded as you go along, and to keep your motivation going you can win trophies that can then be shared via social media, all of which makes Piano Marvel an excellent choice for kids and young adults.

There’s a free account option to try things out, but the subscription includes full access to the video lesson library, and a bonus is the included SASR sight reading challenge, an innovative way of tracking and assessing your sight-reading skills over time.

Primarily based on video content, Piano With Willie is probably more suited to adults than young children. Part of the jazzedge.com umbrella site, it consists of thousands of lessons from Berklee Music School graduate Willie Myette, available for purchase on a monthly or annual subscription basis.

Here you’ll find a ton of content to help you progress on your journey into the world of the piano, whatever level you’re currently at. A diverse range of additional microsites covering a wealth of different genres including jazz, blues, gospel, Latin, funk and rock are also available, and you’ll come across lessons on improvisation and arrangement, the kind of topics rarely found in other online piano lesson sites.

Weekly live group Skype sessions are also an option if you’re still keen on the type of coaching that face-to-face lessons would provide.

The Hoffman Academy’s mission is to ensure you become a “well-rounded musician”. The virtual learning platform utilises a series of kid-friendly video lessons, ear training exercises, sight-reading puzzles, and interactive games to achieve this.

All the lessons are led by Mr Hoffman and are short and easily digestible - especially for young children - featuring a satisfying camera angle and on-screen visual aids that help to illustrate the techniques discussed in the lesson.

The course is broken down into 15 units, each consisting of 20 lessons, plus a popular music section which includes stand-alone lessons for everything from the Star Wars theme to Amazing Grace. However, it has to be said that while the lessons here are undoubtedly high quality, older students may find the repertoire a little basic. On the plus side, as this is not an app-based learning system - it simply uses any device with a web browser - it will work with any piano, acoustic or digital.

FAQs

How we choose the best online piano lessons

Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.

When choosing what we believe to be the best online piano lessons available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products or services in any given category.

First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product or service for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from price, features and quality of content, to ease of use and lessons structure to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best online piano lessons on the market right now.

Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.

Meet the experts

☑️ Established 2007
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☑️ 9,500+ reviews on-site

With more than 17 years of experience, MusicRadar is the premier music-making website in the world. Run by musicians for musicians, we offer expertly written gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by an extensive team of highly experienced industry professionals.

Below you'll find more information on the expert authors of this guide.

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Being a musician is not exactly cheap these days. With the commercialisation of the music industry and the condition of the world economy, it can cost a pretty penny to get your music out there and heard by the public. Despite the socio-economic landscape as it is today, armed with a computer and one of the best cheap MIDI keyboards, you can start making music for relatively little outlay.

The humble MIDI keyboard is now one of the most crucial parts of music in the modern age, allowing musicians to control a huge array of software instruments via their Digital Audio Workstation (DAW). The right MIDI controller can seriously speed up your workflow, allowing you to put aside the mouse and keyboard and get hands-on with your creations.

For me, the best cheap MIDI keyboard you can buy right now is the Arturia MiniLab 3. It's feature-rich, and more importantly, has some of the best build quality we've ever seen at such a low price point. If you're new to MIDI keyboards, then have a look at the Akai MPK Mini IV, which has a very complete feature set that makes it a great starting point on your music-making journey.

Further down this guide, you'll find my exhaustive how to choose section, which is perfect for beginners who are just making their first moves in the music game. We've also got an in-depth FAQs section which answers loads of common questions. If you're ready to see the most affordable MIDI keyboards available right now, then keep on scrolling...

Best overall

MiniLab 3 is the latest incarnation of Arturia’s 25-mini key MIDI controller keyboard. Available in black and white versions, it has the same footprint as the MkII and weighs the same, but now has a slicker overall look. The build quality is impressive; it’s made with 50 percent recycled plastic and has a 5-year guarantee.

The MiniLab 3 keyboard has an excellent positive action that’s consistent across the keys with minimal mechanical noise. The pitch bend and mod wheel are the touch-sensitive slider type and these work incredibly well.

It’s also great to see polyphonic aftertouch generated by the pads, and this dovetails with many patches in Arturia’s Analog Lab (the Intro version is in the software bundle). Integration with this is great and there are also extensive DAW control features.

If you already own a MiniLab MkII and are thinking of upgrading, you’ll need to weigh up the extra options, but for new users, MiniLab 3 is definitely one of the best keyboards in its class and offers fantastic value and a great software bundle.

Best for beginners

The latest iteration of the Akai MPK Mini IV represents another incremental upgrade, but one that firmly establishes it as the best MIDI keyboard for beginners. Alongside a new look that gives me 80s Amstrad PC vibes, it's got an excellent new software bundle and some ergomonic upgrades from MPK Mini Mk3.

The biggest, and probably most welcome change, is that the four way joystick for mod and pitch control is gone, replaced by two 'proper' jog wheels. This not only allows for independent control of parameters, but also has a much longer travel, which means better fine control.

The front panel has been rearranged, with the function buttons now arranged in single file above the keybed, and an endless encoder added next to the small screen for use with the brand new Studio Instruments Collection. This new software offering features a huge selection of soft synth sounds and drum kits, all of which are super high quality and genuinely add value for any kind of musician.

The great thing about the MPK Mini Mark 4 is that it crams a lot into a relatively cheap unit, while still being super easy to use. My review model integrated instantly with my DAW of choice on my laptop, meaning I could get on with the fun stuff of playing without having to spend ages setting up macros.

Best mini MIDI keyboard

If you’re someone who’s always making music on the move, a pint-sized MIDI controller keyboard that’ll fit in a laptop bag is an essential item. Nektar’s SE25 demonstrates firmly that features and playability needn’t be sacrificed for the sake of size and portability.

Only outpriced in the budget MIDI controller stakes by the ever-so-slightly cheaper Akai LPK25 (which doesn’t provide any form of DAW integration), Nektar’s new pocket powerhouse represents incredible value for money.

Where else can you get Nektar DAW integration for Bitwig, Cubase, Garageband, Logic, Nuendo, Digital Performer, Mixcraft, Reason, Reaper, Sonar and Studio One for a measly 44 quid?

Best for Ableton users

We loved the Novation Launchkey Mini Mk3 so were super excited to get our hands on version 4. As you might expect, it's an absolute gamechanger for anyone using Ableton Live, and combined with fantastic build quality and plenty of great features, the 25-key version is an absolute bargain.

The OLED display is super useful, and we especially love that in chord mode it shows you what chord you're playing and the notes involved too. It also displays information like track names, device names, parameters, depending on what you're currently interacting with.

The Ableton integration is immediate, so from the moment you plug in you can control your Session View with the pads. Alternative functions are available by holding the shift key, giving unrivalled tactile control over Ableton alongside regular transport controls just to the left.

Add in a built-in arpeggiator for those using hardware synths in their setup, and you've got an extremely complete MIDI controller ideal for those running Ableton.

Best for Komplete users

Native Instruments’ Komplete Kontrol brand is an industry-leading range of software and hardware devices. The opportunity to buy into it at such a bargain price with the Komplete Kontrol M32 MIDI controller is therefore very tempting indeed.

The M32’s solid, slab-like profile just oozes quality, continuing the flat, black design signature of the rest of the NI range. The M32 sports more keys than most of its mini-keyed peers - 32 instead of 25 - spanning 2.5 octaves from F2 to C5

As a bonus, the bundled software includes Maschine Essentials, the entry-level version of NI’s acclaimed Maschine software. However, like the larger A-series keyboards, the M32 is also fully capable of controlling the full version of Maschine.

Best 49-key

The Alesis V49 MKII MIDI controller offers a decent balance of full-size, firmly-sprung, synth-action keys and assignable hardware controls for not a lot of money at all - making it a great contender for the best cheap MIDI keyboard.

This newly redesigned keyboard sees substantial changes in the layout of the extra controls. Where the original placed its additional controllers – a set of eight pads, function buttons, pitch bend and modulation wheels and four rotary encoders – to the left-hand side, making for a wide, thin instrument, the MKII opts for a more traditional configuration.

Want to use your new MIDI controller to make beats? Well, you are in luck! The Alesis V49 MKII comes bundled with the incredibly easy-to-use MPC Beats music production software.

Also consider

So those are our top picks, but there are may more great options to choose from that offer something a little different in terms of features and performance. We've selected some more of our favourites below.

How to choose

If you're just starting out with keyboards, there are a few things you should be looking for when buying a cheap MIDI keyboard controller. Here we'll list some of the considerations and offer advice on how to build the best studio for your needs.

What is a MIDI keyboard?

Simply put, a MIDI keyboard produces no sound on its own and instead is used to control and play sounds from music software or hardware synthesizers. The controller sends MIDI information to the computer - or synth - to tell it what note you played, for how long and how hard you played it. The computer interprets this information and plays it back as audio.

Say you wanted to take full advantage of the virtual instruments found inside your DAW, a MIDI controller would allow you to play them as if you were playing a regular keyboard.

Many MIDI controllers also feature touchpads, which are perfect for performing percussive elements such as drums, pitch wheels for recreating the expressive pitch bends easily achieved on an electric guitar, and some even have faders that can be linked directly to the mixer in your DAW.

What style of keys do you need? 

A MIDI controller can come with several different styles of keys, from full-sized to mini, weighted to synth-action. There are many choices out there - but which is the best for you?

These days, mini keys are just as responsive and easy to play as full-size versions but can be tricky if you suffer from 'sausage finger syndrome', in which case you might want to stick to full-size keys.

Next, you need to think about the action. More affordable MIDI controllers will come with a 'synth-like' action, meaning the keys aren't weighted at all. Now for most of us, that's fine, but experienced piano players may be more familiar with fully-weighted keys. As the name suggests, these keys are weighted and mimic the touch of a piano.

If you find the synth-action too light, but you're struggling with the heavy feel of weighted keys, you may want to look at semi-weighted, which sit somewhere in the middle.

How many keys do you need on a MIDI keyboard? 

All of the best cheap MIDI keyboards featured here come with octave shift buttons, meaning that the full range of note pitches are accessible just by pressing a couple of buttons. That said, if you're a more advanced player or want to learn how to play two-handed - and if you have the desk space - it's better to go for a four-octave (49-note) or five-octave (61-note) keyboard.

For absolute beginners, or anyone looking for a quick and easy way of laying down simple patterns, a smaller, 25-key MIDI controller should do just fine. These have the advantage of being cheaper and more portable than their bigger cousins and take up less space on your work surface.

Usually, 61 keys is an excellent choice, as you'll find yourself reaching for the octave up and down button less often. Covering five octaves, 61 keys is usually enough for most situations. That said, those looking to play the controller as if it was a regular piano will want to opt for an 88-note option to ensure they have the entire spectrum of the piano at their fingertips.

Connectivity: what do you need?

It's commonplace in this day and age for all MIDI controllers to work via USB - for sending note information as well as power. However, as more and more producers are opting to work completely 'in-the-box', there isn't always a need for the traditional 5-pin MIDI out - unless you have some hardware MIDI synths to connect it to. That said, it's fairly common for DAW users to want to experiment with external gear as they progress, so a traditional MIDI output is a nice tool to have - better to have it and not need it, than need it and not have it!

Now, if you want to gain even more control over your MIDI keyboard, we'd highly recommend looking for one with a sustain pedal input. This will allow you to connect a piano-like sustain pedal, giving you the ability to play held chords and sustaining lead lines. Of course, it's also a must if you want to play the controller like a traditional piano.

Understanding DAW Integration

Being able to control the transport (play/pause/record) of your DAW and adjust the parameters of your software instruments from your keyboard rather than your computer is always handy.

Full DAW integration comes as a bonus if you're on a budget, however, it's often the preserve of the more expensive end of the market. However, we are seeing more and more controllers ally themselves to a specific DAW, and the instant integration and mapping these controllers offer makes life much easier, at least at the start.

If you know, for example, that you're an Ableton Live user, choosing a controller with dedicated features related to Live does give that instant control and enable you to start making music much quicker.

FAQs

Key terms

• Aftertouch: A feature that detects pressure on a key after it has been played for more expressive playing. Something found on more expensive synths and MIDI keyboards.
• Bus-powered: A device that draws power from a USB connection.
• DAW (Digital Audio Workstation): A software used for creating, recording, editing, and producing music.
• Encoders: Knobs that rotate endlessly, used for changing parameters of software. Some can also be clicked in to select.
• Hammer-action: A keybed designed to replicate the feel of a grand piano. Not often found on cheaper MIDI keyboards.
• MIDI (Musical Instrument Digital Interface): A technical standard that allows MIDI keyboards to converse with computers and other instruments. Sends data rather than actual audio.
• Mini-keys: A small type of key designed to make the keyboard more compact.
• Mod wheel: A controller in the form of a wheel, used to change certain characters of sound live vibrato or filter changes.
• NKS (Native Kontrol Standard): A Native Instruments software format that allows controller to seamlessly communicate with NI software.
• Pitch bend: A way to control the pitch of a sound, usually manipulated with a wheel, touchstrip, or joystick.
• Sustain pedal: A pedal you can plug into a MIDI keyboard that allows you to let notes ring out into one another.
• Transport controls: A selection of controls for controlling parameters in your DAW, like play, pause, record, and more.
• Velocity-Sensitive: Keys or pads that respond to how hard or soft you play them.

How we test

Here at MusicRadar, we are experts in our field, with many years of playing, creating and product testing between us. We live and breathe everything music gear related, and we draw on this knowledge and experience of using products in live, recording and rehearsal scenarios when selecting the products for our guides.

When choosing what we believe to be the best stage pianos available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.

First and foremost, we are musicians, and we want other players to find the right product for them. So we take into careful consideration everything from budget to feature set, ease of use and durability to come up with a list of what we can safely say are the best stage pianos on the market right now.

Find out more about how we test music gear and services at MusicRadar.

Today class, we are going to be looking at the ever-popular Positive Grid Spark. This genuinely ground-breaking practice amp is packed to the brim with epic guitar tones, studio-quality effects and even comes with a handy smartphone app. Now with Positive Grid offering $40 off the Spark amp and 50% off BIAS software, the world most intelligent amp just got even better! 

The Spark has to be the ultimate home practice companion. Offering players any guitar sound they could dream of at the press of a button - or tap of a screen. For us, the standout functions are the Auto Chord and Smart Jam features. Auto Chord is perfect for learning existing songs with its ability to stream tracks from your mobile device and then transpose them into chords. You even get a loop function, allowing you to nail tricky sections of your favourite songs. The Smart Jam function takes things a step further by analyzing chords or riffs and then generating a backing track depending on the genre selected. How cool is that?!

There’s also something for the producers and home recording fans among you. Right now, there’s 50% off all of their acclaimed BIAS guitar software. You can now grab BIAS FX 2 and BIAS AMP 2 for $179 each, as well as BIAS PEDAL for only $59. Looking to grab all three? Well, luckily, there are bundle deals on offer as well. 

This is a limited time offer, so be quick! You have until 1st August to take full advantage of this bargain. 

Still not sure? Well, why not check out our full Positive Grid Spark review  

With World Guitar Day 2019 upon us, perhaps you’ve been inspired to start learning the guitar, or return to the instrument after a long break? If so, there are a few guitar gear essentials to consider that will help make your playing journey an even more enjoyable experience.

Naturally the main piece of kit you'll need is a guitar. Choosing the right one for your playing style, ability and budget can be a headache unless you know what you’re looking for. It’s also important to find gear that feels comfortable to play and delivers a sound that keeps you coming back for more.

Rather than waste valuable playing time trawling the web for the right gear, we’ve compiled a list of the best gear for new guitarists, whether you’re in the market for an acoustic guitar for beginners or an electric guitar and amp suitable for younger players.

You’ll need some accessories, too. And our list covers everything you'll need to protect your gear, keep it in tune and sounding great. The best news is that it won’t cost much to kickstart you guitar playing. Your guitar playing adventures start here...

Acoustic Guitar

Many beginner guitarists opt to start with an acoustic guitar, and it’s certainly the cheapest option - there’s no need to buy a separate guitar amp, and you can get started right away. When choosing your first acoustic guitar it’s worth asking yourself three questions: how does it sound, how does it look and how much does it cost? 

The Yamaha FG800 and Fender CD-60S All-Mahogany look great, sound fantastic and won’t break the bank, making for worthy first guitars.

Electric guitar

Electric guitars tend to have smaller necks than acoustic guitars, which is good for beginners, and they make the best guitars for kids and small hands, too - particularly ‘short-scale’ models, where the frets are closer together, making it easier to play chords. They’re also more versatile, particularly if you want to play rock or metal music

If you’ve decided to go down the beginner electric guitar route, there are a number of factors to consider: mostly it’s about finding the best guitar for your budget, and tracking one down that’s easy to play and progress on. The quality of instruments, even at the real budget end, has never been better. For the money, you can’t go far wrong with the Squier Affinity Stratocaster or Epiphone Slash ‘AFD’ Les Paul Special-II, both offer classic shapes and decent enough tones to get you rocking.

• Undecided? Try our guide to the best guitars for beginners

Amps

From tiny desktop amps to do-it-all modelling machines and tasteful vintage-aping tube combos, there has never been a better choice of cheap guitar amps available. A low price point is nothing without a strong tonal performance, but there are some great options for beginner guitarists in terms of sound, features and overall functionality. 

If your playing will mostly be taking place in your bedroom to begin with, the micro Blackstar Fly 3 is a great little amp. It even features a built-in delay effect! If you have your sights set on gigging, the Boss Katana-100 is a top choice that will take you from the bedroom to the stage no problem.

• Explore the best guitar amps under $/£500

Guitar strings

Nothing sounds better and is more energising than a fresh set of guitar strings. What’s more, as components go, guitar strings are dirt cheap and can be fitted by any guitarist in minutes. At the very start of your playing journey you’ll want strings that sound great and will last a while before they need changing. For that, we’d recommend Ernie Ball’s venerable Super Slinky for electric guitarists, or the D'Addario EJ16 Phosphor Bronze for acoustic players.

• Need more choice? These are the best electric guitar strings right now
• ...And the best acoustic guitar strings

Guitar cable

There’s no point having a great beginner electric guitar and amp if you don’t have a cable to connect the two, let alone a poor quality cable that will last all of five minutes. More often than not, a cheap guitar cable is a false economy. Within no time you’ll be looking to replace it, or driven to distraction by unwanted noise. As a beginner guitarist, if you want durability and performance from a reliable brand at a reasonable price, the D’Addario Planet Waves American Stage Cable is a favourite of beginner and developing guitarists alike.

Capo

Capos act as a moveable nut that you can move up to any fret on the guitar – the higher you go on the guitar neck, the higher the pitch. The capo is one of the most affordable pieces of gear you can buy to dramatically change your guitar sound and they have huge potential for songwriters and guitarists who play covers. They cost peanuts, too. Give this one a whirl...

• Check out our guide to the best capos for all types of player

Guitar case/gig bag

It goes without saying (but we’re going to say it anyway) that once you’ve invested in a new guitar you’re going to want to protect your pride and joy. It’s easy to spend a lot of money on a plush new gig bag or premium fur-lined hard case, but to begin with, all you need is a budget gig bag with a pocket for your cable, spare strings and picks, plus sturdy handles to carry it around. For that purpose, we like the Gator Economy Gigbag, which is available for both electric and acoustic guitar.

• These are the best guitar cases and gig bags you can buy

Guitar tuner

The humble guitar tuner remains one of the most essential tools for electric, acoustic and bass guitar players - not only does it help you tune up your own instrument, it ensures you're in tune with the rest of the band, too. The tiny Korg Pitchclip2 clips onto your guitar’s headstock and enables you to tune up quickly and easily via the clear LED display. If you want to be taken seriously as a guitarist, don’t leave home without your tuner.

• For more options read our guide to the best guitar tuners

Guitar picks

Guitar picks (or plectrums) remain one of the most important but often-overlooked accessories in a guitarist’s arsenal. They can make a surprising difference to your playing style and the tone you produce. When choosing picks, consider the pick shape, thickness and the material. All will have an impact on playing comfort and tone; for example, larger, thicker picks are better suited to rhythm players, while nylon and celluloid picks produce a warmer tone. For sheer range, Dunlop’s Tortex picks are a great place to start.

• Start strumming today with the best guitar picks around

Guitar strap

Whether you play stood up or sat down, a good quality guitar strap is the difference between your prize axe staying snugly in place or hitting the deck. It’s definitely an essential bit of kit. Your guitar will be in safe hands with the Ernie Ball Polypro. It comes in a range of colours, and features a 2-inch wide Polypropylene webbing, which is machine stitched to black leather ends for extra support of your treasured axe.

Lessons

Of course, buying all this guitar gear is pointless unless you’re prepared to put in the time to practice and improve. There’s a lot of guitar tuition available online, however not all is created equal. We like Fender Play because it’s a well structured, app/PC/Mac-based tool aimed at guiding guitarists through the most important techniques with step-by-step learning and progress tracking, plus a raft of popular guitar songs to learn.