Say what you will about costly vintage gear — today’s guitars play, sound, and are priced better than ever. To demonstrate, we’ve compiled a list of our favorite guitars that carry performance-defying price tags. Note that none of these options are strictly what you’d call “beginner instruments” — each has what it takes to make it into the grizzled guitslinger’s daily rotation. These instruments also make killer, affordable upgrade platforms as one’s tastes evolve.

Yamaha Pacifica PAC112J

Yamaha has a reputation for making quality instruments at good prices, and they’ve truly outdone themselves with the entry-level Pacifica PAC112J, which gets our vote as one of the finest S-styles for the money. The unfinished maple neck, the comfortable body contouring, even the recessed knob placements — Yamaha clearly put a lot of thought into improving the classic design. Even the ceramic stock pickups do a commendable job of delivering the classic “S” tone without raising cost. The bridge humbucker takes ultra-high gain extremely well, which is an added bonus for technical players who still reach for the timeless body style. Upgrade the pickups down the road, and this Pacifica has the potential to have a permanent place in your setup.

Epiphone Les Paul SL

The thought of a single-coil Les Paul may be anathema to some players. But for the open-minded and vintage bent, we urge you to pick up a Les Paul SL and plug it into a nice low-gain amp. The SL’s sweet and crunchy ’60s tones have a nice openness, weight, and chime — real Dano territory — to fill in the gaps where a traditional Les Paul may be too beefy. The candy-colored and matte finish options are another rarity for the classic single-cut, so if you’re a Les Paul fan who veers left of center, don’t miss your chance to snatch one up before they disappear.

Squier Affinity Telecaster

It’s been nice to witness the humble Tele take its rightful place as a standard for not just country music, but rock and metal too. Whether you’re thinking of making the first-time transition or you just want a great little player for precious little money, you can’t go wrong with today’s Affinity Tele. Its resonant, lightweight slab alder body and “C” maple neck, combined with its vintage-output alnico pickups and streamlined controls, are equipped to please the consummate player to the picky first-timer. Even better, our Affinity Teles come in a variety of finish and fingerboard options to suit virtually every player.

Jackson JS22 Dinky

To quote a satisfied customer: “The only beginner thing about this is the price.” Fans of the Dinky dynasty will delight in the JS22’s comfortably curvaceous 7/8-scale body, its high-performance 24-fret speed neck with iconic angular headstock, and its much-ado’d shark fin inlays — not to mention its upgrade-platform price point. Noteworthy is the JS22’s smooth-action modern tremolo system, which compromises little in terms of action or tuning stability yet offers easy string access for faster setups and string changes. The passive stock Jackson pickups do a commendable job for high gain, with sparkle and touch dynamics to complement cleaner passages. But for the player who is so inclined, upgrade to a set of active EMGs, and you won’t want for much from this well-priced Dinky.

Ibanez Artcore AS53

Ibanez has been leading the charge in affordable semi-hollows for some time. The Artcore AS53 is the culmination of two decades of research and artist development, chock-full of jazz cool and rockabilly goodness. And if you’re into that Dave Grohl or Tom DeLonge rock vibe, this guitar will get you there. Its thin, ES-style sapele body serves up warmth and punch, and its rosewood-capped, hand-filling mahogany neck exhibits great playability top to bottom and tremendous sustain throughout. The AS53’s low-noise humbuckers do a great job of supressing the howl and feedback that has traditionally plagued semi-hollows onstage.

Ibanez GSRM20 miKro Bass

As guitarists, a bass is something most of us only play as needed — the occasional pickup gig or recording project. Where the miKro Bass shines is its guitarist-friendly playability and size-defying voice. If you have trouble fretting in tune beyond the fourth fret of a traditional bass, the GSRM20 miKro could change your life. Its reduced 28.6″ scale length — even shorter than a typical shorty — is the picture of comfort. And despite its reduced size, the miKro’s tone is deceptively punchy and powerful. P- and J-style pickups equip this bass for all manner of timeless American bass voicings, soul to rock.

Washburn WCG10SENS

At $500, this acoustic-electric is still very affordable. Trust us — for what you get, it’s a standout value. Solid premium tonewoods (spruce on mahogany) form the comfortably sized Grand Auditorium body, which features an ergonomic rosewood armrest bevel to relieve stress on the strumming hand and shoulder. Onboard are Fishman’s discrete soundhole-mounted Sonitone pickup and preamp system, delivering high-output amplification for the stage and studio without detracting from your guitar’s natural beauty. If you’re looking for a premium player that won’t break the bank, the WCG10SENS is worth a look

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