Hey,
Pretty good price for a guitar and amp combo. Would make a good beginner for the price.
Rock your world with our 39" electric guitar. Become the rock star you always dreamt of being.
Include 5W amplifier with AC adaptor, guitar pick, adjustable strap, spare E & B string.
Ages: 6+ years.
I assume this is Australia wide. It says save $40, but most of the listings I found online said it was originally $129.
maybe ask Les Paul
Fender's entry level model - the Squier - is 4 times the price without an amp or strap or picks. If you're serious about learning and can afford it the Squier is a much better option.
The biggest problem with $50 guitars is the consistency. If there were a few dozen of them in the shop all set up and I could play them all I'm sure I'd be able to pick out a good one, but if you're grabbing one in a box off the shelf it's unlikely that you'll end up with a well made guitar. Fender's quality control will be a lot better than a company that doesn't even seem to write their name on the guitar - I'd still want to play the Squier before I took it home, but I've played some good ones and know they work.
I second your thoughts on the quality of these Kmart/Target/Amazon cheapies. Very hit and miss. You also spend a lot of time getting the action right.
And I also second your thoughts on the Squier. I got one for my daughter with a Squier 10w amp. Perfect for learning. Heck, I’ve even seen some pub bands use Squiers.
So if your budget can stretch it, invest in something better.
I saw a few youtube reviews where an ebay/Amazon cheapo guitar was surprisingly functional, and "fixable". How much is a second hand bottom of the range no name guitar? For a young Jimi/Townsend wannabe, smashing these has got to save some dough. That is, for a family with a young kid and limited income this may be a great option.
@Major Mess: I've seen similar videos, the concept depends on getting a bit lucky and getting a good neck with well placed frets to start with. You're putting lipstick on a pig otherwise. A new player isn't going to be able to tell the difference, and could easily throw perfectly good upgrade money away on what will never be a good guitar.
The Japanese made variety, or not?
Anyone really wanting to get a guitar for their kid should do themself a favour and buy a real guitar (a second hand acoustic / started guitar doesn't cost much more, plenty available on ) if they want the kid to learn anything.
This is no more than a toy !
I don't even know, if you have a $1000 guitar, would you buy a $50 guitar?
I have a few thousand dollars worth of electric guitars, and a $50 acoustic. It's not the most amazing guitar ever made, but it's playable, sounds decent, I can throw it in the back of the car and take it camping or to the beach without worrying about it. A beater is handy.
I just bought myself a $50 Cort off of eBay for this purpose. For it's price it's got surprisingly good sound and the action is perfect for me.
Anyone really wanting their kid to be an epic rockstar should get them an Ernie Ball Mr Horsepower and an Amp that goes to 11!
This. I always suggest second hand Yamahas for a cheap, first guitar. Decent and a dime-a-dozen on scumtree :)
Picked up a vintage Japanese Yamaha (S-50A) for $50 for my eldest son. Sure, it's a laminate top… but it's so decent I'll pick it up occasionally and half an hour just disappears. Really good fun.
$50? Nationally wide? You prob can use that to make a decoration in man cave
You prob can use that to make a decoration in man cave
Only if you never plan to invite friends over.
I don't have friends.
Now we know why… :)
Probably the only thing they are good for. I've played one that was on display at a target and it was eh, as a kid I would of hated being given it to learn on.
I bought a 50 dollar strat knock-off from Aldi and it feels and plays surprisingly well for a budget instrument. Don't knock it till you try it. In fact it looks almost exactly the same as this one. I bet they come out of the same Chinese factory. I'm betting the paltry 5w amp sounds like a cardboard box though.
Features you may find with this type of guitar:
All of that seems quite acceptable and would be able to be sorted. Thanks for your recommendation.
I imagined there could be much worse possibilities than those.
Jacks and controls are often loose because screws have been overtightened and the wood threads are stripped. You should be able to find non-standard over-sized screws, hopefully that don't stick out and scratch you when you brush over them.
Poor intonation will require frets to be replaced, if not the whole neck. A re-fret is hundreds of dollars, a new neck more. A $50 guitar that has poor intonation gets sold to a sucker or thrown away.
Tuners can be replaced - they will be at least $50 for entry level aftermarkets, not including installation. That's more than the guitar is worth.
Neck finish - people sand them down, it's fixable but having to sand down a new instrument is a worry.
Buzzing - is the because the neck is warped? Do the frets have to be re-leveled? Is the action high as a kite? Throw it out.
I'm sorry to be rude, but if you don't know anything about guitars you shouldn't make uneducated guesses about what "seems acceptable".
Build quality is not bad, buy internal parts is just toy. the amp is toy.
Low quality gears and pistons?
We bought one of these a couple of years ago for $70 and thought it was a bargain.
Kids taught themselves how to play and often use it to jam at home.
Sure the original 5W amp doesn't sound so good.
However once we plugged the guitar into a professional amp for a concert it sounded fantastic.
So we bought a better 30W amp ($50 clearance at Aldi) and it's fine for home use.
Although this cheapie Target guitar is fine, I'd actually recommend Artist Guitars for those looking for a budget instrument. They are a specialist music store; products are great value; can take advantage of ebay discounts or Amex Shop Small; service is terrific. We are very happy with the bass and violin we bought from them.
I am happy to grab if it is nationally wide $50. Can't go wrong even I have a $1000 guitar
What is the normal price?
$51.99
Any good for practicing being a rock star. How do these things look when being smashed?
Goddamn I just paid $4000 for a guitar and amp. Should have checked ozbargain.
My mate got the last one at Hornsby today. Take my opinion with a grain of salt as we have no clue w/ electric guitars.
But, we plugged it in and tried it out and it sounds really good for $50, the amp also has 6.3mm headphone jack audio out.
If your just gonna play around with it I reckon this is a steal. I'm probably going to pick one up myself.
grabbed the last one from North Lakes. nice
thanks for posting OP
Would be fine for a young kid as a toy to see if they are genuinely interested in playing guitar, but otherwise invest in a secondhand guitar/amp or a new budget one from a proper brand.
How does this compare to a Fender in terms of value?