You don’t need to spend tons on money on playing a gig.
Here are some of the best budget guitars and gear for playing live, well suited for the beginner right through to the advanced player.
Of course if you gig very regularly or play on a professional basis then you may be more apt to spending a little more money. But in reality it’s definitely not a requirement for awesome tone, feel and enjoyment.
The gear I’ve listed below is what I would consider “entry-level”, and personally I wouldn’t use gear in a gigging situation that costs much less. Although that $99 guitar may be great for practice, you will most likely experience tuning stability issues and other problems when taking it out on the road.
Guitar
Fender Squier Affinity HSS Stratocaster
The Squier HSS is my personal recommendation. The HSS series features a humbucker bridge pickup instead of a single coil like the standard Squiers.
Fender Squier Affinity Telecaster
This is Amazon's pick for best startup guitar so I've listed it here. If your style of music is more suited towards the Tele then I would go for this.
Ibanez GRX70QA
If a Fender Squier is not for you, then you may consider this Ibanez for the same price. It features 2 humbucker pickups and a transparent finish.
Epiphone Les Paul-100
This is the slightly pricier option. This guitar is well suited for beginner through to advanced players.
Strap
Ernie Ball Polypro Strap
Another department with a lot of choices. The EB Polypro is Amazon's pick for a budget guitar strap. If you're willing to spend some more money, the more expense straps do look a lot better on stage and are also more comfortable.
Case
Gator Deluxe ABS Molded Case
This is a budget case that I personally use and recommend. It's slightly smaller than regular guitar cases (which I like very much), so if you have a longer guitar than your typical Strat, make sure you select "extra long electric". There is also a version available specifically for Les Paul style guitars.
Stand
Hercules Mini Electric Stand
One thing you don't want to forget at home is your guitar stand. The Hercules stand is another product I personally use and recommend. It's not the very cheapest stand you can buy, however it's extremely durable and will keep your guitar sturdy. If you're playing acoustic guitar, checkout the Hercules mini acoustic stand.
Amplifier
Blackstar HT1R
With so many amp choices on the market today I would like to recommend a budget option that I've personally used and loved - The Blackstar HT series. This is also Amazon's pick of choice. This is an all-tube amplifier that will provide great stage monitoring. I do not recommend solid state amplifiers for gigging purposes.
Cable
KLIQ Guitar Instrument Cable
The Kliq cable is a budget solution with sound quality that rivals expensive cables like Mogami. It features Neutrik gold plugs that will help you get the most out of your guitar sound. I use this cable and my only issue with it is that it tends to tangle easily.
Picks
Planet Waves Nylflex Picks
You're going to want to take a couple of spare picks to the gig in case you drop one. The Nyflex picks from Planet Waves features grip as well as a great tone.
One thing I haven’t listed here that you want to be sure you take along to the gig is some double adapter plugs. Normally you can’t expect the venue to provide enough power outlets for your whole band. This is especially important if you have equipment that uses specialized plugs.
