A Guide to EastCoast: The Best Guitars for Beginners!

There are loads of great beginner instruments out there but with so many options it can be difficult knowing where to start. We’ve put together this helpful guide to highlight a company which, we believe, creates the best quality starter guitars at great prices!

• Incredible value: EastCoast electric guitars start from just £79, and acoustic guitars from £89.99!
• Based on iconic instruments: Tastefully combine timeless style with legendary tone.
• Great build quality: Made in Eastern Asia to modern, consistent standards using locally-sourced materials and reliable hardware/electronics.
• Designed by musicians: Built to feel and sound great; even experienced guitarists love them!
• Carefully inspected Our in-house guitar technicians check every EastCoast instrument to ensure it plays great straight out of the box!
• Beginner starter packs: EastCoast bundles include all of the essentials you need to start your musical journey with, from just £119!
• Child-friendly sizes: From 1/2 and 3/4-size acoustics with softer nylon strings to full-size electric guitars, EastCoast is suitable for all ages.
• Backed by the best: World-renowned YouTube guitar instructor JustinGuitar has described EastCoast beginner guitars as “by far the best bang for buck I've tried”.

There are lots of big musical instrument brands that make decent starter guitars. However, there aren’t many companies that actually specialise in manufacturing beginner instruments only. EastCoast is one of those few. They design their guitars in a cost-effective way without sacrificing quality; ensuring that customers get the most for their money.

EastCoast starter instruments come in all shapes and sizes. Loosely based on some of the world's most recognisable guitar designs, EastCoast’s models have a familiar look and punch far above their weight — carrying the spirit of the instruments that they're inspired by but at just a fraction of the price!

From timeless T-type and S-style electric guitars all the way up to classy semi-hollows, amazing acoustics and bombastic basses — EastCoast caters for practically all aspiring musicians. Their instruments are versatile, easy to play, and stay in tune great. This means that beginners can have a rock-solid guitar that'll last for several years before they even need to think about upgrading.

Our verdict: A brilliant all-rounder, inspired by the legendary S-type guitar. Great for most musical styles, especially the humbucker-equipped ST2 model.

Customer review: "Looks good, feels good and does everything a beginner could ask for."

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EastCoast’s best-selling ST models covers all of the bases. Whether you're looking for an affordable all-rounder or something that's a bit more rock-orientated, this versatile range of guitars will fit the bill. Here's what's what:

EastCoast ST1: Featuring a trio of vibrant-sounding ‘single-coil’ pickups, the ST1’s flexible electronics let you experiment with lots of different guitar sounds. Also coming with a ‘tremolo’ bridge - or whammy bar - you can create cool pitch-bend and wobble effects, just like Hendrix did back in the day.

EastCoast ST2: This slightly tweaked model looks almost identical, but comes equipped with a ‘humbucking’ pickup mounted near to its bridge. A humbucker produces a more powerful tone than a single-coil pickup, and lends itself well to distorted rock sounds as it “bucks” hum — meaning that you won’t experience lots of unwanted amp noise. If you prefer making a bit more noise, the ST2 is therefore the better option.

Our verdict: A classic short scale offset that's perfect for players who perhaps struggle with the full scale length of standard electrics, yet still require a full-sized instrument.

Customer review: "Bought as a first electric for my son. This guitar played great straight out of the box. It feels and looks great - really playable. Compares well with my far more expensive Fender Mustang."

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Taking influence from one of the most iconic and genre-defining electric guitars of ‘grunge’ and the alternative music scene of the 1990s, the EastCoast MS1 takes the classic mid-60s short-scale offset design and turns it up to 11. With its slightly shorter 24” scale length, the MS1 is perfect for those searching for a full-sized electric but require an instrument that's scaled down by just a hair.

Featuring a pair of EastCoast Humbuckers, this guitar has it all covered from rock and metal to blues, jazz, funk and pop. Its Poplar body, Maple neck and Rosewood fingerboard offer classic tones with singing sustain and luxurious comfort.

Our verdict: Based on the timeless T-style electric guitar. Produces a bright “twangy” tone, making it perfect for country, indie, pop and classic rock.

Customer review: "Unbelievable instrument, plays and sounds like it costs three times as much."

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The EastCoast T1, T2 & T62 is another popular EastCoast electric guitar. Inspired by the first electric guitar that ever entered production, it comes equipped with two single-coil pickups, giving the instrument a famously “twangy” sound perfectly suited for guitar-driven styles of music. The T1 is a classic-looking guitar with a less-is-more vibe, while the T62 adds a touch of luxury with double body binding - cream-coloured strips that trace the guitar's shape. Very snazzy! The T2 features dual humbucking pickups for a more powerful, mellow tone, perfect for rock, blues and jazz.

A Poplar body keeps the instrument's weight balanced and light, which means that the T guitar won’t ever feel cumbersome or uncomfortable when playing in a standing position. Its neck also has a pleasant shape and is finished with a slippery satin coating that prevents your fretting hand from sticking to it — letting you play fast! And with the choice of a brighter sounding Maple fretboard or warmer sounding Rosewood fretboard, you can find the perfect combination for you.

Our verdict: Alternative take on the iconic "singlecut" LP guitar. Possesses a powerful sound with its humbucking pickups — suitable for blues, rock and even metal!

Customer review: "Very impressed with the looks, quality and playability of this guitar. Surpassed my expectations and is far better than more costly guitars."

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The EastCoast L1 Series model is based on the legendary LP electric guitar, used by the likes of Slash (Guns N’ Roses), Jimmy Page (Led Zeppelin) and countless other guitar heroes! Featuring two high-output humbuckers instead of single-coil pickups, this instrument sounds fantastic with overdrive or distortion — making it the perfect rock-and-roll workhorse. As well as possessing a thicker and more rounded tone, these pickups also eliminate a lot of the amp noise that can be produced by single-coils at higher gain.

Constructed from a warm-sounding Okoume body with a striking flamed Maple veneer, the L1 has the look and tone of a classic single-cut guitar. It also features an Okoume neck with a Rosewood fingerboard. This combination of timbers, along with the humbucking pickups, produces the warm and heavy mid-range character that so many guitar players love about LP-style instruments.

True to the original LP designs, the EastCoast L1's set neck construction yields more sustain than a bolt-on neck; allowing the notes to ring out for longer. For blues, rock and many other styles — the stunning L1 has all the mojo and tone you could want in a very affordable package!

Our verdict: The daring two-horned GS is a rock ‘n’ roll machine. Light, agile to play and a favourite shape for players including Angus Young, Tony Iommi and Frank Zappa.

Customer review: “I will not be buying any more high-end guitars, when guitars from EastCoast offer a very similar experience for a fraction of the price.”

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The GS is an ultra-streamlined electric with a slim body, making it an excellent choice if you like to play standing up or plan on performing. The tones are raw and aggressive thanks to a pair of smooth, punchy sounding ceramic humbuckers. You’ll get a fast rock bite with the GS. And this is an excellent guitar to play right up to the top frets – it has a relatively flat 12-inch radius fingerboard, which is a gentle and forgiving curvature, especially combined with the easy-fretting medium jumbo frets.
Classic design, incredible playing feel and gutsy tone all in a compact, sleek package.

Our verdict: Inspired by a legendary rock staple, the JG is a groovy offset guitar capable of producing a wall of sound and intricate tones alike in the vein of Kurt Cobain, Johnny Marr and Kevin Shields.

Customer review: “Fantastic guitar for the money. Great neck and fretboard. Don’t think it’s possible to get a better double humbucker guitar for the money.”

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The offset guitar all started when a famous brand released a guitar catering to jazz players. It didn’t quite land how it was expected and it was quickly picked up by the surf rock community, which had a huge impact on countless indie and alternative rock records down the line.

The JG is a stylish instrument that draws from the brilliant history of the offset. It’s equipped with ceramic humbuckers, which sound strong, smooth and punchy. The shape also allows for a comfortable level of playing both sitting down and standing up. The same goes for the neck, with an easy 12-inch radius fretboard and classic rosewood fretboard.

Our verdict: A high-performance double-cut shaped hardtail starter electric guitar that's built for big riffs and articulate playing.

Customer review: "Excellent value gift. Look sleek and smart, plays well enough for a casual player, husband very happy! Great value bundle package."

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Like the EastCoast HM1, the MT1 is built with high-performance and technical playing in mind. The big difference is the guitar's bridge, the part that holds the strings securely to the guitar's body. Where the HM1 features a fulcrum tremolo bridge, the MT1 has a rock-solid hardtail bridge for increased tuning stability, especially when palm muting heavier riffs or when experimenting with lower tunings such as drop D.

Our verdict: If you're keen to learn the bass, EastCoast is a great place to start! With classic and contemporary models, EastCoast basses provide great bang-for-the-buck with their playable feel and powerful tones. There are currently five bass models in the EastCoast range: The PJ4, MSB and SRB offer a more retro, vintage-inspired traditional look, the MB4 and MTB provide a more modern tone and aesthetic.

The PJ4 brings together great features, high-quality materials and incredible value for money. Unlike the typical P-bass that inspires this guitar, the PJ4 features an additional J-style bridge single-coil pickup that opens up more tonal possibilities.

PJ4 customer review: "Really good instrument for the price."

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The EastCoast MB4 and MTB are super-modern bass guitars. With cool contemporary styling, they certainly looks the part and have thick, powerful sounds thanks to its potent pair of 'humbucking' soapbar pickups and active preamp. With a slim neck shape, the EastCoast they feel easy to play for an aspiring musician. The standout difference between the two models is that the MTB comes equipped with two more traditional tone controls, one for each pickup instead of the active 3-band EQ and Preamp found on the MB4.

MB4 customer review: "Sounds really good and has plenty of EQ control to refine the sound."

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The SRB offers a funky retro-inspired humbucker-equipped bass for powerful, versatile bass sounds. Its classic design oozes vibe and mojo, and its useful coil-splitting blend control allows you to seamlessly go from bright and quacky single-coil-like sounds to thunderous humbucking tones at the twist of a dial.

SRB customer review: "The bass, simply, looks and sound beautiful. The pickup is growly enough to sound like a stingray and it sounds utterly convincing!"

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The MSB is a short-scale bass, meaning it has a slightly shorter neck, which surprisingly gives it a fatter sound. Better still, its smaller size makes it a little easier to handle if you're not comfortable with full-size basses. Classic surf-style look that's super popular with modern rock, pop, and indie bands, with hip colours to match.

MSB customer review: "Purchased this bass four our daughter who is a keen guitarist... Playability , fit and finish are excellent especially at this price point."

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Are you an aspiring guitarist looking to start your musical journey the right way? You've landed at the right place! EastCoast's acoustic guitars provide brilliant bang-for-the-buck and are among some of the best beginner instruments we've ever come across. EastCoast now offers classical guitars in various sizes too, which are perfect for children as they have softer and more forgiving nylon strings.

Various models make the EastCoast acoustic lineup pleasantly diverse - there's something for everyone! The EastCoast D1 acoustic guitar follows a traditional dreadnought body shape, making it a great all-rounder with fantastic projection. The G1 has a slightly more modern mid-sized body shape, akin to a design made famous by a large American brand. The mini acoustic guitars are best-sellers for a reason; they're not only affordable, but they're also incredibly compact — making them ideal travel acoustics for the road!

Selected EastCoast acoustics come equipped with built-in electronics — known as 'electro acoustic guitars'. These offer a little more versatility, as they allow you to plug into dedicated acoustic amplifiers or PA systems. This eliminates the need to mic these acoustics in a live or recording scenario, so that you can plug in and play hassle-free!