Reddit reviews Squier by Fender"Stop Dreaming, Start Playing" Set: Affinity Series Strat with Fender Frontman 10G Amp, Tuner, Instructional DVD, Gig Bag, Cable, Strap, and Picks - Transparent Blue

Do you have a friend you could borrow an old guitar from for a few weeks? If you are sure you are going to keep it up, it would definitely be worth spending a decent chunk on a decent guitar.


If not, then this or this would be a much better starter kit. I bought a cheap starter kit and within two months bought one of these guitar. It was such an improvement. This exact kit wasn't an option for me, but I'd definitely have gone for it if I had the choice. The epiphone one would be more suited for harder rock and metal, where as the Squier would be better for softer rock and country. That said, you can get a massive variety of sounds out of each for any style, so no need to worry.


If you do want to spend more on a nicer guitar, there are so many more options out there, but they wont come with all the little bits like guitar pics, an amplifier, cable, stand etc. It could get pretty pricey, so if you're not sure, stick to the starter kits for a while until you think you want to upgrade to something nicer. Here is an example of some stuff I picked out for someone a while back that wanted to go for a lower-mid range guitar starting out. Price could vary a little bit though. depending on the guitar.

My suggestion would be to save up for double that amount if you can. That would put you in the range of some decent beginner guitars. To be honest, $50 is not going to get you a lot, even in the used market. But a $50 guitar is better than no guitar, so if that's your budget and that's your plan, then you should go for it.

Based on what you've said I'm deducing that you want to start on an electric? I would not recommend going "below" a Squier Affinity series Strat, which you may be able to find used for <$100, but keep in mind that you will have to budget for a practice amp as well.

The best thing to do might be to borrow your friend's guitar if he has an extra, or let you "try" his. This way you can get a feel for the instrument, and decide if that's really something you're interested in while you do your research.

It's a Squier Affinity, specifically I bought this starter pack: https://www.amazon.com/Squier-Fender-Dreaming-Start-Playing/dp/B00GGY67I8.

I think it was a good starting guitar, although I probably should have just started with something with humbuckers based on what I wanted to play. But I wasn't sure at the time if I was going to stick with it and it seemed like a good looking guitar for the price.

Even though I have a much nicer guitar now I still play with this one sometimes. Mine was setup pretty well and I don't have any complaints really for the price!