I bought 2 Monoprice guitars about 2 years ago. A Les Paul model and a Strat. They were about 100 bucks each, so I figured, why not?
I’ve purchased chinese guitars, and they’re a little more expensive, but they have better paint jobs and matching accessories. But these Monoprice ones are probably about the best value you can get from a guitar. After playing for over 20 years, from Ibanez to Gibson, these Monoprice guitars really feel like the guitars they’re modeled after. The Les Paul neck felt tight and crunchy, just like a Gibson, while the Strat put out some serious Jimmy vibes.
And for $100 bucks, how can you go wrong? Accidentally drop it-who cares? It’s not a $1k plus model that you want to keep in glass. You can reasonably throw these in a cheap bag-they come with one, and then take it for a jam without worrying about it breaking. And if it does, you could buy 4 or 5 for the “actual” model.
If you play guitar, or are just starting, try the Monoprice ones. You can upgrade when you’re a rock star.