Some of the Best Metal Guitars under $500 available right now
Greetings, fellow Shredder! It’s your old pal Anton here, and today I want to show you some of the great options that have become available for buying pro level shred guitars on a budget. So let’s go over some of, what I consider to be, the best metal guitars under $500.
But first, let’s take a look at why some of these great budget options exist and why it might be better to consider buying a budget guitar than saving your money for guitar that would cost you the same money as a used car.
The current state of guitar brands and prices
The guitar industry has changed significantly over the years, with a shift towards cheaper, outsourced manufacturing labor. While this has opened some opportunities for budget-conscious guitarists, many companies still charge high prices for guitars made with cheap labor.
A number of classic brands have been acquired by conglomerates who prioritize profits over customer satisfaction, joining the modern trend of sacrificing long-term success to meet quarterly projections.
For the prices charged by some of these companies for lower quality mimics of classic guitars, you could have a custom guitar made to your exact specifications.
The silver lining
But it’s not all bad news. Many of the factories that produce these lower-priced guitars have been in the game for a long time and have honed their craft to the point where they can now produce some extremely high-quality and reliable guitars. And let’s not forget about all the smaller guitar companies out there who have been offering these same high-quality guitars for much cheaper than the more famous brands.
In fact, you’ll likely be surprised at what can be found among the best metal guitars under $500.
So if you’re in the market for a new Shred guitar, don’t just blindly throw your money at the first big-name brand you see. Do your research and consider all your options. You’ll be amazed at just how many hidden gems are out there that have been made with care and attention and made available at a fraction of the price.
The Best Metal Guitars Under $500
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The Jackson JS32T Rhoads V – under $400 pro quality shredder
For those who may not be familiar, Jackson is a company that rose to prominence in the early 80’s in the Metal scene, first with the legendary Randy Rhoads and his Jackson Sandoval V guitar. To give an idea of how Jackson and Randy Rhoads cemented themselves into Heavy Metal history, the Sandoval V has been renamed the Rhoads V and has became a staple guitar in the world of Metal ever since.
Back in Metal’s original glory days, Jackson guitars were known for their high-quality instruments, particularly their fast and comfortable necks. And while they have always been a respected brand, I have to admit that I was a bit skeptical when I heard that they were now producing guitars in China.
But boy howdy, I was never so glad to be proven wrong.
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The Jackson JS32T Kelly – Ferrari Red
Jackson’s JS32 Series – I can’t believe it’s not made in USA
These Chinese-made Jacksons are truly something special. The necks on these guitars are as smooth and fast as any I’ve ever played, and the overall quality of the instruments is top-notch. It’s clear that the team at Jackson is taking their craft seriously and putting in the time and effort to ensure that their Chinese-made guitars are just as good as their American-made counterparts.
It’s clear with Jackson’s JS32 series that Jackson has done something that few famous guitar brands are willing to do: they found a way to take advantage of modern technology to build incredibly quality guitars for cheap and then pass the savings onto the customer.
Excellent Review/Demo on entry level Jackson JS32 Kelly from GuitarMAX
More from Jackson’s JS32 Series
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The Jackson JS32T Warrior – Natural Oil
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The Jackson JS32T Kelly – Satin Black
As you can see, you don’t have to break the bank on some overpriced guitar. Shred for less with the best metal guitars under $500.
While today we just went over the Jackson JS32 series of guitars, there are a lot of other options out there to get high quality Shred guitars for cheap. There are even a lot of new brands out there that offer alternatives to the classic names and are real competitors both in quality and price point.
Be sure to check back frequently, as I’ll be covering many more excellent low-priced Shred guitars in the future and even doing some reviews.
Shred on!
-Anton