“Some Squier guitars have more flash, panache and personality than many standard Fender guitars”: Why the stigma of budget electric guitars has disappeared over the past 25 years

Squier Sonic Stratocaster HT H.

Whether you call them beginners’, budget, entry-level or student models, the stigma of low-cost guitars has diminished significantly – and perhaps even disappeared – over the past 25 years.

Thanks to rapid advancements in guitar building technology and knowhow, the gap in quality between an affordable guitar and a high-end professional instrument has become narrower than ever.