So you have completed few months of playing acoustic guitar and the chords are coming out beautifully. As a person who feels drawn towards playing the guitar day after day, you now have your eyes on trying the electric guitar. For the budget conscious guitarists in India, even though the options might be endless, this is more of a curse than a boon. Little did we know that abundance in options can become a problem. There are so many models in India now under different brands that offer different specs, colours and even price ranges that are suitable for every guitar enthusiast possible.
One very important thing to address is that we absolutely do not endorse guitars brands or models whose primary offering is being the cheapest. So several electric guitar brands that are available on amazon, Flipkart and other such market places, fall into that category. Even for acoustic guitar we do not suggest a price range below Rs. 6000 and for an electric guitar, definitely not.
Thats where we found 2 electric guitar brands that offer decent specs, finish and sound. The models we are talking about is the Sqoe SEST230 / SEST250 and Magna ST20m / ST30m. These guitars were surprisingly good for the price and we couldn’t ask more in a guitar of this price range.
The reasons why chose to compare these two guitars are:
- Both are strat shape
- Both have HSS pickup configuration
- Both are price under Rs. 12000 in India
- Both are reputed brands
- Both have maple fretboard. Alternate model is available in rosewood.
Starting with the Sqoe Guitars: This is a brand that was available in India in the past and has now made a comeback in the last two years. It’s pretty much an old brand that has been consistently innovating with their product line. These guys make acoustics, electrics, bass and even Drums (under the brand name AVATAR). So we were pretty sure about the expertise. Without any expectations we picked up the SEST230 and SEST250 and we were already pretty impressed with the offerings it made in just Rs. 9500. The guitars had good finish and the sound was impressive too. Under no circumstances we could term it a cheap guitar in terms of feel and sound. The humbuckers pickups packed a punch and the single coils were as clean as a whistle.
Coming to the Magna Guitars: This is a brand that has been making quite some fame ever since its launch. Strydom is the parent company that has been doing the Magna guitar line. They have managed to make beautiful looking acoustics, budget solid tops making the Indian guitarists quite happy. That being said it’s not really an internationally known brand like Sqoe and is quite limited to the fame in India. Magna ST20m is priced around Rs. 11000 in India and the first impression was good. The finish was very satisfactory and the pickups were nice sounding too. The color options suited more guitarists and that is a win in our opinion.
Now let’s talk about comparison and if there is a clear winner here. To be honest this is one of those rare times when a cheaper guitar took the crown. Sqoe sounded much cleaner when we used the clean channel as well as the drive channel. The build quality also seemed a little better than the Magna. However that being said sound is a pretty subjective matter and so are the looks. So for you to decide on the sound we have a full length YouTube video which you can check by clicking HERE.
On the matter of looks, choose the finish you like and there is no right or wrong when it comes to that. In that sense both these guitars are decent and in case you like the sound on the Magna, you should absolutely choose that one. We honestly haven’t found any brand having this quality and sound for this price. In case you would like to push the budget we would definitely suggest you to check out the Sqoe SEST600. Its probably one of the best one out there offering quality sound and finish for just around under Rs. 14000 in India. We are hoping to make a separate review on it with some other competitors.
When you select an electric guitar, know that it doesn’t mark the end of an era of acoustic guitar in your life. Neither is the electric guitar an upgrade from the acoustic guitar. Both are two individually beautiful worlds and as a guitarist it is an amazing feeling to surf both the worlds. One lifetime is probably not enough to experience all the music thats out there in the world, so make sure you make the most of this one :)
Keep Making Music Meaningful <3
