Video Summary - The best guitar under $250 (are they any good?!)

Product reviewed

The video tests nine electric guitars priced under €250 and ranks them from worst to best to identify the best budget option. (It’s an overall comparison of multiple guitars rather than a single “product” review.)

Key features / what the reviewer evaluates

Setup quality Playability out of the box, including truss rod, action, and intonation.
Feel & ergonomics Neck thickness/comfort, weight, balance, and resonance.
Tuning/intonation reliability Especially on higher frets.
Tone Pickup performance across bridge/neck; suitability for clean, drive, and high gain.
Build/finishing issues Examples include slipping pots/controls, missing parts, or weird finishing (not considered a major theme overall).

Main issues / cons called out

Ibanes Geo (iZ? “ianz goo”)
- Missing pickup selector: arrived without the selector; a piece was found in the box (likely shipping damage).
- After adjustment, it’s unclear how well it performed, but it’s ranked worst—effectively a failure of the test.
Harley Benton S-style Strat
- Uncomfortable massive neck for a Strat-like guitar.
- Setup problems: tuners very stiff and felt painful to use.
- Very heavy and less resonant than expected.
- Tone issues:
  - Bridge pickup shrill/thin
  - Neck pickup low output
  - Overall Strat tone felt dull/lifeless
iZ? (same “ianz …” model)
- Severe neck upbow due to little/no truss rod tension.
- Needed truss rod fix and action lowering; still only a mediocre result.
- Neck feels thin/slim but “wider to my hands”; not super comfortable.
- Tonally, the maple neck/body pairing didn’t provide good resonance/balance (“didn’t feel like friends”).
Epiphone Les Paul (epone L PA)
- Severe intonation issues: high notes sounded out of tune.
- Volume/tone knob slipping, including failure on both controls.
- Fix noted: nut underneath the volume knob helped (suggesting reliability/fit problems).
- Tone:
  - Bridge better than neck
  - Neck pickup too woolly/boomy
  - Lacking articulation
Chord Classic Rock C100
- Intonation issues (especially higher up).
- Tone/build generally OK aside from that.
Les Paul–type “Epiphone SG” competitor
- No major mechanical faults cited; it impressed in tone.
Finishing problems
- Reviewer says most looked decent.
- Finishing issues were not a widespread theme.

Pros / strengths mentioned (unique highlights)

Yamaha Pacifica
- Great feel and balance; unplugged it is resonant.
- Versatile tone: neck pickup full/rich and balanced.
- Ranked tied for first with 8.0.
Epiphone SG
- Lightweight, comfortable feel, no neck dive.
- “Mojo” tone: both neck and bridge pickups were well balanced across clean → drive → high gain.
- Fun guitar that delivers “everything you want from an SG.”
- Ranked tied for first with 8.0.
Squier Affinity Strat
- Plays comfortably with few major downsides.
- Looks good and sounds decent.
- Tone note: less depth/fatness than ideal Strat sound.
- Ranked 7.0.
Squier Bullet Telecaster
- “Just works” feeling: feels and sounds like a Tele despite basic looks.
- Ranked 7.3.
Harley Benton (earlier) has some positives
- Good-looking neck/finish (e.g., “neck looks killer,” lacquer feels nice).
- But overall playability/resonance/tone issues outweighed the positives.
Good setup is a big deal
- Most guitars arrived playable, making them more beginner-friendly.

Tone comparisons made (important)

Strat-style group (Strats/S-style) compared as “how a good Strat should sound”

Winner (within Strat-style expectations): Yamaha Pacifica
- Neck pickup: full/rich and balanced.
Squier Strat: sounds Strat-like but thin; bridge shrill/thin; neck pickup lacks creamy “spank.”
Harley Benton Strat: most disappointing Strat tone—bridge shrill/thin, neck low output, overall dull/lifeless.
Ibanes super-Strat-ish model: pickup response sounded “weird”; neck hollow/out of phase; bridge okay but neck poor.

Les Paul / SG-style comparison

The reviewer felt Classic Rock C100 did Les Paul-style better than the Epiphone Les Paul:
- more beef on the bridge
- neck more articulate
- better output
The Epiphone SG beat other SG/LP-style choices in “mojo” and versatility, especially through pedals.

Ratings / ranking (explicit)

#8 — iZ? / Ibanes Geo (no rating given; effectively worst / “didn’t pass a test”)
#7 — Harley Benton S-style (S-style): 6.2
#6 — Epiphone Les Paul: 6.8
#5 — Squier Affinity Strat: 7.0
#4 — Cort / Port Classic Rock (Port Classic Rock): 7.2
#3 — Squier Bullet Telecaster: 7.3
#2 (tie) — Epiphone SG: 8.0
#2 (tie) — Yamaha Pacifica: 8.0 (The text implies they share the top spot, both getting “eight.”)

User experience / ownership practicality

Most guitars are beginner-oriented because they were generally playable out of the box.
However, several required major setup fixes, including:
- serious truss rod/neck alignment (iZ?)
- action/intonation repairs (Epiphone LP, Classic Rock C100)
- shipping damage / missing hardware (Ibanes Geo missing selector)
Tone quality varied, but the top two felt the most “finished” overall.

Overall verdict / recommendation

Best under €250 picks

Yamaha Pacifica and Epiphone SG (8.0 each): best combination of playability + tone + value.

Avoid / be cautious

Ibanes Geo (worst): missing part and overall failure.
Harley Benton S-style: too heavy, uncomfortable neck, weak resonance, and shrill tone.
Epiphone Les Paul: expect problems with intonation and slipping controls, and a disappointing neck pickup tone.

Bottom line

You can buy a great guitar under €250, but expect some units to need a setup or repairs. For the safest “plug in and enjoy” experience, start with the Pacifica or Epiphone SG.

Speakers / perspectives

Only one primary speaker (the reviewer) is present, and their perspective covers setup, feel, tone, and the final ranking.

The best guitar under $250 (are they any good?!)

Key takeaways