I’ve hand-picked this year’s top beginner guitar, bass and amp Black Friday deals – including $60 off my favorite Squier Strat and $70 off a top-tier Yamaha acoustic

Squier Sonic Stratocaster HT H: was $199, now $139
One of our favorite electric guitars for beginners just got even cheaper. With a slim C-shaped neck and lightweight poplar body, it’s perfect for aspiring rockers, while the single humbucking pickup and hardtail bridge make it a perfect modding platform for more experienced players, too. We called it “a keeper” in our review – and at this price, it’s an absolute no-brainer, especially in two limited-edition finishes: California Blue and Lime Green.

Squier’s Affinity series guitars are Fender-designed and priced to impress, bringing trademark sounds and builds to the budget range. This HSS Strat is a perfectly-apportioned beginner instrument, with a powerful bridge humbucker, bright single coils and a sleek-feeling, fast-moving C-shaped maple neck. Get it in Black or Olympic White, for the 17%-discounted price of $199.99.

A brilliant choice for beginners, the Sterling by Music Man Cutlass has got a super $150 discount at Sweetwater, taking the price down below the $200 mark. Beautifully put together, the HSS pickup configuration makes it ultra-flexible tonally, giving you plenty of humbucker heft for harder styles with single coils for extra versatility.

Next up is the drop-dead-gorgeous Player Strat in Forest Green. It's no secret that we absolutely love the Player Series II and we love them even more when there is $240 off!

Taylor GS Mini-e: was $699, now $599
The irresistibly accessible playability of this compact model makes it one of our favorite acoustic guitars for beginners, one of the all-time classic travel guitars – and one of our favorite acoustics full stop. With a surprisingly rounded sound for its size and a low action, the GS Mini-e will make you want to play more – and its onboard electronics sound killer plugged in, too. It’s rare to see a discount on this perennial favorite, so $100 off at Amazon is not to be missed.

Yamaha F335: was $189.99, now $119.99
Acoustic guitars for beginners simply do not get much better than this – especially with $50 off at Guitar Center. The F335's dreadnought body delivers a deep bass response with a rosewood fingerboard and comfortable neck shape. It features a laminated spruce top with meranti back and sides, and comes in a choice of three finishes: natural, black and Tobacco Brown Sunburst.

Fender CC-60SCE: was $349.99, now $279.99
Perfect for beginners and advanced acoustic players alike, the Fender CC-60SCE in Aged Cognac Burst finish boasts superb playability courtesy of its satin-finished mahogany neck, and a well-balanced tonal response and sleek aesthetic thanks to its all-mahogany build. Plus, a Fishman CD preamp means you can plug in no problem. And in this killer Musician's Friend deal, you can get it for sub-$280.

Even when it isn't on sale, this striking acoustic offers fantastic value for money and with its slim neck it's ideal for beginners. It even comes loaded with Fishman electronics. So, with $49 off for Black Friday, the deal just got even sweeter.

Who says beginner basses need to be boring? The Paranormal Rascal Bass from Squier is somewhat of a Frankenstein’s monster of a bass, combining features from several 1960s-era Fender bass models to concoct an instrument that’s the best of all worlds. Save $100 at Sweetwater.

Featuring an inbuilt two-band active preamp system, Candy Apple Red-finished body, hard maple neck and fingerboard, open-gear tuners and six-point bolt-on neck, the Sterling by Music Man StingRay is a gloriously appointed bass guitar for any beginner. Grab one today for only $299.

When it comes to reliable, well-made beginner bass guitars, you don't get much better than Yamaha - and better get, with it's P/J arrangement of pickups, this bass is sonically versatile too!

The Squier Bronco Bass offers both classic looks and quintessential tone at a very affordable price point, featuring a thin and lightweight body, uber-playable 30" short scale length, die-cast tuning machines and a Squier single-coil pickup for clear, articulate tone. And now, you can get your hands on one along with an amp and accessories for only $329.

Sweetwater Boss Katana sale: Save up to $150
Sweetwater is getting ahead of the game with their early Black Friday sale. You can save up to $150 on select amps in the Katana range, including slightly smaller savings on the new Gen 3 models. With money off amplifiers for both guitarists and bassists, there hasn’t been a better time to snag a bargain on the world’s best-selling amplifier range. Stock will likley be limited and we don’t see these prices sticking around for long.

Fender Mini Deluxe Amp: was $49.99, now $29
This adorable pint-sized version of Fender’s revered Deluxe guitar amps is the ideal gift for the guitarist in your life. It accurately replicates the classic design, right down to the chickenhead knobs and dogbone handle. The Mini Deluxe’s 2” speaker puts out one watt of power, and the amp features controls for Tone, Volume and Gain, plus an onboard headphone output. At just $29 – $20 off the regular price of $49.99 – from Amazon, can you afford not to pick one up?