Guitar starter kits: what's in the box, and what isn't
Packs are usually good value and always incomplete. Here is exactly what arrives and exactly what you will still need.
By Stephen V. · Writes Reed & Rosin · last verified
The short answer
A guitar starter pack typically includes the guitar, a gig bag, a strap, a cable and amp on electric packs, spare strings and picks. What packs almost never include is a setup, a decent tuner, a music stand or a method book — and the setup is the item that most changes how the guitar plays.
Some links on this page earn us a commission at no extra cost to you. It does not change which instrument we recommend, and it does not change the order. We also earn nothing when the honest answer is “rent it” — and we still say so. Full disclosure.
Quick picks
| # | Product | Best for | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Squier Sonic Stratocaster Pack Full-size Strat, 10-watt amp, gig bag, cable and strap in one box. Buying the pieces separately usually costs more and takes three deliveries, so the pack is the honest answer for a first electric. | A complete first electric setup in one box | 9.0/10 | $369.99View on Amazon #ad · price as of September 7, 2026 · how this is funded |
| 2 |  Donner Full-Size Dreadnought Starter Bundle The cheapest honest way into a full-size acoustic with the accessories already in the box. Set expectations: it needs a setup, and the setup may cost a meaningful fraction of the guitar. | The smallest budget that still buys a real guitar | 7.4/10 | $169.99View on Amazon #ad · price as of September 7, 2026 · how this is funded |
| 3 |  Squier Affinity Precision Bass Pack The bass equivalent of the Strat pack, and the right default: a P/J pickup pair covers nearly every style a school or church group will ask for, and the amp is included. | A complete first bass rig | 8.9/10 | $429.99View on Amazon #ad · price as of September 7, 2026 · how this is funded |
Scores are our own editorial fit rating from published specifications — the rubric is on our methodology page. They are not test results; we have not played these instruments.
What is genuinely in the box
| Item | Usually included | Verdict |
|---|---|---|
| Guitar | Always | The reason you bought the pack — judge it on its own merits |
| Gig bag | Almost always | Keep. Thin, but it stops the guitar being scratched |
| Strap | Usually | Keep. Straps are straps |
| Picks | Usually | Keep, and buy more — they vanish |
| Spare strings | Often | Keep. Beginners break strings |
| Cable (electric packs) | Always | Keep. It works |
| Practice amp (electric packs) | Always | Keep for year one, then upgrade |
| Clip-on tuner | Sometimes | Usually the weakest item; a proper tuner is cheap |
| Online lesson code | Often | Check the expiry — many are time-limited from the purchase date |
The four things a pack never includes
A setup. The most important omission, by a wide margin. A pack guitar arrives with whatever action the factory left, and on budget instruments that is frequently too high for comfortable playing. Adjusting it transforms the guitar. Nothing else on this list matters as much.
A music stand. Propping a book on a chair means the player looks down, which rounds the back and, on a seated guitarist, drags the fretting wrist into a bad angle. A stand costs very little and is a posture fix disguised as an accessory.
A method book. The lesson code in the box is usually a trial. A real method book gives structure that a random sequence of YouTube videos does not, and it is the cheapest item on this page.
Somewhere for the guitar to live. A guitar in a bag under a bed is not practiced. A stand in a room people use converts idle minutes into playing time, and it is the accessory with the largest effect on whether the pack was worth buying at all.
Pack or separates?
| Buy a pack when | Buy separately when |
|---|---|
| It is a first electric guitar and you need an amp anyway | You already own an amp, or a better one is in the budget |
| Buying for a child and you want one delivery, complete | You want a specific guitar that is not sold as a pack |
| The total is meaningfully less than the parts | The pack guitar is the compromise rather than the accessories |
| You are testing whether the interest is real | The student has already played for a year |
On acoustic packs the maths is weaker than on electric ones, because an acoustic guitar needs far less to be playable. The main things you are buying are the bag and the convenience.
The one pack upgrade worth making immediately
Replace the bundled tuner. The clip-on included in a pack is typically the cheapest component in the box, slow to settle and imprecise, and an inaccurate tuner is worse than none because the student trusts it. A decent clip-on costs very little and lasts years. Which tuner.
The picks, in full
Every card below is written from the published specification and the manufacturer’s own documentation. We have not played these instruments — see how we work for exactly what that means and what we do instead.
Our top pick · A complete first electric setup in one box
Squier Sonic Stratocaster Pack
Full-size Strat, 10-watt amp, gig bag, cable and strap in one box. Buying the pieces separately usually costs more and takes three deliveries, so the pack is the honest answer for a first electric.
What works
- Everything needed to make a sound on day one, including the amp and cable
- Full-scale Stratocaster body and neck — no outgrowing it
- The 10G amp is small but a real amp, not a toy speaker
What to know
- The included amp has no effects worth speaking of; most players replace it within a year
- Full scale is too much guitar for a small child
- Scale length
- 25.5 in (648 mm)
- Pack contents
- Guitar, 10G amp, gig bag, cable, strap (per listing)
- Fingerboard
- Maple
#ad · price as of September 7, 2026 · how this is funded
Specs read from the manufacturer or retailer listing on 2026-09-07. Our fit score: 9.0/10.
Pick 2 · The smallest budget that still buys a real guitar
Donner Full-Size Dreadnought Starter Bundle
The cheapest honest way into a full-size acoustic with the accessories already in the box. Set expectations: it needs a setup, and the setup may cost a meaningful fraction of the guitar.
What works
- Bundle includes bag, strap, strings, capo and tuner — nothing else to buy
- Full-size dreadnought at an entry price
What to know
- Factory action is usually high; budget for a setup or it fights the player
- Laminate top throughout — tone will not improve with age
- Body
- Dreadnought, full size
- Bundle
- Bag, strap, strings, capo, tuner (per listing)
- Top
- Laminate
#ad · price as of September 7, 2026 · how this is funded
Specs read from the manufacturer or retailer listing on 2026-09-07. Our fit score: 7.4/10.
Pick 3 · A complete first bass rig
Squier Affinity Precision Bass Pack
The bass equivalent of the Strat pack, and the right default: a P/J pickup pair covers nearly every style a school or church group will ask for, and the amp is included.
What works
- P and J pickups together cover far more ground than either alone
- Amp, cable, strap and bag in the box
- Full-scale Precision body — the industry reference shape
What to know
- 34 in scale is a genuine stretch for players under about 12
- The included practice amp will not keep up with a drummer
- Scale length
- 34 in (864 mm), long scale
- Pickups
- Split-coil P plus bridge J
- Pack contents
- Bass, amp, cable, strap, bag (per listing)
#ad · price as of September 7, 2026 · how this is funded
Specs read from the manufacturer or retailer listing on 2026-09-07. Our fit score: 8.9/10.
Questions people actually ask
Are guitar starter packs worth it?
For a first electric guitar, usually yes — the amp and cable are needed anyway and the bundle costs less than the parts. For acoustic the case is weaker, because an acoustic needs very little to be playable, and you are mostly paying for the bag and the convenience.
What does a guitar starter kit include?
Typically the guitar, a gig bag, a strap, picks and spare strings, plus an amp and cable on electric packs. Some add a clip-on tuner and an online lesson code. None includes a setup, which is the item that most changes how the guitar plays.
What is not included in a guitar starter pack?
A setup, a music stand, a real method book, and somewhere for the guitar to live between sessions. The setup is the important one; the others are cheap and are what turn an instrument into a practice routine.
Should I replace the amp that comes with a starter pack?
Not immediately. Pack amps are basic but functional, and they do their job by existing on day one. Around month six, a better practice amp with usable tones and a headphone socket makes practice more enjoyable, which is what keeps it happening.
Sources
We have not played these instruments, so citation is our evidence. Everything above traces back to one of these, on the date shown.