Is this the perfect beginner Strat? This Harley Benton S-type is so cheap this Cyber Weekend, it’s almost ridiculous

Most of us have noticed that our money doesn’t seem to go as far as it used to, and with inflation persistent and trade tariffs looming, it seems that our guitars aren’t going to get any cheaper any time soon. 

• READ MORE: You can save hundreds on our reviewers’ favourite guitars, amps and effects with these Black Friday deals

But there are still bona fide bargains to be had out there if you look closely, often if you’re prepared to go off the beaten track of the usual big brand suspects. 

Harley Benton has been flying the flag for this sort of thinking for decades now, but in recent years Thomann’s in-house guitar brand has started to earn its own reputation as a producer of impressive bang for buck instruments – and for very little bucks to start off with. 

One such example is this almost scandalously cheap S-type, the ST-62BK Hot Rod. There are no prizes for guessing where this guitar draws its design inspiration from of course, but at barely a hundred quid (reduced by 9% this Cyber Weekend) the fact that exists at all seems a minor miracle. 

Because far from being just a dreadful Guitar-Shaped Object like some ultra-budget guitars, this one has been made of quality materials – there’s a basswood body, Canadian maple neck and laurel fretboard for starters. Then there’s the pickups – a pair of Roswell single-coils in the neck and middle, paired with an intriguing hot rails unit in the bridge. 

The hot rail is quite an interesting thing to have at this price point – for starters it gives some punch and high-gain power that many budget S-types will be lacking, but most remarkably of all, it’s coil split! Yep, there’s a switch on the volume control that enables you to select single- or double-coil mode, giving you even more sonic options. 

All this for less than £120? If you’ve ever been tempted to pick up the guitar, or fancy a budget Strat to mess around with, this might be the most no-brainer Black Friday purchase you’ll ever make. 

But if it’s not for you, then don’t fret – there are so many great Cyber Weekend guitar deals still available, including some great ones from Thomann. Check out our pick of the bunch below: