Buying guides
Which one, for the room you actually play in
A hub compares everything in a family. A guide answers one question — a budget, a flat with thin walls, a first instrument for someone who has never played — with a ranked shortlist and a reason for the order.
- Digital pianos
The best first digital piano
Three weighted 88-key pianos for a first purchase, ordered by what has to be bought alongside them rather than by sound count.
- Keyboards
The best beginner keyboard
Three 61-key keyboards, ordered by whether you want a band behind you or a piano in front of you — the choice that decides this category.
- Electric guitars
The best first electric guitar pack
Three starter packs, judged on what is worth keeping after the first month — usually the guitar, sometimes the amp, rarely the rest.
- Acoustic guitars
The best first acoustic guitar
Three acoustics for a first purchase — steel or nylon, full size or small — and the one specification the listings usually leave out.
- Bass guitars
The best first bass guitar
Three basses and bass packs, ordered by the one thing that separates a usable bass rig from a frustrating one: the amplifier.
- Amps
The best practice amp for a flat
Three guitar amps chosen on the feature that decides whether they get used after nine in the evening: the headphone output.
- Electronic drums
The best electronic drum kit for a flat
Three mesh-head kits, ordered by what actually travels through a floor — which is the kick pedal and the rack, not the pads.
- Microphones
The best first recording microphone
Three microphones for a first recording setup, and the single decision — USB or XLR — that determines your next three purchases.
- Audio interfaces
The best audio interface under $200
Three interfaces, compared on simultaneous inputs rather than socket count — the number that decides what you can actually record at once.
- Studio headphones
The best studio headphones
Three closed-back pairs, chosen on impedance and replaceable parts — the two things that decide whether they work with your gear and last a decade.
- Studio monitors
The best studio monitors for a small room
Three pairs of active monitors for a desk, and the room controls that matter more than driver size when the speakers sit against a wall.
- MIDI controllers
The best MIDI controller for a laptop
Three controllers, ordered by what your hands need — pads for beats, faders for mixing, or just keys that fit in a bag.
Prices quoted in these summaries are dated readings. The live price is shown next to each product.