Buying the best electric guitarfor your needs requires a good bit of research before you hit your local music store.
While styles and models differ, the working principles are the same. This is why Music Critic reviewed the top models and brands just for you! If you're looking for a guitar that you can also play without an amp, check out our top 10 list of Acoustic Electric Guitars on a budget. If you've got more cash to play around with, you can see our review on the top electric guitars for under 1000 bucks.
While styles and models differ, the working principles are the same. This is why Music Critic reviewed the top models and brands just for you! If you're looking for a guitar that you can also play without an amp, check out our top 10 list of Acoustic Electric Guitars on a budget. If you've got more cash to play around with, you can see our review on the top electric guitars for under 1000 bucks.
Nevertheless, for your sound to be absolutely pure and of high quality, you need a guitar with excellent features, such as a built in metronome. However, you can always buy a metronome separately.
Table of Contents
Tokai still exists as guitar manufacturer. Tokai made guitars for Fernandes, Mosrite and Fender Japan. Tokai badged guitars included the house brand Tokai as well as Cat's Eyes, Conrad, Drifter, Hondo, Love Rock, Mosrite, Sigma and Silver Star. Possible badges include Artist Ltd., Gaban, Gallan, Gession and Robin. Best Answer: Yamaha and Alvarez have low and high quality guitars. If you want the best quality and workmanship for the money,look up the Blueridge line of guitars. They are hand crafted in China. China and South Korea have companies making fine hand crafted instruments. Washburn has a line of guitars that.
- Electric Guitars Buyers' Guide
Be sure to take into account your skill level, style, and other needs when you're shopping for an electric guitar. With all these details worked out, choosing the best model and make for you will be much easier. Here's everything you need to know.
Looking for something a little bit different? Check out our new review of the top electric violins here.
Your shortcut to our team's top 3 recommendations
Fender Classic Series 72 Telecaster Deluxe Electric Guitar- Has a stunning, classic rock guitar look.
- Excellent for playing rock, especially classic '70s-style rock.
- Given the quality of this Fender, the price tag is exceptionally reasonable.
Our Choice of the Best Electric Guitars of 2019
1. Fender Classic Series 72 Telecaster Deluxe Electric Guitar
Fender is one of the pioneers in guitar production and makes some of the best guitars in the world. The Fender Classic Series 72 Telecaster Deluxe Electric Guitar is another masterpiece by Fender. This midnight black guitar is a real beauty. It comes with humbucking pickups. These wide range pickups actually enable the guitar to be more rock-oriented. It comes with a deluxe gig bag so that you can store it safely and take it with you on the go.
Pros:
+ Has a stunning, classic rock guitar look.
+ Excellent for playing rock, especially classic '70s-style rock.
+ Given the quality of this Fender, the price tag is exceptionally reasonable.
+ Has a stunning, classic rock guitar look.
+ Excellent for playing rock, especially classic '70s-style rock.
+ Given the quality of this Fender, the price tag is exceptionally reasonable.
Why We Liked It - Hey, rock lovers! The Fender Classic Series 72 Telecaster Deluxe Electric Guitar is a guitar you won't want to miss it. Everything about this instrument is perfect, no matter what sort of environment you're playing, the sound you get is amazing.
The Gibson Les Paul Faded T 2019 Electric Guitar is a complete mixture of modern and vintage. It has the 490R and 490T humbuckers and 22 frets, making it great for bending. The nickel hardware of the Gibson Les Paul Faded T 2019 Electric Guitar gives it a traditional look. The slim taper neck of this guitar makes it both easy and fast to play. The Gibson Les Paul is lightweight, which enhances the level of comfort and resonance.
You'll also need a guitar cable, click here for our top picks.
Pros:
+ Gorgeous blend of a modern and vintage-inspired look.
+ Excellent sound quality. This is a total rock guitar.
+ Comes with a padded gig bag.
+ Gorgeous blend of a modern and vintage-inspired look.
+ Excellent sound quality. This is a total rock guitar.
+ Comes with a padded gig bag.
Why We Liked It - Although the Gibson Les Paul Faded T 2019 Electric Guitar is a fairly expensive guitar, with its features and the various perks it has on offer, it's fantastic value for your money.
The PRS S2 Custom 24 Solid-Body Electric Guitar is a serious musical instrument. Wood is the essential component of any guitar and controls the quality of the sound it produces. The PRS S2 Custom 24 uses some of the highest quality woods in its construction. The top is made out of maple, the back and neck of the PRS S2 Custom are mahogany and finally, rosewood is used in the fretboards.
Pros:
+ Beautifully crafted instrument.
+ Excellent playability thanks to the guitar's neck shape.
+ Beautifully crafted instrument.
+ Excellent playability thanks to the guitar's neck shape.
Why We Liked It - From the design to the great sound quality, the PRS S2 Custom 24 Solid-Body Electric Guitar is an amazing instrument to invest in. It's a little more expensive but well-worth spending a few extra bucks on.
The Fender American Special Telecaster Electric is on the list of great guitars manufactured by Fender. The guitar comes in with two Texas Special Tele pickups that actually enable you to play a range of music styles like country, blues, rock or pop. The radius of the fretboard is 9.5 inches, and it has jumbo-sized frets for easy string bending. The satin-finish maple neck of this Telecaster gives it a modern look.
Pros:
+ Has an easy to play feel.
+ Classic high-quality Telecaster sound.
+ Comes with a deluxe gig bag for extra protection.
+ Has an easy to play feel.
+ Classic high-quality Telecaster sound.
+ Comes with a deluxe gig bag for extra protection.
Why We Liked It - The Fender American Special Telecaster Electric guitar is ideal for performing in a gig or a concert.
The Gibson Flying V Pro 2016 T Powered Guitar is made by one of the pioneers in guitar manufacturing. This guitar can satisfy all your needs for playing quality music. The Gibson Flying comes with a mahogany neck and body and a rosewood fingerboard. The body style of this guitar is a classic angular offset, ideal if you want your guitar and your playing style noticed.
Fancy playing bass instead? Click here for the best electric bass guitars we reviewed.
Pros:
+ The playability of the guitar is perfect thanks to its smooth neck.
+ Capable of producing top quality rock music.
+ The playability of the guitar is perfect thanks to its smooth neck.
+ Capable of producing top quality rock music.
Why We Liked It - Fantastic craftsmanship and great sound all at an affordable price. What's not to love?
The Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Electric Guitar is another amazing guitar for producing versatile tones and phenomenal sound. It's available in three colors, black, beach, and white, so you can select the best one according to your personal preference. This guitar has set neck with ultra-access. It also has an 81TW/89 EMG Active pickup.
Pros:
+ This guitar plays as good as it looks.
+ Thanks to its smooth neck, this guitar is easy to play for guitarists of all skill levels and ages.
+ This guitar plays as good as it looks.
+ Thanks to its smooth neck, this guitar is easy to play for guitarists of all skill levels and ages.
+ Incredible value for money.
Why We Liked It - The Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Electric Guitar is worth every penny of the money that you spent on it. It is an amazing guitar with killer looks.
The Epiphone Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar is one of the best guitars you'll find on the market. It's a gorgeous instrument with outstanding sound.This guitar comes in quite a few colors, so you can select the one you like. Let's talk specs. The pickups are Alnico Classic ™ Humbucker; the fretboard is made from rosewood, and the top and body are 100 percent mahogany. All this means one thing: amazing sound which you'll get many hours of enjoyment from.
Looking for a few more strings? Check out our reviews of the top 12 string guitars.
Pros:
+ The sound quality of this guitar is almost unbeatable.
+ Comes with a hard case.
+ The sound quality of this guitar is almost unbeatable.
+ Comes with a hard case.
Why We Liked It - All in all, this guitar is a such a beauty. From its classic rock looks to showstopping sound quality, this guitar is a perfect choice for any guitarist.
The Fender Modern Player Tele Plus Powered Guitar is another classic Telecaster by one of the best in the business. This model comes with a 9.5-inch radius fretboard and is accompanied by 22 jumbo frets. Because of the humbucking bridge pickup, the Tele single-coil neck pickup, and the start middle pickup, this guitar is capable of producing some very versatile tones – perfect if you play different styles of music.
Pros:
+ Beautiful finish.
+ The 9.5-inch radius fretboard makes for smooth playing.
+ Fairly lightweight, making it good for taking to gigs or practice sessions.
+ Beautiful finish.
+ The 9.5-inch radius fretboard makes for smooth playing.
+ Fairly lightweight, making it good for taking to gigs or practice sessions.
Why We Liked It - The Fender Modern Player Tele Plus Powered Guitar offers you the versatility to play different tones and styles and the convenience of being pretty portable. If you love Telecasters, don't hesitate to pick this one up.
Ibanez is a Japanese company which is renowned for producing top quality electric guitars. The Ibanez RG450DX RG Series Electric Guitar is another example of the company's skill at making guitars. This model, with its attractive blue color and shark tooth inlay, is quite the eye-catcher. It has a mahogany neck and body, while the top is made from maple. To finish it off, the fretboard is made from rosewood. The frets are jumbo-sized and the middle pickup is one of Ibanez's own Quantums.
Pros:
+ Amazing pickup sound and versatile tones which means you can play different styles of music.
+ The action of the guitar is light, making it a lot easier to play.
+ Beautiful finish and aesthetic appeal.
+ Amazing pickup sound and versatile tones which means you can play different styles of music.
+ The action of the guitar is light, making it a lot easier to play.
+ Beautiful finish and aesthetic appeal.
Why We Liked It - The Ibanez RG450DX RG Series Electric Guitar is one guitar that will not disappoint you in either the performance or looks department.
The Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Guitar is another great electric guitar by Yamaha. The guitar has a solid alder body with a bolt-on neck that is made out of maple. The fingerboard of the guitar is made out of rosewood. This guitar has separate volume and tone controls with three pickups and five positions and is capable of producing versatile tones, like rock and jazz. This guitar is also available in a number of colors.
Pros:
+ The maple neck helps produce amazing sound quality.
+ Five switches give you a range of tones, perfect for playing different styles of music.
+ Phenomenal value instrument – great quality at an affordable price tag.
+ The maple neck helps produce amazing sound quality.
+ Five switches give you a range of tones, perfect for playing different styles of music.
+ Phenomenal value instrument – great quality at an affordable price tag.
Why We Liked It - The Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Guitar is an all-around solid choice electric guitar which offers great value for money.
Electric Guitars Buyers' Guide
Body Types in Electric Guitars
There are three types of electric guitar bodies:
Solid Body
This is the most common guitar body type. Basically, these guitars are a simple solid slab of wood. They range from simple bodies with single pickups to more detail ones with multiple pickups. They are less resonant, but the tonewoods do have influence over the sound.
Hollow Body
As the name suggests, these guitars have more of a hollow body much like that of acoustic guitars. For this reason, the sound is more resonant than a solid body guitar. They are usually prone to feedback and have an archtop. Since it has a deeper and fuller tone, it's best for jazz.
Semi-hollow Body
Consider this a bridge between the solid and hollow body as they are essentially hollow but have a solid wood center to give more sustain and cut down on the feedback commonly found in hollow guitars. This is particularly a favorite for blues players because of the resonant side with increased sustain. They span genres and can be used for playing jazz, rock, and more.
Pickups
The pickup is probably the most important feature in an electric guitar as it determines the sound. The most common pickup you'll find in electric guitars is the single coil pickup. It is composed of a single magnet wrapped in a fine wire which catches the strings' vibrations and converts them into an electrical signal. These pickups produce a crisper sound, so if you want that clean, bright sound, this pickup is the best choice for you. However, some guitarists don't prefer these because they produce a humming sound and are vulnerable to interference.
Humbuckers are found on most quality guitars and are designed to reduce humming. They also have characteristics that single coil pickups don't have. A humbucker is essentially two single coils joined together with polarities facing in opposite directions. They produce thicker and louder sounds compared to a single coil. These are particularly good for rock and jazz guitarists.
There is a third pickup which is not as common as the other two, the piezo pickup. They are crystalline sensors found in the saddle of the guitar. These are good for giving the sound an acoustic effect because they use mechanical vibration instead of magnetic.
Active Pickups
Some electric guitars have active pickups with batteries and a preamp. This usually provides more control over the sound via filters and equalization. They usually have higher outputs and a cleaner, clearer sound. However, most guitars use passive pickups.
Guitar Neck
The neck has a lot to do with the sound mainly because it affects the guitarists’ comfort. It houses the fretboard and the headstock which has the tuners. The commonly used neck woods are:
Maple: This is dense and strong great for a bright sound with sustain.
Mahogany: This produces a warmer sound and is usually found on acoustic guitars.
The neck affects the playability of the guitar. The important consideration here is the width and depth of the neck. It should complement the player’s hand’s size. As a general principle, players with smaller hands should go for a shallower neck while those with bigger hands can go for wider ones.
Types of Necks
Bolt on: This neck is bolted to the body and is usually seen on cheaper electric guitars. This type of construction has less resonant sound and less sustain. However, it is easy to replace them so you can keep your guitar as good as new.
Set necks: These necks are glued to the body then clamped down so the glue dries and sets. This is a much more stable neck and has better sustain and resonance. However, it is hard to repair them.
Neck through: It is a laminated neck and has wings and fins glued to it. This has the highest sustain out of all the neck types. Repairing it is difficult, but wouldn't require total replacement. If you are looking for a lot of resonance then this is the one for you.
Neck Profiles
This is all about personal preference. You can say that electric guitars have been more experimental in this area, providing profiles for guitarist’s specific needs. The C-shape remains common, but an oval type is also becoming popular. The U-profile found on Fender guitars has been favored by many guitarists. Some even like the V-profile because it's more comfortable for them. Study these profiles and see which one suits your hand size the best. It should be easy for you to move from fret to fret.
Scale Lengths
Essentially, all electric guitars are small scale only. Longer scales have tighter tension and a brighter shimmer. Shorter scales have less tension so you can bend strings. The 24.75-inch scale like that on Gibson or Fender’s 25.5 are both short scale. This sort of design allows warmer tones and enhances the playability of the guitar.
Tonewoods
There is a common misconception that on electric guitars, the sound is all about the pickup and the wood doesn't really play a role in it. Au contraire. The wood significantly affects the sound through the resonance of the string vibrations. This is why knowing the tonewood of the guitar is important.
Mahogany
Mahogany is a softwood used in many high-quality guitars for both body and neck. This tonewood is resonant and is mostly found on bass guitars. It has a rich tone and very good sustain.
Maple
This is the most common type of tonewood and mostly found in the neck. It has a bright tone. Maple is also used for lamination on some expensive guitars. Because it's a hardwood, maple is used for top wood on archtops and fretboards.
Alder and Ash
Alder and ash have similar characteristics; they're both highly resonant. They're used in solid body guitars for this very reason. Ash is a light colored wood and found mostly on high-end guitars.
Ebony
Ebony is used on fretboards of some of the most expensive guitar models. It is hard, dense and is black in color.
Rosewood
Rosewood is the most commonly used wood for fretboards. It is harder than mahogany and comes in a variety of shades. If used in the body, it makes the guitar quite heavy.
Number of Frets
Most electric guitars have 22 frets on the fretboard. Some even have 24 frets where you can get a full octave above that of the 12 fret. The fretboard wood is important here because it has to be hard. Rosewood is the most common.
Tuning Machines
Tuners or tuning machines are located on the headstock and are used to adjust string tension. These have to be high-quality and protected from rusting or corrosion. You will find chrome-plated tuners on good quality guitars. Some tuners are lockable at the nut and bridge.
Sound
The guitar you choose should support the style you are going for. There is no direct formula to it as every little detail affects the sound. You need to get a guitar that suits your playing styles. Don't forget to look at details like the tonewood, pickups, and strings. Some guitars may look great and may be a great price, but lack the right sound for your needs.
Pricing
Prices for electric guitars vary greatly but generally, you can find good quality guitars over $100. Guitars with more features will cost more. Those at the higher end start off at $500 and can cost upwards of $1000. It all depends on your budget and needs. High-end guitars are usually made from top quality woods and have propriety hardware from the best makers.
Great Value
Looking for value for money? Check out the Gibson Les Paul Faded T 2019. First off, it is a remarkable looking piece of art. Then, of course, is the amazing sound quality. It has 490R and 490T humbuckers and a slim taper neck profile to provide convenience and comfort. It is versatile in terms of sound. This is one guitar that you'll be happy playing for many years tocome.
Electric Guitars for Beginners
If you're a newbie buying an electric guitar, there are a few important things to keep in mind. The size of the guitar is a key factor when you're looking to pick up your first electric. A bigger neck will likely be uncomfortable and impede your learning. You'll want to purchase something comfortable and easy to tune.
For a beginner level guitarist, buying an expensive guitar is probably not the best idea. Go for a decent quality guitar with good pickups, high-quality strings, and the tonewood that suits the style you're looking to master.
If you've been playing for a while and have a more advanced playing level, you can invest in a higher quality, more expensive instrument. As your skills advance, so should the quality of the guitar and that means a bigger price tag.
Top Pick
The Fender Classic Series 72 Telecaster Deluxe Electric Guitar, Maple Fingerboard is our hands down, all-around top pick. It has all the parts you need to produce the most beautiful sound. As a Fender, you know you're getting top quality. Just take into account the humbuckers or the Strat headstock. This guitar is based on the Classic series 72 and has that 70’s rock vibe to it. For even more good vibes, check out the top 10 Uni-vibe pedals here. The C-shaped neck together with the alder body looks absolutely stunning.
Premium Choice
If you're not limited by a tight budget and just want something truly awesome, then go for Fender American Special Telecaster, Maple Fingerboard, Vintage Blonde. It's made from premium materials, including the Texas Special Tele pickups. It's great for achieving both classic and contemporary tones. As far as looks go, this guitar is absolutely stunning, with a satin finish and color choices of blonde, blue, and sunburst. It has jumbo frets which make it even easier to play. In our opinion, this is one of Fender's masterpieces.
Can You Learn to Play the Guitar on an Electric Guitar?
While many folks start off on an acoustic, you can learn to play the guitar on electric as well. Learning any instrument takes years of practice and a lot of hard work. Whether you choose to learn on an acoustic or an electric guitar is a matter of personal preference. Some people find it easier to learn on an electric because the strings are much thinner than an acoustic. Electric guitars also have slimmer necks, which is more convenient if you have smaller hands. All this being said, acoustic guitars tend to be less expensive and they don't need extra equipment. Do your research and weigh up your options before making a decision. Be sure to hit your local music store and try out different guitars to see which fits your needs best.
Can You Play an Electric Guitar Without an Amplifier?
There's no real point in playing an electric guitar without an amplifier unless you're practicing at home and don't want to disturb anyone. Although there are hard body electric guitars that can be played without an amplifier, most require an amp of some sort. There are some semi-acoustic guitars that can be played with or without an amplifier if you want a little more flexibility. But if you're planning on performing at all, you'll want to use an amp with your electric guitar to hear the ins and outs of how you sound.
Can You Use a Capo With an Electric Guitar?
Yes, you can use a capo for electric guitar. There are quite a few advantages of using a capo. The capo is used to make the length of the strings on the fingerboard equivalent to each other. This actually makes the guitar sound a bit higher than it would if you were playing it with open strings.
Capos are used to make the tone of the guitar brighter. The higher up the neck you place it, the brighter the sound. If you are playing a song that requires a lot of stretching of the hand a capo can come in handy.
Which Amp is Best for an Electric Guitar?
How your electric guitar is going to sound is highly dependent upon the amp you use with it. A cheap amp won't perform that well and may dampen the sound of your guitar, regardless of how good or expensive your guitar might be. This means choosing the best amp for your guitar is really important. There are some factors that you should keep in mind before going for an amp which we've listed below.
Always Test the Amp With Your Own Instrument
Whenever you head out to buy an amp, be sure to take your own instruments with you to get an accurate picture of how it'll sound on the different amps you're considering.
Tube Solid State or Digital
This is totally a matter of personal preference. The tube solid state amps deliver a much more refined sound compared to the sound of digital amps. If you are looking to cut your cost, digital amps might be the right choice for you.
Size of the Amp
You have to be very particular about your amp size. Having a 100-watt amp in a small studio apartment invites hassle from neighbors. Similarly, if you are performing in an open-air environment and your amp is just 10-watts, prepare to have your audience vastly underwhelmed. Choose your amp size based on where it is going to be used.
Tone and Volume
Amps have knobs to control the tone and volume. They should be easy to access so you can adjust them quickly and without hassle.
Speakers
The speakers are an essential component of an amp because this is where your sound comes from. The size of the speakers should be given the same consideration as the size of the amp.
Did The Beatles Use Electric Guitars?
Yes, The Beatles used electric guitars. The band was formed in 1960. At the time, electric guitars were relatively uncommon, but they used somewhat of an electric guitar. The two guitarists of the band, John Lennon and George Harrison, both used the Gibson J-160E, an acoustic guitar which had an electric pickup at the fretboard's base. At a later stage, they switched to fully electric guitars, Casinos by Epiphone.
Who Invented the Electric Guitar?
It was the 20th century when technology really started to flourish and its impact was felt in every aspect of life. Music and musical instruments were no exception. Many people think that Les Paul invented the first electric guitar, but this isn't true.
There's an ongoing debate as to who invented the first electric guitar and many different opinions. George Beauchamp, a musician, and Adolph Rickenbacker, an electrical engineer, who made the first amplifiable electric guitars back in 1932.
Thanks to these two geniuses, we've gotten to experience great artists like Les Paul, Eric Clapton, Slash, and others do their thing on the electric guitar, inspiring generations of budding guitarists, perhaps like yourself.
So there you have it! Our top picks of the best electric guitars of 2019.
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We love guitars, they are definitely one of the best instruments of all time. What we don’t love is spending crazy amounts of money. We decided to find out what the best electric guitar under 1000 dollars is. Most often when it comes to musical instruments, you can’t expect budget beginners’ instruments to be as good as the best ones that cost ten times as much, but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t bargains to be found. For any skill levels looking for new acoustic guitars click here. If you want the best of both worlds, consider looking at our review of the top acoustic electric guitars.
Blind test videos have become popular, where you can listen to expensive instruments and cheap electric guitars and see if you’re able to guess which is which. Sometimes you can really hear a difference, but other times it’s hard to tell, and the price difference doesn’t match the sound difference. Watching these videos made us curious.
Table of Contents
- What is the Leading Electronic Guitar in 2019?
- Budget Electric Guitar Buying Guide
We wanted to find electric guitars that sound as good as possible and in a blind test would make anyone hesitant. We must advice you to not only take our word for it, though. When buying a new guitar you should always try it out and compare it to other guitars. Even if it on paper might look like a guitar must be the best one for you, that might not be the case when you actually try it out. The sound might be great, the brand famous and the price ok, but you need to be able to feel like the guitar is an extension of you, and the only way to make sure of that is to try before you buy.
This doesn’t mean that our reviews are of no use to you, because there are so many electric guitars out there, and if you know what to look for when you get to the music shop and have a few models in mind, then that makes it a lot easier. And of course, if you don’t have a music shop nearby and need to order one online it’s always good to do your research. It’s a good thing we’ve already done that for you, then!
If you are in the market for an electric instrument, and want to try something new - look at our guide on the top electric violins of 2019!
Your shortcut to our team's top 3 recommendations
Fender Classic Series '50s Stratocaster- Vintage-looking, classic electric guitar
- Available in Surf Green, Daphne Blue and Fiesta Red
- Nice sound
What is the Leading Electronic Guitar in 2019?
Let’s start off with a real classic for a classic player! This Fenders vintage modified style Strat hss has captured the happy way of the 50’s, available in Surf Green, Daphne Blue and Fiesta Red and it’s a guitar that just makes your life a litter bit more worth living. The design is very much like the 1950’s electric guitars, from the soft V-shaped neck, maple fretboard and 8-hole pickguard down to the smaller things, like the knobs and the switch tip- everything just brings us back!
This is one of the best guitars according to many guitarists and there are many reasons for that! It has a nice weight, not too heavy, not too light, and it’s comfortable to play. If you want to find a good guitar but don’t really know what to look for this is a safe choice, you will most likely love this guitar, especially if you like vintage-looking things! Go wireless on stage with this guitar, with one of these awesome wireless guitar systems.
Pros:
+ Vintage-looking, classic electric guitar
+ Available in Surf Green, Daphne Blue and Fiesta Red
+ Nice sound
+ Vintage-looking, classic electric guitar
+ Available in Surf Green, Daphne Blue and Fiesta Red
+ Nice sound
Why We Liked It - Unless you’re looking for an electric guitar to play genres like heavy metal, chances are you would love this guitar. It just makes us happy and it’s hard to put it down. Fender is a good brand and they offer guitars of very high build quality. It’s available in green, blue and red, so you can really get a guitar that matches your personality and music.
Next up is another electric guitar from Fender Standard, namely the American Special Telecaster. This one has two Texas Special Tele pickups and it’s perfect for great American genres like country, rock and blues. This American Special Telecaster has a lovely alder body and the neck is maple. Just like number one on our list, the 50’s Stratocaster, it’s vintage-looking, but the Vintage Blonde model we’re reviewing looks vintage in a cooler, less sentimental way.
The sound of this guitar is probably the best among all guitars we’ve tried, at least if you want to play music that requires a traditional electric guitar sound. It also works well for pop, so the only kind of music that it’s not super good for are the heavier genres.
We like the feel of this guitar, it’s of course a very personal experience, but it’s easy to connect with this guitar and feel like it’s your own.
Pros:
+ Perfect for country, rock and blues
+ Vintage-looking
+ Wonderful to play
+ Perfect for country, rock and blues
+ Vintage-looking
+ Wonderful to play
Why We Liked It - This is a guitar that must be experienced. The guitar looks nice, it feels nice and most importantly, it sounds nice! It’s amazing that you can get a guitar like this for just under $1000, because it has a really exclusive, expensive aura around it, that makes us want to continue playing all day long!
The next guitar is a real beauty with its rosewood fretboard materials and mahogany body. This model is similar to the Les’ 1952 original and it really looks like the real deal. The maple top is lighter and slimmer than many other, which is good because who needs that extra weight anyway?
The guitar has two Alnico V Humbucker pickup configurations and you can adjust the tone and volume on both. It also features a LockTone Tune-o-matic bridge and a StopBar tailpiece.
Epihone have been making instruments since 1873 and it’s easy to tell, you can feel from this guitar that they know what they’re doing! Even if this is a good guitar in every way it’s slightly cheaper than the previous ones we’ve looked at, so if you want to find an electric guitar that doesn’t break the bank, this is one of the best ones.
Pros:
+ Made from mahogany and rosewood
+ Copy of Les’ 1952 original
+ Affordable
+ Made from mahogany and rosewood
+ Copy of Les’ 1952 original
+ Affordable
Why We Liked It - We’re thrilled that there are bargains like this to be found! It’s a really good guitar that sounds just as good as the other guitars on this list and it looks and feels like it would be much more expensive than it is. It’s light as well, so that you can play as long as you like standing up! We’re in love with this guitar!
If you feel like finding a guitar that is slightly unique, then this might be it!
This is not just a well sounding guitar, but the first thing that strikes us is the appearance. Ok, we know it’s wrong to judge a book by its cover, but we just can’t help ourselves!
The reason why we love this guitar so much is that the top is made from koa wood. What is koa? It’s a Hawaiian wood that has a very special look to it, with an unusual grain pattern. When you have a guitar top made from koa like this, it just looks very organic and natural, so if you don’t like the plastic-fantastic style, then this is the best way to go!
The question is, does koa do anything for the sound, or is it just for the esthetics? The material in instruments always affects the tone, and koa makes the tone brighter while still being deep and satisfying. Sound is always hard to describe in words, because we experience sound differently, but if you’re curious about what it sounds like, just check it out on YouTube.
Pros:
+ Lifetime warranty
+ Beautiful koa top
+ High-quality
+ Versatile
+ Lifetime warranty
+ Beautiful koa top
+ High-quality
+ Versatile
Why We Liked It - This is a beautiful guitar that sounds amazing, the tone is bright thanks to the Hawaiian koa top and this tone is wonderful for both cheery pop, moody jazz and pretty rock. If you want a guitar that will constantly make people give you compliments, this is the best one for the job.
Next up is this beautiful standard Telecaster from Fender. All the words in the name are words that appeal to us. Fender is a well-renowned brand that most guitarists consider a safe option that delivers great guitars. The next word, ‘Deluxe’, suggests that this particular guitar is a little bit better than all the rest, and then we have Nashville, which makes all country enthusiasts curious.
But is the Fender Deluxe really as good as the name suggests? We certainly think it is! Even though it would be easy to just write it off as an electric guitar for country music, it’s actually really versatile and can be used for any other genre as far as we’re concerned. This is thanks to two vintage noiseless pickup configurations, one on the neck and one on the bridge, and a strat pickup in the middle.
We’re also happy that this Fender Deluxe guitar has locking tuners, that make it easier to change the electric guitar strings and also make the guitar stay better in tune.
But what about the ‘Deluxe’ bit? What’s so deluxe about it? Well, for example a deluxe gig bag is included, which we really like!
Pros:
+ 2 vintage noiseless pickups, 1 strat pickup
+ 12” radius fingerboard
+ Versatile
+ Deluxe gig bag included
+ 2 vintage noiseless pickups, 1 strat pickup
+ 12” radius fingerboard
+ Versatile
+ Deluxe gig bag included
Why We Liked It - Whether you want to find an electric guitar to play sweet country tunes or something completely different, this is a great guitar! It’s extremely versatile and is therefore one of the best ones we’ve tried for beginners so far. That doesn’t mean it can suit more advanced musicians and many other skill levels as well, but especially for beginners, versatility is key.
Everybody who are into punk, metal and hard rock in general should take a look at this beauty! If you have been longing for the Synyster Gates Custom but just can’t afford it, this is a more affordable option that still has the most important features and looks pretty much the same as the Avenged Sevenfold guitarist’s guitar.
There are just a few minor differences. For example it has a bolt-on mahogany neck instead of a set neck, and the fretboard is made of rosewood rather than expensive ebony. We don’t really care about that, since rosewood actually is really good for fretboard since it’s naturally oily. You don’t want a super dry fretboard. It’s good for the sound too, since it captures some extra overtones that make your tone fuller, nothing goes to waste!
We love the glossy all black finish with the characteristic silver pinstripes. Some things that are included in this model as well as the original are “SYN” and DeathBat inlays and a Floyd Rose tremolo (grab a tremolo pedal).
This is the coolest electric guitar ever! And if you needed another reason, it comes with a really nice electric guitar case included as well.
Pros:
+ Black with silver pinstripes
+ Great for metal, punk and hard rock
+ Rosewood fretboard
+ Case included
+ Floyd Rose tremolo
+ Black with silver pinstripes
+ Great for metal, punk and hard rock
+ Rosewood fretboard
+ Case included
+ Floyd Rose tremolo
Why We Liked It - If you’re at all familiar with this guitar’s big brother we don’t really have to tell you how great it is. This is the best guitar to go for if you want something really cool to match your heavy music. Both the design and the sound are awesome, and a high-quality case is included.
Some of us don’t want to spend our money on a guitar that is seemingly just like every other guitar you’ve ever seen. We want it to be something special, there’s got to be a thought behind it. If this is the case with you, the Yamaha RevStar might be what you’re looking for!
London and Tokyo’s vintage street-racing motorbikes have inspired the designers, and the guitars from the Revstar collection look and sound accordingly. The idea is to have a diverse range of guitars so that you can be sure to find one that suits you perfectly. They even claim that this guitar is so good that you will consider it to be your other half (maybe even your better half).
If a guitar is going to be our other half it has got to be comfortable to play. Does that fit in on this one? It sure does! It would be easy to assume that if they have spent so much time making it look good they probably didn’t have time to make it ergonomic, but that’s exactly what they’ve done! The guitar has a deep belly cut, a hidden forearm contour and a neck joint that makes it easy to play high up on the fretboard.
This guitar is a pleasure to play, both because it sounds amazing and because it’s super comfortable!
Pros:
+ Design inspired by street-racing motorbikes
+ Very comfortable to play
+ Amazing sound
+ Dry switch
+ Design inspired by street-racing motorbikes
+ Very comfortable to play
+ Amazing sound
+ Dry switch
Why We Liked It - Wow, we really like this electric guitar! It feels really unique to play, since they’ve really designed it to be played for hours, and it’s sound is perfectly balanced and versatile. But the best thing is probably the way it looks, it’s just so beautiful! This is the best guitar to go for if you want something unique!
If you want a classic looking (and sounding!) cutaway electric guitar, this Godin 5th Avenue CW might be it! This guitar brings us all the way back to the 50’s and makes us truly nostalgic, even though we weren’t even born then! It’s made in North America, which we guess means Canada, since it also has a Canadian silver leaf maple neck.
Even though this guitar replicates the old-school 50’s guitars, the sound is slightly different in the sense that it has better projection and volume in the lows and mids, so that the highs don’t stand out like crazy, making this guitar suitable both for solos and accompaniment.
This electric guitar features two Godin Kingpin P90 singlecoil pickups that will give you that lovely vintage tone in a slightly upgraded way.
This guitar is best suited for genres like jazz, blues and rock.
A nice hollow bodied guitar suitable case is included, which makes this guitar a real bargain, actually!
Pros:
+ Cutaway electric guitar
+ 1950’s vintage tone
+ The best guitar for jazz and blues
+ Hollow Body
+ Single coil pickup configurations
+ Cutaway electric guitar
+ 1950’s vintage tone
+ The best guitar for jazz and blues
+ Hollow Body
+ Single coil pickup configurations
Why We Liked It - This is a really nice guitar that both sounds and looks vintage, but it’s much nicer to play. It’s perfect for genres like jazz, blues and rock and since it’s got a hollow body, you get a really nice, organic tone. If you like music from the 1950’s, look no further, this is likely the best guitar for you!
We’ve saved a couple of amazingly good guitars for the end of our list so you won’t fall asleep so close to the end. This Epiphone Les Paul Standard is one of them. We have a hard time understanding how anybody who tries this guitar can even look at another one!
The sound this guitar is able to produce is very versatile, and the tone and volume knobs together with the wonderful Epiphone Ceramic PRO mod pickups make it possible to get a very wide range of tone qualities without the use of pedals.
Another great thing about this guitar is the Min-ETune system that offers 16 tuning presets. This not only makes it super quick to tune your guitar for everyday use, it’s also great if you need to tune your guitar up or down. It saves you a lot of work and time! It’s also a feature that makes these electric guitars for beginners who don’t know how to tune their guitar, and even if they of course can use a tuner this is still a faster option.
Pros:
+ Min-ETune system for automatic tuning
+ Very versatile
+ Affordable
+ Good beginner electric guitar
+ Min-ETune system for automatic tuning
+ Very versatile
+ Affordable
+ Good beginner electric guitar
Why We Liked It - It’s hard not to like this guitar. The music making opportunities are endless and it feels great to play. It’s good-looking and high-quality and the automatic tuning is a wonderful feature as icing on the cake. This is an instrument that is very affordable considering how good it is!
Our first impression of this guitar was that something must be wrong. Surely this guitar is way more expensive than we thought? We doublechecked and the truth is that it’s just incredible value for money. Both the design and the sound are wonderfully good and we understand why Schecter describe their Schecter Hellraiser guitars as having “raised the bar on sight, sound, quality and affordability”- we totally agree!
This Hellraiser C1 guitar features a mahogany body and a quilted maple top and abalone gothic cross inlays. It looks and feels fantastic! A couple of things that make it sound even better are the locking tuners, that keep it in tune, and the EMG noise-cancelling scheme that makes sure that the only sound the guitar makes is the music you’re playing.
Pros:
+ Quilted maple top
+ Mahogany body
+ Versatile
+ Affordable
+ Good-looking
+ Quilted maple top
+ Mahogany body
+ Versatile
+ Affordable
+ Good-looking
Why We Liked It - Even if this isn’t the cheapest guitar on our list, we think the Schecter Hellraiser is the best bargain! To get this much guitar for so little money is almost incomprehensible and we feel like a million bucks when we play it! It not only looks good, it sounds fantastic, and you can be sure to impress everyone who hears you play with this wonderful instrument!
Electric Guitar Buyers Guide
1. Top Pick - Fender Classic Series '50s Stratocaster
The time has come for us to take a look at our Top Pick, Premium Choice and Great Value. For our Top Pick we wanted to find an electric guitar that pretty much any guitarist would be happy with. We wanted one with a very classic guitar sound that reminds us of the good old days, but still functional for modern music.
The guitar we decided to go with is Fender’s Classic Series ‘50s Standard Stratocaster.
This guitar is perfect no matter if you’re a beginner or have been playing for many years. The design is vintage at its best, with a lovely soft V-shaped neck and great colors, namely Surf Green, Daphne Blue and Fiesta Red. This guitar has a very traditional look that most people like. True, some people would feel that it’s a little bit too mainstream, but others would reason that hey, if it’s good enough for everybody else, it’s good enough for me!
We selected this guitar as our Top Pick because it’s an instrument that could suit anybody. It has everything you need from your electric guitar and it’s easy to play. A good classic that will stay with you for many years to come. It suits both beginners and guitarists who have been playing for a while. True, a professional guitarist would buy something pricier, but if you’re not super picky this guitar will do perfectly well!
2. Premium Choice - Fender American Special Telecaster
Choosing a guitar for our Premium Choice isn’t that easy when they’re all pretty much in the same price range. What did we take into consideration when we picked Fender’s American Special Telecaster as the guitar that stands out from all the rest?
We believe a Premium Choice isn’t just about how much you’ve spent on a product, it has to offer extraordinary build quality and a luxury feeling in order to belong in this category.
Our very first impression of the American Special Telecaster was that it’s such a good guitar. There is just something about it that feels remarkable. It’s hard to point to one particular thing, what does it is the combination of design, sound and feeling. We love the alder body and the maple neck that makes your music sound great, and the Texas Special pickups make everything we play on this guitar sound amazing.
The vintage-looking design is stunning and truly something we would love to hang on the wall to show off to guests! Be prepared to get plenty of compliments!
The feeling you get every time you play this guitar is what makes it a Premium Choice. And the wonderful tone too, of course!
This is the perfect guitar for people who want to treat themselves to an amazing guitar without having to eat porridge and drink water for three months. If you buy this guitar you will have an awesome instrument and money left to buy food! It doesn’t get much better than that!
We believe a Premium Choice isn’t just about how much you’ve spent on a product, it has to offer extraordinary build quality and a luxury feeling in order to belong in this category.
Our very first impression of the American Special Telecaster was that it’s such a good guitar. There is just something about it that feels remarkable. It’s hard to point to one particular thing, what does it is the combination of design, sound and feeling. We love the alder body and the maple neck that makes your music sound great, and the Texas Special pickups make everything we play on this guitar sound amazing.
The vintage-looking design is stunning and truly something we would love to hang on the wall to show off to guests! Be prepared to get plenty of compliments!
The feeling you get every time you play this guitar is what makes it a Premium Choice. And the wonderful tone too, of course!
This is the perfect guitar for people who want to treat themselves to an amazing guitar without having to eat porridge and drink water for three months. If you buy this guitar you will have an awesome instrument and money left to buy food! It doesn’t get much better than that!
3. Great Value - Epiphone Les Paul custom Cherry Sunburst
If you want to spend as little as possible but still get a really good guitar there’s always Epiphone’s Les Paul custom pro Cherry Sunburst! Bargain alert!
We’ve been really picky when selecting all the guitars for our list, we’ve only included guitars that sound and look fantastic, and this guitar is no exception!
We love the color of this Les Paul Custom Pro guitar, it makes us feel like rock stars and it feels almost wrong to play this guitar without wearing sunglasses.
The guitar has a rosewood fingerboard, which is a good material since it’s so oily, meaning that your fingers can slide all they want without any unnecessary friction.
The solid body is made from mahogany and the top from maple, and it’s light and slim, so that you don’t get easily tired if you’re playing for a long period of time. The design is very similar to their 1952 original guitar, but it still manages to feel fresh and fun, even though it looks like it’s over 60 years old.
This electric guitar is wonderful when it comes to the sound as well, the two Alnico V Humbucker pickup configurations do a great job picking up your tone and you can also adjust the tone and volume.
This guitar has everything you need as a beginner, but the best thing about it must be the price!
Budget Electric Guitar Buying Guide
What to look for in an Electric Guitar for Beginners?
Are you looking for your very first electric guitar? There are a few things to keep in mind and we’ll give you a few tips to remember when you’re hunting for the best guitar for you!
When consulting our buying guide, the first thing you need to think about is your budget. How much can you afford to spend? Generally speaking, musical instruments tend to get better the more expensive they get, although this is of course not always the case. And even if you would buy a really expensive guitar you might not be experienced enough to notice how good it is.
We would recommend that you, for your first guitar, spend between $500-$1000. This price range is good, because you know that you will be getting a guitar that is made for some serious music making (which the cheapest ones out there just aren’t). Of course, you don’t want to spend this much money on something you’re not even sure you will be using a year from now, so if you aren’t that serious about learning to play the guitar it might be a good idea to go for an even cheaper option.
On the other hand, if you know that you have spent a decent amount of money on something, you’re more likely to keep using it, so that you didn’t pay that much in vain. Getting a proper guitar from the start also means that you don’t have to get another one as soon as you get a little bit better and start to notice that maybe your $50 guitar wasn’t that amazing after all.
Another thing you might want to remember when getting your very first electric guitar is that you will need some other equipment to go with it. You might need a music stand, an amplifier, a mic for the guitar amp (click for a full guide), different pedals, and so on. While these things are normally not included with your guitar purchase, you might at least get a nice case to keep and carry your guitar in.
Cases are not always included, however, but if you want to save some money on that, it might be a good idea to find a guitar that comes with a case.
One of the most important things when choosing your guitar is, of course, the sound - read the study on electric guitar sounds. It’s best if you’re able to try different guitars out in a music shop, and the staff there will most likely be happy to present you with different options that are good for beginners. There you will also have the chance to see how the different guitars feel to play and have the opportunity to ask the staff if you have any questions or need any advice.
If you’re a beginner you might not feel like you know enough to be able to test play different guitars, but play whatever you know and see if you notice any difference. If you only know a few chords or even “Smoke on the Water”, then play that, it’s better than nothing! Don’t care about the staff hearing you play, they’re used to it and are probably just happy to have a potential customer.
What if you don’t have a music shop nearby and need to order a guitar online? Our recommendation is that when you have read through our list of the best guitars, select a few that you’re interested in, and look them up on YouTube. There you can watch (and listen to!) great reviews where you can hear the guitar be played and get someone else’s opinion on it. Try listening to the different guitars directly after each other so you can determine which one sounds the best.
Which genre you are going to play should also determine which kind of electric guitar you go for, they have very different tones and looks.
If you are buying a guitar for a kid, it might be good to know that there are smaller electric guitars, especially for children. If it’s a small child, it might be really difficult to reach on a full-size guitar. The best way of determining what size you need is to try different sizes in a music shop or ask the guitar teacher what he or she recommends. If your kid grows quickly and you can’t be bothered or can’t afford to get a new guitar every year there is always the option of renting a guitar until your kid is big enough to play on a full-size guitar.
What is the most versatile Electric Guitar under 1000?
One of the most versatile electric guitars we encountered when putting together our list is ESP’s LTD EC-1000 KOA. Koa is a Hawaiian wood that the top of this guitar is made from, and it has very special sound qualities. It makes the tone very bright, crisp and clear, but at the same time, it’s full of life and depth. We immediately thought that the sound reminded us of a ukulele or some other happy little stringed instrument, and the sound can easily bring us back to summer evenings around a campfire.
But it would be a mistake to think that this guitar is only suitable for Jason Mraz strumming and happy songs because it’s just as good for heavy metal! That sweet little tone can easily be transferred to heavy music, or why not pop jazz or blues? In other words, this guitar is extremely versatile and is the best option for musicians who play many different types of music and want a guitar that works well for pretty much everything.
What are the Top Electric Guitar Brands?
There are many good brands that make electric guitars, so we’ve selected a few brands that we think you should learn a little bit more about!
Choosing a famous brand is most often a guarantee that you will get a good electric bass or guitar.
We’ll start with Gibson USA, more notably the Gibson Les Paul Custom Pro. Gibson USA is an American brand that many are familiar with. Some of their famous guitars are the Les Paul, Flying V, and Firebird. Their guitars are amazing and beloved throughout the world, so much so that there has been a big demand for cheaper, but still good, copies.
That leads us to Epiphone, who used to be a big competitor to Gibson USA but nowadays are owned by them. Epiphone guitars are great possibilities to get more affordable versions of some of the best guitars in the world. Epiphone is one of the best brands for beginners.
Another good brand is ESP, who mostly make guitars that suit tougher rock genres. They too offer cheaper alternatives in their ESP LTD range.
![Brand Brand](/uploads/1/2/5/8/125803662/577704839.jpg)
One of the most famous brands is Fender. Their guitars are true classics that most people are somewhat familiar with. The American Special Stratocaster and Telecaster, have you possibly heard those words before? Probably!
Enough with the American brands, haven’t the rest of the world got something to offer? Well, Japan has come up with a few! Ibanez, for example, offer amazing guitars, and when they first started out the original idea was actually to offer good copies of American electric guitars! Today they have moved on to doing their own thing, and produce excellent guitars.
Another Japanese brand is Yamaha. They started making pianos and organs in 1887 and since then they have made all sorts of things. Do you know Yamaha motorcycles? Yep, same brand. But even though they seem to have a hard time deciding what kind of a brand they are they manage to make pretty decent musical instruments, often for affordable prices, so if you want to find a cheap but good guitar they probably have something that could work.
One of the best guitar brands is Schecter, especially if you like heavy metal. Even though they are extremely good they are most often pretty affordable and very good value for money. They don’t only sound good, their design is usually to die for!
Can cheap Electric Guitars still sound good?
This is a really good question and the short answer is yes. There are of course cheap guitars that sound awful and then there are cheap guitars that are pretty decent.
It does, however, take a lot of work to find a cheap guitar that is good, therefore it’s better to pay a little bit more and know for sure that you’re getting something good.
It’s perfectly possible to find a guitar that sounds good for around $500-$1000, as our list shows. If that is cheap or not is of course debatable.
We would suggest that you don’t check price tags too much when choosing your guitar. If you try a few out in a music shop you can ask them to suggest a few different guitars within your price range and then try them out only thinking about sound, looks and feeling. This way you won’t be fooled by a cheap price tag to think that a guitar can’t be any good, or the opposite, be tricked into thinking that just because a guitar is expensive it has got to be the best.
It’s quite interesting to look into the psychology behind our behavior when it comes to how much we pay for things in connection with how good we think they are. In one experiment, restaurant guests got served the same dish. Some of them paid a high price for their dish and some a normal lunch price. Did the guests think that their food tasted differently? Yes, they did. The guests who paid the high price thought that their food was much better than the people who got it for cheap.
What can we learn from these restaurant guests? The lesson is that we are very easily tricked into liking things we pay more for, even though they might not be that good after all. We get a particular feeling from thinking that we’re treating ourselves to something luxurious. If we, on the other hand, haven’t spent very much, we usually assume that it can’t be a good product.
![Best japanese guitar brands list Best japanese guitar brands list](/uploads/1/2/5/8/125803662/735954934.jpg)
This is a good thing to keep in mind no matter what we’re shopping for, since it means that looking at the price tag can stop us from making a good decision.
Where to get an Affordable Electric Guitar?
There are a few ways to save some money on your electric guitar (click for modal analysis). One way is to order online, for example from Amazon, which is usually cheaper than buying from a physical shop. Make sure that you know what the usual price for the guitar you want is, so that you can compare different sites, and in the best of worlds, use a discount code or wait until there’s a sale.
The downside to buying online is that you can’t really test the guitar before you buy it, so make sure that you can send it back in case you aren’t satisfied. You could, of course, try the guitar in a music shop and then go home and order online, however we feel that that isn’t really fair to the shopkeeper.
Another alternative is to buy a used guitar in good condition. This way you can get a really good guitar from a well-renowned brand for much less. Look for guitars online through sites like eBay or shpock.
This method might take some time, but is usually worth it, because there is real money to be saved.
Buying used is also good for the environment and chances are that you might get all the other equipment you need as well if the owner has stopped playing.
If you buy a used guitar, make sure that you get to try it before you commit to buying, alternatively, if it’s online, ask the seller if they can send a little video of it being played so that you know that everything is alright.
We hope you found our buying guide for electric guitars under 1000 dollars useful!
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