If you ask any guitarist to give you a list of the best electric guitars chances are each one will give you something slightly different. It's a subjective term, whether you're brand new to the instrument or a seasoned veteran with decades of experience playing. I'm in the latter camp, so rather than select a 'best' guitar for this list, I opted to use my experience to list guitars by use case, helping to inform the needs of all the myriad different guitarists out there.
I've been playing well over twenty years now and I've had my hands on more guitars than I can remember. I've reviewed more than twenty guitars over the past year or so, so I know what I'm taking about when I say a particular guitar is great for beginners, or better for intermediate players. Between myself and the rest of the Guitar Player team, we've got a huge amount of experience in the electric guitar, so you're in the right place if you're looking to find the best guitar for your needs.
Most guitarists know what they want, but if you're a beginner I'd highly recommend you start with the Squier Affinity Telecaster Deluxe. It delivers big tones for relatively little money, and features a very comfortable Fender neck profile. For those looking for a great Strat, one of my favorites is the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster. More of an LP type? Go check out the Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s.
If you're not sure how to go about picking a guitar, we've got an in-depth how to choose section that will get you pointing in the right direction. You'll also find a spec comparison of all of my top picks from this guide to help you make a better buying decision.
My top picks
If you wanted to start playing the electric guitar back in the day, your choice of weapons was very limited. Today, however, there are more entry-level guitars than you can shake a stick at - with lots of them looking almost identical to their more expensive counterparts.
This new and improved entry-level Yamaha is as simple as it comes, choosing to forgo fancy features in favor of a fairly no-nonsense approach. This striking horned axe is reminiscent of the old-school Yamaha SG, giving you the look and vibe of this cult classic at a far more affordable price.
The PRS SE CE 24 delivers incredible build, playability, and sound considering it costs just shy of the $500 mark. It honestly feels like it should cost a lot more when you sit down to play it, and thanks to the tremolo and coil split options it can cover a huge amount of ground.
If you're looking for the versatile tones of a classic Telecaster, I'd highly recommend the Fender Vintera II 60s Telecaster. It's got the 7.25" radius, three-saddle bridge, Rosewood fingerboard, and Alder body, making it a great recreation of an all-time classic guitar.
One of the most popular Strat models of recent years, the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster is a thoroughbred double cut that will have you covered from the rehearsal space, to the studio, to the stage.
If you want the ultimate all-round LP experience, I'd urge you to have a good look at the Gibson Les Paul Standard 60s. For me, it combines the best of classic LP ingredients with modern build quality, giving you all that's good about a great Les Paul without adding anything you don't need.
Best for beginners
If you wanted to start playing the electric guitar back in the day, your choice of weapons was very limited. Today, however, there are more entry-level guitars than you can shake a stick at - with lots of them looking almost identical to their more expensive counterparts.
Our pick for the best beginner option has to be the Squier Affinity Telecaster Deluxe. This lightweight starter guitar draws inspiration from the classic ‘72 Fender Deluxe Telecaster and is loaded with a set of Squier humbuckers, delivering bags of rich, rock tones. The slim and comfortable C-shaped neck profile is incredibly playable and is a great jumping-off point for most players.
It’s hard to believe just how affordable this stylish guitar is. It may have a wallet-friendly price, but it certainly doesn’t scrimp on quality - or playability for that matter. This is one of our top choices for the best electric guitars under $500.
Best budget
This new and improved entry-level Yamaha is as simple as it comes, choosing to forgo fancy features in favor of a fairly no-nonsense approach. This striking horned axe is reminiscent of the old-school Yamaha SG, giving you the look and vibe of this cult classic at a far more affordable price.
Housing two pretty high output humbuckers, the Revstar RSE20 most definitely brings the noise, making it the perfect choice for hard rock, punk, or even metal. There’s also a Dry switch that enhances the top end a little, and controls the low end. The chambered mahogany body is light and resonant so is ideal for gigging, while the reshaped neck profile is a joy to play.
If you are looking for a back-to-basics rock and roll machine that won't break the bank, then definitely consider the Yamaha Revstar RSE20.
Best under $500
When I sat down to play the PRS SE CE 24 for the first time I honestly couldn't quite believe how good it was. In amongst a swathe of beginner electric guitars I was testing at the time it stood out by a country mile thanks to its superb build quality and incredible playability.
The neck feel, one of the most important aspects of any electric guitar is superb, allowing for a wide variety of picking styles. Whether I was strumming power chords hard or gently fingerpicking nothing felt out of place on CE 24. It took me all of five minutes to get accommodated with the fingerboard and neck profile, and it's one of the most comfortable guitars I've played in recent years.
It also sounds great thanks to the dual PRS-designed humbuckers with coil split for getting those spanky single coil sounds. It means it can handle everything from chuggy metal riffs right through to compressed funk licks, soaring blues leads or angular indie guitars drenched in delays. No matter what you throw at it, the PRS SE CE delivers.
Best Telecaster
The Telecaster truly is a timeless guitar; nothing exemplifies this more than how little has changed over the years - if we don't count a name change and a very brief stint with no name at all. So many players have fallen for the Tele's bright, articulate attack and singing upper-mids that mean it's heard in even the densest of mixes.
This Mexican-made Vintera II Telecaster is an excellent homage to the iconic 60s models. Featuring a rosewood fingerboard—a significant upgrade from the pau ferro used in the first iteration—the Vintera II beautifully captures its vintage inspiration. Expect plenty of bite and twang from the bridge pickup, alongside mellow warmth in the neck pickup position, with some great sounds in between, too.
The guitar boasts a period-correct and comfortable early 60s C neck profile, vintage-style frets and a 7.25” fingerboard radius lending it an old school feel.
Best Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster is arguably the most versatile guitar of all time. The three-pickups and five-way switch offer a range of tones you simply can't achieve on other guitars - with clever switching and parlor tricks, you can get close, but you can't nail those Strat tones perfectly without a genuine Stratocaster.
The American Pro II is the sequel to the acclaimed guitar released in 2017. Like most second installments, this guitar is very similar to its predecessor, with a few minor changes. The popular "deep C" neck now sports rolled edges for a more comfortable feel, making it even easier to play those Jimi chords with your thumb.
The newly updated V-Mod II single-coil pickups offer all the tones you'd expect from a high-quality Strat, while the redesigned 2-point tremolo with a cold-rolled steel block increases sustain and clarity.
Best Les Paul
Originally released in 1952 - albeit in a very different guise - the Les Paul has gone on to define rock 'n' roll and become a cultural icon. Gibson has taken a back-to-basics approach with the Les Paul Standard '60s and released a guitar that harkens back to the golden era of this stunning single-cut. Featuring Gibson's tried and true combination of a solid mahogany body, an elegant flame-maple top, and a highly playable slim taper neck.
This guitar behaves exactly how you would expect for a Gibson Les Paul, offering an intense amount of sustain, and righteous mid-range bark. This is capped off with the classic Tune-O-Matic bridge, aluminum stop bar tailpiece, Grover Rotomatic "Kidney" tuners, and gold top-hat knobs with silver reflectors completing the 1960s aesthetic.
Bringing the noise is a set of Burstbucker 61R/61T pickups. These Alnico V pickups are dripping with vintage mojo and offer a clear, punchy tone that can't help but invoke sounds of rock royalty.
Best under $1,000
It's easy to think we've seen every possible shape for an electric guitar, but then along comes Reverend with the Double Agent. The love child of a Telecaster and Les Paul, with maybe a little offset thrown in there for good measure, this is a truly striking looking guitar.
The South Korean guitar not only looks different but is also concealing a number of tone-shaping features, such as a treble bleed circuit to maintain your high-end when rolling off the volume and a passive bass roll-off control for tightening up the low-end.
This is also the only guitar on this list made from the mythical Korina - also known as White Limba. Arguably most famous for being the original material for the '58 Gibson Explorer and Flying V, this alluring wood is famed for its lightweight and resonant qualities. So if you are looking for something a little different, then you should definitely check one of these out.
Best for small hands
If you find the size and shape of a regular guitar too big, then a short scale guitar is a great option. The distance between the nut and the bridge of the Fender Player II Mustang is a couple of inches shorter than a Strat, Tele, or Les Paul, which has a considerable effect on the playability.
It may be small, but it's not a beginner guitar as such. With a rosewood fingerboard and rolled edges, two Player series pickups, and an Alder body, this is a proper instrument that will go all the way from first chords to playing gigs. The rolled edges of the fingerboard, comfortable neck profile and short scale make it very playable, making it great for younger players or those with smaller dimensions.
The Mustang has a very unique tone with its dual single coil pickup layout. It's a favorite guitar of players of indie, punk, and grunge, but you can cover a lot more than that with it. These particular pickups are a little hotter than those on the more traditional leaning Mustang models too, making them ideal for more modern styles.
Best intermediate
This high-performance super-Strat style guitar caters to a massive range of players. Shredders will rejoice at the hand-rubbed, speed neck profile and heel cut, while its more traditional body style and overall aesthetic appeal to a much wider audience.
The humbucker is medium output, with strong bass frequencies and a slight mid-scoop. It’s enough for chunky metal tones, but dynamic and responsive enough for blues, rock, soul - even pop. Having the two single coils, and the five-way pickup selector allows for an array of chimey and glassy tones as well. High-quality hardware, including locking tuners ensure great tuning stability and plenty of resonance.
The Charvel DK24 is super versatile and boasts amazing playability and great looks, earning its place on our list of the best electric guitars.
Spec comparison
If you're struggling to decide between my top picks, here's a handy side by side comparison of each guitar's key specifications. This should help you narrow down which one is the best option for you.
Model | Body | Neck | Fingerboard | Frets | Scale | Pickups |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Squier Affinity Telecaster Deluxe | Poplar | Maple | Indian Laurel | 22 | 25.5" | HH |
Yamaha Revstar RSE20 | Chambered Mahogany | 3-Piece Mahogany | Rosewood | 22 | 24.75” | HH |
PRS SE CE 24 | Mahogany | Maple | Rosewood | 24 | 25" | HH |
Fender Vintera II 60s Telecaster | Alder | Maple | Rosewood | 21 | 25.5” | SS |
Fender American Pro II Stratocaster | Alder | Maple | Maple/Rosewood | 22 | 25.5" | HSS |
Gibson Les Paul Standard '60s | Mahogany/AA Figured Maple Top | Mahogany | Rosewood | 22 | 24.75" | HH |
Reverend Double Agent OG | Korina | Maple | Pau Ferro/Roasted Maple | 22 | 25.5" | HS |
Fender Player II Mustang | Alder | Maple | Maple/Rosewood | 22 | 23" | SS |
Charvel Pro-Mod DK24 HSS | Alder | Caramelized Maple | Caramelized Maple | 24 | 25.5” | HSS |
Also consider
For me, the guitars listed above should cover the vast majority of guitarists needs. That said, there's a lot of different guitars out there to choose from so if they didn't quite hit the mark, here are some more great options for you.
How to choose
Electric guitars have personalities of their own, with different looks and feel that make choosing one a very personal decision. All the guitars on this list are superb in their own right, but that doesn’t mean that all of them will be perfect for you as some suit specific styles better than others. Whenever you are picking an electric guitar, some things you should be looking for are universal, such as build quality and reliability, which all of our picks have.
1. Consider your budget
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It’s common knowledge that an electric guitar can set you back thousands and thousands of dollars – and many of those instruments are beyond beautiful, with a tone to match. If you’ve got plenty of budget to play with, you’ll have no shortage of brilliant options and you may even be able to customize an electric guitar to your exact specifications.
If your budget is less vast, that doesn’t mean you’ll be limited, as there are plenty of affordable options that still represent great quality. There’s never been a better time to shop for an affordable guitar, with build quality and playability at an all-time high.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t bad electric guitars out there – there most certainly are – but by sticking to well-respected brands, such as Squier or Yamaha, you can be confident of their quality.
2. Decide on body shape
Whilst the body shape of a guitar is, of course, a largely aesthetic choice, there are other reasons it is worth thinking over. Some big-body guitars may not be the most comfortable to play for smaller individuals, and this can be a big compromise that really impacts the enjoyment of playing.
Certain shapes of guitars may also generally lean towards specific pickup types, so while you might like the shape, the tones might not be what you’re looking for. For example, you may love the Les Paul shape, but the single coil sound of a Stratocaster. While it’s not impossible to find single coil Les-Paul-style guitars, they are far less common and the switching on offer may not be exactly the same as a Stratocaster, so you may need to choose between looks and tone.
3. Identify your sound
Some guitars do work better for different genres – mainly because those guitars helped build that genre in the first place! If you want something Country-tinged, then a Telecaster that offers the kind of bite and presence that is perfect for chicken picking is ideal.
For jazzy playing with rounder, warmer tones, a hollow-body would be a great way to go, but this might be less ideal for high gain tones as hollow-body guitars suffer from feedback. Humbucking guitars are generally preferred for heavier genres, as they deliver higher output and produce fat gain sounds, whereas single coils are generally brighter and perfect for indie.
Just remember that, in guitar, there are no rules. You’ll see all sorts of unexpected electric guitars pop up across lots of genres, so if you are set on a specific instrument, don’t let style or genre hold you back.
4. Consider going leftfield
If you’re not interested in a classically-styled guitar, then that’s not a problem, there are plenty of manufacturers who have taken design to a new level. The likes of the Ernie Ball Music Man St. Vincent Goldie is a signature design that has taken styling in a drastic direction, but not at the expense of playability or tone.
If you’re looking for something with an unconventional sound, some guitars give you multiple switching options that allow you to blend pickups in various ways. Alternatively, you can find guitars with less common pickups, such as gold foil, or mini humbuckers. These still sound great, but offer a slightly different tone to standard single coils or humbuckers.
If you’re looking for something truly unique, high end manufacturers such as Gibson, Fender, and PRS have their own custom shop arm where extremely high end electrics can be designed to your exact specifications. These are some of the most expensive guitars money can buy, but they’re instruments of the highest quality and truly unique to each owner.
5. Neck profile and fingerboard radius
Neck profile is another thing to think about, as this can directly affect playability. What’s best for you boils down to personal preference, though many fast lead or shred-style players feel more at home with a thinner neck profile, while others find a chunkier, more vintage or rounded profile better – however those with smaller hands may find this uncomfortable.
Fingerboard radius can also play a part in how the guitar feels in your fretted hand, with a smaller radius (more curve on the fretboard) generally viewed as more comfortable, while a larger radius (flatter on the fingerboard) may be better for faster, sweep-style playing.
How we test products
At Guitar Player, we live and breathe everything guitar related. It's our passion and we certainly hope this passion comes through in our buyer's guides. Everyone at Guitar Player is an expert in their field and we draw on this knowledge and experience when selecting the products for our guides.
When choosing what we believe to be the best electric guitars available right now, we combine our hands-on experience, user reviews and testimonies and engage in lengthy discussions with our editorial colleagues to reach a consensus about the top products in any given category.
When making our lists, we pay careful consideration to everything from budget to feature set, playability and durability to come up with an accurate representation of the best electric guitars available right now.
Read more on how we test gear and services at Guitar Player.
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