Explore Top 30 Best Electric Guitars for your Needs from Recommended Brands

Are you trying to find a great electric guitar in 2024? it can be difficult to try and find a good electric guitar because there's so much choice in the marketplace. I know how hard it can be because I've been playing guitar for a long time and over the years, have bought several instruments. I want to make it easier for you to pick the best guitar possible so I have created this guitar buying guide which will help you pick guitars for whatever need you have and I have several samples at various price points to make it easier to find a great guitar that fits your budget.

You won't have to struggle to find a great electric guitar if you use this handy guitar buying guide which I have created for you. I hope that you enjoy these guitars and that you continue to practice and play guitar long into the future. This is an excellent hobby to get into or you can make music your career it's entirely up to you. Have fun and keep jamming on that guitar.

One of the best electric guitars for beginners is the Fender Standard Stratocaster. This guitar has an excellent neck which comes with 22 frets. The neck is usually made out of maple and it can either have a rosewood fingerboard or the entire neck will be made out of maple. The Fender Strat comes with three single coil pickups, one volume control, two tone controls and a pickup selector switch as standard. The Stratocaster also has a tremolo system which allows you to bend notes up and down and perform whammy bar tricks. This guitar sounds amazing for the price and it's the perfect option for any beginners because it has everything that you need to sound great.

Pros

• Sounds great
• Solid chrome hardware

Cons

• Tremolo can go out of tune at times
• Not suitable for some guitar styles

Final Verdict

I have owned several Fender Stratocasters over the years and have found them to be some of the best playing instruments I have ever come across. This guitar is one of the easiest to play and it has a nice cutaway in the body so you can hit all of the high notes on the fretboard with ease. If you want an excellent guitar as a beginner, you can't go wrong with the Fender Stratocaster. This instrument is suitable for almost nay player as it’s one of the most iconic guitar on the market and still sounds just as good today as it did all those years ago.

C-1 SGR by Schecter Beginner Electric Guitar 

Another quality instrument that you might want to consider is Schecter Beginner Electric Guitar. This guitar has a low price point, but it's perfect for any beginner because it gives you a lot for your money. The guitar has two humbucking pickups which are perfect for playing rock, metal, blues, and many other forms of music. You will enjoy the sounds that you get out of this guitar. The fingerboard of the instrument is rosewood and it features 24 frets.  Most guitars for beginners don't feature 24 Frets so this is a nice option to have. To control the pickups there's a volume knob, tone control, and a pickup selector switch. The bridge of this guitar is a Tune-O Matic which makes it easy to change strings and helps keep the tuning of the instruments stable.

Pros

• Looks great
• Excellent price

Cons

• Could use another tone control

Final Verdict

For any guitar player looking for a quality beginner instrument that is a cut above many in the market, look to this C-1 SGR by Schecter. I was impressed at how well this guitar plays for the price and it also comes with a gig bag so your guitar will be protected when you're not playing it. I found the neck on this instrument to be very smooth and playable even though the guitar is a low price. I consider this to be an excellent guitar well worth buying for any beginner.

Best Electric Guitar for Intermediate

Epiphone Les Paul STANDARD PLUS-TOP PRO 

For any player that is in to intermediate guitar playing, the Epiphone Les Paul is a solid choice. This guitar is basically a lower-cost version of the famous Gibson Les Paul. This guitar features two quality Epiphone humbucking pickups. These pickups give you classic sounds for all types of music such as rock, blues, metal, shred, country, and so much more. To control the pickups there are two volume knobs, two tone controls, and a pickup selector switch. The neck on this guitar is made out of maple and the fretboard is rosewood with 22 available frets.

Pros

• Classic Look
• Easy to play

Cons

• Headstock is a bit thin
• Guitar can be heavy for some players

Final Verdict

The Epiphone Les Paul is an amazing guitar for any intermediate player. This guitar has everything you need to make amazing music without the high price tag of the Gibson Les Paul. One feature I really like about this guitar is that it has coil tapping for the humbucking pickups. This means that not only can you get humbucking sounds out of these pickups you can also get single-coil sounds out of these pickups which just gives you more sound variations when compared to other guitars. Any intermediate guitar player is going to enjoy the Epiphone Les Paul as it is one of the best choices for guitars for growing musicians.

Schecter Damien Special

This guitar features a rosewood fingerboard and it has 24 frets. The guitar has to humbucking pickups so you can get plenty of sound out of it such as rock, blues, shred, and similar guitar styles. to control the pickups there's a volume knob, tone control, and a pickup selector switch. The bridge is a Tune-O Matic style and the strings are through the body for easy string changing. The neck on this instrument is very comfortable in easy to play for faster leads and the rhythm styles.

Pros

• Looks amazing
• Solid hardware

Cons

• Could use another volume and tone control

Final Verdict

This Schecter Is the perfect option for any intermediate player. The neck is very fast and easy on your fingers so you'll be able to play fast guitar. This instrument is also very comfortable because it has a deep double-cutaway in the body. This means it's much easier to hit the higher notes on the guitar. Other guitars don't have this type of deep cut away. This makes it perfect for all sorts of guitar styles and hand shapes because you can play the notes a lot easier.

Best Electric Guitar for Kids

Squier by Fender Mini Strat Electric Guitar

The Squier Mini Strat Is the perfect option for a child that wants to learn how to play the electric guitar. This is a smaller than normal electric guitar, but it still has plenty of features. You get three single coil pickups so the guitar is perfect for rock, blues, country, and many other guitar styles. To control the pickups there's a volume knob, tone control, and a pickup selector switch. The bridge on this guitar is a hardtail so it helps stabilize the tuning of the instrument. The fingerboard is made out of rosewood and it features 20 frets.

Pros

• Small size is ideal for kids
• Easy to play

Cons

• A bit small for some older children
• Needs more frets

Final Verdict

This Mini Strat is a great option for smaller children because it is the perfect size for them and not only that it sounds great. This guitar also comes with an amplifier, guitar picks, guitar cable, guitar strap, and other accessories that you need to get started. As a parent, you won't be wasting money because you'll be getting a full guitar package when you buy this instrument. Any child is going to love playing this guitar because it has everything they need to start their musical journey.

RockJam RJEG02 Electric Guitar Starter Kit

This RockJam guitar features a Stratocaster style body, so it's a comfortable and familiar guitar for children to play. The instrument features three single coil pickups, and to control the pickups there's one volume knob, two tone controls, and a pickup selector switch. The bridge on this instrument is a Fender style tremolo bridge. This means that you'll be able to do any bar tricks, and dive bombs on your guitar. The fingerboard of the guitar is made out of rosewood in there are 22 frets.

Pros

• Easy for kids to play
• Comfortable to hold

Cons

• Tremolo can put guitar out of tune at times

Final Verdict

This is an excellent guitar package for any beginner or child. Not only do you get an excellent guitar but it also comes with an amplifier, pics, guitar strap, guitar cable, and other accessories that you need as a child to begin playing guitar. As a parent, you're going to save money because you won't have to buy all of these extra accessories when you pick up the guitar. Your child is going to love playing this instrument and it's a lot better than some instruments designed for children on the current market.

Best Travel Electric Guitars

Traveler Guitar ULEL BLK Ultra-Light Electric Black Travel Guitar with Gig Bag

The Traveler Guitar is the perfect option for anyone wants to travel. It's much smaller than a regular guitar but it is packed with a lot of features. One of the unique features about this instrument is that the tuning pegs or down in the body and there is no headstock to speak of. Despite this fact, the instrument is very easy to tune and it keeps its tune without any problem at all. The guitar has one humbucker style pickup so you can make plenty of different sounds with this guitar such as rock, metal, Blues, Country, and other styles of music. The bridge on the instrument is a Tune-o-Matic style so it helps keep the tuning of the instrument stable.

Pros

• Very small for travel
• Sounds great

Cons

• Location of tuning pegs is odd

Final Verdict

If you travel all the time and you need a small guitar to take with you, but still want to use an electric this is an excellent choice. This guitar has everything you need to make music wherever you go in a small and compact package. I love the way this guitar played and it sounds just as good as a regular guitar even though it's just a travel guitar. You won't need to buy any special type of strings because it uses regular electric guitar strings.

Anygig Travel Guitar, Portable Electric Guitar for Travelers, Beginners And Music Lovers

The Anygig Travel Guitar Is a portable guitar that you can take with you wherever you go. It features a humbucking pickup so you can make many different sounds with it such as rock, metal, blues, country, and other sounds. the fretboard on this guitar is made out of Rosewood and it offers you 24 frets. Tuning pegs of this instrument are uniquely located in the body of the guitar and not at the top of the guitar as there’s no headstock present. This guitar stays in tune well thanks to the Tune-O Matic bridge.

Pros

• Small and compact
• Easy to play

Cons

• Could use another pickup

Final verdict

I was impressed at how well this guitar actually sounds for its size. It's a very comfortable instrument and because it is so small you can take it with you even on an airplane and store it in the compartment above your seat.  If you're looking for a solid and dependable travel guitar you really can't go wrong with the Anygig Travel Guitar.

Best Electric Guitar for Blues

Fender Classic Series ’70s Stratocaster Electric Guitar

If you want to play great blues guitar, you need a Fender Stratocaster. This guitar offers you everything that you require to make great blues music. This instrument features three single coil pickups which are perfect for both clean tones and distorted tones for Blues playing. To control these pickups, you have a volume knob, two tone controls and a pickup selector switch. This particular model has a solid maple neck and features 22 frets. The neck on the guitar is very comfortable to play and easy on your fingers. The tremolo system is a fender standard tremolo so you can do all sorts of dive bombs and other guitar tricks with it.

Pros

• Looks great
• Comfortable body design

Cons

• Tremolo can put strings out of tune

Final Verdict

The Fender Classic series Stratocaster gives you that classic Stratocaster feel. This guitar is very well put together and has great Hardware as well as other features. I love the way this guitar sounds and it's the perfect guitar for playing blues simply for the fact that it just sounds so good. The body of the guitar has a nice cut away so you can play the higher notes with ease. There's not much of a negative side to this guitar and it's one of the best options for anyone that wants to get into blues guitar playing.

Ibanez AM93AYS Artcore Expressionist Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar

This Ibanez guitar is the perfect choice for blues guitar playing for many reasons. The guitar is a semi-hollow so it features f-holes which gives it both an acoustic and an electric sound. The F-holes really make the notes pop out which is perfect for blues guitar rhythms as well as lead. This instrument features to humbucking pickups which both sound great and are perfect for making all sorts of Blues sounds. To control the pickups there's two volume knobs, two tone controls, and a pickup selector switch. The fingerboard of this guitar is made out of Rosewood and it offers you 22 frets. The bridge on the guitar is a Tune-O-Matic style Which helps keep the tuning of the guitar stable and also makes it easier for you to change the strings.

Pros

• Looks great
• Solid hardware

Cons

• A bit too heavy for some
• Not suitable for some guitar styles

Final Verdict

This Ibanez guitar has everything you need to start playing a great blues music. It sounds amazing and the price Is a solid bargain in a solid body style guitar for blues guitar playing. I love how this instrument sounds and the neck on it is nice and smooth so your fingers will fly up and down the fretboard when you're playing Blues lead or rhythm styles.

Best Electric Guitar for Small Hands

Epiphone SG-Special Electric Guitar (w/KillPot, Cherry Red)

Epiphone makes the perfect guitar for those with small hands. The Epiphone SG is based upon the famous Gibson SG guitar. This guitar features a rosewood fingerboard and 22 frets. The guitar has two humbucking pickups so you can get plenty of tones for rock, blues, metal, country and other guitar styles. The instrument has a volume knob, tone control, and a pickup selector switch to control the pickups. The guitar has a Tune-O-Matic style bridge so the guitar stays in tune well and it also makes it easier to change the strings.

Pros

• Easy to play
• Solid hardware

Cons

• Needs another tone and volume knob

Final Verdict

The Epiphone SG is a great option for guitar players with small hands. The cutaway in the body makes it easy to hit the higher notes on the fretboard and the neck won’t cramp your fingers. I have small hands and I find the SG to be one of the most comfortable guitars to play and learn on so it's a good option for those that need a comfortable guitar.

Jackson JS32 Dinky

If you have small hands and need a good metal or shred style guitar, the Jackson DInky is a good choice. This guitar features 24 frets on a rosewood fingerboard. There’s two Jackson humbucker pickups which sound great and have good output. To control the pickups there’s a tone control, volume know, and a pickup selector switch. The instrument also has a Floyd Rose tremolo system for dive bombs and it also helps keep the guitar in tune as it’s a locking nut. The neck is very smooth and you’ll be able to play fast rhythms and leads with ease on this excellent compound radius neck.

Pros

• Very comfortable to play
• Looks great

Cons

• Tremolo system can be hard to tune for beginners

Final Verdict

The Jackson Dinky is perfect for small hands because it's very easy to hold and the guitar sounds great as well. I love this guitar and I think it's the perfect choice for players that want a comfortable guitar for their smaller hands. The instrument has a nice deep cutaway on both sides of the body so hitting all the notes are easy.

Best Hollow Body Electric Guitar

Ibanez AM53 AM Artcore Semi-Hollow Electric Guitar Tobacco Flat

This guitar from Ibanez features F holes so the guitar gives you both acoustic and electric sounds. It has two humbucking pickups so you have plenty of tones for blues, rock, country, jazzy, and other tones. It has one volume control, one tone control, and a pickup selector switch. The bridge is a Tune-O-Matic style and this helps stabilize the tuning of the guitar and makes it easy to change the strings. The fingerboard is made out of rosewood and it has 22 frets.

Pros

• Looks good
• Easy to play

Cons

• Needs another tone and volume control

Final Verdict

This Ibanez semi hollow guitar is the perfect option for anyone looking for a guitar of this nature. This guitar sounds great and you’ll be able to get so many great tones out of it. I found the neck of this guitar to be very smooth. The guitar has a double cutaway on the body so it's easy to play notes higher up the neck. This instrument is the right choice for anyone that wants a decent semi hollow guitar at a reasonable price.

Epiphone ES-339 Semi Hollow body Electric Guitar

This guitar has F holes so you can get both acoustic and electric tones out of it. The fingerboard is rosewood and you get 22 frets. The neck is smooth and it’s easy to play. The instrument has two humbucking pickups so you’ll get rock, blue, jazz, country and similar styles out of the guitar. There’s two tone controls, two volume knobs, and a selector switch to control the pickups. The bridge is a Tune-O-Matic style which helps keep the guitar in tune and it makes it easy to change the guitar strings.

Pros

• Sounds great
• Easy to play

Cons

• A little heavy for some players

Final Verdict

This is an excellent semi hollow guitar. You get a push pull coil tap with this guitar which gives you both single coil and humbucker pickup sounds. This is a nice option to have as it gives you so many tone options when you compare this guitar to similar ones that don't feature coil tapping. The instrument has a nice cutaway so it's easy to hit the higher frets. There’s a nice logo on the pickguard which is an added touch I also like on the guitar. This is the perfect semi hollow guitar for anyone that wants a great instrument at a reasonable price.

Best Electric Guitars Under $2000

Gibson USA Flying V HP 2017 Electric Guitar

This guitar features a rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets. The neck is smooth and easy to play. The V shape makes it easier to play standing up as you can reach all of the frets. The instrument has two humbucking pickups so you'll get plenty of tones out of the guitar such as rock, blues, metal and similar styles. To control the pickups there’s two volume, two tone and a pickup selector switch. The bridge is a Tune-O-Matic style so the guitar stays in tune longer and it makes for easy string changing.

Pros

• Solid chrome hardware
• Amazing sound

Cons

• Odd shape makes it hard to hold sitting down

Final Verdict

You can’t go wrong by buying a Gibson guitar. The Flying V is an iconic guitar and it has everything you need to make amazing music. I love the sound of this guitar and how well it plays in almost any situation. You get a leather strap, hardshell case, and a couple of other accessories with your guitar so it’s a solid bargain and a guitar you’ll be playing for many years to come.

Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster Maple Electric Guitar

This guitar is a solid design and all Fender. It’s the signature guitar from popular guitar player Eric Johnson. It comes with thee Eric Johnson signature pickups which are custom voiced so they sound amazing. There’s a volume knob, two tone controls, and a pickup selector switch to control the pickups. The bridge is a standard tremolo system, so you can do dive bombs and trick son the instrument. The neck is all maple, quarter sawn, and it offers you 22 frets. The frets ar ejumbo which are easier to play than other frets on similar guitars.

Pros

• Solid professional guitar
• Nice hardware

Cons

• Tremolo can go out of tune

Final Verdict

This Eric Johnson Fender Stratocaster is an amazing instrument that offers you a ton of value. It comes with a Fender guitar case and some accessories so you get more for your money. I love the neck on this guitar as it’s smooth and feels good to play. You’ll get a lot of tones out of this great Stratocaster. This is a recommended guitar for anyone that wants to become a pro player and needs a solid instrument.

Best Electric Guitars Under $1500

ESP LTD James Hetfield Signature Series Iron Cross Electric Guitar

ESP LTD makes an excellent guitar which is their James Hetfield model. If you 3ant a superior signature guitar with a lot to offer, this is the one for you. There’s two Active EMG JH Set humbucker pickups. These pickups are a lot better than standard humbuckers so you’ll be able to get great tones out of this guitar for rock, metal, shred and similar styles. There’s a volume, two tone controls, and a pickup selector switch for the pickups. The bridge of this guitar is a Tune-O-Matic style which helps the guitar stay in tune and it makes changing the strings easier. This guitar has a rosewood fingerboard and 22 frets.

Pros

• Sounds amazing
• Looks great

Cons

• Needs another volume knob

Final Verdict

This guitar is the perfect rhythm machine for any guitar player. The instrument has a nice look to it with a cool design for the fingerboard markers. The guitar is very easy to play with a single cutaway so you can hit all the higher notes on this instrument. This package also come with accessories such as guitar cable, guitar stand, extra strings, guitar picks, strap and tuner so you get a lot for your money.

ESP Kirk Hammett Signature White Zombie Graphic Electric Guitar

This instrument is the signature Kirk Hammett model and it looks and sounds amazing. This guitar has a rosewood fingerboard with 24 frets so you can play almost any style of music. You get two humbucking EMG pickups so you can get many tones out of this guitar such as rick, metal, shred, and much more. There’s a volume knob, tone control, and a selector switch to control the pickups. The instrument features a Floyd Rose tremolo system, so the guitar stays in tune during dive bombs and other guitar tricks.

Pros

• Easy to play
• Nice designs on the guitar

Cons

• Tremolo can be hard to keep in tune for beginners
• Could use another tone control

Final Verdict

This is an amazing guitar which has a lot of value. The double cutaway makes it easy to hit all the higher notes so you can play fast leads and rhythms. I found the neck very easy to play and it’s comfortable in your hands. The instrument come with many accessories such as a gig bag, picks, guitar stand, tuner, extra strings, and more so you get a lot more for your dollar when you buy this guitar.

Best Electric Guitars Under $1000

Fender Deluxe Stratocaster Electric Guitar

The three single coil pickups on this guitar are noiseless so there’s not as much noise through your amplifier when you compare it to other Fender guitars. To control the pickups, you get a volume know and two tone controls as well as a selector switch. The fingerboard is made from rosewood and you get 22 frets. The neck is smooth and easy on your fingers and hands. You also get a standard Fender tremolo for dive bombs and tricks.

Pros

• Easy playing
• Solid hardware

Cons

• Tremolo can go out of tune

Final Verdict

One part of this guitar which is different than other Stratocasters is that there’s a push/push mini-switch which adds a bridge pickup in positions four and five of the pickup selector switch so you get more tones out of this instrument. It also comes with a deluxe gig bag which protects your guitar from damage. For anyone that wants a great Fender Stratocaster that offers more than the average Strat, this is the one to buy.

ESP LTD EC-1000T/CTM Electric Guitar with EMG Pickups

This guitar has a classic Les Paul style shape so it’s very comfortable to play. The instrument has two humbucking pickups which as active EMG 81(b) and EMG 60(n) so they are perfect for many tones such as blues, rock, metal, shred, and other styles. There’s a volume knob and two tone controls as well as pickup selector switch to control the pickups. The bridge is a Tune-O-Matic style bridge so it helps keep the guitar in tune and makes it easy to change the strings. The rosewood fingerboard offers you 24 frets so you can play almost any guitar style.

Pros

• Looks very nice
• Easy to play

Cons

• Needs another volume knob

Final Verdict

This is a very nice and affordable guitar. I like the tuners as they are locking tuners which further enhance the tuning of this instrument. I found the neck on this guitar to be smooth and comfortable on my fingers. The cutaway makes it easy to hit the higher notes on the neck. I also love the gold colored hardware which is very attractive and stands out on this guitar.

Best Electric Guitars Under $500

Squier by Fender 303030500 Classic Vibe Telecaster Electric Guitar Custom 

This guitar has an alder body with a maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard that gives you 22 frets. There’s two Telecaster style single coil pickups so you can play rock, blues, country and similar guitar styles. There’s a volume knob, tone control, and a pickup selector switch. The bridge on this guitar is a standard telecaster style hardtail which helps keep the guitar in tune.

Pros

• Looks great
• Easy to play

Cons

• Not suitable for aggressive styles of music like metal

Final Verdict

The Fender Squier is a solid choice in an electric guitar and the Classic Vibe series gives you a lot of value for your dollar. I found the neck very nice on this guitar and its smooth so you can play great rhythms and leads with little effort. The cutaway makes it easy to play the higher notes and it reduces cramping in your hand as you play. This is a solid choice for anyone that want a good moderately priced guitar with plenty of features.

Schecter OMEN-8 8-String Electric Guitar

This Schecter guitar is an excellent option and offers you more for your money. If you’re looking to advance your guitar playing, an 8-string is a good way to go about it. The instrument has two humbucking pickups and they are signature Schecter pickups so they sound better than normal humbucking pickups. The guitar has a tone, volume, and pickup selector switch to control the pickups. The bridge is a hardtail which helps to keep the guitar tuning stable and it makes it easy to change the strings. The fingerboard is rosewood and you got 24 frets.

Pros

• Sounds very nice
• Sleek design

Cons

• Not for beginners
• Can bee harder to tune

Final Verdict

This guitar is the right option for any advanced player that doesn't want to spend a whole lot of money on a solid 8-string instrument. The guitar is very easy to play and has a sleek fretboard which makes playing this 8-string a breeze. I like the deep double cutaway feature as you can hit all the higher notes with ease. This is a recommended affordable guitar for anyone that wants a quality advanced style guitar.

Best Electric Guitars Under $400

ESP LTD EC-256 Electric Guitar

ESP makes some excellent guitars and they have good ones for under $400. This guitar has a three piece mahogany neck and a rosewood fingerboard with 22 frets. The body of the instrument is made from mahogany. It features two humbucking pickups which are perfect for rock, blues, jazz, metal, and other guitar styles. TO control the pickups there’s two tone, volume, and pickup selector switch. The guitar features the classic Les Paul shape, so it’s very comfortable to play. The bridge is a Tune-O-Matic style which helps keep the guitar in tune and make changing the strings a lot easier.

Pros

• Solid look
• Greta hardware

Cons

• A bit heavy
• Needs another volume knob

Final Verdict

For anyone that needs a quality guitar at an affordable price, you can't go wrong with this ESP LTD guitar. I found the neck very smooth for fast leads and crunchy rhythm playing. This instrument sounds great and gives you everything that you need in a high performance guitar.

Squier by Fender 303000503 Classic Vibe 50’s Stratocaster Electric Guitar

The Fender Squier is a high quality Fender guitar at a lower price point. This instrument features three classic Fender single coil pickups so you can play rock, blues, country, jazz, and similar guitar styles. To control the pickups there’s a volume knob and two tone controls along with a selector switch for your pickups. The instrument has a standard Fender style tremolo system for dive bombs and guitar tricks. The guitar has a 22 fret all maple neck and an alder body. The neck is C shape so it's very comfortable to play and a great guitar for beginners or intermediate players.

Pros

• Great price
• Looks amazing

Cons

• Tremolo can put strings out of tune

Final Verdict

This Squier is the ideal guitar for intermediate or beginner players at a reasonable price. You get everything you need to play at a higher level and the playability of this Squier can't be beat. It’s almost like playing a full priced Fender guitar. I’ve owned several Squiers over the years and they are excellent guitars which I recommend.

Best Electric Guitars Under $300

Epiphone Les Paul-100 Electric Guitar

The Epiphone Les Paul is the perfect option for anyone that wants a high quality guitar under $300. It features two humbucking pickups so you have plenty of tones for metal, rock, blues, jazz, country and similar guitar styles. The instrument has two tone, two volume, and selector switch for the pickups. The fingerboard is made from rosewood and features 22 frets. The neck is smooth and very comfortable to play. The bridge is a standard Tune-O Matic style which helps the guitar keep its tune and makes it easier for you to change your strings.

Pros

• Plays like a Les Paul
• Sound very nice

Cons

• A bit heavy for some players

Final Verdict

The Epiphone Les Paul is a high quality guitar which you can get for a very reasonable price. It has a lot of great features and the sound really just can't be beat at under $300. I find the Epiphone Les Paul to be one of the nicest playing guitars that doesn't command a huge price tag. You’ll find this instrument very enjoyable and it will be with you for a long time to come.

Oscar Schmidt OE20 Electric Guitar

It’s hard to imagine,, but this excellent guitar is under $200. This Oscar Schmidt offers you a lot of value for your dollar. It features two humbucking pickups so you can get lots of tones out of it suitable for metal, rock, blues, jazz, country and other guitar styles. There’s two volume, two tone controls and a selector switch for your pickups. The bridge is a Tune-O Matic style so your guitar will stay in tune for longer and it makes changing your strings easier. There’s a nice angled pickguard which protects the guitar body from damage from your pick. The fingerboard is rosewood and you get 22 frets.

Pros

• Looms outstanding at thpis price
• Solid gold hardware

Cons

• Might be a bit heavy for some

Final Verdict

This Oscar Schmidt looks like it should cost a whole lot more, but it doesn't. I was very impressed at how well this guitar sounds for this sort of price. You get that classic Les Paul shape without the huge cost. This would be the ideal guitar for those that want a lower cost guitar. The cutaway is nice so you can hit all of the higher frets with ease and it's very comfortable to hold. This is an all round solid guitar buy.

Best Electric Guitars Under $200

Jackson JS22 Dinky DKA Electric Guitar

The Jackson Dinky is the perfect option for anyone that wants a full featured, lower cost guitar. It has two humbucking Jackson pickups which are perfect for rock, blues, metal, and other guitar styles. There’s a volume knob, tone control, and a pickup selector switch to control your pickups. This guitar also has a regular tremolo system so you can play dive bombs and tricks. The fretboard is made out of rosewood and you have 24 frets.

Pros

• Easy to play
• Looks great

Cons

• Needs locking nut
• Could use another tone control

Final Verdict

If you need a solid guitar for rock or metal style, the Jackson DInky is it. This guitar is very easy to play and has nice deep cutaways on the body so you can hit the higher notes. I found the neck on it to be very comfortable so your fingers will fly up and down the fretboard with ease. This is the perfect instrument for anyone under $200, as it gives you plenty of value for your dollar.

Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC012 Electric Guitar

This guitar offers you a lot for your money. The best part is that it has one humbucker pickups and two single coils, so you have a wide range of tone options to work from for many styles such as rock, metal, country, shred and similar styles. There’s a tone, volume, and pickup selector switch to control your pickups. It features a standard Fender style tremolo which makes it easy to keep the guitar in tune and you can use it to play whammy bar tricks like deep string bends. The fingerboard is rosewood and gives you 22 frets.

Pros

• Great deal for the price
• Sounds very nice

Cons

• Needs another tone control

Final Verdict

The Yamaha Pacifica is a solid all-round great guitar at under $200. It has everything that you need and it’s very easy to play. The deep double cutaway is nice so your fingers will fly through all the notes of the fretboard with ease. I consider thins a very solid buy for anyone that needs an inexpensive guitar that looks and plays great, too.

Best Cheap Electric Guitars Under $100

Spectrum AIL 90BP Custom Pro Series ST Style Electric Guitar

It can be hard to find a guitar under $100, but there are a few that you might consider. The Spectrum AIL 90BP is a solid choice and has a plenty of good features. This instrument offers you a Stratocaster style body with three single coil pickups. These pickups are great for rock, blues, jazz, country, and similar guitar styles. There’s a volume, two tone controls, and a selector switch for your pickups. The neck is all maple with 22 frets. It has a standard Fender style tremolo system with a whammy bar.

Pros

• Good value for price
• Sounds good

Cons

• Tremolo can put strings out of tune

Final Verdict

This guitar kit includes quite a bit for your money. In addition to your guitar, you get a small amplifier, strings, picks, guitar cable, cleaning cloth, strap, jam pack, free downloadable guitar lessons, metronome, tuner, and a chord dictionary. This is a lot of value for under $100 and it can't be beat in terms of price. This is a beginner guitar, but you get everything you will need to start to play so that’s why I recommend this package. The guitar is quite good for the price and any beginner will enjoy playing it.

Best Choice: Full Size Blue Electric Guitar Beginner Starter Package

Best Choice offers a tremendous guitar package at under $100. You get a fender style Stratocaster with three single coil pickups. It has a volume know, two tone controls and a selector switch for the pickups. The tremolo is a Fender style and it comes with a whammy bar for guitar dive bomb tricks. The fingerboard is rosewood and gives you 22 frets. This is a full featured guitar, for under $100.

Pros

• Easy to play
• Looks like a professional guitar that costs more

Cons

• Tremolo can sometimes go out of tune

Final Verdict

This guitar gives you a lot of value for your dollar. You get a full guitar package complete with picks, amplifier, strap, guitar cable and a gig bag for protecting your instrument. I found this instrument easy to play and it’s well worth the price as you get some much included. This is a great option for any beginner that’s just getting into guitar and on a budget.

Before you buy an electric guitar, you have several things that you need to consider. There's many different electric guitars that you can buy as was indicated in this list. The type of guitar that you buy is really going to be determined by your needs. If you're a beginner for example, you're probably going to buy a lower-cost instrument while an intermediate or an advanced player is going to buy something a little bit better.

You should do a little bit of research before you buy your first electric guitar or any guitar for that matter. There's many reviews, videos, and other information out there about guitar manufacturers and various models. You should only buy a guitar that is going to work for your needs not someone else. For example, your friend might like to play a Gibson guitar while you prefer an Ibanez. It's important to buy a guitar that is going to be something that you like not what someone else likes. You'll save yourself a lot of time and hassle by simply buying a guitar that you want to play not with someone else plays. The instrument has to fit your playing style, your hands, and there's many other factors involved. You may be spending a lot of money on your guitar so you want a guitar that you're going to be happy with. If you're not happy with your guitar, you may end up selling it and just wasting money in the process. Here's a few tips on how to buy a guitar that works for you.

Pickups

• Guitars with Single Coil Pickups

One of the most common types of guitar is one that features a single coil pickups. Many cheaper guitars, with single coil pickups. The most common type of single-coil pickup guitar is a Strat style body which was popularized buy the Fender Musical Instrument Company. Of course, there are many other manufacturers that make single coil guitars. These guitars are a good choice for beginners because they have a decent sound. They're perfect for rock, blues, country, Jazz, and many other styles of music. They tend to sound quite nice through an amplifier on a clean setting, but not as good when full distortion is used because the pickups tend to hum a little bit period on higher-priced guitars with single coil pickups. This isn't much as of an issue because these guitars used better pickups. On lower-cost instruments, they can be quite noticeable when the distortion on an amplifier is cranked.

• Guitars with Humbucking Pickups

Another type of guitar is one that features humbucking pickups. These pickups are essentially two pickups in one and they are frequently used for hard rock, metal, shred, and other more advanced styles of music. They are of course, used for many other styles such as rock, blues, country, and so on it's just that they are more associated with louder types of music. The most popular type of humbucking guitar is the Gibson Les Paul and many guitars that feature humbucking pickups are modeled after this guitar. The humbucking pickups tend to sound a lot better with distortion then single coil pickups do, but this is still just a personal preference. Most Hard Rock players and hard rock bands use guitars that feature humbucking pickups because they simply have a nice tone when they are put through distortion.

• Multi Pickup Guitars

Another option when you're buying an electric guitar is to get an electric guitar that has multi pickup configuration. This means the guitar will have both single coil pickups and humbucking pickups. For example, the HSS Fender Stratocaster has a humbucking pickup in the bridge position and two single coil pickups as this gives the guitar more options. You'll find many different guitars that have a multi pickup configuration and this can be a good choice if you want a wide range of sounds and not just the sounds of single coils and humbucking pickups. Some guitars will feature what is called a coil tap and this is where humbucking pickups can be made to sound like a single-coil pickup. You will find this option on many guitars that feature humbucking pickups. This might be something that you consider if you're looking for the sounds of both single coil and humbucker Pickups. Keep in mind that the coil tap doesn’t produce a sound that is as good as a real single-coil pickup.

What is Semi Hollow Electric Guitar?

Another type of guitar is called a semi-hollow guitar. This is a guitar that produces both acoustic and electric sounds. The reason why is called a Semi Hollow is it has F holes which are acoustic style holes in the body of the electric guitar shaped in the form of an F. These guitars usually come with humbucking pickups and they can produce a full and vibrant sound. They're usually associated with blues playing, country guitar, jazz guitar, and some other styles. They tend to be more expensive than normal electric guitars but they produce a very nice sound that you might prefer.

How Many Frets Do I Need?

Guitars will also come with a number of frets. The most common configurations are 20, 21, 22, and 24 frets. Most electric guitars will feature 22 frets as this is usually the standard option. If you're looking for a guitar for more advanced styles of music such as metal guitar, shred guitar, and similar styles, you want to look for a guitar that has 24 frets. If you have a guitar that has 24 Frets you'll be able to cover almost every type of music and song. It's up to the individual to decide how many frets they want, as it's usually just a personal preference.

Guitar Electronics

Your guitar comes with the various electronics which are used to control the pickups in your guitar. Most guitars will come with a volume knob, tone control, and a pickup selector switch. Guitars will come in all sorts of configurations some may have two volume knobs, some may have two tone controls, some may just have one of each. In general, you'll want a guitar that has one volume knob and two tone controls if you have more than one pick up. Some guitars work just fine with a single volume knob and a single tone control, but it's always nice to have a guitar that has an extra tone control as it just gives you more sound options.

Bridges

Another part of your guitar that is crucial is the bridge. This is where you string up your guitar. The strings will go through the bridge and then you will tie them at the top of the guitar on the headstock to the tuning pegs. There are various types of bridges that you can get for your electric guitar. You can get a stable hardtail bridge which just rest against the guitar and doesn't move. One of the more popular the bridges is called the Tune-O Matic. This bridge will move up and down through a couple of screws so it's easy to raise and lower the action of the strings on your guitar and it also makes it easy to change the strings because the strings don't have to go through the body of the guitar they are changed at the bridge.

One type of bridge so does popular in metal guitar, rock guitar, shred guitar and other advanced styles of music is called the tremolo system. A tremolo system allows you to raise and lower the pitch of strings but pushing down on a bar which is attached to the bridge. This bar can raise and lower string pitch and is often referred to as a whammy bar. This bar is used for various guitar tricks and sounds which are popular in many forms of rock music. You can get a standard tremolo system which just basically has a bar and nothing else. This type of tremolo works quite well but it can sometimes put the strings out of tune.

To combat this problem, you can get a bridge system which is referred to as a floating bridge and a common type is called a Floyd Rose. This bridge has the standard tremolo bar but it also has fine tuning pegs next to the bridge which you use to find tune each string. At the top of the guitar by the headstock, you will find locking nuts which go along with this type of bridge. You can open and close these with an Allen wrench as you tune the strings. Once the string has been tuned the locking nut is then closed and this keeps the guitar in tune when you use the whammy bar. This type of tremolo system is a little more complex and it's usually something that intermediate or advanced players use although beginners can use it as well as long as they understand tuning.

Body and Necks

There are many different types of guitar bodies that you can buy. You want the guitar body to be comfortable when you sit with the guitar. Some guitars may be more comfortable to hold than other guitars so it's really just a personal preference about the type of guitar body that you get. Guitars do come in all shapes and sizes so you're sure to find one that works for you. One thing to keep in mind is that the guitar should have a nice cut away by the neck of the guitar. This will allow your fingers to easily hit the higher notes on the guitar. A guitar with a nice deep cutaway is recommended if you want to play more advanced styles of music such as metal or shred guitar because you'll be able to hit all of those high notes very easily. Some guitars don't have much of a kind of way at all so you might want to keep this in mind before you buy. Heavier guitar such as a jazz guitar or a semi-hollow guitar usually only have a small cutaway where guitars that are designed for rock guitar for example will have a deeper cutaway so you can hit the higher notes.

The neck of your guitar should be something that is very comfortable for you to play. Your hands should fit around the neck and it should not give you any hand or finger strain. There are several guitar neck profiles that you should be aware of. The most common profile is called to C profile and this is a very comfortable guitar neck to play. Whenever you buy a guitar you will know what type of profile that the neck is. Guitars such as a Fender Stratocaster usually come with a C-profile neck.  Guitars with a U neck tend to be thinner and are usually found on more shred types of guitars such as those by Ibanez. There is usually only one next profile for a Gibson style guitar which is the D profile. The profile just refers to how thin or how thick the guitar neck is. You will have to play some guitars to determine the exact type of neck profile you prefer. Shredder players tend to prefer the U neck is it’s thinner while other players like other neck profiles. In general, you simply want the neck to feel good in your hands as you play it so this is why it's important to try out a different guitars because you never know what guitar is just going to feel right to you as you play it.

Amplifiers

Another thing that you must consider when buying an electric guitar is that you need an amplifier. If you buy a low-cost guitar and it comes with a practice amplifier, be aware that this is only going to be suitable for a short period of time. Small practice amplifiers that come with cheap guitars are just not very good and you'll want to upgrade them as soon as you can. There are several different amplifiers on the market that you have to consider before you buy.

The first and most common type of amplifier is called the solid-state amplifier. This amplifier it doesn't use tubes like older amplifiers do. It uses solid state circuitry to produce sounds. There's many great solid-state amplifiers such as those made by Fender, Marshall, Orange, Randall, and so on. Most amplifier manufacturers make both solid-state amplifiers and tube amplifiers. Solid-state amplifiers have come a long way in recent years and they now sound quite good for the price you pay. A solid-state amplifier tends to cost a little bit less than a tube amplifier does and you don't have to hassle with changing tubes in your amplifier when they burn out. You do lose a little bit of that classic tone that a tube amplifier has when you buy a solid-state amplifier.

Many guitar players prefer tube amplifiers for the warm and rich sound they produce.  Tube amplifiers with older style tubes which helps give them their unique and special sound. It's a good option to have both a tube amplifier and a solid-state amplifier because they produce such unique sounds. the drawback to two amplifiers is they tend to cost a lot more and you have to worry about tubes burning out which will cost you a little bit more money to replace them. It's usually just personal preference as to whether you prefer a tube amplifier or a solid-state amplifier. You really have to play through a lot of amplifiers to determine the best amplifier to meet your needs. Most people that are starting out we'll just go with a simple solid-state amplifier and then later on, if they're still playing guitar will upgraded to a tube amplifier.

 One option that you might consider in an amplifier is just to get an amp modeler. This type of amplifier produces the sounds of both a tube amplifier and a solid-state amplifier because it recreates the sound of all of these classic amplifiers. These amps tend to cost less but they can produce some great tones and sounds without the need for buying huge and expensive amplifiers. I consider this to be the best option for beginners and intermediate players because he's at modelers have come such a long way in recent years that they can really produce some great sounds. For example, I have produced several songs and put them online by just using a small amplifier by Yamaha which sounds just like a regular recording does and you really can't tell the difference. Amp modelers also tend to be smaller and you can take them around with you easier. The downside to amp modelers is they tend to be quite small and they usually don't have the wattage for a large venue such as a club although there are some models that are suited for this purpose.

Effects

Another thing that you need to consider when buying an electric guitar is the type of effects that you use with your amplifierou can vastly improve how your amplifier Sounds by using guitar effects. these effects include things such as distortion, overdrive, digital delay, reverb, flanger, wah wah, phaser, and so on. These effects come in small pedals which are often referred to as stomp boxes. They have a small switch on the pedal which is simply pressed down to start the pedal. There's various and knobs and switches on the pedal to control things such as volume, level, gain, tone, and so on. These effects pedals usually take a small 9 volt battery for proper operation. Many pedals can also be hooked up to a pedalboard and you can use an adapter which plugs into the wall to supply the pedals with electrical current. There's a huge range of pedals on the market that you can try with your guitar and amplifier. As with guitars and amplifiers, the type of pedal you use is a personal preference. You may spend a great deal of time experimenting with pedals until you find one that works for you.

There are also paddles that are designed for certain styles of music. For example, you can get pedals that are designed for playing blues music, there are pedals that are designed to play certain genres of heavy metals such as death metal or even shred guitar. Other pedals will cover a wide range of music while others are more specific and tailored to a certain style. A couple of common pedals that you'll probably want to purchase include a good distortion pedal, overdrive, and digital delay. Don't be afraid to experiment with pedals because you can get a lot of different sounds out of these little boxes and they can even make your amplifier sound better then it does without a pedal. If you have a lower-cost amplifier, the pedal that you use it make a big difference in your sound.

Accessories

• Strings

When it comes to accessories the most common accessory you're going to buy quite frequently are guitar strings. The type of guitar string you buy is going to be up to you but here are a few guidelines to keep in mind. In general, strings that have a 009 gauge are easier to bend and they make for faster playing. This is because the strings are thinner and they are easier on your fingers. I recommend that beginner players start with this gauge of string because they will find it easier to play the guitar. The other common gauge is 010s  which are heavier and they can have a better tone to them than the lower gauge strings, but they are also harder to bend and harder for beginners to play. You can also customize your strings and combined guitar gauges into a set that works for you. You will find these sets on the market and they can be a good option for someone that wants there's strings to be a bit more customized. You can also buy strings in a quite heavy such a 011s or 013s, but these are only recommended for advanced players. They're also sets of strings to accommodate guitars that have more than six strings such a 7-string, 12-string, and other guitars that don't feature the standard to six strings.

• Picks, Straps, and More

Other things you need to consider are the smaller accessories. In terms of picks there’s many types and thicknesses. In general, do for a medium pick which is about 0.80mm to 1.20mm in thickness. These make it easier to play your guitar. Some people prefer higher gauge picks. You should experiment a bit with picks to find ones that you need. You can also buy picks which are very thin which can help with faster strumming patterns. For some types of music like country, bluegrass, or blues, you might want to try thumb picks which go over the fingers of your strumming hand.

Guitar straps should be comfortable to wear. It's a good idea to get a solid leather strap as other strap materials will come apart frequently and need to be replaced. A good leather strap will last you a long time. You should also experiment with how high or low you wear the guitar on your body when you stand up to find what is comfortable for you.

I would recommend you get some of the following accessories to help you as you play:

• Peg winder to help remove strings
• Wire cutters to clean up strings as you change them
• Guitar polish
• Cotton polishing cloth
• Extra guitar strings (have plenty of the low E and B, they break more often)
• Guitar tuner
• Extra picks
• Music staff paper to write out music
• Music books to learn songs
  

These are just some ideas of the types of accessories you should buy. There’s all sort of options in terms of accessories and extras that you can buy for your guitar.

Practice

To get the most out of your guitar, you need to practice as much as possible. Most guitar players fail because they simply don’t practice enough. If you’re new, take some lessons so you’ll learn the basics about guitar playing from a professional. You should spend about 30 minutes to one hour each day to get better at guitar. You should learn songs, play songs to jam tracks, and learn music theory. The more knowledge that you have about the guitar, the better you’ll be. It takes time to get good at guitar so don't get frustrated. If you’re not learning, you should just practice more often as it’s probably what you need.

FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)

Can Electric Guitar Work Without Amplifier?

An electric guitar need an amplifier so others can hear it. You can practice without an amplifier, but the sound is very low and only suitable for simple practice. All electric guitars that are live go through an amplifier.

Will Painting an Electric Guitar Effect the Sound?

Painting a guitar won't change the sound. If you do paint a guitar is will most likely drop the value of the guitar. It’s best to paint a lower cost instrument if you want to add paint.

Is an Electric Guitar Easier Than Acoustic?

Electric guitar is much easier to learn than an acoustic because the strings are lighter. Beginners are encouraged to try electric guitar first as it will make learning acoustic guitar later on. Electric guitar also allows you to make a wide range of different sounds. The downside is that some types of music just sound better when played on an acoustic guitar.

How to Change Electric Guitar Strings?

If you play often, change strings at least once every two weeks unless you use coated strings which last longer. You need a peg winger and a pair of wire cutters. Remove the strings from the posts and cut the strings in half as this makes them easier to remove. When you put a new string you need to, wrap it a couple of times around the post and then put the string through the post hole to secure it.

Who Invented the Electric Guitar?

US Navy officer named George Breed in 1890 combined electricity with a guitar and this is considered the first pickup, but it was never made into a real guitar. A few attempts were made in the early 1900s, but they never went anywhere. The first electrically amplified guitar was designed in 1931 by George Beauchamp, the general manager of the National Guitar Corporation, the first guitar was called the frying pan. Production of this guitar began in 1932. By 1935, frying pan guitars were common.

How to Play Electric Guitar?

The best way to play electric guitar is to take guitar lessons as you need to learn the basic chords, scales, and music theory. You can also begin to learn online through sites such as YouTube.

How Many Strings Does an Electric Guitar Have?

Most electric guitars have six strings, there are also 7-string, 8-string, 12-string, and other electric guitars. The electric bass guitar usually has 4 or five strings.

How Does an Electric Guitar Work?

Electric guitars have pickups. These “pickup” the sound of the guitar through an amplifier and then produce the sound through the amplifier speaker. The pickups are coiled wires which have magnets.

How to Tune an Electric Guitar?

The easiest way to tune an electric guitar is to use a guitar tuner. You can also tune the big E string by pressing at fifth fret on the sixth string and then sounding the open 5th string. You do this for each string until you get to the G string where you press down at the 4th fret to get the B string in tune. The final E string is tuned at the fifth fret. This is considered standard tuning. There are many other tunings you can try for more sound options.

How Long Does It Take to Learn Electric Guitar?

The time it takes to learn the electric guitar is subjective. It will usually take several weeks to several months to learn the very basics of the electric guitar. You can expect to learn a few songs, scales, and chords within one year's time. To get proficient at the instrument it will usually take several years. You can speed up the process by taking lessons, going to a music school or university, and generally practicing as much as possible.

How to Record Electric Guitar?

Recording electric guitar will require that you have an amplifier, guitar, and some way of getting your guitar signal into your computer. Many musicians use what is called a guitar interface so that your computer will pick up the guitar sound. You will then use a digital audio Workstation or DAW to record the signals from your guitar and amplifier.

How to Clean an Electric Guitar?

An electric guitar should be cleaned with a little bit of guitar polish and a guitar polishing cloth. You can rub a little bit of this on the Finish to remove debris and to make the finish shine again. To clean things such as a guitar neck, is a little bit more involved and is best done buy a guitar technician.

How to Fix Fret Buzz on Electric Guitar?

Fret buzz on an electric guitar is usually caused by the strings being too close to the fretboard. By raising the action, you will usually correct most issues with fret buzz. If the frets on the guitar are quite worn, then you might have some fret buzz. Frets can be filed down buy a professional to remove dings and Burrs in the strings which will correct fret buzz.

What Is an Electric Guitar Pedal?

An electric guitar pedal is a small box shaped device which is used to produce various sounds that your amplifier. Might not produce. They usually have a small button on them that is pressed down by your foot while you are playing. They take a 9 volt battery or an adapter. They have various dials and switches on them just like an amplifier to change the sound of the pedal.

Which Guitar Electric or Acoustic?

It's up to you to decide whether you wanted an electric guitar or an acoustic guitar. An electric guitar is easier to play, but you need an amplifier which can cost you more money. An acoustic guitar is a little bit harder to play but it's easier to take around with you. an acoustic guitar at least a good one, usually cost more than electric guitar does. both have their pros and their cons so it's just a matter of preference.

Conclusion

This guide should get you well on your way to playing and enjoying the electric guitar. You will find many different guitars in the market to suit all budgets and styles of play. Make sure you buy a guitar that you personally like, not what someone says you should play. The guitar should feel good in your hands and be very comfortable to play.

As you develop as a guitar player, don’t be afraid to experiment with effects and amplifiers as this will help you create your own signature sound. The best thing about paying guitar as you’re free do with it what you want and to create new and exciting sounds with your instrument. Whether you’re serious about guitar or it’s just a hobby, make sure you have fun and keep learning. Take the guitar to new heights and always strive to be the best player you can be.