Best Electric Guitars of 2024

Are you looking for a new instrument to find that creative spark; maybe you or your child are new to the guitar and want a solid option that can grow with you without breaking the bank; or maybe your GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome) is at an all-time high, and you’re on the prowl for the next sonic weapon to add to your arsenal. Whatever the case, Sweetwater’s got you covered. From standout guitars priced at under $200 to superlative axes that adorn the best bands’ guitar repertoires as they take the stage, we’ve got something for everyone. Want to learn how to buy the best electric guitar for you? Check out our Electric Guitar Buying Guide below! Now, let’s take a look at the best electric guitars of 2024.

Note: At Sweetwater, we know there’s no such thing as “best” when it comes to music gear. Every player and artist has unique tastes, which is what makes selecting gear so fun! The items on this list feature some of our favorite products from top manufacturers to help you start your buying journey! Explore these recommendations and dive into Sweetwater’s massive collection of gear on our online store. For personalized picks and expert advice, please contact our knowledgeable Sweetwater Sales Engineers at (800) 222-4700!

Best Electric Guitars Under $200Best Electric Guitars Between $200 & $500Best Electric Guitars Between $500 & $1,000Best Electric Guitars Above $1,000Electric Guitar Buying Guide

Best Electric Guitars Under $200

Jackson Dinky JS11 Electric Guitar

Step one for superlative shredders

Throughout the decades, Jackson’s array of shred machines has adorned the sonic armory of countless legends, with a contemporary suite of signature artist models that comprise Anthrax’s Scott Ian, Iron Maiden’s Adrian Smith, Def Leppard’s Phil Collen, Trivium’s Corey Beaulieu, and more. Suffice it to say: the company knows what you need for the optimal, high-octane axe, and the Jackson Dinky JS11 electric guitar delivers all the proper appointments. Its basswood body, maple neck, and amaranth fingerboard form a tonal triumvirate with plenty of sustain, ringing trebles, and sonorous basses. House-made, high-output ceramic humbuckers amplify the searing sonics you’re bound to evoke with its speed-shaped neck and 12-inch fingerboard radius. Plus, the onboard tremolo takes your tones to expressive peaks and deep valleys to ensure no sound is out of reach.

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Product:Jackson Dinky JS11Body Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:PoplarNeck:MapleFingerboard:ArmaranthElectronics:2 Jackson High-output HumbuckersSounds Like:’80s Hair MetalPros:• Incredible playability at an affordable price• Slim neck that is great for beginners and players learning to shred• Dual Jackson humbuckers for delivering killer toneCons:None to speak of at this price point!

Squier Sonic Stratocaster Electric Guitar

Squier’s Sonic makeover: definitely worth a look

Revamped, revoiced, and packed with more value than ever — the Squier Sonic Stratocaster electric guitar is perfect for rekindling creativity or giving new talents the launchpad they need. The Squier Sonic Strat’s quality feel and classic design let players learn guitar, not wrestle one. Past iconic looks, Stratocasters like this are known for versatility heard across surf, indie, classic rock, and more. Squier’s latest axe maintains that same massive range with three single-coil pickups and a 5-way pickup selector for broad sonics. What’s more, these pickups are freshly modernized with ceramic magnets and play well with digital stompboxes, recording interfaces, and modeling amps that have recently surged in popularity while shrinking in price. Backing the electronics, you’ll find quality hardware, including chrome tuners, a synthetic bone nut, and a tremolo system for bending notes to oblivion — whammy style.

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Product:Squier Sonic StratocasterBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:PoplarNeck:MapleFingerboard:MapleElectronics:3 Squier Ceramic Single-coil PickupsSounds Like:’60s Rock ‘n’ RollPros:• Classic Stratocaster-style guitar at an unbeatable price• Comfortable C-shaped neck that’s great for any player• Versatile single-coil pickups that give you a wide range of tonesCons:None to speak of at this price point!

Ibanez miKro GRGM21M Electric Guitar

A hard-rocking short-scale shredder

Tailor-made for nascent shredders, the Ibanez miKro GRGM21M electric guitar makes high-speed fretboard pyrotechnics seem effortless. This guitar’s large cutaway enables access to higher frets for soaring leads, plus its 22.2-inch-scale neck offers superior playability for beginners and players with shorter arms and smaller hands. As for sound, the miKro GRGM21M’s dual humbuckers churn out all the thick, metallic tones you can handle. Are you craving some whammy bar abuse? If so, then check out the Ibanez Gio GRX70QA electric guitar.

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Product:Ibanez miKro GRGM21MBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:BasswoodNeck:MapleFingerboard:MapleElectronics:2 Infinity R Ceramic HumbuckersSounds Like:Modern Rock and MetalPros:• Large cutaway that allows access to higher frets for soaring leads• 22.2-inch-scale maple neck that is great for beginners and guitarists with small hands or shorter arms• Double humbucker pickup configuration that delivers hard-hitting rock and metal tonesCons:Some players may prefer a guitar with a tremolo bridge, like the Ibanez Gio GRX70QA electric guitar.

Kramer Focus VT-211S Electric Guitar

Classic profile, modern flexibility

Once your eyes adjust to the vibrant, fluorescent finish, you may be tempted to think that the Kramer Focus VT-211S is just another entry-level S-shaped electric guitar. Rest assured, aspiring shred-meisters, for this axe is infused with the same DNA that flows through Kramer’s entire aural offering, and it all starts with the tonewoods. Anchoring its sonic suite is an overtone-rich mahogany body, complemented by a maple neck and fingerboard to brighten your sound with fantastic articulation and plenty of projection. With a high-speed neck profile and 12-inch fingerboard radius, you’ll be extra grateful for the generous cutaway to ensure unfettered access to all 21 frets. Its HSS pickup configuration comprises Alnico V single-coil and humbucker pickups, accompanied by a 5-way blade switch to navigate a versatile tone suite of searing solos, low-end chug, and everything in between.

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Product:Kramer Focus VT-211SBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:MahoganyNeck:MapleFingerboard:MapleElectronics:Neck: Kramer Alnico V SC-1 Single-coil; Middle: Kramer Alnico V SC-1 Single-coil; Bridge: Kramer Alnico V HB-1 HumbuckerSounds Like:’80s Hard RockPros:• Pickup configuration that offers a great number of tonal options• Great beginner electric guitar• Slim neck that is comfortable and allows for fast playabilityCons:None to speak of at this price point!

ESP LTD Viper-10 Solidbody Electric Guitar

Fangs out — it’s Viper value!

The ESP LTD Viper-10 solidbody electric guitar lays down aggressive metal and hard-rock tones without aggressing your bank account! Between ESP-designed humbucking pickups and a contoured basswood body, the Viper-10 has slithered into the souls of players who crave noxious tones with a distorted bite. These humbuckers handle hurricanes of gain like champs, but don’t put them in a metal box. Take the gain down a notch for warm, expressive cleans packed with personality. The Viper-10 body shape pulls from a familiar classic but is carved and thinned out for extra comfort. The maple neck’s “Thin U” profile is a shredder favorite that’s turned many first-time ESP buyers into lifelong fans. What’s more, the fingerboard has 24 extra-jumbo frets for an extended solo range that’s not common in this price range.

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Product:ESP LTD Viper-10Body Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:BasswoodNeck:MapleFingerboard:HardwoodElectronics:Neck: ESP-designed LH-100N Humbucker; Bridge: ESP-designed LH-100B HumbuckerSounds Like:Modern Rock and MetalPros:• A great guitar for guitarists at all skill levels• Incredibly lightweight• High-quality pickups for high-gain metalCons:This guitar is great for hard rock and metal, but if you’re looking for a more versatile guitar, then check out the Squier Sonic Stratocaster electric guitar.

Best Electric Guitars Between $200 & $500

Guild Surfliner HH Solidbody Electric Guitar

Take humbucker tone to the beach!

Let it be known: the Guild Surfliner HH solidbody electric guitar is one of the most underrated new guitars of recent memory. If you missed the Surfliner’s 2022 debut, then here’s your chance to ride the wave on a guitar that punches above its class with outstanding playability, unique offset tones, and ’60s-inspired looks that radiate retro cool. The pickups easily jump between clean warmth and driving humbucker heft and excel at handling rigorous blends of riffs, licks, chords, and power strums. The Surfliner HH’s poplar body and maple neck deliver speed suitable for surf and much more. A string-through bridge further distinguishes tone with extra snap and sustain with a certain X factor that makes the Surfliner hard to pass up — just like a day at the beach. It may look like a quirky offset (and it is), but Guild went above and beyond to make this a versatile player with unique tone. Make it yours, and you just might find that fresh twist on West Coast sounds you’ve been after.

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Product:Guild Surfliner HHBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:PoplarNeck:MapleFingerboard:MapleElectronics:2 Guild HB-2 HumbuckersSounds Like:Surf RockPros:• Dual HB-2 humbuckers that give you a wide range of tones to play with• Comfortable C-shaped neck that’s great for any player• String-through body and Tune-o-matic bridge for unyielding reliabilityCons:Humbuckers aren’t for everyone. For those looking for this cool body shape with single-coil pickups, look no further than this Guild Surfliner solidbody electric guitar.

Yamaha PAC112V Pacifica

Premium appointments for bicoastal versatility

When one company produces world-class grand pianos, Olympic-grade archery equipment, studio recording equipment, and outboard motors, it’s safe to say that they’re unequivocally dedicated to their craft. With the Yamaha PAC112V Pacifica, you’ll feel the spirit of purposeful, high-quality design with every note of its rosewood fingerboard. An elegant form factor and natural finish complement the tonal flexibility of its HSS configuration, which is armed with Alnico V single-coil and humbucking pickups — the PAC112V is brimming with Yamaha’s lauded history of electronic expertise. You can even split the humbuckers with a push-pull tone knob to supplement your sound with further crisp articulation. A slick, C-shaped maple neck, 13-3/4-inch fingerboard radius, and 25-1/2-inch scale provide the tools for traversing hard-rockin’ to subtly smooth tonal territories!

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Product:Yamaha PAC112V PacificaBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:AlderNeck:MapleFingerboard:RosewoodElectronics:Neck: Yamaha Alnico V Single-coil; Middle: Yamaha Alnico V Single-coil; Bridge: Yamaha Alnico V HumbuckerSounds Like:Indie RockPros:• C-shaped neck that provides great playability• Lightweight and comfortable• Able to dial in a variety of tones due to the pickup configurationCons:None to speak of at this price point!

Epiphone Les Paul Special Electric Guitar

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

Since its debut in the ’50s, the Les Paul design has gone largely unchanged, and what permutations do exist are the result of a careful balancing act that preserves the iconic Les Paul DNA while providing the sonic supplements needed to take your sound to new reaches. Enter: the Epiphone Les Paul Special electric guitar. Oozing with vintage panache, the Special bridges classic and modern to deliver a musical machine primed for a premier blend of hefty, articulate tones. And whom do we have to thank for that? Seth Lover, of course, who was the pioneering designer of the P-90 pickups and whose pro iterations are featured in the Les Paul Special. Their sensitivity features a distinctive response profile, capturing nuanced performances and subtleties while maintaining the substance to deliver growling, girthy tones.

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Product:Epiphone Les Paul SpecialBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:MahoganyNeck:MahoganyFingerboard:Indian LaurelElectronics:2 P-90 PRO Soapbar Single-coilsSounds Like:Classic RockPros:• Vintage look at an affordable price• P-90 pickups for a classic, rich midrange tone• Rock-solid tuning stabilityCons:The two P-90s may not give you a wide variety of tones like other guitars can. For more tonal options, check out the Yamaha PAC112V Pacifica.

Squier Classic Vibe Baritone Custom Telecaster Guitar

Timeless Tele tone goes deep

While Teles aren’t typically associated with the heavy-metal aesthetics that often accompany the down-tuned sound, the Squier Classic Vibe Baritone Custom Telecaster guitar challenges you to reimagine the distinctive, Texas-style sonics of the iconic Tele with the increased tonal range of this guitar’s 27-inch scale. For the unfamiliar, this is roughly two inches longer than your standard electric guitar, but those two inches make for a world of difference. Case in point: B-standard tuning is easily achievable, retaining the tension and playability that typically accompanies E-standard setups on non-baritone guitars. The Classic Vibe’s nyatoh body, maple neck, and Indian laurel fingerboard make for a trio of tonewoods that elicit plenty of sustain, harmonic depth, and balanced articulation, perfect for traversing the depths of dropped-down sound!

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Product:Squier Classic Vibe Baritone Custom TelecasterBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:NyatohNeck:MapleFingerboard:Indian LaurelElectronics:2 Fender-designed Alnico Single-coilsSounds Like:CountryPros:• Classic and vintage look• Baritone for yielding warmer and more rounded tone compared to other 6-string electric guitars• Comfortable Indian laurel fretboard that offers impeccable playabilityCons:A baritone may not be for everyone. For a standard-sized Telecaster, check out the Squier Classic Vibe ’50s Telecaster.

Kramer Baretta Special Electric Guitar

Where you’re going, you don’t need tone (knobs)

Since the ’80s, Kramer’s Baretta silhouette has been the axe of shred icons, adorning the aural armatures of Eddie Van Halen, Richie Sambora, and countless others. Like its predecessors, the Kramer Baretta Special electric guitar features a bolt-on neck, premium-access cutaway, and matching headstock finish, boasting a straightforward, slanted single-pickup setup with a sole volume knob. A mahogany body anchors the Baretta’s tone profile, serving up chewy mids, booming lows, and blooming harmonics, while the maple neck and fingerboard round out the spectrum with articulate, crystalline highs. A lone, spicy Alnico V zebra-coil humbucker is engineered for hot, hair-metal tones that will have you reaching for your leopard-print guitar strip in no time!

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Product:Kramer Baretta SpecialBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:MahoganyNeck:MapleFingerboard:MapleElectronics:Alnico V Zebra-coil HumbuckerSounds Like:’80s Hair MetalPros:• Versatile guitar at an affordable price• Simple control scheme• Great tone from the zebra-coil humbuckerCons:None to speak of at this price point!

Best Electric Guitars Between $500 & $1,000

PRS SE Singlecut McCarty 594 Electric Guitar

Unbeatable value with no corners cut

For years, players who haven’t owned a USA-made Singlecut McCarty 594 (and those who have) have asked PRS when an SE version of the 594 would appear. The hour is here, but was the wait worth it? Our answer? A resounding “Yes!” The PRS SE Singlecut McCarty 594 electric guitar delivers fluid playability at a jaw-dropping price, especially given its fidelity to the original design. A classic mahogany body fuels big, rich humbucker tone with extra-suave looks and a splash of brilliant treble added by a maple cap. The neck’s slightly extended scale length (the source of PRS’s “594” designator) modernizes the string feel for speed and expression without losing any iconic sonics. Speaking of aesthetics, this axe is a stunner. The gorgeous maple body binding, PRS Birds fingerboard inlays, and gloss finish, as well as PRS’s signature natural wood grain back, make you feel and look like you own a piece of the real PRS pie — and that’s because you do! Or will soon. See that “Add to Cart” button? You know what to do!

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Product:PRS SE Singlecut McCarty 594Body Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:MahoganyNeck:MahoganyFingerboard:RosewoodElectronics:2 PRS 58/15 “S” HumbuckersSounds Like:Modern RockPros:• Legendary PRS quality and playability• 58/15 LT “S” pickups that deliver vintage-tinged humbucking tones• A longer, 24.594-inch scale length for a unique feelCons:You may have to get rid of the rest of your guitars — this is one versatile axe!

Danelectro ’59 Triple Divine Electric Guitar

Triple lipstick tone with unique wiring

The ultimate studio Danelectro? We say, “Yes!” The latest reissue from this revived vintage builder captures a Danelectro ’59 DC-3 Deluxe Shorthorn that’s outfitted with not one, not two, but three lipstick pickups. Studio pros know that having a 3-pickup guitar nearby is the surefire way to find usable tones, and the Danelectro ’59 Triple Divine electric guitar offers just that. Moreover, the Triple Divine features versatile 5-way switching and rare series pickup wiring. Most guitars are wired in parallel for more “even” output in these positions, but series wiring is a big part of what made old-school Danelectros (and this one) so unique. Series wiring delivers a hefty power bump in multi-pickup selector positions. These positions don’t jangle — they snarl! You’ll find that each individual pickup has the plucky treble favored by California Dreamers, but select more than one pickup for a chance to explore “beefy” output and muscular vintage flair that series wiring imparts. It’s ripe for garage rock, sludge, classic metal, surf, and so much more.

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Product:Danelectro ’59 Triple DivineBody Type:Semi-hollowbodyBody Wood:Spruce/Plywood with Hardboard TopNeck:MapleFingerboard:RosewoodElectronics:3 Lipstick Single-coil PickupsSounds Like:Jangly Indie (with a bonus Beefy side in positions 2 and 4)Pros:• Iconic look and sound• 3 lipstick pickups with unique series wiring for huge tonal variety with undeniable soul• Great for beginners and advanced guitaristsCons:Although versatile, this guitar may not be the best for heavier styles of music. For a guitar that can cover more genres and tones, check out the PRS SE Singlecut McCarty 594 electric guitar.

Epiphone ES-335 Figured Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar

Figure that’s worth a look

Epiphone’s 50-plus years of experience crafting semi-hollowbody guitars gives Sweetwater Sales Engineers nothing but confidence in guitars like this stunning Epiphone ES-335 Figured semi-hollowbody electric guitar. As part of the Figured series, this ES-335 tops classic tonewoods with a rich AAA flamed maple veneer for sharp looks and warmer tone. The maple veneer’s figured grain streaks look great in a living room but really shine under stage lights. The ES-335 Figured’s layered maple body ensures lively attack and warm, low-flying sustain with a vintage flair well-suited for retro takes on blues, jazz, and rock. Maple sets the standard for many semi-hollowbody classics and fuels nostalgic bell-like tones worthy of the original 335. Inside the ES-335 Figured is a solid maple block for squashing feedback, which means you can push it with an amp or pedals for soaring tones with serious soul. If you’ve never felt the ripping warmth of an overdriven Epiphone semi-hollowbody, then here’s your sign!

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Product:Epiphone ES-335 FiguredBody Type:Semi-hollowbodyBody Wood:Layered MapleNeck:MahoganyFingerboard:Indian LaurelElectronics:2 Alnico Classic PRO HumbuckersSounds Like:Classic R&B and BluesPros:• Affordable re-creation of the classic Gibson ES-335 semi-hollowbody electric guitar• Warm tones that are only found in 335-style guitars• Vintage tones with Alnico Classic PRO humbuckersCons:Although this model is a great guitar, the other guitars in the Epiphone Figured series may suit a wider range of guitarists.

Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HH FR M Electric Guitar

Certified Superstrat sonics from the OG

Fate is a funny thing. Wayne Charvel would establish his namesake company after three years of working with Fender, the company that would ultimately acquire Charvel’s in 2002, and for good reason: Charvel would pioneer the Superstrat movement of the ’80s, bringing high-heat humbuckers and the immensely expressive locking tremolos into the mix to combine classic Strat stylings with the firepower needed for the then-modern rocker. The Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HH FR M electric guitar is a masterful distillation of these standout properties, engineered for premier performance with its pair of Seymour Duncan Distortion humbuckers — a TB-6 in the bridge and an SH-6N in the neck — to elicit evocative, nuanced tones. What’s more, the shred-optimized neck features Chavel’s wide “U” speed neck and a compound-radius fingerboard that moves from 12 to 16 inches as you close in on the higher frets. When you need that last bit of expressive oomph, your Floyd Rose 1000 Series tremolo is ready for tonal trapezing.

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Product:Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HH FR MBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:AlderNeck:MapleFingerboard:MapleElectronics:Neck: Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6N Humbucker; Bridge: Seymour Duncan Distortion TB-6 HumbuckerSounds Like:Modern MetalPros:• Radiates the instantly recognizable California vibe• Push-pull coil tap• Floyd Rose double-locking trem for you to dive-bomb without wrecking your tuningCons:None to speak of at this price point!

Godin 5th Avenue CW Kingpin II P-90 Hollowbody Electric Guitar

Sharp looks, superlative sound, and timeless style

Hollowbody electric guitars are a fantastic choice for a smattering of sounds, from jazz and Delta blues to rock ‘n’ roll and any number of country styles. The Godin 5th Avenue CW Kingpin II P-90 hollwbody electric guitar is nothing short of a masterclass in this superlative sonic versatility, and it all starts with the tonewoods. Its body’s archtop, back, and sides are crafted from Canadian wild cherry, a material known for its rich sonics, balance across the midrange, sustaining clarity, and heaps of projection. A silver-leaf maple neck imbues your tones with an overarching brightness and fantastic note separation, remaining tight throughout each register and bolstering lows and highs. Its rosewood fingerboard caps things off with a crystalline veneer, keeping tones clear and full with a shimmering style. Interestingly, a set of P-90 pickups capture every nuance of the distinctive hollowbody sound, from subtle and soft to growling grit.

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Product:Godin 5th Avenue CW Kingpin II P-90Body Type:HollowbodyBody Wood:Canadian Wild CherryNeck:Silver-leaf MapleFingerboard:RosewoodElectronics:2 Godin Kingpin P-90 Single-coilsSounds Like:FolkPros:• Unique tonewoods that will set you apart from other guitarists• Hollowbody style for a thick and full sound• P-90s to give your tone a nice midrange bumpCons:The configuration of two P-90 pickups may not be for everyone. Other guitars from the Godin 5th Avenue series offer more tonal flexibility.

Best Electric Guitars Above $1,000

Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster Electric Guitar

Historic tones to light up your sound!

Throughout the decades, Fender’s ubiquitous Stratocaster has endured as a standby 6-string that has found homes in genres far beyond the reaches of its ’60s surf-rock roots. While it’s difficult to go wrong with any Strat, the Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster electric guitar is far more than a fancy title and flashy finish. Fender’s luthiers spared no effort in ensuring this Strat would reproduce all of the appointments of its namesake-era’s design with exacting detail. Its tonewood triptych comprises an alder body, a maple neck, and a rosewood fingerboard, boasting a bone nut, a 25-1/2-inch scale, and 21 vintage-tall frets sprawling its classic, 7-1/4-inch fingerboard radius, culminating in the iconic tones that would define rock ‘n’ roll. Nitro finish? Check. Vintage synchronized tremolo? Check. Authentic ’61 C-shaped neck profile, “Fender Deluxe” tuning machines, and Pure Vintage ’61 single-coil pickups? Check, please!

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Product:Fender American Vintage II 1961 StratocasterBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:AlderNeck:MapleFingerboard:RosewoodElectronics:3 Pure Vintage ’61 Strat Single-coilsSounds Like:Classic RockPros:• A plethora of tonal options with the 3 single-coil pickups• Vintage-looking and vintage-sounding• Made in the USA in Corona, CaliforniaCons:S-style guitars may not be for everyone. Luckily, the Fender American Vintage II series has many different guitars and pickup configurations to choose from.

Gibson SG Standard ’61 Faded Maestro Vibrola Electric Guitar

Onboard Vibrola and pre-Plek’d frets — it’s anything but standard!

This Gibson SG Standard ’61 Faded Maestro Vibrola electric guitar features a rustic, faded Vintage Cherry finish for serious ’60s charm. Gibsonites and SG players who land on the cleaner side of SG tone can get great mileage from this SG’s Maestro Vibrola, which puts buttery-smooth bends within easy reach. This SG is traditionally voiced for vintage-tinged firepower with two ’60s Gibson Burstbucker humbucking pickups onboard. These Burstbuckers are widely considered the best PAF-style humbuckers available today. Played clean, Burstbuckers capture classic PAF crispness but will instantly saturate when pushed for stadium-worthy sounds. What’s more, this SG’s rosewood fingerboard is pretreated to a Plek’d fret-leveling process worth several hundred dollars. The computer-guided Plek Pro process levels and dresses all your frets for flawless comfort and consistency straight out of the box.

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Product:Gibson SG Standard ’61 Faded Maestro VibrolaBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:MahoganyNeck:MahoganyFingerboard:RosewoodElectronics:2 Gibson ’60s Burstbucker HumbuckersSounds Like:Classic RockPros:• Iconic double-horned body and sound• Maestro Vibrola tailpiece for you to add vibrato to your sound• Plek’d frets for effortless playabilityCons:The SG may not be for you, but luckily, the Gibson Original Collection has a wide array of guitars that will suit almost every player.

D’Angelico Excel Mini DC Tour Semi-hollowbody Electric Guitar

Slimmed-down size, uncompromising sonic potential

D’Angelico’s unparalleled expertise revolves in no small part around its mastery of hollowbody, semi-hollowbody, and acoustic guitar design, meticulously balancing tonewoods, electronics, and resonance to produce an evocative suite of sonic possibilities. With the D’Angelico Excel Mini DC Tour semi-hollowbody electric guitar, the company’s classic DC body is slimmed down for an instrument equally worthy of the road and the stage — all without compromising tone. Sustain and clarity abound thanks to its ebony fingerboard and laminated maple body. Its 3-piece maple and walnut neck increases dimensional stability to prevent warping or twisting, donning a flexible C-shaped profile to comfortably accommodate countless styles. Dual Supro Bolt Bucker pickups expertly capture the bright, resonant tones of the Mini DC Tour, flavoring them with their own indelible warmth.

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Product:D’Angelico Excel Mini DC TourBody Type:Semi-hollowbodyBody Wood:Laminated MapleNeck:3-piece Maple / Walnut / MapleFingerboard:EbonyElectronics:2 Supor Bolt Bucker HumbuckersSounds Like:R&B and SoulPros:• Has a smaller body than other 335-style semi-hollowbody guitars• Dual humbuckers that deliver warm, articulate tone with plenty of sonic firepower• C-shaped neck that is comfortable for all styles and playersCons:None to speak of at this price point!

ESP LTD KH-V Kirk Hammett Signature Electric Guitar

“Trapped Under Ice”-cold style!

A quick look at Kirk Hammett’s collection of distinctive axes reveals an affinity for Super-S body styles, vintage horror-film art direction, and pointy guitars. His history with V-shaped tools of metal and mayhem spans multiple decades and manufacturers, but an entry with ESP has been missing since the late 1990s. More than 25 years later, however, the dark horse rides again with the eye-grabbing ESP LTD KH-V Kirk Hammett Signature electric guitar, complete with a dazzling Black Sparkle finish and loaded with Hammett’s signature EMG Bone Breaker humbuckers customized to feature both ceramic and Alnico V magnets to evoke the diverse suite of Hammett’s crushing riffs and solos. This LTD KH-V is engineered for speed, utilizing ESP’s next-gen SV body, which was made famous by the ESP LTD Alexi Hexed prolific signature electric guitar model, finding an LTD Signature–series sibling in the ESP LTD Gary Holt GH-SV Signature electric guitar as well. Unlike these, however, the KH-V is the only option currently available to feature a TOM-style bridge and string-through design for those who don’t fancy a locking tremolo.

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Product:ESP LTD KH-V Kirk Hammett SignatureBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:KorinaNeck:MapleFingerboard:EbonyElectronics:2 EMG Bone Breaker HumbuckersSounds Like:Thrash MetalPros:• Made with all of Kirk Hammett’s specs• Comes in 3 unique and eye-catching color schemes• ESP’s only LTD SV guitar available with a string-through designCons:This model isn’t very versatile in terms of genre. For more tonal options, check out the rest of the ESP LTD Signature series.

Fender Gold Foil Jazzmaster Electric Guitar

Fender’s spring surprise

Fender gave players a spring surprise this year with a new line of classic body shapes outfitted with Gold Foil pickups. This odd but endearing Fender Gold Foil Jazzmaster electric guitar has quickly become an overwhelming fan favorite for its unique mahogany body and ample pickup options. Three Gold Foil mini humbuckers combined with a switching system inspired by the Fender Jaguar fuel old-school grit and chime with more heft than either classic Jazzmaster single-coils or standard Gold Foils can provide. This Jazzmaster’s Gold Foils feature Alnico V magnets for significantly more punch than retro versions — consider them vintage-inspired with modern output that won’t leave long cable runs fighting for juice. Pair this guitar with a Fender Hammertone Overdrive pedal for garage grit, or go clean with a Fender Tre-Verb Tremolo/Reverb pedal for humbucker warmth with lo-fi charm. Oh, and there’s an authentic Bigsby, too. Bend on, you crazy diamond!

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Product:Fender Gold Foil JazzmasterBody Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:MahoganyNeck:MapleFingerboard:EbonyElectronics:3 Fender Gold Foil Mini HumbuckersSounds Like:Garage Rock, Lo-fi, and Indie RockPros:• A new look for a cult classic• Mustang-style bridge for enhanced stability• B50 tremolo for surfy warble and deep vibratoCons:The Fender Gold Foil series steps away from traditional Fender tonewoods and pickups. For a more traditional Jazzmaster, check out the Fender American Professional II Jazzmaster.

Strandberg Boden Prog NX 6 Electric Guitar

Headless, multi-scale, and precision-engineered performance

Strandberg has become synonymous with headless shred machines, and while naysayers may have thought it would be a trend not dissimilar to a comparable fad of the ’80s, Strandberg has illustrated that there’s plenty of tonal territory to be explored with headless designs. In other words, this isn’t about novelty, and the company’s flagship Strandberg Boden Prog NX 6 electric guitar is a masterclass in efficiency, precision-engineered for maximum sonic potential. Its maple-topped swamp ash body and cutting-edge Richlite fingerboard balance heft and clarity with sonorous sustain. With 24 frets sprawling, a subtle multi-scale fretboard, and a 20-inch radius, the Boden Prog NX 6 is the pre-eminent choice for modern metal guitarists who appreciate the sonic integrity of high-octane play in any style and tuning. Moreover, its pair of Suhr SSV and SSH+ humbuckers blend heat and articulation, and the 5-way blade switch provides ample aural flexibility. Throw in Strandberg’s EGS Rev7 Tremolo, and you’ll never come up short on expressive potential.

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Product:Strandberg Boden Prog NX 6Body Type:SolidbodyBody Wood:Swamp AshNeck:MapleFingerboard:RichliteElectronics:Neck: Suhr SSV Humbucker; Bridge: Suhr SSH+ HumbuckerSounds Like:Modern MetalPros:• Incredibly lightweight and comfortable• Dual humbuckers that deliver a plethora of tones• One of the most eye-catching guitars on this listCons:The design and body shape of this model may not be for everyone. For a more traditional design, check out the Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster electric guitar.

Electric Guitar Buying Guide

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