When buying your first electric guitar, you do not just walk into a guitar shop and place an order on any guitar that you find. For one, that is cumbersome. Second, you could end up with a guitar that is too noisy, or a guitar that does not last long. Hence, you have to think about what you need to achieve first before buying any of the guitars you find online or in a brick and mortar guitar shop.
Before you buy any electric guitar, remember that these guitars are not too audible on their own. You, therefore, have to budget for an amp. The amp acts as a sound amplifier and as a monitor during a live performance. You also need a cable to connect the guitar to the amp.
In this market, you will find a range of electric guitars from different manufacturers. All of them come with different designs, shapes, and prices. Therefore, you have to do proper research if you want a guitar that will satisfy your musical needs as a musician.
Our Top Pick
Top 10 Best Electric Guitars
10 Best Electric Guitars Reviews
- 🎸 Strat-Style Double Cutaway Design: Classic 38" electric guitar with contoured body for comfortable playability and iconic shape – ideal for beginners and learners
- 🎚️ H-S-S Pickup Configuration: Equipped with 1 Humbucker and 2 Single Coil pickups, 5-way selector switch, 1 Volume and 2 Tone controls for versatile tone options
- 🎶 21 Frets & Glossy Black Finish: Features 21 frets and a rich Full Black gloss finish for a vintage look and expressive playing across the fretboard
- 🪕 Quality Build Materials - Full Wood Construction: Crafted with Linden wood body, Maple neck, and Rosewood fingerboard, steel strings and wood frame for a warm, resonant tone and reliable performance
- 🎛️ Chrome Die-Cast Tuners: Geared tuning keys ensures precise and stable tuning even with regular play and string bends with 5-way pickup selector, 1 Volume, and 2 Tone control knobs
- 🎼 Complete Starter Kit: Includes padded gig bag, guitar cable, 2 picks, tremolo rod, and 2 allen keys – all essentials to start playing right away
- HSS Pickup Configuration: The Kadence guitar brings together the timeless sound of two single-coil pickups with the power of a humbucker in the bridge position, unlocking a spectrum of tones spanning from crystal-clear cleans to searing high-gain crunch. Seamlessly switch between sonic realms with the versatile five-way pickup selector, while fine-tuning your sound using the conveniently placed volume and dual tone controls.
- Premium wood: Kadence Electric Guitar is built using highly sought-after alder tonewood, providing strong upper-midrange, clear bass, and characteristic scooped mids. Enjoy greater sustain and resonance, resulting in a versatile, well-balanced sound ideal for various genres.
- Truss Rod- Kadence electric guitars use a double action truss rod. It offers the advantage of adjusting the guitar for humid as well as dry climates. The truss rod can be tightened in both directions and the reverse warp dreaded by guitarists, which causes string buzzing can easily be fixed.
- Stunning Design: The Kadence Astroman Electric Guitar features a striking Black finish, making it a visually captivating instrument that will turn heads wherever you play.
- Gig bag + accessories: Picks, Cable, Strap, Bag, Strings and Amplifier
- The Vault ST1 Strat Style Electric Guitar is sure to stand out among other instruments in your collection. The chrome plating on the guitar's hardware ensures corrosion resistance and immense durability. The body of the guitar is constructed out of sycamore, which imparts adequate stiffness. This tonewood variety produces clean tones with well-defined treble notes. The maple neck produces bright tones with tight lows. Maple is resistant to climatic changes and longevity.
- Vault guitars use a double action truss rod, which is only available in high-end guitars from Ibanez, Fender, PRS and the likes. It offers the advantage of adjusting the guitar for humid as well as dry climates. The truss rod can be tightened in both directions and the reverse warp dreaded by guitarists, which causes string buzzing can easily be fixed.
- Low-noise high-output pickups which give you exemplarily sound. All pickups come with saddle adjustment screws.
- High-quality chrome-plated nickel die cast tuners with a 16:1 tuning ratio, which allows for fine-tuning your instrument. These tuners are only found in high-end guitars.
- Jumbo frets used in Vault are only found in premium guitars. Jumbo frets are made with a thicker gauge wire, and consequently the top of the fret is further away from the fretboard. Advantages include- you can get your fretting-hand fingers further down in the gap to the side of the string, allowing you to put sideward pressure on the string more easily.
- Tremolo Bridge with Whammy Bar : High-quality Tremolo bridge with Whammy Bar for better resonance and sustain. Made with industrial grade steel, the tremolo gives a better tone and harmonic response than any of the guitars in the price range .
- HSS Pickup Configuration: The Kadence guitar brings together the timeless sound of two single-coil pickups with the power of a humbucker in the bridge position, unlocking a spectrum of tones spanning from crystal-clear cleans to searing high-gain crunch. Seamlessly switch between sonic realms with the versatile five-way pickup selector, while fine-tuning your sound using the conveniently placed volume and dual tone controls.
- Premium wood: Kadence Electric Guitar is built using highly sought-after alder tonewood, providing strong upper-midrange, clear bass, and characteristic scooped mids. Enjoy greater sustain and resonance, resulting in a versatile, well-balanced sound ideal for various genres.
- Truss Rod- Kadence electric guitars use a double action truss rod. It offers the advantage of adjusting the guitar for humid as well as dry climates. The truss rod can be tightened in both directions and the reverse warp dreaded by guitarists, which causes string buzzing can easily be fixed.
- Stunning Design: The Kadence Astroman Electric Guitar features a striking Black finish, making it a visually captivating instrument that will turn heads wherever you play.
- Gig bag + Cable
- Strat-Style Double Cutaway Design: Classic Strat-inspired 38" electric guitar with contoured body for comfortable playability and iconic style
- H-S-S Pickup Configuration: Versatile tone setup with 1 Humbucker and 2 Single Coil pickups, ideal for clean rhythm to overdrive-heavy solos
- 21 Frets & Glossy Black Finish: Features 21 frets and a rich black gloss finish for a vintage look and expressive playing across the fretboard
- Quality Build Materials: Features a Linden wood body, Maple neck, and Rosewood fingerboard for a warm, resonant tone and reliable performance
- Chrome Die-Cast Tuners: Ensures precise and stable tuning with 5-way pickup selector, 1 Volume, and 2 Tone control knobs
- Complete Starter Kit: Includes padded gig bag, guitar cable, 2 picks, and a hex key – everything you need to start playing immediately
- Neck type GRG Maple neck
- Body: Mahogany body
- Fretboard: Bound Rosewood fretboard w/Sharktooth inlay
- Fret: Jumbo frets
- Strat-Style Double Cutaway Design: Classic Strat-inspired 38" electric guitar with contoured body for comfortable playability and iconic style.
- H-S-S Pickup Configuration: Versatile tone setup with 1 Humbucker and 2 Single Coil pickups, ideal for clean rhythm to overdrive-heavy solos.
- 21 Frets & Glossy 3TS Finish: Features 21 frets and a rich 3-Tone Sunburst gloss finish for a vintage look and expressive playing across the fretboard
- Quality Build Materials: Features a Linden wood body, Maple neck, and Rosewood fingerboard for a warm, resonant tone and reliable performance
- Chrome Die-Cast Tuners: Ensures precise and stable tuning with 5-way pickup selector, 1 Volume, and 2 Tone control knobs
- Complete Starter Kit: Includes padded gig bag, Tremolo Rod, guitar cable, 2 picks, and a hex key – everything you need to start playing immediately
- The Vault RG1 Soloist Electric Guitar exhibits shark-tooth inlays, which add an exquisite appeal to the instrument. Includes a whammy bar for extended playing styles. The chrome plating on the hardware offers the ultimate protection from corrosion, tarnishing and guarantees extreme durability. The basswood construction of the body helps dampen the highs, thus offering smooth and well-rounded tones.
- Double Action Truss Rod: Vault guitars use a double action truss rod, which is only available in high-end guitars from Ibanez, Fender, PRS and the likes. It offers the advantage of adjusting the guitar for humid as well as dry climates. The truss rod can be tightened in both directions and the reverse warp dreaded by guitarists, which causes string buzzing, can easily be fixed.
- High-Quality Design Pickups: Low-noise high-output pickups which give you exemplary sound. All pickups come with saddle adjustment screws.
- High-Quality Tuners: High-quality chrome-plated nickel die-cast tuners with a 16:1 tuning ratio, which allows for fine-tuning your instrument. These tuners are only found in high-end guitars.
- Jumbo Frets: Jumbo frets used in Vault are only found in premium guitars. Jumbo frets are made with a thicker gauge wire, and consequently, the top of the fret is further away from the fretboard. Advantages include- you can get your fretting-hand fingers further down in the gap to the side of the string, allowing you to put sideward pressure on the string more easily.
- Tremolo Bridge with Whammy Bar: High-quality Tremolo bridge with Whammy Bar for better resonance and sustain. Made of industrial grade steel, the tremolo gives a better tone and harmonic response than any of the guitars.
- Versatile HSS Pickup Configuration – Equipped with 1 humbucker and 2 single coil pickups for wide tonal range, from crisp clean tones to powerful rock and metal distortion.
- Lightweight Basswood Electric Guitar Body – Resonant, durable and comfortable for long practice or stage sessions; delivers balanced sound for beginners and intermediate players.
- Maple Neck with Rosewood Fingerboard – Smooth 22 fret design with dot inlays, slim taper neck profile, and double-action truss rod for stable tuning and effortless playability.
- Tremolo Bridge for Creative Expression – Add vibrato and pitch effects easily with included tremolo arm; perfect for blues, rock, pop and lead guitar solos.
- Complete Beginner Electric Guitar Kit – Comes factory-set with tremolo bar, instrument cable and allen key; ready to plug in and play straight out of the box.
- Body type: Poplar body
- Neck material: Maple
- Hardware Color : Chrome
- Fret : Medium frets
Buyer’s Guide : Things That Help
What style of music do you want to play?
Manufacturers understand the aspect of producing guitars that fit a particular set of musicians. That’s why when you are buying any guitar, whether electric or acoustic, the salesperson may ask you want kind of style do you want to play.
For instance, if you desire to be a blues guitarist, then any semi-hollow guitar would suit the purpose. However, for a metal player, the range on semi-hollow guitars would be too small for you. Going for an electric guitar for rock aesthetics and extended range is what you should buy. And trust me, there’s a vast range of guitar for rock players in this range.
Electric guitar type to buy
You’ll hear the salesperson mention certain guitar types such as Stratocasters, Telecasters, and semi-hollow electric guitars. Both Stratocasters and telecasters depend on the electronics only to produce the sound. On the other hand, a semi-hollow guitar has F-shaped holes on the body, which work together with the electronics to affect the overall tone of the guitar.
Another thing: if you are a lead guitarist, and you would like to major on metal rock, look for a guitar with an extended range for extra room for your solos. If you are a blues guitarist, this may not really matter, since you’ll play a mix of rhythm and solos.
How the electronics function?
Obviously, you’ll need to test the sound. And one thing you’ll have to examine is how the electronics function.
Electric guitars have two types of pickups, active and passive pickups. Both are different in that active pickups rely on a battery to boost the amp, while passive pickups don’t need any batteries.
Also, manufacturers typically manufacture two types of pickups. The first one is a single-coil, and the other is the humbucker. Both are excellent choices. Note, however, humbucker pickups tend to be very loud and produce humming, which you need to learn to configure as a musician.
You also need to consider the pickup arrangement. Most strats use single-coil pickups on the bridge, middle, and neck position. Telecasters use two wide range single-coil pickups, but telecasters provide clear signals than strats, according to most musicians.
Tone shaping options
As a musician, you need to know how you want to sound right of the bat. So, depending on your needs, choose a guitar that suits you.
Most electric guitars in the 500$ price range will come with a volume, several tone knobs, and a toggle switch. The toggle switch helps the player alter the pickup position depending on what kind of sound they would like to achieve.
Some brands, such as the Epiphone, also include a coil-tap option on one of the tone control knobs. They also offer extra tone-shaping options on the pickups, such that you can use several at the same time.
The electric guitar’s construction
Many beginners may not consider this option. But in our experience, elite players are very sensitive when choosing an electric guitar that’s easy to play, and one that’s not.
So, ensure that you know the quality of materials used to make the guitar, the finish on the neck, the headstock, the tuning machines, and the fretboard material.
Note: as much as the finish on the neck is vital for the guitar’s appeal, it affects the comfort of the guitar, and the ease of transitioning across the fretboard and neck.
Final Words
From the list above, we noticed that selecting the best guitars was a task. And so, we’ve made it easy for you. Note, however, as we were listing the above ten guitars, each had its strength and weaknesses. Therefore, while buying, make sure to notice the strengths and weaknesses to avoid purchasing a guitar that doesn’t sound the way you desire.
Also, it is essential to understand that guitars within the 500-dollar range are quality guitar. They are not for beginners only. Hence, you can use such a guitar even when you go up the skill level or even during live performances.
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