The 10 Best Electric Guitars 2020: Ultimate Buying Guide
If you have decided you want to become a rockstar, you better choose the right weapon. Electric guitars are more than ordinary guitars with a plug: prices may vary, as well as each one’s features, shapes, colors and materials used.
Do you prefer single-coil or humbucking pickups? A set-in or bolt-on neck? Fixed or tremolo bridge? Take a look at our review and find the perfect electric guitar for you!
And, when you are ready, find a pretty multi-effects pedal and move to the next level.
Squier by Fender Affinity Series Telecaster
Fender was established in Southern California by Leo Fender, who about 70 years ago built his first electric guitar. Now, Fender is a world’s leading guitar manufacturer.
The Squier Telecaster model of Fender’s Affinity Series is an affordable, lightweight electric guitar, very suitable for beginners. It has a straight neck and leveled frets that make it easy to play, producing a nice sound in all playing styles.
The body is made of poplar, with a fingerboard of laurel or maple, depending on the color chosen. It also features a 6-saddle bridge to achieve an accurate intonation.
- Left-handed model available too
- C-shaped satin neck profile for more comfort when playing
- Several colors to choose: arctic white, black, competition orange, butterscotch blonde, sunburst, race green, race red and slick silver
Squier by Fender Affinity Series Telecaster
Oscar Schmidt OE20G
The Oscar Schmidt company was founded in 1871 and produces all types of string instruments, from guitars to autoharps.
If you are looking for a nice, quality electric guitar, at a decent price, the OE20G is what you are looking for. With a sound and look that will remind you to the classic Les Paul, but for less money, the OE20G is also lighter and more playable thanks to its fretboard: you can even choose between rosewood or engineered wood material.
Despite of the price, this is not a guitar for beginners only: it is perfect for those advanced guitar players who want to enjoy a Les Paul without spending a lot of cash in it.
- Features humbucking pickups (double coil)
- Fretboard available both in rosewood or engineered wood
- Available in different colors: black, gold top, quilt tiger eye, tobacco sunburst, or flame transparent purple burst
Epiphone Les Paul Standard PlusTop Pro
For those who dream with a Les Paul however, they still have a decent-priced alternative to the classic (and far more expensive) Gibson: The Epiphone’s Standard PlusTop Pro, an excellent guitar that satisfies perfectly the needs of those players who buy on a budget.
The body and back of the Epiphone’s Standard Les Paul is made of mahogany, with a maple top and a fretboard of rosewood. It has an impeccable finish with smooth fret edges and excellent knobs. The result of this is a very rich and deep tone and great sound flexibility.
- Slim D-shaped neck
- Beautiful triple AAA flame maple veneer top
- Features excellent ProBucker pickups
Epiphone Les Paul Standard PlusTop Pro
EVH Striped Series
Have you ever dreamt of playing like Eddie Van Halen? Having his guitar may help a little, and that is why we have included the EVH Striped in our selection.
Based on Eddie’s legendary Frankenstein, the Striped is a lightweight and balanced guitar, with a basswood body based on the original Stratocaster model and a quarter-sawn maple neck that makes it stiffer and more stable than other plain-sawn necks. It is also surprinsingly fast and smooth to play, so it won’t disappoint you, specially if you are a hard-rock fan.
- Hand-Rubbed Oil finish
- Features EVH’s locking tremolo system
- Available in 3-color combos: black with yellow stripes, white with black stripes, and red with black and white stripes
Firefly FFJR Solid Body
Firefly is a surprinsingly good option if you are a casual musician looking for a quality guitar at the lowest price possible.
The FFJR produces a surprinsingly good sound and has a nice construction, made of mahogany with a rosewood smooth freatboard. The neck is set-in connected to the body, as in Gibson models. With this construction we have a sustained guitar that gives us a better access to the top frets when playing it, producing a warmer sound than in bolt-on neck guitars.
The finish and colors used are also beautiful, as well as the hardware, very functional.
- Features FF90 single coil pickups
- Set-in neck building, like Gibson guitars
- Very good quality-price ratio guitar
Sawtooth Heritage 60 Series Flame Maple Top
Sawtooth is a company that produces musical instruments with a vintage touch that we love, as we mentioned in our best drum sets review.
Regarding electric guitars, the Heritage 60 Series is a quality option for this brand. Made of mahogany in body and neck, the flamed maple top gives this guitar a beautiful undulating pattern. Even the tuning keys placed in the African blackwood and ebony fretboard have a vintage style, resulting in a classic sound achieved with a modern playability.
- Features 22 medium jumbo frets
- Humbucker pickups and adjustable stoptail bridge
- With 2 volume and 2 tone controls
Sawtooth Heritage 60 Series Flame Maple Top
Jackson JS22 Dinky Arch Top
Another poplar guitar in our list for a resonant and meaty tone is this Jackson’s model.
The JS22 has a very comfortable double-cutaway shape and weight, with elegant black hardware that includes a set of Jackson tuners and a dual-Fulcrum Tremolo.
The neck has a bolt-on construction that makes the guitar easier to control, achieving also a brighter tone. The finish is very nice, both on neck and body.
- Features Jackson high-output humbuckers with ceramic magnets
- Compound radius fretboard with 24 jumbo frets
- Maple neck for high-speed playing
ESP LTD EC-256FM
ESP has been producing musical instruments since 1975. Their guitars are known for their high quality and careful production, as they are inspected by quality control technicians before shipping. Besides, they all have a limited lifetime warranty, so you can invest your money in this brand as you will have some peace of mind.
The LTD EC-256FM is a versatile guitar that can fit many different music styles. Feel like James Hetfield from Metallica with its single-cutaway body and its 3-piece, thin U-shaped neck made of mahogany. The flamed maple top, available in different colors, and the nickel hardware will bring you the rockstar look you need while playing all kinds of genres with its Daddario strings.
- Features the popular ESP Designed LH-150 humbucking pickups
- Jatoba fingerboard with 22 extra-jumbo frets
- Available in cobalt blue, dark brown sunburst, lemon drop and see thru purple sunburst
PRS Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 24 Zebrawood
The PRS company was founded in 1985 in Maryland and since then they have been specialized in high quality guitars and amplifiers.
The SE Custom 24 has this vintage look that we love, in a zebrawood and mahogany body with a wide maple neck. The fretboard is made of rosewood and it has gorgeous bird inlays along the 24 frets, as well as nickel hardware.
You will get a good playability with this guitar, producing an versatile and vibrant tone, and all at a very decent price.
- Features the PRS patented molded tremolo
- With 85/15 “S” pickups with coil taps
- PRS SE gig bag is included
PRS Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 24 Zebrawood
Yamaha PAC012 Pacifica Series Package
There should be a Yamaha model in our list and the Pacifica Series is our choice, specially for those beginning to play the electric guitar.
Launched in 1990, the PAC012 is an already legendary guitar available in different colors. Its classic double-cutaway design is made of agathis with a maple neck and rosewood fretboard. This guitar won’t go out of tune easily, so you can play it and practice for long hours and get always a good sound.
We like the fact that you can include a fair 15-watt Yamaha amp bundle at a decent price, which makes it a perfect option for those who need the whole pack to start playing.
- Features a vintage tremolo bridge system
- 5-position pickup switch for a broad range of different sounds
- Different colors available: black, metallic blue, metallic red, and old violin sunburst
Yamaha PAC012 Pacifica Series Package
[…] who aspire to be real rockstars or simply want to enjoy their electric guitars at home need a fine guitar […]