Best Electric Guitars

Fender American Ultra II Tele sits at #1 in the S tier of our consolidated board, ranked across independent research runs over current expert reviews. Acknowledged as a solid instrument within its category, though not extensively discussed.

PRS SE Custom 24 ranks #2 (A tier). Widely recognized as a quality instrument with versatile tone and comfortable feel.

Our research places Ibanez RG550, Jackson JS-7B LTD, Yamaha PAC Series, Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster, ESP LTD Phoenix-200DX in the bottom tiers (D/F). A reliable option for players seeking versatility, often mentioned alongside other popular beginner guitars.

On our board the Fender Player II Stratocaster is the best entry-level electric guitar. Its verdict calls it the best entry-level guitar that will last, with a durable build, reliable hardware and a solid warranty. The Yamaha Pacifica 112V and the Squier Affinity Telecaster Deluxe are the budget beginner options, both in C tier, and both are credited with reliable hardware. Skip the Yamaha PAC Series and the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster, which are often recommended to beginners but sit in F tier for frequent hardware failures.

Fender and PRS are the most reliable brands on our board. The Fender American Ultra II Tele in S tier and the PRS Custom 24 in A tier are both praised for low failure rates, robust warranties and hardware that holds up for years. Every Fender and PRS product on the board sits in C tier or higher. The weakest reliability records belong to the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster, the Yamaha PAC Series and the ESP LTD Phoenix-200DX, all in F tier for hardware that fails within a few years.

A well-built electric guitar lasts decades, because the body and neck do not wear out. What wears out is the hardware: tuners, bridge saddles, switches, jacks and pots. On our board the Fender American Ultra II Tele is reported to have virtually no buzz after years of use and the PRS Custom 24 is picked out for its low failure rate. The budget models in F tier tell the other story: the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster and the Ibanez RG550 are both reported to have hardware that fails after a few years.

Hardware is the usual failure. On our board the cons for the Yamaha PAC Series list loose hardware leading to early wear, the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster lists frequent hardware failures and the ESP LTD Phoenix-200DX lists hardware that fails quickly plus inconsistent build quality. Weak or limited tone is the second common complaint, named against the Ibanez GRGM21M-BLT, the Ibanez RG550 and the Yamaha PAC Series. Short or limited warranties make these failures expensive, which is the specific knock on the Jackson JS-7B LTD and the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster.

They are the three classic body designs and they feel and sound different. A Telecaster has a flat slab body, two single-coil pickups and a bright, direct tone. A Stratocaster has a contoured body, three single-coil pickups, a vibrato bridge and a wider range of clean tones. A Les Paul has a thicker mahogany body with a carved maple top and two humbucking pickups, giving a fuller, warmer tone with more sustain, at the cost of weight. On our board the Fender American Ultra II Tele is the top Telecaster, the Fender Vintera III Stratocaster is the top Stratocaster and the Gibson Les Paul Standard 50-60 is the only Les Paul, in B tier with weight listed as its one con.

No. An acoustic-electric guitar is an acoustic guitar with a pickup fitted so it can be plugged in. It sounds like an acoustic guitar whether or not it is amplified. An electric guitar has a solid or semi-hollow body, magnetic pickups and needs an amplifier to be heard at any useful volume. This board covers electric guitars only. Acoustic guitars, bass guitars and amplifiers have their own boards.

Yes. An electric guitar on its own is very quiet, because the strings have no resonant body to project the sound. A small practice amplifier, a headphone amplifier or an audio interface into a computer are all enough for practice at home. Budget for one at the same time as the guitar, and for a cable to connect the two. Amplifiers are ranked on their own board, not here.

Strings are the only regular consumable, and a set is cheap. Change them when they sound dull or show corrosion, which for a regular player is every one to three months. A professional set-up once a year or after a change of string gauge keeps the action and intonation right. Beyond that, costs come from hardware repairs, which is why the board's reliability findings matter: the Fender American Ultra II Tele and the PRS Custom 24 are the models least likely to need them.

Wipe the strings and neck down after playing, because sweat corrodes strings and hardware. Keep it in a case or on a stand away from radiators and direct sunlight, and avoid big swings in humidity, which move the neck. Change strings before they go dead and check the tuning machines and strap buttons stay tight. The finish only needs a dry cloth. Guitars with reliable hardware, like the Fender American Ultra II Tele on our board, need little more than this.

Buy the Fender if you can. Squier is Fender's budget brand, and on our board the gap is wide: every Fender sits in B tier or higher, led by the Fender American Ultra II Tele in S tier and the Fender Player II Stratocaster in B tier, while the Squier Affinity Telecaster Deluxe is in C tier and the Squier Classic Vibe Stratocaster is in F tier for frequent hardware failures. If the budget only stretches to a Squier, the Squier Affinity Telecaster Deluxe is the one to pick, as it is credited with reliable hardware and a full-size Tele feel.