Best Electric Guitar Brands Today – My Brutally Unbiased List!

I’ll never forget the first time I played a real Fender guitar. I was still a teenager, but a friend’s dad owned a vintage mid-80s American-made Stratocaster. He knew I played guitar, and at the time I was obsessed with the Red Hot Chili Peppers.

He pulled out his old Strat, in vivid red, and let me play with it one Saturday afternoon. I was stunned: somehow, it sounded so much more like John Frusciante than the imitation Strats I was used to!

Fender is one of the most well-known guitar brands around and for good reason. They were responsible for revolutionizing both the design and manufacturing processes of the guitar, setting a new standard for how things should be done which has had a knock-on effect on the overall trajectory of the instrument in the decades that followed.

Before Fender, guitars were somewhat limited in their tonal capabilities and often featured either a hollow body or semi-hollowbody design, which carries with it certain specific tonal qualities as well as limitations. 

Fender is credited with being the first company to popularize the solid body guitar design with the Telecaster (originally called the Broadcaster). This was a pivotal evolution in the guitar space because it was both easy to manufacture and was affordable and accessible to the average consumer in ways guitars had not previously been up to this point.

The Telecaster (also called the Tele) had a distinct, bright, and twangy tone which became a staple of several genres around that time period including country, blues, and even rock music.

Telecaster guitars such as the Fender American Ultra are still massively popular today, and you’ll often see them used on stage just as frequently now as when they were originally released. Few guitars can boast that degree of longevity in the guitar space!

I like using a Telecaster, or Tele-style guitar, for country music. As they say in Nashville, if it don’t twang, it don’t mean a thing. I prefer the bright, throaty single-coil twang of a Strat for that kind of clean playing to just about anything else.

Likewise, I’ve often dabbled in Rolling Stones-style bluesy rock, playing the Tele in open G tuning, and letting my Keith Richards fantasies play out across the fretboard.

I’m an avowed fan of Gibson guitars. In particular, I’ve always been drawn to the Gibson Les Paul. My dream guitar as a kid was a Les Paul Standard: I bought a 1990 Standard with the first paycheck at my first grown-up job right out of college. The dense, powerful tone and hefty weight make it my favorite instrument to this day.

I’ve had a soft spot for ESP guitars ever since I saw Bruce Kulick playing one at a guitar clinic in 2008. These Japanese guitars may have started out as Gibson copies, but these days they offer so much more.

One of the things that sets ESP apart from the likes of Gibson and Fender is the fact they cater to heavier styles of music. While the diversity of something like the Gibson Les Paul is wonderful, sometimes I just want a rock machine designed to do one thing and one thing only: to shred your face off (or chug your face off, sorry rhythm players!). This is where ESP really shines.

Originally formed in Japan back in 1975 as a humble parts and components company, as the company grew over time it branched out into other areas which included producing their own line of guitars, which ended up becoming very successful.

Just 5 years after forming they already have a stellar reputation for producing rock machines. If you’re like me, you probably associate ESP guitars with 80s metal heroes, like James Hetfield of Metallica and his Snakebyte Signature Model.

I’ve also seen Stephen Carpenter of Deftones, an early adopter of extended-range instruments, wielding ESP guitars, and pushed ESP into being one of the first companies to make both 7 and 8 string production models with his own signature ESP SC-608 ERG guitar. 

I also remember seeing posters with Alexi Laiho of Children of Bodom playing ESP's own sleek variation of the Randy Rhoads style flying V guitar with his own Alexi-200 signature model.

Although the big American brands like Gibson and Fender dominate the guitar market, in my opinion, ESP crafts top of the line instruments. This is reflected in their materials. They like to only use the best wood choices and construction methods around, which unfortunately gives them a bit of a price tag.

So very similarly to the Fender and Gibson approaches they also have a smaller company called LTD which produces more affordable variations of ESP guitars for those on a tighter budget.

When I feel like a high-gain rock machine that’s going to have low action, a fast-feeling neck, and high-output pickups, I look no further than ESP.

For years, I associated PRS guitars with turn-of-the century radio rock and nothing else. How times have changed! Paul Reed Smith certainly shook things up: I’ve always considered the flagship PRS doublecut to be a sort of Les Paul on steroids.

One of the best things about each guitar company is they all have their own unique approach or twist on what a guitar should be. Some companies aim to be as diverse as possible, while others focus on a specific genre or price point and try their best to cater to that.

The philosophy behind PRS is that every guitar should be treated as a piece of art. Meticulously crafted to perfection using only the best materials and construction methods available to create an instrument that’s not only supremely reliable and functional, but also looks stunning.

The company was formed back in 1985 by legendary luthier (and genuinely nice guy) Paul Reed Smith. I found out recently that he learned the art of luthiery under Gibson maestro Ted McCarty!

Their quality, craftsmanship, and commitment to creating only the very best instruments possible quickly garnered them a lot of attention and respect from the guitar community.

My favorite PRS, and their most popular model is the Custom 24. I love it for big, chunky drop D riffage, or for quoting Santana’s solo from “Smooth.”

It’s their flagship instrument and really encompasses all that PRS has to offer, from its beautiful aesthetic to impeccable playability. The tremolo system is very stable and the selection of tonewoods gives it supreme harmonic richness. It’s about as good as a guitar can physically get. It’s all I can do to resist hammering out Creed riffs whenever I pick one up!

Now for many (myself included) the Custom 24 is out of their budget, so after much demand from users they introduced the PRS SE 24 (with SE standing for Student Edition). It’s the same shape and general design, but instead of being manufactured in the United States, it’s instead made in Korea to keep costs down. It also uses slightly lower quality materials and the finish options aren’t quite as eye-catching.

But don’t underestimate it, there are still plenty of pro-level musicians who have opted for using the PRS SE 24, they’re really that good!

I’m a pretty big fan of PRS’ approach to other types of guitar, too. The Silver Sky, designed in conjunction with John Mayer, is to the Stratocaster as the Custom 24 is to the Les Paul. It’s a Strat on steroids!

Japanese giant Ibanez is one of the biggest innovators in the guitar space. Many of the technologies created by the company have gone on to become industry standard and they have consistently set the bar on how a functional, modern guitar should perform.

I like Ibanez guitars for shredding. That’s what they’re built for, and that’s what they’re great at.

If I could summarize their philosophy as a company I’d describe them as forward thinkers. They’ve always tried to stay on the bleeding edge, not being shy about introducing new features and approaches long before other companies have built up the courage to do so themselves. This includes more recent things such as ERGs, multiscale necks, Evertune bridges, non-magnetic pickups, and true temperament frets.

One of the main selling points of Ibanez guitars is just how vast and diverse their range is, while there is certainly an emphasis on modern instruments that can shred, they introduce new models every single year. No matter what guitar you can envision, there’s a good chance Ibanez has made it at some point.

It’s something of a dividing line for generations of guitar players when they associate a certain guitar player with Ibanez guitars. I’ll always think of the cardboard cutout of Steve Vai from my local guitar store: younger guitarists likely think of Polyphia’s axeman Tim Henson.

I’ve long been partial to their Paul Stanley signature line of guitars, too. Ibanez axes aren’t just for shredheads: sometimes, you just want to rock out and play some great-sounding power chords.

Ibanez covers a range of prices, and I don’t think their lower-tier offerings have the same prestigious feel around them that something like PRS might have.

However, I’ve found their higher-tier instruments to be excellent in fit and finish. I love letting loose on an Ibanez instrument built to shred.

What Ibanez does with absolute conviction is create impeccable workhorse guitars that are priced perfectly to be accessible for both serious hobby players and professionals alike.

Ibanez’s most popular line of instruments is the Ibanez RG, otherwise known as the roadster guitar. Originally introduced in 1987, this was designed to take the fundamental idea of a Stratocaster and essentially supercharge it.

You’ll see nods to the Strat, but everything is thinner, refined, more precise, sleeker, and faster. Because of this, fans took to calling it the Superstrat which is a term we still commonly use today for most modern double cutaway guitars.

I’ve probably seen more Roadsters than any other kind of Superstrat. They’re a lot of fun to play, and I’ve used them with particular joy for heavy music. There’s something really satisfying about unleashing ultra-heavy thrash riffs on a Roadster.

Ibanez are also big believers in working with artists and collaboratively developing signature models with them, which has garnered them one of the largest artist rosters of any guitar company around.

Iconic signature models include Steve Vai’s legendary JEM series and one of the earliest production 8 string guitars around the M80M Marten Hagstrom of Meshuggah signature model.

Over the years, I’ve nurtured a certain fondness for Schecter guitars. They remind me of the asymmetrical haircuts and guyliner of my youth. Maybe that’s Avenged Sevenfold’s responsibility.

While perhaps not having the same level of notoriety that the likes of Fender and Gibson have, Schecter has nevertheless been a huge force in the guitar space and played a pivotal role in accommodating specific genres and styles of music.

Like many other companies, Schecter started out life as a parts and accessories company that then branched out into instrument manufacturing.

One of the primary reasons why Schecter did so well as a company was because they put a huge focus on value for money, a very different approach to someone like PRS.

Maybe this is why, when I was a kid, every Synyster Gates-inspired player in the scene was playing a pointy Schecter guitar that looked straight out of a Tim Burton movie.

For a very affordable price, you can get an instrument that punches way above its weight. This created a unique scenario where many teens and upcoming musicians without huge amounts of money to spend would purchase Schecters and then go on to become successful in the music world. 

It’s because of this they have some of the best players on the planet in their artist roster, despite not being considered the highest-quality guitars.

One of the most important instruments for them was the Schecter Hellraiser, which was a decidedly metal instrument that came with a fixed bridge, heavy mahogany body, and EMG pickups straight off the shelf making it the go-to instrument for younger metal musicians.

If you’re anything like me, when you think Jackson, you think '80s metal shred. They sound like big hair, top speed, and they sound great through Marshall JCM800.

Jackson guitars have an intrinsic link to the shred-guitar era of the '80s. They put a huge focus on high-output and extreme-playability which made them the instrument of choice for anyone looking to play fast shred guitar.

Jackson really knows their place and dominates it. I love how their guitars often feature sharp edges, super-stable hardware so their instruments can stand up to some abuse without going out of tune, and an aggressive tone that’s designed to be distorted and saturated to a high level.

By far one of the most iconic Jackson players is the legendary Randy Rhoads whose signature Jackson guitar put a unique modern spin on that traditional Gibson V style by using asymmetrical horns and adopting an overall sharper and sleeker aesthetic. You’ll see this style reflected in ESP with the Alexi Laiho signature models. Ironically, Rhoads barely played Jackson guitars during his lifetime!

Their most popular production model is the Jackson Dinky, which serves as an affordable ‘meat and potatoes’ kind of shred guitar. For many new players, it’s an affordable way to get a high-quality instrument they can shred on.

If guitars were cars, Charvels would be Lambhorginis.

Charvel makes the supercars of the guitar world. They took the fundamental idea of the Superstrat, a double-cutaway dual humbucking guitar designed for lightning-fast shredding and chunky rock riffs, and have judiciously stuck to that formula to great success.

Originally formed in the 1970s by Wayne Charvel, who started off focusing primarily on guitar repairs and modification before moving into guitar manufacturing.

They garnered a bit of a reputation during the decade that followed up until 1980 when the brand Grover Jackson, which was already a well-established figure in the guitar space, brought Charvel on to be a part of their company and was later renamed Jackson/Charvel.

I definitely found determining between these two giants of Superstrat production pretty confusing for a while.

Rather than just absorbing the company into Jackson, they recognized that the Charvel name meant something to its customers and decided to just continue the brand.

Today, Charvel is a subsidiary of Fender guitars. That means their Superstrats really are, according to intellectual property law, Superstrats, complete with licensed Stratocaster headstock!

They have stayed within this niche until today and have a very dedicated player base who really appreciate what Charvel offers. It’s a great demonstration of how a company can really hone in on one idea and, if it’s done well enough, can completely sustain a company.

Popular models include the So-Cal Style 1 HH and the DK34 HH which are both super-refined modern superstrats.

Perhaps my favorite Charvel guitar is the Satchel signature model. Charvel’s ethos is that more is more, and this guitar epitomizes this like no other. When I played one, the low action and very hot pickups immediately stood out to me.

I messed around with George Lynch licks and, of course, some Steel Panther, and had tremendous fun doing so.

Really, I’ve always felt like Charvel guitars inject hair-metal fun into guitar design. That’s something I’ll always love about them.

I’m clearly not alone: they also have some of the best guitarists in the world on the signature roster including the legendary Guthrie Govan who has his own San Dimas style signature model with them. They boast other notable artists including Satchel of Steel Panther and guitar virtuoso Marco Sfogli.

I’ve always thought of Kramer as the other shred-ready Superstrat. They remind me more than anything else of Edward Van Halen circa 1982.

While some consider Kramer to be a bit of a legacy brand at this point, their role in guitar history is important, and seeing as many of the artists associated with the brand are still incredibly popular today there’s still a good bit of demand for their instruments.

Kramer formed in the late '70s and really rose to prominence throughout the 80s. They were used by a number of popular artists during that time, most notably the legendary Eddie Van Halen who used them before moving on to Peavey and, eventually, his own brand.

If you ask me, the rock and shred guitar heritage is one of the most important things about Kramer,  they’re known for their reliability and tuning stability which was great for players during that period as so many loved to do some pretty extreme tricks with the whammy bar. They also produced aggressive tones and had high-output pickups, really lending themselves well to that super-fast shred style.

Coming out of the ‘80s, Kramer went through a period of relative quietness through the ‘90s and early 2000s. They were still around, but as music had moved on from the ‘80s shred Kramer was considered more of a niche brand.

They have since been purchased by Gibson who have done a great job at introducing some new models to their lineup and keeping them relevant in the modern era.

I’m a big fan of the super-affordable Kramer Baretta Special, which has a unique single bridge pickup that has been angled to make it more aggressive on the higher strings. Read my full review.

When I think of a guitar that bleeds old-school cool, I think Gretsch.

Many of the guitars we use these days are evolutions of the Stratocaster, otherwise known as a Superstrat. However, Gretsch guitars harken back to an older era and a different style of guitar, which is the hollow-body electric guitar.

Although Gretsch originally formed in 1883, it would be during the 1950s and 60s (otherwise known as the Golden Era for Gretsch guitars) when a number of very prolific artists including George Harrison and Chet Atkins helped to popularize the instrument.

Gretsch are best known for their hollow-bodied electric guitars, typically armed with their distinctive FilterTron humbuckers. Even their solid-bodied answer to the Les Paul, the Duo Jet, features these humbuckers. Where Gibson humbuckers are warm and fat, Gretsch’s humbuckers are twangy and throaty. This made them popular picks for certain music styles such as jazz, rockabilly, or even country.

One of their top-of-the-line offerings (and one of the nicest guitars I’ve ever played) is called the Country Gentleman, and with good reason. It’s a polite, luxurious instrument that’s a joy to play.

With such a long history and heritage, Gretsch has spent a long time refining its manufacturing processes, and its quality and craftsmanship are very well respected in the guitar space. They only use the best quality woods and pickups, and have a rigorous quality control department so you can be sure the instrument you receive is the very best it can be.

Popular models include their Classic Hollowbody design such as the Gretsch G5422TG which encompasses that traditional Gibson E55 hollowbody design with a gorgeous Bigsby Bridge.