Top 5 Electric Guitars: Must-Have Models

Want to get yourself an electric guitar but don't know where to start? No worries! Between the different body types, pickups, and hardware, choosing the right electric guitar can seem complicated. This guide helps you get a clear view to find the instrument that really suits you, whether you're a beginner or an experienced musician.

The first solidbody mass-produced in history, the Telecaster has aged well. While there are much more expensive electric guitar versions at Fender, Squier's parent company, don't forget that at its core, it is a cheap electric guitar designed to be as simple as accessible. A flat body with nothing superfluous, a neck, some screws, and that's it. Finding this model at a reasonable price is ultimately consistent and in line with the spirit of the original Fender electric guitar. While the hardware requires some adjustments (sometimes the saddle height needs tweaking, tightening some screws), the overall feel is pleasant to play thanks to a satin neck that doesn't catch your hand. Sound-wise, it's quite bright, allowing you to get the twang, that characteristic "Tele" tone with its slightly metallic resonances that work wonders in country and surf music. The rest of this Squier electric guitar offers a solid, clean foundation easy to upgrade thanks to neat craftsmanship. Simple and straightforward.

LTD, a brand owned by ESP, mostly offers more affordable versions of ESP's electric guitar models (like Epiphone for Gibson electric guitars or Squier for Fender). The Eclipse series is primarily ESP-LTD's take on the famous Les Paul, modernized with ergonomic cutaways on the back of the body, oil-bath tuners, and often updated electronics. This EC-1000 is equipped with active EMG 81 (bridge) and 60 (neck) pickups. These models have become essential in metal since being popularized by bands like Metallica. You're dealing with a big "sound" with somewhat reduced dynamics but a firepower of deadly efficiency with saturated tones, especially in high gain. Add excellent craftsmanship and 24 frets (more than the Les Paul Standard electric guitar as we know it), and you'll have what it takes to shine in the most intense styles without ever holding back.

Discover the Woodbrass ST100 electric guitar, an ST that takes up the fundamentals of the family: solid body American basswood, bolt-on maple neck, and simple electronics to master. Its HSS configuration gives it two faces. At the bridge, the humbucker provides a higher output and tighter lows for saturated riffs, from rock to metal depending on the amp and settings. In the middle and neck positions, the two single coils open up the sound for cleans, arpeggios, and funk rhythms. The 5-position selector lets you switch from a sharp tone to a rounder sound, and the controls (1 volume, 2 tone) refine brightness and bite. The neck with a "Medium C" profile, matte finish, and 22 medium frets offers comfortable handling, while the vintage tremolo bridge allows vibrato effects. An easy-to-understand and set-up guitar that supports quick progress from pop to blues, funk to hard rock.

Part of the best electric guitars for beginners, this "superstrat" features two humbuckers (neck and bridge) and a single coil in the middle. This Ibanez electric guitar follows the design of the famous RG from the Japanese brand, highly appreciated by shredders and other fans of fast neck runs. It really shines in hard rock and metal styles thanks to its two pickups which, while not the most precise on the market, handle heavy distortion with some ease. The single coil helps develop clearer and more manageable tones on the clean amp channel. Don’t push the vibrato too hard as it struggles to keep tuning stable if used too aggressively. Overall, you’re set to explore several sound facets with one electric guitar whose playing comfort (a strength of Ibanez thanks to a well-crafted neck and easy access to the high frets due to the body cutaway) will help you start electric guitar without fatigue.

❌The vibrato isn’t always stable

Undoubtedly the most famous electric guitar in the world, and the most copied (and the one that inspired the most variations on the same theme). When you look closely at modern two-cutaway models, you instantly recognize the Strat-type silhouette that inspired them. Whatever model you choose, the Strat is often praised for its incredible clean tones and the dynamics of its single coil pickups which work wonders on crunchy sounds or with a slight overdrive. This is certainly the case with this American Professional Classic with an alder body, whose Coastline '57 single coil pickups favor definition and brightness. The RWRP middle pickup enhances positions 2 and 4 (bridge and middle, middle and neck), perfect for scooped and percussive sounds, and the Greasebucket circuit, on the tone control dedicated to the bridge pickup, softens the highs without thickening the low end. Add a maple neck with a Modern "C" profile and ClassicGear Staggered tuners for tuning stability, and you have a Fender electric guitar with excellent ergonomics recognized for decades. A must-have.

❌Not much

How to choose your electric guitar well

Consider the different body types

While this selection focuses on solidbody electric guitars (solid bodies, versatile), you should know that besides the different body designs (which can appeal to musicians and provide different playing comfort), their nature also varies. For example, there are hollow body types (hollow bodies, with a more airy sound, very popular in jazz) and semi-hollow (partially hollowed, often favored in blues-rock). However, the solidbody dominates thanks to a wider range and an ultra-reduced feedback sensitivity compared to other bodies which are more sensitive to resonances and feedback caused by distorted sounds.

Choosing the electronics

While luthiery is important (body type, choice of woods for the body, neck…), the electronics (especially pickups) play a major role in the sound of the electric guitar. Note the clearer and more crystalline side of single coils and the darker tone with a higher output level of humbuckers. There are also less common pickups (P90, DeArmond type, Filter’Tron…). You can also find active pickups that work with a preamp built into the guitar, usually powered by a 9V battery. The sound is more modern, more powerful, and less sensitive to buzz and noise, but also less dynamic and rarely suited to vintage styles.

The rest of the gear

For a guitar to sound good, good pickups are not enough. If it doesn’t stay in tune, the sound will be disastrous. Beyond any adjustments made by a luthier, the hardware has to be solid. Take a close look at the bridge. A good fit will reassure you. For fans of vibratos, there are plenty, from the vintage but sensitive Bigsby (be careful not to press too hard on it) to the Floyd Rose with its many locking systems (which can also be a nightmare when changing strings), everything is possible. You also need to check the nut and the quality of the tuners closely. All these little parts are anything but superficial details!