SG guitars are usually popular with heavy-rock players - they're light, slim and offer great access to the upper frets - which is ideal for soloing and shredding. The Epiphone SG models are quite affordable, and great guitars for the price. However, the best choice is of course to go for a proper Gibson SG , available in many different finishes and pickup configurations.
These models are popular with fans of more alternative music , like Nirvana, Radiohead or Sonic Youth. There are some key differences between the Jazzmaster and Jaguar guitars which we've discussed here. But overall, the sound is similar in terms of stabby, jangly sounds that really come to life with some distortion added. In the sixties they were commonly used by 'Surf Music' bands including the Beach Boys, and later adopted by punk and new wave acts such as Television and Elvis Costello, before finally becoming a classic and almost exclusively "Alt-Rock" instrument.
The Squier Jazzmaster is by far one of the most affordable and most popular models right now for beginners.
Check out Fender Jazzmaster guitars and the Fender Jaguar and see which one you like best for your style. These guitars are great for jazz and blues, but can be used for rock'n'roll too: from The Beatles to Oasis, Foo Fighters and Arctic Monkeys, many rock bands have used this type of guitar.
Gretsch semi-acoustics are a popular choice for 50's-style rockabilly and rock'n'roll, whereas Ibanez models are considered some of the best for Jazz. Talking about The Beatles These guitars are unlike any other, and they look and sound superb. If in doubt, Epiphone semi-acoustics are always a great choice: with their affordable prices and good quality, they are equally suitable to pros and beginners alike. The best buy right now is the Epiphone ES Dot. Semi-Acoustic electric guitars are quite different than the other models mentioned Strats, Teles, etc.
This means they are lighter, and produce a richer, more "acoustic" tone than the other models mentioned above. On the other hand, it also means they are not usually suitable for heavy-metal, because they tend to feedback more when played at really loud volumes.
The other guitars we mentioned are all solid body guitars, which means their main body is a solid block of wood. Depending on the design style and quality of wood, they can be heavier or lighter. Les Paul guitars are known for being heavier than any other, though these days many are made with weight-relief designs. A child can play a full-size guitar, but it can be a little difficult if they're just starting out and around primary school age, so it's not really recommended, because it could put some kids off!
If you're buying the guitar for a teen, though we advise a full-size guitar, that way you don't have to upgrade. Want a bit more info on guitar sizes? Check out Dagans handy video guide to guitar sizes below:. Electric Guitar Starter packs are very convenient, as they come with literally everything the future guitar hero will need to get started, which makes these packs the perfect choice if you're looking for a cheap, beginners electric guitar.
These days you can find many packs that offer outstanding quality and value for money, and they also look great as a gift, be it at Christmas or for birthdays , because everything comes in a big, nice box! The range of Eastcoast Starter Packs are some of the best value guitar packages around, and available in a range of different colour options, all of which include a tuner, cable, case and practice amp.
The Eastcoast GS is an excellent Strat-style guitar and even more experienced players enjoy playing this model. Perhaps the only downside of guitar packs is that you'll be more limited in your choices. If you want something of better quality, or that suits you more, the best option is still to buy everything separately.
You can choose a bigger or a smaller amp, coloured leads, etc. Of course, once you get a guitar it's important to practice regularly.
But sometimes just playing on your own can be frustrating. That's why one of the most popular products we sell is the Looper Pedal. With a looper pedal, you can play a few chords whilst the pedal records what you're doing. You can then jam along to what you've played.
For the beginner, it's the best way to learn how it feels like jamming with another guitarist! As we mentioned on our Acoustic Guitar Buying Guide , those who choose to go for an acoustic guitar got it easy - the acoustic guitar is an instrument that can be played straight out of the box!
Not so with the Electric Guitar. The sound it produces when unplugged is too quiet to be of any use - it's meant to be plugged into a guitar amplifier , to amplify the sound captured by its pickups. But that's not all, so here's a list of all essential accessories you need to own if you buy an electric guitar that doesn't come in a starter pack:. Like guitars, every amp sounds different than the others, and often some models are more suitable for some styles than others.
The most important thing to bear in mind is that when buying a beginners guitar amp , it doesn't need to be too loud, as it's unlikely a novice player will be playing gigs anytime soon. That's why most guitar starter packs only come with a small practice amp, usually no louder than watts. But in terms of value, nothing beats the tiny Orange Crush Mini! It has built-in overdrive and tuner, and sounds pretty good! Even more experienced guitarists can find uses for this amp - as a recording amp, to jam at home or simply pack in the luggage when going on holiday!
Most modern guitarists use a combination of different FX Pedals. Prices vary greatly, and the pros usually opt for the more high-end brands, such as Strymon and the industry standard Boss FX Pedals. For beginners or guitarists on a budget, one of the best options are the new Landlord FX pedals. They're small, very affordable and sound great! If you own a lot of FX pedals, having your own power supply, such as the Voodoo Lab Pedal Power 2 Plus is quite important - it may seem like a big investment at first, but can save you money on the long run, and prevent your pedals from running out of juice mid-performance!
You can read our beginners guide to effects pedals HERE. If the electric guitar player already owns a few pedals, a good option is the Landlord FX Lock-In Tuner , which can just stay plugged in chain with other effects, on the floor, at all times. You can read our best guitar tuner pedals blog here. Watch the video below:. The accessories we mentioned above in our electric guitar buying guide are the essential ones, but if your budget can include more, we'd really recommend a Guitar Case or, at the very least, a Gig Bag which always comes as part of any guitar starter pack!
A guitar stand or wall hanger would be helpful, too. If your budget allows you to include any guitar care product, by all means, do it! After all - now that you went all this trouble to find your perfect guitar, it would be a shame not to make sure it always looks and sounds! After all, a guitar is not just for Christmas We take a look at the best worship guitars, specifically the best electric guitars for worship Trying to find the best worship guitars or worship guitar We go in search of the best beginner electric guitars and discuss a variety of electric guitars ideal for beginners that will appeal to a We look at some of the most expensive guitars available and discuss why these high-end guitars are totally worth it As guitarists, we often aspire to We round up 13 of the best beginner guitars that are actually fun to play, sound great and will encourage a positive learning experience.
We take a look at the 13 best left handed electric guitars that the lefties out there will love playing. Deciding which guitar is the Get the right axe. We take a look at our top 9 best kids guitars that your budding little rock stars will actually want to play! These are our The store will not work correctly in the case when cookies are disabled. Electric Guitars. Acoustic Guitars.
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Oh, you will. Buying a guitar is a personal and subjective thing - what might be the best electric guitar for you might not be right for someone else. However, there are quite a few things to take into consideration when buying one that can make choosing a little easier. The Fender Esquire was introduced in and evolved into the Telecaster which is still played by beginners and pros alike.
Whilst there are many different brands and models out there, these classics are still incredibly popular. Think about what you want out of your new electric guitar; do you want something to learn on? Are you upgrading after having played for a few years?
Are you adding to a collection of guitars? Are you playing mainly one style of music, or a few? Answering these before you part with your cash can really help find the best electric guitar for you.
The body shape of your guitar plays quite a large part in how comfortable it will be to play. As well as the shape and size of the guitar, weight is largely determined by the wood used.
Though often contested, the general consensus is that denser woods tend to yield more sustain. Mahogany, used a lot by Gibson, usually lends a slightly mellower, warmer sound, with beautiful low and mid frequencies. Fender often use alder as it provides an even frequency response, without it being too light or too heavy, as well as ash, which is usually a little brighter sounding. Pickups are basically magnets housed in a bobbin, wound with wire, that convert the vibrations caused by your moving strings into an electrical signal which is then sent to your amp.
There are many different pickup types out there, but the most popular types are single coils and humbuckers. Single coil pickups are found in a lot of Fender guitars, like the Strat and the Tele and deliver a bright, clear sound, often with a slight scoop in the mids. Humbuckers tend to sound bigger, beefier and warmer.
They fill out slightly more space in a mix and usually give out more output than single coils, making them break up sooner. If you already play a guitar with single-coils, then maybe look for something with humbuckers, or vice versa, so you can cover more ground. There are guitars out there that feature a mixture of single coils and humbucker pickups, like the HSS Strat, giving you the best of both worlds.
There are also coil-tapped or coil-split humbuckers that, when engaged, effectively act as single coils. Neck profiles can vary too, and should be considered when looking for the best electric guitar for you.
Generally speaking, faster, shreddier players prefer thin necks, and old-school blues and rock players go for either a thick neck or something in the middle.
There is definitely space for a bit of 'gut feeling' when you're shopping. We've all had situations where we've played a guitar we'd never normally have looked twice at and had it pleasantly surprise us.
Keeping an open mind is no bad thing. Sometimes when you pick up a guitar you just know. There's no rationale. But, instinct aside, you can at least put yourself in the right ballpark by using guides like this one to hone in on what works for you. With so many variables, it can be hard to know where to start. Maybe you'll find your dream guitar with a quick scroll, or maybe it will take some further research, but we hope to help you start that journey right here.
Restringing every months can keep it sounding fresh and lively, plus that gives you a chance to give it a proper clean, to stop dirt building up. Wiping down the strings after use will help too, and given that necks can break easily if dropped or knocked over, investing in a quality guitar stand is a wise purchase. Chris Corfield is a journalist with over 12 years of experience writing for some of the music world's biggest brands including Orange Amplification, MusicRadar, Guitar World Total Guitar and Dawsons Music.
Chris loves getting nerdy about everything from guitar gear and synths, to microphones and music production hardware. Guitar World. Included in this guide: 1. Squier Bullet Mustang. Body: Basswood. Neck: Maple. Fingerboard: Indian laurel. Frets: 22 medium jumbo frets. Pickups: Two humbuckers. Reasons to avoid - Not much at this price!
Squier Classic Vibe '60s Stratocaster. Body: Alder. Frets: 21 medium jumbo frets. Pickups: Three Custom Alnico V pickups. Reasons to avoid - Single coils not for heavier tones.
Gretsch G Electromatic Double Jet. Body: Chambered mahogany with maple top. Neck: Mahogany, set. Fingerboard: Laurel. Frets: 22 nickel medium jumbo. Epiphone Les Paul Standard.
Body: Mahogany with maple top. Neck: Mahogany. Fingerboard: Rosewood. Frets: 22 medium frets. Pickups: Two alnico classic humbuckers. Body: Mahogany with bevelled maple and flame maple veneer. Neck: Mahogany, Wide Thin profile, set. Fingerboard: Bound rosewood with pearloid bird inlays. Reasons to avoid - Choosing a finish is hard. Some players simply start playing guitar without an amp altogether - it's perfectly fine for getting the basics down!
Some of our guitar packs feature everything you need to get playing including a guitar, amplifier, and cables; they remove the worry of putting together a guitar rig. If you do decide on a guitar package, however, you'll still need to know the type of guitar you'd like to buy, so keep reading! The aesthetics of your guitar play a huge role when deciding which instrument you should buy.
If you have a favourite guitarist who you'd like to sound like, a great starting point is to see what guitars they play and try and match that with the instruments you're looking at. This is an almost sure-fire way of getting an instrument that will sound right for the type of music you prefer. Going beyond the basics of budget and looks, there's some key guitar terms you may wish to consider when buying your first guitar.
Electric guitars come in two body types - solid body and hollow body. Solid body guitars are constructed from solid blocks of wood and are seen as the 'standard' electric guitar. Hollow body guitars can either be semi-hollow with a tone block inside or completely hollow. Solid body guitars are the most versatile guitars of all, being capable of playing in all styles of music.
The solid body design makes the tone more focussed and less prone to feedback. With a simple change of hardware and tonewoods, these guitars can be honed for any style of music imaginable. Semi-hollow body guitars have a more lively, 'acoustic' tone and increased resonance.
This comes at the expense of tonal focus. Semi-hollow guitars are more versatile and can cover both clean and overdriven sounds. Completely hollow body guitars have larger bodies and have the most resonant 'acoustic tone'; they are commonly seen in jazz, where a thick clean tone with great resonance is required. While completely hollow guitars are perfect for traditional jazz, they are not ideal for high-gain styles of music, such as rock or metal. If you're going for your first electric guitar, a solid body instrument is generally seen as the common 'standard' choice.
The more expensive the guitar, the more likely the body will be constructed from a solid tonewood rather than a laminate. This influences the quality of the sound and the guitar's resonance. The neck usually consists of a separate wood to the fingerboard, as the fingerboard needs to be a harder wood for durability. Different tonewoods influence the sound of the instrument and sometimes a layering of woods is used to blend the tonal qualities of both.
While the full discussion of tonewoods could occupy an entire article on its own, here's a few of the key options:. Maple - bright sound, good 'attack' fast note sounds for clean funky playing.
Commonly used for versatile guitars in rock, blues, indie, country. Similar to pine, poplar, paulownia, ash. Basswood - lightweight with a balanced tonality. Commonly used for bodies on versatile guitars in rock and metal. Similar to alder, poplar. Rosewood - a common fingerboard wood.
Dark coloured and 'tight' articulation of notes with a smooth feel. Now generally phased out of use due to environmental restrictions. See our article for more information about this, and the new alternatives to rosewood: ……. Shape The shape of the body can influence the way the guitar feels to play. The 'horns' of the guitar are the most defining features of standard guitar bodies and help categorise the body shape.
A twin-horned guitar is labelled with a 'double cutaway' : the twin horns make it easy to access the top of the fingerboard. The double cutaway design may be symmetrical , asymmetrical , or offset : where one half of the body has been shifted off-centre. These guitars offer excellent comfort and ease of access to all the frets. A single-horned guitar is labelled as a 'single cutaway' : this design makes it slightly less easy to access the top of the fingerboard for high-range solo techniques.
However, many guitar designs solve this with low-profile neck joints and sculpted horns. V-shape guitars and extreme body shape guitars are an entity unto themselves!
Perfect for those looking to stand out from the crowd but not as ideal when played sat-down. The neck of the guitar influences the playability of the instrument - small specification changes can really add up to create a very different playing feel. For beginners, this will be less noticeable as you'll have no previous starting point, but there a few specifications to watch out for.
The neck is joined to the body with bolts bolt-on or glue set-neck. Each guitar style has its own slightly different sound.
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