10 Best Electric Guitars for Beginners Ultimate Guide 2023

The best electric guitars are challenging to find, but the whole process is thrilling. For us, an electric guitar must be dependable, simple to play, gorgeous to look at, and sound amazing, of course! Fortunately, I have plenty of options because all the major brands provide distinctive and expertly constructed electric guitars for all playing styles. But selecting between the brands and then the right product needs expert advice if you are new to guitar playing

Therefore, I have sorted the best electric guitars in this list. The best electric guitar brands, including Fender, Gibson, Yamaha, Ibanez, and many more, are represented in this professional guide’s extensive list of the best-rated guitars. So, with this expert round-up of the most excellent electric guitars, I’ve got you covered whether you’re searching for an out-of-this-world Stratocaster, a blues-ready hollow body, or a fast-necked shred monster.

10 Best Electric Guitar System Reviews

Table Of Contents

1. Fender Player Stratocaster Best Electric Guitar for Beginners
2. Squier by Fender Affinity Stratocaster Cool Electric Guitars
3. Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Best Electric Guitars for The Money
4. Ibanez JEMJRWH Steve Vai Signature Best Modern Guitar
5. ESP LTD EC-1000 Most Versatile Electric Guitar
6. Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Good Electric Guitars
7. ESP LTD KH-602 Best Electric Guitars for Fast Playing
8. Fender American Performer Telecaster Best Electric Guitar for Professional
9. PRS Guitar 6 String SE Hollowbody Electric Guitar
10. Ibanez RG Prestige Series RG652AHM Best Electric Guitar for Small Hands

Writing the review about 10 top guitars was challenging because I had to shortlist from many options. I asked a bunch of friends who are musicians and tried some guitars as well. I had a long list at the start; I shortened it after playing and comparing them.

As a guitarist, it took me a few weeks to make a final list of the 10 best guitars available today. Here is a detailed list of the 10 best electric guitars in 2023 and their reviews.

1) Fender Player Stratocaster Best Electric Guitar for Beginners

Specification	Values
Manufacturer	Fender
Hand Orientation	Right
Top Material	Polyurethane
String Material	Steel
Number of Strings	6
Guitar Bridge System	Tremolo

The Fender Player Stratocaster is the best electric guitar for beginners that has been in my home for more than 30 years. My father bought it for his music class because he was interested in playing the guitar in college. He is also teaching me how to play, according to my personal experience with this guitar, I think it has some fantastic sound quality, such as the way it fits in my hand and its neck is perfect for playing on.

Player Series Strat

The power trio of Player Series single-coil pickups is sharp and expressive, honoring Fender’s legacy while preserving its innovative spirit. I could feel my father’s essence while playing some of his famous tunes.

Alnico 5 Magnets

The Alnico 5 magnetic pole pieces in the Player Series Stratocaster Pickups produce a rich and well-balanced bass response, effective midrange, and solid glass bell-like highs with improved emphasis and dynamic range.

Tremolo Bridge and Steel Saddle

The composition of the Fender Player Stratocaster Electric Guitar is mind-blowing as it has a 2-point tremolo design that gives me a smooth playing experience. I am not an expert player like my father, but its rock-solid tuning stability makes me a much better guitarist than I thought. Its saddle comprises bent steel, giving extra flexibility and reducing friction.

Body and Modern Neck

Fender Player Stratocaster Electric Guitar comes in alder wood. It is known for its clear, well-balanced, and resonant tone. On top of that, it has a distinct upper midrange, great sustain, and quick attack. Its fingerboard made it easier for me to express myself musically.

2) Squier by Fender Affinity Stratocaster Cool Electric Guitars

Specification	Featured Value
Manufacturer	Fender
Hand Orientation	Right
Body Material	Popular
String Material	Steel
Number of Strings	6
Guitar Bridge System	Tremolo

My friend had a musical night at his college a few months ago. He decided to play a guitar and sing song at that event. But, coming to reality, he had never touched a guitar. I suggested he buy Squier by Fender Affinity Stratocaster Beginner Electric Guitar and helped him learn how to play. This guitar is fantastic for people who are beginners, its C-shaped neck is slim and comfortable to carry, and its sealed die-cast tuning makes the tuning easy and smooth.

Stylish Neck Design

Squier by Fender is among the cool electric guitars with a C-shaped neck profile. It offers the guitarists a vintage-style playing feel. It is surprisingly comfortable and suitable for all playing styles, making it the most common neck profile design.

Squier Standard Single-Coil Pickups

The Squier fender electric guitar standard neck has a crisp, rich tone produced by single-coil pickups that are dynamically sensitive and audible. When I first touched the guitar, these pickups made me realize it was not as difficult as I thought it would be.

Style and Two-Colored Headstock Logo

Squier by Fender Affinity Stratocaster has an iconic fender look. It feels nice to even look at it; playing has a different vibe. I like the 2-colored headstock logo that enhances the features of this guitar. On my musical night, I color-combined with the guitar; this gave me a trendy and stylish look.

Tremolo Bridge

This guitar has a tremolo bridge that gives a vintage vibe and expresses the string-bending effect. It also has sealed die-cast tuning machines to tune it smoothly and accurately. The neck is narrow, with a nut width of 1.61″ (41mm), which is unquestionably good news for novices. Even with little hands, the frets are easily accessible.

3) Yamaha Pacifica Series PAC112V Best Electric Guitars for The Money

Specification	Tested Value
Manufacturer	Yamaha
Hand Orientation	Right
Top Material	Maple
String Material	Steel
Number of Strings	6
Guitar Bridge System	Tremolo

I recently changed my e-guitar from Epiphone Les Paul to Yamaha Pacifica series PAC112V Electric Guitar. The reason is that I wanted access to all the strings and to control the dynamics in a better way. I tried playing many other competitor guitars but did not like the placement of the volume knob. Fortunately, Yamaha Pacifica fits my hands and arms perfectly.

Body and Neck

The body of the Yamaha Pacifica series PAC112V is among the best electric guitars for the money, carved from a single piece of alder. It is a premium wood that is present in numerous other pricey guitars. Alder bodies provide a crisp, well-balanced tone, strong bass, and a rich midrange. The Yamaha Pacifica’s neck is solid wood with a satin finish. The fingerboard contains rosewood. The neck creates the ideal C-shape

Pickups and Hardware

In previous designs, pickups contained ceramic. Pickups are better now; they consist of Alnico 5. This upgrade gave a robust and aggressive punch as compared to ceramic pickups. The inline tuners installed in Yamaha Pacifica 112V are of fantastic quality, and you do not need to tune them frequently. The 3-ply pickguard gives out a nice touch.

Better Scale length

The scale length of the Yamaha Pacifica 112V is 25.5″, another nod to its competitors. This guitar sounds well overall because of the combination of the alder body, maple neck, pickup configuration, and scale length. The guitar’s tone is like that of a Fender Strat-inspired guitar (like the Squier Bullet Strat) when you choose the neck/middle pickup combination.

4) Ibanez JEMJRWH Steve Vai Signature Best Modern Guitar

Specification	Value
Manufacturer	Ibanez
Hand Orientation	Right
Top Material	Mahogany
String Material	Nickel
Number of Strings	6
Guitar Bridge System	Double

Recently, I decided to give a try to guitars that I have never used. While reviewing Ibanez JEMJRWH Steve Vai Signature Best Modern Guitar, I noticed some excellent features, such as the guitar setup; the frets were smooth, and the fingerboard was barely flat. The neck of this guitar is shallow. The whole guitar has a perfect weight. This guitar is the loudest I have ever played.

Body and Neck

The body of the Ibanez Steve Vai Signature Electric Guitar has Mahogany. Mahogany has many qualities to make this guitar exciting for many. The neck of this guitar is Wizard III maple; this adds a great combination with Mahogany. While holding this guitar, I felt the material quality is steady, and it is impossible to dent. The neck of the guitar felt so comfortable.

Upgraded Hardware

The bridge is called Standard Ibanez Double Locking Tremolo System. This bridge makes it simple to restring the guitar, improves string stability, gives the strings a lovely rise, and allows you a chance to use the tremolo bar. The guitar’s nut consists of synthetic bone. It manages the string buzz quite well while still being affordable. The tuning machine guitar is excellent, particularly considering the cost.

Electronics and Controls

The Ibanez Steve Vai Signature Electric Guitar presents three highly unique pickups. The guitar player can imitate Steve Vai’s sound closely by using a Humbucker, single coil, and humbucker combination. A single-coil middle pickup is a fantastic tool for producing a flavorful, nuanced sound with just the right amount of twang. The controls are very typical. There are two knobs for tone and volume and a lever for picking the pickup configuration.

5) ESP LTD EC-1000 Most Versatile Electric Guitar

Specification	Featured Value
Manufacturer	ESP
Hand Orientation	Right
Top Material	Maple, Ebony, Mahogany
String Material	Steel
Number of Strings	6
Guitar Bridge System	Stop Tail

I bought the ESP LTD EC-1000 Electric Guitar a couple of weeks ago, and I am nothing more than happy to have this fantastic guitar. The black and gold hardware makes the perfect combination to give a beautiful look. Abalones on the inlays, around the body, and on the fretboard give an incredible look. The pickups and strings also give out a musical sound.

Body and Hardware

The ESP LTD EC-1000 features a set-in neck, a short yet sharp cutaway, and a distinctive Les Paul-style appearance. Both features are not only attractive, but they also provide you with excellent playability. You can quickly and easily access all 24 frets on the 24.75′′ rosewood fingerboard to start tearing up the fretboard.

Mahogany Top

This guitar’s mahogany top is slightly arched, just enough to give your palm some soft support no matter where you rest it. If you loved the former best-seller, the ESP Eclipse guitar, you should also enjoy the new LTD reedition because this design is similar.

Sound Quality

The ESP LTD EC-1000’s most versatile electric guitar may be what you’re looking for if you want a raw, powerful, and unrelentingly violent sound. This guitar was made to rock and uses various features and components to thrive in this field, even though you can undoubtedly teach it a trick or two from any musical genre and style of play.

6) Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Good Electric Guitars

Specification	Tested Value
Manufacturer	Schecter
Hand Orientation	Right
Top Material	Quilted Maple
String Material	Steel
Number of Strings	6
Guitar Bridge System	Tine-O-Matic

I have been following the latest collection of Schecter, and the one that caught my attention was Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Electric Guitar due to its versatility and affordability. After playing this guitar for some time, I decided to give an honest review of the Hellraiser C-1 good guitar for beginners. This guitar is perfect for beginners as it is famous for its effortless playing style and versatility.

High-Quality Neck

The neck of the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Electric Guitar has 3-piece Mahogany that is attached to the body in an unbolted way. As a result, the guitar has incredible sustain and resonance, which you can hear as you play. The neck has a narrow “C” contour that is incredibly comfortable and playable

Rosewood Finger Board

Rosewood was used to make the fingerboard with 24 frets and a 25.5-inch scale. The nut width is 1.65 inches, and the headstock features a plastic truss rod cover. The fingerboard has inlays made of abalone gothic crosses, giving the neck a contemporary appearance. The headstock on this guitar is also beautiful and matches it perfectly.

Hardware and Pickups

Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Good Electric Guitars has EMG humbucker pickups that give excellent quality. These pickups have a fat and punchy tone with incredible clarity. The EMG pickups have a well-balanced output with an 81TW at the bridge and an 89 at the neck.

The guitar also has a selector switch, two volume controls, one tone control, and metal knobs with knurling. Schecter locking machine heads retain tune remarkably well on this guitar and are quite dependable.

7) ESP LTD KH-602 Best Electric Guitars for Fast Playing

Specification	Values
Manufacturer	ESP
Hand Orientation	Right
Top Material	Maple, Alder, Rosewood
String Material	Steel
Number of Strings	6
Guitar Bridge System	Tremolo

I was searching for a guitar to gift my 16-year-old son as a birthday present. When I first saw ESP LTD KH-602 best electric guitars for fast playing, at an instrument store, I could picture my son playing it. It is an all-black guitar with beautiful sound quality. The skull and crossbones on this guitar are good in person, and the weight is just suitable for my boy.

Upgraded Neck

The fingerboard of the KH-602 contains Kirk’s skull-and-bones inlay design, and the instrument has a three-layer piece of maple. Maple is a fine-quality wood added to the feature of this guitar. When I first saw the neck of this guitar, it felt comfortable and easy to carry and play, like I had been playing this guitar for a long time.

Metallic Head

ESP LTD KH-602 Signature Series Kirk Hammett Electric Guitar has a metallic head adding to the all-black features of the guitar. When you touch the guitar, you can feel the grace and elegance it offers. Its built quality is on par with any other LTD models.

Hardware Features

It has a Floyd rose 1000 vibrato bridge and 24 extra jumbo frets to enhance the sound quality. Nuts are locking and 1.614″ with ESP tuners. It has an active EMG Kirk Hammett Bone Breaker humbucking pickup. The length of the neck was perfect for my son.

8) Fender American Performer Telecaster Best Electric Guitar for Professional

Specification	Featured Values
Manufacturer	Fender
Hand Orientation	Right
Top Material	Rosewood, Alder, Maple
String Material	Steel
Number of Strings	6
Guitar Bridge System	Tremolo

Last week I got a package from Fender American company, and inside was a Fender American Performer Telecaster. It came all set up, I tuned it a little to my taste, and it was ready to play. It is the best electric guitar for professionals with a slim, fast neck shape like other Fenders. The satin finish and large frets enhance the speed, and the guitar feels effortless to play.

Neck and Solid body

There have been many telecaster necks used in other guitars previously. Fender, the one with this telecaster neck-humbucker, was new to the market. Aside from having a maple neck and an incredibly playable rosewood fingerboard.

The American Performer Telecaster also has jumbo frets, Yosemite pickups, and Fender’s ground-breaking Grease bucket tone control. Overall, it’s an effective music delivery system. And it’s produced in Fender’s cutting-edge Corona, California, factory, right here in the United States.

Hardware and Fingerboard

The fingerboard of a Fender American Performer Telecaster has rosewood with jumbo frets; this makes playing easy. The modern C-neck adds to the comfort and playability. 3-saddle Telecaster string through the bridge enhances sustain, and classic gear tuners ensure the rock-solid pitch.

Tone Control

Fender has added its Grease bucket tone control to their American Performer Telecaster, which cuts highs without boosting bass or changing volume. Because you can now explicitly regulate your tone onstage without accounting for volume loss, the American Performer Tele becomes a severe tone machine.

9) PRS Guitar 6 String SE Hollowbody Electric Guitar

Specification	Featured Values
Manufacturer	PRS
Hand Orientation	Right
Top Material	Mahogany
String Material	Nickel, Steel
Number of Strings	6
Guitar Bridge System	PRS Adjustable Stop tail

While reviewing the guitars, PRS Guitar 6 String SE Hollowbody guitar caught my attention. This guitar played amazingly well straight out of the box. The sound was sweet, and the setup was perfect. I played it for 6 hours continuously. Its tone is deep and fat. Its quality, features, and color make it fun to play.

Maple Neck

The most beautiful thing that attracts me is its Roasted Maple neck. Its roasted Maple neck feature is excellent, and you can play it in any position. The back of the Maple neck contains Satin, which makes me comfortable to play it.

Thin and Comfortable Hollow body

Its thin body was very comfortable when I held this guitar to play. Its center block was from top to bottom, through semi-hollow guitar bodies. Its proprietary construction gives me warm resonance with sustain and clarity.

Humbucking Picks

Its sweet and eloquent sound always feels pleasant to me due to its 58/15 pickup balance vintage character. I played it primarily at night because it feels clear sonic, and warm due to its comfortable humbling picks. This guitar is a sonic punch in its neck and bridge pickup with excellent brightness.

10) Ibanez RG Prestige Series RG652AHM Best Electric Guitar for Small Hands

Specification	Tested Value
Manufacturer	Ibanez
Hand Orientation	Right
Top Material	Wood
String Material	Steel
Number of Strings	6
Guitar Bridge System	Adjustable

Over the years of playing guitar, I always wanted to add the guitar to my collection to serve the purpose of enjoyment. Ibanez RG Prestige Series RG652AHM Best Electric Guitar for Small Hands is among those guitars. It has a mellow sound, pleasant, and is transparent. It has a strong output level that goes well with beginners. It has a different and unique sound quality.

5 Piece Maple Neck

I think its newer 5-piece necks are better built. It has 2 more petite strips, which are less important than the maple. The neck is a piece of maple separated into three pieces; its center is an upturn. Whenever I moved its pieces, the neck did not wrap up. I mostly do not use the other two pieces; they are only for a show but look good.

Ash Body

The great thing about this guitar is it is durable. Whenever I have time, I start playing it because it looks so beautiful due to its classic body and impressive ergonomics. I found it very different from basswood because it is warm and super light. Its Ash body gives goosebumps when I play it. I feel so comfortable playing it.

Edge Bridge

Its edgy bridge is a type of double-lock tremolo. It is very superior just because of its edge bridge. Sometimes its locking studs make me wonder why they are on its bridge. These stunning studs improve its tuning stability and enhance spring retainers. Its bulky green color on the bridge makes it super attractive and fun to play.

Buying Guide for The Best Electric Guitar

You can choose your best electric guitar depending on your likes and dislikes. A whole collection of the best electric guitars is here above to clear your doubts and suspicions. Before buying any guitar, you should keep in mind some of these features;

Body Shape

Electric guitar bodies have not changed since the 50s and 60s, but they make certain amendments to their bodies to make them look trendy and stylish. Before buying, notice the guitar’s body shape and how comfortable it is to play.

Hold it and see yourself in a mirror to make sure how it will look out to people. The Fender Player Stratocaster has a fantastic body in alder wood. This body helps produce a more transparent sound than many other guitars I have played for the sake of this review.

Guitar’s Wood Type

As the weight, shape, and look of the guitar matter. So does the wood type. The total guitar’s warranty and life expectancy depend on its material and wood type. Mostly maple and alder are used; these both are fine wood and add a fine finish to the guitar’s body. Some other cheap woods are also available in the market, which is not long-lasting.

Another wood material frequently used is Mahogany. It is also a fine quality wood and best for guitars mainly used in Gibson, ESP, etc. Ibanez JEMJRWH Steve Vai Signature 6-string guitar has Mahogany wood used in the top and back material. This wood gives the guitar a finishing look.

Pickup Types

When you scroll online or visit a music store to buy a guitar, after checking the look and wood material used, see the pickup types of these guitars. Pickups play a significant role in the shaping of your guitars. Different pickups are used, such as single coils and humbuckers. Both these pickups are good, but I prefer humbucker as it sounds bigger, warmer, and beefier. Humbucker gives out more output as compared to the single coil.

But there are specific complaints that these humbuckers break off very soon. Due to this, some guitars have a mix of humbucker and single coil mix; this is a perfect combination. Yamaha Pacifica has ceramic pickups with Alnico 5. This upgrade makes the sound aggressive and enhances the sound quality.

Electric Guitar Hardware

Hardware includes tuning, frets, fretboard, etc. Play the guitar before buying and check the tuners and fretboards. As you spend more time with your guitar, you will notice things like better quality tuners and locking tuners improving sustain and music quality with the help of frets and fretboard.

Hardware helps outline the guitar’s specs in detail, and you can compare which guitar to buy by checking the guitar’s hardware. ESP LTD electric guitar has 24 frets, and the hardware with rosewood and Mahogany makes it look elegant.

Neck Profile

It would help if you went for the guitar with the best and most stylish neck. Multiple neck ranges, such as the thinnest neck designs in Ibanez guitars and some thick and vintage guitars, are available, such as ESP. Whenever you go shopping, go behind your gut feeling, this will help you tell what will suit you and what will not sound good. Sometimes, estimating and analyzing different products and choosing one is challenging.

There are some specific qualities in every guitar that you like. Necks are the most important reason. Suppose a guitar’s neck feels like you have used it before and are comfortable with it. Buy that one as it suits you and your playability. I like the neck of the Schecter Hellraiser C-1; it is comfortable to hold as if I have played it thousand times before.

I hope this guide answers the question, “what are the best electric guitars.” Every guitar is perfect in its way, and you can decide what to choose from a great variety of guitars available in the business. Every person has their likes and dislikes. When reviewing all these 10 guitars above, I had the chance to review them and write about them in detail closely. I liked Fender Player Stratocaster Best Electric Guitars the most among all these 10 guitars. I liked many qualities about this guitar, but the thing that stuck with me was its design and color. This electric guitar was black and looked elegant while holding it. Many other features were there, including its affordability and a 3-pc neck-thru-body construction.

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