Best guitars for indie rock: iconic brands and signature sounds from Fender, Rickenbacker and more

Fender Vintera 60s Jazzmaster on a rug
(Image credit: Future)

Not every guitar hero has to be stood in front of a wall of Marshall stacks, with a low-slung Les Paul. Here, we’re taking more of an anti-guitar hero approach as we count down the best guitars for indie rock, taking into account different budgets and the different needs of a variety of players.

Indie rock is actually quite an all-encompassing genre. Stemming from the term ‘independent’, usually in reference to record labels in the late ’70s, indie rock has, in the last few decades, become fairly interchangeable with post-punk, alternative and indie. 

You can trust Guitar World Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing guitar products so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about how we test.

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