Best guitars for shredding: unleash your inner guitar god with these supersonic six strings

Charvel Pro Mod San Dimas guitar on a blue background
(Image credit: Future)

So you’ve been bitten by the need for speed? With those super fast legato runs, smooth sweep-picked licks, and efficient alternate-picked scale runs, it’s easy to see the attraction of playing shred guitar. It’s a bug that gets most guitarists at some point in their careers, but playing fast requires more than just countless hours of practice – you'll also need one of the best guitars for shredding.

A guitar purposefully designed for shredding will make achieving your speed goals that much easier, so we’ve brought together the top choices for those on the quest for lightning-quick licks. Whether you’re a vintage Vai enthusiast or prefer the modern tones of bands like Intervals, Plini, and Animals As Leaders, these guitars will all ensure an excellent playing platform for all your speed needs.

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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