There comes a point where you’ve outgrown your first or maybe second instrument, and you’re looking to invest in something that’s going to see you evolve and progress for years to come. That’s where the best electric guitars under $1,000 come in.
With guitars sitting just under the $1k price point, you’re likely going to see quality instruments, well-made in countries such as Indonesia and Mexico featuring sturdy hardware and clear and dynamic pickups.
If you find the right sub-$1k guitar, you might even not have to upgrade ever again.
Whether you’re playing in your bedroom for pleasure, or you’re a touring professional, the guitars in this guide will cover a range of musical styles and all manner of scenarios. My picks come in a range of shapes and finishes and from a wide selection of brands.
If you want my own personal pick right off the bat, I think the PRS SE Custom 24 with its mahogany and maple build is well worth considering. It plays beautifully and sounds magnificent.
If you'd like to read some more in-depth buying advice about the best electric guitars under $1,000, then click the link. If you'd rather get straight to the product guide, then keep scrolling.
Quick list
The PRS SE Custom 24 is a beautifully designed guitar made from mahogany and maple and it's an absolute joy to play. The coil splittable 85/15 “S” pickups live up to the hype and help produce everything from sweet clean tones to ridiculous gain.
This is a premium option from Epiphone and it's packed with features and has a great vintage feel. The Gibson Burstbucker pickups are fantastic, offering a wide range of tones suitable for genres right across the music world.
The RSS02T is ballsy and aggressive, like a good P-90-equipped guitar should be, with complex upper midrange harmonics and a tight low-end. It may not reinvent the wheel, but when you play this, you're in for a hell of a ride.
The Fender Player II Stratocaster HSS is a robust, reliable and well-made guitar that sounds great and will last you a long time. It's extremely comfortable to play and a solid choice for amateurs and pro players alike.
With its great looks and unique sounding pickups, the Guild Polara Deluxe is worth serious consideration. It's fitted with a pair of HB-2+ humbuckers which have a nice upper-midrange. There are also three finishes to choose from.
The new RG may look like a throwback, but this is no nostalgia trip back in time to 1987. It's a fantastic beast perfectly suited for shredders thanks to the Ibanez V7 pickups and V8 humbuckers which help deliver razor-sharp riffage.
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The Charvel Pro Mod So-Cal Style 1 HH FR epitomizes the classic, stripped-down superstrat with premium components and an eye-catching finish that’ll turn heads, but with a price tag that won’t leave you down and out on the Sunset Strip.
The attention to detail on the D'Angelico Premier Series SS is impressive. The guitar's distinctive semi-hollow body design is 15 inches wide and 1.75 inches deep and there’s also a stop-bar tailpiece. A very desirable guitar.
Best overall
✅ Buy if you want a versatile guitar with bags of personality: The PRS SE Custom 24 has balanced tone and is comfortable to play
❌ Avoid if you want an axe with a more metal tone: If a singular shred machine is on your shopping list, go for the Ibanez RG550
Build quality rating: ★★★★★
Playability rating: ★★★★★
Sounds rating: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★★
PRS’ SE range of guitars has been responsible for some of the best budget instruments money can buy, and this iteration of the Custom 24 is no different.
As the name suggests, this SE has a 24-fret ‘Wide Thin’ maple neck that features PRS’ classic bird inlays. The body is made from the tried-and-tested combination of mahogany and maple, which provides a balanced tone full of depth and personality.
The 25” scale of the SE Custom 24 sits in between most other electric guitars, offering players an ultra-comfortable ride. The PRS-designed hardware is super solid and I found the tremolo smooth, making worries about playability and tuning stability a thing of the past.
Coil splittable 85/15 “S” pickups are the SE equivalents of what you’ll find on USA models, and they definitely live up to the hype - capable of sweet clean tones and ridiculous gain, and everything in between.
"Perfectly executed with an immaculate builds, the PRS SE Custom 24 is a testament to the good health of the SE project and offers a very serious guitar for the money. I love the 24 for its switching options and tone."
Read more: PRS SE Custom 24 review
Best humbucker
✅ Buy if you want that premium touch: The Epiphany ’61 marries great looks with top-notch sound.
❌ Avoid if you want some change from your purchase: The style and performance here comes with a cost which is at the higher end of the guitars in this list.
Build quality rating: ★★★★★
Playability rating: ★★★★★
Sounds rating: ★★★★ ½
Overall: ★★★★★
There’s no denying that the Epiphone 1961 Les Paul SG Standard sits at more of the premium end of Epiphone’s price range, but it’s completed kitted out with neat features and it’s dripping with vintage mojo.
Made in collaboration with the Gibson Custom Shop, the Epiphone 1961 Les Paul SG Standard even features a pair of Gibson Burstbucker pickups that deliver dynamic, rich, complex tones. They cover a massive range of musical styles too – this SG can do it all; from twangy country licks to doom metal riffs.
You’ll see SGs in the hands of everyone from jazz players to metalheads, and their versatility is one of the reasons why.
It features a comfortable Slim Taper C neck profile and solid hardware including Graph Tech nut that keep tuning stability and intonation in check.
The SG is one of the most timeless designs, and here’s a great version of it for less than $1000.
"Another budget guitar from Epiphone that gives Custom Shop Gibsons a run for their money."
Read more: Epiphone 1961 Les Paul SG Standard review
Best value
✅ Buy if you want a bit more punch to your playing: The RSS02T sounds the business with midrange harmonics and a tight low-end.
❌ Avoid if you want a lighter guitar: The RSS02T gives you awesome audio, but it’s a hefty thing to play.
Build quality rating: ★★★★½
Playability rating: ★★★★½
Sounds rating: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★½
A quick glance at the spec sheet for the RS502T suggests that the model is heavily influenced by Les Paul designs circa 1955, with a mahogany body and maple top, a set-in mahogany neck with a rosewood fingerboard, 24 3/4–inch scale and 22 frets plus a pair of P-90-style single-coil pickups.
However, Yamaha has made numerous refinements to the designs and also introduced a few impressive innovations. There are master volume and master tone controls, and the master tone control pulls up to engage Yamaha’s passive ‘Focus’ circuit, which boosts low and mid frequencies giving you more of an overwound pickup sort of sound.
The VP5 single-coil pickups built by Yamaha Guitar Development (YGD) feature alnico V magnets, a German silver baseplate, plain enamel wire and 8.3k ohms of output. Furthermore, the finishes available on this are beautiful.
As for the sound, the RSS02T is ballsy and aggressive, like a good P-90-equipped guitar should be, with complex upper midrange harmonics and tight low-end spank, plus impressive resonance and sustain from the floating tailpiece. Engaging the Focus switch takes the pickups towards fat Strat territory but with more body and midrange punch.
The RSS02T may not reinvent the wheel, but when you strap one on it’s still going to take you for one hell of a ride.
"One of the sales slogans of the original Revstars was ‘Just Different Enough’, and that’s not been forgotten on these second-generation models. They’re not trying to be ‘better’ versions of a classic design. Instead, they are very much their own thing, underpinned by excellent build quality with a unique feature set."
Read more: Yamaha Revstar Standard RSS02T review
Best Strat
✅ Buy if you want a robust gigging Fender: It’s well made and is extremely comfortable to play and worth a look if you’re after a Fender
❌ Avoid if you want something a little more contemporary: Fenders and their traditional looks aren’t for everyone, so if you’re not a Fender fan, this won’t convert you.
Build quality rating: ★★★★★
Playability rating: ★★★★½
Sounds rating: ★★★★★
Overall: ★★★★½
Fender upped the ante of their Player range recently with the introduction of the Player II series. Boasting improved hardware, slab rosewood fingerboards and more, these represent great value for money and a solid choice for amateurs and pros alike.
The HSS Strat really is a do-it-all guitar. You’ve got the chunk and heft of the humbucker in the bridge position that can take care of all of your rock and metal needs, but you’ve still got the chime, quack and warmth of the middle and neck single coils.
It’s all put together in a well-made instrument that’s going to perform night after night, hold its tuning well and feel comfortable in your hands.
If you’re looking for a good quality, versatile guitar but don’t quite know where to start, this really is the perfect place.
Best vintage style
✅ Buy if you want a touch of vintage style: The Polar Deluxe is full of character and comes in three classy finishes
❌ Avoid if you’re left-handed: Like some other guitars here, there’s unfortunately no left-handed version available.
Build quality rating: ★★★★½
Playability rating: ★★★★½
Sounds rating: ★★★★½
Overall: ★★★★½
Here is Guild’s take on the classic twin-horned double cutaway. It’s close enough to look familiar, but its slightly wonky, offset shape gives it a character of its own that can help you stand out from the crowd.
This Deluxe version is fitted with a pair of fairly high output HB-2+ humbuckers. These have a nice little upper-midrange bump that can really help the guitar cut through a live mix and keep lead lines and chords clear and articulate, even when you’re piling on the gain. You’ve also got the option of coil-splitting each one making it super versatile.
Unlike some guitars with a similar body shape, the Guild Polara’s body balances really well when stood up - there’s no neck dive. It’s made nicely, and you’ve got three classy finishes to choose from.
"This 2024 version of the Polara Deluxe remains an alternative to Gibson’s fabled SG. At this level and price it’s a serious starter, spare or – as it ever was – a wicked slide guitar."
Read more: Guild Polara Deluxe review
Best for metal
✅ Buy if shredding is your thing: Razor-sharp riffs are possible here thanks to the V7 bridge humbucker.
❌ Avoid if you want a more refined experience: With its throwback looks and emphasis on the wild side, this might not be the guitar for you.
Build quality rating: ★★★★½
Playability rating: ★★★★½
Sounds rating: ★★★★½
Overall: ★★★★½
First introduced in 1987 and discontinued in ’94, the RG550, with its pointy edges, super slim Wizard neck and “totally eighties” finishes, conjures up fond memories for a generation of budding shredders. Now, Ibanez has resurrected the iconic guitar, keeping some features intact (including those finishes) and also updating it for a new era.
Features on the new RG550 include a solid basswood body and an ultra-fast Super Wizard 5-piece maple/walnut neck. There’s also a maple fretboard, jumbo frets and Gotoh tuners. Pickups are Ibanez V7 and V8 humbuckers in the bridge and neck and an S1 single coil in the middle position. Finally, there’s an Edge tremolo bridge to help players perform all manner of wild, Vai-like sonic acrobatics.
While the 550 no doubt comes off as a singular shred machine, tonally, the guitar covers a lot of ground. The V7 bridge humbucker will help you crank out razor-sharp riffs and biting leads, while the V8 in the neck adds a hint of compression at higher gains. The S1 in the middle, meanwhile, offers up suitably single-coil sounds. The new RG may look like a throwback, but this is no mere nostalgia trip.
Best for rock
✅ Buy if you want a guitar to rock out with: With its warm mids and searing highs, this is the perfect guitar for rockers.. and it’s a great price.
❌ Avoid if you want a more classic sound: If rock’s not your thing, then this fast player isn’t an ideal choice.
Build quality rating: ★★★★
Playability rating: ★★★★
Sounds rating: ★★★★½
Overall: ★★★★
Music trends have changed since the eighties, but fleet-fingered guitarists have always remained, which is why Charvel’s high performance guitars are still in favor. The Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HH FR epitomizes the classic, stripped-down superstrat with premium components and an eye-catching finish that’ll turn heads, but with a price tag that won’t leave you down and out on the Sunset Strip.
The HH FR features an alder body, a two-piece maple neck with 25 1/2–inch scale length, 12- to 16-inch compound fingerboard radius, 22 jumbo frets and a heel-mounted spoke wheel for adjusting neck relief on the dual graphite reinforcement truss rods. The guitar comes equipped with a Floyd Rose double-locking, recessed tremolo and a pair of Seymour Duncan pickups, a master volume with push/pull coil-splitting, a master tone and a three-position blade switch.
Plugged in, the So-Cal’s high-output pickups turn any mild-mannered amplifier into a fire-breathing beast. When played with tons of distortion the Duncans sound huge, with a fat bottom end, warm mids and searing highs. The coil tap on the volume knob is a nice touch to get some brighter spank on cleaner settings. The combination of the hot-rodded pickups, hand-rubbed neck and Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo make the Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HH FR a street lethal, fretboard-racing machine built for breakneck speed.
"Hot-rodded with Seymour Duncan Distortion pickups, a hand-rubbed neck and a Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo, the Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 1 HH FR is a street lethal, fretboard-racing machine built for break neck speed."
Read more: Charvel Pro Mod So-Cal Style 1 HH FR review
Best semi-hollow
✅ Buy if you want a quality and affordable semi-hollow: This is a solid semi-hollow, that suits a variety of musical styles.
❌ Avoid if a solid-body is more your thing: This won’t cut the mustard if semi-hollows leave you cold.
Build quality rating: ★★★★
Playability rating: ★★★★
Sounds rating: ★★★★
Overall: ★★★★
With the introduction of its new Premier Series guitars, D’Angelico now offers a wide variety of instruments that sell well below the $1,000 price barrier. Even more amazing is that the Premier Series guitars offer as much elegant styling and playability as their more expensive predecessors. The attention to detail in the construction of these guitars is impressive.
The single-cutaway, semi-hollow Premier SS features a laminated maple body, and the maple neck has 22 medium frets, an ovangkol fretboard, block inlays and a shallow C-shaped profile. The guitar's distinctive semi-hollow body design measures 15 inches wide and 1.75 inches deep. There’s also a stop-bar tailpiece, but D’Angelico offers the trapeze chrome stairstep tailpiece as an option.
The Premier SS' electronics consist of a pair of ultra-responsive Seymour Duncan-designed humbuckers, each with their own volume and tone controls, and a three-position toggle switch. The Premier SS is a powerful semi-hollow body that covers all ground, from smooth jazz tones all the way through to aggressive grit - all the while maintaining the construction, playability, sound, and style that made the company’s guitars so desirable in the first place.
"D’Angelico’s Premier Series guitars make a new D’Angelico guitar more affordable without sacrificing the construction, playability, sound, and style that made D’Angelico guitars so desirable in the first place."
Read more: D'Angelico Premier Series SS review
How to choose
Many of the best guitars priced above $500 but below $1,000 sit in a real sweet spot in that they’re made to a good standard, feature decent hardware and pickups, but they don’t break the bank. That’s why many players seeking a real workhorse for the road and studio look to this price point.
Having a budget of $1,000 opens up a lot of avenues. You can reasonably expect a certain level of quality, performance and spec at this end of the spectrum. By now you should have an idea of what you want your new guitar to be, so it's more a case of deciding where your personal preferences lie. Is it a workhorse replacement for a weekend warrior? Or just a step-up from the mid-range?
It's fair to say this bracket of guitars is well above the entry level. One of the key benefits here is that you don't have to compromise anywhere near as much as you would a more budget guitar.
There’s likely a high-spec option to suit your needs, whichever style of guitar you’re after. Trying to find the best electric guitar for $1,000 is a big deal to any player, so whatever you buy has to be an investment in your future playing career. But in which areas should you be looking for value? Let's take a closer look
FAQ
Which brands make the best electrics under $1,000?
The best electric guitars under $1,000 come from a wide range of brands. You can grab any model within Fender’s Player II range for less than a grand, and with plenty of different models to choose from, you’re certain to find something that will work for what you’re doing musically. There are also some great Epiphones too – some of which even feature Gibson pickups.
PRS have their SE range; these are made in the Far East by a specially trained workforce and feature many of the same selling points that make their US-made counterparts so desirable.
You’ve then got slightly less well-known brands like Guild and D’Angelico that are making some terrific instruments under $1,000.
Which areas are the most important on a sub-$1k guitar?
Nine times out of ten, it comes down to the included hardware. Bridges, pickups, locking nuts and electronics are usually the key variables, as you can bank on a thousand dollars getting you a decent piece of wood as a base.
A guitar maker may try and make an axe which feels silky smooth to the touch, perhaps by opting for a particular finishing method. Alternatively, it may be that your brand of choice goes heavy on parts that elevate the sound to fit in with a particular genre – for example, metal guitars which opt for active pickups or locking trems.
For my money, one of the biggest treats comes from playing a guitar that's the same as what you know, only better. If, for example, you've cut your teeth on an Epiphone Les Paul, owning a full-fat Gibson is a pretty special experience. Likewise moving from even one of the best Squier guitars to a Fender. There's a lot to be said for working your way up the ladder in this respect.
How do I choose a guitar for the style of music I play?
What’s going to be the best guitar for a jazz player might not be same as what’s right for a metal player. There are a range of great guitars under $1,000 that suit different playing styles.
The pickups are crucial when it comes to crafting your sound. If you’re playing heavier styles of music, you’ll probably want something with humbuckers, or maybe even active pickups. These have a hotter output allowing you to push your amp to break up sooner.
Single coils tend to sound brighter and chimier and usually have a lower output. That said, your individual playing style and how you attack the strings is just as, if not more important.
There’s also the case of what a guitar looks like. If you want something that looks metal, then go for something that’s less subtle, maybe with some radical edges over the more traditional designs.
Where are the best electric guitars under $1,000 made?
When you’re looking at entry level guitars, most of them will be made in China or Taiwan. As you go up in price towards $1,000, you’ll likely see the build location shift to countries such as Mexico and Indonesia. As prices associated with guitar building have increased over the last few years, you’re unlikely to see them made in America for under $1,000 without looking on the second hand market.
To be honest though, guitar building in countries like Indonesia has gotten extremely good. Companies like PRS now operate within their own factory over there having trained their workers specially to build guitars in a fashion similar to how they do in the US.
How we test
At Guitar World, our team of experts has extensive experience playing and testing various guitar products, including a wide range of electric guitars that can be purchased for under $1,000. As passionate guitar enthusiasts, we understand the importance of achieving the right sound and tone, and we leverage our expertise gained from using these products in live performances, recording sessions, and rehearsals to identify the best products for our guides.
To compile this list of electric guitars, we use a combination of practical experience, user feedback, and in-depth discussions with our editorial team to reach a consensus. We take into account factors such as pricing, playability, sound quality, versatility, and build quality to ensure that we showcase the very best guitars available on the market for under $1,000.
As guitar players ourselves, we appreciate the value of having the right equipment to create the perfect sound. Therefore, we are committed to providing reliable and knowledgeable recommendations to help guitar players find the ideal electric guitar to suit their specific needs and preferences. Our ultimate aim is to assist guitar players in unlocking their full potential by elevating their sound with the best guitar gear out there.
Read more about how we test products and services and how we make our recommendations.
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Meet the experts
James is a freelance writer and former Junior Deals Writer at Guitar World. Before writing, James worked as a guitar salesman at a local music store, so he knows a thing or two about matching people with their perfect instruments. James also has experience working in other areas of the music trade, having worked for the online music distributor, RouteNote. James is a guitarist, bassist and drummer and has also toured the UK and Europe with his old band Hypophora.
After spending a decade in music retail, Richard is now a freelance writer for MusicRadar, Guitar Player, Guitar World and Reverb, specialising in electric and acoustic guitars, bass, and almost anything else you can make a tune with. When his head’s not buried in the best of modern and vintage gear, Richard runs a small company helping musicians with songwriting, production and performance, and plays bass in an alt-rock band. Otherwise, you'll probably find him out walking the dog!
Latest updates
20/03/25: The guide has received four new products: Epiphone ’61 SG, Yamaha RSS02T, Guild Polara Deluxe and the Fender Player II HSS Strat. The FAQ section has been expanded. All 8 guitars are also featured in a new Quick Links section at the top of the guide for ease of navigation. A section detailing why you can trust the Guitar World team has been added, and there's also now a "meet our experts" section.
Read more:
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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