The Best Electric Guitars Under $1,000 [2025]

As usual Paul and his team come out rock solid on this Mark Tremonti signature model. They run a tight ship, and their quality control is over the top. The fit and finish is flawless, and the playing experience is butter. The ingredients are straightforward: set neck and powerful “S” type humbuckers with a traditional three-way selector make access to the voices immediate.

Paul’s patented molded tremolo bridge design is elegant and stable without being fussy. Working along with Paul’s famous “unobtanium” nut, tuning stays stable even when manhandled (a lot!). The beveled flamed maple top is finished in a reserved charcoal burst. A generous belly contour in the back makes this comfortable to play on a strap or seated. Paul’s signature offset neck heel allows easy access to the top registers for solo mayhem.

• Body Type: Double cutaway maple over mahogany, set maple neck
• Scale Length: 25”
• 24 Frets
• Fretboard Radius: 10”
• Electronics: Dual humbucker, 2 vol, 2 tone, 3-way selector
• Bridge: Patented molded tremolo

I’ve always been a fan of the Revstar lineup, and there’s no exception here. Yamaha is on a different path with the “café racer” colors and retro styling cues.

As usual, the setup on the Yamaha Revstar Standard RSS20T is perfect right out of the box. the P90-style single coil pickups have a great snarl and chime. The tone control has a pull up switch to change the “focus” (seems like it increases the sparkle factor). Yamaha’s diecast tailpiece and bridge have a cool industrial vibe echoing their motorcycle heritage. A maple top gives it a nice solid feel, and the chambered mahogany body keeps the weight balanced.

The RS20T is kind of quirky and different, not just another “near Strat” design concept. It’s also available in stop-tailpiece design with humbuckers, if you so prefer.  

• Body Type: Double cutaway, maple top over chambered mahogany. Set 3-piece mahogany neck with carbon fiber reinforcement
• 22 stainless steel frets
• Scale length: 25. ½
• Fretboard radius: 12”
• Electronics: Dual P90 volume tone with pull up “focus” switch 5-way blade selector
• Bridge: Tune-o-matic, diecast tailpiece

The folks at Gibson/Epiphone certainly know something about how to build a solid body guitar, and the Epiphone Les Paul Custom Koa is plenty proof.

The classic single cutaway design is immediately familiar and approachable. The distinctive visual of the Hawaiian Koa top makes it a standout aesthetically. Dialing your tone is easy with a simple electronics layout: dual humbuckers with a tone and volume control each running through a 3-way selector can take you from smoky jazz to overtone-rich blues to shred, making this a flexible gigging guitar.

The hardtail setup makes this a great choice for a lot of “tuning on the fly” players. The combination of custom appointments like triple binding on the top and headstock, block pearloid fret inlay, “split diamond” headstock inlay, and gold hardware make this a luxury limo at an uber price.

• Body Type: Single cutaway Koa top over chambered mahogany, set mahogany neck
• Scale Length: 24 ¾”
• 22 frets
• Fretboard Radius: 12”
• Electronics: Dual “probucker” humbuckers 2 volume 2 tone, 3-way toggle selector
• Bridge: tune-o-matic, stopbar tailpiece

If you haven’t got a Strat in your arsenal, you might want to audition this strong effort from Fender. The Fender Stratocaster Standard is an essential add for any player’s style.

High-output ceramic pickups provide the famous chime and snappy mids we have come to expect from a Strat. The sleek poplar body features Fenders famous “comfort contour” relief in the top and back, making it a pleasure to hold. The “C” shape neck is fast and super comfortable, and the 9.5” radius feels just right to my hands. There’s a good reason they have been making this guitar since 1954.

And, it's a bonafide Fender; no Squier logo here! 

• Body Type: Double cutaway poplar, bolt on maple neck
• Scale Length: 25 ½”
• 21 medium jumbo frets
• Fretboard Radius: 9.5”
• Electronics: Triple single coil with 5-way blade selector two tone, volume control
• Bridge: Two post synchronized tremolo

Schecter has always been a little bit of a rebel in the guitar business. They started out as a parts company and grew into their current stature over the last thirty years.

The Omen Extreme 6 packs a lot of expensive features in an easy-to-digest price. The carved flamed maple top is triple bound, as is the headstock. Schecter completely eliminates the tailpiece on this design, so the tuning stability is epic.  The “C” cut neck is instantly familiar, but the 14” radius has a flatter feel for a more shreddy player. The combination of the satin blonde maple with satin gold hardware makes this guitar as easy to look at as it is to play.

• Body Type: Double cutaway maple top over mahogany, bolt-on maple neck
• Scale Length: 25 1/5”
• 24 Jumbo frets
• Fretboard Radius: 14”
• Electronics: Dual humbucker, vol, vol, tone control (push-pull), 3-way toggle selector
• Bridge: tune-o-matic, string-through body

If you’re looking to add a classic “go-fast” shredder to your lineup, the ESP LTD KH202 has all the right ingredients: double locking Floyd Rose tremolo system can hang with the slack string dive bombs, while the 24-fret neck with an offset heel allows access to the high notes. Dual SH202 high output humbuckers with a three-way selector make it easy to dial in your tone without confusing controls. Throw in a no-nonsense blackout finish that goes with any style, and you have a serious shredder for well under $1,000.  

• Body Type: Double cutaway
• Scale Length: 25 ½”
• 24 Frets
• Fretboard Radius: 14”
• Electronics: Dual humbucker, Tone/Vol,3-way toggle selector
• Bridge: Floyd Rose double locking tremolo

Ibanez has traditionally packed a lot of value in their GIO series, and the GRX70QA is a standout — even if its model name is a bit of a mouthful.

Let’s get real about the price; this article is about guitars under a grand, and this guitar is barely over $200, so it punches above its weight class.  

The Gio GSX70QA rocks a deep belly cut on the poplar body feels, so it’s super comfortable whether you’re standing or sitting. The versatile HSH (humbucker, single coil, humbucker) pickup and 5-way blade switch layout offers quick access to the voices, and the offset heel is sculpted for comfortable access to the high notes. Ibanez has a process called “Art Grain” which prints the flame pattern on the wood, so this guitar looks as good as it sounds. Finish it off with a T106 tremolo bridge provides for lots of whammy goodness, and you get a rock machine that leaves plenty left over in the budget for lots of accessories — or maybe even a second guitar!

• Body Type: Double cutaway poplar w/quilted “art-grain” top, bolt on maple neck
• Scale Length: 25 ½”
• 22 Frets
• Fretboard Radius: 12”
• Electronics: HSH dual humbuckers with a center single coil, volume, tone 5-way blade selector
• Bridge: T106 tremolo