11 Best Electric Guitars For Under $1000 2024
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$1000 is a fairly sizable budget for most guitarists and the variety of guitars available in this range is vast. This is great for most people, but it can cause some to be a little overwhelmed with option overload.
To quell this, the following guitars are some of the best you can find in this price range. There’s something here for just about everybody, including the consciously prudent budget shopper.
Contents
Fender Player Stratocaster – Best Overall
The Stratocaster is undoubtedly one of the most revolutionary guitars ever created. It still stands as one of the most popular guitar models on the market.
If you’ve ever wanted an affordable Stratocaster for yourself, you’re in luck. The Fender Player Stratocaster (compare price at Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Amazon) is an excellent modern rendition for today’s players.
This model features all of the iconic features found on a Stratocaster, with tradition in the right places. There are some upgrades from the vintage models that add quite a bit of convenience in areas that needed it.
The Player Stratocaster features a body crafted from Alder and comes with a wide range of personalization options. This is largely seen where the color choices come in, which include:
- 3-tone sunburst
- Black
- Buttercream
- Polar White
- Capri orange
- Tidepool
- Silver
- Seafoam green
As is traditional, the neck is crafted from Maple to have a 25.5” scale length and a modern C-shape contour. The fretboard comes in either Maple or Pau Ferro, with 22 frets and a 9.5” radius.
For pickups, this Stratocaster is stocked with Fender Player Series Alnico V Strat single-coil pickups. A 5-way switch, as well as a volume and pair of tone knobs, are provided for tone control.
All of those classic Stratocaster tones you know and love will be on tap here.
In true Stratocaster style, this model has a 2-piece synchronized tremolo for all of your expression needs. The 6-string saddle features bent steel pieces, which is a nod to vintage design.
Other hardware on this Stratocaster include:
- Synthetic bone nut
- Die-cast sealed tuners
Overall, this is a pretty standard Stratocaster by most measures, but it is more than suitable for a professional.
Item Weight: 10.25 pounds
Package Dimensions: 42 x 15.2 x 4.4 inches
Fender Special Edition Custom Telecaster FMT HH – Best Premium
If you have a bit extra to spend and are looking for a unique Telecaster, you’re in the right place. The Fender Special Edition Custom Telecaster FMT HH (compare price at Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Amazon) is what you’re looking for.
This is by no means an ordinary Telecaster, though it does retain the guitar’s iconic shape. This model’s body is crafted from Mahogany and has comfort bevels in the back to prevent player fatigue.
Another addition is the beautiful carved flamed Maple top, which is exquisitely showcased in the colors of:
- Amber
- Black cherry burst
- Crimson red transparent
Even the neck is given an overhaul, featuring a 25.5” scale Mahogany neck with a set neck joint. As you’d expect, this neck has a standard modern C-shape contour for a blend of comfort and playability.
The fretboard is made from Indian Laurel and has a flatter radius of 15.75” with 22 frets. Abalone dot inlays provide a simplistic sparkle to outlining the fretboard.
For pickups, this Telecaster is stocked with a pair of Seymour Duncan pickups wired hot for increased output. More specifically, these include:
- ’59 SH-1N RP (neck)
- SHPGP-1B Pearly Gates+ (bridge)
A 3-way switch, as well as a volume and tone knob, are provided for standard tone control. Fender ups the game and added a coil-tap to the tone knob to split the humbuckers into single-coil pickups.
For hardware, the Telecaster FMT HH features:
- Graphite nut
- Die-cast sealed tuners
- Hardtail bridge
- 6-string saddle
This is the Telecaster you’ve been looking for if you’ve wished for a model with a bit of extra meat. It veers away from traditionalist builds to provide an instrument for modern rockers.
Item Weight: 10.4 pounds
Package Dimensions: 45 x 16 x 6 inches
Ibanez Artcore AS73 – Best Budget
There’s just something about the sound of a semi-hollow guitar that transcends typical guitar sounds. Perhaps it's the added acoustic element, but one cannot deny these instruments have a hint of magic.
Ibanez’s Artcore series has been well-reputed for its semi-hollow guitars, which are often quite affordable. A standout example of this can be seen with the Ibanez Artcore AS73 (compare price at Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Amazon).
This guitar is a true semi-hollowbody made from Linden, with classic f-shaped soundholes on its face. You can get this guitar in a number of attractive color options, including:
- Tobacco brown
- Olive metallic
- Prussian blue metallic
- Transparent cherry red
The neck is crafted from Nyatoh to have a 24.7” scale length with a contour balanced between comfort and performance. Walnut is used for the fretboard, which has a 12” radius with 22 frets outlined by acrylic block inlays.
For pickups, the AS73 is stocked with a pair of Classic Elite Humbuckers to provide a warm and punchy tone. A pair of volume and tone knobs, as well as a 3-way switch, are provided for tone control.
The hardware used elsewhere on the AS73 includes:
- Closed-gear tuners
- Plastic nut
- Gibraltar Performer bridge
- Quik Change III tailpiece
Overall, this might be a budget instrument, but it rivals guitars priced at a much higher price point. Despite its low cost, it has aesthetic elements that surpass many other instruments found at this price.
The obvious benefit here would be that you could save a bundle of your projected budget.
Another plus would be that you might be able to come home with a pair of guitars rather than just one. This guitar alone would be a wise choice for your hard-earned money.
Item Weight: 13.23 pounds
Package Dimensions: 48 x 18 x 7 inches
Gretsch G5420TG-59
Looking for a guitar decked out with a truly distinct vintage style that is unmistakably Gretsch? Look no further than the Gretsch G5420TG-59.
This is a classic, large hollowbody guitar with a single-cutaway design that’s been given a vintage orange color. The guitar itself is crafted from 5-ply Maple with an arched Maple top and features 2 large f-shaped soundholes.
Maple is also used to craft the neck, which has a 24.6” scale length and a U-shape contour. Rosewood is used for the fretboard, which has a 12” radius with 22 frets outlined by Pearloid thumbnail inlays.
This guitar is sure to provide those warm and smooth tones with a hint of snarling bite. It comes with a pair of Black Top Filter’Tron humbuckers to deliver tones drenched in vintage flavors.
For tone control, the G5420TG-59 has a 3-way switch and a range of different knobs, including:
- Master volume
- Master tone
- Neck pickup volume
- Bridge pickup volume
In true Gretsch fashion, the G5420TG-59 comes equipped with a Bigsby B60 vibrato. You’ll be able to reap the tonal benefits of a hollowbody and add the extra expression a vibrato can provide.
Other hardware to be found on the G5420TG-59 include:
- NuBone nut
- Vintage-inspired open-gear tuners
- Adjusto-Matic bridge with Rosewood base
Overall, the G5420TG-59 is a guitar with classic looks that can serve up no shortage of classic tones. This is an exemplary model from Gretsch’s catalog that many feel is one of the best guitars they produce.
You can be sure there won’t be a flaw to find here. Having the Bigsby is a great touch, as these aren’t typically found on hollowbody guitars made by other manufacturers.
Item Weight: 10 pounds
Package Dimensions: 46 x 16 x 5 inches
Epiphone Limited Edition 1959 Les Paul Standard
Epiphone Les Paul models have long been reputed as excellent instruments for the budget-conscious. These models typically had Les Paul features but may have cheaper components.
However, if you’ve ever wanted a vintage-spec Les Paul without the price tag, you’re in luck. The Epiphone Limited Edition 1959 Les Paul Standard (compare price at Sweetwater, Guitar Center) is a true LP.
This model features a body crafted from Mahogany with a AAA flamed Maple top, just like the vintage models. Even the body’s shape is taken from the specifications of the 1959 model.
A number of classic color options are included here, including:
- Aged dark burst
- Aged cherry burst
- Aged heritage cherry fade
- Aged honey burst gloss
The neck is crafted from Mahogany to have a 24.75” scale length and a rounded medium C-shape contour. Indian Laurel is used for the fretboard, featuring a 12” radius with 22 frets outlined by Pearloid trapezoid inlays.
You’ll find that this Les Paul is stocked with BurstBucker humbuckers, which were designed by Gibson. In keeping with tradition, this model features a pair of volume and tone knobs, as well as a 3-way switch.
For hardware, the Limited Edition 1959 Les Paul Standard features:
- NuBone nut
- LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge
- Stopbar tailpiece
- Vintage Deluxe tuners with an 18:1 ratio
Sweetening the deal, this guitar comes with a hardshell case, which is something a lot of guitars do not include.
Overall, this Epiphone model is a dream come true for guitarists that have always wanted a vintage Les Paul. Epiphone has outdone themselves here, providing a guitar with luxury components in nearly every category.
Item Weight: 20 pounds
Package Dimensions: 48 x 18 x 7 inches
PRS SE Custom 24
PRS guitars have gone from being obscure to becoming reputed for being some of the highest-quality instruments. Unfortunately, these guitars tend to fall well outside of the $1000 budget range.
That certainly doesn’t mean you can’t have access to an affordable PRS guitar of your own. The PRS SE Custom 24 (compare price at Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Amazon) is a practical choice for any guitarist.
This model is one of PRS’s flagship models, but since it’s an SE version, it’s far more affordable. Despite this, the same tonal versatility can be found here.
The SE Custom 24 features a Mahogany body with a flamed Maple top. A number of color options are available to showcase this top, including:
- Faded blue burst
- Black gold sunburst
- Bonnie pink with natural black
- Quilt black gold sunburst
- Quilt charcoal
This guitar’s body has a great detail of craftsmanship, which can be seen in its various beveled locations. You’ll find this to be a very comfortable guitar to play.
The neck is crafted from Maple to have a 25” scale length with a wide thin contour. Rosewood is used for the 10” radius fretboard, which features 24 frets outlined by the iconic PRS bird inlays.
For pickups, the SE Custom 24 is stocked with a pair of PRS 85/15 “S” humbuckers. These are appropriate for nearly any style of music.
This guitar is equipped with a volume and tone knob, as well as a 3-way switch for tone control. A coil-splitter has been added to the tone knob for expanded tonal ranges beyond typical humbucker pickups.
For hardware, the SE Custom 24 features:
- PPS nut
- Molded tremolo system
- PRS tuners
A gig bag comes included with the guitar.
Item Weight: 13.14 pounds
Package Dimensions: 44.02 x 15.98 x 5.98 inches
Fender Player Telecaster
The Telecaster is one of the most versatile guitars to grace the history of modern music. With the Fender Player Telecaster (compare price at Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Amazon), you can reign in these classic tones yourself.
This Telecaster retains tradition in all the right areas, with a touch of upgrades where they were needed. It also has quite a number of options for personalization.
The Player Telecaster’s body is crafted from Alder and comes in the color choices of:
- Butterscotch blonde
- 3-tone sunburst
- Black
- Capri orange
- Polar white
- Sienna sunburst
- Tidepool
Maple is used for the neck, which has a 25.5” scale length and features a modern C-shape contour. The fretboard, which comes in Maple or Pau Ferro, has a 9.5” radius with 22 frets outlined by dot inlays.
For pickups, the Player Telecaster is stocked with a pair of Fender Player Series Alnico V Tele single-coils. All of those signature Tele tones are on tap here for you to easily utilize.
To control the tone, this guitar has a 3-way switch as well as a volume and tone knob.
Other hardware featured on the Player Telecaster include:
- Synthetic bone nut
- Die-cast sealed tuners
- 6-string saddle
- Bridge supporting traditional string-through-body design
This is a fairly straightforward Telecaster by most standards. However, you can be sure that it can be relied upon as an everyday player.
Item Weight: 10.15 pounds
Package Dimensions: 41.75 x 15 x 4.25 inches
Yamaha Revstar RSS02T
When it comes to guitars, Yamaha is probably better known for its acoustic offerings. The Yamaha Revstar RSS02T (compare price at Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Amazon), however, is an outstanding electric guitar offering.
This guitar has a sleek retro-modern design, with a chambered body crafted from Mahogany and a Maple top. You can get this guitar in a number of colors, including:
- Hot merlot
- Black
- Swift blue
- Sunset burst
The neck has a 24.75” scale length and is crafted using 3 pieces of Mahogany, and is reinforced with carbon. Rosewood is used for the fretboard, which has a 12” radius with 22 frets outlined by Pearloid line inlays.
A pair of VP5n Alnico V single-coil pickups are stocked into the RSS02T which boast clarity with vintage bite. For tone control, a 5-way switch and knobs for volume and tone are provided.
Expanding the tone is a push/pull tone function, which shifts the tonal focus of the guitar. Use this to dial in more of a thicker tone.
Other hardware featured on the RSS02T include:
- PPS plastic nut
- Tune-O-Matic bridge
- Racing tailpiece
- Die-cast tuners
The RSS02T also includes a gig bag with the purchase of the guitar.
Item Weight: 8.16 pounds
Package Dimensions: 45 x 18 x 6 inches
Epiphone Casino
Undoubtedly aided by The Beatles, the Casino is a legendary hollowbody guitar. Today’s Epiphone Casino (compare price at Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Amazon) is still a viable guitar for the right guitarist.
This modern version features a laminated Maple body with a 5-ply laminated Maple top providing its iconic arch. You can opt to get this guitar in the classic color options of:
- Natural
- Vintage sunburst
Mahogany is used for the neck, which has a 24.75” scale length and a comfortable SlimTaper D contour. The fretboard is made of Pau Ferro, with a 12” radius and 22 frets outlined by classic Pearloid parallelogram inlays.
You’ll find that the real charm of this guitar is in its pickups. A pair of Dog-ear Classic P-90 single-coils are featured here, offering a truly vintage vibe.
A pair of volume and tone knobs, as well as a 3-way switch, are provided for tone control.
Other hardware to be found here include:
- Plastic nut
- Vintage-style tuners
- LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge
- Trapeze tailpiece
This is the perfect solution for those looking for a guitar that serves up retro tones. The pickups on this guitar ooze vintage sounds you’re more than familiar with.
Item Weight: 12 pounds
Package Dimensions: 46 x 21 x 4 inches
Squier 40th Anniversary Gold Edition Jazzmaster
2022 marks Squier’s 40th year of being in the industry. To celebrate, Squier has released some very attractive limited edition models for guitarists to get their hands on.
The Squier 40th Anniversary Gold Edition Jazzmaster (compare price at Sweetwater, Guitar Center) is an excellent guitar from this lineup. It has all of the classic Jazzmaster stylings, with some pretty rare aesthetic features.
This version features a body made of Poplar and comes in several color and fretboard combinations, including:
- Lake placid blue, with Indian Laurel fretboard
- Olympic white, with Indian Laurel fretboard
- Satin desert sand, with Maple fretboard
- Satin seafoam green, with Maple fretboard
The neck itself is crafted from Maple to have a 25.5” scale length, featuring a standard C-shape contour. Traditional specs can also be seen with the fretboard, which has a 9.5” radius and 21 frets.
The inlays used on the fretboard differ depending on your fretboard choice. Maple has traditional dot inlays while Indian Laurel has Pearloid block inlays.
For pickups, this Jazzmaster is stocked with a pair of Fender Alnico single-coil pickups. The traditional Jazzmaster lead/rhythm circuitry is featured here, which should keep any purist happy.
The lead circuit is controlled by a master volume and tone knob and has a 3-way switch. You can engage the rhythm circuit with a 2-way slider, controlling tone and volume with a pair of thumbwheels.
Other hardware featured on the 40th Anniversary Gold Edition Jazzmaster include:
- Bone nut
- Vintage-style tuners
- 6-string saddle
- Non-locking floating vibrato
- Gold pickguard
This is a highly attractive offering that you won’t see too often. If you love Jazzmasters, be sure to jump at this opportunity.
Item Weight: 10 pounds
Package Dimensions: 45 x 16 x 6 inches
Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s Telecaster
Are you looking for a Telecaster, but wanting to save some money in the process? The Squier Classic Vibe ‘50s Telecaster (compare price at Sweetwater, Guitar Center, Amazon) is the perfect solution.
This Telecaster is made to reflect the original designs of the first production models of the guitar. Some areas have been modernized to suit today’s players, but is, for the most part, vintage-spec.
The Classic Vibe ‘50s Telecaster has a body made of Pine and comes in the classic colors of:
- Butterscotch blonde
- White blonde
Maple is used to craft the 25.5” scale length neck, which features a standard C-shape contour. The fretboard is also pretty traditional, featuring a Maple construction, 9.5” radius, and 21 frets outlined by black dot inlays.
A pair of Alnico single-coil pickups designed by Fender are stocked into the Classic Vibe ‘50s Telecaster. These were crafted to closely resemble the tonal characteristics of pickups used in the 1950s era.
For tone control, this Telecaster sports knobs for volume and tone, as well as a 3-way switch. You can be sure that all of those classic Telecaster tones can be found living in this guitar.
Other hardware to be found on the Classic Vibe ‘50s Telecaster include:
- Bone nut
- Vintage-style tuners
- Ashtray bridge
- Chrome barrel saddles with a 3-saddle design
As you can see, this Telecaster is a true Telecaster in every single category. This presents guitarists with an extreme value and is affordable for almost any budget.
Item Weight: 11 pounds
Package Dimensions: 44.5 x 15 x 4 inches
What To Look For In An Electric Guitar For Under $1000
The range of guitars that are available under $1000 is quite staggering. In fact, you’ll find just about every model within this price range, with luxury editions obviously costing more.
Because of this, it is extremely vital that you take your time and do the proper research. You will want to make sure that your budget is being put to the best use possible.
Unfortunately, many guitarists are not exactly knowledgable in this realm of playing guitar. All too often, guitarists will leap before looking, which increases the possibility of experiencing buyer’s remorse.
Essentially, you will want to buy the guitar that will allow you to become the guitarist you wish to be. This is no easy feat, as the variety of playing styles outweighs the number of guitar models on the market.
To save money on the production side of things, manufacturers produce generalized models to suit the larger crowd. Those with specific needs will need to seek out a specialized model.
How does one know exactly what they should be looking for?
The first thing to keep in mind is your desires relating to your playing style and the genres being played. This will help you immensely, and should act as a sort of compass in your purchasing decision.
However, this is not the only thing you need to pay attention to. The following points will enhance your research in finding the right guitar for your own distinct musical personality.
Body Style
When it comes to guitars, everybody has their own preferences and tastes for specific body styles. What might be attractive to one person, is ugly to another, and vice versa.
You probably have a general idea of what your own personal tastes are. Chances are, you likely won’t feel too inspired playing something that you aren’t at least visually attracted to.
Pay attention to what initially grabs your eye when you browse the assortment of guitars on a shop’s wall. You might be drawn to these instruments for reasons you might not initially be aware of.
Of course, guitars are much more than just the way they look. You shouldn’t discount a guitar simply because of this, as you might overlook the very guitar that suits your needs.
There is an extremely large number of different body styles available on the market. For the most part, however, they tend to be variations on these types of guitar styles:
- S-style (resembling the Stratocaster)
- T-style (resembling the Telecaster)
- LP-style (resembling the Les Paul)
- Offset
- Hollowbody
- Semi-hollowbody
Each of these body styles has its own inherent traits that are signature aspects of the style itself.
For instance, S-style guitars generally have a double-cutaway body design. On the other hand, T-style and LP-style guitars generally only have a single cutaway.
The construction of the body itself could also play a large part in the guitar’s overall sound. You’ll notice this, especially with hollowbody and semi-hollowbody guitars, which have a rich, deep tone with excellent sustain.
Most guitars are generally about the same size, but hollowbody guitars can especially be quite large. These might not be the most comfortable to play for some people, though smaller models can be found.
Weight
Along with the body style, you might want to pay attention to the guitar’s weight. Generally, this isn’t a sort of criteria that can make or break a guitarist’s purchasing decision.
However, if you know you’re going to be playing hundreds of shows in a year, you might think otherwise. After a long night, you’ll definitely be feeling the effects of the guitar’s weight on your body.
Fatigue is one of those things that accumulates over time, especially without ample rest. If you’re doing long stints on the road, you’ll be exhausted and your performances could suffer.
Not everybody is performing at this capacity, so it might not factor in much to your decision. Nevertheless, it is a small point to keep in mind.
Pickups
In addition to the guitar’s body, you’ll need to pay close attention to the type of pickups it has. These are going to ultimately define the tonal characteristics of the guitar you choose.
Generally, there are 2 different types of pickups to be found in electric guitars. These include:
- Single-coil
- Humbucker
Single-coil pickups are fairly simplistic in design, featuring a coil wrapped around magnetic poles. You’ve undoubtedly heard these before, and can be recognized by their round, quacky, and sometimes nasally, sound.
While single-coil pickups are excellent in their own right, they are prone to some issues. Perhaps the biggest is the possibility of noise and interference from the pickup itself.
Unfortunately, single-coils are quite prone to electromagnetic fields that may exist in a room. Depending on the circumstances, your signal could have noise generated from the refrigerator running in the room.
These types of pickups were some of the first to be produced at a large scale. Since their inception, technology has evolved to remedy this without changing the pickup construction itself.
However, before these technological advances, the humbucker came as a solution. These pickups feature 2 single-coils wrapped in opposite polarity, which cancels the interference hum altogether.
Humbuckers tend to be much warmer in tone compared to single-coil pickups. The tone is also much thicker and does have a touch more sustain.
Within these families of pickups are a wide range of different individual types. While they share the same construction, they have slightly different tones, giving the guitarist many options.
Generally, the types of pickups previously mentioned are all passive pickups. There are active pickups that require power (such as a 9V battery) to produce a much louder and responsive signal.
Extra Features
Guitars might come as a basic instrument, while others have some extra features included. These extra features are often little tools that a guitarist can exploit in their performances.
Some of the extra features that can be found include:
- Tremolo systems
- Coil-split to split humbuckers into single-coil pickups
- Specific hardware
Only you will know what exactly you might need or wish to find on your guitar. Don’t settle for less than what your playing style absolutely needs.
For instance, if you mentally hear the use of a tremolo, it’d be irresponsible to get a guitar without one. You will end up wishing you had just gone with a guitar equipped with a tremolo system, to begin with.
Budget
If you’re reading this, your budget is pretty well defined. However, there are still things to consider regarding the money that you are spending.
The first would be to consider checking out the used market. Quite often, you can find barely used guitars at a serious fraction of the price of a new guitar.
Along with this, used luxury guitars might actually be available in your budget due to the used pricing models. The thing is, you’ll never know if you don’t look, and new listings are created every day.
Sure, it’s great to have a brand new guitar that’s only been played by you. But, who doesn’t like saving a little bit of money?
Also, consider whether it’s worth spending a large sum on one guitar, or purchasing two guitars for the same price. Sometimes, it's nice to have multiple guitars, with each providing a specific sound.
Budget guitars might not be high-ticket items, but with the right upgrades, can be equivalent. This depends greatly on the upgrades needed as some components could make this route even more expensive.
Another thing to be aware of is whether the guitar comes with a case or gig bag. If not, you’ll probably be buying one for transport, which could set you over the proposed budget.
It used to be that when guitars neared the $1000 mark, they usually came with a case. That is certainly not the state of the industry anymore, so pay close attention to this.
Best Brands For Electric Guitars For Under $1000
If you’re having difficulties deciding on which guitars to take a closer look at, have no fear! The following brands have an excellent reputation for crafting guitars in this budget range.
Epiphone
For decades, Epiphone has been a quality producer of affordable Gibson-style guitars. These guitars tend to be built quite well, and in many cases, rival the Gibson guitars themselves.
Fender
Fender is one of the biggest names in the guitar industry, and for good reason. The company produces professional-level guitars, some of which have completely revolutionized the industry.
Top Electric Guitars For Under $1000, Final Thoughts
Purchasing a guitar is a momentous occasion for every single guitarist. There is perhaps no happier guitar-related moment than the day you bring home your newfound companion.
Be sure to take your time and try each of these guitars out for yourself. Only then will you be able to tell how it feels, sounds, and matches your personal playing style.
After all, purchasing new gear gives you a license to try things in a shop. Take advantage of this!
P.S. Remember though, none of what you've learned will matter if you don't know how to get your music out there and earn from it. Want to learn how to do that? Then get our free ‘5 Steps To Profitable Youtube Music Career' ebook emailed directly to you!