Electric guitar brands
Let’s talk about the electric guitar brands.
In this blog we will discuss the best electric guitar brands worldwide and the best electric guitar brands available in India, so that you can choose the perfect one for you.
Before we start, how many of you have seen this guitar before?
OR This guitar?
You must have seen these electric guitar before. What makes these electric guitar brands so recognisable? Well, many things, like their shape, size, playability, the style of genre they are famous for and many other things.
Some people stay loyal to one company and only use one particular brand of guitars and others try different brands and companies to choose the best electric guitar model for themselves.
It doesn’t matter which category you belong to, choosing the right brand and the right model is very important for you in the guitar journey, no matter if you’re an experienced shredder or a beginner.
In India there are a number of electric guitar brands that you can choose from, from a yamaha guitar to a granada guitar to a best electric guitar brand such as a Gibson, a Fender, an Ibanez or more.
Let’s look into these in detail
GIBSON
Perhaps the most famous guitar brand of all time, and for all the right reasons.
The Gibson company was launched more than a hundred years ago and they have been a top name in the guitar world ever since. The most iconic guitar shape such as a Les Paul or a SG is a gift to the world from Gibson.
The Les Paul designs with the dual humbucker pickups changed the guitar industry forever. This is perhaps the best electric guitar company of all time, you can find some expensive guitars from Gibson in India and some mid range guitars too.
But remember even the mid range guitars from Gibson are quite expensive comparatively, the superior built quality, top notch materials used, the craftsmanship and attention to detail in Gibson guitars make up for their high prices.
Suitable for- Blues, Rock and even Jazz and Fusion music.
Some famous guitarists known for using Gibson guitars are-
Slash, Kirk Hammett, Gary Moore, Jimmy Page, Angus Young and more.
Fender
The most known name in the Guitar industry is Fender Guitars. Fender and Gibson have been leading the guitar world for decades. Known for their iconic Stratocaster and Telecaster models, Fender Guitar is a name known in every musical household.
Fender started in 1946 in Arizona, USA. Soon after that they gained popularity when many blues guitar players started using Fender guitars for its smooth body and easy tone shaping 3 way pickup style. Fender is also known for manufacturing some great bass guitar models but that is a topic for another time.
So if you are looking for that single coil almost steely and buttery smooth tone then you should perhaps check out fender guitars. The good thing about Fender is you can easily find the more affordable models in India, such as the Squier series made especially for beginners and intermediate players.
Suitable for- Blues, Rock, Psychedelic Rock, Jazz music.
Some Famous Guitarists known for using Fender Guitars are-
David Gilmour, Jimmy Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughan and more.
Did You Know?
Ibanez
One of the most used guitar companies in modern music, Ibanez.
It was formed in 1908 in Japan. Ibanez is known for their excellent craftsmanship and their high quality build.
Many of the Ibanez models are carefully crafted for the needs of Rock and Metal musicians, with the thin neck, easily accessible frets and high output pickups it is a no brainer for any Shredder. Ibanez is also a leading name in the 7 and 8 strings guitars made for genres like Djent, Progressive metal, metalcore and more.
Ibanez is a company known for its versatility, and rightly so. You can find good quality but much affordable Ibanez guitars such as the Gio series and GRG series to the most premium quality series such as RG Prestige and more.
Suitable for- Young musicians aspiring to be shredders, Rock, Metal and alternative genres.
Some famous Guitarists known for using Ibanez are- Paul Gilbert, Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Paul Stanley and more.
Jackson
Since we mentioned Ibanez for Rock and Metal music, we certainly cannot leave this brand out of the list. The OG of Hard Rock and Heavy Metal sound. Famous for their odd shapes, aggressive guitar tones and the infamous RR V shape guitars, Jackson is an American company formed in 1980, it gained popularity very soon among the legends of the 80’s metal scene and Rock guys.
Looking for a guitar that shreds? Jackson is the answer.
The ultra thin neck and easily accessible fretboard makes it the perfect choice for more advanced players who constantly move around the fretboard. Although many Jackson guitar models are not easily available in India, they still are in our top guitar brands list.
Suitable for- Advanced players, Rock, Metal, Punk and alternative genres.
Some Famous Guitarists known for using Jackson guitar are- Randy Rhoads, Kirk Hammett, Marty Friedman, Adrian Smith and more.
ESP/LTD
Perhaps the most trusted electric guitar company of modern times and certainly is one of the best electric guitar brands out there. Founded in 1975, this Japanese brand is the best value for money.
They are versatile and cater to almost any type of guitarist. If you’re a beginner, if you’re a touring pro musician, and even if you are James Hetfield of Metallica, ESP has got something to offer you. Best known for their supreme quality built and excellent craftsmanship, you will find almost every guitar shape from this company.
You can easily find ESP guitars in India although they are not very cheap but ESP has another sub brand called LTD guitars which are designed at much affordable rates and hence sell relatively cheaper than ESP models but even then they maintain the quality and standard of the name. You can find LTD Guitars in India very easily online or at any decent music instrument shop.
Suitable for- Any Level Guitarist, and almost any music genre; Rock, Pop, Blues, Jazz, Funk.
Some Famous Guitarists known for using ESP/LTD Guitars are- James Hetfield, Kirk Hammett, Stephen Carpenter, George Lynch, Ron Wood and more.
Yamaha
Yamaha is a name which comes up very often whenever we talk about musical instruments. If you have read our Top 10 Keyboard to buy in India blog then you already know that we think really highly of Yamaha.
Yamaha corporation is a Japanese company and considered as one of the largest musical instruments manufacturers. They manufacture top notch quality music instruments such as Piano, Guitars, Drums, Bass Guitars and more.
Although Yamaha guitars started with classical guitars they later on added acoustic guitars like their FG series, Yamaha guitar is one of the best selling and top guitar brands in India for their acoustic guitars. Yamaha guitars later on added electric guitars in their catalog, you can find many good shapes with good build quality and loud and clean sound such as their pacifica models and revstar models.
Suitable for- Beginners to intermediate guitarists, Blues, Jazz, R&B, Fusion.
Some Famous Guitarists known for using Yamaha Guitars are- Chris Buck, Elliott Smith, Santana, Billy Corgan and more.
Other Electric Guitar brands available in India
All of the names that we have mentioned above are not Indian brands. In fact, there are not a lot of companies which manufacture guitars in India but even then there are some widely available names in the music stores at least.
Brands such as- Kadence, Hertz, Granada, Vault these are some common names which you may find alongside with other legendary electric guitar brands such as Schecter, Epiphone, PRS and more.
But always, go and check the instrument yourself first before buying it, especially if you’re buying from a less known brand.
Did You Know?
How to identify Authentic vs Counterfeit electric guitar brands?
Well, this is a challenge since most of the counterfeiters are becoming really good at mimicking the originals. There are still things that you need to keep in mind while checking,
1) The Branding and the Logo details, check the Spelling, the placement of the logo and the finishing.
2) The serial number, cross check the serial number on the manufacturer’s official website.
3) Finishing, Quality, Material, Binding, Hardware and electronics, if anything feels suspicious you might want to re-think about it.
4) If possible, get an expert with you if you are buying a really expensive guitar and if not that, you can check and compare the pictures from online and go through all the details.
5) The Price, if it’s too good to be true then it probably is.
Example- if you are getting a 1958 Gibson Lespaul for 50,000/- INR chances are it is not an original.
FAQs
The most famous electric guitar brands are Gibson and Fender.
The right electric guitar brand for you depends on your needs.
Your level, the style of music that you want to play, your budget and your taste.
For example- if you want to pursue Blues or Jazz music then going with a Jackson or even an Ibanez is not the smartest choice. You would want to buy a Gibson or a Fender or PRS.
Similarly, if you want to play Hard Rock and Heavy Metal then going with a Fender strat might not be ideal. Research about the guitar players in your niche and which brands do they play and then make your choice.
Arjit sing has been seen using Martin Guitars, Epiphone Guitars and Ibanez guitars back in the days.
All the names that we mentioned in this list are top notch guitar brands, you can choose either from this list for you.
Gibson, Fender, Yamaha, Epiphone, PRS, Jackson, Ibanez, ESP/LTD, Schecter and more.
