There are many different types of guitars with different shapes, sizes, colors, materials, sounds, and designs. And between all of the different brands, there are 100s, maybe even thousands, of different guitars. Even if you are a full time guitar player or just a beginner in the world of guitars, you want a good guitar that will last. In this guide we are going to review five of the best selling guitars on the market. And although some of these guitars might be outside of your price range, they are also some of the highest quality, most durable, and best sounding guitars out there.
Best Selling Guitars
1. Fender Player Stratocaster Electric Guitar – Maple Fingerboard
This iconic company has been in existence since 1946. In 1954, the Fender Stratocaster was introduced as new-top line guitar. Famous musicians such a Buddy Holly, Jimi Hendrix, and Mark Knopfler, and Eric Clapton played these guitars religiously.
This legendary guitar is just that…..a legend. Coming a a verity of colors and finishes such as 3 color sunburst, polar white, tidepool, black, aged cherry sunburst, buttercream, and tobacco sunburst, and more. The price varies for a decent amount of the colors. You also can get both hand orientations.
The dimensions are 42 x 15.1 x 4.4 inches (106.6 x 38.3 x 11.1 cm). The body is made out of alder and the neck is made of maple and the strings are steel. Having a length of 42 inches (106.6 cm), this guitar is the perfect length. Weighing around nine pounds it is also the perfect weight. There are two styles available, maple and pau ferro, but again, the prices are different for each style.
The player Stratocaster features the trio of Player Series single-coil pick ups giving it that classic Fender tone. And speaking of tone, you will get that nice crisp tone which gives you enough treble for an amazing rhythm. Add some chorus or a pedal to the mix and you can get nice and gritty.
In the end this is an amazing guitar. It is a bit pricey yes, but you get what you paid for, which is a high quality Fender Stratocaster.
Pros
Pros:
- Features single coil pickups give you that classic Fender sound.
- Five position switch.
- Tremolo Bridge.
- Longer scale length producing a brighter sound.
- Ability to make hardware modifications.
- Comes in a variety of colors.
Cons
Cons:
- Price.
- The single soil pick up sound may not be ideal based on what music you like to play.
2. Epiphone Les Paul Custom Classic Pro
You cannot talk about best selling guitars without mentioning the famous Les Paul model. first sold in 1952 by Gibson as the first solid body guitar. Now here we are featuring the Epiphone model which is a subsidiary of Gibson and has been making the Les Paul model since 1988.
Made out of mahogany wood, and weighing nine pounds, this guitar lives up to all expectations that Les Paul fans have set.
The guitar is 44 inches in length (111.7 cm), and although it is taller than some guitars it is good quality just the same. the neck for some may be too thin but that is a personal preference.
The mahogany gives it a resonant tone which creates the character of the Les Paul with regards to sound. In this model you get the open coil humbuckers with push/pull coil splitting.
The carved maple top gives it that iconic look. In the 1950’s most guitars had arched-tops so the Les Paul is truly the first of it’s kind. The Humbuckers also bring a thick, warm tone that has the Les Paul has been knowns for. It’s a touch shorter than the Fender Stratocaster which aides in the overall sound of the instrument.
With a set neck, this means they are set into a pocket created in the wood and then glued to place. The bond between the neck and body is rock-solid. The tone again is going to be rich, deep, and full compared to the brighter Fender sound. Rock musicians like Slash, Jimmy Page, Zakk Wylde are exclusive players to the Les Paul.
Pros
Pros:
- Rich and deep tone.
- Thin neck.
- Shorter body making it easier for bending.
- Has great sustain.
- Versatile.
- Classic and iconic look.
Cons
Cons:
- Price (Epiphones are more affordable).
- No single coil pick-ups.
- No tremolo.
3. Fender Player Telecaster Electric Guitar
You can’t have a best selling guitars list without having the Fender Telecaster on it. The first commercially successful solid-body guitar that broke all the rules and made people look at the eclectic guitar differently.
The Telecaster has a simple yet effective design that makes it a very desirable guitar. Coming in a variety of colors which include, butterscotch blonde, polar white, black, 3-color sunburst, sunburst, tide pool, and more!
It has an alder body with a gloss finish and the neck is made of maple. It is 42 inches tall (106.6 cm) which is about average for eclectic guitars. The hardware is chrome, which has a lovely silvery-gray finish. It weighs 8 pounds, which is lightweight, and the dimensions are 42 x 15.5 x 4.5 inches (106.6 x 39.3 x 11.4 cm). The case is the shape of a rectangle and comes in different colors depending on the color of the guitar with the fender logo on the bottom.
With a classic design these guitars are ideal for most styles of music. Famous musicians such as Muddy Waters, Keith Richards, Joe Strummer, George Harrison, and Bruce Springsteen have added to the iconic image for this guitar.
Pros
Pros:
- Simple design and layout.
- Comes in a variety colors.
- Affordable for being such an iconic guitar.
- Heavily wound bridge pick up.
- Lack of tremolo bridge produces better sustainability.
- Comfortable to play.
- Features a twangy sound ideas for country music.
Cons
Cons:
- Less versatile tonal options with two pickups.
- No tremolo option available.
4. Epiphone SG Special
The SG makes our list next for best selling guitars. Launched in 1961 as a replacement for the original Les Paul. It was renamed SG for “Solid Guitar” after the involvement of Les Paul himself!
SG guitars can be expensive, but again here we will feature the Epiphone SG. It is reasonable priced for everyone. You will see most in it’s classic and iconic cherry color. It is made of mahogany, alder and maple. The chrome hardware has a nice finish and the guitar comes with twin open-coil humbucking pickups and a killpot.
With a weight of 11 pounds, it does weigh more than some of the guitars we are reviewing, but not by much. The height is 44 inches tall (111.7 cm) and the dimensions are 44 x 16.5 x 4 inches (111.7 x 41.9 x 10.1 cm).
the SG has been established as an ideal guitar for loud rock due to it’s sheer power delivered by the humbuckers. With a thick and rick tone and a weighted construction, it’s perfect for the loud and hard rock performer in you. The signature double cutaway also gives the guitar an “evil” look to it.
Some famous SG players include Angus Young, Tommy Iommi, and Robby Krieger.
A decent amount of people thought that the finish was very nice and that the price was very reasonable. This is a good guitar for beginners as well as seasoned players. In the end this is an amazing guitar with a good price and great quality.
Pros
Pros:
- Light weight.
- Great upper fret access.
- Easy neck to navigate.
- Great for rock and heavier styles of music.
- Affordability (Epiphone model).
- Great sustainability and action.
Cons
Cons:
- Thin body.
- Horn style design (personal preference).
- Fragile.
5. Ibanez 6 String Solid-Body Electric Guitar
Our first non Fender or Epiphone/Gibson to make the list. Ibanez has been in the guitar making business since 1957.
Made of poplar and maple with a weight of 7.5 pounds, which makes it very lightweight, this guitar not only looks great but sounds great as well. It comes in a variety of colors from blue, transparent black sunburst, transparent green burst, and transparent red burst.
The Ibanez has a slim neck that is good for smaller hands, but the neck is not slim enough for kids. It also has high output infinity R pickups. Infinity R pickups are stock pickups on low-end and mid-range guitars that have ceramic magnets. It has a height of 39.5 inches (100.3 cm) and it’s dimensions are 39.5 x 12.5 x 2.19 inches (100.3 x 31.7 x 5.5 cm).
At this price, it’s a great guitar to have as your primary instrument. The 5-way switch gives you a great amount of different tones. With a tremolo bridge, you can really get creative with your playing and the tones.
The neck is a little bit thicker so it may take a little more effort in the beginning but overall, it’s a very easy fretboard to navigate around.
The strings are nickel, which are the most common type of electric guitar string in use today. The type of guitar bridge system is tremolo (aka a whammy bar). Reviews have said that this guitar is great for beginners as well as seasoned players.
Pros
Pros:
- Super affordable price.
- Comes in a variety of colors.
- Great tuning sustainability.
- Features a 5-way pick up switch.
- Tremolo bridge.
- Great for heavy styles of music.
Cons
Cons:
- Tremolo when use can cause strings to go out of tune.
- May not be ideal for styles of music that are not rock.
Best Selling Guitars Buying Guide
Now that we’ve reviewed some of the best selling guitars, it’s time to get into more detail. Everyone is sure to have questions about the durability, the sound, and the style of music. Lots of people wonder the specifics of guitars and what makes them good or bad. In the guide below, we are going to answer these questions and talk about sound, hardware, overall appearance, and much more.
Do all of the guitars mentioned have different sounds?
Yes, they do. Each guitar we reviewed has its own unique and distinctive sound. A tremolo arm or a whammy bar can be used to produce effects such as vibrato, portamento, and dive bomb. Humbuckers are basically two coil pickups that cancel out that annoying hum. Both of these pieces of hardware contribute to the amazing sound each guitar produces.
Does the type of music I like to play affect the decision of which guitar I get?
It definitely does. Certain guitars are better for certain genres of music. Ibanez guitars are good for rock while SG guitars are good for heavy metal.
Fenders are usually good for funk, blues, pop, country, soul and light rock and Les Pauls are good for a wide range of music genres, including rock, country, pop, soul, rhythm and blues, blues, jazz, reggae, punk, and heavy metal.
Stratocasters, like Les Pauls, are good for lots of types of music including country, rock, pop, folk, soul, blues, and R&B.
Set-in necks or Bolt-on necks?
Bolt-on neck guitars have necks that are attached to the body by a metal plate plate and screws. Made out of maple, they are known for producing a twangy and snappy tone. But some people like the smooth transferring tone from neck to body in a seamless way that set necks provide.
Set-in neck guitars have necks 6that are attached to the body using some sort of adhesive. Set-in neck guitars produce a warmer and fuller sound, but that can be a bad thing as some people prefer the twangy tone of the bolt-in necks. In the end of the day it is all up to you to decide which neck type fits the type of music you like to play.
What is the best number of frets?
There is no answer to this question as there can be guitars with as little as 19 frets and as much as 27 frets. Frets divide the neck of a guitar into fixed segments that relate to musical framework. Standard classical guitars usually have 19 frets and electric guitars have from between 21 – 24 frets, but some guitars can have more. The more frets a guitar has, the higher up on the neck you can play.
Conclusion
We have reviewed six of the greatest quality and best selling guitars and have gone into detail about sound, necks, hardware, and frets. All of these guitars are good quality, have great sounds, look great, and are all around amazing.
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