Electric guitar brands aren’t just names on the headstock. They tell you a lot about your guitar. Fender is tied to bright single-coil sounds, Gibson to thick humbucker tones, while brands like Ibanez, Jackson, ESP are known for faster, more modern guitars.
We picked 30 electric guitar brands, along with their best-known models and some of the players most closely associated with them.
1. Fender
Fender is one of the biggest names in electric guitars. Most of their models haven’t changed much since they first came out, and they’re still Fender’s most popular guitars today.
Popular Fender Electric Guitar Models
- Stratocaster: One of the most recognizable electric guitars ever made, with three pickups, a contoured body, and a sound that can cover everything from blues to rock and funk.
Famous players: Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, David Gilmour, Stevie Ray Vaughan.
- Telecaster: A simpler two-pickup design known for its bright attack and distinctive bridge pickup sound.
Famous players: Keith Richards, Bruce Springsteen, Brad Paisley, Joe Strummer.
- Jazzmaster: Originally designed for jazz players, but it became especially popular in alternative rock, indie, and shoegaze.
Famous players: J Mascis, Kevin Shields, Elvis Costello.
2. Gibson
Gibson is one of the best-known electric guitar brands. Its guitars are especially popular with blues and rock players.
Popular Gibson Electric Guitar Models
- Les Paul: A solid-body guitar with a thick sound, plenty of sustain, and one of the most recognizable guitar shapes in rock.
Famous players: Jimmy Page, Slash, Gary Moore.
- SG: Lighter and thinner than a Les Paul, with a double-cutaway body that gives easy access to the upper frets.
Famous players: Angus Young, Tony Iommi, Derek Trucks.
- ES-335: A semi-hollow guitar that sits somewhere between a traditional hollow-body and a solid-body electric.
Famous players: Larry Carlton, Alvin Lee, Eric Clapton.
3. PRS
PRS, or Paul Reed Smith, combines modern construction with ideas borrowed from classic American electric guitars.
Popular PRS Electric Guitar Models
- Custom 24: The model most closely associated with PRS. It has 24 frets, two humbuckers, and a double-cutaway body.
- Silver Sky: A vintage-inspired single-coil guitar developed with John Mayer.
Famous player: John Mayer.
- Santana: One of PRS’s longest-running signature designs, with a shorter scale and double-cutaway body.
Famous player: Carlos Santana.
4. Ibanez
Ibanez is especially popular with players who want fast necks, easy upper-fret access, and modern pickup configurations. The brand has a huge presence in rock, metal, progressive music, and shred guitar.
Popular Ibanez Electric Guitar Models
- RG Series: One of the best-known superstrat designs, with thin necks, deep cutaways, and many pickup and bridge options.
- JEM / PIA: Steve Vai’s signature guitar lines, known for their thin necks, tremolo systems, and distinctive body details.
Famous player: Steve Vai.
- JS Series: A smoother, more rounded Ibanez design developed with Joe Satriani.
Famous player: Joe Satriani.
5. Epiphone
Epiphone is owned by Gibson and makes more affordable versions of many famous Gibson designs. It also has several models with a history and identity of their own.
Popular Epiphone Electric Guitar Models
- Les Paul: An affordable way to get the basic Les Paul shape, feel, and dual-humbucker setup.
- Casino: A fully hollow electric guitar that became closely associated with The Beatles.
Famous players: John Lennon, George Harrison, Paul McCartney.
- Sheraton: A semi-hollow model with a long history in blues, rock, and alternative music.
Famous players: John Lee Hooker, Noel Gallagher.
6. Squier
Squier is Fender’s affordable brand. Its versions of classic Fender guitars are especially popular with beginners, but some Squier series have also developed a following among experienced players.
Popular Squier Electric Guitar Models
- Classic Vibe Stratocaster: A vintage-inspired Strat at a much lower price than most Fender models.
- Classic Vibe Telecaster: Uses the familiar Telecaster shape and pickup layout with vintage-style details.
- J Mascis Jazzmaster: One of Squier’s best-known signature models and a popular alternative to more expensive Jazzmasters.
Famous player: J Mascis.
7. ESP/LTD
ESP is strongly associated with hard rock and metal. LTD is its more affordable line, while ESP and E-II cover higher-end instruments.
Popular ESP/LTD Electric Guitar Models
- Eclipse/EC Series: A single-cut design with humbuckers, commonly used for rock and metal.
- M Series: A superstrat-style guitar built around fast necks, powerful pickups, and easy upper-fret access.
- Snakebyte: A distinctive signature model developed with Metallica guitarist James Hetfield.
Famous player: James Hetfield.
8. Jackson
Jackson became one of the defining guitar brands of the 1980s metal and shred scene. Pointed body shapes, slim necks, and high-output pickups are still a major part of the brand.
Popular Jackson Electric Guitar Models
- Rhoads: The asymmetric V-shaped guitar originally developed with Randy Rhoads.
Famous player: Randy Rhoads.
- Soloist: A sleek superstrat with a neck-through design on many versions and excellent upper-fret access.
- Kelly: A sharp offset design that became particularly recognizable in metal.
Famous player: Marty Friedman.
9. Gretsch
Gretsch electric guitars have a look and sound of their own. The brand is particularly important in rockabilly, early rock and roll, country, and alternative music.
Popular Gretsch Electric Guitar Models
- 6120: A large hollow-body guitar closely associated with Chet Atkins and rockabilly.
Famous players: Chet Atkins, Brian Setzer.
- Duo Jet: A compact single-cut Gretsch that has been around since the 1950s.
Famous player: George Harrison.
- White Falcon: One of Gretsch’s most recognizable high-end hollow-body guitars.
Famous player: Billy Duffy.
10. Schecter
Schecter started as a guitar parts company but eventually became a major guitar manufacturer. Today, it is particularly popular with rock and metal players.
Popular Schecter Electric Guitar Models
- C-1: One of Schecter’s main body shapes and the basis for many different models, from affordable guitars to high-end versions.
- Omen: A more affordable Schecter line aimed largely at rock and metal players.
- Nick Johnston Traditional: A modern take on a classic three-pickup electric guitar.
Famous player: Nick Johnston.
11. Yamaha
Yamaha has been making electric guitars for decades, with models ranging from inexpensive beginner guitars to Japanese-made professional instruments.
Popular Yamaha Electric Guitar Models
- Pacifica: One of Yamaha’s longest-running electric guitar lines and a common first guitar for beginners, with higher-end versions available as well.
- Revstar: A modern Yamaha design with a distinctive double-cutaway body and several pickup configurations.
Famous players: Chris Buck, Matteo Mancuso.
- SG Series: Yamaha’s classic double-cutaway solid-body design, particularly associated with the 1970s and 1980s.
Famous player: Carlos Santana.
Yamaha currently lists Revstar, Pacifica, and SG among its main electric guitar families, and also offers signature instruments for players including Mike Stern, Chris Buck, and Matteo Mancuso.
12. Charvel
Charvel helped define the hot-rodded superstrat guitar in the 1980s. Its modern guitars still focus heavily on fast necks, powerful pickups, and high-performance hardware.
Popular Charvel Electric Guitar Models
- San Dimas Style 1: One of the classic Charvel designs, combining a familiar body shape with hotter pickups and faster hardware.
Famous players: Warren DeMartini, Jake E. Lee.
- So-Cal Style 1: Another classic Charvel superstrat, often equipped with humbuckers and Floyd Rose tremolos.
- DK24: A modern 24-fret design that has become an important part of the current Charvel lineup.
Famous players: Angel Vivaldi, Rick Graham.
Charvel still centers much of its lineup around San Dimas, So-Cal, and DK models, with current signature versions for Warren DeMartini, Jake E. Lee, Angel Vivaldi, Rick Graham, and others.
13. Ernie Ball Music Man
Ernie Ball Music Man makes high-end electric guitars with modern construction, distinctive body shapes, and a long list of signature models.
Popular Music Man Electric Guitar Models
- Majesty: A modern signature guitar designed with Dream Theater guitarist John Petrucci.
Famous player: John Petrucci.
- St. Vincent: An angular signature design created with St. Vincent.
Famous player: St. Vincent.
- Luke: A long-running signature guitar developed with Steve Lukather.
Famous player: Steve Lukather.
14. Rickenbacker
Rickenbacker guitars have a bright, distinctive sound that became an important part of 1960s rock and later alternative music.
Popular Rickenbacker Electric Guitar Models
- 325: A small-bodied Rickenbacker closely associated with the early Beatles years.
Famous player: John Lennon.
- 360/12: One of the most famous electric 12-string guitars ever made.
Famous players: George Harrison, Roger McGuinn.
- 330: A simpler semi-hollow Rickenbacker that keeps the brand’s distinctive body shape and sound.
Famous player: Johnny Marr.
15. EVH
EVH was created around Eddie Van Halen’s guitars, hardware, pickups, and amplifiers. The brand focuses almost entirely on high-performance rock guitars.
Popular EVH Electric Guitar Models
- Wolfgang: Eddie Van Halen’s compact double-cutaway design and one of the main guitars in the EVH lineup.
Famous player: Eddie Van Halen.
- 5150 Series: A superstrat-style guitar inspired by Eddie’s later striped instruments.
Famous player: Eddie Van Halen.
- Striped Series: Replicas and variations based on Eddie Van Halen’s famous striped guitars.
Famous player: Eddie Van Halen.
Wolfgang, 5150, and Striped Series guitars remain core parts of the current EVH lineup.
16. Guild
Guild may be better known to some players for acoustic guitars, but the company also has a long history of hollow-body, semi-hollow, and solid-body electrics.
Popular Guild Electric Guitar Models
- Polara / S-100: A double-cutaway solid-body with a long history in the Guild lineup.
Famous player: Kim Thayil.
- Starfire: Guild’s best-known family of semi-hollow and hollow electric guitars.
- M-75 Aristocrat: A compact single-cut guitar with roots in Guild designs from the 1950s.
Guild currently sells Polara, Starfire, and M-75 models, and its Kim Thayil signature Polara is based on the S-100 guitars he has used for decades.
17. G&L
G&L was founded by Leo Fender and George Fullerton after Fender had already become one of the biggest names in guitar history. Many G&L guitars start with familiar Fender-style ideas but use different pickups, bridges, and electronics.
Popular G&L Electric Guitar Models
- ASAT Classic: G&L’s take on the traditional two-pickup single-cut bolt-on guitar.
- Legacy: A three-single-coil guitar that combines a familiar design with G&L’s own electronics.
- Rampage: A stripped-down guitar that became especially closely associated with Alice in Chains.
Famous player: Jerry Cantrell.
18. B.C. Rich
B.C. Rich became famous for extreme body shapes that fit perfectly into hard rock and metal.
Popular B.C. Rich Electric Guitar Models
- Warlock: Probably the company’s most recognizable design, with an aggressive body shape and high-output pickup setups.
Famous player: Kerry King.
- Mockingbird: A curved but still unusual design that has been produced in many different versions.
Famous player: Slash.
- Bich: One of B.C. Rich’s classic designs and a good example of the unusual shapes the company became known for.
19. Dean
Dean guitars became particularly visible in hard rock and metal, thanks in large part to their sharp body shapes and artist models.
Popular Dean Electric Guitar Models
- ML: Dean’s most famous design, combining elements of V- and Explorer-style guitars.
Famous player: Dimebag Darrell.
- V: Dean’s version of the classic V-shaped electric guitar.
Famous player: Michael Schenker.
- Cadillac: A less extreme Dean design with a single-cut lower body and pointed headstock.
20. Harley Benton
Harley Benton has become one of the biggest names in affordable guitars, with a huge lineup covering classic shapes, modern metal guitars, semi-hollows, and extended-range instruments.
Popular Harley Benton Electric Guitar Models
- ST Series: Affordable guitars based around the familiar three-pickup double-cutaway design.
- TE Series: Single-cut guitars with traditional two-pickup layouts, including the popular TE-52.
- Fusion Series: More modern guitars with upgraded hardware and features aimed at players who want faster playability.
Harley Benton ranked 12th among Reverb’s best-selling electric guitar brands for 2024, ahead of several much older guitar companies. Its current catalog includes large ST, TE, Fusion, SC, JA, and other electric guitar families.
21. Suhr
Suhr is a high-end American guitar company known for precise construction and modern versions of classic electric guitar designs.
Popular Suhr Electric Guitar Models
- Modern: A sleek 24-fret guitar built for faster, more technical playing.
Famous player: Guthrie Govan.
- Classic S: Suhr’s modern take on the traditional three-pickup bolt-on electric guitar.
- Classic T: A single-cut design with traditional roots but modern construction and hardware.
Famous player: Mateus Asato.
22. Reverend
Reverend mixes retro body shapes with modern hardware, unusual pickup combinations, and its Bass Contour control.
Popular Reverend Electric Guitar Models
- Double Agent: Combines different pickup types in one guitar and has become one of Reverend’s recognizable designs.
Famous player: Reeves Gabrels.
- Billy Corgan Signature: A signature model designed with The Smashing Pumpkins guitarist.
Famous player: Billy Corgan.
- Gristlemaster: Greg Koch’s signature Reverend, based around a T-style body with his own pickup and hardware choices.
Famous player: Greg Koch.
Reverend’s current artist roster includes Billy Corgan, Reeves Gabrels, Greg Koch, Vernon Reid, Robin Finck, and many others.
23. D’Angelico
D’Angelico started with high-end New York archtops, but the modern company now makes hollow-body, semi-hollow, and solid-body electric guitars at several price levels.
Popular D’Angelico Electric Guitar Models
- SS: A compact semi-hollow design available in several D’Angelico series.
- DC: A larger double-cut semi-hollow guitar with a more traditional shape.
- Bedford: A modern solid-body design that looks very different from the company’s old jazz guitars.
Famous player: Bob Weir.
D’Angelico’s current electric lineup includes SS, DC, Bedford, Atlantic, Brighton, and other models, while its artist roster includes Bob Weir, Eric Krasno, H.E.R., Marcus King, Tom Misch, and many more.
24. Danelectro
Danelectro guitars are known for simple construction, unusual materials, lipstick pickups, and retro designs that look unlike most other electric guitars.
Popular Danelectro Electric Guitar Models
- ’59: The classic double-cut Danelectro shape and probably the model most people associate with the brand.
Famous player: Jimmy Page.
- ’59 12 String: A 12-string version that keeps the same lightweight retro design.
- Baritone: A longer-scale guitar tuned lower than a standard electric, with the distinctive Danelectro pickup sound.
25. Kramer
Kramer became one of the biggest guitar names of the 1980s, especially during the rise of hard rock, glam metal, and shred guitar.
Popular Kramer Electric Guitar Models
- Baretta: A stripped-down superstrat with a bridge humbucker and locking tremolo.
- Pacer: One of Kramer’s classic 1980s designs, available in several pickup configurations.
- Nightswan: An unusual double-cut signature design strongly associated with Def Leppard guitarist Vivian Campbell.
Famous player: Vivian Campbell.
26. Sterling by Music Man
Sterling by Music Man offers more affordable versions of several Ernie Ball Music Man designs.
Popular Sterling Electric Guitar Models
- Cutlass: A modern bolt-on guitar available with several pickup layouts.
- Axis: A compact double-cut guitar based on the Music Man Axis design.
- Mariposa: An offset design based on the guitar developed with Omar Rodriguez-Lopez.
Famous player: Omar Rodriguez-Lopez.
27. Godin
Godin is a Canadian manufacturer with a wide range of electric, acoustic-electric, and hybrid instruments. Its electric guitars often combine familiar shapes with less conventional pickup and construction choices.
Popular Godin Electric Guitar Models
- Session: A versatile bolt-on guitar available in several pickup configurations.
- Stadium: A single-cut electric with a familiar layout and modern Godin details.
- Radium: A more unusual double-cut design with several pickup combinations.
28. Washburn
Washburn has made guitars in many different styles over the years, from traditional instruments to high-performance rock and metal models.
Popular Washburn Electric Guitar Models
- N4: Nuno Bettencourt’s signature guitar and probably the best-known modern Washburn electric.
Famous player: Nuno Bettencourt.
- Idol: A carved single-cut guitar that has appeared in many versions over the years.
- Parallaxe: A modern line built mainly for rock, metal, and technical playing.
29. Cort
Cort is one of the world’s major guitar manufacturers and also builds instruments for other brands. Its own electric guitar range covers beginner, intermediate, and professional models.
Popular Cort Electric Guitar Models
- G Series: A broad line of modern double-cut guitars available at several price levels.
- X Series: More aggressive guitars aimed mainly at rock and metal players.
- CR Series: Vintage-inspired single-cut guitars with dual humbuckers.
30. Strandberg
Strandberg is best known for headless guitars with compact bodies and ergonomic necks. The brand became particularly popular with progressive, fusion, and modern metal players.
Popular Strandberg Electric Guitar Models
- Boden Original: One of the main versions of Strandberg’s signature headless Boden design.
- Boden Standard: A more straightforward version of the Boden with several pickup and string-count options.
- Boden Essential: A simplified and less expensive model that keeps the main ergonomic features of the Strandberg design.
Famous players: Plini, Sarah Longfield, Per Nilsson.