Electric guitars are versatile musical instruments and when it comes to rock music, it is an inevitable part of it. Electric guitars are one of the best options if you want to play solo or in a band.
And today, for the music enthusiasts who want to buy a new guitar or looking for an upgrade, we are here with some of the best electric guitars in India which are available out there. This article also has major features of the electric guitars as well as differences between different types.
Unfortunately, you have to consider multiple factors before buying which include some of the following:
- Knobs: You can find multiple knobs in any electric guitar, which are quite crucial for tuning them. This can include options like a volume knob and a tone knob. It allows you to change the volume as well as its sound.
- Guitar Type: Electric guitars can be classified into different shapes and types. Solid body, semi-hollow body and hollow body. The most common option is the solid body and this one can be used in a wide range of music genres.
- Pickups: The pickups of an electric guitar are quite important for its functioning. A guitar can have multiple pickups of different types for a better sound.
You can also find a detailed Buying Guide for electric guitars in this article. As a result, you can simply go through this article until the end and choose the best electric guitar for you.
Things to Look For While Buying an Electric Guitar
The Basic Components of an Electric Guitar
Pick-Ups – The pickup is preset underneath the strings, on the body of the electric guitar and it works as a magnetic field. When the metal strings are plucked they vibrate and generate a current that is transmitted by the pickup to the guitar cable and to the amplifier. These may is just a single pickup in a guitar or 3 to 4 pickups depending on the guitar.
Volume Knobs – There are as many as 3 volume knobs on an electric guitar. The knobs allow the player to adjust the output volume of the guitar.
Tone Knobs – Tone knobs present on the guitar allow the player to shift between high and low frequencies in the pickup. Guitars having multiple pickups have different tone knobs.
Selector/Cut Off switches – The selector switch is sued to select individual pickups and activate them while cutting off others.
Output Jack – The output jack is present on the rear end of the guitar. The jack is used to plug the guitar to the amplifier.
Electric Guitar Body Type
There are three main types of electric guitar body styles – solid body, hollow body and semi-hollow body.
Solid Body – Solid body electric guitars are made from a single piece of wood and they are weighty and sturdy. There is no resonance chamber in solid body guitars so they need to be plugged to amplifiers. Solid body guitars have variety of pickups and electronic options which make them suitable for metal music, rock n’ roll, punk, etc.
Hollow Body Guitar – Hollow body guitars are hollow on the inside of the body. Although, there is no sound hole in hollow body guitars, but they do have different pickups which makes them suitable for playing jazz. They have a deep and warm mid range.
Semi hollow guitar – This is a hybrid model that has a cut out design with a small hollow portion in the body. These guitars have light and bright tones that make them perfect for country music and folk rock.
Scale Length – Scale length of a guitar refers to the length of the strings and it is measured from the nut to the bridge. Guitars with longer scale length have tighter string tension with a brighter tone and well-defined low end. Guitars with shorter scale length have less string tension which allows easier bending of the strings and it offers warmer tones.
Neck Construction – The neck part of the guitar includes the fretboard and headstock. The tuners are mounted on this part of the guitar. The width and profile of the neck affects the playability of the guitar. Most necks are either “C” or “U” shaped. In most cases, the fretboard is made from a thin layer of rosewood or ebony, but some guitars have maple necks. Fretboard have position dots and other inlaid markers that assist the player. There are generally 3 types of necks – bolt on, set neck and neck through.
- Bolt on – The bolt on neck is bolted onto the guitar body. This type of neck is easy to replace and repair but it offers less overall resonance compared to set neck and neck through guitars.
- Set neck – This type of guitar neck is set into the body of the guitar and glued into place and then secured by clamping the neck to the body.
- Neck through – This type of neck extends through the entire length of the body of the guitar. The wings are glued onto the side of the body.
Tonewoods – The wood from which a guitar is made has significant effect on the sound of the guitar. The resonance produced from the wood determines how long the strings vibrate and the shape of their motion. Most bodies are made from mahogany, maple or ash.
- Mahogany – it is a strong and dense wood that is used for the guitar body. It is a highly resonant wood that increases the sustain of the guitar.
- Maple – Maple is mostly used for the guitar neck. It is a hard and dense wood that provides a bright tone and enhances the trebles in the sound of the guitar.
- Rosewood – Rosewood is mostly used for making the fretboards.
- Ash – Ash is mainly used for the body material of solid body guitars. It is highly resonant and gives a ringing sustain and bright tone to the guitar.
Electric Guitar Tuner – the tuner is mounted on the headstock of the guitar and it holds the strings in place and allows the player to tune the instrument by adjusting string tension. The knobs present on the tuner are tuned to adjust the string tension.
Bridges and Tailpieces – These two parts of the electric guitar work in unison to control the tone and playability of the guitar. The bridge is mounted on the lower portion of the guitar. The strings are routed over the bridge before ending in the tailpiece. Bridges help to tune the strings of varying length, thickness and metals and they allow easy adjustment of the string length.
Some bridges allow the introduction of vibrato into the sound using a moving vibrato arm which moves the bridge up and down. This function is called tremolos.
Tremolo System – A tremolo system allows the player the move the bridge up and down and adjusts the pitch and notes of the guitar. This mechanism is known as a floating bridge.
Electric Guitars in India: 2019 Review
| Electric Guitar | Strings | Wood | Warranty Period | Player Level | Buy Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vault Electric Guitar | 6 | Rosewood and Maple | 1 | Beginner | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Juarez Electric Guitar | 6 | Linden and Rosewood | N/A | Beginner | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Fender Electric Guitar | 6 | Maple, Rose and Basswood | 1 | Mid-Expert | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Cort Electric Guitar | 6 | Mahogany | 1 | Expert | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Givson Electric Guitar | 6 | Toom Wood | N/A | Beginner | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Ibanez GRX - 40 Electric Guitar | 6 | Rosewood | 1 year | Mid-Expert | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| RockJam Electric Guitar | 6 | Basswood | N/A | Beginner | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Best Electric Bass Guitars | |||||
| Kadence Electric Bass Guitar | 4 | Rosewood and Maplewood | N/A | Mid-Expert | CHECK ON AMAZON |
| Ibanez Electric Bass Guitars | 4 | Mahogany, Rosewood and Maplewood | N/A | Mid-Expert | CHECK ON AMAZON |
1) Vault RG1 Soloist Electric Guitar
First on our list is the Vault RG1 soloist electric guitar with die-cast tuners and dual action truss rod. It has a large fretboard and a sleek design that comes in different colour combinations.
As mentioned before, the guitar has a machine head that is made out of high quality die cast tuners. The dual action truss rod enables the guitar to have strong performance with the string whereas the die cast tuners, with their 16:1 tuning make the job easier for you.
Made specifically for right handed users, the guitar comes with an HSH pickup. It increases the output sound quality while minimising the noise even when you are at high output. The large frets with their thick wire composition are easier to string and thus increase the ergonomics.
The Vault Soloist guitar has its fretboard made out of rosewood whereas the neck is maple wood based. The rest of the guitar is made out of basswood where as the strings are composed of stainless steel thus are lightweight. This minimises the pressure required while playing the strings.
The inlays of the guitar are sharktooth which increase the aesthetic appeal of the guitar. Coming to the whammy bar, the guitar has smooth vibrato functions through which you can easily change the string pitch without much effort.
Vault Soloist guitar comes with a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty from the date of purchase
Things we liked about it
- Dual-action truss rod
- Jumbo Large Frets
- HSH Pickup
- Sharktooth inlays for great aesthetic
- Whammy bar gives a smooth vibrato function
- 1 Year manufacturer’s warranty
Things we didn’t like about it
- Needs to work towards improving the tuning specs
- Needs to increase the volume output capacity
2) Juarez JRZ-ST01 6-String Electric Guitar
Next on our list is Juarez JRZ-ST01. It is a 6 string electric guitar that is perfect for right handed players. A well established name in the world of music and guitars, Juarez has an appealing audience base ranging across all the age spectrum for its budget friendly models.
Juarez JRZ ST01 is a very basic guitar model that is specifically made and is ideal for beginners. It has 38 inches of height and 6 strings that have beautiful ergonomics. As mentioned before, the guitar is ideal for right hand usage.
As for the colours, it is available in sunburst, bright red, and also in black. The design is smooth and sleek cut that adds to its aesthetic beauty.
Now getting to the build of the product, it is made from great quality Linden wood. As for the fretboard it has 18 frets in total. These are perfect and more than enough for beginners.
The fretboard is made out of ebony wood and the fingerboard is made of rosewood. The neck of the guitar, whereas, is made out of maple wood. These distinct build material that are used to make it are of sound quality.
Now getting to the machine head of the guitar, it is made out of chrome die cast, as the title suggests. The strings are pure stainless steel whereas the gear tuning is again made from linden wood frame binding. This frame and string set-up of the guitar result in high performance because of their great build quality.
Speaking of functionalities, the guitar has a 5 way PU selector switch. This gives a beginner ample switching options for their tone changes. It also has 2 standard tone control knob and a single volume control knob. There is a decent quality connector cable but care must be taken while storing the guitar.
A great value for money, the guitar, as mentioned before is popular among beginners with its shiny and glossy design. But unfortunately, there is no warranty as such for the product.
Things we liked about the product
- Budget friendly
- Perfect for beginners
- Linden wood body, Maple neck and rosewood fingerboard
- 38 inches height
- 6 stringed
- Right handed usage
- Has great performance and a very sleek design
- 5 Way PU switch
- 2 tone control knobs and 1 volume control
Things we didn’t like about it
- No warranty
3) Fender Squier 6-Strings Electric Guitar
Next on our list is Fender, a name that has been reckoning the Guitar Industry and used by rockstars from several generations. From Eric Clapton to Jeff Beck, Fender has been the go to choice for musicians since 1950
The squier bullet far stratocaster has a white centre and polyurethane finish. It is available in 2 different colours (Black and Sunburst) and has 6 strings with perfect ergonomics that are built for right handed people.
Coming to the build of the product, the neckline is made out of maple wood whereas the rest of the body is basswood. With 21 medium frets with 9.5 radius each, the fretboard is made out of rosewood.
As for the pickup, Fender Squier Bullet Far comes with an HSS configuration. HSS offers superior quality and great tones for pickup. The H/S/S humbucking bridge is known to be chunky and thus offers better output through somewhat enhanced and low end crunchy sound.
Speaking of the output quality, apart from the HSS, the dual coil humbucking pickup contributes to the better output sound quality of this guitar. It is perfectly placed besides the tremolo and serves as a perfect fit for both entry level and mid level players.
Budget friendly compared to most high standard mid- high range electric guitars, it comes with a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty.
Things we liked about it
- Basswood body with Rosewood fretboard and maplewood neck.
- Finger comfortable strings.
- 21 medium frets of 9.5 radius each
- HSS pickup configuration for great tones and pickup and low end crunchy sound
- Dual coil Humbucking pickup for better output sound quality
- Best budget in mid-high range
- Ideal for beginners to mid level players
- 1 year manufacturer’s warranty
Things we didn’t like about it
- When playing at small volumes, there is a small buzzing sound
4) Cort CR250VB Classic Rock Series Electric Guitar
Next on our list is the Cort CR250, a guitar that leans heavily towards the expensive end of the electric guitars spectrum
It comes with a classic design like that of a les paul guitar. It features a single cutaway and an arched maple veneer top with set-in neck construction. Amazing finish and paint job, the gloss and feel of the guitar are great.
This neck is made out of Mahogany wood. Even the overall construction is made out of mahogany wood. It has a CR2NS-R and CR2NS-F H-H pickups that give this guitar a vintage tone.
It has 22 of the large 2.7 mm frets with 12 inch radius fretboard that is made out great quality rosewood. The nuts and inlays are perfectly laid out and polished to the sides so that the razor like feeling does not exist while playing it. This reduces if not removes the feedback or buzz due to hollow areas.
You can play the guitar for a very long time without the need to tune it or anything. The only downside we observed with this otherwise perfect desirable guitar is that it weighs about 4.5 kg. Cort CR250 comes with a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty from the date of purchase.
Things we liked about it
- An insanely premium look that resembles a les paul guitar
- Mahogany wood for body and neck
- Rosewood fretboard
- 22 large frets with 12 inch radius and 2.7 mm size
- Neatly polished and perfectly laid out nuts and inlays
- Neat inlays reduce feedback and buzz in hollow areas
- Doesn’t need frequent tuning even after hours of playing
- 1 year manufacturer’s warranty
Things we didn’t like about it
- Weighs a little heavy
5) Givson Semi-Electric Guitar
Next on our list is the Givson Venus Super Special, a 6 stringed semi electric guitar. Ideally made for right-handed players, the blue coloured guitar is more played acoustic than for electric.
This 41 inches cut a way guitar has its body and neck made out of Toon Wood. As for the fingerboard and the bridge, they are made out of rosewood whereas the top is made out of Pine wood.
The chrome keys and the guitar have a glossy finish. Apart from the guitar, you are also provided with a dust free cover bag, 5 plectrums and a strap as well.
While the product gives out good pickup and bass when you connect to an amplifier, it does not specify any manufacturer’s warranty for any making defects.
Things we liked about the product
- Bright blue with glossy finish
- Made from Toon Wood
- 6 strings
- Semi electric in nature
- Right handed
- Comes with a free cover bag and a strap too
- 5 plectrums provided
- Good pickup and bass when connected to amplifier
Things we didn’t like about it
- No warranty
6) Ibanez GRX – 40 – TFB 6 Strings Electric Guitar
Next on our list is Ibanez, a leading guitar brand that has a similar level of greatness to that of Fender. Guitars by Ibanez are very popular not just among beginners but among rock stars as well.
This chrome burst guitar made ideally for right handed people has a dedicated digital tuner that comes with the packaging that makes your job easier to keep the guitar in tune.
The body of the guitar is made out of basswood whereas the neck is made out of maple wood. The fretboard, whereas is made from high quality rosewood. Similar to the Vault RG1RQW soloist guitars, the frets for Ibanez are thick and jumbo in nature.
Coming to the neckline, there is a white dot inlay all over the guitar’s neckline. It has the standard DL tremolo whammy bridge. This will not just let you play seperate strings on a fast rate, but also increase your shredding speed as well. The HSS pickup configurations of the guitar are all tied to a single knob. This knob, mostly for volume control gives you good control over the quality of audio output and thus helping you maintain a good output level with ease.
Thanks to this HSS config, you can now expect superior sound output even for the single coil on it. Ibanez GRX is perfect for intermediate to pro guitar players and lies within the budget range of high end guitars. It also comes with a 1 year manufacturer’s warranty available from the date of purchase.
Things we liked about the guitar
- Has jumbo frets
- Has a good quality vibrato system
- HSS Configuration for superior sound output even with a single coil
- Single knob volume control
- Free digital tuner
- Great build quality
- Value for money
- 1 year manufacturer’s warranty
Things we didn’t like about it
- Could work towards improving its the customer service
7) RockJam RJEG02-SK-BK Electric Guitar Starter Kit
Next on our list is the RockJam RJEG02-SK-BK, a complete electric guitar starter kit, which is one of its kind in the list. RockJam has been in the business of making quality guitars for over 15 years now and the complete kit serves as a great kit for beginners to begin their musical journey. The RockJam RJEG02-SK-BK is a beginner level guitar made out of basswood.
The kit consists of a full sized electric guitar complete with a whammy bar, a 10 watts amp, a dust free nylon gig bag, a guitar strap, few spare strings and a couple of electric guitar picks. The kit is perfect not just for beginners but also for kids as well.
As for the whammy bar, it can conveniently bend strings for better tuning. The amplifier comes with a headphone output jack to its guitar connector cable. The 3X single coil pickups give an easy but great playing experience. This amplifier comes with a 3 band equalizer which gives you complete control over the sound. You can easily switch from Bass to middle to treble easily. Having said that, there are some slight issues with the pick of the amplifier and they need to work towards rectifying that.
Apart from that, though the guitar has good sound quality, they also need to improve on the sturdiness of the guitar. Also, there is the issue of warranty which does not come with this guitar.
Things we liked about the guitar
- Comes with a dedicated 10 watts amplifier
- 3X Single coil pickup
- 3 Band equalizer
- Dust free nylon gig bag
- Basswood built material
- Free picks and strap
- 3 volume control knobs
Things we didn’t like about it
- The build quality needs to be improved
- There is no manufacturer’s warranty on the product
Best Electric Bass Guitars
Now that we have listed and discussed the best electric guitars, let us look at a couple of prominent and the best bass guitars in the electric version.
1) Kadence, Chronicle Series Electric Bass Guitar
The first bass guitar that we think is the best pick is Kadence. The Chronicle Series Electric Bass guitar has its body material made from Alder wood.
Coming to the fingerboard, it is made out of good quality rosewood whereas the neck is from hard maple wood.
The strings are about 0.4 to 0.130 thick and the fretboard consists of 24 frets in total. As for their turners, the 2+2 turners are made from diecast.
This guitar has a P-J pickup, 2 volume controls and a single tone control. In the packaging, you only get the guitar, no strap too. Though it is a great quality product, there is no warranty as such on it.
Things we liked about the guitar
- Great build quality
- Alder wood build material
- Fingerboard is from Rosewood
- Neck material is Maple
- 0.45 to 0.130 string size
- 24 frets
- 2+2 diecast tuners
Things we didn’t like about it
- No warranty
2) Ibanez GSR180 – BS, 4 Strings Electric Bass Guitars
Finally, as our next best product for bass guitars, we have an Ibanez guitar. The Ibanez GSR180-BS 4 strings is an electric bass guitar. Made specifically for the right handed, it comes in brown sunburst colour.
Made out of Mahogany wood with BS finish, the Agathis body has its attached neck made out of GSR4 Maple wood. As for the fretboard, it is made out of good quality Rosewood with white dotted inlay. The frets are medium sized and are 22 in number with 21 mm to 62 mm fret width range.
With its B10 bridge and PSNDJ passive bridge PU, the guitar comes with PSNDJ neck PU (again passive). These provide comfortable ergonomics while playing.
The hardware comes in a chrome colour. Where as the guitar is 34 inches long, the width of the nut is 41 mm. Similar to the Kadence bass guitar listed above, though this is a great quality guitar, you do not get any warranty on the product.
Things we liked about the guitar
- Agathis body with BS finish Mahogany wood
- 34 inches long
- GSR4 Maple wood neck
- Rosewood fretboard with white dot inlay
- 22 frets with 21 mm to 62 mm width range
- B10 Bridege with PSNDJ Passive bridge PU and PSNDJ passive Neck PU
Things we didn’t like about it
- No warranty
Wrapping it up
Out of all the products mentioned in the list today, the Vault RG1 Soloist Electric Guitar wins our list with its Die-cast tuners and Dual-action truss rod. Apart from those, its Maple Fretboard, Jumbo Large Frets, HSH Pickup, Sharktooth inlays (for great aesthetic) and a Whammy bar that gives a smooth vibrato function adds up to its quality. With 1 Year manufacturer’s warranty, it is a great electric guitar to buy.
While this was our list with our research and picks, we would like to hear it from you. What do you think is the best electric guitar? Did we miss out on any awesome products? Do you have any particular questions regarding an electric guitar? If so, feel free to write to us in the comments section below. Our product expert team will get back to you as soon as possible
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