Which is the best electric guitar for under 1500 dollars?
Believe it or not, finding the best electric guitar for under 1500 dollars can be a confusing and frustrating experience.
Choosing between the different models, and different specs can be time-consuming, and finding exactly the right guitar for you can feel impossible.
Plus, you don’t want to buy a guitar just to find out that it’s the wrong one for you.
Fortunately, we’ve done all of the research, looked at the different models, weighed the various features, and found the best electric guitars for you!
Check it out!
The Best Electric Guitar Under 1500 Dollars: Best Overall
Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
Are you looking for an electric guitar that’s timeless, solid, and versatile? Then check out the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster.
It has an alder body with a durable gloss urethane finish and a sculpted neck heel so it has the classic Stratocaster look, and tone, and it’s much easier to play at the higher frets.
The maple neck is in a deep “C” shape with a radius of 9.5″ and a “Super-Natural” satin finish making it extremely comfortable to play and giving it a very vintage playing feel.
With 22 narrow-tall frets and black dot inlays, the maple fretboard adds the traditional Stratocaster look and tone, while the rolled fretboard edges and bone nut make playing smoother, more resonant, and adds sustain.
The three V-Mod II single-coil Strat pickups offer superior articulation while retaining their highs, and their warmth and give you the versatile tones that Stratocasters are famous for.
Plus, a treble bleed circuit will maintain your highs when turning down the volume, while a push/push switch on the tone knob activates the neck pickup letting you add to your choice of tones.
Lastly, the 2-point synchronized tremolo features bent steel saddles, a pop-in tremolo arm, and cold-rolled steel blocks which increases sustain, ensures better clarity, and makes playing vibrato a breeze.
Pros
- Also Available in Roasted Pine
- Available in 9 Finishes
- Rosewood Fretboard Available on Some Finishes
- Comes with Deluxe Molded Case
Cons
- No Locking Tuners
All in all, the Fender American Professional II Stratocaster delivers a very versatile playing experience, traditional Stratocaster tones, and some innovative improvements.
We think you’ll find it’s an excellent choice for modern players who want contemporary performance, and classic tones.
Don’t wait! Click here and get yours now.
The Best Electric Guitar Under 1500 Dollars: Best Budget
Ibanez RGA42FM
Are you looking for a budget-friendly electric guitar that has smart looks, dependable quality, and solid performance? Then check out the Ibanez RGA42FM.
It has a sculpted RGA-shaped meranti body and a flamed maple top so it’s comfortable to play with a full and resonant tone.
The maple neck is in Ibanez’s Wizard III shape and has a very flat radius of 15.74″. All this results in a neck that is easy to play lightning-fast leads on and is very stable.
Plus, the jatoba fretboard adds a rich mid-range and crisp high end to your sound and has 24 jumbo frets for a full 2-octave range.
The Ibanez Quantum humbuckers at the neck and bridge positions have an accelerated bass response to help track high-speed staccato playing and high-end articulation eliminating any muddy mid-range. This means your notes will be clear and easy to hear through distortion.
Additionally, the 5-way pickup switch lets you set the neck humbucker in parallel mode, as well as split-coil for both pickups giving you a wide variety of tones that are perfect for a wide range of musical styles.
Lastly, the F106 hardtail bridge enhances resonance and sustain while ensuring high-performance tuning stability.
Pros
- Available in 3 Finishes
Cons
- Plastic Nut
All in all, the Ibanez RGA42FM delivers a great look, versatile tones, and intense playability all at a budget-friendly price.
We think you’ll find it delivers a lot of value while being easy and enjoyable to play.
Why wait? Click here and get yours now.
The Best Electric Guitar Under 1500 Dollars: Best Runner-Up
Fender American Professional II Telecaster
Are you looking for an electric guitar that’s a timeless classic and has unmatched performance? Then you’re talking about the Fender American Professional II Telecaster.
It has a Telecaster-shaped body made out of alder or roasted pine depending on your color choice. Plus, the bolt-on neck has a sculpted heel so playing the higher frets is way easier than on previous Teles.
The neck is made of maple and is in a deep “C” shape with rolled edges, and a radius of 9.5″ so it’s comfortable and has a very classic feel, like a vintage Telecaster.
It’s available with a rosewood fretboard on certain color combinations and has 22 narrow-tall frets and a bone nut ensuring a superior tone and a relaxed playing feel.
The pickups are V-Mod II single-coils at the neck and the bridge and they have been specifically voiced for each position so it has a balanced tone with vintage warmth.
Additionally, a push/push tone knob changes the pickup wiring from parallel to series, and as a result, you can get a fatter tone when using both pickups.
Finally, the bridge allows you to anchor your strings using a top-loading design, or string-through-bridge so you can choose your preferred sound.
Additionally, the bridge has compensated brass “bullet” saddles adding a nice vintage tone to your sound.
Pros
- Classic Tele Style With Modern Upgrades
- Available in Multiple Colors and Finishes
- Genuine Bone Nut Means a Better Tone Overall
Cons
- Some Colors More Expensive
We think you’ll agree that Fender has updated the Telecaster for the modern player while still maintaining the features that make Telecasters timeless.
All in all, the Fender American Professional II Telecaster is meant for the guitarist looking for contemporary sounds, and classic Telecaster looks, making it one of the best on the market.
Don’t hesitate! Click here and get yours now.
The Best Electric Guitar Under 1500 Dollars: Best Under $1000
ESP LTD EC-1000
Are you looking for a professional quality electric guitar that’s affordable and has amazing looks and tones? Then check out the ESP LTD EC-1000.
It has a mahogany body, with a set-thru neck design so it has plenty of tone, resonance, and high-performance sustain.
The neck has a radius of 13.75″, a thin “U” shape, and is composed of 3 pieces of mahogany. As a result, it has high-performance durability and stability and is very comfortable to play leads on.
With 24 extra-jumbo frets and flag inlays, the Macassar ebony fretboard adds a very warm, and full tone to your sound as well as giving you a full 2-octave playing range.
The EMG 60 in the neck and EMG 81 in the bridge are both active pickups, so they have a clear tone, cut through heavy distortion, and are great for a wide variety of genres.
Lastly, the headstock has LTD locking tuners, while the bridge is a Tonepros locking Tune-O-Matic with tailpiece which means you’ll enjoy rock-solid tuning stability.
Pros
- Available in Multiple Finishes
Cons
- Plastic Nut
All in all, the ESP LTD EC-1000 delivers a stunning look and solid features.
We think you’ll agree that its easy playability, active pickups high build quality make it a great choice for serious players.
Don’t delay! Click here and get yours now.
The Best Electric Guitar Under 1500 Dollars: Best Under $500
Squier Classic Vibe ’50s Telecaster
Are you looking for a classic Telecaster that has modern, player-friendly features? Then check out the Squier Classic Vibe ’50s Telecaster.
It has a pine body and a bolt-on neck so it’s resonant and has a classic tone.
The maple neck has a classic “C” shape with a radius of 9.5″ making it comfortable for your hand and with a vintage playing feel.
With 21 narrow-tall frets and a genuine bone nut, the maple fretboard has a resonant, authentic tone, and a classic look and feel.
Plus, the Fender-designed alnico single-coil pickups deliver the classic Fender tones that Telecasters are famous for, all controlled by a 3-way switch, master volume, and master tone knobs.
Lastly, the vintage-style string-through-body bridge optimizes resonance and sustain while delivering the classic Telecaster sound.
Pros
- Available in 2 Colors
- Genuine Bone Nut
Cons
- 3-Saddle Style Bridge Delivers a Vintage Tone but can be Tricky to Intonate
As you can see, the Squier Classic Vibe ’50s Telecaster couples the timeless Telecaster playing experience with some modern improvements.
We think you’ll agree that it’s got a timeless look and classic features.
Why wait? Click here to get yours now.
FAQ
- What is the best electric guitar for the money?
- See our Best Overall and our Best Budget picks. Also, see this post for more recommendations.
- What is the best all around electric guitar?
- We recommend a Stratocaster. It’s a very versatile guitar and is very popular for a reason. See this post and this post for more recommendations.
- What is the most versatile electric guitar?
- What is the most comfortable electric guitar to play?
- A Super-Strat usually combines the best features of a Stratocaster with a much more comfortable neck joint. See this post for some recommendations.
JT currently resides in Southern California and has been playing the guitar since he was 13. He enjoys baking French pastries, drinking loose-leaf tea, and running Slackware Linux.
