Who Makes the Best Metal Guitars?

Confused about who makes the best metal guitars?

It’s no secret that choosing a metal guitar can be confusing and time-consuming.

With so many different manufacturers, so many different models, and all of the different options and features it can be difficult to narrow down your choices.

Plus, there’s nothing worse than buying a guitar only to find out that it’s the wrong one for you.

That’s why we’ve done the research and reviewed the best metal guitars from the best metal guitar makers.

So remember, these are the best ones avaialable today.

Check it out!

Best Overall

Schecter Hellraiser C-1

Are you looking for the best metal guitar with intense looks, fearsome tones, and high-performance playability? Then check out the Schecter Hellraiser C-1.

It has an arched mahogany body with a quilted maple top, a set neck design, and comfort cutouts at the neck and back. As a result, it has a serious metal look, delivers high-performance resonance and sustain, and feels comfortable and natural when you’re playing.

The neck is composed of 3 pieces of mahogany, has a thin “C” shape, and a radius of 14″. As a result, it’s very stable, has a natural and easy feel in your hand, and is flat enough to play lightning-fast metal leads. Additionally, it’s connected to the body using Schecter’s Ultra Access heel joint so playing the higher frets is effortless.

With 24 extra-jumbo frets, abalone Gothic cross inlays, and a Graph Tech XL Tusq nut, the rosewood fretboard adds a classic tone to your sound, provides a full 2-octave playing range, a seriously metal look, and a superior overall playing experience.

The active pickups, an EMG 89R at the bridge and an EMG 81TW at the neck, provide a wide variety of tones and a great driving sound when distorted. They deliver massive clarity and articulation.

Additionally, both pickups are wired for coil tap so they give you an even wider range of tonal options.

Finally, the TonePros T3BT Tune-O-Matic bridge features a string-through-body design that delivers superior resonance, high-performance sustain, and solid tuning stability.

As you can see, the Schecter Hellraiser C-1 delivers dynamic metal looks, intense metal tones, and high-performance playability.

We think you’ll find it’s a serious metal guitar from one of the best metal guitar manufacturers.

Why wait? Click here and get yours now.

Best Budget

Jackson Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA 

Are you ready for a metal guitar that has classic looks, powerful tones, and sophisticated playability all at an affordable price? Then check out the Jackson Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA.

It has a poplar body with an arched top and a bolt-on neck so it’s lightweight, resonant, and very comfortable to play.

The maple neck has a “Speed” shape, with graphite reinforcement, a scarf joint, and a compound radius of 12″-16″. As a result, it has high-performance stability, easy playability, and is comfortable in your hand even at the higher frets.

Plus, with 24 jumbo frets and Pearloid sharkfin inlays, the amaranth fretboard has the classic Jackson look, adds a warm tone to your sound, and ensures easier playability.

The two Jackson High-Output ceramic humbuckers at the neck and bridge positions deliver full, rich tones and allow you to play with lots of power and aggressiveness. They’re controlled by a 3-way switch with master volume and master tone controls ensuring you can dial in your perfect sound.

Finally, the 2-point fulcrum tremolo lets you add vibrato to your playing while keeping your tuning stable, and intonation straightforward.

As you can see, the Jackson Dinky Arch Top JS22 DKA delivers heavy metal looks, powerful features, and potent playability at a very budget-friendly price.

We think you’ll find it’s one of the best metal guitars available at this price.

Don’t miss this out! Click here to get yours now.

Best Runner-Up

ESP LTD EC-1000

Are you ready for a heavy metal guitar that’s very high-quality, has a sleek look, and stunning playability? Then check out the ESP LTD EC-1000.

It has a mahogany body in a Les Paul-type shape with comfort cutouts and a set-thru neck design. As a result, it has high-performance resonance and sustain, is very comfortable to play, and a top-notch look.

The 3-piece mahogany has a thin “U” shape and a radius of 13.75″ so it feels great in your hand, is flat enough to effortlessly play leads, and ensures high-performance stability.

With 24 extra-jumbo frets and flag inlays, the Macassar ebony fretboard adds a warm, full tone to your sound, as well as giving a full 2-octave playing range and easy playability.

With active pickups at the neck and bridge positions, an EMG 60 and an EMG 81 respectively, you get a clear, powerful tone that easily cuts through distortion and are an excellent choice for playing heavy metal.

Lastly, the headstock features LTD locking tuners, and the bridge is a Tonepros Locking Tune-O-Matic which combine to deliver rock-solid tuning stability and dynamic sustain.

As you can see, the ESP LTD EC-1000 delivers a dynamic look, high-quality features, and high-performance playability which make for a powerful playing heavy metal guitar.

We think you’ll find its elite features make for a solid choice in guitar.

Don’t hesitate! Click here and get yours now.

Best Under $500

ESP LTD EC-256

Are you looking for a heavy metal guitar that delivers forceful looks, high-performance features, and contemporary playability? Then check out the ESP LTD EC-256.

It has a mahogany body with dynamic comfort cutouts and a set-neck design so it has stunning resonance and sustain, a very contoured and sleek look, and is comfy to play.

The 3-piece mahogany neck is in a thin “U” shape with a radius of 13.77″ so it ensures rock-solid stability, is a natural shape for your hand, and is flat enough to make playing metal leads feel easy and natural.

With 22 extra-jumbo frets and flag inlays, the roasted jatoba fretboard adds even more stability to the neck and a warm tone to your sound. Plus, the inlays and frets combine for a great look and easy playability.

With ESP-designed humbucker pickups at the neck and the bridge, you have the perfect tones for playing heavy metal, while still being able to experiment with other playing styles.

Additionally, with a 3-way toggle switch, two volume controls, and a push/pull tone knob, you can coil-split your humbuckers and achieve an even wider variety of sounds.

Finally, the Tune-o-Matic bridge and tailpiece ensure high-performance tuning stability, better resonance, and enhanced sustain.

As you can see, the ESP LTD EC-256 delivers the first-class looks, versatile tones, and effortless playability heavy metal guitarists need.

We think you’ll agree that it’s a high-quality guitar at a very affordable price.

Why wait? Click here and get yours.

Best Under $300

Ibanez RG421

Are you looking for a metal guitar that’s easy to play, has great tones, and is perfect for heavy metal? Then check out the Ibanez RG421.

It has an RG-shaped body made out of meranti with comfort cutouts and a bolt-on neck so it’s comfortable and easy to play, is very resonant, and has a natural and full tone.

The neck is composed of 3-pieces of maple in Ibanez’s Wizard III shape and has a radius of 15.74″ so it’s very thin and flat, very stable, and has incredible playability that’s perfect for heavy metal guitar playing.

With white dot inlays and 24 jumbo frets, the jatoba fretboard adds a rich mid-range to your tone, while delivering unmatched performance and a full 2-octave playing range.

The Quantum humbucker pickups at the neck and bridge positions provide an accelerated bass response as well as full mid-range, and high-end articulation. Plus, the 5-way pickup selector is wired to set the neck pickup to parallel as well as split-coil both humbuckers, giving you a very wide range of tones.

Lastly, the F106 string-through-body hardtail bridge ensures superior resonance and sustain as well as high-performance tuning stability.

As you can see, the Ibanez RG421 delivers great features, tones, and looks at a very affordable price.

We think you’ll find it delivers the performance and playability heavy metal players are looking for.

Why wait? Click here and get yours now.

Who Makes the Best Metal Guitars: FAQ

• What is the best guitar brand for metal?
  • Overall, Schecter, ESP, Jackson, and Ibanez produce the best guitars specifically for playing metal. Please see our Best Overall and Best Budget recommendations.
• What makes a good heavy metal guitar?
  • You definitely want humbuckers since they’re cut through distortion better. Some guitarists would even suggest active pickups instead of passive pickups. Also, a fast and flat neck is very desirable. See this post on Best Metal Guitars Under $2000 and this post has more recommendations for metal guitars under $500.
• Why is Ibanez good for metal?
  • Ibanez began making a name for themselves as metal guitar manufacturers by making “Super-Strat” electric guitars. These guitars offered features and performance that metal players were looking for but weren’t available from companies like Fender or Gibson.
  • Please see this post on the Ibanez Gio
• Who makes the best guitars in the world?
  • It depends on what type of guitar, and what you mean by best. The best guitar for a beginner is a different guitar than the best guitar for a touring musician. The most well know brands often don’t put out the best guitars, since a lot of what you’re paying for is name recognition.