If you have a dream of becoming a professional musician, having the Best Guitar Brands in your rig has a significant contribution to how you play, practice, and whether you’ll enjoy your instrument or not. Each brand you’ll find in the market has a different feel and sound quality.
As a beginner, you might wonder what brands to choose and which ones to avoid. That draws down to so many different factors, including price, your needs, and so much more. If you pick a quality guitar from a notable brand, you’ll save money and time. You don’t need to throw the guitar away once you advance your skills.
We did our research to find out some of the most notable guitar brands that musicians love.
Here are 18 of the best guitar brands to consider the next time you are looking for either an acoustic or electric guitar.
Quick Navigation
18 Best Guitar Brands 2022
1. Yamaha
Let’s start with a guitar brand that every musician talks about, Yamaha. The reason why Yamaha is a huge brand is that they have been providing both electric and acoustic guitars for decades now. And the cool thing about them is that they don’t rehash previous models. Every model that you come across in any store comes with its unique qualities, both in sound and construction.
And that’s not all. In Yamaha stores, there’s always something for everyone. Whether you’re a beginner, intermediate or professional guitarist, you can be sure that you’ll find a guitar that suits you.
Yamaha also doesn’t compromise on sound and construction quality whether the price is high or low. Low priced instruments will sound as good as a high-priced guitar. Their guitars are also durable, which means you may use one model even for years to come.
Besides that, Yamaha also provides different accessories for your guitars, including strings, guitar tuners, and a capo, among so many other things.
2. Epiphone
Epiphone was a brand on its own until Gibson bought it since they were their main rivals. But we can say that Gibson still maintains the quality that Epiphone brought to musicians.
When it comes to construction, Epiphone tries to invent aesthetic electric guitar models. Most of the models you’ll find on guitar stores are very appealing; any musician would feel proud walking with it on stage.
Another unique quality on these guitars is the humbucker pickups. They provide high-quality tones, clean ones, which the musicians can tweak to fit their needs whenever on stage. Note that you don’t have to be a jazz guitarist to play this kind of guitars. You can use them to play any genre. And rock stars will appreciate these guitars because of their fret length since they have more room for solos.
On the other hand, Epiphone guitars come in different price ranges. You are sure of getting a high-quality instrument regardless of your budget.
3. Fender
Fender is an American guitar company that’s been producing both electric and acoustic guitars for years. The brand is also famous for coming up with the best guitar accessories such as gig bags, guitar picks, tuners, guitar amplifier speakers, strings, and straps.
Musicians love the brand because they have been able to remain consistent in terms of coming up with quality models. The artisanship involved in the construction of acoustic guitars ensures that the guitars sounds good and last long. You’ll also be sure to get high, low, and mid-action guitars, which have a balanced sound.
For the electric guitars, Fender has two famous models: the Stratocaster and telecaster guitars. Both are excellent guitars, and while most musicians argue that the telecaster is much better, we can say that all of them have superior electronics.
Regardless of your skill level or budget, be sure that you’ll get something that you can play for years and across all genres.
4. Ibanez
Unlike THE Fenders that tries to provide vintage guitars mostly, Ibanez offers a different kind of taste to a musician. Musicians recognize the brand for the balanced approach they take in providing both modern and retro type guitars.
And if you are the kind that doesn’t make your mind fast, Ibanez provides numerous models for you to pick from. But it all goes down to what quality you want and the budget at hand.
They also put a lot of emphasis on aesthetics. You’ll find guitars with semi-hollow bodies, strats, six-string, seven-stringed, eight-stringed guitars, and numerous electronic options. Also, Ibanez has several acoustic guitars that you can also choose from. And their bass guitars are a must-have for any aspiring bassist.
Whether you want a bass guitar, an acoustic, or electric guitar, the sound on their guitars is fantastic.
5. PRS
PRS is a short form for Paul Reed Smith. The brand is an excellent option for guitarists that love to play or walk on stage with an electric guitar that looks appealing. Most of their guitars have a modern look since they have a wooden body with a maple top.
Their guitars go a notch higher in providing excellent sound since they have double-coil pickups. You’ll get a lot of buzz from them, but you can be sure that these pickups will pick every signal (whether high or low) without any problem.
In our opinion, the guitar is ideal for any musician. But most likely, if you are an aspiring rock guitarist, this guitar should please you. It comes with a more extended fretboard, which gives you more room for your solos.
Note that PRS guitars can be a bit pricey. So for those musicians on a budget, it might be challenging to find a PRS electric guitar that’s below $500 unless it’s a used guitar.
6. Gretsch
The founder of this company was Friedrich Gretsch. He was a German (who moved to the USA) who founded the company in 1883. So, if you are a musician, and you’d like a guitar that takes you back to the days when parlor guitars were the thing, Gretsch is the brand to purchase.
Most of their electric models come with a semi-hollow body, which adds color to the guitars’ sound. They also have longer fretboards, which provide the player an extra room to solo.
The most popular acoustic guitars are parlor guitars, which you can use for jazz and blues guitar playing. And while you might say that these guitars are only ideal for jazz guitarists, you can use the guitar for playing any genre. The electronics on the electric guitars are quite superb by the way.
When it comes to budget, most Gretsch guitars are pricey. The cheapest guitar is around $400. So if you are a beginner, and you’d like a guitar that you can use for years, you shouldn’t hesitate to buy one of these.
7. Gibson
Most musicians complained that Gibson lacked consistency over the years. But recently, they have been able to fix that. The company produces electric guitars, and as we mentioned earlier, they even bought Epiphone. And the brand has been in existence for many years. That’s why elite guitarists such as B.B. King use the guitar in most of their recordings.
Unlike most brands you’ll meet in the market, Gibson offers quality guitars on how they construct them and the final sound product. The materials used on the body, for instance, is quality hardwood. Most of them also come with a semi-hollow body, which gives it that extra sound quality that a strat or telecaster will lack.
You can find a guitar for any skill level on the market. However, you may have to dig deeper in your pocket since most models are high-end guitars. And since the fretboard may not lack enough room for rock solos, this is an excellent guitar for RnB, blues, jazz, and another genre where any fretboard size will do.
8. Seagull
Seagull guitar models should be on your list of preferred choices if you are an acoustic guitar lover. The Canadian brand invents excellent acoustic guitars that you’ll play with even when you become an elite guitarist.
What sets this brand apart is the design of each guitar model. The headstocks are thinner, which contributes to the guitar’s lightness. The guitars also come with handmade cedar bodies with spruce tops, which are superb in delivering quality acoustic tones.
Seagull brands would be a great gift for musicians that love a mid-action guitar. The sound on their instruments is also well balanced, audible, and rich from the bass to the high tones. Some of the models also come with inbuilt electronics that will not compromise the guitar’s original sound when connected to an amplifier.
Other than that, their acoustic guitars come in all sizes, shapes, and prices. And regardless of the price, all guitars are of high quality.
9. ESP Guitars
Although the company is Asian, most musicians appreciate most of the models they manufacture. The brand produces some of the best electric guitars that you can find on the market. And all of them thrive both on construction details and sound quality.
Most models have a solid body and feature sensitive electronics, which can pick even the slightest of frequencies. Besides that, most of them have longer fretboards, which gives the soloist more room for their lead sessions.
When it comes to the sound, most guitarists compare their resounding quality with that of the strat and telecaster. If you love rock music, this guitar brand will take your soloing game to the next level from the moment you unbox whichever model you buy.
Most of the guitars may be suitable for beginners and intermediate players. However, you can order for a custom design, which may cost more than buying an already manufactured model.
10. Taylor guitars
Taylor is yet another brand that manufactures quality acoustic guitars. From them, you can get a variety of mini models as well as dreadnought acoustic-electric guitars.
All models have something to offer. If you are still wondering whether this guitar is an investment or not, the one reason to buy it is this. The tonewood used to manufacture the body continues to provide quality sound as it gets older, which is quite the opposite of what most acoustic guitars offer. Hence, you invest in a guitar that you’ll use for years to come.
The other reason why most artists will recommend you to this guitar brand is that they also provide travel guitars. If you love to carry your guitar when traveling abroad, you can get a Taylor model that won’t be a burden to carry along with you.
Sound-wise, this brand focuses on selling guitars that offer low-action balanced sound.
11. Schecter
The Schecter brand is yet another guitar company known for inventing modern electric and bass guitars. It’s an American company that began as a guitar repair shop but continued to increase its popularity for coming up with its unique models.
You can get a variety of models from them, including guitars that have more than six strings.
As most musicians would say, the Schecter guitar brand focuses on providing exceptional looking guitars for the rock player, mainly because of the designs. However, you can find specific models that you can use for other genres.
If you are a musician that wants to go big on sound, this guitar will probably suit you. Most models come with excellent double coils, which provide clean tones right off the bat. The brand offers guitars that come at different sizes, shapes, and prices. Thus, there’s something for everyone.
12. Alvarez
If you are on a budget, finding a guitar that suits you can be difficult. We would like to introduce you to a brand that focuses on providing budget-friendly guitars, Alvarez. Since the 60s, many artists have used guitars from this brand.
A good example is Eric Clapton. And if one of the best guitarists could use this guitar, why shouldn’t you?
The Alvarez brand has a variety of acoustic guitar models for you to choose from. It’s also good to note that most of them come with a superior design, especially on the spruce body, which has a unique technology that allow the guitars to become louder when you strum it.
Most of the models are high action guitars but are suitable for all kinds of genres. And if you’d like something to go with on stage, you can acquire one of the electric-acoustic models, which come with inbuilt electronics.
13. Martin guitars
The guitar brand is an established company known for its excellent acoustic guitars. Many musicians compare their guitars to Taylor, but the two have significant differences.
For instance, Martin uses a small amount of gloss finish on the body, unlike most of Taylor’s guitars. This is to slow the guitar’s aging process and help the guitar sound good tone-wise. Additionally, all guitars are handmade even though the company uses robotics to put all the parts together.
You can find a variety of quality Martin guitar models, regardless of your budget. And if you are a traveler, you should try their mini guitars, which are superb. By the way, the brand also has an open custom shop, where you can customize your own signature guitar if you’d like to go to such extents.
One thing to note, though, is that Martin only offers steel-string acoustic guitars. Hence, if you are a nylon string lover, you may not find any Martin models with this feature.
14. Takamine
Takamine is a worldwide known brand that sells both acoustic and electric-acoustic guitars. Most musicians believe that the brand focuses on providing mid-range acoustic guitars. However, whether you are a beginner or an expert, you’ll definitely find something that will integrate into your music taste.
Unlike most brands, which use modern technology to manufacture their guitars, Takamine maintains its old manufacturing methods since each guitar model is handmade. And the sound on each model brings both traditional and modern qualities to the player.
Artists such as Bon Jovi have used these guitars in their performances, which is why you should consider buying any of their models.
Overall, their construction quality is exceptional, which guarantees you an instrument that will serve you for years. Additionally, the guitars’ sustain and intonation are excellent.
15. Washburn
Washburn is a brand that has been in the market for more than a century. Unlike most of the guitar manufacturers, they depend on external factories to fulfill market demand.
Over the years, the brand has been manufacturing string instruments such as steel-string guitars, nylon string guitars, parlor guitars, archtop guitars, banjos, as well as electric guitars. All of these models come in different shapes and sizes.
What’s unique about this brand is that it produces beginner instruments. Hence, you’ll find them at a low price. Nonetheless, even though this is the case, most musicians applaud the brand for the excellent work they do on designing these guitars.
The guitars are also durable, the sound quality unmatched, and the construction provides all the needed qualities that a musician would want to see in any guitar.
16. Ovation
The brand came into the market back in the days when having a guitar was a big deal. And unlike the popular opinion that Ovation is no longer a top brand, some musicians are of a different opinion.
You’ll like the guitars in this brand because the manufacturer comes up with a unique design for the body. The back design of most models is plastic which has a huge impact on how the guitar sounds. And trust me, there’s always something for everyone when you buy Ovation.
Another quality that you’ll love with their guitars is their neck profile. They are slim and almost feels like playing an electric guitar, which make the guitars relatively easy to play. The guitars also have a smaller headstock; hence they are easy to tune and a bit lighter for people who are traveling.
The guitar models available from this brand can be suitable additions for any stage performer looking for an instrument that sounds differently as a backup.
17. Jasmine
At first, Takamine was the owner of Jasmine. However, the two parted ways in 2005 after the brand sold some of its shares to KMC. Everyone thought that Jasmine would die off because of this, but surprisingly, people still want to buy their acoustic guitars.
Compared to other well-known brands, Jasmine offers their guitars at a significantly low price. Hence, people on a low budget, as well as beginners, can enjoy an instrument that sounds good and lasts long.
Judging on their models’ appearances, we have to say that Jasmine has been able to come up with appealing designs. They use spruce bodies, and their neck profile is superb. If you also take time to listen to the sound quality of each of their guitars, they still sounds good. In fact, a professional would be happy to use any of their guitars, even during a performance or in a studio.
18. Oscar Schmidt
The final acoustic guitar brand that you should check out is the Oscar Schmidt. It’s yet another brand that offers high-quality guitars but at a low price. Most musicians would probably recommend this for beginners because of their cost. However, these guitar models have qualities that intermediate and elite players can appreciate as well.
Everything, including their construction method, electronics, strings, and sound attributes, is good enough for anybody to enjoy playing their guitars. Note that Oscar Schmidt does not just sell guitars. They also have ukuleles, parlor guitars, banjos, zithers, and 12-string guitars in their stores.
Final Words
As we come to the end of this article, it’s best to note that choosing a guitar model because it comes from a known brand might turn out to be frustrating. Your priority is to look at what you need first. Think about the kind of music you want to play and what you want to achieve as a musician. Once you have that in mind, picking a guitar won’t be a problem.
Besides this, you need to understand that each brand, especially the ones we note in this article, has a selling point. The selling point is the brand’s strong point. And while at that, consider the brand’s weakness too. With that, you’ll be able to make a solid decision when buying a guitar that you’ll use for years to come.