Best Electric Guitars

It goes without saying that this is the greatest guitar of all time. It has a distinct and appealing shape, a recognizable tone, and is simply the best. Great for lead, great for rhythm, has the whammy, can play literally anything, and comes in pretty much every color you can think of. Gibson LPs have like three colors, and the same with Gibson SGs.

Come on. This guitar completely changed the very nature of music. It's versatile, it has a distinctive sound, and it looks great (the Les Paul looks like a granddad's guitar. This looks like a true rock guitar). It's probably the reason why Gibson is headed for bankruptcy.

On top of that, even after 60+ years of awesome rocking, it's still the world's best-selling axe. Everyone played it, from Buddy Holly to Jimi Hendrix to Iron Maiden's Dave Murray. The guitar itself is also very ergonomic and fairly lightweight.

It's the most desirable guitar because it sounds great and feels high quality when you put your hands on the instrument. Not talking about other Gibson models, which could be great or not. Les Pauls are nicer on average than Fender Stratocasters, where you need to try several to get the right one.

I feel this guitar is brilliant because of the sound you get when you plug it into that amp! Play anything. I personally believe the gold is absolutely beautiful. The model is brilliant as well. It was either this one or the Gibson SG.

Telecasters sound the way a guitar is meant to sound. They play beautifully, are very comfortable, and are gorgeous-looking instruments with the most crisp and distinctive pickups. So many legends swear by the Telecaster to this day.

I always come back to my Tele, like an old friend.

I have a 2013 American Standard Tele with a noise-cancelling pickguard (Illitch). I use it with an SD pickup booster pedal. Roll back the tone, and you can achieve any sound. Put the pedal on bypass and turn up the treble, and you get Tele heaven.

If it is not the most versatile guitar known to mankind, I would like to play the guitar that can beat it.

Best guitar ever made! All these guitars are great, and the Les Paul and the Strat are also up there for the top three, but when you see the SG's devil horns, you think "rock on."

I've got the Les Paul Custom and the SG VOS. The SG is just that little bit nicer, in my humble opinion. Sound and playability.

The Gibson SG has the best sound and the coolest design for a guitar.

Possibly one of the best blues/rock guitars of all time. Think Cream's Crossroads. That sound says it all! Also, as a variant, think B.B. King. Not to mention jazz and the thousands of jazz guitarists who have made a living playing this gem.

The solid mahogany bit through the body helps to make a semi-acoustic into almost a solid body. So much character.

One of the greatest guitars ever made. You don't have to get an original. Epiphone ES-335 is nice, and Washburn HB-35 are great options when cost is an issue, but make no mistake, this is a very versatile guitar. Ask Dave Grohl.

Absolutely beautiful shape, great feel and tone, and amazing variety, especially with the VII. In my opinion, the perfect guitar.

Great guitar all around. The looks and sound will make you stand out on stage.

The shape and tone of an Explorer literally scream (and growl) metal!

Synyster Gates Special! Doesn't matter how it sounds. Any modern guitarist would dream of playing a guitar on stage with this kind of amazing look!

Got the Kerry King Warlock and modified it with some EMGs, and it sounds killer! One of the best guitars I've ever used! In fact, probably the best because I made it into my own custom weapon!

Bought a 30th Anniversary Custom 24 this year. It's quite simply the best, most beautiful guitar I have ever owned or played. I love noodling on my Strat, but whenever the record button is pressed, it's always the PRS in my hands.

A guitar player's guitar. Quality control is unmatched. Impeccable attention to detail. Can't believe it falls this low on the list. What a shame, and completely non-reflective of the instrument and company that PRS is.