8 Best Intermediate Electric Guitars of 2024

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There will come a point where you will move past the beginner stages of guitar playing. Your skills will surpass entry-level, you will begin to solidify your own style, and your creativity will flourish.

As you move into this intermediate stage, you may start to feel like your first guitar just isn’t cutting it—you need a more professional instrument that can keep up with you.

There are dozens of electric guitars for intermediate players, and choosing one can be overwhelming.

We’re here to help! Here is a list of the best intermediate electric guitars.

Our top pick is the Fender Player Stratocaster because it is remarkably easy to play and sounds amazing—at an affordable price!

Best Intermediate Electric Guitars

1. Our Top Pick – Fender Player Stratocaster

SPECS

• Materials: Alder body, Maple neck, and fingerboard
• Number of Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
• Pickups: 3 x Player Series Alnico V Strat Single-coil
• Controls: 1 x master volume, 2 x tone

The iconic and inspiring sound of a Stratocaster is one of the foundations of Fender. A bell-like high end, punchy mids, and a robust low end combined with crystal-clear articulation make the Player Stratocaster a versatile intermediate guitar that is able to handle any style of music.

The Fender Player Stratocaster retains the timeless design elements that have made the Stratocaster a legendary guitar. It features the iconic double-cutaway body shape, comfortable contours, and a sleek and stylish appearance.

This intermediate electric guitar has a modern "C"-shaped neck profile, providing a comfortable and ergonomic playing experience. It is designed to accommodate a wide range of playing styles and allows for easy chord transitions and fast lead playing.

The Player Stratocaster is equipped with a neck pickup, a middle pickup, and a bridge pickup, all of which are Fender Player Series Alnico 5.

They deliver a versatile range of tones, from clear and bell-like cleans to crunchy overdrives. They capture the classic Stratocaster sound and offer a balanced and expressive response.

It also features a synchronized tremolo system that allows players to add subtle vibrato or more pronounced pitch effects. The tremolo bridge is designed for smooth operation and helps maintain tuning stability.

Elevate your playing with the best Strat-style guitars, finely crafted for an exceptional musical experience.

2. Best Value for Money – Epiphone Les Paul Standard '60s

SPECS

• Materials: Mahogany body with AA Flame Maple top, Mahogany neck, Laurel fingerboard
• Number of Frets: 22
• Pickups: Epiphone ProBucker 2 Humbucker, Epiphone ProBucker 3 Humbucker
• Controls: 2 x volume, 2 x tone

The Epiphone Les Paul Standard '60s is a popular model that pays homage to the iconic Gibson Les Paul guitars of the 1960s. It offers a combination of vintage aesthetics, a classic tone, and modern playability.

This electric guitar has a mahogany body with a maple top—a classic combination that contributes to its rich and resonant tone. The mahogany body provides warmth and depth, while the maple top adds brightness and clarity.

The '60s SlimTaper neck profile offers a comfortable and fast-playing experience as it was designed for smooth fretting and effortless string bending, making it suitable for both rhythm playing and lead work.

The neck pickup and bridge pickup are Alnico Probucker pickups that deliver a classic PAF-inspired sound with clarity, balance, and plenty of sustain.

The LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge and stopbar tailpiece combination provides solid intonation, stability, and even more sustain.

Finally, its Grover Rotomatic tuners offer precise tuning stability, ensuring that the guitar stays in tune even during intense playing sessions. They are reliable and built to withstand the demands of live performances and studio recording.

The Epiphone Les Paul Standard ‘60s is a fantastic option if you are looking for a Les Paul with that classic ‘60s character and flavor without the high price tag.

3. Best for Rock – PRS SE Custom 24-08

SPECS

• Materials: Mahogany body with Flame Maple top, Maple neck, Rosewood fingerboard
• Number of Frets: 24, Medium Jumbo
• Pickups: PRS TCI-tuned "S" Humbucker
• Controls: 1 x master volume, 1 x master tone

The Custom 24 is the quintessential PRS guitar: the iconic guitar that started it all back in 1985. The Custom 24-08 keeps all the foundational specs of the instrument while taking the Custom platform to new sonic territories.

The combination of a mahogany body with a 3-piece maple top delivers a beautifully balanced tone with rich warmth, good sustain, and a touch of brightness.

The SE Custom 24-08 features a wide thin neck profile, which is slim and easy to navigate, allowing for effortless chord changes and fast soloing.

Equipped with PRS TCI-tuned "S" Humbucker pickups, this guitar will deliver a versatile range of tones, from sparkling cleans to thick overdrives. They offer clarity, articulation, and a balanced response.

It also features a PRS-patented tremolo bridge, which offers smooth and reliable vibrato effects while maintaining excellent tuning stability. It allows for subtle or more dramatic pitch modulation without compromising the guitar's intonation.

One of the standout features of the SE Custom 24-08 is its 8-way blade switch. This unique switching system allows for a vast array of tonal options, providing a wide palette of sounds to explore.

4. Best for Metal – ESP LTD EC-1000

SPECS

• Materials: Mahogany body, Mahogany neck, Macassar Ebony fingerboard
• Number of Frets: 24, Extra Jumbo, Stainless Steel
• Pickups: EMG 60 Humbucker, EMG 81 Humbucker
• Controls: 2 x volume, 1 x tone

Guitars in the LTD EC-1000 Series are designed to offer the tone, feel, looks, and quality that musicians need in an instrument while still being cheaper guitars than many others in this level.

The EC-1000 utilizes a set-neck construction, where the neck is glued into the body, providing increased sustain and resonance. This construction method also allows for better access to the upper frets.

It also features a comfortable and fast-playing Thin U-shaped neck profile. It is slim and sleek, with a smooth feel that makes playing a breeze.

The EC-1000 comes equipped with active EMG pickups known for their high output and clarity. The typical pickup configuration includes an EMG 60 in the neck position for warm and smooth tones and an EMG 81 in the bridge position for aggressive and powerful sounds. This makes the EC-1000 ideal for genres like rock and metal.

The EC-1000 also features premium components such as LTD locking tuners, high-quality control knobs, and a Tonepros locking TOM bridge and tailpiece.

5. Best Hollowbody – Gretsch G5420T Electromatic

SPECS

• Materials: Laminated Maple body, Maple neck, Laurel fingerboard
• Number of Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
• Pickups: 2 x FT-5E Filter’Tron
• Controls: 2 x volume, 1 x master volume (Treble bleed), 1 x master tone

Crafted with essential Gretsch hollow-body sound, style, and playability, the ‘50s and '60s-inspired Gretsch G5420T Electromatic is a real treat to play.

The G5420T features a laminated maple body with vintage-inspired contours as well as an all-new trestle block bracing to help reduce unwanted feedback.

By increasing rigidity and contact between the top and back of the body, the new trestle block design also results in the sound having a faster attack with more focus, snap, and increased sustain.

The hollow body design contributes to its rich and lively sound, making it a great option for jazz, blues, rockabilly, and other genres where you want that warm and vibrant tone to really shine.

The G5420T is equipped with a pair of Blacktop Filter'Tron pickups, which are humbucking pickups specifically designed by Gretsch.

They offer a balanced and articulate tone, providing clarity and definition while retaining the warmth and vintage character associated with Gretsch guitars. They deliver a versatile range of sounds, from smooth jazz tones to lively rockabilly twang.

Its Bigsby vibrato tailpiece allows for expressive pitch modulation and subtle vibrato effects. The Bigsby adds a touch of vintage charm and enables you to add tasteful nuances to your playing. It's a lovely feature for those seeking a classic, retro vibe.

6. Most Versatile – Fender Player Telecaster HH

SPECS

• Materials: Alder body, Maple neck, Maple fingerboard
• Number of Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
• Pickups: 2 x Player Series Alnico II Humbucker
• Controls: 1 x master volume, 1 x master tone

Perfect for pummeling musical assaults, the Player Telecaster HH is pure Fender, through and through. The feel, the style, and, most importantly, the sound are all at the tips of your fingers.

This guitar is insanely flexible—it can handle almost anything you can create and is durable enough to survive any gig.

The Player Telecaster HH is equipped with two humbucking pickups that offer a more comprehensive range of tonal possibilities compared to traditional single-coil Telecasters.

The humbuckers offer a thicker and hotter sound, suitable that will make themselves heard whether you want a heavy rock vibe or a mellow blues tone.

The Telecaster HH’s body is made of alder, a tonewood known for its balanced and resonant characteristics, providing a well-rounded tonal response, great sustain, and a lively sound.

This neck is designed for comfort and performance, with a Modern C shape profile and a smooth back finish—ideal for almost any playing style.

This versatile guitar features a five-way pickup selector switch, allowing you to access different pickup combinations.

This versatile switching system provides you with a range of tonal options, including full humbucker mode, single-coil mode, and various combinations in between.

7. Best for Shredding – Ibanez High Performance RG421HPFM

SPECS

• Materials: Nyatoh body with Flamed Maple top, Roasted Maple neck, Jatoba fingerboard
• Number of Frets: 24, Medium Jumbo
• Pickups: DiMarzio Air Norton Humbucker, DiMarzio The Tone Zone Humbucker
• Controls: 1 x master volume, 1 x master tone

The Ibanez Guitars High Performance RG421HPFM is a feature-packed guitar designed for players who want high performance, versatility, and a massive sound.

The RG421HPFM boasts a sleek and modern design with its double-cutaway body shape and eye-catching flamed maple top—it looks absolutely stunning out on stage.

It features Ibanez's Wizard III roasted maple neck known for its slim and fast-playing profile. It is strong and sturdy, offers unlimited playability, and features a two-octave 24-fret fretboard for a wide tonal range.

The roasting process used on the maple adds stability and durability to the wood, providing a smooth and comfortable playing experience.

The DiMarzio Air Norton neck pickup and the DiMarzio The Tone Zone in the bridge pickup are high-quality pickups that deliver a versatile range of tones, from warm and smooth to powerful and aggressive.

The RG421HPFM also offers coil-tap functionality, allowing you to split the humbuckers into single-coil mode. This feature vastly expands the reaches of your sound as it provides access to a broader range of sounds, from thick humbucker tones to a brighter single-coil sound.

8. Best for a Big Budget – Gibson SG Special

SPECS

• Materials: Mahogany body, Mahogany neck, Indian Rosewood fingerboard
• Number of Frets: 22, Medium Jumbo
• Pickups: 2 x P-90 Single-coil
• Controls: 2 x volume, 2 x tone

This early 60s style SG Special has the vibe and sound heard on countless classic rock recordings. The Gibson SG Special is a legendary guitar model known for its unique design, distinctive tone, and iconic rock 'n' roll heritage.

The SG Special features a slim, lightweight double-cutaway mahogany body for easy access to the upper frets. Its sleek design offers comfortable playability and a balanced feel.

Its mahogany body and neck make for a warm, rich tone with a strong emphasis on midrange frequencies.

The SG Special is equipped with two P-90 pickups. These single-coils known for their distinctive, raw, and gritty sound and for producing a thick and muscular tone with a balanced blend of warmth and bite.

P-90s are highly versatile and well-suited for a wide range of musical styles, from blues and rock to punk and alternative.

At a much higher price tag than any other entry on our list, the SG Special might not be within everyone’s budget. For guitarists who are looking to go pro or who want a high-quality intermediate guitar that will last for decades, the SG Special is well worth the heavy investment.

Best Intermediate Electric Guitars Buyer's Guide

Pickups

As you surely know by now, pickups play a crucial role in shaping the sound of your electric guitar, so it's essential to find high-quality pickups that suit your playing style.

The most common types of pickups are single-coil pickups and humbucker pickups. Single coils tend to produce a twangy, bright tone, ideal for genres like blues, country, and funk. Humbuckers, on the other hand, offer a fuller, heavier sound suitable for rock, metal, and jazz.

It’s also important to consider the pickups’ output level, which influences the overall volume and gain of your guitar.

Higher-output pickups produce a stronger signal, resulting in more drive and distortion when playing through an amplifier. Lower-output pickups have a cleaner sound and may be more suitable for genres that require less overdrive.

Finding good pickups in an intermediate guitar can be tricky, and you basically have two options. The first is to go for well-known brands like Seymour Duncan, DiMarzio, and EMG.

These companies have a long history of producing quality pickups and usually offer various options to suit different playing styles.

The second option is a stock pickup, which usually comes with a significant downgrade in quality. However, it's worth noting that pickups can be upgraded or swapped out later if you find that the stock pickups do not meet your expectations.

So if you find a guitar that you love but aren't fully satisfied with the pickups, it may still be a viable option.

Tonewoods

The choice of tonewoods for any guitar will always come down to personal preference and the sound characteristics you want to obtain. Here are some commonly used tonewoods:

Spruce

Spruce is a popular choice for the soundboard/top of acoustic guitars. It offers a balanced tone, good projection, and responsiveness. Sitka spruce and Engelmann spruce are commonly used in intermediate-level acoustic guitars.

Mahogany

Mahogany is a widely used tonewood for guitar bodies, especially in the back and sides of acoustic guitars. It produces a warm, rich, and focused sound with a good midrange response.

Mahogany is also used for the bodies of electric guitars, particularly in combination with a maple top. This combination can offer a balanced and versatile tone with good warmth and sustain.

Mahogany necks can also provide stability and a smooth playing feel.

Rosewood

Rosewood is highly regarded for its rich, complex tonal qualities. It is often used for the back and sides of acoustic guitars and infuses warmth, depth, and a pronounced bass response to the guitar's sound.

Maple

Maple is known for its bright, clear, and articulate tone. It is commonly used for the back and sides of acoustic guitars, as well as for electric guitar bodies. Maple can enhance note definition, sustain, and provide a snappy, well-balanced sound.

Cedar

Cedar produces a warm, lush tone with a strong emphasis on the midrange. Cedar is often favored by fingerstyle players or those who desire a more intimate and responsive sound.

Alder

Alder is a popular tonewood that offers a balanced tone with good sustain, clarity, and a slightly pronounced midrange. Alder is known for its versatility, making it suitable for various musical styles.

Ash

Ash is another commonly used tonewood for electric guitar bodies. It is known for its pronounced midrange, good sustain, and bright, snappy qualities. Ash can provide a punchy and focused sound.

Hardware and Electronics

Evaluate the quality of the hardware components, such as tuners, bridges, and nuts. Check if they are durable, reliable, and offer good tuning stability.

For the best electric guitars under 1000, assess the quality of pickups and any additional electronics like tone controls or coil-splitting options.

Brand

It’s not uncommon for guitarists to develop brand loyalty when we hit the intermediate stages. If you’re happy with your current guitar brand, you can look for an intermediate-level instrument from that brand.

Before committing to a single brand, though, the intermediate stage of your guitar playing can also be an excellent point to branch out.

Make sure to research different guitar brands and their reputation for producing quality instruments. You can also listen to demos online or, even better, go out and give them a try for yourself!

Well-established brands often have better quality control, warranties, and resale value, but lesser-known brands can also offer excellent value for money.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What defines an intermediate guitar?

An intermediate guitar is typically considered a step up from a beginner or entry-level instrument. It offers improved construction, better materials, and enhanced playability.

Intermediate guitars often have more advanced features, higher-quality components, and a wider range of tonal possibilities compared to beginner-level guitars.

How much should I spend on an intermediate guitar?

The price range for intermediate guitars is naturally going to be higher than for entry-level instruments. The estimated range is between $500 and $1500. You can find excellent guitars along this range. The amount you spend will depend on your budget and personal preference.

How long can I expect an intermediate guitar to last?

The lifespan of an intermediate guitar depends on various factors, including the quality of construction, care and maintenance, and frequency of use. With proper care, an intermediate guitar can last for decades—it can even turn out to be a lifelong companion.

Regular maintenance, such as string changes, cleaning, and adjustments, can help prolong the lifespan of the instrument.

As we mentioned before, if the electronics go bad or you’re looking for something a bit different, most guitars at this level can be upgraded instead of altogether replaced.

Are intermediate guitars suitable for professional players?

Intermediate guitars can be more than suitable for professional players. In fact, some professional guitarists choose to play intermediate-level instruments that offer the desired sound, playability, and performance without the premium price tag associated with high-end professional models.

It’s worth pointing out that this comes down to your musical goals. As a professional player, you might develop specific needs and prefer higher-end guitars tailored to your more advanced playing style and demands.

Conclusion

It is only natural to want a better guitar as your skills improve, and you graduate from a beginner to an intermediate guitar player. While intermediate guitars cost a bit more, their quality and playability improve drastically when compared to beginner instruments.

Our top pick for the best intermediate electric guitar is the Fender Player Stratocaster because of how easy it is to play, its classic rock sound, and its affordable price.

We have no doubt you will find your next guitar somewhere on this list—they’re all top-of-the-line, after all!

Browse our list of the best Explorer style guitars to choose to make an informed and stylish selection.