The Best Electric Guitar
The most consistently praised do-everything electric: studio-grade build, coil-splitting versatility, and a price that undercuts the legends. · Updated June 26, 2026
PRS SE Custom 24
$899Buy on Amazon
★star.shop pickReddit favorite
star.shop researches products across the internet, Reddit, Wirecutter, and other review sites, filters out SEO spam and fake reviews, and recommends the single best option, so you can buy with confidence, no digging required.
Pros
- Famously consistent build quality straight out of the box — minimal setup needed compared to similarly priced Fenders or Epiphones
- Genuinely versatile: 24 frets, twin humbuckers with a 5-way coil-splitting switch covers everything from clean single-coil chime to thick rock and metal
- Holds its value extremely well and earns compliments even from non-guitarists thanks to its figured-maple top
- Punches well above its price — repeatedly described as a guitar you can keep for your entire life as a musician
- Better pickups, tuners, neck radius and feel than most mid-budget rivals
Cons
- Standard (nickel) frets wear faster than the stainless-steel frets on rivals like the Yamaha Revstar
- Not the cheapest entry point — a Sire S5 or Yamaha Pacifica gets a beginner playing for a fraction of the price
Minor nitpicks
- No carbon-fiber neck reinforcement, which the Revstar offers as a stability/BIFL feature
- Bolt-on neck and set construction mean it's not as trivially 'parts-swappable' as a Fender for the BIFL crowd
- The 24-fret, slightly modern feel won't satisfy purists chasing a vintage Strat or Tele vibe
The other picks
- r/BuyItForLifeFender American Vintage / American Original Stratocaster — The classic 'as BIFL as it gets' choice — easily repaired, bolt-on neck, holds value, decades of proven longevity
- r/BuyItForLifeYamaha Revstar Standard — Stainless-steel frets and carbon-reinforced neck make it the strongest pure buy-it-for-life pick
- RedditSterling by Music Man Cutlass — Cited as the best-made, best-sounding electric some players have owned; Music Man survives heavy use better than any other brand
- RedditSuhr Classic S — The boutique 'best Strat out there' pick for those willing to pay considerably more