If you're looking for an electric guitar for recording, this is the right place to get some help. We've put together an article that focuses solely on electric guitars that are awesome for recording and laying down tracks in a studio. As a result, they're close to the side of a professional electric guitar, similar to the best electric guitars under $2000 we've also covered. For basic recording, pro-level session work, YouTube covers, and everything in between, these are the best electric guitars for those particular jobs.
For recording, the single most important feature would have to be the pickups. Since they have the most to say about your electric guitar's tone, we recommend starting with a reputable brand, perhaps one of the following:
- Gibson pickups
- Fishman
- Seymour Duncan
- DiMarzio
There are also other basic quality indicators we'd recommend considering.
- Strings (though most need to be replaced when you buy a new guitar)
- Tonewood
- Versatility
- Value (cost VS quality score)
We'll cover all these considerations in this article, after we recommend a few guitars.
Best Electric Guitars for Recording (our top picks)
Guitar | Audio | RATE | Shop |
|---|---|---|---|
 | PRS DW CE-24 Dusty Waring Signature | 91.2 | |
 | PRS SE Mark Holcomb Signature | 90.5 | |
 | Gibson Les Paul Studio | 89.7 | |
 | Ibanez JEM77 (Steve Vai Signature) | 85.5 | |
 | Schecter C-1 FR-S Evil Twin | 84.5 |
1. Schecter C-1 FR-S Evil Twin
BEST FOR: Modern rock and heavier playing styles.
TONE
88
PICKUPS
92
VERSATILITY
78
COST/VALUE
80
- Fishman Fluence modern humbucker at the bridge position
- Sounds great with heavy distortion
- Modern design with plenty of hard rock appeal
- A little too pricey
- Not the most versatile guitar
Schecter guitars tend to fly under the radar, but with the Sustaniac pickup at the neck position and the Fishman Fluence Modern humbucker at the bridge, the C1 FR Evil Twin is a fantastic electric guitar for the studio.
We especially like it for those who are into heavier rock and metal styles, perhaps what would be called the "modern" side of rock. It's a percussive guitar with a lot of next gen features, including the Floyd Rose locking tremolo system.
The Sustaniac humbucker is a creation of Schecter guitars, but we do like the added sustain and smoothness that it brings to your tone. However, the real attraction here is the Fishman Fluence Modern humbucker that gives you qualities of both active and passive pickups at the same time. After Fishman developed the stacked coil technology they use in the Fluence series, they've become extremely tough to beat in the pickup department.
2. PRS SE Mark Holcomb Signature
BEST FOR: Versatile recording gigs, session guitar players, and performing.
TONE
94
PICKUPS
90
VERSATILITY
90
COST/VALUE
88
- Seymour Duncan Alpha/Omega pickup set
- Darkened purple finish looks fantastic
- Versatile tone profile
- Very decent price point
- It's a shame you lose the body carving in the SE models.
Periphery's Mark Holcomb developed two versions of his signature PRS:
- The mainline PRS version
- The SE PRS version
The SE version is far cheaper and pairs down the body carving that you usually get in nicer PRS guitars, in favor of a flat top. But it still includes the bird fretboard inlays and the Seymour Duncan Alpha and Omega pickup set (another Holcomb signature product).
Pickups
This pickup set is built for speed, melody, and percussive rhythm, in keeping with Holcomb's aggressive playing style. Moreover, they can handle a wide range of tones and styles, equally capable on both the rhythm and lead side of playing guitar.
Who is it ideal for?
We like it for recording because of the versatility and the high-end pickup set. Even if you aren't an exclusively heavy guitar player, Holcomb's PRS can handle almost any playing style you can throw at it.
Read more: Rhythm VS Lead guitar
3. Gibson Les Paul Studio
BEST FOR: Studio musicians and classic rock fans.
TONE
94
PICKUPS
90
VERSATILITY
90
COST/VALUE
85
- Looks fantastic
- Humbuckers sound great out of the box
- Carving is the real deal and looks great
- Can handle virtually any musical style
- No Gibson Burstbuckers?
The Studio version of the Les Paul was designed for recording artists, though can be used widely in a variety of musical situations. We like it for recording because of the Gibson-branded Alnico pickups (though we're disappointed they're not Burstbuckers) and the power of the Gibson name brand.
We'd argue that to be taken seriously as a session guitarist, you need to go the extra mile to get the Gibson brand name and not settle for an Epiphone Les Paul.
That's not to say there is anything wrong with Epiphone.
But if you walk into a recording studio with an actual Gibson Les Paul, your clout as a musician immediately goes up. The Studio makes this a lot more accessible with a very reasonable price point.
4. Ibanez JEM77 (Steve Vai Signature)
BEST FOR: Speedsters and heavy rock.
TONE
88
PICKUPS
94
VERSATILITY
80
COST/VALUE
80
- Pickups are a fantastic combination
- Ibanez necks always seem to play really fast
- Great on the melody and lead side
- Menacing aesthetics
- Edge Zero is a nice touch
- Not particularly versatile
The JEM77 by Ibanez is one of Steve Vai's (seemingly many) signature guitars. It gets you the name-brand pickups with two DiMarzio Gravity Storm Humbuckers and the DiMarzio Evolution single coil in the middle position. This gives you a lot of tone flexibility directly from the guitar, good for small tweaks and changes in the recording studio.
Though it's still primarily a speedster's guitar, especially with the added intensity of the Edge Zero locking tremolo system (modeled after the Floyd Rose bridge system). We recommend it for faster lead styles and those who are into heavier rock genres.
5. PRS DW CE 24 (Dusty Waring Signature)
BEST FOR: Pro-level players with serious recording gigs.
TONE
94
PICKUPS
91
VERSATILITY
94
COST/VALUE
86
- Mojotone humbuckers look and sound awesome
- Burnt amber with the light maple neck and black head stock nails the look
- Carving is back
- Floyd Rose locking tremolo is nice to have
- Expensive
The CE line is my favorite PRS series, and the Dusty Waring signature might be one of my favorites of that bunch. It boasts a Floyd Rose 1000 locking tremolo system and Mojotone Tomahawk humbuckers, making it an ideal fit for almost any modern guitar player's situation.
Tone is percussive but smooth and you'll have a ton of sustain to work with, even on cleaner settings.
For recording, it's one of the nicer - more expensive - guitars we can recommend.
Like the Gibson Les Paul Studio, it's a very serious instrument, ideal for pro players and those with more to work with in their budgets.
Brand/Reputation
While we don't really track this category with a grade, I always want to emphasize the importance of brand loyalty and reputation when I write articles like this. If you'll notice, we typically only recommend from a handful of brands that we've found to be really reliable.
Now, that doesn't mean there aren't other good brands out there, but it does mean we've found something that works for us and will keep recommending it to other folks. That's a simple example of brand loyalty and relying on guitars from companies with good reputations. Some of those companies would include the following:
- PRS
- Gibson
- Fender
- Schecter
- Ibanez
- Epiphone
Is it possible to shop outside of these brands and get a great guitar? Of course. At the same time, it's easier to stay consistent if we shop and recommend from just brands we trust.
Versatility
Versatility is a measure for how much a guitar can "migrate" to different musical genres and still be an effective instrument. While many of the guitars on this list lean towards a hard rock profile, they're also quite versatile and able to handle a wide range of styles, none more than the Dusty Waring PRS.
Questions about electric guitars and/or recording?
That concludes our list of the best electric guitars for recording.
Again, it's important to emphasize this is based on my own experience and research. It does not mean you can't find other guitars out there that are equally awesome or better, especially if you just wanted to spend more money.
But these are guitars that we believe give you great value for what you pay.
They've been vetted, tried, and found to be capable for recording and session gigs. That can help put you on the right track towards finding a guitar that works for your unique situation.
If you have questions about the guitars in this list or our review process, feel free to reach out via the comments section below and I'll do my best to help.
Related Electric Guitar Articles
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Electrics & Roundups
Written by Bobby Kittleberger on Electrics & Roundups
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