As your skills advance, you need to upgrade to a better guitar than the basic electric guitar you used when you began playing. Skillful guitarists are sensitive to the instrument they use. They are keener on the features and details than they were as beginners.
An intermediate guitarist becomes better at picking their next electric guitar as their skills get good. This means having a more professional eye for your next pick.
If you just graduated from the electric guitar beginner class and need the best electric guitar for intermediate, this review is here to guide you.
Best Electric Guitar for Intermediate
Fender Player Stratocaster
This Fender electric guitar has an alder body with a sleek gloss finish and a maple wood fretboard. This guitar is durable and awesome for intermediate players. The C-shape maple neck has comfortable contours and smooth finishes that make this guitar suitable for any style of playing.
This guitar’s alder body delivers a bright, resonant, and balanced tone. It also has pronounced sharp attack, pronounced upper mid-range, and excellent sustain. The guitar has a 9.5’’ radius neck which makes it possible for guitarists with fat fingers to express themselves musically.
In addition, this guitar has a classic fender tone that makes playing the guitar special and unique. The alnico pickups are impressive and sound like a strat. This guitar is travel-friendly for gigs and can stand the test of harsh weather.
Pros
- Beautiful gloss finish
- Balanced tone
- Wide neck
- Easy too store
- Great pickups
Cons
- No gig bag
PRS SE Custom 24-08 Electric Guitar
This guitar is made of the rarest, most durable materials. It is a good guitar for intermediate players who want to use one guitar for a long time. The guitar features mahogany wood, rosewood, and maple for the body and neck. It has a mahogany body with a maple top and a rosewood neck.
It has a 25’’ scale width neck and other old school guitar features like Old School Birds InlayDual TCI S Pickups with a volume knob, and 3-way Toggle Switch.
This guitar’s main strength is its versatility. If you are an intermediate player who wants to explore different music genres, this is the guitar for you. You can play anything with it and still shine. Also, this guitar accommodates both slender and big hands with its wide neck.
Pros
- Wide fret-space
- High-quality materials on the body and neck
- Wide neck
- Gig bag
Cons
- Dust in the guitar’s pick-up switch
Squier by Fender 50’s Telecaster – Maple
Squire by Fender 50’s telecaster is a butterscotch blonde guitar made of a maple wood neck and pine body. It features a vintage tint gloss finish on the neck. This guitar has 22 medium jumbo frets and a scale length of 25.5’’.
Besides the desirable aged look, this guitar has a C-shape neck that is easy to play. The guitar features original fender alnico pickups that deliver an authentic fender tone.
The vintage style bridge features a string through the body style to deliver optimal resonance. The guitar has solid stability and smooth action. This telecaster sounds great for various music genres.
If you are looking for a telecaster with a throwback look, this guitar is a good pick. The nickel-plated hardware perfects the throwback look.
Pros
- Unique butterscotch blonde look
- Great pick-ups
- C-shaped neck
- Throwback look
Cons
- The high E string is too close to the edge
Fender Player Telecaster HH
This telecaster has a modern C-shaped neck that is great for comfort when playing. The Fender Player Telecaster is made of alder on the body and features a maple neck. It has a unique blue color and a classical gloss finish.
The guitar has unique, authentic fender fat-sounding pickups. In addition, this guitar has bent-steel saddles that deliver precise intonation and great sustenance.
The alder body is not just durable, the alder wood maintains a perfect sharp attack, great resonant tone, pronounced upper mid-range, and desirable brightness. The maple neck has a smoothness that is ideal for all playing styles.
This guitar is hardy, and stress-free when it comes to guitar storage. It is also a good one for intermediate players who have started on guitar gigs.
Pros
- Beautiful finish
- It is durable
- Has great sustenance
- Ideal for traveling
- Has bent-steel saddles
Cons
- The intonation is a little off and needs set up
Buyer’s Guide for Best Electric Guitar for Intermediate
Playability
There are guitar features that enhance playability. Features such as a C-shape neck are good for intermediate players. Also, consider the width of the guitar neck especially if you have big hands or thick fingers. Wide-neck guitars are more suitable for fat fingers.
Guitar Materials
The materials used to make a guitar determine its durability of the guitar. The wood used on the body affects the tone of the guitar. The wood on the neck also influences the playability of the guitar. The best wood for an electric guitar is maple, mahogany, alder, and rosewood.
Budget
There are many electric guitar brands, and you can find a guitar for your budget. It is not a must for you to go beyond what you had a budget for to buy a high-quality electric guitar. It is better to go for a less-known brand with good features and affordable electric guitars than a popular expensive electric guitar brand.
FAQs
How Much Should One Spend On an Intermediate Electric Guitar?
You can get a good intermediate electric guitar for as low as $400. Your budget can go up to $1,000 for an intermediate electric guitar unless you want to buy a high-end electric guitar.
How Long Does It Take To Become An Intermediate Guitar Player?
With consistent practice of 30 minutes a day 5 days a week, it could take 4-5 months to become an intermediate guitarist.
Can Guitar Be Self-taught?
The guitar can be self-taught. Self-teaching saves money. However, it takes longer to learn guitar when self-teaching than it takes when you take guitar lessons.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does an intermediate guitar usually cost?
If you’ve already dipped your toes in the basics of guitar playing and you feel confident moving on to an intermediate level, then you might be considering upgrading your instrument. In terms of how much to spend, a good intermediate guitar will usually set you back somewhere between $500 and $1500. This price range is a step up from beginner guitars, as it offers a better build quality, tonal diversity and overall performance. Of course, how much you’re willing to fork out will ultimately depend on your individual budget and what specifically you’re looking for in a guitar. From personal experience, spending within this range helps to ensure that you’re investing in a quality instrument that fosters your growing skills.
Which electric guitars are the best for staying in tune?
Every guitarist, myself included, dreams of an instrument that stays perfectly in tune all the time. However, it’s not so much the brand or model of the guitar that makes it stay in tune the best, rather, the guitar’s setup is what really matters. If a guitar is properly set up – meaning it’s optimally adjusted to the player’s style – it will hold a tune remarkably well. One thing you can look out for are guitars with locking tuners, high-quality guitar nuts, a fixed bridge, or a locking tremolo system, as these specific features can enhance tuning stability. Take it from me, I once played a gig with a guitar that had a faulty bridge and it kept going out of tune – not fun!
What should I budget for an intermediate electric guitar?
The world of electric guitars is wide and varied, with prices to match. Beginners can find acceptable guitars for around $150-300, but for an intermediate level instrument, you should start to look at guitars that are in the range of $500-1000. If you’re feeling particularly flush or planning to turn professional, there are high-end custom shop models that can run into many thousands of dollars. Just remember, whatever your budget, make sure you love the look, the feel and most importantly the sound of your new electric guitar. As an experienced guitarist, I can tell you that the connection you have with your guitar can make all the difference in your playing.
What is a good versatile electric guitar?
Coming up next, I’ll be delving into the multifaceted realm of electric guitars, specifically which model is a standout for its all-around suitability.