When it comes to fast playing on the electric guitar, every millisecond counts.
Whether you’re shredding a blistering solo or playing lightning-fast riffs, having an instrument that can keep up with your speed and accuracy is crucial
But with so many electric guitars on the market, it can be tough to know where to start your search
From sleek and modern designs to tried-and-true classics, these guitars are sure to inspire you to push your playing to new heights. So grab your guitar pick and get ready to shred like never before!
Best Electric Guitars for Fast Playing Reviewed- Top Picks
Squier by Fender Bullet Mustang HH
This Fender guitar is made of poplar and basswood on the back and body. It is a lightweight guitar that makes it easy to play fast playing. The guitar is designed for guitarists who want comfort and versatility when playing.
The guitar features humbucking pickups that deliver a fat, high-output rock tone. The guitar plays fantastically. It is a good guitar for beginner players as well as intermediate players. It also comes at an affordable price and one does not have to dig deep into one pocket to buy it.
Another impressive thing about this guitar is how easy it is to make adjustments. The strings are easy to adjust and one can do it by themselves. If you have guitar gigs coming up, this guitar is easy to transport due to its lightweight.
Pros
- It is affordable
- Easy to adjust
- Produces a great sound
- It is light
Cons
- The action needs adjustments
ESP LTD KH-602 Signature Series
If you are a professional guitarist looking for an electric guitar for fast playing, this guitar is a good option.
It features alder wood, maple, and rosewood, making it a high-quality guitar with longevity. The guitar has a neck-through-body construction that enhances its unique design.
This guitar has commendable attention to detail, especially in its making. The tuners are well aligned and the trem cavity routing is amazing. The guitar is also perfectly painted and every fret has a straight edge.
This guitar is designed with a U-shaped neck. This helps the player to feel comfortable expressing themselves musically and when playing the guitar for a long. The guitar also has 24 extra-jumbo frets and Kirk Hammett’s skull-and-bones inlays making it a serious guitar for professional live performances and recordings.
The thinness of this guitar’s neck is suitable for shredding. The tone is perfect for metal solos and the sound clarity delivered by the guitar is excellent. The extra frets and the awesome pickups on this guitar make it easy to play cover songs for guitar professionals.
Pros
- Thin neck for playability
- It is flawless
- Has a great tone
- Amazing for pro guitarists
- U-shaped neck
Cons
- It is pricey
Ibanez RG550 RG Genesis Collection
This guitar has a desert yellow color that makes it stand out. It is made of basswood, oak, and maple. The guitar’s maple-walnut neck is suitable for fast playing and provides extra smooth playing.
The guitar delivers perfectly bright highs and strong upper mids. It also has an amazing and clear tone. The basswood makes this guitar light and comfortable for fast playing. The light basswood is durable and stands the test of time, storage, and humidity.
The fascinating thing about this guitar is the awesome Edge Tremolo Bridge. The bridge delivers great stability for tuning. It also makes it easy to play as it is comfortable. The tremolo also gives the player good tuning precision.
This guitar features exceptional fretwork from the box. The stock pickups are original and easy to play. Overall, this guitar is quite capable and is reliable for all levels of guitar players.
Pros
- Unique color
- Clear tone
- Awesome Tremolo
- Exceptional fretwork
- Great pickups
Cons
- It is expensive
Ibanez RG421AHM RG Series Electric Guitar
The Ibanez RG421AHM RG guitar is made of an ashwood body and is complemented by a maple fretboard. This guitar is durable and well-designed for fast playing.
This guitar has a thin neck that facilitates fast playing. The thin neck also enhances the guitarist’s comfort, especially for long guitar-playing sessions. This is a good guitar for the beginner and intermediate guitar players.
The guitar is not only easy to tune, but it also has incredible tune stability. Additionally, this guitar has a flawless finishing, and the paint is sleek and the guitar color is uniquely attractive. Another commendable feature of this guitar is the great sustain.
Pros
- Thin neck
- Awesome color
- It is affordable
- It is durable
- Great tone
- Amazing susteinance
Cons
- It is heavy
Buyer’s Guide: Important Factors to Consider
Thin Neck
A thin neck is more suitable for fast playing than a thicker neck. A thin neck will allow you to wrap your hand around for picking. If you have small hands, a thick neck is what is recommended for fast playing.
Guitar Materials
Guitar materials, especially wood, are what make the guitar light or heavy. For fast playing, the best materials for the guitar are light woods such as basswood. The guitar should be light to keep you comfortable when playing.
Budget
There are electric guitar options for all budgets. The best guitar for fast playing especially for beginners should be affordable. Professionals, however, can go for the more expensive models.
FAQs
Which Is the Hardest Guitar to Play?
The acoustic guitar with traditional steel strings is one of the hardest to play. The heavy gauge strings make it hard to play and sometimes fingers hurt after playing those strings.
Who Is the Fastest-Playing Guitarist?
John Taylor holds the Guinness Book of World Records title for the world’s fastest-playing guitarist.
Which Electric Guitars Are Easiest to Play?
Some of the easiest electric guitars to play are Epiphone Les Paul SL, Squier Bullet Mustang, and Hartwood Fifty6.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which electric guitars stay in tune the best?
There isn’t a definitive answer to this question, as staying in tune largely depends on how a guitar is set up. Nonetheless, you will find that certain features contribute significantly to a guitar’s ability to hold its tune. Time and again, I’ve seen how locking tuners, for instance, significantly improve a guitar’s tuning stability. This is due to their design which locks the string in place, eliminating slippage, a common cause of detuning.
A top-tier guitar nut also makes a huge difference. The nut can greatly influence the guitar’s tuning stability because its tightness or looseness can impact the guitar strings’ tension. I personally recommend a high-quality bone or TUSQ nut, as these are known to produce a consistent tone while maintaining excellent tuning stability due to their optimal density and hardness.
Lastly, let’s not discount the importance of the kind of bridge a guitar uses. A fixed bridge or a locking tremolo system, for example, is fantastic at keeping your guitar in tune. This is because these bridge types minimize movement at the bridge-end of the string, preventing the strings from slipping and going out of tune. In my early years of playing, I remember the frustration of dealing with tuning instability, and the moment I switched to a guitar with a fixed bridge, the difference was night and day.
What is the most well-rounded electric guitar?
This is definitely a matter of personal preference, but in my experience and the experiences of countless musicians I’ve interacted with, the Gibson Les Paul is often hailed as one of the most versatile electric guitars. The neutral body design is not only comfortable for varied playing styles but also contributes to its well-rounded sound.
The Gibson Les Paul is renowned for its tonal versatility which comes from its dual humbucker setup. The beauty of this setup is that the humbuckers can be used together or independently, giving a broad tonal palette that ranges from warm and thick to bright and cutting. This instrument has personally served me well in different musical settings, smoothly transitioning from jazz gigs to rock concerts. For anyone looking to invest in a single, all-around workhorse of a guitar, the Gibson Les Paul is definitely worthy of consideration. Check it out here.
What is the easiest electric guitar to play?
The easiest electric guitar to play is a subjective topic and might vary depending upon one’s comfort, playing style, and physiological factors like hand size. In my personal experience and observation, Fender’s Stratocaster is often celebrated as one of the easiest electric guitars to play. It isn’t just Fender’s marketing; I’ve witnessed how this model has helped my students progress more swiftly compared to others.
The ease of playing comes mainly from its comfortable C-shaped neck and contour body design, which fits nicely to the player’s body and allows easy access to all frets. The lightweight design also adds to the comfort and ease of playing, allowing even younger players to wield and navigate the instrument with relative ease. You can check out the Fender Stratocaster here.