Who Makes The Best Guitars for Metal?

In the early days, guitar manufacturers all started in the same way. They all built guitars that were pretty similar, only to specialize more for certain genres as time went by. These days there is a clear distinction about who makes the best guitars for specific genres of music. Metal as a category of this classification is pretty saturated.

There are a number of brands that offer some pretty awesome guitars that will allow you to play some face melting riffs. They all earned that reputation through years and years of work and listening to what the market wanted. These brands know exactly what makes a great guitar for metal, which is also something you can learn more about here ‘What Makes a Good Guitar For Metal’.

If you are in the market for a metal guitar, you should definitely start from the brands that are known to make some of the best instruments in this segment. We are going to give you several names today, which we think are currently the best metal guitar brands in the world.

Ibanez

Ibanez is probably one of the few companies that really left a mark on metal music. Their instruments were wielded by some of the most popular metal wizards who showed us just how capable these guitars are. Ibanez was always on the very edge of guitar optimization for metal music. This is a trend that is still very much alive.

If you want a proven guitar that feels at home when you start shredding, Ibanez is the way to go. However, these guitars are not only limited to metal. Ibanez is known for delivering very versatile guitars that have a lot more potential in them. This is what makes them one of the greatest guitar manufacturers for metal music.

Schecter

In simple terms, Schecter is the new kid on the block. With that said, this company has made metal music their priority, which is painfully obvious as soon as you lay your eyes on one of their guitars. The sound of a Schecter guitar – even the more affordable ones – is impressive, to say the least. The only issue with some of their instruments is their niche nature.

Schecter’s own humbuckers which they install into their more affordable models don’t really have a lot of range. They will do metal, but not much more. However, if that is the only thing you want to play, Schecter is one company which can give you a great guitar for metal at really cheap prices. Their top end stuff is something completely different. These guitars feature more advanced electronics which is usually made by EMG or Seymour Duncan, and they are far more versatile.

Jackson

Jackson is another household name in the metal community. They have been around for a while, and their guitars are the first choice of many guitar players, young and old. Jackson guitars made in the United States are probably among the most versatile ones you can find today. The range these guitars offer is impressive, to say the least. Jackson’s more affordable stuff is pretty decent as well. You get the core experience which is what most people are looking for anyway. Along with Ibanez, Jackson is also a proven option you should definitely consider.

ESP

ESP is a Japanese company that started out by manufacturing a whole array of accessories for guitars. What got them where they are today is good reputation and willingness to try new things. They started building electric guitars somewhat recently, at least compared to the established brands in the industry, but it didn’t take long for ESP to reach worldwide success.

Today, their instruments can be found in hands of some of the most popular metal guitarists in the world. Much like Schecter, ESP installs their own electronics on more affordable guitars but turns to big brands such as EMG for their more expensive models. This allows them to deliver guitars that are impressive in all aspects that matter the most when it comes to metal music.

Gibson

Even though they are mostly associated with great rock and blues guitars, Gibson actually had a lot to do with where modern day metal guitars are right now. Their design, electronics, and pretty much everything else makes them a good choice for metal. This is exactly why you will find a whole bunch of Les Pauls and Explorers in the hands of a number of respected metal guitarists today. It goes without saying that Gibson is a bit more exclusive in terms of price. However, their guitars will give you the most versatile performance you could ask for.

Conclusion

These four brands are definitely not the only ones who make great guitars for metal. However, they are the best ones at the moment. You can walk into a store tomorrow and pick up the first guitar that has a logo of one of these brands on the headstock, and you would be pretty much set for metal music. Even the most affordable guitars these brands offer will get the job done. On the other hand, their more expensive models will give you the sonic experience like rarely anyone else can.

With all this stuff out of the way, feel free to check out our rundown of the Best Guitars for Metal Music on the market these days.