Highest steel guitars 2024: shreddable six, seven, and 8 strings

There are a couple of other the most important elements that move into making the most efficient steel guitars. Top-output humbuckers for chunky tones, fast-playing necks for fast licks, and a cultured that shall we your target audience know precisely what they’re in for prior to you hit a unmarried observe all play an element in creating a guitar actually large for steel.

Taking part in steel can require you to hide numerous sonic flooring from standard-tuning thrash riffs all the way through to the bottom depths of drop-E-tuned deathcore. That’s numerous bases to hide so we’ve used our two decades of enjoy gambling in heavy bands to select the best steel machines to be had nowadays, it doesn’t matter what your most well-liked genre.

In the event you’re a burgeoning metalhead, we’d extremely suggest testing our purchaser’s recommendation segment, which options lots of helpful wisdom and commonplace questions spoke back through the mavens right here at Guitar Global. If you understand your Floyd Rose out of your Fishman Fluence, then stay on scrolling for our best choices…

Jonathan Horsley has been writing about guitars since 2005, gambling them since 1990, and continuously contributes to publications together with Guitar Global, MusicRadar and Overall Guitar. He makes use of Jazz III nylon choices, 10s right through the week, 9s on the weekend, and shamefully nonetheless struggles with rhythm determine one in all Van Halen’s Panama.

Highest steel guitars: Fast record

Wish to get to the great things with out scrolling by way of partitions of textual content? Smartly right here you’ll be able to in finding our favourite steel guitars with hyperlinks to learn extra if you want.

Highest versatility

The ESP LTD EC-1000 is likely one of the maximum commonplace guitars at the steel gigging circuit, combining playability with tonal versatility to hide just about any genre of steel you’ll be able to call to mind.

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Highest for shred

In case you are searching to play rapid-fire shred licks, the Ibanez RG550 is likely one of the fastest-playing guitars cash should purchase. A flexible pickup configuration approach it may well duvet numerous flooring too.

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Highest 7-string

3. PRS SE Mark Holcomb SVN

This flexible 7-string guitar has numerous heft for low-tuned riffing, however nonetheless sounds large blank. The PRS SE Mark Holcomb SVN is an incredible selection for revolutionary steel gamers.

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Highest 8-string

For the bottom of low tunings, the Jackson X Sequence Soloist Arch Most sensible SLAT8 combines completely satisfied ergonomics and speedy playability, with tones that can shake foundations.

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Highest baritone

In the event you just like the sound of low tunings however do not need to fiddle with more strings, the Chapman ML-1 Baritone will give you unbelievable playability with solid drop tunings.

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Highest price range

In case you are on the lookout for a guitar that allows you to get heavy with out spending lots of money, the Ibanez RGA42FM will hit the mark with its very good playability and great-sounding pickups.

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Highest for versatility

(Symbol credit score: ESP)

A heavyweight singlecut riff-machine with humbucker tones from all eras

Specs

Frame: Mahogany

Neck: Mahogany, set-thru

Scale: 24.75″

Fingerboard: Ebony w/pearloid flag inlay

Frets: 24

Pickups: 2x Fishman Fluence Trendy humbuckers in bridge and neck

Controls: 2 x quantity, 1 x grasp tone (push/pull coil-split), 3-way toggle pickup transfer

{Hardware}: TonePros Locking Song-O-Matic Bridge with Stopbar Tailpiece

Left-handed: No

End: Violet Andromeda

Causes to shop for+

Extremely well-balanced

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Fishman Trendy Fluence humbuckers are the bomb

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Maintain for days

Causes to avoid-

You need one thing pointy-er

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have an ideal worth all-rounder: There is a explanation why you spot heavy bands the use of the EC-1000 so ceaselessly. It is flexible, well-built, and very good worth for cash.
❌ Keep away from if you wish to have a shred guitar: As it is extra normal in its design, it is not the fastest-playing or sleekest guitar in the market.

With Fishman’s Trendy Fluence humbuckers, ESP/LTD’s flagship unmarried lower can carry out steel of all eras. The switching is all very state of the art, with push/pull coil-split for single-coil tones and sufficient firepower so as to add severe weight in your riffs.

The Song-O-Matic bridge gives a fuss-free efficiency, numerous maintain, and a cast platform on your punishing right-hand assault, however we wouldn’t need you to think about this just for rhythm. 

The skinny-U neck is a phenomenal profile for lightning leads, with the extra-jumbo frets and 13.8” radius offering us a very easy journey as much as the highest finish of the fretboard right through trying out, the place you’ll discover a smartly sculpted heel. Oh, and the end is unbelievable. It’s known as Violet Andromeda and appears other relying on how the sunshine hits it.

Learn the entire ESP LTD EC-1000 overview

Highest for shred

(Symbol credit score: Ibanez)

2. Ibanez RG550

The unique, and nonetheless probably the most very best shred guitars you’ll be able to purchase

Specs

Frame: Basswood

Neck: 5pc Maple/Walnut

Scale: 25.5″

Fingerboard: Maple

Frets: 24, jumbo

Pickups: Ibanez V8 bridge pickup, Ibanez S1 center pickup, Ibanez V7 neck pickup

Controls: 1 x grasp quantity, 1 x grasp tone, 5-way blade pickup transfer

{Hardware}: Ibanez Edge bridge with locking nut

Left-handed: Sure

End: Street Flare Crimson, Pink Neon, Desolate tract Solar Yellow

Causes to shop for+

Extremely-fast neck

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Flexible pickups

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Tremendous cool finishes

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have a fast-playing neck: The RG550 options the thinnest neck Ibanez gives, making it the very best platform for shredding.
❌ Keep away from if you wish to have drop tuning: With its common scale period it’s going to deal with right down to drop-C however anything else less than that and you would be at an advantage with an extended-range guitar.

The unique shred guitar is, in our opinion, nonetheless probably the most very best you’ll be able to purchase. The Ibanez RG550 is the very best mix of affordability, playability, and tonal versatility to hide a lot of kinds of steel. It’s been round because the 80s and remains to be widespread nowadays for just right explanation why.

It options Ibanez’s thinnest neck profile within the Tremendous Wizard, with a 5-piece Maple/Walnut development. It’s ridiculously speedy gambling and definitely begs for legato runs and sweep-picking from the instant you pick out it up. 24 jumbo frets make sure the ones wild bends sound large too.

It additionally has an overly flexible HSH pickup configuration, so can duvet numerous sonic flooring. We adore that the bridge humbucker is Alnico while the neck humbucker is Ceramic, which additional provides to the variability of tones you’ll be able to coax from it. The Alnico unmarried coil within the center function provides any other taste of tone to this good steel guitar.

Highest 7-string

(Symbol credit score: Long term/Matt McCracken)

A flexible 7-string that remains heavy however covers numerous flooring

Specs

Frame: Mahogany

Neck: Maple

Scale: 26.5″

Fingerboard: Ebony

Frets: 24

Pickups: 1x Seymour Duncan Scourge Humbucker (bridge), 1x Seymour Duncan Scarlet Humbucker (neck)

Controls: 1 x quantity, 1 x tone (push/push coil-tap), 3-way blade pickup transfer

{Hardware}: PRS String-through Plate Taste

Left-handed: No

End: Holcomb Blue Burst

Causes to shop for+

Tremendous flexible pickups

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Nice worth for cash

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Flat fretboard for quick gambling

Causes to avoid-

Pickups are not as sizzling as you’ll be expecting

At a Look

✅ Purchase when you like prog steel: With its flexible pickups and prolonged differ, the Holcomb SVN is best for prog-metallers who want heavy riffs with just right cleans.
❌ Keep away from when you like excessive output pickups: The pickups in this guitar are much less sizzling than you’ll be expecting, in particular the neck, so keep away from when you favor a extra intense sound.

As one-third of Outer edge’s 3 guitar attack, Mark Holcomb without a doubt is aware of a factor or two about drop-tuned riffing. His signature PRS SE Mark Holcomb SVN is solely as flexible as Mark’s personal gambling is, providing you with savage downtuned distorted riffs along crystal transparent cleans.

With a Seymour Duncan Scourge within the bridge and Seymour Duncan Scarlet within the neck, you’ve were given an incredibly flexible set of pickups that are not rather as ‘sizzling’ as you’ll be expecting from a steel guitar. The bridge is competitive sounding, however the neck pickup delivers very good blank tones with the addition of a push/pull coil cut up to provide you with much more choices.

The longer scale period will take some being used to when you’ve by no means performed one prior to, and for the ones with smaller palms, the primary 5 frets may just finally end up feeling monstrous. PRS’s neck profile may be reasonably other from different guitars, however we discovered it ultra-comfortable right here, every now and then forgetting we had been gambling a guitar with an additional string!

Learn our complete PRS SE Mark Holcomb SVN overview

Highest 8-string

(Symbol credit score: Jackson)

4. Jackson X Sequence Soloist Arch Most sensible SLAT8 Multi-Scale

A playable 8-string guitar for the private chugs

Specs

Frame: Poplar

Neck: Maple

Scale: 26″ – 28″ Multi-Scale (660 mm – 711 mm)

Fingerboard: Laurel

Frets: 24

Pickups: 2x EMG 909

Controls: Quantity, Tone, 3-position toggle transfer

{Hardware}: Staggered Particular person Saddles bridge, Jackson Sealed Die-Solid tuning machines

Left-handed: No

End: Gloss Black

Causes to shop for+

Tremendous speedy multi-scale fretboard

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Articulate EMG pickups

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Via neck with graphite reinforcement

Causes to avoid-

Multi-scale is bizarre in the beginning

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have ultra-low tunings: With a multi-scale fretboard and eight strings, you’ll be able to take the Jackson SLAT8 right down to drop-E if you wish to have.
❌ Keep away from if you wish to have simple playability: 8-string guitars are already tricky to grasp and that’s the reason prior to you consider the multi-scale fretboard.

In the event you’re on the lookout for the Mariana Trench of steel guitar tunings, then the Jackson X Sequence Soloist Arch Most sensible SLAT8 is ready as little as it will get. Ergonomically designed to account for 2 strings greater than your common guitar, this behemoth of steel tone is best for excessive steel, djent, and shred.

Jackson’s necks have all the time been eminently playable and this guitar is not any other. In spite of the most obvious width distinction, it nonetheless feels actually great and skinny. The opposite obtrusive distinction is the multi-scale fretboard, which runs 26” at the treble aspect however 28” at the bass aspect. It takes some being used to, however no longer up to you’d suppose.

Two tough (and gigantic) EMG 909s provide the earth-shattering tone you’d be expecting from a guitar of this ilk. There’s numerous readability and articulation right here even whilst you get started drop-tuning the guitar, with lots of energy within the midrange making sure that issues get low, however by no means muddy.

Highest baritone

(Symbol credit score: Chapman)

5. Chapman ML1 Baritone

An excellent baritone that delivers very good worth for cash

Specs

Frame: Mahogany with Poplar Burl Veneer

Neck: Maple

Scale: 28″

Fingerboard: Maccasar Ebony

Frets: 24

Pickups: 1x Seymour Duncan Sentient (Neck), 1x Seymour Duncan Pegasus

Controls: Grasp Quantity, Grasp Tone with Push-Pull

{Hardware}: Chapman String-Via Hardtail

Left-handed: No

End: Lightning Typhoon Gloss, Rainstorm, Typhoon Burst

Causes to shop for+

Low tuning with out more strings

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Lengthy scale assists in keeping issues tight

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Flexible sounding pickups

Causes to avoid-

Scale period takes some being used to

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have low tunings with six-string playability: This baritone gets you right down to drop-E with the proper strings, while maintaining the ones acquainted scale patterns and chord shapes.
❌ Keep away from if you have got small palms: With a 28-inch scale, attaining from the first worry to the fifth will really feel large in this guitar and takes some being used to.

In the event you’re on the lookout for the nasty low finish of steel guitar with no need to faff round with multi-scale and extended-range guitars, then a baritone may well be your only option. The Chapman ML1 Baritone gets you great chunky riffing and speedy leads, while nonetheless permitting you to play open chords when you wish to have to.

We’ve owned an ML1 for a few years now, and the lengthy scale unquestionably takes some being used to. For gamers with smaller palms, the ones first 5 frets will really feel monstrous, however if you get used to it, this guitar will get actually inspiring. You’ll be able to nonetheless play your whole customary chords and scales from a six-string, simply pitched down for added heaviness.

The pickups are voiced in revolutionary steel territory, this means that you’ll be able to get the ones tight djent-style chugs while nonetheless maintaining a fantastic blank voice. A push-pull at the tone knob opens up a coil-split possibility, which additional provides to the flexible tonality. Upload in a suite of locking tuners and also you’ve were given your self a flexible and dependable gigging guitar.

Highest price range possibility

(Symbol credit score: Ibanez)

6. Ibanez Same old RGA42FM

One of the most very best steel guitars for budget-friendly pace

Specs

Frame: Meranti with flame maple best

Neck: Maple, bolt-on

Scale: 25.5″

Fingerboard: Jatoba

Frets: 24

Pickups: 2x Ibanez Quantum humbuckers (neck and bridge)

Controls: 1 x grasp quantity, 1 x grasp tone, 5-way blade pickup transfer

{Hardware}: F106 hard-tail bridge

Left-handed: Sure

End: Clear Grey Flat, Dragon Eye Burst Flat, Blue Lagoon Burst Flat

Causes to shop for+

Vintage RG design with ergonomic cutaways

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Very good end possible choices

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A just right candidate for modding

Causes to avoid-

Jatoba is ok, however we’d like some rosewood

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have a steel guitar on the cheap: The RGA42FM is exceptional worth for cash, making it best for amateur gamers or those that desire a dependable backup.
❌ Keep away from if you wish to have flexible tones: The price range pickups right here do an ideal activity on steel tones, however they do not have as a lot intensity as different, costlier fashions.

Ibanez’s RG sequence was once introduced in 1987 and with sharp horns, considerate frame contouring, and being a trying out flooring for the super-svelte Wizard neck profiles, it speedy cemented itself as probably the most international’s favourite S-styles. 

You’ll be able to in finding the RG in any respect costs however the stripped-down type could be very financially available. It has a fast Wizard III maple neck, measuring simply 19mm thick on the first worry and handiest 21mm on the twelfth. 

Ok, it doesn’t have a Floyd Rose tremolo, the hard-tail layout is a superb solid platform, best for aspiring shredders who don’t but need to fear about spending time adjusting their bridge. The 5-way blade selector gives a large sweep of humbucker and split-coil tones.

Extra choices…

In the event you did not in finding what you had been on the lookout for above, do not be disturbed there are nonetheless lots of large steel guitars in the market. Listed here are some extra of our favorites:

(Symbol credit score: Jackson)

A excessive efficiency shred mechanical device that is great flexible

Specs

Frame: Alder

Neck: 3-piece Maple

Scale: 25.5″

Fingerboard: Ebony

Frets: 24

Pickups: Seymour Duncan JB TB-4, Seymour Duncan Flat Strat SSL-6 RWRP Unmarried-Coil, Seymour Duncan Flat Strat SSL-6 Unmarried-Coil

Controls: Quantity, tone, 5-way selector

{Hardware}: Floyd Rose 1500 Sequence double-locking tremolo

Left-handed: No

End: Gloss Black, Slime Inexperienced, Platinum Pearl, Riviera Blue

Causes to shop for+

Extremely-fast playability

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Flexible HSS layout

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USA construct high quality

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have ultra-fast playability: With its ultra-rigid neck and flat fingerboard profile, the Soloist SL3 is best for shred licks.
❌ Keep away from in case you are on the cheap: This device is made in the United States and contours Seymour Duncan pickups, so comes with an important price ticket connected to it.

The Jackson American Sequence Soloist SL3 is a top rate guitar for steel that performs as speedy because it appears. That includes a bunch of top rate options plus high quality USA-made craftsmanship it’s no longer only for shredders both, with a pickup configuration that makes it extra flexible than you’d suppose.

With a Seymour Duncan JB within the bridge function, it comes as no marvel to seek out this guitar excels at distorted guitar tones. It delivers very good maintain and a full-bodied tone, that can straight away make you wish to have to shred. In spite of this, you’ll be able to nonetheless get some beautiful Strat-esque sounds from the only coil pickups, with numerous spanky tones if you wish to have them.

The neck in this guitar is joyous due to its ultra-rigidity and flat radius. Graphite shafts flank the truss rod offering a very good gambling platform without a trace of motion from the neck. The Floyd Rose feels great and cast with corrosion-resistant bolts that make sure the device will stay working completely for years and years.

Learn the entire Jackson American Sequence Soloist SL3 overview 

(Symbol credit score: Harley Benton)

8. Harley Benton EX-84 Trendy EMG

Vintage steel pickups in a vintage steel frame form

Specs

Frame: Mahogany

Neck: Mahogany, set

Scale: 24.72”

Fingerboard: Ebony

Frets: 22

Pickups: Lively EMG81 (bridge) and EMG60 (neck)

Controls: 1 x grasp quantity, 1 x grasp tone, 3-way pickup transfer

{Hardware}: WSC Song-O-Matic bridge, Jinho JN-03 mechanical device heads

Left-handed: Sure

End: Black, White

Causes to shop for+

Vintage pickup configuration

+

Cool frame form

+

Nice worth

Causes to avoid-

No longer too extensively to be had

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have an ideal worth steel guitar: Harley Benton guitars price quite little and this Explorer-inspired guitar is not any other.
❌ Keep away from in case you are no longer in the United Kingdom/EU: You could in finding you incur pricey transport charges in case you are purchasing this guitar outdoor of the United Kingdom or EU.

That is Harley Benton’s tackle probably the most quintessential steel guitars. The frame form is pointy sufficient to get you spotted, however no longer such a lot that you just pose a chance in your band participants when on degree. To be had in black or white, it’s a undying glance that screams steel.

It’s fitted with pickups that may be heard on quite a lot of steel data through the years – EMGs. The EMG81 is a vintage bridge pickup and gives punchy, transparent, and outlined tones that sound large paired with distortion. The EMG61 within the neck function is somewhat smoother and works actually properly on blank tones, or for solos. The controls are great easy and received’t get to your method – one quantity and one tone.

Harley Benton is understood for providing gamers large worth for cash, and that is no exception. It’s probably the most very best steel guitars you’ll be able to get at this worth level, particularly with those pickups. 

(Symbol credit score: Fender)

A slab of off-set mahogany + new signature EMGs = threat

Specs

Frame: Mahogany

Neck: Maple

Scale: 25.5″

Fingerboard: Ebony

Frets: 24

Pickups: 2x EMG Jim Root Signature Daemonum Open-coil Lively Humbuckers (neck and bridge)

Controls: 1 x grasp quantity, 3-way blade pickup transfer

{Hardware}: 6-saddle string-through hard-tail

Left-handed: No

End: Polar White

Causes to shop for+

As a result of Jazzmasters are cool

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The ones pickups are severe

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You don’t want to be a Maggot to dig it

Causes to avoid-

As a result of Jazzmaster our bodies can also be unwieldy (to a couple)

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have a conventional guitar geared for steel: With its normal Jazzmaster frame, at the floor this guitar appears very normal, however the ones pickups are in a position to unleashing right kind steel tones.
❌ Keep away from when you like extra versatility: It is a easy guitar with only a grasp quantity knob and three-way pickup selector, so won’t swimsuit those that like flexible guitars.

Jim Root has all the time appreciated to take a vintage Fender design and power it up for battle. What he has performed together with his new Jazzmaster is like taking an previous station wagon and becoming a surface-to-air missile launcher at the hood. 

Right here we’re coping with a non-traditional and heavier-weighted mahogany frame. The controls had been pared right down to the necessities, together with a three-way blade transfer opting for between his energetic EMG Daemonum pickups or each, with just a grasp quantity and no tone. 

The result’s a guitar this is Jazzmaster in profile handiest, a retro-profiled offset with a voice that has a extra cast low-end, with vivid mids and highs that actually start to sing as soon as the achieve is previous two o’clock.

Learn the entire Fender Jim Root Jazzmaster V4 overview

(Symbol credit score: Long term)

A supercharged tackle a vintage steel guitar

Specs

Frame: Mahogany w/ AAA flame maple veneer

Neck: Mahogany, set

Scale: 24.72″

Fingerboard: Ebony

Frets: 22

Pickups: 2x Fluence tradition voiced humbuckers

Controls: 1 x quantity w/ push-pull, 1 x grasp tone w/ push-pull, 3-way toggle

{Hardware}: LockTone Song-O-Matic Bridge with LockTone prevent bar, Grover Rotomatic locking tuners

Left-handed: No

End: Yellow Tiger Elderly Gloss, Black Elderly Gloss

Causes to shop for+

To be had finishes are shocking

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Fishman Fluence humbuckers are flexible

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Construct high quality impressively excessive 

Causes to avoid-

Lively pickups aren’t everybody’s cup of tea 

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have a steel guitar for reside presentations: Flying V guitars are supposed to be performed on degree, so in case you are a continuously gigging participant this can be a large guitar for you.
❌ Keep away from in case you are a bed room participant: In spite of searching so rattling cool, V-shaped guitars are completely impractical for enjoying sitting down at house.

Epiphone’s Prophecy differ of guitars drags vintage designs kicking and screaming into the twenty first century – and scream they do. The Prophecy Flying V is, merely put, a complete monster. Specifications-wise, it’s overflowing with high-end accouterments, from the asymmetrical neck profile to the delicate Fishman Fluence custom-voiced humbuckers. 

You’ll realize the push-pull quantity and tone pots don’t have the usual ‘coil-split’ serve as of maximum different guitars. That’s due to the Fluence humbuckers being simply that bit cleverer than maximum, toggling between a high-output trendy humbucker and a vintage Burstbucker/PAF-style voicing. Relating to steel, this guitar can duvet nearly any genre you’ll be able to throw at it – we found out right through our trying out that it may well do stunning cleans, too.

To be honest, we’d have appreciated the choice of a Prophecy type with a couple of passive humbuckers like Epiphone has performed with previous fashions, however we actually can’t whinge. You get so much on your cash with this Flying V. 

View the entire Epiphone Prophecy Flying V overview

(Symbol credit score: Jackson)

11. Jackson X Sequence Rhoads RRX24

A pointy take at the V with energetic Seymour Duncan humbuckers

Specs

Frame: Basswood

Neck: Maple

Scale: 25.5″

Fingerboard: Indian laurel with black shark-fin inlay

Frets: 24

Pickups: 2x Seymour Duncan Blackout AHB-1 humbuckers (neck and bridge)

Controls: 2 x quantity, 1 x grasp tone, 3-way blade pickup transfer

{Hardware}: Floyd Rose Particular Double-locking Tremolo, Jackson die-cast tuners

Left-handed: No

End: Gloss Black, choices come with Black with Neon Inexperienced or Neon Red Bevels, Crimson with Black Bevels ($30 approx more)

Causes to shop for+

Completely spec’d for steel

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Searing tones, best for high-gain

+

Nice maintain

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have a extra trendy ‘V’ guitar: The RRX24 could be very a lot a contemporary steel guitar with its all-black design, energetic pickups, and locking tremolo.
❌ Keep away from if you wish to play sitting down: As with every ‘V’ guitars, they are predominantly designed to be performed status up.

There were numerous variations of Jackson’s über-pointy Randy Rhoads V through the years however this X Sequence Rhoads – new for 2020 – may simply skewer the dragon on the subject of worth and on-message genre.

It’s black-on-black, with a opposite six-in-line headstock for extra steel issues. It is advisable pay $30-odd dollars extra and get one with Neon Red or Neon Inexperienced bevels if you wish to have some colour. It’s a super-aggressive silhouette however has been round lengthy sufficient to be a vintage.

However the important thing here’s its playability. We discovered right through trying out that whilst it is not large whilst seated, it is superior status up. It’s most often shreddable with the twin energetic pickups from Seymour Duncan offering a super-hot efficiency that can ship the products big-style. And there’s a Floyd.

(Symbol credit score: Schecter)

12. Schecter Omen-8

The most productive steel guitar for eight-strings on the cheap

Specs

Frame: Basswood

Neck: Maple

Scale: 26.5″

Fingerboard: Rosewood

Frets: 24

Pickups: 2x Diamond Plus Ceramic Humbuckers

Controls: 1 x quantity, 1 x tone, 3-way pickup selector

{Hardware}: 15:1 tuners, Customized-8 hardtail

Left-handed: No

End: Walnut Satin

Causes to shop for+

Nice worth for an eight-string

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High quality construct

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Sound playability and tones

Causes to avoid-

Lively pickups would seal the deal

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have an ideal worth 8-string: Prolonged-range guitars can get beautiful dear, however this providing from Schecter is exceptional worth for cash.
❌ Keep away from when you like energetic pickups: A large number of guitar gamers favor energetic pickups with 7 and 8-string guitars. Those are ceramic that are excessive output, however no longer up to EMGs or Fishman Fluence.

As soon as upon a time, it will price you the GDP of a G7 nation as a way to have the funds for an eight-string electrical, and right here we’re – and now you’ll get some trade out of 500 greenbacks. Schecter has actually taken to the extended-range marketplace, and when you received’t mistake the Omen-8 for one in all their high-end fashions this can be a helluva lot of guitar for the cost.

When gambling the Omen-8, we discovered that the neck is welcoming, and with a suite of high-ratio 15:1 Schecter tuners, the Omen-8 is beautiful darn solid too. The burden feels ok, too. And the construct high quality and end are what you could be expecting from Schecter.

Whilst you may want energetic pickups on an eight-string, simply to stay the hum down whilst turning string vibration right into a buzzsaw, those overwound passive humbuckers (roughly harking back to the underrated EMG-HZ) have tons of gnarly output.

(Symbol credit score: Charvel)

Flatten a town with this tone monster…

Specs

Frame: Mahogany

Neck: Mahogany

Scale: 25.5″

Fingerboard: Ebony with pearloid block inlay

Frets: 22

Pickups: DiMarzio Joe Duplantier Signature Fortitude humbucker (bridge), DiMarzio PAF thirty sixth Anniversary humbucker (neck)

Controls: 1 x grasp quantity, 3-way toggle pickup transfer

{Hardware}:

Left-handed: No

End: Herbal Mahogany

Causes to shop for+

A great-smart replace at the T-style electrical

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Fantastic pickups

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Generally Charvel, it’s a pleasure to play

Causes to avoid-

Too conservative for some rivet-heads

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have a steel guitar with a conventional design: At the face of it, this signature Charvel appears a lot more like a conventional Telecaster than the steel mechanical device it actually is.
❌ Keep away from when you just like the steel aesthetic: Conversely in case you are into spiky shapes and a none-more-black ethos, this almost definitely would possibly not do the activity for you.

The evolution of the Gojira riff-master’s signature San Dimas Taste 2 continues apace, and this one, unveiled at NAMM 2020, is the classiest-looking but. The black guard is sweet, too, particularly if in case you have moseyed on over right here from the use of a ‘50s Telecaster and need to music down and bang some heads.

The playability is unbelievable. Charvel is the unique sizzling rodder, and we discovered, right through trying out, that the 12-16” fingerboard radius throughout its newer fashions is supremely completely satisfied for fretting chords and sweeping up arpeggios alike. There’s a Charvel Pace Form profile that’s joined to the frame with a four-bolt heel.

But it surely’s the pickups that experience were given us actually offered in this. Duplantier’s signature DiMarzio is the warmer of the 2, best for articulating down-tuned riffs which are saturated in achieve, whilst the PAF thirty sixth Anniversary shoots for the Holy Grail of ’59 Les Paul tones.

Learn the entire Charvel Professional-Mod Joe Duplantier San Dimas Taste 2 overview

(Symbol credit score: Long term)

14. EVH Wolfgang Same old

Make it shreddable however adorable

Specs

Frame: Basswood

Neck: Roasted maple

Scale: 25.5″

Fingerboard: Roasted maple

Frets: 22

Pickups: 2x Direct Mount Wolfgang humbuckers (neck and bridge)

Controls:

{Hardware}: grasp quantity, grasp tone, 3-way toggle pickup transfer

Left-handed: No

End: Matte Military Drab, Taxi Cab Yellow, Cream White, Gloss Black, Neon Orange, Slime Inexperienced, Quicksilver

Causes to shop for+

Cool new finishes

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Tremendous-playable and large worth

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Every other amusing candidate for hot-rodding

Causes to avoid-

Perhaps no longer steel sufficient for some

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have a fast-playing guitar: Bearing the identify of probably the most godfathers of shred guitar, the Wolfgang options an ultra-playable neck.
❌ Keep away from when you like downtuning: This guitar is unquestionably geared extra in opposition to vintage steel kinds quite than the heavy chugs of recent steel.

If you’re on the lookout for probably the most very best reasonably priced steel guitars and need to keep away from anything else too necro- and pointed, then the up to date EVH Wolfgang Same old Sequence is a lovely secure wager. It will possibly duvet a lot of kinds, however after all, with Mr Van Halen’s initials at the headstock, you’ll be able to be certain it performs great and fast.

Right here we’ve were given a basswood frame and a bolt-on roasted maple neck, an en style 12”-16” compound radius fingerboard, and in the long run there’s something ergonomically slight and inviting concerning the Wolfgang that made it very tough for us to place down right through our trying out.

It has an EVH-branded Floyd Rose Particular double-locking tremolo for hitting harmonics and divebombing them, and two slightly sizzling Wolfgang humbuckers that are supposed to stand the topsy-turvy international of steel. 

(Symbol credit score: ESP)

15. ESP LTD Stephen Wood worker Signature SC-607 Baritone

One of the most very best steel guitars for shedding some low-end thunder

Specs

Frame: Mahogany

Neck: Maple, neck-through

Scale: 27″

Fingerboard: Macassar ebony

Frets: 24

Pickups: 2x Fishman SRC Fluence Humbuckers (bridge and center)

Controls: 1 x grasp quantity (push/pull coil-split), 1 x grasp tone, 3-way blade pickup transfer

{Hardware}: LTD locking tuners, TonePros Locking Song-O-Matic bridge with string-through frame

Left-handed: No

Causes to shop for+

The most suitable choice for invading your bassist’s frequency differ

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Flexible tones, however super-hot output for max-gain riffing

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Opposite ESP headstock could be very cool

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have low tunings with large playability: The mix of baritone scale and an additional string makes this signature ESP best for contemporary steel gamers.
❌ Keep away from when you like a neck pickup: There is not any neck pickup in this guitar, which some gamers may really feel limits them on the subject of to be had tones.

ESP’s long-standing collaboration with the Deftones’ Steph Wood worker has produced one of the vital maximum state-of-the-art designs in steel guitars. Wood worker would almost definitely withstand the time period “steel guitar” as a result of his sound is so a lot more, however this SC-607 may simply be the most suitable choice for down-tuned riffers.

There is not any neck pickup, as a substitute, the 2 SRC Fluence Humbuckers are in bridge and center positions. They each have push-pull purposes to modify up their voicings between energetic and passive.

All through trying out, we liked the neck-through development and skinny U-profile at the three-piece maple neck. No worry markers both – which appears stealthy and epic. Include the minimalism, worry a chord, and brace for have an effect on…

(Symbol credit score: Fender)

One of the most very best choice steel guitars for gamers in the hunt for one thing as opposed to humbuckers

Specs

Frame: Poplar

Neck: Maple

Scale: 27”

Fingerboard: Indian Laurel

Frets: 22

Pickups: 2x Fender Designed Alnico Soapbar Unmarried-Coil

Controls: 1 x quantity, 1 x tone, 3-way toggle pickup transfer

{Hardware}: Chrome, 6-Saddle Strings-Via-Frame Hardtail Bridge

Left-handed: No

End: Sunburst, Surf Inexperienced

Causes to shop for+

Growly soapbar pickups

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Great choice to humbuckers

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Fats low finish

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Vintage Tele glance

Causes to avoid-

Too trebly and twangy for some

At a Look

✅ Purchase if you wish to have an ideal worth baritone: It’ll seem like a vintage Telecaster, however it may well maximum unquestionably djent with the extra metal-looking guitars in the market, and it is extraordinary worth for cash.
❌ Keep away from when you like energetic pickups: This Squier options two soapbar pickups, that are beautiful a long way from the energetic pickups you in most cases in finding in trendy steel guitars. 

A quite unsuspecting possibility for the most efficient steel guitar, nevertheless it works. The soapbar pickups may no longer dish out the similar type of saturation as a couple of energetic humbuckers, however they’ve were given a actually great growl and mid-range bump that is helping them lower by way of a combination. They distort properly, plus they duvet a variety of various tones. In the event you’re one for bringing in blank breaks and intros, then this guitar is perfect. 

The 27” scale is helping cater for the B to B tuning as traditional and actually is helping ship some wall-rumbling low finish. It’s large for serving up huge, mean-sounding riffs. Plus, with Squier’s large construct high quality and reasonably priced pricing, you get so much on your cash. The Tele may be a vintage frame form and is simple to play in any scenario!

Learn the entire Squier Paranormal Baritone Cabronita Telecaster overview

Highest steel guitars: Purchasing recommendation

(Symbol credit score: Long term)

Selecting the most efficient steel guitar for you’re going to imply asking of yourself some questions, to determine what you wish to have from it. When you don’t essentially want any specific form of guitar to play steel, there are some options to seem out for that can assist you for your method.

Do I desire a particular steel guitar to play steel?

Opposite to widespread trust, no – you do not want a particular steel guitar to play steel. Having a guitar that is as much as the activity unquestionably is helping you reach the loopy achieve tones you might be after, however you don’t want any particular form of guitar to do that. Every so often, single-coil pickups sound killer in a steel environment. It is all about experimenting with tones and seeing what you prefer. 

However, for that super-heavy, drowning-in-gain tones you’re after, probably the most very best steel guitars is designed particularly to make your existence more straightforward. The {hardware}, electronics, necks, fingerboards, and our bodies are all constructed particularly to attract out the most efficient steel tones imaginable from that guitar – and who doesn’t need a purpose-built shred mechanical device?

What are the most efficient manufacturers for steel guitars?

Maximum guitar manufacturers make tools specced out for steel, however there are unquestionably a couple of company favorites that you just’ll see onstage extra ceaselessly than others. ESP, Schecter, Ibanez, and Jackson are those that spring straight away to thoughts. Taking part in steel calls for so much out of your device and those manufacturers all make some epic high-output axes that can play speedy and can help you get heavy.

So why don’t huge manufacturers like Fender and Gibson make steel guitars? We reckon it’s as a result of they each personal sub-brands the place they are able to higher marketplace axes catered in opposition to the steel participant. Fender owns Jackson and Charvel, who each make lots of excessive, pointy-shaped guitars, while Gibson has each Epiphone and Kramer the place they are able to manufacture tools for steel.

Are 7-string or 8-string guitars higher for steel track?

All of it relies on what you wish to have to play actually. In the event you’re into extra normal types of steel like thrash, heavy steel, energy steel, or hair steel then a six-string device will most likely do the activity for you. You’ll be able to music it down if you wish to get heavier, nevertheless it’s no longer a must have as you’ll most likely be gambling nearer to straightforward tuning.

In the event you’re into extra trendy metalcore, djent, or revolutionary steel, then an extended-range 7-string guitar or 8-string guitar is unquestionably the right way to move. It will give you that great low finish and those guitars typically function longer scale lengths to take care of decrease tunings. You additionally get the ‘common’ differ of a guitar, however it’s going to take some being used to due to the additional string.

In the event you’d love to stay the playability of an ordinary six-string however nonetheless need to music low, then you will have a take a look at the most efficient baritone guitars. Those guitars function an extended scale however stay the six strings, so you’ll be able to nonetheless play open chords as you can on an ordinary guitar, however in a miles decrease tuning. 

Which pickups do I would like in my steel guitar?

Top-output humbuckers will do the activity properly as a result of you’ll want to have numerous achieve and harmonic pleasure to get the ones actually loopy tones. Pickup producers corresponding to EMG specialise in energetic pickups, that are powered through a number of 9V batteries to your guitar – that means that their output is sky excessive, and their tone is extremely actual – making them one of the vital very best pickups for steel.

Corporations corresponding to DiMarzio, Seymour Duncan, and Naked Knuckle specialise in passive pickups, that have a reasonably decrease output and don’t want any more energy assets to perform. They ceaselessly sound somewhat extra natural and vintage, however nonetheless create sufficient noise to boil blood. Lots of the very best steel guitars can be provided with one thing from those producers.

(Symbol credit score: Long term)

What’s the distinction between energetic and passive pickups?

A large number of guitars in this record will function energetic pickups, because of the affiliation between steel and high-gain tones. Lively pickups require an out of doors energy supply (typically a 9V battery) and have a tendency to compress your sound extra, large for advanced riffing performed actually speedy. Lively pickups also are very quiet, which is once more helpful when gambling with excessive achieve.

On a passive pickup when you roll down your quantity knob, you’ll in finding that you just get much less overdrive and a hotter tone because the excessive frequencies are rolled off – equipped it’s no longer fitted with a treble bleed package. For some guitarists, this can be a fascinating trait, because it means that you can heat up your guitar sound with out going over in your amplifier. Lively pickups don’t do that then again, they have a tendency to retain just about the similar frequencies by way of the entire differ of the amount knob. 

Us guitarists aren’t large at trade, and despite the fact that from a technical viewpoint an energetic pickup is best, numerous ‘tone purists’ don’t like energetic pickups as a result of they aren’t as reactive. It’s very best you check out each out for your self and notice what you prefer, however gamers like Dave Gilmour and Steve Lukather each have guitars with energetic pickups, so they are able to’t be all that dangerous!

What’s the very best tuning for steel?

A large number of steel options down-tuning. Common tuning is E-E which is ok for some steel gamers, then again, some love to music one, or all six in their strings decrease. A reasonably longer scale period can lend a hand with tuning balance when you’re tuning method right down to round C or B. Baritone guitars is usually a just right possibility as they have got a for much longer scale period – typically round 27”, and feature an ordinary tuning of B-B.

Probably the most very best steel guitars have extra strings. 7 or even 8-string guitars supply a much broader frequency differ. You’ve nonetheless were given the excessive finish along with your best strings, permitting you extra space to solo but if you wish to have that earth-shattering low finish, you’ve were given it at your disposal with an extra low string.

Does guitar frame form subject?

Imagine it or no longer, there’s no legislation that states all steel must be performed on a sharp guitar. In fact, a guitar that may double as a weapon provides to the steel aesthetic however, they don’t all the time make for completely satisfied tools whilst you’re sat down. So, when you do numerous your riff writing at house, sat down prior to you’re taking it to the practice session room, then you could need to search for one thing with a frame form that permits for that. 

Every so often although, simplicity can do the activity; a black guitar with a regular frame form can also be simply as steel as a sharp V – it’s all right down to the participant!

Must I make a selection a hardtail or locking trem?

When searching at a variety of steel guitars, you once more want to consider which kinds of steel you wish to have to play, and your general gambling genre. 

Are you a rhythm guitarist who wishes one thing great cast and dependable? If that’s the case, a hardtail is almost definitely the bridge to move for, because the strings received’t be capable of slip out of music as simply as they might when you had a tremolo. Both a string-thru or tune-o-matic genre bridge setup would paintings right for you.

In the event you’re extra of a lead participant who loves doing dive-bombs and loopy trem-based results, then one thing with a locking Floyd-Rose genre tremolo device must be your go-to. A locking trem stops your strings from slipping out of music, through – you guessed it – locking the strings on the nut.

Learn extra about our ranking device, how we make a selection the tools we supply, and precisely how we check every product. 

How we make a selection the most efficient steel guitars

At Guitar Global, we aren’t simply writers; we are faithful metalheads with a wealth of reside and studio enjoy. Our strategy of settling on the most efficient steel guitars comes to a meticulous exam of tonal aggression, playability, construct high quality, and price for cash. Carefully examined throughout quite a lot of steel genres, our suggestions meet the calls for of that the majority discerning form of guitarist; the metalhead.

Precision and tool outline the steel style, and our variety mirrors this ethos. We might by no means suggest one thing that we would not use ourselves, and having performed in lots of steel bands through the years, we all know what is anticipated of a correctly just right steel guitar.

Whether or not you are a amateur or a seasoned shredder, the goods on this information will duvet a spectrum of steel guitars, from reasonably priced choices to extended-range tools. Each and every advice has earned its position by way of rigorous trying out, making sure it aligns with the uncompromising requirements of the steel style.

You’ll be able to believe Guitar Global

Our knowledgeable reviewers spend hours trying out and evaluating guitar merchandise so you’ll be able to make a selection the right for you. In finding out extra about how we check.

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