Below are all of the top guitar brands that any beginner guitarist needs to know about...
Gibson/Epiphone Guitars
There's a chance that most beginners will have heard of Gibson guitars before. As the company responsible for various iconic shapes such as the Les Paul, the Explorer, the Flying V and the SG, every guitar that Gibson releases is a rock icon.
Epiphone are Gibson's cheaper arm, so you'll get the class of a Gibson, but without the big price. Epiphone are a great brand for beginners who want to avoid the 'cheap and nasty' areas.
Fender/Squire Guitars
Once again, the majority of people will have heard of Fender when discussing the top guitar brands. Responsible for the immortal legend that is the Stratocaster, as well as the classic workhorse Telecaster, Fenders have been played by everybody: David Gilmour, Eric Clapton and Keith Richards all spank Fenders to this day, and before he passed away, so did Jimi Hendrix.
As with Gibson, Fender supplies the Squire range - it's own, more budget model, once again ideal for beginners.
Yamaha Guitars
Yes, this is the same Yamaha that makes keyboards, drums, and more surprisingly motorbikes. Whatever their side projects may be, Yamaha are an ideal brand for beginners, offering versatility and real quality for the price. The Yamaha Pacifica has been a mainstay in the lower budget range for years, and with very good reason.
Vintage
Vintage have a bad rep amongst some more elitist guitarist due to their former reputation for cheapness. Well, anyone with any sense will now ignore this rep - Vintage have been overhauled, and now offer fantastic guitars for the price. Working with Trevor Wilkinson - a british guitar design GOD - has worked wonders for them. Also, they offer a wide variety of designs, so whether the buyer is after a stratocaster or a les paul, Vintage will provide an absolute bargain. The top guitar brand on a budget.
Schecter
Now moving into the darker side of the top guitar brands, Schecter have only recently started to garner attention, despite having been making guitars for years. Younger beginners who love their metal should definately take a look: Schecter are endorsed by such guitar heroes as Synster Gates from Avenged Sevenfold.
BC Rich
The brand for the generally evil death metaller. The list of bands that use/have used BC Rich include such anger pedallers as Slipknot, Slayer, Soulfly, Trivium and Death. Any beginners primarily concerned with making an infernal, devil-worshipping noise should apply here.
Jackson
Another metal icon, initially due to the Ozzy wonder-shredder Randy Rhodes, Jackson has gone on to be the weapon of choice for numerous modern bands, including Machine Head, Children of Bodom and Bullet For My Valentine. Specialising in Flying V guitars, any beginner who wants a statement should go for a Jackson.
Ibanez
This one is incredibly simple: if a guitarist wants to shred, he gets an Ibanez. Anyone wanting to get up on those high strings and widdle them around, the screaming leads leaping right out of the amp and into the knickers of the girls on the front row, needs one of these axes. Every notable shredder has played an Ibanez at some point: Paul Gilbert, John Petrucci, Joe Satriani and Mick Thompson to name but three.
ESP Guitars
Two words: James Hetfield. Two more words: Dave Mustaine. Both of these two metal legends have kicked ass on an ESP guitar. Hetfield still does. Anyone who wants the crushing metal tone, with insane playability should wonder down to their local ESP dealer and pick up one of these monsters.
PRS Guitars
Sometimes, a guitarist needs class, sophistication and beauty. Well, on those days when Beyonce just isn't available, a PRS guitar will do the job. These axes simply ooze class. Any beginner with cash to flash simply needs to get one of these. Sure, anyone can blow £100 on a piece of wood with strings, but a PRS is a lifetime purchase that will outlast anyone who treats it with respect. The top guitar brand in the world. Beautiful.
Overall, whatever choice a budding guitarist takes, sticking to the above top guitar brands means they can't go far wrong!
Shaun Edwards - Shaun Edwards graduated from the University of Essex, UK with a BA in Creative Writing. SInce then he worked for a variety of different ...
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