Worship music aims to motivate and promote introspection. While there isn’t a single guitar that is perfect for “praise and worship,” there are some that are more appropriate for any church’s approach to musical inspiration. Christian music nowadays is far more sophisticated and subtle, as heard in the songs of Bethel Music, Planetshakers, and of course, Hillsong. Along with joyful, overdriven tones, you’ll hear jangly strumming and light, ambient lines. That is to say, it is difficult to choose the best worship guitar.
As a result, we’ve concentrated on these three characteristics in our list of electric guitars we’d suggest for worship music: they need to look the part, have sparkling yet quiet cleans, and be adaptable enough to switch between softer tones and punchier ones. We chose guitars in a variety of pricing ranges, from entry-level bargains to top-tier masterpieces.
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Fender American Original 50s Stratocaster
- 6-string Solidbody Electric Guitar with Ash Body
- 3 Single-coil Pickups - White Blonde
- Maple Neck Fingerboard
The Fender Stratocaster is a great all-purpose guitar that works well in every circumstance. Fender guitars are among the most dependable, best-feeling, and best-sounding instruments available. A fender is something that everyone aspires to own, and for good reason—they are magnificent! Many guitar players adore them and consider them to be some of the most flexible guitars on the market.
For worship guitarists, we suggest the Fender Original Stratocaster line. These are roughly one-third less expensive than the Gretsch White Falcon mentioned above but are still constructed with similar levels of professionalism and quality. The three single-coil pickups, volume, tone, and selector switch on this instrument allow it to produce a wide range of tones. This guitar may be used in both lead and rhythm positions and is appropriate for all styles of worship music, ranging from thick and full to thin and piercing.
Fender guitars never have a cheap, unpolished, or unfinished feel to them. Whatever the circumstance, they simply function. We believe that these electric guitars make excellent worship instruments because of their diverse tones and cozy, familiar feels. A Fender Stratocaster is a symbol of success, whether it is bought on one’s own or is shared by several church members. Using one of these electric guitars demonstrates your professionalism because they are among the best in the business. It demonstrates how dedicated and serious you are to music.
Overall, the Fender Stratocaster is a great guitar for worship. These solid-body instruments are equipped with all the qualities and characteristics required to produce top-notch worship music. This is the Best Electric Guitar for Worship in 2023.
PRS Paul Reed Smith SE Custom 24 Electric Guitar with Gig Bag
- Maple Top with Maple Veneer, Mahogany Back, Wide Thin Maple Neck
- Rosewood Fretboard, Bird Inlays, 24 Frets, 25" Scale Length
- PRS Patented Tremolo Bridge, PRS Designed Tuners, Nickel Hardware
Paul Reed Smith guitars are rarely mentioned on our site, despite the fact that an outstanding list of musicians like the brand and they consistently receive the top rating in reviews.
This Custom 24 is part of PRS’s SE line, which is more reasonably priced and offers a high-quality selection of models without sinking you further into debt. With a tuning-stable tremolo bar for extra fun, the PRS SE Custom 24 can play everything from crisp rhythmic openers to gritty distorted power chords to soaring solo melodies. You can immediately tell it is a high-quality guitar when it touches your hands because it is so sturdy. Although the neck is narrow enough across the curve for blazing-fast solos, it is wide enough for powerful chording.
You may change your voice to match wherever your prasie band needs you with the 3-way selector switch and tone controls for both pickups, whether that’s adding subtle bass strength to clean progressions or going into overdrive for the bridge that wraps it all up. I can’t think of a single issue with this guitar, therefore if it’s within your price range, I have to suggest it as the best electric guitar for worship you can find.
Ibanez S521 S Series Electric Guitar Blackberry Sunburst
- Neck Type: Wizard III Maple neck
- Fretboard: Rosewood fretboard w/Off-set white dot inlay
- Fret: Jumbo Frets
Although the Ibanez S521 is adaptable enough to play in almost every genre, you’ll be especially happy with its treble-heavy rhythm skills for worship music. Open chords on the S521 sound like an angel choir when a little chorus effect is applied to a clean tone. You probably won’t be doing a lot of shredding unless you’re in a very out-of-the-ordinary rock praise band, but if the chance does come along, there’s no better neck than those made by Ibanez to let loose on. The S521’s Wizard III neck is a sleek, slim, super-fast design built of durable wood, perfect for speedy riffs or comfortable chord work in any style.
Without being too biased, I’ll say that I prefer heavier guitars for whatever reason having to do with the superior quality that the denser wood imparts. I’m not a huge admirer of this Ibanez’s light meranti body in this aspect. However, the S521 is light enough to alleviate fatigue while feeling robust enough to feel like a completely dependable axe whether you have a smaller build or simply don’t want several kilograms of wood weighing down your shoulders for hours at a time. With the help of these practical suggestions, you can further lessen playing tiredness.
Epiphone SG Special Electric Guitar
- Classic SG tone and styling
- LockTone Tune-O-Matic bridge
- Epiphone Humbuckers
Despite being the lowest ranked guitar on this list, I’ve seen several worship band guitarists using the Epiphone SG Special, from my own church band in my high school years to my friend’s current praise band in a West Virginia megachurch to worship services at Christian rock festivals and live-streamed praise music across the United States.
After watching School of Rock, I first fell in love with SG models, and ever since, they have been one of my favorite electric guitars. It can bring a tremendous lot of oomph and power to your band’s pre-chorus buildups, but it’s not something you want to employ to spotlight your group’s rhythm section.
The SG Special is a superb guitar for high end licks aside from its rhythm skills, with the upper frets never shrieking shrilly but rather soaring in like the pinpoint strike of a skydiving raptor. Want to learn how to solo on this guitar like a pro to get the most out of it? Visit this page to view our how-to solo guide.
The electronics on all Epiphone electric guitars are its greatest weakness; frequently, they just don’t last, causing you to experience pops and crackles when you adjust the tone knobs or, in the worst case scenario, completely disabling your pickups. Although it’s not a major issue without a solution, the cost of this guitar will increase if electronics repairs are required. But if you’re a musician on a tight budget, the Epiphone SG Special is one of your finest options for getting started without blowing your budget. This is the Best Electric Guitar for Church in 2023.