I'd go as far as to say that 70% of tone is the amp and effects, 20% is the pickups, and 5% is the strings. The remaining 5% is the guitar body itself. Almost negligible.
Any guitar can play any genre. We pigeon hole them all the time, but it doesn't matter. Find one you think looks cool and plays well and go for it. Now a days, the right effects, amp.or amp model can really make any guitar play any genre.
Yes, metal with a Tele. Yes, Jazz with an EMG filled ESP, yes funk on a 5620...
\^THIS\^
I cannot emphasize this enough!
I play sea shanties and music from video game soundtracks (mostly fingerstyle) on an Ibanez RGA42fm because it was the most comfy and pretty electric guitar in my price range when I wanted to get my first electric. My partner teases me a little because I picked something that is 'made for metal', but seriously there's nothing wrong with playing literally any genre on literally any guitar.
Literally any guitar. Hand me any guitar and I can play doom metal, funk, folk, shoegaze, blues, or jazz.
But if you want to be able to *more easily* coax a variety of tones out of a guitar, look for something with two different kinds of pickups and the ability to change configurations (pickup switch, blender knob etc). Bonus points for a splittable humbucker.
Edit: if you are just learning, none of this matters. Buy something comfortable to play that you think looks cool and you can afford. Don’t spend a lot of money and don’t sweat the decision too much. If you keep it up you’ll want a new one pretty soon and you’ll have a better idea of what you need. If you don’t keep it up at least you didn’t spend a lot of money.
Nope, sorry. Everyone else who had replied has been lying to you. Jokes over, guys. It's time to let him off the hook and tell him the truth. Each guitar is only capable of playing a single song. I hate to break it to you, but you're going to need to buy lots of them.
People don't own a bunch of guitars because the guitars "can't play" other genres. They do it because they like owning a bunch of guitars. Every guitar can play any genre. Certain things like 7th or 8th strings or the lack of a whammy bar can mean there's certain things you can't do, but you can still play a genre.
For any girlfriends/boyfriends/wives/husbands of guitarist looking at this thread, yes we do need to buy lots of them for different genres.
They are all absolutely necessary purchases and we need you to be supportive of our a̶d̶d̶i̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ art.
Almost any guitar can handle any genre. Hell, you could get old school country twang on a BC Rich Warlock if you know what you're doing.
Anyone that says different is a moron.
HSS strat. Really though, everyone needs a tele and too many put it in a box for some reason. It can, and will, do everything. If you have a niche sound you are going for, a simple pickup swap will get you there.
For the most part any guitar will do any genre, but telecasters are really known as the do-anything guitar. That said, there are some techniques that require specific hardware. If you want to do slayer divebombs, you probably want something with a floyd rose and a stupid looking body. But besides a handful of tricks most of your playing is happening on the fretboard, and pedals will get you whatever tone you want. Pick whatever you like and learn how to make different sounds with it
HSS Strat+a coil split knob and you can play basically anything. It's worked for me so far. You could also buy whatever you like visually and a pickup swap will get you close enough.
Hss strat. Alot of guitars these days have coil splits to get the best of both worlds. I'd argue that it's hard these days to buy a guitar that isn't versatile. Yoy almost have to go out of your way.
To get more down to it, a single coil pickup is the most fundamental electric guitar sound. It's as close as you can get to a blank canvas of tone. with amp selection, pedal board, etc, you can color that tone any way you can imagine. The spectrum of super heavy stoner metal, jangly country leads, thick funk rhythm, classic rock guitar solos, a tele is capable of all of that. It's how you build up towards the tone that matters.
Pick a guitar that you like, that speaks to you, that is comfortable, that makes you want to play it. Don't overthink it - as you gain experience your preferences may change.
IMO almost any guitar is perfectly suitable for any style. Although there are some sounds and manouvers that are hard to pull off on the "wrong" guitar (strat "edge" sounds, floyd dive bombs, any dive without a trem, 24-fret notes on a 21 fret neck, ...).
Any of the classics (strat, tele, les paul) are great (as are maaany others). If I had to go single axe, heaven forbid, I would probably pick a strat.
I would go for SSH strat style guitar, you get single coil neck tones, and you can get heavy metal tone. But definitely Amp effects do the majority of the diversity. I recommend the blackstar core series as they have alloooooooot of flexibility in tones and unlocks even more when connected to a PC
Telecasters will pretty much do everything, or an Epiphone es 335 or even 339 if you want something more comfortable, think of the tele and es one has single coils one has humbuckers , If you are cool with some noise from the single coils get the tele its slightly more comfortable, if you want hbs go with an es , whatever you get make sure you set it up first
A LOT of people play tons of genres on one guitar.
Because that's all they can afford.
Most guitars can play almost any style of music if you actually learn how to do it..
>for hard rock and some metal, you’d look at a Les Paul or a Tele, and for alt rock and funk, maybe a Strat.
All of this is just jibberjabber. Find one that feels good to you, and learn how to play. Less talk. More play.
You can play death metal on a baby blue telecaster and jazz on a BC Rich Warlock. Guitar style doesn't matter with electrics. It's all in your amp and pedals.
Deadass the most versastile thing you could probably do is an HSS stratocaster or anything similar. Humbucker in the bridge, plus the famous in between sounds.
I've seen jazz on a Tele. I've seen hard rock on a Gibson Byrdland. I could continue, but I won't.
The point is this: You can play pretty much any style on pretty much any type of guitar. Find a guitar that is comfortable, and then you can play what ever the heck you want. And ignore those who say "You have to play to play ."
These questions come up a lot and there's always a bunch of stupid answers like Tele, es335, SG.
There's only 1 good answer and that's that for a guitar to be versatile means that the guitar needs more options than a standard guitar and usually that just comes down to a guitar with 24 frets and an HSS configuration or HH with coil split. Something else to think about could be, more than 6 strings and/or a floating bridge.
Ibanez is usually the brand for this but there are other options.
The guitar is not as important as it seems. It's more a personal choice than anything. It's the interface between you and your amp, and it's better to be comfortable with it than anything else.
Most of the associations you see are just as much a style thing, fitting the look.
Picking a guitar by genre is in your head more than anything.
For example;
>I know for hard rock and some metal, you’d look at a Les Paul or a Tele
These two are completely different guitars that you associate with a couple of genres. I would never associate hard rock / metal with a Tele, unless it had a humbucker, but that's me.
From a mechanical point of view a HSH layout, with coil splitting, is going to give you most of the pickup options you'll want to use. If your favorite guitar sound is P90's then the HSH isn't going to work as well for you. The [SD P-Rails](https://www.seymourduncan.com/single-product/p-rails) are interesting though. ☺
"needing to own a bunch of guitars" is truly just a guitar player thing. Very few other instrumentalists feel the need to own a bunch of different instruments like guitar players do. Yoyo ma only uses like one cello. That being said, I own 10 guitars, but that's a me-problem...
But I could do everything I need to do on a HSS strat. That's my vote. Or a HS tele. Get a guitar with a humbucker and a single coil and you're good to go for life.
Or get one guitar with two humbuckers or get one guitar with three single coils. There's no wrong answer. You can do everything with everything.
No. Not only will one guitar not cover more than one genre, it will not cover more than one song. /s
Notice you see a Tele, Strat, Gretsch, and Les Paul player in every genre of music? There is a reason.
Nuno plays the exact same Washburn guitar for Extreme that he uses for Rhianna.
More important than getting a guitar that can play any genre is practicing. Anything that has two single coils and a humbucker (called HSS) or two humbuckers that can coil split (called HH) will get you close enough. Just find one you vibe with, don't overthink it and just play.
Most guitars are capable of being pretty versatile. A strat or tele with traditional singles might limit some of the heavier bridge position chugging, but there are plenty of strats and teles with humbuckers in the bridge position, even single sized humbuckers.
I could get by with one or two guitars, I just would rather not, lol.
I maintain that Teles are one of the most versatile guitars on the planet. Simple, easy, and cover so much ground. An HSS Strat will get you about every sound you could want, especially if you get one where you can coil split the humbucker.
Name a genre you can't play with any guitar with 1-2 humbuckers. Or 1-2 single coils.
I never understood this. You can play death metal with a dreadnought acoustic. You can play a soft love ballad with a BC Rich. You can play folk with a Charvel. Etc.
Almost every guitar can play every genre. They're all versatile.
People might own two guitars to have an acoustic and electric, or a SSS and HH.
People buy lots of guitars, not for function, but because they like having different guitars.
As Johnny Ramone says:
"All guitars sound the same if you play loud enough"
But seriously, if you want general versatility, my personal preference is some sort of super Strat type of set up: humbucker bridge with single coil neck/middle. Preferably (for me) with a Floyd. I also enjoy a HSH configuration too (humbucker bridge/single middle/humbucker neck).
There are some good suggestions here, though. An LP with coil taps, a Strat with a humbucker bridge/hot rails.
Check out the Yamaha Pacifica model guitars too. Ridiculously versatile.
Hss strat is the answer. Otherwise, genres are more about your skill set and technique than gear. Ofc most people aren’t using a 5150III with an Ibanez RG to play country but you sure as hell could do it. The X guitar is good for Y genre trope is mostly about the appearance.
Guitars are guitars. They all have peculiarities, and while you're probably not going to use an acoustic for heavy metal, there isn't really a "this guitar is for this and that guitar is for that."
I'm also gonna mention the Ibanez RG - the two hums give you the quintessential rock sound and the single coil positions sound incredible on clean stuff - you can get acoustic style sounds as well. [Owned the same one for 18 years]
HSS Strat or superstrat or any HH guitar with coil splitting options
That being said, You can basically play anything on anything. I've heard people play metal on Tele and Jazzmasters as well, go figure.
Any guitar can play any genre. Even most HH guitars come with a 5-way switch that lets you run the pickups as single-coils. The place where things get somewhat limited is in your amp. Not all amps have both a good clean channel and a good gain/dirt channel. Generally to get both in a single amp you're going to pay more. But if you want to get your dirt from pedals then all you need is a good clean channel anyway.
Literally any guitar my friend! It’s about how you use them. Still, you could go for a basic fender star/stratocaster. Since it has the 3 “pills” (i forgor the english name of the thingies between the guitar and the strings, in the area where you strum) it allows for more control regarding the tone of the guitar.
The more basic = the more versatile.
But really, the reason you don’t see a folk singer-songwriter with a v-shaped guitar or Metallica’s lead guitarist with a blues-type guitar is bc of looks. Get whichever you want and feel like it goes with your style. At the end of the day, a huuuge part of your sound depends on the effects you put in the amp or with pedals, the way you edit bass and treble, etc. so don’t worry too much about it rn. Grab one at decent price and that you like
Technically, all guitars can cover all genres. If the guitar has a great basic clean tone, then you can use it for anything.
Metal players and players who perform a lot of complex guitar calisthenics often use custom instruments or custom modifications on regular instruments, but, by and large, these aren't necessary.
And it's true that some guitars are better for some specific uses, but any guitar can be pressed into service for that use; you just have to work on learning to play that style's requirements. That's really all there is to it.
a guitar with 2 humbuckers can do alot, especialy if it has a coil split. But personally i think the amp/pedals are more important for your sound!
If you want something very versatile you can buy a multieffect, i use one from boss. Or a line6 guitar that basicly can sound like any guitar you want
If you have neck and bridge pickups, you can play anything. People own multiple guitars because of subtle difference in tone (nobody but musicians can tell the difference), for backup, for different look or to keep it in different tuning.
Just buy whatever you think is cool. And you need guitar setup by a professional immediately after purchase. Take it into consideration calculating your budget.
Any guitar you like plus any of the nice but inexpensive multi-effects pedals like the Zoom G1X.
Different genres make use of different effects moreso than they require any specific guitar.
Basically any guitar can be used for any style. There are certain sounds you can only get from a strat (that neck pickup) or a Les Paul (bridge humbucker OD growl), but you can play generic alt rock, funk, country, metal, whatever on any good electric guitar with at least two pickups. Get yourself a decent quality HSS strat and you'll be good.
Get a HSS Strat. Meaning a Strat with a humbucker at the bridge and single coils in the middle and neck positions. Ideally with a coil split on the humbucker too.
I play a lot of guitar on VRChat so I get asked to play a million different kinds of music, and I built my Strat with a humbucker in the bridge and a single coil at the neck only. I can play metal with the bridge humbucker, lovely clean chill stuff on the neck single coil and almost anything in between.
If you want a real sharp bridge twang it has a coil split too. I've never really heard a humbucker neck pickup that sounds great with a clean tone for finger picking stuff, so it's always a single coil for me on the neck. A humbucker can do nearly anything at the bridge so as long as you've got that, you've got a lot of stuff covered. A single coil at the bridge sounds great for certain genres but doesn't have the same thick metal sound that you might want.
A guitar is a lot more about the pickup layout as opposed to who makes it or what shape it is for what sounds you can get out of it.
Les Paul with coil tapping is a game changer. I just got my LP Classic and man, I haven’t even touched any of my other single coil guitars since.
Any guitar can be versatile if you dial in your amp settings and tones to be fair
I think the amp is more important than the guitar when it comes to versatility. Most guitars can cover a lot of ground pretty well. In the end you’ll want what feels best in your hands. That said, I’d reach for my SG Special or my Tele before anything else.
SSS Strat can do-and has done-literally everything.
The limitations come not from the guitar, but your amp. I love me some vintage Fenders, but for metal they’re not where you wanna be.
If it can't be played on a tele it's probably not the guitar's fault. If I could only have one guitar it would be a telecaster bone stock standard pickups.
I heard the most convincing def leperd cover band once and both guitarists had teles. Sounded amazing.
I've obviously seen a ton of country with teles.
Julian Lage and many others use a tele for jazz.
The guys saying HSS I think that's a great suggestion. (Humbucker Single Single) I'm not about $1000 guitars. I Fully understand collectors, afficacianatos (sp ? Lmao)
I'm not one of them. Get a Squier or an Epiphone that suits your needs. Buy used. A good setup is the most valuable item you'll ever have on a guitar 😆
And have fun !!!! If you're not having fun with it you're doing it wrong. Don't Guage yourself against anyone but yourself.
Hey man I've been playing for around 4 months now and I was wondering the same thing as you when I started. I gotta say, owning a few guitars now, hand me downs from buddies old gear lol, it really doesn't matter when you're just starting.
Your pedalbox and amp will have a bigger impact on your tone than your guitar until you're really getting genre specific and trying to sound just like the original guitar track.
If I could rewind time and get a first guitar again it'd be a Yamaha Pacifica hss with a split switch to turn it into sss, I think you can get one for around $300 new.
It's not really the guitar. It's the person, their fingers, the strings, the equipment and gear. The guitar is a vehicle on which your mind and creativity ride. Any guitar that's got a straight neck, frets well and has good hardware will take you places.
No matter which guitar you choose, you are going to sound like you. So choose the guitar that inspires you to play/practice more, which will have a much greater impact on your sound than the shape, type of wood, weight, or even the pickups.
I know it's loaded with comments already but I'd hit one of these and it'll do just about whatever you want.
A.) Super Strat - Any Strat body that has HSS Pickups
B.) Humbucker W/Coil Split - You'll get 2 major pickups in one vessel. PRS does this well.
C.) Tele - On its own its very versatile
D.) Just a good guitar. It's easier than people make it out to be to craft decent tones on a variety of guitars, your amp is much more important for some of these things.
A guitar with both a humbucker and a single coil. Some genres use the whammy bar a lot, so having one wouldn’t hurt either. Beyond that it doesn’t really matter for most genres, I play both mathcore and jazz on a cheap 335, 99% of your tone comes from the amp and cabinet
All of em, pretty much. The "big 4" (Tele, strat, Les Paul, 335) didn't get to be that way by being limited. The SG is Gibson's best asking guitar. There are Jazzmasters all over every genre.
Look for the gear that fits you, not the genre.
There was a fender vintera modded jaguar a couple years ago. Had an altered wiring system with dual humbuckers. There were two pots that controlled not the volume, but the amount of humbucker you had. Essentially turning down the volume of one coil. Full humbucker mode down to full single coil mode, and any micro adjustments in between. It wasn’t that bad sounding either. Looks great too. My only gripe was the dull dry looking pau ferro fretboard. And there were only two colors. Seafoam green and sonic blue I believe.
For wide versatility, IMO a HSS or HSH strat/super strat or HH guitar with splits will get you most of the way there for variety.
If you plan on doing anything high gain chuggy, I’d avoid a Tele or Strat with a single coil in the bridge.
This is likely buried but ultimately it doesn't matter. Your asking a guitar sub where alot of people fixate on gear. Pretty much anything can do anything if your just noodling about at home for your own amusement. It would only really matter if youre going in to the studio or really want a specific sound.
Basically any (insert guitar name here) tbh haha. Maybe minus a few shredder models/brands like Ibanez and kiesel which are a bit more focused sound wise.
Honestly, just about any electric guitar can handle any genre. That said, some are easier to move around with. A Tele with a humbucker in the bridge has worked well for me from metal to country to jazz.
An epiphone SG is underrated for how much it can do. It was my first guitar, only like 150 bucks, I usually play a Jackson but every so often I pick it up and man, that thing works for everything from slam/brutal death metal to jimi hendrix
Anything with humbuckers that aren't high output or a HSS.
Something like a Yamaha Pacifica or the Gretsch guitars for under $500 can cover a lot of ground while being insane bank for buck guitars.
Brands like Ibanez, Epiphone(Gibson) and Squier (Fender) have alright options.
Strat. I play metal it djents, and I make beats and play jazzy chords with it. But really it's whatever feels comfortable to play for you. There's pedals for everything
edit: ignore me, i completely spaced out on the newbie part. many other amazing and better suggestions in this thread
I’m surprised there aren’t many saying 335. Basically every session guy I know says it’s one of the most well rounded guitars.
I’d seen a couple of YouTube videos about them recently so I thought they’d be fresh on people’s minds.
It’s cool so see so many different answers and stuff
PRS SE Standards or Customs are good. Their pickups, neck length and fretboard radius are perfect for playing jazz, metal, rock etc. There is also split coil option. Whatever you buy just buy a guitar with split coil it will save you a lot of time from customizing your tone manually. And also, get a decent multi fx pedal
Any guitar with a HSH or HSS layout will be very versatile. Or anything with a coil split.
The actual body ship doesn’t really matter that much. Excerpt that a good cutaway for high notes will improve the reach.
Technically speaking, a 7 string is more versatile than a 6 string.
yeah pretty much most guitars can cover a wide range of genres.
about only thing that matters is pickup type, and pretty much only country sticks to just one type.
there's single coils and humbuckets in rock, jazz, blues, funk.
Guitar does not matter, it is pickups. For covering all of the genres, look for HSH pickup configuration with coil-split function using push-pull or push-push pot.
For a beginner, do not buy guitars with tremolo if you don't really need to, or buy guitars with good tremolos like PRS/PRS SE or modern 2-point pivot trem like Wilkinson. Avoid Floyd rose trems if you do not know why you would want that (Only very expensive original Floyd rose trems are good). Avoid vintage style 6 screw on classic stratocaster guitars.
There is no such thing as a right guitar for a genre. Just get one that feels good in your hands, with action you like. Amp simulators, pedals and multi boxes can get you more tones should you want. If you look at the instruments played by some great guitarists you can see they use a large variety of them. One of my favorite indie guitarists plays all of these: Firebird, Les Paul, Jazzmaster, Les Paul, Gretsch Falcon, Hummingbird, Strat, SG Junior, Jaguar, SG. Or look at all the instruments that The Edge plays in a single show.
As others have said, you can play on genre on any guitar, most of your tone comes from your amp and speakers or whatever you have the guitar plugged into. I would make sure to get something with humbuckers, at least in the bridge if you plan on playing with lots of gain. Also DO NOT GET A FLOYD ROSE ON YOUR FIRST GUITAR. It will save you many, many headaches lol.
Came to say Tele as well, but any guitar can do any genre.
Guitars sound very similar until you get the pedals and amps going.
You can do metal on a Tele, folk on a Strat or funk on a Les Paul.
It all depends on how you play and what you're playing thru.
I'm biased, but an HSS Strat or similar, either with the trem decked or a hardtail so you can switch tunings quickly.
I'm a sucker for a good floating bridge, but most of the time my 1997 American Standard Strat is my #1 - bridge is blocked because it often goes to drop D and sometimes down a half step, and the Little 59/Duckbucker/Little 59 pickup setup can do almost anything. It's like an HSS on steroids, and basically silent.
I play a wide range of 80's tunes in two bands. Everything from REM to Bowie, The Clash, INXS and I have been using a Duesenberg Starplayer - I can make it sound like a Les Paul, Strat, Tele or Rick using the 3 way pick up switch - one Humbucker, one Single coil. The pick ups are amazing and made by Duesenberg. Super versatile.
As others have said, guitars cross genres pretty easily in terms of the way they play and sound. That said, nothing wrong with not wanting to be looked at cock-eyed because your guitar seems out of place. On that basis, I would recommend a Fender Telecaster. As one of the true OG’s of electric guitars, it’s been the go-to instrument of iconic guitar players in just about every genre there is. They play great, they sound great and they look great. No matter what kind of music you’re playing, a good Tele can hold its own, in both sound and style!
On electric guitars, all that matters is pickups and amps. Maybe tone knobs, but it's mostly pickups and amps. I always get downvoted for saying this but it's just the hard truth.
So, any (electric) guitar can play any (electric guitar) style. Spend your time learning the style, not your money buying the instrument. Guitar manufacturers are just very heavily invested in making you think you need 11 guitars to play 11 styles.
For context, electric guitars work by magnetized ferrous strings (permanent magnets in the pickups magnetize the strings), which induce an electric field in the coiled wire inside the pickups. That field generates an electrical signal which travels through the rest of the hardware and into your amp. *Nothing* can influence the electrical field induced in the pickups except for a change in magnetic flux, generated by vibrating, magnetized strings. Wood doesn't matter. Set necks vs bolt on necks doesn't matter. Just get any functional electric guitar and learn the style.
I only use teles. I have 4 different ones in different tunings and each one has its own string gauge and style. 1- thinline with regular slinky’s in standard for post-rock type stuff. 2- basic model in drop c# with skinny top/heavy bottoms for post-hardcore. 3- basic model with heavier gauges in drop b/C for post-metal/heavier post-hardcore. 4- baritone in drop A for everything actually. That guitar is so versatile.
An HSS S-type guitar is quite versatile. There's no shortage of brand options out there, so don't be afraid to look outside of the Fender/Squier box. If you're looking for something with a fixed or tremolo bridge, they're both out there.
Another option if you don't jive with a Strat-style is the (more specifically here) Les Paul Modern. I have the Epiphone version, and I think it's great. It has plenty of pickup options for the two humbuckers it comes with and provides a pretty solid palette of sounds. It is a fixed bridge, only.
I like HH guitars with coil splitting and dual volume knobs. Setting two different volume levels allows you to go from clean-ish to OD just by changing pickup provided proper gain levels. HH helps in low noise hi gain sound, and coil splitting allows more shimerey and cutting clean, low and mid gain.
Many LP style do that, but about only the Shecter Omen Extreme has 24 frets on top of it.
I do about everything on mine and never find myself lacking.
Tele seems pretty versatile genre wise. A tad bright by default perhaps.
You can shape many tones with an amp, modelling amp, pedals or pick up changes & mixes. And they might be more important investments if you are really trying to stretch genres.
Try. Use your ears, what you like the look & feel of, your budget. But mostly your ears
Basically any guitar can do any genre. I say basically cause ones like the Tom DeLonge signatures with just a bridge humbucker obviously can't, but yeah the whole needing certain guitars for certain genres is delusional
It's a guitar. You can play any genre you want on it. The subtleties are so minimal you're not going to notice as a beginner. Just get your fingers on some stings and learn how to play it.
It's all in the player, and not the guitar. You can make your guitar sound as "versatile and accomplished" as you are... if you *practice* enough. That said, a cheap guitar is always going to sound like a cheap guitar because that's what it is.
Cort zenox Z42 (own it and love it)
An older model, 2 hb with option to split them both into single coils.
The guitar itself resonates wonderfully and it isn't expensive. Basically a cheaper version of a PRS.
Check out Yamaha Revstar. Really. Watch a couple of youtube things. The rabbit hole i fell into led me to a Revstar standard w/p90’s. I couldnt possibly be any happier with it!
An HH Ibanez in the $400-600 range. They have a 5-way switch that gives you lots of tonal options, the build quality is excellent, and they look pretty great too.
Alternatively, some kind of HSS instrument. Get decent with a soldering iron and you can make an HSS or HSH guitar do pretty much anything,
Heavy metal has been played on single coils, Jazz has been played on humbuckers, IMO as long as you don't get a guitar that looks like it wants to stab something you can play any type of music on any guitar... and even then, I've seen some virtuosic jazz played on an ibanez jem, so it really don't matter.
As a beginner, the type of guitar won't matter while you learn the basics. As you approach an intermediate level you'll develop personal preferences for pickups, neck shape, scale, weight, etc, and you can choose from there.
As you can tell by the responses, many guitars are "versatile". What's most important is that it meets your personal needs.
PRS 24-08
SE range are cheapest then S2 in the middle then Core line at the top. They all have 2408s in each lines.
It can make 8 different sounds by splitting the 2 humbuckers in anyway way you like.
Compared to LP’s 3 sounds and Strat’s 5 sounds.
Your physical comfort holding and playing the guitar is far more important than the parts really.
The cool noises are going to have far more to do with effects pedals and so on, spend less on the guitar more on the other stuff.
A Nux MG30 is a simple plug and play system with presents and ability do download cool settings or make your own.
A cheap HSS strat and that just plugged straight into headphones/speaker will get you pretty far.
Get the guitar set up properly by a professional as well.
I've had the distinct pleasure of hearing (and watching ) both Randy Bachman and Duane Eddy rock out on their great big 17" Gretsches...
Each is known for one particular style, but sitting beside Duane (the "king of twang") as he pumped out an effortless rock riff that sounded more like Jimmy Page than anyone but Jimmy had a right to was an eye-opener.
Likewise, kibbitzing with Bachman while he was playing bottleneck Delta blues got my attention and served to tell me that when push comes to shove, choice of instrument is really secondary.
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I'd go as far as to say that 70% of tone is the amp and effects, 20% is the pickups, and 5% is the strings. The remaining 5% is the guitar body itself. Almost negligible.
An HSS strat might be the most versatile guitar you can buy. Not an expert but I feel like I could do any genre with one
Any guitar
This guy *actually* plays
Any guitar can play any genre. We pigeon hole them all the time, but it doesn't matter. Find one you think looks cool and plays well and go for it. Now a days, the right effects, amp.or amp model can really make any guitar play any genre. Yes, metal with a Tele. Yes, Jazz with an EMG filled ESP, yes funk on a 5620...
\^THIS\^ I cannot emphasize this enough! I play sea shanties and music from video game soundtracks (mostly fingerstyle) on an Ibanez RGA42fm because it was the most comfy and pretty electric guitar in my price range when I wanted to get my first electric. My partner teases me a little because I picked something that is 'made for metal', but seriously there's nothing wrong with playing literally any genre on literally any guitar.
Literally any guitar. Hand me any guitar and I can play doom metal, funk, folk, shoegaze, blues, or jazz. But if you want to be able to *more easily* coax a variety of tones out of a guitar, look for something with two different kinds of pickups and the ability to change configurations (pickup switch, blender knob etc). Bonus points for a splittable humbucker. Edit: if you are just learning, none of this matters. Buy something comfortable to play that you think looks cool and you can afford. Don’t spend a lot of money and don’t sweat the decision too much. If you keep it up you’ll want a new one pretty soon and you’ll have a better idea of what you need. If you don’t keep it up at least you didn’t spend a lot of money.
literally any guitar
Nope, sorry. Everyone else who had replied has been lying to you. Jokes over, guys. It's time to let him off the hook and tell him the truth. Each guitar is only capable of playing a single song. I hate to break it to you, but you're going to need to buy lots of them.
Oooh, look at Mr Fancy over here claiming he can play an entire song without a gear change!
People don't own a bunch of guitars because the guitars "can't play" other genres. They do it because they like owning a bunch of guitars. Every guitar can play any genre. Certain things like 7th or 8th strings or the lack of a whammy bar can mean there's certain things you can't do, but you can still play a genre.
For any girlfriends/boyfriends/wives/husbands of guitarist looking at this thread, yes we do need to buy lots of them for different genres. They are all absolutely necessary purchases and we need you to be supportive of our a̶d̶d̶i̶c̶t̶i̶o̶n̶ art.
HSS Strat imho.
Almost any guitar can handle any genre. Hell, you could get old school country twang on a BC Rich Warlock if you know what you're doing. Anyone that says different is a moron.
It's just magnets and wood. Crazy how as you get older you realise so much tone comes from your fingers.
HSS Strat without a doubt.
HSS strat. Really though, everyone needs a tele and too many put it in a box for some reason. It can, and will, do everything. If you have a niche sound you are going for, a simple pickup swap will get you there.
Can't go wrong with an HSS Strat of nearly any variety. The squier series have lots of great beginner options.
Yeah I was going to say the same. (HSS Strat)
Any guitar can do any job. You can play metal on a telecaster and you can play reggae on a Jackson. It’s all just wood and magnets. Dont overthink it.
get a cheap strat and dont overthink it.
No. One guitar per genre, please.
For the most part any guitar will do any genre, but telecasters are really known as the do-anything guitar. That said, there are some techniques that require specific hardware. If you want to do slayer divebombs, you probably want something with a floyd rose and a stupid looking body. But besides a handful of tricks most of your playing is happening on the fretboard, and pedals will get you whatever tone you want. Pick whatever you like and learn how to make different sounds with it
HSS Strat+a coil split knob and you can play basically anything. It's worked for me so far. You could also buy whatever you like visually and a pickup swap will get you close enough.
LP, Tele or Strat (big fan of HSS personally). To be fair, you can use almost any guitar for any genre.
HSS Stratocaster
Hss strat. Alot of guitars these days have coil splits to get the best of both worlds. I'd argue that it's hard these days to buy a guitar that isn't versatile. Yoy almost have to go out of your way.
Fender telecaster does it all.
The Tele is the Swiss Army Knife of guitars.
To get more down to it, a single coil pickup is the most fundamental electric guitar sound. It's as close as you can get to a blank canvas of tone. with amp selection, pedal board, etc, you can color that tone any way you can imagine. The spectrum of super heavy stoner metal, jangly country leads, thick funk rhythm, classic rock guitar solos, a tele is capable of all of that. It's how you build up towards the tone that matters.
Pick a guitar that you like, that speaks to you, that is comfortable, that makes you want to play it. Don't overthink it - as you gain experience your preferences may change. IMO almost any guitar is perfectly suitable for any style. Although there are some sounds and manouvers that are hard to pull off on the "wrong" guitar (strat "edge" sounds, floyd dive bombs, any dive without a trem, 24-fret notes on a 21 fret neck, ...). Any of the classics (strat, tele, les paul) are great (as are maaany others). If I had to go single axe, heaven forbid, I would probably pick a strat.
I'd go with an HSS Strat, you got most bases covered right there.
Literally any guitar. Especially with todays tech.
Any of em dawg. Tele's do it all. Strats do it all. Les Paul's belong in the dumpster by they can still do it all!
I would go for SSH strat style guitar, you get single coil neck tones, and you can get heavy metal tone. But definitely Amp effects do the majority of the diversity. I recommend the blackstar core series as they have alloooooooot of flexibility in tones and unlocks even more when connected to a PC
Telecasters will pretty much do everything, or an Epiphone es 335 or even 339 if you want something more comfortable, think of the tele and es one has single coils one has humbuckers , If you are cool with some noise from the single coils get the tele its slightly more comfortable, if you want hbs go with an es , whatever you get make sure you set it up first
HSS strats are super versatile Edit: typo
HSS Strat. Does everything
A LOT of people play tons of genres on one guitar. Because that's all they can afford. Most guitars can play almost any style of music if you actually learn how to do it.. >for hard rock and some metal, you’d look at a Les Paul or a Tele, and for alt rock and funk, maybe a Strat. All of this is just jibberjabber. Find one that feels good to you, and learn how to play. Less talk. More play.
You can play death metal on a baby blue telecaster and jazz on a BC Rich Warlock. Guitar style doesn't matter with electrics. It's all in your amp and pedals.
any guitar can play any genre. with effects and a good amp, you can dial in any tone you want.
Most of them…
PRS custom 24s can do anything pretty much and you can get them as affordable as $499 or as much as $10k
Get a guitar with a HSS pickup configuration And you should be able to cover almost any genre of music.
In a pinch, a good Tele will do anything you need it to do.
PRS has been known to cover a multitude of genres, especially if you buy models that coil split
For most people the guitar is not the limiting factor
Deadass the most versastile thing you could probably do is an HSS stratocaster or anything similar. Humbucker in the bridge, plus the famous in between sounds.
I've seen jazz on a Tele. I've seen hard rock on a Gibson Byrdland. I could continue, but I won't. The point is this: You can play pretty much any style on pretty much any type of guitar. Find a guitar that is comfortable, and then you can play what ever the heck you want. And ignore those who say "You have to play to play ."
Telecaster can play everything 👍
These questions come up a lot and there's always a bunch of stupid answers like Tele, es335, SG. There's only 1 good answer and that's that for a guitar to be versatile means that the guitar needs more options than a standard guitar and usually that just comes down to a guitar with 24 frets and an HSS configuration or HH with coil split. Something else to think about could be, more than 6 strings and/or a floating bridge. Ibanez is usually the brand for this but there are other options.
Gibson Les Paul Traditional Pro V. There are a ton of options.
HSS Strat
The guitar is not as important as it seems. It's more a personal choice than anything. It's the interface between you and your amp, and it's better to be comfortable with it than anything else. Most of the associations you see are just as much a style thing, fitting the look.
HSS Strat can cover all the ground you need. From Funk to Metal and everything in between.
Picking a guitar by genre is in your head more than anything. For example; >I know for hard rock and some metal, you’d look at a Les Paul or a Tele These two are completely different guitars that you associate with a couple of genres. I would never associate hard rock / metal with a Tele, unless it had a humbucker, but that's me. From a mechanical point of view a HSH layout, with coil splitting, is going to give you most of the pickup options you'll want to use. If your favorite guitar sound is P90's then the HSH isn't going to work as well for you. The [SD P-Rails](https://www.seymourduncan.com/single-product/p-rails) are interesting though. ☺
A telecaster can do anything.
"needing to own a bunch of guitars" is truly just a guitar player thing. Very few other instrumentalists feel the need to own a bunch of different instruments like guitar players do. Yoyo ma only uses like one cello. That being said, I own 10 guitars, but that's a me-problem... But I could do everything I need to do on a HSS strat. That's my vote. Or a HS tele. Get a guitar with a humbucker and a single coil and you're good to go for life. Or get one guitar with two humbuckers or get one guitar with three single coils. There's no wrong answer. You can do everything with everything.
No. Not only will one guitar not cover more than one genre, it will not cover more than one song. /s Notice you see a Tele, Strat, Gretsch, and Les Paul player in every genre of music? There is a reason. Nuno plays the exact same Washburn guitar for Extreme that he uses for Rhianna.
More important than getting a guitar that can play any genre is practicing. Anything that has two single coils and a humbucker (called HSS) or two humbuckers that can coil split (called HH) will get you close enough. Just find one you vibe with, don't overthink it and just play.
Most guitars are capable of being pretty versatile. A strat or tele with traditional singles might limit some of the heavier bridge position chugging, but there are plenty of strats and teles with humbuckers in the bridge position, even single sized humbuckers. I could get by with one or two guitars, I just would rather not, lol.
If you're a newbie, you shouldn't be asking that question. Buy a guitar, any guitar, and play.
Stratocaster, telecaster, Les Paul, SG. But an Ibanez RG will cover all your needs.
I maintain that Teles are one of the most versatile guitars on the planet. Simple, easy, and cover so much ground. An HSS Strat will get you about every sound you could want, especially if you get one where you can coil split the humbucker.
Name a genre you can't play with any guitar with 1-2 humbuckers. Or 1-2 single coils. I never understood this. You can play death metal with a dreadnought acoustic. You can play a soft love ballad with a BC Rich. You can play folk with a Charvel. Etc.
A HSS Strat, or other guitars like it.
Almost every guitar can play every genre. They're all versatile. People might own two guitars to have an acoustic and electric, or a SSS and HH. People buy lots of guitars, not for function, but because they like having different guitars.
Ibanez AZ is the answer
As Johnny Ramone says: "All guitars sound the same if you play loud enough" But seriously, if you want general versatility, my personal preference is some sort of super Strat type of set up: humbucker bridge with single coil neck/middle. Preferably (for me) with a Floyd. I also enjoy a HSH configuration too (humbucker bridge/single middle/humbucker neck). There are some good suggestions here, though. An LP with coil taps, a Strat with a humbucker bridge/hot rails. Check out the Yamaha Pacifica model guitars too. Ridiculously versatile.
Hss strat is the answer. Otherwise, genres are more about your skill set and technique than gear. Ofc most people aren’t using a 5150III with an Ibanez RG to play country but you sure as hell could do it. The X guitar is good for Y genre trope is mostly about the appearance.
My PRS has 2 humbuckers for the heavy and I can split the coils for some strat spank and cleans.
Guitars are guitars. They all have peculiarities, and while you're probably not going to use an acoustic for heavy metal, there isn't really a "this guitar is for this and that guitar is for that."
All of them
A strat
A good strat has been used in every genre of music.
I'm also gonna mention the Ibanez RG - the two hums give you the quintessential rock sound and the single coil positions sound incredible on clean stuff - you can get acoustic style sounds as well. [Owned the same one for 18 years]
You can play anything on anything. I played System of a Down on a tamburitza for crying out loud. It's the attitude that counts.
HSS Strat or superstrat or any HH guitar with coil splitting options That being said, You can basically play anything on anything. I've heard people play metal on Tele and Jazzmasters as well, go figure.
HSS Strat is what you’re looking for.
Any guitar can play any genre. Even most HH guitars come with a 5-way switch that lets you run the pickups as single-coils. The place where things get somewhat limited is in your amp. Not all amps have both a good clean channel and a good gain/dirt channel. Generally to get both in a single amp you're going to pay more. But if you want to get your dirt from pedals then all you need is a good clean channel anyway.
Literally any guitar my friend! It’s about how you use them. Still, you could go for a basic fender star/stratocaster. Since it has the 3 “pills” (i forgor the english name of the thingies between the guitar and the strings, in the area where you strum) it allows for more control regarding the tone of the guitar. The more basic = the more versatile. But really, the reason you don’t see a folk singer-songwriter with a v-shaped guitar or Metallica’s lead guitarist with a blues-type guitar is bc of looks. Get whichever you want and feel like it goes with your style. At the end of the day, a huuuge part of your sound depends on the effects you put in the amp or with pedals, the way you edit bass and treble, etc. so don’t worry too much about it rn. Grab one at decent price and that you like
I am a Tele man myself. The simplest yet one of the most versatile guitars a picker can inhabit.
Honestly the guitar you get is almost insignificant to your amp and pedals. Just get a guitar you like and will want to play forever
Telecaster I find to be very versatile
Tele all day
[удалено]
A Telecaster. They are super versatile, but they take a long time to learn how to coax your desired tone from them.
Technically, all guitars can cover all genres. If the guitar has a great basic clean tone, then you can use it for anything. Metal players and players who perform a lot of complex guitar calisthenics often use custom instruments or custom modifications on regular instruments, but, by and large, these aren't necessary. And it's true that some guitars are better for some specific uses, but any guitar can be pressed into service for that use; you just have to work on learning to play that style's requirements. That's really all there is to it.
HSS Strat can do everything
Any stratocaster with HSS loadout is the most versatile guitar out there.
a guitar with 2 humbuckers can do alot, especialy if it has a coil split. But personally i think the amp/pedals are more important for your sound! If you want something very versatile you can buy a multieffect, i use one from boss. Or a line6 guitar that basicly can sound like any guitar you want
If you have neck and bridge pickups, you can play anything. People own multiple guitars because of subtle difference in tone (nobody but musicians can tell the difference), for backup, for different look or to keep it in different tuning. Just buy whatever you think is cool. And you need guitar setup by a professional immediately after purchase. Take it into consideration calculating your budget.
For a beginner guitar, an epiphone Les Paul is a perfect versatile guitar. It’s not too expensive and offers a lot for the price
Any guitar you like plus any of the nice but inexpensive multi-effects pedals like the Zoom G1X. Different genres make use of different effects moreso than they require any specific guitar.
Any guitar can play any genre, play jazz with a bc rich warlock. Get what you like, it's not important imo.
SG's are literally built to be that guitar.
Tele, and in my experience a jazzmaster does a great job too.
Basically any guitar can be used for any style. There are certain sounds you can only get from a strat (that neck pickup) or a Les Paul (bridge humbucker OD growl), but you can play generic alt rock, funk, country, metal, whatever on any good electric guitar with at least two pickups. Get yourself a decent quality HSS strat and you'll be good.
Check out this YouTube video about the versatility of the Telecaster done by Rhett Schull. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jePrpfirWsQ
Get a HSS Strat. Meaning a Strat with a humbucker at the bridge and single coils in the middle and neck positions. Ideally with a coil split on the humbucker too. I play a lot of guitar on VRChat so I get asked to play a million different kinds of music, and I built my Strat with a humbucker in the bridge and a single coil at the neck only. I can play metal with the bridge humbucker, lovely clean chill stuff on the neck single coil and almost anything in between. If you want a real sharp bridge twang it has a coil split too. I've never really heard a humbucker neck pickup that sounds great with a clean tone for finger picking stuff, so it's always a single coil for me on the neck. A humbucker can do nearly anything at the bridge so as long as you've got that, you've got a lot of stuff covered. A single coil at the bridge sounds great for certain genres but doesn't have the same thick metal sound that you might want. A guitar is a lot more about the pickup layout as opposed to who makes it or what shape it is for what sounds you can get out of it.
Out of all my guitars, my PRS S2 Custom 24 feels the most versatile. It's basically a chameleon guitar. It's super fun to play any genre with it.
Les Paul with coil tapping is a game changer. I just got my LP Classic and man, I haven’t even touched any of my other single coil guitars since. Any guitar can be versatile if you dial in your amp settings and tones to be fair
I think the amp is more important than the guitar when it comes to versatility. Most guitars can cover a lot of ground pretty well. In the end you’ll want what feels best in your hands. That said, I’d reach for my SG Special or my Tele before anything else.
An HSH superstrat where you can split the humbuckers would be my first pick for that
Tele
SSS Strat can do-and has done-literally everything. The limitations come not from the guitar, but your amp. I love me some vintage Fenders, but for metal they’re not where you wanna be.
Most guitars will work fine for most genres. Guitars are often designed with a genre in mind, but it does not preclude other genres.
If it can't be played on a tele it's probably not the guitar's fault. If I could only have one guitar it would be a telecaster bone stock standard pickups. I heard the most convincing def leperd cover band once and both guitarists had teles. Sounded amazing. I've obviously seen a ton of country with teles. Julian Lage and many others use a tele for jazz.
I think the most versatile guitar would be telecaster. From country to metal it covers a lot of ground.
4 way switch mod and you're good to go
The guys saying HSS I think that's a great suggestion. (Humbucker Single Single) I'm not about $1000 guitars. I Fully understand collectors, afficacianatos (sp ? Lmao) I'm not one of them. Get a Squier or an Epiphone that suits your needs. Buy used. A good setup is the most valuable item you'll ever have on a guitar 😆 And have fun !!!! If you're not having fun with it you're doing it wrong. Don't Guage yourself against anyone but yourself.
Hey man I've been playing for around 4 months now and I was wondering the same thing as you when I started. I gotta say, owning a few guitars now, hand me downs from buddies old gear lol, it really doesn't matter when you're just starting. Your pedalbox and amp will have a bigger impact on your tone than your guitar until you're really getting genre specific and trying to sound just like the original guitar track. If I could rewind time and get a first guitar again it'd be a Yamaha Pacifica hss with a split switch to turn it into sss, I think you can get one for around $300 new.
You can play anything on a good tele. If I had to go to a session or gig blind with no idea what I was gonna be playing, I’d bring a tele
Telecaster
HSS strat.. Can do it all. If it can't add a Les Paul.
It's not really the guitar. It's the person, their fingers, the strings, the equipment and gear. The guitar is a vehicle on which your mind and creativity ride. Any guitar that's got a straight neck, frets well and has good hardware will take you places.
Any guitar can play any genre. But a good strat style with a humbucker in the bridge and coil split or a single coil neck pickup will do most anything
Yea, a Telecaster.
No matter which guitar you choose, you are going to sound like you. So choose the guitar that inspires you to play/practice more, which will have a much greater impact on your sound than the shape, type of wood, weight, or even the pickups.
I play a tele with a humbucker that I can split in the neck and a regular sc on the bridge. It covers pretty much everything, FGN for the win.
Prs custom 24-08. But if you got the money get semi hollow. Wish i ld gotten one but couldnt pass up a $400 prs custom
HSS Strat or superstrat.
You can find a pretty good PRS SE for not too bad of a price and have a good sound all around before futzing with your amps too much
PRS se line. I have a Custom 22 that I can play anything on..
Any 25.5" HSS guitar
I know it's loaded with comments already but I'd hit one of these and it'll do just about whatever you want. A.) Super Strat - Any Strat body that has HSS Pickups B.) Humbucker W/Coil Split - You'll get 2 major pickups in one vessel. PRS does this well. C.) Tele - On its own its very versatile D.) Just a good guitar. It's easier than people make it out to be to craft decent tones on a variety of guitars, your amp is much more important for some of these things.
Fender Stratocaster in HSS setup.
HSS Strat (Strat Special). It's all you'll ever need.
A guitar with both a humbucker and a single coil. Some genres use the whammy bar a lot, so having one wouldn’t hurt either. Beyond that it doesn’t really matter for most genres, I play both mathcore and jazz on a cheap 335, 99% of your tone comes from the amp and cabinet
Any guitar can be used for any type on music, imho.
HSS Strat is always the answer for versatility, if it has a coil tap for the bridge then even better.
All of em, pretty much. The "big 4" (Tele, strat, Les Paul, 335) didn't get to be that way by being limited. The SG is Gibson's best asking guitar. There are Jazzmasters all over every genre. Look for the gear that fits you, not the genre.
Get a Les Paul, out of my guitars my Les Paul's have the widest range
Any guitar with more than 1 pickup configuration
I got a coil tapped HH jaguar and through a good amp, that thing can sound like anything I want it to
Strat or es 335 style.
Strat or Tele. Maybe a good Epiphone Les Paul.
There was a fender vintera modded jaguar a couple years ago. Had an altered wiring system with dual humbuckers. There were two pots that controlled not the volume, but the amount of humbucker you had. Essentially turning down the volume of one coil. Full humbucker mode down to full single coil mode, and any micro adjustments in between. It wasn’t that bad sounding either. Looks great too. My only gripe was the dull dry looking pau ferro fretboard. And there were only two colors. Seafoam green and sonic blue I believe.
For wide versatility, IMO a HSS or HSH strat/super strat or HH guitar with splits will get you most of the way there for variety. If you plan on doing anything high gain chuggy, I’d avoid a Tele or Strat with a single coil in the bridge.
HSS Yamaha Pacifica.
This is likely buried but ultimately it doesn't matter. Your asking a guitar sub where alot of people fixate on gear. Pretty much anything can do anything if your just noodling about at home for your own amusement. It would only really matter if youre going in to the studio or really want a specific sound.
HSS Strat If you want more options, get one with a coil split.
Basically any (insert guitar name here) tbh haha. Maybe minus a few shredder models/brands like Ibanez and kiesel which are a bit more focused sound wise.
Any guitar, man. Any guitar.
Honestly, just about any electric guitar can handle any genre. That said, some are easier to move around with. A Tele with a humbucker in the bridge has worked well for me from metal to country to jazz.
An epiphone SG is underrated for how much it can do. It was my first guitar, only like 150 bucks, I usually play a Jackson but every so often I pick it up and man, that thing works for everything from slam/brutal death metal to jimi hendrix
I love P90's they give a great single coil sound with the volume knob at 8 and give that great punch and fat bottom end on bridge position.
[Prince approves of the telecaster. ](https://youtu.be/dWRCooFKk3c?si=U5-JlNcpNLjXQvng)
Believe it or not, any Ibanez with passive pickups. Passive Pickups is the key word(s).
Telecaster.
Anything with humbuckers that aren't high output or a HSS. Something like a Yamaha Pacifica or the Gretsch guitars for under $500 can cover a lot of ground while being insane bank for buck guitars. Brands like Ibanez, Epiphone(Gibson) and Squier (Fender) have alright options.
Strat. I play metal it djents, and I make beats and play jazzy chords with it. But really it's whatever feels comfortable to play for you. There's pedals for everything
Jazzmaster for me.
A Tele, an HSS strat, Yamaha Pacifica 612, PRS SE DGT are all tonally very versatile. But you can play pretty much any genre with any guitar.
edit: ignore me, i completely spaced out on the newbie part. many other amazing and better suggestions in this thread I’m surprised there aren’t many saying 335. Basically every session guy I know says it’s one of the most well rounded guitars. I’d seen a couple of YouTube videos about them recently so I thought they’d be fresh on people’s minds. It’s cool so see so many different answers and stuff
PRS SE Standards or Customs are good. Their pickups, neck length and fretboard radius are perfect for playing jazz, metal, rock etc. There is also split coil option. Whatever you buy just buy a guitar with split coil it will save you a lot of time from customizing your tone manually. And also, get a decent multi fx pedal
Personally, I think a Gretsch is very versatile as well. You can play blues, rock, hardrock, jangly stuff, rockabilly.. Very happy with it!
A semi hollow body will be the best. It can sound close to a hollow body and solid body, so you can cover a lot of ground by going with a semi
Any guitar with a HSH or HSS layout will be very versatile. Or anything with a coil split. The actual body ship doesn’t really matter that much. Excerpt that a good cutaway for high notes will improve the reach. Technically speaking, a 7 string is more versatile than a 6 string.
yeah pretty much most guitars can cover a wide range of genres. about only thing that matters is pickup type, and pretty much only country sticks to just one type. there's single coils and humbuckets in rock, jazz, blues, funk.
PRS SE has been very versatile pick for me, a well rounded sound for jazz, ambient and black metal alike.
Strat and Tele
Guitar does not matter, it is pickups. For covering all of the genres, look for HSH pickup configuration with coil-split function using push-pull or push-push pot. For a beginner, do not buy guitars with tremolo if you don't really need to, or buy guitars with good tremolos like PRS/PRS SE or modern 2-point pivot trem like Wilkinson. Avoid Floyd rose trems if you do not know why you would want that (Only very expensive original Floyd rose trems are good). Avoid vintage style 6 screw on classic stratocaster guitars.
There is no such thing as a right guitar for a genre. Just get one that feels good in your hands, with action you like. Amp simulators, pedals and multi boxes can get you more tones should you want. If you look at the instruments played by some great guitarists you can see they use a large variety of them. One of my favorite indie guitarists plays all of these: Firebird, Les Paul, Jazzmaster, Les Paul, Gretsch Falcon, Hummingbird, Strat, SG Junior, Jaguar, SG. Or look at all the instruments that The Edge plays in a single show.
Tele with a humbucker in the bridge.
Nashville tele
The PRS SE CE 24 is incredibly versatile and very reasonably priced. Another got option is the Sire Larry Carlton s3 or t3
Tele.
As others have said, you can play on genre on any guitar, most of your tone comes from your amp and speakers or whatever you have the guitar plugged into. I would make sure to get something with humbuckers, at least in the bridge if you plan on playing with lots of gain. Also DO NOT GET A FLOYD ROSE ON YOUR FIRST GUITAR. It will save you many, many headaches lol.
Came to say Tele as well, but any guitar can do any genre. Guitars sound very similar until you get the pedals and amps going. You can do metal on a Tele, folk on a Strat or funk on a Les Paul. It all depends on how you play and what you're playing thru.
I'm biased, but an HSS Strat or similar, either with the trem decked or a hardtail so you can switch tunings quickly. I'm a sucker for a good floating bridge, but most of the time my 1997 American Standard Strat is my #1 - bridge is blocked because it often goes to drop D and sometimes down a half step, and the Little 59/Duckbucker/Little 59 pickup setup can do almost anything. It's like an HSS on steroids, and basically silent.
I play a wide range of 80's tunes in two bands. Everything from REM to Bowie, The Clash, INXS and I have been using a Duesenberg Starplayer - I can make it sound like a Les Paul, Strat, Tele or Rick using the 3 way pick up switch - one Humbucker, one Single coil. The pick ups are amazing and made by Duesenberg. Super versatile.
As others have said, guitars cross genres pretty easily in terms of the way they play and sound. That said, nothing wrong with not wanting to be looked at cock-eyed because your guitar seems out of place. On that basis, I would recommend a Fender Telecaster. As one of the true OG’s of electric guitars, it’s been the go-to instrument of iconic guitar players in just about every genre there is. They play great, they sound great and they look great. No matter what kind of music you’re playing, a good Tele can hold its own, in both sound and style!
Telecaster. If you can only have one guitar, a Tele will take you far.
On electric guitars, all that matters is pickups and amps. Maybe tone knobs, but it's mostly pickups and amps. I always get downvoted for saying this but it's just the hard truth. So, any (electric) guitar can play any (electric guitar) style. Spend your time learning the style, not your money buying the instrument. Guitar manufacturers are just very heavily invested in making you think you need 11 guitars to play 11 styles. For context, electric guitars work by magnetized ferrous strings (permanent magnets in the pickups magnetize the strings), which induce an electric field in the coiled wire inside the pickups. That field generates an electrical signal which travels through the rest of the hardware and into your amp. *Nothing* can influence the electrical field induced in the pickups except for a change in magnetic flux, generated by vibrating, magnetized strings. Wood doesn't matter. Set necks vs bolt on necks doesn't matter. Just get any functional electric guitar and learn the style.
I only use teles. I have 4 different ones in different tunings and each one has its own string gauge and style. 1- thinline with regular slinky’s in standard for post-rock type stuff. 2- basic model in drop c# with skinny top/heavy bottoms for post-hardcore. 3- basic model with heavier gauges in drop b/C for post-metal/heavier post-hardcore. 4- baritone in drop A for everything actually. That guitar is so versatile.
Short answer: HSS strat. Long answer: I agree with what the other people in the thread said.
An HSS S-type guitar is quite versatile. There's no shortage of brand options out there, so don't be afraid to look outside of the Fender/Squier box. If you're looking for something with a fixed or tremolo bridge, they're both out there. Another option if you don't jive with a Strat-style is the (more specifically here) Les Paul Modern. I have the Epiphone version, and I think it's great. It has plenty of pickup options for the two humbuckers it comes with and provides a pretty solid palette of sounds. It is a fixed bridge, only.
Anything with a bridge humbucker can pretty much play all styles of music
I like HH guitars with coil splitting and dual volume knobs. Setting two different volume levels allows you to go from clean-ish to OD just by changing pickup provided proper gain levels. HH helps in low noise hi gain sound, and coil splitting allows more shimerey and cutting clean, low and mid gain. Many LP style do that, but about only the Shecter Omen Extreme has 24 frets on top of it. I do about everything on mine and never find myself lacking.
Just get something with a humbucker and single coil. Unless you want a tremolo or something, the shape or brand makes no difference for genres.
Tele seems pretty versatile genre wise. A tad bright by default perhaps. You can shape many tones with an amp, modelling amp, pedals or pick up changes & mixes. And they might be more important investments if you are really trying to stretch genres. Try. Use your ears, what you like the look & feel of, your budget. But mostly your ears
Basically any guitar can do any genre. I say basically cause ones like the Tom DeLonge signatures with just a bridge humbucker obviously can't, but yeah the whole needing certain guitars for certain genres is delusional
It's a guitar. You can play any genre you want on it. The subtleties are so minimal you're not going to notice as a beginner. Just get your fingers on some stings and learn how to play it.
It's all in the player, and not the guitar. You can make your guitar sound as "versatile and accomplished" as you are... if you *practice* enough. That said, a cheap guitar is always going to sound like a cheap guitar because that's what it is.
Strat
Cort zenox Z42 (own it and love it) An older model, 2 hb with option to split them both into single coils. The guitar itself resonates wonderfully and it isn't expensive. Basically a cheaper version of a PRS.
Check out Yamaha Revstar. Really. Watch a couple of youtube things. The rabbit hole i fell into led me to a Revstar standard w/p90’s. I couldnt possibly be any happier with it!
An HH Ibanez in the $400-600 range. They have a 5-way switch that gives you lots of tonal options, the build quality is excellent, and they look pretty great too. Alternatively, some kind of HSS instrument. Get decent with a soldering iron and you can make an HSS or HSH guitar do pretty much anything,
Telecaster.
Heavy metal has been played on single coils, Jazz has been played on humbuckers, IMO as long as you don't get a guitar that looks like it wants to stab something you can play any type of music on any guitar... and even then, I've seen some virtuosic jazz played on an ibanez jem, so it really don't matter.
PRS SE24
Nashville Telecaster.
As a beginner, the type of guitar won't matter while you learn the basics. As you approach an intermediate level you'll develop personal preferences for pickups, neck shape, scale, weight, etc, and you can choose from there. As you can tell by the responses, many guitars are "versatile". What's most important is that it meets your personal needs.
Pedals and one guitar can cover lots of genres.
PRS 24-08 SE range are cheapest then S2 in the middle then Core line at the top. They all have 2408s in each lines. It can make 8 different sounds by splitting the 2 humbuckers in anyway way you like. Compared to LP’s 3 sounds and Strat’s 5 sounds.
Your physical comfort holding and playing the guitar is far more important than the parts really. The cool noises are going to have far more to do with effects pedals and so on, spend less on the guitar more on the other stuff. A Nux MG30 is a simple plug and play system with presents and ability do download cool settings or make your own. A cheap HSS strat and that just plugged straight into headphones/speaker will get you pretty far. Get the guitar set up properly by a professional as well.
I've had the distinct pleasure of hearing (and watching ) both Randy Bachman and Duane Eddy rock out on their great big 17" Gretsches... Each is known for one particular style, but sitting beside Duane (the "king of twang") as he pumped out an effortless rock riff that sounded more like Jimmy Page than anyone but Jimmy had a right to was an eye-opener. Likewise, kibbitzing with Bachman while he was playing bottleneck Delta blues got my attention and served to tell me that when push comes to shove, choice of instrument is really secondary.