20 Best Guitars For Death Metal (2023 Updated)

At this price point, this is a LOT of guitar! Aesthetically pleasing and eye catching are just the beginning. I got the dragon eye burst and couldn’t be more pleased. The pickups are great with medium output that make for great cleans and classic rock tones; crank the gain on a boost pedal in front of an overdrive to get into heavier territory.

The 5 way switching is really useful for attaining tones not normally associated with dual humbuckers without push pull pots; very versatile. I’m not big on any trem system, but it’s more than adequate and stable.

The neck is the standout though! This neck is super fast and comfortable, as you’d expect from an ibanez! It was setup great right out of the box. IMO, you can’t go wrong with this guitar. It’s light weight, comfortable, fast playing, looks fantastic, affordable, and sounds as good as you can play.

What’s not to love?.

Overall: Great guitar, as long as you understand what you are getting. First thing is the finish, it’s a flat/satin. There’s no wood filler or heavy clear coat, it’s stained and maybe has a light/thin sealer on it.

You can see and feel the wood grain, especially on the back and in the body routing around the horns. The FM top is as smooth as silk. I have no complaints and love being able to see the wood, as with no heavy paint they can’t hide anything.

The neck is great, it’s thin but comfortable. It’s a very thin D profile, you can feel the shoulders. It kind of makes it feel like a wide neck but honestly, I find it easier to play since it has a flat board 15.

7″ per Ibanez. It has jumbo frets not extra jumbo, so they aren’t as tall as ESP/LTD frets. I’m not a fan of EJ, so this works perfectly for me. I will say the Jatoba board is smooth and not grabby but doesn’t look as nice as other woods.

It’s just plain looking, however I do like that it isn’t as dark as Rosewood. The pups aren’t bad at all and with a 5 way selector, there’s lots of options. It can really do just about any style music.

The tuners seem to hold well and adjust pretty easily, no crunchiness. The bridge is solid and is basically a strat hard tail type. It’s not perfect, mine did have some stain on the back of the neck but it cleaned off easily with a damp rag and a little soap.

Fitment of the neck to body is pretty good, no huge gaps or such. The binding looks great and has no issues. Action came set up pretty good as well, it was actually in tune (never had that happen) but it was tuned drop D flat to E flat.

It’s really a great guitar for tuning changes, which is why I wanted a hard tail. I have some guitars with tremolos and doing drop tunings can be a pain. It’s really a great bang for the buck, plays great as is or makes the perfect platform for modding.

For those not sure on Ibanez. This guitar has a super light body that looks like a cross between an S-body (strat) and a SG. It’s light like the SG but without the neck dive. The quality is great, it’s on par with the MIM strat and duo sonic I have.

The best part is it’s cheaper, I could mod this and still have less in it than a new MIM strat.

First off, let me say that without seeing this in person, once I received it the transparent purple burst is gorgeous. I was hoping it would be gloss finish like my rga42fm from 2010, but they’ve changed a few things with the new model, and I actually like the satin finish on the new ones.

The upper horns are routed out on the front (think Paul reed Smith or the higher priced axion series), to allow for a more natural contour to the hand while fretting the higher frets. The frets are a little taller than I’m used to, but it gave the fretboard a feel like playing on a scalloped guitar, easier to move around.

The best and most important thing about the new models is how light it is!!! I have never felt a lighter guitar and didn’t know they could be this light. I never liked les pauls because of their weight and steered more towards hamer, jackson, and previous years of ibanez.

It blew my mind just how light and comfortable this thing felt to hold and play. The only con I found is because of the satin finish with no clear coat to add protection, it’s more prone to scratching and dinging.

This thing has more than a joy to play. I hope this review helped someone make an educated purchase.

I was not all that familiar with Schecter despite many years of play and visits to Guitar Center. Following several Fenders and Epiphones, I wanted something different and special, with or without active pickups.

I played many higher-end models from LTD, PRS, Ibanez, Jackson and more. The Hellraiser Hybrid felt immediately ‘normal’ and ‘natural’ like I’d played it for years already (though the guitars do not compare much directly, it felt comfortable in the way my Strat does).

Balance is neither neck nor body heavy. The satin neck is so smooth and quick you never have to think about your hand positioning or fretting. Frets comfortable and narrow enough without being skinny; setup from the box was reasonably close and action can be set quite low.

Active EMG’s look really cool and the sound is a great compliment to the other guitars I play; punchy, crisp and crunchy when pushed, while being loud and clear and offering lasting sustain. Knobs are accessible and give good tactile feedback – and tone actually affects tone somewhat progressively.

The nut is well made and the tuners are very linear and spool slowly enough to allow precise tuning. The quilted top is so beautiful and deep (a little dark, but not a complaint); the ‘carbon fibre’ binding is really sharp looking and a very nice touch.

Overall quality and finish are excellent. I love the look. Minor complaint is positioning of the fret dots at the top of the board (then switching to the bottom) rather than the middle, but I don’t really have to look at them too often.

Glow-in-the-dark dots are visible, though also something I’m rarely in a situation to see. Love the guitar, and a year after purchase still extremely happy with it.

This guitar feels like its built incredibly well. Its so solid and has some weight to it. The sustainiac pickup is a lot of fun to play with and provides a lot of enjoyment. The tone is beautiful and Im very happy with my purchase.

The finish of the body is amazing and you almost feel like not playing it and just staring at it. The binding around the edge is colorful and done very tastefully. This was my first Schecter guitar and also my first ever 7-string.

It takes some getting used to but Im sure in time itll get easier to play.

I have had this guitar for about a month now. From the first day, I have absolutely loved this guitar. The included Seymour Duncan pick ups sounds amazing and the push/pull function gives you a nice range of voices.

Everything about the build of this guitar feels amazing. The neck and the frets are smooth and well cared for, the quality of the hardware is top shelf. If you want a Les Paul, just forget about Gibson.

This is what you want, of course there are many versions of this guitar, Any one of the EC-1000’s are great, but the finish on this one is pretty outstanding in person.

Love the look and feel of this. The pictures really do not do it justice. Under the lights it really pops. The hardware makes this a solid performer with the floyd rose and locks. It plays very similarly to my 80’s Charvel with a slightly fatter neck.

The action on the MH outperforms that one away however with a very tight feel. I have had to change my playing style so as not to press down so hard. The cost of that low action is some fret buzz right out of the box on the low E and I will have to perform a full professional set-up in short order.

The EMG’s are the true surprise for me. Really great punch I expected, but the clarity and tone is incredible. They make this a very versatile guitar. As a side note, ordering from Musicians Friend was really easy and I found Jacob to be responsive and helpful.

I play a variety of styles with a variety of guitars. I was in the market for a guitar with a fast neck and Floyd Rose bridge. In tje past I have had the Jackson Soloist, Peavey Wolfgang and Ibanez RG series.

I liked the looks of this guitar without ever playing it and took a chance and bought it. I bought it with the matching hard cover case that fits it like a glove and glad I did. the discount I got on the guitar almost covered the cost of the case.

Bottom line, this guitar is fun to play. It is fun because it sounds good and it is easy to play. hard to put down. I was curious on how I would like the EMG pickups. I had them on a Les Paul years back.

After going through a few settings on my amp, I was dialed into the type of tones I was looking for.

just got mine in the mail today! all around shredder. the neck is very fast, and ive noticed my picking cleaned up a little bit, people like to say its the player and not the guitar but thats just not true i pick pretty clean on my jackson which has a 45mm width fretboard which i played from starting out with, up to about 7 years into my guitar playing experience.

so it goes without saying the 45mm is more comfortable to me as apposed to my schecter, it has the 42mm and i have noticed a major difference between the two in the cleanliness of my picking. this guitar has the 42mm which i was fretting (pun intended) but my apprehension was laid to rest within the first 15 min shreddin on it.

the action is outstanding! the floyd rose does its job. i recommend this guitar 100% the emg81/85 setup is just unmatched for metal playing, i recently put the lamb of god signature dimarzio decimator (i think its called lol) in the bridge of my shcecter, and it has a solid sound, my jackson has emg hz’s, which i think are a little to jacked on the highs, very fuzzy.

but the 81/85 setup is wonderful, if i dont want to switch my pickups to the neck position playing high notes i dont have to, the emg 81 keeps a pretty solid bottom end top end balance on the high notes as well as low and open notes.

i guess the only problem i have found with this guitar is the necks cleaning job, i actually work at an acoustic guitar plant and i clean necks there, and i put a lot of effort into the quality of my work, so the first thing that stuck out to me like a sore thumb is the blade chatter on the binding of the fretboard.

somebody unexperienced must have worked on mine but over all thats an easy fix and nothing to deter you from considering this guitar. 10/10 even with the sloppy neck cleaning! ;).

Honestly this guitar has become one of my favorites that I have ever played. The neck has a very fine finish so there’s no need to worry about any kind of lacquer slowing down your fretting hand, the wood they used is very good quality and built to last, the fishman pickups are a wonderful choice for the chunky low metal riffs and for the resonating cleans.

The angled frets are something that took me a bit to get used to but after about a day it felt like normal and is a great edition, and of course the locking tuners and pull out pot are just a great bonus.

Honestly I’d say for $1,200 this guitar gives you great bang for your buck, sounds amazing, is absolutely fun to play and I would highly recommend this guitar for anyone wanting a guitar that looks cool, plays metal amazingly and gives you a wonderful dimension of sound.

All my friends I have let play this guitar all feel the same way and have been thinking about getting a guitar like this one cause it definitely kicks some ass!.

Ordered this as a Christmas present to myself. This was my first multiscale and my first 7 string so I was a little nervous. When it arrived I unboxed it and it looked just like the photo. The purple changes to gray depending on what angle it is which I like alot.

It was a little daunting at first but I got used to the multiscale thing very quickly! The neck is smooth so fast licks are easy, no sanding required. Still working on incorporating the extra string in but it’s going well.

I didn’t realize it came with locking tuners, that’s a big + to this axe! All in all I very much enjoy having this and fully meets my expectations of a higher end Ibanez!.

This was my first time ever trying an evertune and wanted one to help cut down on retuning after every recording take. Safe to say I love love love it and it does exactly what it’s supposed to do! I strum really hard so having to retune was always a hassle.

Only reason why it doesn’t get a 5/5 is because there was a minor chip in the neck but I don’t believe thats on AMS. Cut my thumb while playing but will fix it when I have time. Overall fantastic guitar if you’re weary on trying an evertune.

Sound: As I mentioned above, I was skeptical about a single pickup configuration. However, this guitar’s sound cuts through the mix, whether running through a chord progression riff or laying down a solo run.

It’s clear, concise, and articulated, even saturated with distortion. Response is immaculate, for my playing style, which varies, depending on the song we’re playing. Features: Other than the Floyd Rose, given that I don’t use a tremolo unit but very seldom, everything else, is perfect for the guitar.

Mahogany is iconic for tone wood. I love the extra jumbo frets, as I like to bend strings when soloing. The controls are laid out nicely, conveniently, on the body. It is a comfortable guitar to play.

nicely balanced. Ease of Use: Getting the sound you want is as easy and strumming or picking the strings. As with any guitar, a little dialing in, of the amp, and/or effects you’re using, is always needed, given no two guitars have the same voice.

It’s fits seamlessly with what I use, (Marshall JVM410 through Marshall 1960 A and B cabs), and a few effects. Quality: The F is solidly constructed. I see years of trouble-free playing. Cosmetically, this is a beautiful instrument.

Value: In my humble opinion, it’s worth the money. I would, were anything to happen to it, buy another one. Manufacturer Support: I have not needed to consult the manufacturer. The Wow Factor: The F is a very appealing guitar.

It has a look, a vibe, that appeals to the darker side of you. It speaks to a part of you, that is seldom given voice. Overall: Having been playing the F model, now, for a couple of weeks, I am impressed, something not easily done.

Upon unboxing, tuning, and testing play, all that was needed. make the appropriate adjustment to eliminate a little fret buzz. The fit and finish is flawless, the look of the F screams METAL!!! The sound is amazing and it cuts through the mix.

Playability is superb throughout the length of the neck. I had looked at the F on and off, being skeptical about a single pickup and a Floyd Rose, given the horror stories I’ve heard about tuning instabilities.

However, my skepticisms proved unfounded. There is that unmistakable feel of a neck-through body guitar, unsurpassed by anything else, that cannot be matched. The F allows you to play it pretty, or as pretty as it gets with heavier, darker music or you can play it hard, dark, and dirty.

The EMG 81 performs as you would expect and have come know, from the 81. The F’s appearance, as I mentioned screams METAL. It has a sinister dark yet eloquent, (in a dark way), appearance, but will, definitely, catch the eye.

I bought this bass because it was reasonably priced yet included several features I felt were very important to me. The neck is milled from the same built up block of Merbau wood as the body so there is no bolt on neck junction.

The results are a very smooth, stylish and uniform piece from neck to body. This makes for a very thin and playable upper register, a very thin D shape to the neck and very flat fingerboard which I find easy to play on all strings.

The fret work is great. The tuners are excellent. I had to adjust the action some and then readjust the intonation but now it is perfect and stays in tune for more than an hour of solid playing. The electronics are active-only but I see active/passive sets for sale and may switch out the factory wiring so I have the option of playing passively when I need the added tonal qualities.

The overall active tone is very rich with plenty of range for adjustments to taste. I think the factory pickups are just fine but I have read some players upgrade to U. S. EMG’s – I don’t see why that would be necessary.

I haven’t played it through any pedals yet as so far, I love the sound straight up. Overall, after playing it only two gigs, I think it’s a great bass and very easy to play for a six string. I’m happy I bought it.

Disclaimer: The first bass Ive owned. That being said, Ive played guitar and own/owned many. I am musically trained but not a professional. I did what I consider extensive research on basses for a while before buying.

I purchased this bass on sale. I can pretty much say finding it on sale at almost half price is why I pulled the trigger on this one right there and then. I am in no way the least bit sorry. I am not a trained guitar tech but I can take care of my own.

This thing was darn near perfect right out of the box, from the nut to the saddles. No buzz, great action, great intonation, great clearances and fit. I bought the Honey Natural Burled Maple top. I was affraid to buy the Splated Maple for finish reasons.

Maybe I assumed too much but the top on mine is the only minor complaint I have. There is slight swirling in the clearcoat finish but not noticeable unless you are truly inspecting the instrument. The neck, pickups, swamp ash body, bridge all relate nicely imo.

I love the tone and it offeres plenty of variations with the active electronics. You can do muddy to brilliant and everything in between. It comes with D’Addario XL’s and mine sound fine for now, not dead.

I will switch them out for a set of Rotosound Swing when the time comes. It’s very light weight and feels fsntastic to me. If you want a Fender buy a Fender. If you want an Ibanez buy an Ibanez. If you want a Schector buy that.

Heaven help us if you want a Warwick or somethig like that, you are shopping in the wrong place. But if you want a very nice bass at a great price that plays, looks, and feels wonderful do your due diligence and give this one its proper consideration.

You wont be sorry imo.

I’ve owned this Snakebyte for about six months now. The satin neck is fast and the EMG Het Set sounds amazzing. This is my first guitar with active pickups and I am officially a convert. Articulate and aggressive with the bridge pickup and a fat and smooth sound from the neck.

Also my first guitar with locking tuners and I’m enjoying the lack of string slippage. Only negative is this thing is HEAVY. Could’ve used some weight relief in my opinion. Overall it’s a versatile guitar that looks great.

I love this guitar. It’s the same old story. Young guy falls in love with playing the guitar, gets married, music falls by the wayside, gets old, then finds music again. I’m in the midst of a mid-life crisis and I’ve found a love of guitar again.

I took the opportunity to buy the guitars I couldn’t afford when I was young. I’m currently surrounded by a beautiful Jackson RR, Fender Telecaster, Schecter Hellraiser, Gibson Acoustic and the cream of the crop, the LTD James Hetfield Signature Vulture.

This beauty plays like a dream. I was a huge Metallica fan when I was young, and have always had my eyes set on an Explorer. When the time came, I had both the Vulture and the Explorer up in their own windows, debating on which to get.

In the end, my love of V style guitars won out. I’ve never had a guitar that plays as well as the Vulture, or sounds quite a mean. I can jump between face melting crunch and tear inducing cleans with no effort thanks to the Het Set combo.

Buy this guitar!.

Very impressed with this guitar. Workmanship is exemplary, Lots of tonal variations. Enough guts for metal, yet easy to get clean strat type tones. The sustainiac system is freaky. With a little practice you can really use it to your advantage.

Just when you need it, its like someone kicked in a super compressor for amazing sustain. I haven’t done much dive-bombs but this guitar stays in tune. Really stays in tune!!! Big plus. Im putting my other guitars away and will use this for everything going forward.

The neck is nice and thin, its a little wider than I thought. Cant compare the width to my SG Angus Young in this aspect, but still very playable for small hands. It’s not a lightweight, it has some meat to it.

Overall VERY happy I purchased this.

This is a gorgeous guitar and plays amazingly well. The frets are rounded perfectly with no jagged edges. The frets are polished extremely well. The body is very comfortable, and the Duncan JB and ’59 pickups are THE standard in rock pickups especially if you want those 80’s rock tones ala VH, Ratt, Crue.

BUT the ability to SPLIT the pickups makes this guitar extremely versatile for Blues, Country, and even Jazz if you roll the Tone off to warm it up. The Pro-Mod San Dimas is a sure to be a classic – Charvel guitars from the 80’s are still highly sought after and retain their value very well.

Not many people like to get rid of them though because they play so well and are made with quality craftsmanship. The Transparent Green Burst finish is gorgeous too. The spoke wheel makes for on the flow truss rod adjustments and it is DOUBLE reinforced – which makes it very resistant to warping.

And finally, the Floyd Rose system is not the cheap version. The studs are quality metal which ensures smooth movement, the arm is also closer to the original FR bar which is also nice. TIP: wrap some plumbers tape along the outside of the collar to help close the space between it and the arm to tighten it so it doesn’t swing so easily (old school trick 😉 FR bridges are incredibly stable and once you tine them and lock them down they stay in tune VERY well.

Get a tremolo stabilizer or block it down to make string changes easier. Get this guitar – the combination of a basswood body, maple neck, jumbo frets, JB and ’59 pickups, and a quality Floyd Rose bridge make this THE standard for rock and metal guitars.

And they come in other great colors.

Sure, there are more expensive guitars that might have a bit more to offer. but for a grand? This is really superb quality and value rolled into one. The pickups are more than great. Seymour Duncans all around.

JB in the bridge with no load tone. Cool thing is, if you feel its a tad too bright, just click down to 8 or 7 and it warms up nicely. I was afraid of the no load tone pot at first, but the little click helps tremendously.

You know exactly where you are. The neck feels great. Like a thin C shaped Fender. Super fast! HSS config gives you plenty of options. It comes equipped with a Floyd 1000. Not their number one unit, but it is just fine and stays in tune very well.

Even after a few dive bombs. I dont generally live in that realm, but nice to know it will hold its tune. Another thing, the guitar came set up just perfect for me. Zero adjustments needed. Quality on the build, paint job and finer points, is excellent.

I bought this without even playing it beforehand and I was not disappointed. Good job Charvel/Fender!.

Overall: I got a great deal on a blemish, but the blemish isn’t a big deal at all (I think it looks BA, actually). It just had the typical shaded coloration a maple fretboard gets with frequent use. The sound is fantastic! I love the versatility of the coil splitting, and the action/intonation was near-perfect out of the box! I just had to tighten the springs a touch to get the trem level and retune.

that’s it! The simplicity of the design and the plain white is surprisingly elegant for a shred machine. This guitar covers most of the bases. I’m able to get killer shred tones, but can instantly achieve the pretty tones in a worship setting.

Charvel made themselves a fan, and zZounds has once again made it easy for me to get siiiiick gear! Thanks, boys and girls at zZounds!!.

Overall: I really like this guitar. I only wish I would have bought it sooner. I can’t believe it’s not a 1000 model. Surprisingly comfortable and balanced. Pickups are fine. Coil tap is nice. If you are interested in this don’t wait for it to go up in price buy it now.

This guitar is absolutely amazing, the neck is fast and not loggy, vary easy to move up and down the neck. The pickups it comes are bright and aggressive and the weight of it is just right, not to heavy and not to light and has a good natural tone.

Finally it looks amazing all black finish with all black hardware including locking tuners and white binding going around the neck and headstock.

It’s beautiful, it’s loud, it reflects light all over the place. Easy access to all frets. Bridge pickup is very powerful. Neck pickup has a warm, classic rock sound. Mirror pick-guard is incredibly cool.

Almost unbreakable in its simple design, a classic RG. Very comfortable to play. Tonal ranges in pick ups and their options amazing. Definitely geared for Metallica Rob zombie heavy but nice on Beck pick up clean.

b5vay toggle handy. This Ibanez is the RG I always wanted but in saying that this year’s(2020) is a revolution and I believe it’s worth the few (bigfew) $ extra for the sculpted frets , new coil switch, locking nut/machine head and one day I will.

till then I continue my slash impersonations on a bloody damn good guitar. Lives up to its Japanese heritage, saiko 🤘😁.