Best Electric Guitar Under £1000
Step into professional performance. The £500 to £1000 price bracket represents the ultimate sweet spot for serious musicians, offering access to premium tonewoods, advanced electronics, and tour-ready hardware. Whether you are a gigging guitarist needing a reliable stage workhorse, a studio musician seeking pristine tonal clarity, or a passionate player ready to invest in a lifetime instrument, our curated guide to the best electric guitars under 1000 will help you find the perfect match.
At MusicStreet, we believe a premium guitar deserves a premium setup. That is why every single best electric guitar under 1000 in our collection undergoes a rigorous professional workshop setup (worth £75) by our expert techs in our Huntingdon showroom before shipping, ensuring flawless playability straight out of the box.
✓ Hand-Selected for Playability ✓ Free UK Delivery over £99 ✓ Professional Setup Included
Explore Best Electric Guitar Under £1000 at MusicStreet
The MusicStreet Setup Advantage: Why It Matters Under £1000
At the sub-£1000 price point, you are investing in a serious musical tool designed for professional stage, studio, and touring work. However, even high-quality mid-to-high-range guitars straight from the factory are rarely optimized for playability. Wood naturally shifts during transit across different climates, and factory setups are designed for speed, not precision.
At MusicStreet, we believe every player deserves a perfect instrument. That is why we perform a **free £75 professional workshop setup** on every single guitar we sell. Our expert luthiers adjust the truss rod, file the nut slots, level the bridge saddles, and polish the frets to ensure your new instrument plays like a dream straight out of the box.
🔧 Free £75 Professional Setup
Every guitar is individually set up in our in-house workshop. We adjust the action, intonation, and neck relief to match your playing style, ensuring it plays perfectly straight out of the box.
🛡️ 12-Month Warranty
We stand behind every instrument we sell. All of our electric guitars come with a full 12-month warranty, giving you complete peace of mind with your purchase.
🚚 Free UK Delivery & 14-Day Returns
Get free, fully insured UK shipping on all orders over £99. If the guitar isn't the perfect fit for your hands, return it to us within 14 days for a hassle-free refund or exchange.
Top Brands for Electric Guitars Under £1000
The sub-£1000 price bracket is incredibly competitive, featuring outstanding models from the world's leading manufacturers. Here are some of the top brands and models we highly recommend in this price range:
Fender Player II Series
The **Fender Player II** series is the industry standard for gigging musicians. Built in Ensenada, Mexico, these guitars feature classic alder bodies, upgraded alnico pickups, and modern neck profiles with rolled fingerboard edges. They deliver authentic Fender tone and feel that is ready for any stage or studio session.
PRS SE Series
The **PRS SE** series offers incredible value, bringing Paul Reed Smith's legendary design and quality control to a sub-£1000 price point. Models like the **PRS SE Custom 24** and **SE McCarty 594** feature stunning maple veneers, versatile coil-splitting pickups, and flawless playability.
Yamaha Revstar Standard
Inspired by vintage café racer motorcycles, the **Yamaha Revstar Standard** series features carbon-reinforced necks, chambered mahogany bodies, and custom-wound pickups with a unique passive "Focus Switch" boost. They offer a fresh, modern aesthetic and a massive range of powerful tones.
Guitar Trade-In & Part-Exchange Program
Ready to upgrade your current rig? We make it incredibly easy to trade in your pre-owned gear. Through our straightforward guitar part-exchange program, you can bring your old guitar, amplifier, or effects pedals into our showroom (or send us details online) and put its value directly toward any new or used electric guitar in our store.
Visit Our Huntingdon Guitar Showroom
If you are searching for premium guitar shops in Cambridgeshire, come visit our showroom in Huntingdon. Located at 10 Chequers Court, our showroom is the perfect place to plug in, test out different neck profiles, and chat with our friendly, knowledgeable team. We are easily accessible from Cambridge, Peterborough, and Bedford, with convenient parking nearby.
Frequently Asked Questions About Electric Guitars Under £1000
What is the best electric guitar under £1000? +
The "best" guitar depends on your musical style, but the Fender Player II series (for classic single-coil tones), the PRS SE Custom 24 (for modern humbucking versatility), and the Yamaha Revstar Standard (for unique styling and powerful mid-range) are widely considered the top contenders in this price bracket.
What is included in your £75 professional setup? +
Our expert in-house technicians perform a complete multi-point inspection. This includes adjusting the neck relief (truss rod), setting the optimal string action (height) at both the nut and bridge saddles, setting the intonation, cleaning and conditioning the fretboard, polishing the frets, checking all electronics/pots, and installing a fresh set of premium strings.
Can I customize my setup preferences when I buy? +
Absolutely! When you place your order, you can leave a note at checkout or contact us directly to specify your preferred string gauge, brand, and tuning (e.g., standard, drop D, half-step down). Our workshop technicians will set up the guitar to your exact specifications before shipping.
Can I trade in my old gear toward a purchase? +
Absolutely. We offer a highly competitive part-exchange program. You can bring your gear directly to our Huntingdon showroom for an on-the-spot valuation, or contact us online with photos and details to receive a preliminary trade-in estimate.
The MusicStreet Difference: Why Our Setup Matters Most
Guitars in the £500 to £1000 price bracket are built with exceptional materials, but they are often shipped straight from overseas factories with minimal setup. This can result in high action, uneven frets, or poor intonation.
At MusicStreet, we don't believe in "box shifting." Our in-house workshop is staffed by expert guitar technicians who meticulously inspect, adjust, and play-test every single guitar under £1000 before it leaves our store. We lower the action, smooth the fret edges, adjust the neck relief, and perfectly intonate the bridge. With our professional setup, your new guitar will play and feel like a premium instrument costing twice as much.
The Top Contenders: Best Electric Guitars Under £1000
1. The Fender Player II Series
The industry standard, refined. The Fender Player II series (including the Stratocaster, Telecaster, and Jazzmaster) offers authentic Fender tone, style, and playability at an incredible price point. Featuring solid alder bodies, comfortable modern "C"-shaped maple necks with rolled fingerboard edges, and upgraded Alnico V pickups, these guitars are the ultimate workhorses for gigging musicians and recording artists alike.
2. The PRS SE Custom 24
Boutique design and flawless execution. The PRS SE Custom 24 brings Paul Reed Smith's legendary aesthetics and playability to a highly accessible price point. Featuring a mahogany body with a maple top and a stunning flame maple veneer, a comfortable Wide Thin maple neck, and custom-voiced 85/15 "S" humbuckers with coil-splitting, it offers unparalleled tonal versatility and striking visual beauty.
3. The Yamaha Revstar Standard (RSS20 / RSS02T)
Inspired by vintage cafe-racer motorcycles and Japanese heritage, the Yamaha Revstar Standard features a striking, double-cutaway design and an innovative chambered mahogany body. Utilizing Yamaha's proprietary Acoustic Design process, this guitar is engineered to maximize resonance and sustain while reducing weight. Loaded with carbon-reinforced necks, custom-wound pickups, and a passive "Focus Switch" boost, it is a modern classic built for expressive players.
4. The Epiphone Les Paul Custom
The "Tuxedo" Les Paul. The Epiphone Les Paul Custom features a solid mahogany body, a comfortable 60s SlimTaper neck, and gold hardware. Loaded with custom-voiced ProBucker humbuckers, it delivers the classic, warm, and authoritative voice that defined rock history, combined with elegant aesthetics that stand out on any stage.
5. The Ibanez Genesis Collection
A tribute to Japanese precision. Made in Japan, the Ibanez Genesis collection features classic RG designs with ultra-thin Super Wizard necks, high-output V7/V8 pickups, and the legendary Edge double-locking tremolo system. It is the ultimate high-performance shred machine for technical players demanding flawless execution.
4. The MusicStreet Difference: Workshop-Prepared Playability
At MusicStreet, we treat every gigging musician and passionate player with the same respect and care as a professional touring artist.
- No Drop-Shipping: Every guitar listed on our site is physically in stock at our Huntingdon store.
- 1-Year Warranty: We back every instrument we sell with a comprehensive 1-year warranty.
- Free UK Shipping: Enjoy free, fully insured UK shipping on all orders over £99, with competitive rates worldwide.
- Flexible Financing: Buy with confidence using Klarna or PayPal split payments.
5. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What makes a £1000 electric guitar better than a £500 one?
Guitars in the £1000 price bracket typically feature premium tonewoods (like solid mahogany or alder with figured maple tops), higher-quality pickups (such as custom-voiced Alnico V or active EMGs), more reliable hardware (including locking tuners and high-mass bridges), and superior fretwork, neck finishing, and overall quality control.
Can I use a £1000 electric guitar for professional recording?
Absolutely! Modern guitars under £1000 are exceptionally well-made and highly dependable. When combined with our professional workshop setup (worth £75), these instruments are fully capable of handling the rigors of live performances and delivering studio-quality tones.
Does my guitar come set up?
Yes. Every single guitar purchased from MusicStreet receives a professional, custom setup in our in-house workshop before dispatch. If you have specific preferences for string gauge, tuning, or action height, simply let us know when placing your order, and our techs will configure it to your exact specifications.
Can I try these guitars in person?
Absolutely. We welcome you to visit our independent showroom at 10 Chequers Court, Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire. You can get hands-on with our collection, test them through premium amplifiers, and get honest, expert advice from our team of working musicians.
