DISCOVER the Best SUPERSTRAT Guitars for the Money. Mid-Range and Budget Models (Buyer’s Guide).
What is a Superstrat Guitar
The name superstrat comes from the similarity in body shape to Fender’s stratocaster models. But in reality, their features are endless. They combine characteristics from all types of guitars, while also adding new ones, to try to take everything to the next level.
The philosophy behind the Superstrat is to offer more and more, in order to satisfy the demands of heavy rock musicians.
- More Frets: 22 frets are the standard, but this type of guitar typically has 24 frets. Although there are rare models like the Ibanez RG2011SC with 30 frets.
- More speed: with narrow necks and flatter fingerboards, for easier low string action.
- More Distortion: Usually with high gain pickups.
- Super Tremolo: with high-performance floating bridges like the Floyd Rose.
Woods for a Superstrat
The star wood for this type of guitars is basswood, a wood that works well with all types of pickups, both single coil and humbucker. However, we can find all kinds of woods for this type of guitar, such as mahogany, alder, and poplar.
Best Superstrat Guitars CHARVEL
These guitars can also be easily found with a fixed bridge, which is very interesting for those who don’t use a whammy bar. In the 1980s, many Superstrat-style guitar brands flourished, such as Charvel.
For example, today we can find the Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas HSS FR with a recessed Floyd Rose 1000 series bridge, a Seymour Duncan TB-4 pickup in the bridge position, and two Seymour Duncan SSL-6 single pickups, for around $1800.
If you prefer an HH configuration in this same range, you can find the Charvel Pro Mod SD1 2H FR ($1370). This model replaces the pair of single pickups with a Seymour Duncan ’59, and features a coil-splitting system with different configurations.
Although we can find different types of pickups, such as the Seymour Duncan SH-10 in the bridge position, with an Alnico II Pro APH-1 pickup in the neck position (Charvel Pro-Mod SD ST1 HH FR Old Yella).
In this range, we can also find models like the Charvel Pro-Mod DK1 HH FR Neon Pink Ash mounted with DiMarzio pickups. Specifically, with a DiMarzio Super Distortion DP100 in the bridge position, and a DiMarzio PAF Pro DP151 in the neck position.
Charvel Serie So-Cal
If we prefer a classic Superstrat style we can check out the So-Cal models with a brutal traditional superstrat style appearance, like the Charvel Pro-Mod HSH FR.
This guitar features a Seymour Duncan Distortion TB-6 pickup at the bridge, an SD SSL-6 in the middle, and a Seymour Duncan Distortion SH-6N at the neck. It features a Floyd Rose 1000 Series and a wide range of pickup selections controlled by its 5-way selector switch for around $1000.
Also available with the same Seymour Duncan humbuckers in an HH configuration and with coil-splitting, which provides six different selections.
Best Superstrat Guitars KRAMER
Kramer is another manufacturer known for its Superstrat models, but this brand offers more affordable guitars. One of its most popular creations is the Kramer Baretta. A guitar with only one volume control and a single dual-coil electromagnetic pickup. A model similar to the guitars used by Eddie Van Halen, who helped popularize the single-pickup Super Stratocaster guitar design of the 1980s.
The Baretta model features a body made of maple. A very common wood found in neck construction, as in this model, but uncommon in body construction, giving it a very distinctive characteristic. It has a 14-inch fingerboard radius and a Floyd Rose 1000 series bridge.
Its electromagnetic pickup is a Seymour Duncan SH-4 JB. One of Seymour Duncan’s most charismatic models, it features a push-pull system integrated into its volume control, allowing only one of the pickup’s coils to be used.
You might think that this guitar would cost around $1500 given its features. But this model is very reasonably priced at around $800.
Kramer Baretta Special
The low-cost Baretta is found in the Special series, with a mahogany body, Alnico V magnet humbucker, and traditional tremolo bridge, for a modest price of around $230.
Kramer The 84
In The 84 range we have a model very similar to the standard Baretta, but with the Seymour Duncan JB pickup in a position parallel to the guitar’s bridge.
This model features an alder body, a 12-inch fingerboard radius, parallel connection of the two pickup coils, and a price around $800.
Kramer NightSwan
With two Seymour Duncan JB pickups, we have the NightSwan models, although the pickup arrangement isn’t standard. Rather, it’s a three-pickup guitar, with the pickup that should be installed in the neck position removed, eliminating any sound that might seem thick or poorly defined.
This range maintains Kramer’s standard features, most notably its ebony fingerboard, but maintains a controlled price of around $900, considering that this guitar features an additional pickup compared to previous models.
Kramer Pacer Classic
With a more standard pickup situation, we have the Pacer Classic for around $230.
This guitar features an alder body, alnico V pickups and a Floyd Rose-licensed tremolo. A very classic Superstrat model, with striking metallic finishes.
Kramer Focus VT-211S
If we’re more interested in a low-priced guitar, Kramer offers the Focus VT-211S for around $200.
Even so, it has a mahogany body, maple neck, traditional-style tremolo bridge, and a versatile HSS pickup configuration, manufactured by Kramer with Alnico V magnets.
Best Superstrat Guitars SCHECTER
The Schecter brand is well-known for this style of guitar, such as the Schecter Omen Extreme-6 FR with Floyd Rose Special for around $600. This model features a basswood body with a quilted maple top. The maple neck has a 14-inch-radius rosewood fingerboard and 24 frets.
Also with a fixed bridge (Schecter Omen Extreme 6), and a mahogany body with a quilted maple top, for around $550.
Best Superstrat Guitars: IBANEZ
If there’s one guitar brand that’s an institution in the development of Superstrat-style guitars, it would be the Japanese brand Ibanez. One of its most popular ranges is the RG series, such as the Ibanez RGIR20E.
This model features a basswood body, a 15.75-inch radius rosewood fingerboard, 24 frets, active EMG pickups, Edge-Zero II tremolo, and is priced at around $800.
With the same bridge and similar features as the previous model, but with a mahogany body and Ibanez-developed Quantum passive pickups, we have the Ibanez RG350DXZ-DVM for around $550.
The Ibanez RG320EXZ also features an Edge-Zero II bridge and Quantum pickups, for around $500.
With the same tremolo bridge and pickup type, we have the Ibanez RG350DXZ with an additional single coil pickup in the middle position for around $550.
Best Superstrat Guitars JACKSON
The Jackson Soloist SLX DX features a poplar body, 24 frets, and a graphite-reinforced neck-through-body (950 dollars).
It also features a 12” and 16” compound radius fingerboard, with pickups designed by Seymour Duncan and Floyd Rose Special.
Wolfgang WG Standard
From EVH, we have the Wolfgang WG Standard with a basswood body, poplar burl top, and compound-radius fingerboard. It’s priced at around $800.
