• Discover Electric Guitars

• Pick the Right Electric Guitar

• Get the Electric Guitar Accessories You Need

• Find Electric Guitars on eBay

• Buy Electric Guitars With Confidence

Discover Electric Guitars

Discover Electric Guitars

Electric guitars vary primarily according to their body, tone woods, number of strings, and electronic components.

• Solid-body electric guitars: Made of a solid piece of wood or a combination of different pieces of wood, solid-body guitars are the most common electric guitars on the market. They require amplification, which allows you to play at higher volume levels. Choose a solid-body electric guitar if you like rock, blues, heavy metal, or country.

• Hollow-body electric guitars: A hollow-body electric guitar is basically an acoustic guitar with pickups. Hollow bodies produce some acoustic output and can also be played through an amplifier. Consider this body type for softer, quieter types of music, such as jazz, that don't require a lot of amplification.

• Semi-hollow body electric guitars: Semi-hollow body electric guitars offer acoustic output and electronics. They have a block of wood placed under the top that reduces feedback and permits the electric guitar to play at higher volume levels than hollow-body electric guitars.

Knock on wood

The tone wood that makes up a solid-body electric guitar has a significant impact on how the instrument sounds, informing its tone and sustain. The most common woods for solid body electric guitars are mahogany and maple. Mahogany electric guitars offer a warm, round tone while maple, a stronger and denser wood, produces a brighter sound. You may also find electric guitars made of lighter-weight ash, which produces a ringing tone, or alder, which has a good tonal balance for a variety of musical styles.

As for hollow body electric guitars, the more expensive models are constructed of solid spruce tops with solid maple backs and sides.

Count electric guitar strings

The standard electric guitar has six strings and works well for a variety of players, especially beginners just learning the ropes. Ibanez electric guitars, Schecter electric guitars, and ESP electric guitars all make 7-string electric guitars.

Once you get to be a more advanced electric guitar player, you can try out a 12-string guitar. 12-string electric guitars give your music a layered or doubled effect, as if two electric guitars were playing at once. Primarily used in folk or folk-rock, the “jangly” sound 12-string electric guitars were made famous by the Byrds, who played Rickenbacker 12-string electric guitars.

Double-neck electric guitars let you switch back and forth between 6 and 12 guitar strings; one neck has the usual 6 strings, the other has 12 guitar strings.

Look at electric guitar electronics

Electric guitar pickups “pick up” the string vibrations and send an electric signal to the amplifier. They're located beneath the strings and between the bottom of the neck and bridge of the electric guitar. Pickups come in two varieties: single-coil pickups and humbucker pickups (double coil).

• Single-coil guitar pickups: Electric guitars with single-coil pickups produce a twangy, bright sound. They allow more hum and feedback, making them difficult to play at higher volume levels. Fender electric guitars often use single-coil pickups.

• Humbuckers: Humbuckers produce a more powerful, “fatter” sound than single-coil pickups. The quiet pickup reduces extraneous noise and is associated with Gibson electric guitars.

Most electric guitars come with two or three pickups. Some also contain different pickup configurations (three single-coils and two humbuckers or two single-coils and one humbucker) to provide a larger range of sound.

Pick the Right Electric Guitar

Pick the Right Electric Guitar

Beginners tend to gravitate toward newer, less expensive electric guitars. Pros and collectors prefer used electric guitars and look for specific brands and models.

Of all the names in the electric guitar market, Fender electric guitars and Gibson electric guitars remain the two most prominent. Both electric guitar companies have been around for several decades, earning hardcore devotees and developing trademark sounds.

• The Gibson electric guitar sound: Gibson electric guitars, such as the popular Les Paul electric guitar, SG electric guitar, and semi-hollow body ES-355 electric guitar, have a “fat,” blues tone. Gibson electric guitar aficionados include Jimmy Page, B. B. King, and Neil Young.

• The Fender electric guitar sound: Fender electric guitars such as the Stratocaster electric guitar and Telecaster electric guitar are known for their thinner, more versatile sound. Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Ray Vaughn are among those in the Fender electric guitar camp.

You'll find other increasingly popular electric guitar brands on eBay, including Carvin electric guitars, Schecter electric guitars, Charvel electric guitars, Tokai electric guitars, Ibanez electric guitars, Dean electric guitars, Gretsch electric guitars, Epiphone electric guitars, Yamaha electric guitars, and Washburn electric guitars.

Grab artist signature electric guitars

Many famous guitar players collaborate with electric guitar manufacturers to produce artist signature electric guitars. If you’re a fan of certain guitarists, you can buy their signature guitars, including Steve Vai electric guitars, Jeff Beck electric guitars, Eric Clapton electric guitars, or Joe Satriani electric guitars.

Find electric guitars for lefties

The majority of electric guitars are designed for right-handed players. But if you’re a leftie, you’ll be able to find left-handed electric guitar models, too.

Get an electric guitar package deal

Beginner electric guitar packages come with everything you need to start playing electric guitar right away, including an electric guitar, small amplifier, chord, carrying bag, strap, and picks.

Explore used electric guitars

Carefully read item descriptions, examine photos, and have sellers answer any questions you may have before you buy. You'll want an electric guitar close to its original condition, with minimal signs of wear and tear such as scratches and dings. Ask if the electric guitar has had any repairs or alterations.

Get the Electric Guitar Accessories You Need

Get the Electric Guitar Accessories You Need

Are you ready to rock? Well, not quite yet. Get the electric guitar accessories you need to play.

• Electric guitar amplifier: Electric guitar amplifiers such as Marshall amplifiers, Fender amplifiers, Peavey amplifiers, and Mesa Boogie amplifiers transform electric guitars into powerful instruments. Low-wattage practice amps suffice for beginners. If you play in a band, get larger amps that provide more power and more volume.

• Electric guitar cables: Connect your electric guitar to your amp with a cable or cord. Electric guitar cables come in different strengths and lengths. The longer the cable, the further away you can wander from your amp.

• Electric guitar strings: Your electric guitar will come with light-gauge steel strings. But strings break all the time and you should keep a few extra sets on hind. A string winder will help you change your strings even faster.

• Electric guitar cases: Get a hardshell case (HSC), softshell case (SSC), or gig bag to protect your electric guitar. Hardshell cases offer greater protection, but lightweight softshell cases and gig bags work better if you carry your electric guitar around a lot. A guitar stand can keep your electric guitar either out of the way or on display.

• Electric guitar accessories: Get slides, guitar picks, and capos to create your own unique electric guitar music. Don't forget to buy a guitar strap if you plan to stand while you play your electric guitar. If you can't tune by ear yet, also get an electric tuner.

• Electric guitar effects pedals: Effects pedals expand your sound arsenal with a wide range of sound options, from chorus and fuzz to distortion and delay.

Find Electric Guitars on eBay

Find Electric Guitars on eBay

Once you know what type of electric guitar you want, go to the Musical Instruments portal, click the Electric link below Guitar, and start searching for item listings on eBay.

• Categories: The Categories list on the left side of each page will help you narrow down your listings by brand. You'll find links for Fender, Gibson, Gretsch, Ibanez, Yamaha, and more.

• Keyword search: Search eBay listing titles for specific words. For example, if you want to find a Fender Telecaster, type "Fender Telecaster" (without quotation marks) into the Search box. Click "Search title and description" to expand your results. Visit eBay's Search Tips page for more tips on searching with keywords.

If you can't find exactly what you want, try shopping eBay Stores, tell the eBay Community what you want by creating a post on Want It Now, or save a search on My eBay and eBay will email you when a match becomes available.

Buy Electric Guitars With Confidence

Buy Electric Guitars With Confidence

Before making your purchase, make sure you know exactly what you're buying, research your seller, and understand how eBay and PayPal protect you.

Know your purchase

Carefully read the details in item listings.

• Figure delivery costs into your final price. If you spend a lot of money, make sure the seller will insure the item when it ships.

• If you want more information, ask by clicking the "Ask seller a question" link under the seller's profile.

• Always make sure to complete your transaction on eBay (with a bid, Buy It Now, or Best Offer). Transactions conducted outside of eBay are not covered by eBay protection programs.

• Never pay for your eBay item using instant cash wire transfer services through Western Union or MoneyGram. These payment methods are unsafe when paying someone you do not know.

Know your seller

Research your seller so you feel positive and secure about every transaction.

• What is the seller's Feedback rating? How many transactions have they completed? What percentage of positive responses do they have?

• What do buyers say in their Feedback? Did the seller receive praise?

• Most top eBay sellers operate like retail stores and have return policies. Do they offer a money-back guarantee? What are the terms and conditions?

Buyer protection

In the unlikely event that a problem arises during your transaction, eBay and PayPal are there for you.

• Pay safely with PayPal: PayPal enables you to pay without the seller ever seeing your bank account or credit card numbers. In fact, PayPal protects buyers 100% against unauthorized payments from their accounts. Plus, with PayPal Buyer Protection, your purchase can be covered up to C$1,250.

• eBay Security & Resolution Centre: Visit the Security & Resolution Centre to learn how to protect your account and use eBay's quick and efficient resolution tools.