Who do you think of when you picture a white guitar, Hendrix with his Strat, Zakk Wild and his Les Paul Custom, Prince with the Cloud, Billy Duffy and the Gretch White Falcon, Randy Rhoads and his Jackson V, or even Johnny Ramone and his Mosrite Ventures?
Whichever came to mind first, all of those guitars are classics, but what are the 10 best guitars available in white? Let’s find out, starting with the…
Best White Electric Guitar for Beginners - EastCoast ST1 Electric Guitar in Vintage White with Rosewood Fretboard
Want the Hendrix look but without spending a fortune? Then get yourself this EastCoast ST1.
This is an excellent choice for a beginner, giving you all the features and looks of a Strat, but for a lot less. Understandably, it won’t sound or play as nicely as a Strat, but you can always upgrade in the future when you’ve caught the guitar bug.
A great choice for guitar novices on limited budgets.
Best Arctic White Guitar - Squier Sonic Esquire H Electric Guitar in Arctic White
Looking to spend a bit more for your first guitar? Then, for all you Telecaster/Esquire fans, this Squier Esquire is a great buy at a very affordable price.
Esquires have the same shape as Teles but only one pickup instead of the two you find on a Telecaster. This may seem like a compromise, and it is if you want maximum sonic diversity. But the sound you get from single pickup guitars, especially those with humbuckers (like this one) or P90s can often be very special.
Many guitarists including the legendary Eddie Van Halen, Phil X, Tom Delonge, and Billy Joe Armstrong are often seen playing single pickup guitars. They have a sound that you just can’t get from an instrument featuring multiple pickups.
Best White Guitar for Kids - Squier Mini Jazzmaster Electric Guitar in Olympic White
This little stunner just has to be the best white electric guitar for children. It’s a wonderful recreation of the legendary Fender Jazzmaster, but on a smaller scale, with every detail that you’d expect to find on the full-sized guitar apart from lacking the tremolo (whammy) system.
It’s a fantastic first guitar choice for children or younger adults. Or, if you’re looking for a cool travel guitar, one of these and a Pignose amp will give you a great-sounding, ultra-portable setup that you can use anywhere.
Best White Travel Guitar - Pignose PGG-259 Electric Guitar with Built-in Amplifier in White
Sticking with the travel guitar theme, many beginners wisely decide to buy an electric guitar as opposed to an acoustic. Electric guitars normally have thinner strings that are under less tension as well as a lower action, making it easier to press the strings down.
But electric guitars lack volume, so you’ll also need to buy an amplifier, and that’s when it starts getting expensive. But legendary busking amp manufacturer, Pignose, has come up with an innovative all-in-one solution.
The PGG-200 features a built-in amp, so not only is it far cheaper than a separate guitar and amp, but it’s also easier to travel with and play anywhere. Easily the best travel guitar in white out there!
Best White Yamaha Guitar - Yamaha Revstar Element RSE20 Electric Guitar in Vintage White
Guitarists are often drawn to what their heroes play, Hendrix fans play Strats, Jimmy Page fans play Les Pauls, it’s just the way it is. And that’s one of the main reasons why Les Pauls, Strats, SGs, 335s, Teles, etc. are as popular today as they were 50 years ago.
But, some guitarists don’t want to be the same as everyone else and are on the hunt for an instrument that is a little out of the ordinary, something like the Yamaha Revstar.
It’s a bit like a cross between a Les Paul and an SG, yet it retains its distinctive look, style, and sound. High-quality parts, hard-as-nails construction, and eye-catching looks make this the fantastic choice for any guitarist who wants to carve out their own musical identity.
Best Classic White Guitar - Gibson USA '70s Explorer Electric Guitar in Classic White
A lot of guitarists aren't fans of pointy guitars. They are a pain in the behind to play sitting down and you could end up stabbing another band member halfway through your next concert.
And that's exactly how I felt until I played an Explorer for the first time. The shape, even though it looks awkward, fits around the body perfectly when you are standing up. They are perfectly balanced and the unusual nature of the shape just seems to become perfectly natural once you start playing it.
The same was true for a Flying V, but not quite to the same extent, as well as a lot of the more pointy guitars I have played over the years.
But you’re probably now thinking that pointy guitars are for neon spandex and leopard-skin-print-wearing exhibitionists in hair metal bands. Well no, U2’s The Edge, The Killers Dave Keuning, or even Allen Collins from Lynard Skynyrd don’t wear a lot of spandex, but they are often seen on stage and in the studio with Gibson Explorers.
So, don’t let your prejudices hold you back, try an Explorer, or even a Flying V, you might be shocked by how much you love them. But, don’t try practicing sitting down, that just doesn’t work!
Coolest White V-shaped Guitar - Jackson MJ Series Rhoads RR24MG Electric Guitar in White with Black Pinstripes
Sticking with pointy guitars and returning to one that I mentioned in the introduction, next we have a white Jackson RR24MG, a modern take on the Jackson V played by one of the greatest guitarists of all time, Randy Rhoads.
Randy is famous for playing a lot of white guitars, his No.1, the 1972 Les Paul Custom was white/cream, his Sandoval V was black and white polka dot, and, of course, many of the Jackson Vs he played were also white.
The pickups on this shred monster are a classic 81/85 EMG combination delivering fluid sustain and the ability to effortlessly go from a smooth lead tone to a deep growl. It also features true neck-through-body construction allowing for greater playability, a warmer tonal spectrum, and enhanced sustain.
So get on that Crazy Train and get yourself a Jackson.
Best Vintage White Guitar - Gretsch G6136T-59 1959 Falcon in Vintage White
If you’re a fan of big guitars, they don’t come much bigger than this. And if white is your favorite color, they don’t come much whiter than this. For the ultimate in big white electric guitars, you just can’t beat the Gretch White Falcon.
I’m a huge fan of Billy Duffy and his band, The Cult, and used to drool over this his Gretsch when I saw it in videos and on stage. But when I first got up close and personal with one, I was a little shocked. With the mass of gold hardware and the super-cool gold Bigsby trem, it’s blingy, incredibly blingy, far too much for me at the time.
However, over the years, I have grown to love the look. I now own quite a few Gretsch guitars, but still no White Falcon, but who knows what the future holds?
If you’re looking for a show-stopping, eye-popping, masterpiece of wow guitar, you need to check one of these out, they sound great and the look is like no other guitar out there.
Best White Ibanez Guitar - Ibanez Steve Vai Signature PIA Guitar in Stallion White
I’m sure that everyone reading this is well aware of Steve Vai’s over three-decade creative design collaboration with Ibanez which resulted in the now classic JEM series. But for those who want even more sophistication, the PIA is the guitar for you.
The beautifully ornate Ibanez PIA (Paradise In Art) is an evolution of the JEM, combining cutting-edge performance with exquisite aesthetics that elevate it to new creative heights.
It features exquisite patterned gold hardware, a multi-colored blossom fretboard inlay, a split, more refined variation on the JEMs monkey grip handle, a lion’s claw tremolo cavity, and a specially designed Dimarzio HSH pickup configuration giving immense sonic possibilities.
This all melds together perfectly to produce tones with a smoother treble response and a more pronounced low-end for the ultimate in pristine modern sonics along with incredible playability.
Best Olympic White Electric Guitar - Fender Custom Shop '69 CC/NOS Stratocaster in Aged Olympic White
I started this list with the very affordable EastCoast, for those who love the swagger of Hendrix, but don’t want to spend a lot of money. I’ll finish with this beauty for those who want to get as close as they can to the Hendrix feel and look, and are willing to pay a premium for the pleasure.
Over the years, Fender has produced many of the most popular and successful electric guitars in musical history. But what if you want the best of the best from Fender? Well, check out the Fender Custom Shop.
The Custom Shop delivers the highest build quality possible with the utmost attention to detail, creating instruments that are not only stunning to look at but offer the ultimate in tone and playability.
This classic ‘69 Strat looks, sounds, and plays like a dream, it’s the best of the best, after all. The problem is the price, but for those with deep enough pockets looking for the ultimate white guitar, this could well be it.
Wrapping it Up
There are so many quality white guitars in various styles and price points currently on the market that it makes choosing one very difficult. I’ve chosen my Top 10 across various budgets and appealing to different types of guitarists. And I hope that even if one of them isn’t the perfect guitar for you, it’s inspired you or made you consider your options differently. If you're also looking for other colors, we're written about black electric guitars, pink electric guitars, red electric guitars, green electric guitars, blue electric guitar.
I wish you the very best in your search for YOUR dream white guitar.
