So if you want a GREAT guitar for a super low price AND is good for Rocksmith…..you’re in luck.
There are a TON of options out there nowadays.
What you NEED TO KNOW however, is that only certain types of guitars work BEST with the game.
While true, that almost ANY guitar can play on their platform that has a 1/4” jack…….(link to Rocksmiths website)
You Should Know that Certain Guitars work better with Rocksmith than others.
The reason for this?
Certain guitars have pickups that buzz more than others. Making it harder for Rocksmith to tell what note frequency is being played.
Because of this, the best guitars for Rocksmith are those with humbuckers. Why?
Humbuckers don’t emit as much feedback. (Feedback is a weird humming sound some pickups make). Since humbuckers have less feedback than other pickups, it’s easier for Rocksmith to pickup which notes you’re playing. Humbucker pickups are primarily used for rock/alternative/metal/similar styles because they cancel out a lot of that hum. Chances are that your favorite band uses humbuckers. They’re extremely popular.
Here’s what most humbucker pickups look like.
NOTE: There are also a few other factors that make a great Rocksmith guitar, but the pickups are the most important part. I’ll go over some of the other factors and why they’re important after this list.
#7 Epiphone SG 400 Pro
I’ve absolutely always been obsessed with these guitars. Some of my favorite post hardcore metal bands used to play on these, and so I always wanted one…….but I STILL don’t own one. Maybe next guitar…..hmmm..
So this guitar is naturally great because of the humbuckers, but what I really love about this guitar is how ridiculously durable it is. Epiphone makes surprisingly high grade guitars for people on a budget. You’ll have this guitar for a very very long time. Everything about how this guitar is made is meant to last. Probably why I see really old ones all the time popping up at pawn shops. (Great place to find bargains on guitars btw)
#6 Epiphone Slash AFD Les Paul Special 2
These are seriously beautiful guitars, and they’re incredibly inexpensive. Honestly, it’s ridiculous you can get guitars that look this nice on a budget. This guitar also sounds absolutely incredible as well. Everything from a clean tone to crunch, it sounds like a higher end guitar. Really cool that Epiphone made these. Slash did a good job on the collaboration with them.
Now, I will say however that even though I absolutely love the tone and look of this guitar…..what I was most shocked at was the price on this model. I mean absolutely insane. It’s like they want to give it away. Pretty generous move from Slash considering I’m sure he gets a cut out of each guitar that’s sent out. (I assume? Maybe not!)
#5 Yamaha Pacifica 112J
Yamaha is honestly the most surprising brand out there when it comes to making guitars. Mainly because the first thing you think when you see them (or at least what I first think is) “Oh, Yamaha those are okay budget guitars……nothing great”
Well, once you’ve done some digging you’ll find out you’re dead wrong. It’s honestly absolutely ridiculous how much value comes out of this brand nowadays. They are seriously well made guitars that will last for years and years to come and they sound and play absolutely incredible.
What I like most about these guitars for someone just starting out, is that you have a humbucker AND two single coils. You simply switch out which one you want to play with the toggle switch by the tone knobs.
I think this is awesome for a beginner because most beginners don’t have the option of grabbing a different guitar when they want the crisp sound from a single coil rather than the meaty sound a humbucker gives out. What’s really great for you if you’re using this for Rocksmith is that you can switch to the humbucker when needed, but when you’re just playing on an amp you can always test out the single coils and have a little more fun that way. Really versatile setup. For a bargain.
#4 Gretsch G5425
Man, I absolutely love how these look. Super sleek and just…….classy. Which isn’t the best thing about them, the best thing about them is 110% the absolutely perfect tone these guitars make for rock music. It’s absolutely the fullest tone you can get in this price range. What’s interesting about this guitar is that it does have a chambered body, meaning that the body does have some air to breathe inside. This makes a MASSIVE difference in the tone.
Of course, most of the tone comes from the pick ups however……and the pickups on these guitars sound absolutely incredible. Definitely the best pickups out of all the guitars on here for rock music. If you’re looking to play that style you’ll need to at least give this one a listen.
#3 ESP LTD EC-10
So, this guitar is for all the metalheads out there. Honestly, like any LTD guitar (budget guitar from ESP) these guitars are so absolutely cheap it really makes no sense at all.
One of the reasons this is probably the best inexpensive guitar for metal……is just how easily everything can be upgraded. (Metalheads are notorious for constantly upgrading and changing parts on their instrument – probably more than any other genre)
All this, plus…….these guitars SOUND absolutely amazing. Seriously, I think this is hands down the best metal sounding guitar you can get in this price range.
Sidenote: These guitars are great for other genres as well! They’re just geared a little more towards metal.
#2 Ibanez Artcore AM53
Thought I’d throw this one in here for someone who just wanted something slightly different. This particular Ibanez is a semi hollowbody guitar, that sounds absolutely perfect when it comes to jazz and bluesy styles of playing BUT can sound great played with rock as well. (Even though it does just look odd playing that style.
These are seriously incredible guitars, Ibanez is always making incredible quality nowadays…..so no surprise here. Definitely check out the video below and hear it being played. It’s a really nice guitar with a very unique look.
Note: I personally find hollowbody guitars and semi hollowbody guitars to just be uncomfortable to play. Not everyone has the same experience playing these, so…….DEFINITELY make sure to try this one out in a store before you commit to getting one.
#1 Epiphone Les Paul Standard
Yes, I am adding ANOTHER Epiphone to this list. I can’t help it! They’re great guitars. Extremely versatile when it comes to tone and playability……but the best thing about this particular guitar if you haven’t played one before is just how GREAT they feel to play.
To me, Les Paul Standards have the absolute perfect necks and body styles to make playing absolutely a breeze. I love it. The guitars aren’t to bulky, and literally are the perfect instrument for me to just sit down and play for hours without feeling uncomfortable at all.
I know I probably don’t need to say this again, but Epiphones are VERY well made. If you choose this one or any Epiphone model you’ll have this guitar for a very very long time.
MYTH that you should know:
Your guitar does not HAVE to be a solidbody to play Rocksmith. I saw a few comments on a few separate forums saying that you would have to have a solidbody guitar in order to play – because guitars that aren’t solidbody cause feedback problems.
That does not happen with Rocksmith. It just doesn’t. Comment if you have proof that it does, but feedback issues from hollow body guitars are from being to close to an amp. Causing the pickups on the guitar picking up sounds from the amp which makes a weird feedback loop. Since there is no amp involved with Rocksmith……….this simply is impossible and makes absolutely no sense.
What these people may be experiencing is faulty cables, or issues with their own guitars been broken in some other way.
The 5 factors that make a GREAT Rocksmith guitar
Low Action – Simply put, the action is how far away the strings are from the fretboard. A guitar with low action has strings very close to the fretboard. The closer the strings are to the fretboard, the easier it is to press down and hit notes. This is great for playing in general, but especially great for Rocksmith because quite a few songs you have to change notes extremely fast and being able to quickly press down to hit a note is very useful in this situation. Honestly, there are many more reasons why low action is better in most situations for Rocksmith………….but I don’t want to drag this article out to long. If you’re interested in learning more about low action there are tons more articles out there.
Good tuners – Some cheaper guitars don’t have the best quality of tuners. This causes the strings to constantly go slightly out of tune. This can get extremely annoying having to constantly re tune just to play the game, because an out of tune guitar won’t register the correct notes on the game. You can always of course, swap out the tuners for higher grade ones……..but it’s easier to just buy the guitar with good tuners already in place.
Fyi: This might not seem like a huge deal, but when you have to retune after practically every song………you’ll feel like you’re losing your mind. It can get very annoying. Especially for a beginner that can’t tune a guitar very quickly.
Durability – Yes, it might seem like a no-brainer…..but durability is a huge part of a good guitar in general. There are tons of factors that go into a guitars durability. Thankfully, most guitar brands nowadays are incredibly durable. Even the most inexpensive brands. Back in the day, it used to not be like this but nowadays almost all budget guitars are durable. So, if you do decide to get a guitar that’s not on this list you don’t have to worry to much. Just make sure to do your research when purchasing.
Necks Thickness
Now, you may turn out to be an instant prodigy like this kid…..
But for the most of us……you won’t be….at least for awhile.
Why am I bringing this up? Well, if you notice……everything he is playing in this video he has to STRETCH his hands out insanely far to be able to play many of these things.
Now, some of that has to do with the chords he’s playing……but a LOT of it has to do with the fact that he’s playing a guitar with a HUGE neck. (Classical guitars have the largest necks out there) if he played a guitar with a SMALLER neck, he wouldn’t have to stretch his hands out as much and he could play with a ton more ease.
So….what does this mean for you?
Basically, you’re going to want a small neck. A small neck equals less stretching. Less stretching equals less pain. Which all equals more fun and enjoyment from playing the guitar.
We can save those huge necked guitars for later on when you’re in the big leagues.
Sidenote: if you have absolutely huge hands you might actually enjoy classical guitars more. Unfortunately for you, finding guitars at decent prices can be obnoxious so……I’m sorry. I have pretty large hands myself so don’t feel to bad. I personally got used to playing a normal sized neck, but I do play a classical now and again.
Quick Bonus Tip: don’t buy the guitar because of brand name
There are tons of guitars out there that might seem like a great idea because of their brand name……nowadays that’s not always the case.
Maybe ten years ago, you’d be right about it. But now you can find tons of smaller names guitar manufacturers compete just as much with some of the “name brand” guitars. In fact I’d say, many of the name brands……you have to pay a premium to see that name on the headstock. Whereas it used to be that when you saw the name on the headstock you knew you got a steal.
Just a quick tip for you, do your diligence when you’re looking for a guitar for yourself. Make sure to really read the reviews, and if you can pick one up in the store and play.