Fans of heavy metal are often drawn to the complex and highly inventive guitar solos found in the majority of heavy metal songs. Obviously, the biggest input of the solo is the skill of the guitarist, but certain guitars have been designed and manufactured specifically to improve the tone and quality of a guitar solo. The following are the best guitars available to buy today for use writing and playing heavy metal solos.

Jackson King V

The Jackson King V is a very famous electric guitar designed and manufactured by Jackson Guitars. The style of the body mimics the famous Gibson Flying V, but the head features the standard Jackson pointed head. Countless guitarists, from Dave Mustaine to Phil Demmel, have used this guitar. There are multiple variations that can be bought, but all feature a sturdy maple body with Seymour Duncan® humbucking pickups. The Jackson King V is the ideal guitar to use for solos featuring heavy distortion.

Ibanez Guitars

Ibanez are a very famous guitar manufacture operating out of Japan, and have provided guitars to seminal guitarists for over thirty years. Ibanez guitars are very popular with heavy metal guitarists because of the lightweight body, and reliable and well-spaced finger frets. There are multiple models available, but guitars such as the Ibanez JEM7V are especially well suited to fast and complex guitar solos.

ESP Guitars

ESP is another Japanese owned guitar manufacturer, and as with Ibanez guitars most ESP models feature a light but durable body with well spaced finger frets. ESP guitars are very popular with the newer generation of heavy metal guitarists, and many find that the ESP Limited line of instruments are perfect for heavy metal guitar solos that feature reverb, delay and other guitar pedal generated effects.

Learning to Play Heavy Metal Guitar Solos

As stated in the opening paragraph, the biggest aspect of the sound, speed and style of a heavy metal guitar solo is the skill of the player. When it comes to solos, practice makes perfect, but there are a number of other ways to improve your playing from the comfort of your home. Our website features dozens of home lessons dedicated to heavy metal playing, and the lessons are easy to understand and very beneficial. Readers are also advised to check out the rest of our blog for additional tips and advice on how to get the most out of your playing.

Conclusion

There are three ‘big’ guitar companies that make models especially suited to heavy metal playing and guitar solos. Jackson is probably the best known, and is world famous for their high quality instruments and advanced pickups. Ibanez is a Japanese company preferred by very fast guitarists, as the smoothness of the fret board ensures easy transition from note to note. ESP is definitely the most popular with the latest generation of guitarists, and their Limited line of guitars is very popular thanks to their affordable nature and high quality build. The best way to work out which guitar is best for you is by visiting a local music shop and having a trial session. Readers looking for lessons, tips and advice on how to perfect their heavy metal solos should check out Jamie Hunt’s lessons here on our website.