best super strat

STRATS ON STEROIDS! 10 Best Super Strat Guitars In 2022

Updated on April 1, 2022 by Dan Harper

I love Superstrat-style guitars! These are my favorites!

Quick Links To Our Best Super Strat Style Guitars Recommendations

If you are a heavy metal guitarist that want to play a Superstrat, then you are in the right place! I have here my top choices for the best super Stratocaster guitars that are excellent alternatives to a Fender Stratocaster electric guitar. 

What Is A Super Strat Guitar?

A Superstrat guitar is a type of electric guitar designed to combine the sound of a classic Fender Stratocaster with more modern features. The Superstrat became popular guitar in the 1980s, and its popularity grew. Guitar players sometimes modify their guitars with features that were first seen on Superstrat models.

Some of the most notable musicians in this genre are Eddie Van Halen, George Lynch, Steve Vai, Kirk Hammett, Kevin Shields, and Dave Mustaine, who use the top-heavy metal guitar brands.

Our Top Superstrat Electric Guitar Reviews

1.  Charvel Pro-Mod DK22 SuperStrat

Charvel once again made a guitar modeled to breed players who have a limitless boundary for their musical talent. Are you looking for a super strat with great features? The Charvel Pro-Mod DK22 has it, and that’s why we believe it is the top Super Strat. They are designed to perform an outstanding style of play with a whole spectrum tone.

The Charvel Pro-Mod DK22 features a sculpted shredder’s cut heel and a scalloped lower back to bring you a comfortable performance. Its body is partnered with strengthened graphite and a bolt-on neck to bring you solid stability when playing. What’s more, the back of its neck is finished with a smooth satin urethane giving you a swiftly done performance.

The Charvel Pro-Mod DK22 electric guitar is designed for these high-speed plays. It has a 12″ -16″ compound radius fingerboard that presents comfortable rolled edges, 22 jumbo frets, and other more extraordinary features best for you.

Additionally, there is also an added premium feature for the guitar: the five-way blade volume control with 500K EVH that has a low friction potentiometer and no-load tone control. Charvel also provided a heel-mount truss rod adjustment wheel and a custom 510 tremolo.

If this guitar clicked your interests, you could get yours now in these colors; gloss black, pharaohs gold, and electric blue.

They also have a couple similar guitars called the Charvel Pro-Mod San Dimas Style 1 and the Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal.

Pros:

  • Made from quality materials engineered for durability
  • The shape and neck of the guitar provide a comfortable, easy-playing experience

Cons:

  • Pricey – upper-end models can be over $1000.00 US Dollars, but considering the quality that goes into building these guitars, it’s a bargain.

Our Rating –
5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Charvel Pro-Mod DK22

2.  Ibanez AZ224F Premium Super Strat

The AZ224F Premium is one of the solid-bodied electric guitars in Ibanez’s AZ guitar series. It features an American basswood body with a fingerboard with 22 stainless steel frets, black dotted position markers, and luminescent side dots. They also included a Gotoh-made T1502 two-point synchronized tremolo bridge and locked turning machines with an adjustable height post. Another additional feature is the nut from Graph Tech TUSQ XL.

This AZ224F also uses a Dyna-MIX9 switching system, which has an “Alter switch” that lets a guitar player bring nine definite tones into action. The altered switch enables you to bring out two modes with the help of the single coils being connected in series, allowing you to create a tone similar to that of a second Stratocaster humbucker.

Ibanez will not disappoint you as they can also offer you an excellent stable tuning for your guitar and outstanding resonance. A quality gig bag is also included upon your purchase. Do not worry about your talents. Their guitars were made primarily to express yourself and let your talent grow. These are available in colors; black ice, brown topaz burst, and transparent ruby.

Pros:

  • The Super Strat Standard AZ224 has a beautiful body.
  • The guitar is well made with high-quality materials.
  • It sounds fantastic for a mid-tier guitar.
  • The pickups are great, not too noisy at all, which is an issue with some guitars in their price range.

Cons:

  • The strings that come on it are pretty low quality and worn out. I would recommend replacing them as soon as possible after you purchase them.

Our Rating –
5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Ibanez AZ224F Premium

3.  Ibanez RG Prestige Series RG652AHM

Just like the name, it is a prestigious series indeed. The RG652AHM is one of the highest quality super strat guitars from Ibanez’s RG Prestige Series. What can this Superstrat guitar offer you? If you are searching for the super Stratocaster guitars that can give you a comfortable and effortless play, this might be the one for you! Ibanez has focused on this guitar for fast plays. With the Ibanez Wizard thin neck, you are sure to have fun playing this model. Not to mention, the design for this five-piece Super Wizard HP neck was thought out to the next level. Not just that, it has an Ibanez Edge locking tremolo that can give you complete control and stable tuning for your guitar.

Additional electric guitar features include the 24 jumbo frets and Prestige fret edge treatment. This guitar also has a DiMarzio Air Norton and Tone Zone pickup, giving you a classic humbucker tone. Extra; a hardshell case is included upon purchase.

Quoting Ibanez, they have described this series as “Japanese craftsmanship meeting American inspiration.” They wanted every instrument to inspire other players and push them to achieve more than what their playing boundaries had set. The RG652AHM results from Ibanez’s commitment to the RG Prestige Series. This model is considered one of the best and most respected super strat guitars; you can find out there.

Pros:

  • provides a great feel and look
  • provides both a traditional and HSH pickup configuration
  • controls are easy to find and use

Cons:

  • A little pricey!

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Ibanez RG Prestige Series RG652AHM

4.  Jackson X Series Soloist SL4X

The Jackson brand has already made high-speed plays and performances their trademark for their guitars. Without a doubt, the X Series Soloist SL4X can bring that type of performance for you. However, this super strat guitar model can still play beyond the limits of Jackson guitars’ high-speed plays with the help of its SSS pickup configuration router.

You can even achieve flexible ranges of tones with this guitar’s pickups. The single-coil-sized humbuckers make this guitar even more impressive as it can bring an excellent midrange harmony and an aggressive play style of hard rock and metal when you use it. This guitar also has a Floyd Rose Special double-locking tremolo bridge system to provide a stable string and dynamic tremolo action.

Its body featured a 25.5″ scale length, was made out of poplar, and paired with a through-body neck, reinforced with graphite and a scarf joint. To give you easy chording, riffing near the nut, and quick fret-out free leads when moving up to the neck, they have designed this guitar to have a 12″ -16″ compound radius bound laurel fingerboard.

Check them out with these striking colors; butterscotch with gold hardware, specific ocean with chrome hardware, gloss black and snow-white, both with black hardware.

Pros:

  • Great looking
  • Excellent playability
  • Premium build quality
  • Very comfortable to play
  • Great sound for the price.
  • Stays in tune.

Cons:

  • The pickups are good, but they can be noisy at times.

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Jackson X Series Soloist SL4X

5.  Jackson Adrian Smith SDX

The Jackson brand indeed does not disappoint us with its guitars. Another one of their guitars on my list is the Jackson Adrian Smith SDX electric guitar. With the Jackson super strat guitar previously mentioned, they have also accustomed the Adrian Smith SDX with a 12″ -16″ compound radius designed fingerboard. Its fingerboard has a more rounded feel at the nut then slowly flattens around the heel. With that, this makes your chording and riffing near the nut more comfortable than ever.

The Jackson Adrian Smith SDX design is focused on shredding. You can have a fast-action, and bolt-on neck, which is also joined up with a compound-radius fingerboard and jumbo frets for your swift and high-speed plays.

It also features a humbucker in the bridge position and single-coil pickups positioned in the middle and neck of this Superstrat guitar. The humbucking bridge pickup can achieve a full and rich tone even when you play with a maximum overdrive and sustain.

This is of the best super Stratocaster guitars that I can find, which is also great for those searching with a budget. With its high specs and a price that does not exceed $500, this is an excellent bargain for you!

Pros:

  • It’s generally versatile in sound quality
  • The neck is effortless to play on and is also very fast

Cons:

  • Some people might find the tone dull for their tastes, but this guitar doesn’t have many features found in other guitars to give it more of an expected tone.

Our Rating –
4/5


Check The Latest Price On The Jackson Adrian Smith SDX

6.  Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK2M

Another Jackson brand coming into your way is the Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK2M. With Jackson adding more premium features, you can enjoy this and have a fun-filled vibe performance with this model that can provide you with the ultimate shredding experience.

This modern super strat guitar offers you an alder body and a reinforced graphite bolt-on neck accustomed with a shredder’s cut heel for an effortless approach to your upper frets. Its back is also finished with hand-rubbed urethane for you to get a firmer grip and comfortable play with your guitar. Meanwhile, the added heel-mount truss rod adjustment wheel is made for you to have quick and practical neck relief tweaks. And with the guitar’s 24 jumbo frets and offset black dot inlays, its fingerboard is most suitable for those whose preferred plays are heavy chording rock music and fast ripping solos.

Jackson Dinkies are excellent guitars!

You can even have a contained clarity with its enhanced note definition; this feature is a must-have for those who like to express themselves in modern metal. Additionally, with its five-way blade switching, single volume, and tone controls, this can let you have full access to tweaking and refining your tones. The Jackson Dinky also has an improved stable tuning with the help of the Floyd Rose 1000 Series double-locking tremolo system on these best super strats.

Pros:

  • Suitable for both metal and rock.
  • High quality.
  • Very playable.
  • Looks awesome!

Cons:

  • None really, but it may not be the best sound for blues or jazz (for that, you should get a Fender).

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Jackson Pro Series Dinky DK2M

7.  Schecter C-6 Plus (Budget Option)

An exceptional electric guitar at an affordable price; what else is there to ask? The Schecter C-6 Plus can offer you an effortless and comfortable play with its bearing qualities.

The body of this Schecter C-6 Plus has two Schecter Diamond humbuckers placed in the neck and bridge position of the guitar. And to help you hear out the sounds of your guitar, there is a three-way switch with a master volume and tone knobs provided in each of your Schecter Diamond humbuckers. With its neck shape cut to a soft-C, you can play with enough speed without being tense while performing. You can even have a rock-solid core and quick setups with the help of the tidy string-through tune-o-Matic bride. Best of all, there would be zero floating vibrations or coil-taps to distract you when you use them.

The Schecter C-6 Plus was built to play for anyone and everyone. For those inexperienced, your playing would still be flattering for the ears, and with more practice, you can finally bring out the qualities of this guitar rather than the guitar doing it for you. The Schecter C-6 Plus has a tight, aggressive, and harmonious expression. With the help of the extra-jumbo frets, those challenging tracks that you’d like to try out will surely be achievable in no time.

Pros:

  • Quiet
  • Supreme Quality

Cons:

  • Pricey (but worth it)

Check out more affordable Super Strats here as well.

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The Schecter C-6 Plus

8.  ESP LTD M-1000

The ESP LTD M-1000 is a one-of-a-kind super strat guitar. Its body can be the perfect fit to bring you an endless comfortable play. Enjoy fast movements on its extra thin U-shaped maple neck and a 24-fret ebony fingerboard. This is the ideal Superstrat guitar that can let anyone have that oozing quality, tone, and playable shredding experience.

ESP’s instruments from the LTD series feature premium tonewoods, quality pickups, and solid hardware. With those features in hand, your guitar can indeed last for a lifetime. If you’re checking out for good rock or metal guitars, then the ESP LTD M-1000 super strat guitar is the one for you!

Other features included in this guitar are its contoured alder body, making it lighter and more comfortable to play. They can also pull off a screaming tone with two active EMG 81 pickups. Another great thing would also be the EMG-81 humbucker since it’s quiet and will not provide any unnecessary noise. And for your dive-bombs and warbles, this guitar is accustomed to a Floyd Rose vibrato bridge.

These guitars are available in colors; TOM Bridge, see-through black, and Snow White.

Pros:

  • It plays like a dream.
  • Amazing sustain
  • The neck pickup is so good that it’s my favorite for clean tones and leads. I can get smooth lead tones with just about any amp setting. For a Humbucker pickup, it’s apparent.
  • The Floyd Rose stays in tune even when you dive bomb the hell out of it. (it’s a licensed replica of the Floyd Rose, and I’m not sure if someone put the correct springs in or what, but it seems to stay better than the genuine original Floyd that came with my JP6)

Cons:

  • The EMG ’60s can be pretty noisy because of the active pickups. I have yet to try it with dual volume/tone controls and ceramic pickups.

Our Rating –
4.5/5


Check The Latest Price On The ESP LTD M-1000

9.  Schecter Hellraiser C-1

The name surely piqued my interest after seeing it. The Schecter Hellraiser C-1 is genuinely one of a hell-raiser with its quality features. This super strat guitar is guaranteed to bring out excellent tones that will satisfy any metal and hard rock player.

With its mahogany body, you can have full access to your cutaways and go all the way up to the 3-piece mahogany neck. It has 24 extra-jumbo frets and gothic cross inlays to give the guitar an edgier look. Great features and splendid designs, is there anything else you would need? An active EMG 81TW and 89 humbuckers are also placed on this guitar to give you an overpowering electric guitar tone. Another, with the help of the push and pull volume knobs, you can have as many more options than you can think of when activating single-coiled sounds.

And if you’re ever searching for a guitar with a stable tuning (standard or baritone), this one’s for you. The Schecter Hellraiser C-1 is accustomed to a TonePros Tune-o-Matic-style bridge with a string-thru-body design. This also has a 3-way pickup switch and Schecter locking tuners. Finishing the designs, they are available in colors; black cherry, gloss black, gloss white, and trans purple burst.

Pros:

  • A wide range of tones is available.
  • Extremely durable hardware, with locking tuners and Floyd Rose tremolo system for maximum tuning stability even while using heavy strings.
  • Classic Strat-style, with the bonus of having two humbucker pickups

Cons:

  • Lacks a little bit in the neck pickup department. The middle pickups tone is excellent, but both neck and bridge pickups are pretty hot. The neck pickup can be a bit too bassy at times, and the bridge pickup can lack a low end when playing cleans.

Here are more Superstrats under $1000 as well.

Our Rating –
4/5


Check The Latest Price On The Schecter Hellraiser C-1

10.  ESP LTD MH-203QM

Another super strat guitar from ESP’s LTD guitar series joins the list. The ESP LTD MH-203QM is suitable for those who play with an aggressive style. Also, this is a good model for those who are on a budget and want high quality and affordable Superstrat guitar. You can play different style of music genres with this guitar since ESP has provided this with a versatile H/S/S (humbucker/single-coil/single coil) pickup configuration. Whether you’d want a clear tone or a high gain, this guitar got you. They’ve added a flexible trio of ESP-designed pickups for this guitar to be as versatile as ever.

You can even tell that the construction for this guitar was well made out. The MH-203QM was constructed with a bolt-on mahogany body paired with a 25.5″ scaled maple neck with a 13.78″ radius and a maple fingerboard with 24 extra-jumbo frets. It also has a H/S/S (humbucker/single-coil/single coil) configuration setup with pickups designed by LTD and a 5-way switch for your tuning. This also has a bridge and locking nut designed by Floyd Rose and an included tuner from LTD.

Pros:

  • Unbeatable price for the quality of the guitar.
  • The neck and fingerboard are made of mahogany.
  • The body is made of alder wood.
  • Three pickups are Seymour Duncan JB, Jazz, and ’59 models, respectively.
  • Five-position pickup selector (the three pickups can be switched to different positions on the five-position pickup selector).

Cons:

  • N/A (This is a great guitar to buy)

Our Rating –
5/5
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-b38cY3a4o

Check The Latest Price On The ESP LTD MH-203QM

What Style Of Music Are Super Strats For?

Rock and metal. The sound of Superstrats is typically considered more aggressive than the familiar Fender Stratocaster sound. This is due to the high amount of treble in the signal, leading to feedback and squeal. However, some players prefer Superstrat styles for their unique tone, feeling that specific controls allow them a more expressive playing style. For example, a heavy metal guitarist can use the lead pickup at very high gain settings to produce a squealing lead sound, or the bridge pickup can be used for an aggressive bass sound.

Some Other Great Brands

Here are some other great music brands of the best electric guitars for the money here.

  • Tom Anderson
  • Suhr
  • Fender

What Do I Look For In The Right Super Strat For Me?

We all probably know what a Fender Stratocaster is – a Superstrat is a slang term for an electric guitar made with similar specs but with some upgrades. These upgrades can include:

  • upgraded floating tremolo system
  • different pickup configurations beyond a traditional Strat’s three single coils like these best Strat pickups.
  • more modern design

Eddie Van Halen, an influential guitarist, quickly owned the spotlight when super strat guitars were booming. Superstrat guitars are exciting and fun for a guitar player to use; even the youngsters were amused. As soon as they saw great artists playing them, they started trying it out and learning how to play them.

John Petrucci used another one called the Music Man JP70 signature model.

Top 10 Super Strats Conclusion

You may have already searched the internet for articles and reviews on the super strat guitars available in the market, but everything will still be up to you to decide what to choose. Some will go for the cheaper ones, some with the highly-priced ones. Buy the one that would be the perfect fit for your liking. I’ve guaranteed that the best Superstrat guitars I’ve mentioned above are indeed reliable and fitting to be included in one of the top super strat guitars out there for rock music and other aggressive music. They’ve shown incredible features and would be worth your every penny.