Today I present you the best budget-friendly electric guitars with whammy bars in 2023 after testing them out personally. This article contains detailed knowledge along with relevant whammy bar pros and cons that will help you conveniently compare and select the most suitable model based on your needs.
Top 3 Whammy Bars
- Floyd Rose 1000 whammy system
- Superb Fret access
- Sounds fantastic
- Great choice for Metal genre
- Vintage-style tremolo bridge
- Ideal for beginners
- Lightweight
- Comes with all-you-can-need accessories
- 2-Point tremolo Bridge with bent-steel saddles
- Classic Strat sounds
- Effortless playability
- Comfortable feel
- Attractive
An electric guitar is a wonderful instrument that is loved and played by people of all ages. It’s an excellent instrument, and the possibilities are infinite. When it comes to choosing, one may be overwhelmed by the vast number of alternatives available. Choosing the best electric guitars with whammy bars may be difficult, especially when there are so many alternatives available online and in-stores.
What is a Whammy Bar?
A whammy bar (also known as a tremolo arm) is a special device that bends the strings on an electric guitar. It was adopted by classic guitarists like Jimi Hendrix and Eddie Van Halen, who utilised it to create dramatic solos. The whammy bar produces a distinct sound that may be employed in a variety of genres, including rock, soul, country, and more.
If you’re looking for electric guitars with Whammy bars, you’ll want to check out the list below. We’ll go through the ‘9 Best Electric Guitars with Whammy Bars’ for the most playable guitars as well as some tips for guitarists of all skill levels on how to adjust the action to suit their playing style.
So let’s get started!
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Top 9 Best Electric Guitars with Whammy bars
Professional's choice
The KH-602 is a well-known guitar design by Metallica’s Kirk Hammett. It has a distinct feel and tone to it. It features neck-through-body construction and a piece of wood that runs from the top of the headstock to the strap button on the bottom, providing a sweet sustain and smooth feel. The KH-602 is distinctive from other guitars by its Floyd Rose bridge and EMG 60/81 active pickup system.
The Signature Series guitars are handcrafted to the artist’s exact specifications. Every guitar in this series lives up to the expectations of some of the world’s most successful and well-known musicians.
Characteristics:
- Neck-thru-body construction
- U-shaped maple neck
- Comfortable alder body
- Bone Breaker Signature pickups
How does it sound?
The active EMG KH-BB Bone Breaker Humbucker Set provides electrical sound conversion for the ESP LTD KH-602 Black. Its crisp metal sounds come from the Alnico-V-proven EMG BB-N humbucker on the neck and the EMG BB-B ceramic humbucker on the bridge. The pickups are controlled by the standard 3-way circuitry, which includes separate volume and treble controls.
How does it feel?
The Floyd Rose 1000 Double-Locking Tremolo is standard on the ESP LTD KH-602 Black, making it simple to generate powerful dive bombs and squeals. Even with repeated usage, the system impresses with its smooth handling and perfect tuning stability. The headstock, which is fashioned as a reverse headstock, includes high-quality LTD die-cast tuners.
Actual Customer Review:
This guitar’s review is extremely impressive. It’s simple to play and sounds fantastic. The finish looks perfect and lovely. The neck was flawless. The frets were polished as though it were a premium instrument.
Pros
- Floyd Rose 1000 whammy system
- Superb Fret access
- Sounds fantastic
- Great choice for Metal genre
- Good variations
- Iconic shape
- Lightweight
Cons
- No notable cons
Value for Money
The Squier Stratocaster has a lightweight body, a vintage-style tremolo bridge for classic pitch effects, and three single-coil pickups for classic Strat tone are all included. The accompanying Squier Frontman 10G amplifier is ideal for jamming because it features an aux input for playing along with your favourite songs or backing tracks, as well as a headphone connection for quiet practise. The Squier Starter Strat Pack also includes a padded gig bag, strap, cable, and picks, so you can stop dreaming and start playing right away.
Characteristics:
- Comfortable “C”-shaped neck profile
- Three single-coil Stratocaster pickups
- Vintage-style tremolo bridge
- Includes Accessories (Gig bag, instrument cable, instrument strap and picks)
How does it sound?
The Squier by Fender Stratocaster Beginner Pack features a superb pickup switching mechanism that has been used by guitarists for 60 years and is always very intuitive to even the most inexperienced player. The controls offer a broad array of tone options, allowing you to play a variety of styles without ever switching guitars!
How does it feel?
The Stratocaster is a great guitar for beginners since it has a pleasant feel to it. With a contemporary “C”-shaped profile, this guitar has a modern neck intended for comfort and performance.
Actual Customer Review:
Consumers’ reaction was overwhelmingly positive. It’s a beautiful guitar that looks fantastic and performs well right out of the box. Amp is a great way to learn at home. The neck is shorter, making the frets and strings easier to reach. Craftsmanship is outstanding. There are no harsh edges and the frets are beautifully rounded.
Pros
- Vintage-style tremolo bridge
- Ideal for beginners
- Lightweight
- Decent built quality
- Comes with all-you-can-need accessories
Cons
- Not ideal for experienced players
Best Pick
One of Fender’s pillars is the inspirational sound of a Stratocaster. It is an electric guitars with whammy bars. The player Stratocaster is filled with true Fender feel and flair, with bell-like high end, powerful mids, and strong bottom tone, coupled with crystal-clear articulation. It’s ready to help you realise your musical vision, and it can handle any type of music. It’s also a great instrument to start experimenting with your own sound.
Characteristics:
- Alder Body with gloss finish
- Modern C”-Shaped neck profile
- 9. 5″-Radius Fingerboard
- 2-Point tremolo Bridge with bent-steel saddles
How does it sound?
The Fender Player Stratocaster is built for traditional Fender tone with a modern twist. The Player Series pickups are crisp and articulate, giving the guitar a fresh take on a classic sound. Fender defied convention by adding a dedicated tone control for the bridge pickup, allowing players more control over the sound in pickup positions one and two. It’s the exact essence of vintage Fender design, from the quietest chord to the loudest note, and from the back strap button to the top of the headstock.
How does it feel?
The comfortable curves and smooth finish of the ‘Modern C’-shaped maple neck are ideal for almost any playing style. Fender makes it simpler to express oneself musically by adding a 22nd medium jumbo fret to the modern 9.5″-radius fingerboard. The two-point tremolo bridge on this Stratocaster ensures smooth, excellent tremolo movement.
Actual Customer Review:
The feedback of this guitar was incredibly good. It works well, however due to shipping, it may require some setup. The additional features are fantastic, such as the extra fret and the installation of a second tone knob to the bridge.
Pros
- 2-Point tremolo Bridge with bent-steel saddles
- Classic Strat sounds
- Effortless playability
- Comfortable feel
- Attractive
Cons
- Nut corners are a tad sharp
Yamaha Pacifica guitars have been one of the best electric guitars with whammy bars for over a decade, with superb tone and playability. It was developed in 1990 with the performance, adaptability, and uniqueness of the California scene in mind. It was designed to respond to a variety of genres and play styles. Various pickup setups provide a broad range of sound characteristics, ranging from severe distortion to a crisp clean tone.
Characteristics:
- Agathis Body
- Maple Bolt-On Neck
- Sonokeling Fingerboard
- Vintage Tremolo
- 5 Position Switch
How does it sound?
When picking an instrument, sound quality is an essential factor to consider. Fortunately, players like the sound quality of the Yamaha Pacifica PAC12. This type of guitar has considerably greater sound power and range than other guitars in its price range. The pickups, tuners, and bridge tremolo all function nicely to give this low-cost guitar a Yamaha sound.
How does it feel?
The Yamaha Pacifica PAC12 is well-regarded in the music community if you’re searching for a classic design. The guitar’s agathis body and maple neck give it a unique look. Best of all, if you want a unique appearance, you may select from a variety of colour schemes. It boasts excellent sound quality, incredible craftsmanship, and superior technology that set it apart from the competition.
Actual Customer Review:
It’s a beautiful guitar. It’s a solid tone and enjoyable to play. It’s a lovely guitar that came with everything that was advertised. It appears to be an excellent guitar for a beginner, and it comes with everything you’ll need to get started. The sound is pleasant, and the size is appropriate for both adults and teenagers.
Pros
- Impressive construction
- Frets were smooth and finished
- Ideal for beginners
- Affordable
Cons
- Buzzing on the E string
The PRS SE Custom 24 has SE HFS and SE Vintage Bass pickups, three–way toggle Volume and Tone controls, a PRS designed tremolo, and a wide thin neck. This guitar sounds and looks good, thanks to its mahogany body and maple neck. The SE Custom 24 is a great choice for any guitarist looking for a stunning, yet strong, workhorse guitar. With the 81/15 S pickups, you’ll get lots of that sweet PRS tone that’s perfect for whatever genre of song comes to mind.
Characteristics:
- Mahogany Body with Maple Top and Flame Maple Veneer
- Wide Thin Maple Neck
- Coil Tapping
- PRS Patented Nickel Tremolo
- Gig Bag Included
How does it sound?
The PRS SE Custom 24 has a very adaptable and versatile sound that can fit into nearly any genre, including jazz, blues, funk, metal, rock, hip-hop, and so on. The mid-range is clean and responsive to EQ, while the higher strings are vibrant.
How does it feel?
The guitar is not only diverse in terms of sound, but it is also very adaptable and elegant in terms of appearance. It has a highly shiny and smooth finish. It’s really relaxing and enjoyable to play.
Actual Customer Review:
This guitar is perfect. It is a mid-range guitar with an amazing tone! The neck is super smooth and simple to move around. The body is strong and tough. It arrives, set up, and intonated. The pickups are fantastic, with excellent tones for the bridge, neck, and combination positions.
Pros
- Smooth gloss finish
- Versatile rock-ready sounds
- Good coil-splits
- Comfortable to play
- Lightweight
Cons
- Volume knobs can get in the way
Ibanez guitars with whammy bars are for players of various skill levels, from beginners to masters of the instrument. It provides the finest sound, style, and playability in its class, regardless of price and is one of the best electric guitars with whammy bars. It has a Quilted Maple Art Grain top on the body and a Treated New Zealand Pine fingerboard with white dot inlays on the Maple neck.
Characteristics:
- Fast, slim Maple neck
- Quilted Maple Art Grain top Poplar body
- High output Infinity R pickups
- Medium frets
How does it sound?
The Ibanez GRX70 6 String Solid-Body Guitar is a wonderful instrument that sounds excellent and can perform a wide variety of guitar styles. The Ibanez GRX70 has the best guitar with tremolo you need for cool ’50s-era dips or huge metal dives.
How does it feel?
When it comes to the guitar, the neck is at the heart of how it feels and performs in your hands. A guitar’s neck affects how playable it is. The Ibanez GRX70 boasts a fast-playing maple neck with a bonded purpleheart fingerboard, which is a tried-and-true favourite among guitarists. The GRX70 features a comfortable neck with medium-sized frets that make chords and notes very simple to play.
Actual Customer Review:
This guitar has a lot of positive feedback. It’s of excellent quality and sound. And it’s a great deal. It should be great to play with friends. The neck has a nice feel about it.
Pros
- Attractive
- Sound great
- Perfect tuning stability
- Fretboard is nice & comfortable
Cons
- Slightly unbalanced
A solid basswood body with beautiful arches, chrome tuner keys, good quality brass strings, and a PVC pickguard feature this guitar. Steel tuning pegs are used to make tuning easier and to maintain the tuned string in place. Not only does it include everything you’ll need to learn and play electric guitar, but it’s also reasonably priced, so you can get started right now.
Characteristics:
- Solid basswood body
- Laurel Wood fingerboard
- Canadian maple neck
- 5-Ways Pickup switch
- 2-Volume & tone controls
This guitar has just the right tone for any occasion. It delivers a smooth tone that’s perfect for rock and roll, blues, and everything in between!
How does it feel?
This guitar is enjoyable to play. The neck features a C-shape design that fits most hands comfortably. The neck is finished in a thin satin that is incredibly smooth and quick to the touch. The frets are well-rounded and feel quite smooth up the neck. The amp is simple to use, and all of the additional attachments are in good working order.
Actual Customer Review:
The response of this guitar was incredibly positive. This is an excellent value. That tiny amp produces surprisingly nice sound for a novice guitar. It also arrived with a few extras.
Pros
- Ideal for beginners
- Affordable
- Well-known shape
- Includes all accessories
Cons
- Not great for experienced players
The Schecter Hellraiser C-1 FR guitar has a mahogany body with a cutaway that allows you to reach all the way up the 3-piece mahogany neck. For a dark, gloomy appearance, the rosewood fretboard includes 24 extra-jumbo frets and gothic cross inlays. EMG’s active 81TW and 89 pickups provide crushing electric guitar tones.
Characteristics:
- Mahogany body with quilted maple top
- Tune-O-Matic Bridge
- Original Floyd Rose Guitar Tremolo System
- Abalone binding
- EMG Active 81tw/89 pickups
The C-1 is a metal guitar. As a result, it comes out as polished, strong, aggressive, and exceptionally clear and expressive. It’s also incredibly creative, capable of producing overtones, harmonies, pinches, slides, and just about anything else you can think of.
The sound is modern, strong, and extremely responsive to whatever you do or connect into it. Everything sounds authentic and elevated.
How does it feel?
The narrow C-shaped neck on this guitar makes playing solos as simple as playing chords. Furthermore, the player’s mobility is improved by the oily neck. The guitar, on the other hand, is neither light nor small. It’s best suited to experienced adult players. If that’s the case, the guitar’s playability won’t be a problem for you.
Pros
- Impressive tonewood
- Sleek finish
- Superb craftsmanship
- Good-quality
- Sounds amazing
Cons
- A bit expensive
- Not be the best for novices
The quilted maple top of the Ibanez S670QM S Series features a stunning transparent finish. Mahogany, particularly selected for S Series instruments, lurks under the elegant 3-D form of the S Series. Light enough to be enthralling in terms of comfort, yet hefty enough to deliver the tone and sustain that players have come to anticipate from the S Series.
Characteristics:
- Wizard III Maple neck
- Quilted Maple top/Mahogany body
- Bound Rosewood fretboard
- Jumbo frets
The Ibanez Edge Zero II bridge has a stud lock mechanism, which produces a tight tone, and has outstanding tuning stability, allowing for even the most extreme trem effects to be performed with perfect tuning accuracy. Because of the mahogany body, it has a deep and powerful sound, with a beautiful quilted maple top that adds snap and definition.
How does it feel?
The Wizard III neck from Ibanez is another step forward in terms of playability, delivering the type of comfort that translates to responsiveness and speed. The Ibanez S670QM solidbody electric guitar has a comfortable curved body design and can be played for hours.
Pros
- Looks great
- Smooth gloss finish
- High-quality
- Sounds fantastic
Cons
- No notable cons
Types of Whammy Bars:
Understanding the different types of whammy bars might help you figure out how to change the way your guitar works. There are 4 types of Whammy Bars:
- Bigsby Vibrato: It has a smooth and easy-to-use feel and is one of the most unique whammy bars. The strings wrap around a metal bar attached to the tremolo arm, which is the main component.
- Fender Sync Tremolo: It is moved in sync in one significant movement, thus is termed sync or synchronised Whammy bar. The string friction with the was reduced, allowing strings to return to their normal tune and tension.
- Locking Tremolo: The locking tremolo’s design is heavily influenced by the Fender Synch Trem, with the main distinction being that the strings are held in place for tuning and intonation stability.
- Fender Floating Bridge: This is the most loved style of the Whammy bar because of its design that manipulates the pitch up or down easier. One major flaw is that if one string bends or breaks, the floating bridge would be unbalanced.
Can any guitar have a Whammy Bar?
Yes, technically.
However, heavy use of the whammy bar guitars may affect your tune, depending on the type of guitar you have. The added strain on your strings caused by a whammy bar can still cause them to stretch and deteriorate faster than a fixed bridge.
In addition, the tremolo’s spring will get weaker with time. Although a decent tremolo is designed to minimise this impact as much as possible, it’s still a balance to consider.
Final thoughts
The ESP LTD KH-602 Signature Series Kirk Hammett is a wonderful whammy bar guitar with fantastic tone and professional feel. It’s a high-quality guitar for experienced players around globally.
The Squier by Fender Stratocaster is an excellent value electric guitars with great whammy bars and modern neck designed for comfort and better performance. It is a cheap guitar with whammy bars.
The Fender Player Stratocaster has Fender’s innovative touch and feel. It provides a well-balanced rich tone. It’s the best guitar for in this list of “9 Best Electric Guitars with Whammy Bar” which sums up all the qualities that you’re looking for.
Understanding the various types of electric guitars with whammy bars might help you figure out how to make your guitar work the way you want it to. I hope that this article has provided you with all of the information you’ll ever need to buy an electric guitars with whammy bars.
Do contact me if you have any questions or would like to discuss how you use a whammy bar.
Keep on rocking, jamming, and whamming!
Cedric Philips
Hey there, I am Cedric and I've been playing guitar professionally for 9+ years. I also work in a music shop so I can get my hands on a lot of different guitars. And so, I like to share my take on these fantastic instruments here. Cheers!