Rocksmith is a piece of software designed to help guitarists improve their shredding skills. Rocksmith is a fantastic program for beginner guitarists. Are you looking for best guitar for rocksmith and wonders how it works?
It works similarly to the music video game Guitar Hero but works with real guitars instead of toy ones.
A guitar is plugged into the computer, its signal is then picked up by Rocksmith.
Rocksmith sells their own No products found., which is a USB to ¼” TRS cable that plugs the guitars into the computer, although it also works with audio interfaces and USB microphones.
Next, you choose a song. Rocksmith has tonnes of classic hits and iconic guitar tunes. There are extra downloadable packs too.
Rocksmith shows a timeline of notes that must be played in time with the music. It gives feedback on the performance. Rocksmith is a great tool for quickly learning the guitar, with many users reporting a massive improvement in skill.
Rocksmith works with both acoustic and electric guitars, the only difference for each is how they get plugged in. It even works with bass guitars.
We’ve written this post trying to hunt down the best guitar for Rocksmith. Let’s dive in!
We tested 10 products and found the Fender Player Stratocaster to be the best Rocksmith Guitar for Professional Guitarists.
We are also including the Squire Affinity Stratocaster as our best guitar for Rocksmith for beginners.
Stratocasters could be the best guitar for Rocksmith. They are designed to be extremely versatile in tone output options, thanks to their flexible pickup configuration.
If you play guitar, you will have respect for the Fender brand. They are iconic in rock music and many other genres.
The Fender Stratocaster is an incredibly well-designed electric guitar, although out of many guitarists’ budgets. If you can afford it this could be the best guitar for Rocksmith.
Thankfully Squire makes more affordable instruments, despite the price they still make great guitars.
I’ve been playing guitar since I was around 6 years old. I’ve tried all the software, training gimmicks, and experimental guitar tools that have come and gone in that time. Rocksmith was a brilliant discovery for me as a younger guitar player. It made practicing more engaging and fun. I would spend more time practicing without realizing until I noticed how much my skill had improved. I would play guitar much more.
It adds a video game-esque element to practicing which can be quite addictive and rewarding. It’s also a great way to learn songs without reading sheet music. Having a TAB-style display will be familiar to most guitarists.
The Stratocaster model is ideal for Rocksmith thanks to its versatility.
Are Electric guitars better than Acoustics for Rocksmith?
Any acoustic or electric guitar will work with Rocksmith, given you have the right equipment. We’ve chosen a mixed bag of guitars we thought were relevant.
Some guitars are more designed for beginners. Others have more compact and speedy fretboards, others are travel guitars that pack away easily. We’ve included a mix of electric guitars to cover the range of pickups available. We’ve also included some electro-acoustic guitars. These are a good choice for players who want to improve their acoustic skills with Rocksmith.
An acoustic guitar with an electric pickup can be plugged straight into the software.
We’ve also chosen some tasty electric guitars. Some are budget, and some are gorgeous to look at and play.
Keep reading for our top 10 best guitars for Rocksmith!
Best Guitar for Rocksmith in our tests
List all the products as the table of content
- Squire Affinity Stratocaster
- Fender Player Stratocaster
- Epiphone Les Paul
- Squire Jazzmaster
- Ibanez GRG
- Gretsch Gin Rickey
- Fender FA-125CE Acoustic-Electric
- Ivy ILS-300 Les Paul
- Ibanez GRX 2
- Fender Squire Short Scale Stratocaster
Top 10 Best Guitar for Rocksmith Reviewed in Detail
1. Squire Affinity Stratocaster
A benchmark beginner’s instrument, the Squire Stratocaster is a fantastic budget-friendly electric guitar. The build and sound quality are superb for the price. These are reliable, sturdy instruments that are easy to play and even easier on the wallet. These are the best guitars for beginners to use with Rocksmith. This affordable guitar will not disappoint!
Surely every guitarist owns a Squire Stratocaster at some point in their lives? They are solid, reliable, affordable guitars. These provide a taste of Fender design and quality, at a fraction of the cost. Stratocaster designs are one of the most popular and well-loved styles of electric guitar.
These Stratocaster models are known for their versatile tone, featuring 3 single-coil pickups with a 5-way pickup selector switch. The affinity series includes the original Tune-O-Matic bridge design with a whammy bar and chrome hardware. The maple bolt-on neck is smooth and nice to play, with a quality higher than most guitar necks in the cheap guitar category.
The Rosewood fingerboard also felt well made.
This electric guitar features everything you need to play with a Rocksmith. We think this is one of the best guitars for Rocksmith for people on a budget.
These can often be picked up for around $100 second-hand, and are a decent vintage style instrument to learn guitar with. If you’re looking for a beginner guitar, this is ideal!
Specifications:
- Size: 4/4 Full
- Body Wood: Poplar
- Neck Wood: Maple Neck
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 22
- Pickups: 3 x Squire Single Coil Pickups
- Electronics: 1 x Volume Knob, 2 x Tone Knob, 5-way pickup selector switch.
Advantages:
- 3 Pickups, 5-way switch
- Versatile Sound
- Nice build quality
- Not as nice as a Fender
2. Fender Player Stratocaster
This beautiful Fender Player Stratocaster is a benchmark in professional guitars. These humble and restrained-looking guitars hide a stunning tone and classic sound. The playability of Fender guitars is incredibly high, and these gorgeous Fender Strats are a real treat, easily one of the best guitars around.
The Fender Stratocaster is somewhat of a legend amongst musical instruments. Any guitarist who knows their guitars will be aware that these are an industry standard for professional guitarists.
Featuring a solid alder body and maple neck, this Stratocaster model retains the traditional tremolo system and electronics circuits. The Player Series single-coil pickups sounded fantastic, full-bodied, and warm, with the option of a brighter sound from the bridge pickup. The neck pickup is very fat and rich, resonating with that iconic Fender Stratocaster sound.
Favoring a maple fretboard vs rosewood, this has a brighter tone and smooth playing feel.
The feel and quality of this instrument make it a dream guitar for Rocksmith. The detailed response of the pickups meant that Rocksmith recognized every note and no playing nuances were missed. This is the best guitar on this list.
We recommend this for professional guitarists or guitar lovers! If you can splash the cash, why not?
Specifications:
- Size: 4/4 Full
- Body Wood: Maple & Alder
- Neck Wood: Maple Neck
- Fretboard: Maple
- Frets: 22
- Pickups: 3 x Single Coil Fender Player Series
- Electronics: 1 x Master Volume Knob, 2 x Master Tone Knob, 5-way selector switch
Advantages:
- Fender build and sound quality.
- Beautiful Pickups.
- One of the best feeling guitars we tried.
- Relatively Expensive.
3. Epiphone Les Paul
A classic rockers guitar design, the Epiphone Les Paul range boasts some well-built and tasty sounding guitars. Featuring a fat humbucking pickup in the bridge and neck positions, and more frets than fender designs, the Epiphone Les Paul model is a slick instrument with a punchy sound.
These Epiphone Les Pauls are a more affordable version of the Gibson range. We recommend these over Stratocasters for guitarists with slightly heavier, rockier tastes.
The Epiphone Les Paul electric guitar design is known for its warm, fat sound thanks to its dual humbuckers and sturdy mahogany body. The necks are slightly wider and longer than a strat, providing more frets to reach higher notes when soloing.
The pickup design features Push-Pull coil-tapping, which gives more versatility over sound output, from thin to thick. The pickups had a great sound quality that lends itself well to classic rock.
Also don’t they look gorgeous? Are any guitars sexier than a Gold-Top Les Paul? The
The loud, full-range pickups worked very well with Rocksmith, no notes were missed. These are slinky, slick guitars for intermediate to professional rockers. A pro might consider a Gibson Les Paul model if their budget allows. This could be the best guitar for rockers on Rocksmith!
Specifications:
- Size: 4/4 Full
- Body Wood: Mahogany body
- Neck Wood: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 22
- Pickups: 2x Epiphone ProBucker Humbucker with Push/Pull Coil-Tapping.
- Electronics: 2xVolume, 2xTone, 3-way selector switch.
Advantages:
- Beefy Pickups
- Versatile Circuit
- Sexy Tone and feel
- Heavier weight
- No whammy system
4. Squire Jazzmaster
The Squire Jazzmaster is easily one of the best jazz guitars for intermediate players. This cool offset guitar has an iconic sound and an expanded fretboard for your comfort. Squires’ “Classic Vibe” series captures the authenticity of ancestral Fender designs and packages them into a modern, addictive, and beautiful new instrument. The Jazzmaster model has a unique pickup and electronics combination.
This sexy 60’s surfer electric guitar is a favorite in the offset guitar community. Fender Jazzmasters tend to be rare and expensive. These Squire Classic Vibe models dust off the obscure rarities and bring them into the 21st century.
Its c-profile neck shape with narrow-tall frets make the fretboard easy and smooth to navigate. The Fender-designed Alnico Soapbar pickups retain that iconic, metallic, twangy yet thick Jazzmaster sound, made famous by bands like Sonic Youth.
The tremolo system features a floating bridge and barrel saddles for expressive pitch bends and fluttering vibrato. The tremolo could withstand fairly severe abuse before detuning the strings.
The electronics circuit provides incredible flexibility. With a dedicated circuit for the neck pickup, and a second joint circuit loop to mix the neck and bridge pickup. A huge range of tones can be achieved with this guitar. Plays well and is affordable. This would be the right guitar for you if you have a preference for Jazz or offsets over other guitars.
Specifications:
- Size: 4/4 Full
- Body Wood: Poplar
- Neck Wood: Poplar
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 22
- Pickups: 2 x Fender-designed alnico single-coil.
- Electronics: 2 x Volume Knobs, 2 x Tone Knobs, 2 x Selector Switches.
Advantages:
- Iconic 60’s retro look and sound
- Very versatile electronic circuits and pickups
- Strong whammy bar
- High string action
- May require setup
5. Ibanez GRG
This is a high-octane shred guitar for metalheads and heavy rock players. The Ibanez GRG series boasts a pair of scorching high-output humbucker pickups and an expanded fretboard. This guitar is committed to melting faces!
This isn’t a guitar for the faint-hearted. This is a monster of an electric guitar.
With a mahogany body and maple neck, the GRG series is a great guitar for Rocksmith users with a preference for heavier music.
The expansive fretboard boasts 25 frets. Yes, 25 frets! Making this guitar perfect for shredding and soloing. The two high-output humbucker pickups are perfect for distorted sounds and high gain amplifiers.
We recommend this for guitarists with a heavier playing style, who want to practice the techniques of metal, which often require a larger fret count and louder output. This isn’t a particularly versatile guitar and is suited for heavier stuff in mind. But this is a great guitar for playing Rocksmith. This is also a great electric guitar for big hands!
Specifications:
- Size: 4/4 Full
- Body Wood: Mahogany
- Neck Wood: Maple
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 25
- Pickups: 2 x High-Output IBZ-6 Humbucker pickup
- Electronics: 1 x Volume, 1 x Tone, 3-way selector switch
Advantages:
- Monstrous high-output pickups
- 25 frets for shredding delight
- No tremolo system
- Limited tone controls
6. Gretsch Gin Rickey
This is the first acoustic-electric guitar on this list. Although, this is an Electro-Acoustic guitar, so it has electric pickups, Meaning it can be plugged straight into Rocksmith. This is a bluesy parlor-style, retro-looking guitar with modern features. This is one of the better affordable semi-electric acoustic guitars around and is a good acoustic guitar for Rocksmith.
We chose the Gin Rickey on this list as it’s a great affordable acoustic guitar for Rocksmith.
The simple Gretsch Deltoluxe magnetic electronic pickup circuit means it can be plugged straight into an audio interface or Real Tone Cable to control Rocksmith.
The pickup may not work as well as an electric guitar, but if you are an acoustic guitar player who wants to improve your skill on Rocksmith, this is a great choice. It removes the hassle of using a microphone with Rocksmith
This has a fantastic vintage, bluesy sound which is as memorable as it is cool. The walnut fretboard was smooth and well made. The basswood body and nato neck have a glorious mid-range resonance. Recommended for acoustic guitarists who use Rocksmith.
Specifications:
- Size: 4/4 Full
- Body Wood: Basswood
- Neck Wood: Nato
- Fretboard: Walnut
- Frets: 18
- Pickups: 1 x Gretsch Deltoluxe Soundhole Pickup
- Electronics: No Controls
Advantages:
- Electro-Acoustic
- Great Bluesy guitar
- Electric guitars tend to work better for Rocksmith
- Smaller fret count
7. Fender FA-125CE Acoustic-Electric
The FA-125 is another hybrid electric acoustic guitar, this time from Fender.
This is a well-made acoustic guitar with a built-in pickup and electronic circuit. It sounds and plays great, and can easily be plugged into Rocksmith.
Featuring a dreadnought cutaway design, this is a solid choice for beginner to intermediate acoustic players. This could even be the best acoustic guitar for Rocksmith.
With a more familiar design than the Gin Rickey, this is a cutaway acoustic guitar with a decent electronic circuit. The Spruce Top and Nato construction create a deep and rich voice with a powerful low end and thick mids.
The included Fishman electronics circuit is paired to the instrument’s natural voice, has a small footprint, and delivers a solid performance. It features a tuner, with Volume and Tone controls.
We chose this as a decent electro-acoustic guitar in the intermediate range. This would be another good choice for acoustic players who use Rocksmith, as it can plug straight in.
Specifications:
- Size: 4/4 Full
- Body Wood: Laminated Spruce
- Neck Wood: Nato
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 21
- Pickups: 1 x Fishman Electronics Acoustic Pickup
- Electronics: Tuner, 1 x Volume, 1 x Bass control, 1 x Treble control
Advantages:
- Affordable Fender quality acoustic
- Quality built-in electronics
- Cutaway design
- Average tuning pegs
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The Ivy ILS-300 is a budget version of the Epiphone or Gibson Les Paul model. Featuring all the key elements including 2 humbuckers with dedicated volume and tone knobs. The eye-catching green finish and high-quality neck make this a desirable instrument for the price.
We included this as a wallet-friendly Les Paul Model. For the price, these guitars are great to play. There were little to no defects across the board, which isn’t common for guitars this cheap. The mahogany construction places this guitar a little on the heavier side, which may not work for everyone.
The humbucking pickups were of average quality but interfaced well enough with Rocksmith to prevent any connection or detection issues.
By any means, this isn’t the nicest guitar around, but for beginners, or even as a practice instrument for pros, this will make the grade. Anyone will be able to learn guitar on this.
It works well with Rocksmith, so might be a good choice of the first guitar for the new guitarist.
Specifications:
- Size: 4/4 Full
- Body Wood: Mahogany
- Neck Wood: Mahogany
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 22
- Pickups: 2 x generic humbucking pickups.
- Electronics: 2 x Vol, 2 x Tone, 3-way selector switch.
Advantages:
- Affordable.
- Decent playing feel for the price.
- Good value for money.
- Low-grade tuners.
- Unremarkable pickups.
9. Ibanez GRX 2
This is a lower-cost heavier sounding guitar. Costing about ⅓ the price of the GRG range, but still packing some punch, the GRX 2 is a beginner shredding guitar. It packs all the precision and quality you’d expect from Ibanez instruments.
Where the GRX range holds back on price, it doesn’t sacrifice any quality or features. This is a decent beginner’s heavy style shredding guitar.
The body shape and deep cutaway give access to the full range of the fretboard, making it easier to play high solos than other designs.
The FAT 6 bridge with tremolo arm allows for ballsy pitch diving and bends. The 23 frets give players a chance to hit the highest notes when shredding scales. The 2 Powersound humbucking pickups create a satisfying heavy tone that distorts well.
This is a more affordable (compared to GRG) Ibanez guitar for a Rocksmith. This will suit fans of heavier genres and techniques. Although, we did have to do some set-up adjustments to get the intonation and action spot on. This is one of the best guitars for shredders and metal players.
Specifications:
- Size: 4/4 Full
- Body Wood: Poplar
- Neck Wood: Maple
- Fretboard: Rosewood
- Frets: 23
- Pickups: 2 x Power Sound Humbucking pickups
- Electronics: 1x Volume, 1 x Tone, 3-way selector
Advantages:
- Beefy tone for slim wallets
- Larger fret count than average
- Decent vibrato system
- May require setup
10. Fender Squire Short Scale Stratocaster
This is a shortened version of the iconic Stratocaster model. This would be preferable for children, new players, guitarists with small hands. Its compact size packs in all the features you’d expect from a Stratocaster.
The short-scale Stratocaster is a slightly smaller Strat model electric guitar. It includes the traditional electronic circuit design, including 3 pickups and a five-way selector switch.
The small satin neck was smooth and easy to navigate. We suggest this as a first guitar for children or small-handed players. It’s comparable in quality to the Affinity Series Stratocaster but comes in around 4” shorter.
This is a great smaller electric guitar for using with Rocksmith. For even small players check out the Squier Mini Stratocaster.
This comes as a starter pack with accessories: amp, strap, strings, tuner and cables.
Specifications:
- Size: ⅞. (4” shorter than normal Stratocaster)
- Body Wood: Poplar
- Neck Wood: Maple
- Fretboard: Maple
- Frets: 20
- Pickups: 3 x Squire Single Coil
- Electronics: 1 x Volume, 1 x Tone, 5-way selector
Advantages:
- Stratocaster sound in a compact form
- Shorter Scale length
- All the original electronics
- Too small for some players
- No whammy bar
Buying Guide
What to look for when buying guitars for Rocksmith.
The important thing to look at when buying a guitar for Rocksmith is checking you have the right equipment to connect it to the computer. Before you buy your new Rocksmith Guitar, check you will be able to plug it in!
If you already have an audio interface, an electric guitar might be the best bet.
If you already have a USB microphone, an acoustic guitar might be better.
Often a guitar amplifier will have an aux output which can be fed to Rocksmith with a guitar cable.
The main thing to look out for when playing Rocksmith (and playing guitar in general) is comfort and enjoyment.
You want to play an instrument that feels nice and leaves you wanting to come back for more. Not something that inhibits or irritates practice.
When buying any second-hand guitars, check for damage to the electronics. Any crackling electronics will interfere with Rocksmith’s signal detection and make it harder to play.
FAQs
What guitar works best with Rocksmith?
Although it depends on what equipment you have already. If you have a USB microphone, but no interface or Real Tone Cable, then you are ready to use an acoustic guitar.
A semi-hollow body guitar would also work. Although be careful if using amplification as semi hollow-body guitars are prone to feedback.
The Rocksmith game can get quite fast-paced. Choosing a good guitar that can be played quickly and comfortably is ideal. Depending on your hand size, the fretboard of a small necked guitar may be easier to navigate.
Can I use an acoustic guitar for Rocksmith?
Rocksmith can accept audio inputs from any kind of USB Device, not only through their cable. This means you can use a microphone to pick up an acoustic guitar signal. The mic signal then acts as an input for Rocksmith.
If you have an acoustic guitar with a built-in pickup, this is even better. It can be plugged directly into the Real Tone Cable, or a USB audio interface.
Can I play Rocksmith without a real tone cable?
Any kind of USB interface or microphone will work.
A USB Microphone like the Blue Yeti is a good option for working with acoustic guitars.
Any kind of USB audio interface with a ¼” input will suffice. These devices are also useful for recording so they are worth buying.
Something like these affordable Behringer interfaces is a good starting point.
Conclusion
Our favorite pick for professionals is the Fender Player Stratocaster.
The best beginner guitar would be the Squire Affinity Stratocaster.
The versatility of the Stratocaster design makes it ideal for use with Rocksmith. From classic rock to heavy metal, folk, blues, or jazz, the Stratocaster is comfortable in any sonic territory.
There are many varieties of the Stratocaster model, both Fender and Squier, so explore the nuances and find one that suits you best.
The Fender Player Stratocaster is an undeniable beautiful instrument in terms of sound, feel, and aesthetics. You really can not go wrong with these guitars.
The only issue is that the price may be too high for many people.
Hence our inclusion of the Squire Affinity Stratocaster.
These are budget-friendly versions that are designed identically to the Fender models.
The difference being the Squires are mass-produced in a factory and tend to use cheaper materials. Fenders have more handwork and dedicated luthiers.
Overall, a Stratocaster of any type makes for a great Rocksmith guitar. Pick the best one you can afford!
Noah is an accomplished audio engineer with several years of experience producing music for major companies and independent artists. He enjoys sharing his vast knowledge of audio engineering topics to help musicians and music producers create great music.