Thomann sorts its electric guitars by shape: Strat-style, Tele-style, single-cut for the Les Paul family, double-cut for SGs and PRS-type guitars, and a dozen more. We priced all 4,896 in stock on October 23. The shape you want changes what you pay, though less than the brand does.
Every shape by price
| Shape | Listings | Median price | Under $500 | Cheapest from a big brand |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strat-style | 1,468 | $1,076 | 32% | Squier Sonic Strat, $178 |
| Les Paul-style (single cut) | 475 | $1,456 | 22% | Jackson JS22 SC Monarkh, $257 |
| Tele-style | 418 | $1,377 | 25% | Squier Sonic Tele, $176 |
| Semi-acoustic | 367 | $1,119 | 14% | Squier Affinity Starcaster, $369 |
| Heavy, pointy shapes | 270 | $1,178 | 25% | Jackson JS1X Rhoads Minion, $201 |
| Offset and other designs | 247 | $951 | 24% | Squier Sonic Mustang, $193 |
| Double cut (SG, PRS) | 241 | $918 | 12% | ESP LTD Viper-10, $290 |
| 7-string | 124 | $1,220 | 19% | Jackson JS22-7, $301 |
| Headless | 77 | $671 | 4% | Mooer MHL50, $324 |
| Jazz hollow body | 53 | $1,456 | 13% | Ibanez AF55, $419 |
| Short scale | 52 | $222 | 73% | Squier Sonic Mustang, $176 |
Harley Benton, Thomann's own brand, is cheaper than everything in this table in almost every shape, from $84. Thomann also files 260 high-end instruments, such as Custom Shop models, as "premium guitars", with a median of $6,274.
Strat-style: the most choice for the money
Almost a third of all electric guitars at Thomann are Strat-style, and 476 of them cost less than $500. Fender (280 listings), Harley Benton (273) and Ibanez (233) make most of them.
Fender Player II Stratocaster, $859
The #1 Strat-style guitar in our index, made in Mexico. #1 of 628 ST style guitars.
Les Paul-style: a third more
The median single-cut costs $1,456, the most of the main shapes. Gibson alone has 130 of the 475 listings. A Les Paul-type guitar usually has a glued-in neck and a carved top, which take more work than the bolt-on neck and flat body of a Strat; on the Epiphone versions you pay about a third of a Gibson.
Gibson Les Paul Standard '50s, $2,418
The #1 single-cut guitar in our index. #1 of 254 single cut guitars.
Tele-style: dearer than Strats
The median Tele-style guitar costs $300 more than the median Strat-style. Fender has 41% of the Tele-style listings, against 19% of the Strat-style ones, and a smaller share of Teles cost under $500: 25%, against 32%.
Fender Player II Telecaster, $859
The #1 Tele-style guitar in our index, the same price as the Player II Strat. #1 of 186 T style guitars.
Double cuts: cheapest of the main shapes
SGs, PRS-style guitars and Yamaha's Revstar have the lowest median of the main shapes, $918, but few very cheap models: only 12% cost under $500. PRS (57 listings) and Gibson (39) lead.
Yamaha Revstar II Standard RSS20, $795
The #1 double-cut guitar in our index. #1 of 146 double cut guitars.
One series, four #1 spots
Fender's Player II series tops four shape rankings: Strat-style, Tele-style, offset designs with the Jazzmaster, and short scale with the Jaguar. In semi-acoustics the #1 is Ibanez's AS73 Artcore at $469, and among heavy guitars Jackson's JS32 at $380.
Questions
Which electric guitar shape is best for a beginner?
Strat-style, if price decides: it has by far the most models under $500 and suits most styles of music. A short-scale guitar is the cheapest shape and suits smaller hands.
Is a Les Paul worth more than a Strat?
Neither shape is better; they sound different. A Les Paul-style guitar is heavier and warmer, a Strat-style brighter and lighter. The price gap comes mostly from construction and from Gibson's weight in the category.
How we measured. All electric guitars Thomann listed as in stock on October 23, 2026: 4,896 listings, counted with their color versions, in Thomann's own shape categories. Prices are converted from euros at the European Central Bank rate. "Big brand" means Squier, Epiphone, Yamaha, Ibanez, Fender, Gibson, Jackson, ESP, Schecter, Gretsch, PRS or Cort, plus Mooer for headless guitars. #1 means first in the category by the AudioFu Index.
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Denis Kataev runs AudioFu. Every night the site records the prices of more than 38,000 instruments and studio tools at Thomann, and he writes about what those numbers show: what got cheaper, what just arrived, and which discounts are real.
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