Best Electric Guitars Made In Japan in 2024
Here are the top electric guitars made in Japan . You should expect a high-quality guitar with excellent quality control. It can be compared to guitars made in the US, which is why they're also expensive.
After comparing the 2000+ guitars in our database, these are the best scoring ones with these characteristics. You can use our filters to the left to narrow down these results, or click on "Compare" to get a deep comparison between them. Our automated scoring system takes into account the ratings from ours users who own the guitar, and dozens of parameters to determine the build quality, playability, pickups quality, value for money, and more.
There are affiliate links on this page that may earn us a commission if you purchase after clicking. We are members of the Amazon Associates Program, and many others. However, we compare each guitar against each other under the same parameters, so this doesn't influence our scoring.
After comparing the 2000+ guitars in our database, these are the best scoring ones with these characteristics. You can use our filters to the left to narrow down these results, or click on "Compare" to get a deep comparison between them. Our automated scoring system takes into account the ratings from ours users who own the guitar, and dozens of parameters to determine the build quality, playability, pickups quality, value for money, and more.
There are affiliate links on this page that may earn us a commission if you purchase after clicking. We are members of the Amazon Associates Program, and many others. However, we compare each guitar against each other under the same parameters, so this doesn't influence our scoring.
1. ESP E-II Horizon-III FR
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What our users think
- Neck access to high frets: Very Easy (1 vote)
- Fret edges: Smooth (1 vote)
- Tuning stability: Won't get out of tune (1 vote)
- Weight: Heavy (2 votes)
- Neck profile shape: Baseball / U (3 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (6 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (3 votes)
- Pickups power: Slightly Hot (1 vote)
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP E-II Horizon-III FR
ESP E-II Horizon-III FR
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Coil Split Pickups
- Tremolo
- Retainer Bar
- Strap Lock
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
All Prices
2. Ibanez LM1
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (9 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (1 vote)
- Pickups power: Clean (1 vote)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez LM1
Ibanez LM1
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
3. Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature MJ San Dimas SD24 CM
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: D (10 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (14 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature MJ San Dimas SD24 CM
Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature MJ San Dimas SD24 CM
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Tap Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- No Expensive Woods
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP Horizon-III
ESP Horizon-III
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Tremolo
- Retainer Bar
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
Strengths & Weaknesses
Yamaha PACP12M
Yamaha PACP12M
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Ivory Tusq Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- No Expensive Woods
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
Strengths & Weaknesses
Schecter California Classic
Schecter California Classic
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Split Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
7. ESP E-II Horizon FR-II
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: Baseball / U (3 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (6 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (3 votes)
- Pickups power: Hot (3 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP E-II Horizon FR-II
ESP E-II Horizon FR-II
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Coil Split Pickups
- Tremolo
- Retainer Bar
- Strap Lock
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
All Prices
8. Ibanez TQMS1
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (9 votes)
- Pickups noise: Slightly Noisy (1 vote)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez TQMS1
Ibanez TQMS1
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Bone Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Parallel Split Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- Compound Radius Fretboard
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock
All Prices
9. ESP E-II Arrow
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: Baseball / U (3 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Fast (6 votes)
- Pickups noise: Noiseless (9 votes)
- Pickups power: Clean (5 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
ESP E-II Arrow
ESP E-II Arrow
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Locking Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Neck-Through Build
- Tremolo
- Retainer Bar
- Strap Lock
- Cheap Fret Wire (NS)
- No Push Knob or Extra Switch Option
- No Weight Relief
- No Luminescent Inlay
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
All Prices
10. Ibanez MM7
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What our users think
- Neck profile shape: C (8 votes)
- Neck speed (thickness): Balanced (9 votes)
Strengths & Weaknesses
Ibanez MM7
Ibanez MM7
- Stainless Steel Frets
- Locking Tuners
- Made in Japan
- Expensive Wood
- Black Tusq XL Nut
- Top Brand Pickups
- Coil Tap Pickups
- Luminescent Inlay
- Tremolo
- No Neck-Through Build
- No Weight Relief
- No Compound Radius Fretboard
- No 21:1 Tuner Ratio
- No Strap Lock