Electric Guitars
Sold2014 Gibson ES Les Paul
The perfect blend of light weight and 5 lbs, 13.4 oz. heavy tone, the ES Les Paul features maple-basswood-maple laminate for the top, and sides, maple for the sides and a mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard. The guitar is in mint or near mint condition with no dings, dents, scratches or issues whatsoever. This one weighs in at 5 lbs, 13.4 oz. and comes with a non-original hard case that fits pretty well.
Sold2008 PRS 1980 West Street Limited Dragon
This is the real deal with Brazilian Fretboard and...the dragon! This guitar looks fabulous, is in excellent condition and is one of the best feeling and playing guitars that we've had in the shop. This is a perfect piece for the player and/or collector. It weighs in at 8 lbs. 8.4 oz. and comes with it's original hard shell case.
Sold1988 Gibson ES-335 Dot Natural
This is a great playing and sounding late 80's ES-335 Dot. It shows some normal signs of play but has no big scratches, dings, dents, etc. It has a bit of patina on the pick-up covers and metal parts that we cleaned up a little bit. It can be cleaned more but we didn't want to fully remove the patina. It comes with it's original hard shell case.
SoldCollings I-35 LC Tobacco SB
This beauty lives up to its reputation and features a custom laminate maple top, an all mahogany neck, sides and back, and low wind Imperial pickups. This is one of the most solid feeling and sounding guitars available today and it will make you sound great every time that you play it! It comes with a Deluxe Hardshell Case.
Sold2008 Taylor Builders Reserve SB-BR1 Electric Guitar Bastogne Walnut #34 of 75
At the time of production Taylor described this guitar as, "one of the most sublime guitar series Taylor has made to date". It comes from a time when Bob Taylor was intimately involved in his custom shop and utilizing the finest materials available. They also describe this guitar as, "a guitar that represents the debut of the Builder's Reserve series and celebrates the launch of the Taylor SolidBody" this being a truly special distinction. This guitar comes with a booklet featuring photos of the life of this Bastogne tree, Bob Taylor overseeing the milling the wood and the builders in the custom shop crafting this fine guitar. There is so much goodness in this guitar, I will attempt to capture it all in this description, but to truly appreciate the quality of this instrument, you have to hold it in your hands and play it through a nice amp. It is next level and by far the finest Taylor electric guitar I have ever played. When I plugged this guitar in my expectations were far exceeded. This instrument has a robust feeling, similar to a Les Paul, but with less weight and more resonance. It has a solid feel in the hand and performs equally well clean with reverb as with a crunchy overdrive. This guitar does it all. It has sweet, robust tones and has an overall feeling of quality and modernity. The body and neck and top of this guitar are all milled from this eye catching master-grade Bastogne Walnut. The gorgeous figuring and curl of the wood draws you in to the beauty of this guitar. If that is not enough to make your eyes pop, the pick-guard is made entirely from inlaid pearl, a feature we have never seen before and may never see again. To top it all off they inlaid the Ebony fret-board with a striking yet tasteful mother of pearl Gothic Vine design. The hardware on this instrument sounds, looks and feels amazing. Featuring Style 1 pickups (Classic, Custom), these pickups are a 3/4-size humbucker that is "clear, punchy and dripping with tone". The bridge was designed entirely from scratch, each string sitting on its own saddle that can be adjusted front to back and side to side! The knobs are a dream as-well, designed by Taylor to "both feel good and work as a functional tool". To top it all off "The top is inlaid into the body, allowing us to define an edge with binding and then contour up to that edge." This guitar comes with a handsome brown suede guitar case, the original case that came with the guitar along with companion documentation.
SoldCollings Soco Deluxe Doghair
Here’s an electric dream-come-true! A Soco with a Jet Black European Spruce Top and an elegant Doghair finish on the back. Mother of Pearl tapered dots, an Ivoroid Truss Rod Cover, Ivoroid Knobs and Ivoroid Rings offset the black finish. A ThroBak SLE101 Plus MXV neck pick-up and a ThroBak SLE101 Plus MXV bridge pick-up deliver fabulous vintage tone. A hardshell case is included.
SoldCollings 290 DC
With a killer vintage vibe, this solid body double cutaway features a Honduran Mahogany body and neck, Rosewood fingerboard, Ebony headstock overlay, Lollar P90 pickups, 1 11/16" nut width, 24 7/8" scale length. The 1959 Faded Crimson finish is just perfect on this incredible playing guitar! It comes with a hard shell case.
Sold2022 Taylor T5z Classic
The deep color and rich grain of a mahogany top give the T5z Classic a vintage, earthy character. Distinctive T5z features include a more compact body than the original T5, a 12-inch fretboard radius, and jumbo frets, which add up to a fast, fluid playing experience that makes string bends fun. Like the T5, the T5z is equipped with a three-pickup configuration of an acoustic body sensor, a concealed neck humbucker, and a visible bridge humbucker, plus five-way switching and onboard tone controls, giving players an incredibly versatile electric/acoustic guitar. Appointments include Small Diamond inlays and nickel hardware, an unbound body and satin classic mahogany finish. The guitar ships in a T5z gig bag.
Sold2017 Les Paul Standard - AAA Maple
This great Les Paul boasts a gorgeous AAA Flame Maple top and plays like a dream! The wiring allows for full humbucking as well as P90 operation, "Peter Green" out-of-phase wiring and full tone/volume control bypass. The guitar is in Excellent Condition with just a small bit of barely visible scratching on the lower side where it sits on your leg, maybe someone had a grommet on their jeans one time. It comes with it's original hard shell case and all case candy.
Sold2005 Taylor T5-C1
This Taylor T5 is one of the best gigging and recording guitars available. It is the perfect guitar for the acoustic player that wants to get into electric playing and the working guitar player who needs a versatile rig. This Maple-top Tobacco Sunburst model is in very good to excellent condition with just light signs of playing. There are no dings, dents, scratches, issues or any signs of maltreatment of this instrument. It comes with it's original hard shell case.
SoldCollings I-35 LC Vintage in Aged Jet Black
Drawing inspiration from the best instruments of the 1960s, Collings newest offering in the I-35 lineup provides an exceptionally loose and organic feel, achieved through a ground up reworking of everything from its laminate and center block recipes to its neck construction. Custom Throbak pickups and Bumblebee capacitors bring its open, acoustic response to life, expanding its versatility and proving that, although it looks every bit the part of a time-tested instrument, its appeal is more than just skin deep. With hards shell case.
SoldTaylor T5z Standard Tobacco Sunburst
The T5z Standard delivers an extra splash of acoustic-friendly tonal properties thanks to a Sitka spruce top. Color options include Black, Honey Sunburst and Tobacco Sunburst. More compact than the original T5, the T5z also features a 12-inch fretboard radius and jumbo frets, which both help with string bends. Like the T5, the T5z is equipped with a three-pickup configuration of an acoustic body sensor, a concealed neck humbucker, and a visible bridge humbucker, plus five-way switching and onboard tone controls, giving players an incredibly versatile electric/acoustic guitar. Featured appointments include chrome hardware, nickel hardware, crisp white binding and a Small Diamond inlay scheme. The guitar ships in a T5z hardshell case.
SoldTaylor T5z Classic Koa
Along with its chameleonic tone-shifting powers and cross-genre versatility, our T5z Classic has always borne a minimal, functional aesthetic that reflects its musical utility. Here, we’re kicking up the visuals with a stunning Hawaiian koa top rich with organic variegation and natural hues—a style usually reserved for Custom or Pro T5z models. Musically, the T5z Classic is as bold and pragmatic as you’d expect from our line of hollowbody hybrids, with a comfortable neck that feels easy in the fretting hand whether you’re playing cowboy chords or flying lead licks. The five-way switching system allows you to shape your tone around three pickups—an acoustic body sensor and two humbuckers—so that you can bend between warm acoustic sounds and searing electric sizzle on a dime. Details for this model include a handsome shaded edgeburst top treatment, a satin finish and two F-holes on an unbound body, showcasing Hawaiian koa’s natural beauty. Small Diamond fretboard inlays in Italian acrylic and satin black tuners round out the visuals. This model ships in a Taylor deluxe hardshell case.
SoldTaylor T5z Classic DLX
This deluxe edition of our mahogany-top T5z Classic sports an aesthetic upgrade to a rich all-gloss body and shaded edgeburst (entire guitar), adding refined character to the guitar’s vintage look. Distinctive T5z features include a more compact body than the original T5, a 12-inch fretboard radius, and jumbo frets, which add up to a fast, fluid playing experience that makes string bends fun. Like the T5, the T5z is equipped with a three-pickup configuration of an acoustic body sensor, a concealed neck humbucker, and a visible bridge humbucker, plus five-way switching and onboard tone controls, giving players an incredibly versatile electric/acoustic guitar. Appointments include small diamond inlays and nickel hardware. The guitar ships in a Taylor deluxe hard shell case.
Sold2016 Melancon Pro Artist T
Here's an exceptional T-style guitar from legendary luthier Gerard Melancon ( https://www.fretboardjournal.c om/columns/bench-press-gerard- melancon/ ). It is top quality through and through. This guitar, serial # 1820, features a lightweight Alder body topped with gorgeous East Indian Rosewood in natural with a dark brown back satin finish. It weighs in a comfortable 7 lbs 9.4 oz. The neck and fingerboard are made from Brazilian Rosewood! The standard carve neck has a 1.65" width nut, a 10" fingerboard radius and stainless steel frets. This guitar is very comfortable to play! The versatile electric tone is courtesy of a Melancon Vintage T pickup in the neck position and a Hot T in the bridge position. The guitar is in excellent condition. We would call it in near mint conditon except that it has just one small ding on the back. The Pro Artist "T" comes with it's original hardshell case and documentation. It was first shipped in January of 2016 so may have been built in late 2015.
Sold2006 Parker Fly Deluxe
The Fly is an ultra-modern guitar with full electric and acoustic sounds and a sophisticated tremolo system. This Parker Fly is in very good condition and sounds and plays great. It has a few dings on some corners and the headstock but they are minor and the guitar is priced accordingly. This beauty weighs in at a svelte 5.3 lbs and comes with its original hard shell case.
Sold2010 Nash T-63 (TC-63) Black, Double-Bound
The TC63 is a big sounding guitar has the vibe and versatility you expect from a great early 60’s slab-board T. You’ll get a warm, familiar feeling the moment that you pick it up and that only gets better when you plug it in! The body is alder. It has a rosewood board on a C neck. The anodized pickguard is after market and replaced the original 3-ply white guard. It weighs in at 7 lbs. 7.4oz and comes with a non-original tweed case.
SoldCollings City Limits Tobacco Sunburst
Wow! This Collings City Limits features a Figured Maple top in Tobacco Sunburst, and a Honduran Mahogany body and neck and 60's neck carve. It has a high gloss Nitrocellulose finish, Dual ThroBak Custom pickups, CTS 500K pots, and Jupiter Yellow Vintage Tone capacitors. The CL comes from Collings with 11-49 strings, and it comes with a Collings deluxe hardshell case by Ameritage.
SoldCollings I-30 LC Aged Jet Black with Aged Finish and Hardware
This I-30 LC is as cool as it gets in a full body Aged Jet Black Finish with aged hardware. This guitar feels and sounds as good as it looks with a pair of Lollar dog-ear P-90 pick-ups. It comes with a hard shell case.
SoldCollings I35 LC Iced Tea Sunburst
Nothing beats this I35 LC in Iced Tea Sunburst. The build is immaculate and the tone is killer with Lollar Low-Wind Imperial humbuckers. From Jazz and Blues to Rock-and-Roll, this guitar covers all the bases! It comes with a hard shell case.
Sold2017 Rutters Style T Roasted Alder
This Rutters custom Style T was built to order in January of 2017. It features a roasted Alder body, and a roasted Maple and Rosewood neck. The pickups and potentiometers were custom ordered from Ron Ellis. All the rest of the parts are custom made by Rutters. The saddles are intonation compensated, and the bridge and neck plates feature a Rutters stamp. It also features a Rutters twisted jack cup. The control plate is reversed so that you don't accidentally hit the selector switch when you're strumming, and the switch tip is knurled metal to match the knobs. The nut width is 1 3/4" and the scale length is 25 1/2". It weighs in at 7 lbs .08 oz. and features #6125 Jescar frets ( .095 x .047"). The neck profile is "C" with a .86" thickness at the 1st fret and .97" at the 12th. It comes with a hard shell case. This guitar sounds and feels great! With a hard shell case.
Sold2014 Creston Barn Beam Custom
This Creston Barn Beam custom guitar not only sounds amazing, but it has a beautifully aged barn beam body reclaimed from a Vermont barn not far from the Creston guitar workshop in Burlington, VT. Salvaged white pine body maple / rosewood neck steel pickguard Lollar 1950's-wind soapbar Lollar Vintage bridge pickup It comes with a teardrop hard case in alligator.
Electric Guitars for Sale at Northern Lights Music. Shop electric guitars now. We are proud to offer a wide selection of top guitar brands. We offer for sale a wide range of new and used electric guitars from leading brands including Fender, Collings, Taylor and more. As authorized dealers, we have many high-quality electric guitars in stock and ready to ship.
Why are electric guitars great for beginners?
Electric guitars are perfect for beginners because electric guitars have smaller necks and lighter strings compared to acoustic guitars, making them easier to play. However, they do require amplification through guitar amps to produce a louder sound. For the actual technique of playing guitar Berklee is a great resource.
What is the history of electric guitars?
The Inception of Electric Guitars: A Brief History The invention of electric guitars dates back to the 1930s, when guitar players needed louder instruments to keep up with larger bands and eventually rock and roll. Electric guitars work on the principle of magnetism, where a magnetic pickup detects the vibration of the metal strings and converts it into an electric signal that is amplified through a guitar amplifier.
Iconic Electric Guitar Designs from the 1950s and 1960s The history of electric guitars took off in the 1950s with the introduction of iconic models from brands like Leo Fender and Gibson. The popular Fender Telecaster was one of the earliest electric guitar designs and featured a solid maple neck and two pickups. The Fender Stratocaster, introduced later, had a contoured body and three single coil pickups. The Gibson Les Paul, another classic design, featured humbucking pickups and a solid mahogany body and neck, making it a favorite for driving amplifiers into distortion in rock and roll and later, metal. These iconic designs, the Les Paul, Telecaster, and Stratocaster, remain popular to this day and are replicated by numerous brands with their own twists on headstock design, color options, and pickups.
You can learn more about guitar history here.
How Much Do Electric Guitars Cost?
The cost of electric guitars varies widely, ranging from a few hundred dollars to hundreds of thousands of dollars for rare vintage models.
Why Choose a Small Independent Guitar Store?
Support local economies and family-owned businesses by choosing to buy from a small independent guitar store like Northern Lights Music. Unlike big chain stores like Guitar Center, Sweetwater, and Musicians Friend, which are owned by hedge funds and other investors, small independent stores offer a more personalized experience, individual attention, and lasting relationships.
How do I find my unique sound on the electric guitar?
Finding Your Sound and Choosing Your Tone Start by exploring the music of your favorite artists to find the right electric guitar for your style. Pay attention to the style of guitar they play and the pedals and amplifiers they use, as these are key to their signature sound.
What is the difference between Solidbody electric guitars and ones that are chambered or hollow?
Solidbody vs. Chambered Body Guitars Solid body guitars, such as the Stratocaster and Telecaster, are made from solid chunks of wood and have little acoustic tone. Les Pauls can also be solid, but sometimes, guitarists prefer chambered body guitars to reduce weight during long gigs or extended playing. Chambered body guitars have pockets of wood removed from inside the body, such as the Thin-line telecaster, which features a visible chambered body.