Best Poplar Electric Guitars of 2025

Hayden Bryant Avatar
Hayden Bryant
Last Updated: 11 Feb 2025

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Poplar electric guitars are a popular choice among musicians due to their affordability and versatility. The lightweight and resonant nature of poplar wood allows for a wide range of tones and styles, making it suitable for both beginners and professionals. Poplar guitars often feature sleek designs and quality hardware, such as pickups and tuning machines, making them a reliable choice for live performances and recording sessions. Whether you're looking for a classic or modern sound, poplar electric guitars offer a great option at an accessible price point.

At a Glance: Our Top Picks

Donner LP Electric Guitar Starter Set Cover #TOP 1
Donner LP Electric Guitar Starter Set
ftb score rating icon 9.8
Donner 39 Inch Electric Guitar Beginner Kit Cover #TOP 2
Donner 39 Inch Electric Guitar Beginner Kit
ftb score rating icon 9.7
Fesley 39" LP Electric Guitar Kit for Beginners Cover #TOP 3
Fesley 39" LP Electric Guitar Kit for Beginners
ftb score rating icon 9.5

Top 10 Poplar Electric Guitars

#TOP 1

Donner LP Electric Guitar Starter Set

DL-124S
Sunburst
Full
Donner LP Electric Guitar Starter Set Cover
Donner Electric Guitar Kit Full Size LP Guitar Starter Set 39 Inch Solid Body with Bag, Strap, Cable (Sunburst)

The Donner LP Guitar Kit offers an impressive array of features for budding musicians. With its humbucker pickups, you can enjoy a wide range of tones, perfect for rock, blues, and beyond. The Okoume neck with a “C” shaped profile ensures comfortable playability, allowing you to practice for longer periods without discomfort. Additionally, the 22 copper-nickel frets provide smooth transitions between notes, enhancing your playing experience. The 3-Ways Pickup Switch allows you to easily switch between different tones, making it simple to find your sound.

What We Like
Versatile humbucker pickups
Comfortable neck design
Smooth fret transitions
Easy tone switching
Includes essential accessories
#TOP 2

Donner 39 Inch Electric Guitar Beginner Kit

EC1098
Sunburst
Donner 39 Inch Electric Guitar Beginner Kit Cover
Donner 39 Inch Electric Guitar Beginner Kit Sunburst Full-Size Starter Package HSS Pick Up with All Accessories Amp Online Lesson Bag Tuner Capo Strap String Amp Cable Picks DST-100S

The Donner DST-100S Guitar Kit is an ideal choice for both beginners and seasoned players. It features H-S-S pickups, offering versatility for various music styles, from Texas blues to rock. The Canadian maple neck, with its comfortable “C” shaped profile, ensures a snug fit while playing. With 22 copper-nickel frets, you can easily achieve a full overdrive and distortion sound, enhancing your performance. Additionally, this all-in-one package comes complete with accessories, so you can start playing right away.

What We Like
Versatile H-S-S pickups
Comfortable maple neck
Includes essential accessories
Easy to play
#TOP 3

Fesley 39" LP Electric Guitar Kit for Beginners

Fesley
FLP350
FLP350-Black
Full Size
Fesley 39" LP Electric Guitar Kit for Beginners Cover
Fesley 39" LP Electric Guitar Kit, Full Size Solid Body Electric Guitars for Beginners with Humbucker Pickups, Poplar Body, Mahogany Neck,22 Frets,6 String Guitar with Gig Bag,Cable,FLP350,Matte,Black

The Fesley LP Electric Guitar is designed specifically for beginners, featuring a sleek contoured body and a comfortable "D" shaped neck, making it easy to play. It comes equipped with dual humbucker pickups, allowing you to explore a wide range of tones from mellow melodies to powerful riffs. The solid poplar body ensures durability, while the high-density techwood fingerboard enhances your playing experience with its smooth feel. With three control knobs for volume and tone, you can fine-tune your sound to captivate any audience.

What We Like
Great for beginners
Versatile sound options
Durable solid body
Smooth playing experience
Includes essential accessories

Ibanez GRGR131EX-BKF GIO Electric Guitar

GRGR131EXBKF
Black
Ibanez GRGR131EX-BKF GIO Electric Guitar Cover
Ibanez GRGR131EX-BKF GIO Stealth Series Electric Guitar - Black Flat

The Ibanez GRGR131EX Guitar offers a comfortable playing experience thanks to its Poplar Tone wood contoured body and GRG maple neck. This design ensures that you can enjoy long practice sessions or performances without discomfort. It's also perfect for beginners and intermediates, as Ibanez has crafted this guitar with sound quality and ease of use in mind. With its stylish black flat finish, you can confidently showcase your musical skills at any level.

What We Like
Comfortable for long use
Designed for beginners and intermediates
High-quality sound
Stylish black finish
Includes necessary accessories

Ibanez GRG121DX GIO RG Series Electric Guitar

GRG121DX
BLACK FLAT
Ibanez GRG121DX GIO RG Series Electric Guitar Cover
Ibanez GRG121DX-BKF GIO RG Series Electric Guitar - Black Flat

The Ibanez GRG121DX Guitar is an excellent choice for both beginners and intermediate players. Its poplar body provides a lightweight feel, making it comfortable to play for extended periods. The maple neck enhances playability, allowing for smooth transitions between notes. The Purpleheart fretboard offers a unique touch while ensuring durability and a pleasant playing experience. With thoughtful design elements focusing on sound quality and ease of use, this guitar inspires passion in creating music at any level.

What We Like
Lightweight and comfortable design
Smooth playability
Durable fretboard
Great for beginners
Focus on sound quality
#TOP 6

Ibanez GIO Mikro 3/4-Size Electric Guitar

GRGM21-BKN
black / black
Ibanez GIO Mikro 3/4-Size Electric Guitar Cover
GIO Series Mikro 3/4-Size Electric Guitar - Black Night

The Ibanez GIO Mikro Guitar is a fantastic choice for young musicians aged 8 and up or anyone needing a compact travel guitar. Its poplar wood body, complemented by a sturdy maple neck and New Zealand pine fretboard with Sharktooth inlays, provides a comfortable playing experience. With two Infinity pickups and a five-way selector, you can explore a vast range of sounds, enhancing your creativity. Weighing just 4kg, it's easy to carry around, making it perfect for practice sessions or gigs on the go.

What We Like
Compact 3/4 size design
Wide sound range options
Lightweight and portable
Quality build from Ibanez
#TOP 7

Ibanez GRGR221PA GIO Series Electric Guitar

GRGR221PAAQB
Aqua Blue
Ibanez GRGR221PA GIO Series Electric Guitar Cover
Ibanez GRGR221PA-AQB GIO Series Electric Guitar - Aqua Burst

The Ibanez GIO Electric Guitar is an excellent choice for beginners. It features a GRGR maple neck that provides smooth playability, making it easier for you to practice and improve your skills. The Okoume body and Poplar burl grain top not only contribute to its stylish appearance but also enhance the overall sound quality. With its comfortable shape and striking Aqua Blue colour, this guitar is perfect for both practice sessions and live performances. You will receive a full-size electric guitar, a manual, and an adjustment key for convenience.

What We Like
Stylish Aqua Blue colour
Comfortable for beginners
Quality sound and playability
Includes manual and adjustment key
#TOP 8

Ibanez GRX70QA GIO Series Electric Guitar

GRX70QASB
Sunburst
Full
Ibanez GRX70QA GIO Series Electric Guitar Cover
Ibanez GRX70QA-SB GIO Series - Electric Guitar - Sunburst

The Ibanez GRX70QA Guitar is designed for both beginners and intermediate players. With its contoured Poplar Tone wood body and GRG7 maple neck, this electric guitar offers a comfortable feel, allowing you to play for hours without discomfort. Its classic Ibanez styling and reliable chrome hardware ensure that it not only looks great but also stays in tune. The versatile H-S-H pickup configuration lets you explore a variety of tones, making it perfect for any musical style. Whether practising or performing, this guitar inspires creativity and passion.

What We Like
Comfortable for long playing sessions
Stylish design with quality hardware
Versatile sound options
Ideal for beginners and intermediates
#TOP 9

Ibanez GIO RG Series Electric Guitar Black/Red

GRG131DXBKF
Black/Red
Full ROCKEM MUSIC
Ibanez GIO RG Series Electric Guitar Black/Red Cover
Ibanez GIO RG Series - Electric Guitar - Black/Red

The Ibanez GIO RG131DX is designed for guitarists of all levels, offering outstanding quality and playability. Its Poplar Tone wood contoured body and GRG maple neck ensure a comfortable playing experience, allowing you to enjoy long practice sessions or performances without discomfort. The guitar features classic Ibanez styling with reliable tuning and a versatile H-H pickup configuration, giving you the flexibility to create various sounds. Whether you are a beginner or an intermediate player, this model inspires passion for music creation.

What We Like
Comfortable to play
Versatile sound options
Reliable tuning stability
Classic Ibanez styling
#TOP 10

Ibanez GRX40-CA Full Size Electric Guitar

GRX40
Candy Apple
Ibanez GRX40-CA Full Size Electric Guitar Cover
Ibanez GIO Series GRX40-CA - Full Size Electric Guitar - Candy Apple

The Ibanez GRX40 Electric Guitar is an excellent choice for both beginners and intermediate players. Its contoured Poplar body and GRX maple neck provide a comfortable playing experience, allowing you to enjoy extended practice sessions without discomfort. With classic Ibanez styling and reliable chrome hardware, you can expect stable tuning and a versatile H-S-S pickup configuration. This means you can easily create a range of sounds suitable for various musical styles, inspiring your passion for music.

What We Like
Comfortable to play for hours
Versatile sound options
Stable tuning reliability
Classic, stylish design
Buying Guide Image

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

1. Is poplar wood good for electric guitars?

Poplar can be used as the solidbody wood or the laminate top of an electric guitar. Its sustain isn't great, though its articulation is notable. As a top material, burled poplar can yield some beautiful-looking instruments. Poplar is easy to work, though care should be taken when finishing and colouring it.

2. Which guitars are made of poplar?

Poplar Bodies Most notable beginner guitars in this category are the Jackson Dinky and the Epiphone SG, but poplar can also be found in more low to mid-range guitars like the Squier Classic Vibe if you're looking for a budget Strat style guitar.

3. Did Fender ever use poplar?

Fender guitars were orignially in poplar but the furnture boom in the '60's made poplar to scarce and so fender switched to alder.

Editor's Notes

During our poplar electric guitar research, we found 54 poplar electric guitar products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 22,477 customer reviews through our big data system to write the poplar electric guitars list. We found that most customers choose poplar electric guitars with an average price of £160.04.

The poplar electric guitars are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of poplar electric guitars, including Donner, Fesley, Ibanez.

Written by
Hayden Bryant Avatar

Hayden was born in Liverpool, and he never left his hometown until university. In his freshman year at the University of Manchester, Hayden was the group leader of a popular music group. Hayden is responsible for the popularity of his music, and this is because of his natural ability to play with keys and strings. He graduated with BFA in 2016 and returned in 2018 as a lecturing staff in the School of Music.