Best Electric Guitar Wood & Inlay Material of 2025
* We independently evaluate all recommended products and services. If you click on links we provide, we may receive compensation.
Electric guitars come in a variety of wood types, each with its unique tonal qualities. The most popular wood types used for electric guitar bodies include ash, alder, mahogany, and maple. Ash is known for its bright and snappy sound, while alder offers a balanced and warm tone. Mahogany provides a rich and warm sound, and maple adds brightness and clarity to the guitar's tone. In addition to wood, inlay materials are also commonly used to enhance the aesthetic appeal of electric guitars. Inlay materials include mother of pearl, abalone, and various types of wood. These materials are often used to create intricate designs on the guitar's fretboard or headstock, adding a touch of personalization and style to the instrument.
At a Glance: Our Top Picks
#TOP 1
9.8
#TOP 2
9.7
#TOP 3
9.5
Top 10 Electric Guitar Wood & Inlay Material
Musiclily Pro 6mm Mother of Pearl Inlay Dots
The Musiclily Mother of Pearl Dots are ideal for enhancing your guitar's fingerboard, particularly for those looking to achieve a Martin-style aesthetic. Each dot is precisely cut to a diameter of 6mm and a thickness of 2mm, ensuring a perfect fit for your inlay projects. Made from genuine natural shell, these inlays provide a beautiful color match, enhancing the overall look of your instrument. With 20 perfectly uniform circles included in the package, you can easily work on your guitar without worrying about inconsistencies.
MECCANIXITY Guitar Inlay Dots
The MECCANIXITY Inlay Dots are designed to help you easily identify different frets on your guitar. These small, cylindrical acrylic dots enhance your playing experience, especially if you're a beginner, by marking important positions on the fretboard. With a pack of 50, you can replace old or damaged dots to keep your guitar looking and functioning well. The durable material ensures they will withstand regular use, making practicing more efficient and enjoyable. Just be sure to check that the size fits your guitar before ordering.
KAISH 20pcs 6x2mm Guitar Natural Mother of Pearl Inlay Fingerboard Fret Dots
Introducing the KAISH Pearl Inlay Fret Dots, a set of 20 natural mother of pearl inlay fingerboard fret dots designed to enhance your guitar playing experience. Made from genuine mother of pearl, each dot is unique in color, adding a touch of elegance to your instrument. With a diameter of approximately 6mm and a thickness of 2mm, these dots are perfect for guitars, ukuleles, banjos, and mandolins. Simply place them in water to refresh their color and they are ready to be applied. Before placing your order, be sure to verify the dimensions to ensure a proper fit. Upgrade your instrument with the KAISH Pearl Inlay Fret Dots and enjoy the enhanced visual appeal and functionality they bring.
Paua Abalone Strips Inlay Supplies (Cascade)
The Paua Abalone Strips Inlay Supplies from Easy Inlay is a great way to add a gleaming pop of vibrant color to any inlay project. Each strip measures 3.8 mm x 230 mm (9-1/16"), and is PSA-backed for easy placement and gluing. The strips are made from nature, so use caution when sanding. Three strips come in a pack, and each can be easily cut with scissors or a utility knife.
Musiclily Pro Guitar Fretboard Inlay Dots
Musiclily Fretboard Inlay Dots are perfect for enhancing your guitar fingerboards with a touch of elegance. Crafted from genuine natural paua abalone shell, these 14.5mm diameter dots are easy to work with and ensure correct, consistent color and thickness. Ideal for inlay jobs on guitars like the Martin style, these dots come in a set of 10, providing you with ample material to beautify your instrument.
SUPVOX Abalone Dot Inlay Guitar Fretboard Dots
SUPVOX Abalone Fretboard Dots are a set of 9 easy-to-install guitar fretboard inlays made of durable sea shell material. These fret markers, crafted from mother of pearl, are colorfast and ensure long-lasting quality. The white mosaic fritillaria design adds a touch of elegance to your guitar. The inlays are simple to cut and won't affect your guitar's performance, making customization hassle-free. Enhance your guitar's aesthetic appeal and fretboard visibility with these high-quality SUPVOX Abalone Fretboard Dots.
Luminlay SBM & SGM Series Glow Pipe
The Luminlay Glow Pipe offers a unique way to enhance your guitar with customizable features. You can select both the inner and outer diameters, ensuring a perfect fit for your instrument. Additionally, it comes in two vibrant glow colors, allowing you to personalize your guitar's appearance. Made in Japan, this product guarantees quality craftsmanship. Plus, all duties and taxes are covered by the recipient, making it easier for you to enjoy this premium inlay material without unexpected costs.
MEETOOT Guitar Side Dot Inlay Dots
MEETOOT Side Dot Markers are perfect for any guitar fingerboard, giving your guitar a fresh look. Crafted from high-quality materials, these markers are durable and long-lasting. They are small, lightweight, and easy to carry around. With these markers, you can effortlessly add position point marks on the fingerboard edge without affecting your guitar's performance. The package includes 25 black and 25 white markers, each measuring 50x2mm.
Musiclily Pro Natural Mother of Pearl Guitar Inlay Material
Musiclily Pro Natural Mother of Pearl Guitar Inlay Material is a great choice for any inlay job in guitar or bass. It is made of genuine natural shell mother-of-pearl material, selected part to cut, with correct and consistent color and thickness, easy to work with. The size of the material is 50x25mm (2x1"), thickness: 2mm (0.08 inch), supplied unpolished. Customers have generally been pleased with the product, although some have noted that the size is smaller than advertised.
Coshar Black Ebony Wood Blank Lumber Handle Plate Material
Get your hands on the Coshar Black Ebony Wood Blank Lumber Handle Plate Material, perfect for DIY music instrument tools. Made from blackwood, this deluxe material is colorfast, tough, and has a smooth surface that requires minimal sanding. The dry and ready-to-use ebony wood is ideal for musical instruments, turning, inlay, knife handles, and small woodworking projects. The package includes two rectangular pieces of black ebony wood measuring 122 x 40 x 11mm. The Coshar Black Ebony Wood Blank Lumber Handle Plate Material comes with a quality guarantee of refund or replacement for any quality problems.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. What material is used for guitar inlays?
Guitar inlays are commonly made from materials such as nacre (also known as "mother of pearl"), plastic, and wood. Some high-end or custom-made guitars may feature artistic inlay designs that cover the entire front or back of the guitar.
2. Which wood is good for electric guitar?
There are several good woods for electric guitars, including poplar, mahogany, ash, American basswood, maple, and rosewood. Other options include Indian rosewood, agathis, walnut, meranti, New Zealand pine, sapelli, and laurel. Less common woods used for electric guitars include panga panga, okoume, jatoba, bubinga, nyatoh, and pau ferro.
3. Does the type of wood matter for electric guitar?
Yes, the type of wood used in an electric guitar does matter. Different woods have different resonant properties, affecting the guitar's tone. Heavier woods like mahogany resonate differently from medium-bodied woods like alder and lighter woods like basswood. Additionally, the feel of the wood can also influence the overall tone, as well as how the guitar is played, such as fretting chords and strumming or picking.
4. What are the best materials for inlay?
For natural-looking aesthetics, porcelain and zirconia are considered the best materials for inlays, followed by composite inlays and onlays. In terms of strength and durability, gold is the most superior material, followed by zirconia, porcelain, and composite.
5. What is the cheapest wood for electric guitars?
The most inexpensive electric guitars often use Alder, Agathis, or Basswood for the body. While these woods may be less expensive, they can still provide adequate tonal qualities, as the body wood has less impact on the overall tone of the instrument.
6. What is the most beautiful wood for guitars?
Red or pink ivory is considered one of the most beautiful tonewoods for guitars. It is highly prized for its exceptional musical quality and aesthetic appeal, particularly in acoustic guitars.
7. What is the best material for electric guitars?
The best materials for electric guitars typically include poplar, mahogany, ash, American basswood, maple, and rosewood. These woods are commonly used in both electric and soundboard guitars, providing a good balance of tone and quality.
8. What is the best wood combination for a guitar?
The combination of mahogany and maple is commonly used in guitar bodies. Maple wood can be either hard or soft, and rosewood is often used for fretboards due to its durability and longevity.
9. Are electric guitars solid wood?
Most electric guitars, including popular models like Fender Stratocaster and Telecaster, are solidbody guitars. This means the guitar body is made entirely of solid wood. Solidbody electric guitars are the most common body type and offer a wide range of tonal possibilities.
During our electric guitar wood & inlay material research, we found 24 electric guitar wood & inlay material products and shortlisted 10 quality products. We collected and analyzed 5,249 customer reviews through our big data system to write the electric guitar wood & inlay material list. We found that most customers choose electric guitar wood & inlay material with an average price of $14.68.
The electric guitar wood & inlay material are available for purchase. We have researched hundreds of brands and picked the top brands of electric guitar wood & inlay material, including Musiclily, MECCANIXITY, KAISH, Easy Inlay, SUPVOX. The seller of top 1 product has received honest feedback from 1,535 consumers with an average rating of 4.8.
Joseph Hubbard is a music producer and runs a musical instrument store in Chicago. Joseph is happy to help others choose the instrument that best suits their needs. He loves everything related to music and often publishes articles related to music on key websites.