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If you’re a producer on a budget looking for high-quality, authentic, and rich guitar sounds, but don’t feel like spending hundreds of dollars on a new guitar VST plugin, then you’ve come to the right place. We have seven fantastic guitar plugins for you to check out, all free of charge and ready to give astounding results!
Sometimes you need to add guitar sounds to your compositions, whether it’s samples of a classical guitar, an electric guitar, or a bass guitar. Seeing as you might not have the real instrument or hardware on hand, we use a guitar VST to replace the actual instrument and emulate it right there on our computer. Plenty of VST companies promise you free guitar VSTs that are either low-quality or surprisingly amazing but offer minimal features that are simply insufficient to make your tracks pop. The seven guitar plugins we have today are all made by reputable companies, and all promise to give you exceptional results without the need to pay for them.
Also Read: Best Electric Guitars With Thin Necks
Best Free Guitar VST – Comparison Table
| Plugin | Type | Format | Operating System | Good for |
| Ample Guitar M Lite II | VST Instrument | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX, and Standalone. | Windows and Mac | Acoustic Guitar |
| Shreddage 3 Stratus Free | VST Instrument | VST, AU, AAX | Windows, and Mac | Electric Guitar |
| Spitfire Audio LABS Electric Guitars | VST Instrument | VST2, VST3, AAX, and AU | Windows and Mac | Electric Guitar |
| Spitfire Audio LABS Peel Guitar | VST Instrument | VST2, VST3, AAX, and AU | Windows and Mac | Electric Guitar |
| Classic GTr Lite | VST Instrument | VST, VST3, AU | Windows and Mac | Classical Guitar |
| Ample Bass P Lite II | VST Instrument | VST2, VST3, AU, AAX and Standalone. | Windows and Mac | Bass Guitar |
| Haunted Guitar Lite | VST Instrument | VST, VST3, AU | Windows and Mac | Electric Guitar |
7 Best Free Guitar VSTs in 2022
1. Ample Guitar M Lite II
Topping our list today for the absolute best free guitar VST is Ample Guitar M Lite II by Ample Sound. This guitar plugin is so good that you won’t even believe it’s free.
This VST instrument is the digital version of the Martin D-41 acoustic guitar that does an amazing job bringing its sounds to life.
Like most VST instruments, it shows you a 49-key keyboard and a guitar interface to help you visualize what it is you’re playing. Once you start using the VST, you will notice that you have complete control over shaping your sound, thanks to a wide range of filters and effects such as width, sustain, release, panning, and so on, which make your sound even more realistic and authentic.
Sound Quality
The Ample Guitar M Lite II sounds absolutely amazing, which is one of the main reasons it’s number one on our list. It sounds almost as good as the original Martin D-41, even without modulation and adding all the FX. And that’s saying plenty for a free VST plugin.
Rating: 5/5
Ease of Use
At first glance, the VST might look complex, but it’s actually very simple to use. Everything is straightforward and in your face, the filters, the FX, and so on; all you have to do is mess with your sound in whichever way you want and immediately get the results you’re looking for. However, it might get a little more complex once you enter the “strumming section,” as the customizations get a little deeper.
Rating: 3.5/5
Features
The Ample Guitar M Lite II has plenty of features starting with a double guitar option, poly legato and slide smoother, an alternate tuner, multiple capo logics, strum legato (where legato articulations can be played while strumming), four humanization settings, strum SEQ with customized rhythm, sustain, hammer on & pull off, palm mute, pop five articulations, and many more. This plugin is truly PACKED with features.
Rating: 5/5
Pros and Cons:-
Pros:
- Sound is very realistic and authentic.
- It is packed with features.
- Very interactive.
Cons:
- Can get a little complicated once you go deeper in the customization and different playing modes features.
2. Shreddage 3 Stratus Free
As you can probably tell from the name, Shreddage 3 Stratus Free is the free, limited version of Shreddage 3 Stratus by Impact Soundworks.
It is one of the best free guitar VST instruments for all styles of electric guitar performances. You can record in 24-bit, use sustains, palm mutes, chokes, and up and down strokes to get more realistic results. You will have so much control over your guitar’s sound, allowing you to create an exceptionally natural performance. It’s quite a powerful plugin that sounds absolutely amazing.
Even though Shreddage 3 Stratus Free is free, you can only use it with the full version of Kontakt, and it is not compatible with the free Kontakt Player.
Sound Quality
Shreddage 3 Stratus Free delivers an impressive, high-quality sound that does a great job emulating a real-life electric guitar. And with how well you have control over the characteristics and versatility of your sounds, we promise you will be surprised by what this plugin can offer.
Rating: 5/5
Ease of Use
It is very comfortable and easy to use. However, watching a simple tutorial before you start playing and recording is best advised to make things simpler and easier as you’re just starting out.
Rating: 4/5
Features
Shreddage 3 Stratus Free features an expanded UI for easier editing, a new poly input window for realistic chords, SHRED window and offset for accurate shredding, multiple fret, and string voicing algorithms, a new strumming tab for custom rhythm parts, pitched and unpitched release noises, a modular rack & mixer with 30+ FX, and TACT 2.0 for articulation mapping.
Rating: 4/5
Pros and Cons:-
Pros:
- Realistic and natural high-quality sounds.
- Packed with features.
- Fairly easy to use.
- Extremely versatile and flexible.
Cons:
- Can only be used with the full version of Kontakt.
- Less features available than the Shreddage 3 Stratus version.
*We have also included a full comparison to the full version. The full version is in green, and the free version is in yellow.*
Also Read: 10 Best Takamine 12 String Acoustic Guitars
3. Electric Guitars by Spitfire Audio LABS
A very elegant and great-sounding free plugin is Electric Guitars by LABS instruments. Guitarists Leo Wyatt, Dino Pollano, and Keith Theodosiou recorded their favorite tunes and turned them into one very sleek guitar plugin for us to use and enjoy for free.
You will find plenty of styles to choose from for your sounds, such as bright indie pop, 80’s chorus, classic rock, and a few others. So feel free to record your new solos and riffs using this very minimalistic but great-sounding plugin.
Sound Quality
Spitfire Audio is a music technology company known for its high-quality virtual instruments and sample libraries. And they’re not about to give us average-quality sounds just because this plugin is free of charge. So rest assured that the guitar tones are completely authentic sounding, clean, and rich.
Rating: 5/5
Ease of Use
The interface is exceptionally clean, so there are a limited amount of features we can use, which makes the whole process extremely simple. And it is one of the most user-friendly guitar plugins on our list today.
Rating: 5/5
Features
The main interface features a limited amount of FX and modulation, including two fader controls for dynamics and volume and a few FX such as reverb, a pitch bend wheel, sustain, attack, delay, and a few others.
Rating: 3/5
Pros and Cons:-
Pros:
- Clean and simple interface.
- Realistic and natural high-quality sounds.
- Plenty of tones to choose from.
- Very easy to use.
Cons:
- Too simple with not enough editing features.
- Limited FX and modes.
4. Peel Guitar by Spitfire Audio LABS
Another impressive free plugin by LABS instruments is Peel Guitar.
As you can see, it has the exact interface as Electric guitars, so it’s very simple to use and easy to navigate. It was created in 2006 using a Fender Telecaster fed through a 15w vintage tweed amp with a hint of vibrato, tremolo, and distortion, by Christian Henson. And we know that when a Fender is involved, the sound will be fantastic.
Sound Quality
You can use Peel Guitar to create songs, soundtracks, ads, etc., as the sound quality is outstanding, especially for a free plugin. Even though this plugin was sampled with British indie music in mind, feel free to use it with any music genre of your choice.
Rating: 5/5
Ease of Use
Like Electric Guitars, this plugin is straightforward and easy to use. They both share the same simple interface, which we rated as one of our list’s most user-friendly guitar plugins.
Rating: 5/5
Features
Peel Guitar also shares the same features as Electric Guitars, meaning it features a limited amount of FX and modulation, including two fader controls for dynamics and volume, and a few FX such as reverb, a pitch bend wheel, sustain, attack, delay, and a few others.
Rating: 3/5
Pros and Cons:-
Pros:
- Clean and simple interface.
- Realistic and natural high-quality sounds.
- Plenty of tones to choose from.
- Very easy to use.
Cons:
- Too simple with not enough editing features.
- Limited FX and modes.
Check this detailed guide on how to choose suitable guitars for your playing style by Become Singers.
5. Classic GTr Lite by Quiet Music
Classic Gtr Lite is a free Spanish classical guitar plugin with multiple samples.
The original samples were recorded at 24-bit 96 kHz on a basic guitar, then treated with various effects before being converted to Flac 24bit 44 kHz.
Sound Quality
The sound on this plugin is lovely. It’s realistic, full of expressions, and most importantly, high-quality and clean. You can experiment with the sound using the available modes, then edit them using the available FX if you’re not completely satisfied with the guitar’s tone.
Rating: 4.5/5
Ease of Use
You can have fun producing sounds using this plugin without the burden of having a more sophisticated interface that’s loaded with features since they are a tad limited with yet another simple interface. This plugin is simple to use and allows anyone to create and experiment.
Rating: 5/5
Features
It features 7 presets, each containing 38 presets, 301 samples, ADSR, LP/HP filter, and LFO Modulation.
Rating: 3/5
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Simple interface.
- Very clear and natural sounds.
- Very easy to use.
Cons:
- Limited features, FX, and modes.
6. Ample Bass P Lite II by Ample Sound
Ample Bass P Lite is another great guitar plugin by Ample Sound on our list today. It is the free and limited version of Ample Bass P, which has fewer samples and articulations than the original version but still delivers excellent sounds and choices. Ample Bass P Lite samples the Fender Precision bass guitar, so be certain that you will get impressive sounds from this plugin.
Sound Quality
Ample Sound is a great company that never disappoints, as the Ample Bass P Lite bass is very realistic and flat. If you need to build your bassline but don’t know any bass players, this plugin will do just fine.
Rating: 5/5
Ease of Use
This VST is more complex to use than other previous plugins we’ve mentioned. All you have to do is experiment with your sound, and you will eventually get the results you’re asking for. Watching an online tutorial if things get confusing is always helpful in these cases.
Rating: 3.5/5
Features
Ample Bass P Lite has plenty of features, such as; Sustain, hammer on & pull off, and accent. Legato at random length & pitch. Poly legato and slide smoother, multiple capo logics, stereo DI signal, automatic and manual Buzzing system, 443 samples, 16bit 44.1 kHz, range of D1 – F4, and a maximum sampling cycle of 2.
Rating: 5/5
Pros and Cons:-
Pros:
- Sound is very realistic and authentic.
- It is packed with features.
- Very interactive.
Cons:
- Can get a little complicated once you go deeper into the customization and different playing modes features.
7. Haunted Guitar Lite by Electronik Sound Lab
This creepy-looking guitar plugin was created using a multi-sampled Fender Stratocaster Plus Deluxe Electric Guitar, which helped them get the dark sounds they were after. It’s a free VST/VST3/AU instrument that works on Windows and Mac.
Sound Quality
The samples are high-quality, clean, and rich. However, they’re already extensively processed, so they might give you a hard time EQing and editing them after recording.
Rating: 4.5/5
Ease of Use
Its basic interface and limited features are relatively simple to use. Just be ready to experiment with sounds while a couple of human skulls are watching you work.
Rating: 5/5
Features
It features 8 Presets, each containing 28 processed samples with a few high-quality effects that help achieve the dark/scary sounds (totaling 224 samples.) ADSR, HP / LP Filter, LFO Modulation, Filter type selector, Voice mode, and macOS Monterey Support.
Rating: 3/5
Pros and Cons
Pros:-
- Simple and “different” interface.
- Very easy to use.
- Good sounds if you’re looking for that eerie ambiance for your tracks.
- High-quality sounds.
Cons:
- Limited features, FX, and modes.
- This plugin is very genre-specific, so it might not help you if you’re looking for something that provides more generic guitar sounds.
Also Read: 7 Best DAWs to Record Vocals
FAQ
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Conclusion
Making music should always be a fun and happy process. And just because the budget is an issue doesn’t mean it should stop you from being creative or getting the sound you’re looking for. The seven free guitar VSTs we highlighted today are guaranteed to be among the best free guitar plugins available. So feel free to download and experiment with them. Worst case scenario, you can just delete them! (Even though we’re confident you won’t). They are, after all, free of charge!
