Play electric guitar like Ed Sheeran

Are you a fan of Ed Sheeran and want to sound like him? Then you’re in the right place. In this guide we show you everything you need to get as close as possible to Ed’s electric guitar sound. Whether instruments, effects or amplifiers, here you’ll find everything an Ed Sheeran fan’s heart desires.

About Ed Sheeran

Edward Christopher „Ed" Sheeran was born in 1991 in Halifax in the English county of West Yorkshire. He learned to play guitar at a young age, and wrote his first songs while at school. His early songs were strongly influenced by his major influence Van Morrison.

In 2005 his first mini-album was released under the title The Orange Room EP. In 2008 Ed moved to London to play in small clubs. In January 2011 Ed released the EP No. 5 Collaborations Project, which featured numerous guest musicians, marked his first major success, sold over 7,000 copies on iTunes in its first week and earned him a record deal. His debut single The A Team and the debut album + were released in 2011.

In June 2014 Ed released his second album ×. The single «Thinking Out Loud» reached the top 10 and hit No. 1 in the UK charts. With the April 2015 single «Photograph» he achieved his fifth Top-10 hit in Germany. In January 2017 the lead singles «Shape of You» and «Castle on the Hill» from his third studio album ÷ were released; the album followed in March 2017. While Shape of You entered the German singles chart at No. 1, Castle on the Hill debuted at No. 2. Ed thereby became the first artist to enter the singles chart at No. 1 and No. 2 simultaneously. The album sold over 670,000 copies in its first week in the UK, setting the record for the fastest-selling album by a male artist in its first week.
In 2019 Ed managed to break two more records with his Divide tour, which ran from 2017 onwards: the tour was both the highest-grossing tour and the most attended tour. He thereby replaced U2 as the record-holder. In July 2019 his fourth studio album No. 6 Collaborations Project was released, on which he recorded all tracks together with musical friends such as Camila Cabello, Justin Bieber and Bruno Mars. In 2023 the albums - and Autumn Variations were released, both of which also reached No. 1 in the UK charts.

For several years Ed has preferred to play acoustic guitars from the maker Lowden Guitars and together with George Lowden he has launched his own guitar line that makes playing the Ed Sheeran sound affordable: Sheeran by Lowden Guitars.

Low‑end electric guitars for Ed Sheeran fans

Although Ed became known for his acoustic sounds, he now often reaches for the electric guitar as well. He favors electric guitars from PRS and Gibson, for which there are also cheaper variants, e.g. Gibson‑style models from Epiphone and the PRS SE series. Affordable acoustic guitars in Ed’s style can be found at Sheeran by Lowden Guitars.

High‑end electric guitars used by Ed Sheeran

As mentioned, Ed mostly plays electric guitars from PRS and Gibson, particularly modern Les Paul models from Gibson and the McCarty 594 and hollowbody models from PRS. Ed also likes the Fender Eric Clapton Signature Stratocaster for stage use. Above all, the colour schemes of Ed’s guitars stand out: they’re consistently colourfully designed, often with custom finishes or graphics. You can find Ed’s favourite acoustic guitars at Lowden Guitars.

Alternative high‑end electric guitars in the Ed Sheeran style

Ed plays a fairly small selection of models, but other classic models and models from other makers in the high‑end price range are also well suited to copy Ed’s sound and style. Here we’ve put together a selection for you:

Ed Sheeran's amplifiers

Ed mostly relies on a classic among valve amps, the Vox AC15. This amp is known for its warm core tone. Here you'll find this amp and Ed's other amplifiers.

Effects used by Ed Sheeran

For the perfect Ed Sheeran sound one thing is especially important: the right looper. Loops are an essential part of Ed’s sound. Ed even has his own signature looper, but of course other looper pedals are also suitable for emulating Ed’s sound.

Accessories for Ed Sheeran fans

Here you'll find straps, strings and other accessories that Ed uses or other items to perfectly complete your Ed Sheeran look and sound.