The 8 Best FREE Guitar VST Plugins (2022)
Guitar VST Plugins
When it comes to finding a great guitar VST plugin, there are some incredible options out there. There are also plenty of options that just aren’t worth your time.
Guitars are an extremely difficult instrument to translate into the form of a plugin, as you often lose the character and sonic detail of a real guitar player.
I’ve downloaded countless guitar VST plugins over the years to try replicate the tone and quality of a real guitar, but they almost always sound robotic and overly sequenced.
However, some plugins stand out from the rest, usually due to real-life articulation of the individual samples, and added “humanization” of the sounds.
Are they any FREE Guitar VST Plugins?
Yes! There are many free guitar VST plugins out there. Many of these plugins are surprisingly powerful and versatile, and can be capable of creating great guitar sounds similar to commercial guitar plugins.
Below are the 8 best free guitar VST plugins in 2022, that will give you authentic, professional guitar sounds without you ever reaching for your wallet.
To make sure we cover all bases, we’ve included a range of both acoustic / electric guitar VST plugins in this list. So without further ado, let’s get started!
The video version…
In the video below we go through our top 10 picks for FREE Guitar VST plugins as of March 2022. You can either watch this video, or keep scrolling to read more!
1. Ample Guitar M Lite II
In my opinion, the most difficult instrument to emulate through MIDI technology has always been the classic or acoustic guitar. A classic or acoustic guitar performance brings a certain level of personality and articulation that is extremely difficult to reproduce through sampled MIDI notes.
However, Ample’s guitar VST plugins continue to bridge the gap between virtual and real guitar performances like no other.
The sound quality is absolutely stunning, and the plugin immediately gives a rich, warm tone full of detail and clarity. There is a noticeable amount of variation and expression in each note played, and these sonic “imperfections” (and I mean that in a good way!) create an effortless, realistic playing experience.
The plugin engine is also PACKED with additional features, such as capo logic, doubling (separate samples for L and R), legato, slide, string tuner, and more.
For anyone looking for a highly realistic acoustic guitar VST plugin, this product should be at the top of your list.
Click here to download. Available for both Windows / Mac and 32-bit / 64-bit.
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2. CLASSIC.GTr LITE
Classic.Gtr Lite is a free multi-sampled classical guitar plugin with a rich, warm character and a simple, stripped-back interface.
I will say that this guitar VST plugin doesn’t have the same level of authenticity and realism as Ample Guitar M Lite II. However, this plugin is incredible for creating ethereal, spacey classical guitar sounds.
By playing around with the onboard parameters, it’s fairly easy to make this sampled classical guitar sound like a retro synth pluck, as well as other interesting, unique sounds.
Additional features include gain control, LFO modulation, LP/HP Filter and modulation options. There are also 7 wavey presets to experiment with, so I’d definitely recommend trying this free guitar plugin for yourself.
Click here to download. Available for both Windows / Mac and 32-bit / 64-bit.
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Ease of Use
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3. Haunted Guitar Lite
This free guitar VST plugin was created using a multi-sampled Fender Stratocaster Plus Deluxe Electric Guitar, which has resulted in some spooky, atmospheric guitar sounds.
Haunted Guitar Lite by Electronik Sound Lab comes with a range of preset tones, from “Ancient Void” to “Life Drain” (which is perfect for drill and hip hop beats).
This free guitar VST comes with a range of additional options, such as LFO Modulation, ADSR, various filter types and more.
Overall, this is a fantastic choice if you’re looking for darker, moodier guitar tones with a range of controllable parameters.
Click here to download. Available for both Windows / Mac and 32-bit / 64-bit.
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Ease of Use
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4. DSK Dynamic Guitars
DSK’s “Dynamic Guitars” is somewhat of a classic in the world of free guitar VST plugins.
Don’t be fooled by the somewhat amateur-looking appearance, this plugin can produce some absolutely fantastic acoustic guitar sounds.
Dynamic Guitars has three sampled guitar types; Acoustic, Nylon and Steel. The interface includes ADSR controls, a voice mode selector, a reverb parameter and more.
This option is definitely worth checking out if you’re looking for a low-CPU, high-quality FREE guitar VST plugin.
Click here to download. Available for both Windows / Mac and 32-bit / 64-bit.
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
Features
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5. Spitfire LABS – Free Guitar VST Plugins
We’ve talked about Spitfire LABS many times in the past, as they offer a spectacular range of free VST instruments, including guitars, piano, strings and experimental sounds.
These guitar VST’s include “Moon Guitar”, “Mandolin”, “Guitar Harmonics”, and a personal favourite “Peel Guitar” – all 100% free!
LABS instruments are used within the LABS plugin, which is also free and incredibly simple to download and use. The sound quality of the instruments is also unreal, for example the Peel Guitar gives a smooth, vibrant, hypnotic tone right out the box.
Highly recommend.
Click here to download. Available for both Windows / Mac and 32-bit / 64-bit.
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
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6. Cute Emily Guitar
Cute Emily Guitar is another FREE guitar VST that samples an Epiphone SG type electric guitar.
In all honestly, without any added effects this plugin doesn’t sound too great. The dry sound admittedly sounds quite robotic, and not realistic at all.
Surprisingly however, I’ve found some great results after adding various guitar amp / FX plugins. This is a great guitar VST for adding small riffs and melody to your tracks, but just make sure you slap on some FX first!
Click here to download. Available for both Windows / Mac and 32-bit / 64-bit.
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
Features
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7. Kontakt Start
Kontakt Start is the absolutely enormous free bundle from Native Instruments, including a huge range of free effects and instruments.
Within this free bundle, you get an instrument collection called BAND, which allows you to sample 13 rock and pop instruments, including e-guitars and basses. As is always the case with Native Instruments, the sound quality is absolutely phenomenal.
It’s worth mentioning you do have the download the entire Kontakt Start library to access this free guitar VST. However, I’d recommend downloading it regardless, and it’s easily one of the best free VST collections out there.
Click here to download. Available for both Windows / Mac and 32-bit / 64-bit.
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Ease of Use
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8. Ample Bass P Lite II
In case it’s a bass guitar plugin you’re looking for, Ample’s Bass P Lite II is a great choice.
This bass guitar plugin has a vivid and realistic tone, with several adding humanization elements such as fingering noise, hammering etc.
This is a highly rated, extremely popular free plugin, and for good reason. The sound is warm and full of character, so it definitely should be on your radar in 2022.
Click here to download. Available for both Windows / Mac and 32-bit / 64-bit.
Sound Quality
Ease of Use
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