The double-cutaway design, trio of switchable pickups, and synchronized tremolo system were new to guitar players who were used to big-bodied jazz guitars. The ML was created in 1977, and while it was a cool guitar design with a handful of players latching on to it, it didnt last. Yes, we can make a strong case for the Gibson Les Paul as well. The Jazzmaster eventually fell out of vogue, but like most Fender guitars it has its fans today. In this article, youll read about the 20 best electric guitars of all time. That alone makes this guitar legendary. It also made life a lot easier for guitar players who were beginning to see the value of electricity in their sound. It has a mahogany neck and a rosewood fretboard with 24 frets. The Ibanez JEM7VP comes in an alder body, back, and sides. All of its hardware is nickel covered. The PRS Custom 24 is one of the most popular guitars out there and works excellently in blues and rock genres. It has a deep, resonant sound that works for genres as diverse and heavy metal and jazz. Speaking of hardware, the 1961 Gibson SG Standard Reissue has an ABR-1 tailpiece that is part of the classic design that was released back then. Just as the Stratocaster, Fenders Telecaster is an iconic model that gained much popularity in the golden age of guitar. Their roster includes the likes of Kirk Hammet, Alex Skolnick, James Hetfield, and Alexi Laiho. The rest, as they say, is history. ], via Wikimedia Commons. They began making instruments available to the public in 1883 and are one of the most respected companies out there. But, remember it was Gibson chasing Fender in the solid-body guitar market throughout the 50s and 60s. They are beautiful instruments, right down to the iconic flying bird inlays on their fretboards. When you purchase through those links, I'll earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Throughout the golden years of guitar, companies have given us some great designs and models. This guitar comes in a 5-Ply maple neck, a maple neck, and a rosewood fingerboard with 22 medium jumbo frets. It also features a rounded C profile mahogany neck and a 22 medium-jumbo fretted fingerboard. For the bridge, you get the Seymour Duncan JB TB-4, which is one of the most popular humbucker pickups Seymour Duncan has to offer. published 18 November 21, Fender dominates sales stats, claiming 13 of the 20 available spots, topping the list with the Player Telecaster and Player Stratocaster. Its thick U-shaped neck enhances comfort and playability. It also includes a maple neck and a 21-fretted maple fretboard. The Tele is considered one of the best electric guitars for country music but is equally at home in rock and blues. Manufactured in Mexico, it is seen as the entry-level Stratocaster, one that has a tremendous level of quality control and consistency. The legendary Gibson ES-335 is a milestone in guitar history, as it is the worlds first commercial semi-hollow body to ever be produced. Its main feature, however, is its Adjusto-Matic with Secured Rosewood Base Bridge and a Bigsby B60 Vibrato Tailpiece. However, you might be surprised to know it started out as a replacement for the Les Paul. Weighing in at the 11 to 15 spots are the Squier Affinity Series Stratocaster, Fender American Standard Stratocaster, PRS CE 24, Fender American Professional Series Stratocaster and the Fender American Ultra Telecaster. This is the main feature of this Stratocaster and all Stratocasters, for that matter. 2022 The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers on this website. The Gibson ES-335 comes with a 3-ply AAA Figured Maple/Poplar/Maple and a Thermally Engineered Maple center block. It was released in 1961 and is actually Gibsons best-selling model of all time. Many players have used this guitar, including Eric Clapton, Noel Gallagher, and the father of Rock N Roll, Chuck Berry. Well-known for their sound, they were and still are one of the most recognizable models out there. These pickups are very well balanced and fit any style with grace. Legions of shredders followed suit, but when it came time to design his own signature guitar Eddie went a little further. As for hardware, this guitar has a Floyd Rose Original Double-Locking Tremolo System for heavy-duty guitar chops. This is characteristic of the top tier Gretsch guitars. As for sound, this guitar has two humbucker pickups, the Burstbucker 61R for its neck and the Burstbucker 61T for the bridge that provides that classic Les Paul sound. You can do dive-bombs, heavy vibrato, or insane pull-ups and the JEM7VP will not lose stability. There is a guitar out there for every guitarist. Guitar companies scrambled to create their own takes on the superstrat design. More About Me, Your email address will not be published. Its weakness lies in the fact that it isn't necessarily an adept rhythm instrument; however, it can still achieve plenty in the right musician's grip and it is celebrated for not having many mechanical issues, unless the distributor was responsible. guitar players who have used the Fender Stratocaster, Use by famous players on significant recordings. This list includes the likes of Jimmy Page, Slash, Billy Gibbons, and, of course, the man himself, Les Paul. Finally, we have sound. Without the Stratocaster, we might not have the Gibson SG. First created by Peavey and then Music Man, Eddies Wolfgang guitars are now available through his own brand, EVH. This tremolo system allows you to do the craziest things you can imagine with the guitar without losing proper intonation and playability. Since their beginning in 1975, ESP found popularity and recognition by endorsing guitarists leading the thrash metal movement in the 80s. When it was first invented back in 1975, Ibanez was a brand known for making excellent copies of US-made instruments. The ESP E-II NT comes in a mahogany body, a 3Pc maple, and an ebony fingerboard with 24 jumbo frets. E Flat Tuning (Eb Ab Db Gb Bb Eb) is another alternative tuning setup that so many musicians use. These are only installed on the 1961 Gibson SG Standard Reissue and are a perfect representation of the vintage SG Sound. The ES-335 was the first commercially available semi-hollow body guitar. The Fender Stratocaster has been around since 1954 and countless guitar players have used it in every genre of music. Also, like the Flying V, original Explorers utilized Korina as a tonewood rather than mahogany. England and Wales company registration number 2008885. All of that was probably quite a fiasco for Gibson at the time, but if it hadnt happened as it did, we would not have the SG today. ESP guitars are most commonly associated with hard rock and metal acts. The first one came out in 1985 and since then became a top guitar for those looking to explore the guitar virtuoso world. Distorted genres thrive with the use of Super Strats, whereas cleaner sounds are underwhelming in comparison. There was a problem. Les Paul Vs Sg - What Is The Best Option For You? The author is a guitarist and bassist with over 35 years of experience as a musician. When a few influential guitarists began using the old-style Les Pauls in the mid-1960s, Gibson brought back the original Les Paul. From impressive dynamics to an excellent sound and playability, this guitar is one of the top choices for guitarists looking for a hollow-body guitar. Erik Greener concludes that although those mentioned have been the best-selling over the last 80 or so years, there are many different styles and makes of guitar that each produce vastly different sounds. However, unlike some instruments which have few differences between brands, guitars come in a variety of styles that are often unique to the brand. Excluding jazz, Erik Greener recommends it for musicians who are hoping to play lead, as it can gel with a variety of playing styles. Hardware-wise, it comes with a Pure Vintage 6-Saddle Synchronized Tremolo System and nickel/chrome finish. link to Les Paul Vs Sg - What Is The Best Option For You? Finally, we come to the electronics of this guitar. Before Epiphone became a brand that is known for producing budget versions of Gibson guitar, they had a reputation for making some great hollow and semi-hollow body guitars. The 1961 Gibson SG Standard Reissue is a legendary model that many guitarists favor, including Angus Young, Robby Krieger (The Doors), Tony Iommi, and Geroge Harrison. However, many people dont realize that many of the tracks on Van Halens debut album were recorded using Eddies Ibanez Destroyer, not his Frankenstrat. Hardware-wise, the Fender American Original 50s Telecaster comes with a 3-Saddle American Vintage Strings-Through Body Bridge. The first PRS model an SE Custom 24 crops up at sixth, with the Fender American Professional II Telecaster preceding the first Gibson axes, the Les Paul Standard 60s and Les Paul Standard 50s, which occupy eighth and ninth. Hardware-wise, everything comes in black and is equipped with a Hipshot w/String Thru Body type of bridge. It was in the mid-1960s that interest sparked once again, mainly thanks to legendary guitarist Keith Richards, who began using a sunburst 1959 Les Paul Standard. The Destroyer is based on the Gibson Explorer. Many of the most famous guitarists of all time have used a Les Paul at one point during their career - including Jimmy Page, Bob Marley and Slash. Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, The White Falcon just might be the most beautiful electric guitar ever made. Apart from having different Top 40 Famous Guitar Songs In E Flat (Eb) Tuning - Tabs Included. The simple but effective design has changed little in the past sixty-plus years. Ibanez teamed up with guitar virtuoso, Steve Vai, to design the Ibanez JEM Series. He recommends that when you are shopping for a new guitar that you take your time to test the different styles out to figure out which is the best fit for you and your musical endeavors! In fact, the first two Gibson Les Paul models had to be discontinued in 1961 since guitarists thought it was too heavy. I listed ten of them above, but there are many, many more. All that said, you may not care at all about the Fender Stratocaster, and maybe you can name a dozen guitars youd rather have in your collection. Its a classic superstrat still available today. Interestingly enough, this guitar did not do too well sales-wise when it first came out in 1952. For a long while, when you considered everything from scale length to build design and even sound, just about every solid-body guitar you can think of falls into either the Fender or Gibson category. We might not have superstrats like the Ibanez RG or the Jackson Soloist. Gibsons budget brand Epiphone makes Les Pauls too. In the late 1950s, the Gibson Les Paul was not the legendary guitar it is today. As for sound, this guitar comes with two PRS 85/15 pickups with volume and tone controls and a 5-way pickup selector. These instruments have stood the test of time and helped to form the music world as we know it today. The Fender Stratocaster was the first Fender guitar to feature three single-coil pickups and a vibrato system. The Gretsch G5422TDC Electromatic comes with dual Black TopFiltertron humbucking pickups and a 3-way pickup selector. As well as announcing the most successful electric guitars of 2021, Reverb has also shared top 20 lists for both the highest-selling effects pedals and the best-selling guitar amps of the year. Although its success was initially due to the twangy tone emitting from its strings, which is what brought it such fame from country musicians, the implementation of distortion makes it an enticing guitar for all lead musicians. The guitar was eventually discontinued but returned to production in the mid-1970s. You will receive a verification email shortly. Thank you for reading 5 articles this month*, US pricing $3.99 per month or $39.00 per year, UK pricing 2.99 per month or 29.00 per year, Europe pricing 3.49 per month or 34.00 per year, *Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription. Vintage-tall frets make it easier for the player to bend notes without having fret issues. I can understand that. The Fender American Original 50s Telecaster has all of the authentic features from back in the day and along with the Stratocaster, is one of the most sought out guitars Fender has to offer. Here are the rest of these iconic instruments to round out the list. The Gibson ES-335 has two Calibrated T-Type humbuckers, one for rhythm and one for the lead. This is another superstrat, but it has a key difference from many guitars that are visually similar. It quickly established itself as one of the top guitar manufacturers, mainly due to the release of their Custom 24. Fender released the Broadcaster in 1950 but soon ran into a problem: Gretsch had a line of drums using a very similar name. Added to this, you have Pure Vintage Single Line Fender Deluxe tuning machines that are classic of this model. Eddie Van Halen and his signature Wolfgang guitar. link to Top 40 Famous Guitar Songs In E Flat (Eb) Tuning - Tabs Included, Most Popular Electric Guitars In The World, Top 20 Budget Electric Guitars Under $200, $250, $300 and $400 For Beginners, Telecaster has all of the authentic features from back in the day and along with the Stratocaster, Top 10 Electric Guitars For Rock That Were Used By Famous Rock Stars. It also comes with a slim-styled mahogany neck and a 22-medium jumbo fretted rosewood neck. Some articles may contain affiliate links. Because of that, and because of its iconic sound, it is probably the most popular guitar in the world. Original Flying Vs were made of Korina rather than the mahogany used today. The Dean ML is one of those guitars that could have easily faded away into the recesses of music history. You've just seen the top 5. Weatherman90 at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA / via Wikimedia. The Arena Media Brands, LLC and respective content providers to this website may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. For more information, head over to Reverb (opens in new tab). Today the Gibson SG is one of the most famous guitars in the world with legions of fans. Only when Fender began to mass market the solid-body electric guitar did Gibson put the Les Paul into production. In fact, it was struggling to keep up with the Fender Stratocaster. All rights reserved. Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). I have a huge passion for rock music and I extremely enjoy playing it. I'm not saying that just because I like Strats, though I do. Kurt Cobain of Nirvana helped to bring the Jag back into the rock guitar playing the publics attention in the 1990s. There are plenty of guitars out there for all kinds of players. Today it exists in many variations, from the basic three-single-coil model that started it all to models with humbuckers, Floyd Rose tremolos, different tonewoods, and more. The PRS Custom 24 has a hybrid body that incorporates carved figured maple and mahogany. The Jazzmaster arrived in 1958 with its bizarre for the time soap bar single-coil pickups. The Wolfgang is a step beyond a superstrat, with a basswood body, arched maple top, maple neck, and Floyd Rose tremolo with his patented D-Tuna system. The Gibson Les Paul Standard is one of the most popular guitars in the world, and many legendary artists play them. One of their most sought out models is the Jackson SL1 from their USA Soloist Series. Initially, it was named the Broadcaster, but due to legal naming issues with Gretsch, Fender changed its name to Telecaster. Had it not been for a shredder known as Dimebag and a band called Pantera, it is unlikely the ML would be on this list. The top 20 is completed by the Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster, Squier Classic Vibe 60s Jazzmaster, Fender American Standard Stratocaster (1986-2000), Gibson Les Paul Classic and Fender American Standard Stratocaster (1985-2005). Les Paul (the guitar player) actually invented it several years earlier, but Gibson wasnt interested. It remains one of the best guitars on the market today, and it has features and appointments unique to PRS guitars. I have been playing guitar since 2004. Its because the Fender Stratocaster has had the most impact on the music world of any guitar ever made. It takes a little research and a lot of experimentation, but eventually, each player learns which instruments are right for them. This guitar is most likely the best heavy-genre guitar on this list. Over the years, the Strat has evolved to fit into every musical niche, and musicians in every genre play it. The Strat is easy to modify and relatively simple to work on. This iconic guitar can easily be the face of Gibson Guitars. Wed love to stay in touch, sign up for The Pick team to contact you with great news, content and offers. There are many more models that can be considered great classics, such as the Gibson Firebird, the Fender Nashville, or the Ernie Ball Music Man John Petrucci Majesty Monarchy.