Might be too stripped-back for some. The beginner-friendly guitar market is a fiercely competitive one. Build: Alder body, bolt-on maple neck, ebony fretboard, 12 fretboard radius, 22 frets The AZ-2204-HRMs combination of the sleek, thin design approach Ibanez is known for, and the more vintage take on the S-type make this an excellent choice for neo soul. Suppose you are in the market for a reliable, well-built, gorgeous semi-hollow guitar. Thank you for signing up to The Pick. Today, however, there are more entry-level guitars than you can shake a stick at - with lots of them looking almost identical to their more expensive counterparts. Gretsch guitars can sometimes get overlooked by many players who think that they are just a one-trick pony used for country twang. There are various different styles of pickup, all with their own unique tonal characteristics, but they can largely be split up into single-coils, humbuckers and P-90s. Both the V60LPs and the SSVs are renowned for their dynamic, lively take on the sounds of vintage pickups: perfect for articulate cleans and warm, singing drive sounds. The pickups themselves are Ibanez Super 58s the same favoured by George Benson, Pat Metheny and John Scofield on their signature models. Shredders will rejoice at the hand-rubbed, speed neck profile and heel cut, while its more traditional body style and overall aesthetic appeal to a much wider audience. Tony Hawk surprises fans at a London pub by jumping on stage to sing with a Tony Hawks Pro Skater soundtrack cover band, Derek Trucks on David Gilmour: Hes created his own universe. Outside of the electronics, its much more down to what your playing style requires: some neo soul players make use of the vibrato bar a lot for articulation, while others prefer a hard-tail bridge. The mahogany neck feels thin, fast, and insanely playable. This striking guitar has a pretty impressive list of specs. The October 2021 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now! The electric guitar is one of the most ubiquitous instruments in music. Build: Solid double-cutaway poplar body, bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fretboard with 8.5 radius, double-action PRS truss rod, small birds inlays, signature SE headstock decal Scale Length: 24.75 / 629mm. When overdrive is heard in neo-soul, its more often a light crunch than a blistering high-gain fusion tone. The American Pro II is the sequel to the acclaimed guitar released in 2017. If you do need some wobble, Harmony also offers a version fitted with a Bigsby. Most important for this list however are the pickups a pair of Player Series Alnico VTelecaster pickups, which have a slightly softer voicing than the most modern single-coils on this list, but are by no means underpowered. While the dual Black Top BroadTron humbucking pickups deliver the classic Gretsch chime youd expect while retaining the guitars natural dynamics. Some might want a solid workhorse to gig night after night. Watch Captain Beefheart Guitarist Jeff Cottons New Does It Work for You? Music Video, Want an affordable amp? Electronics: 3x Player Plus Noiseless Strat pickups, five-way blade selector switch, volume, tone (middle and neck), push/pull bridge tone (adds neck pickup to positions one and two) Ultra-modern specifications might be a turn off for some. There are no hard and fast rules, but in this guide, well be looking at more models in the single-coil domain. All three pickup positions offer plenty of spank. Gibson has taken a back-to-basics approach with the Les Paul Standard '60s and released a guitar that harkens back to the golden era of this stunning single-cut. It's not all about the looks, though. I also have a passion for live sound; I'm a fully qualified sound engineer with experience working in various venues in Scotland. Neck profile is another thing to think about, as this can directly affect playability. Guitar.com is the worlds leading authority and resource for all things guitar. Hearing Yourself Too Well Is Almost as Bad as Not Hearing Yourself Well Enough: Gretchen Menn Talks Stage Volume. High quality hardware, including locking tuners ensure great tuning stability and plenty of resonance. Read our full PRS Special Semi-Hollow review. This solid mahogany guitar has not just been a firm favorite of Angus Young, but also Derek Truck, Tony Iommi, and Frank Zappa. The November 2021 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now! All the guitars on this list, regardless of price or style, are gig-worthy, can record well and are built to a good standard, so if youre seeking a selection of the most killer electric guitars out there right now, then read on. Well, maybe dive-bombs but they arent particularly common in neo soul. Electronics: Seymour Duncan Hyperion humbucker (bridge) and 2x Hyperion single-coils (middle and neck), 5-Way Super Switch with coil-split, volume, tone, dyna-MIX9 switching system with Alter switch Wont convert Strat purists. The slim and comfortable C-shaped neck profile is incredibly playable and is a great jumping-off point for most players. The Epiphone ES 339 may not be the flashiest - or indeed the most expensive guitar on this list - but its tasteful looks, unmatched comfort, and glorious tone mean it can most definitely hang with the big boys in this guide. Having the two single coils, and the five-way pickup selector allows for an array of chimey and glassy tones as well. Electronics: 2x or 3x V60LP single coils, SSV humbucker if HSS chosen, 5-way blade switch, one volume, two tone controls This absolutely gorgeous guitar is Ibanezs take on the double-cut hollowbody. Still, this stylish, well-built guitar carves out its own place, delivering the single-cut tone youd expect but in a slimmed-down and lightweight package. This lightweight starter guitar draws inspiration from the classic 72 Fender Deluxe Telecaster and is loaded with a set of Squier humbuckers, delivering bags of rich, rock tones. Hardware: Either a two-piece hardtail bridge and tailpiece or a Wilkinson Stratocaster vibrato, Tusq nut, Grover locking tuners Well, there are lots of great options lets dive into 10. Get the latest news, reviews and product advice straight to your inbox. It offers superb build quality, a wide range of clear and defined quintessential Strat tones, amazing playability and some great finishes. While a lot of guitars on this list feature a 25.5-inch scale for a snappy tone, the looser feel offered by the 24.75-inch scale could be put to good use depending on your approach. Sometimes you just need a guitar that will allow you to stand out from the crowd - and the Squier Paranormal Offset Telecaster certainly does that. The mini-humbucker in the bridge, a little like the Silhouettes, gives you plenty of snap, rather than risking overwhelming the sound with a full humbuckers heftier bass response. Slightly divisive Bisby is only vibrato option. This guitar behaves exactly how you would expect for a Gibson Les Paul, offering an intense amount of sustain, and righteous mid-range bark. Watch: Metallica and Stranger Things star play Master Of Puppets backstage at Lollapalooza 2022. From forward-thinking modern guitars to vintage classics. While not as overtly modern as the Player Plus Telecaster offerings, the standard Player Telecaster keeps things stripped-back yet not overly vintage. To find the best electric guitar for you, its worth making a few careful considerations before parting with your cash. From Charcoal Burst and Faded Whale Blue to the delicious Dark Cherry Sunburst there really is a finish to suit every players tastes. Despite the fully-hollow construction, this definitely isnt an old-school, full-size jazz box, with the slimmer body and neck offering an agile playing experience for the modern player. The neck is notably an excellent-feeling one, with a rather unique 8.5-inch radius fretboard that splits the difference between the rounded, vintage feel of a 7.25-inch early Strat and a more modern board. Price: 1,299 / $1,599 Hardware: Tusq nut, Suhr locking tuners, Gotoh 510 vibrato The Les Paul offers up a ton of beef and sustain, with plenty of punch in the mid range, and has been the number one choice of rockers for over half a century. This striking horned axe is reminiscent of the old-school Yamaha SG, giving you the look and vibe of this cult classic at a far more affordable price. So if a traditional guitar simply wont cut it, then its worth considering this surprisingly budget-friendly offset. When humbuckers do appear, theyre more often voiced more on the vintage end of the spectrum, with mellow brightness from the bridge pickup and warm woodiness from the neck pickup. Build: Alder body with bolt-on maple neck, 9.5 radius maple fretboard, 22 frets First and foremost, I'm a guitar enthusiast a fanatic, some might say. What might be the best for one person, wont necessarily be right for another. This elegantly turned-out hollowbody proudly wears its influence on its sleeve, but strays from the proven formula slightly with the addition of immaculate gold hardware and heavily flamed Sycamore body. There are no hard and fast rules about using certain guitars for specific types of music; in a nutshell, any guitar can be used for anything - its all down to the player. The Harmony Silhouette, despite its slightly offset looks, has a little more in common with a traditional T-type than with something like a Jazzmaster, thanks to its two pickups and three-saddle bridge. Build: Weight-relieved mahogany body, maple top, Slim Taper profile mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard, 22 frets Scale Length: 25 / 635mm, + Beautiful looks The three-pickups and five-way switch offer a range of tones you simply can't achieve on other guitars - with clever switching and parlor tricks, you can get close, but you can't nail those Strat tones perfectly without a genuine Stratocaster. (Bridge Pickup), 2-Point Synchronized Tremolo with Bent Steel Saddles, Pop-In Tremolo Arm and Cold-Rolled Steel Block, Miami Blue, Black, Dark Night, Mercury, Mystic Surf Green, Olympic White, Roasted Pine, Sienna Sunburst, 3-Color Sunburst, Laminated Sycamore / Soft Maple Center Block, Front Volume, Rear Volume, Front Tone, Rear Tone, 3-Position Toggle Switch, Volume 1. + Coil-splittable humbuckers The Okoume body - similar to the more traditional mahogany - is complemented by the figured roasted maple neck and jet black ebony fingerboard. The Alnico Classic PRO humbuckers do a surprisingly good job at recreating the PAF tone, and the rounded neck profile is incredibly satisfying to play. Theres also a Dry switch that enhances the top end a little, and controls the low end. Despite its simplicity, theres basically nothing a good Tele cant do. Well, were here to answer that age-old question with a rundown of the best electric guitars currently on the market. This has to be one of the most unique-looking guitars on the market today. The latest offering from Paul Reed Smith guitars is a marvel of engineering, beautifully combining artful looks with practical features, resulting in one of the most versatile PRS guitars we've ever played. So many players have fallen for the Tele's bright, articulate attack and singing upper-mids that mean it's heard in even the densest of mixes. The ESP Eclipse may have started life as a tribute to another very famous single-cut - and the guitar that takes our number one slot - but it has gone on to develop a following all of its own. Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm, + Killer offset looks From rock, to pop, to R&B, to country, metal, soul, jazz and beyond, youll likely hear the sound of an electric guitar somewhere in the mix. If you know your own playing style, and you like to stay in that lane, then you wont need too many tonal options. The South Korean guitar not only looks different but is also concealing a number of tone-shaping features, such as a treble bleed circuit to maintain your high-end when rolling off the volume and a passive bass roll-off control for tightening up the low-end. Our list of the best electric guitars features instruments with a variety of pickups so theres sure to be something that suits you. The fretboard isnt quite as flat as the Player Plus 12 inches, instead measuring in at 9.5 inches. Hardware: Tune-o-matic bridge and tailpiece, GraphTech nut, Grover tuners Pickups play the biggest part in your guitars sound. Might be too simple for some. In that case, Yamaha SA2200 is one of the best around. Like most second installments, this guitar is very similar to its predecessor, with a few minor changes. + More ergonomic than a full 335 If the other semi-hollows on this list have been a little too modern, then perhaps Gibsons ES-339 is the one for you. Did Mike McCready just smash a $15,000 Custom Shop Strat on stage? This small toggle switch gives you three different pickup voicings for the neck pickup, meaning it doesnt all have to be warm jazz if you dont want it to be you can split the coils or run them in parallel for two extra tonal options. + Super-modern update to a classic design (Bridge Pickup), Master Tone, Slide Switch, Volume Offset 1 (Neck Pickup), Volume 2 (Bridge Pickup), Ebony (Cashmere & Silk Charmeuse); Rosewood (Velveteen), 3 Music Man custom mini-humbuckers with chrome covers and gold foil, 250kohm volume and tone - .047F tone capacitor/ 5-way lever pickup selector, St. Vincent Modern tremolo with solid brass saddles, 58/15 LT Treble, PRS Narrowfield, 58/15 LT Bass, Volume and Tone Control with 5-Way Blade Pickup Switch and Two Mini-Toggle Coil-Tap Switches, Antique White, Aquamarine, Black Gold Wrap Burst, Charcoal Burst, Charcoal Cherry Burst, Dark Cherry Sunburst, Faded Whale Blue, Fire Red Burst, Yellow Tiger, how we test gear and service at Guitar Player, "Michael Jackson Was the Most Driven Individual Ive Ever Seen": Erick Walls Reflects on His Five Favorite Sessions, "Its the Basis for Everything I Do Because it Tells the Truth": How Joan Jett Combined Punk Toughness and Ear-Candy Pop Smarts on Bad Reputation, Best Guitar Amps Under $500 in 2022: Earth-Shattering Tones That Wont Break The Bank. Build: Linden hollow double-cutaway body, three-piece nyatoh and maple set neck The single-coils here are Suhrs own V60LPs, and the humbucker is a Suhr SSV. The best electric guitar might also look different to a professional player with a few decades worth of experience under their belt, than it will to a beginner seeking their first entry into the world of guitars. Whats best for you boils down to personal preference, though many fast lead or shred-style players feel more at home with a thinner neck profile, while others find a chunkier, more vintage or rounded profile better. Yes, Gretsch does the country thing better than most, but they can do so much more - go ask Billy Duffy. Price: 895 / $849 Scale Length: 24.75 / 629mm, + Affordable entry point into the world of the Silver Sky Hardware: Gotoh T1802 vibrato bridge, Gotoh Magnum Lock machine heads with height adjustable posts Price: 1,799 / $1,999.99 One of the most popular from this range is the G5622T - and its easy to see why. Hardware: Telecaster-style three-saddle bridge, locking tuners Price: 719 / $849.99 This is the type of guitar you could play for hours and hours without fatigue - which you will want to do once you plug it in! Electronics: 3 635JM S single-coil pickups, volume and two tone controls, 5-way blade pickup switch Electronics: 57 Classic (neck) and 57 Classic+ (bridge), two volume controls and two tone controls, 3-way switch The Charvel DK24 is super versatile and boasts amazing playability and great looks, earning its place on our list of the best electric guitars. These Alnico V pickups are dripping with vintage mojo and offer a clear, punchy tone that can't help but invoke sounds of rock royalty. As such, weve covered a lot of ground in our list of the best electric guitars currently available. While it can absolutely nail traditional jazz tones, it still has some tricks up its sleeve: mainly, the Tri-Sound switch, which operates on the neck pickup only. At the heart of the guitar sits the PRS Narrowfield, sandwiched between two 58/15 LT humbuckers - a deadly combination that certainly delivers a massive range of tones. One of the most comfortable Jazzmasters on the market, Some players may not like having lots of switches, One of the best electric guitars setting the standard, One of the most comfortable necks you'll ever play, Some players may find it a little complicated, Best electric guitars: Guitar Player picks, 2 x Volume, 2 x Tone, 3-way Toggle Switch, 6-Saddle String-Through-Body Hardtail With Block Saddles, Charcoal Frost Metallic, Black, Burgundy Mist, 3-Position Blade Switch, Master Volume, Master Tone, 3-Saddle Vintage-Style Strings-Through-Body Tele with Chrome Barrel Saddles, Olympic White, Butterscotch Blonde, Shell Pink, Volume, Tone (Dry Switch Push/Pull), 3-way Toggle Switch, Black, Neon Yellow, Swift Blue, Red Copper, Vintage White, Neck Pickup Volume, Bridge Pickup Volume, Neck Pickup Tone, Bridge Pickup Tone, Volume/Volume/Tone(Push/Pull)/Toggle Switch, Volume 1 (Neck Pickup), Volume 2 (Bridge Pickup), Master Volume, Master Tone, Aspen Green, Dark Cherry Metallic, Georgia Green, Imperial Stain, Orange Stain, Single Barrel Burst, Venetian Gold, Rock Orange, Metallic Alpine, Metallic Silver Freeze, Midnight Black, 1 x Custom Seymour Duncan Full Shred SH-10B, 2 x Seymour Duncan Custom Flat Strat SSL, Volume, No-Load Tone ,5-way Toggle Switch, 2 Volumes, 2 Tones & Toggle Switch (Hand-wired with Orange Drop Capacitors), Master Volume, Tone 1. The semi-hollow construction as ever is a good combination with a lower-gain sound. +Excellent pickups This guitar is available in a jaw-dropping 19 finishes! Suhrs Classic S inspiration is work proudly on its sleeve, but given that the shape is one of the most common on the market its no surprise that Suhr brings its own twists and modernisations to the format. This striking guitar certainly has a bold look but also has the tone to match - and with such a wallet-friendly price, it's hard not to fall in love with this crooked axe. Expect plenty of bite and twang from the bridge pickup, alongside mellow warmth in the neck pickup position, with some great sounds in between too. For those on a budget - or indeed a newcomer to guitar - it's worth considering the quirky nature of the Squier Paranormal Offset Telecaster (opens in new tab). + Three voices for the neck pickup Read more on how we test gear and service at Guitar Player. Scale Length: 25.5 / 648mm, + Slimmer than many fully-hollow guitars Neo soul guitar tones are most often clean and articulate, with a focus on clarity so those beautifully complex chord voicings really sing rather than power. The electric guitar can cover a massive range in terms of musical genres, and as a result, different players are likely to want different things from their instrument. Like its Les Paul sibling, the ES-339 has a relatively short 24.75-inch scale: whether this is a positive, a negative or completely neutral is up to you. Our pick for the best beginner option has to be the Squier Affinity Telecaster Deluxe. The September 2021 issue of Guitar Magazine is out now. Housing two pretty high output humbuckers, the Revstar RSE20 most definitely brings the noise, making it the perfect choice for hard rock, punk, or even metal. They are full-bodied, rich, and bell-like in their tone, but one stumbling block some players have is the excessive size of the instrument. This Squier not only offers superb value for money but also a fun take on a classic. There was a problem. Not for those who need a full semi-hollow. The Les Paul Studios humbuckers are voiced after the famously restrained PAF pickups, however, theyve got a little more upper-midrange bite that works really well with clean sounds There are also push-pull volume pots that let you split the two pickups, giving you easy access to single-coil sounds and massively expanding your tonal palette. Pickups are also excellent, voiced for plenty of articulate sparkle on the cleans. Like the original St Vincent, these pickups are actually mini-humbuckers, not true gold-foils. The smooth mahogany neck isnt too dissimilar to a vintage style Gibson and feels suitability reassuring in your hands. So if you are looking for something a little different, then you should definitely check one of these out. + Lots of ergonomic touches. The Telecaster truly is a timeless guitar; nothing exemplifies this more than how little has changed over the years - if we don't count a name change and a very brief stint with no name at all. The Narrowfield delivers the single-coil clarity and bite, with the added benefit of zero hum, whereas the two humbuckers could easily bring the house down. In pure EQ terms, this is a very trebly guitar, but that doesnt mean its shrill theres a snappiness to clean tones, especially when digging in on chords, that has the character of a compressor without the need for any pedals.

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