Body, Humbuckers vs. Single-Coil Pickups Explained, relevant section of our Electric Guitar Buying Guide, Seymour Duncan SH-PG1 Pearly Gates Pickup, Railhammer Hyper Vintage Humbucker Pickup, Stocking Stuffers and Gift Ideas for Musicians, The Music and Audio Gear You Need for Your House Party, Make The company was started in 1985 by Luther Paul Reed Smith. This is easily one of the best blues guitars money can buy. I think this is primarily due to the fact that it's a 24 fret guitar, so the neck pickup sits closer to the bridge. Wine Red, Vintage Sunburst, Antique Natural, Cherry, Desertburst, Iced Tea, Trans Black. There's never been more choice when it comes to electric guitars for blues guitarists, but we've narrowed down the field to eight stone killers. A '60s rare bird rebooted as an affordable modern blues rocker, Launch price: £745/€810/$906 | Body: Mahogany | Neck: mahogany | Scale: 24.75" | Fingerboard: Pau Ferro | Frets: 22 | Pickups: 2x Guild LB-1 mini humbuckers | Controls: bridge pickup on/off, neck pickup on/off, lead/rhythm switch, bass cut switch, 2x volume, 2x tone | Hardware: nickel tune-a-matic bridge and Hagström Vintage Tremar vibrato, Grover Sta-Tite tuners | Left-handed: N/A | Finish: Black, Antique Burst. The rails are also slightly longer than standard and the poles are oversized, meaning the Hyper Vintage can be dropped into just about any guitar in any position. By giving the pickup’s rails a slightly upward taper as they approach the D string and keeping them thin, Railhammer pups provide balanced string-to-string volume and resist muddiness. The PRS SE Custom 24 is an affordable, yet high-quality solidbody electric guitar. Launch price: … Actually, Gretsch gear can handle blues as well as anything else with six strings. Please refresh the page and try again. After 20 years in guitar retail, Ed Mitchell joined Total Guitar as reviews editor. purchase from Musician's Friend (electric or acoustic, New or Open Box) includes two years of What really makes these guitars exceptional however is the pickups. Who is the best acoustic guitarist of 2020? Fender's entry-level Strat delivers serious value for money. The body is mahogany with a maple cap. Epiphone Les Paul Standard PlusTop Pro, 6. It's the thrill of the chase. Every classic Strat tone is on offer, including those Jimi-flavoured 'in between' sounds. to guide you through your entire shopping experience. Messages 498. Visit our corporate site. Guides, Artist The genius of the Epiphone Les Paul Standard PlusTop Pro lies below the skin. So, yes, this Gretsch can handle different shades of blues... Read the Gretsch G5655TG Electromatic Center Block Jr review, Probably the most affordable blues rock icon you'll ever play, Launch price: £649/€706/$789 | Body: composite over a plywood frame | Neck: maple | Scale: 25" | Fingerboard: rosewood | Frets: 21 | Pickups: Twin Lipstick humbucker (bridge), Mosrite style single coil (neck) | Controls: 2x stacked volume and tone, three-way pickup selector toggle switch | Hardware: Nickel Wilkinson vibrato, vintage Kluson style tuners | Left-handed: N/A | Finish: Silver, Dark Burgundy, Dark Aqua, Black. That makes it more like a contemporary blues rock brute than the classic Gretsch ‘50s throwback. Every guitar or bass you The mahogany neck is glued in place. Sort Featured Price, low to high Price, high to low Alphabetically, A-Z Alphabetically, Z-A Date, old to new Date, new to old Best Selling Launch price: £739/€803/$899 | Body: Ash | Neck: Maple | Scale: 25.5" | Fingerboard: Maple | Frets: 21 | Pickups: 3x Vintage-Style 70s Single-Coil Strat | Controls: Master Volume, Tone 1 (neck pickup), Tone 2 (middle pickup), five-way pickup selector blade switch | Hardware: Nickel/Chrome ‘Synchronized’ vibrato, vintage style tuners | Left-handed: N/A | Finish: Aged Natural, Mocha, Sienna Sunburst. Over the years, world-class celebrities and guitar legends like John Mayer, Zack Myers, Tony McManus, Mark Tremonti, Gary … There's the usual exceptional sustain on tap, and the beefier ‘50s neck is a joy to play. The SH-PG1 Pearly Gates pours out sweet and burnin’ tones that cover everything from classic rock to meaty jazz and blues licks. A top choice for metal and hard rock lead guitarists, the EMG-81, when paired with a high-gain amp, generates awe-inspiring breakup and head-rattling clean tones. Right now, this is the best blues guitar you can buy for the money. Fender guitars have a 25.5" scale. About the author Watch our Fender Vintera Series video demo. Subscriptions, CA You get a whole lotta righteous tones, killer playability... and the chance to look as cool as Mr Page. First, get your hands on what your hero plays. Construction-wise, the SE follows in the classic footsteps of the Les Paul. A two-piece ash body sees to that. BA1 1UA. Considered by many Gibson fans to be the ultimate in old-school tone, the Gibson '57 Classic Plus Pickup produces a very smooth sound with a deep, velvety timbre. Give our friendly Gear Advisors a call. Despite the fact that Danelectros are built from the kind of stuff you might use to knock up a cheap kitchen, Jimmy Page made them iconic. That's why Jimmy's Telecaster was often mistaken for a '59 Les Paul on record. Buyers' guides to all the best music gear, Our pick of the best electric guitars for jazz, Need an all-rounder? Guild Newark St Collection S-200 T-Bird, Fender Vintera '70s Stratocaster Maple Fingerboard, Gretsch G5655TG Electromatic Center Block Jr, We check over 130 million products every day for the best prices. The only thing smaller than this Les Paul's neck profile is its price tag, Launch price: £499/€542/$607 | Body: Mahogany with AAA Flame Maple veneer | Neck: mahogany | Scale: 24.75" | Fingerboard: Pau Ferro | Frets: 22 | Pickups: Epiphone ProBucker 3 (bridge), Epiphone ProBucker 2 (neck) | Controls: 2x volume, 2x tone, three-way pickup selector toggle switch | Hardware: Nickel LockTone tune-a-matic bridge and stop tailpiece, Grover 18:1 ratio tuners | Left-handed: Heritage Cherry Sunburst only | Finish: Blueberry Burst, Blood Orange, Greenburst, Honeyburst, Heritage Cherry Sunburst, Mojave Fade, Trans Blue. PRS which stands for Paul Reed Smith is a popular American amplifier and guitar manufacturer based in Stevensville, Maryland. The 59XT is basically a pimped version of the guitar Page brandished onstage with Led Zeppelin. The Railhammer Hyper Vintage Humbucker Pickup uses Gibson’s PAF as point of departure. So it's been a crazy couple of weeks, with my amp seemingly dying, then magically coming back to life the day my new PRS SE Custom arrived. A top choice for metal and hard rock lead guitarists, the EMG-81, when paired with a high-gain amp, generates awe-inspiring breakup and head-rattling clean tones. They’re ready to help you sift through the possibilities to find the best pickup for your money and music.