Six Of The Best: 2012 signature guitars
5th Sep 2012 | 10:00
Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar
As anyone who's ever owned a Gibson Les Paul can attest, signature gear can play an important part in developing and tweaking the guitars we know and love, regardless of how you feel about the name on the headstock. Here are six of the best signature models reviewed by Guitarist magazine so far this year.
Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar
USA-made, alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, twin custom-wound Bareknuckle Johnny Marr single-coil pickups, modified ‘floating’ tremolo tailpiece, customised switching system and body contouring.
Verdict: “The most practical and best-sounding Jag we’ve ever played. Nice one, Mr Marr.”
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Fender Johnny Marr Jaguar review
Fret-King Black Label Elise GG
Korean-made, double-cutaway semi-solid hybrid, mahogany neck with rosewood fingerboard, mahogany body with maple top and centre block, humbucker, P-90 and piezo pickups, Gordon Giltrap-endorsed model.
Verdict: “A really neatly designed and excellent-sounding electric guitar with some acoustic colour. The best thinline semi for the money? We’ve yet to play better.”
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PRS SE Bernie Marsden
Korean-made, mahogany body, maple top, 22-fret mahogany neck, rosewood fingerboard, twin PRS 245 humbuckers, single-cut.
Verdict: “If you like your classy single-cuts rooted firmly in the 1950s, you’ll like this... It’s the consistency of PRS’s build and quality control that still impresses after all these years.”
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Fender Kurt Cobain Mustang
Japanese-made, alder body, 22-fret maple neck with rosewood ’board, Adjusto-matic bridge, Seymour Duncan JB humbucker and Mustang single-coils, Kurt Cobain signature model.
Verdict: “Anyone with a fondness for garage-punk riffs or trashy blues will love the tones on offer from this frankly great-looking Kurt Cobain Mustang.”
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Fender Kurt Cobain Mustang review
Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
Chinese-made, basswood body, 21-fret maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, Adjusto-matic bridge, Jazzmaster switching, dual Jazzmaster single-coils.
Verdict: “In a world of Strats, Teles and Les Pauls, it feels a bit different. Worth a spin, whatever you feel about its creator.”
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Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster review
EVH Wolfgang Stealth
USA-made, basswood body, maple top, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, twin direct-mounted humbuckers, 22-fret, D-Tuna and Floyd Rose-equipped Eddie Van Halen-endorsed model.
Verdict: “It may be a modern rock guitar but it’s the Wolfie’s old-school feel that makes it such fun to hang with. The price tag is eye-watering, but in this case you really do get what you pay for.”
