Best Guitar To Get (2024 Update)

I am both surprised and please with this guitar I purchased this guitar at GC Nashville after returning a Gibson Les Paul Classic that I bought online. (lesson learned, don't buy from GC online.) The staff there were great and had no issues with me returning a $2200 guitar that I bought online. Even more supportive in helping me pick out a much less expensive guitar. Great people. This Epiphone is awesome. The fit and finish are great. The action is low and no buzz. The tone is great and It is lighter and easier to handle than the Gibson . The best part is it cost a third of the one I returned. I really wanted a Gibson but I am so glad I picked up this Epiphone. A word of caution. I looked at and played several guitars at GC before choosing this one. I even played a couple of other Epiphone Les Paul Customs. No two were the same. One had razors for frets, one had an action you could drive a truck under and this one was just right. Go in an play them before buying.Mike

This is my second 6 string electric, and I couldn't be HAPPIER with it! My first guitar is an entry level Epiphone SG Special that was a couple hundred bucks back in the day. It got the job done…good frets, good tune, good everything. I recently decided to step it up and get a "mid-range" guitar but still not break the bank with an Epiphone. And I'm not calling Epiphone cheap…they are just more in my price range when compared to Gibsons. Stepping it up is the right description for this guitar!! It is AMAZING! The feel, the tone, the look! It sounds great and feels good in the hands too. I especially love the Silverburst color!! The main reason I wanted this specific guitar. It's Adam Jones from TooL color scheme finish but on an epiphone! They are coming out with his own model of epiphone, but I'm impatient lol. Looks are important to picking out a guitar as much as sound! The inlays on the fretboard look beautiful. The pick guard and finish are beautiful, the trim/binding around the guitar… this guitar has reignited my passion for playing! As of this writing, I have no complaints! Excellent guitar!Matt

I purchased this guitar because a Les Paul was missing from my gear arsenal and I didn't want to drop three grand on a Gibson. I played a wall model at a local GC store and decided to buy, but requested a factory new model sent to me, because the wall model I played had some nicks in the fretboard, a sketchy 3 way switch and had worn strings and the intonation was way off above the 14th fret. I paid for next day air shipping to expedite the process because I tend to want the things I pay for fairly quickly. The shipping tag originated from the same city I live in, meaning they had a factory new either in the warehouse or at the neighboring store about 20 miles away. So I essentially paid 42$ for expedited shipping and could had likely gotten it same day if I asked the right questions I suppose. Shame on me. The next business day my guitar is delivered to my residence, I open it and immediately inspected it for possible shipping damage or factory flaws. It arrives with a broken 3 way switch, all strings tuned nearly 2 steps flat and also needed to make a truss rod adjustment to straighten the neck. Completely unacceptable that these issues left both the factory and GC's "quality control" in the condition it did. Luckily I work at a local small box music store and worked with our own luthier after hours to set it up and correct the problems. All that said, this guitar is absolutely fantastic. It plays and sounds very good and even though the stock pickups aren't top tier, they are excellent performers at a very reasonable price point. Monster value in this guitar. If you can acquire one some where other than Guitar Center, do it. If you do purchase from guitar center, make absolutely certain to have it looked at by a professional before accepting it. 5 stars for the guitar and it's value. 1 star for guitar centers lack of QC shipping items.Dan

I purchased this guitar when it was $95 off full price. So that kind of makes it a worthwhile purchase. Definitely not worth full price in my opinion. Poorly packed with insufficient padding in the box allowed two of the strings to be bent during shipping. I assume this happened during shipping. They wouldnt send bent strings right? Thankfully they provided back up strings… The nut is very poorly crafted. You can visibly see burrs and imperfections in the nut that cause the strings to ring out of tune on certain parts of the fret board even after tuning. The pick-up selector nob fell right off first time I adjusted it. I will have to glue it myself. When the notes do play out true the triple pick ups sound better than the Peavy beginner guitar I used to have– Which only had two pickups and came in a similar starter package but was about half the price as this guitar. I think if I research how to fix some of the issues I can make it playable. But this guitar is far from playable out of the box. Fairly poor quality control.Cody

I was looking forward to ordering this as my first guitar after taking some classes a couple years back. The shipping was remarkably fast–however, when the product arrived the amp was completely broken. Upon plugging the guitar into the amp and strumming, it would make a horrendous scratching, broken sound. Plucking strings has the exact same effect, and occasionally the amp will cut off after a second of playing. I've tried adjusting the dials, turning overdrive on and off, I even bought a new cord thinking that was the issue to no avail. To make matters worse I have called the customer support number multiple times asking if I could recieve a partial refund, or ship back the amp for a functioning replacement–every time I'm left on hold before the call disconnects, if I can even get through to begin with. The only reason this isn't a one star review is that the guitar itself works fine and looks beautiful! I wouldn't reccomend buying the full set if they don't bother to make sure one of the most essential parts is functioning before shipping however.James B.

I worked outside for my father for a good many weeks while the guitar was on sale, and when I got it, I had mixed emotions. After a few days, the gig bag started to rip and now theres a big hole in it. Its still usable, but it isnt really well made. Also the bag isnt really protective. Its more decorative. The strings on it and the other ones were both junk, my local guitar shop guy told me that himself, but strings are moderately priced, and most of the time they last a while, so thats not much of a deal. The amp is lower end, and the cable that plugs into the amp and the guitar started to show copper wire around 2 weeks after purchase. It still works, but it should have lasted longer. And the stand on the amp didnt hold up at all, the plastic on it broke and now it wont angle so the sound comes at your face. But other than that its a good purchase, i would just suggest to just buy the guitar alone, and buy the amp separately, instead of the kit, but that may get expensive, so check out those options and compare them to this product and decide for yourself. My local guitar shop guy told me that the guitar itself is great quality though, but there are more expensive guitars out there, its a great guitar to start out with. Another side note, not relating to the quality of the guitar, but for beginners, how to learn how to play it fast. I suggest buying Rocksmith 2014 with this for PC, Xbox 360, PS3, PS4, Xbox One and other game consoles. Although it is expensive, the cable that comes with it counts as $20 dollars of it, and it actually surprisingly works! I started playing the game in late june or early july this year and I learned pretty quickly, to the point where I am now thinking about combining lessons and the game together to speed up the learning process even faster. Now it wont turn you into Guns N Roses overnight, but its pretty effective.TheVanillaMiner

I bought one of these several months ago. Ok I'm not good guitarist so take that into into consideration but I have player series strat and have always played strat style guitars and I'm not saying i love this guitar more than the Fender I love them both but as far as the guitar is concerned she got so much potential tonally. I have no complaints about the ascetic she beautiful sexy gorgeous took a little getting used to the weight and contours compared to the strat there is adjustment period but she just rocks. I never played a Gibson but if this guitar had Gibson I guess it be a little better but also 2grand more. If I have any complaint is she is finger print magnet always wiping down get some dunlop 65 and microfiber cloth. The Glossy neck won't appeal to all but I can deal with it. Fret work perfect. I'm not a gigging musician but i have no doubt she gig worthy. Oh also, get the pro coverage cause I found out ALL Les Paul are extremely fragile at the neck,It has to do with the angle of the neck, Google it, do your research on owning a led Paul little different than strat anyway the guitar is 600-GREAT VALUE then with 2 years pro coverage plus tax it was under 900 or somewhere around there. And if you get a bad quality then ask for another cause it is coming from Asia so there is variability in workmanship but mine is PERFECT. If I ever get rich maybe ill buy a Gibson but for now this satisfy my Les Paul needs. I wanted an alternative to my strat to emulate Slash sound lol I need to work on my technique but this definitely rocks a Les Paul sound. I did see a review or 2 that liked the sound of the 1950 better but I played them both and liked the 60s better but check them both out the inspired by Gibson line is definitely worth the money if you want a Les Paul without breaking the bank. Just take your time do your homework if you can go to a GC and play it then do that In rarely write reviews especially this long but I love this guitarMichael L

I am a professional musician/songwriter (also a Berklee grad-1981). While guitar is not the principal instrument I was trained on (piano/keyboard are my primary), I have been playing guitar on and off since I was a teen back in the 1970s. However, over the last couple of years I've been putting a lot more dedicated practice time on improving my guitar skills for both for songwriting and solo guitar playing. I've been particularly focused mastering the layout of the guitar fretboard so I can put all my harmonic knowledge to work on the instrument, something I wish I did many years ago, but better late than never! I purchased this guitar because I wanted an instrument that was reasonable, easy to play, and enjoyable to listen to. I tried guitars in a variety of price ranges and was surprised at how much more I liked the F335 than guitars 2-3xs more costly. Although this guitar has a laminate rather than solid spruce top, it has a clear yet warm sound that I find really pleasing sonically. The fretboard is also very comfortable and easy to play which adds to the enjoyment of making music with it. I was so impressed with this instrument that I recently also purchased a Yamaha FS800 to use more for fingerstyle playing while using the F335 for flat picking. Those are a nice combination of instruments that cover all my guitar playing needs at this time. Regardless of what level you are playing I highly recommend this (and the FS800) for anyone looking for a very reasonable option that you can use for playing and songwriting.Scott F.

First of all, I own 2 Yamaha Guitars, the F335 being the first one I have owned. For an entry-level dred, you could not ask for a better quality, easy to play right out of the box, althought I would recommend a set-up with any instrument right out of the box with the addition of a bone saddle. Did this with this one and it brought its already rich tone to another level. I only give it 4 stars because I have owned a number of high-end instruments. If you are a brand new player, or one who is in the market just to have a dred to beat around with, look no further. This is the one for you.Chris

I purchased this guitar while it was on sale so can't really complain. There are several QC issues I would expect better from Yamaha even in a cheap imported product. Fit and overall build seems solid but there are odd finish issues that make no sense. At the neck joint there seems to be the remains of a tape line from the body to the neck all around the joint. This neck feels quite thin and comfortable but again, the finish is inconsistent. Just before the headstock, the finish goes from semi-gloss to mat in a very visible way that can also be felt in the hand. As I said in the beginning, cheap guitar, cheap price, hard to complain.Robert

Yes, the tonal range is great, especially the piezo pickup, nicely playable and overall looks and finish seem perfect. But, with nicely contoured access to the high notes let down by the overly large neck heal which starts a fret or two earlier than my other electric guitars. Another annoyance is the very cheap knobs which don't sit straight on the pots. I have a guitar costing a tenth of the price with better fitting knobs. The battery compartment is a bad joke of a design, as the battery holder comes out with the wires attached, you then have to prise up the battery from its contacts and the lever it out for replacement. Overall these are minor annoyances on what is a great guitar but, at this price I expected better. Oh yes, it came with a hard case. Which doesn't fit properly and with no tags or brand markings so who knows what it was made for. It did come with two loose bits of foam, one which was floating around unsure of its purpose.Kevin L.

PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo — I've owned and played this guitar for about three months now. Bottom line: I'm very happy with it–and would recommend it–in spite of a couple issues. There are dozens and dozens of videos that go into detail about the appearance, fit, and finish of this guitar so I won't bother with all that except to confirm that it is very well made overall. The magnetic pickups sound fantastic, period. The piezo pickup was putting out FAR too hot of a signal, distorting at low guitar volume, but once I learned how to adjust the trim pot for it (thanks to the PRS guitar forum website), that problem was solved and now it sounds good. It's a tad bright in my opinion but that's easily fixed with the tone knob on any amp or with an EQ pedal. The battery compartment opens easily enough, but getting the 9V battery out of it without breaking the plastic frame is a challenge. Fortunately, the battery isn't used unless you plug a cable into the PIEZO/MAG jack. The 3-way selector is garbage and I was experiencing crackling and signal drop right out of the box. HOWEVER, this is a known issue and several reviewer videos mention it so I knew what to expect. My soldering skills are only beginner-level (and I've never worked on a hollowbody before) so I paid to have a pro replace the switch for me. MF has offered to credit me the amount of the repair once I send them the receipt, so that's good. The Guitar Case — This shipped with a hard case, which I'm not happy with. When the guitar is properly seated and the lid is properly closed and latched, there is a quarter-inch gap around the bottom (see pics). That's not good. There are several (expensive) case options that are touted as "PRS and PRS-style" cases but they WILL NOT FIT this particular guitar because the lower bout is 14" wide (at least an inch wider than other PRS models). Also, it's about an inch thicker (front to back) than a Jazzmaster so a Jaguar/Jazz case won't work either.RiserGrease

I received the Black Gold Burst version about a week ago. It's a BEAUTIFUL guitar. The pictures don't do it justice. The f-holes really add to the appearance. Fender ALSO makes a hollowbody guitar, but they went the round sound hole direction, which, IMHO, is hokey looking. The sound is INCREDIBLE! I have 4 other electric guitars, including a Fender American Standard Strat, Gibson Les Paul, Gibson SG and an Ibanez Prestige- They are ALL wonderful guitars, and each has its own personality, in how they play AND how they sound. THIS guitar has a sound that TRANSCENDS ALL of my other guitars. There are a number of videos on YouTube. BUT, as with the appearance, they simply DO NOT do it justice. The humbucker pickups ALONE produce a sound that is CLEAR and RESONANT. Adding the sound from the piezo pickup sends it over the top! ABSOLUTELY MARVELOUS. I was a little reluctant to purchase a guitar made in China. However, the CONSTRUCTION and FINISH are PERFECT! PLUS, the cost is WAAAY less than the equivalent US-made version. I hope I've given you the idea that this is a SPECIAL guitar, BECAUSE IT IS!Kevin

While I don’t play line a legend, this guitar could be played by one. I have always enjoyed the sound achieved by players while they were utilizing a Tele. I usually play on an old classical guitar. I have grown used to that neck shape so I usually find the shape of the standard Tele neck to feel unfamiliar to my hand. The neck on this guitar feels wider and flatter so more like a classical to me. I’m not saying it is a classical style neck just wider and flatter feeling to me. I was not sure about buying it because I’ve played other Tele’s and was not sold on how the neck felt to me, they sound great but didn’t feel right. I got this one well because “Jimmy Page “ so even if I didn’t like the neck who cares again “Jimmy Page “ so whatever. Then I played this guitar and I was like .”this guitar is magical!!”. I had never played a Tele that felt like it just wanted to be played like this one does. I cannot recommend this guitar enough. It is expensive but worth every penny. Take advantage of the no interest payment plan I did and am glad I did.WillieBWillie

Just started using this in rehearsals and recorded some new songs with it. Killer tone and everything you'd expect from a Jimmy Page model. Fun to play under the lights with the reflective materials, and strikingly great to look at. I only took off one star in the rating for some improvements I made in the action, and replace the bridge with Graph Tech bridge to allow for less friction and more steady tuning. Love it.Gregmedia123

Loving this guitar, already used it tracking on two of my new songs. If you want that authentic early Zep or Ybirds tone, plug this in and crank it up. If you're a snappy picker Americana kind of player, it works for that too. The only thing I can say wrong is that the guitar wasn't strung properly went I got it, it's a through the body setup and the strings were just put through the bridge plate. Restrung it properly and away we went. Maybe American Musical should send me a free set of strings!Gregmedia123

I have wanted to learn an instrument but didn’t want to spend too much money in case it wasn’t for me, however, this guitar is perfect!! It’s pretty cheap and sounds lovely!! Definitely will be coming back for more in the future!!Bright B.

The guitar is beautiful for my 10 granddaughter. It going to be a wonderful surprise at Christmas. The guitar is a awesome price and i might get one for me. It was received fast and has all the accessories inside.Sylvia G.

Inexpensive but good beginner guitar. However you should swap out the steel strings this comes with a good set of nylon strings. This is a Classical guitar and must have nylon. Steel strings will only make this guitar last a shorter amount of time. Otherwise for the money and for anyone, kid or adult, this is an excellent buy to begin learning guitar. Sounds great with the nylon I swapped out and the guitar will last longer.Paul Fox

I love this Casino. I knew I wanted a P-90, and I really wanted a fully hollow body. I wanted to see if I could replicate a I've been agonizing over the purchase for months, looking for every possible solution, and was almost ready to pull the trigger on the Epi USA version, and after MUCH research, finally decided to go with the regular Epiphone. The construction, from everything I read, is excellent, and I knew that if necessary, I could always switch out the pups. Well, I can't say enough about how good this guitar is! I am extremely fussy on setups (I do setups on my own guitars and for other people) and this thing was ready to play right out of the box! I literally didn't touch a thing except to tune it up. I won't even have to dress the frets. I may touch them up just a bit (again, I'm really fussy) but they feel better than most guitars that cost three times as much. It is really beautiful. I love the vintage sunburst. The finish is flawless. Now for the important part – it plays like a dream. The neck profile is extremely comfortable. I can move up and down the neck as fluidly as on any guitar I own. And the sound! I was amazed at how present it is, even before plugging it in. I see this little sweetheart spending a lot of evenings on the couch with me. Soft enough not to overly bother my wife, but again – very present. Plugged in – well lets just say I won't be replacing these pups. It is exactly the sound I was hoping for. I'm no Grant Green, but I can certainly understand why he loved this guitar. Would I recommend it? Heck yeah! Country? Check. Classic rock? Check. Rockabilly, surf, blues and even jazz? Check, check, check, and check.Jess

Had the money to buy any guitar in the shop. Liked the looks of the SG, worn ebony with rosewood fingerboard and the Gibson speed knobs. Having only played guitars with 9.5 radius, I found the 14 radius was better for bar chords. The craftsmanship is excellent, can find no flaws the body or neck. The truss rod was out of adjustment, considerable back-bow. I fixed that, and set the action low. The intonation was spot on. Frets were polished with no sharp edges. I plan to upgrade the cheap electronics with new pots. As for the pickups, they sound ok. Since I use a modeling amp, not a big issue for me. The nut is a GraphTech synthetic bone. Nice touch for an inexpensive guitar, since i do not like changing them out…too much risk of damage. I have fender Strat and Tele, but have not put this down since purchasing it. Once I upgrade the electronics, this will be a very solid guitar.Jeff

I got this guitar on September 14th, 2021, and have had some minor issues with it. When I receive this guitar, it was perfect. Not a single case of fret buzz, the nut was perfect, and it was an all around great guitar. However, after about a month. I realized the tuners were a bit out of wack. I would be a bit flat, and turn the tuning peg over and over and over, only to not tighten the string at all. Then when I finally did one last turn, I'd be sharp by a whole note! Whatever, just replace the tuners. I had been putting that off. The next issue was a bit weird. I play really hard, and over time, the bridge pins were starting to get loose, and eventually a whole screw came out, and I had to take the guitar to a tech. I know this is probably user error, but still. I eventually just decided to turn it into a Jonny Greenwood tele, with lace sensors, a kill switch, and all. And let me tell you, this guitar is perfect now. The neck is (and always was) exactly what I was looking for. It's a bit thinner that my Squier Affinity Strat, but I like a thinner neck. Bottom line, I would recommend this guitar if your okay with getting new tuners. No one else I know has had problem with the bridge, so consider that. (P.S. I forgot to say that the stock pickups are amazing! I almost just kept them, they sound really good)Cory

I was looking for a good beginner's guitar, and I wanted something with nylon strings. I did a pretty extensive search in order to find an instrument that was relatively inexpensive yet had some degree of quality. I read reviews on this particular model, and most seemed to be pleased. I was able to purchase one that, I'm guessing, had been returned, and I was very pleased with both the reduced price and the condition/quality of the guitar. The guitar itself has a very beautiful and mellow tone. It stays in tune, only requiring minor adjustments from time-to-time. I would not recommend this for young people or those adults with smaller hands, as the neck is somewhat wider than one might expect. All-in-all a very fine instrument for the price.Swewpa

This is the best beginner/student classical guitar there is bar none. It's full size and the intonation is spot on, the tuners (whilst basic) are fully functional and consistent. The bridge saddle has 3rd string compensation and is set to a low-ish action. Putting a new set of EJ45's opens up the sound considerably (don't play with the crappy strings that are on it). Great second or studio guitar for the experienced player. Stick it in a half decent case and you'll have a fantastic holiday guitar for around £150. The spruce soundboard already sounds good and will improve with age. Buy, play it – chuck it about. – it's very well made and robust. Finish is shiny and cleans with a wipe. Buy it today.Warwick M.

We purchased two of these for my pre-teens, who have been studying guitar in school. Both loved the instruments, which match the model they use in school. Nice, clean, warm sound, and clearly well-made instruments.Amy Beee

I am a 59 year old guitar player, had expensive and cheap gear over the years. I don't think I'm technically great but know how to get a good sound. When looking for a cheap guitar to sit with, my Les Paul and even my '88 Strat often got a bit uncomfortable , I decided to try one of these, you can return them after all, no trouble. What a great little guitar! Obviously GAK probably don't get these out of the box to check them, my box was still stapled shut from the factory, and this is OK at this level but I worry a beginner would be put off if the guitar is poorly set-up. First off the finish is superb, no rough edges to the frets, the colour and gloss on the body was perfect, the unvarnished neck just sits comfortably in the hand, I picked this above the more expensive 'Affinity' as apparently the nut width is a little wider. I didn't need to adjust the neck, I just cut the nut a little lower on the G,B and E strings for comfort. The frets needed a light rubbing with fine wet and dry and that was it, a perfect, light practise tool. I would even gig with this no problem. Each and every one of the tuners work smoothly and firmly. Sound wise, it sounds like a Tele to me and this is always a very subjective and personal thing anyway, I don't like overly powerful pickups (my Les Paul has '57's) I prefer to push the sound with pedals. All I can say is, if not sure, 'Buy one'. I have done nothing but played this to death since I got it 4 days ago, hard on the finger tips as I haven't played regularly for a while. I hope I haven't just got a 'good one' and would like to think any of them would be as good, all the reviews I read suggests so.Customer

besides the weird booming sound coming from the amp when strumming, and the guitar constantly being out of tune. i would suggest this to a friend when starting out. however if you have more prior experience, get a better guitar and amp than this one. other than that, the price is somewhat equal to the quality of the guitar.thao

…so I purchased this as an alternative to my acoustic guitar. The 1st thing I noticed is how light it was. The maple neck was a different feel and gave me more accessibility to the frets. Once I got the guitar in tune I was surprised how nice it sounds. The amp is not the best, but if you don't have one, you won't notice. Overall I like this guitar. Thank you Fender for making an affordable electric guitar. I would get this again for a beginner. As I progress, this guitar is pushing me to upgrade to another Fender. It's that good. I have a lot of fun with this G-tar.No name

I have always been pleasantly surprised at the quality of these cheaper Squier Affinity and other similarly priced Squier guitars. I have played Squiers for decades, including jazz basses, Teles, and of course this Stratocaster. It plays as well as a guitar can play. It looks absolutely gorgeous. It sounds like any much higher priced Strats and the humbucker is a great go-to for playing leads without having to have a pedal boost or having to go to the amp controls for boost. It set up as well as any Fender I have worked on and I have worked on quite a few over the years. I would not hesitate to use this guitar on any stage or in any studio production. The frets needed no top or side dressing and no leveling.bobvarns

I have twenty Fenders, including seven telecasters, and this is better than all of them. The neck feels like its been played for years, and the shape is perfect. Heavy rolled edges make it a pleasure to play with my thumb over the neck. First guitar I have bought that I had to raise the action slightly on the top two strings. Set up for fast playing or chords straight out of the case. The colour is sparkly brownish, but looks black in most light. Very well made guitar. The pickups are noiseless and are silent even with pedals. They sound like standard pickups, no loss of signal because of the extra windings for the noise cancellation. Sound fine. I must say, the pro 1 series pickups sound better. All in all a lovely instrument, well worth the extra few quid.STEVEN T.

Overall: I have an Ultra Strat in Cobra Blue, an Ultra Jazz Bass in Texas Tea, a Les Paul Standard Gold Top and other guitars. This has the most beautiful finish (Sunburst). Way better than the picture or videos. The tone is amazing. Light weight at 6.2 pounds. Officially my favorite guitar. Add to that they shipped it to me in 25 hours after promising 5 days. Ordered Monday noon and here it is. They had it in a warehouse near Reno and I got it next day. zZounds you ROCK.William

The Fender Ultra Telecaster Texas Tea is an amazing guitar, at first I noticed the D-Shape neck and quickly adapted to it. The neck feels silky smooth, hand glides over frets and is easy to play. The sound from pickups are brutally brilliant, and wit the S1 switch built into the tone knob, sends a slightly different signal, bit more gain with full richness depending on the selector position of course. I went initially seeking for the Jimmy Page Dragon Guitar and walk out of the shop with this Ultra instead, and for the few hundred dollars more, this guitar is totally worth it. The look of it is killer, and so classy – if there is an ultra guitar series in your guitar shop locally, don't hesitate to pick it up and test it out. This guitar is HOT! It's difficult to see in these photos but the colour under certain light angles are different and has small sparkling metallic substances mixed in with the colour. It's a black oily dark grey/brown. The neck has a vintage tone colour and the rosewood neck and skunk stripe just makes this guitar special.Jim T.

Only $300 difference from standard and $500 from modern LP… tough choice. I like flame tops for sure but bored of tobacco burst, honey burst, cherry burst and other plain traditional bursts… so leaned towards something more classic modern and bold… so went with translucent cherry. And my back isn't great so wanted something lighter. The coil tapping is nice to have but isn't great… especially compared to my PRS guitars. I'm not sure why Gibson can't figure this out. Again nice to have but wish Gibson could do a better job with this. Coil tapping quality was the same on my studio. I absolutely love the pickups on this guitar… probably some of best humbuckers ever made because of the extra brightness and clarity. I've sold so many of my guitars with humbuckers and gravitated towards single coil guitars because humbuckers are typically muddy in comparison. These 61's are a game changer for me and got me interested in Gibson LPs again. I love the colors of the LP modern too… but not sure what you're are getting extra for the added $500 other than a carved heal joint which I'll never use… and ultra weight relief… which is good if you have a bad back. But I think the electronics are the same with slightly hotter pickups. I guess boils down to which pickups you prefer and color. I love the classic and modern LP colors… again tough choices…but classic is perfect for me… I really love them all for different reasons though.Thad

What we have here is a great American made Gibson Les Paul for a good price. I bought one a year ago and bought a second as a backup/different tuning for stage use. Not that the guitar requires a backup, but strings break and things happen. The 490 pickups are great all around work horses. While I'd recommend different pickups on a per person/per style situation, these are right in my ball park and do what I want them to (goosed with an OD or boost at times). All of the electronics and hardware are fine. Same with fit/finish and the gig bag (which is also very nice). As I said, I have two of these now. The first is a year old and has been through once a week rehearsals and twice a week gigs. The satin finish on the neck settles in nicely with a bit of playing and sweat. It gets slicker over time, shows age, and feels great. Same with the body as well. As with all satin finished guitars, it wont stay that way. Playability on both were perfect out of the bag. No sharp frets and setup/intonation were just to my liking. Now let's compare these Tributes to a Standard. I won't discuss the chambered body versus non nor the maple versus mahogany necks. You really won't notice the difference other than the weight. More weight does not always equal better tone. Here's the thing, I don't notice a difference in tone between the Tribute and Standard….well, not enough to justify the cost difference. I had my doubts when I ordered my first one that it could stand up to my Standard. But I dug it off the bat. To quell my doubts, I had the other guitarist in my band run it through its paces so that I could stand back and hear. That was the Les Paul tone….I was happy. As such, I ordered a second as they were in my stable to stay. Solid guitars with great tone that I will not cry about when they get dinged or messed with at a gig. Now, the Tributes are thinner than the Standards. And of course no bling such as binding or headstock inlays. Switch washer comes in the bag should you choose to install it. But the tone and playability is what you expect from a Les Paul. I would, and have, recommended these to my friends. Great instrument at a great price. BTW, the included case. This was an incredible surprise as I didn't know what to expect. It's a lether "type" exterior, great padding, pink fuzzy interior, LARGE front pocket, and double backpack straps. It's a VERY nice bag! Accessory kit gets you a picture of your guitar being setup, documents that you will probably not read, a few tools, and as of this posting, a nylon guitar strap. While lower in scale compared to the Standard (what with it's hard case, multi tool, and leather strap), it's still rather cool. All in all, these are my go to guitars for stage and studio right now. I have more expensive guitars, but cost doesn't equal tone or feel.Brandon

Looks great, sounds great, plays great. One of the nicest gig bags I've ever seen. Came out of the box at the store set up and tuned! Fit and finish were perfect and the wine red just pops under stage lighting…unlike the one that was on display…and this is why I don't buy guitars online! Got it home, changed the strings to the gauge I prefer, lowered the string height a smidge, and checked the intonation which was spot on. Took it to a pro jam out in the valley where it got lots of compliments from the other players for it's sound and looks…it's as nice a Les Paul as I've ever played. If you get one like mine you won't regret it! But go to the GC and pick yours out and save yourself some possible grief. You won't regret that either!Stephen

I bought my first Les Paul in 1974. I was a little concerened about the new "lightend and improved" version but it turned out to be great. Pickups are better. Feels great, plays great and all around great guitar at a good price. Required minimal set up to play really good. I liked it so much, I bought another one 3 weeks later. I love my Strats but right out of the box, they require a lot of work to make them play and stay in tune. Got my first Strat in 72. If I was a kid (I'm in my 60's), I would choose this Les Paul Studio first. Because it is easier to set up and play right out of the box. I love my Strats, but this is a really good guitar.Stephen C

Still a novice player, but decided that I had stuck with it long enough to justify spending a bit more than I had spent on my used Squier Strat. After reading a ton of reviews and watching a bunch of YouTube videos, I chose the LP Studio in Smokehouse Burst. Wow! What an incredible difference. I find it easier to play with a wider fretboard and the sound is just amazing. I'm not sure if I just got a good one or if Gibson has stepped up their QA game as mine does not display the defects described by other reviews here. I have not found any cosmetic or fit/finish flaws. The color also closely resembles the photos with just a slightly darker shade on the burst. It is an absolutely gorgeous instrument and I couldn't be more satisfied with it. I know that Gibson switched over to the soft case rather than the hard one to save costs, but quite frankly, I don't see that they could have saved too much. The soft case is very high quality and with the exception of shipping or air travel, I feel that my guitar is well protected when put away. Although, I doubt that I'll ever be traveling to perform in this lifetime. Thanks Gibson. Great job on a beautiful instrument.ArmchairAstro

Looks great, sounds great, plays great. One of the nicest gig bags I've ever seen. Came out of the box at the store set up and tuned! Fit and finish were perfect and the wine red just pops under stage lighting…unlike the one that was on display…and this is why I don't buy guitars online! Got it home, changed the strings to the gauge I prefer, lowered the string height a smidge, and checked the intonation which was spot on. Took it to a pro jam out in the valley where it got lots of compliments from the other players for it's sound and looks…it's as nice a Les Paul as I've ever played. If you get one like mine you won't regret it! But go to the GC and pick yours out and save yourself some possible grief. You won't regret that either!Stephen

This is my second fiddle purchase from AMS in less than a year. And let me say they don't disapoint. This PRS SE Custom 24 is one nice guitar. I have wanted a PRS for many years but didn't want to spend core money. After reading many reviews and watching the factory tour in Indonesia I was sold. The quality of this guitar is on point with a MIM guitar I bought last year. As to quality I am very impressed. The tone and clarity are ery nice. Not quite the same as the US made but very close. The only thing I did change per some of the other reviews were the tuners. I also highly recommend the PRS ones AMS sells. Literally drop in replacements. I do plan on upgrading the trem to some brass parts like the American made model. But all very simple upgrades bring this so called poor man's PRS that is already way above average to better. Oh yeah I also ordered the lampshade knobs. Very nice design as well.Oger

Having played just strats for many years (I'm a blues guy) I fancied a bit of a change in sound. Watching videos on andertons TV introduced me to PRS (Both the man and the brand). I went for this model as I loved the look. It arrived in one day and has totally reinvigorated my love of playing, the bright high gain sound has made me look at new music styles and sounds, getting me out of a rut of the playing the same artists. This thing doesn't have squeal when you want it to.. my runs sound cleaner as the wide thin neck actually is a better fit for my hand than the strats i own. I've started exploring the trem for the first time too. The core tap is great for my style, giving single coil for SRV type stuff then humbucker for Gary Moore and beyond.. just by pushing the tone control, very versatile instrument. It is very bright, so takes some taming but worth it. My only minor niggle is the tuning is not quite as stable as my strats, which have locking pegs. So I plan on investing in some PRS locking tuners. Overall I love it… sounds and looks amazing. If this is how good the SEs are then the cores must be out of this world. Would I sell the strats – no, but this is a great addition and a much needed push in totally a new direction for me. Another PRS convertee……Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

If you are looking for a guitar that can be used on all occasions, if you are undecided and do not know which guitar to choose, if you do not know which way to go, whether a strat, super strat or a Les Paul. Well, here you have the indicated guitar. I did not know what to choose, I tried many guitars, at the guitar center in Lynnwood WA, they were patient with me when I arrived and tried several guitars repeatedly, they are very kind. But in the end I was looking for a guitar that would be useful for everything, I wanted quality, comfort, good sound and versatility. Well I found it, after a long search, I called the call center and Sarah Hance attended me, she is the best salesperson, she is not only a saleswoman, she is the best advisor, she takes the time to explain, she is a professional, she always has a solution at hand, there is simply no better advisor than her, this girl should be given an award for the enormous work she does, Guitar Center should have more people like Sarah; After Sarah helped me, she sent the guitar to my doorstep. the guitar came in good condition, without a single scratch, it shone a lot, I tried it and fell in love with it, it can touch the sky with sweet notes but it can also put pure evil in notes with this guitar, it can do whatever you want, its neck very comfortable, its excellent frets, none sharp, unique details. Do not miss the opportunity to take one of these and I assure you that you will not regret itRicardo

Flawlessly made, I cannot find a single imperfection. Light weight, great tone, especially with gain. I really like the in-between position when the pickups are in series (I think, whichever links them together). Neck pickup is always snappy and has that great "hollow" sound, never flabby. Huge neck, so beware. I find the neck a workout, but in a good way. I can't be lazy with this neck. I really like the ultra slick finish on the neck and the fretwork is perfect. I chose a guitar that came in at 8 pounds, with a top that is fabulous. Japanese made Fenders are every bit as good as those made in California, maybe even better than that run of the mill USA stuff, and this guitar is an example of that. I wish the neck were tinted to match the body, instead of raw maple, as it would be more aesthetically pleasing. I wish a guitar that retails for $1500 came with a case as well. Those are my only two complaints and the reason it received 4 instead of 5 stars. Other than that, this is possibly the best Tele I have ever owned. Highly recommended.Mike

Thank you Fender and Ritchie Kotzen for working to make this magical guitar. Never thought I would enjoy a Tele as much as this one. I have several really nice guitars, Les Pauls, Stratocasters, custom build, Gretsch but this one is hard to put down. Just Amazing Build quality, sound, the Neck feels great – not too big at all – just solid. The Frets are nicely set up. It may be the best feeling neck on all my Guitars. My 1964 Gretsch Corvette also has a thick neck and it easy to play. The ash body and flame maple are beautiful. I normally wouldn't go for Gold Hardware but it looks classy. The Chopper T Bridge pickup screams crunchy tones and the Twang King neck pickup is like having a second axe with a flip of a switch. Playing through a Tony Iommi signature pedal into a Blues Jr. created " That Sound " i was searching for. Sounds even better through a full stack MarshallJohn

Overall: I purchased an American elite Tele and was not happy with the neck profile and overall quality of the instrument. zZounds made it easy and exchanged it for a Kotzen Tele per my request. Pros: The fit and finish of this guitar is second to none. I wasn’t a fan of the gold hardware in the pictures but after receiving it, I was surprised how tastefully it was accented on the instrument. Just wouldn’t be the same without the gold… just the truth… The fretwork was spot on, and the inlays would have pushed an American version to a much higher price point. The body contours have spoiled me and the binding is perfect. Call Fenders custom shop if you want the options the Kotzen Tele has and expect to pay 3 grand + for it as well. Neck: I’ve read that people are hesitant because of the neck profile. For me (coming from an American Deluxe model that I love) it really isn’t something I think about when playing. Yes… when you first get it, it does look like a massive chuck of wood, but after playing it now for a month, my AD Tele feels odd. I actually prefer the neck on the Kotzen now. It’s fast and feels like it improves my playing. I personally love it and couldn’t imagine it having anything different. Sure it’s bigger than a 9.5… but not so big that it hinders playability in any way. Bridge: It’s a different version of the bridge on my AD Tele but it seems to be designed thicker and better made. And…It doesn’t scratch as easily from the wayward pinky finger. And yes… all my Teles have little marks on the bridge plate. PUPs: Wow! Not yo daddies fiddle. These pups are astounding! The series switch (after repaired) gave this pig a sound that eliminated probably two pedals on my board. Get one you’ll see what I’m talking about. The neck pup was really unique as well. Turn the volume pot down and it comes alive. Personal opinion: This guitar is just a better all around guitar than the American Deluxe and Elite Telecasters. Which is why we don’t see many Japanese made Fenders in the states. My belief is that it would hurt the market for the American Standard and Elite series. Cons: *Just being extremely picky for you all. The “tone” pot/switch (series/parallel) was loose when I received the guitar. When I opened the control panel it had a wire that was disconnected killing the output on the bridge pup. Most likely from when I turned the knob multiple times and it not being tightened down adequately. (Thus breaking the solder on the switch) I took it to an authorized Fender repair tech and it was easily fixed. But… it was something on a brand new guitar that I felt shouldn’t have happened. *Note: I loved the guitar so I decided to get it repaired rather than sending it back. Cost… 15.00 strings, 30.00 service fee. No case! 1500.00 guitars in my mind should come with a case. Not zZounds' fault but Fender's! I would recommend buying a quality hard shell case. After you receive this guitar you’ll be glad you did. It’s not something to just lean in a corner or stuff in a gigbag. As I said… it’s just a very attractive guitar that deserves care. Fender started putting 9s on stock instruments. Insert mad face…The strings were most likely on the guitar for a very long time because they sounded terrible. So I would recommend putting on your flavor of strings, a quick truss rod adjustment (if you’re going up in gauge) and an intonation and action setup. Don’t know if the guitar originally coming from Japan had something to do with the setup or lack thereof, but it was whacked! Could have drove a truck under the strings! Last but not least… I had to shield the Pickguard. It had a slight static buzz that would drive a normally sane man into a raging frenzy. Again… cheap, and easily corrected. The wiring is not very long making inside repairs/adjustments a little tricky. And… as like every Tele I’ve owned… the jack is terrible. 6.00 from all parts. Overall I love this guitar and really enjoy playing it! I would buy another in a second if something happened to mine. It’s on the heavy side but I prefer guitars I can feel. Hope this helps.Matthew

What a brilliant guitar and superb value package! I have owned ‘real’ Gibsons over the years and bought this outfit as a birthday gift for my granddaughter who is learning to play. She has had a fender acoustic for a couple of years and now wants her own electric guitar. I chose this outfit as having previously owned one in the past I like Epiphone guitars. Before giving it to her I thought it best to check it over and set it up but there was nothing to do really, after tuning this guitar was perfectly playable right out the box! The feel, balance and weight is very like my Gibson and the sound is superb. The amp is excellent and packs enough punch to put a smile on your face too. She’s delighted with the built in tuner as well as the other essentials included in the outfit. What’s not to like? I can’t find a better value package!W O.

My original review still stands, but I made cosmetic-only upgrades for less than an average couple's meal at a casual restaurant that makes this look much, much more expensive. No tuner, pickup or pot swaps. Replaced black plastic parts with cream, added cream pickguard, replaced chrome tuner knobs with Klausen-style ivory-look knobs. Installed chrome pickup covers. Replaced speed knobs with gold top-hats.Easily done to make this look like a proper Les Paul. I'm happy with the looks for the little extra money spent.Steve

As the song says: "I'm a Sucker for a Cheap Guitar". I own over 30 – some cheap, some not so cheap. This one arrived perfectly set up: low action, no buzzing, no sharp fret edges, easy to play – amazing for a guitar in this price range. Although not great, the pickups even sounded acceptable. It's heavy, which to me means good, though not as heavy as my Gibson. It's OK-looking, but needed something to enhance it – a pickguard. I added one and it looks much better – more expensive. Instead of cutting off part of the guard to accommodate the knob as I've seen some others do, I drilled a hole big enough for the nut on the body underneath the knob to fit through the guard (see photos). Since the guard isn't much thicker than the nut, it allowed the guard to fit flush with the body and the knob to turn without any restriction of motion, and the pickguard is not butchered. It's a very clean look – like it came that way – not modified. So, I am pleased with this instrument, and would recommend it to anyone for any purpose: especially beginners to play or someone like me who just collects cheap guitars to hang on the wall of their studiio.Steve

Just got my guitar yesterday. Here are my thoughts. The packaging was decent and in the original Mitchell box. The guitar itself was in excellent condition and it was brand new. The piece is a beauty. It feels good only two issues. One is that the fret ends are a bit rough and second the truss rod cap was a bit loose. Other than that the guitar is beautiful. It plays very decent and I am a beginner so won't be able to give a very technical input.Numair

I have a few Mitchells, and none are bad guitars, though I have had to work on every single one of them, and this one was no exception. The guitar itself has a decent feel, and the pickups aren't horrible. I did have to do some big neck adjustments and file down some frets to get rid of fret buzz and dead frets. After some time working on it, I do enjoy playing it. It's really good for sitting around practicing if you want to save mileage on your more expensive guitars. I cannot say however that I would recommend this guitar unless you know how to work on it.Gorden

I bought this for my daughter and am experienced at guitars set ups. Out the the box its ok for a beginner. But Not for me. So I adjusted the neck and action. Intonation was way off. Neck adjusted easily. Action I was able to get to 1.75mm at 12th fret on low e with no fret buzz. Same as my ESP guitar. The guitar did intonate perfectly. Pickups are fine for a beginner. After a good set up I would play the guitar. Pickup is just ok. If you are a serious player then this guitar could be great as a beater. Proper set up. Vuy a used Seymore Duncan off ebay and throw in the bridge for cheap. Rough up paint and spray the finish with a can up duplicolor and clear coat it. Im considering getting one for myself and doing all of the above. I would have less than $200 in it. I guitar I keep on stand, not case and grab to play. If I ding it up I don't care. The neck was a little rough. I hit with 7000 grit paper and the neck is fast and good. Or if they lower price on other colors to $99 I might buy one of each color.dwsguitars