Best sigs ever?

darcym

paulnb57 said:

Regret selling my US Sambora Strat many moons ago, not everyones cup o tea, but a proper sig jobby

and a proper good guitar - I have a few of the V1 and V2 models and I'd never sell them as they are a quality working tool, the V2 very gigable, the V1 super usable, but does raise an eyebrow or two in public.

Clapton Strat must get a nod for being pretty much the first signature guitar that the public could buy as a signature guitar

richardhomer

The PRS DGT is a great guitar - there’s literally nothing I would change about it.

darcym

richardhomer said:

The PRS DGT is a great guitar - there’s literally nothing I would change about it.

it's easy not to think of that as a sig guitar, yet it is.

musteatbrain

The Les Paul would be the obvious one for me, but also the Axis Eddie Van Halen made with Musicman is a favourite 

cm01

Philly_Q said:

On a personal note, I'm very fond of my Lee Roy Parnell CS-336 - black VOS finish, ebony board, '59 profile neck.  There's really nothing about it I'd want to change.  I'm glad I managed to get hold of one, there aren't many of them around.

I missed out on one of those last year - had a chance to buy one from the US at a fair price, dithered overnight and it went!  They look amazing and perfect for me ... I’m jealous 

Dan_Halen

MusicMan Luke. To be honest, all their models including the JP, Valentine, Albert Lee, St Vincent are all awesome. 

idiotwindow

Martin 00028EC without a doubt. It offers something the other factory Martins don’t. That they still make it and it sells well is an indicator of how good it is. 

ThePrettyDamned

Musicman St Vincent is awesome 

DB1

Honourable mentions for the 6120 Chet Atkins, ES-165 Herb Ellis, the Gibson Pat Martino and the Keb Mo.

Bennyboy-UK

Hamer did a quite a few over the years - making models for high profile players, which could be also be custom ordered by regular customers - KK Downing, Glen Tipton, Alex Gregory, Brad Gillis etc) - these weren’t really production models though. The one that springs to mind that was a production model were the l Steve Stevens Models which I like a lot.

The Jeff Watson Model is probably top of the pops though - not that you’d ever find one!

grungebob

The “captain” Kirk Douglas SG was very nice with its vibrola, 3 pickups and 6 way switch. One of those guitars I sadly had to sell. 

I also really liked the squier Venus and the schecter Shaun Morgan guitars I had. 

DiscoStu

Yamaha SA503 Troy Van Leeuwen. I love mine.
The Fender Jim Root models always seem to draw my eye. I think Jim Root may be winning this thread.
Never had one, but the Squier Simon Neil Strat seemed liked a good idea.

ToneControl

Ibanez Pat Metheny sig models are outstanding (Japanese made hollowbodies)
The fact that he has used them himself for decades tells you a lot

The George Benson and Joe Pass ones are also excellent


I prefer sigs that don't make you look like a fanboy

gubble

As already said and as i always say the Sambora Strat.

Either the Mk1 USA model or the Mexican one are both amazing guitars that can handle any gig at all.

I'd really like one of the Japanese black paisley models but they're getting silly pricey and there's a lot of fakes out there.

JerkMoans

Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster.

Fender have sorted most of the stuff people change: staytrem style bridge, US pickups, decent toggles; it looks the business and, while not cheap for a MiM guitar, the quality is superb (and you’re not paying AVRI prices).

DavusPG

Another vote for the Jim Root Tele.
Picked mine up on here for £450 a few years back and in terms of bang for buck it's unbeatable
The pickups had been swapped for DiMarzio Transitions which with the 5 way switch covers pretty much most tones. Mahogany body, maple neck and ebony board are a great combination too - it sounds huge. I bought the guitar on a whim, but it's not going anywhere

I recently picked up the Suhr Andy Wood Modern T - a different beast to the Jim Root, but a superb guitar and I love the aesthetic with the brushed aluminium pickgaurd

I've had more sig guitars than anything else, my favourites have been:

Eric Johnson Strat - wiped the floor with the Fender Custom shop one I had
Washburn N4 - probably the coolest no frills guitar I've ever owned
Ibanez JS - such a well refined and versatile guitar - hardtails are the best ones 
Ibanez PGM301 - should never have sold it
Musicman L3 - Everyone knows why
Musicman EVH - who'd have thought combining a the body of a Les Paul and a Tele could work so well? 
Gibson Trini Lopez - I wanted to love it, but didn't click with it

Ones I'd still like to own: 

GIbson DG335 - I think Dave Grohl perfected the Trini when he put a traditional Gibson headstock and bridge on his sig model - sadly I missed the boat on those and prices now are too steep, never say never though

Chris Cornell 335 - Same as the DG335 - would love one, but should have stuck one on the credit card when they came out

Johnny Marr Jaguar

Ibanez Jem - Always loved one, nearly bought one a few months ago but glad I didn't as I was recently reminded how much I hate locking/floating bridges. If they brought out a fixed bridge version I'd be all over it, but by definition that wouldn't really be a Jem would it? As above I should have kept the PGM301 as that's a close to a fixed bridge Jem as there's been I think

ThePrettyDamned

ToneControl said:

Ibanez Pat Metheny sig models are outstanding (Japanese made hollowbodies)
The fact that he has used them himself for decades tells you a lot

The George Benson and Joe Pass ones are also excellent


I prefer sigs that don't make you look like a fanboy

To me, a sig guitar should be unique to that player - I'm not clued up on pat's sig. 

I don't like sigs that are, for example, an lp with different pickups. I guess a lick of paint is enough if unique enough. 

I take back about the Tremonti sig, didn't realise it had so many differences.  

punchesjudy

Best Sig models I've played would be the Squier Mascis. Just an amazing guitar for the money and actually my main. 

Eric Johnson Strat. It's great, neck was a bit too chunky for my dainty hands though. 

Squier Ryan Jarman musuar thing. Like a jagstang if the jagstang wasn't shite. 

And another vote for the Jim Root stuff. Just got his JM in a trade and it's amazing. I'm blown away. I'll shove some passives in it and then I'm sure it'll stay a long time. It's even got me looking at the Tele version now. 

musteatbrain

@DaveusPG
https://ibanez.fandom.com/wiki/JEM7EAFX
There was a fixed bridge Jem

captainbeeffart

Epiphone JB firebird 1 for me, great guitar for the money.

Would like to try his Amos Flying Vee also, but they seem to be scarce in the UK.