The 10 Best Signature model guitars...

randerson

The Bonomassa Gibson ES335 is a great model. Favoured by Tim Pierce and Kenny Greenberg

thebreeze

Although “just another Strat”, I like the CS Michael Landau ‘63.  Something about ‘em.  

guitars4you

randerson said:

The Bonomassa Gibson ES335 is a great model. Favoured by Tim Pierce and Kenny Greenberg

It is  a great 335 - I sold one only a few weeks ago - My issue with it is that it is such a great guitar that it should just be a 335 - Doesn't need to be any ones limited edition signature - Just make it as a great early 60's vintage replica 

richardhomer

Philly_Q said:

Offset said:

Not sure I get 'signature' guitars these days.  Wouldn't you rather have a guitar to make your own rather than own something inspired by someone you'll never play like?

I'd rather have a guitar that has the features I like.  If that happens to be somebody's signature model, I'm not bothered, so long as it hasn't got a big picture of their face on it.

@Philly_Q is bang on, as far as I’m concerned. The PRS DGT is my favourite PRS - in fact probably my favourite humbucking guitar - by a country mile. From what I’ve seen of Grissom, he’s clearly a very good player - but his involvement with the instrument has had literally no impact on my decision to buy one.

Moloch

sweepy said:

Musicman Majesty and Luke 

I've very sure that I would love the Majesty, but I absolutely detest the emblem at the first fret, so unless I find one at an undeniable steal of a price I will probably never get one.

NelsonP

stonevibe said:

NelsonP said:

Fender Shiflett 72 Tele Deluxe
Epiphone Gary Clark Casino
Hagstrom Justin York Viking Gold Top

Solid choices. Nice.

Thanks man

Philly_Q

richardhomer said:

Philly_Q said:

Offset said:

Not sure I get 'signature' guitars these days.  Wouldn't you rather have a guitar to make your own rather than own something inspired by someone you'll never play like?

I'd rather have a guitar that has the features I like.  If that happens to be somebody's signature model, I'm not bothered, so long as it hasn't got a big picture of their face on it.

@Philly_Q is bang on, as far as I’m concerned. The PRS DGT is my favourite PRS - in fact probably my favourite humbucking guitar - by a country mile. From what I’ve seen of Grissom, he’s clearly a very good player - but his involvement with the instrument has had literally no impact on my decision to buy one.

Similarly, I have a Gibson Lee Roy Parnell CS-336.  I know who Lee Roy Parnell is - sort of - but I've never heard his music and I doubt it's my kind of thing.  But I wanted his 336 as soon as I saw saw one - because it has a '59 profile neck and an ebony fretboard, and it looks great.  The only hint that it's somebody's signature model is the "LRP" serial number.  It took a few years to track one down but I'm very glad I did. 

dogload

dogload said:

I've only owned one signature guitar - the Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster, which is superb IMHO... although I've modded mine.

Other ones I wouldn't mind owning are the Gibson Barney Kessel - looks amazing and plays lovely - and the Rickenbacker Roger McGuinn 370/12. 

Oh and the Fender Wayne Kramer Strat, but that would just be coz I'm a fanboy

I'm an idiot - I do have another signature model! An Epiphone Jack Casady bass!

west

The only one i ever considered was the Howard Roberts Fusion 1 / 11 ... really difficult to find the right one as the early one with the acoustic soundhole was yuk and the later 111 with finger tailpiece was Clangy ...  way more comfortable than the es175 ergonomically and resistant to unwanted feedback from the center block and laminate construction  ...

They had one in old musical exchanges and when i would have a coffee in the vintage guitar bit with stu clarke ( rip ) it was the guitar i always pickup and regret not buying .. i looked for years to find one but to no avail .... luckily collings came out with something similar but lots  better in the form of the 15. SoCo so i got one of them ... still like to see pics of them ...

Heres a vid ... ignor the dweeb and turn the sound off but this is almost identical to the one i should have grabbed ...

Bennyboy-UK

west said:

The only one i ever considered was the Howard Roberts Fusion 1 / 11 ... really difficult to find the right one as the early one with the acoustic soundhole was yuk and the later 111 with finger tailpiece was Clangy ...  way more comfortable than the es175 ergonomically and resistant to unwanted feedback from the center block and laminate construction  ...

They had one in old musical exchanges and when i would have a coffee in the vintage guitar bit with stu clarke ( rip ) it was the guitar i always pickup and regret not buying .. i looked for years to find one but to no avail .... luckily collings came out with something similar but lots  better in the form of the 15. SoCo so i got one of them ... still like to see pics of them ...

Heres a vid ... ignor the dweeb and turn the sound off but this is almost identical to the one i should have grabbed ...

The Howard Roberts Fusion III is is a guitar that has been on my list for years - back in about 98/99 I was replacing a 1986 SG Standard (very average) which had been stolen - and with the insurance money it was down to a choice between getting a 1990 LP in Black (which was very good), of a sunburst Fusion III (which was probably nicer in every way) - I went for the LP at the time. 

They crop up from time to time, and I'm torn between a SB one or Black one.

***

Incidentally - did anyone suggest the Gibson Lucille model yet?

Grumpyrocker

Offset said:

Not sure I get 'signature' guitars these days.  Wouldn't you rather have a guitar to make your own rather than own something inspired by someone you'll never play like?

I don't see it that way. Often sigs offer something different from the mainline models and can be quite intriguing even if you've no interest in the artist behind it. I've seen quite a few sig models l like the look of despite not being a fan of the artist. 

lustycourtier

Kebabkid said:

I also like and rate the Duesenberg Mike Campbell Starplayer

3 and a half grand for a Korean built Guitar. Nah.  

Kebabkid

lustycourtier said:

Kebabkid said:

I also like and rate the Duesenberg Mike Campbell Starplayer

3 and a half grand for a Korean built Guitar. Nah.  

I don't know where you got the extra grand from on the price tag as they seem to be around the £2.5K mark

There's a lot of reports out there and it appears parts, possibly even the wood and cutting, come from various parts of the world, including Korea, but they're assembled in Germany

lustycourtier

Kebabkid said:

lustycourtier said:

Kebabkid said:

I also like and rate the Duesenberg Mike Campbell Starplayer

I don't know where you got the extra grand from on the price tag as they seem to be around the £2.5K mark

There's a lot of reports out there and it appears parts, possibly even the wood and cutting, come from various parts of the world, including Korea, but they're assembled in Germany

hollywoodrox

Grumpyrocker said:

I really like the PRS SE Bernie Marsden. And I would have bought one of Peach hadn't done such a massive sale price on my PRS SE 245 (in my avatar) - £200 off.

PRS se Bernie marsden seem pretty awesomeband I’m not really a big PRS fan 
theres a black Santana one that looks like a gibson double it slightly ,that is really nice 

Blueingreen

Never bought a signature guitar because I was a fan of the artist, but I wouldn't let it put me off if I really wanted those specs.  I've had Les Pauls and also a couple of DGTs and a Nathan East bass.  The DGTs and the Nathan East had a reasonable claim to being best in class for the type of instruments they were.

Re most egregious I very nearly bought a Kiefer Sutherland 336 on Ebay.  Something about the sale struck me as suspicious and I emailed Gibson to see if they would confirm it was genuine.   Also canvassed opinion here but it was all very inconclusive.  I still don't know if it was genuine, very good price if it was and a great looking guitar.

mucksavage

Lots of nice guitars on the thread...depends on the criteria you want to attribute to what makes a top signature guitar. Personally, I would lean towards those that have obvious artist input and distinguishable features that set them apart from regular production models. Doesn't mean I'd necessarily want to buy them! But I appreciate guitars designed with a bit of creativity...so my list would be pretty short
YJM strat
JEM and Universe
EBMM Wolfgang
 

kentuckyklira

3 Humbucker John5 Telecaster!

stonevibe

kentuckyklira said:

3 Humbucker John5 Telecaster!

Yeah, I have one of those

kentuckyklira

stonevibe said:

kentuckyklira said:

3 Humbucker John5 Telecaster!

Yeah, I have one of those

Please sell it to me!