Reviews: Guitars
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Premier Guitar's rating system includes brief summations of a product’s pros and cons, as well as pick ratings (0–5) in four categories—Tones, Design/Build, Value, and Playability (for instruments) or Ease of Use (amps, effects, and other devices) or Versatility (pickups and speakers). Items with a total of 18 or more picks (out of 20) win our coveted Premier Gear Award.
ARTICLES
Carbon + Wood Looks and Sounds Good
November 1, 2020
A spruce-and-carbon-fusion top yields a tough, sweetly ringing dread with a more traditional look. The Premier Guitar RainSong V-DR1100N2 review.
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Guild X-175 Manhattan Special: The Premier Guitar Review
October 22, 2020
An extroverted hollowbody that deftly spans styles—and the ages.
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A Nouveau Nod to the Other ’Caster
October 2, 2020
Breaking with style dogma delivers new sonic, ergonomic, and aesthetic joys. The PG Fano Omnis GF6 review.
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Mango Smoothie
September 11, 2020
A surprising alternative Indonesian tonewood gives this fingerstyle-friendly baby jumbo a clear, powerful low-mid voice. The PG Faith Blue Moon Neptune review.
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Shaping Tomorrow’s Guitars Today
September 3, 2020
No, this futuristic 6-string is definitely not your dad’s cool old dread. The PG Lava Me Pro review.
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A 12-String That Steps Out of the Crowd
August 23, 2020
A bold, comfortable design meets state-of-the-art bracing to create a jangle box for the ages. The PG Taylor Builder's Edition 652ce review.
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Vox Bobcat V90: The Premier Guitar Review
August 17, 2020
The featherweight blast from the past boasts smart updates and classic tones.
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Fender Acoustasonic Stratocaster: The Premier Guitar Review
June 19, 2020
Convincing acoustic images, sweet single-coil tones, and slinky playability make up an impressively utilitarian hybrid instrument.
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Martin SC-13E: The Premier Guitar Review
June 5, 2020
A unique and responsive acoustic with an electric soul.
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Epiphone Joe Bonamassa 1960 Les Paul Standard “Norm Burst”: The Premier Guitar Review
May 1, 2020
Deliciously vintage details distinguish an affordable Les Paul that delivers authentically old-school performance, too.
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Looks Like a Rock Machine, But Delivers Much, Much More
April 23, 2020
Flashy mid-priced solidbody covers the heavy sounds, country tones, and the acres in between. The PG Chapman ML3 Review.
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Comfort Is King in This ’60s-Inspired Offset That’s Full of Surprises
April 20, 2020
Mutant forces converge in a super-playable solidbody. The PG Abernethy Sonic Empress review.
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Breedlove Wildwood Concert Cutaway CE: The Premier Guitar Review
March 12, 2020
Sleek, stylish, affordable, and balanced, this compact, all-solid mahogany flattop excels in amplified performance situations.
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Fender American Ultra Jazzmaster: The Premier Guitar Review
March 9, 2020
The Jazzmaster finally gets an upscale modern facelift—with enhanced playability and expressive potential as the payoff.
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PRS SE Hollowbody Standard: The Premier Guitar Review
February 6, 2020
The modern classic excels in its more accessibly priced guise.
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Destroyer of Import Semi-Hollowbody Stereotypes?
January 3, 2020
This exquisitely upscale and original 6-string smashes preconceptions with its super-flexible tones. The PG Eastman Romeo review.
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Ernie Ball Music Man Mariposa: The Premier Guitar Review
December 25, 2019
The signature solidbody for Omar Rodríguez-López (At the Drive-In, the Mars Volta) screams and plays as smooth as cream.
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Fender Vintera ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s Custom Telecasters Review
November 25, 2019
Explore the surprisingly profound differences between these foundational fixtures of Fender’s sprawling new Vintera Series.
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Godin Metropolis LTD Review
November 22, 2019
High quality, classy design, and adaptable L.R. Baggs Anthem electronics yield an intriguing mid-priced dreadnought.
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The Year in Gear 2019
November 21, 2019
The 60+ guitars, amps, pedals, basses, and accessories that stood out from the crowd and earned our coveted Premier Gear Award this year.
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