6 single-cut guitars with a difference

Not all single-cuts follow the Les Paul blueprint. Here are six examples with a difference…

Gretsch G5435T Electromatic Pro Jet

This Les Paul ‘clone’ that was never a solidbody kicks off the current Jet line and uses a chambered basswood back with arched laminate maple top, ‘Black Top’ Filter’Tron pickups and a Bigsby B50. Colour options are Black or Silver Sparkle, while a hardtail version (£445) and Professional Collection Duo Jets (from £2,359) are also available.

Click here to read our full Gretsch G5435T Electromatic Pro Jet review.

Read more: Heritage H-535

Part of the new Supro Americana series that hails from China, the Dual Tone emulates the original 60s model but with a moulded plastic ‘Acousti- Glass’ top and chambered mahogany back. 

The Vista-Tone pickups look like humbuckers, but are single coils that closely emulate the originals. There’s plenty more in this range and also the solidbody Island series, which starts at £899.

Click here to read our full Supro Dual Tone review.

The UK’s longest-running production electric guitar company is now in the hands of Auden - and going through quite a renaissance. 

We took a look at this in issue 419 and while the base model starts at £600, you can add options such as locking Gotoh tuners, all-mahogany construction, a deeper 44mm-thick body, a proprietary P-90-style soapbar single coil, and a gloss-topped solid-colour finish.

Click here to read our full Gordon Smith GS-1 ‘60’ review.

USA-made S2s are becoming the go-to guitars for those of us who can’t stretch to the full-blown Corelevel PRSes. 

There are four single-cuts to choose from and this start-up all-mahogany solidbody now has an upgraded adjustable wrapover bridge, #7 covered humbuckers, four-control layout, and is one of the few PRSes that comes with dot inlays.

Click here to read our full PRS S2 Singlecut Standard Satin review.

Introduced in 1954, this oh-so-Les Paul was in fact a hollowbody, a down-sized jazzbox. 

The current version is still unique, but with Franz-style soapbar single coils, it’s superb for old-school jazz and blues. Plus the light single-cut weight won’t give you round shoulders. Equally valid is the Duncan ’bucker-equipped semi-solid single-cut Bluesbird.

Click here to read our full Guild Newark ST M-75 Aristocrat review.

It took Gibson a while to cotton on that numerous makers had crossed its ES-335 with its Les Paul, but the company finally released the ES-Les Paul in 2014, starting with the Studio (£2,499). 

The pictured Alex Lifeson (£3,299) is one of many limited models offered by Gibson Memphis: lightweight and surprisingly hollowbody-sounding.

Click here to read our full Gibson Memphis ES-Les Paul review.