6 single-cut guitars with a difference
£529
Gretsch G5435T Electromatic Pro Jet
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.
£799
Supro Dual Tone
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.
£895
Gordon Smith GS-1 ‘60’
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.
£999
PRS S2 Singlecut Standard Satin
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.
£980
Guild Newark ST M-75 Aristocrat
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.
From £2,499
Gibson Memphis ES-Les Paul
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.
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