Skip to main content
Music Radar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Guitar Amps
  • Plugin Week 25
  • Guitar Pedals
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Artist news
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Controllers
  • Software & Apps
  • Drums
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About Us
More
  • Plugin Week A-Z
  • You Oughta Know
  • Fake AI band
  • 95k+ free music samples
  • Wrecking Crew
Recommended reading
Epiphone goes high-end with its Inspired By Gibson Custom 2025 collection: [from left] the '63 Firebird in Polaris White is joined by a 1959 Les Paul Standard, a '64 SG Standard, a 1960 Les Paul Special in TV Yellow and a 1962 ES-335 reissue.
Guitars Epiphone expands and upgrades Inspired By Gibson Custom range with 8 stunning "reissue" electrics
Harley Benton ST-80FR
Guitars Harley Benton erupts with '80s shred fever as it launches the Floyd-equipped ST-80FR Series S-styles
Jackson Pro Plus Pure Metal Series: the new limited range strips the Soloist, Rhoads and Kelly down with a single Fishman bridge humbucker, Floyd Rose and black finishes as standard
Guitars Jackson unveils stripped down single-pickup shred classics in ltd edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
Jackson X and JS Series Surfcasters: the long-awaited offset electric guitar is now being offered in white, satin black and metallic black, and and at the entry-level JS price point and the mid-priced X Series.
Guitars “A bold new take on a classic metal machine”: Having ridden the wave of popular demand, Jackson’s Surfcaster offset has landed – and it’s built for speed
Gretsch Broadkaster Jr LX Center Block with Bigsby
Guitars Gretsch’s unveils new MIJ high-end semi-hollows with redesigned bodies and Pro Twin Six humbuckers
The Fender Richie Kotzen Stratocaster is made in Japan and features a contoured ash body with a stunning figured maple top, and comes with DiMarzio pickups and Gotoh tuners.
Artists Fender gives Richie Kotzen’s figured-maple topped MIJ signature Strat a global release
Harley Benton HBJ-45E SBK
Guitars Harley Benton unveils dreadnought inspired by a classic workhorse – and it is crazy affordable
  1. Guitars
  2. Electric Guitars

5 classic electric guitars with built-in effects

News
By Michael Brown ( Guitarist ) published 10 February 2015

Six-strings for sonic pioneers

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

Vox Phantom VI Special

Vox Phantom VI Special

The Ibanez RGKP6 is the latest in a long line of effects-laden electrics - here are a few of our faves from years gone by. First up, the Vox Phantom VI Special...

The Phantom line was expanded throughout the 60s to include the Special, as played by Joy Division’s Ian Curtis. It came with six onboard effects, activated via pickguard-mounted buttons: treble boost, bass boost, top boost, mid boost, fuzz and repeat, while there were also controls for mid boost frequency, fuzz sustain, repeat speed and volume - it could even sound an E for tuning!

Page 1 of 5
Page 1 of 5
Guyatone LG-23R

Guyatone LG-23R

Built in the early 70s, the LG-23R looked like most common-or-garden Strat-a-likes, but with one key difference: a built-in drum machine.

There were five patterns chosen via a rotary selector and start switch, while volume and tempo controls fine-tuned the rhythms.

Page 2 of 5
Page 2 of 5
Electra MPC X320 (modular powered circuits)

Electra MPC X320 (modular powered circuits)

In 1976, while the guitar effects biz was just beginning, Japanese brand Electra was offering guitarists the ability to load their instruments with them, courtesy of its modular effects system.

You’d simply slot one of the 12 available cartridge-style modules into your guitar, activate its switch and adjust the intensity with the effect knob.

Page 3 of 5
Page 3 of 5
Alesis X Guitar

Alesis X Guitar

When it launched in 2005, the X Guitar sold for only £229, and included 40 digital effects derived from the Alesis GuitarFX multi-effects unit.

An extra set of controls on the side of the guitar scrolled between sounds and adjusted parameters, and you could plug in an expression pedal for real-time control.

Read our full Alesis X Guitar review

Page 4 of 5
Page 4 of 5
Gibson Firebird X

Gibson Firebird X

Even without the added effects, Gibson’s 2011 innovation was divisive - following in the dubious footsteps of the active-circuitry RD Artist of the 1970s.

As well as auto-tuning, comprehensive pickup switching and a piezo acoustic mode, the X offered a comprehensive assortment of DSP effects, all adjustable via onboard faders.

Read our full Gibson Firebird X review

Page 5 of 5
Page 5 of 5
Michael Brown
Michael Brown
Social Links Navigation

Mike is Editor-in-Chief of GuitarWorld.com, in addition to being an offset fiend and recovering pedal addict. He has a master's degree in journalism, and has spent the past decade writing and editing for guitar publications including MusicRadar, Total Guitar and Guitarist, as well as a decade-and-a-half performing in bands of variable genre (and quality). In his free time, you'll find him making progressive instrumental rock under the nom de plume Maebe.

The magazine for serious players image
The magazine for serious players
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Read more
Epiphone goes high-end with its Inspired By Gibson Custom 2025 collection: [from left] the '63 Firebird in Polaris White is joined by a 1959 Les Paul Standard, a '64 SG Standard, a 1960 Les Paul Special in TV Yellow and a 1962 ES-335 reissue.
Epiphone expands and upgrades Inspired By Gibson Custom range with 8 stunning "reissue" electrics
Harley Benton ST-80FR
Harley Benton erupts with '80s shred fever as it launches the Floyd-equipped ST-80FR Series S-styles
Jackson Pro Plus Pure Metal Series: the new limited range strips the Soloist, Rhoads and Kelly down with a single Fishman bridge humbucker, Floyd Rose and black finishes as standard
Jackson unveils stripped down single-pickup shred classics in ltd edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
Jackson X and JS Series Surfcasters: the long-awaited offset electric guitar is now being offered in white, satin black and metallic black, and and at the entry-level JS price point and the mid-priced X Series.
“A bold new take on a classic metal machine”: Having ridden the wave of popular demand, Jackson’s Surfcaster offset has landed – and it’s built for speed
Gretsch Broadkaster Jr LX Center Block with Bigsby
Gretsch’s unveils new MIJ high-end semi-hollows with redesigned bodies and Pro Twin Six humbuckers
The Fender Richie Kotzen Stratocaster is made in Japan and features a contoured ash body with a stunning figured maple top, and comes with DiMarzio pickups and Gotoh tuners.
Fender gives Richie Kotzen’s figured-maple topped MIJ signature Strat a global release
Latest in Electric Guitars
Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue
“A really vintage‑flavoured friend”: Epiphone 1957 Les Paul Goldtop Reissue review
The Gibson Les Paul Music City Special – 50th Anniversary is a limited edition hybrid that combines the old Marauder and Music City Junior, and offers them in wine, tobacco sunburst and ebony finishes.
Gibson celebrates 50 years in Nashville with limited run twist on a cult electric played by KISS
PRS SE NF 53: the super-versatile bolt-on electric gets a long-awaited SE release, and here all three finish options – White Dog Hair, Black Dog Hair and Pearl White – are photographed in front of a pair of PRS half-stacks.
PRS remixes its NF 53 for the SE line – and it's a serious workhorse electric for under a grand
Harley Benton ST-80FR
Harley Benton erupts with '80s shred fever as it launches the Floyd-equipped ST-80FR Series S-styles
Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6 Plini Edition Mirage
Strandberg launches limited edition Plini Boden Standard with glow-in-the-dark Mirage graphic finish
PRS Herman Li Chloe: the new shred-ready signature model for the DragonForce guitarist comes in two finishes and features an all-new body design.
PRS activates total shred mode for Herman Li of DragonForce’s feature-stacked Chloe signature guitar
Latest in News
Exodus Gary Holt
"It might have been like 12 people there”: Exodus’ Gary Holt pulls zero punches in his new autobiography
blur and oasis
“I am happy to accept and concede defeat”: Damon Albarn just admitted that Oasis won
Jeff Lynne ELO
"Jeff is devastated": ELO's last ever mega-gig plunged into jeopardy after last-minute cancellation of last night's Manchester show
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: It's your last chance to grab a Prime Day deal on gear from Fender, Roland, Casio, Yamaha, Toontrack & more - but you'll have to be quick
Ernie Ball Music Man Pino Palladino StingRay: the bass legend's new signature model is offered fretted or fretless, and in a deep and luxurious 79 Burst finish.
Pino Palladino teams up with EBMM for a signature StingRay inspired by the bass that started it all
Amerie
How Amerie created a ‘00s R&B/funk classic with producer Rich Harrison

MusicRadar is part of Future plc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

  • About Us
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Terms and conditions
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Advertise with us
  • Accessibility Statement
  • Careers

© Future Publishing Limited Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All rights reserved. England and Wales company registration number 2008885.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...