Skip to main content
MusicRadar MusicRadar The No.1 website for musicians
UK EditionUK US EditionUS AU EditionAustralia SG EditionSingapore
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • Artist news
  • Music Gear Reviews
  • Synths
  • Guitars
  • Controllers
  • Drums
  • Keyboards & Pianos
  • Guitar Amps
  • Software & Apps
  • More
    • Recording
    • DJ Gear
    • Acoustic Guitars
    • Bass Guitars
    • Tech
    • Tutorials
    • Reviews
    • Buying Guides
    • About us
Don't miss these
More
  • NAMM 2026: as it happened
  • Best NAMM tech gear
  • Joni's Woodstock
  • 95k+ free music samples
  1. Guitars
  2. Electric Guitars

MIA Awards 2014: Guitarist Electric Guitar of the Year Award

News
By The MusicRadar Team ( Guitarist ) published 17 October 2014

Your shortlist of the year's best electric guitars

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

Fender 60th Anniversary Classic Player 50s Strat

Fender 60th Anniversary Classic Player 50s Strat

The MIA Awards return to the Park Plaza Riverbank hotel in London on 18 November, and we can now reveal the final shortlist for the Guitarist Electric Guitar of the Year Award, the winner of which will be announced at the ceremony.

Once again, we've been spoiled rotten, with a choice of guitars to suit all players - from seven-strings to retro-rockers. Earlier this month, we asked for your help in narrowing down the longlist poll to a final top ten.

Here are the finalists, presented in alphabetical order, starting with the Fender 60th Anniversary Classic Player 50s Strat...

Our verdict

"Almost impossible to criticise, the 60th Anniversary Classic Player 50s is a stunning Strat for the money."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Fender 60th Anniversary Classic Player 50s Strat review

(Reviewed in Guitarist)

BUY: Fender 60th Anniversary Classic Player 50s Strat currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Full Compass

Page 1 of 10
Page 1 of 10
Fret-King Black Label Elise 'JE'

Fret-King Black Label Elise 'JE'

Our verdict

"Superbly crafted, with a broad sonic palette to draw from. Beyond the 335 indeed."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Fret-King Black Label Elise 'JE' review

(Reviewed in Guitarist)

Page 2 of 10
Page 2 of 10
Gibson ES-335 Luther Dickinson

Gibson ES-335 Luther Dickinson

Press release

"Steeped in the authentic blues of North Mississippi Hill Country originals like R.L. Burnside, Junior Kimbrough and Otha Turner, Luther Dickinson and his North Mississippi Allstars made a major impact on the music world when they hit the scene in the late 1990s.

"His searing tone and dynamic playing style have become instantly recognizable, and Dickinson has lent his formidable chops to class acts like Beck, the Replacements and Mojo Nixon."

FULL PRESS RELEASE: Gibson ES-335 Luther Dickinson

Page 3 of 10
Page 3 of 10
Gibson Les Paul Standard 2014

Gibson Les Paul Standard 2014

Our verdict

"The best version thus far of a guitar that's always been the single-cut to beat."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Gibson Les Paul Standard 2014 review

(Reviewed in Guitarist)

BUY: Gibson Les Paul Standard 2014 currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music
US: Sweetwater

Page 4 of 10
Page 4 of 10
Gretsch G5622T-CB Electromatic

Gretsch G5622T-CB Electromatic

Our verdict

"An outrageously cool guitar with an inspiring set of tones available. This guitar has songs in it!"

4 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Gretsch G5622T-CB Electromatic review

(Reviewed in Guitarist)

BUY: Gretsch G5622T-CB Electromatic currently available from:
UK: Thomann
US: Sweetwater | Full Compass

Page 5 of 10
Page 5 of 10
Guild Starfire V with Bigsby

Guild Starfire V with Bigsby

Our verdict

"Characterful, classy build, evocative old-school sound and excellent street pricing. This one's spoken for!"

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Guild Starfire V with Bigsby review

(Reviewed in Guitarist)

BUY: Guild Starfire V with Bigsby currently available from:
US: Sweetwater

Page 6 of 10
Page 6 of 10
Ibanez Roadcore RC320M

Ibanez Roadcore RC320M

Our verdict

"If you're after an axe that's off the beaten track in both looks and sounds, a Roadcore makes for a worthy travelling companion."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Ibanez Roadcore RC320M review

(Reviewed in Total Guitar)

BUY: Ibanez Roadcore RC320M currently available from:
UK: Gear4Music

Page 7 of 10
Page 7 of 10
Music Man Luke III

Music Man Luke III

Our verdict

"A more 'vintage' version of the original, it's a beautifully made, gig-ready pro, ideal for modern rock and more."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: Music Man Luke III review

(Reviewed in Guitarist)

BUY: Music Man Luke III currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann
US: Sweetwater

Page 8 of 10
Page 8 of 10
PRS S2 Singlecut

PRS S2 Singlecut

Our verdict

"A stripped-down USA guitar that offers build and sound over visual ornamentation."

4.5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: PRS S2 Singlecut review

(Reviewed in Guitarist)

BUY: PRS S2 Singlecut currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater

Page 9 of 10
Page 9 of 10
PRS SE Zach Myers

PRS SE Zach Myers

Our verdict

"If he wasn't touring the world and helping to sell millions of records, Zach Myers might have a career as a guitar designer."

5 out of 5

FULL REVIEW: PRS SE Zach Myers review

(Reviewed in Total Guitar)

BUY: PRS SE Zach Myers currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater

Page 10 of 10
Page 10 of 10
The MusicRadar Team
The MusicRadar Team
Social Links Navigation

MusicRadar is the internet's most popular website for music-makers of all kinds, be they guitarists, drummers, keyboard players, DJs or producers.

GEAR: We help musicians find the best gear with top-ranking gear round-ups and high-quality, authoritative reviews by a wide team of highly experienced experts.

TIPS: We also provide tuition, from bite-sized tips to advanced work-outs and guidance from recognised musicians and stars.

STARS: We talk to artists and musicians about their creative processes, digging deep into the nuts and bolts of their gear and technique. We give fans an insight into the actual craft of music-making that no other music website can.

The magazine for serious players image
The magazine for serious players
Subscribe and save today!
More Info
Latest in Electric Guitars
Gary Clark Jr plays his signature Cobra Burst ES-355 live onstage.
Gary Clark Jr channels the King of the Blues for limited edition Gibson Custom Shop collab
 
 
A Fender Vintera II 50s Nocaster electric guitar on a yellow background
Get golden-era guitar tone with $600 off thanks to the awesome Presidents' Day sale on Vintera II guitars over at the official Fender store
 
 
Cory Wong with his Ernie Ball Music Man StingRay II
How Cory Wong reimagined Ernie Ball Music Man’s iconic bass for a signature electric with “that George Benson sound”
 
 
Gibson Custom Shop Aged Greenybucker Set: with the nickel housings given the Murphy Lab treatment, these are exacting replicas of the pickups found in the Gibson Custom Kirk Hammett “Greeny” Les Paul, complete with the out-of-phase middle position sound.
Gibson unveils the $449 Murphy Lab aged humbucker set that will make your Les Paul sound like ‘Greeny’
 
 
Harley Benton NAMM 2026 releases include left-handed options on its V-style electric and offset bass guitars, fresh finish options for the SC single-cuts, and new colours for its HSS S-style
Harley Benton’s 2026 mega-drop: Metallica makeovers, fresh colours and a baritone SC Custom III, all-solid acoustics for under $250 and more
 
 
Harley Benton R-458MN LH WH MultiScale
Harley Benton just dropped an 8-string for southpaw players that has a multi-scale fretboard, high-gain humbuckers and offers change from 300 bucks
 
 
Latest in News
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA - FEBRUARY 08: Charlie Puth performs the National Anthem during Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium on February 08, 2026 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
How Charlie Puth used jazz harmony to “pull off something pretty spectacular” at the Super Bowl
 
 
Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: Score over $700 off PRS, $200 off Ludwig drums and massive discounts on software and recording gear
 
 
MIAMI GARDENS, FLORIDA - OCTOBER 18: (EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NO STANDALONE PUBLICATION USE (NO SPECIAL INTEREST OR SINGLE ARTIST PUBLICATION USE; NO BOOK USE)) Taylor Swift performs onstage during The Eras Tour at Hard Rock Stadium on October 18, 2024 in Miami Gardens, Florida. (Photo by John Shearer/TAS24/Getty Images for TAS Rights Management)
Chris Lake said yes to a Taylor Swift remix before he'd even heard the stems - but then had to make it
 
 
Arturia's Efx Ambient from FX Collection 6, being used in a studio
Arturia's FX Collection 6 adds an ambient plugin specialising in "novel, emotive textures" and a souped-up H910
 
 
frozen
Supermarket goes viral for the chilled ambient drones of its freezer section
 
 
Paul Gilbert and Joe Satriani jam at the 2012 Marshall 50 Years of Loud Live anniversary concert
Paul Gilbert on why it can be so hard to resist the urge to shred
 
 

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

Add as a preferred source on Google
  • 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...