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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
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A Fender Player II Stratocaster and Telecaster on a white piece of wood with lots of holes in it
Best electric guitars under $1,000/£1,000 in 2025: My top picks for players of all styles
Otoha holds a blue Fender Strat in a staged setting with neon pink and blue lights overhead.
IDLES, Wet Leg and Sam Fender all graduated from the Fender Next programme – meet its Class of 2025
A guitar VST running in Kontakt player on a computer
Best guitar VSTs 2025: Get the best simulated guitar tones for your next production
Debbie Gough of Heriot demoes the new Jackson Pro Plus Metal Phase II Warrior on a darkened studio set.
Jackson adds Warrior, King V and Concert Bass to its limited 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 Electromatic CVT: The bolt-on double-cut assumes a familiar form to the Jack Antonoff signature model, and features dual humbuckers, a wraparound tailpiece, and some neat vintage finishes.
Like the Jack Antonoff signature Gretsch? Then you are going to love the CVT Electromatic
Latest in Electric Guitars
PRS Guitars' new limited edition Custom 24 Satin photographed at the brand's Maryland factory with wood blanks in the background.
PRS swaps maple for mango to give its “flagship” Custom 24 a 40th anniversary satin nitro makeover
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Cesar Gueikian teases Gibson Custom Shop replica of Marty McFly’s “1955” Back To The Future ES-345
The newly refreshed Classic Series from Squier reworks vintage Fender-inspired electric and bass guitars for beginners and budget-conscious players.
Squier channels the Fender archive for 10 stunning yet affordable news Classic Vibe models
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Kirk Hammett orders up custom version of Jack White’s Triplecaster – and gets one for White, too
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