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Harley Benton ST-80FR
Guitars Harley Benton erupts with '80s shred fever as it launches the Floyd-equipped ST-80FR Series S-styles
Fender American Ultra Luxe Vintage Series
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The newly refreshed Classic Series from Squier reworks vintage Fender-inspired electric and bass guitars for beginners and budget-conscious players.
Guitars Squier channels the Fender archive for 10 stunning yet affordable news Classic Vibe models
A Fender Player II Stratocaster and Telecaster on a white piece of wood with lots of holes in it
Electric Guitars Best electric guitars under $1,000/£1,000 in 2025: My top picks for players of all styles
Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Stratocaster: Posen's new signature model was inspired by the Jazzmaster and has custom-wound AP-90 pickups. Check out those cupcake-style control knobs.
Artists Ariel Posen’s new Custom Shop signature Strat is A) stunning and B) inspired by a… Jazzmaster?
PRS Guitars' new limited edition Custom 24 Satin photographed at the brand's Maryland factory with wood blanks in the background.
Guitars PRS swaps maple for mango to give its “flagship” Custom 24 a 40th anniversary satin nitro makeover
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
Fender American Ultra Luxe 60s Stratocaster
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Duesenberg Alliance Series Tom Bukovac: the new semi-hollow signature model is a stunning singlecut with a quilted maple build in a natural finish.
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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
Debbie Gough of Heriot demoes the new Jackson Pro Plus Metal Phase II Warrior on a darkened studio set.
Guitars Jackson adds Warrior, King V and Concert Bass to its limited edition Pro Plus Pure Metal range
Dickey Betts [left] and Warren Haynes trade licks onstage with the Allman Brothers Band at the 1993 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival. Haynes's Strat would soon be stolen in New York.
Artists How Warren Haynes turned to Les Pauls after his favourite Strat was stolen
Orbit Culture's guitarists
Electric Guitars Orbit Culture show us their ESP guitars – and tell us why the EverTune bridge is a game-changer
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.
Guitars Like the Jack Antonoff signature Gretsch? Then you are going to love the CVT Electromatic
  1. Guitars

Six Of The Best: flame topped guitars

News
By Guitarist ( Guitarist ) published 26 December 2012

Check out the beautiful figures on these flame-topped temptresses...

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

Carvin FG1 Frank Gambale

Carvin FG1 Frank Gambale

The FG-1 is fusion great Frank Gambale’s signature 335-alike, with a smaller body shape.

We said: “Constructed from mahogany, with a slip-matched 4A maple top, it sounds somewhere between a quality solidbody and an ES-335”

For more information visit the official Carvin website

Page 1 of 6
Page 1 of 6
Hagstrom Super Swede Flame

Hagstrom Super Swede Flame

This is the best Super Swede yet. Its Cosmic Black Burst finish is contrasted with maple binding.

We said: “An open-sounding amplified performance means it offers viable competition in the single-cutaway electric stakes”

For more information visit the official Hagstrom website.

Page 2 of 6
Page 2 of 6
PRS P22

PRS P22

This hybrid electric with LR Baggs piezo system for acoustic sounds is flashy, with a faded finish under blue stain revealing the maple.

We said: “If you want to add some acoustic textures to your sound, the P22 is one of the most elegant solutions available. It costs a substantial amount, but it’s very hard to find fault with”

For more information visit the official PRS website

Page 3 of 6
Page 3 of 6
Gibson Les Paul Standard 2012

Gibson Les Paul Standard 2012

Gibson’s latest update to the Les Paul Standard has a slip-matched AAA-grade flamed maple top beneath a nitrocellulose finish.

We said: “The new Standard is two guitars in one: a vintage- informed modern ’Paul, with expanded tones if you need them... A very well-made guitar”

For more information visit the official Gibson website

Page 4 of 6
Page 4 of 6
Fender Select Series Stratocaster HSS

Fender Select Series Stratocaster HSS

Fender’s luxury Strat teams an alder body with a 3mm flamed- maple facing and an Antique Burst and nitrocellulose finish.

We said: “A classy, big-sounding Strat with a beefy sonic range, and a classic ‘modded vintage’ vibe”

For more information visit the official Fender website

Page 5 of 6
Page 5 of 6
Collings I35LC

Collings I35LC

Collings’ high-end scaled-down, thinline semi has a laminated maple top, back and sides with a solid-maple centre block, and unimpeachable build quality.

We said: “Collings redefines the term ‘boutique guitar’. One of the finest thinline semis we’ve played”

For more information visit the official Collings website

Page 6 of 6
Page 6 of 6
Guitarist
Guitarist
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Harley Benton ST-80FR
Harley Benton erupts with '80s shred fever as it launches the Floyd-equipped ST-80FR Series S-styles
Fender American Ultra Luxe Vintage Series
Fender mixes old-school mojo with 21st-century playability for the American Ultra Luxe Vintage range
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
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
Fender Custom Shop Ariel Posen Stratocaster: Posen's new signature model was inspired by the Jazzmaster and has custom-wound AP-90 pickups. Check out those cupcake-style control knobs.
Ariel Posen’s new Custom Shop signature Strat is A) stunning and B) inspired by a… Jazzmaster?
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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Deals of the week
MusicRadar deals of the week: With a whopping $600 off a Gibson Les Paul, $500 off a stunning Guild Starfire and $400 off the modern Strandberg Boden Metal NX 6, it's all about guitars this week
Gibson Custom SJ-200 Monarch #100: this stunning one-of-one jumbo is replete with all kinds of rococo flourishes, from the diamond and gold crown inlay on the headstock, to the 14k gold rope binding, Gibson calls it the "ultimate custom" acoustic and not without some justification.
Gibson gives the “King of the Flat-Tops” a whole new meaning with the $99,999 SJ-200 Monarch #100
Sir Paul McCartney rocks the London O2 crowd in 2024 and gives them a sly glance as he plays his iconic Hofner 500/1 bass.
Paul McCartney’s stolen bass was one of music’s biggest mysteries – and now they are making a film about it
Rick Graham is photographed in a dark setting with a warm stagelight in the background; he holds his new signature electric guitar, a shell-pink S-style with a reverse headstock
Charvel and Rick Graham team up for Pro-Mod signature model with relic'd nitro cult colour finish
Jackson Pro Series Limited Edition Phil Demmel KV King V: the V-style electric is finished in black-and-white polka dots, and looks good in all settings, against a white background or barroom scene alike.
Jackson and Phil Demmel salute Randy Rhoads with limited run Pro Series King V in polka dot finish
The Sterling By Music Man Kaizen is a more affordable version of the Animals As Leaders guitarist Tosin Abasi's signature model, and is offered here in Firemist Purple Satin and Stealth Black.
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Kelly Hansen and Bruce Watson of Foreigner
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Sam Fender performs onstage during day two of the Syd For Solen Festival at Valbyparken on August 08, 2025 in Copenhagen, Denmar
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Biran May and friends
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