Tom Anderson Raven
It might not have been a classic year for the solidbody electric guitar, but these four would rise to the top of any class...
All of the gear here was reviewed in Guitarist magazine from January 2014 onwards, representing outstanding performance, build quality and value. First on the list, it's the Tom Anderson Raven...
Tom Anderson Raven
Tom Anderson has long been one of the finest modern electric guitar makers.
While the Raven has a more retro aesthetic it has all of his ultra-quality features: incredible playability in the A-Wedgie bolt-on neck, Buzz Feiten Tuning System, stainless steel frets, Anderson pickups and VA boost. Superb!
4.5 out of 5
Fender 60th Anniversary Classic Player 50s Stratocaster
How many of us will look this good at 60?
A superb, subtly upgraded Strat with flatter fingerboard radius and two-post vibrato on a Desert Sand-finished ash body with gold anodised scratchplate.
If you can’t afford the USA guitars, rest assured these Mexican Classic Players are seriously good. Happy birthday.
4.5 out of 5
Read our full Fender 60th Anniversary Classic Player 50s Stratocaster review
BUY: Fender 60th Anniversary Classic Player 50s Stratocaster currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Full Compass
Vigier Excalibur Thirteen
Not everyone is swayed by past designs alone, certainly not Patrice Vigier. This continually upgraded 20-plus-year-old design is state of the art.
It combines a vintage-feel graphite reinforced French maple neck with high-spec hardware and versatile Amber humbuckers, coil-splits and micro killswitch. As near to perfect as a modern rock guitar gets.
4.5 out of 5
PRS S2 Singlecut
It’s taken PRS nearly 30 years to crack the ‘affordable’ USA-made guitar, but with its S2 range - introduced in 2013 - it finally has.
Made in the same factory as the higher-ticket ‘core’ guitars, but on a different production line, the S2 models feature a different neck construction, simplified body contours, a faster finish and a combination of USA and Korean-made hardware and electrics.
The result is an increasing range of guitars that are not only half the price of the core models but have a less posh aesthetic and are consequently appealing to a different audience.
Powered by S2 #7 humbuckers, with a four-control layout, wrapover Stoptail bridge, locking tuners, 635mm (25-inch) scale and typically slick playability, the S2 Singlecut sets a new price-led benchmark for the single-cut solidbody.
4.5 out of 5
Read our full PRS S2 Singlecut review
BUY: PRS S2 Singlecut currently available from:
UK: Andertons Music | Thomann | Gear4Music
US: Sweetwater