9 Exceptional Electric Guitars

Fender Custom Shop Teambuilt GT11 HSS Stratocaster

The Fender Custom Shop Teambuilt GT11 HSS Stratocaster is a Sweetwater-exclusive GT11 series Stratocaster that builds upon the story of a classic Strat with modernized appointments. Once you get your hands on the flame maple neck with an 11-inch-radius rosewood fingerboard, you’ll be hard-pressed to want to put it down. Vintage-style tuners add to the classic aesthetic while the nitro finish lets this guitar ring out naturally — and it will only get better with age. To sweeten the tonal pot, you get a pair of hand-wound Sweet ’64 single-coil pickups and a custom high-gain bridge humbucker to run the gamut from crystalline cleans to heavy riffs.

Jackson Custom Shop Tangent Series Soloist

This absolute show stealer, the Jackson Custom Shop Tangent Series Soloist, is primed for ultimate performance and road-worn flair. From the Sweetwater-exclusive color and heavy relicing to its caramelized neck, this neck-through-body juggernaut unleashes a quick and percussive attack, thanks to its combination of a maple neck, alder wings, and an ebony fingerboard. A pair of Bare Knuckle Holydiver pickups deliver scorching ’80s tone that will more than satisfy the sonic appetite of any rock-anthem fanatic. Best of all, each Custom Shop Tangent Series Soloist has completely unique wear and checking patterns, so no matter which one you choose, you’ll get a truly one-of-a-kind instrument!

Gretsch Synchromatic Falcon

Among the most recognizable and revered hollowbody guitars, the Falcon has been a staple in the Gretsch catalog since its introduction in 1954. The Gretsch Synchromatic Falcon brings the venerable Falcon legacy to a wider market, complete with a full 2.5-inch thick body, a high-class ebony fingerboard, and Hi-Fidelity Filter’Tron pickups. All the accoutrements that made the original Falcon stand out are present in the Synchromatic Falcon, such as the gold-sparkle binding and all-gold hardware. And what Gretch hollowbody would be complete without a Bigsby vibrato tailpiece? Best of all, you get a genuine bone nut as well as the structurally steady Semi-Arc bracing under the bridge that retains the character and sustain of its forefather.

Schecter USA Aaron Marshall Signature AM-6

Direct from the Schecter Custom Shop, the Aaron Marshall Signature AM-6 supplies a myriad of tonal options in this performance-focused instrument. The mahogany body and maple top supply the sonic foundation for warmth and punch while the roasted maple neck and ebony fingerboard elicit an incredibly fast, seamless playing experience. And with the Ultra Access neck joint, you’ll be sure to hit every note unobstructed. Add a Graph Tech TUSQ XL nut, a Hipshot fixed bridge and locking tuners, and graphite neck-reinforcement rods, and you have a guitar specifically engineered to give you everything you need exactly when you need it with the stability to keep your music flowing.

ESP Eclipse USA

Single-cut enthusiasts who seek modern refinements in their guitars will rejoice over ESP’s Eclipse USA. The full-thickness, weight-relieved mahogany body that complements a figured maple top provides a familiar yet comfortable feel to traditional and contemporary players alike. Thoughtful and ergonomic body carves along the back and neck joint deliver comfort for extended jam sessions and uncompromising access to all 22 stainless-steel frets. This Eclipse contains a set of Fishman Fluence Highway 30 pickups, a veritable collection of celebrated humbucking tones that span the US’s most prominent guitar-tone hot spots. Finally, first-class tuning stability, courtesy of Gotoh locking tuners, primes the Eclipse USA for absolute guitar dominance.

Gibson Custom Dealer Select 1959 Les Paul Standard Electric Guitar

Gibson’s late-’50s and early-’60s sunburst Les Paul Standards are legendary, with originals fetching up to half a million dollars. For collectors and tone enthusiasts, this Gibson Custom Dealer Select 1959 Les Paul Standard delivers an authentic recreation of a true “‘Burst” immortalized in The Beauty of the ’Burst. From its hand-selected AAA maple top to the weight-relieved mahogany body to the classic 1959 neck profile and cellulose trapezoid inlays on the rosewood fingerboard, every detail is period-correct. Equipped with Sugarbucker pickups for vintage tone, this limited run is a collector-grade masterpiece that captures the soul of the original.

Gibson Custom Dealer Select Firebird Custom Flame Top

Another exemplary axe curated by the tone gurus here at Sweetwater, this Dealer Select Firebird Custom Flame Top is for all Golden Era devotees who crave more bite out of their tone. The flame maple top adds extra snap to your sonic profile while the ebony fingerboard encourages fleet-fingered fretwork. While perfectly suited for soulful blues and classic rock riffs, the 490R and 498T humbuckers conform to your musical preferences, capable of an expansive tonal range based on your playing dynamics and control settings. With this guitar, you can play with confidence, knowing you have rock-solid Grover tuners with kidney-shaped keys and a Tune-o-matic bridge holding your tuning true as you dominate every stage!

PRS Private Stock #11623 McCarty Semi-hollow

Paul Reed Smith’s Private Stock program is more than a custom shop experience — it’s a masterclass in realizing the sonic potential of the most highly coveted tonewoods on the planet. Everything about Private Stock #11623 screams brilliance, from its premium, glowing figured maple top with black limba back and sides to the figured maple neck that naturally fits the shape of your hand. This compilation of tonewoods exhibits a rich, vibrant aura and, with the McCarty LT pickup set, delivers true vintage harmonics and articulation. With completely customized appointments and unencumbered playability, this semi-hollowbody guitar puts museum-grade aesthetics at your fingertips.

Note: Every PRS Private Stock is a one-off, and if this specific model is no longer available, you can see our entire selection of Private Stock instruments here. 

Ibanez J Custom RG8570

One look at the Ibanez J Custom RG8570, and you’ll be entranced by its natural elegance and sharp yet perfectly defined super-S-type body shape. Getting it in your hands will bring about a new sense of guitar nirvana as the Super Wizard neck combined with rolled fret edges offers a luxurious, shred-tastic playing experience. You’ll also enjoy a hot, versatile set of DiMarzio pickups that comprises Tone Zone and Air Norton humbuckers flanking a True Velvet single-coil. Ibanez purists will also rejoice in knowing that the RG8570 features an original Lo-Pro Edge tremolo, not to mention an accompanying locking nut and locking Gotoh tuners that hold tuning even during the most acrobatic whammy antics.