Top 10 guitar models of all time

[Michael Rife]

Hi Jung;

I would tentatively agree.  1 to 7 seems about right.  But, the best guitar depends on the song style.  Still, LP, Strat, Tele as the top 3 seems about right.  The SG might be a little over-rated at 6.  The Gretsch 6120 is probably OK but I would go with a White Falcon or Country Gentleman instead. I probably will never play an Ibanez…..but then I can get snobbish at times. I would include the Godin 5th Avenue, too, but that is because I really, really like the Godin.  Other than that not too many complaints.  What I have noticed over the years is that one of the best combos is to have lead guitarist on an LP and the rhythm/2nd lead playing a Strat.  Those two complement each other well.  Mike.

[Jung Roe]

Thanks Mike for that insight!  I certainly hear a lot about the Les Paul and the Stratocaster here mentioned by others, so no surprise when I saw them in this list.   I don’t think you are alone in liking the Godin, because I recall Roger has an awfully nice looking one in his collection that stood out for me.

[Jung Roe]

Godin 5th Avenue

 

[Jung Roe]

Gretsch White Falcon

[Jung Roe]

Gretsch Chet Atkins Country Gentleman

[Tomás F. Calvo]

I agree with Michael. I think the Ibanez has no place on the list, not because of the brand, but because the model is a modification of the Strat, even if it is Steve Vai’s model.

The Gretsch 6120 is very close to the Country Gent 6122, so I’d bundle them as one really, there are so many variations of the Strat and Les Paul, that it makes sense to have some leeway in grouping.

This would be my list:

1. Gibson Les Paul

2. Fender Stratocaster

3. Gibson ES 335 (I’d bundle the 345 and 355 in here too)

4. Fender Telecaster

5. Gretsch Country Gent (Tennessean, etc.)

6. Rickenbacker 300’s (320, 325, 350,360, etc.)

7. Epiphone Casino (could include the Gibson ES330 as it’s almost the same guitar)

8. Gretsch Duo-Jet

9. Gibson Les Paul Double Cutaway TV Special (these are very sought after, much more than the SG)

10. Paul Reed Smith Custom 24

These of course are electric guitars only…

[Jung Roe]

The list looks much better now as it just felt incomplete, and I think Tomas you completed it properly with the Gretsch Duo Jet

[Michael Rife]

My electrics top left to right:  Godin 5th Ave., Rick 330, Gretsch White Falcon, Gretsch Baby Jet, Fender Mandolin (let her play with the big kids).  Bottom left to right:  Fender Tele, Gibson SG, Gibson LP Jr., Gibson ES-335, Fender Strat.  And I can’t pick a favorite.  Best sound:  A tie between White Falcon and Rick 330.  Most versatile:  Godin.  Most powerful: LP Jr.  So, a lot of my rankings on the above had to do with my experiences with the above.  Mike.

[Jung Roe]

Wow Mike, those guitars you have are all magnificent!  I really like the looks of that blue/white Rick 330 as well as the White Falcon which reminds me of an ivory Baby Grand Steinway I once lusted after.   Thanks for sharing that.  It looks like yourself, Tomas, Roger and others here know your guitars and have the best of the best in your collections!  Truly impressive.

[Michael Rife]

Thanks Jung!!  Of the guitars I have the Rick and the White Falcon are the smoothest playing and sounding.  When I play those two, it is hard to put them down and pick up another one.

Also, concerning our collections (Tomas, Roger, me and others) like I said before…..we just might have issues with guitars.  For some the right number of guitars is always one more than what we have.  I remember a dinner conversation a few years ago with a guy (Tom) and he was talking about the guitars he had and I asked him, “Just how many guitars do you have?”  He replied, “You have to understand, Mike, each guitar has it’s own personality and it’s own sound.”  I started laughing……and told him he was preaching to the choir.  It sounded like the excuse I give my wife about guitars.  Well it turned out he had 23 guitars.  I think I am close to that number now.  But, I can honestly say I don’t want another guitar…….well, maybe a Martin D-18 or D-45….but those two are very pricey…..the D-45 is around $9,000 and that is just too rich for my blood.

Also, I have noticed that those of us with a few guitars will never use certain ones.  I pointed out I would never use an Ibanez……the same is also true for an Alvarez or a Taylor (acoustic) or a Yamaha.  There is nothing really wrong with those guitars but I just think the Gibson, Fender, Gretsch, Godin guitars on the electric side are better…….and the Martin, Gibson, Taks, Guild, Breedlove acoustics are better.  I have played a Taylor acoustic and they just seem too (I’m searching for the right word here) antiseptic is close to the word I want to use…..it just seems like that the guitars do not have a distinct “personality”.  With a Martin you pretty much have a deep mellow sound and with a Gibson acoustic it is kinda jangly or tinny sounding.  But, many swear by the Taylor guitars.

Anyway…….that is probably far more than you want to hear from me concerning this issue….but I guess the forum is a place to know each other better as well as honor MLT.  Mike.

[Jung Roe]

Mike, not at all.  Enjoy reading what you and others write hear about your guitars and the passion you have for them.  I can totally appreciate the notion that these instruments all have unique character and feel that make them special and worth chasing as anything that is crafted with skill, patience, and passion (pieces of art) would.

[Jacki Hopper]

Lol… All this Guitar Lingo (I luv guitars, I just can’t keep track of what model is what, etc.)  but seeing all these pix and the Top 10 list, reminds me of the long standing and continuing Xmas gift tradition I have with my 2nd oldest bro who loves his guitars… I always for many years now, buy him a Guitar Calendar but I change back and forth every year from one year giving a big calendar, then the next year, a small one. He looks fwd to that calendar each year, regardless of the size…. ?

[Michael Rife]

Hi Jacki:

That sounds like a good and fun tradition you have.  When it comes to the passion about guitars, I just love music.  I love listening to music…….I love playing music……I love creating new music and modifying things for covers.  And……it is this enjoyment that causes me to like what MLT is doing.  Like many good musicians they are on a musical journey and it is very fascinating to see what they do along the way.  One of the good things about their journey is that we do not know how it is going to be going forward and where will it end up.  One thing is certain, though, they will be playing and producing good music.  Mike.

[Tomás F. Calvo]

Mike, I know what you mean with the Taylor and Ibanez guitars. I’ve never picked up a Taylor that I wanted to take home. They just don’t speak to me. I once gigged with a loaned Ibanez (335 style) and it just didn’t do it for me. Though I have a Ibanez bass that I love which I’ve had for ages. Not knocking them, because they are good instruments, just that the sum of all parts doesn’t resonate with me.

It’s interesting how there’s a connection with an instrument when you play, and it’s not price or quality, just a resonance with the instrument. I think it goes for all musicians. The interesting thing for me is that the instruments I’ve bought online, I could feel that pull and when they arrived, they were exactly how I felt them, even if I had only been looking at pictures.

Congratulations on the great collection. I’ve only played a White Falcon at a store, but they are great guitars. And I now have to look into the Godin more, as I’ve never played one.

[Michael Rife]

Hi Tomas;

Thank you for the kind comments about the collection.  If you ever get a Godin I believe you will really like it.  The guitar is not as powerful as an LP, Strat, or Tele.  The guitar does not have the smooth sound of the Rick or White Falcon.  The guitar is just so flexible and reliable.  With it you can bounce around genres without much effort and the action is very accommodating.   It is such an underrated guitar.  Also, it is a Canadian made guitar and I have heard that the government there subsidizes the guitar.  So, you get more guitar for your money as a result.  Mike.

[Jacki Hopper]

Lol… While we continue with this particular Guitar Topic…

This  clip I thought, might be of interest, it also features the Blind local guitarist Lucas Haneman from my hometown(Ottawa??)

https://ottawa.ctvnews.ca/mobile/video?clipId=1713505

And that got me also, to Google up because of a posting where it mentioned about the particular Guirar being Canadian made on here and I was surprised to see alot of Ottawa/Ottawa area(Quebec included) based Guitar Manufacturing Companies out there in existence… Impressive to me. ?

[Howard]

Nice post, Mike. I too can endorse what Jung has replied. I particularly like your unusual use of the word ‘antiseptic’ to describe a guitar. Correct me if I’m wrong but I think you are telling us that it is too bland!

In 1867 by Joseph Lister advocated the use of carbolic acid (phenol) as a method of ensuring that any germs present were killed. As we all know, there are good germs and bad germs and antiseptics probably don’t discriminate, consequently producing something that lacks ‘personality’ as you nicely put it. The product Listerine was named after him.

[Michael Rife]

Hi Howard;

Actually the word ‘antiseptic’ was the first word that came to mind when I first played a Taylor. I tried to search for other words but they didn’t quite fit.  They are technically very good guitars, but just not all that memorable when it comes to sound and just kinda lacks personality, as you have deduced.  I tend to believe that Martins have a very distinct full and rich mellow sound and I tend to believe that Gibsons have a higher distinct sound.  And both of the guitars are reliable in that way as you play different models.  But, I can understand why many like and play Taylors…..different strokes.  Mike.

[Jung Roe]

Some famous guitars.  Stratocaster signed by Queen.  You can make out Freddy Mercury’s signature.

[Jung Roe]

A Rolling Stones Fender Telecaster signed by the band.