Unleash Your Inner Rock Star: The Top 10 Signature Guitars

Unleash Your Inner Rock Star: The Top Signature Guitars
Looking for the best signature guitar? Our comprehensive guide features the top 10 models from legendary musicians. Find the perfect instrument to elevate your playing.

The Guitar Bomb Top 10 Signature Guitars. From the roaring riffs of rock legends to the soulful strums of blues masters, signature guitars have become iconic symbols of musical artistry. Crafted with meticulous attention to detail, these instruments embody their creators’ unique style and sound. 

The Top 10 Signature Guitars

In this roundup, we’ll dive into the world of signature guitars, exploring the top models that have shaped the history of music.

Ever dreamed of playing like your favorite guitar hero?

A signature guitar could be the key to unlocking your musical potential. These instruments, meticulously designed to match legendary musicians’ specific needs and preferences, offer a glimpse into the masters’ minds. Join us as we explore the top signature guitars that have inspired countless musicians and continue shaping modern music’s sound.

Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster

First up is the Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster, a great, affordable offset-style instrument with modern updates, including larger frets and hotter pickups. Dinosaur Jr’s frontman is known for wielding a Jazzmaster, and he prefers to use an Adjusto-Matic bridge with a vintage floating tremolo tailpiece.

This gives the guitar a more robust feel than the original floating bridge of the offset bridge design.

Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster
Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster

A Rock Solid Offset

They also moved the trem system slightly to give it more string tension across the bridge, which helps keep it playing smoothly. Having bought one of these when they first came out around 12 years ago, I can confidently say that they are great all-around guitars and perfect for many playing styles.

They are under $500 and worth every penny.

Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster Clean Tone with Effects Demo | Fender

 

Epiphone Dave Grohl DG-335 Pelham Blue

The Epiphone Dave Grohl DG-335 Pelham Blue is based on the ‘60s Trini Lopez Gibson semi-hollow models. The Foo Fighters frontman has his in this fabulous shade of blue, which is far more affordable than a Gibson one.

Epiphone Dave Grohl DG-335 Pelham Blue
Epiphone Dave Grohl DG-335 Pelham Blue

Gibson Pickups

This model has a set of Gibson USA Burstbucker humbucking pickups and uses CTS Potentiometers, Mallory Capacitors, and Switchcraft jacks, which is a nice upgrade. It also comes in a hard case to keep it safe.

At just under $1300, these are a bit of a bargain compared to a Gibson-branded model.

Dave Grohl's Epiphone DG-335 - The Most Anticipated Signature Guitar!?

 

ESP LTD Snakebyte

For players looking for something a little more modern and hard-hitting, the James Hetfield ESP LTD Snakebyte is the perfect riff machine.

The Metallica frontman helped design this guitar, which is built to deliver crushing riffs with rock-solid precision. It features a Tonepros Locking TOM bridge and tailpiece and an ebony fretboard with 22 extra-jumbo frets.

ESP LTD Snakebyte 
ESP LTD Snakebyte

EMG JH humbuckers

This hardtail design comes with a pair of active EMG JH humbuckers, making it perfect for tight percussive playing and high-gain settings.  It is also perfect for the studio and the stage.

This LTD model is available in multiple finishes, which is also a bonus.

If you want the full ESP version, this model is also available. The ESP team built it in Japan, which gives you an upgraded experience closer to the guitars Hetfield plays with the band.

ESP LTD James Hetfield Snakebyte - Sounds

 

Ibanez TOD10-MM Tim Henson

The Ibanez TOD10-MM Tim Henson is a modern guitar perfect for guitarists who want to play more intricate styles of music. Polyphia’s Henson is known for such playing, so it makes sense that this is his signature guitar.

Ibanez TOD10-MM Tim Henson
Ibanez TOD10-MM Tim Henson

Tree of Death

The ebony fretboard has the Tree of Death inlays, and the guitar is fitted with a set of Fishman Fluence Tim Henson Signature Series pickups.

It also has a roasted maple neck with the AZ Oval C profile, which makes it super comfortable to play.

 

Tim Henson - Signature Guitars - TOD10MM | Ibanez

 

Fender Mike McCready Strat

The Fender Mike McCready Strat is perfect for fans of the relic guitar look, as it looks worn and well-used.  Based on the guitar the Pearl Jam guitarist has been playing for many years, this is a ’60s style Stratocaster in a three-tone Sunburst finish.

Fender Mike McCready Strat
Fender Mike McCready Strat

Sixties Style

It has the classic Strat formula of an alder body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, and a set of Custom Mike McCready’s ’60s Strat single-coil pickups.

Exploring the Mike McCready Stratocaster | Artist Signature Series | Fender

 

Ibanez JS3CR Joe Satriani

These Ibanez JS3CR Joe Satriani models are finished in chrome and look stunning! Satriani has been developing his signature model for many years, and this version of the Chrome Boy is a guitar built to perform and turn heads!

Ibanez JS3CR Joe Satriani
Ibanez JS3CR Joe Satriani

DiMarzio

It has a DiMarzio PAF Pro in the neck and a DiMarzio Satchur8 in the bridge position. If you want something different, this is the guitar for you.

SOUNDCHECK Ibanez JS3 Joe Satriani Signature, Chrome Boy | Gear4music Guitars

 

Gibson Les Paul Slash Standard

If you like Guns’n’Roses, you will be a fan of the Gibson Les Paul Slash Standard signature model. This is a classic Les Paul with a few of Slash’s preferred design elements, including the AAA-flamed maple top.

Gibson Les Paul Slash Standard
Gibson Les Paul Slash Standard

Appetite

It is available in Appetite Amber and features a set of Gibson Custom Burstbucker Alnico II zebra humbucking pickups. It is perfect for classic rock, blues, and much more. It’s a great-looking guitar with classic styling and fantastic tones.

Slash has a lot of signature models to choose from, and this one will surely get you in the ballpark for his tone.

Or you could go for one of these models instead.

Slash | The Slash Collection

 

PRS SE Mark Holcomb SVN

The PRS SE Mark Holcomb is a modern 7-string single-cut style guitar with a stunning quilted maple veneer in a Holcomb Blue Burst finish.

PRS SE Mark Holcomb 7-string
PRS SE Mark Holcomb 7-string

Seymour Duncan

It comes fitted with the Seymour Duncan Mark Holcomb “Scourge” (bridge) and Seymour Duncan Mark Holcomb “Scarlet” pickups and has a PRS hardtail bridge.

The Periphery guitarist has put a lot of thought into this model, and it shows. The controls consist of a simple yet effective 3-way blade pickup switch with a push/pull tone knob for coil splitting.

The SE Mark Holcomb SVN | PRS Guitars

 

Gretsch Brian Setzer G6120T-BSNSH

The Gretsch Brian Setzer G6120T-BSNSH is a very classy-looking model, perfect for players who want that Gretsch sound and feel.

Gretsch Brian Setzer G6120T-BSNSH
Gretsch Brian Setzer G6120T-BSNSH

TV Jones

It is fitted with TV Jones Brian Setzer FilterTrons pickups. Its hollow body is made of traditional laminated maple, the neck is glued in maple, and the fretboard is ebony.

Setzer has a few signature model finishes, including Smoke Orange, so if you can’t choose black, you’ll have choices.

2021 Gretsch Brian Setzer G6120T-BSSMK 59 Smoke Orange

 

Fender Jim Root Telecaster Flat White

The Fender Jim Root Telecaster in Flat White is a stripped-back modern interpretation of one of the most well-known electric guitar designs. It takes Leo Fender’s 1950s model screaming into modern-day music of heavy tones and crushing riffs.

It is in our list of Top Signature Guitars as it takes a classic design and drags it up to date, showing that even older designs can work with modern playing styles.

Fender Jim Root Telecaster Flat White
Fender Jim Root Telecaster Flat White

Ebony

This monochromatic guitar has an ebony fretboard with no fret markers and a stripped-back pickup control layout with a volume and three-way selector switch controlling the EMG 60 (neck) and EMG 81 (bridge) humbucker.

No Talking...Just Tones | Fender Artist Jim Root Telecaster | Ebony - Flat White

 

Top Signature Guitars Honorable Mentions

These are just a few of the fantastic signature models available for guitar players in 2024. We could have easily included a lot more.

Below are ten more we recommend you check out if you are in the market for a high-quality signature model guitar.

This article contains affiliate links to Thomann that help finance the running costs of GuitarBomb.  If you buy something through these links, we will receive a small commission. Don’t worry as you pay the same price, and it costs you no extra to use these affiliate links for your purchases.

 

 

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