![]() ![]() He’s launched plenty of other models in its wake, including the vintage-inspired McCarty, but if you want the purest PRS DNA then this is the one to own. Some of us still think of PRS as the newbie on the block, so it’s surprising to recall that Paul Reed Smith launched his Custom 24 guitar almost 37 years ago now. With its flame maple/sycamore laminate body, mahogany neck, ebony fingerboard and Gotoh hardware, the SA2200 is good for any genre from jazz to rock. It’s voiced slightly differently to an ES-335 – perhaps a touch smoother with a little more clarity in the mids – and the Alnico V humbuckers can be coil-split for single-coil tones, too. The quality of craftsmanship is off the charts – we challenge you to find anyone with a bad thing to say about this guitar. The SA2200 is made in low numbers in the same Hamamatsu shop where Yamaha makes its high-end acoustics (we’re talking five figures for a GC82). Maybe the issue is that the SA2200’s body shape looks somewhat familiar – people who insist on a genuine Gibson ES-335/ES-355 are prepared to pay top dollar for one. More mystifying still, many retailers are choosing to discount these beauties. They've given this semi-hollow SA2200 an RRP of just $3,148/£2,422. Yamaha rarely makes mistakes, but it’s dropped a real clanger here. Is it as good as an original? In many ways, it’ll be substantially better. It’s not lost on us that the world’s first mass-produced electric guitar is now being exquisitely crafted by some of Fender’s best luthiers. You can choose between six levels of relic, from new old stock through to super-heavy relic. The latter boasts a vintage compound-radius fingerboard and 21 narrow tall frets. The blonde body, which gets progressively more butterscotch as the relicing escalates, comprises two pieces of select ash with a bolted-on ‘soft V’ maple neck. The resulting tone is reassuringly vintage, but a Tele like this can journey across any sonic territory from country to rock to jazz. ![]() Two Custom Shop hand-wound ’50/’51 Blackguard pickups sit at the very heart of this Tele, connected up with ’51 modified Nocaster wiring, which enables you to blend both pickups together in switch position one. This is Fender Custom Shop’s latest homage to Leo’s masterpiece – it’s about as complicated as a knife and fork, but none the worse for that. The ’52 wasn’t the very first Telecaster, but in most guitarists’ eyes it’s the most iconic. The more mid-present pickups and coil-split option make it a worthy alternative to the legendary ES-335. This thing screams class and quality, plus with the materials it’s made from, it wouldn't be too outrageous for it to cost another $1,000 or so than it does. We reckon it has to be one of the most underrated options when it comes to looking for a high-end electric. This has been lovingly and painstakingly created to be as close to those hallowed 1952 Teles as possible, so it’s dripping in vintage mojo. Sometimes, you just can’t beat a classic. Our pick of the best high-end electric guitar was a tough one, but we’ve had to hand it to the Fender Custom Shop Time Machine ’52 Tele. ![]() Go on, you know you’re worth it… Best high-end electric guitars: Our top picks Whatever genre of music you enjoy playing, there’s a high-end electric guitar out there waiting for you. We’re all about accessibility here at Guitar World, but even we can't deny the seductive appeal of owning an exceptional instrument. ![]()
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