There are some guitar collectors out there who own dozens (even hundreds) of instruments. However, we’re certain that they could identify just two or three favourite guitars which they enjoy playing the most. And many of us probably have that one special instrument which, for whatever reason, we would deem to be our “number 1” – whether that be because of the way it plays or sounds, or maybe as it holds the most sentimental value.
In this blog, we’ve compiled a list of “go-to” guitars belonging to staff members from the Andertons Web Team. It’s just for fun of course, but we thought it’d be interesting for readers to gain insight into which instruments make our writers and marketeers tick!
Music Man Axis
Elliot Stent – Senior Guitar Copywriter
My number 1 guitar is a 2011 Music Man Axis finished in a stunning Pacific Blue Burst. And honestly – it’s the perfect guitar for me! I remember trying out an Axis at a store about 4-5 years ago and falling completely in love with it. Unfortunately, I was a bit strapped for cash at the time and couldn’t afford it. Trust me – it was painful to walk away from it! But fast-forward to Summer 2019, and (what would become) my Music Man Axis showed up second-hand at Andertons. I just couldn’t resist it…
It’s my favourite axe because it simply looks incredible, plays like butter and has a very potent sound thanks to its DiMarzio pickup pairing. After many years of owning guitars with poor tuning stability too, the Floyd Rose tremolo really is a blessing and I love using it to embellish lead licks. If I was given the opportunity to spec my very own Music Man guitar, this is the exact model, configuration and colour that I would have chosen. It’s like it was meant to be!
Skervesen Raptor 6
Cian Hodge – Digital Copywriter
My custom Skervesen Raptor is without doubt my most played guitar, easily my best looking guitar and one I could never bring myself to depart with regardless of the offer. How the Polish luthiers managed to make an instrument feel so incredibly personalised based off the vision I gave them is beyond my comprehension of guitar building. It took a full year to make, so they clearly put the effort into every little detail. It’s flawless.
As with any custom guitar, it’s probably not going to be to everyone’s tastes. It features some fancy woods: a poplar burl top which I personally got to pick out and a birdseye maple fretboard. The pickup combination is a Bare Knuckle Juggernaut in the bridge and a Mule in the neck, so you get super-modern clarity combined with PAF warmth. It’s surprisingly nice with the selector in the middle position and the coil-split activated.
Gibson ES-339
Andrew Chart – Head of E-Commerce
One guitar I don’t think I’ll ever part with is my 2012 Gibson ES-339. I didn’t think I’d ever own a proper Memphis guitar, but when I picked this one up – I couldn’t let it go. My wallet hated me at the time… but it inspires me every time I play it, so it was worth it, right?
The ES-339 perfectly balances the character of a hollowbody with the power of a Les Paul. The stock pickups here are Gibson through-and-through; you’ll never get the same versatility out of it as you might a Strat, but through a Marshall or a Fender amp it sings with a boxy mid-range that sits perfectly in the mix of so many genres of music.
Fender Marcus Miller Signature Jazz Bass
James Pearce – Website Manager
My favourite instrument is a 2008 Fender Marcus Miller Signature Jazz Bass. It’s been my workhorse tone machine for nearly 15 years, playing festivals and going on tours! I tried it in jest when visiting my local music store, and immediately knew “she will be mine”! I went back the next day and I’ve never needed another bass since.
With vintage-voiced Jazz Bass pickups, plus an active preamp if it needs an extra kick, the tone can be natural and woody or EQ’d to my taste. The twangy sound and accented trebles make the Marcus Miller the perfect bass for my metal playing to stand out in the mix, but can achieve more toneful timbres when needed. The Badass II Bridge bridge basically never goes out of tune, even when down-tuned for heavy playing, the bass has got weight but not excessively so, and its perfectly slim neck ensures sublime playability. I only wish I bought the 5 string version as well!
Gibson Les Paul Custom
Duncan Andrews – YouTube Community Manager
The one guitar I could never live without would have to be my 1981 Gibson Les Paul Custom. I remember having posters of Jimi Hendrix, Zakk Wylde and various jazz artists on my wall, all playing a Black Beauty Les Paul, so I knew I would do everything I could to own one too one day. The “if it ain’t broke…” motto was never more true for this guitar which has remained completely original, just as it would have been back in 1981. Its stock pickups resonate unlike any guitar I’ve ever played, and with almost 40 years of age, it has acquired a beautiful amount of wear ’n’ tear to give it a truly unique feel.
When I noticed our very own Danish Pete post a picture to Instagram of this 1981 Gibson Les Paul Custom, that had come in 2nd hand to Andertons, I caught the first train down to Guildford. It had already gained a lot of interest from other guitarists, but with the strum of a single chord, I was blown away and had to have it. The tone. The feel. The look. It was everything I could have ever wanted a guitar to be, and it really has inspired me to keep progressing my playing.
Sometimes, one single guitar can speak to you in ways no other can; it can change the way you experience music. In my opinion, you have to follow that feeling of connectivity and run with it. It’s how artists such as myself stay motivated and inspired to keep creating.
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