Best Signature Guitars: 5 Legendary Artist Models Worth Playing
Is weird and bespoke the way forward?
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The Best Signature Guitars: 5 Legendary Artist Models Worth Playing · Source: Alamy Stock Photo / Davide Sciaky
These signature guitars represent the finest qualities from some of your favourite artists. With these models, you’ll know that no expense has been spared.
Signature Guitars You Should Try
All About Signature Guitars:
- Signature guitars represent the best of the best. Offering players the sound and feel of the players they idolise.
- These guitars allow players to get as close as they can to the gear of their guitar heroes.
- Paying a premium for guitars is not uncommon, but sometimes these raised prices can feel like a stretch for signature guitars.
Gibson Noel Gallagher LP Standard EB
In our first look at signature guitars, we’re looking into a relatively new drop from Gibson. Oasis guitarist, Noel Gallagher, is responsible for bucket hat-wearing budding guitarists. This *LP Standard in Ebony Black is a cool one to look out for.
This is based on the main guitar that he uses with The High Flying Birds, despite the recent Oasis reunion. Here, we get all of the classic Les Paul attributes, without any crazy colour schemes. Therefore, I like that you could buy this and fly under the radar.
Welcome appointments include my pick of the bunch, with the slim taper neck. Moreover, I think you should give this a try, as it’s uncommon for players to buy an LP with P90 single coil pickups. Giving the instrument a totally different vibe.
Suhr Pete Thorn Signature HSS GM
Next up in our list, we’re moving from Manchester to Canada. Pete Thorn is a severely underrated guitarist, but he has played for some big names! Notably, Chris Cornell, and is currently touring with Steve Vai.
I’ve been lucky enough to see Pete Thorn play a couple of his signature models. In conversation, he said how he loves the two-post Wilkinson tremolo system on this *HSS GM. It provides the float and accuracy of a Floyd Rose, without the logistical and maintenance nightmares.
These also come with jumbo stainless steel frets for bends anywhere and everywhere, plus a signature Thornbucker pickup in the bridge. Although for when you want to clean things up, there are a pair of Two Suhr V63 single coils. The finish speaks for itself!
PRS SE Ed Sheeran Cosmic Splash
Thirdly, in our pick of signature guitars, we’re going from a player who you should have heard of, to one that you hear all the time. Ed Sheeran divides opinion amongst guitarists. Earlier in 2026, he collaborated with PRS and came up with the *Cosmic Splash SE.
Limited to just 1000 units worldwide, Sheeran used this for his song, Drive, that featured in ‘F1 The Movie’. Along with John Mayer, this PRS really stood out. And, do you know what? I don’t hate the finish! It’s so weird, I think I actually like it.
Overall, this semi-hollow body guitar is made from mahogany and has a rosewood fingerboard. Upon which sit bird inlays. Moreover, you get an adjustable stoptail bridge with the addition of an L.R. Baggs / PRS Piezo system, as well as the twin humbucking pickups. It’s certainly an oddball, but well worth a try.
Fender Yngwie Malmsteen MN VW
Yngwie Malmsteen is an absolute 1980s super shredder! Rivalling other greats such as Paul Gilbert and Joe Satriani. He may look to play just a humble Stratocaster, but look a little closer and you’ll see something rather bizarre.
Overall, it’s a typical strat. For your *£2,399, you get an alder body along with some tasty Seymour Duncan YJM single coils. However, it’s on the maple neck where things start to change.
This signature guitar has 21 Dunlop Super Jumbo frets, sitting on a scalloped fretboard. No, the neck isn’t broken, that’s how they’re meant to look! In my 18 years of playing, I have never tried a scalloped fretboard, so it really is something that I must try. Maybe you should, too?
Brian May Red Special
Concluding our look at signature guitars, we have one of the most instantly recognisable guitars ever. Brian May’s Red Special is the visual epitome of Queen’s music. Well, other than Freddie Mercury’s moustache.
Built out of an old fireplace with his Dad, May handcrafted his own guitar with a make-do and mend attitude due to not being able to afford his own guitar. The original guitar features Burns pickups and frets made from fishing wire. It truly is a remarkable piece of design.
A lot of signature guitars are very expensive. However, *Harley Benton offers a very convincing copy of Brian May’s guitar. They’re well worth checking out if you’re looking for some out-of-phase pickup playing.
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