While 2020 has been a bit of a, how do we put it lightly, hot dumpster fire inside of an even hotter dumpster fire on top of a runaway train falling over the edge of a cliff into an erupting volcano made of needles, there’s always a light at the end of the tunnel, and in our case, it’s sick-ass guitars! Here are 10 of our favorite guitars that came out in 2020:
10. Fender Limited Edition HM Strat
At spot number ten, we have the incredible Fender Limited Edition HM Strat! Harkening back to the good ol’ 80s, this shred machine is Fender’s recreation of their Superstrat design. The guitar features a basswood body, HSS pickup configuration, splitable bridge humbucker, thin “C”-shape maple neck with unique 25.1″ scale, 17″-radius fingerboard, offset neck plate for easy upper fret access, Floyd Rose Special double-locking tremolo system, Gotoh tuners, and a Stylized 80s-era STRAT silk headstock logo and molded “F” logo knobs. It doesn’t get much more 80s than this in 2020, and this guitar is making us wish we could go back.
9. Strandberg Boden Prog Neck-Thru 6
Up next, we have the new Strandberg Boden Prog Neck-Thru 6! If you know Strandberg Guitars, you know that “ergonomic” is their mission statement, and the new neck-thru line of Bodens just adds to their insane playability. The Prog Neck-Thru 6 features their amazing EndurNeck neck profile, neck-thru design, 25-25.5-inch multiscale, chambered swamp ash body, 2 custom humbucker pickups, carbon-reinforced headless maple neck, Strandberg-designed EGS Series 5 tremolo bridge system, and stainless steel frets. If you know, you know.
8. Ernie Ball Music Man BFR Majesty
You know it wouldn’t be a Gear Gods favorite guitars list without some love given to our Holy Father up above, the legendary John Petrucci, so that’s why we’re including this insane Ernie Ball Music Man BFR Majesty! This may be the ultimate JP guitar for many good reasons, including the fact that it features his DiMarzio humbuckers, internal piezo system, 20dB gain boost with push/pull volume control, mahogany neck, roasted maple fretboard, custom floating tremolo, and the fact that there are only 95 in existence and each one is signed by John Petrucci. And obviously, that finish is insanity.
7. Fender Player Series Stratocaster
Another classy guitar, we have this Fender Player Series Stratocaster! This beauty is a great option for those who want an amazing Strat but don’t want to break the bank. The Player Series Strat features a comfort-contoured alder body, maple modern C-shaped neck, 9.5″-radius fingerboard, 22 medium-jumbo frets, 3 Player Series Alnico 5 Strat single-coil pickups, Fender 2-point “Synchronized Tremolo” floating bridge, Fender standard cast/sealed tuning machines, and chrome hardware. Plenty of options for not a whole lot of cashola — that’s a win in our book.
6. Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre
Now to head to a more traditional style of guitars, we have the Ernie Ball Music Man Sabre! This classy axe is definitely one of our favorite guitars of 2020, mostly because it’s an absolute feels machine (watch our review and see for yourself). The Sabre features a lightweight okume body, carved maple top, 5-way pickup selector with Music Man custom-wound humbuckers, hand-rubbed neck finish, 1-11/16″ nut width for extra playing room, and stainless steel frets. We don’t know how it has as much mojo as it does, but we certainly aren’t complaining.
5. Dean Exile Select Floyd Rose 7
Next, we have the Dean Exile Select Floyd 7! This insanely gorgeous 7-string axe from Dean features an alder body with beautiful poplar burl top, 3-piece maple neck with ebony fretboard, EMG 66 TW7 splitable brushed chrome neck pickup, EMG 57 TW7 splitable brushed chrome bridge pickup, and a Floyd Rose 1000 tremolo bridge. It’s a great guitar for those getting into 7-string territory but also want a floating bridge for their squeals and dive-bombs.
4. PRS DW CE 24 “Floyd” Electric Guitar
Up next, we have the Dustie Waring Signature PRS DW CE 24 Floyd! Coming in a variety of beautiful finishes (this one is in “Waring Burst”), the signature guitar of Between the Buried and Me guitarist Dustie Waring features a mahogany body with a figured maple top, Mojotone Dustie Waring Tomahawk humbuckers, Modified Pattern Thin neck, maple fingerboard, black hardware with a smooth satin finish, and a Floyd Rose 1000 tremolo bridge. Perfect for fans of BTBAM and PRS metalheads alike.
3. Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
Our next favorite guitar from this year is this Fender American Professional II Stratocaster! With all the features that make a Strat a Strat, the American Pro II series offers some additional specs that make this guitar the perfect choice for a ton of players out there. It features updated V-Mod II single-coil pickups for that vintage-style Strat sound with enhanced clarity, added push-push tone controls, a 2-point tremolo with cold-rolled steel tone block, satin-finished maple neck, deep “C” neck profile, a contoured neck heel for playing in the upper register, as well as narrow tall frets for additional comfort. It’s about as modern as modern gets when it comes to a traditional Strat, and you can learn more about it here.
2. Dave Davidson Signature Jackson Pro Series Warrior WR7 MAH
Up next, we have the Jackson Pro Series Dave Davidson Signature Warrior WR7! Fans of Revocation and Dave Davidson will most likely recognize this wild guitar, but it also might be the perfect axe for those just getting into thrash and extreme metal. The guitar features a maple neck-thru design, mahogany body wings, hand-rubbed oil neck, compound radius ebony fingerboard, graphite reinforced neck, a pair of DiMarzio Imperium humbuckers with coil tap, and a Floyd Rose 1000 Series double-locking tremolo bridge. A pretty wild guitar from an even wilder guitarist.
1. Ernie Ball Music Man Jason Richardson Signature Cutlass HH
Taking the #1 spot – it’s the Signature Jason Richardson Cutlass HH from Ernie Ball Music Man! The absolute pinnacle of a total shred machine, the guitar features a classic alder body, buckeye burl top, roasted maple neck, ebony fingerboard, 24 stainless steel frets, custom-voiced EBMM humbuckers with push-pull coil-split, active silent circuit, onboard +20dB boost, straight-pull oversized headstock, and Schaller M6-IND locking tuners. It plays like absolute butter, and if you’re a Jason Richardson fan or just a shred fan in general, it doesn’t get much better than this beast of a guitar.
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