I don’t have ‘dream’ guitars per se. Too many times I’ve lusted after something, had the opportunity to play one and realized……”eh”.
Going on looks alone, a Gretsch Jupiter Thunderbird (aka the BillyBo) is one I’d like to test drive in the hope I’d fall in love…
Original Steinbergers (pre-Gibson buyout) have been out of production since 1987. Gibson screwed the brand over with lower quality.
I had a GR-4 from ‘89 or ‘90 (headless, Strat style body, passive pups and non-TransTrem). Compared to the originals, it was a steaming pile of crap……but man did it ever look cool.
The Trans-Trem was a marvel, but requires precision-made components.
Your list for an original is justified. Those things are badass.
I wish Line 6 would release a next-gen version of their Variax guitars. As someone who is firmly in the Helix ecosystem and does a lot of home recording, that’d be my dream. Alas, the current Variax guitars are lacking.
Ibanez Chromeboy. Any version. Been the dream since the 90s.
Vai’s FTLoG guitar. Been obsessed since the video and had the Guitar World (I think) centerfold on my wall until I moved out of my mom’s place.
Les Claypool’s Carl Thompson bass. I don’t even play bass lol
I think of all of the signature models out now, Govan’s seems amazing and I think I’d love Petrucci’s EBMM but I’ve never seen either in real life.
Ed Roman guitars used to do a custom EBMM Van Halen clone with a TransTrem, nicknamed “Edberger.”
I like the idea of the Floyd equipped James Tyler Variax, but 1) it appears to be out of production now, and 2) the pickups are sitting in a slightly raised wooden ridge in the middle of the guitar face instead of a nice smooth face.
Well since no one has claimed the “TelySevalas” RG from Gilb’s first Intense Rock vid it’s up to me! Just awesome, regular dots and matching pickguard. I’ve never been able to figure out if there’s a name for the color, looks different in every photo. I’m guessing it’s a pearl finish that looks really different in different light.
Apparently PG had it in pieces for years and gave it to a friend in return for organizing his emails of all things, wonder if it was ever restored. I’m working on painting an RG in metalflake, if that works out who knows . . . might get ambitious and make a replica from an old RG.
[EDIT] Near as I can tell the guitar disappeared, it was owned by someone named Chad Dyers back in 2003 and even photos from then are dead links now. BTW I’m convinced the guitar in my head never existed, it was hot-pink and the deep burgundy I remember was the result of the synthwave-style lighting in the studio. Ah, well.
I’ve always wanted one of those Parker fly guitars. Sadly they are not made anymore 🫤
Some part of me still wants the Mattias Eklundh Caparison sig model, even though I’m past my 8 string phase. The 6K price tag also helps curb the urge.
That’s gorgeous!! I’m insanely envious!
6000 lol man, some guitars are ridiculous…
I notice it’s got the true tempered frets. I think I’d rather get a midi pick up to get a proper intonation over the wavy frets. Tho they are expensive too…
I’d love one too, I didn’t know they were not made anymore?
Yeah the company finished up a long time ago now unfortunately. So the only way to get one is used and extremely expensive 
I remember playing one early on. Nice instrument. Not sure how they faired when they were sold to US Music Corp (2003).
Factoid: Ken Parker rightly gets most of the credit, but he and Lawrence Fishman (Fishman Electronics, anyone?) shared several patents used in the guitar.
I never knew that! I have fishman pups in my Ibanez. Sound great to my ears!
Epiphone re-released those in the later naughts for a period. Wouldn’t have been too hard to add the mini and super distortion, don’t know about the Kahler though unless you really wanted it to be an exact replica of his guitar. They didn’t come in pink or green either I think both Bruce and Paul did that.
I still have a ‘97 USA patent pending that I bought in high school after working and saving all year.
I actually played some Gretsch guitars yesterday in a store for the first time. I was amazed at how nice they were to play! I didn’t plug in but was curious as to the feel of the instrument. These guitars are unbelievable! The neck playability was possibly the best I have ever experienced. Just so enjoyable to play. I was playing some alt picked shred licks - testing it out - soooo comfortable. I was playing high end Gretsch guitars - have yet to test the cheaper ones. Also the build quality was just gorgeous!
As I said I haven’t plugged one in yet - but would highly recommend checking them out for anyone who is into shred and guitar ergonaomics.
