So after quite a few years of playing, buying and selling guitars I decided it would be fun to take a look at them all and try to rank them.
There’s no set criteria per se, so I did my best to place them in the appropriate spot. Some are maybe lower on the list than they kind of deserve just because I never got to use it much, for example, and some of them I sold 10+ years ago… So it’s kind of a case by case thing based on different factors. Maybe there’s a bit of recency bias to the ones I have played more recently too… who knows, but it’s all just for fun!
I did the rankings in the classic tier list format and I created the following tiers:
Holy Grail
Very Good
Good
Meh
A bit s**t
Absolute Ass
(Pardon my humor)
Here are my rankings:
HOLY GRAIL TIER:
1: Ibanez Pia
2: Charvel Guthrie Govan Signature
3: Charvel DK24 HSS
4: Ibanez RG8570Z RBS J Custom
VERY GOOD TIER:
5: Ibanez PM-120
6: Jackson Pro Jeff Loomis Signature Kelly
7: Ibanez RG1XXV 25th Anniversary
8: Charvel DK22 SSS
9: Ibanez RG5320 Prestige Cosmic Shadow
10: Ibanez Prestige RGR5221
11: Suhr Modern Satin
12: Kiesel Johnny Hiland Signature Solo
13: Ibanez RG5170G Prestige, Silver Flat
14: Vigier Excalibur Bumblefoot Signature
15: Vigier Excalibur Shawn Lane Signature
16: Fender American Professional II Stratocaster
17: Vigier Surfreter Supra Fretless
18: Ibanez PGM100
19: Ibanez RG6PCMLTD Premium, Blue Reef Gradation
20: Kiesel Tim Miller Signature
GOOD TIER:
21: Ibanez Q54 Seafoam Green
22: Ibanez AZ47P1QM
23: Jackson Pro Plus Soloist SLA3Q
24: Carvin DC800
25: Music Man Axis
26: Ibanez 550XH
27: Gibson SG (1991)
28: Ibanez EHB1505MS
29: Fender American 50th Anniversary Stratocaster
30: Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster HSS
31: Godin Multiac Grand Concert Duet Ambience Nylon String
32: Ibanez JSM100 John Scofield Signature Guitar
33: Charvel Limited Edition Pro-Mod Plus Dinky DK24-7
34: Ibanez TQM1
35: Ibanez RG550 Genesis
36: Taylor 214ce-FLTD Fall Limited Edition
37: Kiesel PB5
38: Strandberg Boden Standard NX 6
39: Yamaha PAC1611MS - Mike Stern Sginature guitar
40 & 41: Fender American Professional Telecaster II
42: Ibanez Iron Label RGIX6DLB
43: Ibanez JEM7V
44: Ibanez THHb10 Tim Henson Signature
45: Ibanez LM1
46: Mayones Regius 6
47: Ibanez PGM333
48: Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster (HSS, 2nd one)
49: Charvel Wild Card #4
50: Jackson Rhoads V (Not sure about exact model)
51: Schecter 80’s Tele
52: Ibanez Talman TM303M
53: Ibanez Premium RG721RW
MEH TIER:
54: Squier Bass VI
55: Ibanez RG550 Genesis
56: Steinberger Spirit
57: Ibanez Roadstar II
58: Strandberg Sälen Deluxe
59: G&L Legacy USA
60: B.C. Rich Warlock NJ Neck-Thru
61: Fender Precision Bass
62: PRS USA S2 Vela Semi Hollow
63: Mayones Duvell Elite 7
64: Warwick Corvette Pro Series 5 Fretless Bass
65: Music Man Cutlass SSS
66: Line 6 Variax Bass
67: Jivestone Bass
68: Strandberg Boden Standard 7
69: Ibanez TAM10
70: Jivestone Acoustic Guitar
A bit s**t TIER:
71: Jackson JS32-8 Dinky DKA SBK AH
72: Fender Eric Johnson Stratocaster (SSS, 1st one)
73: G&L USA ASAT Hollow Deluxe
74: Danelectro Baritone Guitar
75: Danelectro DC-59 Psychedelic Eric Clapton
76: Replica Of Music Man Axis
77: Seagull C6+ CW
ABSOLUTE ASS TIER:
78: Partscaster Thing
79: TERRIBLE unknown acoustic
There’s a few that could be seen as controversial, but then it may come down to my specific experience with that guitar and not so much the quality. Maybe it just needed a setup and I was too lazy to do it before selling it or something like that. In the video version of the ranking I tried to justify each placement a bit more.
Soooo, now it’s time for you to post YOUR rankings! I realize if you have had many guitars it might be a lot of work, but I think it would be fun to see how other people would rank the stuff they’ve had!