From £1,000 to £2,000

GIBSON SG STANDARD ’61 WITH MAESTRO VIBROLA £1,649

This model presents an attractive spin on the SG with the vibrola’s smooth expression and retro aesthetic – it’s also satisfyingly stable for general use. A sculpted mahogany body, slim taper mahogany neck, bound rosewood fingerboard with trapezoid inlays, and a pair of covered 61R and T Burstbucker humbuckers make for a versatile solidbody here. www.gibson.com

FENDER AMERICAN ORIGINAL ’60S STRATOCASTER £1,699

Replacing the American Vintage, the Original series is the closest to vintage you’ll get from Fender USA, with an alder body, ‘round laminate’ rosewood fretboard, a ‘thick ’60s C’ maple neck profile and Pure Vintage ’65 Gray-Bottom single coils. The playing experience recalls vintage, but it’s all a bit easier and slinkier, with an appealing body. www.fender.com

EASTMAN SB/56N-GD £1,769

This Lollar soapbar-loaded vintage-style single-cut features a vintage nitro finish and aged hardware. P-90s excel at spikier rock rhythm, but there’s impressive ground to be explored with the tones, from surprisingly jazz-like thrum to some snappy funk, and sophisticated soul to nasally cocked-wah classic rock. Eastman delivers here for build quality, sound and price. www.eastmanguitars.com

PRS S2 MCCARTY 594 THINLINE £1,649

The 594 platform was introduced in 2016 and presents a classic Gibson-aimed recipe that differs with its two-piece bridge/tailpiece and four-control layout. While Core-level 594 models will cost you a pretty penny, the same two-piece bridge and tailpiece from it are employed here, while the 58/15 ‘S’ humbuckers produce a pretty classic voice. www.prsguitars.com

FENDER AMERICAN ORIGINAL ’70S TELECASTER CUSTOM £1,699

For many players, humbuckers on a Fender are just wrong, but with the reproduction of its Cunife magnets, the return of the real Wide Range humbucker might change your mind. It does a great Keef impersonation, but there’s a lot more to the seemingly cleaner and brighter PAF-style voice of the Wide Range, which makes this feel very much a guitar for today. www.fender.com

FENDER AMERICAN ULTRA STRATOCASTER £1,799

The Ultra represents the most contemporary vision of the Strat, but this guitar is still unmistakably Fender. The compound radius fingerboard, sculpted neck heel, Noiseless pickups and S-1 switching to activate neck and bridge pickups are not features aimed at traditionalists, but for anyone else this is a superb showcase for Strat definition and versatility. www.fender.com