9 Great Guitars For Playing Blues, Reviewed
While you could play the blues on almost any guitar, there are certain guitars that just feel at home when you start playing those SRV or Clapton licks.
So, if you’re looking for a new purpose-built axe for playing the blues – this article is for you.
Below, I’ll be reviewing a bunch of guitars that are perfect for playing the blues.
These are all either guitars I’ve owned, or played myself. And none of them were provided by brands. My opinions are my own.
Let’s take a look at each of these blues guitars:
1. PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow
PRS are best known for their high end core line of guitars, but they also offer a more wallet friendly “SE” (or Student Edition) line of guitars built in South Korea.
My review of the “PRS SE Custom 22 Semi-Hollow” (pictured above):
Every time I play a guitar made in South Korea, I’ve been impressed. And this PRS SE Custom 22 is no exception.
The setup and playability on this guitar is great. That may have something to do with how PRS don’t just send these direct from the factory to retailers/distributors, they ship them back to their Maryland factory, or PRS Europe for inspection.
Given this guitar has 22 frets, you’ll get more of a classic feel, similar to many others on this list.
The neck is fairly thin, but not too thin. This is what PRS call a “wide thin” neck and offers nice playability if you like to play fast.
Tonally, you get plenty of sustain and the humbuckers offer a variety of tonal options – they’ve got plenty of punch but they’re not too hot. This is a versatile guitar and can do a lot more than blues.
At this price point, the padded gig bag is a nice touch. Overall, this is a great guitar for the money, and well worth checking out, even if you’re considering a USA made PRS.
Alternatives in this range:
The SE line offers plenty of options. Although the exact guitar pictured above is no longer available.
PRS change their lineup every year so it’s best to check out their website to find their latest options. You’ll usually find a few different colour options in the semi-hollow, but there’s also the Zack Myers signature if you prefer a single cut.
There’s also a baritone version with P90 pickups, which I have in my collection:
2. PRS S2 Vela
I’ve owned a few PRS SE’s over the years, including these two, and the quality has been very consistent.
If you want to step away from semi-hollow models, you’ll find plenty more variation, including a bunch of left-handed models.
You’ll occasionally find limited runs of guitars like the “Stealth” series they offered a while back.
And, if you want to step up to an USA made version, the PRS S2 line now includes semi-hollow models.
We’ve already talked about PRS a bit in this post. Here, we’re looking at one of their popular S2 models, the Vela.
If you want an American made PRS but the hefty price tag of a core model is out of reach, the Vela is a great option.
My review of the “PRS S2 Vela Semi-Hollow Reclaimed Wood Series” (pictured above):
I love the vibe of reclaimed woods. The idea that wood brimming with character can be remade to get a new lease of life is a wonderful thing.
This Vela was made from the wood from old buildings in the Brazilian Rainforest. There’s even a nail hole, which just adds to the character.
Like all PRS guitars that I’ve bought over the years, the Vela arrived with a great setup, and impeccable attention to detail.
This guitar is full of vintage vibe and character. There’s a set neck for singing sustain, a plate bridge with brass saddles, and PRS locking tuners.
The tonal options with this guitar are substantial. You’ve got a low output alnico “Starla” humbucker in the bridge, and a Type D single coil in the neck position.
There’s a 3 way toggle switch, with a coil split on the tone pot. If you have expectations in terms of PRS tone, chances are this guitar will break those expectations – in a great way. This guitar has more spank and bite than you might think.
In addition, there’s a padded gig bag to keep the guitar safe.
Overall, I was blown away by this guitar. There’s really something special about that Starla pickup. There’s plenty of tonal variation – it’s great for blues and rock.
If you want a versatile guitar with beautiful tone, superb playability, great build quality, and plenty of vintage vibe – be sure to check out the PRS S2 Vela.
Alternatives in this range:
While the reclaimed wood series was a limited run, the Vela comes in a selection of beautiful colours.
Since this guitar is part of the S2 series, you’ll find a lot more choice when you look at the S2 range. That includes various body shapes, pickup configurations, bridge options, and colours, etc.
3. Music Man Cutlass
The Cutlass definitely looks reminiscent of a popular S-type guitar that we all know and love, but that’s because Leo Fender was involved in Music Man.
After Ernie Ball breathed a new lease of life into Music Man, they launched a number of signature models. The Cutlass, while somewhat overshadowed by these popular signature models, is a great option for those looking to grab a new guitar, especially for blues.
My review of the “Music Man Cutlass HSS” (pictured above):
Back when I first started playing the guitar, one of my friends would rave about the quality of Music Man guitars. But I never had the opportunity to play one.
Now that I have one of my own I can say that he was right to rave about the quality.
Out of the box, everything was perfect about this guitar. The neck felt great, the setup was spot on, and the build quality was stellar.
This guitar has some of that traditional S-type magic about it but with a bunch of modern features.
This includes locking tuners, stainless steel frets and noiseless pickups.
Now, these aren’t noiseless pickups like you may find in a Fender Elite. There’s an active buffer to ensure high signal fidelity, and hum-cancelling circuitry. The downside is that you do need to use a battery to power the circuitry.
That said, the pickups sound great – plenty of clarity and spank without sounding too harsh. And the noise reduction is impressive.
As you might expect with a guitar in this price range, you get a hard-case to keep your guitar safe.
Overall, this is one heck of a guitar and I can see it being part of my collection for a long-time to come.
Alternatives in this range:
There are a bunch of different colours available in the range, with different fretboard woods and HSS or SSS pickup configurations to choose from.
If single coils aren’t your thing, and you want full-fat humbuckers, be su