The One Guitar Most Guitarists Would Play for the Rest of Their Lives
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We asked 500+ guitarists which guitar they’d play if they could only ever play one for the rest of their lives. Some of them refused to answer, and a few told me the question was stupid. But hundreds of people did answer, and the patterns were clearer than we expected.
In this post, we cover the eleven guitars that came up over and over. If you’re trying to decide what your forever guitar should be, start with our list here:
1. Fender Stratocaster
This was the runaway winner; more guitarists picked a Strat than any other single model.
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A Stratocaster covers more genres than any other electric guitar made. Blues, funk, country, surf, indie, classic rock, metal, R&B, the list goes on.
The 5-way pickup switch gives you five distinct voices in one guitar. It’s light enough to play for hours, and reliable enough to gig with for decades.
If you’re going to play one guitar for the rest of your life, the Strat is a pretty safe pick. You will almost never be in a musical situation where a Strat doesn’t work.
2. Fender Telecaster
The Tele was the second-most-named guitar in the comments. How big was the gap between the Telecaster and the Strat, you might ask? To be honest, it was smaller than expected.
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Tele players are DEVOUT. They absolutely love it. The loyalty for this guitar is relatively unmatched in the guitar space.
And the reason is pretty simple.. a Telecaster is the most reliable and direct.
You’ve got two pickups, three knobs, a bridge that never breaks, and a bolt-on neck you can replace in 20 minutes. If your forever guitar has to last you 50 years without breaking your heart, the Tele is the answer.
3. Gibson Les Paul
The Les Paul showed up over and over in our poll. Of course, many models were named, sometimes the 1959 Standard, sometimes an Epiphone, sometimes the Studio they bought used.
Les Paul players pick this guitar because nothing else sounds like it. The humbuckers are thick, warm, and sustain forever, and the short scale length makes chord stretches easier than they’d be on a Strat.
The set neck transfers vibration through the whole body, and the weight anchors you to the floor when you dig in.
If you mostly play rock, blues, or anything heavier, the Les Paul is a great option.
4. Martin D-28
This was the acoustic that came up more than any other, and by a wide margin.
The D-28 has been the reference standard for acoustic guitars since 1931. It’s what every dreadnought ever built has been measured against. Many notable guitarists have played this model, and clearly our audience can agree.
If you only get one guitar forever, and you don’t need to plug in, a D-28 is what you want. And the longer you own it, the better it sounds.
5. Gibson SG
The SG showed up consistently in the comments, and it’s the smart play for a forever guitar if you love Gibson tone but don’t love Gibson weight.
It’s basically a Les Paul that hits the gym – haha. It has the same humbuckers, scale length, and set neck, but half the weight. The double cutaway gives you better fret access than a Les Paul, which matters when you’re playing solos. Angus Young, Tony Iommi, and Derek Trucks all play this guitar.
The SG is the Gibson you can stand up and play for two hours without hurting your shoulder.
6. PRS Custom 24
PRS came up more than I expected. This is the Custom 24 specifically.
PRS exists in the space between Strat and Les Paul, and the Custom 24 has nailed it. The coil-tap humbuckers give you single-coil chime and humbucker thump. The 24 frets give you full upper-register access, and the build quality is some of the best on the market.
If you can’t decide between a Strat or a Les Paul and you want one guitar that does both reasonably well, the PRS Custom 24 is the way to go.
7. Gibson ES-335
Drum rollll… this is the semi-hollow holy grail.
The ES-335 came up MANY times, and often as the answer from players who’ve owned everything.
The 335 is recommended when you want humbucker warmth but with more air and resonance than a Les Paul gives you. It’s a jazz guitar that plays rock, a rock guitar that plays jazz, and a blues guitar that plays clean enough for country. Chuck Berry, BB King, and Dave Grohl have all played one.
If you like to play many genres and you want a guitar with character, the 335 might be the one for you!
8. Martin D-18
The Martin D-18 was a less popular answer than the D-28 in our poll, but still very much present. The mahogany back and sides give it a punchier midrange than the rosewood D-28, which is why it’s often called the “fingerstyle” Martin.
Players who pick a D-18 over a D-28 usually do it because they want a more focused, percussive sound. It’s a guitar that sits well in a mix and works beautifully for fingerstyle and singer-songwriter material.
Let’s just put it this way.. if a D-28 is the orchestra, then the D-18 is the chamber group.
9. Gibson J-45
The J-45 came up dozens of times in our poll, and often from players who specifically said they preferred it over a Martin.
The J-45 has been called “the workhorse” for 80 years and for good reason. It’s the acoustic guitar that has shown up on more records than almost any other single instrument.
Bob Dylan, James Taylor, Jeff Tweedy, and Noel Gallagher all played one.
The slope-shoulder body shape makes it punchy in the midrange and easy to sing over.
10. Gretsch 6120 / White Falcon
The Gretsch 6120 and the White Falcon tied in our poll. Both came up a LOT in the poll because they go after the same kind of player; the player who wants jangle, twang, and character in a guitar.
Brian Setzer, Chet Atkins, Eddie Cochran, Stephen Stills, Bono, and Billy Duffy from The Cult all play one.
If your idea of a forever guitar involves rockabilly twang, swampy reverb, and/or a guitar that looks like a Cadillac.. pick this one!
11. Ibanez RG, JEM, or Prestige
The shredders showed up loud and proud for this poll. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.
Multiple players named an Ibanez as their forever guitar, usually the RG, the Steve Vai signature JEM, or something from the Prestige line.
Ibanez has spent 40 years optimizing for playability, and they’re better at it than anyone else. The necks are thin, fretboards are flat, the action is low out of the box, and the tremolo systems stay in tune. If you play fast, or you want to play fast, this is the guitar you need.
So which one should you get?
The overall pick was a Stratocaster. It’s the most versatile electric guitar ever made, affordable at every quality level, and covers more musical ground than anything else on this list.
But, of course, the Strat won’t be the right answer for everyone. If you mostly play rock, the Les Paul or SG might be a good fit. If you mostly play acoustic, the D-28 is very hard to beat. And if you sing, the J-45 might be best for you.
If you don’t have a forever guitar yet, any of these eleven are a pretty good place to start.
