Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet BT

FEBRUARY 2019 TOTAL GUITAR
the tg test
99
I
t’s hard to imagine in this post-Led
Zeppelin and Appetite For Destruction
universe but the Gibson Les Paul was
not an overnight success. In fact, the
original single cutaway model was
discontinued in the early 60s due to
poor sales. The Les Paul was ultimately
saved from oblivion when it was
rediscovered by Eric Clapton and Peter Green in
the mid-60s. These days, an original ’59 Les
Paul costs the same as nice house. Luckily, we
have assembled four modern alternatives that
off er some of the looks and performance for the
price of a night’s stay in a very nice hotel.
‘Handcrafted in China’ the Epiphone Les Paul
Standard PlusTop Pro is an obvious entrant here
thanks to its ancestry. The remaining
contenders, all hailing from various locations in
the Far East, include a descendent of the Les
Paul’s original rival (Gretsch G5220 Electromatic
Jet BT), a version of the single-cut guitar Gibson
tried to kill (PRS SE 245 Standard) and a modern
classic from a recently resurrected-brand, the
Hamer Monaco.
All these guitars off er great looks, playability
and that classic Les Paul twin-humbucker
layout. Let’s fi nd out which guitar is the right
one for you...
SORTED SINGLE-CUTS
UNDER A GRAND
TGR315.gear_test.indd 99 1/3/19 4:34 PM