If I wanted one electric guitar

[joelhunn]

I love jazz guitar and aspire to learn a bit over time. I'm mostly an acoustic guy but would like to add one good electric to the collection. The guitars that catch my eye, are an Eastman El Rey, a PRS single cut, and a Tele thinline. No overdrive for me rhythm and clean single note. Any thoughts?

[vindibona1]

While that Eastman looks like it can do the job for what you've described, for me, the best all-around guitar is a a 335 style guitar. IMO the best bang for the buck is the Epiphone version of the Gibson 335. Jazz? No problem. Rock? No problem.

You can pick up a new Epi 335 pro for about $350 (when on sale). Then I suggest you spend a few dollars to make sure the frets are dead level and the setup is perfect. I have an Epi Dot (the lowest model) and it may be my favorite go-to guitar even though I have 4 Strats, 2 Les Pauls and a Tele. There are several different models ranging from $300-1000.

JMO

[muscmp]

you'll need to use more than your eye. play as many different guitars that you can thru as many amps as you can. you'll then get an overall idea of what you really want.

play music!

[champ0608]

No one ever went wrong with a Telecaster

[Steve DeRosa]

Originally Posted by joelhunn

I love jazz guitar and aspire to learn a bit over time. I'm mostly an acoustic guy but would like to add one good electric to the collection...No overdrive for me, rhythm and clean single note...

Speaking as a satisfied owner it sounds like you're a candidate for a Godin CW II, a twin P-90 single-cut hollowbody in the general mold of the early-50's Gibson ES-175/Epiphone Zephyr. While they make great straight-ahead jazzboxes - Tony Bennett's guitarist has been using one on tour for the last couple years TMK - the lightweight construction gives them a lively, airy tone somewhat reminiscent of a vintage Gretsch, quite different from the thud-&-mud often associated with instruments of this type and far more stylistically versatile than one would expect. As a converted acoustic player you'll also find the handling characteristics quite familiar - the neck/body dimensions are virtually identical to the Seagull mini-jumbos (another Godin product), at ~5 lbs. on the strap the weight is comparable (and about 2-3 pounds less than similar instruments), and QC/playability is up to their usual standard; if you like your electric guitar tone big, clean, and classy, IME one of these through a nice tube amp (I run mine through either a Bugera V22 or V5 95% of the time) may be all the guitar you'll ever need...

Similarly, if you're determined to break from the Gibson/Fender pack and really develop your own signature sound, one of the Korean-made Gretsch 5400/5600-Series semis/hollowbodies may be just what you're looking for; while "That Great Gretsch Sound" isn't everyone's cuppa tea some of the most influential music of the last seven decades has been created on similar instruments, and as a Gretsch owner/player since 1964 I can say without reservation that the current Korean instruments are among the finest ever to bear the marque - every bit the equal of not only the MIJ Professional Series but the golden-era Brooklyn originals as well (many of which were fraught with structural problems, BTW). If you need to cut through an arrangement (or overly enthusiastic audience) without resorting to excessive volume - one of the reasons many of the first-wave British acts favored them when the Vox AC30 was at the top of the power scale - or you're just looking for something that you can make "your own" both visually and sonically, one of these might be a good way to go; frankly, if you're a serious electric player you need at least one Gretsch in your collection - and at the price (well under $1K) you almost can't afford not to own one...

[rwmct]

Originally Posted by champ0608

No one ever went wrong with a Telecaster

My feelings exactly!

[stevecuss]

+1 on the Telecaster

+1 on a 335 style

Can't go wrong with either.

Eastman makes a great 335 style guitar (Eastman T486) that is well worth a look

[Pickcity]

+1 for the Telecaster.

[Mischief]

Can’t go wrong with a Tele.
Every style of music can be played well on one. Very versatile, the only electric I own is a Tele.

[nitram]

Originally Posted by champ0608

No one ever went wrong with a Telecaster

Hard to argue with that advice.For a budget-minded picker I recommend the Squier Classic Vibe Custom or it's sibling the CV 50's Butterscotch Blonde. You can find them used for a really reasonable price ($300 or so) and their quality is much better than the price would lead you to believe.

[Ct20]

joelhunn-
You make no mention of owning an amp. I'm not an electric player so I don't have any recommendations, but I recall many times when people express an interest in playing electric guitar and mention a budget amount the majority say the amp is as important as the guitar.

[Song]

Jazz Guitar.

[imwjl]

Originally Posted by stevecuss

+1 on the Telecaster

+1 on a 335 style

Can't go wrong with either.

You didn't mention budget. Collings are priced like a Gibson reissue but leagues beyond as far as quality.

You won't get me disagreeing with the suggestions. I went quite GAS crazy with electrics and acoustics. Here are my keepers.

[harpspitfire]

1 guitar?? actually i have NO idea, it would probably take a whole life time to decide and answer this question

[guitararmy]

I have way too many electric guitars. If I only had one, it would be something like this:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...ro-fingerboard

or this:

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/det...amber-sunburst

Nice mix of single coil and humbucker sounds from both guitars.