What guitar to buy to showcase the Kemper

Well, I have a Suhr Modern Govan Guthrie signature and a Pro Standard. And they both are wonderful instruments and together with my KPA I can see that I will never "need" another guitar or amp.
I have sold the Fender Strat and PRS Custom 24 that were my main guitars before discovering Suhr, I had figured that I would keep them around for a 'selection of sounds' but in reality there were nothing they could bring that my Suhr couldn't as well, or better.
I do have huge respect for both Music Man and Tom Anderson but I haven't found a MM neck that I felt comfortable with and I personally feel that Suhr is a bit more 'organic' (whatever that should mean?) than the TA guitars I've tried. YMMW!

Depending on the amp or profile, different guitars shine, just like they do with real amps, so you'll tend to choose profiles that sound good with the guitar you are using.

There are a plethora of boutique guitars and only by playing one will you know. I suggest you get out there and play until one speaks to you. I played 5 different Tele 52 RI and they were literally all different. I've read the same about LPs. PRS is known for their QA.

I have tried a few Suhr's and Andersons but haven't been impressed like others have. Yeah, they're better than Fenders average quality control and finishing. But there are great Fenders out there that are just as great, depending on the pups you put in them.

In the end, it's a relationship that you will only get when you spend some time with individual guitars. So don't rush it. Make it a journey of visiting places, playing, and when you can't put it down, that's the one.

Of the guitars I own, I've been impressed with the playability of MusicMan, Larrivee, & PRS. I'm very impressed with the tone of my LP. Nothing in the world comes close to it's crunch/distortion that is just so ballzy. But it's short scale is a PIA, so I'm with you on the 24 scale. Sometimes you need a few guitars to get the tones and playability you like. I don't think one guitar would ever do it for me.

For the Petrucci: make shure you can operate with the toggle knob in the upper hotn. For me its horrible for tapping. Evertime when tried it, i touched it. For me not the right place for this knob. The guitar sounds good.
I like the sound of Andy Timmos. Maybe you have the option to check out this wonderfull guitar. Sounds very good.
My absolutely favorit is the Ibanez Jem. I have 3 ones. The jem V7 wh with Floyd rose and scalloped frets on the end of the fretboard is an absolut top guitar, with tons of sound. Hear Steve Vai Examples. It has the cooles clean sound i ve ever heard.
I tested the Petrucci because i was interessted in the piezo sound, but finaly i came back to the Jem.
you can hear my white one here: soundcloud/ eltzejupp / steves for the love of god. Or you go to my profile. I have uploade this cover here

Tom Anderson is in another league, Suhr is not on a par with Anderson, IMO.
I'd say Suhr is on a par with the best of Fender Custom Shop and perhaps a little better.

Tom Anderson pickups are the best pickups I've ever played, then again Suhr make some awesome pickups as well.

If I were to spend $3500.00 on a guitar with a Tremelo, then I'd go with a Tom Anderson Bulldog "Locker".
It will be a great investment because Tom has just scrapped the Bulldog series because of a Gibson law suit that he's unable to defend in court for financial reasons, so I guess you'd have to find a second hand one.

http://www.andersonguitars.com…_family/bdlocker_over.cfm

Anything from botique to home-made will do, but to showcase the versatility of any amp (Tube/SS/Sim) you need a guitar with a set of pickups that offer great tonal variation. I would choose a guitar with SSH or HSH-configuration with humbuckers that offer a decent single-coil tone. Among the best all-round guitars I've tested in recent years is PRS' Brent Mason signature model. Those narrowfield buckers split unlike most others with no significant loss of signal. Unfortunately PRS doesn't sell these pickups separately.

The 3 guitars on OPs list will all do an excellent job, although I suspect both Suhr and Anderson will beat EBMM wrt versatility with the factory installed pickups. There is however IMHO an issue with the position of the neck-pickup on 24-fret guitars for certain techniques and tone. I would have preferred 22-frets if I were to use the guitar to demo/showcase an amp. (disclaimer: I play a TAG Short Drop Top myself).

Quote from heldal

To showcase the versatility of any amp (Tube/SS/Sim) you need pickup that offer great tonal variation. I would choose a guitar with SSH or HSH-configuration with humbuckers that offer a decent single-coil tone. Among the best all-round guitars I've tested in recent years is PRS' Brent Mason signature model. Those narrowfield buckers split unlike most others with no significant loss of signal. Unfortunately PRS doesn't sell these pickups separately.

The 3 guitars on OPs list will all do an excellent job, although I suspect both Suhr and Anderson will beat EBMM wrt versatility with the factory installed pickups. There is however IMHO an issue with the position of the neck-pickup on 24-fret guitars for certain techniques and tone. I would have preferred 22-frets if I were to use the guitar to demo/showcase an amp. (disclaimer: I play a TAG Short Drop Top myself).

I have a PRS Brent Mason sig!

Just to be the voice of boredom: Consider whether the best guitars to showcase the Kemper really are the high-end boutique guitar stuff - or the guitars that everybody's heard on records, and there is a good chance the people doing the profiles have actually used to dial in their amps - like the straight up Strats, Teles and LPs.

With that said: if you want a higher-dollar guitar, go for it! (who am I to get between a man and his GAS? Actually, that came out wrong)...

Quote from Michael_dk

Just to be the voice of boredom: Consider whether the best guitars to showcase the Kemper really are the high-end boutique guitar stuff - or the guitars that everybody's heard on records, and there is a good chance the people doing the profiles have actually used to dial in their amps - like the straight up Strats, Teles and LPs.

This is actually pretty good advice. Don't overlook the mainstream guitars. There are gems out there among them. Why not include those in your search, as there is nothing to lose, and much to gain.

edit: FWIW, I absolutely LOVE the sound of a tele through the Kemper

Without knowing what you already have, I suggest getting three or more used guitars (each one very different than the other two) instead of one guitar. Go for tonal variety, and playability.

Quote from paults

Without knowing what you already have, I suggest getting three or more used guitars (each one very different than the other two) instead of one guitar. Go for tonal variety, and playability.

Seconded. Instead for a universal guitar that claims to do it all go for a good Tele, Strat and LP.
And perhaps something Gretsch-y and LP Junior/ SG with a P90 later on.

Saw now you're specifically looking for a jack-of-all-trades. Those kinds of things are usually a jack-of-all-tradeOFFs However, it might be perfectly fine for what YOU want. But I think you should make up your mind what genre is the MOST important to you and so forth, because you won't get a Tele for country and a LP for rock and a PRS for metal or whatever in ONE guitar.

I have many time had the same question in my head about my gear and maxing out the benefits of what I've got in my stable. I have owned over 100 guitars...most of them recently boutique builds. Over the last year I've come to the conclusion that the "tools" that I use each have their own character and my search for the perfect amp or instrument is a temporal experience. I love the tones of a good tele, strat, les paul, and the combinations of the three. I have spent thousands on great Tom Anderson SuperStrat style guitars and their build quality was amazing...tones were also stellar. The same goes for my experiences with Suhr guitars. I've owned and heard the same criticisms of Suhr, Tom Anderson, and PRS. Some are amazing and "organic," while others are sterile and perfect in appearance but lacking in tone. A great instrument is one that makes you want to play more..... Ultimately....your excellent budget won't get you there. You may be better off getting a good quality standard instrument of each type that you want (have to play them in person....test them with your actual rig). I have found that for $1000 I can get an excellent feeling and sounding instrument of the tele or strat variety. For LP style guitars.....it's more in the $1300-1800 range (not considering flame tops....special tone woods, etc). Play a bunch of guitars with you rigs......line up 4 or 5 candidates and play them with tons of profiles. Buy anywhere from 1-3 that suit your tonal pleasure...... No need to go nuts :). Just my 0.02.

I'd say the same as some of the others here, each of my guitars is better at one thing or another. 2 or 3 good guitars (strat, tele, les paul, gretsch) purchased used would be awesome. I understand the appeal of one really nice boutique guitar though. I would shamelessly vote for a hollow body Gretsch if you want one guitar though, no bias here

different guitars have a different vibe.
which leads to different playing,
which leads to different ideas.
which I Iike!

I did manage to put together a very, very good all-round guitar (it's mainly about the choice of pickups IMO),
but I still 'need' my Tele, 339, P90 eqipped workhorse, SG, Dano and so on.

If you feel like treating yourself to a really nice guitar (which I can totally understand)
have you thought about supporting a local luthier?

You can get a top notch one-of-a-kind custom made guitar for this kind of money.

I always encourage players to think about their own custom guitar, perhaps created by a small manufacture within your own region. This is what i did and i could not be happier. Not only that you can merge all your favourite features and ideas into an "ultimate" guitar. I also creates a much deeper relationship to your instrument. Though this might sound strange this is a very important aspect imo. The more time you spent to think and design your own instrument, the more you will feel connected to it. It feels like the instrument has way more personality than a standard "off the shelf" guitar.

Of course a single guitar cannot fit into ANY musicial context. There are times when i pick up a strat or a semi acoustic if the situation requires it. But my custom guitar is used 95% of the time.

If you do go the route of a local luthier, be aware that the resale price may be lesser if he doesn't have a known name. (in any case, hopefully, reselling won't become relevant).

I haven't played any of the three you've mentioned so can't help decide between them - I'm sure they'd all be wonderful guitars.

Having said that, I agree with those who have suggested several guitars to blow the budget I've had (and still have some) guitars which offer coil taps to give 'strat like tones' or 'tele like tones'. I may have been unlucky but I've yet to hear a split humbucker that sounds as nice as the pickup it's supposed to be imitating in the right body shape..... We can all argue about wood / set neck vs bolt on / bridge style etc making a difference or not till the cows come home but most folks would agree that a single coil neck pickup in a strat sounds quite different from a single coil neck pickup in a tele. And both sound different to a split humbucker set in a slab of mahogany. From a physics point of view, I don't quite get why. From a real-world perspective, that's been my experience.

That's not to say that split coils always sound bad - they don't. I think that in a gigging guitar they are fantastically useful to keep the song flow going without having to change guitars in a room full of very drunk people. But at home? I'll put down the humbucker guitar and grab the tele or the strat because, for that kind of tone, they do a better job than a coil split. And it gets worse as I've got a P90 equipped solid body guitar on its way to go alongside the Casino that also does its own unique and lovely thing with the Kemper......

Good luck and enjoy, whatever you end up doing

Just my 2 cents, always choose a guitar for sounds over looks. That will keep you happier in the long run.