SPECIAL MENTION: Fender’s new hybrid guitar ($1,999), based on its beloved vintage 1958 electric, goes beyond what prior electrified acoustics have offered to create a new sort of instrument for working musicians. When played unplugged, its hollow body resonates like a traditional acoustic guitar, but when the juice is on, electronics inside let it ring like an amped-up acoustic or roar like a true electric. Moreover, via its signature “Blend” knob, users can discover mixed tone combinations that traditional guitars could never produce. —Don Steinberg
Buy Now: Fender American Acoustasonic Jazzmaster Guitar
More Must-Reads From TIME
- Taylor Swift Is TIME's 2023 Person of the Year
- Meet the Nation Builders
- Why Cell Phone Reception Is Getting Worse
- Column: It's Time to Scrap the Abraham Accords
- Israeli Family Celebrates Release of Hostage Grandmother
- In a New Movie, Beyoncé Finds Freedom
- The Top 100 Photos of 2023
- Want Weekly Recs on What to Watch, Read, and More? Sign Up for Worth Your Time