I'm Sorry Guys

[sosomething]

I

LOVE IT

when somebody new comes to the realization that

"OMG THERE IS A REASON ALL THESE CHEAP GUITARS ARE CHEAP AND THE SPENSIV ONES R SPENSIVzoRZOMFG"

and they just have to start a thread

TO TELL THE WORLD!

Because this amazing news they have just discovered

must be shared

it changes everything!

Lawl.

No offense, Xander.

















Do understand that in six months, it will be time for the thread from you that tells us all how "Omg guys tone really IS in the fingers!!!"

[Mr Wolf]

Well on the whole i'd say you get what you pay for. Of course there are cases where a guitar maybe overpriced or you may get lucky and stumble upon something that is genuinely good and cheap.

Pete... Pretty shocking hearing those stories about the quality over there. Pretty cool that PRS's reputation extends to that corner of the globe. As well as your own, is there a good number of aussie brands as a result of this?

[Empty Pockets]

sosomething, man, i wish this sort of thing were common sense but it's gotta be every other day that somebody brings in some sub-standard guitar acting like they got ripped off because it doesn't perform like the $2500 handmade guitar it's imitating.

I also see a lot of skilled players turn planks of plywood into beautiful music but threads like that aren't angsty enough for me.

[cvansickle]

From my experience, there are gems and pigs in all price ranges. Bottom line, play as many guitars as you can, and choose the one that plays and sounds the best. Then look at the price tag.

[mrturtle_91]

There's a reason I got rid of my cheap guitars...The Epiphone Special II and the Squier Strat I had both sounded like crap, and played like crap, so I traded them because neither of them were worth keeping. I'm much happier having my MIM Tele and my Gretsch that are actually great guitars that sound great, and play great.

[sosomething]

sosomething, man, i wish this sort of thing were common sense but it's gotta be every other day that somebody brings in some sub-standard guitar acting like they got ripped off because it doesn't perform like the $2500 handmade guitar it's imitating.

I also see a lot of skilled players turn planks of plywood into beautiful music but threads like that aren't angsty enough for me.

LOL

I was really just giving you a hard time.

I know it's not always the prevailing wisdom, but it's not uncommon to see people post these kinds of threads... It's part of a normal forum lifecycle we all go through. There are stages:

1. introduction!
2. Overwhelmed by information
3. Questioning Everything
4. The onset of GAS
5. The realization that Lots of cheap guitars < one or two good ones
6. The realization that, beyond a certain price point, quality is moot and only preference remains
7. The realization that all the fancy options, switches, and "versatility" isn't as valuable as that one really simple setup that requires the variation to come from the hands and not the feet
8. The realization that super expensive gear doesn't matter as long as you play well
9. The realization that people are people, will do what they want, and that no one perspective is really any better or different than another
10. The realization that almost everyone moves through some version of these stages

more or less. I see this play over and over again on guitar forums - mostly on TGP, but we have our own version here as well..

[richard parker]

My main guitar is a 63 SG Junior. The only remaining part of this guitar from 63 is the wood. Everything else has been replaced. But what a piece of wood ! I swear this thing is alive. It's easily the most resonant guitar I've ever played. I bought it for £200 in 1983 when no-one else wanted SG's. A new SG at the time was about £500. Thank God I couldn't afford a new one. But - if it was ever stolen or broken beyond repair I couldn't afford anything near the quality of this guitar. I could probably only stretch to £500 and most of the new guitars I've played in this price bracket are total garbage.

[ImmortalSix]

Cheepnis is one of my core values.



And yes, I know that $99 guitars with 40 man-hours and $300 in parts are not what this thread is about.

[DankStar]

you guys should carry agiles. have wendell set 'em up, sell 'em as a package deal with a duncan or dimzarzio bridge p/up. bathe in money.

[sosomething]

My main guitar is a 63 SG Junior. The only remaining part of this guitar from 63 is the wood. Everything else has been replaced. But what a piece of wood ! I swear this thing is alive. It's easily the most resonant guitar I've ever played. I bought it for £200 in 1983 when no-one else wanted SG's. A new SG at the time was about £500. Thank God I couldn't afford a new one. But - if it was ever stolen or broken beyond repair I couldn't afford anything near the quality of this guitar. I could probably only stretch to £500 and most of the new guitars I've played in this price bracket are total garbage.

I ALSO HAVE A '63 SG JUNIOR!!!! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!



pictured here with an '05 R8 LP DC Junior, which is an awesome guitar and is for sale...

[Mr Wolf]

I ALSO HAVE A '63 SG JUNIOR!!!! I LOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOoooooooooOOOOOOOOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!



pictured here with an '05 R8 LP DC Junior, which is an awesome guitar and is for sale...

My my!

[SinNombre]

we all know epiphones and mim fenders and so on are crap, we dont usually buy them out of choice.

So does that mean your American made Gibson or Fender is crap because you couldn't afford a '59 Burst or a Nocaster?

[uOpt]

The "Stellar" branded Les Paul that Kac sold me for $180 is very good. Needed a new TOM ($20) and of course pickups.

PRS SEs are also going way too cheap for the quality offered.

[ratherdashing]

LOL

I was really just giving you a hard time.

I know it's not always the prevailing wisdom, but it's not uncommon to see people post these kinds of threads... It's part of a normal forum lifecycle we all go through. There are stages:

1. introduction!
2. Overwhelmed by information
3. Questioning Everything
4. The onset of GAS
5. The realization that Lots of cheap guitars < one or two good ones
6. The realization that, beyond a certain price point, quality is moot and only preference remains
7. The realization that all the fancy options, switches, and "versatility" isn't as valuable as that one really simple setup that requires the variation to come from the hands and not the feet
8. The realization that super expensive gear doesn't matter as long as you play well
9. The realization that people are people, will do what they want, and that no one perspective is really any better or different than another
10. The realization that almost everyone moves through some version of these stages

more or less. I see this play over and over again on guitar forums - mostly on TGP, but we have our own version here as well..

I think I skipped over #7. I have a pedal board that would make The Edge happy.

Then again, I do agree with the point in principle. Sometimes I feel like I'd be better off with a tweed Deluxe and a 10 foot cable.

But then I gaze upon the majesty of my effects, and forget all about that idea.

[Reload in 5]

I disagree
I got my washburn for $219 and its excellent. All mahogany, grover tuners etc.
Of course it cost $419 in a store (got it online, big sale plus a percent off coupon). MSRP was about $550
Oh yeah, pickups, pots, etc about $110 (used on the pickups so not used would be about $150 or so)
I also rolled the fingerboard edges and had to clean up some of the fret ends.

Wait, so if someone wanted my exact guitar and went to a store to get it, it would cost them about $700............

Carry on.

[JordanM82]

I think I agree for the most part, anything under $400 imo is pretty much garbage... which is unfortunate but true... and too much of the stuff between 400 and 550 is just hugely overpriced garbage... there are some finds to be had, especially from the Mexico Fender stuff if you look and know what you are looking for but there are also some horrible guitars in the mix too...

Now given there are exemptions to the rule, there are always anomalies, but they are rare and can be hard to find. I found one in my Road Worn Strat, given it needed a good setup (which Beandip is doing), the guitar itself is great....

-J

[Kane17]

My 2 cents.

Yea sub 200 guitars are hit or miss.

I've had 2 squire affinity (got for 100 each), one was AWESOME stock while the other sucked, even after pickup swap. Same model, different color.

ESP EX. terrible fretting job, ok pickups...but this is where i discovered that size of a guitar matters. I'm 6'3" so if a guitar is shrunk down a bit..it feels like I'm playing a toy (which it rightfully was and I should have considered before ordering). Was also a bit too bright.

My award for best cheap guitar goes to Dean ML-X. yea the finish looks fakeish (and should because it IS). They actually included a sheet on how to adjust the truss rod and a few other things because brand new out of box it really needed adjustment. This was my only real qualm with it because I needed it to go to a REAL guitar tech to get it to stay in tune (only cost me 20 bucks). The bridge also came with the adjustment screws painted over, I was able to get an unpainted one used from a shop locally for 5 bucks...Was 150 free shipping..25 for the needs. Was still under 200 bucks, and played like a champ. Found a DD for a steal of 15 bucks with no lead ( I know that was just luck) and then it was a keeper for sure. Played a little stiff but not too bad. I had it for about 3 years before I got my V. once it was done I really had no complaints about it. It would not last forever though, But it defeinatley held me over during my days of having no cash. A friend of mine has the dean Vendetta (which is similar in a lot of ways) He didn't even swap anything and sounds good. Though I did need to tighten the pots to the body of the guitar for him (His wires were twisting around inside because of it!) So with the cheap deans, do setup/pre-repairs before playing but that work needed is pretty minute. Maybe to many that will be too much heck for what its worth but for the price range I thought they were great.

[KeeperOS]

I think that anyone with common sense can understand that what you're saying is true.
However it is exactly because of that that they want even more to find that rare diamond in the rough, to get THE deal. I think it's a part in all of us.
Believe it or not I HAVE played AN Epiphone that sounded 2x better than THE Gibson hanging next to it. Would ALL Epiphones sound 2x better than ALL Gibsons? Stock? Nope.
In fact I doubt that I could ever find a single STOCK Epiphone that would do that.

Wood however does not understand price range and it is entirely possible to find great wood in a lower-end guitar if you were to look hard enough. If you were extra lucky you would even find a great hit on quality (if for instance it was a piece made by the big honcho to show to the rest of the workers how it's done).
But, once you move to pickups, electronics and, depending on level, hardware, you IME def. get what you pay for.

Nevertheless, exceptions do exist.

My no.1 is also my cheapest guitar (bought new for 300€ i.e. about 450 USD).
Why? Because the neck was JUST PERFECT and I bought it knowing that I'd spend the extra 1000€ (which I did) to make everything else fall in place.

My favorite in terms of tone is my other Korean guitar, a Michael Kelly Patriot Limited, chosen after playing all the Limiteds in the shop. She was a hit, there were perfectly decent ones and there was a single miss as well. 550€, about 820USD.
Haven't even changed PICKUPS for crying out loud. Whenever I say, "ah here is what I'd want some more of", I simply touch the amp controls and I get it. She's THAT responsive.

[mudpuppy]

If manufacturers are going to make a lower end instrument, I would like to see them reduce cost on the cosmetics rather than on materials, hardware, and Q.C. I like figured maple, intricate abalone inlays, f-hole binding, etc. as much as the next guy, but they can't be my top priority on my budget. I guess this won't happen though, as way too many buyers value flash over substance.

[ImmortalSix]

If manufacturers are going to make a lower end instrument, I would like to see them reduce cost on the cosmetics rather than on materials, hardware, and Q.C. I like figured maple, intricate abalone inlays, f-hole binding, etc. as much as the next guy, but they can't be my top priority on my budget. I guess this won't happen though, as way too many buyers value flash over substance.

No no no!

I want them to cheap out on the equipment, because I can replace all that --- it's unscrew / screw type of stuff, dirt-ass-simple.

You can replace pickups, pots, caps, bridges, nuts, all day long, but this fact stands tall:

You can't fix ugly