RudyH Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 There are a lot of really good guitars available today, a lot of them are modestly priced and play very well. So much of the press is about Fender, Gibson, and high-end guitars. It's kind of like reading Motor Trend magazine, where most of the reviews are of high-end cars. I personally have been impressed by the following more budget friendly guitars: 1) A $500 Schechter. Don't know the model, but it was like a Strat. Played it at Guitar Center. 2) Mexican HSS Stratocaster 3) Mexican Telecaster 4) PRS SE Friends of mine rave about how good Yamaha guitars are, for the money. I've also been told that Danelectro guitars are excellent. What are your favorite budget-friendly guitars? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matiac Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Epiphone, Squier, some of those SE guitars by PRS, Ibanez, there ALL great guitars with a little work. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cvansickle Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 It's hard to answer this question objectively. Generally, the only place I can go to see and sample the modestly priced guitars is in Guitar Center. Unfortunately, the tire-kicking masses, the unsupervised teens and the great unwashed of my area are sampling these guitars too. By the time I get to try anything, the instruments are in total disrepair, or else they're missing strings, knobs, etc. The ones that hang on the wall out of reach are still in good shape, for the most part. The ones on the floor that everybody can just pick up are frequently picked up, by everybody, and they're abused beyond reason. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Carbonite Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 The high end Epiphones aren't bad for beginners. Good solid chunk of mohogany, bound all the way around, grover tuners and solid construction are all pluses. Where you lose out the most is the electronics. And for a little bit of money at the right shop you could fix that. Even still, for someone just learning, there is really no need yet. An Epiphone Les Paul Standard or above is just right. I would never spend less than that on a guitar though. Lucky for me I purchased a Gibson Standard so I don't have to go Epiphone though. But if, like you say, Gibson didn't exist, I would be happy with an Epiphone standard or Custom. I would just tweak it a little. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Notes_Norton Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 From a functional point of view, my Ephiphone Casino is every bit as good as my Gibson ES-330. Sure there are differences, but the Gibson is definitely not 4 times the guitar. The fretboards are close enough to be the same, the fit and finish are good. The Gibson is made of better wood and sounds better unplugged, the Epiphone has better pickups (Duncans) and sounds better plugged in. The rest is cosmetic. Nitro vs. Poly, MOP vs. MOT and so on. Not to knock the Gibson, if I had to give up one, I'd switch the pickups and give away the Epi. But if someone offered me 4 Epiphones or 1 Gibson, I'd take the 4 Epis. (and yet another excuse to post the picture) Notes Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I think epiphone and made in mexico fenders are great guitars... fenders made in korea are a little less cheap than those made in mexico but are the same quality in my experience, they are a little more expensive because they are "limited" and different models (like my ja-90 tele, made in korea but works great with those p90s and gibson configuration). I don't think anyone can bash those brands, they are good. They are just cheaper that's it, we have to remember not everybody is looking for the same thing (regardless of budget). Maybe someone preffers epis (I know a couple of guys that do: they cant stand sticky necks and some other details gibsons have). Its like comparing a "normal" compact car, a made in japan SUV and a made in germany SUV... all of them are good and will serve your needs, the compact car will take you from A to B no one can deny it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ksdaddy Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 Two of my favorite acoustics are an Ovation Academy (the only wood is the bridge!) and a Seagull S-6 cedar. The Seagulls are made every day by the hundred but the Academy is but an obscure footnote in Kaman's history, although they are developing a small cult following. http://www.angelfire.com/me4/ksdaddy/acad.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSG_Standard Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 I don't want to live in a world without high-end guitars... A Toyota corolla, Chevy malibu or a dodge will get you from place to place...but nothing compares to a BMW, MB, Porsche. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thundergod Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 A Toyota corolla' date=' Chevy malibu or a dodge will get you from place to place...but nothing compares to a BMW, MB, Porsche.[/quote'] Indeed... when you are right you are damn right KSG=d> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nikko18 Posted March 9, 2009 Share Posted March 9, 2009 i really like the high end epis, especially the old 90s korean made ones and the one made in japan. the one i have (this is a total epiphone user thing to say but for mine it's actually true) is as good as most gibsons i play. not just the studios either, it's as good as the standards and other nicer ones. but i have replaced everything on it so i guess what i am trying to say is the craftmanship of the nicer epis is as good as gibsons, but the electronics and hardware.... not so much. it also seems that most guitars made in japan are pretty damn awesome. i have played some MIJ LPs and they were damn good. and my dad had an MIJ fender strat which was the best strat ever! the ratocaster, i miss that guitar, it's really to bad he had to sell it. stupid economy >:[ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
solacematt Posted March 10, 2009 Share Posted March 10, 2009 There are a lot of really good guitars available today' date=' a lot of them are modestly priced and play very well. So much of the press is about Fender, Gibson, and high-end guitars. It's kind of like reading Motor Trend magazine, where most of the reviews are of high-end cars. I personally have been impressed by the following more budget friendly guitars: 1) A $500 Schechter. Don't know the model, but it was like a Strat. Played it at Guitar Center. 2) Mexican HSS Stratocaster 3) Mexican Telecaster 4) PRS SE Friends of mine rave about how good Yamaha guitars are, for the money. I've also been told that Danelectro guitars are excellent. What are your favorite budget-friendly guitars?[/quote'] That Schecter that was kind of strat like was probably a C1 model. Those are the most popular that they make and are quickly becoming the thing among many hard rock and newish metal players. I've played a few Schecters that I liked, the Ultra and Robert Smith Ultra Cure model play nice and sound pretty good. For a long while I had been looking into getting an 006 model from 2002. That specific one because that was the last series and year that they still used actual Seymour Duncan pickups, now they use 'Duncan Design' pickups. It had a standard bridge, not that string thru body crap, a 3-way toggle switch, not a 5-way selecter (I loathe these), a single in the neck and a humbucker in the bridge. It was a nice sounding, and playing guitar. Those PRS SE models are pretty good. I use to have a PRS but after I started playing a Firebird it became uncomfortable. The body was just too small for me. I think PRS moto should be, 'We Make Pretty Guitars.' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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