Affordable Vs Expensive Guitars! - Key Differences, Features & Why There Can Be SUCH A Price Gap!

[@darthkaton]

The best guitar ever is the one that makes you want to pick it up and play every time you look at it.

[@Ewright85]

Absolutely

[@frankie-stein7649]

Yes indeed

[@mychalsean]

Absolute facts

[@HighVybeTribe]

Bingo !! 💪😎👍 P.s. wtf is Paully finish ?? Thanks 🙏

[@DaveSwart]

…before you look at it. The one you’re itching to get back home to 40min into your workday 😂

[@ThunderFalcon333]

Dagan speaks the truth. He may not be in a famous rock band but to me he is a rock star. He has got my trust. Something I dont say often. Awesome video.

[@groovymoon]

He's an awesome player.

[@FedericoFavaro]

When choosing a guitar the main thing really is just to make sure you are comfortable playing it. If you like its neck shape and it has the right hardware for the genre you play (thinking humbuckers for metal, single coil for funk, etc) you are good to go. You can always switch pickups for better ones if you don't like their sound, and remember that a good amp sounds great with any guitar that has some decent pickups

[@zackakai5173]

Ergonomically, I also find that where the bridge falls relative to where the guitar sits on my leg also matters to me. I don't like the way Strats and SGs feel because the bridge is slightly too far to the left and where my hand naturally wants to strum is right on top of the bridge. Whereas the bridge on LPs, Teles, Jazzmasters, and some other models seems slightly further to the right. Could just be a me thing but worth considering!

[@azza0575]

I also thought that the main thing is, how much money you have in your wallet.

[@mikeg.9238]

Truth! If i buy a cheaper guitar and don't like the pickups i'll just throw in some SD's and i'm good to go....

[@HighVybeTribe]

@@zackakai5173 I think string through guitars are the most comfortable 👌

[@TheKillxD]

Dont need humbuckers for metal though

[@DavidMorales008]

What is always really impressive is seeing someone playing really really phenomenal on a budget guitar it always makes that guitar so much cooler

[@zackakai5173]

I've gotten to a point where like maybe four things really matter: 1. Do I like the neck profile? 2. Do I like the position of the bridge? (in other words it's not too far to the left when I hold the guitar) 3. Does the finish and overall build feel cheap? 4. Do I think the guitar *looks* cool for what I want to use it for? Newer Epiphones, higher end Squires, and brands like Schecter, LTD, etc, basically meet all these criteria for me. As long as you stick with established name brands, it's hard to get an instrument with really severe problems like neck warping today. Hardware and electronics can always be swapped out if something doesn't quite meet my standards (for example I'll probably swap out the tuners and bridge on my CV Tele soon). Everything else like the name on the headstock, whether it has a poly or nitro finish (as long as the poly isn't caked on like some older Epiphones), hell even things I used to think were really important like neck construction don't really factor into my decision making anymore. Sure, a Gibson, American Fender or Schecter, or ESP will always have that extra little bit of "wow" factor that can be cool, but at that point it's a question of whether or not you're prepared to spend 3-8x the amount of money to get it.

[@willredelsheimer5919]

These days there are so many options to choose from in the semi-affordable range of guitars ($500 -$700 ish) that are quality in build, playability, and tone. 25 or so years ago this wasn't quite the case. Budget friendly guitars have come a long way in the last few decades. Even the cheap starter guitars have. Epiphone, Squier, Gretsch, Ibanez, and Jackson to name a few all have great guitars in or around the $500 price point. None of which I would be ashamed to gig with (if I were still able to gig) no matter how large or intimate the venue. These days, I happen to be a huge fan of Gretsch guitars. Even their lowest budget ones are built well, look beautiful, and have tone for days. 🤘🎶🤘

[@jasoncurry207]

Several huge names do indeed tour with the brands you just listed

[@willredelsheimer5919]

@@jasoncurry207 Exactly! I understand the allure of higher end axes but personally I'd rather have two or three great ones out of the midrange price over say a custom shop etc. More variety that way and loads of tone.

[@zoso2850]

Bought a Harley Benton SC for just under 350..i was blown away stainless steel frets and looks amazing...atraight out of the box all I did was tune it ..it was setup perfect..played amazing..i changed the tuners to locking..bridge to tone pros locking..pots to CTS..orange caps.switch craft switch n Jack...and a 59/ custom pup in the bridge..all mods were around $300...now it plays superbly ..sounds fckn amazing..and I play the crap out of it..i have $600 epiphones with pup and bridge changes putting them in the $800 or more range.ibanez..even an ESP kamakazi with some mods...but I mostly play the HB for the price and sound I'm not AFFRAID to wear it the FCK out...lol

[@pablo9364]

Yes Gretsch surprised me. Superb guitars

[@willredelsheimer5919]

@@pablo9364 No kidding. The only thing I've found that I would swap possibly (although I always run my volume and tone fully open) would be the pots for smoother roll off. It seems to be a common issue unless you're breaking the bank and shooting for the professional models. However, if changing the pots is the only real mod needed to make the most noticeable difference between the more affordable option and the higher end option and it still keeps you hundreds of dollars below professional level cost...just saying. Sorry, I know I rant. Music and art are my life source. I get carried away far too easily especially when discussing the former.

[@garyallington201]

The best guitars are the ones you want to play, no matter what they cost

[@opgkoyote7989]

I listen to a lot of heavy rock/metal and picked up a Jackson JS32 a few weeks back and love it so much, I just went out tonight to GC and got a Jackson JS22-7. My JS32 I immediately put new strings on it and tuned it for Drop C, and I’ve actually been *playing* guitar! I can’t wait to start banging along to some of my 7-string favorite songs

[@adiohead]

I own many guitars but my favourite to play is a Squier Affinity Strat that I modded. The neck is beautiful

[@pedroroque4084]

Dagan always brings us quality content xD

[@darthfaderlives89]

I’d say it all comes down to a cross section of an (more or less) objective value and a subjective worth. The make up of a guitar has a certain cost, but there are factors that are worth more to some players and less to others. The prestige of a custom shop guitar may rank higher on one person’s list, even if it sacrifices playability, while another person may think the playability of their Squier classic vibe trumps any certificate that would come with a US Fender. Every player looks for the unicorn that perfectly fits that cross section of value and worth.

[@gsxerwhite]

Last year I bought an Epiphone Les Paul Classic. I hadn’t bought a guitar in 20 years. It’s amazing for the price.

[@tramlad2]

I have now accumulated 11 Guitars 2 amps, a keyboard and many many pedals, and i am not a great guitarist, i just love guitars, they are just so tactile Love your videos Dagan, i have been in your shop, great experience great staff and the stock was brilliant, when i move to the Toon this year, you will have a regular customer, keep up the great work, you inspire young musicians with your info, and your passion.

[@VBVTV]

I have a bunch of guitars, too, and I'm not the greatest guitarist in the world, either. As a hobbyist I like playing and working on them.

[@JWCFB]

Greetings from the lovely State of Kentucky. You are awesome Dagan! We appreciate you keeping us informed about all the awesome new gear. Happy New Year to you brother!

[@davidburns9219]

I've got a Squier Classic Vibe 60s strat and it plays like a dream. Better than my friend's Mexican Strat. It has the sweetest neck I've ever played on a guitar. I wouldn't swap it for anything. It doesn't have to be expensive to love it and it certainly doesn't make you play any better

[@TheSupart91]

Friendly reminder guitar friends its about the person not the gear example Stevie ray Vaughan once played a squier and made the same sounds he did like on a Fender 😎🤠🎸🎸🎸

[@paulmoonmusic]

This dude speaks the truth.

[@Dram1984]

I’ve seen lots of great players gig with budget gear and they all sound the same as they do with high end gear.

[@JohnShalamskas]

@@Dram1984 The more distortion that they use, the more difficult it is to hear the difference between a 300 dollar guitar and a 3000 dollar guitar. The player will likely be able to discern a difference in feel, which can inspire a better performance. Edit: hey, the guitar is probably not the source here, it sounds more like a problem with the mic audio chain. Impedance mismatch? Bad shielding? Maybe there was an unterminated input being mixed into the audio.

[@seabud6408]

Great overview. The best camera 📷 (🎸) ... is the one you have with you (when a “moment” arrives)😀

[@PauloCesar-mo7mx]

I personally love MIJ guitars... I even went to the famous Ochanomizu Music Neighborhood in Tokyo 2019 to get a guitar not available in the North American market. Tis a great guitar, no doubt, but my first ever guitar, an Ibanez Artist, is still my true love. I went to a luthier nearby my home in the states during the pandemic to do a tune up, and his boss, the store owner saw it and thought nothing special. When the luthier played the neck and bridge humbuckers, the underrated quality rocked out. The owner later asked if I wanted to sell it for $800, and I said, "Thanks, but no thanks." Beauty is in the eye of the beholder....well, ear in this case ; ) Stay safe all. Keep rockin. Peace.

[@coverslyrics]

It's all about having fun ... you nailed the point of the guitar journey!

[@alistairclifton1286]

Ibanez, Kramer, and ESP...80's child...90's teenager, all my heroes played the brands I just mentioned. So far I have a midrange Ibanez lol... RGRT421, love it.

[@PIlotrcm]

Thanks for mentioning the finish! Yes, agree there is a difference between Poly and Nitro finishes. I prefer the feel of nitro on the neck. It’s shiny in appearance but also feels slightly porous to me , my hand won’t stick, I also like the feel of satin poly finishes in the neck, both don’t stick to the hand. What I can’t stand is the glossy poly finishes on the neck, it’s sticky to the hands. I also don’t like the Satin Nitro finishes. It’s like they don’t use grain filler before applying I think it also impacts how the body vibrates. Nitro seems more brittle and glass like, so it resonates with the body, poly is like a thick plastic coating that suffocates the guitar and muffles vibrations.

[@paulcopsey6573]

I would quite happily swap my Fender USA made Tele for a couple more "affordable" branded guitars. It just doesn't really have the mojo, it's ok, but nothing special. These days your Squires, Epiphones, G&Ls are bloody fantastic quality & value. Having spent a bit of time in California, the high probability is that your Corona USA Strat or Tele is made by a Mexican anyway.

[@victorformosa2825]

I recently saw a review where the guy got two epiphones one was a les. paul the other was an SG for under £1,000 they sounded fantastic albeit they were plugged into a god fender amp.

[@anneh-lint8480]

I will definitely select one of your favorites. You already talked about so many...I'll have to go back and review several videos. I'm just a beginner but after hearing you demonstrate so many, I know I'm going to need one. Thanks for the info. Ann

[@williamb4652]

Don't forget to try ones Dagan hasn't mentioned - the guitar that suits you might be something different. There's so many to try.

[@djh5755]

I will tell you that I bought a West plywood body Maple neck back in the eighties. I was 20 years old and lost track of it. But that was the best feeling guitar I've ever played. Play what feels good! And never get rid of your guitars keep them all!

[@christopherbarrie7375]

SRV played a Pau Ferro fretboard which is a South American tonewood with a smooth feel and sonic characteristics similar to rosewood, but lighter in color and harder. Indian Laurel (also lighter in color than rosewood) is a Asian species of tree and NOT what SRV used. Still a great video and review anyway!!!

[@rodolfomisao123]

In Brazil has this wood, pau ferro, very used by Tagima guitars in Brazil series on fingerboards. There are some amazing woods like Freijó, Brazilian Cedar, Imbuia, Marupá(a soft wood), Cerejeira(Umburana) for bodies; Garapeira, Imbuia, Maracatiara, Muirapiranga, Brazilian Maple for necks.

[@albertogalvez3158]

VIDEO IDEA: it would be great if you make like the same video idea but with amps. PS: great info, even if you're not a beginner this still being so useful

[@spikewulfenden706]

Awesome stuff man and yet more musical things added to my G.A.S. List! Ive got quite a few guitars, as well as Basses n amps. My faves are a chapman ml1 i bought second hand. The previous owner had replaced the pickups with the Het set. The tones are just beautiful. I’ve recently picked up, at a cash converter, a beautiful squeir strat in mint green for under a hundred quid n playing that the tones, the feel etc are just sublime. Particularly, playing on the Hendrix pack for the Spark 40. Back when started to play guitar I bought a satellite singlecut and I don’t need to get into its “quality”! Thanks for the entertaining video dude!

[@greg6L6GC]

With Fender some of the parts come from the same place no matter what country builds them. The wood can vary. I feel if you create your sound with layered effects you have more options. As for myself, I play clean and only sometimes use an effect for color. How a guitar plays clean is most important to me.

[@synns6898]

I’ve had a few Gibson les Paul’s, american strats and teles, I’ve had Ibanez and Charvel aswell as many other makes. My 91 les Paul standard was a beauty, my 2003 melody maker was a real special guitar but my favourite guitar I have owned and still own is my Kramer Baretta special, yes I’ve put a Seymour Duncan JB in it, yes I’ve put a better pot in it and rewired it, yes I’ve put a Wilkinson trem on it, I’ve put a graphtec nut and locking tuners but even then it’s not even a £500 guitar and it is up there with the best I’ve owned.

[@FutureJacket]

Great video. Essentially a lot of the points are technically there are changes, yes. However they're extremely subjective and subject to a lot of nostalgia.

[@TheWooly]

I show almost exclusively shop with Sweetwater and usually buy the middle-of-the-road style guitars. Made outside the USA in a factory-type stuff. Range from $500-1000. I have sweetwater PLEK the guitar and professionally set it up with specific parameters and every single one of my guitars (Epiphones, SE PRS, etc.) plays 10x better than a made in the USA guitar off the wall and only costs an extra $150 or so. Set up is definitely the most important factor as long as you're not dealing with extremely poor quality materials/electronics.

[@joeking433]

Stick to USA made guitars,

[@justinmontgomery6258]

Very informative as always. Love your vids!

[@anorak211]

I've got 5 electric guitars and my favourite is the . . . Squier Bullet Telecaster ! The only reason to buy any guitar is that it makes you want to pick it up and play it

[@guitarbarbarian]

I like guitars bout the £600 - £900 range. Alls I need is something resonant. Decent hardware and electronics. I don't need binding or flame maple tops. Worst case you end up with an ornament. For me I wanna belt out some tunes on a workhorse

[@ParaBellum2024]

Me too (actually £300-600), and at this price point you don't devalue your investment by modifying it. I paid £175 for a used Mexican Tele, and amongst its many mods I took a belt sander to it to contour the body. It'll only ever be worth anything if I become famous; which is unlikely!

[@guitarbarbarian]

@@ParaBellum2024 I never worry about resale value. I'm on a Austin powers kinda deal. As long as it has mojo. The main thing is picking up the damn guitar and not stressing out about dings. Also modding is sweet so more power to you. 👍

[@pablo9364]

Yes £600-£900 for me includes the best guitars.

[@canadianintheukbrian]

I own two JTS Vintages great guitars with Wilkinson hardware, I love them , but you are right this particular market is very competitive and one bad review would not help, interesting about the Players series, I do love the Vintera 50's guitar I was in PMT in Notts and seen one in Daphne Blue yup that's the one I want next, I could go an extra 300 quid for an American one but as you said there is no much difference, but I will tell you this my Vintage V100 would seriously impress you how good its built and sound, would love to see this brand in more major music outlets,

[@vinaymulukutla358]

Got several ESP LTD-1000’s. They too aren’t exactly cheap but they are absolutely flawless guitars (they are built in Korea and Indonesia) I have an Original Series ESP (Custom Shop built in Japan) which is an insane instrument so I have seen both extremities. I have several Ibanez RGs, made in both Japan and Indonesia. Again, flawless instruments and have been through everything but still perform stellar.

[@jonathancarrillo1950]

Love your videos man

[@evalex71]

I absolutely love this channel. Keep it up, gentlemen!

[@philhitchings]

Every day is a school day. I learn with each of your vidz

[@georgespencer3973]

Great video, Dagan. A lot of good basic information.

[@jankojankovic384]

I own a Gibson SG special - which has cost me an arm and a leg (considering the average salary in my country) and it plays / sounds like a beast! Couple of years after buying the SG, I wanted a guitar for the Eb tuning, and ended up buying a PRS SE Tremonti for the 2/3 the price of the SG - and I was shocked how well it played and sounded for the money! So, I've come to realize that there is more bang for the buck in 500-600 euro-guitars than cashing up 1200+ euros, if you're not a serious recording / touring musician.

[@vorpalblades]

Diminishing returns.

[@elzafir]

If a Squier is good enough for Genesis's Mike Rutherford on stage and an Epiphone is good enough for KISS's Tommy Thayer on stage and in the studio, it should be good enough for all of us. Granted they have access to experienced guitar technicians to set it up for them. But that only proves that a good setup is what makes a great playing guitar.

[@Guilhermetmfranco]

I have 16 "cheap" guitars (11 epiphones) and one very expensive gibson sg standard. And i have to say: i love all of them. My favorite ones are my epiphone sg g400 and my epiphone zakk wylde les paul. I love the gibson sg, but its not worth the money.

[@alpineorchid6207]

i always say epiphony!

[@TheMelody911]

I own an Les Paul standard from '59 and an copy of an standard from 58 with Gibson specs which costed me about 1000 euros and I love the copy! It's just my guitar

[@Kianquenseda]

I want more Dagan more give us more !

[@brucesistrunk4520]

Usually most epi les Paul’s are just mahogany with a veneer and no maple cap but with the epi 59 reissue actually have a thick maple cap on top of the mahogany and then a veneer is added over it so as far as the 59 epi goes it’s much the same as the Gibson model other than the veneer but the maple is maple as far as the top goes.

[@elzafir]

The LP Classic Worn also has solid maple top

[@theblytonian3906]

Made in Japan or Designed in Japan and built in Indonesia or Korea for me. Overpriced American made Fender and Gibson have had their day when they were the 'best' game in town because they were the the only game in town.

[@triax7006]

With CNC now the QC is then just down whatever the company will put into a product. I can understand wanting to buy a more expensive product if you get more of a guarantee it will be good. Also agree a more expensive product should have better features, with a guitar over a certain price point expectations are that it will sound good, not have even minor problems & will last. But once you get to a certain price point paying more than that is just paying for something that will not actually improve the sound or the actual product. And as for reselling a guitar, unless that guitar will go up in price, inflation will mean you will lose money. So even if a cheaper guitar you lose 50% of the price you paid, if you paid £200 & lose £100, you will lose more with an expensive guitar even if the % loss is far less. Same occurs with cars, most cars outside sought after ones lose money. Pay more for a car, you will lose more money even if the % loss is lower.

[@Rogijimbex]

Very well done as usual - thank you.

[@madmick9205]

i found that has i grew up musically, it matters less what the guitar actually is. it becomes a tool, but it has to be a tool that you can connect with. I play a mex nashville tele, player plus. it does so much and i have tweaked it to play better. but it covers the ground i need. I am deeply in love with my PRS. its a tabaco burst SE. man that really does give the LP sound and vibe, it does the job. I have played many real LP's and basically, they really do do the job, but, they simply just do the same job! for a lot more cash!!!!

[@joeking433]

Meh.

[@lucassebastianmartinez8610]

Dagan, you are the only guy i trust in instruments matter on internet.

[@cheenu711]

I don't think most modern players care about tone wood and all that jazz (myself included). We just want something that is comfortable and stays in tune. I think your pick attack and general technique along with your amp is 95 percent of your sound. The sad part is most people choose to be forum idiots who only care about the last 5 percent lol.

[@mrslowly9985]

The quality of budget guitars are so good these days that I would only buy a 'genuine' model ( like fender tele or Gibson Les Paul) as part of a collection. But to actually play, I'll buy a HB, Vintage or something of that ilk.

[@StickerBook3SO]

I love the debate on relic guitars. I love the way they look, I've never been lucky enough to play one but I'm sure they feel phenomenal. This will sound pretentious but vintage guitars and beat up ones have a story. I don't like the idea of paying such a large amout of money for a manufactured story on a guitar. That's why I'm sure one day mine will all be beat up to shit because I have no plans on selling them lmao

[@PIlotrcm]

Gibsons we’re made in Kalamazoo MI back in the day

[@hkguitar1984]

Actually, up until the late 1970s/ early '80s Gibson Les Pauls were built in Kalamazoo Michigan. Fender's original factory was in Fullerton California, Fender expanded and moved to the current Corona California facility in 1985.

[@jamesortiz5388]

Another great video. 👍

[@bardiamocharee2765]

Opinions are like noses!? 😂 Even if I forget everything about guitars, I will remember this. You are a guitar Philosopher!

[@PMTVUK]

🤘😂

[@chrisjames1924]

Pretty much any set neck Les Paul style guitar with a fret job, some new hardware and a set of Bare Knuckles pups and you’ve got something close to a high end sounding LP.

[@OliWo1i]

i have a wooden bed and if i lean my epiphone lp on it it resonates quite fun 😂

[@danielnicholl7502]

We need an esp and Ltd difference video pleaseeee🤠

[@duanestiles4821]

Thanks video is very enlightening have a great day over across the pond lol

[@Hellfirematrix]

I just bought a Custom Les Paul and it was worth every penny!

[@Malediction99]

Happy New Year Dagan you beautiful Geordie bastard. Whatever PMTV are paying you it's not enough.

[@martinlegg5808]

"I'm not saying these guitars are crap and great", love your videos 😂

[@portuguesebeer5069]

Hi Dagon. I love your videos. But i like to see my favourite brand JACKSON more often in your videos! Cheers from Portugal 🤘🍺🇵🇹

[@Dram1984]

I think you see big quality improvements up to around a $1000usd. After that quality imprímenos get more and more expensive, after about $2000usd you’re mostly not paying for quality anymore.

[@davidburke2132]

I agree with the first part of your comment - the law of diminishing returns. It’s applies to pretty much everything on sale, not just guitars. The last part I don’t agree with. There’s a substantial quality difference in my opinion between a Gibson USA Les Paul Standard and an Epiphone Les Paul Standard, but almost as big a difference between a Gibson USA Les Paul Standard and a Gibson Custom Shop Historic/Reissue.

[@elzafir]

@@davidburke2132 Real question: What would be the quality differences between, let's say a $2700 Gibson LP Standard and the $850 Epiphone '59 LP Standard Inspired By Gibson? Not the electronics, that's for sure, as the Epi uses Gibson's BurstBuckers, CTS pots, and Switchcraft toggle and jack. Maybe the finishing (veneer vs solid maple top)? But that won't affect the playability, performance and sound. Or is it the setup?

[@davidburke2132]

@@elzafir I’ve never played one of those specific Epiphones. Sorry. I do recall one video on KZbin that ran through the differences between that guitar and a Gibson USA, and much of that video if I recall correctly focused on the still quite significant quality difference in the woods used.

[@ketchakik]

I’ve been playing guitar since ‘89 and I’ve played on ones in almost every price point imaginable. The epiphone, squire, Mexican made fenders are miles better than they used to be.

[@PaleCaretaker]

I've decided to pick Ibanez GRGR131ex as my first guitar. Now only about 2 years of saving money

[@MehdiS-music]

Have a look at the Jackson JS32 series guitars, they are good too and can be found for cheap. I have a JS32Q Dinky HT and in all honesty its my go to guitar at home, i own 2 more guitars and one of them costs 5x more than the Jackson JS32.

[@PaleCaretaker]

@@MehdiS-music I'm not really into Jackson's headstocks.

[@cruzdearrastiamusic7749]

Great video!!

[@Paul-D]

A truly great guitar is so much more then the sum of its parts or price one way or the other. And sorry LOTS of people on KZbin - you cant know it by being a specsheet expert. You have to get out and try them, lots of them.

[@Fizzyxd]

DAMNIT I KNEW I SHOULD;VE WAITED FOR THIS VIDEO

[@markpell8979]

I'm a geezer, played the 'guitar lottery' for over 40yrs and been lucky. Owned expensive name instruments and down-budget pretenders... But I can do woodworking/finishing, tinker well mechanically, and solder. Have recently scored well with a couple Epiphones and a Squier that for little cash and with a little work on my part, mostly in my easy chair with a drink, now rival or surpass new or valuable old Gibsons and Fenders, and they're MINE and have a piece of my soul. To Dagan's point, THIS IS WHAT YOU PAY OTHERS TO DO on expensive and custom guitars and I wouldn't do it free for anyone else either. So why should Gibson and Fender, right? But, Epis and Squiers etc. make price-point guitars today that indeed shame such from my early days. I wish we had what you can get for 2-300 $ or quid now. Enough, cheers!

[@clmrsmn]

personally i find tone woods dont make that much of a difference when playing through an amp but such a massive different when practicing unplugged

[@riffaday1479]

Shreddy Krooger

[@co7013]

What I find critical in a guitar is the consistency: do the tone and the volume stay consistent when you play up and down the guitar, on all strings and frets? If not (like on my Squier CV '50s Strat, which I otherwise like a lot) it interferes with my playing and if not correctable, will make me stop wanting to play that guitar.

[@applehead252]

Great job. I learned a lot ! I think expensive guitars are way over rated and over priced. My opinion.

[@SNAFU56]

SO I was an advocate for buying mid range guitars and upgrading basically everything - custom wiring, better caps, electronics, hardware, pickups the lot. Logically I couldn't think that tonally there could be a big difference between expensive vs mid range......I mean it's the same wiring, same pickups, same electronics how big of a difference can there be right, if wood doesn't contribute to tone then they should sound the same more or less. The problem was I never bought and played an expensive guitar and boy was I wrong......my old guitar isn't even in the same universe as my new one, everything is better. Honestly I won't just talk BS I would have conceded if it was a rip off but..... playability is way better, ergonomics, resonance is out if this world......the dynamics super responsive and also super resonant and sustains when I play as soft as I physically can. The tone is warm, biggest difference for me is in the top end, high frequency response, warm, clear yet a smoothness that is difficult to explain. Hands down buy an expensive guitar, worth it. The two guitars that I compared are a heavily modded, and I mean edge rolled frets, oli neck, new everything, bass cut pot switch craft jack etc etc the freakin works......Ibanez RG2570Z Prestige vs Ibanez ATZ100-SBT......The ATZ100 worth every freakin penny......I would have paid double to be honest. Awesome experience.

[@TIKIWOLF]

Seems like the fretboard would be a big difference. How low the frets are and how easily can slide.

[@edwardtroth8630]

Goldilocks zone for a guitar is 400-700 GBP. Any more and you're paying a lot for only slight noticeable improvements. Think a high end Epiphone or a Mexican Fender.

[@usuallyclueless4477]

yeah, the law of diminishing returns applies here.

[@elzafir]

Or a PRS SE.

[@robertbixler5256]

What band did you play for your vids are insightful an intelligent an I'm just a banger but I'm getting better because of your videos

[@mikeg.9238]

My biggest thing is how it feels , the neck is the most important thing to me. Whether it's a $300 or $1000 guitar , also it has to be a decently built guitar....

[@codenamenot47]

I bought myself a Kirk Hammet 70's Epi flying V. I CANNOT put it down. Do I care that the headstock doesn't say Gibson? Hell nah. This guitar does things to me like no other did before. It was just one of those rare moments where you are instantly smitten and nothing else will do and you will play nothing else for the next 6 months haha What's odd is that this guitar is pretty much the opposite of my usual preferences but this chunky neck and a solid hunk of wood body that makes your back bend is just magical

[@VBVTV]

I don't get the whole relic thing. I just bought my first used guitar a few weeks ago. A MIM 2003 Fender Strat in white like what Jimi played. That's the closest I'll ever get to relic. Btw, the 2003 Strat plays so well. So much so that I turned down buying the 2020 version at Sam Ash because it had buzzing in the low E and A strings when I went up the Fretboard. Guitar Center is right across the street and is where I bought my 2003.

[@meadowlarkfine4646]

Gibson began in Kalamazoo, Michigan, not Nashville, Tennessee.

[@mattyredrock]

Outstanding!

[@adamwatson6916]

I think they are using more CNC on Gibson USA guitars than they are with Gibson custom shop. I have both USA and custom shop Gibsons and they are all great. The custom shop guitars sound different from the USA line but they don't sound better. The different construction methods produce a different sounding guitar but not always better.

[@spekenbonen72]

What makes or breaks a gud/bad guitar is the distance between the bridge and the pickups. You get a slight shift in which higher harmonics are recorded by the p.u.'s and THAT is why the epi sounds different from a gibby (epi LP's have a a full to a half bridge width difference from the real deal) That is why an SG sounds different from a LP. You can check this out by comparing the 3-pickup SG's and LP's (no need to measure. you can eye-ball it.) The 3-pickup LP's have more space between the pickups (and this causes different spacing, which results in picking up different higher harmonics). It's not rocket science or toanwould mumbojumbo (tonewood is a GRADE of wood, and nothing else (says the 51 y.o. joiner/carpenter)) Swapping pickups in the same guitars is just a waste of money. If you want to change the basic toawn of a guitar, you need to move the pickups. Now, pickup your favorite guitar and play some noats, dumbasses...

[@taylorkraus9491]

My favorite guitar was cheap as hell from Craigslist is was 100 dollars then I put work into it and now it's 400$ it's an epiphone les paul standard

[@maureyes96]

SRV loved PAU PERRO >< Indian Laurel, all mexican Fenders come with Pau Ferro, Epiphone uses Indian Laurel

[@bencampbell1609]

I love my Mexican Strat. I had the choice of buying an American. The price difference was only a few hundred US dollars, but I could not justify it in my mind. Eyes closed, I could not feel or hear the difference. I am not a collector. I buy to play. That Mexican Strat is my go-to guitar. Step up is great, quality is excellent and the sound is great. Sure the US versions are amazing models. I am not going to pay the premium, especially since Fender has their QAQC down in both the US and Mexican factories.

[@adamwatson6916]

Gibson and their QC problems did not just magically end with new management I sure the situation has improved but there are still QC issues on an ongoing basis I love Gibson and own several but i have tried new Gibsons from 2020 and 2021 that have had crap fret work . To say their are no longer QC issues is misleading . They still have crazy production goals they have to meet and sometimes that requires QC to be more flexible than it should. I have a 58 les paul reissue from 2020 and it's a killer guitar but I had to have some fret leveling done to sole some buzzing frets again custom shop is not better just different. Some will point out the tops are nicer but I like plain tops.

[@blueleaftuber]

Something I wonder that I haven't heard addressed, is what is the difference in the necks between a cheap or high end guitar? If the Fenders/Squiers are all the same woods, is the difference just the quality control of leveling the frets and carving the nut? So does the ease of playing the fingerboard get affected much by price? He did talk some about sustain between "tone matched" woods in the video.

[@vorpalblades]

The lumber is all pretty much the same. The only real difference is how well they dry it, and how it looks as far as grain pattern, etc. Tone wood is not a thing. People make guitars out of cardboard, concrete, aluminum. They all still sound like guitars. Ease of playing involves the setup,nut height, scale length, fret condition.

[@blueleaftuber]

@@vorpalblades that's fascinating to learn that tonewood doesn't make a difference in sound, just affects sustain or feel. So the biggest difference is really the treatment of the frets? So a Squier neck with some TLC can still play easily and fast?

[@vorpalblades]

@@blueleaftuber hardware affects the sustain and feel, not the body. Yes, some fret polishing/leveling can make any fretboard feel great.

[@planetmusicsamos]

nice video !! why there is a buzz sound on it ?

[@JohnShalamskas]

Likely sources of hum include: Poor or non-existent ground or shielding, high gain used with single coils, fluorescent lights.

[@VortekStarling]

Wouldn't the best one be if you made it yourself, because you could take as much time as needed to get it just right? I mean make the body and neck, and buy the pickups, controls, keys and fret wire. You can actually buy Les Paul kits for a few hundred, just assemble and put the finish on yourself, nice flamed tops and everything. Buying them pre-made is paying a lot for assembly and finish application.

[@immutablecantrip]

Dagan, what is your opinion on richlite? You mentioned it briefly but didn't really give an opinion. My new SG has a richlite fingerboard and people online are shitting all over it because of the richlite

[@pablo9364]

I like richlite fingerboards. Nice solid smooth feel

[@mrskint55]

I have expensive guitars and cheap ones and I can honestly say that one of the cheapest guitars I have (Vintage Thomas Blug) plays much better than a PRS core stays in tune all day long .I’m somewhat disappointed with the PRS in comparison to some other guitars in my collection .

[@calyptratus187]

Ha! Same. I have a Tagima Strat which is around $260 vs a US made Gibson Les Paul. I like em both but if I were to start all over again I would think twice.

[@conturf9973]

Hi Dagan what Ernie Ball strap is that, thanks?

[@mixodorians12]

The main thing to remember is if you wore your watch on your strumming hand, whilst playing a guitar with the clasp scratching up the surface, whilst demo'ing it..that you should instantly lose your job as a Guitar demonstrator. Guitar is worth much more than the casio gshock mate. Learn to wear your watch on your left hand, I did this recently.. it will feel weird and unnatural at first (single faucet taps are a danger when you turn them on and clatter it on the under side of the faucet..and door frames need to be remastered) but hey it's worth it. I am assuming you are not demo'ing or advertising watches btw.

[@Grungegarage1955]

I have 2 dream guitars a Les Paul and a Kurt Cobain inspired mustang or jaguar

[@_widas_]

great vid

[@joeking433]

The only thing that really matters on a guitar is the fretboard. It's all about how low you can get the action with no buzzes. It's a lot harder than you think! Everything else is basically the same on all guitars for all intents and purposes.