Sad Truth About the Guitar Industry, *Took Me 20 years to understand*

[@tool772]

THIS!!!!❤ This guy is speaking the truth. Expensive guitars don’t make you better….YOU do that yourself. Learn to set up your guitars, set intonation, truss rod adjustments, string height, etc. (KZbin is great for learning all of that.) I have an ltd ec-1000 and it’s been a beast of a guitar for me and I bought it for $840 on reverb. 2 charvel dk24’s for around $700-ish. And they are great too, and better when set up to my liking. But I will never pay for those $2-5000 money grabs from guitar company’s….just not worth it. There are actually some great guitars for way less than my than my $500-$800 range. I have a pretty good Jackson Kelly I picked up for $250 it can use a few parts upgrades, but as it sits it’s still great.

[@farouche8670]

Like everything, buying a Ferrarri won't make you a good driver on your first drive ;)

[@jeffarab4947]

Same I can never spend that money on electric guitars it's insane. Really the tone is from hands -pickups-effects or processor's

[@christchanbuentiempo]

Labor in America dont come cheap especially in California. Those guitars that are 1k below are made in indonesia or china which is not as good as american guitars. You can't pay a guy who works in california the same pay a guy who works in Indonesia or China. It takes a month to build a guitar. Imagine a guy who works a month get paid for 800 to build a guitar? hehe! you have to do the math. Labor, electronics, wood, etc. Those are not cheap.

[@farouche8670]

@@jeffarab4947 the wood and shape is so important too though... Maybe less important on guitar than bass ? I don't know, but I never got/heard the same sounds with same pickups+different instrument.

[@omgdisfunny4852]

no, but a nice guitar can make you want to play it more so in turn you practice more and improve, expensive guitars should be intonated with good string height you don't need to waste time messing with it then, i would rather learn to cook with a nice knife than a dull one that i have to sharpen and hurts your hand

[@sbz8620]

Those hellraisers are a solid beast. You are 100% correct. Once your over the $500-700 mark, they're all the same

[@travisspaulding2222]

I agree. Tuning stability, intonation and utility (pickup configuration/bridge/shape, etc) are really the major things to look for in a guitar. If it stays in tune, intonated properly, and it has the things you need as a player like the type of bridge and the pickups, it's a great guitar. No need to break the bank.

[@zdf14]

I personally only think you should be spending $1000+ on a guitar is if you're buying a custom guitar from a small company/private luthier. You should be able to get everything you need from one of these big guitar companies for a reasonable price.

[@travisspaulding2222]

@@zdf14 Those are 90s numbers. These days you're hard pressed to find a high end Indonesian built guitar for under $1000. Between supply chain costs and inflation, most custom built guitars, you're starting at $3000. However, you can go to a guitar shop and play the guitars and find something less than $500 that would check all of the boxes. Even Harley Benton is putting 1000 series Floyd Roses on guitars that cost around $500 (if shipped to the United States). Right now, I think the most bang for buck guitar on the market is the Genesis series Ibanez RG550. They are about $900 brand new, and have premium components and build quality. However, if I couldn't afford that, I'd have my eye on a HB Fusion III FR. Floyd Rose 1000 bridge, stainless steel frets and around $500. Not a bad deal at all.

[@Scott__C]

Most if not all of the high end guitar sales are to people who wanted the guitar when they were young and couldn't afford it. When they're older and can, they buy one or a few. Also, for Gibson, they still need a QC revamp. The biggest thing they improved when leadership changed was the marketing. I see $7k guitars having QC issues and still going out.

[@travisspaulding2222]

@@Scott__C I don't know. I am a big advocate of buying the guitars you want. If you can afford a $7000 guitar, and you want a $7000 guitar, then by all means, get a $7000 guitar. Who cares if it's not what you need. Now if you make $35,000 a year, then I would not recommend buying a $7000 guitar. The good news is, you don't need a guitar that expensive, and with some careful consideration, you can get a damn good instrument for $500 or less. As far as Gibson goes, all you have to do is buy it from an authorized dealer. If there are any QC issues, they will take care of it.

[@Scott__C]

@@travisspaulding2222 I'm not saying don't, but if a guitar costs $7k and it isn't perfect, they're going to hear about it.

[@birdznyamz]

100% accurate. Had the same lesson with Kiesel. Paid $3000 for this “amazing unparalleled” custom guitar. Was so excited when I got it, played it for a few days and realized I liked my $1000 Ibanez better. The Kiesel is still a great guitar, but mostly in the craftsmanship. Lesson learned. Spend the time to find the specs you really like and prefer, and you can find them in production models every time. And a sharp sword means nothing if you can’t swing it properly. A depleted bank account won’t make you play any better.

[@TomTwain]

Yep... My 1984 Ibanez RS does everything I'll ever need from an electric guitar👍 Famous players endorse "The latest thing" for huge affiliate sums. I've said for years... "The guitar gear market is a massive scam"

[@dressedtosmellgood]

Get a base model kiesel... Great guitars. They really are some of the best.

[@birdznyamz]

@@dressedtosmellgood Oh mine is a great guitar. I don’t mean the contrast in any negative way towards the quality of the Kiesel, it’s amazing. I just like the feel and playability of my Ibanez, but it’s more of the expensive realization that people have of gear won’t change the player.

[@misterknightowlandco]

If it intonates and stays in tune… you can fix the rest of it for a lot less than any high end axe. Honestly guys, just buy budget shyt and fix it up. You’ll find that there is alot less than you think to fix.

[@JesusChrist_IsTruth-LoveForALL]

FACTS. Purely aesthetics, hardware, customization, and hype those HIGHLY overpriced guitars are. I always try and buy used now for the exact reasons you mentioned!

[@albertmarkethinkpr1325]

On the spot with this one man! I used to be like that too, caring for expensive gear, thinking hi end guitars can make you play better, but in reality it is YOU who dictate the way you play and yes a good setup goers a long way! Stay heavy \m/ !

[@nickcontabile]

I've been preaching this for years now, some people will listen some won't.

[@YesYouCANPlayGuitar]

This is so true Tim, some of my best guitars I've played are in the 1000 dollar range, but also, I've always said: "A good guitar, a few pedals, a good amp and your fingers" it amazes me how much time people devote to being gear heads, I know many good players who are gear heads, but I also know many that should really be spending that time practicing more. Great video!

[@TheReelMinecraft]

Schecter Hellraiser sales after this video: 📈

[@scardera]

650 subs wont make a change on the market.

[@timjenkins502]

​@keviL immm 656 thank you! Lol

[@scardera]

@@timjenkins502 it changes everything then!

[@quima5844]

​@@timjenkins502690

[@evonai]

696 and i bought a hellraiser

[@ehsanhaq155]

In order to understand this man....one needs to buy a Korean Schecter first... Then one needs to buy 2-3k+ guitars and then conclude that he's ABSOLUTELY bang on spot on about what he's saying. Respect man.

[@manicmurph]

Pretty much. I always wanted a guitar with the real ESP logo on the headstock but I'm not paying 4-7k. I'll stick with my LTD 1000 series.

[@briancooke5532]

Korean made guitars are very well made, the quality is top notch and from experience on par with Japan and good ole USA.

[@mihailmilev9909]

Thanks

[@briancooke5532]

@Slater Novick Actually, I have both Ibanez Indonesia and Korea guitars and they are very equal in quality to one another. To be honest, Indonesia factories have really stepped up their game in recent years for all brands.

[@sahamal_savu]

@@briancooke5532 I have an old Squier strat that is made in Indonesia and it's always been a great guitar. I just ordered a Indonesia-made Schecter so here's hoping you are correct 👍

[@freemanmt1]

Love the video. I absolutely agree. The setup is critical. And your point about watching gear videos rather than practicing or learning technique, spot on and most of us are guilty. I own a schecter Damien that plays and sounds like a dream! They are very underrated guitars

[@vladyslavkompanets8864]

Totally agree man! I bought a new ESP E-II HORIZON NT-II a year ago and that was an amazing guitar as I thought at the time, and I think it still is, but a few days ago I bought a used JACKSON JS22 DINKY which costs me about 200$ and I was blown away by the sound and versatility, despite the fact that this guitar is 10 times cheaper than ESP. So it is all about the right setup! Another advantage of buying a cheap or mid-range guitar is that you can customise it a lot and you won't regret modifying it, unlike a super expensive guitar.

[@siglerproductions]

Shout it from the mountain tops. Being 'immersed' in guitar stuff feels good and can end up being a huge part of ones self-identity, and the fact that a huge part of that world is a commercial sector makes one vulnerable. Theres healthier ways to engage deeper and deeper with guitar stuff, like learning guitar maintence, learning soldering, and- hear me out- playing guitar. People talking about it in a clear and healthy manner, like you did here, is a great step for all of us to be more self aware and create a healthy guitar culture.

[@RobertWGreaves]

I started playing in 1959. I have owned a total of 12 guitars, 9 of which I still own. Cheapest was $150, most expensive was $3,200. The main reason I had as many was simply my own desire to own several Beatles guitars.

[@newgunguy4176]

I've made the decision to go with American made because I really feel very strongly about that. But, you're right. Another thing is that we don't NEED everything we want. Clapton's been playing a Strat forever. Jack Pearson plays a $160 Squier.

[@toddburgess6792]

Watching Justin Johnson play a 3-stringed shovel, and it sounded very good, was all I needed to see. My wife worked as a luthier for a few years, and detailed the process of the build, the finishing, the ridiculous insistence on "perfect" wood. Seeing Justin Johnson play a guitar made from an old whiskey barrel told me she was wasting her time sweating those details. She was astounded with Justin Johnson's playing, not with my revelation of wasted time.

[@ADUAquascaping]

Well, let's be realistic. Certain guitars are easier to play and sound better than others. It's all subjective based on music style and individual anatomy. Some are better suited for jazz while others are better suited for metal. The fretboard radius and size of the neck make a big difference. Some are better for playing chords while others are better for playing legato. I'm sure that I am preaching to the choir.

[@terrylafauci791]

I got a hellraiser around 2006, about the time they came out. Since then I've played custom gibson les pauls, multiple Ernie Ball Music Man guitars, a private reserve PRS, a Mayones Duvell Elite, a Caparison Hours and a Hapas judge....let me tell you that, to ME, a Korean or Indonesian made guitar doesn't compare. The craftsmanship that goes into those instruments is unbelievable in comparison. I love my hellraiser and still have it, its an amazing instrument that does the job but theres most certainly a difference. The Mayones and EBMM stuck out the most to me. Made it hard to come home to my poor schecter. But...everyone is different I suppose.

[@onerandombruh]

Thanks for this, my man... It's true that it's important to feel comfortable on a guitar, but if you do nothing to improve beyond that, no gear in the world will hel you sound any better... Cheers!!

[@expressivelyyours4428]

With you there brother!!!! I’m 44 and owned every guitar you could imagine, over 300 last count, BUT, look at Harley Benton high end stuff, I don’t use it, but they produce amazing stuff for pennies!!!! I now buy guitars that feel awesome, normally cheaper, and upgrade pickups etc…..AND they are better than any high end axe I’ve played!! Good in you man👌🏻🤘🏻

[@jakeportas1143]

Honestly, I've sold more pedals than I currently have and I'm happy now, after finally saying that was enough. My pedals aren't expensive, the most expensive one was £80, and I still enjoy it. They sound good, they work, I save money and, honestly, the audience doesn't really care about expensive gear. Sure, it's fun to chat about gear with other musicians, but 95% of the people going to gigs don't care. The workmanship and quality of "cheap" gear these days is basically on par with what used to be considered top of the range. I enjoyed the video, man. My first time here and I think I'll stick around

[@sahamal_savu]

I think that's the key right there, the quality of "cheap" gear has risen to such an unbelievable level in the past decade or so. I'm not so old that I can still remember when I first started to learn to play guitar and all this affordable, well-made gear just wasn't available back in the mid-late 90's.

[@chizorama]

There's also the gear snobs, the mofos that watch your band with their arms crossed & noses high. That bothers some people, never bothered me.

[@Matt-ng9xv]

Man I’ve been coming to a similar conclusion but even more crazy. I work at a music store and even the 200-500$ squires these days are REALLY good lol, I’ve recently really started to dig this cheap tele. And this 450$ sg with p-90s has been super cool. All my favorite stuff to play lately rarely reaches more than 6-900$. If it’s set up well for you, you can make it scream!

[@isorozco511]

Big facts. Ive played “cheaper” guitars and realized i liked many of them simply because they just had fresh strings and a good set up!

[@whoshotya117]

Very true, the aesthetic is a big part of the purchase and yet my favorite guitar to play is my $450 metallic gray RG Ibanez, always in tune, sounds great and feels good to play over the more expensive Schecter and E-II that I have.

[@ambrooks5]

I have a couple platinum Schecter’s. Paid under $700 for them and they sound just as good as guitars selling for triple that.

[@uhlix]

I agree completely. I have some $2500 PRS guitars, and truthfully, I love them. I also have a $300 Alden Les Paul copy that started out as a project guitar, so I could learn how to do simple things like setups, hardware replacement, truss rod adjustments, nut replacement (this $15 part was BY FAR the biggest bang for buck improvement), etc... and after learning how to do all this, the guitar plays, sounds, and feels great, and holds tuning better than it ever used to. Is it as high quality as the PRS', of course not. The fretwork isn't as good, particularly the ends, which is probably my next endeavor, but it was for me to learn on, so if I damaged it, I wasn't out much. Once I got it setup how I like, it stopped being only a project guitar and was added to my rotation. That's pretty much how I learned what you discuss in this video. Learning how to do these things transformed the play-ability of the guitar far more than I expected.

[@Acheron666]

Best guitar I’ve got just now cost me £90 used. It wasn’t in great shape (hence the price) and needed a lot of work to get it playable, but all in all, I spent less than £200 to get it up and running. Had to totally strip it down, rewire it and change all the hardware out to the originals that came with the guitar……Now I have an really nice Washburn, that came with a scalloped neck. Only thing that’s wrong with it now, is a small burn on the body, that I assume was caused by a soldering iron when one of the previous owners swapped out the original pickups for Iron gear blues engines (which I threw onto an old Epiphone SG) So I paid £290 in total for a guitar that is now valued at around £600.

[@thumper963]

Dude!! I completed agree with you! I have made some outstanding purchases and turned them into absolute monsters. I do my own setups. I paid for it once and said “never again “! Thank you for your inspiration.

[@rob8482]

I so agree. I bought two 1500-dollar guitars, (a lot of money to me) and then I bought a 400-dollar guitar which is my go-to now. It feels the best in my hands and the tones I get are the best of the three. Complete truth!

[@zulu3594]

I love that this video found me because i was just having a conversation with a friend that is a proud owner ( with good reason ) of two EBMM's and an Aristides, that my 800 to 1k guitars shred just as hard if not harder in some respects.

[@ElZito1]

Everything you said iz exactly correct! Learn to set up and maintain your own instrument, whether its a guitar, bass, drumz or any other instrument. The knowledge and experience you gain in learning how its built, how it worx and how to repair it iz invaluable. I paid for one set up in the past 28 yearz and it cost $150. That waz in '95. I can only imagine how much it would cost now! An inexpensive guitar doezn't mean a cheap guitar. If you learn how to replace.and upgrade pickups and electronix, learn to set it up and repair it yourself, you will never have to pay for them and you will have the satisfaction of know YOU fixed it! Not to mention making an inexpensive guitar sound great and exactly how you want it, without dropping a small fortune on something thats not exactly how you want. Knowledge iz Power in every sense of the phraze. If you get good enough at it, you can actually start charging people on the side who don't know how to do it, or just don't have the time. That enablez you to gain more practice and experience becauze no matter what, every guitar iz different and unique.

[@playalot86]

Oh yeah, these companies don’t care about your growth. They just want your money. I’ve had 1 guitar for the last 10 years. Great playing, man!

[@tbaudio3310]

Perhaps a tough pill to swallow for some, but I think you're 100% right. I've got 11 guitars that I've been using for awhile, and mostly just for the sake of space, I always sell or trade an instrument I have before getting a new one. And it pretty much is like you say in the video. The new gear I often get isn't usually that much better from what I had. The only big difference I noticed is that I had gotten a fanned fret 7 string and it definitely feels different than one without fanned frets, but that's mostly it. I'm going to look at your video on how to set up guitars too, because it's really time I learned how to do it properly. Thanks for the video!

[@itsfratalbert6645]

You are spot on here. I bought a limited run custom 24 SE recently and while I can justify it for sub 1k the fact is I know it’s a luxury I could set up a sub 500 guitar to play really close. I justify it for the QC and consistency of PRS guitars from factory (it’s been a dream compared to my SG special tuning wise even with a tremolo..) and well it just looks nice🤷🏼‍♂️ Thanks for sharing your insights dude!

[@stevedurrant8815]

Completely agree .I'm 60 , played for 54 years , still own 45+ guitars .A few months back I picked up a 2015 Schecter Blackjack SLS FR-S . Same color as your Hellraiser . I also have a 2012 Blackjack ATX FR .Absolutely love them . If I ever sold all my guitars ,they would be 2 I would always hang on to . Sound great ,play great ,and both have Floyd's ,and both stay in tune perfectly .

[@g00bish]

My brother's got the SLS with Seymour Duncan blackouts, and ive got an '08 Hellraiser with active EMGs. I've always thought that for the money, they are honestly better/more versatile guitars than 90% of anything else I've played or owned.

[@blueskky9996]

Ive been saying this for years. I picked up the tools to setup guitars long ago. This allows me to setup just about any guitar to play like butter. One thing about most musicians is they dont generally have a lot of money. They are always looking for cheap solutions for gear. Prince bought his iconic Japanese tele for 30 bucks at a gas station early on in his career. Eddie Van built his franken strat from pieces parts from other guitars for little to no money.

[@sahamal_savu]

A gas station? Now that sounds like a good story lol

[@sseltrek1a2b]

it's also more practical...why do you want to take a $3k plus guitar to most gigs?...you knock it over, it gets bumped, etc and you're going to feel sick inside...much less so with a guitar at $1k or less...

[@catalyzed8457]

Ive got a few expensive guitars but my favourite is my $300 epiphone sg, it looks like shit but is the guitar i pick up every time, i love it for how it feels to play. Im stuck in a gear obsession with amps at the moment, need to get myself out of it because im just aimlessly chugging and tweaking dials instead of coming up with new song ideas. Good points in your video and i can definitely relate. 👍🏻

[@mgradiant]

I had a similar revelation to this a few years ago. I remember watching Phil from Know Your Gear chat with Ron Thorn, a guy that works in the fender, custom shop and builds guitars that cost thousands of dollars. He said that his number one guitar, his baby, his go to axe of choice is a black Squier Stratocaster that he’s owned since the 1980s. Electric guitars have been made for well over 70 years now, and most builders have learned what makes a great guitar great as well as what kind of guitar people want to buy.

[@shawnbryant60]

Thanks for telling the truth!, That's what grabs my attention, I just collect used gear and found the same thing you have just described!

[@radfury23g32]

I always had a feeling this was the truth, but I played a friends $4,000 custom shop Jackson recently and realized my 700$ Indonesian Jackson was the exact same thing minus the original Floyd Rose...I was happy for him to get a cool USA guitar and all but man oh man... I've looked at all of my guitars differently ever since then

[@jomesias]

Of course! A $3k guitar will have more work done on fret leveling and setup (most cheaper ones do not). You can do this yourself, or pay a Luthier to do it for you. Just make sure it’s a good luthier cause there’s a lot of scammers out there! Though there is ONE FEATURE I cannot deny is super useful to me from more expensive guitar series: the higher access to the neck you get from a set-neck/one piece versus a bolt on. For my hand size, at least, it makes a HUGE difference! 👌👌👌 The Jackson Series x is probably one of the best values out there for $800. Used are cheaper even 👌 Another Jackson feature I love is the compound radius lol just had to mention it

[@VelezBiH]

Its been over a decade since i bought my last guitar. I have an American Fender Strat that i bough in 2005. Its my number one and still play it to this day. I realized my gear is not holding me back, its me, i need to play more and work on my playing. Not buying new gear.

[@HeathenDance]

I also bought my American Fender Strat in 2005. 900 dollars back then, new. Never felt the need to buy another one, since then. It's weird how Strats are so rarely used by metal bands. Iron Maiden being the exception. But if you drift away from original heavy metal, and go to every other subgenre like thrash, death, black, power, etc, Strats are practically unexistent. Gibson is a lot more common, for example.

[@Negasilver]

The rule of thumb I was always taught was that you get what you pay for, but over like 1200 you're just paying for brand name and slight increases in fit and finish or cosmetics rather than a large jump in quality. I've had a lot of guitars around the 400-500 range that were magnificent instruments. I'd be willing to swing a little more though if there was a guitar with cool cosmetic options that I couldn't find at a lower price point.

[@sebastiandunbar8766]

It’s $1600 now . Prices are going up for a pro level guitar your looking around that price point . I know because I sell em for a living and it’s my biggest passion

[@secallen]

@@sebastiandunbar8766 Mexican Fender, Yamaha and Schecter to name just three all produce pro-level instruments for well under a grand.

[@Jean-Pierre.Hortefeux]

@@sebastiandunbar8766 I bought the jim root signature made in USA stratocaster when it came out, for about 900€. It's 1900€ now... absolutely not worth it anymore

[@kurzackd]

ehh... define "fit" , please? (in the expression "fit and finish" ...)

[@secallen]

@@kurzackd Fit = how well/precisely the components are assembled, e.g. is the neck on straight (top and bottom strings are equally distant from edge of the fretboard), does the neck completely fill the pocket, is the pickguard on straight, etc.

[@kevinstaggs5048]

I've had numerous guitars and mostly agree with you. Currently, I play a Les Paul Tribute I got used for just under $1000. I love it and am very happy with it. I could have paid a lot more for a Standard or Deluxe or Custom but they won't make me a better player so I'll use the money I saved for something else.

[@fathermarcus7808]

I bought my schecter hellraiser c1 12 years ago when i was 16 cause of the looks and i didn't have a lot of money as a kid...i felt a bond a connection with that guitar..its the only guitar that i own to this day..plays great feels great,heavy guitar wich i love..i haven't set up the guitar in 10 years its crazy i know but it plays great to this day..i tried a fender strat and it felt like cheap and 'fake' guitar in a way..

[@NWTMasterWolf]

I have nothing to add. Awesome! man. Thank you for putting it so well. I have been learning for a couple years now and I have been seeing these truths since the beginning as I learn to build and mod as well as setup and play.

[@seefoe5]

Great video. I've finally started to figure this out, too. I would just add that IMO it's often good to upgrade certain components (especially pickups, nuts, and tuners) on cheaper guitars. But once you do, those guitars are often just as great as their expensive counterparts. And to me, they're sometimes genuinely preferable, since I don't feel nervous holding them or hesitant to dig in when playing. I sold my Fender Strat and kept my Squier, which I liked much better, for example.

[@garyshelly6555]

I agree with you one hundred percent, everything you said is one-hundred-percent spot-on. 6 years old and have been playing for 40 years, and yes I play metal and yes I have played in bands almost the whole time. But with that being said I have never been a touring musician, just a local gigging GarageBand. I have a first generation meaning the first year they came out schecter hellraiser and it is by far the best guitar I've ever owned I also have a modified by me Mexican Stratocaster that I can assure you please just as good as any USA model. Disclaimer here though I have only owned one USA model Gibson Les Paul studio, that thing went by the wayside within two weeks of owning it it was a huge pile haha could not get it to set up at all the frets & fretboard or horrible on that thing. Sorry for such a long comment but radio really hit home with me because I have been preaching the exact same thing my whole playing career, set up is everything. Thanks for the excellent video bro.

[@richardsemuta1089]

You're absolutely correct. Most of my guitars are under $500, except for the Jackson Randy Rhoads, which I paid $1100 for over 30 years ago. But I mostly play my Japanese dinky strat, which was about $350, and my Chinese Monarkh, which was like $150. Both are great guitars. And Jackson is my go to because I love the compound radius necks.

[@back4onemore]

speak the truth brother! I found out the same way always searching for the next big thing and realized I had the best right in front of me that cost a fraction what I was looking for. Live and learn as they say 🤘🏻🤘🏻

[@thejimmichanga2913]

I feel you man. I sold a lot of my gear...I mean ALOT. I now only own a ec1000, Squier classic vibe, modded schecter lady luck, modded starcaster, and my first guitar (all with good setups). I consolidated to just these as each of them have a purpose and essentially covers the whole genre spectrum for me. Anything more is unnecessary at this point. Sold all my amps aside from my katana mk2 and switched primarily to digital Amps. Now when I gig I take a laptop and hook it to the FOH and run amphub. I started to realize that a good setup is all it takes to have a nice playing guitar, switch the pickups to your style of play, and run the amp/Amp Sims that fit your style of play. Anything more is overkill

[@thejimmichanga2913]

I should add that I do have one acoustic and one bass as well. Essentially one guitar for each genre I play. No sense in having 2 or 3 guitars that do the same thing (which I use to have) along with a pile of high gain amp heads (that all do the same thing at the end of the day)

[@richardsmith7322]

I 1000% agree with you brother it’s the truth and a crazy business!

[@skippertheeyechild6621]

My main guitar for the last ten years has been a Schecter Omen 6. Changed the pickups on it. It sounds decent. I could do with a wider neck. I want to upgrade in a few years when the money comes together, will definitely look at the same brand. Also, for the love of God, take what prominent guitar youtubers say with a pinch of salt. They are advertisers mostly.

[@TheDouglasSeth]

I agree 💯! I tell my students the exact same thing. I feel the same way about the market for classical guitars as well. Once a guitar is set up correctly, it is the player. Guitars are made so well now, most players will never need to spend more than $1,000 for a guitar which will last a lifetime. Great video!

[@Scamc1974]

I'm a used market guy and I don't think I've spent more that about $800 for a guitar. You are 1000% right. I'll never be able to outplay the guitars I had. And I spend more time watching reviews than playing. I'm glad you said that, but I hate having to admit it!! That being said I confess I just picked up a new guitar. Guilty!

[@MikeyMack303]

I ordered a foreign LP copy about 13 years ago. When I received it , I was livid to find that the neck was twisted like a vine. It would have cost me more money to ship it back than I had paid for it. So, I contacted the seller and explained the problem. He agreed to refund some of the money and I agreed. I got online and watched MANY videos of guitar neck staightening., learned how to set-up a guitar, and now that guitar is my go-to guitar........for far less than a Gibson Les Paul (which would probably a lot of work right from the factory). Great video!

[@johnrigglesford]

I got a Schecter demon 7 a good few years ago as my first (and only) 7 string but the sound of the guitar is massive! Even with the Duncan designed blackouts. Ive picked it up instead of my higher end guitars as of late just because it sounds and feels so nice.

[@callsignscrottymcboogerballs88]

Love those guitars and those pickups , I have a hellraiser c7 that someone put those Duncan designed actives in and I would never change them they're so tight and defined for an active pup

[@daredevil2724]

Just bought one for 500 its insanse how good it sounds for the price. Definitely happy with it

[@snapfinger1]

Your testimony rings true. Regardless of origin or price there is a perfect guitar for every individual. Sometimes the quest is lengthy.

[@trialbyicecream]

Speaking of Floyd’s, I removed mine and replaced the bridge with a pretty cheap Amazon hard tail bridge. I enjoy playing it now more than ever.

[@skippertheeyechild6621]

Hard tails are great. I prefer them over anything else. Tremelo bridges are just annoying to me.

[@darreneddy3154]

I've been playing for about 20ish years. I'm 32 now, and grew up working in my family's guitar shop. I've had some $200 beaters and I've also been lucky enough to own a number of custom shop guitars as well, such as Kiesels, Jackson, Fender, etc. I currently do have some pretty expensive ones in my collection, but you are 100% correct. If you know how to set a guitar up, it doesn't really matter. I'm always worried about damaging the expensive ones, so I never enjoy them as much. I have an old 1991 Jackson MIJ dinky reverse that I got for $200 when i was 21, I spent about a month just cleaning the components and reassembling it. To this day, I enjoy it as much as the Kiesels and other high dollar guitars I have. I've never thought about offloading it for the reason you mention. However, I have let go of countless high dollar guitars over the years and never really looked back. Most +/-$1000 guitars now have all the components you'd want, and the construction is just getting better and better on them. Its nice enjoy the high end stuff, but really if I could only have one guitar, I'd just drop around $800 on a used MIJ Ibanez, MIK Schecter, or MIM Charvel. The premium people pay for custom shop and exotic brands really does yield a marginally, if at all better, product.

[@whatsmyageagain91]

100% agree. The quality of playability and the overall feel are what makes a guitar great. In the majority of cases, achieving great playability relies on the guitar setup. In my personal experience, investing up to approximately $1500 can result in an instrument of amazing quality, where big attention is given to each and every tiny detail - fretwork, materials, hardware, etc. Anything that goes beyond that threshold often stems from a desire to attain a subjective "boutique" level instrument. I currently own a Mexican Fender Nashville Telecaster with piezos valued at around $1000, and a PRS Core Custom 24 worth $5000 which I got recently. The PRS has always been my lifelong dream, and it delivers incredible sound and playability, however, after some setup work in the past my Mexican Telecaster also provides a fantastic playing experience, and I objectively can't say it's "worse" than PRS, despite the price difference. So yeah, totally backing up your point, setup work is the key to achieving great playability of a guitar, regardless of the price, UNLESS the guitar has some real mechanical issues.

[@TrentDooley420]

Mr scary! When Dokken was fire! I love ole GL

[@buddhabillypresents4006]

Totally agree. I'm 49. Been playing guitar since I was 12. I own exactly 3 electric guitars the most expensive of which was less than 500 bucks. They're all great. I played a friend's super expensive Les Paul once and I honestly thought it was crap. It completely turned me off Les Paul's. Haven't been impressed by them since.

[@PegeCovers]

I play a harley benton SC-Custom FR. If you get one, that's an amazing one to go for. Plays great, sounds great, 24 frets, proper floyd rose. Also, fantastic neck profile and good scale length (don't need to stretch much).

[@heraldgreenbanger5488]

Everything you said it true. Luckily I found out early on thru comparing my epiphones to high dollar gibsons. Ever since I’ve always done research and bought mid range gear. (Except for my amp/cab rig for live use) Good video man

[@ZachComa]

Of my 5 guitars, two are Schecters. I have a C-1 FR and V-1 FR I got used for ~$500 each IIRC a few years ago, they're just amazing. Once you learn how to do your own setup (especially on a Floyd), you're set. Each of my guitars has a specific purpose and/or tuning, I'm about to get a third Schecter for the fleet.

[@ambrooks5]

Exactly. I use a lot of different tunings so I figure out which guitar sounds best in certain tunings and leave them at. My most expensive electric was a PRS torero that was $1000. Schecter makes killer guitars

[@JacksonX94]

The fact that you opened up with Mr. Scary earns a like from me!

[@tommyibanez3958]

Yep- Ibanez sent their top luthiers to Indonesia for the Premium series, and since then the fretwork throughout the price points is pretty solid, which gives an excellent starting point. I've been buying RG450s and RGA42s lately- people sell them for very little. I change the bridge, level the frets, and change the pickups to my preference and they sound and play exactly like guitars I've bought in the $2k range- except they end up being about $500-600 all told.

[@jasongulley2007]

You got my sub, bud! I feel the hurt in this video tbh...thanks for the honesty!

[@mickeyjohn2442]

I've been playing guitar for 50 years...I am a retired professional musician...And I've owned every make and model you could imagine...And I agree with you 100%...I remember this one time I had the money to buy a Gibson Les Paul (American made) I ended up going with an Epiphone Les Paul because it played way better...This is one of many stories of the same situation I've encountered over the years.

[@olebrumme6356]

This is so true! You can even get a Harley Benton for $500 with stainless steel frets. Then spend $200 changing the nut, tuners, checking the soldering and pots, have it set up professionally. It will play like a $3000 guitar, the only difference is in the finish/details, which has 0 impact on the sound and playability.

[@RyanPortugal]

When I first started playing guitar, I was 16 and it was 2005. I had a starter pack squier strat, but I didn’t know any better. I really had no idea what kind of gear was out there. I was so happy to play my guitar everyday, i’d play all day long. Learning new songs from tabs, then finding the song on limewire to hear it for the first time. I got pretty good, I could play all the green day and blink 182 songs, then started learning some metallica and avenged sevenfold… after a couple years of playing, and learning all these songs, I’d meet other guitar players. One of the first things they’d ask me was what kind of guitar I played, which always confused me, because for me the guitar itself wasn’t the important part, it was playing the music. They’d always turn their nose up at me when I told em I played a squier strat, as though I wasn’t a real guitar player if that’s what I played. But when we’d jam, and they pulled out some les paul their dad bought em, they couldn’t play through a single song, couldn’t hold rhythm to save their life, but they could always play faster than me, doing some lick they learned. It was always interesting to me. I learned a lot from those experiences.

[@aliengrey6052]

Right. I had to buy the same hellraiser in the same colour you have. Thomann had 1. I got it. Unbelievable, just unbelievable, build, colour, inlays. Thankyou for this post. Fits in a deluxe fender hardcase as well.

[@IAmCjcj11]

Absolutely love my esp Ltd h1001 deluxe. Bought for 750 probably about 15 years ago and it’s in great shape and love it. I wish my younger self wasn’t stupid and didn’t chuck the Seymour Duncan’s for EMGs because gotta be more metal. Considering even switching back now. But yeah around that price point you can clearly get some quality stuff that sounds and plays good as well as lasts for years and years. I’ve always been a cheap asshole so luckily didn’t get the gear bug too bad. Most of the stuff I’ve purchased has been used and saved a great deal and never went overboard. I just wish I knew how much a quality amp made a difference when I was super young. I was using that esp on a 15 watt crate practice amp that sounded like garbage. (Meanwhile I thought the emgs were going to make it sound better😂).

[@jonasirw1]

You’re 100% correct ..its not sad!! it’s all about what’s in your fingers.

[@wstn7938]

Dang it after watching this I want a hell raiser and I have 6 guitars downstairs!! Lol jk but yah I have had the gear bug for years like you said if I actually played my guitars as much as I watched gear demos I would be great. That new Dave mustain V has me itching!! It’s all an illusion

[@timjenkins502]

A fatal illusion

[@thesolersystemofgames841]

Have you seen the spectersoundstudios video on the mustaine V? You should check it out if not.

[@timjenkins502]

​@@thesolersystemofgames841 I definitely will

[@timjenkins502]

@The SOLer system of games and actually yes I have seen Glen rip that guitar apart!!!

[@wstn7938]

I want the Kramer or Epiphone black custom model

[@joelballard4955]

Glad i stumbled upon this. I am brand new to guitar. im 48 and about 40 days into playing the guitar. I've played other stuff, drums and saxophone, and now im learning the guitar. im having fun with the process, it's both frustrating and fun at the same time. I have a cheap ibanez sg120 that im learning on. I want to buy a 300-500 guitar and set it up and learn on that for the next few years. just one guitar i can get extremely comfortable with and learn inside and out.

[@JoeTalaga]

Totally agree! I think once you get into the $1000USD range, the rest above that price point are just special fancy figured tops and other extras that don’t affect playability as much. You can dress the frets and do some minor upgrades to make a mid-ranged guitar feel like a million bucks.

[@dimebagjosh2007]

Agree 110%. My local guitar shop owner said it best “Anything over $1200, is just peripherals.”

[@MilianMalivukMusic]

Could not agree more. I came to realize this now too, after starting a journey of constantly switching guitars a decade ago. In 2023, I sold half of my guitar arsenal, which mostly consisted of cheaper instruments, but they took up space and I didn't use them for writing and recording. I sold everything I haven't been using to actually create music and oh wonder, when I sit down now I can still be creative the same way than before but I got more cash for other things! Also agree on the expensive custom guitar argument. I would add though that customs are not just about the specs that make them "superior" but I would also appreciate the craftmanship, especially if they are handmade by small businesses or even single luthiers. However, in 2020, I bought a new Ibanez RG550 for sub 1k and it truly opened my eyes. That guitar is all I need. I swapped in new pickups to further modify it to my specific needs and now this instrument is my favourite ever in that last decade. I could NEVER sell it to switch to something else. I stopped making videos here on KZbin because I took a step back and asked myself: do I want to continue to do reviews and paid demos? Do I want to continue trying to sell stuff to others although myself I don't want to do this consumerist shit anymore? I think the gear hunt is over now. I do still buy stuff occasionally, but when I do it's always secondhand and not guitars, but rather a new effect pedal or something to actually get new or other sounds from to make music. It's time to create now. Take care. Milian

[@guitarscadillacshillbillym5344]

The power of a great fret level and crown can never be understated. I have a $400 LTD that, after a thorough setup, plays just as good as my USA Jackson.

[@mackk123]

the cheaper the guitar the higher probability that the fret leveling was skipped

[@94SexyStang]

full of shit dude......$400 electronics will NOT sound good threw a Full Stack amp, compared to a USA or Higher priced model, Period.

[@sa373372]

I used to own a schecter. When I bought it..I was like never heard of it... but it was cheap so I got it. It sounded fkin great with crate amp. Fret board.....weight.... man..... Great guitar.... badass tone

[@mercho_music]

Maybe that's your guitar, the kind of guitar that is for you. In my case, I've played Gibson's, American Fenders, a Xotic, a Parker once and a strandberg (just mentioning the expensive ones) and the best for me is my Charvel DK24 (made in Mexico) casually in the same price range than your Schecter. Love almost everything about that guitar! The more expensive doesn't mean the best for you. Pd: I own a Schecter too! An 8 string one (maybe the cheapest 8 string guitar out there) and it's a very nice guitar, very comfortable, good looking, maybe just changing the pickups and that's it! A very good guitar at $399

[@ayylmao8691]

Charvel DK24 goes crazy, I loved mine to bits

[@mattwhitfield9850]

Awesome video Tim... I have a Schecter Hellraiser too, bought about a dozen years ago for about $750 new, have always loved it, but also had lots of issues with it, mainly staying in tune. I finally got it some sweet new tuners, a fret job, and a professional setup (the third time I've had it setup) and now it plays as good as my $1400 Solar, sort of... my Solar has jumbo stainless steel frets, and an Evertune bridge, and I love it, but also love my Schecter now that it has been pimped out. They each feel different, but are equally as good as each other... which led me to order a custom Kiesel... when it arrives in August I'll find out if the $3200 was worth it, lol. Stay Metal my friend and thanks again for the video!!

[@LeBozoBlames]

Nice video, this is getting viral bro because you just hit on something factual BIG that's going on for decades and no one is noticing. You exposed it.......If only guitar players will realize this, there will be no need for NAMM every year to bust your bank and savings. haha.😂 All we need is just 2 or 3 guitars that have a great set-up and pick-ups and that's it. It will last for a lifetime.🤭We just need more practice and not collect guitars as rack decor.

[@robertvarner8195]

Great video! You hit the nail on the head and I agree 100%.

[@edwindones1033]

So glad a saw this Video....I've been upgrading gear like a crack habit....spending more time burying, selling and hoarding for 3 months....for what....haven't spent an hour since then working on my craft....my passion....PLAYING GUITAR..... creativity....What a concept.....Im closing my Bedroom pawn shop...LOL....grabbing a pic ....one of my guitars and do something crazy.....PLAY GUITAR.....Its like being race car driver and never getting on the track......I HAVE seen the Light

[@dpajc056]

Preach the truth brother. There's a point of diminishing returns and I find it it's usually around $1000-1500 after that the guitars don't get that much better and most of the increase in money is in superficial fluff you don't need like binding, etc. nothing that makes it sound or play better

[@vonclod123]

My best is a beat up 30 yr old Japanese Jackson with one pu, and just a volume knob, it just plays well, stays in tune, it's all I need

[@oldzerhuman555]

AMEN my man, I've been caught up in this loop, this video is what i needed, I now have a Fender AM Pro II that i need to get rid off

[@joporizzoo]

YES!!!!!!! I am "old" and have owned pretty much every "top-shelf" marque YOU know of. Schecter is amazing. The first purchase I made from them, arrived via UPS and didn't need a setup. Their quality control is the best I've ever seen, as opposed to the "legacy brands," that trade mainly on the logo (I still LOVE you, "F" and "G") and are more worried about shareholder value than producing an instrument for those who understand the real value of what their holding in their hands. The guitar industry, sadly, has fallen prey to what ALL industries have, the "financialization" of real things, that meant a lot to REAL people. The major makers can come back to the table, but it's up to them.

[@ericstites9470]

Truth! I've played expensive guitars, and I've played cheap ones - usually all you get with the extra money is a fancy look and a name(and back problems early on if you're playing a Les Paul). I'm currently swinging a shadow green Ibanez S520EX that I got for $400 back in the day. It came with a set of DiMarzio Evolution pickups that looked like a 2-yr old soldered together - I later re-did those solder joints and replaced the stock pots with a pair of 500k push-pulls to switch the pickups between series and parallel. I set the string height and neck on my own with the help of a few videos, and this thing plays like a dream!

[@mikehill666]

Hey man, spoken like a true person who has found them selves and some. Thanks for putting it out there like that and you are 100% correct being honest with yourself it’s hard sometimes we like shiny new things as guitar players. Great video man keep on shredded.

[@shockt9610]

My main "gear bug" is mainly for utility's sake now. Trying to scale down my rig size while at the same time not sacrificing sound quality.

[@MadDjentah]

Same experience, totally agree with you.

[@kevinmckeon2543]

Accurate. I've had a similar journey the past 20 years although with less guitars, maybe 40 at most. Everything from super cheap to more than a decent car. Some hard realizations along the way were that the squier bullet strat was better than the 2.5k Malmsteen, Epi LP was pretty much the exact same as the Gib custom. The list goes on. But yeah, once you get the style of guitar / pick-up type you want, then set-up is literally everything.

[@MichaelIsla]

I so glad that you put out this video. Unfortunately, I have just come to the same realization. I just bought PRS McCarty 594 and it is as good if not better than my PRS American CE which is over twice the price and even more with modifications. Here is the other sad truth nobody on planet earth will ready be able to tell the difference with an inexpensive guitar and expensive guitar with the same rig. Nobody on the planet will watch a great player play and say OMG he's sounds awful. Good player sound great regardless because they understand how to get their sound with an instrument--what it comes down to is the feel and setup of the guitar and that's the easiest thing to figure out and it barely costs anything and nothing if you do it yourself.

[@aspiceronni4462]

I agree. Setup is everything. I got a 2010 ESP LTD Gus G Signature Eclipse. I saved it before my buddy pawned it about 8 years ago. I paid about 250 for it. I see they are selling for 1000 to 1300 new. They arent rare but they sound so good people dont like selling them. And if it isn't setup correctly it sounds horrible.

[@ijahtom]

True talk 👍🏻. Greetings o. It's Like buying a very expencive car but not adjusting the drivers seat individually for practical comfort. So yes, it's the Set up! Well wishings and all the best furthermore.

[@SkyscraperGuitars]

You're 100% correct. Most high end guitars come set up very well and some hold their setup better because they start with straight grain and DRY timber... Less expensive guitars that are a few years old tend to be pretty stable. I get a lot of customer guitars that come in with poor factory setups... A full fret level and crown along with fixing all the little loose parts will make them play just as good as a custom shop guitar. And the Floyd Rose setups have been my bread and butter for a decade. Once you learn the procedure, you can make them SWEET.

[@Ahuntrgw2013]

Nice start to “Mr. Scary!” 👏🏻

[@josephclark5965]

And subscribed! Newer players, listen to what he's telling you! I was more pathetic than the bug, I let "guitar snobs" influence me. All the "those other guitars are firewood" and "you have to experience these to understand" bs comments. I spent months making excuses for why I was walking past my "dream" LP and still playing my used (you guessed it) $500 used Schecter, before finally admitting the truth. I just liked playing my C1 elite more. Those "snobs" aren't just trying to convince you, they're trying to convince themselves they're happier than you - after spending 4x more.

[@LifeofSharp]

Started playing 1,5 years ago on my chinese ibanez from 300 bucks and it didn’t dissapoint but after 6 months i’ve sold it and bought a mexican strat and i am really happy with it! I play it everyday, the quality feels solid and i couldn’t be happier together with my blues junior! The sound is so good and i don’t need anything else! I am settled for life with this combo!

[@Oyhus]

You're absolutely sir! Pricing is all about brand and market value

[@RobSchauland]

Preach, brother. I have a 1st run Synyster Gates Schecter that still stands as one of the best guitars I’ve had regardless of price.