The Best Guitars Under £1000 from a Player's Perspective

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[@pronumeral1446]

Great video. This is a very important price point to cover, because it's the "you are a serious player, but you're on a budget" price point.

[@MrBlank0907]

The nick johnston schecter Strat is one of my favorites under $1k

[@WhiskeyBiscuits23]

JNCs' playing is my end game goals. :D Crispy smoothness! I love it!

[@joybuzzer]

"There's not a single-coil option with the Revstar" In the next video, JNC will discover just how many coils of wire are in a P90.

[@DrProgNerd]

The DGT is a great guitar. It checks almost every box. Mine went back because of the awkward/cramped upper fret access. The lower horn bevel - while asthetically nice - is ergonomically backwards. The contour should be on the back to provide space for your hand. If you do roll your hand inward to reach the upper frets, you're met with the sharp edge of that top bevel. Function/comfort first.

[@tiagoramalhais5493]

I actually have the opposite opinion regarding that contour, I have a couple of guitars with the back contour and it's useless for me, the PRS front contour is great for me ... all depends on the player's style.

[@ovivan79]

The DGT and L7 are great choices in the category and I play both. I think the SE Custom 24 and SE McCarty 594, as well as the Epiphone Les Paul Standard 50s/60s and Modern are great contenders as well.

[@gregnaugher7531]

Ever tried Eart Guitars? I just got an E-TT2 for $400 US. Stainless jumbo frets with great fretwork, roasted maple neck, mahogany semi-hollow body, compound 9-14 radius, truss rod adjuster at base of the neck (love it), wide-range humbuckers, high-ratio tuners, bone nut, neck feels great, sounds really, really good. I’m picking it up over my DGT SE now - pickups not quite as good but very nice guitar for the $.

[@christophlambpie]

Great video. My only guitar is a £900, made in Japan, Fender Strat, and it's a great guitar. I have changed the pickups, but not because they are poor. It was more for versatility.

[@tonoselectricos]

Excellent guitar!!! Enjoy it as much as I do with my japanese Fender!!! 💪🏽😆☝🏾

[@nedludd3641]

Yamaha Pacifica are beautifully made, but the neck is too narrow imo. PRS Silver Sky SE knocks it out the park though What's the USP with Schechter? A lot of folk admire their instruments? Tokai don't get an honourable mention?

[@Pablo-mw8cd]

Most Reverend guitar can be had for under £1000 brand new. Quality wise they are comparable to the US standard/professional Fender line imo. Don’t see too many guitarists rocking them in Europe, they seem pretty popular in the US thought.

[@Pablo-mw8cd]

Never owned one but VOLA guitars seem interesting. They have quite a few models around the 1150 mark, made in Japan, Gotoh hardware, stainless steel frets, baked maple neck, including a really nice gig bag.

[@mattrichmond9264]

YES! I own a Reverend Jetsteam 390 and it’s my favorite electric guitar to play. So versatile with the bass contour.

[@ac8704]

I got a DGT SE Gold top that is 7lbs 2oz.... I absolutely LOVE it. The gold top with moon inlays makes it a very subdued PRS. Thanks for your great reviews

[@ToneDeth.]

agree with this. moon inlays>stupid flashy birds

[@Newnodrogbob]

@@ToneDeth.Paul agrees with you. The bird inlays were some kind of tribute to his mother, or something? But he’s always said he was shocked that everyone wanted the birds… That said, I really like them.

[@ToneDeth.]

@@Newnodrogbob yes I remember that story. I think he only planned to have maybe 10 or 20% of guitars with them. But they were too popular. It's strange because usually he is really stubborn with what guitarists want Like how he doesn't want to put stainless steel frets on guitars because he personally doesn't like the tone.

[@viseshism]

Its such a joy to hear to you play brother.

[@randomkipper2516]

Will you ever review the Andy Timmons atz10p? Not many reviews of it out there right now

[@philcottone2247]

I listen to many reviews but I have to say yours are by far my favorite. Keep up the good work.

[@steved1099]

Gone are my days of getting mega expensive guitars, such is the playability of some affordable models now. I got a revstar 502 second hand for £360 and it is amazing... playability, resonance and tone are outstanding at any price. I have a few PRS SEs, and epiphone LPs customs alongside high end USA strats. I am on many forums and shudder when i see some spend 12-15k on custom shops and private stock number 10 in thier collection But each to their own, i just personally cannot justify it. Now if I played wembley stadium every week.... May be different

[@Prajnana]

Love your playing and reviews, John! Different strokes for different folks is true. Personally, the only one that rocks my boat at all is the DGT, except that it's got hummers (and I don't need another hummer guitar). Briefly tried a Silver Sky and disliked it's "raw" feeling neck, not into pastel colors (on a guitar), or its 3x3 headstock and cheap (looking) tuning buttons. A hummer neck in a tele style - never could figure that out - why bother, get an LP. Agreed, the Revstar needs single coils, plus, I would add, a trem, to boot. I ended up with a Player Strat - yes, it's perhaps overpriced; but it has no surprises or disappointments, does everything I need, and it does it well. 😁

[@stephenpayne6956]

Bro, you’re phenomenal! Love your phrasing and note choices, it’s like Eric Johnson meets Guthrie Govan

[@rileyhunt3987]

Ive got the p90 revstar and a Sterling cutlass, which i think are both fantastic value guitars. Especially if you don't like gloss necks

[@TJEvans98]

you may remember that I have the Revstar Standard P90 version and it's absolutely my favorite guitar that I currently own. That being said, on a whim, last week, I ordered and received the newest Firefly (yes, THAT firefly) FFTL. It's their telecaster ripoff. It was $169 (about $198 shipped) and has....roasted ash body, roasted maple neck and fretboard, stainless steel frets, locking tuners, brass bridge saddles, and bone nut. The pickups leave a lot to be desired, so I replaced them with the EMG T system....all in all, $400 for a guitar with all of those "premium" specs doesn't seem bad to me. the list of guitars I own from most favorite to "eh, I play it sometimes," are Yamaha Revstar Standard Line 6 Variax Shuriken (wouldn't be that far up if I didn't have a Helix) Firefly FFTL Gretsch G5655T

[@socalwill9876]

Epiphone Les Paul Modern - there's a long list of reasons Trogly and Rich Bischoff own this ~$650 guitar, but in short the new $4K Gibson Les Paul Supreme is in fact a Modern model with better dressing, so if you'd like that experience for 85% off, highly recommended. For the record I was not previously a Les Paul fan, a fine traditional tool for the traditionalist but current players need current features, Epiphone simply won me over and my Magma Fade is my current pride and joy.

[@axe2001]

I would be interested in your take on modern Fender MIJ - traditional 60s/heritage 60s. Not sure how available they are in the UK but in Australia they are between $1400-$2000 AUD, competing with the brands youve listed as well as fender MIM.

[@francescodefendi3201]

03:23 every time I listen to “..first of all…” I think about.. Festival 😂

[@tonedowne]

I"m still smitten with my DGT, but the bridge pickup has half died, so its being repaired. I would be interested to see what you made of a Bola guitar. Their prices have come down since they went online only.

[@tonedowne]

“ Vola”

[@nekkon1989]

For clean and mildly overdriven tones I'd put Gretsch hollowbody electromatic in the first place

[@ToneDeth.]

just wanted to say this is a great review of the Fender Tone Master Pro.

[@GraniteSoundtrack]

I have to say the Yamaha revstar was the only guitar in this price range that impressed me.

[@edwardtcrump5312]

Where do you think the Japanese Tokai guitars stand in relation to these options?

[@mortonwilson795]

Great run thru! Can't get my hands on some of the brands you mention but PRS SE line (I have a 25-08 Custom), Sire Larry Carlton line (tried the Tele, nice!) & several Epiphones (Custom Les Paul on sale here inside 1K) well worth a look IMHO. I think some of the new Gretsch range would fall in this $$ range - they are available in HK but haven't had a chance to try any yet - certainly some good reviews floating round.

[@zeon137]

Here's a hot take (?) Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster

[@faethe000]

My DGT SE is by far and away the best

[@cyrilcrn]

I had my eye on either a Sire strat or the PRS SE 24-08... but watching your video made it even harder to choose :(

[@mortonwilson795]

PRS SE 24-08 is a really nice, versatile one! Bought one a year or so ago. Only tried the Sire Tele version briefly - classy!

[@cyrilcrn]

@@mortonwilson795 thanks, I'm looking to try one out but it's not in stock anywhere

[@benstevenson5110]

Great Video thanks! I love the neck on my Silver Sky SE, does anyone know how the necks on the DGT SE and Revstar compare, size, feel etc? I’m hoping to try a DGT in a couple of weeks but there are no Revstars anywhere near where I live to try out

[@FakeGlasses]

Would love to see a video like this for the best way into a semi hollow 335 type guitar for under 3k.

[@christian_oz]

The Yamaha Revstar has a single coil option with P90s.

[@gerryloughran1676]

Sad in 2023 when £500+ guitars are poorly manufactured and finished… bought the first release of the new RevStar to find out the pickup foam support had collapsed… Yamaha London did offer to fix and set up but decided to do it myself and it’s a keeper …would agree with your selection great choice

[@ambc38vsxn]

Have you tried Cort G300 PRO or Cort G300 RAW?

[@ambc38vsxn]

Also - try PRS SE Zag Mayers 2023, semi hollow

[@CraigFlowersMusic]

Your dialog mic is clipping. Just letting you know.

[@Shiznitt_]

The biggest problem guitarists have, is that they think they need more than one guitar. Get a good guitar you enjoy playing and play it till it breaks, then fix it, or repeat. Money should not be the first thing you think about.

[@daviddalziel884]

The DGT gets great reviews everywhere but seeing the price of Silver Sky SE models value tumble (@£400 ) second hand I’d be worried about selling on DGT SE and getting buttons for it 😳

[@Newnodrogbob]

Yeah; don’t buy it as an investment. But it to play, or don’t buy it at all.

[@daviddalziel884]

@@Newnodrogbob I get that but the Silver Sky SE when launched were £900 then dropped to six and that’s about the right price . I’ve got a 245 SE and it’s great so the DGT would need to be something special to dish out a grand -the gold one looks crap imho .

[@Newnodrogbob]

@@daviddalziel884 yeah, my comment reads in a harsher way than I intended. I was more or less agreeing with you. I’m not even saying you should buy it. If you’re in need of a workhorse guitar that does what it does, it’s a good quality to price ratio. If you already have guitars that you like, it’s not a smart buy to hang on to for a little while and then unload.

[@AnthonyBencomo]

@@daviddalziel884it’s still $900?…

[@dividedbytimestudios]

Everyone’s doing tonemaster pro demos except Johnny…. 😢 Jk you’ll get yours uploaded soon I bet 😂

[@elux-e6u]

This is more of an indication of how a certain guitar performs with a good amplifier, especially if it's in good hands... most of them in the same price range, ( to me ) they all sound very good... I have FGN and it doesn't have such a nice sound...😢

[@Jagermeistery]

DGT 🔥🔥🔥 Just not my style. Prefer SSS or HSS. So i will let my DGT go.

[@tfwthewhen]

i love blahaj

[@Hello_there_obi]

Really dislike the piezo tone on the prs. Revstar is the best by a mile 🤘🏼

[@yksityinenoma7821]

Revstar models with humbuckers have quite nasal clean sounds. Do not like them at all!

[@PuRe_AdDicT]

Why is everyone that got a ToneMaster Pro to review unable to play/create a clean tone? 🤷‍♂ I don't care about high gain gunky BS Fenders loss that you didn't get one

[@skateboardguy1095]

FGN!!!

[@michael1]

PRS - plays like an expensive guitar...a gibson, ack, damned by faint praise.

[@davelouis4004]

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