The Problem with CHEAP Guitars

[@lou.yorke.x]

What makes a guitar good to me is the fretwork. If the frets are smooth and level, it's a good guitar! Everything else can be easily adjusted or upgraded if needed.

[@joemerchant92]

Totally agree - and the neck is just as important. If it feels good in your hands you’ll always reach for it. You can easily change the electronics and/or hardware.

[@TheAvionet]

And the neck quality, too

[@vorpalblades]

Frets can also be modified/replaced.

[@lou.yorke.x]

@vorpalblades true, but it's kinda difficult to do so, and your average guitar player probably doesn't have the skills, tools, or experience to do so properly.

[@LukeMosse]

A guitar costing £300 that is plek'd will outplay 95% of guitars costing £3k.

[@LuisJimenez-pb3ge]

The problem with cheap guitars is that they are too good and you can’t stop buying more

[@vorpalblades]

I hear that shit...

[@gazzabiker8540]

I've only got half a dozen Squiers... 😅

[@VoxMax1200]

@LuisJimenez-pb3ge.... totally agree with you 😊

[@WilliamJOHNSONJR]

True Dat ! Damm Harley Benton !!!

[@babylon_bob]

I knew it wasn't just me!!!! 😆

[@SuicidalLemonade]

Love the "i'm in to you" in the intro

[@michielroom]

I recently bougt a B-stock Yamaha Revstar RSE20. Since then it's practicly the only guitar I play.

[@nedim_guitar]

I bought a Yamaha Revstar RSE20 used, alongside the Fender Jim Adkins signature Telecaster. I sold the Telecaster after fixing the fault pot, so I got my Revstar for less than $200. It's a really good guitar. I almost exclusively play it with the dry switch engaged. For some reason, I don't really agree with humbuckers, I tend to disappear in the mix, which I never do on single coils. The dry switch on the Revstar makes that better.

[@babylon_bob]

I have a revstar and they are unreal guitars for the price, don't get raved aboubt half as much as they should

[@dobiqwolf]

The fact that you actually gig both type of guitars regularly shows you that there are little difference between an expansive and cheap guitar if both are made correctly. You are not being a snob and try to objectively compare the instruments in live conditions and this is one of the things that makes your channel interesting.

[@AmbientEndeavors]

the air drumming from your little one! ha love it.

[@pearsonart]

Makes me happy to see how sweet and patient you are with your little one. God bless you and your family. On guitars, build your own tele and save for a Memphis or Nashville CS 335.

[@digitalchris6681]

My main guitar is a Fender Telecaster custom shop (£3,500) but out of interest I bought a Harley Benton tele for £145. When directly comparing them there is both a sonic and a 'feel' difference, but to be honest, after 10 minutes of playing I forget which I'm holding! And I'm certain nobody listening blindfolded would be able to tell the difference....

[@philthompson9403]

Is that the te62? Had my eye on that for a while lol

[@digitalchris6681]

@@philthompson9403 TE69TL (wood finish thinline). It'd be a remarkable instrument at £750. At its price it's just stupidly amazing.

[@abl9087]

I have as well a Harley benton tele, mine is TE70. I have Gibson custom shop R8, stratos from the 90s etc. I mean all of them are different. You can feel a bit less quality the tele. But I enjoy playing it a lot. Even live. It has great personality. Mine needed a bit of adjustment, but after that. Looks, feel and sounds to a more expensive guitar.

[@digitalchris6681]

@@philthompson9403 TE69. Thinline in wood grain finish. Amazing.

[@jameskershaw2998]

I had a Gibson Les Paul studio that I bought myself when I was going through a rough time to cheer myself up. Most expensive guitar I'd ever bought. I couldn't wait to get it. When it arrived I didn't bond with it at all, and I was so scared of dinging the thing that it stayed in its case unplayed for the most part. It got sold on after not too long. Personally, I much prefer sub-£1k guitars, because I'm not scared to play them. I'm much more bonded to a second hand scruffy strat that I had to clean up than I ever was to that factory fresh Gibson.

[@bmac5085]

The same happened to me. I am and always have been a strat player. But when I saw this Les Paul tribute in honeyburst for a good deal online I thought that I have to have it. I was actually really excited about it arriving. When I opened the case up it looked beautiful. But after a while playing it, I just couldn't bond with it at all. Plus it definitely wasn't worth the money. I ended up selling it off after a couple of months, and ended up buying a charvel 24 hsh with goto hardware. A guitar that I am much more comfortable with.

[@timscarrow9151]

I bought my LP std. in 1982 for 675$ I have played beaten and modded it to death. It is the best instrument I have ever owned. "Now" that is a 4500$ guitar.

[@jameskershaw2998]

@@timscarrow9151 I love that for you mate. I wish I had the balls to beat up an expensive guitar, but I just don't. £1500 is a lot of money, haha.

[@KristopherCraig]

Dude it’s awesome to watch your kid grow up and already show interest in the guitar.

[@andersg9451]

Soon nr.1 in the house! :)

[@L_u_i_s_0]

Been thinking about that a lot! Went to the music shop last month to buy a 335. I have a Sire Jazz Bass which I love, so had it in my mind I was going to buy a Sire Larry Carlton semi. Tried both the p90 and humbucker version. Great guitars and can't fault them technically (apart from the nut job, strings WAY too high both on the p90 one and my bass!), however I ended up going home with an Ibanez AS93 for £430 - maple body, ebony fretboard. The guitar feels alive, sounds like proper PAFs and plays amazing. It's very light, finish looks superb. Downsides: No case, plastic nut and plastic fretboard inlays, the fret edges were a bit rough so I carefully rounded them off myself, and will upgrade to a bone nut. The Ibanez has given me so much more joy in the last few weeks than my Gibson SG Custom VOS ever did in years! I'm a professional musician and have bought and played a lot of expensive guitars that ultimately didn't cut it... my fault for not knowing what I needed and also "buying with my eyes". I spent so much money/time on expensive upgrades that didn't actually fix the things I didn't like. My two other most favourite guitars in the world are a 60s Brazilian Strat and a 70s Yamaha Acoustic, both worth less than £200. Basically, a guitar either works for you or not, find (and keep) the ones you connect with :)

[@jazzzfer]

Oddly I don’t regret anything after I sell them. I hated my dull USA prs DGT. Hated every fender I had. Have loved many inexpensive guitars but always felt if i got better instruments I would sound better. It’s a vicious cycle: get something cheap, sell it. Get something expensive, feel guilty, sell it.

[@kitoyobeni1]

I've sold/traded off plenty of gear when I was younger that I wish I still had (guitars and amps). Lately, I just continue to accumulate. I do have one guitar I intend to eventually move on (an upgraded EVH special), but other than that I've been simply filling holes/needs (other than having some overlap with modded strats and custom strat style builds, can't help myself).

[@trev3971]

The old Danelectro formula had it correct: on an electric guitar, especially a bolt-on, the majority of time and money in the build should be spent on the neck. Everything else is stuff that can be changed to fit purpose or preference.

[@antoonhermans8953]

I think it took me about the last 10 years to realize that high end guitars are just marketing / branding products wich are way to expensive and i can have just as much fun playing a good bugdet guitar . So i went from guitars with a value between 2500- 5000 euro's to where i am now , wich is guitars between 250 - 500 euro's , and yes , they sound and play just as good as those way overrated / overpriced high end guitars , so lesson learned i guess .

[@onlyguitars]

I have over the last 6 years went from Squier, Epiphone, to Gibson and Fender CS, PRS Core, Suhr. And I do agree with you up to a certain point because at this moment I have 2 high end guitars, 1 cheap, and 2 like mid you could say?? I enjoy them all, but the higher end ones do have that extra nice feel, from te woods, the finish, the details, I play them and really are nice in every aspect. I do have to say though that these 2 particular I am kind of biased too cos are kind of my favorite guitars and are special to me, but they share with other high end ones that they feel very premium on the hand and have all those extra nicer details going on. My highg end ones are an Eastman SB59/v and a Schecter USA NJ, and they are not the usual PRS or Gibson or Fender. But they are fantastic, and were not stupidly expensive, under 2.5k each (Eastman got it new but the schecter used and I love the schecter so much) BUT, the mid ones I play them and love them as well and feel high quality as well and sound fantastic. This is like the tier for me that I kind of like the most, cos I have very good specs, feels solid and good, nothing feels cheap and are not as expensive. I have an Ibanez AZ premium and a Tele Fender Vintage 50's modified (is like the same as the Tele Baja just with satin neck which I prefer) I dont miss the Tele custom shop fender I have, and I like more this MIM than the CS any day of the week. (although I tried anothe Tele CS once that blew my mind lol, but wasnt mine hehe), but this im swapping pickups soon for a set similar to the CS ones and will see, but how it is is very good, like the current pickups. And the cheap is an ibanez standard indonesian that has dimarzio. And here I can notice the difference. BUT, it plays and sounds great! I would change the hardware , tuners and electronics, polish the frets and with those things will feel like a big step up for sure. But as it is plays is good and I enjoy it very much. At this moment I like getting the guitar that better satisfies me and the least price. Meaning im not obsessed on going to CS at all. I was as happy with my PRS DGT Core and the PRs DGT SE I had. Same the Silver sky.

[@antoonhermans8953]

@@onlyguitars Hello , thanks for you're comment , to be clear , i think there is nothing wrong with high end guitars ( except for the price offcourse : ) and if a person can afford them , then by all means , i would say go ahead and buy them , i surely have enjoyed my custom shop fenders and gibsons , but as life happens i am not in the position anymore to be able and willing to spend so much money on my hobby and started to trim down on my expenses for my hobby / passion , and with some good looking around i found some nice guitars for a lot less money and after a good set up ect. ( wich i do myself ) i really feel or hear no difference between my present "bugdet "guitars or my past high end guitars . Beside the feel of an guitar wich is indeed an very important thing for me also , it is the amp and pedals that " make " the sound and as long as the budget guitar has some decent pu's and pots ect. i really think is does not matter all that much wether it's a high end or bugdet guitar , but thats just my opion , no more , no less . Cheers .

[@Kevin-mx1vi]

I'm a bass player with 3 basses - an expensive one, a mid-level one, and a cheap one, and it's the cheap one that I always reach for because it plays so well that it feels like an extension of me. Everything about it just feels _right_ 😊

[@rufusevans7844]

I had Gibson LP classic which I got on a stonking deal from Rossetti at the time but I would sort of forget that I owned it! I would gig with an epiphone and oh I could've taken the Gibson out! It was kinda bland.

[@predigr]

High end guitars are marketing. But not JUST marketing. There are things you can only have in an expensive guitar. Exotic woods, custom finishes and attemption to detail in general. Those things can't be delivered in mass production. Yes, a typical Gibson LP is not so special. I am refering to custom or limited editions mainly. I have cheap and expensive guitars, and cheap LP style guitars does not look like the Gibson LP Standard. They simply not. Now, a Sire may be easier to play. But it is not a Gibson and it doesn't look as beautiful. And I am comparing it with a LP Standard, not a limited edition. Anyway, I have recently bought a Squier special edition too, and I am amazed with the guitar. It beated all my expectations, but it can be a bit of luck, because tunners in that brand are likely to be ... so so...for instance. In this specific one I got, they are ok. Wood grain is good too. Finish is very nice. But I also have limited editions in Fender and they are superior. That's a fact. That does not mean you enjoy more with them. Just means they are superior builds in general. You can notice it "easily". The conclusion I got is I only buy limited edition guitars of classic brands that I personally love (cheap or expensive, but must be limited and super cool :)). LP Standard is my only non-special edition guitar I have. So, I will never pay for a Fender CS that looks like regular non CS ones. That does not make any sense to me. But I would pay for a Fender CS if the guitar is special, for instance, some Artisan Series or very custom finishes that cannot be found in regular series. There is only one flaw in my argument: you don't want to "touch" those guitars because you want them to be impolute. So you may need some "normal manufactured ones" to be dirty and play without thinking.

[@csharp57]

I can relate. But I believe that it’s all a journey. Buy and spending time with expensive and lower priced guitars helps us understand exactly what we are looking for. Noodling on a guitar in a store won’t give us all the information we need on if that guitar is right for us. We have to sit with it for a while. And YT reviews can only help us but so much. We just have to be mindful to make sure the collection doesn’t get out of hand.

[@predigr]

My collection is getting out of hand. hahahaha

[@UmVtCg]

If you've got enough of them and switch em around, you'll never have to get them refretted

[@wyldeatart1914]

I have a Gibson LP studio. Had it around 15 years or so and love it to death. I was so happy when I got it that I burst into tears on the ride home. Never thought I’d actually get to own a legit LP. The Pups are awesome and it just sound incredible. I recently got an epiphone 335 for my birthday. My Gibson doesn’t get anywhere near as much love as the Epiphone feels so nice to play

[@jimmyheathmusic3779]

I find myself reaching for my PRS NF3 se more than any other guitar right now. I have several more expensive instruments but that’s the one that inspires me right now.

[@chrispygingerpie]

I think along this line of thought, I think this is why PRS SE’s a kicking it out of the park right now . The price to performance is great.

[@KristopherCraig]

Dude it’s awesome to watch your kid grow up and already show interest in the guitar. If you bond with that particular instrument you should probably hold on to it regardless of the price.

[@Youngster543210]

The Paramore bit was so nostalgic 😭. Need the backing track for this one!

[@jasonswitzer1748]

Good video! I, like you, have mixed feelings about guitars. Price does not always correlate with quality (but sometimes it does). Case in point. I have a Les Paul Tribute that I got used for $1k. It played well and I love it. But i also changed the pickups because I felt the stock 490 set was a bit too muddy. The frets needed a dressing, and I used a screwdriver to roll the edges a bit myself. All in, I probably spent an extra couple hundred bucks to get it to where I feel it’s perfect. That’s not a great example of a cheap guitar needing work, but it sort of is, relative to other Gibsons. I purchased a $4k Heritage H-150 Custom Core, which is a LOT of money, but does it play better than the Gibson? It does. And it’s bone stock and I’m planning on making a single change to it. Like you said about pickups and pots… those things can be changed, but the guitar body and how it feels in the hand can’t. That’s where the Heritage has a bit of an edge. Is it a 4x edge? Probably not, but that’s where other things come into play like how a guitar makes you feel (is it “pretty”)? I live in Michigan, where Heritage is based. I wanted to support the people from my State here in the U.S., so I was ok with spending more to do so… even if a comparable Gibson Les Paul Standard (which I truly believe is inferior… a Custom Shop is comparable, but that’s $2k more) holds its value better. So this is a long post, but I agree that a guitar’s price doesn’t dictate whether it is better than a cheaper guitar. Some cheaper guitars feel great and are just as inspiring to play. But some expensive guitars are “worth it” for several reasons (e.g., feel + how it makes you feel ‘emotionally’). Glad you’re still out there throwing down those sweet runs at the beginning of your videos. Keep on keepin’ on as some people who I don’t hang out with say. :)

[@zacharyoliver1325]

I had a custom shop Gibson LP jr. I had no connection with it. It was by far the most expensive guitar to come through my hands. Don't miss it. Wish it well.

[@Gerhard468]

I went to a shop once to buy a G&L Legacy but played an G&L ASAT tribute tele and there was just a connection. Bought it for like 300$ and played it for 6 years as my main guitar. And then for some reason sold it a year ago. Stupid move, sold lots of guitars the last while but I should have held on to the one that inspired me...

[@THEItchybruddah]

Two quick thoughts. 1: these days a "cheap guitar" that's USE-able hovers around the $1k mark here in McDonaldland. I gambled on a "demo" Bonamassa SG Custom (The 3 pickup critter with the "in phase" middle position) It's been fantastic and I pick it up on a regular basis. 2: The other "used" WIN was walking in the local GC and finding a gold DGT for $600. (459.31 sterling) with an exceptionally bowed neck. I made sure ALL the electronics and switching worked and immediately spent the money. (There was a 30 day wait due to the cops wondering if it was stolen. It still had all the hang tags etc.) When I finally took possession I took it home gave the truss rod a quarter turn and "the lens focused". Fantastic action. Haven't turned the rod since. My "expensive" stuff isn't leaving the house much these days. If I can play stuff at this quality level and not worry about losing half a years wages if somebody makes off with it, It ain't goin to the gig.

[@arliestiles3852]

I have a 1986 Japaneese E Series Fender Strat. A 99 Hiway One USA Strat, Two Warmoth Strats, Two Warmoth Telecasters, an ESP LTD MH201 and my two favorite guitars are my Yamaha Revstar Standard RSS20 and the Yamaha Pacifica Standard Plus.

[@kitoyobeni1]

I love planning and completing Warmoth builds, but so far they haven't scratched the itch for me. Doesn't change the urge though, lol.

[@Dreyno]

I bought a Chinese made Tokai Les Paul earlier this year. Dropped the bridge a tad and basically haven’t put it down since. And I have a Gibson Les Paul Standard and a Gibson SG Standard already. It’s just a great guitar. Pickups might be a bit hot but they sound great and rolling the volume off a bit “vintages it up”. The part of the brain that tells me it’s not a “proper” Les Paul also allows me to enjoy it more, ironically. I don’t mind leaving it on the couch, I don’t fret about playing it heavy handed, I won’t mind when wear appears on it. It didn’t cost me the price of a used car so if the worst came to the worst, I can afford to replace it. That’s a comfort to the likes of me who couldn’t justify another 2-3k on another Gibson. I love having the option of the “real deal” and the “knockabout” version.

[@Wingman52]

I have a couple of old Gibsons from 1965 and 1967. I've had the 67 since 1970 and I bought the 65 on ebay maybe 15 years ago. I don't know whether their counterparts made today are made any better but these guitars are, from a fit and finish standpoint, quite a bit less than perfect. They're very old now so have finish cracking all over them, they've been played to death so are dinged up and the finish is worn off the neck all over on both of them. I suppose you could describe them as real relics. But both of them are great guitars and I always enjoy picking them up and playing them. However a few years ago I bought a Mexican Telecaster for about $450 dollars on the internet, no case, it just came in a box and I use an old gig bag I have if I take it out. But I have to say this Tele is one of the most fun guitars to play I've ever owned for $450! It's equally as fun as the old vintage Gibsons and for some things like recording it seems much easier to get a tone that works with this thing. It plays great, I love the pickups, it stays in tune, perfect! I really think you're right. We've become kind of brain washed into believing the price and spec sheet of a guitar are what make it good, and it just isn't true. Pick it up, plug it in and play it and see how it feels, see how it sounds.. if it works it almost certainly has nothing to do with the price.

[@jackalker6384]

i play piano and a couple years ago I found a bargain, it was a Yamaha Gc1 and i paid £14,000 for it. i also bought a violin for £2800 which in violin world, is a cheap violin. i couldnt ever imagine spending that much money on a guitar, it's a really interesting topic, even though they're all instruments, they all make music, they all give me the same enjoyment

[@LukeMosse]

The guitar market is massive so economies of scale come into play, and it's only in the last few years (like 5) that the quality to price ratio has become ridiculous.

[@jackalker6384]

@LukeMosse the economies of scale with classical instruments are roughly the same, classical musicians seem to invest in one instrument wheras guitarists invest in lots of different gear. Its a different culture.

[@LukeMosse]

@@jackalker6384 No, way bigger market for electric guitars. $6-7 billion total revenue for guitars, $1-1.5 billion for violins. 2.5-3 million guitar sales per year vs approx 500-700,000 violin sales. Plus as you say, there's less incentive to bring the cost down as the violin buyers are happy to pay loads for a single instrument.

[@dreamscuba]

I agree about your thoughts on this. Great playing as always and you always sound like you, no matter which guitar you play. Nice.

[@retepmo6534]

What about the experience we’ve heard before - “I’ve got numerous guitars, some high end, some low end - but when I walk into my room to play I always seem to gravitate to one guitar over all the others.” This is disregarding pickup and tone difference of course but I think it says something viscerally.

[@TheGuitarDudeSteve]

Definitely. I bought a Cort G300 pro from Reverb last year for £325. My other guitars at the time included a 2010 Gibson LP Traditional, Fender US Billy Corgan Strat and a Japanese Revstar. I gelled with the Cort instantly and pretty much stopped playing the others overnight. It just felt right to me, the neck, satin finish. It stays in tune literally for days. Fast forward 12 months and 2 of the other guitars are gone. The Cort is still my number one go to. The money I got for the others, I have been really reluctant to reinvest in an expensive guitar. As I kinda know that the bar the Cort has set for me means that any new £1500-£2000 guitar will likely be sitting in the rack and I'll feel pressure to play it. Which never leads to creativity. So I don't know where I'll go from here. Just a side note, I've been playing 25 years and this is the first time I've had this problem

[@LukeMosse]

I have the G300 pro and it's amazing. I've spent the last year or two trying to buy or recreate the same guitar but with single coils. At present I have four guitars with stainless frets - an HB Fusion 3 with HSS, which is plekked, and is on a par with the Cort now, and an Eart SSS which is surprisingly good. I've also got an HB 25th strat and a ST modern plus, both of which are about to get plekked. But the other guitars I only have because I'm trying to remake the Cort g300 in single coil format. The HB Fusion does the job but it doesn't sound like a strat because the pickups are direct mount.

[@chrisvsmusicny]

Thanks for this video. I think a lot of players who can't afford throwing cash at the highest-end instruments will relate. The most expensive guitar I ever bought was also the one I played the least. It was a $1500+ Fender Telecaster American Pro II. I bought it new online, and of course it had issues right out of the box. Instead of returning it like I should have, I stuck with it and opted for warranty repairs. In the end, I barely played that guitar because it didn't meet my expectations and I sold it for much less than I paid. On the other hand, I play all of my other (much cheaper) guitars daily and don't think much of it. I can just appreciate them for what they are. Even my low-end Gibson LP gets a pass because I only paid a few hundred bucks for it used. Lesson learned.

[@dennisrohm6372]

Just got a squire troublemaker telecaster for $400 new. Great fit and finish. Sounds and plays great!

[@neilsmith9220]

Some great points being made here. I've been playing for decades. Over the years, my budget upper level has dropped dramatically as mass production techniques have improved. Within reason, whether I bond with a guitar or not has less to do with the price tag than how it actually feels to play it. It's morel about the look of it, the tone, the weight, the balance, the action etc. Relative prices have been turned on their head over the last decade or so. I'm far less of a guitar snob than I used to be these days and if I really like an instrument, I don't really give a damn about the logo on the headstock or what other people think of it. Let your playing do the talking, not your guitar brand.

[@monsirto]

I pick up my Revstar Elements far more than I do my Fender Player 2 Strat or my 90s Ibanez RG 350 DXZ. It's light and easy to play , sounds fine and has it's own thing. My latest rabbit hole are the 90s Fernandes Buck Tick Signatures, pulling the trigger on a lefty version of the Strat from Japan this week (I'm in Aus). It will be less than 500 UK Pnds. Great presentation as usual. Stay well!

[@kitoyobeni1]

My problem with over analyzing purchases and not pulling the trigger has worked out in some ways, getting guitars I may have bought at full retail for much less by waiting. I think my most expensive current guitar was $1100, including 2 Gibsons, a Fender Professional Strat (with the solid rosewood neck), a PRS SE Hollowbody Piezo, etc. I guess my Warmoth builds probably exceed that once you add in labor, but those were done over time as I accumulated parts. All that said, I've been lusting over a marked down Gibson Greeny....we'll see what happens there.

[@johnnathancordy]

Waiting is such good advice!!

[@rayfletcher9017]

A few years back I was gigging with a group that played outside a lot. We played at a place on the beach that was very dry... I purchased a squire affinity series tele for the gig. I didn't want to be using my 1978 62 reissue fender strat in those conditions. after a few gigs I was impressed that the guitar was quite up to the job.

[@erntracchloads]

Man i hear you i have a 2015 Epiphone silver burst les paul pro i totally modified it with Seymour duncan Pearly Gates cts pots new wiring, switchcraft switch output jack it is my number one i love it payed 530 dollars with a case put about another 500 dollars love it, and i have a 2012 les paul Gibson special that's great but just the feel of thr Epiphone i love!!

[@rigorhead01]

At this point in my life I want an exceptional instrument. I've had plenty of good guitars over the years, but I have since sold them all off. My main guitars now are a Custom shop strat, a PRS Custom 22 with a solid rosewood neck, and a Martin acoustic. While these guitars are expensive, I don't think they're outside the reach of most working musicians. For instance my PRS is certainly not a Wood Library or anything

[@JasonEdwards-uz5vo]

Ive a 1980s japanese squire and it outplays all the custom shop fenders ive played. Its the perfect guitar in everyway. I also have a korean washburn n2 thats just incredible to play. Had it since 1991 ish and would never get rid of it. Theres two that will always be with me. Ive had many guitars in the £1000 to £2000 plus range and most are sold. I really dont think its about price. You can line up a ton of same model guitars and they will all feel and play differently. Im not a name snob and look for a guitar that plays well, sounds good and ultimately stays intune.

[@23kyd49]

Nathan, I have the exact guitar and probably pulled the trigger in part from your review as well as others. I’m having the same experience, the playability is pretty amazing and it’s one of the best no fuss instruments straight from the box I’ve ever purchased. I like it so much I upgraded the pups to the Seymour vintage 59’s only because I’m really fussy about my highs, not because the highs were unacceptable. But for the money why not.

[@tjandhuri]

I tend to notice that cheaper made guitars are sonically just as good as their expensive counterparts but as a working musician I tend to notice that they fall apart quicker and have more problems and require greater maintenance. That's just my two cents.

[@timscarrow9151]

I find the wood that was used will determine how it feels when you play it, some wood is painted for a reason, and has very little character or sustain, those instruments will never inspire anyone to play them. I have played All those old 60's and 70's gibbys and fenders. and owned them, if you think a cheap guitar made now is the same I will just think that you never have gotten any. Yes I own an old Les paul, I wore the frets out. I bought a 350$ casino from korea and put fralin P90's in it and it is suspiciously good. you gotta look around and get lucky.I found a D'angelico New for 350$ put burstbuckers in it, sounds good weighs a bloody ton though. I just bought a Black limba tele body and duncan 59's. I will make what I want now.

[@tjandhuri]

Painted guitars won't inspire anyone to play them? Mate you're speaking out of your rear end there lol even your profile pic shows off your painted guitar or maybe I'm not getting what you're saying there. Secondly what I said is a generalisation but it's based on some good solid evidence that certain manufacturers use cheaper materials and in some cases material with less integrity. Secondly play a modern mexican strat and a US standard and honestly they're about the same sonically barring maybe the pickups but I have a US strat and a mexi strat from the same year (2018) and while I love the sound of both, the amount of times I've had to make repairs to the mexi strat compared to the times I've made big repairs to the US strat is 5-0 despite me playing the US strat more on the road. Comparing different brands and their prices I think that's a different discussion but if you compare the same brand and the same year especially in the modern age the cheaper models can hang with their bigger brothers sonically for the most part. Those PRS SE editions some of them are borderline on parr with the full custom ones especially when you see the price difference but I swear the details always lack on the cheaper editions.

[@NFMorley]

Definitely something to that - if played heavily then I've seen cheap bridges/saddles wear more quickly (I'd assume it's softer, cheaper metals used), and cheap pots do tend to not last as long. That being said, they're often not a huge amount of work or cost to change with something better if you like the instrument; and a cheap guitar with some upgrades can be a lot of fun! (although accept any money spent is sunk cost, and not going to increase value)

[@timscarrow9151]

@@tjandhuri when they have good sticks it matters. cost is factor. That painted guitar is a swamp ash very light body. and the maple board make it a 50's style, I also think the mexican fenders were great guitars for 450$ but I don't think the new usa for twice the price or more is a better instrument. I have the rosewood alder partscaster with a mexi alder body but it is very heavy. and a musikraft neck which is awesome. I come from the time Les pauls were 650$ and the old strats were 350$ those were vintage, but they have disappeared. I try to find used brand name guitars and upgrade and fix them, no names are valueless as investments, so I try to find things that won't get tossed in the rubbish bin. I saw a PRS SE for 250$ I was thinking hard about that.

[@Nosferdamus]

my two cents: if it's electric, there's no such thing as tone wood or tone paint or tone anything other than a TONE KNOB. the tone comes from the strings, and the pickups. THAT'S IT!

[@dwhelm07]

Having a great expensive guitar is wonderful but there are great lower end guitars that are great as well. I am a tinkerer so a lower end guitar to me is a blank canvas. Up grades can make a good lower price guitar a great guitar to your own spec and usually at a reasonable cost.

[@JohnvandePol1]

I owned a expensive(ish) Japanese Tokai Love Rock. The best quality guitar i've ever owned. But I didn't bond with it either. It just wasn't for me. My G&L Asat tribute and 2nd hand Ibanez SZ320 are my go to guitars. Are they the best guitars? No. The best sounding? Probaly not, but they inspire me and they feel like "coming home".

[@Gene_Cali]

We are in the Age of affordable quality instruments. I have a Squire that refuses to go out of tune no matter how wild I play it. I have a $300. single cut, my music store sales guy, begs me to sell to him. Thanks.

[@MultiGoulash]

I bought a Guild Polara Standard recently which is like a Gibson SG but not. It's a £500 guitar that i absolutely love playing, sounds just as good as an SG with the right amp combo (Orange user) and is obviously way cheaper than an SG. Build quality is superb, really floats my boat

[@MrJingles021]

I only play inexpensive guitars now. When I was 18, I bought my dream guitar...an HSS American Deluxe Strat. I ended up never being able to full get comfortable with it. Years later, I bought my first Epiphone Les Paul and sold the strat. Never really regretted it. I grew up having access to my dad's guitars, he had Fenders, Gibson's and a "vintage" Ibanez strat. So I have played expensive guitars. Now I have 5 Epiphones, a Schecter, Gretsch, Cort, and a HEX/HILS. The Epiphones have had the most issues in quality control, mostly being bad frets. I've had to learn how to level and crown frets to make them better. One of my Epiphones has nearly perfectly leveled frets out of the box, but needed the edges rounded. The Schecter is nearly flawless, only one flet is a little dead on one spot. The Gretsch, Cort and HEX are flawless. If you can, check out HILS that Anderton's now has. They are from a Korean company called HEX, and their guitars are so great for being so cheap. I have one of their headless guitars, and gigged it twice. No issues. I also have a Gopher Wood acoustic I found in the garbage of my apartment with a broken headstock. I repaired it. It's less than $200 and the frets are flawless on it.

[@samizdat113]

One of my favorite guitars that I own is a used Tagima Strat I picked up for $80. I put a single P90 eBay pick guard and pickup on it and a cheap set of eBay locking tuners. I love playing that guitar. I love it even more because I only have about $135 in it.

[@joncaven9319]

I bought an L7 and an S7 after watching your and many other reviews on them. This was back when you 10:14 were using them regularly. I had set ups done and had some electronic issues. More with the S7. Having said that, they’re terrific instruments now. I decided to put Mojotone 59 clone in the bridge of the L7(for fun), sounds amazing. I’ve owned Suhr and Collings and they were great, but for me it was too much money tied up in them. I wanted change pickups in the Colling I35 but felt it was getting expensive. I recently bought a gold top DGT SE based on reviews and David Grissom’s video. Absolutely love it! I hope you’re still playing yours. Thanks for the great content Jon! 🇨🇦

[@Simon-gh6nz]

2:15 paramore

[@jbbourbon178]

Feel and tuning stability are the important things. Higher quality electronics too.

[@juanjosemora6534]

I bought a G&L ASAT Deluxe Tribute and modded everything. It feels great to play and looks awesome. Brands have variations of their budget versions that go beyond hardware or electronics. Additional to that, add the fact that there are variations on a production line. In the end, if a budget guitar works, I would only change it for a higher end guitar that works as well. That's why its great to go to a store physically and try 2 or 3 of the same guitar if you plan to buy it.

[@kitoyobeni1]

Buying in person is a luxury that you should take advantage of if you can. Buying online can be such a crapshoot unless you're buying from someone with a strong return policy.

[@sid35gb]

The Sire L7 is a good guitar and is the reason why I haven’t wanted to get a Gibson LP when I had the funds to do so. I did a couple of tweaks. I took a nail file and rounded off the square nut. I replaced the pickups with some cheap iron gear blue engine pickups and while I was doing the electronics I put in matched cts pots 50’s wiring and I think I’m going to get the middle position wired out of phase for the Peter Green/BB king sound. The other thing about the Sire is it’s got better access then an LP and comes with great locking machine heads. If anything fails guitars are easy to fix and upgrade parts as needed.

[@superlead1002]

Absolutely can relate to this. I find I have a difficult time justifying the high price of many guitars because there are so many really playable cheap ones. The price difference hardly accounts for the difference in sound and playability.

[@jourdinthedragon]

I can relate very easily. I had a "crappy" seagull s6. It was a refurbished one from their factory. It has a big epoxied crack on top. It played so smoothly. I loved that guitar. I sold it because I got married and I had received the seagull as a gift from an ex girlfriend 😂. I've tried a bunch of seagull guitars in store and they all play well, but not like that one did. Similarly, I had an Epiphone ej200 which played amazingly well and sounded fantastic. I had to sell it because we moved and didn't have space for it. I miss that guitar at least twice a week. Haven't found another like it. I also had an Epiphone es339 p90 pro that I sold that was my favorite electric. I recently re-purchased a different one and it plays just as nicely so that's a win on that front.

[@icarusi]

I've had a few occasions when I tried a lower price guitar which didn't play as good as the identical model, but in a different finish. On three occasions I was able to find each guitar in my preferred finish, which played equally to the same model, in a finish I didn't want. I don't like mail order guitars for that reason, although I have chanced it, and been lucky so far. I also had to return a faulty guitar to a retailer, and got a replacement which was functionally identical, but just didn't play as good. AFAIK in the current sales act, there's no recourse for that. I've also found certain guitars which always played equally well all the shops I visited, so made a note to check any pre-owned ones that became available at a lower price later on.

[@ddarko77]

My first favorite guitar was a squire bullet tele. Made no changes to it and loved it

[@VlrGuitarWorld]

Satisfied with my Squier classic vibe 50's stratocaster (updated electronics & bridge) Satisfied with my Epiphone studio (stock) Both sounded decent on my Bugera tube amp.

[@tedrobinson3802]

I have a cheapo Grote I paid $120 for, its like some ugly off yellow house paint. I absolutely love it. Its sounds awesome and literally plays as good as anything I've got. I must have gotten lucky

[@scorchedearthdj]

i have one cheap guitar which is a 90s BC Rich and i bought a gibson SG recently. the SG feels like a nicer guitar, however i still enjoy playing both immensely!

[@TribalGuitars]

I have a late 80s-early90s Washburn N1 that's my #1. I've played lots of far more expensive guitars and I haven't gotten better sound out of them, or a better feel in my hands. When I have brought it around my friend with their pricey guitars mine's the one they want to play. It's fun, it's stable, and it sounds and plays great. Plus I don't have to clear a weekend to change strings on the Floyd Roses of the more expensive versions. Not bad for guitar that was sub-$400 new and I got for $125.

[@Meylan191083]

I have 2 electric guitars in China. The first was an Epiphone SG Special Satin Vintage E1. It cost me barely £100 equivalent. The second is a second-hand Indonesian-made Fender Telecaster FMT HH. In China they retail new for about £900-£1000. The Fender is a better guitar. It is much more powerful. It looks amazing. The contours make it really comfortable to hold and the tone does sound more full. It has the standard issue of the top E string slipping off the fretboard and the fretboard radius makes it difficult to do certain things. And yet, while I love the Tele, I still instinctively reach for the cheap SG. It has an issue with its intonation that makes even slight gain when playing Aminor (open position) and F Major )open chord) sound bad. Other than that though, it stays in tune very well and is really really easy to play. I know that if I need to push on lead, I can do so confidently. The Tele has a better tone across the board, but the SG does the job really well.

[@MrWhit30]

I have a $3000 White Falcon, $1200 SG and a $2000 Carr amp. It’s a glorious rig. I also have a $150 Affinity Mustang/Duo Sonic cheapie and $200 solid state Orange 35rt that I also enjoy very much. One I got the guitar set up to my liking and put some locktite on the bridge saddles to keep ‘em in place it was great. Once a guitar is set up as long as it remains stable then it’s all about the sound it makes not the price. Even with acoustics. I have a Martin D28 but also a little $150 Gretsch parlor made of mystery wood. The Martin is obviously the better guitar for most things but the cheapie is my go to for acoustic blues and slide. It’s lack of overtones and punchy mid honk is perfect for that purpose.

[@ahall3823]

I can relate. I've owned that exact Sire L7 goldtop guitar. I sold it and bought an Eastman SB59. In my case, the Eastman plays better, but that Sire is great! The Gibson Tribute Les Paul Special is a sleeper "cheap" guitars worth a look. I picked one up second-hand for AU$1,100 (670 euros). It's lightweight and has P90s that sound great. It also has a thin nitro finish that begins to age quickly and nicely. It's a really fun guitar to play. The spec sheet nerds will complain that it has a maple neck. But I think that's possibly a good thing. It's much harder to break a maple headstock than a mahogany one, so I'm okay taking it to gigs and not worrying about someone knocking it over.

[@user-zn6gz4ub7w]

I bought the Sire S3 9 months ago. It has exceeded my expectations.

[@iankenny1089]

I got the Larry Carlton LP…the black one with gold coloured hardware and P90s a couple of years ago , feels easier to play than the rest of my guitars, two of them twice the price and one more than three times. I’ve got a partscaster too that I put together for less than the Carlton LP…that plays well too. I play the Carlton and the partscaster all the time .

[@JAL-b4n]

Last year I bought a new American Pro II Strat, didn't bond with it at all, never played it, and sold it 6 months later. I have since bought a lot of other guitars, including several as high as $2,500, some as low as $160, and a bunch in between. Ironically, some of my favorites are the cheaper ones, such as an unbranded one I got for $160 and spent about $300 on upgrades, some of which were for looks only. I recently also got a Tease SBH-HD tele style guitar for $249, and it's one of the best out of the box experiences I've had. It's a great guitar and won't need any upgrades, at least not anytime soon. I have 24 guitars as of now, and I love all of them, but I am finding that the brand name or the price has nothing to do with it. It's a combination of look, feel, playability, and sound. And that is what matters to me.

[@babylon_bob]

I have 4 guitars at the moment, a Sire S7, Schecter NJ, Reverend Double Agent and a Revstar P90. I was debating getting something different but then stopped myself as I honestly think I have 4 amazing instruments and all were well under 1k. I've had the 2k Fender strats and even once had a Gibson which really never did it for me, but I've learnt over the years its all about bonding with the guitar and all the ones I currently have I love to pick and play them all and rotate them all the time to my main guitar I use or practice on. Think what I'm saying is that price 100% does not mean you'll like, play or bond with the guitar

[@darenanderson1960]

I got a Squier J Mascis Jazzmaster a few days ago for just over $400. I compared it to a Mod Shop Fender Jazzmaster I bought for $2k not long ago. I like the J Mascis just as much as the Mod Shop. It has a few things that aesthetically I’d like to change (crap looking fretboard, which I may stain), but I adore playing that guitar!

[@Yougokarma89]

Actualy I checked a lots of your videos, your style of playing is kinnda where I try to get. Nice impro, I believe the backing track was if I could fly by satriani, on of his best songs. Cheers 👍

[@myguitarsandme]

How can you get anything done with that beautiful curly haired young lady wandering about? I'm a dad 3 times over and loved every minute of it. Good on you mate. :)

[@ElmanAuthement]

Just recently bought an 2023 Epiphone Les Paul Standard 60s on Marketplace for 350 dollars, normally sells for 700 bucks so I was super happy with the purchase. My connection with this guitar beats out my PRS McCarty. I couldn’t imagine paying 3000 dollars for a Gibson. There’s is no way the extra money spent would equate that to that much more enjoyment.

[@Foe1971]

The psychology of guitar buying is a fascinating phenomenon. When I had my wee ones in the household, I spent an inordinate amount of time and energy bargain hunting cheap guitars. I made the same rationalizations, e.g. “decent for what they are,” “expensive guitars aren’t twice as good as cheap,” etc. Once I had an empty nest, however, and splurged on progressively more “expensive” guitars, all the warts and poorer fit & finishes on the cheap guitars suddenly became magnified, as if I had had beer goggles affixed to my face for decades. The bottom line is that the cliche where you get what you pay for holds true. Cheap guitars are cheap for a reason. More expensive guitars are more expensive for a reason. Where you are in your life financially, coupled with your household responsibilities, is what will ultimately allow you to fully and objectively perceive the differences. Those factors are also what allows you to justify to yourself owning one versus the other.

[@Dreyno]

I bought a Gibson Les Paul Standard back in ‘98. And I would turn my nose up at cheap guitars for years. But in the last 10 years I’ve realised that it is just psychological. The finish on guitars is rarely bad and has no effect on tone. If they’re built solidly and set up properly, there’s really minute differences in playability, if any. We tell ourselves the money is justified but it’s objectively not. Paying 4x the price for nitro over poly or a darker shade of rosewood in not making the guitar better. That’s not to say I haven’t bought more expensive guitars since. But the two I’m playing most at the moment are a Squier Classic Vibe Tele and a Chinese made Tokai Les Paul. Because they’re just really good guitars. There’s Fender and Gibsons in their cases on the floor but they’re not better, just different.

[@Foe1971]

@@Dreyno Some would argue that where you went wrong was buying that ‘98 GLSP-that mistake has irreparably erased any chance you’ve had since at being objective. Semi-jesting aside, hyperbolically setting up outlier specs to convince yourself your arguments are valid is exactly the sort of stuff we do to ourselves psychologically. I’ve been there, done that. Just be aware that for whatever reason, there’s probably a good chance you’re wearing beer goggles right now. Love what you love in the moment, just don’t lie to yourself that you’re objective about it.

[@Dreyno]

@@Foe1971 I didn’t hyperbolically set up any specs. I objectively looked at a brand new Les Paul in ‘98, a brand new SG in 2016, a brand new Strat in 2014 etc. And I used the same eyes to examine the cheaper guitars and the differences are insignificant. The Squier was better finished than the Fender. Better fretwork, zero finish imperfections vs one obvious one on the Fender, set up perfectly out of the box vs an hour+ to get the Fender to play semi properly. The Squier is only missing the rolled fretboard edges. The Tokai was better than the Gibson SG which popped two fret inlays within months and had an action you could drive a bus under when it arrived. I’ve played vintage gear, I’ve played expensive gear and i’ve played inexpensive gear. I don’t need to convince myself my arguments are valid. I know I only bought the more expensive guitars because I wanted them, not because they’re more than a fraction better. The law of diminishing returns applies harshly to guitars. Only one of us is deluding themselves and it isn’t me.

[@Foe1971]

@@Dreyno Hahaha, okay, Captain Objective. That list of yours is a perfect sample. Your keen eye is unmatched. How could I have doubted you. You are special. I beg your forgiveness.

[@Dreyno]

@@Foe1971 You don’t see the irony in you trying to belittle someone else’s opinion based on absolutely nothing except your opinion? If you can prove that the law of diminishing returns somehow doesn’t apply to guitars, have at it. But you need more than your “beer goggles” nonsense to convince anyone but yourself.

[@themuffinman3135]

I relate with everything you say. I have several cheap guitars that inspire me when I pick them up. I can't say why. They just feel like home to me. I'think guitar players look at the headstock too much and that's what determines their purchases.

[@jeremynaylor5975]

I have a perfect example of this, i have a Strandberg Boden 7 = $3100AUD and a Tokai TL13 (a Tele copy) = $400AUD I pick up the Tokai way more than the ‘berg, I have a stronger connection to it, I’m not as worried about it at gigs. I can fix it up if something breaks, I’ve replaced the nut for like $5. Soldered input jack back together (good luck on a ‘berg) I almost didn’t buy it, I’d been in a shop, walked out, saw it properly in the front window, walked back in and tried + bought it on the spot. Don’t get me wrong the Boden is a great guitar and i love it too, but i just don’t find myself reaching for it when a gig comes up.

[@JPFortuno]

I also owned in the past and own : Fender Strat, Epiphone Les Paul, Yamaha Pacifica, Ibanez Prestige and tried many luxury guitars: custom shops, musicman JP, and many other ones owned by my friends. I recently bought the Sire t7 . Really hard to point out any flaws. I was out to buy a Fender Tele and the Sire was just better for me (not the cost, but the feel, sound and comfortable neck) - yeah it was cheaper but budget was not an issue. After the honeymoon period now, 3 months after, I am still amazed at how good the guitar is !! I tried the L7 too, what an amazing guitar, it's definitely not a Les Paul but this can be fixed just by changing pickups I guess. I just feel that guitars should be chosen on build quality and fretwork feel and most importantly how you connect with the instrument. Though reviews are useful, it's hard to beat the "going to the shop and trying it by yourself"

[@AV-cx7ob]

Love your new production assistant. Adorable.

[@jayricciardi5400]

I'm in the same boat with a Sterling Stingray RS. I keep going to list and sell it and before I do I'll give it another play to see if there's anything wrong with it - it always feels amazing, too good to sell for a paltry $350~$400 USD. I've been back and forth on it for a while. I want to have a one-in-one-out policy, but it genuinely inspires me to play things I otherwise wouldn't. I don't even particularly like how it looks and it's too heavy, but it just connects with me in a way I don't expect so I feel like I can't get rid of it.

[@DustinSebes]

I have gotten a lot of mileage out of cheaper guitars, but ever since "graduating" to some more expensive models, I find that it's difficult to go back to most of my cheaper ones. Without even plugging them in I can hear a big difference in tone and feel. I still find it difficult to part ways with some of these cheaper models in my collection, but I definitely keep to my higher end guitars for recording and gigging. I agree that some cheaper guitars can have "the mojo" whereas sometimes a more expensive one leaves you feeling uninspired. I am fortunate to have found some real gems over the years that I don't think I'll ever be able to let go and that includes mostly the expensive ones, but still there's some great cheaper ones too.

[@jacobcoddington9013]

Loved the Paramore vibes on the intro! If the neck is good I can fix her! Pickups and electronics can be swapped and a setup to get it in the zone. Really appreciate the channel!

[@joemerchant92]

Maybe true but point being is if you find an inexpensive guitar (new or used) that you bond with, you can pay your local tech to make upgrades and still come out way under $700-$800. I bought a Squier Tele for $200, dropped in locking tuners (no drilling) and had my local shop put in Stew Mac pickups, a bone nut, and a custom pick guard I ordered. Cost me $375 including labor but I have an awesome Tele that has my personal touch on it for under $600. Sure, could have gotten a Classic Vibe but didn’t want a second Tele.

[@latheofheaven1017]

John, it sounds to me like you have a sane approach to guitars. You appreciate them from a player's point of view, appreciate expensive guitars for the finesse they usually win on over less pricey ones, and cut inexpensive guitars some slack for the very reason they are inexpensive - it's not possible to go to the nth degree in quality on a £500 guitar.

[@honkytonkinson9787]

I traded some gear and got an Ibanez AZES; the hardtail version. There were a lot of loose screws, frets needed polishing, and the pots were a little scratchy and getting worse. One day I took off the pick guard to clean the pots and a bowl of spaghetti popped out. When I put the guard back on after cleaning out the pots the bridge pup had stopped working. Tried reflowing solder joints, which wasn’t easy, but no luck. I was going to upgrade pups eventually anyway but this was annoying and disappointing. Also I’ve read that it needs slight modification to accept regular replacement strat pups; probably should have gotten a squier

[@ghostownaproach]

My Fender Strat was left at a gig and presumed lost/stolen when I realized it wasn't in my car along with all my PA gear etc upon arriving home. I looked online for a cheap replacement and found one I liked having already bought a Les Paul type from this site, but when my guitar turned up at the gig (bandmate moved it when we were tearing down) I decided to buy the new one anyway and now even though I got my original one back, I only play this new, cheap one, Indio by Monoprice, new for $120 2021.

[@MarkStearle]

Agree,I have a Paul standard and the Sire goldtop,I pickup the Sire more.

[@daithidebarradb]

I let go a cheap OLP MM1 a licensed clone of the Musicman Axis a great guitar and I regret letting it go. I never found a neck a shape that fitted my hands as good as that guitar did since. I think I picked it up second hand for 150 euro and sold it after 10yrs for 200 euro. I went through a stage of clearing out my gear and I let go a 1982 Vox guitar that I rescued from the skip which was rebuilt and repainted which resonated for days. Two guitars that I should have held onto.

[@marcinwyc]

I have my cheap Ibanez rgew that once I got an offer for, I immediately felt wrong about selling it and backed out. Just spent too much time with it. It's light, sounds great and stays in tune. Definitely a keeper.

[@danielhanson6622]

You did a bit on the Mexican Road Worn. I find the Vintera Road Worn Strat and Tele Deluxe to be excellent instruments for around the $1k range. I prefer them to both of the US Fenders I have owned.

[@777ZEETAL]

Been watching the past year and finally just subscribed✅

[@Neuroanalisis]

I find the biggest difference is the feel, an SE doesn't feel the same as a USA made PRS. It might be the rolled edges, the fretwork and the finish. Everything else can easily be upgraded.

[@davidzumbrun]

What you are experiencing is the gap shrinking between the expensive guitar and the cheaper guitar in quality. Even the most expensive guitar can only go so far in terms of quality. I’m not talking about exotic woods and finishes. I’m talking about playability. Once you can get past the name on the headstock you have taken off the blinders Neo.

[@monahantp3767]

Yes, I just sold my super fancy DGT because I couldn't bond with it after nearly 2-years. Purchased the PRS NF53 (Tele) and absolutely love it. Cheap guitars? Yes, I've got a Mexico made Tele Deluxe (dual humbuckers) that I bought at Norms Rare Guitars in California back in 2014. That Tele got more playing time than did my DGT. The Tele has its flaws, but was still more inspiring to me. Regrets? Yep-- had a 70's reissue Japan made Fender Strat in that cream-yellow color...sold it, bought it back a few months later, then sold it again many years later... that's one I dearly miss.

[@iggie_za]

For me, What it plays like - the neck and basic setup - is most important. Now I do accept that the setups are not tweaked for anyone in particular (more a general setup) during manufacturing but for expensive guitars this should at least be well finished with the intonation and fret work done at the highest standard. I have seen expensive guitars that were awful to play because of a bad setup - this doesn’t inspire me to play the guitar when I pict it up!! I don’t understand why manufacturers of expensive guitars don’t get it. That is why I seek out less expensive guitars that “feel” good under the fingers. The rest I can tweak such action and replacing the pickups or machine heads…..It seems like buying expensive guitars is just to show off….Joe Satriani said when he was working in a music store early in his career, most of the ‘59 Les Paul guitars were awful ??? Now you pay an arm and maybe both legs a for one😂

[@jwright8838]

I would put my PRS SE DGT in the category you defined. It was economically priced, yet plays and sounds like a great instrument should. I have had Gibson guitars that were more expensive than my SE DGT, yet they did not sound or play up to the same level. We live in a golden age in guitar manufacturing. The quality of more economically priced instruments far exceed those of past eras and the quality of the more expensive guitars has not changed to the same extent. Has the quality of expensive guitars changed at all?

[@kitoyobeni1]

Tough to call it a golden age when it's depressed foreign labor rates that make these prices possible (CNC machines also make a big difference compared to what was available when I was starting to play in the 80s).

[@jwright8838]

@@kitoyobeni1 I agree that's the case with some of these cheap Amazon or Chibson guitars (maybe even Epiphones...don't own any), but the Cort factories in Indonesia or South Korea are completely different.

[@retromacman620]

I keep going back and forth on another Singlecut guitar now. Either some sort of lighter weight LP style, or a Tele with a humbucker or two... I'm fine with "cheap" guitars in the 400-800 range. That's where I still consider a working man's backup or more tertiary guitars to be a good sweet spot. Specs on lesser brands can often be on par with 1000+ guitars from more established brands

[@jasonswitzer1748]

Nobody asked me, but the thing I’ve learned is that what ends up mattering most to me are the following… 1) weight (I like to rock standing up); 2) neck shape/feel; 3) resonance AND sustain (a dead-feeling guitar just doesn’t inspire me); 4) guitar’s color (I’m a shallow dude… what can I say? If it ain’t “pretty,” I don’t get excited to play it).

[@vorpalblades]

Check out the Xavier guitars at Guitar Fetish.

[@aidantod33]

I agree with you John. What inspires you? I confess I am about to sell a Classic Suhr S, which does not inspire me as much as a Squier Contemporary Strat I bought and had customised. The neck on the Squier just does it for me….

[@timchalmers1700]

I love less expensive guitars. Let's face, these days anything over $100 is expensive for a lot of people. A few months ago I ordered two guitars for a total of $470. Both are fun to play - especially as I make adjustments that make them better to play. I imagine being able to give them to someone who needs a guitar someday.

[@l-12343]

I don't know if it's just me ... but I get attached to guitars I've put some work on it. Something like replacing pickups, the nut, upgrading the tuning pegs, etc.

[@Wanshankupardiengdoh]

2:30 run❤

[@GraniteSoundtrack]

Yeah, I find I bond best with guitars I didn’t even pick out. Someone gifted me a Greco strat from the 70s. It was great. Someone gifted me a MIJ Tele is great. I built a nice partscaster, selecting every part but the Tele seems to get it done better. I guess I could fault the pots and switch. That part is a little cheap quality.