Most Overrated/Overpriced Electric Guitars

  • Thread starter Thread starter flat1ine
  • Start date Start date

Most Overrated/Overpriced Electric Guitars?

  • Gibson

    Votes: 289 51.9%

  • Fender

    Votes: 93 16.7%

  • Gretsch

    Votes: 38 6.8%

  • Parker

    Votes: 38 6.8%

  • PRS

    Votes: 160 28.7%

  • G&L

    Votes: 17 3.1%

  • Epiphone

    Votes: 32 5.7%

  • Rickenbacker

    Votes: 49 8.8%
  • Total voters
    557
On the subject of...

I've thoughts of selling my '78('79?) hardtail fathead Strat for.....$2,500. Overall it's in great shape....it does have a slight discoloration along the bottom edge where the neck meets the head from an unfortunate flashpot incident back in the 80's. But other than that and a few dings in the finish, it's in great shape, and plays famously.

Any takers? :D
 
The first thing I do, and which is really hard sometimes, is to find where the manufacturing was. Some Gibsons I have seen at prices 2K + have been manufactured in Korea.
I have a Korean built, swamp ash body G&L bass that even at UK prices is unbelievable for the money - even more so in the States (£1=$1 in the music world).
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Yeah but, there ain't no swamp ash growing or found dead in a pond in Korea. Can you really believe that the wood is swamp ash?
 
I have a gibson, I love it its now my only electric guitar now. I love everything about it. everything is comparitive. how would you justify going out and paying £50 for a pair of jeans when they cost about £2 to make.
Some people go out and buy guitars cause they look cool and for the name. When I was younger I was a sucker for this. I got a gibson because it was cool, but now I have it cause I love it and wouldn't want to play anything else. It made me fall in love with playing guitar. the feeling I get when I open the case and play it makes it worth every penny.
 
I wish I had the money at younger than 20 to buy a guitar for its look or name!
I wish I had the money at older than 50 to buy a guitar for its looks or name!
I buy used guitars that feel & play well - can't afford to spend money on junk, looks or names.
Now if you figure Bruno, Epiphone, Emperador or SSS are name or cool guitars I take all of that back!
 
Once you build a guitar....you'll see just how outrageously priced they ALL are.;)
 
Oldie

flat1ine said:
Seeing as there are a fair amount of "Overrated" and "Underrated" polls up, I'd like to know what everyone thinks are the most overrated and overpriced electrics on the market today.

I think the prices on some of these fairly standard guitars is completely insane. For example:

$2,000 for a Gibson Les Paul Standard?
$1,700 for a Custom Telecaster?
$1,600 for a Les Paul Classic?
$1,000 for a Gibson SG?
$1,000 for a Strat?

These aren't One-of-a-Kind Collector's edition guitars, they're not autographed, and what burns me most is that they're not even built with the best materials - mostly we're talking mahogany and rosewood here - not AA or AAA Maple and Ebony.

Now I'm not saying these are bad guitars by any means, I'm just saying that the price to performance ratio seems to be extremely skewed.

Thoughts, comments, anything - fire away.


--edit--
[this poll very much shows my bias - i didn't put ESP, Schecter, Ibanez or plenty of other manufacturers on here, mostly because i believe they make very good quality instruments at affordable prices - that said, it's only my opinion.]
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I'm left handed. Come and live in Australia. Around $5,000.00 - $8,000.00 for a Gibson Les Paul and I did see one online for $14,999.00. Absolute bullshit. Glad I bought mine over 40 years ago when I was young, single and carefree, but even then they were expensive, paid around $800.00 then. Got a Fender Telecaster 2 years ago, $1,750.00. Seems to me that Fenders are a bit cheaper here. I'm lusting after a Strat which will cost between $2,000.00 - $2,500.00. I usually buy an expensive bit of equipment every 2 years or so i.e. anything over $1,500.00 Refuse to buy Gibson now, I love my Les Paul but hate getting ripped off and at the current prices being asked feel that they are way, way overpriced.
A bit of a shame really as I've always had a thing for ES335's. Being left handed does not make it any easier as well
 
Overrated and overpriced are two different things I think. I love Les Pauls. I have three of them. Are they overrated? I don't think so. They are each excellent guitars. Are they overpriced? Oh fuck yeah.


lou
 
$3900 for an off the line Gibson Les Paul Custom?
The heritage Lp Custom types only cost $2300
So it's obvious the guitars probably cost about a grand or so to make.
Its ridiculous. The melody maker theyre selling for $400-$500
so it probably costs $100 to make. its so shitty.:p
 
Another thing to consider is investment. A $2500 Gibson will hold its value or gain over time. A $300 Agile LP will sell for $200 down the road. If its a keeper, OK, but how many of us keep our guitars forever?
 
The value of any guitar is a strictly personal thing. If you're willing to pay $3,000 because you really like a guitar, then it's worth $3,000.
 
I don't know as I'd say Epiphones are overpriced, my LP Classic was $450 on clearance, it's a great guitar. Mahogany body and neck, quilt maple top. Open coil pups. Angled neck. Plays beautifully. I don't think they're overrated either, I don't think they rate tremendously high, good one, however, are terrific.
 
legionserial said:
The value of any guitar is a strictly personal thing. If you're willing to pay $3,000 because you really like a guitar, then it's worth $3,000.
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This ^^^^^^^^

I wouldn't pay 5 bucks for wanky jumbo fretted Ibanez shred master POS. Someone else might want one at any cost. Certain Gibsons and PRS guitars cost thousands because dummies will gladly pay it.
 
I like the discussion of prices and some are pretty freaking high for what you get, but it's all about SUPPLY and DEMAND, just like everything else in the free world. So if people weren't willing to pay that much then the companies would charge so much. And if it were cost effective to make even more and charge even less, that's what they'd do. Also, the cost of doing business has increased for a lot of these guitar makers (i.e. wood costs, labor, TAXES, government regulation, and environmental considerations), so increased cost to the consumer is to be expected.

That being said, you can get some really nice stuff for super cheap, even professional quality. For example, I've had a MIM Strat since 1992. It sucked, but played well. So I bought $300 in new parts and pickups, took it to a friend who is a professional and had him set it up and now it plays amazingly. I was thinking of doing the same thing with a super cheap Tele and paying $700 for something people would charge well over $1500 to build.
 
I refuse to play a Guitar that is listed over $500 - definitely not going to play a $2000 - $3000 Gibson

- if I did i might want it... as it stands I am very happy with my used guitars that all cost $300 or less
 
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