~ 300$ budget - need a decent guitar...

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gabe

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I currently have a Fender Squier Strat... and I think it's about time I got a real guitar.

I was thinking about the MIM Fender Strat or Tele, which I can get for 300 at the local guitar shop. Does anyone have anything good/bad to say about these guitars?

I'm also considering dabbling in the Gibson mid range guitars, but I really don't even know where to look. By no means, am I set on sticking w/ Fender... it's just that I'm used to them and I feel they make reliable products.

Please lend me some advice k?

=gabe=
 
http://www.musicyo.com/brandpos.asp?dept_id=1

Also, check out the Peavey's in that price range.....

Mexican Strats are good, but you may have to look thru quite a few before you find one that feels right....

If you are not quite sure how to pick out a good guitar, take someone with you who does....

Good luck and let us know what you decide....
 
At the low end of the price scale

...Yamaha makes some pretty good value-for-money guitars...

But you say you want to "upgrade" from a Fender Squier to another $300 guitar??? That isn't much of an upgrade - unless you bought the Squier used with bad pickups and a busted neck!

Unless the Squier is unplayable or broken, I'd would say you're better off saving a few more bucks and buying something really decent.

My opinion... YMMV
Bruce
 
Bruce is right on. If your Squier plays well, but you want a better sound, then take some of that money and buy better pickups and put in it.

H2H
 
Just a Suggestion

If you have a playable guitar, hold on untill you have $600 or more, then try guitars in that range. The difference is unbelievable, $300 is in the -not real- guitar price range. avoid Ibanez, at any price, they're all Japanese machine made models, Ibanez just has enough money to pay for endorsements and put a custom made model in the hands of the endorsees.

TX
 
I have seen several, several used American Standard Stratocasters going for $500 even. If you want a Strat, thats really the best way to go. Check out the "For Sale" section at the Fender Forum.

http://www.fenderforum.com/fdp.html

H2H
 
Some of the Epiphones aren't too bad, but like the Mexican Strats, you'd have to find the right one.
 
Save up more to get the guitar that you really want. Guitars are lifelong investments so make sure you don't get one and then begin to think about upgrading a few months later.

But if you must get one around the 300 dollars range. Try the Yamaha Pacificas. They are excellent quality. The necks are much more playable than a lot of lower end Fenders out there. Don't get anything until you have given them a go.
 
You can get an Ibanez RG dx for 279.99 at guitar center, i have one and love it, (when i bought mine it was over 300.00).
I would just go to guitar center and play around with the guitars that are in your price range.
-Andrew
 
Any standard(mexican made) strat is around $299. I have a fender fat strat american and used to have a mexican one. There really is not much of a difference between what country it was made in. Think about it.
 
JoanisT23 said:
Any standard(mexican made) strat is around $299. I have a fender fat strat american and used to have a mexican one. There really is not much of a difference between what country it was made in. Think about it.
Click to expand...
I AM thinking about it...

...and there IS a difference. Craftmanship, playability, quality of the neck/fret workmanship and most importantly, the stock p/u's in the "imports" are generally inferior to the more expensive domestic versions. Not to mention that many of the imports use laminates in the body, compared to solid body American versions.

This is pretty much the case for all imports vs. domestic - Gibson's Epiphone series exhibits the same "budget" characteristics. How else will a manufacturer be able to provide a "budget" line of instruments??? They have to cut costs somewhere... think about that! ;)

Bruce
:)
 
I dont think he really cares about that if his last guitar was a squier. Even the mexican strat would be a big upgrade from that. And he only has $300.
 
Huh?

He was talking about an upgrade - he already has a Squier, buying another Squier won't be an upgrade!

...but anyways, I was only commenting on your statement that "...there isn't a difference...", which simply isn't true!

Bruce
 
I'm with Bruce, H2H and TX... If you have allready have a squier, there ain't much use in buying another guitar in the same pricerange. Look for used, or wait untill you have more money. Good advice.

And in the mean time, visit all the guitar shops you know, tell'em you've got twice the money you have, and learn what a good guitar should feel and sound like. This takes alot more time than you might think.
 
Is the implication here that a Mexican Strat is no better than a Squier Strat? If so, I disagree. Both are obviously inferior to an American Strat, however I'd probably place a smaller "quality gap" between a mexican/american vs squier/mexican. And I don't believe Mexicans (i.e. the guitars) have laminate bodies - they're generally poplar vs ash/alder in Americans.

Are American strats better than Mexican strats? Without a doubt.

Are American strats that much better to justify the price differential? I don't think so.
 
psmith66 said:
Are American strats that much better to justify the price differential? I don't think so.
Click to expand...
I disagree...

But regardless, my comments weren't directed specifically at Fender -- I was generalizing somewhat, but the characteristics are common to many manufacturer's budget product lines....

Bruce
 
Hey Bear,

In all fairness, I'm basing my opinion on the various Strat test drives I've done - I don't own a Strat (I'm a Les Paul man, though I'd love to get my mits on a strat - I'd have to sneak it into my basement so the wife wouldn't see it). For a Les Paul guy, the Mexicans didn't seem too bad. Don't get me wrong, I wouldn't part with my LP for anything.

While standing by my original comments, I will concede that when I do buy a Strat, it will be an American.

I will also concede that you must be quite knowledgable, as you are a fellow canuck (I hope Americans have a good sense of humour).
 
May want to check these out...

Hey man!!! I don't know if these have been suggested yet (I'm too lazy to read all of the posts :)), but I've got ONE HECK of an awesome guitar. They're kind of hard to find, but when you do they're usually cheap ($125 on ebay before and DIDN'T SALE!! I was about to go nuts because I didn't have the money!!!!). It's a Charvel CSM-1G. They are awesome sounding and feeling guitars. Good luck on whatever you get!! Also, check out the reviews on this guitar and www.harmony-central.com. Later!!

Brandon
 
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