allright but cheap?

[calidus]

I originally wanted to call this thread "who's the Behringer of guitars?"

I've just sold my cheap gibsone clone, basically due to sonic dissactisfaction (it was single coil and way too "unpolite"). So who's making some allright but cheap (150-250$) guitars these days?

Epiphone? Squier? Samick? Corr? Stagg? Can you suggest some actual model that I can audition or even try to get on ebay? I play r&b, funk, pop, so I'd like it to be an allrounder.

Thank you in advance, you guys rule!

 

[TexRoadkill]

For $250 you might be able to score a used Strat.

 

[Dom Franco]

Don't buy a guitar on EBAY! or any other Mail order way!

You have to plug in a guitar, and hold it and see how it fits in your hands and on your lap/ shoulder how high the action is and how fat the neck is and the spacing between strings..... etc etc etc.

Just my oppinion,

DOM

 

[Buck62]

Yamaha Pacifica PAC-012

For $169 it can't be beat.

Nothing else under $300 can touch it for tone and playability.

Throw in another $30 for proper setup and you have one awesome, kick-ass guitar.... and you're still under $200!

 

[Richard Monroe]

Second the Pacifica- if you like strats. Yo Buck- do you know if Yamaha builds an equivalent telecaster clone?-Richie

 

[calidus]

Other Pacifica models worth to check out?

Thank you all, guys!

Richard> although I like the Gibson sound, I think an entry level strat or a good strat clone will serve me best as an allrounder.

Other Pacifica models worth to check out?

 

[vestast]

Second the Pacifica- if you like strats. Yo Buck- do you know if Yamaha builds an equivalent telecaster clone?-Richie

They have a model called PAC1511MS, but it doesn't look cheap. Think that they are around $1000. They also have the new AES series which to me looks like a PRS Les Paul. Again not as cheap as the Pacifica strats...

 

[bongolation]

Though I have not tried them myself, people are going absolutely mad over Agiles.

 

[calidus]

All right, Agile? Who's making them? Some coreans? They look good, not even expecially cheap....

 

[Buck62]

All right, Agile? Who's making them? Some coreans? They look good, not even expecially cheap....

Agile guitars are made by Samick. They are decent guitars, but still not quite as good as the Samick brand themselves.

Of all the Asian-made guitars, more than 50% of all guitars under $500 are made by Samick of Korea. Another 25% of guitars under $500 are made in factories owned by Cort, which has manufacturing facilites in Korea and Indonesia. Yamaha guitars are made in their own facility in Taiwan. The rest are manufactured in independent factories in China and Vietnam. OLP guitars and Carlo Robelli, for example, are Chinese and Vietnamese made.

Any guitar that has Samick, Cort, Epiphone, or Yamaha on the headstock are going to be the best 'import' guitars for the money because they have the highest "quality control." Three of these four brands have their final inpections and set-up done in the USA by American inspectors.

Cort guitars have their final inspections done at their American headquarters in Northbrook, Illinois. Samick does their final inspections at their American headquarters in Fremont, California. Epihone guitars have their final inpection and set-up done by Gibson/USA. Yamaha guitars get their final inspection done at their facility in Taiwan, but they have a VERY good inspection process.

Here's a link with a video-tour of Yamaha's guitar factory:

http://www.yamaha.com/yamahavgn/CDA...251%26CTID%3D%26VNM%3DLIVE%26AFLG%3DY,00.html

Click at the bottom of the page for the video-tour.

 

[jdier]

I recently purchased a bass from Rondo Music. I am very happy with it so I suggest you look their at their guitar selection.

I also purchased an OLP EVH musicman knock off which has simply blown me away. The pickups are not the best, but the neck and construction were very surprising. Since it comes with the two humbuckers it might be closer to your gibson type sound. I need to dress the fret edges a bit, but for $135 shipped, it was a great deal.

I also have a MIM toronado. If the MIM strats are close to as nice as this, they are worth a look.

 

[vestast]

I also purchased an OLP EVH musicman knock off which has simply blown me away. The pickups are not the best, but the neck and construction were very surprising.

I also bought an OLP nockoff and have since put in a Dimarzio Tone Zone, a Dimarzio Super Distortion, put in a phase switch, changed the Tuners, changed the volume nob and switch, and right now I'm having an Ivory nut installed which was carved out of an old piano key...

Other than all that stuff that I replaced, yup it's a great guitar

By the time I'm finished with all this I could have bought a real MM....

Oh well..

 

[bongolation]

To slightly correct some of the above information, "Cort" is the brand name of guitars made by Cor-Tek of Inchon when distributed as their own product.

Cor-Tek makes some Fenders as well as other FMIC proprietaries. They do make approximately 25% of Korean guitars under various brand names. They're the #2 volume builder behind Samick.

Generally speaking, their exterior work and detailing is excellent, substantially better than standard-production US instruments. Unfortunately, their contracts usually specify less expensive parts and materials. Additionally, their electrics and wiring sometimes leave a bit to be desired.

FMIC usually has their own US pickups from the Corona, California pickup shop installed on their Cor-Tek instruments.

 

[tubesrawsom]

squir's sound great for there price

 

[Richard Monroe]

Yo Bongo! Can you answer me this? The higher end Epiphones from Korea, are they made by Cort, Samick, or somebody else? I have to say my Korean Epi Les Paul is the best Asian electric I've played, far and away. And Light and others are correct about the pickups screaming for replacements.-Richie

 

[kid klash]

For the kind of money you're willing to spend, I'd be looking for a good used MIM Fender Strat or Tele. IMHO, if you shop wisely, you'll never lose any money with a used MIM Fender.