Along with those 1000 dollar guitar thread...

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halfwaydecent

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I am not the "go to guy" for accoustic guitars because I haven't played on a wide range of "high end" to "low end" accoustic guitars, (I personally like the Ovation electric accoustic 12 strings even though I do not own one) I bought two guitars about the same time for about 300 dollars, an Epiphone Alleycat and a Jay Turser Jazz guitar, and after making some mods to the Jay Turser (I put in gibson LP pickups) and that 200 dollar mod changed the sound so much that I literally compare it to 2000 dollar gibson guitars. Now I understand my jay turser is not a Gibson, but unless I am a professional guitar player in a really big rich band I don't think people "need" gibson guitars, they are way too high for what they are. Also I bought a standard Fender strat, modded it so it has a seymore duncun invader pickup and it gives me a hard edgy sound without paying high prices for those fender "custom" guitars with the same specs I compare it to the Tom Delonge strat except mine gets a bit more range with the two singles along with the invader so i can play without distortion my next purchase is a Jay Turser SG and then upgrading the pickups to Gibson's Angus Young signatures so I can get that AC/DC sound.
 
I have 3 acoustic guitars ranging from high dollar to cheapy..

I have a

Martin = $1200
Takamine = $600
Yamaha = $250

The Yamaha has a better sound (to me) than either of the other two... It also sounds better mic'ed and plays better than the others..
 
Trust me, some of us need Gibson guitars. Every fucking night :cool:
 
Some may disagree, but I think the pickups are the single most important factor in determining an electric guitars's tone. Switching out pickups in a cheaper guitar can do wonders.

But as you gain experience as a guitar player, you learn to recognize and start to care about details. Neck size. Fret size. The edge of the fingerboard and fretwork. Finish blems. How the bridge feels (any burs? do the saddle adjustment screws feel rough?). Fretboard radius. Neck construction. Truss rod access. Body wood. Etc...

Expensive guitars are built around details, by people that generally understand their significance from a player's point of view. Cheaper guitars very often are put together by people just following a procedure.

Aaron
http://www.voodoovibe.com
 
Unless you are a rockstar you don't need an expensive guitar?!?!

You have two, and Epi and a Strat, right? I thought only rockstars have guitar "collections"....
 
I own a '78 Les Paul Pro ... It was the first guitar I bought. I got it when I was 8 or 9, with my paper route money.

A few years ago, many years later, I thought I'd take a look at the newer Les Pauls, and I must say, I was very very surprised. Even the $2000 models don't feel AT ALL like the '78. It feels light, hollow and very ordinary. I opted to stick with the '78.

I think they are INCREDIBLY overpriced!
 
Shinobi said:
Read my last post on this "true" subject, in my original post.
Trust me when I say, I have been playing for a while.
Thanks,
Shinobi shaolin68@softhome.net
Click to expand...

What are you trying to prove with how long you have been playing? So have a LOT of people on this board.
 
I haven't been playing very long (35 years), but I had to comment about the Les Paul.

I'm a $300-400 max type of guy when I buy guitars. But I played around with several Gibsons last year at Guitar Center. I was actually trying out a boat load of guitars that day (bought a Hammer Standard for $350).

So when I was at the Gibson display, I picked up an SG (about $900?). It just sounded ok. But what really struck me was out rough the frets where on the edges! So I tried a few more Gibsons, and they all had the same problem ?@?!?!?!?!?!

I did find a LP Studio ($1200?) that played nice and sound good - but it had the rough frets also.

I ended up with the Hammer Standard - It has been a very nice (and economical) addition to my guitar family.

Price wise - I think you have to break about $300+ to get into the better quality stuff. Below that, the manufacturers have to cut back on electronics and stuff. The differences in finishes don't seem to care about price to much - they appear to all go down the same line at the factory.

With the higher price, I do seem to see more detailing, exotic woods, better electronics.

At church with our sound system, we have a teenager with a 6 string Ovation that has an extremely rich, full acoustic sound vs. the adult with the beautiful Taylor that sounds like one of those cowboy guitars you get at Walmart.

That was a key learning in my minds guitar department. Know your venue vs. value... or something.
 
Fusioninspace said:
At church with our sound system, we have a teenager with a 6 string Ovation that has an extremely rich, full acoustic sound vs. the adult with the beautiful Taylor that sounds like one of those cowboy guitars you get at Walmart.
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Those Martin Cowboy guitars are AWSOME. I want one sooooo bad. It sounds like something out of an old western movie, but plays better than a cheap guitar. I am not to fond of the Polyuro something that is made out of, but its soo nice.
 
i can justify buying a 300-500 dollar guitar but i cant justify buying a 2500-3900 dollar gibson LP, (granted the studio and special are in the mid 1000 range) all I am saying is for most PRACTICAL uses most guitar players would be just as happy with a 300-500 dollar guitar compared to the 3900 gibson LP custom special whatever... and i dont like PRS, go ahead throw the rocks, what is everyone's take on epiphone's elite series?
 
I wanted to comment on Halfwaydecents reference to the Jay Turser...

I have the "solid body resonator". I paid about 175 for it on Ebay last year. There is NOTHING that sounds like this thing. I use it for slide/open tuning.

The pots are definately bad and I'm in the process of replacing them. But here is a case of a cheap-o guitar that fits a niche like nothing else for any price.

Just to point out, this is NOT an acoustic resonator like a regular Dobro, etc. (those are cool also though).

I really think having several affordable guitars is really the way to go. If nothing else, the different necks and string types lean toward different styles of playing - like a fat/flat neck nylon classical vs. a curved/skinny steel string Strat. You just don't play the same stuff on both of them.
 
halfwaydecent said:
...all I am saying is for most PRACTICAL uses most guitar players would be just as happy with a 300-500 dollar guitar compared to the 3900 gibson LP custom special whatever...
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You don't play guitar much do you?
 
To clarify my "cowboy guitar" comment - I meant one of those cheap-o, bowed neck, finger slicing guitars you find for $40 at the discount stores like Walmart.....

And to further the "price does not always equal the best guitar" thread....

After you've played the $3900 electric whatever, go to several of the $300 to $500 range guitars (with similar pickup coil structure), close your eyes, open your mind.... and low and behold.....

Hey, you don't have to spend a boat load to get increadable sound!

If you have that much trouble actually playing the darned thing, then maybe you better practice some more...

Flame on!
 
Fusioninspace said:
To clarify my "cowboy guitar" comment - I meant one of those cheap-o, bowed neck, finger slicing guitars you find for $40 at the discount stores like Walmart.....

And to further the "price does not always equal the best guitar" thread....

After you've played the $3900 electric whatever, go to several of the $300 to $500 range guitars (with similar pickup coil structure), close your eyes, open your mind.... and low and behold.....

Hey, you don't have to spend a boat load to get increadable sound!

If you have that much trouble actually playing the darned thing, then maybe you better practice some more...

Flame on!
Click to expand...

But why should I learn to play around a crap guitar when I can play with a good one.
 
...and I know what you meant with the cowboy comment...it just sparked a memory of how much I liked that Martin Cowboy I played.
 
I've got to stick my $.02 in here...

Up until my last purchase, I had never spent more than $600 on a guitar (and that was a Martin D35). I always buy used.

However, when I needed (read: wanted) a permanent synth access guitar, I had to spend the big bucks. HOWEVER, I got an amazing axe for the money. Finish, quality, tone, adaptability, functionality, playability, the Godin LGX-SA has got it all for me. I hardly ever play my '76 Tele anymore.

As I bought it used, it was half the price of a new one (CAD 1400).
For something specific like this, you can't go cheap, cause they don't exist. Believe me, I've played many a guitar that people have sworn by (expensive and inexpensive), and more often than not, I have noticed that you really do get what you pay for.

If you're happy with a cheap a$$ guitar, great ! I'm not. But I guess I've only been playing for 28 years ...

mike
 
since ive pissed just about everyone off here, heh heh, i think its been read through the replies is buy the guitar you like not because its the most expensive or least expensive right?
 
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