Are expensive guitars overrated?

  • Thread starter Thread starter GT
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Yeah I with kjam...

I've known a lot of folks who thoroughly enjoyed their epiphones, squires etc. - I even have an epi les paul that definately has it's attractive qualities....

At the same time these pieces just don't touch a real les paul or a strat from the custom shop.

While I think that many les pauls and PRS do get way out of hand on price - that does not mean that you cannot find some great deals for the $800 - 1200 range.

While that is still very expensive (atleast for most of us) it is a different level of quality instrument.

Just my .02.
 
I've got a 92 Les Paul..... an 83 Strat.... and a 2000 Martin d-41

I taught a guitar lesson earlier tonight to a kid with a 6 month old Epi Les Paul. He's getting to be a better player all the time. But I know for a fact you can take the cord out of my Les Paul and put it in Epi.... and I know what the two sound like. And I know what the two play like because I've played and tuned both of them. And I've taught lessons to kids with squires, and mexican strats, and japan strats, and no name guitars.....

And the people saying that one is as good as the other -- either never really compared.... or their trying to convince themselves that their guitar is as good as anyone elses.... or their just talking to hear their heads rattle.
 
i hear ya kjam - If i read another les paul post of someone saying "just put some classic 57s in your epi and you will have just as good of a guitar as any gibson" I think I will puke.

What do they think - Gibson has some evil scam that only us few suckers over pay for our guitars?

Again - epi's are great geetars - but just aint a Gibson. That being said - there are some fantastic playing Les Paul Studios out there - such as on ebay for the $500 - $600 range, sometimes even cheaper.
 
I agree. The Gibson Studio is a good sounding and playing guitar. And a portion of the price a person pays for a "high end" guitar is appearance. And the studio doesn't have the binding and paint job etc that the high end ones have. But I've played a couple that sound good and play good.
 
MySiteSpace said:

Again - epi's are great geetars - but just aint a Gibson. That being said - there are some fantastic playing Les Paul Studios out there - such as on ebay for the $500 - $600 range, sometimes even cheaper.
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I would venture to say a new gibson ain't no old gibson? and from what I've seen the new lower line gibsons are made as cheap or cheaper than some of the nicer epi's for the same price.

Not to say that I would purchase either, But I have picked up some pretty cheesy new Gibson Les Pauls with $800.00 dollor price tags on them. The electronics may be better?? I would not know... but as far as craftsman ship and playability Gibson is guilty of selling it's soul/name like the rest of them. Not to near the degree that some others that will remain mentionless have though:D

Just so there is no confusion "I love Gibsons" but I can not use that as a blanket statement for all gibsons.

Later

F.S.
 
Guitars are like Golf Clubs.
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Absolutely, if you don't know how to play either one then you will sound/play bad on cheap or expensive gear. However, if you practice continually, evaluate and perfect your performance, eventually you will see a big difference between cheap and expensive gear.
 
Middleman's simple but absolute wisdom

Well said my friend. Bravo, Bravo...[the pitter patter of clapping hands in the background]. Yes experience cannot be substituted in most cases, this being absolutely one of them. So in recap, two things that are musts to appropriately appropriate discernment when purchasing guitars. Guitar setup and guitar skill or playing experience. Geeves
 
Agreed! Even if you don't preactice all the time you can hit the glass ceiling with some cheaper guitars.

Hell some guitars are fine for metal rythems, maybe even better, but you couldn't solo on them to save your life and visa versa.


What I like is a well rounded guitar that is great for all kinds of playing and styles. I think that is the mark of a great guitar....
it is very playable for any style, has a wide vaiety of tones (that are good) and plays great both up and down the neck. and if your lucky has a tremelo that zeros every time.
and last but not least will.... will last for 50 years!!

That's very hard to find for a song.... Dare I say almost impossible???


F.S.
 
What I like is a well rounded guitar that is great for all kinds of playing and styles. I think that is the mark of a great guitar....
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So like a .... telecaster.... right?

Sorry, I just could not resist
 
kjam22 said:
And the people saying that one is as good as the other -- either never really compared.... or their trying to convince themselves that their guitar is as good as anyone elses.... or their just talking to hear their heads rattle.
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That says it all!!!!

I teach lessons also. Have heard and played many types of whatever the student has. I will take my 72 strat or my SG over all of them......Incidentally, the student will too.
 
Going out on a limb.....

The only expensive guitar that I use in my studio is a Rickenbacker 4001 bass.

I sometimes wonder, if I had a hundred dollar bass that was setup properly, would it sound as good? I don't know, but really can't rule it out.

I totally agree with what Middleman said about guitars in the store, thay are setup all wrong. Usually the action is set far too low, I would think to make them play easier, that way they sell more to the layman.

I would still have to weigh this out, and say that overall expensive guitars are overrated, maybe leaning more toward electrics, and basses, than acoustics.

I think that maybe we all get stars in our eyes, when we see the name Fender, or Gibson, and money burns it's hole in our pockets.

GT
 
With all this talk of Gibsons I thought I would mention Heritage again but decided against it.

I think that maybe we all get stars in our eyes, when we see the name Fender, or Gibson, and money burns it's hole in our pockets.
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You know, one of these days i'm just going to go into a guitar shop blindfolded and tell the bugger behind the counter to start handing me guitars under $1000. It might be fun.

"WHAT?! It's a ^@&#*@#$&*#($@#ing Squire?!"

...and then I would pass out.
 
Someone has to buy those squires. You seem like as good a candidate as any :)
 
Re: Going out on a limb.....

GT said:
The only expensive guitar that I use in my studio is a Rickenbacker 4001 bass.

I sometimes wonder, if I had a hundred dollar bass that was setup properly, would it sound as good? I don't know, but really can't rule it out.

I totally agree with what Middleman said about guitars in the store, thay are setup all wrong. Usually the action is set far too low, I would think to make them play easier, that way they sell more to the layman.

I would still have to weigh this out, and say that overall expensive guitars are overrated, maybe leaning more toward electrics, and basses, than acoustics.

I think that maybe we all get stars in our eyes, when we see the name Fender, or Gibson, and money burns it's hole in our pockets.

GT
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How about going to a non-superstore music shop and checking out some expensive guitars? I think, regardless of set-up, that you can tell a huge difference. Even with electrics. Like I said before, I was never a believer until I went shopping. I think value is the key word here. Do you get an extra $400 worth of value by getting the dressed up model? Maybe not. But if the $400 is for better feel, better sound, etc., then I definitely say the money is worth it. Maybe not for recording, but defintely for live and for the everyday play and satisfaction. It's something you can talk about until your blue in the face, but none of it matters unless you go play a bunch of expensive guitars and find out for yourself.

Just out of curiousity, GT.. why the thread in the first place? I know in my past, I used to try and justify my shitty guitars all the time. I still do the same with my hockey gear, though.
 
What you said about value is accurate. And a lot of it comes down to how a person views that value, and measures it.

Say you spend and extra 1000 dollars on a guitar. Hopefully we all agree that it will be somewhat better. But it seems many would argue not a 1000 dollars better. Own the guitar 20 years. You pay 50 bucks a year to play a high end instrument. To play one that not only sounds good, but looks good. Is it worth it? Depends on how bad you need the money..... and if you're playing in the living room or in front of a good size crowd.

And after 20 years you decide to sell it. Which one will have appreciated in value? A true finance guy is going to "present value" the money and all that...... :) So none of it makes sense to an accountant.
 
Talking to a drummer friend of mine. We reminised on this little band we had awhile back.

We had two guitar players, both with Gibson SG's.

My drummer friend says the thing he remembers the most, was the constant tuning on those SG's.

Pretty expensive guitar, to have to be tuning all the time?

GT
 
Also,

It seems to me, that a very expensive electric guitar should be set up properly right from the factory.

Instead the action is set so low that fret buzz with all but the lightest touch is a given. Even more evident on basses.

I would have much more faith in expensive guiitars makers, if they set guitars up proberly, not just set up so they could brag easy action.

I have also tried expensivee guitars, where the intonation was a joke.

So you buy an expensive electric guitar, and the first thing you have to do is have it set up corectly by the guy at Sam Ash, who is suffering from a hangover from playing out all night.

This alone makes expensive guitars, way overrated.

The proper action, and intonation from the factory, would restore my faith in expensive guitars. As it is now, they're just expensive, because of the name.

GT
 
Re: Re: Going out on a limb.....

JR#97 said:
How about going to a non-superstore music shop and checking out some expensive guitars? I think, regardless of set-up, that you can tell a huge difference. Even with electrics. Like I said before, I was never a believer until I went shopping. I think value is the key word here. Do you get an extra $400 worth of value by getting the dressed up model? Maybe not. But if the $400 is for better feel, better sound, etc., then I definitely say the money is worth it. Maybe not for recording, but defintely for live and for the everyday play and satisfaction. It's something you can talk about until your blue in the face, but none of it matters unless you go play a bunch of expensive guitars and find out for yourself.

Just out of curiousity, GT.. why the thread in the first place? I know in my past, I used to try and justify my shitty guitars all the time. I still do the same with my hockey gear, though.
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Hey JR,

Glad your back, I started this thread because I wanted to see the reaction. Pretty strong reaction, lets me know there's something here, that needed to be said!!

I also think there is validity on both sides of this issue.

Pretty interesting thread, if I do say so myself!!

GT
 
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