Can you suggest me a new guitar in the $500 price range

T

tonyoci

New member
I am not a very experienced guitar player and I only use a guitar for headphones and home recording. I finally feel I have outgrown my Behringer Starter guitar.

I just can't bring myself to spend $1000 for an American Strat or similar.

I have a POD XT (no comments needed :D ) which I love and I seriously considered the Variax since I am no purist and the flexibility would have been great for me. However in the end I think I can't bring myself to buy, what is basically, a PC with strings.

So what's my best bet in the $500 approx range. I think I lean towards a Strat style or Fat Strat. I also tend to prefer to buy new but I'm open to ideas. There are some great deals on Strats on eBay but I don't think I can buy without trying.

I understand that I should be looking for a certain feel or tone but the truth is that I don't know I'm capable of figuring that out. The cheapo Behringer feels fine to me and sounds fine run through the POD XT (perhaps I don't need to change) but I'm told that a new guitar will make a lot of difference.

BTW: My Behringer is frequently setup by a local guitar tech so I am getting the best out of it I can. I often notice a kind of musical flatness in the sound of higher strings that I'm wondering is a tone issue that would be better with a better guitar.

Enough rambling.

Any thoughts, all of course opinion based, would be great.

Tony
 
I've seen a few used American Strats in pawn shops for around $500. Not many, but a few.

A Mexican strat is certainly doable at that price, and they're nice guitars.

(I'm assuming you're leaning towards a strat-style single-coil design since that's what you referenced.)
 
Can anyone explain why people always recommend the Made In America strat ? What's the real difference between that and a Made in Mexico strat ?

I'm not set on a strat but I think single coil offers me the most flexibility, but I am really not expert enough to know.

Tony
 
I forgot to add "NOT INTERESTED IN CARVIN" to my original post sorry.

Mainly because I couldn't build a 3 inch wall from pieces of lego without screwing it up

:)
 
How about a nice a nice Mex Jaguar. I don't own one, but played one recently and was impressed. It's also quite a flexible instrument in terms of sound and pickup modes.

http://www.jag-stang.com/jagIndex.shtml

I realise you're more of a strat chap, but the flexibility may suit you and as you were thinking about the variac... or whatever it's called, I assume you are open to 'asthetic changes'
 
tonyoci said:
I forgot to add "NOT INTERESTED IN CARVIN" to my original post sorry.

Mainly because I couldn't build a 3 inch wall from pieces of lego without screwing it up

:)
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No problem, dude! :D
 
Here's my well educated opinion.

Get a Fender Deluxe Powerhouse Strat. You can find them used for $300-$400 all the time. They have upgraded hardware and electronics and all the things you love about a Strat. There's vintage tuners you won't have to replace, a vintage tremelo, a really confortable neck, not too big, and easy to play medium jumbo frets, and US electronics. They also have the Clapton Midboost installed that runs off of a 9 volt battery. Turning this up can give the Strat the power and sound of having humbuckers. The pickups in it are USA Fender pickups, the same as on the US Standard Strat.

Having been through over a hundred guitars, I think this guitar is the standout bang for the buck in the Fender line, and a quality guitar that, as a touring pro, I would take on the road with me in a hreatbeat...and have. I played an entire year with 3 Powerhouse Strats and one PRS.

H2H
 
puffin said:
How about a nice a nice Mex Jaguar. I don't own one, but played one recently and was impressed. It's also quite a flexible instrument in terms of sound and pickup modes.

http://www.jag-stang.com/jagIndex.shtml

I realise you're more of a strat chap, but the flexibility may suit you and as you were thinking about the variac... or whatever it's called, I assume you are open to 'asthetic changes'
Click to expand...

Unless I misunderstood something that's a $1500 guitar. A little above my range :cool:

Can anyone explain what the difference is between all these different Strats ?
 
gvarko said:
Schecter, ESP, Jackson, Ibanez
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On zzsounds Ibanez on it's own has close to 100 guitars for $500 or under. My problem is with so many option I'm looking for advice on what people recommend specifically
 
tonyoci said:
Can anyone explain what the difference is between all these different Strats ?
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Different woods, pickups, electronics, tuners, frets, fretboards, necks, finishes, tuners, bridges etc. MIM, MIA, MIJ, MIK, MII etc.
 
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Ed Dixon said:
Consider a Line6 Variax. They can produce a wide range of tones and are dead silent for recording.

Ed
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Thanks but you've gotta reread my original post. I did consider Variax and decided I'm not comfortable with a PC with strings.

Hixmix, I know all that. I'm trying to get a kick start on what that all means for me.

Thanks

Tony
 
I think you would find the Variax an amazing product. My PRS has been in the case since the day the Variax arrived.

It's a lot more than a PC with strings.

Ed
 
One big advanage I had not planned on for the Variax was the loss of noise. I also record a lot, and even the PRS has some noise audible in headphones when recording. It's gone with the Variax, which is a benefit I had not considered before at all. That coupled with the wide range of sounds and the plability make it a model you might want to reconsider.

Ed
 
I second the schecter guitars. They are great and for the price i truly believe that they can't be beat.
 
tonyoci said:
Hixmix, I know all that. I'm trying to get a kick start on what that all means for me.
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Yeah. I understand. That's why you gotta go out and try a few. All the variations will drive you nuts just reading about them and seeing them on paper. You seem to be leaning towards the Strat and you should be able to get yourself a fairly nice one for $500.
 
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