Inexpensive But Good Guitars

I see and hear a lot of questions about good but inexpensive guitars.

Personally, if I wanted something less expensive, I'd probably look at the Modern Player pine models or the Squier Classic Vibe models.

I had an Aria Pro II Les Paul copy years ago that wasn't bad. I don't even know if they still make them.

And in the last issue of Guitar World, which I grabbed because it was the only guitar magazine on the shelf and there was an article about Freddie King in it, they gave a very good review to the Sterling by Music Man Silo 3, which is very inexpensive. I wouldn't mind trying one.

As far as acoustics, the solid wood Recording Kings I've played have been nice, lots of bang for the buck. I hear the Eastmans are very good as well.

So how about you? What's good yet cheap on your radar that you might consider if you didn't want to spend much?

Rick

DeArmonds (fender made).

yamaha and ibanez offer pretty good value..i've had a few squiers that impressed me too.

Welch Guitars
http://www.welchguitars.com

http://www.gibsonlespaulstudio.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/gibson%20les%20paul%20studio-239932304778636520.jpg

The Epiphone Dot Studio, wine red burst, this one. I bought it new online a couple of years ago, by 220 Eur, and is by far the best deal I ever made on a guitar.
The finishing is superb, the feel, the sound, the looks, everything's perfect on this guitar. After that I tried the regular (more expensive) dots, glossy finish etc, but in my opinion they don't come close.

...problem is I think this model is being discontinued.

after seeing mine a friend ordered one too, and his guitar came just as good as mine so it was not a lucky strike, I think :)

Epiphone Sheraton II, the 'weapon of choice of the bogeyman, John Lee Hooker'. I like to play 'Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom' so I bought one new last year. No issues. Superb neck. I remain a strat and tele man however.

Inexpensive is in the pocketbook of the beholder. You'll need to define inexpensive. I can drive up to the local place and spend about $300 without a problem, and up to about $800 if I haunt the place for a couple of months before pulling the trigger.

What I like is the "five best guitars" thread that's floating around. Not for the multi-thousand dollar antiques but for the reasonably priced (to me) guitars I can test drive before I buy.

I'm haunting the local place eyeing an Epiphone Les Paul Black Beauty right now :smile: As to how good it is, I won't know until I play it.

Carl

I have been through the "ah, what have we here, a really cool cheap guitar?" phase a number of times. The purchase of which is usually followed a few days after purchasing said guitar by "what on earth was I thinking?" I'm not sure I can break that cycle entirely, my first guitar was a really cheap no name bag of you know what. I really tried to convince myself that it was OK, it wasn't. I keep doing the same thing expecting a different result. Guitar stores love guys like me.

G and L guitars

Got a LTD PB-401 that is amazing for the price. An almost perfect guitar right out the box. Played 2 before buying and they were both great. Also my first guitar was an old RG that turned out to be great for what I payed.

Love my Epi Nighthawk Custom Reissue. $399 and many different pickup options, well constructed. A little funky looking but it grows on you, especially once you start playing it.

Love my Epi Nighthawk Custom Reissue. $399 and many different pickup options, well constructed. A little funky looking but it grows on you, especially once you start playing it.

I kinda want one of those......

My cheap guitars are a pair of Epiphone SST Studios......I play them all the time.....prob as much as my Telecasters and my Strat....

Epiphones in general are good bang for the buck. An Epi on sale is even better. Like every brand really you have to try a bunch to find one that's just right for you.

A well set up Squier Classic Vibe is a good bargain, provided that you find the neck comfortable.

In the medium price range I think the Gretsch Electromatics are really nice guitars. I love my 5120. Gretsch is in the processes of updating their Electromatic line so a lot of deals seem to be popping up on the outgoing versions. For example, I see a lot of Gretsch Electromatics offered in the 'Hello Music' deals.

I primarily buy used, so these are things you need to look for but none are rare..

Electrics...
US made PVs
The T series are getting up in price a bit but bargains can still be found, a lot of bang for @$400
The Patriots are killer bargains I just picked up one of the later Tremolo versions ( these are some what Ibanez like) but pack a surprising range of tones.
The earlier two PU design with the Super Ferites are great guitars for under $200
I'm not as crazy about the later " US crafted " strat clones, I think the Yamaha Pacifica 112 is better deal for $100 or so.

Acoustics
Guild d4...these are seriously undervalued US made guitars with solid top & sides.
I paid $300 for one with OHSC not long ago...that was a pretty good deal, but they are readily available for not much more.
Any of the Godin lines, early Simon & Patricks seem to be very underpriced at the moment, often available for $200 or less.

PRS SE series guitars are incredably great guitars for the money and you can find them used at really great prices.

The Agiles AL-3XXX series from Rondo are outstanding for the LP style. Every bit as good and even rated much better than most Epi's over on the MLP.

Not nearly as good, the SX Furrians are decent for the DIY'er for such a low price ($90-$160, depending upon the style). Cheaper than buying a body and neck. The necks are chunky, if you like that. The string ferules are staggered, so if you want to change the bridge plate, you have to do some work. Necks aren't a direct swap either, they need shimming if you want to use a Fender Tele type neck. Other than that, they can be a good basis for a partscaster.

We are currently in the "Golden Age" of guitar mass production. Guitars are made to higher standards, with better matierials more inexpensively than ever before all over the globe. Good, and sometimes great playable instruments are available from several different manufacturers at great prices. While I love American guitars, I can no longer overlook these bargain players. Fine inexpensive imports are available from Reverend, PRS, Epiphone, Fender, Eastwood, Godin and others. Give them a try you might be surprised at how much you get vs. what you spend

The Yamaha Pacifica is apparently a great guitar for the money.

Anything by Cort.

http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i198/shot-glass/suzuki093.jpg




http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i198/shot-glass/forsaleIII215.jpg




http://i72.photobucket.com/albums/i198/shot-glass/forsaleIII126.jpg

If one is into the Fender offsets, they may like the DiPinto Galaxie 4.

http://i1093.photobucket.com/albums/i427/yodacaster/zoom-g-gal4-orange.jpg

They don't cost an arm and a leg, and I think I'd rather have one than any of the Fenders/Squiers that aren't CIJ/MIJ, or MIA. I suppose the aesthetics are an acquired taste, but I actually like them, and I'm not one to usually care for rather bizarre looking guitars.

The Yamaha Pacifica is apparently a great guitar for the money.

Most are..
The original base model was the 112 which was similar in quality to the then current MIM standard, with a price point more like a Squier.
Despite being a factory guitar, there is a great deal of hand work, and most have a great feel, neck may be a bit narrow for some.

Now that Squier and Epi have upped their game, the difference new is not so great, but used 112s are very undervalued.
If you can get past the vaguely "pointy" styling, they are a decent S style guitar, ( alder body, sealed tuners, good finish) for $100 or less.

The more upscale models are extremely well made but were originally competition for Jackon, Ibanez and other "Super Strats" with the usual Floyd's and such. If you are looking for such a beast, they are worth the search, as they can sometimes be found for $250 or so, and the styling is more restrained, than most such guitars.

The 012 which was positioned as the equivalent of the Squier Bullet, is a disappointment with poor fretwork and finish on the neck.
Unfortunately it resembles the 112 ( covered tuners are a give away) and is usually priced the same second hand .
Best avoided.

Yamaha Acoustics like the solid top FG700S at $199

The entire Squier Classic Vibe Series - $279-$349 (or so)

I have an Ibanez AS53 Jazz Guitar (355 style) that sells for $299 cash and it's remarkable. The fit and finish was better than the DOT's that I tried.

Epiphone makes some great guitars but I think you have to spend $400 or more to get into the nicer ones. I'm trying to keep my list at around $300 or less.

CNC & guitars. Lots of great stuff at $300 or less these days.

I applaud Fender for sticking the better Duncan Designed pickups in their Squiers. If you're going to wind a pickup in China or Indonesia why not wind a better pickup....it can't cost $5 extra to make a "better" pickup offshore. Stick something good in the guitar. Duncan gets his name on all those guitars. I would guess that the price that Fender pays or the royalties that they pay to Duncan are very low with the marketing exposure that Duncan gets. Smart marketing.

Older Samick guitars, from the '90's or earlier, especially the Artist Series. They are first rate. Lots on eBay for little money.

They were made in Korea when Samick was making Epiphones and other "brand" guitars for big name companies. Samick decided to make them for themselves, and they outclass those they made for their customer companies. They are great copies of various Fender and Gibson guitars, as well as a few of their own designs, and they are just excellent playing guitars...the electronics and hardware are usually very good as they come.

I own 3 of them at the moment...there are a few on eBay right now.

Also, check for old US Made Peaveys...they are very under rated, solid, great necks and high quality, made here, and still a bargain. Got 4 or 5 of them, too.

Last, not least, get a used Epiphone Dot.

mark

Harmony Sovereign

Probably my least expensive tele, this '94 Special has always been a sweet player. After swapping the six hammer bridge, the guitar moved up in rotation. The necks on these are comfy and though I am not keen on the hummer alone, the stock pups together or bridge only sound nice. Would like to find another.

Really happy with my Squier VM Jaguar (hardtail from last year) though now I wanna try a DePinto Galaxie ;)

Partscasters by miles:lol: For factory guitars Epiphone really does it for me. They are the most consistantly good guitars I've played from a single manufacturer...ESPECIALLY at their price point. I started to tally them up and it's 5 which is gaining on my Fenders. If you look for used they're always a bargin and generally been treated pretty well. My lastest, used, is an EL-00 that I've turned into a great little acoustic/electric for under 340.00. The case comes in next month at another 75.00...best money I've ever spent on a guitar. It totally rocks and I just cannot seem to put it down.:smile:

Hey steerfourth,

When the silo 30 first came out, I went down to a music store in CT and did an A to B to C comparison with the silo 30, my own Music Man Sub 1 and a Music Man Silhouette.

My conclusion was that both Music Man guitars felt better balanced and had better playability. The Silo 30 pickups sounded different from the Silo, but the switching is different.

Overall, it was very good for the money. They're also an incredible bargain used. A used Sub 1 goes for $400-$500....a used Silhouette around $900-$1000 and a used EBMM Silo 30 $250-$300.

The SBMM line is coming out with an even lower priced guitar line this fall. They calling it the Sub line, after the old MM Sub 1 lower priced US guitars. I don't know what the prices are, but they're being talked about at the EBMM forums.

Oh.....if you go to the EBMM forums and search my screen name, you might find the write up I did on the comparison.

Thanks Jack! I'll check it out. They're nice looking guitars.

Rick

sx guitars if im looking for a solid foundation to some modification, squier if i want something i CAN leave stock but would probably change later, and my new love danelectros because they are only like 350 bucks and play and sound greaaaat.

i will own a dano soon enough...

The more upscale models are extremely well made but were originally competition for Jackon, Ibanez and other "Super Strats" with the usual Floyd's and such. If you are looking for such a beast, they are worth the search, as they can sometimes be found for $250 or so, and the styling is more restrained, than most such guitars.


I have a 1987 Yamaha SE700e. I had intended to buy a Strat, but the salesman told me that Fenders were having quality control issues, and he showed me the Yamaha. It's an HSS configuration, with Yamaha's version of a Floyd Rose. I have no idea what it's made of, but it has been a great guitar. The fit and finish is flawless. I think it sounds great, and I have had many compliments from guys who claim to know about guitars.
I paid about $900 for it in 1987, and it has been worth it. I have never seen a used one. Anything under $400 would be a real bargain.

I always though the faded sg guitars were a good deal. Used for 500$ all day. Usually less.

I don't play mine as much as I do my Tele's but an Epi Sheraton II is a nice blues guitar. If you can find one for $300 or less they're a steal.

Cort, Yamaha, Epi
Cort : I have 2 Corts : A Larry Corryell and an accoustic sfx10 - both times I had a budget significantly higher but I wound up buying the Corts over other models. The LC is a very good jazz guitar.
Yamaha : anytime someone asks me for advice for a starter's accoustic, I highly recommend yamaha. They have very good low/medium budget guitars. I have a 20 y/old fg-435A that's been beaten up pretty bad throughout the years, yet it's still solid and plays great. I love the necks on the yamahas. I don't know how many time you go to someone's house and they pull out an old accoustic yamaha out of a closet - I'm always amazed as to how tough they are. You tune them, adjust the truss rod a bit and you're good to go. I have 2 yamaha accoustics, good guitars.
Epiphone : they are good products for the price, period

Love my Epi Nighthawk Custom Reissue. $399 and many different pickup options, well constructed. A little funky looking but it grows on you, especially once you start playing it.

I'd go with that mines a great wee machine. Especially for a beginner.

Played a couple of Cort Basses. Were mighty good. J style but slightly smaller body.

The squiers too. Esp the CV range seem to be good bang for the buck.

Vintage make lots of well priced guitars and good quality with Wilkingson design and some fittings .

I continue to be impressed by Epiphone.

I have two, one of which is a £299.00 epi 339 pro with coil splitting. I still can't get over how good that guitar is - currently being played more often than my US Strat!

The inexpensive guitar market is at the best I have ever seen it. In my teenage days, a $100 was pretty bad. In todays market, the $200-$500 range offers some of the best bang for the buck I have ever seen.

I have a 1987 Yamaha SE700e. I had intended to buy a Strat, but the salesman told me that Fenders were having quality control issues, and he showed me the Yamaha. It's an HSS configuration, with Yamaha's version of a Floyd Rose. I have no idea what it's made of, but it has been a great guitar. The fit and finish is flawless. I think it sounds great, and I have had many compliments from guys who claim to know about guitars.
I paid about $900 for it in 1987, and it has been worth it. I have never seen a used one. Anything under $400 would be a real bargain.

Some of the non Pacifica models are decidedly rare..sounds like a great guitar.
I almost forgot, there were a few T-style Pacifica's, that are great guitars, they are much harder to find than the others, but are unreservedly great guitars.
The top of the line Mike Stern gives up nothing to a high end Fender but is one of those " it was on the wall for a hour " type of deals.

I agree that this is a great time for inexpensive, well built guitars!

My line-up at gigs used to be an Japanese Tele, American Strat, Les Paul and a G&L bass.

Now its a Douglas bound-top Tele copy, an SX 335 copy and an SX 70's Jazz Bass copy and I am as happy as ever.

The Douglas Tele is far from stock, in fact, the body and bridge plate is the only things that are stock, but the SX 335 is near stock(new tuners, nut, and Strap locks only) and the SX bass is dead stock, so not all of these less expensive guitars need to have a complete do-over! A good set up makes a world of difference much of the time.

We are currently in the "Golden Age" of guitar mass production.... Fine inexpensive imports are available from Reverend, PRS, Epiphone, Fender, Eastwood, Godin and others.

Godins aren't imports. MIA guitars are, at least 'round these parts. :razz:

The inexpensive guitar market is at the best I have ever seen it. In my teenage days, a $100 was pretty bad. In todays market, the $200-$500 range offers some of the best bang for the buck I have ever seen.

Other than as noted above, I agree completely. Inexpensive guitars are not necessarily cheap guitars anymore. I can't afford what I would really like to have (my most expensive is $800 new) but I hardly suffer when I play them. It would take something pretty nice to pry even my $250 guitar out of my hands.

Harmony Sovereign

*sigh*

My first good guitar. Cedar top. My loony hippie (brilliant) teacher had one too. Stolen by a guy from Kansas when I lived in Oklahoma. May he rot.

My Greg Bennet acoustic for $195 has been a real trooper, surpirsed alot of friends, with a cool punchy sound. It's been through hell and back, but it's still going.

I'm going to recommend the Cort and Douglas.

I just picked up a Cort TS-250 LP style guitar. Used it was $279 w/o a case..a bit high I thought for a Cort. But it feels and plays great. Also has a very nice finish and a decent set of pickups.

I also have a Douglas SG style guitar - I paid $160 w/o case for that one. Something about it - I just can't miss a note on her. The neck is fairly thick, beautiful rosewood fretboard and trapezoid inlays. The pickups are OK but about to be replaced with GFS Mean 90's.

All this said - I just emailed Welch Guitars (see above post) to get pricing on the TS-CLASSIC and WG-55 models :)

As noted above, used USA Peaveys can be great deals, as can older MIJ Arias. You just have to take your time and look for used. Surprisingly good deals pop up often enough.

Anything by Cort.

+1 for this. Cort's making the best production-line stuff on the planet, bar none, at the moment.

My cheap/awesome guitar of the last several years have been the old eighties Japanese Squier Strats. A quick and discerning buyer can still nail one for under $200 if you are quick on the "buy it now" button and search compulsively every day.

Lotta guys here weighing in with Rondo endorsements and you can add me to that list as well. They all need tinkering, but it's hard to beat their prices and Kurt makes some pretty cool stuff.

The inexpensive guitar market is at the best I have ever seen it. In my teenage days, a $100 was pretty bad. In todays market, the $200-$500 range offers some of the best bang for the buck I have ever seen.

My JB Player is pretty. The neck is thin and fast. Natural ash body, gold hardware, tortoise shell pick guard, maple neck. It even sounds good! I have no idea how old, but it has a vintage appearance. $175 at a small music shop on Oahu, yeah!

Anybody else own one of these baby's?

+ 1 on the 90's Samicks, as mentioned the Artist series. I've got this cherry red 1996 335 copy, great build quality, good hardware & electronics. One of my faves

I like the affinity's. I find them used for $50 at the pawn shops. I part most of them out but i found a couple that played awesome so i swapped the pups out for cv50 and cv70.

I also have a cort lp style that plays decent, put gretsch 5120 pups in it, sounds actually prettu darn good.

I dont think ive played any 70s Epi japanese acoustics that i havent fell in love with. Some of those are real cheap.

+1 on the cheap Yamaha acoustics and washburn makes some real nice acoustics for under $300. I jad one briefly until GC had a good sale price on a Takamine parlor so i took the washburn back.

I like the affinity's. I find them used for $50 at the pawn shops. I part most of them out but i found a couple that played awesome so i swapped the pups out for cv50 and cv70.

I also have a cort lp style that plays decent, put gretsch 5120 pups in it, sounds actually prettu darn good.

I dont think ive played any 70s Epi japanese acoustics that i havent fell in love with. Some of those are real cheap.

+1 on the cheap Yamaha acoustics and washburn makes some real nice acoustics for under $300. I jad one briefly until GC had a good sale price on a Takamine parlor so i took the washburn back.

Btw my posts are on my phone, so yea thays why there is always weird typos...:mad:

Anybody else own one of these baby's?

JB Players... Man I thought I was the only one out there with one! I have 3 of them currently- a Strat copy, a neck-thru Strat copy and a neck-thru P-bass copy. My first really nice guitar was one of their Strat copies (this was in 1986). I'd put the 80's necks up against anything, I still troll around on the bay for more of them even though I have so many of them already. I haven't tried one of the newer ones, though.

http://i427.photobucket.com/albums/pp360/dannew2008/h2/guit006.jpg

Yamaha : anytime someone asks me for advice for a starter's accoustic, I highly recommend yamaha. They have very good low/medium budget guitars. I have a 20 y/old fg-435A that's been beaten up pretty bad throughout the years, yet it's still solid and plays great. I love the necks on the yamahas. I don't know how many time you go to someone's house and they pull out an old accoustic yamaha out of a closet - I'm always amazed as to how tough they are. You tune them, adjust the truss rod a bit and you're good to go. I have 2 yamaha accoustics, good guitars.



Hey Frank...see my post on page 1? First one is a 1950 Kiso-Suzuki...but the other two are old Yamaha Dynamics, I have a whole bunch of them some sold for 3 months wages at the time they were made so not cheap...all solid wood and my oldest dates to the early 1950`s and from what I`ve found, they went out of production when the FGs started in 1966. I have others too from series they made in the early `60s...but not Dynamics. If you like Yamahas you should see if you can find one of those...really outstanding guitars. The reason I have so many is because over here in Japon...they`re dirt cheap to buy nowadays.

I saw an Ibanez AF75 for $100 yesterday, now that has to be a steal of a price for a jazz box.

My two Squier Strats (a Deluxe and VM 70s) combined prob'ly cost less than my Fender Strat. Both of them are monsters. Love them.

I've owned plenty of cheap guitars, Epi's, Squiers mainly. They've been some great guitars. My ONLY beef with cheap guitars, is that they are making them so cool these days that I want a bazillion of them.

I also had a Steinberger Spirit for a few years. Had to sell it a while back, but I wish I still had it. It was a KILLER. I will own another someday.

I picked up a Yamaha Pacifica from my local CL for $35. That's a deal that's hard to beat. I have it opened tuned to G and I took off the 6th string so it is permanently in "Keef" tuning.

where do I begin? I love buying cheap guitars in playable condition. I have several Squiers and Epis but one of the best deals is the Oscar Schmidt Delta King. Though they are still being made, you can usually find one for around $100 used.

Squier Classic Vibe Tele. Awesome guitar for the money, as good as many Mexican Fenders I'd say.

JHS Vintage range,never played a bad one,own two now,a V6 Strat and a VS6 SG.

JHS Vintage range,never played a bad one,own two now,a V6 Strat and a VS6 SG.

Good call - they're beginning to get some decent endorsees, too. I've heard nothing but good about them.

Surprised no one has mentioned Michael Kelly!

My Patriot Custom remains a big favourite despite it's budget price. It's a Patriot Custom, Spalted Maple with Ebony neck. Celtic patterned knobs. Coil Splits. Weighs... a lot! Build quality has proved excellent over the past year.

OK, the reviews where they are touted as "Les Paul killers" may be a little optimistic... but still, given the price differential....?? :grin:

I didn`t`cause I never heard of him.

JHS Vintage range,never played a bad one,own two now,a V6 Strat and a VS6 SG.

... Agreed

Stock Squier '51, for $69 brand new from GC in '07:

http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt246/tap4154/Black51Front.jpg

Silver Creek T-170 (basically Martin 000-28EC clone) for $199 shipped in '09:

http://i616.photobucket.com/albums/tt246/tap4154/SCt-170Full72.jpg

Both awesome guitars :grin:

Squire 51 and hardtail Bullet Strat. $70 each around 2007.

My Bullet Strat held it's own against Custom Shop Fenders when I A/B'd it against them through good amps at GC. Mine was made in Indonesia. A few months later I played some at another store that were made in China. Poorly made and not the same instruments at all. Those were pretty junky.

My Squier Standard and my Epiphone Nighthawk RI are both tremendous guitars and tremendous values.

I forgot to put the switch tip back on before I took this picture.
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/jtbeck_2008/Guitar%20Mods%206-30-12/ef568527.jpg http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/jtbeck_2008/Epiphone%20Nighthawk/9f37d07f.jpg

But I would definitely like to also speak up for the Rondo Lines. Agile, Douglas & SX. The Agiles are a HUGE bang for your buck. Seriously - you've just got to get one to believe it.

I've got a killer Douglas Spad right now that I got brand new for $160 - reverse headstock, tribal green top, humbuckers and a set neck that if you didn't know better you'd swear is a neck through, neck is also bound as is the body with a 5 way switch that splits the buckers. Action is nice and low with NO buzzing. The only way to make it better is to upgrade the pups. If it had an ebony board on it - it would truly be something to behold.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/jtbeck_2008/Douglas%20Spad%20Tribal%20Green/b514c192.jpg http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/jtbeck_2008/Douglas%20Spad%20Tribal%20Green/2f5028ba.jpg

I scotchbrited the back of the neck after these pics were taken to make it faster:
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/jtbeck_2008/Guitar%20Mods%206-30-12/f21ee071.jpg



I've also got an SX Hawk. Dual P90's with a stop tail. It's like a weird Gibson/Fender hybrid - but it works! I might upgrade the pups someday - but I'm not in a hurry to do it. Got it for $99 WITH a HSC. It's a straight up player, too. It also has one of the prettiest necks I've ever seen.

Here's the neck:
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/jtbeck_2008/Guitar%20Mods%206-30-12/fb658dff.jpg

I did get a little nuts and relic'ed it after banging it into something and scratching the paint up real good.
http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm192/jtbeck_2008/SX%20Hawk%20P90/e68c283f.jpg

Anyway, for the money - the Rondo lines are hard to beat. Sometimes you've gotta fiddle with them, but honestly - how often do you ever leave a guitar alone? I screw with every one of mine whether they need it or not.

Anything by Cort.

+1

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j356/beachbum47/TELE%20KOA/IMG_1123.jpg

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j356/beachbum47/TELE%20KOA/IMG_1135.jpg

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j356/beachbum47/TELE%20FMT/IMG_0488.jpg

http://i1081.photobucket.com/albums/j356/beachbum47/TELE%20FMT/FMT011.jpg

I bought a used Gibson Melody Maker for $275 that is a great plating and sounding guitar. These things are great bargains used.
http://i178.photobucket.com/albums/w253/Clump63/Melody%20Maker/IMG_4448-1.jpg

+1 on Epis and Squires. Love my Epi 175 ($300 from the CL,) saving up to replace the pups with SD/SL SH-55 PAFs. And my Joe Pass Emperor II (gotta ditch that pickguard though.) Found a MIM Squire Tele on the local online free classifieds for $130 USD. Recently got a beater 12 string Washburn from the local big box for $175 with a beautiful OHSC and a set up. It's perfect to save wear and tear on my Taylor GC3-12.

Best to lurk on CL for used deals, pawn shops aren't what they used to be but the occasional jewel happens along.

Play 'em all, the previous poster's observation about the Golden Age of affordable playable guitars from all over the globe is spot on. These value based instruments are giving the big names a run for our money!

http://thrill.org/Studio/herd1.jpg

Another vote for the Epi Sheraton II.

I swear by Epi if my current possesion is any indication - Epiphone Limited Edition 1956 LP. I think it was $300.

My favorite "cheap" acoustic will always be my Silver Creek T-170. I also own a Martin OM-15 and I would put the Silver Creek up against it any time. It doesn't sound exactly like the Martin, but it's no less complex, warm, and resonant.

"DeArmonds (fender made). " "Anything by Cort"

The Korean made DeArmonds were made for Fender by Cort. The Indonesian ones were made by Cort Indonesia.

sx guitars if im looking for a solid foundation to some modification, squier if i want something i CAN leave stock but would probably change later, and my new love danelectros because they are only like 350 bucks and play and sound greaaaat.

i will own a dano soon enough...

http://www.rondomusic.com/

I swear by Epi if my current possesion is any indication - Epiphone Limited Edition 1956 LP. I think it was $300.

1++ Epi Goldtop 56 LPRI - heavy as a boat anchor growls like a beast and wails like a banshee . . . $310 used from the local section of the free online classifieds.

Just got an Epi Riviera P 93. GC gave me a great deal ( I know, I can't believe I just typed that!). It's clean, but then it can get all dirty. Perfect axe!

The new Epi Nighthawks are the bees knees! I had a Gibson one that was....nice. I had the bolt on neck mid-90's Epi Nighthawk that was crap. These new ones put both to shame! http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/timanderin/2012-03-29155810.jpg

http://www.gibsonlespaulstudio.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/gibson%20les%20paul%20studio-239932304778636520.jpg

The Epiphone Dot Studio, wine red burst, this one. I bought it new online a couple of years ago, by 220 Eur, and is by far the best deal I ever made on a guitar.
The finishing is superb, the feel, the sound, the looks, everything's perfect on this guitar. After that I tried the regular (more expensive) dots, glossy finish etc, but in my opinion they don't come close.

...problem is I think this model is being discontinued.

after seeing mine a friend ordered one too, and his guitar came just as good as mine so it was not a lucky strike, I think :)

+1 (I almost got one, or the Epi 335 Dot, but instead got the Ibanez Artcore AS73 which is also a great value).

Epiphone Sheraton II, the 'weapon of choice of the bogeyman, John Lee Hooker'. I like to play 'Boom, Boom, Boom, Boom' so I bought one new last year. No issues. Superb neck. I remain a strat and tele man however.
I'm glad to hear this... I've been going back and forth on "another guitar" (Strats, trad. Tele's Thinlines etc...) but the Sheraton really appeals to me with it's 12" fretboard (and I though it also had a longer scale length???) I keep seeing them for 300-500 on CL and always wonder if they're worth the cash... they look amazing to boot (for me I'd want a natural finish model).

Cheers

Dave

The new Epi Nighthawks are the bees knees! I had a Gibson one that was....nice. I had the bolt on neck mid-90's Epi Nighthawk that was crap. These new ones put both to shame! http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h28/timanderin/2012-03-29155810.jpg
That's bloody gorgeous aye...

Cheers

Dave

Epiphones in general are good bang for the buck. An Epi on sale is even better. Like every brand really you have to try a bunch to find one that's just right for you.

A well set up Squier Classic Vibe is a good bargain, provided that you find the neck comfortable.

In the medium price range I think the Gretsch Electromatics are really nice guitars. I love my 5120. Gretsch is in the processes of updating their Electromatic line so a lot of deals seem to be popping up on the outgoing versions. For example, I see a lot of Gretsch Electromatics offered in the 'Hello Music' deals.

I picked up a brand new Epi Les Paul Custom from GC for next to nothing, due to it having it's headstock broken clean off by a careless customer (the perfect break). It took me 20 minutes to glue it and clamp it up. Plays like a dream!!!

I've picked up a couple of used Squier CVC Teles over the last 6 months (one for my son, one for me). My son was in tears when I gave it to him this past Christmas. He said it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. (he's only 15, so I trust he'll see a lot more beautiful things in the coming years).

I keep thinking I want to get a dedicated jazz box guitar. But every time I play my Gretsch G5120, I realize "This IS a nice jazz guitar!" A former co-worker bought it from Sweetwater, but never played it. He was moving across the US and didn't want to take it with him, so he sold it to me for a song.

I have acquired several guitars like this - Korean Breedloves, Seagulls, a Godin, Squiers, Peavey - none of them are vintage collectibles, or high-priced custom instruments. But I truly enjoy playing every one of them; the setup, action, attitude, tone... not to mention they are all, visually, very attractive. I look at them every day and think I should feel guilty about having them. But then, a Taylor 400 Series guitar would cost more than what I have paid over the years for the whole lot of them.

If I had a vice, it could be a worse one.

Epi ES-339 looks like a great one. Does anyone own one?

+1 on the nighthawk. They are great players for any price.

I feel that a lot of late 70s / early 80s Yairi dreadnoughts are amazing bang for your buck.

I actually tracked down this thread because I fell in love with the Sterling (by Music Man) Silo3 ($199):

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8197/8182121305_2ee0c08b56_n.jpg

Snapped that picture from my Guitar Center the other day. Was actually looking for cheap Strat-style guitars because I love the "2" and "4" positions the single coils make for blues stuff. This has the added advantage of a SSH configuration, which makes it much more versatile. It's made out of an Indonesian hardwood, not a laminate. The neck is extremely playable, and I love the interesting grain maple necks on all the Music Man's have. Can anybody else put in a word about the Silo3?

Also, I still love pretty much anything from Squier by Fender. I have a Squier Bullet from the mid-90's at a family member's house in another state, and I'm dying to get it back next month. But I'm concerned it might be all screwed up from sitting in a damp basement for years. The mass-produced Squiers (as low as $129) at GC nowadays, however, are unbelievably good for the price. You can tell that some of the parts aren't the greatest, and they do go out of tune, but they sound pretty darn good.

Also, pretty much anything by Epiphone is a good value, but when I test out amps and pedals, I sometimes grab an Epiphone Les Paul Special II ($149), and by the time I'm done playing it, I wonder if I could really tell the sound apart from my Gibson Les Paul Smart Wood.

http://static.musiciansfriend.com/derivates/6/001/296/641/DV019_Jpg_Regular_518334.039_chrysb.jpg

It almost angers me how many good guitar and amp options there are under $200 now, compared to 15 years ago. I think Amazon, MF, Sweetwater, and all of the online options really forced the guitar stores to price things more competitively, because I swear guitars are cheaper across the board at GC than they were in 1995.

I agree that "cheap" guitars have never been better than right now. My first guitar (in1984) cost $200 and was a barely playable piece of plywood that broke right away, and today the same $ will buy you aperfectly legit guitar that even sounds pretty good. And if you talk used for the same $ there's some fantastic ones too. Viva la cheap axes!

"Also, pretty much anything by Epiphone is a good value, but when I test out amps and pedals, I sometimes grab an Epiphone Les Paul Special II ($149), and by the time I'm done playing it, I wonder if I could really tell the sound apart from my Gibson Les Paul Smart Wood."

I owned a 2004 Epi LP Special as well as a 1992 Gibson LP several years ago. On a whim I pulled the humbuckers out of my Reverend Charger HB and swapped them with the Epi. Those alnico pickups sounded spectacular in that cheesy Epi. And the cheap ceramic open face Epi pickups sounded great in my Reverend. I actually felt that that lightly-modded cheap Epi sounded as good as my Gibson LP.:shock: And of course it was way lighter.

G and L guitars

+1
G&L make amazing guitars!

Another one is the Samick Avion. My first "good" guitar. I've had it for 6 years and will never sell it. Gives a great bluesy clean tone. And when I throw some distortion it can really pound. For $400, it's a great price.

Fender modern players aren't thaaat bad either. I own the jaguar series, hesitant at first but after making and installing my own P90's and a few other tweeks it's become one of my favourites in the family. Even the MP marauder isn't too bad @ $400 new.

If you tried to give rock and roll another name, you might call it Chuck Berry. - John Lennon

Dillion! Their LP Jr. copies rule. Their older LP goldtops, too. Solid top Sigma Korean made acoustics like my HD-28. Agile AL-3xxx LP copies are still killer guitars for the $$$. Wechter Pathmaker acoustics are the best plugged in factory acoustics I have evr played, especially the ones with the three-way pickup system. Epiphone set-neck Firebirds are great guitars. Harmony H-series bolt neck archtops, and Danelectro-made Silvertone U-series guitars are still great deals in the "vintage" game-especially Bigsby equipped H74 models. P90 equipped Epi LP Jr.'s kick butt for $100 to $150, but plan on new tuners. Later Ibanez Icemen, made in Korea, are too cool for school.......

jay tursers

anything BUT the serpentine LP copies.

for some reason, even if you like the inlays, there is NOTHING good about that model.

EVERYTHING else however....

for example amazon frequently blows out the strat copes for 65-80$ everyone I have seen buy one, agrees with me, its the finest neck they have ever played.

Their Tele copy rivals a fender MIM in every way at 1/3 the cost

I currently have a thinline tele, a strat copy and a full blown hollow (colonel) that is just a joy.

you can buy the in many places cheap, but for GREAT customer serice check out www.muiclandcentral.com a great guy with GREAT products

but thats just me

SX gtrs from Rondo.

I just got a used SX S copy for $65. The guy had correctly put in a Dimarzio front pup
and an alnico bar mag in the rear pup. Sounds great.

came withe gig bag. Later will do a L&C.



.

jay tursers

anything BUT the serpentine LP copies.

for some reason, even if you like the inlays, there is NOTHING good about that model.

EVERYTHING else however....

for example amazon frequently blows out the strat copes for 65-80$ everyone I have seen buy one, agrees with me, its the finest neck they have ever played.

Their Tele copy rivals a fender MIM in every way at 1/3 the cost

I currently have a thinline tele, a strat copy and a full blown hollow (colonel) that is just a joy.

you can buy the in many places cheap, but for GREAT customer serice check out www.muiclandcentral.com a great guy with GREAT products

but thats just me

+1
I absolutely agree. I own the JT Delta Lady(discontinued) and it's a fantastic guitar and I paid under $150 for it. If someone unfamiliar were to pick it up, they would easily value its tone and playability upwards of $500.

Being a guitar teacher (in the UK) I see lots of cheap 'beginner' guitars, and mainly they're quite decent quality if they're looked after. Particularly solid are Corts (although not so much the really cheap strat-ish ones), Yamahas (pickups sound very weedy though), Epiphones above about £200 (Sheraton in particular), Squiers, Westfield, some Ibanez ones.

Not found any guitars, at any price, indestructible enough to cope with day-to-day life as the 'go-to' electric guitar in a school music department though!

I have an Agile 3100 (Lester) that is a killer guitar for the cash!

I have had really good luck with cheap Dean basses. At various points over the last few years I've had a Custom Zone bass, a Metalman V bass, and and EAB acoustic bass. The necks are really quite nice, especially on basses which all cost less than $200 each. I gigged with the Custom Zone for several months, stock---all it needed was a set-up and some decent strings.

https://sphotos-b.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ash4/422339_3018148931036_2125722482_n.jpg

Michael Kelly's are pretty nice guitars. Well made and reltively inexpensive.

The Lotus strat copies are pretty incredible

I tried out a Squier Standard Tele this afternoon that was a very nice guitar, even had Alnico pups in it. If I didn't already have my $60.00 Kimaxe tele, it would have been very tempting.

Most of my current guitars were less than $100.00, although I did pay $190.00 for my Hamer SBFT (Cort) since it was in excellent shape and had a Hamer USA case.

I'll second, third and fourth anyone on the old US made Peavey's. I also love my Epi Dot, but its not getting a lot of time right now since I bought the Affinity Tele.

For acoustics, Washburn's are an absolute killer value. I bought my solid-cedar topped mini-jumbo a couple of years ago for less than $140 brand new. Came out of the box perfectly set up, has a bone nut and saddle, bound fretboard, and a real nice rosewood overlay on the headstock. It is one sweet sounding guitar. I know there is at least one on-line dealer selling a Grand Auditorium sized Washburn acoustic-electric for $179 right now.

All three of my Epiphone guitars have vastly exceeded my expectations and have become favorites -a humble DR-90 Limited Edition dreadnaught, a Dot Studio, and an AJ 220. They sound fantastic, have outstanding playability and tuning stability, fit and finish, and looks leave nothing to complain about. All three have become fast favorites, and they all cost less than $600.00 new. I mean, I bought all three of them new and the collection cost less than $600.00. Sure would have been nice to have guitars this cheap AND this good when I started playing thirtysomething years ago....

T-C

It seems to me Epiphone has closed the quality gap like Squier did with the Classic Vibe series. I have a Nighthawk RI that has become my #1 and I just got a Hummingbird PRO that's fantastic.

Good and inexpensive?

Absolutely anything with Yamaha written on it.


Under £200 it won't look as pretty as a £600 model other make but it will work better.

Nutter vote for Epiphone, crazy good prices on archtops right now too

I have an Agile AD 2300 (les paul junior copy) that I got used off ebay for $180.00.

The quality is amazing. Nice fit and finish, sharp looking, the P90s sound great, tuners and bridge are great. I love that guitar and never get over my surprise at the quality of it. I have had Squiers, Epis, and MIM fenders. The Agile is quite a bit better. Maybe i jut got lucky, but it is a hell of a lot of fun for $180!

There's a Music-Go-Round near me... a used guitar shop. They have a wall of $100.00 guitars, and a row on the floor usually all under $50.00... Nice for parts donors and music students. I found a First Act 222 for 40 bucks, I was looking for a donor to build a baritone, so I wanted a hardtail with a Fender scale... Someone had taken the time to clean up the fret ends and set the intonation (Spot on too!) so this little guitar plays so well. I ALMOST don't want to take it apart. Almost. Single bridge humbucker is what it is and the black finish is just paint but this is the best 40 dollar guitar I've ever played, because someone took the time to set it up.

So, best inexpensive guitar? Anything off the 50 dollar rack that has potential to be what Fender now calls a "Players" guitar, similar to what I have, with the mods I want. Right now it's a First Act 222 with a good setup.

There are sooo many quality sub $500 guitars to list. Find something that looks good to you and plays well. Personally I think that the Agile will provide you with a higher end guitar for the least amount meaning the 3000 models and above.

Good luck with your journey...

Being a guitar teacher (in the UK) I see lots of cheap 'beginner' guitars, and mainly they're quite decent quality if they're looked after. Particularly solid are Corts (although not so much the really cheap strat-ish ones), Yamahas (pickups sound very weedy though), Epiphones above about £200 (Sheraton in particular), Squiers, Westfield, some Ibanez ones.

Not found any guitars, at any price, indestructible enough to cope with day-to-day life as the 'go-to' electric guitar in a school music department though!

Sounds to me like work for the Mighty Telecaster! Even if you break bits, it's all replaceable....

Any un-expensive guitar is good for middle class player. It will do fine for many years. Once your playing skills grow up to pro level then you'll need to look for something better. But for know if you are seeking for a home playing guitar then take one which you like the best:)

PRS SE series guitars are incredably great guitars for the money and you can find them used at really great prices.

+1

I own 3 US made PRS and recently bought a Soapbar 1 SE. VERY impressed with the build quality! ( and this is now a few years old and has been gigged regularly! Clearly built to last and plays great!) £150 inc a wee 15W line 6 Spider 111 amp?

Whats not to like? :lol:

I'll second - or third - the Michael Kelly Patriot Custom. I picked one up in October for $340 shipped from HelloMusic. Since then it is now $450 - and totally worth every penny even at that price. But, prices do go up and down. And they do have coupons on occasion. With the split pups you can get Tele/Strat single-coil/ or LP/Gibson humbucker tones. The pups are hard mounted directly which adds nicely to the sustain, etc. of it. Made of top-notch components and woods. Fit and finish is fantastic as well. My tech thought it was as good (or better) than many LPs costing $2,500+. IMPORTANT: the newest models of it are NOT as good as the 2011 or earlier versions. Make sure you get one with the Rockfield SWC pups and ebony fretboard. The newer ones have cheaper rosewood not ebony boards and different (Michael Kelly's own) pups. Check out the specs, they are VERY impressive! http://www.michaelkellyguitars.com/electric-guitar/patriot-custom

Second vote for First Act, in this case the old ME951, 952 and 953 LP Jr. ripoff they don't make any longer. A setup and new strings and you've got a guitar you could play at a gig. New pickup (single bucker), better tuners, and decent wiring and you've got a guitar you could gig with for years. I buy 'em for fifty bucks, take 'em apart, install new pickups ($25), new bridge($15, lock it, you don't use trem on this guitar), new tuners($15), and refinish 'em ($10) and the whole nine yards...got three little LP Jr lookalikes with the 25.5" long scale I love and I still don't have close to $150 in each one.

I've got more expensive guitars but I find myself using just these at gigs recently. Just like an Esquire with a humbucker - nothing to mess with, just plug it in and play it.

I picked up an Agile AL-3000 CSB Wide neck a few years back. The finish is alright, a few minor buggers but nothing that can be seen without really looking. The pups are decent, they sound good for the price of the guitar. The frets could be dressed better but its not horrible. The wide neck is what I love about the guitar, its got real ebony with MOP inlays that are done nicely and it plays great right out of the box.
The case I got with it from Rondo is nice as well.
My buddy got an SX strat and for the price IT ROCKS

http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/al3000csbplain1.jpg

I got extremely lucky with one of those beginner aimed Affinity Strats. I picked it up in the shop I haunt, and was instantly happy with the feel of the neck. I bought it, modded it. I put in Dragonfire Texas Blues Pickups, and to be a moron, took out a tone pot, putting both middle and neck into one tone pot, and sent all 3 pickups through a active Vintage Tube Overdrive unit Dragonfire is selling for $20 bucks. Looks like Eric Clapton (I got black with white pickguard), plays like SRV, and took the place of my favorite guitar from my Tele... another cheaper guitar too. That said, I've never liked higher end guitars much...

For acoustics, check out the recently discontinued Great Divide brand. Lots of closeout deals on surprisingly decent solid topped guitars. I got a 3/4 size with a solid spruce top for $70 shipped. It needed some fretwork and a setup, but what guitar doesn't these days?

I' surprised no one has mentioned the Hamer Echotone-blows Epi Dots out the water for roughly the same money-got lucky on my NOS for $275, and it's a regular on the gig!

Had an Epi 175, wish I still did (had to sell, unfortunately) 90% as good as the real McCoy for 10% of the money...

Bunch of good used Peaveys out there too, bought a fury bass for $75, they also have a s-style us made at the same pawn shop i scored my fury bass...

Franc Robert

Vintage make lots of well priced guitars and good quality with Wilkingson design and some fittings .

+1 I'm enjoying my Vintage VL100

The Fender MII Lite Ash Telecaster is quite a player too. I got mine on sale for $308 just before Christmas.