"The Truth About Expensive Guitars That No One Wants To Admit"

[Geoff738]

Jeff Healey. John Mayall. Mike Rutherford.

I'll take their opinions over yours

Add Chuck Prophet to that list.

Cheers,
Geoff

 

[sadfield]

Off we go, ‘you ‘ll sound the same playing an ‘Elvis’ acoustic bought in Tupelo Hardware as you will playing a J-45.

It would in my hands.

 

[KATT]

If he can't tell the difference between a budget Seagull acoustic and a Martin D28, then I can't really take the rest of the video seriously.

Perhaps I'm proving his point though as I think they are miles apart and he doesn't and I could be wrong!

He seems to create a lot of straw man arguments to support his opinion. I don't think many people are claiming that Chinese made guitars are good for nothing but firewood for example (or whatever he said).

He also gives a poor example of refrigerators always being better the more you spend. That's not the case and probably not for most products. The Italian manufacture Smeg being an example of a relatively expensive refrigerator where people are buying into the name and heritage and paying over the odds for it rather than increased capacity, better materials or more features.

 

[cyclopean]

I’ve seen plenty, from younger players to bar-band guys my age to old guys—especially on the “specialty” secondary instruments that they’re only playing for a few songs a night, like 12-string electrics, baritones/Bass VI, etc.

In the alternative and shoe gaze bands, there’s a lot of Johnny Marr and J Mascis Squiers being used—because they look the part and they’re good instruments.

It might be a location type of thing, too—kinda like we see a LOT of Peavey amps around here, with both Country & Western as well as Tejano and Norteño bands favoring them.


I see those, too—but not significantly more than Squiers.

There’s a johnny Marr squire?

 

[cyclopean]

Jeff Healey. John Mayall. Mike Rutherford.

I'll take their opinions over yours

Who are these people?

 

[Monoprice99]

I agreed with just about everything he said. Can't remember anything he said that didn't apply to one or another individual that any of us know that we've come across in our lifetimes. There are some people that just have to pay more for something for them to believe their guitar is the best one ever made by anyone or is better than the next player's guitar even. I tend to avoid those types, quite frankly they're too exhausting to debate, life is too short to engage the debate that even has to have a winner & loser, which may escalate into an argument. Too often many take an editorial too personally, whether it was from personal experience with a previous encounter & interaction for an experience that was totally unrelated to the present or said directly to them in the present. For that, nobody should live rent free in anyone's memory banks. Don't fall into being triggered easily.

 

[sadfield]

A debate by definition should end in an accepted outcome, usually by vote. I often read 'isn't worth debating', as I avoid a discussion that won't confirm my opinion.

The above argument falls into the same trap as the video, in equating individual evidence as the whole. One person buying something because its expensive, doesn't mean that all expensive purchases are a financial flex. As, some expensive guitars aren't any better than budget ones, doesn't mean that buying an expensive guitar doesn't yield a better instrument in the majority of cases.

The truth is, buying something nice is as valid a reason as any other for a purchase. What's the point of working to earn money, if there's no reward for your labour. Someone believing their guitar is the best, doesn't diminish your guitar, we can all have the best guitars, it's entirely personal and subjective.

 

[Fiesta Red]

There’s a johnny Marr squire?

I stand corrected…I could have sworn there was a Squier version of the Johnny Marr model.

The rest of my statement still stands.

 

[msalama]

just have to pay more

I'll only say this: If you're paying more, you're usually paying for better hardware, such as fretwire too. I had a 2017 MIC Squier CV Tele for a year, and by the time I eventually kicked it out the door, the frets had divots so deep that it was practically unsalvageable. Whereas all my more expensive guitars? Not a trace of wear, or at worst very little - and yup, they were all played equally during that time.

Yeah, cheap guitars can be nice, per se, but as it comes to hardware and component quality, most are inferior. No way around it, because by and large, their manufacturers have to cut corners in order stay profitable. It's just the way it is.

That said though, I've also owned a couple of set neck Epiphones, and in general, they seem to hold up much better. So there're obviously differences between the brands, but then, Epis tend to be more expensive than Squiers, too. So it's the old dependency between the MSRP and quality again, isn't it?

PS. Lest I be taken as a complete naysayer here though, I do admit there're brands that seem to produce high quality without excessive overheads. One is Harley Benton, and their SS fretted guitars are indeed something I need to check out in order to see if they're as good as claimed. The one Cabronita clone of theirs I had for a short while definitely wasn't, but then I didn't have high expectations either since it sold for €199 new.

 

[msalama]

as I avoid a discussion that won't confirm my opinion

Huh? So maybe I misconstrued something, or perhaps you're just jesting, but if that indeed is the case, I really can't see how you'll ever learn anything new.

 

[hemingway]

This video’s just clickbait lol.

Most expensive guitars are worth it. Higher level of craftsmanship, better materials, employees making some type of living, it’s gonna cost more.

Imports are great and serve a great purpose to a lot of people. God forbid a player wants to invest further into their art to an American made/boutique/custom shop level.

Getting on your high horse about expensive stuff always seems a bit used car salesman-y to me They rarely talk about the breakdown of why the cost is what it is and set up a straw man argument as low hanging fruit video engagement.

No I didn’t watch the video I just have thoughts on this lol.

If you had watched the video you'd have seen him deconstruct all your arguments very convincingly.

 

[hemingway]

I'll only say this: If you're paying more, you're usually paying for better hardware, such as fretwire too. I had a 2017 MIC Squier CV Tele for a year, and by the time I eventually kicked it out the door, the frets had divots so deep that it was practically unsalvageable. Whereas all my more expensive guitars? Not a trace of wear, or at worst very little - and yup, they were all played equally during that time.

Yeah, cheap guitars can be nice, per se, but as it comes to hardware and component quality, most are inferior. No way around it, because by and large, their manufacturers have to cut corners in order stay profitable. It's just the way it is.

That said though, I've also owned a couple of set neck Epiphones, and in general, they seem to hold up much better. So there're obviously differences between the brands, but then, Epis tend to be more expensive than Squiers, too. So it's the old dependency between the MSRP and quality again, isn't it?

PS. Lest I be taken as a complete naysayer here though, I do admit there're brands that seem to produce high quality without excessive overheads. One is Harley Benton, and their SS fretted guitars are indeed something I need to check out in order to see if they're as good as claimed. The one Cabronita clone of theirs I had for a short while definitely wasn't, but then I didn't have high expectations either since it sold for €199 new.

I've got dirt-cheap guitars I've been playing the heck out of for more than a dozen years. Just saying.

 

[61fury]

Jeff Healey. John Mayall. Mike Rutherford.

I'll take their opinions over yours

Not super famous, this woman from the Ettes played what looks like a Jay Turser to me

 

[teletail]

But just admit that it's less about the pure quality of the instrument and more about other factors." And if we're being honest, it really is.

This is why these threads can become so contentious - some people telling other people why they are doing something.

 

[msalama]

Just saying

Ain't sayin' any different, I've had some good cheapies too. But the lower you go, the more you'll miss your hits still.

 

[msalama]

why they are doing something

Or why they're doing it wrong, especially if they use more than, say, three hunnert apiece on their guitars.

 

[msalama]

"The Truth About Expensive Guitars That No One Wants To Admit"

The truth about expensive guitars that no Yootoob weenie wants to admit is their general superiority. Yes, there're exceptions, but still.

 

[tele12]

Well first "The truth about....". isn't.

He is giving his opinion about expensive guitars.

Unless he is a buyer or QC manager for Fender or PRS etc. , or a production manager for Cort he really doesn't know the truth.

 

[teletail]

Or why they're doing it wrong, especially if they use more than, say, three hunnert apiece on their guitars.

Egg-zactly. I never hear anyone denigrating someone playing an inexpensive guitar, but they have no problem calling us stupid for buying expensive guitars. It’s a real double standard.

 

[notmyusualuserid]

The truth about expensive guitars that no Yootoob weenie wants to admit is their general superiority. Yes, there're exceptions, but still.

I noticed you wrote general, not Inherent