Inexpensive guitars

All my guitars are have a list price at or below $1000 US, but they’re all really good quality. Paying more than that, you should be getting into higher class instruments, but a lot of people are still paying for off the shelf stuff like Gibson’s and Fenders that aren’t worth that price tag. A high end PRS 10 top, Tom Anderson, Kiesel, Suhr, you can see where the money went.
The Gibsons and Fenders are going to hold their value better and they make plenty of guitars that are worth the money.
 
The Gibsons and Fenders are going to hold their value better and they make plenty of guitars that are worth the money.
It all depends. If you’re taking about a MIM Strat vs MIA Strat, then the additional 5-$600 probably won’t be worth it. Gibsons QC as of late has been really hit and miss on the USA stuff from what I’ve heard. IMO, I don’t think they’re worth it but everyone likes what they like.
 
It all depends. If you’re taking about a MIM Strat vs MIA Strat, then the additional 5-$600 probably won’t be worth it. Gibsons QC as of late has been really hit and miss on the USA stuff from what I’ve heard. IMO, I don’t think they’re worth it but everyone likes what they like.
All of them hold their value across the range. And Gibson QC has alway been garbage right back as far as you want to look. Kiesel and PRS loose a large percentage of their value instantly with Suhr and Anderson a bit better. Nothing in this industry hold it's value like an R9 or a classic custom shop Strat or Tele. In Terms of bang for buck Mexican Fender is very good.
 
Does anyone know for real if Darrell Braun gets paid to promote gear?

He receives gear for free, like all reviewers. He seems to be honest, and quite Canadian.

In this video he bought a guitar that he already reviewed, to compare it with the review guitar that was sent to him

 
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But guitars at this price have a problem because if I go and get two more they will review completely differently. You have to judge the guitar your holding.
 
The Chapman Red Sea ML1 Modern is at home!
Chapman 01.jpg

It is a fantastic guitar. It doesn't look or feels like a cheap guitar at all. Excellent construction and finishes, outstanding fretwork, great playability and tone... what else can be asked for? (I hate reversed tuners, though, but I will get used to it. The guitar is worth enough to accept that downside) I will write more details when the honeymoon has passed

At the shop they had all the range of Chapman guitars hanging on the wall, and I played some of them. I love the ML3 Semi-Hollow P90, but wife rules says "guitar-in guitar-out". 5 is the magic number, and I already let a Strat with EMG DG20 and a Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Special go out to let this one and the Charvel Pro-mod dk24 HSS 2pt go in. No regret at all replacing the Schecter with these, but the DG20 pups will be missed :cry: (*)

All the Chapmans I tried came with a perfect setup and intonation. I asked the seller if they had adjust them, but he said that they already came like that from the Indo factory. Robert Chapman says that he changed to another factory few years ago because there were some QC issues. Perhaps an accurate setup is part of the new QC policy.

(*) p.s.: on the way I had also let go a $3,000 J-Custom RG8550MZ, JS2410, JEM7VWH, S5470Q, Fender Custom Shop Jeff Beck, and other expensive guitars. Not because of money issues, but because they were problematic and/or I was not comfortable with them. Now I realize that I have downsized the monetary value of my collection, but increased my satisfaction. So, this is a real tribute to the "Inexpensive guitars" thread
 
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I've said it before and I'll say it again, if resale value is a big factor you're not a musician but a guitar salesman. These things are tools to be used, not to be put in display cases.

At the shop they had all the range of Chapman guitars hanging on the wall, and I played some of them. I love the ML3 Semi-Hollow P90, but wife rules says "guitar-in guitar-out". 5 is the magic number, and I already let a Strat with EMG DG20 and a Schecter Hellraiser C-1 Special go out to let this one and the Charvel Pro-mod dk24 HSS 2pt go in. No regret at all replacing the Schecter with these, but the DG20 pups will be missed :cry: (*)
All those wife rules, happy wife happy life and I got to ask the wife statements sadden me greatly. When did saying 'I do' become 'SIR YES SIR!'? Also, while the guitar in, guitar out rule makes good sense, does the same rule also applies to her shoes? And why is 5 the magic number? And aimed more as a general question, what is the magic number for total guitars owned?
 
I've said it before and I'll say it again, if resale value is a big factor you're not a musician but a guitar salesman. These things are tools to be used, not to be put in display cases.


All those wife rules, happy wife happy life and I got to ask the wife statements sadden me greatly. When did saying 'I do' become 'SIR YES SIR!'? Also, while the guitar in, guitar out rule makes good sense, does the same rule also applies to her shoes? And why is 5 the magic number? And aimed more as a general question, what is the magic number for total guitars owned?
Resale value matters if you ever want to swap stuff around. If you can turn a piece around without much of a loss i gives you the opportunity to actually try it out because the only real way to try gear is to own it. There in no virtue is buying a crap guitar and keeping it because you can't afford to loose 70% of its value to buy something better because you'r a musician rather than a salesman. Also tell me that when you have a guitar worthy of a display case.:tearsofjoy:
 
Another pleasant surprise with the Chapman ML1! One of the reasons I bought it is because I wanted a guitar to install a Harmonic Design Z90 pickup (a P90 in a standard humbucker enclosure) that I have inside a drawer. That pickup has a peculiar tone that I cannot get with neither a single coil or a humbucker.

I've just discovered that the Chapman Sonorous Zerø Bridge in Split Mode has a similar character to that P90 :)

Here is a quick comparison with an old track that I recorded with the Z90 installed on a Schecter Solo II Custom (I sold the Solo II Custom, even though it is a fantastic guitar, because after 40 years playing only with Strats and Super Strats, I find the Les Paul shape anti-ergonomic)

I have reamped the old track and the new recording through the same preset, using exactly the same settings.

First the Z90, second the Chapman



The Chapman in split mode has a slightly lower output. That can be easily corrected at the Axe-FX
 
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I guess I wonder what qualifies as cheap. I've seen a number of $700 or so guitars in here, which I guess can be considered cheap. I'm thinking the sub-$400 category is where my mind goes. Squires, Ibanez GIO, Jackson JSs, Epiphones.

I saw a Squire a while back in a store that had two humbuckers and a Floyd. No idea what model it was, but I remember it was cheap. I should have played it. Looked like a fun one to experiment on, but I was full of projects at the time.

Jackson Minions are $139



 
Another plug for Schecter - I've got two (Corsair and S-1, both bought used), they're fantastic for the money.
Picked me up a Schecter C1 SLS Evil Twin a while back. That instrument is flawless, top notch hardware, SS frets, Fishman pickups and all that for around 1200 bucks - hard to beat. Not a cheap guitar by all means, but great value.
 
This 2015 ES-339 Pro I picked up used for $425 w/HSC about 4 years ago is an outstanding value, probably never sell it because playability and sound-wise it's worth much more than I could get for it.



Back in 2016 I bought an Epiphone ES-335 Pro II for only £265 new in a sale. The build quality is incredible for the price, but I could never get it to stay in tune. Tried loads of different things, but foolishly just gave up with it. I actually thought I’d loaned it to a friend who was just learning to play.
Anyway, I’ve been having a massive spring clean to gain some floor space and put up 9 wall hangers. As I was tidying up a load of cases I found it tucked away. I recently picked up some Slick Nutz Lizard Spit and it’s been working wonders on all my £1k-ish guitars that often have a sticky G or B string. I put some on the 335 and gave it a setup and WOW! Can’t believe that’s all it needed to solve the tuning issues (had tried nut sauce), but I’m absolutely in love with this guitar and blown away when I think how much it cost. My Gretsch was my best sounding/playing cheap guitar, but this is even better. Could kick myself for not putting time into it earlier.

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Going back to the OP (didn't read through the thread), I think with advances in automation, a top-tire guitar costs no where near what they sell for, so they have better profit margins. I mean really, does a beautiful top cost any more than one that doesn't look amazing?
Sure, there's more TLC that goes into those guitars (sanding) and more time spent on the paint job, but that still can't justify the selling prices of a new $5000 Silverburst LP Custom! And I learned last year that PRS works with an inlay company in Southern MD, so that's gotta reduce costs via using subcontractors.
The Majesty is EBMM's best seller, and probably accounts for a substantial amount of their profits.
 
The Majesty is EBMM's best seller, and probably accounts for a substantial amount of their profits.

Going back to cheap guitars, I wonder how the Sterling by Music Man Majesty is. Under $1000.

I've seen a few people talking about these online, generally favorable. $330.

Amazon product ASIN B08BNMKTK7

71AUyLUd7yS._AC_SL1500_.jpg

They make a few different models, some fixed bridge, some trem, some veneer finished, some plain. I may get one for kicks.
 
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