Waiting for good guitars or settling for midrange. What have you done?

Gear & Tools Talk šŸŽø Guitars, Instruments & Maintenance
1

I find myself lusting after new guitars. A common guitarist affliction, I know.

Despite telling myself my guitars can do everything I could want, I continue to look and dream. Last time I bought a new guitar was 2023. In fact, I finished 2024 with less guitars than I started it with - I sold one!

So Iā€™m down to one electric - a Fender Telecaster HH, which is a weird made in Indonesia Fender that looks, plays, sounds and feels awesome. And one acoustic - a Maton 808 Performer. Made in Australia, similarly awesome. I guess I also have the knockabout old Yamaha, but thatā€™s for the kidā€™s friends to whack when theyā€™re over.

I find myself after a new electric. I struggle with fret reach at times, so something shorter scale, maybe 24" Jaguar/Mustang scale or 24.75" Gibson scale. Maybe an SG, maybe an LP, maybe something else. Something with a slightly different sound. It has to look awesome, of course. Or, what about a Strat with those noiseless pickups? Not short scale, but pretty awesome.

The price of guitars varies so much.

I look at Gibsons and Fender Ultras and think - wow, what a guitar. Would love one of those. But hey, Iā€™m not a rock star and never will be, I play at home.

Maybe itā€™s more responsible to get something more affordable. An Epiphone perhaps. Or another brand that has similar characteristics - a Yamaha, Guild, LTD/ESP or something else. I even look at the really cheap brands and think - maybe theyā€™re OK?

But will the lesser options satisfy? Will an Epiphone satisfy the desire for a Gibson, say? Would I cringe a bit at the headstock, like when I had a Squier I always wanted a Fender? Or the opposite: would an expensive guitar feel overkill and unnecessary once itā€™s in my hands?

If I get a ā€œcheapā€ guitar, would I even play it much, or would I gravitate back to the better guitars I already have?

Iā€™m curious what other people have done. Did you hang out for a top tier guitar, and was it everything you expected? Was it worth it? Or, did you settle for a mid range and are perfectly satisfied? Do you find yourself gravitating towards the ā€œbetterā€ guitars in your collection, or is your favourite one of your lesser guitars?

6 Likes
2

If you have got an itch, just start scratching !

Everything in my stable is probably bottom end to mid range from a price perspective but happy with all of them and I donā€™t think adding an extra couple grand on top or quadrupling the price would make them sound any better in my hands.

But if you have the money and the desire for a particular model, go for it.

:smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

1 Like
3

Interesting topic JK. I have 2 guitars both acoustic and I am happy with both. One I bought new and one second hand (both in and around $400 usd). I am pretty minimalistic by nature as I have moved around the world a lot and I am not done moving yet, as I want to get back to Europe eventually. Twice I have briefly had 3 guitars but didnā€™t need them so ended up donating to charity the first time. The second time someone gave me an electric guitar which I never played or wanted to play so donated that one too. I guess I am lucky in that I donā€™t suffer from GAS and while I love the 2 guitars I have when I move again only one will make the trip, probably my Guild acoustic which plays like a dream. But each to their own so scratch that itch if you need to.

1 Like
4

I suppose the problem with going top tier is needing to know exactly what you want. If I had to put all my eggs in one basket, particularly with electric guitar, then I feel Iā€™m still working out what the answer is.

I think Iā€™d rather have a few good midrange electric guitars and have choices. And thatā€™s thing, thereā€™s a lot of really good midrange guitars now. I donā€™t sit with my Mexican Tele and wish it was an American one because itā€™s a really good guitar, well-finished and plays well.

I also think that maybe electric and acoustic are separate conversations. I have 2 Taylor acoustics, a budget one that I started with and an American made one. I play the American made one 95% of the time, with the other largely reserved for alternate tunings. I donā€™t have a trained ear but the American made just sounds better, much better. To be clear, Iā€™m not American, so it being American isnā€™t relevant to me, just that itā€™s the American Taylors use nicer wood and hardware. In this case, for me, the answer is one really good guitar

4 Likes
5

Every time I tried to substitute an expensive guitar with an affordable one, I ended up having bothā€¦ :man_shrugging:

8 Likes
6

Buy them both if you have 2 in mind, I would say and do , but yes that is the easy version and you could have come up with it yourself :roll_eyes:

I have a Fender player for 666 euros ā€¦ I have a 2nd PRS vela semi hollow then 1800 euros (now a lot more expensive here (2300 i saw last year)) and one in the middle of that a Ibanez ā€¦ they are different very different, different in shape and they also sound quite different, they are different in the hand and around my neck in weight and more ā€¦

I donā€™t think that feel or hear one is better, although depending on the distortion it does matter which one I think sounds better, but in terms of feel and playability/smoothness on the neck no one is better than the other ā€¦

But if you regretted the Squier and longed for a ā€œrealā€ Fender, it would be an old wisdom for me to say and go to a store where they have both of a certain choice, 1 high and one low priced and sit there for an entire afternoon and try them outā€¦ and change a lot

than come back after a week and play the cheap ones first and then expensive onesā€¦and vice versa the next day/week ā€¦

An advantage if it doesnā€™t work out is that you have at least had a few nice practice sessions, because if a stranger can hear you, something is going to happen in our brainā€¦well in my caseā€¦

Canā€™t wait to see what your choice will beā€¦ have fun searching :smiling_face_with_sunglasses:

Greetings

1 Like
7

That sounds normal to me.

I have no idea whether a expensive guitar is worth it. I donā€™t have any guitars like that.
I have cheap to midrange price guitars.

And I dig the two I got also. Pretty much so that I really donā€™t have GAS. Like you though, I continue to look. Though these days I find that what I look at needs to be unique for me to look at it.

Iā€™ve become mostly confused by looking at strats, les pauls, etc. There are so many variations, all it does is get me confused. Plus in this day and age, everyone plays a strat or les paul of one variety or the other.

So.

While Iā€™d love a USA made casino, I got the cheap China version (itā€™s what I could afford). imho, itā€™s a stellar guitar. I think itā€™d meet your short scale needs too. p90ā€™s in a thinline hollowbody. Itā€™s too much tone man. Look into these. For me, it sounds like what I think of when I think electric guitar. Granted, everyone played a casino too. Beatles, Stones, on and on. But they seem less popular today and while there are variations, they seem to be few comparatively speaking. And today, it donā€™t seem to be as popular as it was in the 60ā€™s and 70ā€™s so not everyone has one.

My first guitar purchase after getting back into guitar a few years ago was a Reverend double agent w. Check out these reverend guitars. They are mid price and have many variations of pickups and body styles. Likely different scale lengths too, but I donā€™t now that for a fact. They seem to be well made and are most playable. Have good tone, and look good ā€˜to meā€™ also. They are different that your run of the mill type guitar. They seem unique. If I had a do over with my double agent w Iā€™d likely go double agent og. Difference being vibrato tail vs. stop bar tail. I thought I wanted the vibrato tail. After a few years, I use that feature not to often. Once in a while, but not often. I will say itā€™s nice to have the option though. Still, I think the stop tail would have better suited me. Hindsight ya know.

Anyways, these days, it seems ya can really get a lot of guitar for not so much money. The Asian made guitars seem to have really stepped up their game.

Back to my Epiphone. I have no problems with my headstock saying Epiphone and not Gibson. I donā€™t think about it much really. What I think when I play my casino is, wow, this guitar sounds and plays really good. Again, China made.

Your choices are immense. imho, donā€™t rule anything out. Check out your local music store and play some. Iā€™ve played some high dollar guitars at the music store. What Iā€™ve found is, I like what I have better than the expensive guitar that I just tried at the music store.
ymmv.

Good hunting JK. And keep an open mind as to whatā€™s out there. And there is a lot of choice for sure. Iā€™m not convinced that I gotta have a expensive guitar to make music.

3 Likes
8

I always buy what I want. I accually have a guitar fund that I add to monthly.
When people ask why some of my guitar cost so much my response is.ā€œI donā€™t play golf and donā€™t have to pay $100 to play around with my guitarsā€
So start a guitar fund. A little a month adds up fast.

13 Likes
9

Iā€™ve got 2 Epiphone guitars and a second-hand Epiphone bass, though I didnā€™t start out with the intention of buying that brand. Iā€™ve also got a Fender Player Plus Strat (made in Mexico) which is my most expensive instrument. Do I play it more often than the rest? Not at all.

A few weeks ago I spent a long weekend in Vienna and checked out Klangfarbe. Itā€™s an enormous music/sound store in one of 4 old gas factory buildings. I decided to try a few Fender Precision and Jazz Basses, just to pass the time and scratch that itch of playing them at last. Wellā€¦ I only really felt like taking home only 1 out of 5 basses, this one if I remember correctly. While it was not the most expensive of the lot, it was the most comfortable to hold and play, and the controls were also understandable right away (some of the controls on the more upscale Fender basses are a little too much for me, especially if my amp has the same parameters, though they might be useful for active pickups or whatever). You know, no unnecessary bells and whistles, just a workhorse bass to play most everything.

So what I decided there and then was to check out other brands as well next time, both cheaper and more expensive than these Fender evergreens. Who knows, maybe Iā€™ll settle on a Fender or a Squier, but thereā€™s no harm in giving them the benefit of doubt.

As for the logosā€¦ I donā€™t know. Iā€™m sure the work Gibson puts into their instruments shows somewhere, but for me itā€™s just not worth to shell out so much for one instrument that I would use only in my free time at home. I couldnā€™t even call it an investment as Iā€™m not a professional musician, and Iā€™m not fixated on brands and logos that much. Also, sometimes I saw/heard performances that made me wonder, ā€œDid the performer really need a Gibson / Fender / whatever brand instrument to play that?ā€

2 Likes
10

I was just reading this other topic, and I think the first point relates a lot:

I thought, I agree with most of these, but there IS a difference between a $300 guitar and a $3000 guitar, sure a master can make the low end guitar sound good and there are also some really good guitars for $300, but build quality is an actual real thing.

Take Gibson/Epiphone for example, if you care about the headstock, then you may as well just get the Gibson, spend once and be ā€œHappyā€ because you will certainly not be happy if you just want the Gibson name/headstock you will not be happy with the ā€˜imitationā€™. But the Epiphone line is actually quite broad. You can spend ~$200 and get the cheapest of the cheap and it will likely feel cheap and you will think ā€œOh Epiphone sucks, I should have gotten the Gibsonā€. But on there other hand, there are also some really well made Epiphones that are the exact same build quality as the Gibson for half the price. If you buy that one, you saved money and got a good instrument. Fender/Squire is likely the same issue, but I donā€™t have a lot of experience with those lines.

That said, I donā€™t think the manufacturer matters as much if you have a well made instrument with quality components. There is a reason Gibson/Fender are so successful, but there are a lot of other quality options. You can save a lot of money on a lower tier name, if you donā€™t care about that.

I personally am price sensitive, but I want the best sounding instrument I can afford. That usually drives me to a no frills, dot inlay, basic wood, no name guitar because I am not paying for the name and I am happy with that.

6 Likes
11

I appreciate great craftsmanship in man things and guitars are no different. That said, I donā€™t have a single guitar that cost more than $1k retail. I could afford one if I really prioritized that. But I have a hard time justifying it.

My electric is one of the nicer Epiphone Les Pauls. TBH, it sounds pretty good and above this, youā€™re absolutely getting into RAPIDLY diminishing returns as far as the sound goes. At this point, it would probably be a FAR better value to upgrade the pickups and wiring in my Epiphone for the sound than it would be to buy a fancier Gibson. And for the best improvements in sound, a better amp is likely where Iā€™d need to go. And is probably where I will go.

I do think of acoustic instruments differently. You still get into diminishing returns as the cost goes up, but the woods themselves and the craftsmanship of turning them into a musical instrument matter more. If I was going to drop big coin on a new guitar, it would be an acoustic guitar. And it would be handmade by a small luthier with some special wood(s).

But of course, there are a ton of x-factors here, right? Do you love how a specific instrument looks? Does it feel right in your hands (as others have said already)? Is the history of a specific instrument or brand important to you? Is the shape of the headstock important to you? And, of course, price is an issue for nearly everyone to some degree or another.

4 Likes
12

We are lucky to be living in the times when even affordable instruments are made up to the (at least) basic standards. This is particularly important for beginners or people - like myself - who arenā€™t very well-off.
Deciding to get a new guitar I follow the golden rule: suit your purchase to your purpose. Iā€™m not a professional musician, I donā€™t play onstage and I only make home recordings, simple facts that have led me to a conclusion that I donā€™t need an expensive guitar, and even with some savings I can use to buy me an instrument, Iā€™ve always preferred to have several different inexpensive guitars than one I could possibly afford sacrificing other purchases. Perhaps, if I were a rich man :wink: things would look different.
Thereā€™s also another valid argument, the top-notch guitars of the same type as my affordable ones are often10 - 15 times more expensive. Would they sound that many times better? I doubt itā€¦ Surely, mine are not made of the highest quality materials, and are unlikely to last a lifetime, but they are decent instruments, properly built and set up, with great playability and tone certainly sufficient to satisfy the needs of my hobby.
I love the guitars I currently own, and play them for hours (well, one at a time :wink: ) on daily basis. Iā€™m also quite happy with the quality of the recordings I make, so, all in all, there isnā€™t much more I could wish forā€¦
To be completely honest with you, Iā€™ll tell you what boutique guitar Iā€™d like to have, and youā€™re gonna be surprised, since itā€™s not an LP or a strat or anything of the well-known and widely respected design. If I could afford it, it would be a Rick Turner model Lindsay Buckinghamā€¦
Oh, BTW, what a great topicā€¦ :guitar: :slightly_smiling_face:

3 Likes
13

I have purchased for longevity. It needed to be something well built and have a sound that I didnā€™t have. I expect the guitar to last years, possibly my lifetime. I donā€™t feel the need to duplicate functionality and I am also mindful that I need to be able to store them.

I donā€™t think of price beyond the quality I need to get something Iā€™ll never need to replace. I built a kit that I received as a Christmas gift. It should have cost around $80 US. I get as much enjoyment out of playing it as I do any other because it feels good under my hands and sounds surprisingly good.

I have 5 guitars. Each has something I like as well as something I dislike. No dislike is fatal or I would not have bought the guitar. For example: PRS Tremonti - Sounds so incredibly pretty, but is heavy and wears on my shoulder. Kit Strat - very easy neck to move across and wonderful single coil sound, but that volume knob is always in the way.

So, for me, the purchase needs to fill a void and sound good. It should be expected to be kept for years, possibly for a lifetime.

2 Likes
14

Itā€™s a disease. You need help my friend.

1 Like
15

My point was - get the one you want, not itā€™s substitute

3 Likes
16

JK
From what you say, I think youā€™ve already decided that you want a high end guitar. Youā€™re asking these questions here to try to justify it.

I bought a Fender Ultra II Strat.
Yes, itā€™s an expensive guitar and yes, a lot of what Iā€™ve paid is for the badge, butā€¦ā€¦itā€™s a really nice guitar. It plays great, sounds great and looks great. I like it and I have no regrets.
I canā€™t blame the guitar now. Itā€™s down to me to improve my abilities and rise to the level of the guitar.

If you can afford the guitar you want, then the only person you need to justify it to is yourself. It doesnā€™t matter what anyone else thinks.

3 Likes
17

Nothing like asking forumites for GAS advice, JK! :rofl:
ā€¦ and you catch me with my trousers down :open_mouth: (more of that below )
Even though youā€™ve not been that active recently, your prolific previous activity and content stick out in my brain.
You are a focussed dude, committed guitar player, and tech-savvy. You like quality gear.
Look at your Fender, Maton and amp & everything-pedal. You are not going to happy going out to buy an ā€˜OKā€™ guitar, (although might be quite happy if you happened to stumbled upon one by chance)
Do as Rick says and put some funds aside till you can buy something special. Donā€™t forget, even if you decided to sell it at a later date, youā€™d get most (or even all) of your money back, so itā€™s a bit like ā€˜rentingā€™, really :wink:
Youā€™ve mentioned your hankering for a Jaguar style before with particular requirements.
You are the ideal candidate for a custom made guitar. Batwoman was thrilled with hers. Lieven too, and heā€™s in the process of getting another.
You know what you want, and it would be so much fun to be involved in designing it. The bond youā€™d have would be amazing.
You know it makes sense, and there have to be a number of decent luthiers within striking distance of where you live?
Iā€™ll want to see pics of the process :grinning_face:

Me on the other hand- Iā€™m driven by value; mainly on the bottom end. With most things in life I try to find the sweet-spot of getting as ā€˜much as possibleā€™ out of as ā€˜little as possibleā€™. Not the same as cheap.
I regarded my HB Fusion III (Ā£280) and G&L Tele (Ā£345) as expensive guitars and I love them. Theyā€™re above my play-grade.
This morning a friend of mine whoā€™s moving down South put a couple of guitars up for sale. I dropped around this morning to test drive this one

Hartwood Charger Vibrato Electric Guitar, Cigar Burst at Gear4music

Vgc, neck a bit wider than Iā€™m used to (but I have big hands), always liked the look of a Bigsby (although this is an own-brand).
No coil-split on this one.
I donā€™t need another guitar, but as Iā€™ve mentioned before, relationships are an important factor in my guitar world, and I think it would make me smile whenever I played it. I have the Ā£180 heā€™s looking for in my pocket.
Should I buy it? :thinking:

4 Likes
18

Bien sure mon amis !

2 Likes
19

Hey JK, hope all is well buddy. What about spending a nice day out a your nearest guitar shop and spending some time with all the guitars that catch your eye taking no notice of the price and if one says to you take me home then if itā€™s within budget get it and if its above your budget then save up a bit more. I think itā€™s important that you get the guitar that you like the look, feel and sound and ticks all of your boxes.

2 Likes
20

Best tool for the right Job you will still dream about that Strat or Gibson I did I have both now, and I still want a tele arghhhhhh cheers Hec

1 Like