You have $2000 for guitar(s). Do you buy one $2000 guitar, or....

[Top-L]

This actually is a question I asked myself recently. Because of Covid, I've been off work and playing more than I have in many years. I needed a new guitar because all my old players need fretwork (and/or to be sold for something I like more.)

If you have a $2000 budget, do you buy one nice guitar? Or do you split it up between multiple guitars?

(The solution I came up with was a 1500 / 500 split, but frankly, the difference in quality between 1500 and 500 guitar is shockingly close; one might be better served with 4x500 guitars. Or maybe the answer is one 2000 guitar?)

[ErikH]

Or take the old ones that you will be keeping and get them re-fretted and sell the ones you won't. After that is all said and done, re-evaluate.

BUT, I probably wouldn't spend more than $1000, maybe $1200.

[Erlend_G]

I'd have 6 400USD ones :/ ...

and the rest for upgrades.

[ArtieToo]

I wouldn't look at this from the POV of "how much can I spend." I'd simply see if there was some guitar that I really fell in love with, and wanted, and "clicked" with me. Then buy it. If there's money left over, (burning a hole in your pocket), then use it for pups / upgrades / mods.

Take your honey out for a nice evening.

[Erlend_G]

has no honey.

Just "nice evenings" lol

-Erl

[Lewguitar]

This actually is a question I asked myself recently. Because of Covid, I've been off work and playing more than I have in many years. I needed a new guitar because all my old players need fretwork (and/or to be sold for something I like more.)

If you have a $2000 budget, do you buy one nice guitar? Or do you split it up between multiple guitars?

(The solution I came up with was a 1500 / 500 split, but frankly, the difference in quality between 1500 and 500 guitar is shockingly close; one might be better served with 4x500 guitars. Or maybe the answer is one 2000 guitar?)

You can buy a PRS SE Singlecut used but in new condition for $500 or less. It will need new pickups so factor in another $200 to $300.

I'd get pickups that are uncovered and not wax potted.

I have three PRS SE Singlecuts and each one has Duncan pickups that I swapped magnets in to create the sound of a '57 Les Paul (roughcast alnico 2), a '58 Les Paul (roughcast alnico 4) or a 59 or 60 Les Paul (roughcast alnico 5).

Of course making those distinctions is arbitrary because Gibson mixed A2, A4 and A5 magnets all through the paf era.

But I do have three great sounding guitars, each with paf's, and each with a very different paf sound.

You could do something similar.

[Mincer]

I think having that budget isn't an either/or thing...it presents you with more options, though. Like, most of the stuff in the store you can try out, and take home what works for you. If you have money left over, great! Buy a pedal. Or if not, you have one great guitar.

[Snake Aces]

I believe two things are extremely important when shopping for a guitar:

1. The guitar should be something that you really want, no matter what anybody else thinks or says. The guitar should inspire you to play it and to never want to put it down.

2. Quality. This includes both build and material quality. A well-made instrument should last a lifetime. I believe in buying quality over quantity when it comes to everything in life. This is especially important for guitars, I want them to last a very long time.


It does not matter if you buy a single $2000 guitar or several more affordable axes, just make sure you get something well-made that you really want to play!

[beaubrummels]

I figure out what I need or want, figure out how much it will take to acquire it, then figure out what I have to do or how long it will take to get the money. If that isn't possible, then I identify what is the next closest option that is affordable. I never start with an amount and then figure out what to buy.

[JB_From_Hell]

Recently, I inherited a Gibson mandolin that originally cost $10k. It's as good as it gets for an F mandolin, and playing it has been an incredible experience. Prior to that, I'd played a lot of really nice ones, but this is really something else. If you've never experienced a top of the line instrument, I don't think trying one out is the worst thing you could do. Someday, maybe I decide I prefer a Collings mandolin that costs 1/3 of my Gibson. Having spent time with the upper tier instrument, there won't be any second-guessing whether or not I really prefer the less expensive one.

That said, I'd recommend buying something used, so if it turns out to not be a keeper, you can resell it without taking a hit.

[Top-L]

I believe two things are extremely important when shopping for a guitar:

1. The guitar should be something that you really want, no matter what anybody else thinks or says. The guitar should inspire you to play it and to never want to put it down.

2. Quality. This includes both build and material quality. A well-made instrument should last a lifetime. I believe in buying quality over quantity when it comes to everything in life. This is especially important for guitars, I want them to last a very long time.


It does not matter if you buy a single $2000 guitar or several more affordable axes, just make sure you get something well-made that you really want to play!

This was my thinking last month. I saw a 1500 guitar I really wanted online and bought it from a small store that ships out of state.

When it arrived there were a ton of issues and the guitar was previously used with many scratches on back. (Probably a previous customer return or a demo.) I was shocked not only that it was scratched up and the seller did not disclose, but that there were many construction issues, including a back bow the truss could not correct. I don't think it had ever been leveled from the factory and there was absolutely no setup ever done; the saddles were in stock locations. So I sent it back.

A few days ago, I found a deal on an ESP superstrat that normally would cost 700 otd, that I got for 450. It arrived with an "inspected in USA" sticker. An intonation had been done. All it needed was a slight truss rod ajustment (didn't even have to change action) and its already a great player. I didn't even have to change the action, already < 1.5mm at 12th. It has SD pickups that I don't plan to change.

Its not my dream guitar, but I like it and the quality / setup was better than the 1500 guitar. I still intend to buy a "nicer" guitar, but these days I feel fortunate just to get something that has "all its fingers and toes". IME, even expensive, high quality guitars all eventually need work.

The joy of opening up and getting three new 500 guitars may outweight the satisfaction of buying one new 1500 guitar. And its a whole lot more versatile.

[Snake Aces]

I am sorry about your experience with the $1500 guitar, but at least it led you to find that ESP you love! Like you said though, even high quality and expensive guitars eventually need work. In fact, outside of getting a guitar made by a luthier just for you, almost every single guitar needs work immediately off the shelf or out of the case. It is very rare for a guitar to be perfect and good to go with dressed frets, etc.

With that being said, some guitars are more than just "playable" without visiting a local guitar tech or luthier. It may need some minor fretwork or something similar, but it plays great the way it is regardless. It appears to be well-made and there are no little quirks with the electronics. These are the guitars most buyers love. When a guitar that costs less than $1000 plays like butter with ringing resonance in your hand, you know you have a winner. Now, imagine how amazing that same guitar will be if you do invest $300 to $500 into having a luthier give it the works. Now you will have a truly special instrument with less than $1500 spent.

The same holds true for a $3,000 instrument. You may play a very high-end guitar that plays smooth as silk and sings like a choir and think it is good to go. However, chances are it may still need some minor work to truly make it perfect. Investing $500 more into that same $3,000 guitar may turn it into the best instrument you will ever play. That's the difference a luthier can actually make. At the end of the day, each player needs to decide if investing that kind of money into a specific guitar is worth it to them, but always remember to support your local luthier!

[Top-L]

The same holds true for a $3,000 instrument. You may play a very high-end guitar that plays smooth as silk and sings like a choir and think it is good to go. However, chances are it may still need some minor work to truly make it perfect. Investing $500 more into that same $3,000 guitar may turn it into the best instrument you will ever play. That's the difference a luthier can actually make. At the end of the day, each player needs to decide if investing that kind of money into a specific guitar is worth it to them, but always remember to support your local luthier!

OTH, in theory a 3000 dollar instrument should already have all the work to make it a 10/10.

Cheap guitars benefit more from work IME.

[Snake Aces]

OTH, in theory a 3000 dollar instrument should already have all the work to make it a 10/10.

Cheap guitars benefit more from work IME.

This is a common misconception. This is a result of the buyer attaching more value to the buying power of money than it actually has. Buyers expect perfection because they are spending $3,000, but the guitar still needs work to be a 10/10.

Although it is true that a low end instrument has more room for improvement, a $3,000 guitar still needs work. Any buyer expecting a 10/10 for the sole reason that they are spending $3,000 is setting themself up for a disappointment and an embarrassing outburst with the seller.

[Top-L]

This is a common misconception. This is a result of the buyer attaching more value to the buying power of money than it actually has. Buyers expect perfection because they are spending $3,000, but the guitar still needs work to be a 10/10.

Although it is true that a low end instrument has more room for improvement, a $3,000 guitar still needs work. Any buyer expecting a 10/10 for the sole reason that they are spending $3,000 is setting themself up for a disappointment and an embarrassing outburst with the seller.

Is that true, even if buying a new Suhr through an authorized reseller?

I've never bought a 3K guitars. My best guitars cost 2K new, were Japanese Ibanez and they were flawless.

It seems that the amount of post build setup that a factory or builder does varies. In the case of that 1500 guitar, absolutely nothing was done. In the case of the 450 ESP, at least someone somewhere had done an "eyeball" intonation, the action was perfect, and the bridge was level.

If I was spending 3K for a guitar from a dealer, I would expect the neck/truss to be perfect, low action without any buzzing, perfect nut, intonation set, and everything polished to be fast and look great. Either the factory or the dealer would make sure all of these were correct.

Maybe thats unrealistic with some builders, but 1.5K+ used to get you that from Ibanez.