Expensive vs cheap

[Willy25]

How would you know the difference between an expensive guitar and cheap guitar? Let say they give you a guitar without a brand name on the headstock and serial number how would you know if its good quality?

Im trying to decide if i should get an Ibanez indonesia with floyd rose, its 499 at GC. Or save up for a prestige line. So im thinking of getting my first mid range guitar or high quality guitar. Is the mid range worth it? Meaning the only think ill upgrade is the pickups? Not like my cheap guitars that need everything.

Also, should i buy the indonesian instead? Just feel bad for the people that get paid over there. Cheap labor. No wonder allot companies go over seas.

 

[Zarg]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

first of all: every guitar is different. best practice is to always play the instrument before buying.

in my experience the sweet spot is about 300-400 bucks, the next big bump in quality is when you go above 1000 bucks in my opinion. I prefer to get a relatively cheap, but very solid and well playing base guitar and upgrade the electronics to my liking, usually ends up being cheaper and better than the 800ish guitars. I've seen a big hit in playability and overall quality in relation to price as soon as guitars come with gimmicks like brand name pickups and such. I'd check out a couple guitars that have the base specs you like for around 300 and later upgrade pickups, maybe pots to whatever works for you.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

Save your money. Keep saving it. When you feel the urge to run to Guitar Center, stop, and keep saving.

Once you have around $500, start watching Music Go Round's website, Craigslist, the used sections at GC and Sam Ash, etc... You'll see an old MIJ RG for less than you're looking at spending on the new ones. Certainly one with an original Edge, and maybe even upgraded pickups, and probably a hardshell case.

I used to get really jealous at everybody who would post about deals they scored, all the while I was blowing my money on stuff that retailed for around the price you're talking about. Then, a few years ago, I hadn't bought anything in forever, and scored a MIA Strat for $400. Lesson learned.

Awesome deals come up all the time. The trick is having money to jump on them.

 

[Willy25]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

first of all: every guitar is different. best practice is to always play the instrument before buying.

in my experience the sweet spot is about 300-400 bucks, the next big bump in quality is when you go above 1000 bucks in my opinion. I prefer to get a relatively cheap, but very solid and well playing base guitar and upgrade the electronics to my liking, usually ends up being cheaper and better than the 800ish guitars. I've seen a big hit in playability and overall quality in relation to price as soon as guitars come with gimmicks like brand name pickups and such. I'd check out a couple guitars that have the base specs you like for around 300 and later upgrade pickups, maybe pots to whatever works for you.

thanks for the reply

 

[Willy25]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

Save your money. Keep saving it. When you feel the urge to run to Guitar Center, stop, and keep saving.

Once you have around $500, start watching Music Go Round's website, Craigslist, the used sections at GC and Sam Ash, etc... You'll see an old MIJ RG for less than you're looking at spending on the new ones. Certainly one with an original Edge, and maybe even upgraded pickups, and probably a hardshell case.

I used to get really jealous at everybody who would post about deals they scored, all the while I was blowing my money on stuff that retailed for around the price you're talking about. Then, a few years ago, I hadn't bought anything in forever, and scored a MIA Strat for $400. Lesson learned.

Awesome deals come up all the time. The trick is having money to jump on them.

never hear of Music go rounds. what you about reverb? im scared to buy a used guitar online lol on ebay theres some really cheap ones.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

Music Go Round is a national chain of second hand music stores.

My point is sit on the money and score a great deal on a used guitar.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

If it FEELS good, and it SOUNDS good, it IS good.

Price has little to do with it, other than a lot - and I mean a whole freaking lot - of guitars do not sound or feel as good as they should for what they cost. As mentioned, after 4-5 hundred, a lot of what you are paying for is flame top, name brand, and other things that don't make much, if any difference. If you can play you can play. Like guns, most guitars work far better than their operators. I'd say pushing 800 you start getting name brand pickups and higher end hardware/electronics. But again - that's wasted on me.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

If it FEELS good, and it SOUNDS good, it IS good.

Price has little to do with it, other than a lot - and I mean a whole freaking lot - of guitars do not sound or feel as good as they should for what they cost. As mentioned, after 4-5 hundred, a lot of what you are paying for is flame top, name brand, and other things that don't make much, if any difference. If you can play you can play. Like guns, most guitars work far better than their operators. I'd say pushing 800 you start getting name brand pickups and higher end hardware/electronics. But again - that's wasted on me.

Amen and hallelujah! I accidentally stepped into a shop that only sold high-end stuff recently. The new Gibsons were at their cheap end of the wall and the prices went up from there. There were several boutique brands I've never heard of and some I'd heard of but never seen. Being as careful as I could, I picked up a few several-thousand dollar guitars. One felt like quality. I can't tell you exactly why, but the wood just felt hard and dense, the finish was flawless, etc. The other was, as Aceman says, fancy all to hell and back. Then I picked up a Duesenberg. It felt exactly like a $300 Indonesian or MAYBE $400 Korean guitar but had the same price range as the other two. I am convinced they are conning people, selling Epiphone/PRS SE-level guitars for PRS USA prices.

You do NOT get what you pay for but to get the gem you have to either buy and sell a lot of guitars before you find the one OR try in person before you buy. I have never bought a new guitar. I used to just routinely go to several guitar shops on a regular basis to see what they had in stock. And when I found the ones that just felt better than the others I bought them. And once I had two or three that felt awesome to me I stopped shopping so heavily.

Now I'd only buy a guitar if it was a screaming deal AND I love it. I actually found a screaming deal a couple weeks ago, but I didn't need the guitar and I didn't care for the neck shape so I left it there and it was sold by the end of that day. No regrets. But if I'd seen the same guitar online I would have bought it, been disappointed with the size and shape of the neck, and then resold it online. Either way works in the long run.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

I have a $200 RG2EX1 with SD pickups and Carvin locking tuners
That plays and sounds as good as any Prestige

With the higher end Ibanez you get the name brand pickup
The same neck and bridge I believe

On the newer Ibanez the fret ends and binding on the frets was horked
But that may have been my local GC

The frets stuck over the end of the board and the binding had pulled loose and stuck straight out
Like a knife edge

Playing befor you uy makes sense
Or dealing with a reputable online company
Like Sweetwater or AMS

 

[Securb]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

I think you are confusing inexpesive and cheap. The terms are not interchangable.

 

[Dave Locher]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

I think you are confusing inexpesive and cheap. The terms are not interchangable.

Exactly! If you look long enough you can find some fantastic guitars really inexpensive. And if you just click "buy" you can pay a lot of money for some really cheap crap, even if the reviews are good and everyone on the internet swears something is great. (cough, cough, Duesenberg, cough)

Reference: see Vertex pedals

 

[Willy25]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

I think you are confusing inexpesive and cheap. The terms are not interchangable.

yeah your right. my bad but how would you determine something cheap?

 

[tabeck5]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

I've played (and owned) MIM strats that blow much more expensive Strats out of the water. I have played Yamaha's that would give any LP a run for their money. Once you have played awhile you get what goes into a good guitar, does it intonate properly? Fret properly up and down the neck?, does it stay in tune? etc. It is pretty amazing how much guitar you can get for $300-500 now.

 

[Aceman]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

Cheap = doesn't intonate, bad frets (high/low/rough), won't stay in tune, horrible acoustic tone...we can go on.


Any Yamaha Pacifica = Inexpensive, but awesome.

 

[Willy25]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

Cheap = doesn't intonate, bad frets (high/low/rough), won't stay in tune, horrible acoustic tone...we can go on.


Any Yamaha Pacifica = Inexpensive, but awesome.

cool, i guess ill go for an inexpensive Ibanez with floyd rose type bridge and save money for pickups what do you guys think about this one http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez/Ibanez-RG-Series-RG470AHM-6-string-Electric-Guitar.gc will it stay in tune? because some people dont like the tremolo that comes with it.

 

[dave74]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

Just in the last couple years I've scored two excellent condition prestiges for $650 total (for both), and one even had the new j-craft case with it.

05 rg2570e vsl had a scratchy volume pot and the paint was thin and wearing on some of the edges, but you'd have to look super close to even notice it, and it was fixed with a $2 silver sharpie. Other than that it was like an new guitar with 0 fret wear and the edge-pro was like brand new. No case with this one, and it was missing one lock-clamp for the nut. $250

Then I found a mint case-queen black 07 rg1570, I swear the strings were still from the factory. It had sat in the case for a few years and the strings had stretched a bit causing the trem to fall back,,,,which made the action too low and the strings all buzzy. The owner had no idea how to set a double-locking trem so to her it seemed basically unplayable.
I offered $400 (it was listed for $450) with the case and she gladly accepted. The whole guitar was mint except the rusted strings and the drying rosewood.

Be patient and keep searching for like-new used guitars,,,,,,,they are there in abundance and can be had for low prices.

 

[Clint 55]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

The specific things I pay for are:

1) Design. Can start very low like Squier Bullet or Affinity at $150 or $200. Or be $300 like my Epi Dot. Something mid price range that I'd want to pay for would be a Jazzmaster at 4 or $500.

2) Fretboard radius. Prefer 9.5 to 12". If I were to get a metal strat, I'd have to find something that isn't an 100" radius, so I'd pay for that.

3) Wood species. This one is good because my favorite body woods that I've tried so far are basswood and alder which most Squiers are made of.

4) (Optional). Hardware. Makes a big difference in the perceived quality of the instrument, but can always be changed out. Still, it's nice to have a quality nut already seated perfectly in the neck instead of having to change it out and maybe not do a good job. A solid piece of material for the nut sounds better than a hollow one. My favorites are Graph Tech plastic or corian. Also tuners that turn smoothly help your guitar get in tune right and make a difference to the sound. Plus denser metals for the saddles and even the bridge etc can improve tone.

The quality of the pickups and electronics are irrelevant to me since I like to customize the pickups with Duncans and also replace the electronics.

Finally, a somewhat intangible trait that players expect higher priced guitars to have, but that many inexpensive guitars can have, is the way the construction of the guitar and the ergonomics of the guitar all combine to maximize comfort, playability, and resonance.

 

[Little Pigbacon]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

I haven't played as many guitars as a lot of the forum members have. I've never played Bo-Bo Jim Graham's Squier Putzcaster, or all of the Custom Shop Blunders it's supposed to play circles around. I haven't played the latest Knobflobber V or a 1950's Les Paul.

Yet, I have played guitars. (I think.) I've played some great guitars that have brought me a lot of enjoyment. Here's what I've noticed:

• Most of the Japanese Ibanez I've played have been awesome.
• Actually, that seems to be a pattern among Japanese guitars in general.
• I've noticed more expensive guitars tend to have fewer wolf tones and weird acoustic issues at certain notes. I have no idea why.
• Most players want to feel good about the guitars they've bought or own.
• Magical guitars are real, and you have to get one in your hands and play it in order to know. When it's right, that voice will speak louder than headstocks and price tags.
• This same basic thread has come up over and over since before time began, and it usually ends up sucking Frito crumbs from between the cushions on the couch.

 

[Lovegun]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

cool, i guess ill go for an inexpensive Ibanez with floyd rose type bridge and save money for pickups what do you guys think about this one http://www.guitarcenter.com/Ibanez/Ibanez-RG-Series-RG470AHM-6-string-Electric-Guitar.gc will it stay in tune? because some people dont like the tremolo that comes with it.

I don't see how it would not stay in tune. Learn how a floyd rose bridge works for an example strings pull up and springs pull down. It's just finding the right balance with strings and springs. Floyd rose has its own quirks and learning those will help you to stay in tune. I also recommed how to set up your own guitar. That way you'll get more bang for your buck.

 

[dave74]

Re: Expensive vs cheap

I'd just say that anytime there is a budget limit of under $500, then it's better to score a used $800-$1200 guitar for the $400ish budget.
If the limit is $500 or more then factory-fresh might make some sense. IMO