Guitar under $400 AUD

[Draethe84]

Hey guy and gals,

I'm here asking for my best pal what the best guitar would be for under $400 Aussie dollars (give or take $100) preferably one that has a HSS or HSH pickup configuration. Also it doesn't matter if it has a Floyd/Trem system.

*Edit: It will be for hard rock and metal*

Cheers,
Ronan

 

[Squire]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

Squier HSS strat with a street price of around $450 new eg https://www.turramusic.com.au/Pages/CatalogueItem.aspx?CIID=943

 

[Draethe84]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

Would that do metal is my question?

 

[AlexR]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

You're at a very low level there. Each shop will have some budget brands about and they might not all be the same brand to brand.

Try out a few from various brands. The Fender will be more a fatter classic guitar. If you can find a more metal like brand such as LTD then their features will be more appropriate from the get-go.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

Think ibanez.

 

[probo_squad_henry]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

Maybe a Jackson JS32 dinky?

 

[Laughing Kookaburra]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

The Squires seemed to be the best bet for that sort of money when I was living in NSW (2007-2009). I don't remember pickup configurations, but you can always drop in a Hot Rails or two to do metal if you can't find an HSS set up.

If you don't mind changing pickup or two, just about any solid body is a blank canvass for the sounds that you favor!

Yeah, Ibanez seems to have some decent bang for your buck models, although I know them much less well than the Squires.

 

[probo_squad_henry]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

http://www.espguitars.com/products/9722-mh-103qm-stb?category_id=1963304-mh-series

Or something like this? It's a little over your budget though, not sure if it would work

 

[Draethe84]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

He was looking at the M-53 LTD. Also how are those AXL badwater 1216 guitars, I saw they had EMG designed Humbuckers

 

[Will S-T]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

Cort, ESP, Ibanez, etc all have great offerings in the $750 to $1200 range, just buy second hand, easy.

 

[ehdwuld]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

Another vote for Ibanez

 

[HotHead]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

If I'm correct, Australian dollars are worth more than American dollars, so I'll assume that translates into about $500 USD.

If you're really adamant for having a 3-pickup guitar, I'd say go for an Ibanez, specifically the SA series of guitars, which are all below that price. The SA160FM in particular looks pretty cool. I'd stay away from any Ibanez with a locking trem that's sub $500.
Depending on your style, you may want to check out Squier Vintage Modified. The HSS models are about the same price as the Ibanez SA.
If you're daring enough to try one, Rondo guitars are your cheapest bet. They have HSH and HSS guitars that begin at like $150 USD. I hear a lot of mixed things about them, but a lot of people seem to swear by them.

That being said, second hand is the way to go. There's a huge spike in quality from $500 to $800, and those $800 guitars lose half their value when they're being sold second hand.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Guitar under $400 AUD

^ Other way around......its probably $300US

Then take US prices and double the absolute figure to get to what we would pay here.....so the conversion is about a $150-$200 US guitar.