Lesser known brands...

[Rainmaker]

It seems like the guitar market has only like 10 or so really well known brands, with Fender, Gibson, Jackson, Ibanez, etc.

I think it would be a good idea to post some of the lesser well known brands (which means quite unknown: brands like G&L and Schecter don't count)...

The more exposure the better.

Does anyone have any ideas - or am I just completely dumbfounded?

 

[beandip]

Re: Lesser known brands...

Godin, Johnson, J. Reynolds, Lotus, Seagull, alot of boutique acoustic manufacturers(sp)/makers, agile, sx. All high quality guitars, low price ('cept for the boutique acoustics).

 

[mjsever]

Re: Lesser known brands...

Other good electric maker: Reverend, Carvin, Brian Moore
Other good acoustic makers: Garrison (for mid-level guitars), Santa Cruz (for high-end guitars. Best guitar I ever heard or played).

 

[Thurisarz]

Re: Lesser known brands...

Eagle! Swedish design rocks!

 

[Benjy_26]

Re: Lesser known brands...

Carvin (made in USA in a pseudo custom shop)
Godin
Hamer
Heritage
High end Yamahas
Anderson
Framus

 

[nuntius]

Re: Lesser known brands...

patrick eggle! man the electrics are awesome.

Gordon smith ... my fave guitar if i could afford it i'd replace all my guitars with a gordon smith equivilant... i'd love to have an Ibanez type thing with an original floyd, thick one piece maple neck (whole thing fretboard and neck is one piece) mahogany body and original, not backrouted floyd
id also love that killer jazz guitar he does, absolutely awesome.

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Lesser known brands...

Wayne www.wayneguitars.com
Caparison
Indie
J Frog

 

[Hot _Grits]

Re: Lesser known brands...

At the high end of things: Suhr. Don Grosh. Mcinturff. Tyler. Kendrick. Parker.
Overlooked 'major' brand: Guild.

 

[That90'sGuy]

Re: Lesser known brands...

What Hot Grits said ^^^^ (he has definitely nailed what I've been looking at)

To add another high-end one to the list, Scott Lentz (supposedly THE best strat guitars EVER made including his own custom pickups [which also blow away any competition from either Kinman, Joe Barden or Fralin]).

 

[kevlar3000]

Re: Lesser known brands...

I love Tokai...

 

[Bones]

Re: Lesser known brands...

Burny, Orville

 

[Metalman_666]

Re: Lesser known brands...

Pacifica, Barracuda, GMP

 

[Jonny R]

Re: Lesser known brands...

Melancon

Maton

 

[BachToRock]

Re: Lesser known brands...

You know my answer... GMP... and they come stock w/Duncans

http://gmpguitars.com/new1c.html

 

[beandip]

Re: Lesser known brands...

Oh, I forgot to mention Johnson and Axl. Johnsons are made by Axl, but their electrics are great. Big huge chunky necks. Gah, I love 'em.

 

[nuntius]

Re: Lesser known brands...

Caparison

I see a lotta people playing these but I've never seen one in a shop anywhere, what are they like?

 

[TwilightOdyssey]

Re: Lesser known brands...

I see a lotta people playing these but I've never seen one in a shop anywhere, what are they like?

The only ones I've seen up close was Andy LaRoche's when King Diamond came through, and more recently, 3 nights when Michael Ammott came through with Arch Enemy. They had wildly different tones: La Roche's was massive and warm, Ammott's was thin and buzzy. One of my favourite guitarists, Fumihiko Kitsutaka, gets an amazing tone out of one as well. There's no distribution here in the USA yet, so I've yet to play one.