Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

Diego

Diego

New member
Received a LTD M100FM for a setup today, and it's mighty I gotta say.

Excellent fretwork from factory, the pickups are alright, the Floyd Rose Special is solid and dependable, the finish is lovely, the neck is stable and fast, the playability is off the charts and it's just a very well rounded guitar. And it's kinda inexpensive. You couldn't get crap, much less reliable crap, for what this guitar costs 20 years ago.

Just sharing a happy experience.
 
Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

Yep, cadcam and good market research are pushing value up and cost down. There has to be a bottom somewhere, but I agree this is the perfect time to get awesome gear in general.

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Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

I remember when I started it took almost a months pay to get a decent guitar
 
Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

Well the midrange range models are the one's that sell the best, so it leads to increased competition in that range. The same thing combined with cheaper manufacturing of better quality parts is also pushing the lower end of the spectrum up in quality too.
 
Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

Yup to everyone and everything said. I kept looking to where the guitar would fall flat. I couldn't find anything wrong with it.
Even the pots were pretty decent, not those tiny chinese POS that crackle after 2 years.

I set it with 9-42 at the customer's request and I managed to get the neck very close to straight with almost no buzz. Extremely fast action and ease of play I wasn't really expecting without fret adjustments. It took a rather agressive setup like a champ.

I'd happily buy one if I wanted another shredstick. It's so much better than my RG270 it's not even close.
 
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Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

A 100 series LTD is midrange now? I'd consider that low-end budget stuff, while the 400 is more midrange. Good to hear though

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Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

You rich guys probably call this low-end, but I can't tell you how happy I am with Jeff's 2007 HardTail Select. It must love the desert and neglect. And cacophony. Since it's NAD, it's time to go outside and reintroduce us to the snotty millionaires next door :lmao:
 
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Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

texred said:
You rich guys probably call this low-end, but I can't tell you how happy I am with Jeff's 2007 HardTail Special. It must love the desert and neglect. And cacophony. Since it's NAD, it's time to go outside and reintroduce us to the snotty millionaires next door :lmao:
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Crank it up!

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Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

Already gave myself a headache. Another reason to go outside.

Can't remember when I was this happy.
 
Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

also true on the low end. Ordered a three quarter $99 Epiphone classical guitar for one of my seven-year-old students.

Came in today and the frets & finish are good, wonderful action surprisingly good tone....I was 25 before I could afford a classical guitar of this caliber.

and the seven year olds are watching YouTube in between lessons and probably moving twice as fast as I was as a beginner. I really think it's possible we're on the edge of a major guitar rebirth.

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Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

ehdwuld said:
I remember when I started it took almost a months pay to get a decent guitar
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Well, for me it is still the case.... Though I'm pretty sure it has more to do with living in Hungary than the pricing of the guitars....:D
 
Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

ibanezrocks said:
A 100 series LTD is midrange now? I'd consider that low-end budget stuff, while the 400 is more midrange. Good to hear though

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I was thinking more the 1000 series was midrange now, with E-II even being upper midrange. I don't think you get into "high-end" guitars new for less than $3k or so. Not knocking the midrange, that's where I live and the quality is definitely impressive, but I more call the LTD 100 series low-end/beginner range, which probably makes the quality more impressive.
 
Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

With the advancements of CNC machining and just general manufacturing of the hardware, mid-priced and sub $1000 guitars, even sub $500, are an incredible value. I wish guitars this good were available at this range when I was starting out. Even some of the Squiers that have come out the last 5 years or so are really nice players. Epiphone keeps getting better, especially their semi-hollow and hollow bodies. Ibanez kicks serious ass in the lower price points. There's a lot of choices out there.
 
Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

This is a great time for beginners to get good gear. Back in the day, the cheap stuff was just awful. Nowadays, you can spend less than $200 and get a very playable axe off the rack, and with a little TLC by a competent luthier have a very good guitar that plays nicely and sounds decent. About the only thing I usually recommend is putting a Switchcraft jack, because the cheap Asian stuff always fails. If you buy used stuff, you get an even better deal.
 
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Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

Even the midrange amps are better. Say what you will about Line 6 but when I was 14 - 15 years old I would have been delighted to have a Spider.
 
Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

ehdwuld said:
I remember when I started it took almost a months pay to get a decent guitar
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I still need that :)

On the topic, I had the opportunity to test drive a lot of mid-range Ibanez axes during recording other guitarists (For some reason I don't know during the last year I worked with Ibanez players only), mainly RG models. Think of 400 - 500 range, Iron Labels and the like between $300 - $1000.

Bloody awesomeness, all I can say. Most of them were stock, already equipped with DiMarzios or EMGs, pinpoint hardware, stunning playability and tone. Slowly I developed some GAS for a 500-series or IR RG.
 
Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

I currently own 10 guitars. The only one above the 1k price point is a Gibson LP Traditional that I bought when I got out of a 15-year old relationship. I guess I needed closure, and the LP helped me to get back on my feet, proving dreams can be achieved.

All other I bought new or used, and the used ones were being sold for around 600 USD/ Euros (I'm from Portugal, Europe). My "blown by the quality, cheap as Hell" prizes go to my Squier VM Jazzmaster, and an ESP LTD ST-213A, a solid ash body, modern spec Strat copy, bought new for around 250 USD/ 200 Euros.

I'm a firm believer in modding guitars. As long as the shape, finishes and stock feel and sound are what one wants, a few more money in upgrades, both in hardware and electronics, can make them pro-quality guitars, kind of building your dream ones and keeping it affordable.

I once got my tech to do a maintenance setup on the Strat I mentioned above (modded with Hot Rails and Classic Stacks, custom switching, Wilkinson Trem, TUSQ bridge and string trees and Planet Waves locking tuners). Another client of his was there when I picked up my guitar, a pro player over here. The other client had an American Standard ash Strat, and started making smart remarks, about how I wasted money modding a table top. I asked him to try it out on my tech's amp. The other client was floored, and asked where he could get one, so that he could sell his and stll keep money in the pocket. My tech and I laughed last.

I know I've been quite lucky, especially some of my guitars where bought online, and never had a chance to check them out. My tech says I've blessed, since I've never got a lemon.

Still, unless one is rich, there's absolutely no need to throw money away. Keep it affordable, and awesome surprises will come your way.
 
Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

I think while the quality of mid-range guitars has probably gone up the last few years. Lower-mid range ($400-500 ie my kind of axes :laugh2:) have taken a hit as a result & been downgraded.

7-8 years ago they were a lot more feature laden (finishes, bridges etc) than they are now. With the Iron labels and such it's the $600-1000 guitars that now have the same features that used to be on the $400-600 ones.

RGA's & Saber's were especially great bang for the buck (Killer quilt tops, ZR tremolo's, MIK) as were a number of BC Rich's, Cort's, Spear guitars (nice Korean axes) & even Jackson's/Charvel's/Kramer's
 
Re: Midrange guitars are really impressive these days.

Phantasmagoria said:
I think while the quality of mid-range guitars has probably gone up the last few years. Lower-mid range ($400-500 ie my kind of axes :laugh2:) have taken a hit as a result & been downgraded.

7-8 years ago they were a lot more feature laden (finishes, bridges etc) than they are now. With the Iron labels and such it's the $600-1000 guitars that now have the same features that used to be on the $400-600 ones.

RGA's & Saber's were especially great bang for the buck (Killer quilt tops, ZR tremolo's, MIK) as were a number of BC Rich's, Cort's, Spear guitars (nice Korean axes) & even Jackson's/Charvel's/Kramer's
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I see what you mean, and I kind of agree. I guess it's a matter of time before those premium features trickle down a bit again. But the low side of the midrange spectrum can be hit or miss.
For example the Jackson X series... I just don't think they're any good compared to the equivalent Schecter, Chapman or LTD.

I've very been impressed with G&L, Chapman and Epiphone these days.
 
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