So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag?

Seraphial

New member
Just thinking with PRS selling £5k+ acoustics, EVH's £3k plus Wolfies and Fender hiking prices in general, who nowadays actually sells new instruments that are worth the pricetag? Just seems nowadays everyone's hiking prices and no-ones really giving the working musician value for money nowadays.
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

michael kelly, maybe exaviere gfs:naughty:
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

Sorry, I should say US companies. I remember looking around recently for a good solid wood OM acoustic and there seems to be such a price difference between the Chinese all solid wood guitars and the American ones; however in terms of quality they were very close...
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

carvin seems like the only one then....

edit: they've gotta be the only US company offering a semi-hollow with not laminate, but solid carved tops at under $2,000.
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

G&L.

Carvin electrics (acoustics are made overseas, set up in San Diego).
 
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Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

USA Fenders as a whole are still great guitars, and while not cheap, are still pretty affordable with or without a price increase.

Not every guitar is going to be amazing, but as a whole they are a pretty consistant line that plays and sounds great.

I think they still are a good solid working musicians brand.

Gibsons however I would have to agree with being overpriced. Yes they make some nice guitars still but for what they cost I dont think your getting much bang for your buck.

Dean, Ibanez and Schecter as a whole put out some really nice guitars for the money as well. Not 100% sure if they are American owned but just the same, nearly everything I've picked up as been very well made, even the mid priced stuff, Schecter in particular
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

I see much resemblance between the American big car companies and the big guitar companies.

Overpriced, over-reliant on brand power and heritage, lack of innovation, no real efforts to export, loosing to the Japanese when it comes to value for money...


:scratchch
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

I see much resemblance between the American big car companies and the big guitar companies.

Overpriced, over-reliant on brand power and heritage, lack of innovation, no real efforts to export, loosing to the Japanese when it comes to value for money...


:scratchch

are you implying that we am suck at manyoofakchering??;)
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

I see much resemblance between the American big car companies and the big guitar companies.

Overpriced, over-reliant on brand power and heritage, lack of innovation, no real efforts to export, loosing to the Japanese when it comes to value for money...


:scratchch

Great point!
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

Well, if by american you mean north-america, then I'm going to have to say Godin guitars. If I recall correctly their parts are made in New-Hampshire and they are assembled here in Canada. You can get your hands on their guitar from 350$ up to 2k depending on the model.

Really cool company, gotta give em props.
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

Well, if by american you mean north-america, then I'm going to have to say Godin guitars. If I recall correctly their parts are made in New-Hampshire and they are assembled here in Canada. You can get your hands on their guitar from 350$ up to 2k depending on the model.

Really cool company, gotta give em props.

Godin makes great guitars for the money. In addition to assembly, they also get their maple from Canada.

As for Fender's price hike, I don't like it but it's not a huge price difference. Plus you can still find MIM and MIA Fenders used for decent prices.
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

Yes, plenty. Suhr, Tom Anderson, Jackson, James Tyler, Conklin to name a few. But then you have the exact opposite of that with Fender, Gibson, PRS.
 
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Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

PRS!

$500 SE's that slam dunk over the heads of everyone else within $500 of their price.
 
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Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

Ernie Ball/Music Man still make amazing instruments.
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

I would say fender. You have to shop around but you can find many quality fender instruments for under 700 bucks.

I also like the PRS SE's. If i were to go out and buy a new guitar it would be one of those. I almost traded my strat for one, but I backed out of that.
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

Yeah, from about 2000 (when I started to play) till now prices have just gone ridiculously up and I haven't really seen a reason. My guess is that I've personally seen a spike in guitar players paying more attention to what they want and because of that name brands can hike their prices. Jackson used to be an amazing company, now I think all their models are crap (unless you spend like $5000 which isn't worth it) I wouldn't personally buy another Jackson again. Gibson and Fender have always been overpriced and you have to search for a good one that's even worth spending money on. Ibanez is sadly the only company producing guitars in a decent price range that has a variety of guitars. Godin is fantastic, but you can't really get a straight up shredder with one of those. It's kind of cool though because I'm seeing more unknowns come up, little business is allowed to sneak in, because why spend $2500 on a gibson when someone can build you a better guitar for less than half the price.
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

I see much resemblance between the American big car companies and the big guitar companies...Overpriced, over-reliant on brand power and heritage, lack of innovation, no real efforts to export, losing to the Japanese when it comes to value for money.

+1. America does it again! If someone starts bringing in Japanese-made guitars in massive quantities, American companies are in big trouble. Why do they put themselves in that position, when it's only a matter of time before the day of reckoning comes. American guitar companies must be run by relatives of the guys running the big American auto companies. Greed with no thought of tomorrow.
 
Re: So are any major guitar companies offering new instruments worthy of the pricetag

2-5k for an instrument may seem like a lot of money but it's really not. With proper care it will last a lifetime with minimal outlay over that time for upkeep.

I'm a PRS guy and would say they are worth every penny...heck I'd go so far as to say Paul doesn't charge enough for them. They may not be everybody's favorite flavor but nobody would say they were not well made.

Check out was a really good sax would cost or God forbid a real piano.

And as far as a "working Joe" instrument...500-700 bucks will get you a PRS SE or a MIM Strat or an Ibby.

Guitar players have it easy because we buy in bulk.

So yeah...A LOT of companies are making some really nice instruments for the $
 
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