The best cheap gear you've had.
- Thread starter firebirdguy72
- Start date
DreX
New member
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
The quality of "cheap" stuff is so good anymore that a better question might be "what cheap gear has let you down lately?"
For me that would be the Nux booster overdrive, it clearly wasn't built to be stomped on despite being a stop box. I have over twenty pedals from Moen, Joyo, Biyang, Caline and Behringer, and haven't had any problem with those brands.
My cheaper guitars and amps are miles ahead of similarly priced gear from the 90's.
The quality of "cheap" stuff is so good anymore that a better question might be "what cheap gear has let you down lately?"
For me that would be the Nux booster overdrive, it clearly wasn't built to be stomped on despite being a stop box. I have over twenty pedals from Moen, Joyo, Biyang, Caline and Behringer, and haven't had any problem with those brands.
My cheaper guitars and amps are miles ahead of similarly priced gear from the 90's.
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MetalManiac
Li'l Junior Member
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
Great thread. Congratulations OP.
Well...
1)I have a Crate Stealth Lee Jackson. Its a 90's amp. Big heavy duty Tolex cabinet; 4x 6V6 for 30 watts. It does a great job at getting the hot Rod Marshall Mids. Creepy good amp for the cost. Unfortunately 30 watts isn't near enui for this MetalManiac.
2)Vox Practice tube amp. 300.00 New. Cool with some good semi authentic sounds.
I have modified a few cheap guitars to be relatively really good guitars at at or around the 300 dollar mark.
Great thread. Congratulations OP.
Well...
1)I have a Crate Stealth Lee Jackson. Its a 90's amp. Big heavy duty Tolex cabinet; 4x 6V6 for 30 watts. It does a great job at getting the hot Rod Marshall Mids. Creepy good amp for the cost. Unfortunately 30 watts isn't near enui for this MetalManiac.
2)Vox Practice tube amp. 300.00 New. Cool with some good semi authentic sounds.
I have modified a few cheap guitars to be relatively really good guitars at at or around the 300 dollar mark.
firebirdguy72
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Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
Someone suggested that maybe the worst cheap gear you've had could be a bit more interesting so why not merge it into both? What is the best/worst cheap gear you have had the pleasure or displeasure to use? The worst for me would be a very low quality Cort acoustic. It plays pretty good but the internal bracing is very weak and you can hear them creaking when you move the guitar. It sounds okay but a much better acoustic can be had for the same price.
Someone suggested that maybe the worst cheap gear you've had could be a bit more interesting so why not merge it into both? What is the best/worst cheap gear you have had the pleasure or displeasure to use? The worst for me would be a very low quality Cort acoustic. It plays pretty good but the internal bracing is very weak and you can hear them creaking when you move the guitar. It sounds okay but a much better acoustic can be had for the same price.
firebirdguy72
안전놀이터추천 『‰』ＫaＫa８３.ＣoＭ까톡: oxiz 『‰』 해외 베팅 업체
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
To be fair I saw someone else's thread about best cheap pickups and figured I'd start one for gear in general.
To be fair I saw someone else's thread about best cheap pickups and figured I'd start one for gear in general.
DMR
New member
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
I have a Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat acoustic that I got at Guitar Center for like $350 or so a while back. I've been very pleasantly surprised that it stays in tune very well. I comes with a built-in electric tuner but i've rarely had to use it. I'm not much of an acoustic guitar kind of guy and got it just for dicking around but have actually spent quite a bit of time with it.
I have a Fender Tim Armstrong Hellcat acoustic that I got at Guitar Center for like $350 or so a while back. I've been very pleasantly surprised that it stays in tune very well. I comes with a built-in electric tuner but i've rarely had to use it. I'm not much of an acoustic guitar kind of guy and got it just for dicking around but have actually spent quite a bit of time with it.
Ashurbanipal
Well-known member
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
Probably my RS525 - $150. Killer neck and resonance. I thought the big trem route would be a tone killer but it isn't.
Probably my RS525 - $150. Killer neck and resonance. I thought the big trem route would be a tone killer but it isn't.
Brian Griffin
New member
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
A refinished Ibanez RGA32, formerly in oil finished. Now with DiMarzio Evolutions.
A refinished Ibanez RGA32, formerly in oil finished. Now with DiMarzio Evolutions.
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DrNewcenstein
He Did the Monster Mash
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
Agile 2500 GT goldtop LP copy. Had a real USA Les Paul Standard at the same time and the Agile could keep up with it well enough.
Vantage FV575 Flying V. Despite the miniature fretwire, it's a tone beast. I've had 4 USA Gibson Vs, and sold them all, but I still have the Vantage.
Not going to count my import Jackson WR mutts with DK2M necks, as they're made with superior quality Jackson parts that were obtained cheaply.
Agile 2500 GT goldtop LP copy. Had a real USA Les Paul Standard at the same time and the Agile could keep up with it well enough.
Vantage FV575 Flying V. Despite the miniature fretwire, it's a tone beast. I've had 4 USA Gibson Vs, and sold them all, but I still have the Vantage.
Not going to count my import Jackson WR mutts with DK2M necks, as they're made with superior quality Jackson parts that were obtained cheaply.
Brian Griffin
New member
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
A refinished Kramer Custom, formerly quilted maple in blonde.
A refinished Kramer Custom, formerly quilted maple in blonde.
firebirdguy72
안전놀이터추천 『‰』ＫaＫa８３.ＣoＭ까톡: oxiz 『‰』 해외 베팅 업체
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
Why cover up quilted maple?
Why cover up quilted maple?
Phantasmagoria
watch where you point that sabre
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
Pretty much every piece of gear I own :lmao:
Pretty much every piece of gear I own :lmao:
Brian Griffin
New member
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
I don't know about you, but this is a cheesy piece that made me want to puke all over it. Especially the abalone binding, ughh!
I don't know about you, but this is a cheesy piece that made me want to puke all over it. Especially the abalone binding, ughh!
firebirdguy72
안전놀이터추천 『‰』ＫaＫa８３.ＣoＭ까톡: oxiz 『‰』 해외 베팅 업체
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
The abalone binding is to much. Now that I see it I can say it definitely looks better now. Had it been a different color finish on it I'd probably say keep it because I really love the look of a good quilted top. but the blonde is just cheeseville.
The abalone binding is to much. Now that I see it I can say it definitely looks better now. Had it been a different color finish on it I'd probably say keep it because I really love the look of a good quilted top. but the blonde is just cheeseville.
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LLL
New member
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
I'll add 2 more categories to my list...
All items purchased new (per OPs suggestion).
Best Cheap Gear I have or had:
EHX 6CA7s
MXR 6 Band EQ
DigiTech Bad Monkey
Agile 3xxx guitars
late 80s right-handed Gibson SG, (purchased new in late 80s) for $400 (I converted to lefty)
Shure SM57
Worst Cheap Gear I have or had:
any amp with the name "Crate" on it
late 80s Ibenhad (Ibanez) RG-something (purchased new in late 80s)
MXR Micro Amp
Best Expensive Gear I have or had:
Universal Audio LA610 Mk2 mic preamp / compressor
lefty '08 Gibson Custom Shop '61 LP/SG Custom (2 pickup)
lefty '13 Gibson Elliot Easton "Tikibird" Firebird
Beyer M160 ribbon mic
Optima Gold guitar strings
NOS Mullard 12AX7s/CV4004s
Badgerplex Trilogy
Worst Expensive Gear I have or had:
ADA MP-1 preamp and B200S poweramp (purchased new in late 80s)
MXR DIME Distortion
lefty '99 Fender American Standard Strat (purchased new in 1999)
I'll add 2 more categories to my list...
All items purchased new (per OPs suggestion).
Best Cheap Gear I have or had:
EHX 6CA7s
MXR 6 Band EQ
DigiTech Bad Monkey
Agile 3xxx guitars
late 80s right-handed Gibson SG, (purchased new in late 80s) for $400 (I converted to lefty)
Shure SM57
Worst Cheap Gear I have or had:
any amp with the name "Crate" on it
late 80s Ibenhad (Ibanez) RG-something (purchased new in late 80s)
MXR Micro Amp
Best Expensive Gear I have or had:
Universal Audio LA610 Mk2 mic preamp / compressor
lefty '08 Gibson Custom Shop '61 LP/SG Custom (2 pickup)
lefty '13 Gibson Elliot Easton "Tikibird" Firebird
Beyer M160 ribbon mic
Optima Gold guitar strings
NOS Mullard 12AX7s/CV4004s
Badgerplex Trilogy
Worst Expensive Gear I have or had:
ADA MP-1 preamp and B200S poweramp (purchased new in late 80s)
MXR DIME Distortion
lefty '99 Fender American Standard Strat (purchased new in 1999)
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beaubrummels
Well-known member
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
Squire Mini - best $99 guitar I've ever experienced. Have used it on stage as a backup. Even used it as a D-tuned guitar on stage one night. It did the job. (Doesn't stay in tune very long, though, so it's not a go-to player. But I will use it for rehearsals or times where I don't want to wear out my arms - tendonitis) Also took it on a plane to Japan once (fits in overhead) and used it on a recording session for a DJ remix.
Rickenbacker 420-12 - bought for $200, now worth $4000, and it's a workhorse, have used it often since day one
Crate 80 watt, can't remember the model (had real Telefunken pre-tubes in it.) Through a Randall/Celestion extension cab it sounded like a Marshall.
Fender 1966 Stratocaster - bought for $650 because someone painted the body psychedelic colors and it was missing the bridge pickup.
Worst? Had an Ibanez shred stick in the 80s that was active and sounded cheap, and ran it through a Sound Studio, which while fun, was just a cheap, synthetic-sounding knock-off of a Rockman. I liked it, all fun, but it wasn't good. I ran that whole package through a Randall, which helped mask and make up for the cheapness of the sounds.
Another worst was a Heathkit amp I had with Radio Shack/Realistic speakers. The only thing it excelled at was making white noise.
Squire Mini - best $99 guitar I've ever experienced. Have used it on stage as a backup. Even used it as a D-tuned guitar on stage one night. It did the job. (Doesn't stay in tune very long, though, so it's not a go-to player. But I will use it for rehearsals or times where I don't want to wear out my arms - tendonitis) Also took it on a plane to Japan once (fits in overhead) and used it on a recording session for a DJ remix.
Rickenbacker 420-12 - bought for $200, now worth $4000, and it's a workhorse, have used it often since day one
Crate 80 watt, can't remember the model (had real Telefunken pre-tubes in it.) Through a Randall/Celestion extension cab it sounded like a Marshall.
Fender 1966 Stratocaster - bought for $650 because someone painted the body psychedelic colors and it was missing the bridge pickup.
Worst? Had an Ibanez shred stick in the 80s that was active and sounded cheap, and ran it through a Sound Studio, which while fun, was just a cheap, synthetic-sounding knock-off of a Rockman. I liked it, all fun, but it wasn't good. I ran that whole package through a Randall, which helped mask and make up for the cheapness of the sounds.
Another worst was a Heathkit amp I had with Radio Shack/Realistic speakers. The only thing it excelled at was making white noise.
firebirdguy72
안전놀이터추천 『‰』ＫaＫa８３.ＣoＭ까톡: oxiz 『‰』 해외 베팅 업체
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
One thing I forgot about my brothers ibanez gio. It's been two years since he got it and it has not broken a string once. It's always strung up with .09's and we bend the **** out of em every day. It's unbelievable. I've broken countless strings on pretty much every guitar I've played but this one...
One thing I forgot about my brothers ibanez gio. It's been two years since he got it and it has not broken a string once. It's always strung up with .09's and we bend the **** out of em every day. It's unbelievable. I've broken countless strings on pretty much every guitar I've played but this one...
Diego
New member
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
Squier Affinity Strat. GFS trem, bone nut and Tonerider single coils.
Sounds excellent, has a sweeter top end than you'd expect and a airy midrange.
Also, my #1 cost me $250; Ibanez SZ320. Very stable instrument, sounds and plays great.
The worst cheap gear I've had?
The Eminence Legend 1258 speaker that my cab had stock. Very poor speaker.
EDIT: The worst expensive gear I've had was an Ibanez RG1550. The trem piece had a design failure that made it NOT return to tune unless you dived it. The stock pickups were mediocre. The wood stripped easily. The frets were shot in a year.
God I hated it. Sold it and bought my SZ. Don't miss it one bit.
Squier Affinity Strat. GFS trem, bone nut and Tonerider single coils.
Sounds excellent, has a sweeter top end than you'd expect and a airy midrange.
Also, my #1 cost me $250; Ibanez SZ320. Very stable instrument, sounds and plays great.
The worst cheap gear I've had?
The Eminence Legend 1258 speaker that my cab had stock. Very poor speaker.
EDIT: The worst expensive gear I've had was an Ibanez RG1550. The trem piece had a design failure that made it NOT return to tune unless you dived it. The stock pickups were mediocre. The wood stripped easily. The frets were shot in a year.
God I hated it. Sold it and bought my SZ. Don't miss it one bit.
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JeffB
Let it B
Re: The best cheap gear you've had.
That was exactly what I had, I believe. A white squier, maple board, vintage appointments, though not sure if it was a RI.
That was exactly what I had, I believe. A white squier, maple board, vintage appointments, though not sure if it was a RI.
