What's your favorite cheap import brand?

Gearjoneser

Gear Ho
Back in the late nineties, I discovered a well kept secret....Guild's Korean line DeArmond, which got bought out by Fender when they aquired Guild.
These were Korean made guitars of exceptional quality, and most were a cross between Guild and Gretsch. You can find them on Ebay in the $200-$450 price range, and they're honestly great guitars for cheap.

I have an M-72 in transblack flame and 2 tone hardware, which I bought for $275 used. I've had a few other DeArmonds, and might buy another from a friend....a black semi hollow with Bigsby type trem. It's better than all the Gretsch Electromatics and equal in quality to a Washburn or Epiphone.
I love DeArmonds! The pickups alone are worth the price of the guitars, as most are US Guild quality pickups. The necks are no less than a Gibson or Gretsch in feel. And in addition, they feature the Buzz Feiten tuning system!

Which inexpensive guitars do you consider rare gems? I like Epiphone, Edwards, Tokai, DeArmond, Godin, Yamaha, and Washburn.

Here's my M-72 with stock US Goldtone pickups and 2 tone gold/chrome hardware. It feels like an $800 guitar and I only paid $275 with case!
DeArmond.jpg


Here's the Starfire Special my friend has with original case for $400.
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This one has chrome knobs, but the one I'd get has Dearmond knobs which I'd soon replace with Gibson black knobs. That's the only thing I'd even change...the guitar is awesome in stock form!
The one's I like are like the above 2 that are late 90's Korean models that were pre-Fender. These are the true gems!
 
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Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

PRS SE's!!!!

They can be had on the used market or in a GC blowout sale for a very reasonable price.

To tell you the truth, I have been more impressed by the SE's than the high dollar American models most of the time.

Michael Kelly's are also usually a great bang for the buck guitar also. Not quite as high quality as the SE's but, they make great players for a very low price.
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

...Squier

(coincidentally though I was looking at DeArmond Thunderbird clones...

Yeah. But Squier. Usually a setup or less away from being decent.
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

Dean imports. I just love the neck on my hardtail which initially sold it to me in the first place
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

Vintage guitars, I mean the brand called vintage by mr. Wilkinson. High quality wilkinson hardware and pickups, lot of models and price ranges. I totally fell in love with this big orange Gretsch copy they make. Really well built, fantastic sound, plays great.
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

Do Schecter count?
I remember the first Schecter I played was an Omen Extreme (Made in China).

He first handed me a mid-end Jackson and Ibanez and then the Omen.
I know it was in comparison but I almost thought it was a 1000$ guitar, but for less than 400!

Even their 900$ (Made in Korea) Hellraiser feels like a 1500-1800$ guitar...

Besides that, hmm, I think the Korean Swing guitars.
They are a Korean company and seem to want to prove that they can in fact build great guitars, not just great substitutes...

I think they easily beat the Korean Jacksons and most Asian Strat/Tele copies...
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

Used Korean made Deans or Hamers.:scared::27::approve:
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

Epi's are one of my fav's. Probably becuz I'm such a Gibson whore tho.

I really like ESP LTD's. I've been very impressed with alot of their products. They combine a lot of good elements that work well together. Nice bodies and construction, good hardware, good pups, and lot of them look real nice to boot! They play and sound great. Sometimes I think the LTD line is a better guitar than their USA lines... You get all the same features at half the price with more options...
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

I'm a little surprised Agile and Reverend didn't get mentioned yet. Haven't played either one yet myself though.
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

G&L Tribute line. Those things are just an incredible value. Total US electronics, the same that go in to the US models. If I were to go out and buy another import guitar right now, it would be a Tribute.
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

Coming from this side of the pond. then imports become Fender, Gibson, G&L, Guild.....:D
I do like the G&L Tribute series, with US pickups tho.
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

Plus, I'd have to say best bang for buck quality instruments- Edwards and Fender Japan.
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

I'm a big Ibanez fan, you tend to get good value for money on those.
But my Tokai explorer is just a great copy for the cash, plus it's gold, which is a finish you don't usually get for £300 ($600 ish).
Pups were rubbish mind but that's one of the reasons I found my way on here :)
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

I'm a little surprised Agile didn't get mentioned yet.

That's 'cuase they're really not that good...

I have a korean ESP that's amazingly hip, the Korean Hamers are usually pretty good too. Washburn is sorely underrated & overlooked IMO.

Those DeArmonds are great guitars... very suprising quality especially for the money. They could be twice the price & still worth it. Tokai's... all the 'usual' suspects...
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

I really like the Edwards Gibson clones.....it's too bad they can't have US dealers.
I just noticed they make ES-335/355 clones, and I really want a black one. It's 1/3rd the price of a Gibson, but looks very nice for the money.

And G&L Tributes are definitely amongst the best imports.
The new PRS SE Custom Singlecuts are probably the best $500 guitar I've ever picked up.
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

Squier, PRS SE, Tokai, Edwards, Gretsch Electromatic, hell even the ESP LP copies aren't too bad for what they are.
 
Re: What's your favorite cheap import brand?

I don't know about the newer stuff but the early 80's Aria Pro II stuff was great.

As for the newer stuff, I've had great luck with MIK Deans.
 
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