Most surprinsing cheap guitar you ever own

[fatherjacques]

Sometimes we buy a guitar thinking it would be a good back up or something like that and surprisingly you find that you can let it down. On my end I bought an Elitist Epiphone, replace the stock pickups by Haeussel Vin neck and Vin+ bridge, put a RS kit have my preferred tech set it up and WOW!! Can,t take it down:RoCkIn

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a394/fatherjacques/Elitist/P1010012.jpg

[Tone_Terrific]

...note to poster...
That's not a cheapie gutar.
I just bought a CHEAP guitar. The real thing (about $5% to 10% of that one). I'll report after further testing.
Good tone is wherever you find it.

[69strat]

I bought an epi 1996 ltd edition les paul from guitar center used for $260. I put a set of dream 90,s $19 each ,from guitar fetish in there. Anyone that plays that axe cannot believe the playability and tone!!! :RoCkIn

[George Johnson]

PRS Soapbar SE... best sub $500 guitar I've ever found. :RoCkIn

[dudeunitx5000]

Electra Vulcan MPC $175
Takamine F307S $225
Danelectro Hodad $100
Peavey T-60 $195

[blong]

PRS Santana SE and an SE Soapbar II Maple Top. I got both for $500. I also own a Squier Telecaster that just flat out plays great with a great neck and a great feel. The pups are ok but a little weak. I'm replacing them soon, but otherwise a phenomenal little guitar. Also, I used to own a Danelectro DC-2 and it was killer for the money. Mexican made Fenders are a great value, as are many Epiphones.

Bob

[Rusty G.]

I'm with the two above posters who think the PRS SE II soapbar is the best sub $500 guitar they've ever owned. I bought one for my 7 year old to learn on and I've enjoyed playing it. See, I bought him one of those $200 Squier 3/4 strats a year ago and he never played it. Hard to get in tune and doesn't stay in tune. The PRS is about twice the price, but it's more than twice the guitar.

[Bad Habit]

I bought an older Korean Brownsville SUD550 which is modeled after an LP doublecut for $130. I spent a couple hundred to upgrade all of the hardware and put in DiMarzio Air Norton's. At a jam a couple weeks ago, I started playing with it. It played and sounded so good that I never took my real Les Paul out of its case. I also own a Danelectro U1 '56 re-issue I paid $150 for that I'm quite fond of as well.

[Boogs]

I own two S-73's, DeArmond SG-style mahogony guitars...bought after Fender purchased Guild/Dearmond, so they are labeled Squiers. They were being blown out when Fender was ready to discontinue them, and I payed $200 for a black one/$250 for a red one.

Completely gutted the electronics in both, putting in better pots/switches, wiring, and GFS Fat PAFs in both. Completely upgraded hardware....bridges/tailpieces, knobs, tuners, graphite nuts. Strung them both up with D'Addario nickleplated .11s.

Total? About $450 for each guitar, and they are stone cold killers...they play great, the Fat PAFs sound great in them, and with the solid mahogony bodies/set necks, give them a warm and dense sound.

[googoobaby]

Peavey T-15 - Really nice neck, totally usable pickups in all positions, comfy to hold, sounds much better than one would think.

[drolling]

"Cheap" is relative, I guess, but when you get down to the $100 - $200 level, you're usually lookin at a pretty crappy instrument - Gotta admit, tho', some of those Chinese guitars look great.. until you pick em up. They really do feel like toys.. and I'm not even gonna comment on the quality of the electronics.

But I will throw in w/the Epi players. Gave a buddy a Wildkat and much to our surprise, it's become one of his main guitars.

And I just got a used '58 korina V that can hang w/any of my instruments. i was sure I'd have to rip out the p-ups immediately, but I've gigged it and everybody loved the sound. Any upgrade's become very low priority for now..

[sw686blue]

Sometimes we buy a guitar thinking it would be a good back up or something like that and surprisingly you find that you can let it down. On my end I bought an Elitist Epiphone, replace the stock pickups by Haeussel Vin neck and Vin+ bridge, put a RS kit have my preferred tech set it up and WOW!! Can,t take it down:RoCkIn

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a394/fatherjacques/Elitist/P1010012.jpg

FatherJacques,

Can we see some more pix of the guitar? Looks beautiful. Where in Montreal are you? I'm in Laval.

Nick

[gi doc]

Hamer Phantom Custom.........Best less that $1000 I've ever owned. Extremely versatile.

[Chuckracer]

I just bought an Epi Les Paul Custom for $300. I'll have it in my hands next week...boy am I hoping I get lucky and it's a good one! I played 10 to 12 last night at GC and decided that if that was a good sample, I was fairly safe in buying blind, ie; eBay.

Hopefully in a week I can add to this thread!

[SFK]

Muddy Waters Tele
http://pic11.picturetrail.com/VOL361/492960/8505614/114796734.jpg

[beePee]

CHEAP!!....... are you guys Bill Gates relatives!!!

dis be cheap and da shite
David Lidleys' EKO...

http://www.davidlindley.com/images/photos/inst/g28.gif

there's more!!!

http://www.davidlindley.com/instruments.html

I 'm going to start my cheap guitar vision quest soon.I love the sound of those cheap PUPs and bodies made from materials from the outer asteroid belt!....they have mountains of characther no arm and a leg botique PUP /guitar could ever hope for...

and all those damn switches and buttons ...holy bat guano Batman!! :RoCkIn :RoCkIn :RoCkIn

Bee"Mistah EKO"Pee

[Intelligentpony]

I snagged this one at GC with a used case for $106 out the door. Satin finish Mexican Standard. It was the last new one left and they were blowing it out
due to a couple of small dings and the neck pickup was dead. Plunked down the cash and immediately had them due a repair order for the pickup since it was new with warranty, duh! :jo Got it back from repair a couple of weeks later with the new pickup at no charge. Plays great and the pickups actually sound really good.
http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y114/intelligentpony/DSC04769.jpg

[dudeunitx5000]

"Cheap" is relative, I guess, but when you get down to the $100 - $200 level, you're usually lookin at a pretty crappy instrument


Not necessarily. I think I listed about four guitars I found over the past few months in pawnshops in that price range and none of them are what I would call "crappy". They sound good and get the job done. That is why I bought them.

[IPlayHamers]

My Schecter C-1 Classic has been killer. Comes stock with real Duncans, 5 way switch, neck through, maple top, strings through the body all for $420 with a gig bag. While it can't touch my Hamers as far as quality and girth, it is much more versatile and has become my go to axe for most studio work and live gigs when I don't want to risk something happening to one of the Hamers.

Great guitar IMO.

IPH

[e-z]

Squier Tele. All it needed was to be set up properly.

[Leftee]

All I own is cheap.

http://www.leftee.net/images/guitars_8_06.jpg

[currypowder]

I snagged a Campbell American Precix here a few months back. It has some minor finish flaws and is loaded with Duncan Phat Cats. After a quick neck adjustment (it was a little out of alignment) it has become one of my favorite guitars. Ultra light and has the tone of an SG special. Very nice neck. It's a bolt-on that sounds more like a set neck.

http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c270/currypowder1/Precix/DSC03093.jpg

[90wreck]

Santana SE for me boy.

[infiniteposse]

1980's Gibson Invader. Basically a sorta LP shaped body with a bolt-on neck and Duncan pickups stock. Light as a feather, plays like butter and sounds huge for chunka-chunka distorto guitar sounds. Gibson LP folks hate 'em, but I think it's a cool little guitar to have around.

I payed $400 for the guitar, hard-shell case and a little Solidstate fender princeton 112 amp that was good enough for what it was...

http://k47.pbase.com/u12/infiniteposse/large/38190053.Resizeof54lespaul0001.jpg

http://k53.pbase.com/u12/infiniteposse/large/38190060.Resizeof54lespaul0004.jpg

http://k41.pbase.com/u12/infiniteposse/large/38190056.Resizeof54lespaul0002.jpg

[jhczar]

I own an '87-ish Squier Strat my neighbors got out of a dumpster and were going to just give it to me. I insisted on paying something, so we agreed on $30. Almost no scratches, and in excellent condition given its age. Stuck an old DiMarzio SDS-1 in the bridge & it's my son's main axe. Best $30 I ever spent on guitar gear...
http://i108.photobucket.com/albums/n14/jhczar/P1000100.jpg

[Bluedawg]

I'm convinced that there are good cheap guitars out there.

It's just that, on average, the cheaper the guitars the more of them you have to play to find one worth having.

:)

[cottonmouth]

Bluedawg has it right. Play enough of them and sooner or later you'll find a cherry. I found a sparkle yellow Brownsville Impala on ebay for $104 and it has a character and tone like nothing I've ever heard. Plays fantastic and is well built to boot. :crazy

[Jokald]

I walked into GC a couple of months ago and ran across a Japanese Jerry Donahue Tele that was used and had $550 on the tag. I plugged it into a Bassman RI and knew I had to own it. I ended up getting it for $450 out the door. Had it set up and have been using it as my number one since.

[IndieHead]

in my experience, the best value for money guitar under 200 was the Squier Affinity Telecaster. The butterscotch blonde with black pickguard was just dead sexy.

Its went for something like 129 bucks new. It is made of alder wood and although it sports a top loader bridge, this baby rocks! The body is also slightly thinner than the tele standard and it is made in the image of the good old Esquire.

It has been getting rave reviews in the Fender forums. I have since thrown in some seymour duncan pickups and it stands tall agst most teles I have come to play.

[dave s]

Early 90s I bought one of the 'highly sought after, much coveted Wayne's World MIM strat. Olympic white, vintage 60s design.

At the time, I needed a backup guitar and wanted a strat at the same time. Money was tight, so price was very important. As luck would have it, a local large fender dealer had about 30 MIM strats. I played them all, put the 'keepers' in one pile and let the others go.

Of the three keepers, one was poop brown, one two-tone burst and the Oly White "Wayne's World" model. That's the one I kept.

Upgraded the pickups to Rio Grand tallboys and had a really nice guitar that played great, sounded great, stayed in tune ... pretty much MORE than you could ask of a sub $400 strat with case.

Sold it to friend years later and at last contact, the guy's son was STILL playing that strat! Should have hung onto to it!

dave

[Luke V]

I bought a Squier Strat for $39. I was going to set it up for Nashville tuning, but the thing played great. I put in a set of Texas Specials I had laying around, and it became my backup guitar for gigging.

[Lex Luthier]

My $20 1983 MIJ Squier Strat sounds as good as any Strat I've owned, and I've owned a bunch.

[walpow]

I just bought one of those Oscar Schmidt OE30s that are going for 99 bucks at Musician's Friend. I'm astounded by what I got for my money (and in a good way). I intended swapping out the humbuckers for some HB-sized P90s, but it sounds so good I'm leaving it as is. The blueburst finish is great - my wife saw it and immediately told me how gorgeous she thought it was. And it plays well. Really well. I'm enjoying it through an MI Audio Blue Boy Deluxe into my Traynor. A great old time rock and roll vibe. It's listed as a semi-hollow, and I suppose strictly speaking it is, but the center block doesn't go the whole length of the body - in fact the pickups don't have any wood under them beyond the top. Doesn't matter. Still a great guitar and a great bargain. I'm thinking of getting another (because I still have that P90 jones).

[pickaguitar]

95 Washburn D-10s.

I've got martins, gibsons, etc...and while they are better, I could never get rid of this guitar. It's very unique.

[JDW3]

I bought a Schecter tele a few years ago for $350.00, plays great. Was better than all the more expensive Fender teles in the store.

My 60's pawn shop Epiphone Olympic Double kills most of the guitars I own. 7 lbs, installed a GFS P-90 in neck and JB HB at bridge. A smoking lightweight old wood guitar. Cost me around $400.00 total.

The band thinks it sounds the best out of 5 that I use.

[WildHawk]

Yamaha Pacifica models. The $200 112 model, 412, 612...and my MS311 Tele copy.

Nice alder bodies. Also necks that put the Fender QC department to shame.
http://i20.photobucket.com/albums/b221/wildhawk/6cbd751d.jpg

[Greggy]

Agile is worthy. I have 3 and each one is very competent and solidly built.

[MarkSimpson]

I've had so many under $200 guitars over the years. The great ones were/are:

`83 Ibanez Roadstar II Blazer hardtail. Great maple neck, super light body, does the Strat thing perfect.

Aria Pro II Fullerton. Rescued from the curb by one of my fiancee's friends. Routed out the cavity to fit a loaded Squier pickguard, slapped in a better set of tuners from the parts box and gave it to my future father in law. He loves it and plays it regularly.

`93 MIM Duo Sonic. One of my all time faves, found it for $120 at a local store. Ended up dumping another $200 into it and it keeps up with my early Duos.

$130 Squire Affinity `52 Tele. B-stock with a finish flaw.

$180 Alesis X-Guitar. Another B-stock with a finish flaw.

[The Eristic]

I have a Matsumoku-built Vantage "The Ghost" that I stole from GC for $135. It's easily one of the best sounding guitars I own.

[CaseyI]

I am really diging my Godin Radiatior. For $170.00 it is hard to beat.

[ultrevex]

This is my 'douglas' branded 335 copy. Rondo music was blowing them out for $149. It is, for all intents and purposes, an Epi Dot with a different headstock. It was totally playable and gig worthy out of the box. Of course, I upgraded the pickups with a couple from my parts box, set it up, buffed the frets out, oiled the board, 'aged' the dots with some amber, tweaked the nut, etc. and it's not shy about playing right along side of my LP's and other pricier guitars.

This Chinese manufacturing revolution is an amazing thing. There were no cheapo guitars this good when I was a teenager.

http://img.villagephotos.com/p/2004-1/613736/small.jpg

[TopJimmy5150]

My lifer Electric is an '84 Squier Stratocaster. These were made in Japan for the low end of the market, but she is my favorite. I will have that guitar until I die or it is stolen.

I also have a recent Squier Standard Telecaster. It has faults...lousy fretwork (ends) and is made of the wrong wood for a Tele (Agathis). Everything is cheap, but it works. I pick it up and don't want to put it down. It just goes to show you that when a guitar speaks to you, buy it...regardless of the name on the headstock.

I spent a pretty penny on a US made Strat. It's a fine guitar. Perfect, actually. And it's for sale. ;-)

[uncle looie]

I paid $300 out the door with a hardcase for a Squier Esprit just like this one last October. It's been a great guitar.

http://www.imuso.co.uk/images/Product/EG00881.jpg

[Loni Specter]

Lyle Strat.Lawsuit clone. Late 70s sunburst, maple/maple large fender headstock
$80. pawnshop prize. The neck plays better than any US strat Ive had.
The pickups sqeeled, so I potted them. I'm still not crazy about the pickups tone so I'm considering a swap-out tp Lollars.

[michael30]

A german Klira that I bought on ebay for $95. I spent $150 for repairs (cracked headstock, fret dress, setup) at Ruokangas guitars. It's beat up and ugly but plays and sounds like a dream.

http://www.guitarhucksters.com/files/hucksters.kotisivukone.com/ugly%2520klira

[dmczern]

I bought a Mexican Tele a few years back for $245. It feels really good, nice weight, neck fits my hands. It seems like it would be worth sprucing up a bit.......do you guys have any suggestions for pickups or new tuning gears, bridge, nut etc........????

Thanks !

Dave

[Boogs]

Here's a new cheapie-success-story:

Bought an Ibanez Artcore AG75 off of a forum member, these already have a low street price of $350. He had it set up professionally, upgraded the electronics, then installed GFS (again...all of my guitars have them now!) Dream 180s in it. Then he sold it to me for $275. :)

That's my new record for price:mojo. Great little fiddle!

[pickaguitar]

Washburn WD-40S

It's foreign made.
It's laminated.
It's not nitro.
It's minimal.

It really has broken in very well over the past 11 years and sounds amazing.


Jason

[whitehall]

Sorry to say , but after owning a lot of good guitars , most all the cheap copy guitars I had were pretty much junk.

[g.griffith]

Gretsch Electromatic Double Jet w/Bigsby. Quite simply a lovely player with great feel and tone; sounds great through a 65 London. My first experience with Gretsch, actually, and it made me want to move up to a high end Gretsch. The best inexpensive guitar I've owned.

[TiEsQue]

A 1972 Stratocaster I picked up for $99. I bought it a long time ago when they couldn't give them away. Now they sell in the $5k range. I must have owned a dozen of those early 70's Strats and only one was worth keeping. But what a great guitar it has been!

[Crazy Carl]

Scored this Chinese Hamer Scarab for $249 (new) w/hsc-

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v206/Lingenfelser/scarab1.jpg

Fit & finish are superb & the fret work was better than my '57 RI Les Paul Custom. Kic a$$ guitar, that I'd gig with no reservations.

[GuitarTone]

Just picked this one up for $285.

Made in Japan 1994 Floyd Rose 'Foto Flame' Strat.

Plays great, sounds great, just have to block the Trem, don't really like trems, but like everything else about it.

http://img393.imageshack.us/img393/6388/floydrose2rf9.jpg

[zzmoore]

Our "house guitar" is this Hamer, $279.00 + tax. The Leslie was $400.00.http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n143/zzmoore/Hamer.jpg

[dougb415]

My lifer Electric is an '84 Squier Stratocaster. These were made in Japan for the low end of the market, but she is my favorite. I will have that guitar until I die or it is stolen.

I have one of those too - traded a POC scanner to my buddy for that guitar and a little Yamaha amp. It needs some work, but otherwise is an excellent guitar.

Picked up a Stellar LP copy w/ hardshell case off of Ebay last year for $225. Not bad at all.

My wife got me a MIM Tele last year for Christmas. A wunnerful guitar for $365 :)

[Hackubus]

I got my wife a Hello Kitty Strat for Valentine's day. She moved on to drums this summer & actually ain't a half bad drummer! SO, I've inherited a black (thank goodness I got the black one) HK Strat.

Nice beefy neck, seems like it has potential to be a pretty decent little shredder. Just gotta get up the gumption to replace the wiring & the p'up.

[mad dog]

1967 Supro "60" with a string through, lap steel p/u. Picked it up for 235 bucks. Seems like a cute little toy guitar, until you turn it up. I use it for slide, roaring sustain at higher volume, the sweetest, clearest tones on the quieter stuff.

[Den]

I've enjoyed two recent surprises in inexpensive axes:

#1 Washburn D100 (appears to be identical to D10s mentioned by others). They normally sell for about $200, and sometimes on Musician's Friend at only $99 ... but mine was free. A buddy bought it to have at his house for me to play when I came over and I was so blown away by it, he told me to take it home.

My main acoustic is a Goodall RCJC which is amazing and my favorite to date. But when it comes to tone and playability, this Washburn is just not very far away. While a trained ear would definitely favor the Goodall, in blind listening tests, most people can't decide whether they like the Goodall or the Washburn best. I have yet to find another one that sounds this good, but I'll definitely keep looking. In the meantime, I'm happy some magic came about on the Washburn assembly line the day my guitar happened to be rolling down the conveyor.

#2 After loads of rave reviews, I decided to order an Agile LP style guitar. With a 30 day return policy, why not check it out? I recieved it just last week ... $399. delivered and am still in shock.

The model I chose is their top of the line model with a wide neck for my big fat hands. The neck is almost identical to my Johnny A (similar to the PRS wide/fat carve) and actually has slighty better action. The guitar was absolutely flawless and sounds awesome. The nut was cut perfectly, thin finish, Grover tuners.

I was sure I would have to replace pups ... but am amazed at how good these sound. I may experiment with some others for fun, but have no complaints with these in any way. All pickup positions sound awesome and are truly usable. I bought this as backup for my Johnny A ... now I almost feel I need a backup for this since it's so nice. I really can't believe how much guitar for the money. Just crazy.

Mine looks almost identical to this pic from their website:
http://www.rondomusic.net/photos/electric/al3100mopcsb5a.jpg

[BradKM]

I've got a Dearmond M66 that I picked up for $119 when they were blowing them out.

I had considered one before the big Dearmond blowout, but couldn't come to grips with paying $350 for a bolt-neck LP style guitar. I couldn't resist at $119. At the time, I thought that I would simply take the pickups for projects and part out the rest of the guitar if I didn't like it.

I haven't changed a single thing on it, and I absolutely love it.

[Mike9]

I scored a Parker P-38 that was built here in the USA by a Parker employee. It's got DiMarzio HSS pickups, locking tuners, Wilkinson trem, heavy duty gigbag, tuner, cable - mint condition - $200. Great looking, great playing & a great sounding guitar. It inspired me to get a NiteFly - and I did . . . for $450.

http://www.deanguitars.com/userpics/lib6/pkr1.JPG

The other killer deal was my Agile gold top LP - $125. It needed a neck repair and I put some Jon Moore P-90s in it and I can't complain for the price.

http://www.deanguitars.com/userpics/lib5/GT5.JPG

[Troubleman]

Bought a blonde Epiphone 335 dot. The original owner had installed Schaller tuners, a bone nut, had the frets leveled and crowned, and replaced the switch & pots, and had a pro set-up job done, complete with .011 gauge strings (which is what I typically play). I was anticipating swapping out the pickups, so I'd budgeted for a set of Duncan Antiquity humbuckers. Wrong. The pickups that are in it are fine (still having a hard time believing that one). They're great for blues and distort really well for rock. Roll back the tone controls and the guitar does jazz really well. The finish is gorgeous too. Price, delivered to my door in its hardshell case - $300.
Tough to beat.

Peace,

jb

[Robert1950]

Used Epiphone Riviera, MIJ, circa 1978. $425 Cdn.

http://gallery.photo.net/photo/4688799-md.jpg

[harryjmic]

Mid 80's jap strat. I did a little work Kinman's, Callaham and frets but man what a guitar. Best new cheap guitar was an Ibanez I bought but sold it when I got an R7. Best cheap guitar played recently was the new Fender strat at GC, made in Mexico...their POP say's improved trem block and such, it plays very well for $400.

[v-verb]

Paid just over $300 - made in North America - thin finish, plays great. Godins are amazing Bargains!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v709/v-verb/DSCN1595.jpg

[AJ Love]

I had a Made in Mexico Fender P Bass from 2001 or so that, after a pickup change, sounded amazing. It was almost as great sounding as my buddy's 1965 Vintage P Bass... it was very foolish of me to sell it

[aidan7737]

Fenix Telecaster (TC-10?). It was my first guitar, I still own it and still play it live with my '52 RI waiting in the wings for a string break.

Over the years everything on the guitar has been upgraded. Tuners, Callaham Am Std bridge and electronics, SD pups, even put the strings through the body to improve on the original top-loading design. It sounds AMAZING and being around 10 years old has really started to come into its own.

[Rock Johnson]

I used to have a lefty MIM Strat, black, with a rosewood board, that I set up to play righty, that I bought for $160 at a local music store. It fulfilled all my Hendrix fantasies. Great playing and sounding guitar. I eventually sold it for $200 to a lefty buddy of mine.

[Rock Johnson]

Paid just over $300 - made in North America - thin finish, plays great. Godins are amazing Bargains!!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v709/v-verb/DSCN1595.jpg

I've got a Godin Freeway Classic in the same color, with a maple fretboard. Mine was $350 shipped, great guitar. I'm not a huge fan of the pickups, but I'm too lazy to change them out LOL...

[StratTone]

Man I threw some Texas Specials in this $50 Squire and it rocks!! I do a lot of Walter Trout volume swell stuff with this one. (very loose pot)

http://i17.photobucket.com/albums/b60/StratTone/Pictures007.jpg

[guitarmook]

I've got several 'cheap' guitars that go to gigs with me on a regular basis. The latest are a pair of 'Eastwoods'... a stormbird (firebird copy) and a 'savannah' - a rough gretsch clone (semi-hollow). I swapped pickups on both (found Gibson minis for the 'bird clone, and gretsch alnico 'trons for the other) - also had to find a gretsch bigsby for the savannah, as the stock tremelo was useless... but these are both very playable guitars, for a lot less than I'd have to pay for the right headstock.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/guitarmook/Dscf0882.jpg

I also bought a squier 51 when they were $120 shipped w/ gigbag. Sold the original neck and replaced it with an allparts fat, installed a bigsby and new pickups - again, now a great playing and sounding guitar.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v62/guitarmook/DSCF0405.jpg

[Gas-man]

How did you do that pickguard?

Me likey!

[Monkey23]

Sometimes we buy a guitar thinking it would be a good back up or something like that and surprisingly you find that you can let it down. On my end I bought an Elitist Epiphone, replace the stock pickups by Haeussel Vin neck and Vin+ bridge, put a RS kit have my preferred tech set it up and WOW!! Can,t take it down:RoCkIn

http://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a394/fatherjacques/Elitist/P1010012.jpg

How much is this? It's beautiful. Where did you get it? Steve's?

[Monkey23]

http://www.deanguitars.com/userpics/lib6/pkr1.JPG



Man, I wish they made Parker's left-handed. I used to think these were the ugliest guitars ever. Now I think they're so beautiful!:RoCkIn

[Jonster]

my 83 Japanese "SQ" series blonde Squire Tele.
Ash body, KILLER neck (as nice as any 52 RI I have owned/played), great tone, 7lbs even. It looks like a 50 year old Tele too! Naturally reliced, not faked. The only thing I've done is put a Barden in the neck. I even left the bridge p/u stock since to me it sounds great. It bassically looks and feels like a 71-73 tele,.....plays like one too.
$325
My more expensive Tele's sit as b/u's to the Squire!!

[TS808]

Best cheap guitar I owned was a Dillion DR1500QT (PRS copy). I wound up selling it on a whim to pay for an amp I bought, but I should have never sold the guitar. The build on it was amazingly good for the price.

[Butterfly]

No pics but a MIM strat (with replacement 80s era Strat pickups) turned out to be easy to play and having that true strat sound. Wanted to buy a custom shop strat but with the MIM have no need. How about that...a guitar actually stopped me from buying another..usually with me its one guitar leads to another.

[Robotechnology]

I bought a used early '90's Yamaha Pacifica 921 that will NEVER leave my possession... what a GREAT guitar and the best part is they're only $300 +/- $100 depending on condition.

[Mac-P]

My original 70's Carlo Robelli Explorer. Excellent guitar, neck thru, etc.

Sold it when I was in college and saw it in a bar about 8 years later. Turns out the guy I sold it to sold it to this person. I asked if I coluld buy it back, but he wasn't selling.

Smart guy....

[dhodgeh]

Just picked up a Korean made Jackson PS-2 for a couple hundred bucks. The electronics were crap (except for the BL L500-L pickup I discovered it had in the bridge position), but it seemed to be of a decent build in the pawn shop. Felt good, and played decently considering the rust on the strings.

Replaced the rest of the electronics for about $100 (new Dimarzios in the neck and middle positions, new CTS pots and a CRL swtich). New set of strings and a setup (my first FR trem - gawd what pain to get setup), and it's turned into a pretty good guitar.

Got it to be my beater/experimental, keep at the office axe. It hasn't made to the office quite yet - been having a good time playing it at home.

D

[electronpirate]

Tokai Love Rock. Out of the box I thought I would have to do plenty of upgrades, but I haven't done anything with it since I bought it.

Sounds great!

[rooster]

Dean Cadillac flattop "tropicana turd" from '96, bought brand new for $250.

Ebony board, set neck, made in USA (not Dean's finest work, but still american-made), and a VERY good value.

rooster.

[Sparky6string]

Fernandes TE-1n Telecaster copy. It's become my favorite guitar over much more expensive ones. Never in it's case, and really the only guitar I play at home.

[clemduolian]

JBP USA Custom. Tele shaped body, 3 single coils, 5-way switch, Grover tuners, maple neck with rosewood board and mother of pearl dots (with a beefy Gibson-esque profile). Never heard of it, or ever seen another one. Supposedly a USA built prototype for JB Player guitars. It is a great guitar. Less than $250 on the 'bay.

Clem

[holyears]

For my 14th birthday I was given a used and neglected "Morris Hurricane Equinox-1". It's a strat copy and I think my mom bought it (along with a 1960's Alamo amp) for @ $50 . I pretty sure these were made in Japan in the 80's. The electronics fried after about 6 months of playing. So it sat until I replaced the electronics when I was in college - I realized then that this guitar plays awesome! I can sit and play it for hours. I'll probably have this thing till I die.

[Lucidology]

Bill Lawrence ToneKastor... unbelievable deal for the price..

[stratlad]

An MIM Nashville Deluxe Tele (not that cheap - about $450 but worth it)

A Hamer XT P90 Goldtop ($350 w/o case - awesome)

[jbgordon]

I dont know if this has been mentioned because I havent read the whole thread, but the Dean EvoXM is possibly the best sub $200 guitar on the market. The neck on these guitars is one of the most comfortable that I have ever played. Great guitar if your looking for a good cheap electric.

[FiveG]

Squier E-Series (circa '84) Strat in Lake Placid Blue, for $389. Went to shop looking to buy high end "strat-type" guitar, like a Suhr. Given my skill level, I was quietly playing in a corner trying not embarrass myself too much. In comes a guy picking up his guitar, notices me, looks at the guys at the counter, points to a guitar on the wall, asks for it, plugs it in, plays it, it sounds great, turns to me, and says, "That's all you need." It was the Squier.

When he left, I asked the guys in the shop who it was. When they told me, I figured if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for me. Saved me $1700.

FiveG

[fadetowhite519]

I love my yamaha pacifica 312 (strat copy) and Carlo Robelli 335 copy. of course they've both been gutted and i put duncans in there. but the yamaha has a killer neck i just need to find the time to take it in for a new nut since its cut only for 9s. the frets on the 335 are way too high for my taste, but that plays and looks pretty sweet, especially with chrome pickup covers instead of the zebra striped.

[Grap]

Ashton AP-1000. A shade under US$200 got me a non-copy set neck mahogany/maple guitars with an agathis neck and rosewood board. Some of the finish is a bit poor (bubbles in the clearcoat on the side of the headstock, what looks like the outline of someone's thumb in the colour coat ;) ), but it plays and sounds well and has served on a couple of gigs where I deemed it prudent to travel light & cheap!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/omikl/AshtonFlame1.jpg

In the sub-200 category I also have a couple of SX copies, an Explorer and a V. The Explorer was gifted with a set of pickups out of a Les Paul Classic. The wood & fretwork on these is decent, but the stokc pickups and electrics were laughable, and the mechine heads are borderline. At those prices though I reckon you're paying for the wood...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/omikl/Guitars/img_0684_small.jpg

It's currently wearing 13's and tuned to drop C. The machine heads are just holding out...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/omikl/Guitars/img_0425_small.jpg

Then there's these two, both of which raise the bar to the US$550 mark or therebouts:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v82/omikl/Guitars/img_0891_small.jpg

GIM "PRS" Student model and Yamaha PAC 1511MS Mike Stern.

The GIM qualifies as "luthier built" from a small production run ;) GIM is Guitar Institute Malaysia run by Jeffery Yong and the "PRS" is a set-neck mahogany/maple beast with a neck modelled on a PRS wide/thin and a body shape stolen from Hamer :) It's a fire-breathing rock guitar.

The Yamaha was a bargain at the store clearance price I got it for, about US$550, but the next sale that store had they were selling the last two they had left at US$375 each, which would have been the bargain of the decade :D

[Chicago Slim]

+1, on the MIM Strats. Every time I was close to buying an 1k plus Fender, I would compare it to a MIM Standard Strat. I had bought 2, for $150 each, and sold them at a profit. Now that they have MJ frets, I finally bought a new Standard.

[mad dog]

Another one for me. Not a 200 guitar ... in the under 400+ used class. Carlo Robelli ES-500, replica of the pre-switchmaster Gibson ES-5. Barely played, essentially a new instrument.

The look, feel and sound of this is so far in front of the price, it's hard to believe. I'll swap out the pots and tuners, probably will get a set of Lollar P90s. Not because it sounds bad. It sounds great. I'm just really curious about Lollar p/us.

[daphil]

I just got an Epiphone Sheraton II last night, for really cheap. It's a keeper.

The stock pickups sound good. I read that some years ago, there was a run that had a specific pickup type that we're good. Maybe it's one from that.

Funny thing is that earlier this year I bought a really nice (and expensive) ES-335 that didn't do it for me. I really tried to like it but finally sold it. The Epi is really a fraction of the cost of the Gibby but feels and sounds much better to me.

Go figure.

[dudeunitx5000]

I like it so much that I got two of them:
http://i61.photobucket.com/albums/h54/roybrooks/silvertoneu1s.jpg

[UITA]

I bought a mint blonde JV Telecaster with hardcase for £90 and another surprising find was an EKO electric guitar, probably the best £50 I have ever spent. Can't seem to find as many bargins anymore, I blame Ebay.

[boobtoob]

An "Affinity" tele for $99.99 at the now defunct MARS Music. I sanded off the name so no one would laugh, changed the pots, and drilled holes thru the body for the strings. It turned out to be one of the best guitars I have used.

And...if it ever gets stolen, I'm not out much.:RoCkIn

[holyears]

Man I almost forgot...one of the most under-acknowledged guitars of all-time..the Peavey T-60. These things are usually around $250-300 bucks, vintage, made in USA, built like tanks, humbuckers w/ single coil tap, phase inversion switch, huge variety of tonal possibilities, I have a lot of fun playing it.

[mmcquain]

Squier ProTone Tele and Strat. Korean made using American parts... excellent build and nice sounding.
I upgraded them to Fender Vintage Noiseless PUPs and was very happy with them both but ended up
selling to fund my GAS habit for bigger and better guitars, etc.

http://www.mcquain.com/lespaul/Jacob_Tele.jpg

http://www.mcquain.com/lespaul/Miscellaneous/ProTone_GreenStrat.jpg

[mc5nrg]

Squier E-Series (circa '84) Strat in Lake Placid Blue, for $389. Went to shop looking to buy high end "strat-type" guitar, like a Suhr. Given my skill level, I was quietly playing in a corner trying not embarrass myself too much. In comes a guy picking up his guitar, notices me, looks at the guys at the counter, points to a guitar on the wall, asks for it, plugs it in, plays it, it sounds great, turns to me, and says, "That's all you need." It was the Squier.

When he left, I asked the guys in the shop who it was. When they told me, I figured if it was good enough for him, it was good enough for me. Saved me $1700.

FiveG

OK,I'll bite.Care to identify the mystery guitar player?


Keeping in mind that I've never spent more than $600 on a guitar,though that was circa '84 and was for a new Martin O18....

Current candidate is a Samick Greg Bennet D1CE acoustic cutaway w/ssc that I just paid $40 for.The plan is to give it to my niece.Surprisingly nice tone.Pre Grovers but the cheapo tuners are OK.

The MIM Squier by Fender series later 90s P bass that I fished out of the leaf filled trashcan last March,complete with dusting of snow and sans strings but including whiteout artwork turned out quite nice.Total investment some elbow grease and set up/clean up work plus SIT strings and the final touch,a pre cut Fender nut off eBay to replace the nut which was broken at the G slot.About $25 plus years of experience,priceless!

[tonedaddy]

One of the early Danelectro U2 reissues for $100 /w gigbag.

A one trick pony, but it's a good trick.

[Ascension]

I snagged a 1994 Washburn USA MG100 PRO at a local Pawn Shop for $200 out the door that is becoming a favorite. These were designed and built in the Chigago Factory while Grover Jackson was running the show and are absolutely KILLER guitars!! Duncans, one piece Swamp Ash body, Wilkerson, Dunlop 6100 frets, Goto locking tuners ect. This is one well made axe!! The pickups are direct mount no rings so they set brass inserts in the wood and used machine screws to mount them then they cut a thick foam base to prevent resonate feedback plus full shealding for the control cavities and used metal covers with inserts and machine screws to nmount them WOW!
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/rutledri/IM000501.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v27/rutledri/IM000502.jpg

[axepilot]

MIK Tele- Musicians's Friend special. I played a friend's and fell in love with, but I had to have the gold top. :D

It's a sweet guitar all around, with an awesome neck.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a36/axepilot/Tele.jpg

[FiveG]

OK,I'll bite.Care to identify the mystery guitar player?


You know, I gave that some real thought, both when I first posted, and after you asked. While I have never otherwise met the guy, and he might not care if I identified him, simply from the standpoint of giving a nice guitar player some privacy, I'm going to decline.

FiveG

[daveski]

Carlson tele from ebay - $69 shipped Left it 100% stock. Hear it/See it

www.esnips.com (http://www.esnips.com) search 'carlsont'

Samick Malibu MB1 strat copy(maple/maple neck) - $70 shipped from ebay. Just installed some $20 9k ohm +/- pickups that I got from the GFS site clearance area. The Greg Bennett designed MB1 is the most comfortable, easiest playing guitar I've ever owned - these pickups make it a keeper. No sound clips yet.

Aslin Dane Blackwing from ebay - $115 shipped. Kinda LP/ DC thing. Hi-output humbuckers with a synthetic fretboard. Plays like butter. Lots of examples of its use at...

www.soundclick.com/daveski (http://www.soundclick.com/daveski)

Specifically the following songs...

One Step Ahead
Space Gunn
Sisters in the Dark
Misses the Money
Buzy
Crossroad Blues

I have had numerous great guitars from ebay, I don't spend more than $125 shipped. Examples

Yamaha Pacifica 112 and 112M
Johnson and Stillwater tele copies
Indiana tele copies
Peavey Predators (if I could get Reactors for that price I would buy them, but they can't be got for that price anymore).

All of those above guitars are used on my recordings.

Almost forgot the basses I used to record -
Peavey Fury and Samick Corsair basses - both with maple fretboards.

[Deaj]

Cheap parts guitar

This parts-o-caster I just picked up off of Ebay. It was assembled using new American Fender parts: American Deluxw Strat neck, Highway 1 body, Fat 50's pickups with a blender pot, gold anodized aluminum pick guard, and misc. Fender parts. I considered it a gamble at $585. It turned out to be the best strat I've ever owned - perhaps the best sounding/playing strat I've ever played. Turned from gamble to bargain as soon as I picked it up!

http://home.centurytel.net/flanneldrawers/parts-o-caster.JPG
http://home.centurytel.net/flanneldrawers/strat-1.jpg




Other great guitar bargains (cheap as compared to the retail prices)....


My Keith Roscoe LG-3000 bass was a killer bargain and interesting story as well. Several years ago while looking for a new bass I played this guitar new at Bass NW in Seattle. Loved it but couldn't sport the $3,400 to purchase - walked away sad. Shortly thereafter I purchased a Peavey Cirrus bass. Not long after this the electronics began malfunctioning. Over the next 9 months the Cirrus spent more time at the factory authorized repair shop than in my posession. I finally talked Peavey into a full manufacturers refund which came to $1,345. I then set out to find a replacement and stumbled upon a very familiar looking Roscoe LG-3000 on Ebay. I contacted the seller who relayed that he'd purchased the guitar at Bass NW in Seattle about a year earlier with the intention of learning to play (It'd be nice to have that kind of money to throw at passing interests, no?). He travels alot and never got around to playing it... at all. This was the same bass I'd played a year before with the same set of string that were on it at that time - new, unused condition. I bought it of course - for $1,325, shipping included. Sweet!!!

http://home.centurytel.net/flanneldrawers/roscoe.jpg




I purchased my pre-Fender Tacoma DR-20 acoustic new for $550 w/HSC (store's cost). I bought this guitar at American Music in Bellevue, WA when they were associated with the American Music in Seattle, WA. I was told that I could take the DR-20 I'd just purchased down to the Seattle store and A/B it with three other DR-20's that were hanging there. I would be allowed to walk out with the one that appealed to me the most (my buddy at the store did this as a favor because he'd played a killer sounding DR-20 at the Seattle store and he knew I'd dig it - I did :)). I've played acoustics that sell for 4 to 6 times as much that don't compare. Beautiful, full sounding guitar!



Back in '89 I purchased my first year PRS CE-24 'new' w/HSC for $600. ('new' = my buddy received this guitar as his last paycheck from the music store he worked for as it closed its doors. I had played this guitar when the other shop was open for business and flipped over it! My buddy soold it to me private sale unused). Saved $400 buying it 'used'. :)


Another 'cheap' guitar that worked out well...

Finally I have to mention my first guitar - a made in Japan Vantage Avenger strat style guitar. My folks bought it for me as a Christmas present when I was 14 y.o. They paid $300 w/HSC - not exactly a bargain at first glance. However I played that guitar daily for 8 years and many nice guitars came and went during that time. I gigged with that guitar for 4 years as my main guitar. It was an alder body with a maple/maple neck. I installed different pickups at times and swapped the bridge out at some point. The wood sounded so great though and it was very comfortable to play. It was also nearly indestructable. My brother also used this guitar regularly for about 4 years. Between the two of us we'd played the frets down to the fretboard in 8 years. An amateur attempt at a refret killed the neck. I gave the guitar to a close friend in Virginia who replaced the neck with a nice maple/maple tele neck that feels very much like the original neck. He still plays the guitar regularly and often gigs with it. With as much use as that guitar has seen the original $300 purchase now seems to have been quite the bargain!

[mmcquain]

Just got these 2 Hamer imports... decent enough guitars for the money ($680 for the pair):

http://www.mcquain.com/lespaul/Hamer_Standard.jpg
http://www.mcquain.com/lespaul/HamerV.jpg

[VTX-XTC]

I got this Epiphone Dot for $360.00 at a music store that was going out of business. Additional expenses included replacing the crappy toggle switch and a hardshell case from Musician's Friend. Also, I replaced one of the tone pots with a push-pull and added coil-cut capability. To do this, I had to partially disassemble the pickups. I was surprised to find that the pickups were potted with wax. The frets needed a little attention so I did a level and crown on them. The finish on it is flawless.

The result....it's the best playing guitar I own, beating two Godin's, a PRS and an American Std Telecaster. In addition to being a dream to play, it also sounds wonderful...even with the stock PU's. I can't imagine what it would be if I replaced the PU's with some really "classy" ones.

How can they build such an amazing axe at such a low price?

http://bigbikeriders.com/photopost/data/500/4612Dot_Palomino.jpg

[shuie]

A pine bodied 6lb 2 oz (with neck pickup added) tele that I cobbled together in my garage. Painted it for about $12. Its just crazy lightweight, and good, and Ive got less in it I would in a Mexican tele. Gratuitous pic.

http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploads9/IMG_20431166321167.jpg

[Cross]

Here's my "cheap" guitar. It's an Epiphone LP Studio, everything is stock. It caused me a hell of a lot of problems when I first had it, namely the input jack coming loose and pickups giving out. But after having several repairs done on it over the years, it's finally been tamed. It's a joy to play, primarily because I can do anything with it and not really care about getting dings on it, it's my beater guitar. Not to mention that it's SUPER light as well :)

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v209/ryanchan/n48910976_31108111_6002.jpg

[Boogs]

Here's a new "cheap" acquisition.

MIM Tele, purchased off a forum member for $200. Replaced the pups with GFS Fatbodies, and installed a Wilkinson brass-saddle bridge, plus a new tortoise pickguard to replace the stock white one. Probably about $325 all said and done.

behold...

http://i81.photobucket.com/albums/j204/mrboogs/Teleportraitbestcrop.jpg

:)

It plays well, sounds great, and most importantly, it's got mojo in spades.

[TBird66]

olp mm
$100 at gc, plays great, and the pickups sound great.

[Tread]

http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q5/zzztnj/th_christmas2006022.jpg Bought this in 1980 for $20.00 ...came with original tubes (still got'em)...doing routine maintenance this week cleaning pin sockets etc.
Pristine ...Plays like a dream and not like a railroad tie like others I've seen.
Sorry for the lousy pic...just got the camera and learning this stuff you know.

[RichusRkr]

A late 80's peavy falcon that I paid like a $120 for. US made and one fine peice of wood. It is getting new pickups very soon tho.

[LarryN]

My first clue about cheap guitars came in the early 70's. I was playing my Goldtop Les Paul Deluxe with large Gibson humbuckers just installed, through my old tweed Bassman. I let my buddy try my guitar and I used his Univox LP bolt-on copy with the square pole and flat adjustable screw coil humbuckers. I was amazed and disappointed (with the comparison to mine) at the same time. Later on I found one, a goldtop, for $60. I was still of the mindset that I'd find a better guitar if I spent more, so I sold it. After many attempts to find a great guitar, I started to build my own with successful results. After having children, my building time was too limited, so I started buying guitars again. I've had some cool import PRS's, but 25" scale doesn't agree with me. They sounded great, however. My main guitars now are a LP Studio with Phat Cat P-90 style pickups and my amazing pair of Ibanez Artcore AS-73 335 types. You have to try a few because like Gibson 335's, some are better than others. One that I owned didn't do it for me. It wasn't strong enough. The others are terrific. I went and bought a Gibson 335 and it didn't get near the tone of the Ibanez's. I've had so many compliments on the tone of them, that it's almost laughable. I'm going to put bigger frets on one of them to see what happens. The frets are rather smallish, yet the guitars sound off real good. Tone is where you find it, not neccessarily how much you spend. I enjoy finding tone in unexpected places.

[Riscchip]

My 99$ SX jazz bass remains the only bass I've needed for years. I'm not a serious bass player, but for recording and fun it sounds entirely decent.

[Jp.]

Bought this for $50 Australianhttp://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/19770509/Picture001-1.jpg

Its really wierd and I like it for that reason.

[Chicago Slim]

Made in Japan Squier's and Ibanez's, from the 80's. I played then for 20+ years, but it's become very hard to find ones that aren't worn out. When you do find one that hasn't been played much, the owner usually doesn't know what it's worth.

[VTX-XTC]

Bought this for $50 Australianhttp://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g244/19770509/Picture001-1.jpg

Its really wierd and I like it for that reason.

Isn't that a Les Paul Recording? I had one of those years ago. It was a really great guitar. One thing I can recommend...if you play it in "high impedance" mode. The pickups are low impedance, designed to drive a mixing board directly. Internally, there is a transformer that provides a high impedance output. You have a switch on the front to choose high or low impedance. Anyway, the transformer that Gibson used in these guitars sucks bad. The solution....go buy a matching unit like this...

http://img3.musiciansfriend.com/dbase/pics/products/1/2/7/369127.jpg

and remove the small transformer from it and substitute for the one in your guitar. You won't believe the difference in sound.

[weeladdie]

Bought an Agile AL2000 from Rondo Music for $199. Pretty amazing guitar for the price, or for twice the price!

[jtg116]

I bought this Agile for about $120 from Rondo. My tech, John, in Yonkers NY worked on the nut, a couple of high frets and set it up beautifully, plays and sounds great. I have handwound pups ready to go in it, but this thing screams with the stock pups! It weights 8lbs, 10oz. As usual, it show more red than it is in person.
http://images.lilypix.com/albums/userpics/10127/Small_Agile_3.JPG

[Nick Patterson]

I picked up a used Strat that was half Custom Shop for $500.00. The body was a Custom Shop '57, the neck was Warmoth. This thing sounded AMAZING. I just couldn't get used to a baseball bat for a neck.

[8nthatK]

Ibanez AF105F...lot of guitar for the money.

[avincent52`]

I really like my modded Squier 51 (still less than $200 with a pickup/tuner swap and a pro setup)
But my fave might be an Ibanez Jet King with two Jon Moore PAF style humbuckers. Plays great, looks cool (Dano, not Steve Vai) and the pickups are amazing.
The guitar was $150, the pickups $120.
Way cool.
allen

[Fripperton]

This 70's Lyle I picked up in a Pawn shop for $79. It has a remarkably good sound for what it is. The pickups are somewhere between a strat and a P-90.

http://www.guitarsandaudio.com/extras/vincegear/LYLE/1802T.JPG

[stelligan]

$100 for this '68 ES-345. The previous owner tried his own fret job - pulling the binding off and shaping neck skinnier to finish off!! Originally trans red that he thought he would try to sand to natural.... I bought for the parts. Duncan JB and 59, schaller fine tune bridge, and grovers. I ended up painting it black and playing it for 20+ years. It sings like a bird. A little hard to play cowboy chords near the nut but, otherwise cool. If I can add another, $329 for it's replacement. This Ibanez AS73G. Outstanding stock setup. I put in '57 Classics that I'd had in my parts pile for years and Gotoh machines. Less than $600 for an extremely more playable replacement. I took the pickguard from the 345 for the AS(fits great) and am retiring the Gibson to the home studio. http://members.cox.net/stelligan/es345.jpghttp://members.cox.net/stelligan/as73.jpg

[epluribus]

Anything Matsumoku. Haven't played a bad one (undamaged, that is) yet, though I'm sure one exists somewhere.

At less than $200:

http://img148.imageshack.us/img148/9663/p2250057jc7.jpg

'85 Aria Pro II Ironman Standard by Matsu.

The Floyd Rose-ish bridge is a bit sketchy--no individual string height adjustment. Typically lightning-fast Matsu neck, great punchy no-name pups that love hi-gain, do a remarkably accurate impression of a Tele, and deliver exceptional detail in DSP rigs. Yep, that's The Nuge's auto under the PO's plexi.

$250-$350:

http://img179.imageshack.us/img179/7244/72ea25020sm6.jpg

'72 Epi EA250 by Matsumoku.

Yes, the pups are noisy if you stick 'em in a speaker, and yes the neck joint demands a very light touch, and yes, the trem is bloody awful/best locked down. But there's that low and fast Matsu neck again, and the HB's have a wonderful thick-but-articulate tone all their own. But there's a much better bang-for-the-buck archtop out there, IMO....

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/6560/sheratoniibrn2bodybfo7.jpg

For the same money on EBay, five times the guitar compared to the EA250, an Epi Sheraton II. Very underrated and undervalued in the used market right now, super bargain IMHO.

Switches and pots are pretty weak, but otherwise decent hardware. Much beefier neck than my Matsu's, still super smooth in its own right, compares very nicely to an original Gretsch Country Gent for clean fretting and playability, but a bit more compact and much more accessible. Slightly noisy vintage-style pups, but they can do BB King to a T, and in an A/B shootout this guitar'll whip a lot of Gibs with ease. Upgrade the pups and hardware and these'll stand up to anything.

YMMV, but that's the cool part about these hidden gems. Noobs take note, ya don't need boutique to get awesome tone. You guys got a great list so far.

--Ray :BEER

[epluribus]

Cheap parts guitar

This parts-o-caster I just picked up off of Ebay.

Glad to hear it! I saw this one and really wanted to bid on it, but I value my hide around here. Cool!

Finally I have to mention my first guitar - a made in Japan Vantage Avenger strat style guitar. My folks bought it for me as a Christmas present when I was 14 y.o.

Vantage--another great guitar from Matsumoku. They got really creative with the electronics in most of these things, cool stuff. EBay has long since discovered 'em and they get silly money for 'em these days, but I've never known a Vantage owner who didn't absolutely love 'em.

--Ray

[meandi]

epi dot studio
m.f. return center in k.c.
$250
they said it had a warped neck
all it needed was a valid truss rod adjustment
haven't even had to mill the frets for good action
playin flatwound 12s on it
nice butter tone

best to all

[dudeunitx5000]

That would be both of my Danelectro-made Silvertone U1s- a copper 1405L and a black 1409L. Both are single cutaway with one lipstick pickup and a dolphin nose headstock. I gig with both of them.

[LiveOak]

A Yamaha FG-340 acoustic that I bought with case for $100 in 1980. It just keeps sounding better with age.

[PainterCarl]

Was looking for a good acoustic. Tried most of the new high end Martins, Ovations, and Taylors in town, none compared favorably with my 71 Yamaha. Ended up with a Sigma that played and sounded better than any of the others. At $220.00, it was a steal.

[daveski]

I try not to pay over $125 delivered. Examples of all of them using a Boss GT-6 ......

www.soundclick.com/daveski (http://www.soundclick.com/daveski)

Yamaha Pacifica 112M
Aslin Dane Blackwing
Indiana telecasters
Stillwater telecaster
Samick Malibu MB-1
Carlson telecaster
Peavey Fury Bass
Samick Corsair Bass

[OldSchool]

Cort Matt Guitar Murphy. This guitar sounded great out of the box. Still don't know why I sold it...........http://www.thegearpage.net/board/images/icons/icon11.gif

[Voxy Foxy]

Just bought a 1958 ES-125T for $480!

:dude

[Ham_fist]

'84 Ibanez Roadstar. I've got less than $250 in it, and it came with a hard case. Bought it because it was cheap and I wanted something stratty to have around. I've just done some simple mods (Superswitch wired so middle position = neck + bridge, dimarzio SDS 111 in the bridge, GFS neck and middle... and that strap, mmm). It's super easy to play and sounds pretty good.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/hamfist/ibanez.jpg

And this Yamaha SGV800. I think I paid $325 for it. That's a lot of funky for $325. It came with the Dimarzios installed. Cool guitar. Sounds kinda like a cross between a Strat and SG Special.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v89/hamfist/Guitar/sgv800-1.jpg

[Tweedledee]

I had a Squier Telecaster Custom (the one with two humbuckers) for a while and I was pleasantly surprised. The pickups were a bit muddy, but the neck was almost perfect and it was extremely resonant when unplugged. With a pickup swap it would have been a great guitar for the money, but I ended up selling anyway.

[clothwiring]

I had some Squier Strat style guitar in high school. I gutted it and put a JB in the bridge along with all new electronics etc etc, it was a great guitar, sadly I sold it before I went to GIT.

[Shredmonster]

A USA made (these were only made in the USA for about 6 months) Fender Squire Strat.

No shielded very well but for $129 it was great.

[kwaves99]

Ibanez Artcore AS-73...268 bucks

I swapped out the pickups for a pair of Harmonic design Z-90's, and replaced the pots and all the electronics, the jack, and the nut. That worked out to about 300 bucks more.

Now the guitar is a flat out MONSTER.

[rcargs96]

I often find myself limiting my guitar searches to the big names like Gibson, Fender (USA), and Gretsch. This thread is great in highlighting my folly - tone is wherever you find it, not in a name (or, more importantly, price)!!!

To that end, anyone have opinions on Epiphone Firebirds -- how much worse (better) are they than the real thing?

[jedi77]

I saved $317.00 cutting grass and what-not when I was 14 years old to buy this guitar. It was the only one that felt great in my hands at the time and still sounds great to me 15 years later. I will probably never sell it.

[mavrick10_2000]

Ibanez AS83, 335 copy. Good fit, finish, and tone from a cheapie stock machine.

[buffalonickle]

Danelectro 59 DC from about 6 years ago - my wife bought it for me as a birthday present. I fitted some 70's Grovers to it and it's a rocker! It's the guitar I'll never sell!

[serial]

Tokai AST-62. Went in with the $$ to buy a USA Fender RI in 1984, but none of the seven on the wall did much for me (57 or 62). The Tokai was surprisingly good. I kept it for 15+ years. Picked up a Tokai Tele the next week-still have the neck from that one.

[that_brianm_guy]

PRS Soapbar SE... best sub $500 guitar I've ever found. :RoCkIn

+1 :dude

paid $295 used :BEER

also on the list - the Squier "Double Fat" telecaster

http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM01/Content/Fender/PR/Squier-Double-Fat-Tele-D-sm.jpg


sounds better than most LP clones out there, and many LPs

[bdegrande]

I also don't think an Epi Elitist is a cheap guitar either. I have gotten lots of good cheap guitars used, but for a new one I would say a Washburn WI64D - $199 new w/gig bag.

Set neck, Buzz Feiten Tuning System, and two humbuckers with VCC controls, which are sort of like variable coil taps, similar to the tone knobs on a Peavey T-60.

[CarvinGuy]

Yamaha Pacifca, $120 new. I put a Duncan JB in the bridge and a '59 in the neck, and kept the stock single in the middle. Re-did the rest of the wiring as well. I love this guitar. Oh, and I made the pickguard myself. ;)

http://ryanfreeland.org/artguitar.jpg

[Mudder]

DeArmond M77-T. I just picked this up and it's a great playing guitar. Got it for $300, pretty cheap. Cool vibe with the white 2K pickups on black body with DeAr Bigsby trem.

[TBlewz]

My main giging guitar is an '01 MIM strat that I paid $279.00 for new. Fantastic guitar. The biggest suprise though is the Godin LG's. The LG SP-90 and LG SP-HMB are remarkable guitars for the money (sub $500.) :dude

[KRosser]

My black Jerry Jones single cut 3/pu wonder - $325 shipped to me, via the Harmony Central classifieds back in '96 when I was brand new to the internet and it was only two years old. I love this guitar - it continues to bring home the bacon for me, year after year.

[sotto]

This flea market find: a 1984 Gibson Spirit. Perfect neck, beautiful Santana-like sustain.

http://xs410.xs.to/xs410/06491/DSCN3849.JPG

[Robal]

I bought a 1985 MIJ Strat for $200. I replaced the neck with a new Grosh strat maple neck a guy sold me for $100; he just found it too big, I found it just right. I upgraded the pickups and pots. Still a pretty inexpensive guitar. A friend and I compared it to his new Fender Custom Shop Master Built Strat, and we liked the sound of mine more and it played almost as well as his.

Best bang for the buck was the 1958 Supro solidbody w/case that I bought for $29 at a garage sale. Sounds huge.

[kipknee]

Mystery Squier Stratocaster. I got it from a friend that had bought it for his daughter, who then decided it wasn't "cute" enough. Typically Squiers are made in China, but there was a Strat-Pak version that had much better build quality than is typical of CIC instruments. Easy to identify: instead of a stamped serial number, there is a plastic sticker that starts with "CAE". (Here's a thread on the Fender Forum that talked about these guitars. (http://www.fenderforum.com/forum.html?db=&topic_number=436212))

The electronics were crap, so I bought (from a fellow TGP member) a prewired pickguard loaded with Fender Texas Specials. A little setup and I ended with a great guitar that gets a lot of play.

Total investment: $135.

[retro]

SOTTO that is one great find and cool axe!!!

[musicman1]

For me it was a 1980 or 81 Vantage VS600 series gtr. It was a Japanese made gtr w/ a bolt on maple neck w/a rosewood fingerboard, 3+3 headstock w/nice tuners, an ash or maple satin finished body with a 5 ply laminate center stripe, 2 open coil humbuckers, a coil tap, a phase switch, vol and 2 tone controls if I remember correctly. I actually toured and gigged with this gtr for several years but then it needed new frets and I didnt want to invest that much money into the gtr. Also, my really expensive gtrs were always sitting at home as this thing played great!! I ultimately sold it for around what I paid for it...I have since tried to buy another off EBAY but they're going for more than DOUBLE of what they were originally in the 80's. Apparently the Japanese manufacturer back then turned out several brands of high quality, low price instruments that are sought out now.

[1-Take-Wonder]

I walked into GC a couple of months ago and ran across a Japanese Jerry Donahue Tele that was used and had $550 on the tag. I plugged it into a Bassman RI and knew I had to own it. I ended up getting it for $450 out the door. Had it set up and have been using it as my number one since.

nice grab. Great guitar...it would have walked with me too...at that price, may not have even plugged it in for fear of starting a bidding war...:drool

[IanS]

I scored a Parker P-38 that was built here in the USA by a Parker employee. It's got DiMarzio HSS pickups, locking tuners, Wilkinson trem, heavy duty gigbag, tuner, cable - mint condition - $200. Great looking, great playing & a great sounding guitar. It inspired me to get a NiteFly - and I did . . . for $450.

http://www.deanguitars.com/userpics/lib6/pkr1.JPG



If you find another top condition Nitefly for anywhere near $450, please let me know :D

[GuitarG]

http://www.catfishflats.com/images/Smaster-Boogie2.jpg

Silvertone with a '63 Musicmaster neck and bridge. Got it as is for $100. I use it almost every show as my G-tuning guitar.

http://www.catfishflats.com/images/Eastwood1.jpg
Eastwood Sidejack. Got it new for $300. I put a Lollar P90 in the rear position. This guitar sounds great and is a lot of fun to play. I've been using it in the studio a lot lately.

[Richard Guy]

Olp Mm4

[slayer]

My 2 Dean Czech EVO`s, both under $500, but worth priceless to me!! Just awsome guitars for the money:dude Jack.
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g220/jackgraner/DSCF0415.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g220/jackgraner/DSCF0416.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g220/jackgraner/EVO2.jpg
http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g220/jackgraner/EVO6.jpg

[epluribus]

For me it was a 1980 or 81 Vantage VS600 series gtr. It was a Japanese made gtr w/ a bolt on maple neck w/a rosewood fingerboard, 3+3 headstock w/nice tuners, an ash or maple satin finished body with a 5 ply laminate center stripe, 2 open coil humbuckers, a coil tap, a phase switch, vol and 2 tone controls if I remember correctly. I actually toured and gigged with this gtr for several years but then it needed new frets and I didnt want to invest that much money into the gtr. Also, my really expensive gtrs were always sitting at home as this thing played great!! I ultimately sold it for around what I paid for it...I have since tried to buy another off EBAY but they're going for more than DOUBLE of what they were originally in the 80's. Apparently the Japanese manufacturer back then turned out several brands of high quality, low price instruments that are sought out now.

If only we knew, eh?...

That was a Matsumoku-made guitar, and you're right, Matsu's of all stripes have a rabid cult following. No mystery there, IMHO--never saw a Matsu that didn't play like crazy. (I own two, posted earlier here.) The Vantage was one of several lines with that fancy wiring--cool stuff. But the prices put you in G&L or low PRS territory, or a really first-class hot-rodded Squier with all the fancy wiring you can solder, so go figure.

For more than you ever wanted to know, here's a link to the Matsumoku forums:

http://www.matsumoku.org/ggboard/index.php

Cool axe for sure.

--Ray

Did we talk about this once before over a pic of Gumby? :)

[jbylake]

I'm a Strat guy. Period. But I do love the sounds of HB pickup's especially, Albert King's for blues. Searched around and couldn't find a decent HB guitar for less than $400, which since I figured that I would rarely use it.
I went to a local music store, and played a Hagstrom DH-2. These list for about $900, but the going street price is about $400. Comes with very cool looking "Tweed" looking hard shell case. Build quality was excellent, and the neck is very fast playing, (faster than I can play), so I bought it.

But after getting it home, and playing it, I realized that it just wasn't right for my style and ears, as a blues guitar. Then, just for fun, I bought 2 Seth Lover Pup's neck and bridge, and this thing simply sounds amazing. I've impressed a lot of friends with it's tone, and it's a good looking guitar too. So I've got a real keeper, with about $600.00 invested.

:messedup

[JohnSS]

I have a Fuji Gengakki factory (maker of Japanese Fender & Ibanez) made 70's Robelli Les Paul that came with '72 Gibson Humbuckers (Gibson logo embossed on the covers) for $50.00 used at Sam Ash. It's a bit beat up, but I lent it to Gregg Wattenberg (producer of Five for Fighting) for the 'America Town' CD and Sony paid to fix the switch and mounting springs so it could be used for cutting some of the tracks.

[fe911]

$20.00 at pawn shop, electrics shot, dimarzio's from the early eighties. Frets falling out, nut mostly broken. PRS p-ups(not the greatest), luthier set-up, two frets, reglue a few others, new nut <$100. Lots of solder. Plays great, love the headstock inlays. Mines black with a few well placed dings in the body. Surprisingly well made guitar, metal pick-guard, fast neck!! Lots of brass. Mine has the maple head stock with the black inlay, like the lower picture
http://www.cpaulcarter.com/daion/images/savage_head-350.jpghttp://www.cpaulcarter.com/daion/images/daion_savage_closeup.jpghttp://www.cpaulcarter.com/daion/images/daion_savage_front.jpg
http://www.cpaulcarter.com/daion/images/daion_savage_back.jpghttp://www.cpaulcarter.com/daion/images/daion_savage_white-ed.jpg

[slowburn]

$249 + tax new got me a great sounding and playing 335 inspired guitar, an ibanez as73

[Rock Johnson]

also on the list - the Squier "Double Fat" telecaster

http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM01/Content/Fender/PR/Squier-Double-Fat-Tele-D-sm.jpg


sounds better than most LP clones out there, and many LPs


I want one of those.

[Frankie_G]

Best cheap guitar I have bought lately was a Squier 51. I bought (2) done upgrades on the sunburst one and reliced the black one. All I had to do was dress the frets and tweak the truss rods on the factory necks. Awesome guitars for $99.

Best bang for the buck would be Yamaha 620. Great guitars !

[SoSure]

This is Ephram, my $80 Eb Telecaster knock-off.

http://i75.photobucket.com/albums/i319/4x4sauce/100_0623.jpg

Sounds terrible clean, but it's great for nasty, screaming blues/rock/etc.

[RvChevron]

Yamaha Pacifica strats:RoCkIn, taiwan made ones. Real nice!! Great for hot rodding also.

[KCWM]

I picked up a silver MIJ Squier strat for 65 bucks at a pawnshop (with a case that I still have). It came with a SSH configuration, a volume and tone knob, no pickguard, a black headstock, and each pickup had its own on/off switch (with I'm guessing a coil tap for the HB since it had a 3 way switch). The single coil switches does and the coil tap died as well. Eventually, the whole thing crapped out and it's now in my grandmother's garage with a severely botched repainting attempt.

I also picked up an bone colored MIJ Strat for 110 with a universal case. I just recently sold it after it lost the magic.

I just picked up an Arctic White PRS Santana SE NOS for 150 bucks with a PRS case. it still has the plastic on the pickguard and trem cover.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b116/chumpster/Guitars/PRS%20Santana%20SE/P1000885.jpg

[eric-d]

Definitely my '99 MIM 50's RI Telecaster. After putting in Antiquities and the volume roll-off cap - it's just a bad ass guitar. I think I paid about $380.00

http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/6274/teleoutside1sh1.jpg (http://imageshack.us)

[bluehugh2]

By far the best cheapie... didn't change anything!!! Even the pickups sound superb! PRS SE Hollow... 645 bucks plus tax.
Nice thread there Father Jacques!
http://i32.photobucket.com/albums/d19/bluehugh2/SEHollow1.jpg

[mgarrison99]

98 Hamer Standard (early Korean version of the SATF that's still in production today). The Korean ones have some good weight to them, and once I traded pickups for some real Duncans, it really grooves. $250 driveout.
http://i165.photobucket.com/albums/u53/mgarrison99/Guitars/DSC07622.jpg

[twoheadedboy]

1993 Fender MIJ 70s Reissue Stratocaster. The previous owner did all kinds of mods to this guitar, from graphtech nut and saddles to custom shop '69 pickups, to locking tuners and probably a re-fret. I expected the guitar to be sort of in the same territory as most MIJ strats, which is usually really good but nothing mindblowing. This turned out to be the greatest Strat I've ever played. Players strats FTW!

[dhodgeh]

'Nother vote for the Squier 51. Amazing guitar for the money.

Ain't got no pictures yet, cause I'm modding it right now - putting in one of Ian's control plates.

D

[rbuono]

This Washburn $299
http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e196/rbuono/Guitars.jpg


This JV Strat $425 (the ASAT doesn't count - not cheap)

http://i39.photobucket.com/albums/e196/rbuono/My%20Gear/Guitars001-1.jpg

[r9player]

Kenny Blue Burrell strat (KBR)
Super light, hard tail P-90 bridge, hot strat neck.
Great super fast player, awesome sounds.
Also a 'real'? Bill Lawrence Tele (kinda looked like a 52) not a swampkaster. (pre) Super nice neck and loads of twang.
Zachary Z1 with the tone holes. (sure make fun of me, make fun of him) but that guitar as the real thing. light, easy to play (some might think the neck too skinny) and a ton of sustain and tone choices (buckers with a pull push and 'bright' switch)

[elroostars]

Any of the Supro/National copies Eastwood is putting out....great humbuckers in those...also, the Alden Zemaitis copies are cool...got two of them and love em'.

[Brett Valentine]

Still, my HamerXT SATF (denser wood and a thicker neck than my SATQ purchased new). $250.00 with the case. Added the Phat Cats, upgraded the tuners, the bridge, and the electronics, and got much more than I expected. Effortless to play, pretty unique sound, now, I can't put it down.
http://i218.photobucket.com/albums/cc268/BrettValentine/SATF-2dmed1.jpg

[ilnyc]

a student showed up one day for his lesson in his new Volkswagon and with his free First Act Garagemaster guitar. it was made quite well and sounded fantastic. i found one on Ebay for $125 and it is bar far the best cheap guitar i've ever owned. the onboard preamp is useless but it has GREAT pickups. thru a JCM800 it reminds me very much of an old Gibson Melody Maker and sounds AWESOME for slide.

[Grenville]

The guitar that surprised me the most was an ANSON strat copy that I got for $100.

Sounded fine at home, but when put into use at a gig was lifeless, gutless, no dynamics at all.

When I got home I took it apart to see if it was cheap parts and lo and behold, the body was made out of chipboard!

[Cenulab]

SX Gold Top LP copy w/P90's from Rondo. $99 due to cosmetic damage (that you can't see unless you flip the thing upside down).

The fret ends are a little over-beveled, but other than that it plays in tune and stays in tune. Rings like a bell unplugged, screams like a mutha plugged it!

[pdouds]

i bought a Samick Royale rl4 for $350 on ebay and slapped new pickups in it. makes a great travel guitar. the neck pickup isn't very warm, but overall it is a nice geetar.

[FLICKOFLASH]

http://www.thegearpage.net/board/showthread.php?t=313510






http://www.cigarboxguitars.com/images/national.jpg








http://www.mylespaul.com/forums/my-other-guitars/2466-cigar-box-guitars.html

[fuzz+strat]

I haven't looked through the whole thread, but has anyone found a cheap baritone?

[Rossl]

In 1972 I paid $150 for a 59 strat the guy threw in a tweed deluxe........... I got rid of the guitar, it never sounded right, I still have the amp.

Not really a cheap price for 1972 so I guess this doesn't qualify

[Gas-man]

I haven't looked through the whole thread, but has anyone found a cheap baritone?

Danos are good n' cheap.

[Mooncusser]

I was given a ES-335 copy and a Les Paul Copy from Austin Instruments and I was pretty amazed at the quality to be quite honest. Especially for the prices they go for.

[tcaron]

Lately I've been drawn to cheap guitars and have bought a $200.00 Dano U1, real jangly, and a Dean Stylist for $204.00. I've got a nice PRS McCarty, Guild Bluesbird and 72 Tele reissue but I keep coming back to my cheaper gits. Teh Guild has PRS McCarty pups in it. Nicer that the orginal Duncans, which were muddy.

Also bought a Hagstrom Viking reissue and put some old Gibson '57s in it.
Nice cheap 335!

I play all of these guitars out. Cheap guiatars through my Carr Rambler sound very nice. Thanks Steve Carr!

[GrecoVee]

Had an old Ibanez bolt on neck Vee once that played killer. Think I payed only $200. for it. Also had a bolt on neck Vantage Vee that I got for $125. that was a great guitar.

[Dr. Tweedbucket]

Gibson SG Junior.

I found one at a Flea market for $375 with a case and it played absolutely great! :BEER

[OldSchool]

OLP EVH MM replica. $150 used. That guitar kicked ASS! Played and sounded as good as most guitars 5x that price. I might even grab another if I see one used.

[jignant]

PRS Soapbar SE... best sub $500 guitar I've ever found. :RoCkIn
BIG +1 on the SE Soapy II

$425.00 out the door in vintage red. Installed Planet Waves lockers, shielded the cavities and upgraded electronics. Stock pickups. This guit SPANKS tonally with great fit and finish!


http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y93/jignant/IMG_1942-1.jpg

[AlligatorMtn]

DeArmond S65 in cherry red.

change the pickups and left everything else the stock.

really a great guitar for $200

[The Doper]

Korean-made Ibanez AF-120. It's a knock-off George Benson model and SLAYS.

[BigPapiFan]

Fullerton Strat-type. $29 from Musicians Friend. Sounded good and played well.

[MikeMcK]

Way back in the day I bought a Westbury Super Custom in an emergency, then kept it for 20 years. Great guitar... only because of TGP did I ever think about who actually made it, but it was Matsumoku.

I once bought used Hamer USA Special for $400 + as a backup to a big-name custom shop that cost many times that. Within two weeks I sold the custom-shop job and kept the Hamer.

[rastus]

Here is mine, bought in a South Nashville pawnshop. It is a 2000 Levinson Blade, a very nice instrument that cost about 1500 new. I paid 300.00 OTD, it had no case. The guy said, kid you not, "Hey why get that copy, I got real Fenders for 300.00!" and pointed to a couple MIM Fenders hanging behind the counter. "nah, that 's cool, I like this one fine" and split. I had it for a couple years, just recently sold it to my buddy Rudy-he offered me 800.00 for it, knowing what I paid. I asked if he was sure, he said absolutely, so it's his now, and he just sounds great on it. I really never used it a lot, but it played and sounded a lot like an Anderson I had. The quality of these guitars is jewel-like. Here is a pic of it on my car's hood on a sunny day a couple years ago.http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t227/bugnduck/GaryGuitfiddles026.jpg

[v-verb]

picked up a Squier 51 for $120 last year - amazing guitar!

[weeladdie]

Agile AL-2000, $199, pair of GFS Mean 90's p'ups, $70.

Sounds & plays GREAT!

[majorledhead]

Reverend Volcano. If $500.00 is cheap. It plays and sounds as good as a $2000.00 Gibson.

[defaultoprime]

back about 7 years ago I was in MusicGoRound and spied an 80s Squier Strat for $39... and it was a low-end one too boot... it had been used like a sledge hammer on a concrete surface, which completely shattered the plywood body near the input jack... that being said, the intonation was good and it stayed in tune... so I bought it... needed a guitar... didn't have one at the time... the frets were worn, so rather than refret a $39 guitar, I did a mild scallop job with a bic pen and some sand paper... I've put bondo in the body... sanded it down to the wood and painted it different colors several times ...

all this time later, despite all the horrible things I've done to it, it remains my favorite guitar... it's the only one that disappears in my hands... plays like butter... I've yet to stuff it with a pickup that didn't instantly become magic... including pickups that sounded like crap in other guitars... only thing I can figure is that it started with a good neck and then the damage that it took, somehow improved it's resonance... it shouldn't sound or feel good... doesn't make any sense... it's plywood and bondo for god sake... yet it's the first one I'd grab if my house were on fire...

oh... and I bought one of those $29 Fullertons too... meh... gave it to a kid... passable starter guitar...

[Elmer]

My favorite cheapie is my mid-90's Peavey Reactor. I put Tonerider pickups and Gotoh tuners in it, and I've got a great playing and sounding Tele copy for about $275.00 all in.

[defaultoprime]

oh and when I need to get my Floyd freak on, I've got an old blinding yellow Peavey Tracer with a Kahler Spyder locking trem... basically a nice quality licensed Floyd trem... it appears to have been assembled in the US... does the job nicely for the $80 I spent on it...

[supar6]

1984 (I believe) Fender Squire II MIK. Great neck, light and resonate. I think the pots/pickups in this guitar are soooo crappy they sound fantastic. Actually a really well made guitar. Frets are a little flat for me but what do you expect for a 24 year old guitar!!!

[stratman34]

I've been playing for several years now on my MIM strat.... well, it's mine now!

I've had several USA Jacksons, a PRS CE22, and others. I bought the MIM strat for my wife, so she could learn. I found myself playing her guitar more than mine, and when bad times hit I sold all the others and kept this one. The key to the mexis is a good setup and to ditch the stock electronics. I swapped out for the prewired EMG DG20 setup (I know! Spent more on pups than the guitar itself!) and I love it.

I'm after another jewel MIM so I can try out Keeley's new vintage p/u line.

[wrxplayer]

Schecter "made for Guitar Center" Hot Rod '39. Part of the Diamond Series and C-1 based about four years ago. Got it on closeout for $250 (+/-). Really played well, but I had to try 4 or 5 before I found "the one" on the wall.

[BluesRocker]

First Act Garagemaster VW. My wife received one as part of a Volkswagen sales promotion (remember the TV ads with Slash and Nigel Tufnel?), and I cannot get over how great this little freebie plays.

[James]

My favorite low-cost guitar that I own is an old Washburn SBF-80 solid-body acoustic. It's a low-cost version of the Gibson Chet Atkins solid-body acoustic. I got it after seeing Lindsey Buckingham play his Turner-modified Gibson Chet Atkins in the early 90s.

It sounds REALLY good live and has great intonation. I don't even know what the pick-ups and electronics are inside it, but they're simple and they work.

One low-cost guitar I've played but never owned is the Ibanez Talmans from the 90s. I always thought those were cool - especially the ones with the three lipstick tube pick-ups. Sort of a Dano-Jaguar thing.

[welcometoashley]

i bought a Burns Marquee (korean re-issue of the original Burns Hank Marvin guitar) in a cool greenburst and it always suprises me how good it sounds. Got it off of Ebay for $200!.. Mine's just like this one, but a six-string...

http://i243.photobucket.com/albums/ff3/pfjavier/Club-Classic-Marquee-Dbl-lg.jpg

[smorgdonkey]

In 1983 or 1984 I got a Yamaha FG165s acoustic. I played it until I wore it out in about 2000 when I finally replaced it.

[barkndog]

USA made Peavey Predator - red with killer maple neck - mint condition for $75 off of craigslist. Middle pickup not working. Swapped out the pups for used Texas Specials ($75 off of craigslist), added a pearloid pickguard and a roller nut and rewired the electrics with blender pot and midrange scoop. It's now my most versatile gtr for recording and plays fantastically well.

[slowburn]

I used to have a red peavey predator (don't think it was U.S. made, though) many many years ago, it was indeed a good gitfiddle.

[Gasp100]

Used USA Peavey Predator (1992?) - $135 on ebay. Another one I'm working on is my Jay Turser Tele right now. It was $225 shipped to my door and definitely playable out of the box. The body/finish is great (bookmatched maple in natural, cream binding and a perloid pickguard with bucker in the neck, tele pup in the bridge). It sounded and played good, but I have bought a replacement neck, I dropped in a GFS Tele fatboy in the brige, I'm going to buy a replacement for the humbucker in the neck, get it rewired with good pots/caps/etc into "4 way" configuration and setup by a pro.
So for $225 it was definitely decent and played well. For a total of about another $300 - 350 on top it should kill (I hope ;)

http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg225/Gasp100/turserflat.jpg

[syxxstring]

Squier 51. Shaved the neck down to playable. Painted relic'd it put a cheap used telebridge and GFS Humbucker in the neck. It screams, several people have tried to buy it from me.
51- $79
teleparts- $40
GFS Bucker - $15
Paint was free left over HOK from an Airbrush Action getaway.

[brentrocks]

i got this EVH Wolfgang special off craigslist for $450 and it sounds and plays better than a $2500 EBMM EVH

http://s3.photobucket.com/albums/y52/ebmmquilt/zzOther%20guitar%20stuff/P1010060.jpg

[Tomo]

Tokai Start from 80s. Paid $200.

Anyone want to sell 80s Squire Strat?

Tomo

[pennylink]

My favorite bargain basement special was an Oscar Schmidt Delta King 335 clone in tobacco sunburst. It came with the rustiest strings and dryest board I've ever seen, but once set up it played like a dream. I paid $120 for it, including shipping.

[ghoti]

Aslin-Dane Teaza. Ash body, maple/rw neck. For $200, a really good instrument.

[nsriley]

I have a 70's Kay K2 guitar I bought off a friend for $75. It's as cheap as you can get, but tuned to open G with heavy strings and one of my amps with a lot of drive going on it's just a bitchin' slide tone.

http://riley-music.com/Pics/GuitarGear/Expression-Kay.jpg

[richey88]

Squier '51 (GC Memorial Day sale) and 150$ for an Epi Goth LP that someone with skills added a killswitch and Duncans. Slam the Goth series if you will, but I got a MONSTER!! (played some goth dogs too tho....used to work at GC)

[vds5000]

In the early 90's, I bought a Kramer Baretta (all stock) for $110 at a Pawnshop. I then traded it in and $200 for a Kramer Pacer Custom I.

About 5 years later, I bought a beaten-the-crap-outta Fender US '62 Re-Issue for $475 at a different pawn shop.

[anibas]

For me,it's a late 70's Washburn Wing series guitar,all stock except for a set of Grovers I installed because it had a broken tuner when I bought it for $125.Feels and plays great,and sounds a lot like a good Gibson 335 should.Also worth mention are some of the Korean made Hamer stuff from the mid 90's up to about 5 or 6 years back,when they shifted production to China.Not every one is a winner,but some of them are great guitars for what they go for.

[vds5000]

Actually, I think pretty much all US-made Hamers that are pre-owned are great guitars for what they normally sell for. Their resale is just horrid for someone selling, but excellent if you're the buyer.

[bjjp2]

Actually, I think pretty much all US-made Hamers that are pre-owned are great guitars for what they normally sell for. Their resale is just horrid for someone selling, but excellent if you're the buyer.

Yes! All of my Hamer's were bought used for under $1,000 and they are as good as or better than my pricey Gibson's.

[russiancrowe]

I bought this new in '77 for $350. That counts as cheap doesn't it? It's been my main guitar ever since.
http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k308/russiancrowe/guitars/026_26.jpg

[Custom50]

I got an ibanez roadstar II RS430 last week for $125 and i haven't put it down

[JimmyR]

As I have posted before - it has to be my Edwards Les Paul at Aust$700 (US $675ish?) shipped. Absolutely outstanding.

[The Pup]

'64 Gretsch Tennessean for $269.00 mint!

http://i11.photobucket.com/albums/a166/RCA6L6GC/IMG_0650sm-1.jpg

[DonM]

my one dollar, yard sale, Kent 335 -- long since retired ~always-de-laminating and cracking until the day the neck pocket caved in -

[wildschwein]

This TE-1 Tele copy by Custom Guitar Workshop is an amazing axe. Basswood body, maple neck, GFS Vintage pup in the neck and a GFS Hot Lead pup in the bridge. Does the Tele spank thing when played clean and has a serious, reasonably high output rock tone with overdrive engaged. All I've done is shield the interior and the pickguard with copper tape and run it to ground just to cut down on any pup hum. Awesome, awesome, awesome guitar. $289 AU including postage off eBay Australia.
http://www.angrydragon.com.au/guitarworkshop/AE200_Ivorybody-454x328.jpg

[epluribus]

Just ran across one of these...

http://img98.imageshack.us/img98/3746/85westoneconcordsxsmallqp3.jpg

...an '85-ish Westone Concord SX. Re-furbed it for a bud's daughter's birthday. Got it under $200 with two missing pots and butchered wiring, but otherwise nearly flawless. Maple neck and fretboard, flame maple cap, and a...flame maple body that shows off even in back. Funky dark teal