# Difference between a good & VERY GOOD guitar??



## brokenrecord (May 2, 2009)

Hi to all,

I may be spoiled because I got lucky as a kid and bought a Gibson es335 from an old guitar player & played my electric guitar on that until it got stolen many moons ago (I'm still broken up about it).

Anyways recently I've been getting back into guitar in a big way & having lots of fun. I play a lot more accoustic guitar, but lately I've been trying out a bunch of electric guitars & even some peddals & stuff as I want to get better on electric.

One of my customers got excited and sold me a few guitars (he has a guitar "problem") So I have been playing a Epiphone Firebird & a Fender KOA Tele MIM. 

My Question is this: The guitars I am playing are mid-priced guitars, What makes more expensive guitars better? 

I suppose I have to keep playing until I have a better feel on electrics, but still I'm curious of your opinions & experiences.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

at a certain price point, you're paying for the name more then the quality of materials used. Some $500 guitars will play and look and sound like $3000 guitars. Some $3000 guitars will play like $500 guitars - that's the nature of the beast.

*Usually* people pay more for:
better woods selected
better stock hardware
the name on the headstock

it's also personal preference. If you can find an $800 guitar that feels great to you, sounds great to you and fits your needs then have at it - why spend that $2K or so except for the brand recognition.

What makes a guitar great to you is entirely personal preference - there's $3500 guitars that simply aren't for me, and would be "it" for somebody else.

I hope that answers your question! Be aware that there are the beyond-great and below-average for any maker. QC isn't supposed to let the sub-average ones slip out to stores, but it happens with pretty much every maker.


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## brokenrecord (May 2, 2009)

Budda said:


> at a certain price point, you're paying for the name more then the quality of materials used. Some $500 guitars will play and look and sound like $3000 guitars. Some $3000 guitars will play like $500 guitars - that's the nature of the beast......


I guess the trick is to find a guitar you love at a reasonable price.....I know it's personal preference, but any companies to look for or avoid as I go on this journey? Or anything besides feel & sound that I should be looking for in a great & reliable guitar?


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## musicman08 (Dec 3, 2008)

-hardware quality is the big difference 
-where it's made (big also)
-and of course pickups.


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## Maxer (Apr 20, 2007)

Again, what constitutes "good" companies and "companies to avoid" is entirely subjective. There is no magic bullet of an answer here. About the only thing I can say constructively is also so obvious it risks sounding insulting: avoid counterfeit guitars (often described on places like Craigslist and Kijiji as "replicas"). They're usually a notch or ten below the real thing and have pretty much zero investment value. Everything else is fair game.

I have guitars made in Canada, in America, in Korea, in Japan, in China, and in Indonesia. They are all great players. At the same time I have played and owned guitars from all of those countries and they have been dogs. It's also worth adding that a guitar which doesn't feel great initially may simply be in need of a setup that's more to your tastes.

There are so many makes and models out there these days you really have a wealth of options and they're across all the price points. It's a good time to be exploring guitar. Even cheaply made guitars are much better than they used to be, 30-40 years ago.


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## elindso (Aug 29, 2006)

I was talking to my brother yesterday about guitars from the 60s.

We both remember a friend that had a 63 Strat that was an absolute POS.

It was awful on so many counts, but would be worth a bundle now.

I wouldn't buy it for 10 bucks. Actually I'd flip it really fast.

I've played more than one MIM strat that is as good as any I've played.


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## mrmatt1972 (Apr 3, 2008)

Budda said:


> at a certain price point, you're paying for the name more then the quality of materials used. Some $500 guitars will play and look and sound like $3000 guitars. Some $3000 guitars will play like $500 guitars - that's the nature of the beast.


With all due respect Budda, I think you are grossly overstating the case. It is almost impossible to find a 500 dollar chinese or mexican guitar that plays and sounds as good as a guitar in the 1500 dollar price range.

Very good guitars have better quality hardware, more attention to finishing details, a better setup, better quality frets and generally play and sound better than cheaper guitars.

I think there is a point at which you are paying for name (like signature guitars for example), but your mileage may vary...

Matt


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Matt, i guess to a degree - $500 is pretty low, and that would be an overstatement.

I apologize!

That said, there are $800-$1200 guitars that play just as nice and strike many as just as good as $1600-$2000 guitars.

My $1500 LP studio felt just as solid as my hamer which would have been around $3800+ when it was new (i bought the LP new) - which makes me wonder if I just had an A-1 les paul studio.

Once you get to around $1000 on the new market, you're getting quality made instruments with quality parts from a couple different names. Once you hit $2K+ you're getting instruments that just use overall more quality woods, and the attention to detail.

I'm also a huge believer in buying used


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

IMHO, when you plug your guitar in and start to play, if your heart beats a bit faster and you have a bit of anticipation shake inside, you have the right guitar.


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## musicman08 (Dec 3, 2008)

mrmatt1972 said:


> With all due respect Budda, I think you are grossly overstating the case. It is almost impossible to find a 500 dollar chinese or mexican guitar that plays and sounds as good as a guitar in the 1500 dollar price range.
> 
> Very good guitars have better quality hardware, more attention to finishing details, a better setup, better quality frets and generally play and sound better than cheaper guitars.
> 
> ...


I agree.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

I've seen flawless $400 guitars. I've seen flawed $2500 guitars. There's good and bad from all sides, really.

We've already answered the original question in the thread


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## gggelo (Jan 31, 2009)

musicman08 said:


> I agree. None of that Chinese or Mexican junk stands up against quality American made instruments. You get what you pay for, and that's a fact.
> A new guitar in the $400 - $500 is not good, except for maybe a beginner.


sounds like rubbish to me.
*just because* it's made in china or mexico *doesn't make it crap*


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Name brand guitars that sell for much less than their flagship models have two thingns going for them that keep the price low: cheaper labour costs, and autmated production techniques. 

Now, the folks who produced the very best golden-age instruments or their components (e.g., the legendary Abigail Ybarra at Fender) were not Ph.D.s in acoustic physics. They were regular folks doing regular jobs in factories who learned on the job and became accustomed to the things to watch out for and how to avoid problems. Which means that folks in Korea and other places can just as easily learn how to make things too. Indeed, we forget what a rich tradition of fine craftsmanship exists in those Asian nations that also make guitars, whether we're talking wood, jade, ceramics, or other materials. There are no barriers to people working in a Fender, Samick, Ibanez or other plant learning how to do it right.

The demand for instruments that makes it reasonable to relocate business to Asian countries also makes it imperative to use automated methods to produce them. Obviously, there are humans in the mix, but the working assumption is that if you can produce necks using CNC methods, do so. Are these methods capable of producing good instruments? Sure. Heck, there are many reasons to assume that a CNC method can reproduce a neck of a certain profile with greater accuracy and reliability than a craftsman could.

Where the two approaches differ is in keeping an eye open for the details. So the glue joint on a budget instrument might be decent enough, but the same glue joint on the high end might entail some addition prepping of the surface to assure better adhesion and a better joint. One can automate fret installation, but doing it by eye and feel might result in frets being installed all the way along the fingerboard,and having both ends of every fret smooth to the touch, dressed, crowned, and polished flawlessly.

To whit, I recently bought a "budget" Parker. Got a great price on it at Steve's, some 30% less than what the big American on-line places were selling it for. It's a decent guitar that plays well....BUT...the pickups are not particularly good, and two of the frets need levelling (there is a buzzing at the 2nd and 3rd fret for the E and A strings). I'm sure whoever made it did their job correctly, but they were producing it to a *mechanical* standard, and not to a *playing* standard. High-priced instruments are made to a playing standard. Someone feels the neck and determines that this is too rough to the touch, or the action can't be comfortably low without entailing buzz. And so on.

A pair of Duncans or a set of Sperzels are obviously going to be the same on a budget as on a high-priced guitar, but someone is going to take the time with a higher-priced model to set everything up right and make sure it works as intended and *expected*. As such, where one might be foolish to buy a budget instrument sight unseen, one can generally feel somewhat assured in buying a higher-priced model on-line that what arrives in the mail will meet expectations.

Of course, introducing the human element also means that *their* judgment about playability should be congruent with *your* judgment, and that may not always be the case.

Consequently, one may make the following generalization about budget instruments, compared to higher-priced ones: The odds are greater that each unit if a higher-priced model will be equally playable, even if idiosyncratic in some way. In contrast, with budget models, sometimes you can get lucky but sometimes not. So, what you pay for is really the sort of attention to detail that results in consistency of product. If the gap in price between a budget and higher-end model is wide enough, and the issues not too terrible, the gap in quality can often be addressed by dropping a bit of money on post-production detailing. For instance, neck and fretboard setup. Or even better pickups and their installation.


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

musicman08 said:


> I agree. None of that Chinese or Mexican junk stands up against quality American made instruments. You get what you pay for, and that's a fact.
> A new guitar in the $400 - $500 is not good, except for maybe a beginner.


Could not disagree more. I've played some MIM strats that were hands down better than MIA strats. MIAs tend to have higher QC, but there are still some crappy ones out there. Hence the reason why I'll never buy a guitar online. If you look around enough, you can find plenty of solid and giggable guitars in the 400-500 range.

Also, this might be a slightly inappropriate joke, but a wise man on a certain other guitar forum once said

MIMs are made by Mexicans in Mexico
MIAs are made by Mexicans in America 
Pablo from Juarez is as good of a craftsman as Pablo from California
hwopv


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## sonic635 (Jan 14, 2007)

It is true that the more expensive guitars have the better woods, components and finishes and so they should your paying for it. One would expect the more expensive guitars would have more attention to detail but there can always be a lemon in the bunch. Things slip past quality control. Cheap guitars usually have cheap hardware, cheaper finishes and the possibility of more laminates in the wood. You can find guitars sub $500 -$600 that play well, and with a soldering iron, screw drivers and hex keys and some more cash as you get it you can turn it into a really good guitar. I have to admit there is some pride in owning a really expensive guitar there are 3 things I would like to point out here. 
1. It is usually only other guitarist care that you have a custom shop Les Paul the average person really does not knows the difference.
2. If you are playing well and sounding good most people in the audience don’t care what you are playing.
3. The more expensive the guitar the greater the heart break when you get a ding in the finish.


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## bagpipe (Sep 19, 2006)

This thread is turning into a "more expensive guitars are better than cheaper guitars" debate. We've already had that one:

http://guitarscanada.com/Board/showthread.php?t=22048


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## musicman08 (Dec 3, 2008)

gggelo said:


> sounds like rubbish to me.
> *just because* it's made in china or mexico *doesn't make it crap*


I guess it depends what someone considers a "good" guitar. I cannot buy a new guitar in that price that I consider good. Period. All of my guitars that I've bought new have been triple that. Just my opinion, but I will never buy chinese or mexican made guitars. If some people think they're great, that;s fine. Some people also thought that Pintos were great cars. So be it.


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Because the instrument is so personal, I stand by my previous post in this thread.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

musicman08 said:


> I guess it depends what someone considers a "good" guitar. I cannot buy a new guitar in that price that I consider good. Period. All of my guitars that I've bought new have been triple that. Just my opinion, but I will never buy chinese or mexican made guitars. If some people think they're great, that;s fine. Some people also thought that Pintos were great cars. So be it.


Then you need to play more of the guitars.

I have read, by someone who used to work at Gibson, that buying a post 80's gibson with a solid finish means you're taking your chances on it.

What do you consider is good? Go into the store with a blindfold on, have your guitarist friend pass you some guitars. Tell him which numbers you think were best, and then find out what guitars they were.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

Budda said:


> Then you need to play more of the guitars.
> 
> I have read, by someone who used to work at Gibson, that buying a post 80's gibson with a solid finish means you're taking your chances on it.
> 
> What do you consider is good? Go into the store with a blindfold on, have your guitarist friend pass you some guitars. Tell him which numbers you think were best, and then find out what guitars they were.


I have to agree. I'm an old guy, so most of my guitars are American made, although not very high end. 
But I have used all kinds of guitars on gigs, my friend's Mexi Strat, for example, worked wonderfully. Just as well as the American one I have now.
Things have changed, and there's lot's of nice stuff out there for a reasonable buck, IMHO:rockon2:


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

You know, we make a big deal out of pickups and bridges and paper-in-oil caps and fret composition and nuts. But I gotta tell ya, fundamentally, most guitars are a hunk of wood. I learned this very important lesson visiting the old Gibson facility on Parsons Street in Kalamazoo many years ago, before they closed for good and became Heritage instruments. As I was led on a walking tour, I saw instruments of every size and description: the USA map guitar, carved-top round-holes, double-necks, Byrdlands in for repairs, harp guitars, 335s, etc. What they all shared in common (and you couldn't help notice it when confronted with the old wooden plank floors, the wood-working machinery and tools, and just the smell of wood everywhere) was that they were wooden devices, assisted by metal and electronics.

And the fact of the matter is that not all wood is equal, even when from the same tree. Even when one pays attention to wood and gives it the respect due, all the other stuff that supports the wood's properties (glue joints, finishing, etc.) has to be in place too. It's easy to imagine that higher priced lines have a bunch of select and preferentially-treated planks that are allocated to that product line. Yes, they may look the same as the budget ones to the untrained eye, but they may have properties that are distinct, and be treated differentially. Fact of the matter is that there is no way I can have a dependable source of the "right" mahogany for the thousands and thousands of Epiphone Les Pauls that get made every year, but I can have a dependable source for a much more limited run of top grade Les Pauls that cost enough to limit buyers.

Yes, workmanship, and attention to detail plays a role, but wood is the elephant in the room.


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## Guest (May 25, 2009)

musicman08 said:


> I agree. None of that Chinese or Mexican junk stands up against quality American made instruments. You get what you pay for, and that's a fact.
> A new guitar in the $400 - $500 is not good, except for maybe a beginner.


Bullshit. I have an Agile 3100 and a couple of Reverends that I play more often than my $2700 LP and my $2000 HP Special. There are outstanding instruments being produced in Asia for a fraction of the price you would pay for American hyped hardware. There are folks out there who have invested loads of money in American guitars and can't stand the thought that they overpayed and could soon find themselves with devalued instruments. If you don't believe me go out and try them and judge for yourself. I own American guitars, plenty of them, and a good piece of wood in North America is a whole lot like a good piece of wood from Asia. The hardware on some of those cheapies might not be ideal but then again I know plenty of LP owners who have swapped out their pickups.


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## Mooh (Mar 7, 2007)

I have or had guitars/basses/mandolins/banjos/ukes from around the world. Place of origin was less a consideration for me when all I shopped for was tone and playability.

These days I've taken an interest in domestic (meaning Canadian) instruments, mostly guitars. Other instruments, I don't much care where they come from. So I have 3 Beneteau acoustics (6, 12, baritone), 3 House acoustics (6, 6 cutaway, bouzouki), 3 Godins (LG, 5 string bass, LaPatrie Collection), Cox mandolin, homemade bass, and have owned many other Godin products. This isn't a bias against any nation, import policy, perceived quality, or whatever, but it is a deliberate attempt to shop locally or nationally because I have a romanticized notion of being Canadian and Canadiana in general.

I haven't had any trouble finding quality at home, either. So if there is tone, playability, looks, I increasingly shop Canada. The difference for me between the very good and the merely mediocre, is a combination of electronic and mechanical parts, finish, assembly, wood, and features, but chiefly how and why all these things combine to create great tone and playability.

One of these days I'll post a Canadian family picture.

Peace, Mooh.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

I know my made in China Ibanez AF95 is not as good as some other archtops, and it's better than others--including other Ibanez Artcore models. The extra price on some models is not just the ornamentation. The AF75's apparently have the same electronics as the AF95, but they don't feel as good. And I thought that before I knew the price difference. The higher models sound better and feel better. The AF95 is now out of that price range mentioned, and the AF75 almost is. But when I bought it it was in the high end of it. So which would you judge it on?

Personally I'd have no problem gigging with the AF95.

Generalizations on price range are dangerous.


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## musicman08 (Dec 3, 2008)

Budda said:


> Then you need to play more of the guitars.
> 
> I have read, by someone who used to work at Gibson, that buying a post 80's gibson with a solid finish means you're taking your chances on it.
> 
> What do you consider is good? Go into the store with a blindfold on, have your guitarist friend pass you some guitars. Tell him which numbers you think were best, and then find out what guitars they were.


 I've played several guitars and own 9 guitars myself.....so not sure what you mean by that.
.


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## musicman08 (Dec 3, 2008)

Mooh said:


> I have or had guitars/basses/mandolins/banjos/ukes from around the world. Place of origin was less a consideration for me when all I shopped for was tone and playability.
> 
> These days I've taken an interest in domestic (meaning Canadian) instruments, mostly guitars. Other instruments, I don't much care where they come from. So I have 3 Beneteau acoustics (6, 12, baritone), 3 House acoustics (6, 6 cutaway, bouzouki), 3 Godins (LG, 5 string bass, LaPatrie Collection), Cox mandolin, homemade bass, and have owned many other Godin products. This isn't a bias against any nation, import policy, perceived quality, or whatever, but it is a deliberate attempt to shop locally or nationally because I have a romanticized notion of being Canadian and Canadiana in general.
> 
> ...


Agreed, there are some excellent Canadian made guitars out there.....


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## musicman08 (Dec 3, 2008)

konasexone said:


> Bullshit. I have an Agile 3100 and a couple of Reverends that I play more often than my $2700 LP and my $2000 HP Special. There are outstanding instruments being produced in Asia for a fraction of the price you would pay for American hyped hardware. There are folks out there who have invested loads of money in American guitars and can't stand the thought that they overpayed and could soon find themselves with devalued instruments. If you don't believe me go out and try them and judge for yourself. I own American guitars, plenty of them, and a good piece of wood in North America is a whole lot like a good piece of wood from Asia. The hardware on some of those cheapies might not be ideal but then again I know plenty of LP owners who have swapped out their pickups.


lets agree to disagree


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Jeff Healey played a Squier. It had Evans pup's though.


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## noobcake (Mar 8, 2006)

musicman08 said:


> Let me ask you this.....
> 
> How many PROFESSIONAL guitarists play Asian, Korean, Chinese, or Mexican made instruments? VERY FEW. What does that tell you?


Professional guitarists generally have sponsorships with higher end companies for marketing purposes.


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## musicman08 (Dec 3, 2008)

noobcake said:


> Professional guitarists generally have sponsorships with higher end companies for marketing purposes.


Yes I'm aware of that....

I'm not going to argue this anymore......just a waste of time.
If a few people think you can get a great guitar for $400, then so be it....


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## Swee_tone (Mar 23, 2009)

brokenrecord said:


> My Question is this: The guitars I am playing are mid-priced guitars, What makes more expensive guitars better?


Hardware, setup, headstock shape, name brand on headstock, woods, pickups , electrical , switches, frets....

I think you can get a really nice guitar for low $ if you are patient, and open to less than popular name brands.

I've owned Corts that were wonderful for around the $500 mark. Agile gets huge attention from the budget concious, and I believe you would have to spend huge $ to make an improvement on their offerings.
I've also enjoyed the PRS SE line, and Godins are consistantly good value..
Currently i'm enjoying a Chinese made Strat that is pretty much flawless, and an Epiphone that I cannot find a thing wrong with. 
I sound the same on these as I did on that fancy expensive one I played last month!

Personally, I think you should be able to find a lifetime guitar for under the $1000 mark. YMMV.

It's really easy to get caught up in the desire to play what your guitar hero plays, but the big companies pay the bucks to show that name brand off.
He'd probably sound the same on the lower priced model.

Still, if you want and can afford a big $ guitar, then awesome! Go for it! And enjoy it!
I try not to worry about it though, because I want this whole thing to be FUN!:smile:


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## lbrown1 (Mar 22, 2007)

Swee_tone said:


> Hardware, setup, headstock shape, name brand on headstock, woods, pickups , electrical , switches, frets....
> 
> I think you can get a really nice guitar for low $ if you are patient, and open to less than popular name brands.
> 
> ...



YOU GOT IT!

$500 and less can get you a helluva guitar......commentary around MIA being better may be true - but for my purposes - I'll NEVER notice the diff


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

mhammer said:


> wood is the elephant in the room.


that sums it up.

the question wasn't 'can you get a good guitar for under $X'. It was what's the difference between a good guitar and a very good guitar.

it all starts with the wood.

every itty bitty piece that goes into that guitar matters. But the main thing is wood. Not electronics.

but then we have the old law of diminishing returns. You pay a lot more for a little bit, and to the largest percentage of players, that little bit doesn't matter. But to some it does, and that was the question.


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## LaRSin (Nov 27, 2006)

I'm not much of a player , I have both cheap and decent, I play them all and like them all, But I was told that as soon as you effects of any kind it doesn't matter... As long as it feels good in your hands ... Just had fuel to the fire LOL :smile:

But like I said my ear isn't as good as what fellows have ,But I enjoy trying,

Great debate ..9kkhhd9kkhhd


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

...a good guitar: my aerodyne tele. now that i replaced the stock pickups with seymour duncans, there is not a thing wrong with this guitar. however, i rarely play it. for one thing, it doesn't inspire. secondly, it doesn't seem to have a lot of "personality".

a great guitar: my recently acquired all blonde strat. an '03, i think, and just an off the rack, stock, standard issue, american made fender. however, it is a joy to play, hugely inspiring, full of suprises.

another "great" guitar is a tiny yamaha acoustic/electric, for which i paid the princely sum of $125. this guitar just floors me every time i plug it in.

-dh


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## sonic74 (May 21, 2009)

Budda said:


> Matt, i guess to a degree - $500 is pretty low, and that would be an overstatement.
> 
> I apologize!
> 
> ...



You're overstating the price of new Hamers a bit. I have one, and I love it. They list for over $3000, but "street price", you can get them new for around $2600 or so. Great guitars at that price, and an excellent value used.


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

LaRSin said:


> I'm not much of a player , I have both cheap and decent, I play them all and like them all, But I was told that as soon as you effects of any kind it doesn't matter... As long as it feels good in your hands ...


Some truth to that. But then "great" guitars tend to have a longer sustain and a nice chimeyness about them. Both of those properties will play a role in what you get out of a great many (though certainly not all) effects.

One thing that hasn't been brought up yet is the neck-to-body connection. Consider a company like Reverend. They have a fundamental split between set-neck and bolt-on neck guitars, and the difference in price is clear. One of the reasons why Fender was able to gain ground on Gibson in the early days was because of the bolt-on neck they used.

Generally speaking, the use of a set neck, with a really good tight glue joint, can make a world of difference in the sonic properties of the instrument. And producing such a neck/body connection takes time and attention....and money. One should keep in mind that many of the "My cheapo sounds as good as the pricey ones" comments are coming from folks who are comparing one bolt-on to another. I'm not puting down bolt-ons - most of mine are - but the big gap in both quality and price often comes when the manufacturer opts for a set neck. It is worth noting as well that set necks very often provide for a more comfortable playing experience as well. One could never have an SG-like playing experience, unrestricted access to all frets, with a bolt-on.


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## gtrshow (Nov 6, 2006)

In response to the original question...

A good guitar is one that _can_ work for you. A very good guitar is one that _always_ works for you. Either can be found at just about any price point. YMMV.


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

There will never be a set answer to this question.

Ask Mario Andretti, or Jay Leno if a good car is as good as a very good car and guess what they'd answer. Ask a marathon runner if a $200 pair of running shoes is really that much better than a $50 pair. Ask Donald Trump if he really needs a Rolex over a Timex.

Diminishing returns - yes. But need, use, want, and wealth all affect a purchase.


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## greco (Jul 15, 2007)

allthumbs56 said:


> There will never be a set answer to this question.
> 
> Ask Mario Andretti, or Jay Leno if a good car is as good as a very good car and guess what they'd answer. Ask a marathon runner if a $200 pair of running shoes is really that much better than a $50 pair. Ask Donald Trump if he really needs a Rolex over a Timex.
> 
> Diminishing returns - yes. But need, use, want, and wealth all affect a purchase.


Reminds me of the answer to 

Q:"What is a good wine?"

A: "The one you like to drink"

cheers

Dave


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

musicman08 said:


> Let me ask you this.....
> 
> How many PROFESSIONAL guitarists play Asian, Korean, Chinese, or Mexican made instruments? VERY FEW. What does that tell you?


What do you mean by professional? If you mean "somebody who makes money from playing" you may be shocked by what what you see on many bar stages

TG


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

Wood _can_ make a difference but what is _good_ wood? Certain types may have particular sonic characteristics, but whether those characteristics are good are not is an entirely different question. There is also an assumption that "good wood = expensive wood" yet there are plenty of guitars made from expensive, "high quality" wood, that don't sound great.

These discussion always fail in explaining why some examples of the "classic" 50s and 60s guitars are dogs despite using all the "right" parts and materials. The answer is simple: we are talking about a bunch of different parts held together by a natural and highly variable material (wood). It is impossible to guarantee how all those elements will come together (pickups, caps, pots also all have different tolerances). Anyone who thinks there is a magic, fail-safe formula is talking BS; some combinations generally work well together (but any _particular_ example is a crap shoot) and again, what "sounds good" is largely a social/cultural construction.

As far as inexpensive guitars, comparing today's lower end guitars to even those made in the 1980s (on average) is a joke. Today's are much more playable and better made. Take a $500 guitar, swap out the pickups and electronics, and then compare to a $1500 guitar; yikes, it makes you uneasy about the more expensive guitar. 

The post about set neck vs bolt on is also misleading and largely stems from the fact that in the past, cheaper guitars mostly used bolt on necks. You can make very good bolt on guitars that provide excellent upper fret access (Godin for example). One can also talk about very basic differences between bolt on vs set neck guitars but again, which one sounds "better" is impossible to say.

TG


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## cknowles (Jan 29, 2008)

Great thread, I'ts been an enjoyable read, informative as well as entertaining!

I always love the conversation that comes out of this type of question.
You'll get as many different answers as there are members on the forum.
And someone's bound to take exception to someone else's opinion! :sport-smiley-002:

Chris


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## allthumbs56 (Jul 24, 2006)

cknowles said:


> You'll get as many different answers as there are members on the forum.
> :sport-smiley-002:
> Chris


Yes, but as always only one of us is right :smile:


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

traynor_garnet said:


> Wood _can_ make a difference but what is _good_ wood? Certain types may have particular sonic characteristics, but whether those characteristics are good are not is an entirely different question. There is also an assumption that "good wood = expensive wood" yet there are plenty of guitars made from expensive, "high quality" wood, that don't sound great.
> 
> These discussion always fail in explaining why some examples of the "classic" 50s and 60s guitars are dogs despite using all the "right" parts and materials. The answer is simple: we are talking about a bunch of different parts held together by a natural and highly variable material (wood). It is impossible to guarantee how all those elements will come together (pickups, caps, pots also all have different tolerances). Anyone who thinks there is a magic, fail-safe formula is talking BS; some combinations generally work well together (but any _particular_ example is a crap shoot) and again, what "sounds good" is largely a social/cultural construction.
> 
> ...


I would agree with a lot of this. Bolt-ons don't HAVE to be cheap or poorly made or hard to play, but the fact remains that opting for a bolt-on neck saves you big bucks in terms of producing the instrument without necessarily having to sacrifice quality. Leo knew that 60 years ago. My point about bolt-ons was simply to illustrate that BECAUSE you can make a decent bolt-on at low cost, it shouldn't surprise us that people stroll into a music store, pick up a budget bolt-on instrument, try it out for a bit, and are pleasantly surprised by the playability for such an economical axe.

Wood itself doesn't have to be expensive either, but having a *dependable supply* of decent wood and treating it properly, involves a certain outlay on the part of the manufacturer. E.g., you CAN use cedar for acoustic tops instead of 19-rings-per-inch Sitka spruce, but is every plank in your inventory the "right" piece of cedar? Is every piece of swamp ash somethng that has a grain you can work with, and no knots? Part of what you are paying for with the more expensive instrument is the manufacturer recovering the cost of maintaining that inventory, knowing full well that some of it will be second rate. If the manufacturer has a big enough supply of decent wood, they acquire the option to select pieces that complement each other, whether for grain, or for weight, or even for acoustic properties.

Of course, it is still incumbent upon them to have that insight into wood and exhibit good judgment about it. It's not enough simply to HAVE the wood itself. You have to know how to make it speak and how to make it behave.

As we've all learned, wood is generally less important to the solid-body instrument than it is to the carved top or flat-top acoustic, but it still matters.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

musicman08 said:


> Umm, I've played several guitars and own 9 guitars myself.....so not sure what you mean by that.
> 
> American made instruments are superior and I'm not sure why people question that? Do you really think an axe made in China is going to be as good or better? Workmanship and hardware are where the major differences lie. Heck, some of the Japanese made stuff is pretty good. I'm mainly talking about Chinese, Mexican, and Korean made stuff. But if you think that you can buy a Korean made $400 guitar that outshines any American made stuff, then hey that's up to you. We all have opinions. Don't take offense.


You've got to be kidding. "American made instruments are superior". Period. Ok, thenkksjur


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

traynor_garnet said:


> What do you mean by professional? If you mean "somebody who makes money from playing" you may be shocked by what what you see on many bar stages
> 
> TG


Yes. The best pros I know have much more important concerns than where their instrument was made.


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## dwagar (Mar 6, 2006)

traynor_garnet said:


> Wood _can_ make a difference but what is _good_ wood? Certain types may have particular sonic characteristics, but whether those characteristics are good are not is an entirely different question. There is also an assumption that "good wood = expensive wood" yet there are plenty of guitars made from expensive, "high quality" wood, that don't sound great.
> 
> These discussion always fail in explaining why some examples of the "classic" 50s and 60s guitars are dogs despite using all the "right" parts and materials. The answer is simple: we are talking about a bunch of different parts held together by a natural and highly variable material (wood). It is impossible to guarantee how all those elements will come together (pickups, caps, pots also all have different tolerances). Anyone who thinks there is a magic, fail-safe formula is talking BS; some combinations generally work well together (but any _particular_ example is a crap shoot) and again, what "sounds good" is largely a social/cultural construction.
> 
> ...


I agree, it's the synergy of the parts working together. Therefore, 'good wood' is going to produce a 'better' guitar than 'average wood'. Wood should be gauged as tone wood, not by price. Is Honduran mahogany better than mahogany grown elsewhere? is east coast hard rock maple better than west coast maple? does the weight make a difference? being wood, every piece is going to vary somewhat. Just considering how expensive a piece is does in any way guarantee that guitar is going to 'work'.

As you mentioned, even 50s Gibsons aren't necessarily great guitars. 

That's the main thing I have against having a custom guitar built, or even buying one off the net (if you can avoid it). Go play 6 identical guitars in the store. ONE will probably be better than the rest, even though they are all built and spec'd the same.

I think it was David earlier in the thread that used the term "inspired". To me, that is the sign of a GREAT guitar.


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## musicman08 (Dec 3, 2008)

keefsdad said:


> You've got to be kidding. "American made instruments are superior". Period. Ok, thenkksjur


Ok, so you don't think guitars made in the USA are better than Chinese, Korean of Mexican stuff?


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## musicman08 (Dec 3, 2008)

traynor_garnet said:


> What do you mean by professional? If you mean "somebody who makes money from playing" you may be shocked by what what you see on many bar stages
> 
> TG


No, I'm not referring to local bands or two bit cover bands.......


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## Dieter Billinger (May 25, 2009)

*Good guitars*

It takes seeing and playing a lot of guitars before one can instinctively tell the goodies from the mediocre. In my experience (35 + yrs) of servicing guitars and amps I have come to know the ins and outs of guitar selection. Aside from the more obvious structural, cosmetic and or aesthetic aspects of a guitar the easiest test for finding a great guitar is in the accuracy of the intonation set up. The pitch for each fret and each string of the guitar must be correct from fret one right up to the last fret. Just like a piano or any other instrument all notes played must be at the right pitch. The most common intonation adjustment is of course at the bridge saddle however this adjustment doesn't fix intonation problems for the first position frets. Many guitars which exhibit factory intoantion problems for first fret positions do not play in tune for basic chords such as the basic E, A, D or G. A good guitar or a properly set up guitar which has been tuned correctly will play these chords without beat notes from out of pitch harmonics being introduced into the chord being played. 

To check this nut side intonation one must use an accurate tuner which can resolve tuning to within at least .01 cents. The strings must be tuned to within +/- .02 and the deviation or error from +/- 00 must be the same for each fretted note. A small deviation (usually within +/- .02 is tolerable and will not be noticed even to the most discriminating ear. Taking a few minutes to do this test will tell you a lot about how good your guitar is. Again this is not from a general construction and materials perspective but as a musical instrument that will compliment other instruments sharing the stage. There are some great sounding guitars out there but the intonation error negates their worthiness as a fine musical instrument 

The whole nine yards of an instrument has to include playability (again a set up preference) and how well that set up fits with the player. Different makes of guitars use many different fingerboard scale lengths and these scale lengths translate into how well the fingerboard fits the player's hand and finger reach as well as an aspect of the tonality of the instrument. Finding a guitar that comfortably fits your hand is always a good starting point. The more comfortable it is the more you will enjoy playing it and the more it will become an extension of your being. 

Finding good acoustic guitars.

The brand name of a guitar doesn't translate to how good or bad it is. Most high volume guitar manufacturers have models to suit every need and budget. The low end stuff is generally from China, Korea, Phillipines and even Japan. 
Almost all steel string guitars are using the "X" bracing invented and intruduced by C.F. Martin early in the 20th century. The basic structure for most steel string flat top guitars is very similar. The fine points in a quality guitar are the type and grade of tonewoods used and and the makers in depth knowledge of wood selection, grain count and orientation for every piece of wood used in their creations. Rare and exotic woods come with a high price tag thusly more and more (even high end) guitars are being made with laminated veneers rather than solid tone woods. Laminated woods are OK for the back and sides on an acoustic guitar but the top should be a good grade of either Sitka spruce, Alpine spruce, Western Cedar or Mahogany to mention a few. There is an ongoing debate on which of the two spruces is the best but my preference is for Alpine. All of the worlds best violin tops and piano sound boards are Alpine spruce. 

It is sometimes very difficult to tell the difference between solid wood and laminated veneers unless you have a keen eye. If the guitar top is solid wood the endgrain revealed at the upper (neck edge) and lower edges of the sound hole will usually suffice to make this determination. If the top looks like a cheese sandwich around the entire sound hole rim then the top is laminated. Sometimes the soundhole has binding on the inside edge and making a determination becomes more difficult. A good rule of thumb though is that if a guitar maker is using cheap materials he isn't apt to add the extra expense of time and material to place binding around the inside edge of the soundhole. 

A close look at the soundhole rosette will also reveal whether or not it is a decal or an inlay. If you there is a visible edge to the rosette as there is on all decals then it's a decal. Rosette decals are only used on the very cheapest of cheap guitars. 

It is easy to tell a laminated back and sides from solid woods by simply examining the grain on the inside of the back of the guitar through the soundhole. Make a mental note of prominent grain lines near the centerline and then flip the guitar over and see if these same grain lines appear on the back at approximately the same distance from the centerline. If the grain is significantly different between the inside and outside of the guitar or if the wood type differs then the back and sides are most definitely laminated. 

The guitar business is a highly competitive one. Some of the key manufacturers have been in buisiness for over a century and their ability to stay alive is in the fact that they have produced guitars to suit the market demands througout the decades. Price and quality are always at the forefront but guitar prices like everything else are in line with the axiom of you get what you pay for. 

There are many lesser brand names which make very respectable guitars which can give the top names a good run for value on the dollar. A good luthier should be able to get the best out of any reasonable quality guitar as far as properly setting it up for intonation and string action. You don't need to lay down big bucks unless bragging rights become a factor in your purchase decisions. Just find a guitar that will tune properly and be in tune over the entire fretboard. From there you on your way to starting a really good and lasting relationship with the guitar you select. 

Thanks for reading.
and best regards
Dieter Billinger (Luthier).


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## PaulS (Feb 27, 2006)

Very good point on the intonation at the nut, I have played a LOT of different guitars from the 300 to 4000 range, yes some of the cheaper ones sound good but they don't play in tune and they are hard to keep in tune. There will be the exception. As you move up in price these items are taken care of and then yes there comes the point your paying for the name and support.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

musicman08 said:


> Ok, so you don't think guitars made in the USA are better than Chinese, Korean of Mexican stuff?


Some are, some aren't. 
Are all American cars better or worse than all Korean cars? 
Geez


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

musicman08 said:


> No, I'm not referring to local bands or two bit cover bands.......


............:wave:


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## musicman08 (Dec 3, 2008)

keefsdad said:


> Some are, some aren't.
> Are all American cars better or worse than all Korean cars?
> Geez


We aren't talking about cars here......so that is pretty irrelevant (and pointless to this discussion).......


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## Guest (May 26, 2009)

musicman08 said:


> Let me ask you this.....
> 
> How many PROFESSIONAL guitarists play Asian, Korean, Chinese, or Mexican made instruments? VERY FEW. What does that tell you?


A lot more than you would think. EVH played a homemade for years, Skunk Baxter played cheap all the time, Jeff Healy really liked Squiers, SRV played Tokais. I'm sure you guys know more of them.


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

konasexone said:


> A lot more than you would think. EVH played a homemade for years, Skunk Baxter played cheap all the time, Jeff Healy really liked Squiers, SRV played Tokais. I'm sure you guys know more of them.


David Lindley made a career of it.

When Mercury Blues hit it big pawn shops around here jacked up the prices of cheap stuff to ridiculous levels.

A cheap no name sparkly silver thing with a fake Bigsby I tried out on a lark turned out to be fun to play--I was prepared to pay about $75-100 for it (This was when Lindley's Mercury Blues came out.) They wanted more than I'd paid for my Iceman. I passed.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

konasexone said:


> A lot more than you would think. EVH played a homemade for years, Skunk Baxter played cheap all the time, Jeff Healy really liked Squiers, SRV played Tokais. I'm sure you guys know more of them.


Yes, we do. :smile::rockon2:


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

musicman08 said:


> We aren't talking about cars here......so that is pretty irrelevant (and pointless to this discussion).......


Ok..................:smile::bow:


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## traynor_garnet (Feb 22, 2006)

musicman08 said:


> No, I'm not referring to local bands or two bit cover bands.......


Umm, ok. Your position is unrefined and you are coming off as pretty "young." Enjoy whatever you play.

TG


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## zontar (Oct 25, 2007)

musicman08 said:


> No, I'm not referring to local bands or two bit cover bands.......


Then you're probably eliminating about 90% of professional musicians. At least.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

musicman08 said:


> We aren't talking about cars here......so that is pretty irrelevant (and pointless to this discussion).......


what makes it irrelevant in a comparison between quality of products produced in Asia vs. USA?
You actually could have used this analogy to better your argument (which so far seems to have collaped), citing that in the 70's japanese cars used inferiuor steel and therefore rusted to crap in no time flat, and perhaps japanese wood or other materials are inferior as well (pure speculation- i actually dont believe country of manufacture ultimtely and solely determines quality).

As a labour management consultant, having seen canadian/american workers in manufacturing environments, I dont personally believe they generally have any superior skills, knowledge or motivation to contribute to making a better product. I'm sure we can all think of morons we worked along side of that you could never figure out how they managed to stay employed. If you havent, then you're him. 

That being said, i think its important to support our local economy whenever we can. That has value in itself regardless of degree of perceived quality and should still be a factor in considering what products you buy.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

musicman08 said:


> Let me ask you this.....
> 
> How many PROFESSIONAL guitarists play Asian, Korean, Chinese, or Mexican made instruments? VERY FEW. *What does that tell you?*


Absolutely nothing. They are paid to play whatever is handed to them, and logically thast going to be the $3k. line the manufacturer is trying to promote, not the $500. line (unless you're Avril Lavigne...why does she play a $300 squier? because its aimed at a market demographic that isnt perceived as being able to pay more for one, vs. the old phogies that could afford a $21k jeff Beck Les Paul. Nooone over 21 is buying that squier, and noone under 35 is buying that LP.). 

If I believed every big star actually chose the products they were paid to endorse I'd have to believe that Tiger Woods drives around in a Buick with Onstar, and Michael Jordan buys Hanes underwear from WalMart.


To answer the OP's original question, it comes down to personal feel and tone. We've seen in my thread on terrible tone, that one mans heaven is another mans hell when it comes to sound, the same applies to guitar feel IMO...hence why some people luv LP's but hate strats and vice versa, or set neck vs. bolt-on, fate necks vs thin necks, single coils vs humbuckers, etc.
I personally think the role of an ELECTRIC guitar in overall tone is generally over stated anyways. Amps and effects have bigger roles IMO.


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## Samsquantch (Mar 5, 2009)

sonic635 said:


> It is true that the more expensive guitars have the better woods, components and finishes and so they should your paying for it. One would expect the more expensive guitars would have more attention to detail but there can always be a lemon in the bunch. Things slip past quality control


This becomes much less of an issue when you start getting into the small company boutique builders like Suhr, Anderson, Grosh, D'Pergo, Baker etc etc...Smaller companies with workers who really care about what they make=much more attention to detail. While it's true that a $500 might sound and play better than a $1500 guitar, this is really only applicable when comparing a mass produced guitar to other mass produced guitar. Not to sound like too much of a corksniffer, but I've found through my experiences that boutique guitars are a lot more consistent in quality, weight, playability, sound etc...Fender makes 200,000 Strats a day, and they have no qualms about selling you a guitar that is too heavy or too light, or that has a crappy neck joint etc etc, so typically you need to play several before you find a good one, and a whole lot more before you find a great one IMHO. Gibson and Fender have really dropped the ball in terms of quality control, especially within the past few years.


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## Archer (Aug 29, 2006)

Diablo said:


> I personally think the role of an ELECTRIC guitar in overall tone is generally over stated anyways. Amps and effects have bigger roles IMO.



I agree. For me the amp is the most important element in your tone. You can take a so-so guitar and put it into a great amp and you will b e fine. Plugging a great guitar into a so-so amp will not, in my experience, get you the same result.

The player's hands are still the key.


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## david henman (Feb 3, 2006)

..."real men" play (insert name of "manly" guitar here)!

kkjuw

-dh


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## Robert1950 (Jan 21, 2006)

Diablo said:


> old phogies


It's fogey, singular, and fogies, plural. I should know, I've been call people that for over 45 years.


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## Jimi D (Oct 27, 2008)

musicman08 said:


> Umm, I've played several guitars and own 9 guitars myself.....so not sure what you mean by that.
> 
> American made instruments are superior and I'm not sure why people question that? Do you really think an axe made in China is going to be as good or better? Workmanship and hardware are where the major differences lie. Heck, some of the Japanese made stuff is pretty good. I'm mainly talking about Chinese, Mexican, and Korean made stuff. But if you think that you can buy a Korean made $400 guitar that outshines any American made stuff, then hey that's up to you. We all have opinions. Don't take offense.


The point is this: no, a $400 Chinese guitar will not be the equal of a $2000 American guitar, *but*...

The Chinese make some $2000 guitars that are the equal or better of any $4000 American-made guitar (ever heard of Eastman?)

The location where it was made doesn't mean crap. There is no magic pixey dust exclusive to American guitar manufacturers, and the Chinese have a tradition of craftsmanship about 3000 years longer than anything we can lay claim to in North America...


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## Big_Daddy (Apr 2, 2009)

I have owned a lot of _great_ guitars over my 40+ years of playing, all of them Fenders and Gibsons (except for an early '80s Lado Hawk, which was also an exceptional guitar). What made them great? *Quality in materials and workmanship*. The only brand new guitar I ever bought, besides the Lado, was a '65 Tele and it never really grabbed me like all of the others. With the exception of the Lado, every one of my favourites has been a previously owned and _played_ guitar. I emphasize "played" because I think that is a critical ingredient in what makes a good guitar become great. Quality wood just sounds better with time and use. An example of this jumped out at me a couple of months ago when I was jamming with a friend who has a 50th Anniversary Strat. We traded guitars for a little while and when he played a few notes on my vintage '64 Strat, the look on his face was incredible. First, he started to grin from ear to ear. Then he looked at _his_ guitar and I thought he was going to cry.  When I played a few chords I realized why....it felt and sounded like a plank. The intonation and action were fine. It just had no character. I looked at him and said, "Give it 40 years of love and constant playing and it will be a gem, too."

I never, ever buy a guitar without playing it first and finding out as much about its history as I can. Besides looking at all of the technical characteristics like neck straightness, intonation and structural integrity, the guitar has to "speak" to me in the way it plays, sounds and feels. It is a purely subjective feeling and I won't buy it if it doesn't grab me.


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## gtrshow (Nov 6, 2006)

david henman said:


> ..."real men" play (insert name of "manly" guitar here)!
> 
> kkjuw
> 
> -dh


Danelectros!!! :rockon2:


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## Duster (Dec 28, 2007)

musicman08 said:


> We aren't talking about cars here......so that is pretty irrelevant (and pointless to this discussion).......


I believe you're the one that used the Pinto as an example in a prior post, to make a point. Why are cars irrelevant now that they don't support your point?

What's interesting is that in the car world, a lot of people followed your logic. American-built is better quality, asian imports are cheap crap. That thinking hasn't worked out real well for GM and Chrysler. 

The fact is, Asian workers aren't much different from American workers. They live about the same length of time and spend about the same amount of time learning their craft. There's no real reason an asian guitar maker should be less skilled than an american one. The difference is that they've aimed for the low end of the market, because that's where the volume is. It's only a matter of time before they raise their sights. Japanese guitar makers already have. I would say Korean guitar makers have a pretty solid reputation for quality. It's only a matter of time before they become the best, just as they have in the automotive and electronic world. Unless you think it's more difficult to make guitars than cars or TVs. The time for the American companies to raise their game is now. And they've done a decent job of it, compared to where they were in the 80s. But they are still very expensive, and the quality gap is closing.

Quality is a funny thing. Even quality experts can't agree on what it really means. Many would argue that a Honda Civic is a higher quality car than a BMW. Consistency, reliability, efficiency, life cycle cost of ownership, are all indicators of quality, and the Honda has the Beemer beat on all counts. But at the end of the day, there's an emotional component to quality, there's the concept of "mojo". It's an intangible thing, and people will be willing to put up with a few niggles for something they feel passionate about. In that regard, it will be harder for asian guitar makers to beat american guitar makers, the same way it's hard for japanese car makers to beat european car makers in luxury cars, or american companies in pickup trucks.

To answer the original question, I think the difference between a good guitar and a great guitar is very, very small. Someone mentioned diminishing returns, and that's spot on. The difference between a $500 and a $1000 guitar, in terms of quality of wood, components, and sound, is noticeable, generally. Most people can feel that difference (and yes, there are exceptions). The difference between a $1000 and a $2000 guitar is smaller, and less noticeable. Then up to a $3500 guitar, most people wouldn't immediately feel or hear the difference. And then you go into the stratosphere of $5000 - $10000 guitars, where the only people that can tell the difference are those with what's called "dog-whistle taste", because their taste is in a range that most people can't hear...

--- D


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## mhammer (Nov 30, 2007)

Big_Daddy said:


> I have owned .............doesn't grab me.


VERY nice summary. Well-spoken!:bow:


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## Jim DaddyO (Mar 20, 2009)

Jim DaddyO said:


> IMHO, when you plug your guitar in and start to play, if your heart beats a bit faster and you have a bit of anticipation shake inside, you have the right guitar.


and I still stand by my original post. The instrument IS personal. EVH knows squat about luthery, but what he did with a bunch of spare parts was history making. It was not expensive, it was not "high quality", but it was his, and his heart and soul came out of it, and it showed.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

A world-famous band is a local band to their hometown .

Cars or guitars - the argument is still the same.

I like the intonation post a lot, I think this thread really needed it.


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## brokenrecord (May 2, 2009)

Thanks to everyone who posted. A great discussion & debate. Kind of what I figured would happen....lots of great nuggets.


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## keefsdad (Feb 7, 2006)

david henman said:


> ..."real men" play (insert name of "manly" guitar here)!
> 
> kkjuw
> 
> -dh


telecasters with no finish, and sharp frets hanging out!!:rockon2:


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## 94Stanger (Dec 6, 2007)

*Good Comparison*

What's funny is that someone posted Highway 1 strat - has come down in price so in reply to this thread this is an American Strat with Mexican Made Hardware for about 899.00. What it boils down to is the little stamp on the headstock that says Made in USA or Made in Mexico, China, Japan, Indonesia - doesn't matter - your paying for the decal - you can get a good NAME brand AXE. Key is to pick it up make sure it's setup right - play it. No one really knows if your playing a Mexican or American Strat. Just like the Highway 1 - Mexican made parts but everyone is willing to jump on it because it says made in USA - they fetch more money. If David Gilmour picked up Mexican strat - he would still sound like David Gilmour. The parts are shipped to these companies for lower assembly costs. Fender replacement parts are made by Wilkinson & they make a cheaper imitation of Fender Strat or Tele with the same parts. Lastly - if a guitarist picks up a $300.00 guitar and sounds crappy, he ain't gonna sound better on a $3000.00 guitar and vice-versa.


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