ChrisDowning
10 posts
Jun 21, 2008
4:18 AM
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Has anyone had some first hand experience of all these much less expensive guitars? You know the sort of guitar that has a non heavyly advertised logo or brand - like Samick, Cort, and a whole lot of new Chinese built brands.
Most of the well know brands like Fender, PRS, G & L, Gibson, Ibanez, Peavey, have USA built products that we all know and respect for high quality and an understanding of what players are looking for. But what else is out there?
Factories like Cort and Samick make a lot of instruments for these big brands, but what is their own product under their own logo like. Is it the same as the big logo brand, but just lacking the badge?
When I was 17 a guitar like my first decent Ricknbacker cost me 20 weeks wages. Why have guitars become so much cheaper? Have we given up on quality or has something else happened?
Can you get an inexpensive quality instrument or should we still think ourselves lucky we don't play the cello where a good instrument costs at least $10,000. Is a good guitar one that inevitably costs $5000+ ?
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Al
4 posts
Jun 21, 2008
2:31 PM
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I have a few Chris. I own guitars in every price range, I always try to score the best deals that I can. Personally, I think inexpensive guitars have become much better in the area of playability because of technology and mass-production has been refined nicely over the years.
The market is filled with instruments manufactured in Asian countries, and sticking apples to apples, they are world's better than they used to be let's say 20 years ago. In the 1980's, I remember guitars made abroad (from the US) that were just awful. In those days, you could pick up an American Strat or Les Paul for just under $1000 US.
Today, there are QUALITY differences between entry level and high end guitars for sure, but for the money, many of the inexpensive guitars are not a bad deal for starting players. Ibanez has some inexpensive jazz boxes that are quite decent for the money. Are they in the Hofner league? There's no way. But in 1978, I would have bought something that sounded that good and looked that nice that was easy on the wallet.
Now the flip side to that I think that some of the American instruments are way ridiculously overpriced. I love Gibson, Fender, Jackson and Paul Reed Smith as much as anyone, but their main lines are NOT handmade. I know I may be running the risk of getting lampooned here, but it's the truth.
I even overheard a salesperson (I won't say where, but you've heard of the store) tell someone that a Paul Reed Smith was handmade and I was quick to point out that they're not and haven't been since the late 1970's/early 1980's.
I guess it's better to have a Les Paul or any nice guitar if you can afford it. They way I figure, if you've played a while and paid your dues in that respect. You deserve to treat yourself to at least one nice instrument.
Last Edited by on Jul 16, 2008 1:57 AM
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Eric E
12 posts
Jul 08, 2008
11:00 AM
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I agree, Al. I have guitars at all price ranges, and what really connects me to the instrument is playability and sound. There are so many guitars now that play and sound great for very little money.
Its funny, the handmade guitar idea. People do have the idea that American made Gibsons and PRS guiars are hand made. I have heard people at music stores say the same thing. one of my students was very disappointed when he visited the Gibson factory in Nashville and saw the building process. He expected every Les Paul to be made by some skilled luthier with hand tools one by one at a bench. I think they are great guitars too, but not hand made. Unless you are paying an individual luthier to build you one guitar, it is going to be made in a factory where the parts are machine cut and the instruments are mass produced. While I love a lot of high end instruments, I have no problem buying and playing something that is imported and in expensive.
--Eric E
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ChrisDowning
12 posts
Jul 10, 2008
11:12 AM
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The intersting issue is you can actually get hand made guitars for the same price here. Since a Gibson Les Paul comes out at about $3000 here in the UK I know that I can get a guitar maker to build me pretty much the same guiatr for the same price. And that's with all my own preferences built in.
I'm getting a J45 style acoustic made right now for £1400, thats about $3000. I know this will play extremely well and probably a lot better than a Martin for the same price. The main reason for that is the maker doesn't have to build in all the strength a Martin needs to be sent to anywhere in the World and put up with temrature and humidity issues. It's quite mild here in the UK. Also there isn't a supply chain to be paid - no distrbutors, shops, shop staff - just me and the maker.
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Al
11 posts
Jul 24, 2008
2:13 AM
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Yeah Eric, can you imagine how inefficient hand making main line instruments would be for a company like Gibson? They would have to charge you way more than what they charge now just to stay in business.
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Rich
Moderator
10 posts
Aug 06, 2008
2:31 PM
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One point I haven't heard any discussion about is the vintage guitar market. If you have the cash as money gets tighter you could get some real deals. Vintage will retain most of it's value even in tough times but some feel they need to cash out the guitars in their closet. For the buyer, when times are good they've not only a fine instrument but one really worth it's weight in gold. Comments?
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ChrisDowning
17 posts
Sep 10, 2008
9:07 AM
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Well Rich we're still looking at silly money for most of the vintage guitars in the UK. I'm talking $10,000 upwards for very ordinary 335's and 60's Strats. Most of them don't even play well - so I think it will be a year or so before the old market prices get back to 'normal' again. I agree though - it happened in the early 90's with classic cars and over a cuple of years they halved in price. So maybe something like that will happen to old guitars.
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ChrisDowning
28 posts
Nov 25, 2008
12:44 PM
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Since I posted that last one a lot's happened (Wish I could have predicted it all - could have retired in luxury - ha ha.) With the problems in the econonomy we'll be seeing a lot of old guitars coming back into circulation as people need to sell off the excess houshold investments and stuff under the bed. Wouldn't want to be an ambulance chaser, but if it's anything like the end of the 80's when prices on vintage cars dropped like a lead baloon, I guess something like that could be happening with guitars. Hopefully, real players might be able to buy nice old guitars again and give them an outing in front of an appreciative audience. Wouldn't that be nice?
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Johnny B
1 post
Jun 09, 2009
7:53 AM
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Hi guitar lovers,
What an amazing site. Having played guitar for over 30 years, my passion now is jazz guitar. Rich's courses are so helpful. I'm on a budget and really need a warm sounding jazz guitar. Can anyone recommend the Hofner Verythin Contemporary? I don't have long fingers so does it have a good low action on the neck. Does it have a cool jazz sound and with what amps. Could you also get a heavy rock/metal sound with it. Does it sit comfortably on your knee? etc. etc. Any info would be helpful. For any Limeys out there I live in Retford, North Notts.
Please check out my CD on Youtube which I made for the wonderful ROPE charity. Type in: guitar music by john berry. It's called a Guitarist's Journey and please feel free to leave a comment and give it a rating (as long as it is 5 stars) LOL.
'Praise Him with stringed instruments' (Psalm 150v4)
Take care
John Berry
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Eric E
Moderator
39 posts
Jun 09, 2009
5:42 PM
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Hi John,
Welcome to the forum. I have always liked Hofners. I don't have a lot of experience with the Verythin. I imagine that Rich has played them, so he may have some ideas. I suspect that if it is like most thin archtops you'll get a decent rock and blues tone out of it too.
--Eric E.
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Johnny B
2 posts
Jun 13, 2009
4:58 AM
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Hi Eric,
Thanks. There is a video of Rich playing the Verythin Contemporary on his site. He's playing the bebop Bb blues and it does sound great for jazz. I wonder what strings he recommends - gauge etc and would it sound good through my 20W Marshall amp?
Currently I am practising with jazz backing discs and have just begun to perform. Do any of you guys do that? I've also got the amazing Fender G-Dec 30 which I can programme numerous backing rhythms. Love to hear from Rich sometime. Take care, John.
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