I admit, I love cheap ass guitars.

  • Thread starter Thread starter Mudder
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Mudder

Mudder

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I have four guitars as of right now. Only one is worth more than a few hundred bucks.

Tacoma Dreadnought acoustic
Xaviere strat copy - $225
Yamaha RGZ621 - $250 after pickups and pots
Jay Turser SG Jr - $210 after tuners, bridge, and pots

It is possible to get great playing/sounding guitars for not much money. I'd love to be able to drop $1k on a guitar but I just can't justify the money.

First off, I'm just an ok player, I can play a song just good enough for you to realize I'm wrecking it. Second, I do enjoy the "project axe", going through the electronics and replacing bad parts with good ones. I'm not nervous about tearing into a pawn shop find. That Yamaha is a perfect example of a guitar that started with whack electronics that now has a great set up.
 
I agree. One of my big enjoyments is picking up used 80's shredders and then doing a few customized frankenstein things to them and coming up with some really awesome playing guitars.

Yes, I still have my Les Pauls, a Jackson USA Rhoads, a Jackson USA soloist, and a few G & L strats. However, on some of those seedier gigs where lugging around a few thousand dollars worth of guitar in a back alley just isn't worth it. I'll usually take along a frankenstein or two and have a blast not worrying.
 
I have 5 guitars that I purchased for $200 or less, and 2 more that were under $300... I gig with all of them (with new pickups, pots, necks in some cases, etc.).

Love the sense of accomplishment of getting something cheap, making it right, and taking it to a gig.
 
I have had cheap and expensive over the years. I think if you have the bucks to belly up to a quality instrument you just do it. My first decent acoustic was a 1927 O18K Martin and I picked it up for $100 in 1967. I tried Guilds, Yamahas Epiphones etc and always came back to the Martin acoustic. My current 1968 D18 was had for $375 just a few years ago. I look for the deals but also the quality. Its very hard to get cheap acoustics to sound good. On the other hand electrics are very different and cheap ones do work well and won't get stolen at a gig. I still lean to the more expensive electrics if I have the dollars to spend. My current american made strat wins my attention over my collection of cheap, expensive, old and new.
 
Since my original post my collection has changed a bit, just a tad more upscale, but still nothing that breaks the bank.

Tacoma Dreadnought
Burny LP
Ibby RG570
Turser SG Jr
Reverend Club King

All of the electrics can be found regularly under $600, not too bad but more midrange in pricing. Once you get away from the couple hundred dollar axes you start to notice the improvements in the details like binding, and fret work.

None of these keep me from looking for a deal though. Part of the thrill for me is the hunt.
 
I ya on the thrill thing. Its neat to buy a cheap guitar and still be able to rock with it. I just sold some of my cheaper guitars in the last couple of days as I wasn't playing them and vacation is coming up soon.
 
i've never owned a guitar that was worth more than $300. i love 'em too.
 
I love cheap amps too. There's alot of under-appreciated/under-rated gear out there.
 
i like looking for inexpensive fixer-uppers myself. i've got about a half dozen that i've done some tweaking to in order to make them sound better. i've got a japanese jackson that i put bill lawrence l 500's in.. a mexi strat that i replaced the pups and pickguard in.. a partsocaster that i just finished the setup on for a gig on saturday.. a charvel cx 692 that plays great.. but i put new pups into.. a peavey reactor tele copy that i got for cheap with duncan pups.. and a dano 56 u2 ri.
they sound decent enough after a few tweaks.. i don't have to carry expensive guitars to club gigs.. hopefully i've improved the value of the instrument by tweaking it and i've saved a bunch of money and learned a few things by doing the work myself.
 
To add on, I'm taking a long look at a USA Peavey Predator H/S/S for some upgrading...
 
anomaly":56b7b said:
I love cheap amps too. There's alot of under-appreciated/under-rated gear out there.
Click to expand...

yup. most of my amps are older ones that were in need of a little tlc more than anything. i picked up my carvin x 60 head for 100 usd and my laney aor combo for 190 usd. after re-tubing and a few minor repairs they sound great. same with my '88 peavey special with a scorpion. some may knock the fact that it's solid state.. but it does a decent nashville clean with or without hair. a real steal at two bills.. imo.
 
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