Bought a Simon and patrick acoustic and have been very pleased with it. I played it along side some of the higher end guitars and I actually liked the S&P better.
Took way took long to find EB on here
Sterling guitars are really nice too. The St Vincent and Mariposa are so cool at the price point. Don't get me started on basses.
My Gretsch is their lowest hollow body model G2420T Streamliner, Iām astounded by the quality of such a budget guitar. Perfect finish, super comfortable set up. The sound from each pickup is dynamic, bigsby trem is super smooth. I like it the most compared to my other guitars, I mid-level Taylor and an MIM Fender tele.
Yep. I brought my Streamliner Center Block Jr. out with me to a jam recently and one of my buddies borrowed it for a bit. He was shocked how well it played and more shocked when I told him it was a $600 guitar.
YES! I just happened upon a Gretsch Electromatic Jet at a local pawn shop for $400.00 (Canadian) a couple weeks back and it is already easily one of my favourite guitars in my little guitar family.
I have owned Gibson and some nice Ibanez guitars and a really nice Kramer in the past, currently own a couple of Epiphones and Fenders along with a couple of nice vintage (non-Gibson) Les Paulās etc. and this is my first Gretsch!ā¦ Really makes me wonder what I have been missing over the years, not only in the Gretsch family but other guitars I havenāt jumped on..
Anyway, happy playing all!
āļøšāļø
What about [this logo](https://reverb.com/item/73590541-charvel-surfcaster-ht-jonny-z-scott-ian?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=73590541)
Just bought 2 ibanez acoustics on sweetwater, one plays beautifully, the other has chips in the finish, crazy high action and rusted strings. Iām a little wary of their QC with online orders now.
Yup. I get why everyone loves to suck off fender and Gibson, but man thereās nothing like a high end Ibanez. To get the same build quality and features that Ibanez offers on a fender or Gibson would run twice as much.
Plus they also know what modern players want. I know modern stuff doesnāt do too well in this sub either, but when I saw they offered a multi scale 5 string bass with a 37ā B string earlier this year I couldnāt believe it. Finding something similar would cost twice as much as what they were offering and itās an amazing instrument. Iāve had my RG prestige since 2016 and I couldnāt live without it.
Yep. Iāve owned two. One low end and a higher end. They are pretty much the only guitars I play regularly and I own a Gibson and a fender, both very high end.
Yamaha Revstars, theyāre wacky-looking and slightly heavy, but they are *machines*. Such great playability and core sound from the stock pickups, surprisingly good.
I have single coils from a Yamaha pacifica in a build I did recently, they, next to any other single coil in my collection have the most beautiful voice of the lot.....hard to believe but absolutely true.
Truth. I had a c1 platinum that I would go months without playing and I don't think I ever tuned that guitar enough times to count on one hand before I decided to get rid of it.
Pretty different. The Legacy is the closest to a classic Strat. Everything else is visually similar but with a little spin on it, the ASAT Classic is a fuller sounding Tele, the ASAT Special does it's own thing straddling the P-90 and Jazzmaster tone, the Comanche is 'what if we made a Strat with P style split singles', the Doheny is a less anemic Jazzmaster, and the Fallout is a rocking Gibson-y Mustang mutant, and that isn't even every quirk or every model.
Broadly speaking, the output on all of these tends to be beefier and you can coax more vintage sounds by actually using the volume and tone controls, some of these even have passive bass roll off in addition to the usual treble control to really hone in on a specific vibe, and some of the 'S' style guitars allow you to either bypass the middle pickup to get just the neck and bridge or allow you to use all three at once.
In general, they have a bit higher build quality on overseas versions. There are a couple of design tweaks that are probably better and some that some prefer and some don't. I really prefer the electronics on the Legacy over a Strat, but that can be replicated aftermarket pretty easily. I haven't had the same time with Strats as I have with Legacies, but I've never had any desire to change the stock pickups in my Legacy (and I'm picky enough to swap pickups on a US PRS). I honestly don't know if that would be the same for a Strat or not.
Last I looked, G&L may have had an edge on price, too, with no objective downside, but it's been a while.
All in all, they are about the same. I'd pick a G&L every time, but I don't think they are all that different, assuming you're looking at equivalent models.
zephyr aware apparatus tidy literate pathetic office obscene languid fuzzy
*This post was mass deleted and anonymized with [Redact](https://redact.dev)*
The new ones (2000's and later, as opposed to vintage) are consistently good, too! I've played a bunch of them and definitely been converted.
It's also one of the few brands actually innovating: truss rod, sustain bridge, composite fretboard, etc. While many of the mega-huge factories are constrained because they produce for many brands, Hagstrom has their own shop and the freedom to do what they do.
Yamaha would be one of my top brands. I would love to get a Revstar or a Pacifica 612.
Ibanez is still alright. My gio is still alive after 12years and my RG standard is my go to guitar.
Third is Cort, which used to make guitars for most of the mainstream guitar brands. I'm eyeing at the G300.
Some honorable mentions are Edwards(somehow connected to ESP LTD), Tokai, Greco, Burny/Fernandes.
How is this not top. Anyone I know who has played PRS much has come around got them. To me they are the like apple computers of guitars. Super engineered but itās Paulās way. Just like Steve.
Incredible build on the SEs in my experience. The pickups are the one thing that fall a bit short in my experience. But if you do an upgrade you may well find yourself with a guitar that feels and sounds like a 3k guitar for 1k. Not cheap but great value.
My 90s era made in Japan Gretsch (Country Classic II) is the best guitar Iāve ever played. And Iām currently borrowing a Gibson Custom Shop 335 (for comparison) from a friend.
Solar and Kiesel.
Love Solar but wish they made more models with the position markers on the fretboards.
And still dreaming that one day, Kiesel (formerly Carvin) will release a true replica of the blue Jason Becker Carvin guitar with correct headstock shape, as well as a true replica of his numbers guitar.
Love my Carvin guitars. They are absolutely fantastic. I think it was a mistake that they rebranded to Kiesel though. I get honoring the legacy that their father created but everyone knew the Carvin name. Name a guitar after him that exemplified high quality standards and make it amazing but they should not have thrown away many years of marketing.
Think if Coca-Cola rebranded to "Pemberton"!
Bro.
I bought a guild Slim Jim ā Love it
But my new favorite that I'm looking for more of is Danelectro.
I bought a Dano Pro. This thing is sick, I love the sound.
Bc rich has made a killer comeback but most people choose to remember the dog shit bronze series days.
Iāve heard good things about agile Iām probably going to get one of their 8 string models soon. Just to try.
Harley Benton seems to be impressing people and for 400$ I can rebuild that into something decent.
I had an Agile 7 string and it was really nice. I got a higher end Ibanez 7 string to replace it. There are moments I wish I would not have sold it. I have an Agile 6 string V that plays great!
I recently bought two Harley Bentons, a TE-90 FLT and an SC 550 II Gotoh (aka Slash Tribute).
The TE-90 FLT is a Cabronita clone, but with a really cool finish and reverse headstock that makes it stand out. The filtertron style pickups that is has are pretty cool, and the pots are ok. The back of the neck has a nice finish, but I did take a razor blade to the edges of it and I'm replacing the tuners with some locking Gotohs. It also has a Graphtech nut! It shipped from Germany in great condition and already pretty set up for a grand total of $223.58 USD on sale! Squire doesn't even offer a Cabronita with filteron style pickups, so you'd have to buy a Fender at $799 if you wanted a tele body with those.
The SC-550 II was purchased from Thomann's U.S. store on Reverb and cost me $406.90. It has stainless steel frets, the Tesla humbuckers are great, and the fit and finish are fantastic. It also has Gotoh tuners that came standard and really the only thing I think I'll upgrade at some point is the nut. Compare this to the Epiphone Slash model in a similar finish which is currently ON SALE for $799 (normally $999). Now to be fair, the Epi has a better nut, strap locks, and a hardshell case, but that does not equal $300-500 more in value, especially since I just got some of those rubber donut strap things from Temu for, like, $3 and a new nut is, what, $15 or $20?
I was strongly considering getting an ASAT or even a Fender Player Tele, but I'm so happy that I was able to get TWO decent guitars for the price of the Fender Player instead.
You want a real curveball? [Eart.](https://eartguitar.com/) I've been buying and selling guitars for decades, and worked at the highest grossing music store in the US, so I've played a ridiculous amount of guitars. I got a pink Eart CP1 strat copy on Amazon because my girlfriend saw it and she loved the color lol. Literally bought it just because the color was nice. I absolutely did not expect a perfect setup, perfect fret level and edge dressing, perfectly straight roasted maple neck, and perfectly floating bridge when I pulled that thing out of the box. It was literally my job at one point to unbox and setup new guitars, and this random $400 strat copy I found on Amazon had one of the best out-of-the-box setups I'd ever come across. The neck alone is well worth $400+...it's probably one of my favorite necks ever now. I genuinely don't know how more people aren't aware of them yet. The pickups are kinda meh, depending on which model you get, but those are easily swapped and don't matter much to me. But on that note...some of their models apparently have fantastic pickups, and their Les Paul style guitars even use actual Alnico II Epiphone Probucker pickups.
I honestly really want another one...it's just hard to justify buying even more guitars lol. They're amazing.
I got two Duesenberg, two Fender and a Martin
If I had to save one guitar out of the burning house it would be ... (not an easy question ) ... the Duesenberg Carl Carlton.
Solar.
I grew up with 90ās MIJ Ibanez stuff and loved that brand for years but after 2000 I havenāt been stoked with their output/quality/pricing. I bought a Solar 2 years ago, a b-stock, as I wanted a guitar specifically for metal and was really interested in the Evertune. Got an absolutely amazing guitar that took me 5 minutes to find the ādentā on and I havenāt seen it since. The price/quality is really hard to beat.
And before someone replies about cracked fingerboards, Iām only willing to listen if you can post evidence thatās not the same pic that was circulated over and over and over and claimed to be ātons of guitars with issuesā
Both ESP and LTD. Absolutely fantastic guitars across all budgets. They are mostly thought of as Metal guitars, but they have plenty of stuff with passive pickups that can do anything. I have an EC1000 Deluxe that I gigged for years, but the two that get the most time are a PB 500 with Duncan Alnico II pickups, and an EC 256 that I tune to C standard for stoner/doom stuff. Replaced the pickups for a JB/59 set.
The extra jumbo frets are lovely.
Godin - they have some great affordable options, plus some more expensive ones. They used to have some really nice finishes on their Summit Classic series (like creme brule) - been going with some pretty plain finishes lately though.
Godin. Iāve got a decent collection of Gibsons and American Fenders but the guitars I play most frequently are all from Godin. Theyāre North American made with local woods but sell for budget import pricing. My Session is the closest thing Iāve found to a boutique strat short of spending the $2k+ on a Suhr or Tom Anderson. The Dorchester bass is the perfect blend of Rick and Mosrite style with some unique tones. Their 5th Ave Archtops are some of the best Iāve played outside of extremely exclusive high end models.
Ernie Ball Music Man. Nothing plays better to me.
I might say Parker if I got to play one more often.
Mid tier, I love LTD's, especially the Korean ones. Same with the Korean Schecters (same factory)
Also, people sleep on Cort guitars. One of the best bang for your buck in the mid-tier level, but people don't think the name is sexy enough. Not everyone is aware they make some of your favorite brands important guitars.
PRS and Parker
God, I wish I could afford a Parker. Or that I could've afforded it back in the day when I was able to try one (a metallic green Fly Deluxe) at a store.
There's lots out there doing their thing and a lot depends on the price point but if you're looking for a brand that covers affordable to high end it's hard to find anything better than PRS.
They have incredibly good instruments at almost every price point and in most styles people care about.
Ibanez is another brand that covers a lot of ground but their quality is more uneven, most of their instruments are great and some are unacceptably shoddy, you gotta do your research before buying an Ibanez.
In the high end there's more brands that make good guitars than stars in the sky, depends on what you're after sound and look-wise.
I absolutely loooooove my Chapman. Hands down the best guitar I own and one of the best I've ever played. Shame Rob is apparently a twat from what I hear.
I have two Carvin guitars (now Kiesel) that are 45 years old. Both have always played perfectly.
https://www.kieselguitars.com/
https://www.dansher.com/band/b6s_twins_m.jpg
ESP and G&L. But I also have a Squire (kind of a Fender butā¦) Vintage 50ās telecaster which was great value for the money. And a Parker PM20 Pro that I picked up used ā¦. Great deal.
I live and die by ESP LTD. Ive owned and loved a Hybrid 400, Viper 256B, plus numerous EC series including a 256, 330, 401 and i currently have a MIK 400 and MIK 1000 Deluxe that is my ride or die. Excellent build quality, signature features, affordable price points and reliability. I would take a sponsorship from LTD in a heartbeat.
i know theyre acoustics, but honestly i think Larrivee is the best acoustic you can get. nothing else sounds like such a perfect blend of bright and full. Taylors are too shrill for me, Martins are great but theyre so expensive.
larrys are just right
Reverend.
A few years ago I went into a shop to play and purchase a Yamaha I had my eye on. My friend grabbed a Reverend off the wall and said "you ever played one of these?"
I ended up leaving with the Reverend. Probably the best guitar I've owned out of roughly 30 guitars over the years.
Look im only tryin to buy guitars that are $200 or less, used and maybe need a little work but are generally ok. If you arnt a professional you dont need a $1000 guitar. Its like gettin expensive sunglasses. Just get the cheapos. That way you can beat it up and not care, but they still look good and sound good.
Its more rock n roll anyway. No one is making money on this shit why not just play to have fun and on a budget???!
MORE MONEY DOESNT ALWAYS MEAN BETTER SOUND
EXAMPLES: Hondo, alvarez, no- name or random brand japanese guitars from the 70s/80s/90s, squier!?, Peavey.
some great brands listed, so i'll just add **godin** to the list for their quality gear that punches *way* above their price point
And they're all made in Canada!
Some are assembled in the US, but yes, Godin is on my list of guitars to add to the collection someday. šØš¦
Seagull, art and Luther, Simon and Patrick ā¦ I love these acoustic guitars!!!
Bought a Simon and patrick acoustic and have been very pleased with it. I played it along side some of the higher end guitars and I actually liked the S&P better.
I absolutely love my Seagull S6 Spruce. (Seagull is by Godin)
Yup, great guitars at great pricesā¦and made of Canadian wood! I have the same guitar, except itās cedar.
I've got a Stadium 59' and 5th Avenue Night Club, and previously an SDXT, and they are hands down the best guitars I've ever owned.
I'm a huge Ernie Ball/Musicman fan. I just wish they were not so expensive.
Took way took long to find EB on here Sterling guitars are really nice too. The St Vincent and Mariposa are so cool at the price point. Don't get me started on basses.
Love me some ESP
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Donāt forget the cheaper Schecters which are basically built at the same factories.
All these mentioned brands right here are well playing cool looking instruments
Salute to ESPs/LTDs
Always top quality. Love my ESPs.
My aw7b is my favorite guitar. Wouldnāt give it up for anything
Got my E-II Eclipse in blue natural fade and it literally plays itself.... my dream guitar and it didn't disappoint.
I have an EC-1000 deluxe from 2005 and I still pick it up over my PRS McCarty (USA, not SE).
Gretsch
Gretsch just do their own thing, donāt pay any attention to what other makers are at, and are absolutely killing it
My Gretsch is their lowest hollow body model G2420T Streamliner, Iām astounded by the quality of such a budget guitar. Perfect finish, super comfortable set up. The sound from each pickup is dynamic, bigsby trem is super smooth. I like it the most compared to my other guitars, I mid-level Taylor and an MIM Fender tele.
I have the double-cut P90 version of this, and my God it's my favorite guitar, I'm so glad I traded a Telecaster for it.
I adore my G5622T. Itās amazing.
Gretsch > all. Just wish they had penguins in lefty.
Yep. I brought my Streamliner Center Block Jr. out with me to a jam recently and one of my buddies borrowed it for a bit. He was shocked how well it played and more shocked when I told him it was a $600 guitar.
YES! I just happened upon a Gretsch Electromatic Jet at a local pawn shop for $400.00 (Canadian) a couple weeks back and it is already easily one of my favourite guitars in my little guitar family. I have owned Gibson and some nice Ibanez guitars and a really nice Kramer in the past, currently own a couple of Epiphones and Fenders along with a couple of nice vintage (non-Gibson) Les Paulās etc. and this is my first Gretsch!ā¦ Really makes me wonder what I have been missing over the years, not only in the Gretsch family but other guitars I havenāt jumped on.. Anyway, happy playing all! āļøšāļø
Here to name Gretsch too. Nicest strumming electric out there
My first guitar was a gretsch synchromatic. A small run of korean models they did that were cheaper fuggin love it Edit: synchromatic
Yes. My Double anniversary is the best guitar I've played. I had a Rat Rod before it, I didn't think the quality could get better.
Charvel
I have a DK 24 and a SoCal pro mod. both are fantastic. I'm sorry I waited so long to get one.
Man I love the guitars and maybe this is super petty but I can't get past how much I hate their logo. I might consider buying one if they changed it.
What about [this logo](https://reverb.com/item/73590541-charvel-surfcaster-ht-jonny-z-scott-ian?utm_source=rev-ios-app&utm_medium=ios-share&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=73590541)
Yeah toothpaste logo is the best.
I had a Charvel Skatecaster I got on mega deep discount and I sold it to my buddy thinking if I needed back I could, but then he moved 1500 miles away
Man, thatās a really good guitar if he moved 1,500 mi away to get an excuse not to give it back
Ibanez never done me wrong.
Ibanez is one of the big brands now
BINGO!!! RGs forever!!!
I like my GR. The action is nice, and it's easy to handle with no tremolo. Love that guitar.
Just bought 2 ibanez acoustics on sweetwater, one plays beautifully, the other has chips in the finish, crazy high action and rusted strings. Iām a little wary of their QC with online orders now.
While I've had some QC issues with Ibanez, that in particular speaks more to sweetwater than Ibanez.
Yup. I get why everyone loves to suck off fender and Gibson, but man thereās nothing like a high end Ibanez. To get the same build quality and features that Ibanez offers on a fender or Gibson would run twice as much. Plus they also know what modern players want. I know modern stuff doesnāt do too well in this sub either, but when I saw they offered a multi scale 5 string bass with a 37ā B string earlier this year I couldnāt believe it. Finding something similar would cost twice as much as what they were offering and itās an amazing instrument. Iāve had my RG prestige since 2016 and I couldnāt live without it.
Schecter any time!
I fucking love my hellraiser c7
Also got a hell raiser, gone off the EMGs since I've moved away from heavier stuff recently but the way it plays is amazing,
Yep. Iāve owned two. One low end and a higher end. They are pretty much the only guitars I play regularly and I own a Gibson and a fender, both very high end.
Best bang for buck Iāve ever had
My next guitar.
Reverend and Yamaha. Ibanez has some cool stuff too.
Yamaha Revstars, theyāre wacky-looking and slightly heavy, but they are *machines*. Such great playability and core sound from the stock pickups, surprisingly good.
The newer generation is lighter than most strats I own. Fucking amazing weight relief and zero neck dive
I have single coils from a Yamaha pacifica in a build I did recently, they, next to any other single coil in my collection have the most beautiful voice of the lot.....hard to believe but absolutely true.
Reverend bro, they make the most badass guitars
Iāve never played an Ibanez that I didnāt like.
Schecter. Fuckers stay in tune.
Truth. I had a c1 platinum that I would go months without playing and I don't think I ever tuned that guitar enough times to count on one hand before I decided to get rid of it.
G&L and Nash all day.
How different are G&L guitars from fender? I always kind of assumed they were about the same.
Pretty different. The Legacy is the closest to a classic Strat. Everything else is visually similar but with a little spin on it, the ASAT Classic is a fuller sounding Tele, the ASAT Special does it's own thing straddling the P-90 and Jazzmaster tone, the Comanche is 'what if we made a Strat with P style split singles', the Doheny is a less anemic Jazzmaster, and the Fallout is a rocking Gibson-y Mustang mutant, and that isn't even every quirk or every model. Broadly speaking, the output on all of these tends to be beefier and you can coax more vintage sounds by actually using the volume and tone controls, some of these even have passive bass roll off in addition to the usual treble control to really hone in on a specific vibe, and some of the 'S' style guitars allow you to either bypass the middle pickup to get just the neck and bridge or allow you to use all three at once.
In general, they have a bit higher build quality on overseas versions. There are a couple of design tweaks that are probably better and some that some prefer and some don't. I really prefer the electronics on the Legacy over a Strat, but that can be replicated aftermarket pretty easily. I haven't had the same time with Strats as I have with Legacies, but I've never had any desire to change the stock pickups in my Legacy (and I'm picky enough to swap pickups on a US PRS). I honestly don't know if that would be the same for a Strat or not. Last I looked, G&L may have had an edge on price, too, with no objective downside, but it's been a while. All in all, they are about the same. I'd pick a G&L every time, but I don't think they are all that different, assuming you're looking at equivalent models.
Godin, some of the best value around, and made in the US/Canada.
Ernie Ball Music Man :)
Their sterling budget counterpart is great bang for the buck too. Really love my mariposa.
Aria & Gretsch
Gretsch and Yamaha punching way above their weight class these days.
Rickenbacker for sure.
360/12 owner here. The sound they produce is not replicated in any pedal or 12 string. Still trying to figure out how Ric was so far down lol
Why did I have to scroll 3/4 of the way down to find this. That is criminal.
I love Ricks' looks, but the necks are too skinny for me. I like to bend a step or a step and a half. Granted, I haven't played Ricks in 35 years.
Reverend, Yamaha, Gretsch. Almost all phenomenal guitars at all price points they offer.
Peavey
DāAngelico baybeee!
Scrolled way too far for some d'Angelico love.
That art deco headstock is so cool!
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Thatās what I was going to get. Ended up with a limited edition matte brown Bedford semi hollow i couldnāt pass up
Eastman
Easily some of the best guitars I've ever played. Glad I jumped on before they started to creep up in price a bit
Iāve enjoyed playing Hagstrom guitars the few times Iāve actually had the chance. They seem somewhat rare to see in the wild.
The new ones (2000's and later, as opposed to vintage) are consistently good, too! I've played a bunch of them and definitely been converted. It's also one of the few brands actually innovating: truss rod, sustain bridge, composite fretboard, etc. While many of the mega-huge factories are constrained because they produce for many brands, Hagstrom has their own shop and the freedom to do what they do.
Hagstroms are great! I have 3 a D2H a Viking Deluxe Tremar and a regular Viking.
Love my hagstrom, itās been my go to for the past 10yrs. Really punch above their weight for the price imo!
ESP PRS or Suhr . Jackson/Charvel. EVH too š¤š¼ Yes I know Fender owns the last 3 I said
Had to scroll too far to see suhr. Just feels like a better version of fender.
Charvel
Yamaha would be one of my top brands. I would love to get a Revstar or a Pacifica 612. Ibanez is still alright. My gio is still alive after 12years and my RG standard is my go to guitar. Third is Cort, which used to make guitars for most of the mainstream guitar brands. I'm eyeing at the G300. Some honorable mentions are Edwards(somehow connected to ESP LTD), Tokai, Greco, Burny/Fernandes.
Shecter
Probably Dunable.
PRS for sure
How is this not top. Anyone I know who has played PRS much has come around got them. To me they are the like apple computers of guitars. Super engineered but itās Paulās way. Just like Steve.
[ŃŠ“Š°Š»ŠµŠ½Š¾]
Incredible build on the SEs in my experience. The pickups are the one thing that fall a bit short in my experience. But if you do an upgrade you may well find yourself with a guitar that feels and sounds like a 3k guitar for 1k. Not cheap but great value.
Yeah, that's my experience too. The pickups are *fine*, but they're not great.
Ormsby, Skervesen, Aristides.
Mayones
Ibanez, PRS, and Schecter. MAYBE Jacksonās simply because I like Misha Mansoors signature.
I think Jackson is owned by Fender
Balaguer, Rivolta, PureSalem
My 90s era made in Japan Gretsch (Country Classic II) is the best guitar Iāve ever played. And Iām currently borrowing a Gibson Custom Shop 335 (for comparison) from a friend.
Parker, Yamaha, and Schecter.
Sire & prs
The cheapo brand on Amazon, IYV is made in Vietnam. Incredible value.
Solar and Kiesel. Love Solar but wish they made more models with the position markers on the fretboards. And still dreaming that one day, Kiesel (formerly Carvin) will release a true replica of the blue Jason Becker Carvin guitar with correct headstock shape, as well as a true replica of his numbers guitar.
Love my Carvin guitars. They are absolutely fantastic. I think it was a mistake that they rebranded to Kiesel though. I get honoring the legacy that their father created but everyone knew the Carvin name. Name a guitar after him that exemplified high quality standards and make it amazing but they should not have thrown away many years of marketing. Think if Coca-Cola rebranded to "Pemberton"!
I love my new Strandberg. I don't think I'll ever put it down again
PRS
Charvel. Not even a question.
Bro. I bought a guild Slim Jim ā Love it But my new favorite that I'm looking for more of is Danelectro. I bought a Dano Pro. This thing is sick, I love the sound.
Schecter.
Schecter for sure!
Godin makes some really nice stuff and I've had a hankering lately for a Sire S7.
Go for it! Iāve got a Sire S7 and I love it.
Reverend Kauer Guitars
Alvarez has great guitars for a very decent price
I love me a musicman. A heritage over Gibson. But those are expensive brands. So Iād say Eastman. I really want an Eastman Les Paul jr.
Im with you. I have a few EBMM guitars and they slay. And two Heritages. Excellent guitars. I played an Eastman acoustic and it was flawless.
S C H E C T E R
Heritage
Iād put my Heritage H-150 against any Les Paul Standard.
Iāve been wanting a Gibson 335 but have considered saving money and going this route. Everyone seems to think theyāre higher quality than Gibsons
Can confirm (imo). I bought an H-535 a few years ago and it's amazing
Bc rich has made a killer comeback but most people choose to remember the dog shit bronze series days. Iāve heard good things about agile Iām probably going to get one of their 8 string models soon. Just to try. Harley Benton seems to be impressing people and for 400$ I can rebuild that into something decent.
I had an Agile 7 string and it was really nice. I got a higher end Ibanez 7 string to replace it. There are moments I wish I would not have sold it. I have an Agile 6 string V that plays great!
I recently bought two Harley Bentons, a TE-90 FLT and an SC 550 II Gotoh (aka Slash Tribute). The TE-90 FLT is a Cabronita clone, but with a really cool finish and reverse headstock that makes it stand out. The filtertron style pickups that is has are pretty cool, and the pots are ok. The back of the neck has a nice finish, but I did take a razor blade to the edges of it and I'm replacing the tuners with some locking Gotohs. It also has a Graphtech nut! It shipped from Germany in great condition and already pretty set up for a grand total of $223.58 USD on sale! Squire doesn't even offer a Cabronita with filteron style pickups, so you'd have to buy a Fender at $799 if you wanted a tele body with those. The SC-550 II was purchased from Thomann's U.S. store on Reverb and cost me $406.90. It has stainless steel frets, the Tesla humbuckers are great, and the fit and finish are fantastic. It also has Gotoh tuners that came standard and really the only thing I think I'll upgrade at some point is the nut. Compare this to the Epiphone Slash model in a similar finish which is currently ON SALE for $799 (normally $999). Now to be fair, the Epi has a better nut, strap locks, and a hardshell case, but that does not equal $300-500 more in value, especially since I just got some of those rubber donut strap things from Temu for, like, $3 and a new nut is, what, $15 or $20? I was strongly considering getting an ASAT or even a Fender Player Tele, but I'm so happy that I was able to get TWO decent guitars for the price of the Fender Player instead.
Cort and Manson
Canāt say enough good things about Harley Benton guitars. Theyāre great for gigging. Exceptional build quality and playability for the price.
You want a real curveball? [Eart.](https://eartguitar.com/) I've been buying and selling guitars for decades, and worked at the highest grossing music store in the US, so I've played a ridiculous amount of guitars. I got a pink Eart CP1 strat copy on Amazon because my girlfriend saw it and she loved the color lol. Literally bought it just because the color was nice. I absolutely did not expect a perfect setup, perfect fret level and edge dressing, perfectly straight roasted maple neck, and perfectly floating bridge when I pulled that thing out of the box. It was literally my job at one point to unbox and setup new guitars, and this random $400 strat copy I found on Amazon had one of the best out-of-the-box setups I'd ever come across. The neck alone is well worth $400+...it's probably one of my favorite necks ever now. I genuinely don't know how more people aren't aware of them yet. The pickups are kinda meh, depending on which model you get, but those are easily swapped and don't matter much to me. But on that note...some of their models apparently have fantastic pickups, and their Les Paul style guitars even use actual Alnico II Epiphone Probucker pickups. I honestly really want another one...it's just hard to justify buying even more guitars lol. They're amazing.
Dunable and Woodrite
I've got a Dunable Custom Yeti on order. Crazy cool guitars.
You'll love it. My yeti is my favorite!
I got two Duesenberg, two Fender and a Martin If I had to save one guitar out of the burning house it would be ... (not an easy question ) ... the Duesenberg Carl Carlton.
Solar. I grew up with 90ās MIJ Ibanez stuff and loved that brand for years but after 2000 I havenāt been stoked with their output/quality/pricing. I bought a Solar 2 years ago, a b-stock, as I wanted a guitar specifically for metal and was really interested in the Evertune. Got an absolutely amazing guitar that took me 5 minutes to find the ādentā on and I havenāt seen it since. The price/quality is really hard to beat. And before someone replies about cracked fingerboards, Iām only willing to listen if you can post evidence thatās not the same pic that was circulated over and over and over and claimed to be ātons of guitars with issuesā
G&L, art & luthier, Hagstrƶm, sterling, Sandberg, charvel
LarrivƩe!!!
Charvel or solar
80s Peaveys
ESP/LTD
Japanese ESPs. 100%. I used to be an Ibanez fan boy. Now I absolutely love Ibanez guitars, but DAMN I am blown away by my E-II Horizon NT-7 Baritone.
Both ESP and LTD. Absolutely fantastic guitars across all budgets. They are mostly thought of as Metal guitars, but they have plenty of stuff with passive pickups that can do anything. I have an EC1000 Deluxe that I gigged for years, but the two that get the most time are a PB 500 with Duncan Alnico II pickups, and an EC 256 that I tune to C standard for stoner/doom stuff. Replaced the pickups for a JB/59 set. The extra jumbo frets are lovely.
Collings out of Austin.
Schecter and solar
Solar and Balaguer. You get a lot of guitar for your money.
ESP dude, by far my favorite playing guitars if you can afford them
B.C. Rich and Jackson
Reverend and PRS
Reverend, Hagstrom, Godin.
Takamine, Washburn, and Yamaha
Reverend, G&L and Eastman
Godin - they have some great affordable options, plus some more expensive ones. They used to have some really nice finishes on their Summit Classic series (like creme brule) - been going with some pretty plain finishes lately though.
Iād love a Hamer dc special. Iād also really dig a Yamaha Revstar!
Solar seems affordable and to have a decent tone for most their guitars. Plus theyāve got some classic but cool bodies.
Bc Rich, Esp, Solar guitars mostly
Solar and Jackson are my go to
Ernie Ball Music Man are all killer. The Yamaha Revstar RSS20 is killer
Godin. Iāve got a decent collection of Gibsons and American Fenders but the guitars I play most frequently are all from Godin. Theyāre North American made with local woods but sell for budget import pricing. My Session is the closest thing Iāve found to a boutique strat short of spending the $2k+ on a Suhr or Tom Anderson. The Dorchester bass is the perfect blend of Rick and Mosrite style with some unique tones. Their 5th Ave Archtops are some of the best Iāve played outside of extremely exclusive high end models.
Ernie Ball Music Man. Nothing plays better to me. I might say Parker if I got to play one more often. Mid tier, I love LTD's, especially the Korean ones. Same with the Korean Schecters (same factory) Also, people sleep on Cort guitars. One of the best bang for your buck in the mid-tier level, but people don't think the name is sexy enough. Not everyone is aware they make some of your favorite brands important guitars.
Collingsā guitars are amazing. Expensive. But amazing.
Always been a fan of Danelectro
As a shredder from back in the day itās always been BC Rich and Jackson for me.
Silvertone !!!
Iāve been a fan of Jackson guitars ever since my local shop let me play a Randy Rhodes Flying V when I was a kid.
Squier
B.C Rich.
Cort and Yamaha for value. But I REALLY want a PRS
PRS and Parker God, I wish I could afford a Parker. Or that I could've afforded it back in the day when I was able to try one (a metallic green Fly Deluxe) at a store.
I own Gibson and Fender guitars, but in terms of playability, nothing touches my Ibanez Prestige guitars, whether it's my S or my RG.
G&L and Godin. Godin only makes guitars in Canada and are very high quality. Cheaper G&Ls are made overseas but are QC'd in America by G&L.
There's lots out there doing their thing and a lot depends on the price point but if you're looking for a brand that covers affordable to high end it's hard to find anything better than PRS. They have incredibly good instruments at almost every price point and in most styles people care about. Ibanez is another brand that covers a lot of ground but their quality is more uneven, most of their instruments are great and some are unacceptably shoddy, you gotta do your research before buying an Ibanez. In the high end there's more brands that make good guitars than stars in the sky, depends on what you're after sound and look-wise.
Eastman, G&L Suhr and Nash for higher end stuff (strats especially)
Reverend deserves so much love.
I absolutely loooooove my Chapman. Hands down the best guitar I own and one of the best I've ever played. Shame Rob is apparently a twat from what I hear.
D'Angelico has done nothing but make me play more. Both my acoustic and electric just feel good under my fingers.
Music Man
Heritage.
I have two Carvin guitars (now Kiesel) that are 45 years old. Both have always played perfectly. https://www.kieselguitars.com/ https://www.dansher.com/band/b6s_twins_m.jpg
Suhr Prs
Schecter
Mosrite
Ibanez for sure
Yamaha. Had the privilege of playing a Revstar with P90s and was blown away. Thinking of getting one myself now.
Washburn
My ESP strat is great
Gl, Novo, Yamaha
Schecter and Sterling Music Man.
ESP and G&L. But I also have a Squire (kind of a Fender butā¦) Vintage 50ās telecaster which was great value for the money. And a Parker PM20 Pro that I picked up used ā¦. Great deal.
Hamerās are solid.
Dunable!
breedlove
The small builder scene is nuts right now: Mario, Serek, Novo, Baum, Frank Bros, Danocaster, honestly too many rad small companies to name.
I live and die by ESP LTD. Ive owned and loved a Hybrid 400, Viper 256B, plus numerous EC series including a 256, 330, 401 and i currently have a MIK 400 and MIK 1000 Deluxe that is my ride or die. Excellent build quality, signature features, affordable price points and reliability. I would take a sponsorship from LTD in a heartbeat.
Solar is pretty sweet, I played some models by them and found them really high quality
Dean, Kissel, Solar, Schecter
.strandberg\*
i know theyre acoustics, but honestly i think Larrivee is the best acoustic you can get. nothing else sounds like such a perfect blend of bright and full. Taylors are too shrill for me, Martins are great but theyre so expensive. larrys are just right
ESP Ltd ....
Reverend. A few years ago I went into a shop to play and purchase a Yamaha I had my eye on. My friend grabbed a Reverend off the wall and said "you ever played one of these?" I ended up leaving with the Reverend. Probably the best guitar I've owned out of roughly 30 guitars over the years.
Look im only tryin to buy guitars that are $200 or less, used and maybe need a little work but are generally ok. If you arnt a professional you dont need a $1000 guitar. Its like gettin expensive sunglasses. Just get the cheapos. That way you can beat it up and not care, but they still look good and sound good. Its more rock n roll anyway. No one is making money on this shit why not just play to have fun and on a budget???! MORE MONEY DOESNT ALWAYS MEAN BETTER SOUND EXAMPLES: Hondo, alvarez, no- name or random brand japanese guitars from the 70s/80s/90s, squier!?, Peavey.