FELLOW GUITARISTS - HELP!!!!

tedvanfrehley

tedvanfrehley

Your Favorite Uncle
May 28, 2003
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the bluegrass state
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Hey guys...

I have recently had to sell all my guitars because of financial reasons. BUT I have a bonus check coming in 2 weeks and am going to get something new!! I would like to hear some opinions from you afficionados out there as far as what is a great guitar for $500 or less.

MUST STAY IN TUNE WELL!

ALSO, what makes the Squire guitars so much cheaper than the Fenders??? Are Squire's worth checking out??

I can always get real nice guitar again later down the line but for now I just want something that I can play and not worry too much about if our 2 year old knocks it over...but I don't want a piece of crap, either!
THANKS
ted
 
don't go for the Squiers....they are true beginner guitars....although even the beginners don't seem to like them. For $500 you could probably get a midrange Ibanez RG or Jackson, both good guitars for their price.
 
Warheart666 said:
For $500 you could probably get a midrange Ibanez RG or Jackson, both good guitars for their price.
Click to expand...

Agreed. Stay away from fender period. go for something Jackson or ibanez. I have a Jackson Pro that's incredible prefect neck, stays in tune (even with all of the bending and whammy bar work). and it's very lite. $500 dollars can get you a nice guitar if you're a smart buyer. Don't let Fender and Gibson throw your $500 bucks down the drain. Now, don't get me wrong I think fender and gibson have some nice guitars but i feel they're over rated. just me 2 cents.

oh yeah!!! HELLO everyone. I'm new!!!
 
Welcome sgt. slaughter

You can get some LTD models for around 500$US. LTD's neck are usually very comfortable to wank at. You can also look for bargains on ebay and pawn shops and such
 
Thanks guys...yeah, I have been pouring over ebay lately looking...I am hoping to actually spend UNDER $500 as that is my max...That's the only reason I considered the squires....some of those things are going for like $150 and I just figured, hey, as long as it stays in tune who cares...but maybe I'd be settling...
 
as someone who has built a guitar first-hand, let me say:

the reason squires are so cheap is construction and cost of labor. they aren't made with the same meticulous scrutiny for starters, and beyond quality control, there's the construction. imo construction is everything. when buying a guitar, check out the neck joint type, neck straightness, string height (action), electronics if you know what a good circuit looks like, and the quality of the tuning system. these come far before the paint job or shape.

as for under $500, i won't lie and say you'll find a -good- instrument in that range, but you might find something passable from ibanez, epiphone, or schecter. step it up a bit, and you could check out jackson, and higher up ibanez as well. in the end its all personal preference.

if at all possible get it used. just cause somebody else used it, or it has some dings, scratches or dents, that doesn't matter. from a distance of stage to audience, they won't see any of that. but they WILL hear it loud and clear, and thats what matters.
 
LTD is great too. Dunno if they still fall into that price range, but i think they do. It's the daughter brand for ESP, for the ones who didn't know that yet
 
I'd try to get a second hand guitar. 500$ will get you a very good guitar, possibly even with aftermarket pickups. Ibanez/ESP's etc. Ibanez wise i'd recommend the RG5xx series, as they have really good bridges and stay in tune.

Otherwise try and find a good fixed bridge guitar. If you are into 7stringing check out the Ibanez RG7321, really good value for money, fixed bridge and excellently playable!

But I'd definately look second hand, as the guitar will hold it's valuer if you ever want to sell it down the line.
 
RideForVengance said:
You can get a mexican made strat for about $400. not as nice as an american strat, but still a great guitar.
Click to expand...
Well actually Fenders are no longer american made at all....They sold out to a Japenesse comapny so Fenders aren't as good as they used be no matter where you buy....

I would get a Schecter Omen 6, thats what I'm buying tomorrow along with a Line 6 Uber Metal Pedal....The Omen 6 stays in tune and soundz great and only costs $300.00 @ GuitarCenter....And for an extra 150$ I'm dropping some EMG 60/81's into it....
 
SuddenDemise said:
Well actually Fenders are no longer american made at all....They sold out to a Japenesse comapny so Fenders aren't as good as they used be no matter where you buy....

I would get a Schecter Omen 6, thats what I'm buying tomorrow along with a Line 6 Uber Metal Pedal....The Omen 6 stays in tune and soundz great and only costs $300.00 @ GuitarCenter....And for an extra 150$ I'm dropping some EMG 60/81's into it....
Click to expand...
meh i wouldn't want to buy a schecter, korean made isn't my thing... i'd rather have jap made or american made... currently all my guitars but 1 are jap made, that 1 is a korean RGT42, and while its not terrible, its not amazing by any definition of the word...
 
When you're looking at this price range, Schecters are pretty nice guitars. A couple years back I bought a cheap Jackson Kelly (KE10X or something like that). Pretty nice guitar for $500. And even though it's got a floating bridge it stays in tune very nicely.

But when you are looking at this price range, you're not going to have much of a choice as to where it's made. I wouldn't worry about that.
 
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