Guitar that most exceed your expectations for the money?

stuagu

Years ago, A fender squire tele that was a brilliant.... my first tele... i sold it to buy a "proper" fender telecaster which of course had to be even better... it wasnt.

Tenebrous

Yamaha 611 VFM. £500 can't buy you a better guitar new, I'm sure of it.

HAL9000

stuagu said:

Years ago, A fender squire tele that was a brilliant.... my first tele... i sold it to buy a "proper" fender telecaster which of course had to be even better... it wasnt.

Same here. Currently own a US Std Tele which though a 'better' instrument in terms of hardware, electrics, etc is IMHO less 'Tele' than my old Affinity (which I stupidly sold for not having through-body stringing, a skunk stripe, or Fender written on it).

Misty

That Yamaha SA2000S brings back happy memories, I owned one around '82 and it was a brilliant guitar. 

For the money I'd say my Gibson SG Classic with P90s is excellent, definitely in the same ballpark as much more expensive guitars I own, and a steal at the price I paid new a few years ago. I don't know why, but I don't use it that much, great guitar though.

I recently sold my '69 Tele which I'd owned for 20 years and bought a PRS DGT. Some would say why change a guitar which will only appreciate in value for one which will do the opposite, but the fact is the DGT is for me a pretty amazing guitar, great design, tone and playability. I stopped being a PRS fan years ago, having owned three Customs which never did it for me, but this is something else, and anyway I have another Tele, a CS, which I like just as much as the one I sold.

LooseMoose

I’m delighted with my Gibson Les Paul Tribute (Faded - 2018). For the £669 it cost (thanks Coda!) it easily hangs with any other LP you care to mention. The build quality is outstandingly good - have Gibson finally sorted it or was I lucky?

Whitecat

Most anything Godin makes, generally. Especially if you buy secondhand or on a great offer...

usedtobe

Probably my recording king dread. Rd-26? All solid spruce and rosewood, but not top of the range. Bought used. Sounds fantastic.

Grangousier

The most surprising one was a partscaster I got on here on a whim - the neck came from a Mexican strat. I thought I was just getting it for a beater, but it's turned into the one I play most (though I've replaced the pickups, the bridge and soon the tuners, but I wouldn't have done that if I hadn't got on so well with the neck and body). And Mexican Fenders in general. 

As a brand, the one that surprises me the most, most consistently is Fret King. Probably because I've tended to buy them when they were discounted or second hand but still they're remarkable instruments. 

Tenebrous

usedtobe said:

Probably my recording king dread. Rd-26? All solid spruce and rosewood, but not top of the range. Bought used. Sounds fantastic.

I remember seeing a video on one of their guitars (can't remember the one). Smaller bodied parlour guitar, I believe... Sounded absolutely fantastic, and the price was something ridiculously low, too.

clarkefan

My cheapy left-handed Indonesian EVH Wolfgang. Finally got to scratch the Floyd Rose itch (never been interested in the expensive options, which were the only options, being left-handed).

They are great.  Neck is so comfortable,  I've read about this for years but it's true.

Pickup (I only use the bridge, removed the neck) is so good I've no interest in changing it, which is a first.  It's cheap therefore crap, or maybe not Currently trialling a 70's Dimarzio Super Distortion in another guitar but I'm not seeing it replacing the Indonesian original right now.

The Floyd Special was fine but I got a deal on a Gotoh Floyd so that's now in, can't hear much if any difference to be honest.  But Suhr uses them instead of actual Floyds, so they'll last.  Feels very comfortable. 

The frets are so smooth it's ridiculous.  Played it every day for a year now and they're basically unmarked.

I could go on

rossi

My Keiper 109 S hollow  mini jazzer .Paid 60 quid off gumtree and was gobsmacked how good it is .I mainly play sort of chordy finger style jazz and blues and its perfect.Never touched a thing and I am fussy as to a good set up  like fret levels low action etc .

I also thought highly of the Squier Bullet Mustang  after a fret polish .The Squier Joe Trohmann is also a belter for the money .

grungebob

If I say what it is people might start buying them . 

But..... after getting it I sold 3 PRS core guitars and my Midtown Custom and it only cost me £350. 
The money I made from the sales took my family on holiday. I don’t regret it. 

stickyfiddle

Purely on bang-for-buck, my SG Standard. It'd already had a neck repair and was collection-only on ebay, so I only paid around 400. I made a profit swapping the OEM case for a Hiscox, and replacing the pickups & hardware for Tonepros/Faber/57 Classics cost me about 20 quid once I'd sold the old parts.

I've thought about selling it or swapping for a "posher" SG, but it's so damn good I know I'll never get anything close to it again.

baldy

Tenebrous said:

Yamaha 611 VFM. £500 can't buy you a better guitar new, I'm sure of it.

I agree.
The fit/finish/quality/tone/playablity is outstanding for the price.
I gave £300 for my 611 used off here & have been blown away by the quality of it.
It holds it"s own with guitars costing many times more.
I wish Yamaha would make an LP style guitar the same sort of quality as the 611 for the same sort of money as the 611.

stimpsonslostson

baldy said:

Tenebrous said:

Yamaha 611 VFM. £500 can't buy you a better guitar new, I'm sure of it.

I agree.
The fit/finish/quality/tone/playablity is outstanding for the price.
I gave £300 for my 611 used off here & have been blown away by the quality of it.
It holds it"s own with guitars costing many times more.
I wish Yamaha would make an LP style guitar the same sort of quality as the 611 for the same sort of money as the 611.

I really fancy the trem version of this. I had a 510v & it was incredible for the money. 

Funkfingers

My nomination goes to the Squier Vintage Modified Jazz Bass, the natural finish soft maple bodied version with Duncan Designed pickups, back when it retailed for well under three hundred quid.

octatonic

This Anderson Classic.

It is the most lively and responsive guitar I've ever owned.
It only weighs just over 6 lbs despite being solid, not hollow.

Plays great and I only paid £1200 for it.
I just hope it doesn't get stolen, because it is irreplaceable.

Stevepage

That would be my Squier Stagemaster 7 string.

I bought it for only just over £100. Took it home, cleaned and set up how I like and it's been great.

I really enjoy playing it, if I had money to waste then I'd fit some better pickups but it's fine as it is.

DulcetJones

Squier Tele Affinity.  Bought new 15 years ago or so, still amazed.

Tenebrous

baldy said:

Tenebrous said:

Yamaha 611 VFM. £500 can't buy you a better guitar new, I'm sure of it.

I agree.
The fit/finish/quality/tone/playablity is outstanding for the price.
I gave £300 for my 611 used off here & have been blown away by the quality of it.
It holds it"s own with guitars costing many times more.
I wish Yamaha would make an LP style guitar the same sort of quality as the 611 for the same sort of money as the 611.

Was it mine? >.< I sold my 611HFM for around that price when I gave up electric guitar for a while (it was the last guitar I sold), & when I got back into wanting to play electric again, I went straight for a 611VFM.

(I learned my lesson - I won't sell EVERYTHING again).