The quality of mid-ranged guitars nowadays is insane (belated NGD thread)

timmypix

Zoolooter said:

I would only ever buy secondhand. With that in mind the Mexican nitro teles and strats seem amazing value with the soft V necks. 

This sounds like a good way to potentially scratch my Tele itch - what models should I look out for?

thegummy

Reading this thread I kind of want to get a standard Squier just to see what kind of bad things might be on cheaper guitars.

Kind of wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't find any problems at all.

Strat54

Grumpyrocker said:

Tenebrous said:

My dream guitar has always, and will always be, a blonde blackguard telecaster. Of course I've yearned for a Custom Shop/Suhr/<Insert High End Model here>, and I still may very well go that route when the time comes... But really, it's becoming more & more possible that I'll end up completely satisfied with something ordinary yet brilliant than something that's special/unique & brilliant.

Telecasters are a weird one. Money doesn't grow on trees - though Paul Reed Smith's wood library seems to suggest you can turn wood into cash. But Telecasters are as basic as can be. That's not to say they aren't good guitars. But the idea of paying anything over (let's be generous) £800 for a basic lump of wood, painted with a solid colour and with a simple neck bolted on, seems utter madness to me. 

While I think the bling of high end PRS are massively overpriced you can at least see what you're being ripped off with. With a Telecaster you're not even getting some massively overpriced bling, you're just getting a plank. I'd go as far as to say Telecasters represent the biggest ripoff on the guitar market. They are loved, revered, lusted after and granted some indefinable mojo; yet they are cheap as chips to make and allow the silliest of markups that folks will pay. The materials cost v sale price of high end Fender Telecasters must represent the biggest margin in the guitar industry. 

You have the most apt username I've ever seen....

clarkefan

One that doesn't get mentioned much is the EVH Wolfgang Standard, about £400.  One piece graphite reinforced neck that feels fantastic, no sharp edges, big frets, Floyd, just a cracking guitar.

Zoolooter

timmypix said:

Zoolooter said:

I would only ever buy secondhand. With that in mind the Mexican nitro teles and strats seem amazing value with the soft V necks. 

This sounds like a good way to potentially scratch my Tele itch - what models should I look out for?

It’s the Classic Laquer and Roadworn series. Some of the 50’s models have the soft V neck profile.

Grumpyrocker

Strat54 said:

Grumpyrocker said:

Tenebrous said:

My dream guitar has always, and will always be, a blonde blackguard telecaster. Of course I've yearned for a Custom Shop/Suhr/<Insert High End Model here>, and I still may very well go that route when the time comes... But really, it's becoming more & more possible that I'll end up completely satisfied with something ordinary yet brilliant than something that's special/unique & brilliant.

Telecasters are a weird one. Money doesn't grow on trees - though Paul Reed Smith's wood library seems to suggest you can turn wood into cash. But Telecasters are as basic as can be. That's not to say they aren't good guitars. But the idea of paying anything over (let's be generous) £800 for a basic lump of wood, painted with a solid colour and with a simple neck bolted on, seems utter madness to me. 

While I think the bling of high end PRS are massively overpriced you can at least see what you're being ripped off with. With a Telecaster you're not even getting some massively overpriced bling, you're just getting a plank. I'd go as far as to say Telecasters represent the biggest ripoff on the guitar market. They are loved, revered, lusted after and granted some indefinable mojo; yet they are cheap as chips to make and allow the silliest of markups that folks will pay. The materials cost v sale price of high end Fender Telecasters must represent the biggest margin in the guitar industry. 

You have the most apt username I've ever seen....

Play the ball not the man. Do you have anything of worth to contribute to the discussion?

mrkb

darthed1981 said:

I literally just bought a Squier vintage Modified Jazzmaster in Sonic Blue from PMT.

It's bluddy brilliant, except the shitty bridge, so it's also authentic!

The "Duncan Designed" pickups are superb though!

are you back playing again Ed. That’s good to hear!

Kebabkid

The Sire Company are a good case in point.
I have 2 of their basses that are under £270 and £200 respectively, that punch well above their weight.

Their acoustics have been well--received and the rumour is that electric guitars are on the way.

Despite having a high end guitar, it's my MIM Strats that get the most use

HAL9000

Tenebrous said:

(PS. I'm so glad I decided to take down the Yamaha listing, as I've really been enjoying it recently, and I know I'd just end up getting one again at some point >.< )

Bought myself a Pacifica 611HFM recently (like the one in your picture). Can't believe how good it is. I was going to say how good it is for the price but the truth is that it's a good instrument regardless of the cost.

You're absolutely right about the quality of mid-price guitars. Despite owning a US Std Tele, my go-to guitars are a MIM Std Strat and the Pacifica.

darthed1981

mrkb said:

darthed1981 said:

I literally just bought a Squier vintage Modified Jazzmaster in Sonic Blue from PMT.

It's bluddy brilliant, except the shitty bridge, so it's also authentic!

The "Duncan Designed" pickups are superb though!

are you back playing again Ed. That’s good to hear!

Yes - trying to anyhow, been missing it!

Grumpyrocker

Pacificas do look splendid. Been tempted several times to get one. I did own one for a short period over 20 years ago but at the time didn't really appreciate what I had and had to sell it to buy food (yes I was quite poor). 

After a long period of not playing I bought a Yamaha RGX A2 for a gig my wife roped me into. It was a very odd guitar - but absolutely lovely to play. Yamaha makes some lovely unpretentious instruments.

Greatape

I'd recommend people try the Sterling Valentine. Amazing for £600.

skullfunkerry

thegummy said:

Reading this thread I kind of want to get a standard Squier just to see what kind of bad things might be on cheaper guitars.

Kind of wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't find any problems at all.

My Squier (Contemporary Active Strat) is fantastic: it's getting more use than my Charvel at the moment - the neck is very similar to the Charvel, I prefer the pickups to the SDs in the Charvel (they're being swapped out soon though), and it stays in tune better. There's a tiny bit on the neck pocket where you can see that it's not been finished as carefully as it could have been, but it doesn't affect playability in any way, and if you were watching  me play it at a gig you wouldn't see it. And you can pick one up for £336 from Andertons. It's a great thing: it's quite difficult to buy a bad guitar these days

thegummy

skullfunkerry said:

thegummy said:

Reading this thread I kind of want to get a standard Squier just to see what kind of bad things might be on cheaper guitars.

Kind of wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't find any problems at all.

My Squier (Contemporary Active Strat) is fantastic: it's getting more use than my Charvel at the moment - the neck is very similar to the Charvel, I prefer the pickups to the SDs in the Charvel (they're being swapped out soon though), and it stays in tune better. There's a tiny bit on the neck pocket where you can see that it's not been finished as carefully as it could have been, but it doesn't affect playability in any way, and if you were watching  me play it at a gig you wouldn't see it. And you can pick one up for £336 from Andertons. It's a great thing: it's quite difficult to buy a bad guitar these days

I wonder if the mid range Squiers are just as good

Grumpyrocker

Does anyone know of any guitars/makers that have features reserved for more expensive models that don't really cost the manufacturer any extra at all?

darthed1981

Grumpyrocker said:

Does anyone know of any guitars/makers that have features reserved for more expensive models that don't really cost the manufacturer any extra at all?

Pickups are the obvious suggestion.

Why is it that Gibson's pickups on Custom-shop guitars are not available on lower-end models?  They have used Burstbucker Pros like on the Standards on Studio Fadeds, but the "Custombuckers" are reserved.

They aren't hand-wound as far as I know... so it's simply providing a more authentic vintage "voicing" on the much more expensive version.

thegummy

Grumpyrocker said:

Does anyone know of any guitars/makers that have features reserved for more expensive models that don't really cost the manufacturer any extra at all?

Colours for a start - the reason I bought an American Strat was that I didn't like the colours of any Mexican ones

darthed1981

thegummy said:

skullfunkerry said:

thegummy said:

Reading this thread I kind of want to get a standard Squier just to see what kind of bad things might be on cheaper guitars.

Kind of wouldn't be surprised if I couldn't find any problems at all.

My Squier (Contemporary Active Strat) is fantastic: it's getting more use than my Charvel at the moment - the neck is very similar to the Charvel, I prefer the pickups to the SDs in the Charvel (they're being swapped out soon though), and it stays in tune better. There's a tiny bit on the neck pocket where you can see that it's not been finished as carefully as it could have been, but it doesn't affect playability in any way, and if you were watching  me play it at a gig you wouldn't see it. And you can pick one up for £336 from Andertons. It's a great thing: it's quite difficult to buy a bad guitar these days

I wonder if the mid range Squiers are just as good

The Classic Vibes are superb, as are the Vintage Modifieds.

Tenebrous

Grumpyrocker said:

Does anyone know of any guitars/makers that have features reserved for more expensive models that don't really cost the manufacturer any extra at all?

Neck profiles for sure. I understand that it's financially impossible to have every neck profile & colour combination across the range, but sometimes, it still feels like they're holding back.