Cheap Guitars

My Bass a Yamaha RBX170 is the best bass I think under $200.00 and MAYBE even under $230.00. I have had it since Jan. 2007 and it's now May 2008 and it's had no problems and is still the best I think I could have ever bought. For the money I think it's only downfall is after awhile you want to replace the P pickup as it doesn't quite pick up the D and G strings but, proably a luthier (I don't know one) could fix that for me. Heck I'm 18 and just started a band and plan on having it to record shortly at MySpace.com/donttrustthesystem
I love it's neck, body, and weight it's simply the best thing avalible (IMO) for beginners.

Got an sx 12 string accustic AET34VS all basswood.Quite pleased with it paying round $300.00(oz)until the bridge came away! Anyhow,reglued,reset action,dropped down whole step and all is good.

After playing the Xaviere XV-700 for a few months I can only say Wow! The guitar is built extremly well with both hardware and wood. The sound (I use a Line& Spider III) is awsome with
great crunch and middle! The playability is one of the best I tried with easy access on the fretboard and with tons of "feel"
I can honastly recommend this guitar to anyone, because of it´s feel and tone. Great work guitarfetish.com!

Stefan

I agree on the SX and Agile. I have both, a SX SST57 and an Agile 2800. I replaced the nut and changed the pups in the 57 to a GFS Texas and WOW! It sounds, looks and plays equal to anything I've tried. It actually blew away my dad's stock American Strat when A/B'ed. I just got the Agile 2800, but it's a really heavy guitar... pups sound great (Alnico II's). That plays well too. I also have the Fullerton electric/acoustic and its a great acoustic... got it during the blowout sale as well for $69.99 and free shipping!

Rickwie, those are great tips. Thanks for sharing! I appreciate you writing all that up and posting it here.
Stefan, tell me all about it once you receive it.

Hi.
I have now ordered a Xaviere XV-700 from guitarfetish.com and will after some playing give a review on it.
I blues mostly blues.

I played a $200 made in Mexico Strat in the movie "TRIBUTE".

I also toured with platinum recording artist "XYZ" using only 2 Jackson imports, neither of which cost over $250.

I own 11 Squires, none of which I paid more than 120 dollars for. I modified them on the cheap and they play better than any of my USA's (which cost $800 min). Most of these mods will work for any guitar this style, and some didn't cost a dime. Here's what I did.

1) Remove the neck and carefully remove any paint in the neck pocket. This will improve string/sound energy transference between the neck and body, resulting in better sound and sustain. For some of the git's I used paint stripper. On others I went a step further(see mod 2).

2) ONLY if you have a 2 POST BRIDGE- Cut a 1/2 - 1 degree angle in the neck pocket. This forces you to raise the bridge putting the strings higher off the body of the guitar, therefor your right hand will not have to be flat and parellel at the wrist. (I find this much more comfortable) It also provides you with more 'pull up' room on the whammy bar.

3) Flatten the sustain block and bridge plate mating surfaces. If you take your bridge out and hold it up to a light you will most likely see gaps between these two surfaces. Remove the sustain block and run it across a sharpening stone, file, or a piece of sand paper spray-glued to something flat (thick glass works well) or if you have access a low speed belt sander with fine sanding belt. Do the same for the mounting plate. Work slowly, checking the mating surfaces periodically till you can no longer see the light coming through. This will further enhance string energy transference, resulting in better sound and sustain.

4) One or the other, or both of the following:
a) Replace the medium fret wire with jumbo or super jumbo. Large frets provide easier bending.
b) Scllop the fret board. I wouldn't recommend scooping out huge valleys between the frets, but a little filing down makes a dramatic difference and costs nothing compared to a fret job. Just be sure to put two layers of masking tape over the frets before you even go near the board with a file.

5) Replace the plastic nut with ANYTHING decent. I started with pre-cut graphite, bone, or micarta, for a couple bucks each. Finally I found 1/8 inch brass and learned to cut my own.

6)Slick up your frets. Tape off the board (and front pickup), use 000 steel wool. This is usually enough, but for truly over the top slippery follow up with Meguire's (yes, the same stuff you use on your Harley) step1 Paint Cleaner, Meguire's #9, and finally #7, then dry-buff with a old tee shirt or dollar store microfiber rag.

7) Do a KILLER setup. Sounds like a no-brainer, but it is the single most effective no-money mod. You can find volumes on this on the web. My particular setup has worked on every axe I've ever done, but the details would take another whole page to describe.

So to re-cap the final cost for 11 guitars modified:
1) $0 - $5 depending on paint stripper or sandpaper.
2) $0 if you own a router or are REALLY good with a chisel.
3) $0 - $1 dollar store sharpening stone,file or sandpaper.
4) $0 - $15 for a few decent round and 1/2 round files from Harbor Freight, and/or sandpaper wrapped around different sized magic markers. $70 - $80 for StewMac or Dunlop fret wire is enough to do all 11 guitars if you go that route.
5) $3 - $8 ea for precut nuts or $12 for enough brass to screw up about 30 nuts while learning how to perfect them.
6) $0 - $1 dollar store steel wool if you don't all ready have it. $0 - $35 if you don't all ready have fret polish and decide to try Meguire's.
7) $0 - $5 a few allen wrenches(came with guitar), screwdrivers($1 Harbor Freight), feeler guages($3.50 Harbor Freight), a tuner (or a really good ear) and maybe a decent straight edge is all you need for a killer setup.

TOTAL COST FOR 11 ASS-KICKING GUITARS: $0 - $130 or about $0 - $11 per axe.

There are also a few no-money tone mods you could try, but I have found that once the axe feels really sweet in the hands of the player the best part of the tone goes straight from the soul of the artist to the hearts of the listeners.

Incidentally, these '$100 Squires' are not used as my 'pretty good back-up guitars' anymore. My $1000 USA's are.

I have a SX tele and after being intonated it plays very well,nice sound. Also own a Oscar Schmidt OE 30 and the finish on it is fantastic as well as the sound and play ability.It sounds and plays every bit as good as my epi 335.

Go to Music Yo .net and check out Kramer Guitars. A division of Gibson. These are the very best cheap guitars on earth.I have purchased 8 so far! I have Hamer,Gibson ,6 Strats,Teles,and several customs and Kramer can beat most.......

Maybe you bought a cheap epiphone but you can buy a nice one if you are willing to spend a few bucks. My Sheraton II was neither cheap or poorly made. All in all its a great buy for the money!

I recently bought a Dean EVO XM at a pawn shop..paid $100 then discovered Guitar Center had them new for $79...yah, that's right $79...just in the last week they've gone up to $119. I like the natural finish, most people might not. It was amazing what the sound was like out of that Korean made guitar, even with my little 10 watt Marshall. I have since put in Seymour Duncan Hotrodded pu's and this thing really does a nice job. What's fun is I can change my own pu's play around with stuff maybe upgrade tuners, etc. and still have next to nothing in all my gear. I'm all about making the best of the least and not paying big dollars just to make someone else wealthy. Fun doesn't have to be expensive.

My first electric guitar package was from a company called Johnson. They are pretty nice and the amps are also nicer than a lot of other practice amps. The whole package was around $200.00.

Interesting article.
Crafter Guitars are making a name for themselves in the UK. In addition to upmarket guitars, they also make a budget range. The Cruiser ST120 Strat look-a-like is well made and is available on the net for around £90.

I picked up an Asat (tele clone) from G&L's tribute line, and wow - I'd played every other inexpensive guitar in the store...but that's the one that walked out with me - the feel of the neck was what sold me, but the pickups are the same as on their US models.

Sammick are making some nice guitars right now for very cheap. I bought a $200 guitar for backup, but I always seem to be going to it whenever I do some kind of recording. I also have one of their basses and an acoustic which are all really top notch guitars for under $200!!!

What's wrong with Epiphone's? Anyone ever played a G&L? or have any comments on them..

Hi! Sorry for bad english in advance...
I have a Squier '51 too, maybe i bought the very last one in Hungary, and i have an idea why it was still in the shop. The sound is awesome, better every day...:)

Don't forget Vintage guitars made by Wilkinson!
They are far below 200$ (for example at musicstreet.co.uk) - all Wilkinson hardware and pickups, great value for low price.

A few years back in my little 'Latin American' country Jack&Danny Brothers' guitars were everywhere. I dont know if this brand still exists, there are still few guitars in the local stores, but they were shocking good quality and cheap chinese guitars. Professional musicians i knew just couldnt wait to buy themselves a J&D guitar for backup.

I also have a Samick Tele copy. This was my first guitar, i bought it 5 years ago. It's not bad, but i wouldnt recommend it for anyone, though it is in the 200$ range, you can buy much better guitars for this money.

Really like your site anyway.
Cheers

Completely agree with you, Robert. I started to look out for cheap copies partly on your influence, but did not regret that.

Squier is really great. i did not play the old ones, but I own a '51, which is just a great value for the price. After some upgrades (intonation and bone nut) it is just a fantastic instrument. I also heard from a local shop, that the latest Bullets are astonishing good value too. Obviously you need to change the tuners and the whole electronics, but the neck and the body are very good (body is made of alder and not plywood any more). I'm thinking on getting one as a project guitar base.

I also have an SX Tele copy, a real vintage looking guitar. This one is not so good. The sound is ok (well after changing the neck PU to a Wilkinson, it is more than that...), but the frets were horrible. On the high E string you could not hit a note on fret 16, because fret 17 was too high. There was a terrible buzz when playing on the high frets. I brought it to a luthier, and he filed the frets even. Now they are not as high as I like them, but it does sound ok. I don't want to change the neck, because it is a lovely neck, really comfy. And also it is not compatible with normal necks, so that would be a bit tricky. So with SX I'm not so happy, but I guess I'll give them another chance, I want to try a Les Paul copy anyway sometime :)

Recenty also got an Aria TA50 semi accoustic (ES335 copy). It is still "under reconstruction", but the build seems to be decent, however there are some flaws in the finish.

All in all: I think the most of the sound comes from the player anyways, but yes, the dawn of the cheap guitars is here :)