The cheapest good sounding electric guitar?

Discussion in 'Guitars' started by Roject, Jan 9, 2021.

  1. Illadelph

    Illadelph Producer

    Joined:
    Aug 31, 2020
    Messages:
    340
    Likes Received:
    117
    no offense to everyone but you are getting tons of useless advice:rofl:
    but the starting idea isnt very logical either

    you are buying a cheap electric because your semi acoustic w piezo is too noisy?....
    ...so why dont you outfit your acoustic with a nice magnetic pickup in the soundhole, a humbucker:like:
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Useful Useful x 1
    • List
  2. Hazen

    Hazen Rock Star

    Joined:
    Dec 28, 2016
    Messages:
    676
    Likes Received:
    392
    Yamaha Pacifica has best value to price ratio.
     
    • Agree Agree x 2
    • Useful Useful x 1
    • List
  3. odod

    odod Rock Star

    Joined:
    Jun 5, 2011
    Messages:
    767
    Likes Received:
    337
    PRS SE .. All around and i think it is really good price point and quality
     
  4. SEnki

    SEnki Producer

    Joined:
    May 22, 2013
    Messages:
    165
    Likes Received:
    148
    My comments are, never buy a guitar sub $200. The quality of instrument you get for that price suffers and will make learning the instrument harder since you'll either not like feel, not enjoy it's playability or spend even more money trying to get it to play properly. I'd say $300-$400 is the sweet spot. My recommendations in that price point are:

    Squier Classic Vibe series
    Epiphone guitars (do not get the ones below $300)
    Harley Benton
    PRS SE (used ones usual go in this price range)
    Ibanez
    Charvel (some new ones are in this price range, used ones too)
    Yamaha
     
    • Like Like x 2
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • Useful Useful x 1
    • List
  5. Roject

    Roject Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2019
    Messages:
    1,487
    Likes Received:
    650
    Location:
    Earth
    15 years ago I got an acoustic guitar or a classical guitar, whatever as gift. I always want electric one. Few months ago I saw a piezo mic for few bucks so I buy it for the experiment but this is not even close to electric one. Playing classic guitar with cheap piezo mic is like playing on retarted electric guitar in the middle of the storm on Titanic. So I need to buy electric guitar.
    We have many great Amp plugins nowadays so I need only electric guitar.
    I don't know how much difference is between the cheapest and the most expensive.
    I only want clean sound without unnecessary noise for the cheapest price possible.
     
  6. phumb-reh

    phumb-reh Guest

    Thanks for the correction! My tired/wired brain muddled up the facts here. In between my guitars I've 25,5/25/24,5 inch necks so I'm confusing myself sometimes.

    The point about the bridge still stands though in my opinion, they do have different feels (mainly because of the action I suppose then).
     
  7. phumb-reh

    phumb-reh Guest

    Ignore the people saying that you need to spend at least X bucks on a guitar. Look for established brands like Squier, Yamaha and so on.

    At worst you'll get an average guitar which is fine, you stated your purpose which is to get a decent guitar w/ decent electronics. I can personally vouch for Squier as I mentioned, my Squier Tele is a fantastic axe with a good sound. Does it set the world on fire? No it doesn't but hasn't stopped me from recording tracks with it.
     
    • Like Like x 1
    • Agree Agree x 1
    • List
  8. Stevie Dude

    Stevie Dude Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2020
    Messages:
    2,178
    Likes Received:
    1,906
    Location:
    Near Nyquist
    cheap doesn't have to sound bad

     
  9. WillyA

    WillyA Producer

    Joined:
    Oct 26, 2019
    Messages:
    219
    Likes Received:
    97
    Back in 1995, I saw an ad in a magazine for a Fender Stratocaster. I answered the ad and it was an elderly woman who was selling it, it belonged to her deceased husband. She wanted 100 UK Pounds for it. A Strat for that price sounded OK, so I bought it.

    When it arrived in its case, it was a Hank Marvin signature Japanese Strat. It needed some work. I took it to the maestro Peer Dellen in Rotterdam. New straplocks, new Kinsman pickups a new bridge. Carbon truss rod, Modified the electrics to give extra pickup combination and re-fretted it as well. I spent more than I expected on fixing it. But it's a great guitar.

    A couple of years ago I saw the EXACT same model as mine there was a difference of 4 in the serial numbers all the mods were the same and it was selling for 3,500 UK Pounds.

    Bottom line there ARE bargains out there. I would start by looking in local shops, newspapers, magazines in the classified ads. It depends on how much of a hurry you are in. A second hand guitar that can be "reconditioned" is a better buy that a piece of cheap Chinese crap.

    Guitars are like violins. If you give a Stradivarius to someone who can barely play, it will sound awful, but if you give a cheap (not crap) violin to a GOOD violinist it will sound great. No matter what you get, YOU are the life that makes the sounds, not the guitar.

    The next few months are the best times to look for guitar in local papers. Relatives buy kids a guitar for Christmas. He hangs it around his knees and finds that it tales time and effort to play it, and he doesn't get to play like Yngwie Malmsteen in a few weeks, so he loses interest and then it clutters the house, so mom or dad advertise it in the local rag. February last year, I picked up a Squiere complete with a small amplifier for 70 Euros. Seek and thou shalt find.
     
  10. easy_kid

    easy_kid Ultrasonic

    Joined:
    Nov 18, 2020
    Messages:
    27
    Likes Received:
    21
    Location:
    Germany
    I recently bought an Ibanez AR420-VLS. its a medium prized guitar, but its very versatile!
    take a look on it, it has good ratings too.

    easy_kid
     
  11. RitchieM

    RitchieM Rock Star

    Joined:
    Nov 6, 2020
    Messages:
    481
    Likes Received:
    326
    Location:
    Near Liverpool
    all day long at that price point
     
  12. Roject

    Roject Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2019
    Messages:
    1,487
    Likes Received:
    650
    Location:
    Earth
    I don't like sound from this video. Is too much muffled for me.

    I want something which sound clean with drive amp.

    Something like in this track. Not muffled.
     
  13. Lois Lane

    Lois Lane Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2019
    Messages:
    4,074
    Likes Received:
    4,059
    Location:
    Somewhere Over The Rainbow
  14. Roject

    Roject Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Jan 2, 2019
    Messages:
    1,487
    Likes Received:
    650
    Location:
    Earth
  15. realitybytez

    realitybytez Audiosexual

    Joined:
    May 29, 2013
    Messages:
    1,456
    Likes Received:
    637
    no fun? lol.
     
  16. RMorgan

    RMorgan Audiosexual

    Joined:
    May 17, 2014
    Messages:
    632
    Likes Received:
    508
    Man, Jack Pearson, who's certainly one of the most talented guitarists alive, plays stock Squires all the time...The cheapest ones he can get, not those special series or something.

    Tone is in the fingers and technique, the rest is snobbery and snake oil.

    Check his out his playing, man...Impeccable.

     
  17. Stevie Dude

    Stevie Dude Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2020
    Messages:
    2,178
    Likes Received:
    1,906
    Location:
    Near Nyquist
    cool! so, if you are more to Thurston Moore kinda sound you will need a Jazzmaster, because only offset body type of guitar can handle dissonances and make it shine bright like that. I would suggest a Japanese Fender Jazzmaster. Don't but Telecaster or Jaguar, it would defeat the purpose and it would sound wrong when played like that. Jazzmaster handles it very well. THE BEST! I know because I'm a Jazzmaster player myself. Squire also have a Jagmaster series, also offset body, but nope. The other option that handles dissonance (when played clean and syncopated down pick) is that Mars Volta dude, Omar Rodriguez Ibanez (IBANEZ ORM-1). It's a cheap replica of his guitar, Indonesian made Ibanez. I tried it, it can handle some Moore style playing.

    *Jaguar is also offset body, but it's too "surf" for that purpose.

    also, I LOVE SONIC YOUTH!
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2021
  18. Stevie Dude

    Stevie Dude Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Dec 29, 2020
    Messages:
    2,178
    Likes Received:
    1,906
    Location:
    Near Nyquist
    im not saying the Squire in the video is bad, it is the best Squire Stratocaster IMO, I can say it is better than all the Mexican made Fender Strats. That's why I've suggested it in the first place. Maybe the video didn't do justice, but you can read online review about how good that Simon Neil Signature Squire Strats. And the first edition of Classic Vibe Series by Squire before they downgrade the spec and move to another factory (from China to Indonesia).
     
    Last edited: Jan 9, 2021
  19. Mister Grimm

    Mister Grimm Kapellmeister

    Joined:
    Oct 7, 2017
    Messages:
    69
    Likes Received:
    47
    I think that it is normal for someone to like a brand cause it covers the appropriate needs.
    If i'm really satisfied with their products, then should i talk with a possitive way about them? ...No?
    I guess you missed the point, they work for me as i said and might not work for someone else... If that sounds like a fanboy to you i think i 'll pass.
     
  20. Lois Lane

    Lois Lane Audiosexual

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2019
    Messages:
    4,074
    Likes Received:
    4,059
    Location:
    Somewhere Over The Rainbow
    But he obviously doesn't play through a cheap amp.
     
Loading...
Similar Threads - cheapest sounding electric Forum Date
What is the cheapest way to get Pro Tools? Pro Tools May 15, 2023
what's the cheapest solution? Two guitars into a laptop PC Aug 20, 2021
The Cheapest analog synth similar to Minimoog Model D or Korg Mono/Poly? Synthesizers Aug 31, 2020
Whats the cheapest way to add more inputs to the RME fireface 800? Computer Hardware Aug 22, 2016
cheapest ways to contain sound Working with Sound Jun 8, 2016
Loading...