OLP Worth Upgrading?

Kontalonis · #1 05-01-2006, 10:14 PM

So here's the dilema...

My friend who is an avid guitar player, is head over heels in love with my ernie ball axis sport (as any sane person should be), but he is low on cash. The question is could he buy an olp, do a pickup swap and have a good sounding guitar. Maybe change the saddles to string savers and change the tuning pegs also. I know you cannot compare these two guitars but i'm just curious if he could get an ok guitar out of an olp if he put some work into it?

ibanezcollector · #2 05-01-2006, 10:27 PM

believe it or not, I had a OLP and it was a damn good guitar, we did a blindfold test on feel with my OLP and a friends Axis and 2 out of the 4 guessed wrong and one was the owner of the Axis LOL..

Def worth the price of admission and a nice set of pickups and a setup your golden. No need to change bridge saddles or tuners. Unless your ultra picky.

Post pics when your done.

Kontalonis · #3 05-01-2006, 10:31 PM

Good to hear man! Yeah i was more worried about the feel of the neck more than anything. Hard to top an ernie ball neck finish. But i think since he's a big classic rock guy we'll see about getting one and throwing some paf pros in it.

**jaxadam** · #4 05-01-2006, 10:33 PM

I actually hear that some of the OLP stuff is pretty decent.

**elcid** · #5 05-01-2006, 11:15 PM

I don't think it's ever worth it to buy a cheap guitar then dump a bunch of money into it. For one you'll never get back what you put into it and even if you replaced all the electronics and hardware you are still starting off with inferior woods, finish, and construction. After you figure time and money into the cost of the guitar you aren't saving much compared to getting the real thing, which you'd be happy ith from the begining.

ibanezcollector · #6 05-01-2006, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elcid

I don't think it's ever worth it to buy a cheap guitar then dump a bunch of money into it. For one you'll never get back what you put into it and even if you replaced all the electronics and hardware you are still starting off with inferior woods, finish, and construction. After you figure time and money into the cost of the guitar you aren't saving much compared to getting the real thing, which you'd be happy ith from the begining.

not to open a can of worms, but not all cheap guitars use inferior woods and not all good guitars use high end woods.

You cant honestly tell me that wood used in a Jem is some hand selected piece of alder.. hell half the ibanez's use inferior wood "Basswood" because of price and its sound is very similar to another wood get where were going here.

Marketing, Player endorsee checks, etc add up to alot of these signature guitars price tags. like it or not but its the truth.

putting $100 bucks into a OLP isnt going to make it a MM but its going to make a damn nice guitar for someone who cant afford it.

I got about $120 into a POS $200 Ibanez GSZ120 that plays and sounds 100% better than my $1000 Carvin custom

sirbrandon101 · #7 05-01-2006, 11:41 PM

I played one of the OLP MM1's and in my opinion that is the best guitar out there for $200. If your friend doesn't have the cash then I say go for it.

**jaxadam** · #8 05-01-2006, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibanezcollector

I got about $120 into a POS $200 Ibanez GSZ120 that plays and sounds 100% better than my $1000 Carvin custom

You summed it up right there.

**elcid** · #9 05-01-2006, 11:47 PM

I stand by my opinion, a $200 guitar is a $200 guitar and will never be on par with a $1000+ instrument. I'd always recommend against getting a cheap guitar and dumping money into it and would reccomend saving up a little longer, an Axis or anyting else will be around for awhile and you don't need to cut corners to get something similar right now.
Saying your $200 Ibanez sounds better than your Carvin is entirely opinion and if it works for you good, but to suggest it is a better quality instrument is absurd.

ibanezcollector · #10 05-01-2006, 11:58 PM

elcid your opinion is valid. But is just that a opinion. We all have em.

But expensive doesnt always mean better. Especially in guitarland

theres a huge markup in these instruments and you know this.

Key things in expensive instruments versus cheap.

Not so much wood as most would like to believe.

Pickups possibly there is some pickups that are in low end also in companys high end.

Finish: here is a big one.. Finishes on $200 vs $1000+ no question

Hardware: Subjective. The same bridge on my $1000 Carvin is the same exact bridge that comes stock on the OLP. Your standard fixed bridge, same as some of the Ibanez's, Fenders, etc etc. Floating trems on the other hand is a different story. Stop tail pieces ala Gibson, subjective

Setup: Huge difference here, most of the cheapos are not setup at all.. Nuts need fixed, truss rods adjusted, some frets filed, etc. But hey I like doing that stuff so no biggie to me.

Playability: Subjective at best. Sometimes the its expensive its got to feel good thing comes into play. I have played my fair share of cheapos and that felt fricking fantastic. I have played $5000 Gibsons that were like playing a Louisville Slugger.

Electronics: Higher end will have better electronics but nothing to justify the price difference. One call to Stew-Mac and $30 later im up to par.

Who do you thinks pays for these marketing ads in the magazines? do you honestly think the company does? Who pays for the endorsees guitars? guess again not the company.

Again opinions we all have em, no right no wrong, just what works out best for you personally and what your wallet can afford.

I cant afford a PRS so I bought the cheapo Ibanez Arch and modded it $320 and a few hours of setup and its a player and a half.. And my bank account wasnt affected in the least bit.

**elcid** · #11 05-02-2006, 12:02 AM

I've done the Cheap gear with upgrades many times and always got burned by it. It wasn't until I had 6 Epiphone Les Pauls that I realized I spent more money on junk than I would have to have one nice guitar that I would've been happy with from the start. There was also the Epi V I had that I spent $200 on pickups and electronics for, all Gibson Hardware and then I couldnt even get $350 for it. All I'm saying is I have found that it is never worth it to try to polish a turd. Your better off waiting and getting what you really want.

ibanezcollector · #12 05-02-2006, 12:05 AM

I agree with you on the resale value.. But the its cheap it sucks mentallity I dont. You bought 6 Epi Paul's?? Why you must of liked them or you wouldnt of kept adding them.

OLP to me isnt a turd, its like a blank canvas. You can do anything you want to it

.. Not all that is shiney is gold my friend.. Even the high end Ibanez's some were turds too.

We can all agree Slash is a decent player correct? His main axe for the longest time was a Gibson wanna be with Alnico Pros in it.. Not a Gibson but a modified cheapy.. Not that he didnt have money later on to replace it, he liked it.

Tredog · #13 05-02-2006, 12:16 AM

I totaly dig the OLP's. I have had nice Ibanez's before and Gibson Les Pauls, Fenders and so on and everytime I have picked up an OLP I have been able to sit and jam happily for hours. And thats just picking one off the shelf.
If the question is is it worth getting and dunmping another 100-200 bucks into over a period of time, then I say absolutely! 200 dollar guitar with 200 dollars worth of upgrades will definatly result in a keeper guitar!
I have never baught a guitar with the expectations of selling it! Not that I haven't sold some! But I would not use that as a factor when you can't afford 1k+ guitars and are looking for a great bang for the buck fiddle!
Tell your friend to go for it!

**jaxadam** · #14 05-02-2006, 12:24 AM

I agree.

The OLP's are not just some junk lying around. They are actually some pretty decent guitars.

**elcid** · #15 05-02-2006, 12:25 AM

I bought 6 epis because they were cheap and I wanted a variety of guitars, but they are definaltey not on par with my Gibson's or my S540 for that matter. No company is going to give you a good deal on a guitar because they are nice guys. They will sell the guitar for as much as they can get for it.
If a guitar can be sold for $200 and the company and the retailer both turn a profit it can't be made from parts worth anything. Not to mention they probably pay a fee to Ernie Ball and the artist if it;s a signature model. I know a guy who worked for Dean and Hamer, and he has told me stories of the cheap guitars being covered with bondo to repair dents and dings, then throw a cheap finish on it and some poor guy thinks he got a nice guitar and doesnt ever realize that it's wood and putty.
Slash's wasnt a modified cheapy, it was a hand made replica, not a $200 Korean knock off.