Your gonna hate me, maybe even ban me...

[TequilaKing]

Originally Posted by Darin

While at GC today, I played a $2099 Suhr Tele. Then playd a $149 Squire Tele. The diffenece? A whole bunch of money. That's it. The tone was a little different. But not $1800 different. Not even different enough for the average person to notice. And get this. The Squire was set up and played better. I know it crazy. But it's absolutely true. Now I've had expensive guitars. I played professionally for 4 years. I considered buying a Tom Anderson a couple years ago for $2400. I've come to the serious conclusion that you can spend all you want on quality and refinement. No one but you will notice or care. The average person will dig your songs if they are good, and wont care about your hand made guitar. And here's the truth. ANY guitar sounds as good as you play. Period.

Well. There ya go. Spend all you want. But if you suck. You're going to suck on a hand made guitar. But if you can take care of business, you'll sound great on even a Squire.

-Darin

Amen brother

[Darin]

Now we really have 2 issues. Guitars that inspire you to play and be creative. And guitars that do the job. If I were still playing in the country band several times a week, not writing songs, but just doing a job. The Squire I played would be in the line up. The tonal difference would be negligible. Any tone gains you get with the $2000 Suhr could easily be lost in a tweak of a knob on a pedal or mixer. So it's just not worth it. If you coverin Sweet Home Alabama, and playing it well, the audience doesn't give a flying monkey how much you spent. And frankly, at this stage in life. The logo on the headstock is meaningless. Lots of expensive guitars n youtube sounding pretty darn sucky the way they are being played. So when you hear a guitar demoed on youtube, and you think you don't like the tone....it's not the guitar.


Now here's the funny part. I plan on buying a Chromie some day, and playing the heck out of it. And not for tone, but just because it's something I want to do. The cost will not be justified by anything other than. "I want it."

[Triggerman9]

Well,,, I'll get in on this...

First I agree wholeheartedly the average listener doesnt know the difference between a jem 20th and GIO starter pack.

I'm a carvin player... and have been for almost 20 years.

In that time period I've played lots of high end instruments that other accquaintances have owned.... And I've noticed one thing.


I don't think ANY guitar is worth the rediculous asking price that Gibson and PRS gets for the top end models. Furthermore I think a million RG's and Carvins and ESP's and Jacksons out there will run circles around anything that PRS or gibson could ever build. To me there is litte to no difference between a well set up 1200 guitar and a well set up 4000 guitar.

I do on the other hand think there is a world of difference between the same 1200 guitar and a $299 squier from GC...

Yes practice and skill are king, but next is equipment quality and that quality doesn't always have to follow extreme cost but you can't get something for nothing.

[rvai]

what thing of satch and his neighbour?
As many have said here if vai, satch, gilbert or any virtuoso played an ibanez gio they would still sound awesome and kick the ass of most of us if we played the most expensive guitar ever.

[shreddersymphony]

rvai, you should look at this, this pretty much settles the whole thing haha. I know this has been posted before, but once again for emphasis:

http://youtube.com/watch?v=D9v5e1TTwts

I think thats like 150 bucks of equipment, maybe a tiny bit more.

[P. Aaron]

It wasn't until I bought a decent amp that I realized that I had decent sounding guitars. Talent was the issue. not the guitar.

Nice guitars usually respond better to adjustments. But only if you work on your own techniques and improve your skills.

There's so much good sounding gear out there at reasonable prices. Boutique stuff is nice, and there's a market for it. But much of the rack stuff is a good buy for the dough.

[elcid]

Why would anyone hate or ban you for this? There are countless threads here saying Korean guitars are as good as anything that isnt a Jem.

Im going to sit and wait now for the flurry of threads about how a $2000 guitar played circles around a Korean import.
Nevermind, people that buy those dont think they need to justify anything.

[C.Thep]

you peasants are just jealous!!!

I shall play my Jcustoms and Jems proudly

[ColinMmmmm]

I'd rather suck at guitar on a $2000 guitar (which I don't have). If only I had the money . . .

[shreddersymphony]

Originally Posted by C.Thep

you peasants are just jealous!!!

I shall play my Jcustoms and Jems proudly

I have 2 custom guitars that combined cost over 2800 bucks. I could buy a Jem and a J custom for that money...but I never would. So trust me, if there's anything we aren't, its jealous .

[Jemma_Ann's_man]

I have played many custom guitars, and own a High end PRS McCarty and even an Ibanez JEM7V-SBL and although many would hate PRS, PRS makes some pretty high end stuff, but their inflated price tag goes with the materials they use (expensive well figured and high grade wood) and labor of making the guitars. but keep in mind, every piece of wood is different and every guitar is different in different hands. i got lucky with my PRS, even playing their private stock models that went for well over 7K+ didin't play as good as the one I own now. Sure mine was pricy ($3600 with tax) but to my hands it plays like no other PRS or custom hand made guitars I've laid my hands on and I'm fortunate enough to own one. If you buy a PRS made in USA you're helping an american family and the overall economy.

my PRS makes my JEM feel like a toy (now all you ibanez lovers, don't hate me haha)
but to another person's hands it may feel like utter crap, because everyone has different tastes of neck size, specs etc etc. Its like a perfect guitar to and I swear I will die before I have to get rid on my baby.

I played a $4999 PRS Singlecut and it wasn't alive at all. there wasn't anything sepcial about it to and the rotary knob for the pup selctor was not comfortable. and it didn't spoke to me like the korean Ibanez's.

I had a white jem before but it was from GC horrible horrible and had flaws and they even apologized to me after they saw and I saw the flaws and poor crafted instrument that was one of the bad ones in a batch.

I guess it all comes down to what you could afford and how you use it., my instructors always stressted to me average people can't really hear a diffrence between different guitars and care more about your stage presence and if the guitar looks cool it helps and they're gonna stay and watch. but your skill and consistency is very important. whats the point of playing a well crafted instruemnt when you suck on it? But if you are fortunate to use and play a good instrument, get it setup and play your heart out.

the diffeerence between low priced instruemnts and high priced ones is the price for raw materials and measures to keep the woods in tip top shape. and labor placed into it. a well crafted hand made guitar will outlast a squire because its made with better parts and crafted more catiously to last.

cheaper materials wear out much faster. who knows maybe that squire you played might fall apart in a couple years with its cheaper materials.

I own a squire bass from 1987 Made in japan and its a killer bass and still even past the 21 years its still playing fine. $199 for it. best $200 I spent.
there are gems out there you just gotta know when you see one.

The thing about korean indonesain and chinese guitar manufacturers is that they don't dry their wood's properly and sometimes after a few years they'll start to fall apart and the neck will warp and many shop techs I know tell me the korean shecters keep ccoming in and their neck joints are badkly warped and its not the person's fault, the wood had flaws that showed poor measures taken befopre making the guitar.

ultimately if you buy an american made guitar you're boosting the US economy and not some other country like korea or china. If more people bought american, great guityar companiies don't have to go overseas to compete with the lower prices of asain made guitars.

[DavyH]

I don't want to sound like I'm hating on American companies - which I don't - but really, who cares if you're boosting the US economy? It's either a good guitar and appeals to you looks wise, or it's not and doesn't. If you're in funds, what other criteria are there?

I recently ditched a RG8270 and an S2170FB in favour of a PRS SAS. Neither the J-Custom or the S ever really did it for me and I've reluctantly come to the conclusion that I just don't like mahogany guitars (see the fate of Les Pauls and SGs as well) ... my Jems and RG7680 aren't going anywhere.

Korean made? Didn't like the S all that much, although there were no flaws to it... on the other hand I have a PRS SE standard that is without doubt the most comfortable guitar I own. The tuners, nut and pups aren't great, but the overall feel of the guitar is magic.

And Jemma Ann's man... I'm a good rhythm player but my lead work totally sucks. Now please explain why it is that I shouldn't own any guitar I want and can afford?

[Darin]

Played a sweet lookin all black PRS today. Didn't like anything about it. When I 1st played my Tremonti SE, it was butter in my hands. I have not played another single cut style guitar ever that plays and sound as good as my SE. It's not a good for everything guitar. But it fits anything you'd use an LP for. Still, my JS2000 the best do anything guitar.

[Hikey Mikey]

Originally Posted by DavyH

I don't want to sound like I'm hating on American companies - which I don't - but really, who cares if you're boosting the US economy? . . .

Well, it isn't my main criteria in purchasing guitars (or anything else) but it is a significant factor in my buying decision. Our consumer decisions do have an impact on economies and the environment and I would rather support American workers--all other factors being equal (or close).

Carvin, Peavey, Fender, Gibson, PRS . . . all these companies have proven they can compete with their American-made products.

[rastachild]

sure, most major name guitar companies have a product that is comparable with their competitors. however, there is a reason we all choose a certain guitar that transcends its country of origin. my ernie ball musicman axis sport is just as well built as my js6...but i like the js6 much better. it's all preference and i don't think country of origin should make a difference.