I remembered I've never liked washburn, haven't played one for a long time though don't know if anything changed...

line 6........stick with amp modeling....and i cant wait for the amp modeling trend to go away and just focus on good tones not always based off amps that they dont sound like anyway.......I know because I own a lot of good amps already hehe

That's interesting, Washburn has been my go to for years. I've got two now (both newer) and I love the necks and build quality. I will say that usually they need a bit of upgrading, I'm not a fan of the randall pups... But for the money i don't think i could have done better.

Dean.

There's a whole lot of Dean haters here...........

If you guy's only knew the early ('76-'84) Dean Z's, ML's, V's, and Cadillacs..... you would surely change you mind.

What a narrow period in a companies' entire history to base an argument. I could say the same about Gibson and Fenders, but the point is just as moot. I hear great things about them too and I'd love to agree with you, but I've never come across one in a store or even met someone that had one. The same way I've never played a pre-CBS Fender and that's the problem. As it stands, the current and available Dean's that I've played were junk, in my honest opinion.

For me, I thought I'd never buy a LTD, then traded a LTD F-254 that turned out to kick butt. Also thought I'd never get an Explorer, then managed to pick up a 1989 Epiphone Explorer that also managed to kick butt. And I've thought that I don't like the sound of Gretschs, but then I played a G100 and now I really want one. Also didn't like Deans, and then played a warlock and realized that they sit better than a lot of other guitars despite the pointyness. I don't know what to not like anymore.

I think in general you can find a guitar from almost any brand that you like. What it seems to come down to is more than just playability or quality of the instruments. I don't doubt that i could find a gibson or prs that I would love. But the bottom line is, I'll never own either because I think they're grossly over priced, and focus on selling their name rather than their instruments. And I simply can't stand that. It may sound stupid, but i believe qualms such as that make the biggest impact in one's decision to support a particular brand.

Was popular where I live around mid. 90's, specially the N series. I remember playing many friends N series guitars.

But as time passed and more brands in the market I guess they lost their preference factor, I can't think of anything they beat compared to a different brand (endorsements, high quality, affordable models,design...always different brand come to my mind).

I owned a washburn mercuty MG 74, my 2nd guitar to be exact.
nothing really wrong with this, but back in the day since I played my friend's RG 550... things won't ever be the same again.

does anyone know where is MG74 being made? for sure it's not US made.

yea you may be right, I think i've just become accustomed to them now. They just feel right in my hands.

Most Washburns were made in Indonesia or Korea, I would guess one of those.

Getting a guitar with quality wood and "features" is getting increasingly tough... Hardware and pups I usually upgrade anyway. This leads mi to buy used. It just breaks mi heart when I see a once great guitar with a bowed neck, though.

I go through phases anyway, and I don't like to say never, but for posterity I would have to say PRS. If I want a hardtail with 24 frets, I stick with mi Gibson SG-X. Never played a tremolo model PRS... But if I want a tremolo, I think Floyd Rose, so yeah. You'll probably never see mi play a PRS.

Fender.

Closest I'll get is Jackson.

I'm not against any single brand because I'll give anything a second chance. But so far I've never enjoyed playing a Schecter, I've yet to find an ESP that has something special about it, and I'll never afford a Conklin.

It's like you took the words right out of my mouth man! I hate paying for the name with anything, especially gear though. And so many people buy into it so hard, and you can't talk sense into them; no matter how hard you try, or how plain the facts are and the logic is. Carvin and Ibanez are some of the only decent brands that don't do that (or don't do it much, of course there are exceptions).