I'm just curious what you all might consider to be a true sleeper guitar. One that may be overlooked by the casual guitar player, or overshadowed by larger brands; but really built well, plays well and sounds great.

One that I've been pretty surprised by are the early 80's Electra Westone/Phoenix models. Very solid and versatile and you can pick them up for next to nothing.

-Andy

anything by a private luthier.

a telecaster

That would be one of the most popular guitars in history..........

Yamaha RGX series

Good call on the Westones, manticus.
I accidentally passed one of those up for a dirt cheap price because at the time I didn't know anything about them. Then I looked them up on the net, went back to the store, and they had already sold it. Bummer.

I'll agree with Jem7RB Mk, also, and add that Yamaha in general is very underrated.

I'm also a big fan of the Guild solid bodies that they used to make. They really were "solid" bodies. Weigh a ton but sound absolutely beautiful.

One final thing. I've said it before in another thread, but Korea has come along way in their building quality and I think many Korean guitars are very underrated. (LTD, Epiphones, Schecter)

Gordon smith guitars are highly underated and very over looked! While i'm here i'll give an honourable mention to framus, there's a whole lotta quality luthiery going on there at the moment. Epi's are all chinese these days and might i add they are spectacularly good!

Yamaha Pacifica 112's + Rich Lasner-era Pacificas.

I recently got a 112M for free and despite the fact that body is cracked nearly the whole way through it meets or exceeds guitars costing double or even triple it's price in sound and playability. The early 90's Pacificas (designed by Lasner) are also quite incredible, and in many ways outstrip their Ibanez equivalents from the same year and price range.

This was my westone. I wasn't impressed with it much at all. It looked cool but just had a lot of frequency problems. I would of changed the pick ups but the neck felt like a strat and so i sold it after owning it a few months.


What about those Talons? I think fender made them. Any one remember those? Also, the gibson M3. I loved that guitar!

peavey guitars, and basses get overlooked by the masses. i've got a t-40 bass and love it. on the t-40, as you rotate the tone knobs you go from single coil, to humbucker mode. very nice instruments(people are starting to catch on, and prices on peavey gear is rising).

TJ, I actually had that in red. Sold it to one of my friends and can get it back whenever I want, but can't see myself playing that in front of my congregation I never gigged with it, but was fun to play around the house with and seemed pretty versatile to me. I still try to pick up the Phoenix style Electra's when I can fin them for a decent price, though.

Never seen a Talon, I'll have to look them up.

-Andy

yep i can remember gordon smith guitars,and yes very underated

Really? its a very classy guitar. Are they judgmental or something?

Nah, I just figured I might scare the little kids and the septuagenarians

-Andy

LOL, you don't have to worry about that, compared to the things that are on TV these days, I think your guitar is quite fine. lol But its good to see your thinking of your brothers and sisters. 2 thumbs up for that.