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Austin Guitars


NPauly

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Has anyone had any experience with Austin brand guitars?

 

http://www.stlouismusic.com/downloads/austin/AustinGUITARS/AU731SB.jpg

http://www.stlouismusic.com/downloads/austin/AustinGUITARS/AU731N.jpg

http://www.stlouismusic.com/downloads/austin/AustinGUITARS/AU731TR.jpg

http://www.stlouismusic.com/downloads/austin/AustinGUITARS/AU731TB.jpg

 

Apparently, they are manufactured and distributed by Saint Louis Music. This is the same company that manufacturers and distributes Ampeg, Alvere, Crate, & Knilling musical instruments and supplies.

 

I ran across some "players packs" in the Orlando, Fl Discount Music Center and the finish on the guitars caught my eye so I decided to pick one up and take a look. The neck was straight and a little thicker than usual, but it sure felt nice in my hands. The fretwork was smooth and even. My only complaint was that the action was high, but that's an easy fix.

 

The reason I'm asking about these guitars is because I'm getting ready to get my Mom a guitar and at first I was thinking a Squire or Fender Standard Strat, but now I'm considering these Austin guitars too.

 

If anyone has any info on these guitars or this company it would be greatly appreciated.

 

- St. Louis Music's Website

http://www.stlouismusic.com/

 

- Austin Instrument's Website

http://www.austingtr.com/index.html

 

- Harmony Central Reviews

http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Austin/

 

Thanks ...

~Nick

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Originally posted by NPauly

Has anyone had any experience with Austin brand guitars?


http://www.stlouismusic.com/downloads/austin/AustinGUITARS/AU731SB.jpg

http://www.stlouismusic.com/downloads/austin/AustinGUITARS/AU731N.jpg

http://www.stlouismusic.com/downloads/austin/AustinGUITARS/AU731TR.jpg

http://www.stlouismusic.com/downloads/austin/AustinGUITARS/AU731TB.jpg


Apparently, they are manufactured and distributed by Saint Louis Music. This is the same company that manufacturers and distributes Ampeg, Alvere, Crate, & Knilling musical instruments and supplies.


I ran across some "players packs" in the Orlando, Fl Discount Music Center and the finish on the guitars caught my eye so I decided to pick one up and take a look. The neck was straight and a little thicker than usual, but it sure felt nice in my hands. The fretwork was smooth and even. My only complaint was that the action was high, but that's an easy fix.


The reason I'm asking about these guitars is because I'm getting ready to get my Mom a guitar and at first I was thinking a Squire or Fender Standard Strat, but now I'm considering these Austin guitars too.


If anyone has any info on these guitars or this company it would be greatly appreciated.


- St. Louis Music's Website

http://www.stlouismusic.com/


- Austin Instrument's Website

http://www.austingtr.com/index.html


- Harmony Central Reviews

http://www.harmony-central.com/Guitar/Data4/Austin/


Thanks ...

~Nick

 

 

Here's a pic of my '62 Tele. It was a floor model close out. It has a couple light scratches and was filthy when I got it but it cleaned up real nice and is a decent player. I'm planning a pup upgrade soon but that's just tinkering, the stocks aren't horrible. I got it for $58, what's to complain about?

 

AustinTele.jpg' alt='>'>

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Originally posted by Manitou

I tried one of their SG standard copies in a music store in the West Edmonton Mall. It seemed like a good player, straight neck, good sound. I was pretty impressed. Albeit it seemed a bit over priced.

 

 

Overpriced? Why do you think that?

 

To me it seemed like a pretty decent upper-low-end guitar. In other words, in the same league with the Squire Affinity Strat, but much higher build quality.

 

Thanks for the reply ...

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Originally posted by DRPool

Here's a pic of my '62 Tele. It was a floor model close out. It has a couple light scratches and was filthy when I got it but it cleaned up real nice and is a decent player. I'm planning a pup upgrade soon but that's just tinkering, the stocks aren't horrible. I got it for $58, what's to complain about?

 

 

That's a nice looking guitar you've got there. Congrats ...

 

No real complaints, nice to hear ...

 

Thanks,

~Nick

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Originally posted by NPauly



That's a nice looking guitar you've got there. Congrats ...


No real complaints, nice to hear ...


Thanks,

~Nick

 

 

Thanks, that's a lousy pic though, the color is a nice bright red. I'm going to put some GFS pups in it and go with a white pearloid pg as well.

 

That should dress it up a bit.

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I checked out one that a friend was buying for his son, and was impressed by it. The neck was straight, the setup was pretty good out of the box, and the pickups sounded pretty good. I thought it was a better deal than the Squiers and a good deal less expensive. He's been playing it for a little over a year and still loves it. I recommended one to my nephew as a result.

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Originally posted by DRPool



Thanks, that's a lousy pic though, the color is a nice bright red. I'm going to put some GFS pups in it and go with a white pearloid pg as well.


That should dress it up a bit.

 

Sounds like you're going to have a real looker there. If it plays as good as the ones I've been looking at you're well on your way to having a killer guitar!

 

Congrats again! :D

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Originally posted by surfguy

I checked out one that a friend was buying for his son, and was impressed by it. The neck was straight, the setup was pretty good out of the box, and the pickups sounded pretty good. I thought it was a better deal than the Squiers and a good deal less expensive. He's been playing it for a little over a year and still loves it. I recommended one to my nephew as a result.

 

I posted on several other forums in addition to this one and have asked around in NYC and so far the majority of people who have had experience with Austin guitars have been impressed with them. Of course there are people who don't like them, but so far they are few and far between.

 

In my search for info I even found a guitar shop in NYC that sells Austins. I'm thinking about picking one up for myself too, when I get back from vacation. I figure if it's good enough for me to buy for my mother it better be good enough to buy one for myself. :D

 

This is the guitar shop in NYC, just in case anyone else is interested.

http://www.guitarmannyc.com/

 

It's really starting to look like Austin Guitars are a real diamond in the rough.

 

Thanks to everyone for your replies, all opinions and info are welcome and very much appreciated. :)

 

 

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I want to make something clear however. The Austin Guitars that I am looking at and refering to are no where near a MIA Fender Strat. I just don't want anyone to think that I'm trying to pass these guitars off as the holy grail of musical instruments.

 

They are great feeling guitars and are comperable to Squire Strats or even MIM Strats.

 

I know nothing about the quality control on these instruments, but I'm sure it's nowhere near any high end guitar, so use your head when checking them out. :)

 

... end public service msg ... ;)

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NPauly

 

I don't know if I'd classify the Austin as MIM quality. I own a MIM HSS strat and I can definitely tell the difference. The Austin certainly was better quality and a better deal than the Squier. They were going for around 125$ at the store I checked out.

 

Just didn't want to set expectations too high....

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I bought an Austin Strat Copy almost a year ago... It's an excellent guitar. The quality and finish is top notch, smooth frets, fit and finish, etc. The pickups sound very good, not noisy at all. I've taken it apart many times. The body is some type of ash. Mine is routed hum-single-hum, with a nice 3 ply pickgaurd. The tuners are die-cast, not some cheap sealed kind. The electronics work fine, no scratchy pots, etc... Here's a pic of it originally...

 

Pic1.jpg

 

Then I went and modified it. I bought a nice Kent Armstrong PAF and popped it in... The original single coils were just fine, but the PAF made the guitar that much better, for me anyways... I also disconnected the middle pickup, and hooked it's tone control up to the bridge pickup...

 

Pic2.jpg

 

Recently, I installed a Floyd in place of the 6 hole trem... I filed down the nut slot by hand for the locking nut, dirlled holes for the floyd posts, shimed the neck some, and now it plays and sounds amazing...

 

Guitar2.jpg

Guitar1.jpg

 

 

These Austin Strats are just as good, if not better, than a Squier Standard series... Miles ahead of the Affinity stuff... I'd even put an Austin against a MIM Strat... The quality is DEFINENTLY there. I've played mine straight for almost a year, and nothing has come lose, broken, no electronics issues, nothing... I'd buy one again for the price...

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Originally posted by MKSkud

I bought an Austin Strat Copy almost a year ago... It's an excellent guitar. The quality and finish is top notch, smooth frets, fit and finish, etc. The pickups sound very good, not noisy at all. I've taken it apart many times. The body is some type of ash. Mine is routed hum-single-hum, with a nice 3 ply pickgaurd. The tuners are die-cast, not some cheap sealed kind. The electronics work fine, no scratchy pots, etc... Here's a pic of it originally...


Then I went and modified it. I bought a nice Kent Armstrong PAF and popped it in... The original single coils were just fine, but the PAF made the guitar that much better, for me anyways... I also disconnected the middle pickup, and hooked it's tone control up to the bridge pickup...


Recently, I installed a Floyd in place of the 6 hole trem... I filed down the nut slot by hand for the locking nut, dirlled holes for the floyd posts, shimed the neck some, and now it plays and sounds amazing...


These Austin Strats are just as good, if not better, than a Squier Standard series... Miles ahead of the Affinity stuff... I'd even put an Austin against a MIM Strat... The quality is DEFINENTLY there. I've played mine straight for almost a year, and nothing has come lose, broken, no electronics issues, nothing... I'd buy one again for the price...

 

 

Wow! That is one heck of an Austin Strat you've got there. I'm impressed.

 

I'm also glad to hear that you're just as happy with your Austin Strat as I am starting to think I would be. I too would put them up against any MIM Fender Strat. For $150 how can I go wrong ...

 

Thanks for the pics!

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Originally posted by surfguy

I don't know if I'd classify the Austin as MIM quality. I own a MIM HSS strat and I can definitely tell the difference. The Austin certainly was better quality and a better deal than the Squier. They were going for around 125$ at the store I checked out.


Just didn't want to set expectations too high....

 

That's only fair. Feel and quality are slighty subjective anyway. I highly recommend that anyone interested give all the guitars mentioned a try and come to their own conclusions. :)

 

Thanks for the opinion ...

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Originally posted by Utero

I have played an austin LP copy and it sounded great! Nice for a begginer.

 

 

I didn't realize that Austin made LP copies too. I'll have to dig into their website a little deeper.

 

Thanks for the reply ...

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  • 7 years later...
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I have 2 Austins that I really like...A Les paul goldtop bought for $150 at Guitar Center, and a Sunburst Archtop

model # AU998, it's copy of a Gibson L5 ces, I paid $250 for it...Both guitars have great fit and finish to them! The action for both need to be set up and I changed the pickups: For the les paul I put in seymour duncan hot rodded...Both guitars were made in korea and dist by St. louis music. Many cheap guitars are made by Samick!

Samick makes Squires, Austins, and epiphones!!!  For the money you can't beat Austins I think...I hate the headstock on all epiphones, the Austin LP head stock is shaped more like Gibsons. Also both guitars have pearlized frets (not just dots) and both guitars have full binding even on the neck! My avatar is the Archtop

check it out, lemme know if you like

ps, play what you like and {censored} people who hate on cheap guitars! mike

 

 

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