Members Jarl Sigurd Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I like and own an OLP bass. It is quite good. But, I'll tell ya, the two OLP guitars that I had ended up being crap on more than one level. These 2 OLPs, one a orange hardtail and the other a red tremolo model, looked reasonably good when I bought them a few years ago, but they started falling apart within 18 months. I repaired them as needed over the past 3 years and recently decided to use them as trading fodder at Guitar Center. I went to various Guitar Centers over the past month to use them as trade for a PRS SE and they all refused take them for trade. They didn't bother checking them or anything, they just looked at them and refused to have anything to do with either one of them because they were OLP. At the next-to-last Guitar Center I was at, a kid saw me get turned down and then offered me $50 for the red OLP outside the store's front door. (PS: I sold it to him!) I ended up just giving the orange hardtail to someone at work who is a total guitar noobie. I like so-called "cheap" guitars. Any other notable crap-riddled guitar lines out there? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Tone Eee Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I hope none of you has had the misfortune of owning a "Bentley Series 10" Stay FAR away--makes Hondo look like an upstanding boutique builder. I'm gonna catch crap for this, but the sixties Kalamazoo guitars that are fetching $500 these days aren't worth their weight in kindling. UGH! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Dann-O Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I have a B knight Strat copy I bought in china. I thought you could only get that brand in china but after i found out you can buy dinosaur guitars here in the states then well you might find it hear. The tone is both muddy and thin. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members book_of_lies777 Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 my oldest guitar I currently own is only about 5 years old, and I started with a Gibson SG back in 1987, so I've got nothing to offer from my own personal experience. I research the living hell out of stuff before I buy, so I've not owned any true crap. I've said it before and I'll say it again - RIGHT NOW is a GREAT time for inexpensive gear that is actually GOOD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Beckman Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 Everyone is different. I thought the 51's were horrible, but everyone here liked them. They had sharp fret ends, and felt cheap. I also don't like the narrower nut width on some of the cheaper models. That has nothing to do with quality, but it is something that will not allow me to buy them. This doesn't seem to bother many others. I also thought my MIM standard wasn't the best quality, but others like them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bzja Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 ANYTHING no name from fleaBAYS infamous National Music Supply. Horrendous finish, had to strip and refinish the neck. Just crap, and I had low expectations going in ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MorganB Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 Just becuase Guitar Center does not buy it does not mean it has no value the completed listings on EBAY all show them going for triple what you sold yours for...even falling apart they go for double for the parts. Most have nice necks! Sorry to hear about your OOPS , I mean OLPS PS Sorry I just reread your post and noticed it was for the BASS...thanks for the heads up...I am only familiar with the guitars! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ArKay Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 my oldest guitar I currently own is only about 5 years old, and I started with a Gibson SG back in 1987, so I've got nothing to offer from my own personal experience. I research the living hell out of stuff before I buy, so I've not owned any true crap.I've said it before and I'll say it again - RIGHT NOW is a GREAT time for inexpensive gear that is actually GOOD. Yeah, research is the key. The only really bad experiences I've had were with a very cheap tele clone (talking $60-70 here), branded ALBA here in Europe. Bought out of curiosity. It arrived with the ugliest, most mis-matched pieces of wood I've ever seen on a guitar and all of the hardware and electronics would have had to be replaced. Waste of money since not even the body & neck were worth the trouble. Had to return 2 MIC Lag guitars from the first production which had serious issues (think crooked bridge & warped neck), read that they have figured those out now. Also had to return 2 of those new Ibanez low-end Iceman guitars (ADX-120 or something), insane action which couldn't be fixed and cracked finish around the bridge. Yup, both of them. Would still love to get a good one, but I would definitely have to go and hand-pick. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members blueshawk1 Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I went to various Guitar Centers over the past month to use them as trade for a PRS SE and they all refused take them for trade. They didn't bother checking them or anything, they just looked at them and refused to have anything to do with either one of them because they were OLP. This is the downside to all the "forum brands", or "forum-popular brands" if you prefer, i.e., SX, Agile, Xaviere - we may know they are good guitars, but you're wasting your time even taking them to a shop to trade in. People who don't frequent these forums won't even give them a first look. I have an Agile tele I think is better than my MIMs and definitely better than my Squiers, but those MIMs and Squiers will sell, or be taken in trade at a shop, a lot faster than the Agile would be - if they would even look at the Agile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Annoying Twit Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 Yeah, research is the key. The only really bad experiences I've had were with a very cheap tele clone (talking $60-70 here), branded ALBA here in Europe. Bought out of curiosity. It arrived with the ugliest, most mis-matched pieces of wood I've ever seen on a guitar and all of the hardware and electronics would have had to be replaced. Waste of money since not even the body & neck were worth the trouble. It's interesting to note the selling strategy they are using for Alba guitars on ebay. http://stores.ebay.co.uk/OTC-SHOP Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ArKay Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 It's interesting to note the selling strategy they are using for Alba guitars on ebay. http://stores.ebay.co.uk/OTC-SHOP What's even funnier is that I saw those pics on a Chinese OEM page The German eBay store which carries those also uses them. I like cheap guitars, but some brands have really crappy stuff which is not even worth the few bucks you have to spend on it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members stormin1155 Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I had a Hohner the Prinz (tele copy made famous by Prince) which was an excellent guitar. So thinking that Hohners were a real sleeper in budget guitars I got one of their Rockman series strat copies. It played terribly and sounded worse. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members C-4 Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I have nothing against inexpensive guitars. They have their place and people do like them.However, I feel that when you have more knowledge about guitars and are more advanced then what some of these brands are really intended for, you will find problems with any of them, unless you hand-pick one. Even then, after some time spent with the guitar, you will more then likely find things that you would rather replace then live with. This brings me to my current mindset. I would rather wait and save for a good guitar costing a bit more, then just go out and buy inexpensive guitars, no matter what the reason may be. Ex: They are fun to work on, they are great to take to bar gigs, I don't have to be as careful with them, etc.I recently purchased an SX Nashville Tele for $109. While the idea is great, it sounds terrible and is not worth spending any further money on to upgrade. I willl not even try to trade it in, but rather find someone that is just starting out and give it to them.I am not fond of MIM Fenders, as it takes too long to locate a really great one. The best one I have seen is the new Jaguar HH with trem. Even then, some are just terrible. I am looking beyond setting it up, as I understand that every guitar needs that. I have found one that I like, but I have decided to keep playing my current guitars and let sleeping dogs lie. If I am still gassing for one later, then I will locate a really good one.I would rather buy a nice Fender then even a higher end boutique Fender-type guitar, as I have lost more money on those, then any Fender I have traded in. Everyone knows a Fender, but not everyone either likes, or knows some of the boutique brands, nor cares about them.I also love the Japanese brands, such as Edwards, Bacchus, Tokai, Ibanez, ESP. These are known for their quality, playability, and tone. They are also conservative looking and will be a lot easier to sell later. Some Epi's are o.k., but to me, only the more expensive ones really hold up in value.It's just one person's opinion. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members swolter Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 This is the downside to all the "forum brands", or "forum-popular brands" if you prefer, i.e., SX, Agile, Xaviere - we may know they are good guitars, but you're wasting your time even taking them to a shop to trade in. People who don't frequent these forums won't even give them a first look. I have an Agile tele I think is better than my MIMs and definitely better than my Squiers, but those MIMs and Squiers will sell, or be taken in trade at a shop, a lot faster than the Agile would be - if they would even look at the Agile. That's not necessarily true. I took my Agile LP goldtop to a local mom and pop to trade in, and the guy jumped all over it. He kept saying "this is really a nice guitar." That was one of the few trades I came out well on. BTW, it didn't take him very long to turn it over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kentuckyklira Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members kentuckyklira Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 Oh, and I forgot the worst guitar I ever had the misfortune to hold in my hands, a Squier Affinity Series Strat from when they introduced the Affinity Series. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Annoying Twit Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 That's not necessarily true. I took my Agile LP goldtop to a local mom and pop to trade in, and the guy jumped all over it. He kept saying "this is really a nice guitar." That was one of the few trades I came out well on. BTW, it didn't take him very long to turn it over. I have daydreams of running across a good Agile or other "forum brand" guitar in a pawn shop marked down really cheap 'cos they don't recognise the brand this side of the pond. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members GarysBlues Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I had a Hohner the Prinz (tele copy made famous by Prince) which was an excellent guitar. So thinking that Hohners were a real sleeper in budget guitars I got one of their Rockman series strat copies. It played terribly and sounded worse. Same with me. I had PRO SERIES SA-35 [335 copy] and it was a KILLER 335 with an exceptional neck. This is years back and I sold it with another piece to buy a GIBSON.. MISTAKE. I'vbe never seen another and the inexpensive ones I played as mentioned are crap. Washburns LYON series Strat/Tele's are also crap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mdintx Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I bought a Kramer Focus strat copy. That thing was terrible. While the shape of the neck was good, the truss rod didn't work, it was heavy, the parts were cheap, and it didn't sound good. I bought it on closeout for $68 shipped for the purpose of having a cheap guitar to take apart. Otherwise, I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy...okay, maybe a couple of my worst enemies... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members SkippyX Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I have daydreams of running across a good Agile or other "forum brand" guitar in a pawn shop marked down really cheap 'cos they don't recognise the brand this side of the pond. That is exactly how I got my Harm 3. I was wasting time while doing my laundry in the coin-op laundry next door. I wandered into the pawnshop and saw an Agile hanging on the wall. I remembered all the love I saw for Agile on the HC boards, tried it out and really liked it. $160. I'm well pleased, and continually trolling pawnshops & guitar shops that sell used gear for an AL2000 or better..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members victorcrane Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I have daydreams of running across a good Agile or other "forum brand" guitar in a pawn shop marked down really cheap 'cos they don't recognise the brand this side of the pond. My sentiments exactly, but it hasn't happened yet. A great example that this does indeed happen is a guy I got chatting to on ebay recently who bought a hand built WAL bass in cash converters for Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members MatteusNova Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 It's interesting to note the selling strategy they are using for Alba guitars on ebay. http://stores.ebay.co.uk/OTC-SHOP You can sell just about anything with a good add campaign. As we say in Swedish: Kom och k Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grantus Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 Some of the Harmony guitars from the '80s and '90s were pure stink. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Electric Blues Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 and it was a KILLER 335 with an exceptional neck. This is years back and I sold it with another piece to buy a GIBSON.. MISTAKE. I'vbe never seen another and the inexpensive ones I played as mentioned are crap. Washburns LYON series Strat/Tele's are also crap. Same here. I had a wonderful Sheraton and sold it to buy a CS356. That guitar was so bad it burst my Gibson belief bubble. Luckily, I sold and have finally found another Sheraton I love. After some mods, it's on par with anything else I've tried. However, if I could find another semi hollow that plays or sounds better than my Shraton, I'd buy it on the spot... no matter what brand it is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members senor-penguin Posted August 12, 2008 Members Share Posted August 12, 2008 I haven't played the OLP guitars, but the OLP basses are awesome Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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