Members grunge782 Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 This word gets thrown around a lot, but what does it specifically mean to you? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PrawnHeed Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Great question! For me it means: Does it do the job? In turn that can mean many things depending on whether you have defined "the job" as being making music, looking like furniture, impressing a woman enough for her to get her knickers off, selling for more than you bought it for, ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Canadian Jeff Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Beats me. Way better than half the crap I see you guys whine about are things that wouldn't put me off a guitar for a second. I'm looking for weight normally. Any glaring issues with the worksmanship will be given attention, obviously. But, I don't put a guitar back for anything that a setup will fix - sharp fret ends, poor action, crappy nut, etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LynchProtoge Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Quality is truly subjective, but one can argue that materials/components & workmanship are measurable. Then again, a well built POS is still a POS.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members chuck1016 Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 To me it means that it was built solid. Nothing on it feels like you might break it. Quality gear can be abused and still work as intended. For example: When I was in high school I had a Fender Deluxe 85 that I hauled to friends houses, parties, etc. It got banged around a lot. I lost it once coming down concrete steps and I was sure it was never going to work again, but it was fine. I sold that amp to a friend after high school. I ran into him a couple years ago and he says he still uses it for home and rehearsals. That's quality IMO. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members komodo117 Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Sound. Comfort. Durability. Nothing else is important. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members smorgdonkey Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Dictionary.com had this to say (among other things): character with respect to fineness, or grade of excellence: food of poor quality; silks of fine quality. high grade; superiority; excellence: wood grain of quality. That's what I mean when I use the word in gear associated discussions. In the world of 'verything is relative' quality is just that too. Better quality gear is better in relation to gear that is not as good. Some of those things are easily defined and some are very subjective...I'll take a mahogany neck (with a truss rod) and mahogany body guitar with hand wound pickups and well-installed level frets over something that is *strange name wood* with terrible frets. So...I'll take the higher quality. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jpnyc Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Beats me. Way better than half the crap I see you guys whine about are things that wouldn't put me off a guitar for a second.I'm looking for weight normally. Any glaring issues with the worksmanship will be given attention, obviously. But, I don't put a guitar back for anything that a setup will fix - sharp fret ends, poor action, crappy nut, etc. Sharp fret ends I could live with. But I wouldn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Canadian Jeff Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Sharp fret ends I could live with. But I wouldn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bro Blue Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Fit, finish, playability. It all goes together. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bubkus_jones Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 durability, cleanliness of design, attention to detail Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members LynchProtoge Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Dictionary.com had this to say (among other things):character with respect to fineness, or grade of excellence: food of poor quality; silks of fine quality.high grade; superiority; excellence: wood grain of quality. That's what I mean when I use the word in gear associated discussions. In the world of 'verything is relative' quality is just that too. Better quality gear is better in relation to gear that is not as good. Some of those things are easily defined and some are very subjective...I'll take a mahogany neck (with a truss rod) and mahogany body guitar with hand wound pickups and well-installed level frets over something that is *strange name wood* with terrible frets. So...I'll take the higher quality. One must also consider which measure is being used. "Quality" in relation or comparison to what? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bbreaker Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 That's a trick question!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Rand-O-Monium Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 Not having to worry.Be it p/ups,amps,cables,holding a set-up/staying in tune,etc... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RockNote Posted August 25, 2012 Members Share Posted August 25, 2012 To me it means that it was built solid. Nothing on it feels like you might break it. Quality gear can be abused and still work as intended. For example: When I was in high school I had a Fender Deluxe 85 that I hauled to friends houses, parties, etc. It got banged around a lot. I lost it once coming down concrete steps and I was sure it was never going to work again, but it was fine. I sold that amp to a friend after high school. I ran into him a couple years ago and he says he still uses it for home and rehearsals. That's quality IMO. This. And thus quality is objective. I might add, though, that a quality product also sounds great - it's musical, perhaps transparent, maybe even "organic", etc. - and so the concept becomes subjective (to some extent). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Grant Harding Posted August 26, 2012 Members Share Posted August 26, 2012 To me perfect quality means made exactly to specification and in new condition. The word for whether it's a high end or low end product is grade. You can have a Suhr and an SX which are both nearly perfect quality, but the Suhr is much higher grade. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members larry50 Posted August 26, 2012 Members Share Posted August 26, 2012 An instrument where a high degree of craftsmanship is self-evident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wagdog Posted August 26, 2012 Members Share Posted August 26, 2012 For me, and I think from what I'm reading above, most people, quality is an item, be it a guitar or amp in this case that plays well, sounds good and can take some mistreatment and keep on ticking. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billythegoat Posted August 26, 2012 Members Share Posted August 26, 2012 Quality = care and everything else will fall into place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Weiner_Bomb Posted August 26, 2012 Members Share Posted August 26, 2012 A piece of gear consisting perfection in consistancy, performs the best for it's function, and is made from the finest materials. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members soundcreation Posted August 26, 2012 Members Share Posted August 26, 2012 For me it means many things. Some examples related to guitars would be: Did they choose nice resonant wood, or just glue together whatever they could find?Did they spend time sanding the neck to a perfect feel, or did they just give it one or two quick sands after it came off the CNC machine and didn't really care?Did they join the neck to the body tightly or do they just cut a pocket loosely to save time and money?Did they use a long tenon or did they skimp for cost sake?Did they choose a nice thin finish which takes more time to apply, or did they just spray on whatever goes on quickly and looks decent?Did they choose cheap electronics or quality stuff with a proven durability?Did they finish the frets by rounding the ends of them or did they just file them at that typical angel to get it done faster and save time?Do the inlays have glue marks around them or are they perfect?Did they cut the nut properly?And most importantly after all is said and done...if the guitar they built just doesn't end up sounding good...do they reject it or allow it out into the market? Those are all just examples but it comes down to pride in workmanship and a company's own standards that they set for themselves to build the best product they can. Quality exists in pretty much every product you can think of. And it's pretty easy to see and feel the difference. And quality exists way beyond products. There is quality in the work that people do. And quality in Art as well....but then that aspect of quality is subjective in my opinion. The elements of building a good product are not subjective. You either build to the best standards possible at a given time...or you don't. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted August 26, 2012 Members Share Posted August 26, 2012 For me it means many things. Some examples related to guitars would be: Did they choose nice resonant wood, or just glue together whatever they could find? Did they spend time sanding the neck to a perfect feel, or did they just give it one or two quick sands after it came off the CNC machine and didn't really care? Did they join the neck to the body tightly or do they just cut a pocket loosely to save time and money? Did they use a long tenon or did they skimp for cost sake? Did they choose a nice thin finish which takes more time to apply, or did they just spray on whatever goes on quickly and looks decent? Did they choose cheap electronics or quality stuff with a proven durability? Did they finish the frets by rounding the ends of them or did they just file them at that typical angel to get it done faster and save time? Do the inlays have glue marks around them or are they perfect? Did they cut the nut properly? And most importantly after all is said and done...if the guitar they built just doesn't end up sounding good...do they reject it or allow it out into the market? Those are all just examples but it comes down to pride in workmanship and a company's own standards that they set for themselves to build the best product they can. Quality exists in pretty much every product you can think of. And it's pretty easy to see and feel the difference. And quality exists way beyond products. There is quality in the work that people do. And quality in Art as well....but then that aspect of quality is subjective in my opinion. The elements of building a good product are not subjective. You either build to the best standards possible at a given time...or you don't. This is a quality post. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Bucksstudent Posted August 26, 2012 Members Share Posted August 26, 2012 When I pick up a guitar, I want the neck to feel secure. I tend to not like some bolt-on and glue-on necks, because they sometimes have too much give. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Jkater Posted August 26, 2012 Members Share Posted August 26, 2012 When I pick up a guitar, I want the neck to feel secure. I tend to not like some bolt-on and glue-on necks, because they sometimes have too much give. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members guitarcapo Posted August 26, 2012 Members Share Posted August 26, 2012 Better materials for one thing. Solid hardwood over soft wood or plywood. Nitro over poly. Chrome and metal over plastic. Better pots and switches. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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