What do you consider a reasonably priced electric guitar

[Scott Abene]

Taking brand names out and just looking at a well made, well playing instrument what do you consider a reasonably priced electric guitar?

[igge]

You need the

[lp_junkie]

That depends on what your preferences are in materials, type of construction, finish, etc. the good stuff is expensive to work with sometimes.

 

There are $5000 guitars that are good deals if you are the market and have the money.

 

There are also plenty of decent guitars between $400 and $1200, just have to be selective.

[Scott Abene]

You need the

[Sheraton]

Some very nice stuff under $400 (used)

[LeftyTom]

I'll go 0-$400 (used).

[pixelchemist]

350-600 has a lot of very kickass buys on the used market and some quite good ones in new stuff

[bigspan]

I tend to think that $600 and under is a nice, reasonable price range for a good electric guitar - to me.

 

This is not to say that no guitar over $600 is ever worth it, just that anything over that price range is way outta my league - its more expensive than its worth TO ME.

 

Of course, there's also the situation where even a less-than $600 guitar may be over-priced in comparison to its build quality, playability, and sound. A hunk of junk is a hunk of junk, no matter what it costs.

 

Yes, there ARE guitars that are Very beautiful, Very well made, that Play and Feel amazing, and are accordingly very expensive guitars. Perhaps they're worth every penny of that $23,000.00 (thats just an exaggeration for sake of my point). But its UNreasonable that *I* would ever pay that much for a guitar. I'm not good enough to get $23,000.00 of playing worth out of it, and its pretty unlikely that I could ever GET that good. That's "House Down payment" kinda money.

[scuzzo]

im am the cheapest of the cheap players.. i like those silly little hundred buck guitars and drop in 50 bucks worth of pups and im happy and sailing..

so.. for me its just fun to take what some folks call complete crap and getting cool tones from it... so 0-400 but truth be told i have never spend more then 220 bucks inc shipping for any ride...

 

if you can get really cool tone from a 3000 dollar ride thats kinda expected

but if you can get really cool tone from a 200 dollar ride then thats just freaking cool..

[super56k]

I've never bought a guitar for over $400 now that I think about it. My last big guitar purchase was $335 back in January, and it's quickly became my favorite. I'm not the type to buy brand new guitars on impulse though so most of my stuff has been used or closeout/clearance priced.

[lp_junkie]

My last electric guitar was $4500, it was a Custom Shop Historic 58 LP though.

 

I agree there are some real deals out there for cheap, just have to look.

 

I don't mind dropping the money on something higher end, but don't knock anyone who can turn a dog into a real player.

[guitarman3001]

400 to 600 is about right for me.

[Citizen_Insane]

From my experience you get the best bang for you buck between $800 and $1200 used. I've played lots of great cheaper instruments, and actually, I only own 1 $1000+ guitar, the rest were purchased for less than $400. That being said, a good $1000 guitar plays and sounds so much better than the $400 guitars I've played, that it's more than worth it in my opinion.

[poolshark]

Reasonably priced, for me, means a pro-level instrument. Lots of good stuff below $1000, but I couldn't see myself spending much past that, save for certain archtops. I can usually find great stuff in the $500 range, though.

[Scott Abene]

 

My last electric guitar was $4500, it was a Custom Shop Historic 58 LP though. I agree there are some real deals out there for cheap, just have to look. I don't mind dropping the money on something higher end, but don't knock anyone who can turn a dog into a real player.

 

 

A guitar that speaks to you is one that you must buy despite the low or high price

[CoqBelliqueux]

500 to 600$ is ok, but you have to look for THE one, there's lots of so-so stuff in that price range, sadly enough.

[ashasha]

Wow, I thought that I'd be in the majority here, but looks like I was wrong. I figure anything in the $1200 or less range if it's a good guitar is usually reasonable depending on the list price.

 

But I'll look at anything that's 50% off regardless.

[scottgd]

Depends on the guitar.

 

A while ago a got a new CS EC Strat for 1.75K, everywhere else it was at least 2k. I feel that was a reasonable priced guitar.

[metallica_00]

 

From my experience you get the best bang for you buck between $800 and $1200 used. I've played lots of great cheaper instruments, and actually, I only own 1 $1000+ guitar, the rest were purchased for less than $400. That being said, a good $1000 guitar plays and sounds so much better than the $400 guitars I've played, that it's more than worth it in my opinion.

 

 

Agree. I'd say a Fender MIM Strat is my benchmark for a solid, functional guitar. So that's around the $400 ballpark. But I think from $600-700ish and up used, and in the low-$1000 areas new, you can get a GOOD guitar.

 

I also think that as you spend more, some of those top-end guitars (Collings, etc) are significantly better than a $1000 offering, but you do pay for it.

[Ralph onion]

You want a {censored}in Fender or you want a Gibson? Pay the price or shut the {censored} up! All of the {censored} in between is like investing in raw sewage. No resale at all.

[truckdub]

"Reasonable" is in the eye of the beholder. But I agree with the used between $800-$1200. You can buy a lot of guitar in that range.

[jtr654]

I;ve only bought 1 new guitar in the last 25 years. most of the I buy used one so $400-$800 is the norm.

[Scott Abene]

Most of the guitars that I have purchased were new or 10 years old... almost all were less than $500...

 

99% of those were purchased before 1988

 

So by default I end up with some nice vintage pieces that were considered {censored} by that generation but considered gold by the next generation

 

Go Figure!

[germs]

maybe the thread should have asked, "how much do you spend on your average guitar?" that might have been a more accurate question.

 

honestly, i agree with the poster who said that the Fender Standard series is the benchmark for a well-made, off the rack, giggable guitar at the lowest price point, and the most consistently made. some do it for less, i know that - but Fender is still the champ.

 

for me - and i'm a pretty busy gigger - i'm willing to spend $500+ on a guitar i'd consider stage worthy right off the bat.

 

that's not to say i haven't spent less, and been surprised. because i have. but those are few and far between on the market.

[Scott Abene]

 

maybe the thread should have asked, "how much do you spend on your average guitar?" that might have been a more accurate question.

 

 

Nah...

 

I really wanted to see where people were at.... "average guitar" is relative in my opinoin