cheap (modern) strats: Best and most consistent brand?

[dreamspace]

I may be looking for a modern type strat(not classic type) in the near future, as I'm going to sell most of my gear for the summer holidays...what brand would you say has the best quality (in terms of the guitar itself: wood and work...I have some spare pickups, tuners and bridges laying around, so those could be changed) and consistency?

 

max 250 bucks new (which would make them even cheaper used)

[vintage clubber]

I may be looking for a modern type strat(not classic type) in the near future, as I'm going to sell most of my gear for the summer holidays...what brand would you say has the best quality (in terms of the guitar itself: wood and work...I have some spare pickups, tuners and bridges laying around, so those could be changed) and consistency? max 250 bucks new (which would make them even cheaper used)

 

define modern vs classic type strat...

[dreamspace]

classic = SSS, 6 point trem, old kluson style tuners, etc.

 

modern = hss, 2 point trem, sometimes 22 frets.

 

stuff like that

[wagdog]

250 new?

 

Consistent?

 

Not gonna happen.

 

I like sx's for cheap ax's, but consistent they are not.

[vintage clubber]

classic = SSS, 6 point trem, old kluson style tuners, etc. modern = hss, 2 point trem, sometimes 22 frets. stuff like that

 

you probably won't find that in that price range, but used Carvin Bolt with the wilkinson trem would certainly fit the other specs...

[jedisb]

AXL SRO

 

http://www.axlguitars.com/guitars1.html

[Belva]

Hold up, guys. No, I don't think you'll find anything in that price range. Go lower ($150) and look at the Hamer Slammer series. But you have to like thin necks. I myself don't, but I've seen a few. Each one is actually well made with nice fret work and a better setup than you'll see on any high buck guitar from the big F. Pups suck, but the op has that covered.

[rorylawford]

 

Hold up, guys. No, I don't think you'll find anything in that price range. Go lower ($150) and look at the Hamer Slammer series. But you have to like thin necks. I myself don't, but I've seen a few. Each one is actually well made with nice fret work and a better setup than you'll see on any high buck guitar from the big F. Pups suck, but the op has that covered.

 

 

Mine may be the one and only lemon, but my Hamer Slammer XP-1 Standard had a neck that was so weak that it went out of tune just by touching the neck...

[Sheik Yerbouti]

you probably won't find that in that price range, but used Carvin Bolt with the wilkinson trem would certainly fit the other specs...

 

Yeah, my main guitar is a kit bolt that I put together.

[diceman1000]

Cort G Series or X Series(X's are super strats)

[Orange Jackson]

Yamaha Pacifica 112j comes close to being a really great guitar, but the string spacing is narrow. If not for that, they would be great.

[Musicscotty]

A used Yamaha Pacifica 112 will pretty much wipe the floor with all comparitively priced guitars - in terms of build quality and pure value for money. For even more value for money look out for a used Yamaha RGZ 112 or 312.

 

You wont have to switch out anything, and as long as the guitar hasn't been abused by the previous owner, you'll end up with a guitar that punches well above it's weight - in price terms.

[Kid Klash]

For that kind of money, I'd be looking at the Squier Strats (new), or on your local CL for a Fender Standard Strat (used). Why dink around with a copy when you can have the real thing?

[docjeffrey]

Musician's Friend lists 99 guitars for under $200. Somewhere in that inventory is a guitar that will work for you.

 

But it's not going to be the "best, most consistent..." The reason is that at that price level, the guitars are not built by the company whose name is on the headstock unless you buy a Chinese Epiphone (but they make no strats).

 

They are built in dozens, perhaps hundreds, of factories spread all over Asia and Oceana, now even including India.

 

The "best most consistent" would imply a company that makes guitars in a few factories, in most cases a single factory, and has a lot of control over the finished product.

 

It's difficult to find much information about the Pacific Rim and Oceania factories spread out over half the globe. Some of them turn out 20,000 guitars a month under dozens of different brand names. A specific guitar model like the venerable Squire '51 may initially be built in China and then moved to Vietnam or Indonesia to cut labor costs. Once relocated, materials such as body and neck woods, hardware, and pickups are completely different even though the guitar looks the same and carries the same brand name and model number.

 

The bottom line is this: When dealing with budget guitars, tracking consistency is complicated. You're often persuaded to purchase something based on lots of positive web reviews, only to find that the point of origin has changed along with the materials and quality control by the time you get yours.

 

There are specific factories around the world that have a reputation of making consistently excellent guitars, but it is unlikely they will be making sub $200 guitars.

[FoonkySteve]

 

A used Yamaha Pacifica 112 will pretty much wipe the floor with all comparitively priced guitars

 

 

This.

 

Pacifica's are great quality instruments for the price! Not the traditional strat shape, but very slowly becoming an institution in its own right over the past 15 years;)

[Jkater]

But it's not going to be the "best, most consistent..." The reason is that at that price level, the guitars are not built by the company whose name is on the headstock unless you buy a Chinese Epiphone (but they make no strats).

 

Wrong.

 

[dcindc]

Xaviere XV-870

 

/thread

[Special J]

Hold up, guys. No, I don't think you'll find anything in that price range. Go lower ($150) and look at the Hamer Slammer series. But you have to like thin necks. I myself don't, but I've seen a few. Each one is actually well made with nice fret work and a better setup than you'll see on any high buck guitar from the big F. Pups suck, but the op has that covered.

 

Just to clarify, "Hamer Slammer Series" guitars were Hamer's first foray into import guitars. Built in the early to mid 90's, they were made in Korea to exacting specs and are regarded as Hamers highest quality imports. While it's possible to still find them under $200, the secret is kind of out, and they seem to be going in the $250-300 range more often than not.

 

"Slammer by Hamer" are the entry level guitars, made in Indonesia, which I believe your are speaking of. While I agree that these are more consistent and better quality than the comparable Squiers which they compete against, I don't think they are in any way better than a high dollar Fender. I'm not sure what you mean by "better set up". If you mean how they come set-up from the factory, I'll have to politely disagree. I used to manage a Hamer dealer and set up and sold dozens of the things. Perhaps a good choice for the OP, as they do offer ones with SSH configuration, but they shouldn't be misrepresented.

 

But ultimately, as far as readily available guitars go, my vote would go to the Yamaha Pacifica 112 as well.