One amazing guitar or a few mid-range? Where do you allocate your spending?

[Meggy]

Looks to me like most of the replies are in favour of the higher end stuff (and obviously these are great guitars, no question) - even some of those described as mid-price seem highish end to me (Taylor for example).

So I just thought I'd throw in my view that the less expensive end of the market can still provide great guitars. I suppose my most used guitar is an Ibanez Joe Pass model made in 1980 - I don't know if it qualifies as high-end, perhaps higher mid-range - I do love this guitar though, it suits me perfectly for jazz use and sounds great IMO. But on the cheaper end, I recently bought this Shine semi-acoustic:



It cost me £149 plus postage, and I thinks it's terrific! I did give it a full fret level and dress, and changed the pickups to some nice alnico 2 PAF types, but still, it seems like a lot of guitar for the money to me. I use it for some jazz gigs, and have it set up with GHS brite flats 11 to 50 gauge half-rounds. Really nice guitar to play, nice semi-hollow character, gets a great jazz sound...

EDIT: should have said, but I guess I'm a vote for several mid-range (or even lower end range) guitars.

[jazzbow]

High end gear is great, especially if you can get it for a song! There is a certain kudos to having a brand name. I would love a pre 60's Gibson ES125 and they're certainly affordable still, I've had Fenders left, right and centre but they are generic and don't warrant the extra expense. Hand made guitars are worth the expense, love 'em.

But I love finding average quality and mid-priced guitars and modding them. I get given the odd guitar here and there and I either breath new life into them or 'Frankenstein' them into oblivion.


This is my go to Jazz guitar. Tanglewood TRG1, £275 second hand, maple neck and ply body. I fitted a Vintage Vibe CC rider H/B sized pickup and new bridge. I recently tried a 2010 Gibson ES175 and preferred my TRG1. I guess I was hoping for something more...something!? But the ES175 couldn't improve my guitar playing experience and I would have missed that TRG1 had I P/X'ed for the Gibson (+ £2000 out of pocket).


This is the Cort version of the same guitar (same manufacturer). The owner has modded his aswell. New pickup and tailpiece.

So in retrospect I guess one should have a nice vintage guitar, a well sweet custom guitar and a cheapie knockabout guitar........All sorted

[Meggy]

That TRG1 is well cool Jazzbow, and knowing you it will be set up to the max also. Which magnet have you got in the Vintage Vibe pickup?

[jazzbow]

Originally Posted by Meggy

That TRG1 is well cool Jazzbow, and knowing you it will be set up to the max also. Which magnet have you got in the Vintage Vibe pickup?

AlNico 2, tried the AlNico 5 for a while but the 2 was somewhat 'softer' sounding.

I also have the same model in Blue but stock, that one was £300 new + case. They didn't sell so they were discounted from £599ish. Shame, a really nice guitar. They also did a Larry Coryell model which is super rare but I hope to find one some day

[teamster]

Awhile back I had 8 guitars, nothing super special.
Walked into a music store with em, walked out with a Les Paul Supreme.
I'm back up to 6 and still got the supreme.
Reality is I'm a better trader than player.

[max chill]

I wonder how many guitars Jeff Beck uses to get all the different incredible sounds he gets. It must take at least 4 or 5. There's not any one magical guitar that could do all of it.

[Meggy]

YouTube Video

[cosmic gumbo]

YouTube Video

[stevedenver]

that "L-5" of jeffs is a ES-175!

[Dennis D]

Thank you for posting that ! That was a treat to watch !
What a cool guy who appreciates the guys who came before and their music .
Dennis

[kris]

Scof-one good Ibanez As-200/1981/.
He did a lot of great recordings on it and millions gigs...:-)

[aniss1001]

In my case ONE DIRT CHEAP GUITAR!

Economics aside when I finish my studies and start making money again I wont be buying one guitar after another. I just want ONE guitar I really like. Never saw the point of having several. I get really intimate with my guitar and absolute hate changing. I once owned two and since I liked one a bit better than the other I never even touched the other one even though it had many caracteristics the 1st one lacked. So I sold it.

I guess I'm weird in that way. But not alone I think. Look at Ed Bickert. ALLWAYS playing that same worn out tele. And also Scofield is worth mentioning. To my knowledge he has been playing that same Ibanez on all recordings and concerts since around 1980.

[pingu]

Yeah me too
One Ibanez Af120 ...... hey , it works , plays in tune
sounds OK , stuffed with foam

Now amps , there i've got AAS (amp aquisition syndrone)
just bought a Rockette 30 ......... whoops

[fumblefingers]

if you're a gigging pro then you need the "tools of the trade". they should do the job well and be cost effective.

but if you're a collector, then you should be very focused and selective. plan your purchases and be patient. and remember - even collectors move their collections around a bit. (i.e. they get GAS and buy and sell their guitars). when/if you do, you don't want to "take a bath" on resale prices.

[Soco]

Originally Posted by aniss1001

In my case ONE DIRT CHEAP GUITAR!

Economics aside when I finish my studies and start making money again I wont be buying one guitar after another. I just want ONE guitar I really like. Never saw the point of having several. I get really intimate with my guitar and absolute hate changing. I once owned two and since I liked one a bit better than the other I never even touched the other one even though it had many caracteristics the 1st one lacked. So I sold it.

I guess I'm weird in that way. But not alone I think. Look at Ed Bickert. ALLWAYS playing that same worn out tele. And also Scofield is worth mentioning. To my knowledge he has been playing that same Ibanez on all recordings and concerts since around 1980.

Not true about Scofield. The AS200 is still his main guitar, but last time I saw him I played a custom shop strat(with Robben Ford ford) and I know he has been playing that guitar quite a bit lately. I have also seen him with a Custom Shop telecaster, a Gibson 335 and even a Gibson Howard roberts(I think). Ed Bickert as at least two different tele's, he played one with a single-coil pickup in the neck before the humbucker one. Certain players get associated with just one guitar, but in most cases they have many.
I think it is good to have a main instrument and have other guitars to provide other sounds to switch things up a bit.

[hallpass]

Good idea for a thread. I'm along the lines of what Tom and fep say in their quotes below.

For me, I would rather have a few, say 3-4 under $1000 guitars that are tools for different playing situations:

1 solidbody for rock or fusion: Gibson Les Paul Studio

1 semi hollowbody for rock, fusion, or jazz: Ibanez AM93

1 hollowbody es175 type for jazz: Ibanez AK105SM

1 solid top acoustic dreadnaught: Seagull S6

Originally Posted by Tom Karol

I have 3 $800 electrics - a Tele-type, a 335-type, and a single-pickup 175-type. I would rather have these three than one $2400 one. But that's just me. (I also have a Martin and a travel guitar.)

Originally Posted by fep

+1

If I was starting over:

1st a 335 or something similar from Heritage or Ibanez or Epiphone

2nd a Fender Jazz Bass

3rd a Fender Tele

4th a 175 type, I'd get that new Eastman 403CE

Including the used market and MIM fenders, I think I could get that done for 2k

[Uncle Meat]

My friend just sold his Gibson Les Paul for an Epiphone, and after hearing his Epi, nobody questioned his decision. I used to have a couple expensive guitars, but once I started looking hard enough, I've found 5 sub $500 that all do exactly what I need them to and I love them all.

[kris]

Originally Posted by Soco

Not true about Scofield. The AS200 is still his main guitar, but last time I saw him I played a custom shop strat(with Robben Ford ford) and I know he has been playing that guitar quite a bit lately. I have also seen him with a Custom Shop telecaster, a Gibson 335 and even a Gibson Howard roberts(I think). Ed Bickert as at least two different tele's, he played one with a single-coil pickup in the neck before the humbucker one. Certain players get associated with just one guitar, but in most cases they have many.
I think it is good to have a main instrument and have other guitars to provide other sounds to switch things up a bit.

+1
Have you any Scof Cd's with these guitars?

[Soco]

Originally Posted by kris

+1
Have you any Scof Cd's with these guitars?

Hi, I don't. The last CD I bought by him was "En route live" which is one of my all time favorites, he is using the as200.
I am not sure if Scofield has recorded with these other guitars but I have seen him live with the strat and seen youtube clips of him with other guitars.
He sounds great on the strat by the way.

[Gabe]

It depends, everyone has a different opinion, but given the financial opportunity I'm sure a lot of people would like a 'collection' of sorts. For me however after previously having owned a fair few guitars that I've narrowed it down to what I would actually use. So I use:

- JJ Electra (solid body, two humbuckers with coil taps, covers a lot of bases)
- Eastman T186MX (thinline hollowbody, used for all my jazz stuff, some clean stuff too)
- Larrivee L-03R (acoustic, pretty self explanatory)
- Alhambra 7P Cedar (classical, again self explanatory).

There aren't many instances where I feel that I need another sound, something with a vibrato would be nice but I don't need one.

[SamBooka]

realistically? I am down to two. Fender lead I (modified) and es 165.

used to think i needed a jazzmaster, a tele, a les paul, a strat and just got sick of them..
I have a tele I dont play but am keeping because it is amazing. An es 125 I dont play but am waiting for the right time to sell it, and an Emp Reg because it isnt worth much but is pretty good. It sits in the living room and I will pull it out while my wife is finishing supper or will sit with it outside.

Someday I will clear out the amp collection too... lol

[Insufferable_Rhythm]

Originally Posted by Soco

Ed Bickert as at least two different tele's, he played one with a single-coil pickup in the neck before the humbucker one.

It's the same (but modified) guitar.

[cosmic gumbo]

I think the more time you spend on one guitar, especially if it really "resonates" with you, whether it is the sound, playability, or even the the looks, if you stick with it, you will be amazed at the different sounds you will coax out of it.

Even if I owned an expensive guitar, which I don't, I would probably still want to own a few different cheaper models of various types, which I do. I find it the norm for guitarists to consider guitars as objects of desire and own more than one. What I don't understand is the guy who owns a half dozen expensive archtops that all sound the same.

[Soco]

Originally Posted by Insufferable_Rhythm

It's the same (but modified) guitar.

I didn't know that-thanks for the info!

[aniss1001]

Originally Posted by Soco

Not true about Scofield. The AS200 is still his main guitar, but last time I saw him I played a custom shop strat(with Robben Ford ford) and I know he has been playing that guitar quite a bit lately. I have also seen him with a Custom Shop telecaster, a Gibson 335 and even a Gibson Howard roberts(I think). Ed Bickert as at least two different tele's, he played one with a single-coil pickup in the neck before the humbucker one. Certain players get associated with just one guitar, but in most cases they have many.
I think it is good to have a main instrument and have other guitars to provide other sounds to switch things up a bit.

Not sure about Scofield either. But every single live clip I've seen with him he is using his Ibanez. I saw one clip where he is in some instrument shop playing a blues (NOT jazz blues) on a tele. But that's it.

Bickert I'm pretty sure though. He simply changed the neck pup on his old tele to a humbucker at some point but never changed guitar.

Either way I know I'm a weirdo in that sense. Just don't see the point in having several guitars even if they are different. I prefer to have ONE that is like an extension of me That was how I viewed my old Japanese Squier Strat back in the days. Absolutely loathed playing any other guitar even if they were way better than mine. Felt like I was trying to move something with someone elses limbs...

Can't say I feel the same way about my current guitar though because I never really liked it...

[Soco]

Here he is on a strat that he bought from Sam Ash on 48th street.

YouTube Video

[Soco]

Here he is on a Gibson 335.

YouTube Video

[aniss1001]

@Soco

Coooool ... Sco on a strat

[Spook410]

I love guitars. I like Washburns so I can replace all their electronics and end up with something that sounds good and plays well. I like Tokai's because I'm not going to pay for a 62 Strat. I like Heritages because mine come from when they used to be cheap. I don't think this equation applies to acoustics. It's very hard to get to the sound of a Brazilian Martin or a nice Goodall without making the investment. But in electrics, there are some good and fun guitars in the 'bang for the buck' category.

[kris]

I dream about one guitar that has all sounds I like and more...it is comfortable to play....no possible!