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I've been curious about the Washburn, but they're hard to find locally, so haven't had a chance to try one.
Good choice on the Eastman Grooove. Most impressive arctop under $1,000... I've ever had in my hands at least. You'll have to report your impressions when you get the chance to spend some time with it.
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the hagstrom hl550 or HJ 500 or HJ 600
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The Eastman looks like a bargain, but I never tried one.
The Godin Kingpin is old school, and not very versatile.
I find the Ibanez PM35 (metheny signature) wonderful for the price, very confortable, lightweight and with a really good tone. I don't try the new model PM2.
I like the Gretsch G100ce, but more pricey.
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Nado I have a Godin and it's actually much more versatile than my X-500. The Godin will not do the classic big archtop with a paf sound (whith the X-500 does brilliantly but, besides giving that old school Jim Hall tone you mention, it's much easier to make it "simulate" an acoustic guitar sound or to turn it into a blues / rock beast. My X-500 always sound jazzy but not the Godin! (although I have put a BK half-note P90 in there maybe that adds to the versatility).
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I play only jazz, so when I write versatile, it means versatile for the jazz.
I've tried many times the Godin kingpin, and for me it's only for the early jazz.
But maybe I'm wrong, I always tried it dry with no effect.
The taste of this guitar has a flavour of Barney Kessel, IMO.
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Let us know how you get on with the Ar 371 Groove. I have it's closely related cousin the AR 403 and my observation is they are crazy good quality guitars for the money. I feel they are a cut above the off the rack Epiphones for instance but that the electronics on them are of lesser quality than say a Gibson archtop. In other words they can be made even better with an upgraded pickup.
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Man that Eastman sounded great. Love to try out one of those!
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Got a chance to try a Eastman 371 earlier this week. It was terrible. But I'm thinking it was one dud as opposed to being representative of the whole line, I've always been impressed with Eastmans in the past...but this thing was awful...unbalanced, thin sounding pickup, terrible fretwork resulting in a bunch of notes fretting out...just unnacceptable, and this was at a store that's very good about not putting crap instruments on the floor or poorly set up ones, so I blame the manufacturer here...
But like I said, that's one guitar.
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The Godin Kingpin IMO is an incredibly versatile guitar that can do it all except for heavy metal. It is much more responsive to playing technique and attack than a HB-equipped guitar. It ranges all the way from an acoustic-y sound to a growly overdriven sound.
While it looks old-school, it is really a modern take on a classic design--more of a hybrid than a vintage jazzbox like a Gibson ES-125 for instance.
I realize it's not for everybody, that's why there are so many different guitars out there. I think for someone just moving into jazz or playing jazz parttime it is darn near perfect.
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Try the Loar LH-309. Like the one in my Avatar. Right inline with your budget. Solid carved spruce top, maple back and sides. Great instrument.
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...based primarily on build quality and value for money, regardless of stereotyped genre, or sound.
I already have 2 Squiers, so I'd probably get something else this time. They are quite standard Tele with maple neck, and quite standard hollowbody, so I'd skip those too.
I want at least one Humbucker. Tremolo bar is an option.
Are Modern Player Fenders any good? Where they cross the Squier line? Are they up to Classic Vibe and Vintage Modified Squiers, or it's only at Classic Series and Standard where Fenders are better than Squiers?
So, I found these, I can try locally, to be interesting
1. Gretsch G5438 Pro Jet (Because Gretch is a trip, and I'll never have the money for the real one)
2. Gretsch G5245T Double Jet with Bigsby (because Bigsby is another trip, in spite the fact I don't use it, ever)
3. Fender Special Edition Custom Telecaster FMT HH
(actually this one's at the top of my list at the moment, without even seeing it live, because it has that 80's "hi on cocaine" HM look I always dispised, but want to fight my demons)
4. Fender Starcaster (Maple Neck) (Because it looks odd, it's hollow and reminds me of Tele De Luxe Custom, one with Strat like head, which is probably the best guitar I've ever played)
5. Fender Blacktop Telecaster HH (Because It's Tele with humbuckers and I hated Schecter when I tried it some time ago.)
Last edited by Vladan; 12-24-2013 at 07:19 AM.
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The Gretsch Electromatic line is a good value. If you already have a fender a Gretsch would change things up. I've played a the most inexpensive jet before and I was very impressed and the store employees were even impressed at how well it played, sounded, and was built for how much it cost.
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You don't say what type of music you're interested in, but I particularly like the Gretsch Double Jet. That looks way cool.
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Wazoo, Dr. Jeff, thank you.
I'm not interested in particular styles, or types.
I just want a guitar reasonably silent, resistant to feedback, that can stay in tune for a long time and is easy to play.
I don't own Fender. I have 2 Squiers. 1986-7 MIJ Telecaster E series, and holowbody x-155 made in Korea.
I'm tempted by Fenders, perceiving it as a step up in label, but am not really sure about the quality of these lower line Fenders.
One of above Gretches, can't emember which one, maybe even both, I tried 3 years ago, just before I bought this X-155.
Seamed well built and easy on the neck to play, but that neck was somehow protruding too far. Where ergonomically I'd expect 5th to 7th fret, by feeling from Tele, I'd find my self at 10th to 12th.
So if someone can tell me about build quality of mentioned Fenders and what to look for ... I mean, I will check for my self, but I may be lost in glossy finish and hardware.
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The standard Fenders, made in Mexico, are outstanding values. I have a MiM Strat with a 'bucker in the bridge position, and I think it's incredible. It was a little noisy, but I shielded the pickup cavity with copper foil, and redid the grounding to eliminate loops, and now it's as quiet as a single coil guitar is going to get. (If anyone is interested, I can post a page that shows you how to do the shielding and grounding.
When I tried the Mexican Fenders a few years ago, they felt a little cheap, but the stuff I'm seeing now is extremely well built and the quality of the wood being used is terrific (not quite as good as the American stuff, but very, very close). A brand new Mexican Strat or Tele can be had for $500 or less.
The only thing I don't like about my MexiStrat is the tuners. They're not horrible, but there are aftermarket sets that are much better.
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Ok people, you can take it for what it's worth, a post on a internet forum, but here are my impressions.
Note: I did not plug any of these guitars, I've just tried them in terms of fell, playability and quality of build impression.
- Fender Black Top Tele HH - Plank. Plain
- Squiers, including CV and VM - Plank, plain, with exception of one particular piece, all white Cabronita, 2x heavier than all the rest, but neck was not on par with the body.
- Chinese Fenders, telecasters and I don't know what - Plank
- Mexican Fenders - Plank
None of above guitars could touch my '86-7 E series squier in terms of neck and feel. Maybe they have better PUs, or tuning pegs, I don't know. Also, their bodies are so unnaturally light. Maybe new generation likes that.
- Fender special edition HH - not bad, but unnaturally slim and light body.
- Gretches Jet Pro and Jet Club, among the best for the price, but with some loose switches and pots.
- Double Jet as 5. but goes out of tune just like that. Like it was digital, now it's tune, now it's all over the place.
- Charvel Desolation, couple of models, with locking neck and without - all good guitars, almost worth the money.
And now, The Absolute Winner, The Best guitar I tried today, better than any of above (in my opinion of course) ...
!!! Fender Pawn Shop '72 Stratocaster Rosewood Fretboard !!! Made in Japan.
I'd try it plugged, but salesman pissed me off. I asked if some marks on the finish were the dirt, or it was damaged. It turned out it was dirt, but he started acting as if it was somehow my fault. Also he noted the guitar was down from USD950 to USD700 and I should be happy to get it like that in any condition???!
Obviously, I won't buy guitar, but if You are into "Thinline" Fenders, try this one.
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You have quite a range there, but no Ibanez, Yamaha, which are both widely available. Bang for buck Ibanez and Yamaha will give you mire for your money than a cheaper Fender line like the Korean and Mexican models. On the other hand, a lot of guys want that badge thing, and of course the badge does make moving them on s/h later, a lot easier. The Yamaha Mike Stern comes to mind but since the Yen v Dollar exchange rate has worked against us all in Europe, and the USA, this may be outside budget at the moment.
Trouble with setting the budget first is, blindfolded, you would probably choose something you wouldn't try if you could see the brand names. I never thought of myself as a Strat player, then I was persuaded to try one in a store one day and walked out with it - after trying to get myself to try all these other instruments I preferred the look of - after all I knew I didn't like Strats!! So I would say keep an open mind, try to play lots of guitars, and go with the one with the best playability and best sound for you.
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The Starcasters are very cool. They're well made, pretty versatile, very comfortable to play and sound surprising good.
Out of the budget semi's, they're definitely the ones to watch. The only problems is that if you find a shop that sells them they'll have 009 gauge strings on which don't bring out the best in these guitars. They need 011's.
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Sounds like the budget and the brand should be driving you towards a S/H guitar. I've never bought a 'good' guitar unseen or unplayed. Suggest you visit quite a few shops, try lots and eventually one will be saying to you, "Buy Me!" If you explain to the owner (talk to the owner as he is the guy who will get you the most for your $600) your budget and what you wantto be playing he will offer up guitars at that price - and sometimes you find something that's been there a ear and he wants to move it on - a win for you and him! Bought a Tokai Strat lime that, put a pair of SD Alnico II pus in it - best sounding/playing guitar I've got. Cost me with the pus - $600!
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The Eastman AR371 is pretty nice.
may be hard to find though it is around $650 where I live.
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You could build something with some Warmoth parts for $600. That way you get exactly what you want/can afford.
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The G&L Tribute Bluesboy with a SD Alnico Pro II swapped in the neck is nirvana. The stock pickup is fine. Save some money for flats and a good setup or do it yourself.
I think it's hard to parts together a Warmoth for $600 unless you're buying used.
If you already have "fender shapes", you may want to seriously consider a semi from Epiphone or even a used Eastman AR371 or Godin Kingpin. These will take you in a different direction, whereas Squier/G&L/etc are all cut from the same cloth.
You can never have enough teles though...
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That Epi idea has legs. Get a new or s/h 335 copy and then take it to a good luthier and have the electrics swapped out for the good stuff and the pus changed to a pair of Seth Lovers(whatever) and then lastly have it set up properly - frets dressed correctly, truss rod, bridge height and radius, nut correctly cut, nice good strings. This will stay in budget and sound and play very well. Ask any luthier. I've had a couple of guitars in the past that went down this route - unbelievably better when they came back.
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Just opinion here ...
For Fender stuff, there are so many interesting partscasters floating around for sale. My favorite teles are both partscasters put together by others (very well, using high quality parts), came to me a bit higher than your budget but not much. It's more expensive to build your own of course. The principle is more or less the same. Find (or build) a tele with the unique features you want. If you play it right, you'll get much better quality and value than you'd find in production guitars. Buy a used partscaster, and you could get a real bargain.
For non-fender: I love modestly priced guitars which surprise. Maybe the best such guitar I've found is a Washburn J9 "Washington". Big body, hollow, but thinline. 25.5" scale. Large soundpost (more like a small block) under the fixed bridge, allowing use of that bridge and attachment of a Bigsby. Came to me with TV Jones Classics. Traded a 600 guitar for it. Could not be happier. It's unusual, sounds like nothing else I've tried.
Another lower priced guitar I was quite impressed with was a Samick build Epiphone Sheraton, from the late 80s. Changed pickups. 500 or so for the guitar. Plays and sounds up there with stuff 3 to 5 times as expensive.
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