Inexpensive Guitars that you Love

[Spook410]

I do a fair amt of bass work for music theater stuff, so I finally swapped out my Ibby full scale 5-string for a new Squier Classic Vibe Bass VI. 30" scale, tuned an octave below guitar, sounds like a bass, plays like a long scale guitar. A little rough out of the box - had to work on the neck, nut, and bridge, now plays and sounds like a dream. Anything from a classic mellow jazzy bass sound to a strumming or twangy rock machine

I'm also interested in these. Any chance you could do a thread talking about what they can and can't do and what modifications are required to get it up to speed? Also curious about things like strings and amps.

[gitman]

Yamaha SA50 from 1968 (found last summer, € 500,-)
Cordoba Fusion 12 (have this since 2015 or so, a trusty companion in 100's of lessons and dozens of gigs, € 600,- !)

[icr]

By inexpensive if it is $5 then this:

[Doctor Jeff]

Nope, that’s the way it came. I play Wes style with my fingers spread out over the edge, so it doesn’t get in the way. And I’m keeping this one, but I couldn’t say that for the hundred or so I sold. Different time.

My first was a Yamaha AE1200S, in a rare blonde bought for $800. Sold it for $1499. That’s what began the buy/sell frenzy that lasted 7 years.

Attachment 107785

Nice stereo! I think I remember reading about this in another thread.

Did you come across this story?

https://www.washingtonpost.com/style...-auction-cost/

If you can’t get past the paywall, it’s about a guy whose obsession with building the ultimate stereo cost him a lot, including the relationship with his family. About the time he finished building it (from scratch), he had spent about a million dollars. And was diagnosed with ALS.

When he died, his stereo was worth much more than his house. Attempts to sell the house and stereo together fell through, and the stereo components were parted out for about $150K.

[Doctor Jeff]

Yamaha SA50 from 1968 (found last summer, € 500,-)
Cordoba Fusion 12 (have this since 2015 or so, a trusty companion in 100's of lessons and dozens of gigs, € 600,- !)

Boy I love that Yamaha. Great styling.

I know it’s a more modern model, but I think the sound that Carlos Santana got from his Yamaha SG was the best in his career. Not bad guitars from a motorcycle manufacturer.

Edit: apparently Yamaha started as a reed organ company in 1887. They built their first piano in 1900. During WW2 they were forced to change production to war materials, which led them to get into motorcycles after the war. I had a couple of Yamaha dirt bikes in the 60’s/70’s—a 60 and 100. Very nice bikes.

[Doctor Jeff]

I do a fair amt of bass work for music theater stuff, so I finally swapped out my Ibby full scale 5-string for a new Squier Classic Vibe Bass VI. 30" scale, tuned an octave below guitar, sounds like a bass, plays like a long scale guitar. A little rough out of the box - had to work on the neck, nut, and bridge, now plays and sounds like a dream. Anything from a classic mellow jazzy bass sound to a strumming or twangy rock machine (see GC link, solo at 1:40, then Beatles stuff in last vid). $400 from my Sweetwater agent. (Warning, too many pics below, because I'm thrilled with this thing. And other musicians really dig it too.)

I think he played the Danelectro Longhorn bass on the record though.

I think a Bass VI would be fun, but like a baritone can’t figure out how to incorporate it in what I play.

[Doctor Jeff]

Since someone mentioned free, I found this 1970 Electra Gibson SG-style bass in the trash in the alley behind my house. A neighbor kid had tried to turn it in a fretless, but had undoubtedly gotten frustrated. It looks like he might have swung it against a tree or something in anger.

I completely rehabbed it with new frets, tuners (hard as heck to find open tuners for a bass), cleaned up the electronics and touched up the paint. It played and sounded rather well, just not something I really needed.

So a few years ago I sold it to Conor Oberst’s guitar tech and business partner for $150.

[frabarmus]

Boy I love that Yamaha. Great styling.

I know it’s a more modern model, but I think the sound that Carlos Santana got from his Yamaha SG was the best in his career. Not bad guitars from a motorcycle manufacturer.

Edit: apparently Yamaha started as a reed organ company in 1887. They built their first piano in 1900. During WW2 they were forced to change production to war materials, which led them to get into motorcycles after the war. I had a couple of Yamaha dirt bikes in the 60’s/70’s—a 60 and 100. Very nice bikes.

My Yamaha SF 400, made in Japan (Hamamatsu),Tenryu/Wada factory April 1982.

Very versatile, also played jazz with it, one of the nicest, easy, slim necks I've ever played.


(How it was when I got it back in 1986)


(A more recent picture, after some mods)

[Webby]

I guess it depends on your perspective if you'd call the Epi Broadway a cheap guitar, but it's a lot of guitar for the money. I gave mine the whole L5 treatment, and like it a lot!



Paul

[339 in june]

I guess it depends on your perspective if you'd call the Epi Broadway a cheap guitar, but it's a lot of guitar for the money. I gave mine the whole L5 treatment, and like it a lot!



Paul

If I may ask, where did you find this tailpiece ? I don't like the frequensator on ma Broadway and look for an improvement that'll cost less than the guitar itself

[Jonah]

I loved Dean Palomino, this model.
It was very comfortable, quite like and resonant acoustically, well-built and decent tone with a stock pickup.
I also liked the design of the headstock and the tailpiece. It was nice and not directly copying famous brands.

And also it was really deep body, I loved it... always felt a bit sad I had sold it.

Dean Palomino Solo Jazz Guitar (Pre-owned)
– Mak's Guitars

[Webby]

If I may ask, where did you find this tailpiece ? I don't like the frequensator on ma Broadway and look for an improvement that'll cost less than the guitar itself

It's a pity these aren't easier to find. I got lucky on eBay; it came from some asian copy probably Hondo, washburn, Aria or something like that. It might actually be cheaper to buy one of these guitars and swap out the tailpiece, then to find one as a replacement part.

[ThatRhythmMan]

Here’s another for the Yamaha train. This is an RGX-TT Drop6. It’s the long scale (26.25”) version of this guitar , hence the Drop6 in the name. It’s a past Ty Tabor signature. I’ve been a big King’s X fan since my mid teens, so that adds an extra cool factor.


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[friendofjaco]

I’m loving my Ibanez AF120 Artstar. Craigslist find a few years ago for $500. Great guitar. I love playing it acoustically. Has the Korean super 58’s that sound pretty good. My latest project is to put in a set of Pete Biltoft humbucker sized p90’s. Just waiting on new pots and caps. I also have the sister AS120 Artstar semi hollow. Another great playing guitar. May upgrade her pickups too

[joelf]

Got a Godin 5th Ave, Kingpin ($700 + tax) and more recently a '50s SS Stewart ($325 + about $80 luthier work installing a floating pickup and pots). Dig them both, Actually, my Martin 1999 0001 also qualifies ($700 + tax).

They make me feel like I 'beat the house'...

[pingu]

1310427[/URL]]I’m loving my Ibanez AF120 Artstar. Craigslist find a few years ago for $500. Great guitar. I love playing it acoustically. Has the Korean super 58’s that sound pretty good. My latest project is to put in a set of Pete Biltoft humbucker sized p90’s. Just waiting on new pots and caps. I also have the sister AS120 Artstar semi hollow. Another great playing guitar. May upgrade her pickups too

love mine too

do you have the narrow or wide
headstock

they have slightly different body shapes too I believe

i think the earlier Af120 narrow headstock ones have a slightly
narrower body ….

doesnt really matter
just chatting , nice to meet another 120 fan

[lawson-stone]

It's a pity these aren't easier to find. I got lucky on eBay; it came from some asian copy probably Hondo, washburn, Aria or something like that. It might actually be cheaper to buy one of these guitars and swap out the tailpiece, then to find one as a replacement part.

I actually did that. I bought I think an Aria that had the L5 style tailpiece, replaced the tailpiece and re-sold it with a notice that the tailpiece is not original. Net, it's a pretty economical move.

[Old Nick]

Here's mine , Ibanez AF86, I love it!

[Krinky]

They understood the assignment.

[friendofjaco]

Mine is from around 99’-2000 with the wider headstock. I love playing it especially for blues. I’m waiting for new pots and capacitors before I install the new pickups.

[
QUOTE=pingu;1310481]love mine too

do you have the narrow or wide
headstock

they have slightly different body shapes too I believe

i think the earlier Af120 narrow headstock ones have a slightly
narrower body ….

doesnt really matter
just chatting , nice to meet another 120 fan[/QUOTE]

[friendofjaco]

The as-120 is highly underrated as well. So easy to play and really well made. I’m gassing on changing pickups in her too. The Super 58’s are decent but I’m thinking about something a little more articulate and touch sensitive. It’s a pretty dark sounding guitar. Maybe Dimarzio bluesbuckers? Or Alnico ll Pro?

[Irishmuso]

I have two candidates.

I bought a Tokai Es-175 copy about ten years ago for £300 that has been great value.

In 1982 I bought a new Gibson ES-355 that the Gibson rep. sold to me for half-price because the original buyer had pulled out. It cost me £695. I was still living at home and my mother encouraged me to buy it on the basis that if it was a good guitar, I would have it all my life - and she was right. It also sounds just the way I want a guitar to sound when I'm playing jazz.

On reflection, I think all my guitars have been inexpensive.

[pingu]

may i ask ?
what is the metal piece under where
the bridge goes in the picture ?
thanks man

BTWay
where you a friend of Jaco ?
He was a really wonderful player

[friendofjaco]

That is a very thin decal presumably put there by Ibanez that say bridge line for placement I guess.

friendofjaco is my user name. I’ve always been a Jaco fan, but it actually refers to my black Labrador retriever I had until cancer took him too early. His name was Jaco. He was a great dog/friend

may i ask ?
what is the metal piece under where
the bridge goes in the picture ?
thanks man

BTWay
where you a friend of Jaco ?
He was a really wonderful player

[pingu]

thanks ….