Would you happily play a really cheap guitar?

[Olderama]

Well you know me …..

[Molly]

Didn't mean for the thread to become judgmental.

Like it or not it is the case that factors beyond what something 'is' play a part in our desire to own it. Nobody's immune. Could be nostalgia, association with a favourite player, assumptions about quality. And marketing is clearly a powerful weapon or companies wouldn't spend millions exploiting it. And it can be double-edged. We all 'rationally' know that PRS make great guitars but lots of guys here wouldn't be seen dead with one because Nickelback.

As a phenomenon this stuff is interesting to me. But if you would or wouldn't play a cheap / posh / pointy / retro guitar for any reason I don't think that reason includes 'issues' or the size of your dick.

[Polar Bear]

In short, yes. I’ve gigged a $100 Squier Tele, an Esquire I put together for less than $200 and currently have a $400
JM that sounds epic and plays perfectly.

That being said, I find value has no bearing for me on taking a guitar to a gig, the JM goes to the same dive bars as my Falcon, as they’re both designed to be played and enjoyed.

[jeremyb]

About $2k including upgrades seems to be where I need to be to get something that feels amazing to me, have had plenty of cheaper guitars and if I was only playing shred or metal then many of the secondhand ibanezes I've owned which were well under $1k were quite excellent...

[jimi]

Sure. If it plays well that’s most of what matters right? Back before I had other options I gigged squiers, partscasters and Epiphones.

I picked up a squier CV Tele earlier in the year, and It plays we’ll enough. I take it to work on Fridays for a jam, and don’t have to worry about having an expensive guitar sitting under my desk.

It’s not my first choice when I load the car for a gig, but have used it at a couple of practices.

[Wairarapajack]

One of my go-to guitars is a Baby Taylor I picked up second hand for $490. It's a genuinely playable, enjoyable guitar. And while it's not "cheap" it is definitely affordable. I would struggle to find a better acoustic at any price to fit my little Hobbit hands.

Similarly I have an Epiphone 339, bought for $500, which is great. I've fallen out of playing it much as I now have another more expensive guitar that does the same things slightly better. But it's a slight difference and for three times the price. You can get a lot of guitar for your money.

[Molly]

... I have an Epiphone 339, bought for $500, which is great. I've fallen out of playing it much as I now have another more expensive guitar that does the same things slightly better. But it's a slight difference and for three times the price. You can get a lot of guitar for your money.

There's an optimum point on the price / quality curve for sure. Once it gets up to 'Masterbuilt' or 'Paul's Private Reserve' blah blah the price is exponentially higher whilst the quality really isn't. It's another example of things becoming more about what they mean than what they are. But exclusivity is a thing some folk want. Even if they can't hear or feel the difference.

[Slowy]

... I have an Epiphone 339, bought for $500, which is great. I've fallen out of playing it much as I now have another more expensive guitar that does the same things slightly better. But it's a slight difference and for three times the price. You can get a lot of guitar for your money.

There's an optimum point on the price / quality curve for sure. Once it gets up to 'Masterbuilt' or 'Paul's Private Reserve' blah blah the price is exponentially higher whilst the quality really isn't. It's another example of things becoming more about what they mean than what they are. But exclusivity is a thing some folk want. Even if they can't hear or feel the difference.

Playing is only one reason to own a guitar. As objects, artifacts and artworks they have valid worth and good reasons to be desirable.
All of us are constrained by our budget and we have to find ways of being content within our resources.

Remember those ridiculously expensive Fender recreations; Clapton's Blackie and Brownie, Andy Summers Tele, Jeff Beck Esquire, Gilmour Strat etc? There's a level of disposable income where I'd have every one of them; sitting in a glass case adorning my band room. And I doubt they'd get played unless I really liked them. They'd have their place as museum replicas of Rock icons. Cool.

But instead I have Black Benny, my delinquent problem child Tele that owes me about $150 for hardware. I gig it occasionally but it's the guitar leaning against the wall by my desk. The first one I reach for.

[candiman]

In short yes. Don't know if I'd be happier playing a really expensive guitar... as I don't have one of those.

The good news is that as I get older my cheap guitars are getting more expensive.

[hamo]

It's hard to answer this. I've owned a few cheap guitars, and each one had issues that affected how it played or how it sounded. So maybe if I found one that didn't suffer from one of these issues, but I have no real frame of reference for it.

[calling card]

I wouldn't know what a high end guitar is like to live with. Mine are all sub $1000.

[telefiend]

Sure, but I think I've only encountered one really cheap guitar that didn't need a bunch of upgrades to make it worthwhile. An old USA Peavey Predator I got for $80 or something that I wish I'd kept. Otherwise they generally feel like what they cost.

[Danger Mouse]

Sure, but I think I've only encountered one really cheap guitar that didn't need a bunch of upgrades to make it worthwhile. An old USA Peavey Predator I got for $80 or something that I wish I'd kept. Otherwise they generally feel like what they cost.

Yeah I guess it depends on how cheap is cheap. At the Mannix end of the spectrum, they are of a level I wouldn't even give to a learner, but an SX Strat or a Vintage (brand) LP with a decent set up would be something that would certainly play well enough to keep most people happy.

I have talked about this before but one of the best guitars I've played was an 80's Jap Squier, yes it was one of those "80's Jap Squiers" that people talk about in hushed tones, but really quite enjoyed the fact it looked like a budget learners guitar. Sadly there was no way I would ever prise it from the owner...

[Wairarapajack]

There's an optimum point on the price / quality curve for sure. Once it gets up to 'Masterbuilt' or 'Paul's Private Reserve' blah blah the price is exponentially higher whilst the quality really isn't. It's another example of things becoming more about what they mean than what they are. But exclusivity is a thing some folk want. Even if they can't hear or feel the difference.

The exponential nature of price increases after about $500-600 is the tricky part. Generally there is a fairly large difference in finish, hardware and playability between a $200 guitar and a $500-600 guitar. So it makes complete sense to get a midrange Epiphone, Squier (or second hand Mexican Fender) etc which will last a long time.

I've saved up my pennies and have been trying to find a good upgrade to a Mexican Fender Strat for about a year. Whenever I get to a decent sized music shop I'll try out an American Fender or two. Overall the things I would be looking for are playability and comfort, and even going up to the new American Professionals and Ultras doesn't yield a massive upgrade.

[olegmcnoleg]

Absolutely, making music is what makes me happy. I can be happy banging a couple of pencils on a desk! If the only guitar in the room is an old beater classical with a monstrously high action, i would still want to play it.

There have been times in my life when I’ve only had cheap guitars, I still played a lot.

It is a huge luxury to have some good guitars, and to experiment with different tones and setups and how they can change what you hear and push you in a different direction.