You have £400, what guitar do you buy?

[tapper mike]

Friend of a friend asked me to look for a new guitar and amp for their daughter a couple of months ago as she's gone past the beginner stage and wanted to play metal. Picked up a Japanese Jackson Kelly KE3 (Duncans as standard) and a Boss Katana 50 combo for £350. I was actually spoiled for choice with the guitars. There are so many good quality 2nd hand instruments around for comparatively little money these days.

I picked up a Jackson JS34Q Dinky for and I love it.
The only thing I didn't like was the jackson floyd rose trem as it has a little dead space between up and down. Don't know why they discontinued (prolly C-19)

[vurt]

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purple.

[donkey tugger]

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purple.

Does it come in Fiesta Red?

[vurt]

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purple.

Does it come in Fiesta Red?

theres a hot pink sg

also classic vibrola maestro sg, for 439
tempting.

[Magic Russ]

If you are considering used, you could try the Epi Nighthawk. You can cover a lot of territory with that model.

I also like some of the Epi Les Pauls.

There's also the G&L ASAT Tribute, if you are into the Tele thing.

[melomood]

Loads of info

Thanks
Bit of an off the topic & not sure if you'd know this too but if so
What do you think of bias fx with the guitar match feature
Nonsense or not?

[oneway]

I’d buy a used one with that budget, and budget for a setup from a guitar tech after.

In fact, what I did was find a tech I liked and asked them what to look for in a used guitar that I’d bring in. They told me how to check a neck, look for lumps, tell if the frets were serviceable, and judge the other hardware.

End result was I got a guitar that retailed for $500+tax for about $200 and a setup. When comparing prices remember that first price for retail often can include a setup if you ask the store about it and they have a tech.

If you don’t want to buy used I’d probably get one of the G&L Tribute guitars.

[The Noodlist]

I don't think it's worth paying $200/£152 for a setup out of a $524/£400 budget, might as well buy new, even budget guitars have improved with advances in manufacturing technology. And $200 could buy a decent new guitar, depends if you want a particular brand, or resale value

Single cut with a fixed neck, mahogany body, maple cap and alnico pickups £135, crazy!

I think it's also worth having a go at our own setups, the tools required could be purchased for less than $200.
I see it like running a car and not being able to change a flat tyre. IMO

[tapper mike]

Here's the thing about used cheap guitars. They are rarely if ever treated well. As well with cheaper material. One bad drop and you'll have a nicked fret. When frets are nicked you usually have to lower them all to bring back playability. That will cause the over all string height to raise, and pressing them will require more contact with the fretboard. Strings will sound more out of tune fret to fret especially when playing hard and you won't get crisp hammer ons and pull offs.

[vurt]

short scale mustang.
big muff.
bag of high grade love wood.
prolly still have change for a cable and some picks

[fedexnman]

Acoustic a Used Alvarez MD60BG or MD60EBG ... (Martin D18 - ish ) ..... Electric a Used Ibanez ...

[vurt]

acoustic? attend a festival, remind a hippy "all property is theft" then he has to give you his guitar
(and his big bag of love wood if youre lucky).

[donkey tugger]

Blimey, I suppose people have different expectations and standards, and of course different things they want to get out of a guitar.

I love cheapo stuff (being the inveterate middle aged indie wanker that I am), and sometimes the fun in recording and writing is coaxing something special out of a bog standard bit of kit (got a few nice-ish acoustics, but my fave at the moment is still the little Gear4Music £70 one ) To be honest I don't think I've ever had any real problems with anything I've bought. Know how to set the intonation and truss rod etc, but that's about it. Wouldn't have a clue uneven frets and shit - never noticed so my standards are probably very low..

[vurt]

i think some people buy with resale in mind, so the better guitars are worth it then.
im too clumsy for spending too much on an easily damaged piece of wood, so may as well go with the cheaper models. be worth the same after a few months here being dropped and kicked

so long as theres no obvious problems, fret buzz,strings slipping out of the nut, bad tuners...
then f**k it, it makes a noise

[vurt]

tonewood wars?
f**k off! bakealite/plastic ftw!!!