maybe two cheapo guitars for me....opinions please

[bluesbrother]

I have two less expensive guitars in mind to go for this year.
It is not a joke really but i fancy these two guitars and like your
opinion about what to expect and what not.
1. squier vintage modified telecaster ssh.
i always fancy the 52 hotrod with the mini humbucker in the neck
and this guitar with a strat single coil in the middle probably makes
this a beast for blues
The pickup combination with the 5 -way switch i like and the fenders
do not have this.

2. PRS SE soapbar .
A P90 in combination with my zendrive is santana all the way and
that i want to use it for.

[DeanM]

i think with cheaper guitars its the attention to detail ya lose out on. stuff like setup(action, intonation etc), fit & finish etc but if ya can get one thats decent quality and plays well then swapping out pickups for top quality ones and givin it a setup can make it a pretty good guitar if ya do it right!

[surfnorthwest]

Fit and finish is one thing but what I find is what you don't see. If we agree the quality of body and neck woods cause the guitars voice then when the paint is stripped away the quality of the woods are revieled. Other things such as very cheap electronics and pickups, all P90s are not equal. For me though it is the fret work on a cheaper guitar that steers me away, most all cheaper guitars fret out way to easy and that is a deal breaker.

The two you show above I am sure represent a good value and years ago I would have been happy to own them. As I have got older I demand the best I can get within my budget and look at the investment of the instrument also. In the end I know players that can make a $400 guitar rock but if they are what you want that is all that matters.

[Kongels]

I hear Squier is making some good stuff right now, the Classic Vibe series is very popular, and the Tele is a big seller.

I have a PRS SE One with a Fralin P90 in it, the guitar sounds great, is comfortable but has tuning issues I have yet to deal with on it. I took it to practice one night as my G tuning guitar but haven't since and don't play it much just because I haven't had time to fix it up properly, good value, needs some tweaking to be a player.

[bluesbrother]

Thanks guys,

Deep down i really know all things you guys mentioned are so true...
My usa fender deluxe strat is so comfortable and the fretwork is just
perfect.
For now i have to wait till end of januari for my boss eband JS8 to come.
Maybe it is wiser to go with one guitar first.....
A usa fender vintage 52 hotrod telecaster cost 1749 euro over here and
that is pretty expensive . I do like it though

[lukemc]

i had a PRS Santana SE(dont even like santana)
and it was a really good guitar for any money.
much better than my Squiers ive owned.

[2bpage]

Just today, a friend came over to jam and he had picked up a Squire telecaster for $179 at guitar center. The guitar was fantastic. We didn’t have to do a damm thing to it, except remove the plastic from the pickups and scratch plate. He has 20 years more playing time than I do, so I felt like a jackass with a $2000 LP and he is getting awesome tone from his cheapo. I have also come to the opinion after 4 years of buying, selling, and trading expensive guitars that each individual instrument is what matters. Name brands, artist endorsements and all the other bullshit means nothing. You could get a guitar that was one of 100 made that day and each would have different characteristics. Of course having a great set-up man is also key. I will never buy another guitar without playing it repeatedly and loving it unplugged and through a variety of amps. I don’t care anymore what it says of the headstock (is this musician maturity?)

The bottom line for myself - is to only buy what I have personally played and totally love.

[slowpokerhino]

I have also come to the opinion after 4 years of buying, selling, and trading expensive guitars that each individual instrument is what matters. Name brands, artist endorsements and all the other bullshit means nothing.

[pillagethesound]

there is always the used option, you can find a mid grade guitar used for cheap prices if you look around hard enough. And with some mid grade guitars its the good wood with ok electronics. You can just change pickups and pots and maybe get some fret work and its a pretty decent guitar