Would You Buy A Guitar You Love From A Brand You Don’t?

[Puddleglum]

Here is my dilemma: I recently found a guitar in a shop that I absolutely love. It is from a brand that I do not like at all, and it has probably the ugliest headstock in the business. This is one of the reasons that I don’t like this particular brand of guitar. I cannot help it, I am a serious headstock snob!

I picked up this guitar, mainly out of curiosity and was completely blown away. I’ve not been able to stop thinking about it. But I really do not like the way it looks, I hate the headstock shape, and don’t generally like the vibe of the brand that made it.

I am intentionally not listing the brand. I do not want to offend anyone that likes this brand, and I don’t want to color the discussion in any way regarding the brand.

How would you handle this situation?

[llew]

If I was that taken with this particular guitar I'd try my very best to get over it...past it (the headstock shape) or just forget it?

[DDW]

My feeling is that a guitar is a tool to make music, not a piece of jewelry to be worn or displayed. But I am very much in the minority around here.

[mr. beaumont]

I'm trying to think if there's any company I flat out don't like...

When I was a kid, I thought Taylors were for the GooGoo Dolls and church players only. But I still thought they looked great, and later even owned 2. Loved the playability, but the sound wasn't quite what I wanted...

I also thought Martins were kind of boring looking...now my favorite guitar is probably the most "boring" looking Martin!

But "don't like?" I can't think of any.

Though when you say "ugly headstock" I have a few hunches...

[Nick84]

Gotta be a seagull 😂

[Monty Christo]

I've got a few dealbreakers, an ugly headstock being one of them.

With the thousands of guitars being produced and sold, I never worry that I'm letting some magic tone unicorn get away.

[cip]

Originally Posted by Puddleglum

Here is my dilemma: I recently found a guitar in a shop that I absolutely love. It is from a brand that I do not like at all, and it has probably the ugliest headstock in the business. This is one of the reasons that I don’t like this particular brand of guitar. I cannot help it, I am a serious headstock snob!

I picked up this guitar, mainly out of curiosity and was completely blown away. I’ve not been able to stop thinking about it. But I really do not like the way it looks, I hate the headstock shape, and don’t generally like the vibe of the brand that made it.

I am intentionally not listing the brand. I do not want to offend anyone that likes this brand, and I don’t want to color the discussion in any way regarding the brand.

How would you handle this situation?

nope, i wouldnt. guitar is more than just sound. its the looks, the feel, the VIBE.

[ALBD]

Blown away is pretty strong. Go play it again late in the day. If you're still blown away and the price is right, buy it!

[Br1ck]

When I bought my 65 Texan, I did not like the burst at all. I did not like that it was not a Gibson. Yet the shop had four 60s J 45 and none were close to the Epiphone for tone. The guitar was compelling enough that I overlooked things. Each has to make that decision. Generally, if I can leave a shop without the guitar, it's not the guitar for me. I don't need to ponder if it is the guitar for me. I don't buy many guitars. I don't regret leaving them if I can at all afford to buy them. I don't play guitars out of my price range, well at least not 20% more, except if it's 20% plus $200 more. Nothing is carved in stone for the right guitar.

[colins]

Originally Posted by Monty Christo

I've got a few dealbreakers, an ugly headstock being one of them.

With the thousands of guitars being produced and sold, I never worry that I'm letting some magic tone unicorn get away.

Agreed. There is one brand in particular that, for me at least, has a headstock that is a total dealbreaker.

You need to be happy with the guitars you buy, and if you pass on this one there are thousands of others still out there waiting for you to try them.

[Rev Roy]

Originally Posted by Puddleglum

Here is my dilemma: I recently found a guitar in a shop that I absolutely love. It is from a brand that I do not like at all, and it has probably the ugliest headstock in the business. This is one of the reasons that I don’t like this particular brand of guitar. I cannot help it, I am a serious headstock snob!

I picked up this guitar, mainly out of curiosity and was completely blown away. I’ve not been able to stop thinking about it. But I really do not like the way it looks, I hate the headstock shape, and don’t generally like the vibe of the brand that made it.

I am intentionally not listing the brand. I do not want to offend anyone that likes this brand, and I don’t want to color the discussion in any way regarding the brand.

How would you handle this situation?

A guitar has to be extremely and uniquely stellar in tone for me to be able to look past physical ugliness. Based on your description of how this one made you feel it may well be one of those special gotta-have-it guitars. So if you pass on it are you going to have serious regrets longer than it will take you to get used to the headstock? Only you can answer that.

[Mr. Paul]

Bought an Iris but never stopped disliking the headstock. It was not the reason I sold it but it was a reason.

[Puddleglum]

A little more info…. The reason I didn’t buy it immediately is because our local GC has a policy on used gear. It can’t be sold till it’s been in the shop 30 days. They put the guitars on the floor to demo, and you can pay for them and they’ll put them in the back for you till the 30 days is clear. This is in case the guitar was stolen and the original owner shows up etc.

It’s not a Seagull either.

[PapaC]

Originally Posted by Puddleglum

Here is my dilemma: I recently found a guitar in a shop that I absolutely love. It is from a brand that I do not like at all, and it has probably the ugliest headstock in the business. This is one of the reasons that I don’t like this particular brand of guitar. I cannot help it, I am a serious headstock snob!

I picked up this guitar, mainly out of curiosity and was completely blown away. I’ve not been able to stop thinking about it. But I really do not like the way it looks, I hate the headstock shape, and don’t generally like the vibe of the brand that made it.

I am intentionally not listing the brand. I do not want to offend anyone that likes this brand, and I don’t want to color the discussion in any way regarding the brand.

How would you handle this situation?

You mean “blew you away” as in, you’d sell every other guitar to get it, or just great for the price blew you away?

How would I handle it? If you’re being honest with yourself, and us in your first paragraph, I wouldn’t buy it. I’d go play some high end guitars from brands I do love and then see if I still felt the same way.

[TheGITM]

Originally Posted by Puddleglum

A little more info…. The reason I didn’t buy it immediately is because our local GC has a policy on used gear. It can’t be sold till it’s been in the shop 30 days. They put the guitars on the floor to demo, and you can pay for them and they’ll put them in the back for you till the 30 days is clear. This is in case the guitar was stolen and the original owner shows up etc.

It’s not a Seagull either.

Must be a local thing like you said. I recently bought a used guitar from my local GC that had only been in the store less than 2 weeks. They told me that they could not offer any discounts until after it had been in stock for 30 days, so I paid the asking price on the guitar and negotiated a big discount on a hard case.

And it was a handmade Japanese guitar.