Cheap Guitars You Love - Page 4

Dr. Jazz · #46 03-06-2011, 09:46 PM

My "Cheap" guitar that I love is a Sada Yairi that I bought in '69 for $190. Made in Japan, Solid spruce top, Laminate Mahogany B/S copy of an early 0-18. I sold it in '70 and it crossed my path about 8 years ago and I had to buy it back. Lots of repaired cracks and hardly any finish left in places. etc etc. rode hard and put away wet many times. :-)
It sounds fantastic. Not a vintage Martin sound (and I have several) but great none-the-less.

OK, how much is nostalgia and how much is real? Quite a bit of real and some nostalgia. :-)

ilikeguitar90 · #47 03-06-2011, 10:09 PM

Throughout the years I've purchased a Martin D-1R, Martin 000-15, Harmony Sovereign H1260, Harmony H162, Gretsch Rancher, and a 90s Korean made Epiphone Texan. The only acoustics I own now are the Harmony H162 and the Epiphone Texan, and I sold all the others simply because I just didn't enjoy playing them as much. It really is true that the more expensive guitars aren't necessarily the best ones.

For what it's worth, the Texan is my favorite, and I'm actually waiting around for one of those "inspired by 1964" texans to pop up on my local craigslist so that I can pick up one of those for cheap too

EDIT: I also used to own a Gibson Les Paul Studio, but sold it and now play a Squier Classic Vibe Telecaster Custom. I couldn't be happier with me my electric. I honestly prefer it to my brother's 1985 Made in Japan Squier Strat and his Made in Japan Fender 1962 Reissue Strat.

JRB · #48 03-06-2011, 10:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Five and Dime

I am quite fond of this little Gitano. I bought it off Ebay for less than xxx bucks. I recently upgraded the saddle to a WAHI saddle. I really debated whether it was worth it to put a $50 saddle in a "cheap" guitar. I finally decided that the only person this guitar has to please is me. It was money well spent for the new saddle.

Very cool-looking guitar. The right kind of "cheap."

JRB · #49 03-06-2011, 11:00 PM

My cheap and so-ugly-it's-good-looking-to-me guitar is my Fender Sonoran SCE in Lake Placid Blue.

sfden1 · #50 03-06-2011, 11:12 PM

I played a really sweet OM sized Walden at a small, out o the way shop in a tiny road-stop town in Northern California last year. Can't remember the model number, just that it was beautifully set up, had some fine tone going on, and was less than 3 bills. Shoulda bought it, but my wife was tapping her foot outside. It opened my eyes to the potential of inexpensive guitars.

D.

russer · #51 03-07-2011, 01:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Oompah Opa

I got Musician's Friend to do a price match for me on a Yamaha FG730S (tobacco burst) about a year ago. I got the guitar AND hard shell case plus two sets of D'Addario EJ16 strings all for just a hair over three BF's!

Couldn't be happier. I've also got a very nice Martin DM that's like new and set up properly. I'll tell ya the truth.....it's hard for me to say which one is the better guitar!

I also think musicians friend give a good price on guitar

Loki · #52 03-07-2011, 05:34 AM

A few years back I got a Johnson Carolina Series ll clone of the Martin 0028 as a cheap 'house guitar' option to leave out on a stand in the living room.

It went for a proper set up,(bone bits an'all) en route to me and I surprised and pleased when I got it. Since that it has had plenty play time in a variety of hands and has grown apace in sound and character.

I know, absolutely, that there are sound differences between it and a 0028. I also know, absolutely, that there is no way in the world that I would pay anything extra for any differences.

In short, I love my cheap guitar.

itwrx · #53 03-07-2011, 05:51 AM

Eterna by Yamaha.....beater deluxe....a friend found it at a garage sale....ultra cheap....brought it to me to set it up....SO, I set it up, new strings.....and was blown away....must have never had been tuned much, and just sat with loose strings (the neck is excellent)....
It sat until they needed a hammer..:-)...it is a "beater"
I talked him out of it...and it is my main git till I get something more substantial....it took just one Grant...and he doubled his money....

invizuz · #54 03-07-2011, 06:15 AM

really satisfied with Washburn d10s and Ibanez V70ce

Petespix · #55 03-07-2011, 06:55 AM

Two of my favorite cheap guitars are a Harmony Sovereign 1260 and a well worn Yairi DY-11

Peter

cstamper · #56 03-07-2011, 10:46 AM

Love my T-170. Every time I pick it up, I fall in love with it all over again.

bigsnaketex · #57 03-07-2011, 11:53 AM

I've got a Gretsch G3700 beater I picked up on ebay and bought it mainly because it has the cool triangular "french hole" and a nice tobacco sunburst.

Well, mainly I bought it because it was cheap and there were no bids on it!

I was very surprised that after I set it up and did some tweaking that it sounded absolutely amazing.

So much so that I take it around and let my Martin/Taylor friends try it out to see what they think - I've never had a bad thing said about the tone or playability of it.

And as we all know, in the guitar world, cheap is as cheap sounds.....because money really doesn't have everything to do about it how they sound a play!

revive · #58 03-07-2011, 12:23 PM

Martin LXM

frankstr59 · #59 03-07-2011, 12:45 PM

I love all my guitars.. There all cheap compared to the richness of sound and tone they produce and they always put a smile on my face when I'm playing one of them...whether at home or around a campfire ..
All that to me is priceless

58MOD · #60 03-07-2011, 01:25 PM

Washburn D93LTD.

I bought it new in '93 and it sounds fantastic. It's the loudest acoustic I have ever heard.