What's the Best Guitar for the Money You Have Ever Owned?

[BluesKing777]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

BluesKing777 - I posted the thread on your (superb) Lowden with the signatures.

Yes, thanks again, BB!

And let me know the minute another appears!

I mean, I have kept an eye out over the net and not seen another S35 like it anywhere. And similar ones are very expensive with an extra 'very'!

And.... the shop I got it from is on my bookmarked list of haunts, sad habits yes I know...and I have not seen one guitar go through that I want. Zip.



BluesKing777.

[Fresh1985]

For me my Furch OM32SM, came with custom slotted headstock and LR baggs anthem pickup fitted, all for £1300! I dont think anything else I buy will get close to that kind of value.

[valleyguy]

Originally Posted by hairpuller

I bought a '75 Guild F50 at a yard sale for $125. I couldn't get that in my car fast enough...boy, that guitar had tone-a-plenty!!
scott

Bing, bing, bing, we have a winner.

[kcnbys]

So grateful for many great guitars I've had the chance to own, but strictly "for the money" it would have to be the three Larrivee's I've owned - two 03 models in the past, and my current OM-40. It's just a wonderful instrument in every way. What Larrivee offers in the 1k range is pretty hard to beat.

[pagedr]

For the money, it's probably my Gretsch Jim Dandy. It doesn't sound as good as my other guitars, but for a guitar that you can get for $150 off the rack it's pretty impressive. I've seen some reasonably popular acts playing them live from time to time, I feel that's pretty rare for a guitar priced that cheaply.

[Charmed Life Picks]

Without question, the Epiphone AJ-500M. I own three of these. For $350-400 used, an all-solid wood guitar that's pretty hard to beat.

sm

[00045]

My 1992 Gibson Nick Lucas, bought it new. Great fingerpicker and sounds great when strummed as well.

[Silly Moustache]

Well, I'm VERY old and been buying and selling guitars as I searched for my ideal instruments.
I've had some bargains and probably overpaid for some (actually any guitar bought new , like cars, is usually overpriced, and certainly over taxed (with 20% VAT).

I bought one of my Collings dreads which was in absolute perfect condition from a guy in Wales. I was the only bidder and he set the starting price way too low, and that's what I got it for.
We communicated by phone and when he found out the insured shipping cost he was even more upset, so I paid him an extra £50.

I've just sold a guitar on !buy it now or make offer - collection only" but the guy was just too far away so he asked me to ship it and made an offer of £60 over the buy it now price. so I shipped t to him and he got it last Wednesday - everyone's happy.

I've NEVER had an issue with a private sale or purchase. I always communicate first. The only buys that have given me grief are from/via dealers.

However, whether you get a "deal" "bargain" or not - after at the purchase you have the item of your desire so....it's not about the money.

[Oldguy64]

I’ve bought many great inexpensive guitars over the years.
I’m an Alvarez guy primarily. But I’ve got a Taylor 110e that I got in a straight trade for a GS Mini that I paid $350 for.

I recently bought an Alvarez PD85s that is basically a brand new 12-year old guitar. I’m into it for $200. It came with a Gator case.

I paid $300 for a Godin Multiac. It needed a new neck. That set me back another $100. And it is the best stage guitar for loud situations.

[dhodgeh]

My Taylor GA8:



Probably my best overall guitar regardless of price. I've got a couple of other Taylors (including a K24ce), plus a few really nice Martin dreads, but if I were forced to only keep one guitar, this would be it.

I've A/B'd it with the newer 814's, and those re-voiced models had nothing on it. It will hang with my Martins any day of the week.

Not to mention just how well it plays.


D

[$ongWriter]

I've owned 3 Webber's...you can get one used for less than the price of a D-18...and they are all stellar....(wish I hadn't been stupid and let them go..)...

[Sonics]

I've bought a few guitars on Ebay, the last one a few days ago so I have a NGD coming, because the seller doesn't know how to spell, use general terms e.g 'acoustic', '12 string guitar' or they've placed the listing in the wrong section.

Fortunately I too can't spell so the listings come up in my searches, and I'm usually the only bidder. Ebay's search algorithm will usually catch most of the popular misspelled variations of: Marton, Tailor. Less Paul, Gibsson, Gibbons, Godan? etc, and redirect you to the right place IF the seller adds the context of 'guitar' to the listing.

Actually, I should give Scott Grove full credit for hipping me to this strategy.

[djg]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

Interesting how many people answer this question with some variation on: "What I have now."

Now, I have some stellar guitars. And since I tend to buy and hold guitars, I've long since amotized a number of them down to cents per day. But best for the money?

Has to be the Philippine-made "Presidente" that I bought, used, in a hock-shop in Auckland, New Zealand, in 1976 for $49 NZ. Solid top, back and sides, made with some undisclosed wood (Philippine Mahogany?). Bolt-on neck. Roughly 000-size. Quite playable, and sounded decent... for what it was.

I subsequently dragged (drugged? Drogged?) that sucker, in a cheap gigbag, all over New Zealand, then on to Australia, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Northern India, Kashmir, Nepal and Sri Lanka over the next two years.

It saw sunsets on the beach at Kuta, Hikkadua, Byron Bay, and Kata. It was played looking at the Annapurna massif by Mycologically-enhanced full moon light. Full moon at Ayers Rock. Crowd-watching in Durbar Square. Lonely hotel rooms in strange places. Full moon at the Taj Mahal (Yes, I did time being some places by the phase of the moon) On the deck of a houseboat on Nagin Lake. Desperadoes, waiting on a train. (Or Bus, or long-distance taxi)

Eventually gifted to the then-head of the Indian High-Altitude Warfare School in Gulmarg, for favors rendered. (Which involved telling the guards at the checkpoint at the bottom of the mountain to flag down a supply truck for me when I showed up after skiing down the mountain in waist-deep powder)

It amortizes out to around $.07 per day over the two years that I owned it. Quite the deal...

That's quite a journey. And it's hard to beat 7 cents a day. But Desperados waiting on a train?

[Roseland67]

1971 Sunburst Les Paul Deluxe,
Bought used in 1976, $(350), from a guy that
needed money for college.
This ax has been rode hard and put away wet
And it shows, many, many gigs.
Refretted in 1992, but otherwise all original,
Still my #1 for electric gigs.

1975 Ibanez Concord
Won it in a card game in 1978.
Guy called my flush and lost, didnt have the $ 75
and offered me his guitar in payment.
Still have it, not played often, Gibson & Martin
Get the bulk of use, but it still sounds good.
use it mostly for outdoor camping etc.

[Nailpicker]

Every single one. I researched and extensively evaluated every guitar I own (and still do) before laying down the hard earned cash. Each one is a "best buy" for me.