Never Say Cheap….

[Chickee]

“Never say cheap” was the first thing I ever learned from Mr. Lane when my sales career began so many years ago. “Less expensive” was the term I would use, basically for the rest of my life, in every industry I was associated with.

Which brings me to today. I didn’t win the billions in power ball last night I think, as I laughed to myself saying “oh, it’s inexpensive guitar day at the compound!”
Then I reprimand myself, saying how spoiled am I? These budget guitars play and sound better than they have any right too. I guess any well loved guitar is worth so much more than a sales receipt, no matter how inexpensive they are.

[rokdog49]

My buddy leeW and I just bought a Squier CV 50 Tele end Strat respectively in the $400 price range.
Great guitars, period.

[marty bradbury]

Very cool guitars Chickee!

[Chickee]

Originally Posted by rokdog49

My buddy leeW and I just bought a Squier CV 50 Tele end Strat respectively in the $400 price range.
Great guitars, period.

Yes, great guitars those Squiers are. Period.

Originally Posted by marty bradbury

Very cool guitars Chickee!

Thanks Marty. I’m laughing how patriotic they are, all red, white and blue! I never looked at them like that before. 😹🎶🎸🇺🇸😹

frank d.

[1neeto]

I have a squier from the 80’s, and if it wasn’t for the fantastic Samick neck, the guitar would’ve been absolute rubbish. I changed the pickups and hardware, and that’s how it has become a great playing instrument. But in factory form, it barely qualified as anything past a guitar-looking object. Fast forward to anything made in the past 15 years, and it’s amazing how well made budget guitars are made now.

[lowrider]

I don't know, there's good cheap and there's bad cheap. I just bought a new Epi es335 for $510. My previous 4 acoustics have been around the $3000 range. That Epiphone is good cheap.

Bad cheap is, well, the girl on the album cover with Tom Waits;

[Glennwillow]

Originally Posted by lowrider

I don't know, there's good cheap and there's bad cheap. I just bought a new Epi es335 for $510. My previous 4 acoustics have been around the $3000 range. That Epiphone is good cheap.

Bad cheap is, well, the girl on the album cover with Tom Waits;

I'm not sure, but... I think that's my sister on the album cover!

I do agree: there is a good kind of "cheap." The Epi 335 is a good example. And that red guitar of Frank's is VERY COOL!

- Glenn

[FrankHudson]

The idea of a hierarchy of electric guitars' musical product being highly coordinated with price just doesn't jibe with my experience. Don't get me wrong, I'm sure there's some value in some high priced particularly well-made custom instruments, and wonderful sounds are made with >$2000 electric guitars.

But.

I think one can produce just as interesting and valid sounds with lower priced electric guitars, particularly with the Fender and Dan Electro designs shown as examples up thread. Both Nat Daniel and Leo Fender aimed to make lower priced instruments that were not dependent on extensive hand craftmanship or expensive or rare materials.

[jricc]

Love the Dano 12 Frank! I've got one in black and I used it all over my band's 2nd record!

[bfm612]

I've been taking a look at (re)acquiring a Telecaster, and those Squiers keep popping up in my searches. I'm still doing some research on what more I'd be getting by snagging a Fender Player or Vintera instead, but the positive reviews of the Squiers and the price make it really tempting. I don't yet have a handle on what level of quality I'm needing. I know my ceiling, but I still need to find out more if I think I'll 'outgrow' a Squier quickly. Definitely in the picture!

[rockabilly69]

Frank, you know that I have more than my fair share of "EXPENSIVE" electrics, but one of my absolute favorite guitars is my Made in Indonesia Squire-Jaguar-based partscaster, and even before I went to work on it, it was a really good sounding guitar. I just made it better like you did with your EART!

And right behind that is my Partscaster Esquire, which I used a $100 Poplar body from China. I play it more than my $3000 custom shop Tele. These days it's easy to find inexpensive well-made, guitars, and guitar parts. We live in good times...





And not all the cheap parts came from Indonesia or China. The pickups in the Jag came from a small startup pickup winder in San Rafael California, EP Customs, and they only cost me $155 shipped for the both of them. I also used EP Customs pickups in my Jazzmaster and Strat builds!!! And the Esquire Cavalier "Fat Lion" pickup was only $70 and they are also USA based.

With all the helpful internet info and Youtube videos out there, anybody with the gumption to put together some guitar parts can assemble a great sounding and looking guitar for peanuts these days! Or just modify some already good to begin with guitars like you did!

[Chickee]

Originally Posted by jricc

Love the Dano 12 Frank! I've got one in black and I used it all over my band's 2nd record!

HeyJoseph!
That Danelectro is celebrating its 22 birthday, i cant believe it. It was $299 brand new, no case. That RoadRunner case on the bed is what it has lived in its life with me. The only non stock piece is the SwitchCraft selector. Those Lipstick Tube pickups are priceless to the sound of that twelve string. Running thru my hot rodded Vox ac10 it is Beatles and Petty/Heartbreakers heaven for me.

frank d.

[Chickee]

Originally Posted by rockabilly69

Frank……These days it's easy to find inexpensive well-made, guitars, and guitar parts. We live in good times...





With all the helpful internet info and Youtube videos out there, anybody with the gumption to put together some guitar parts can assemble a great sounding and looking guitar for peanuts these days!…..

Rocky
Inexpensive guitars these days, whether purchased and played as is, or finessed and fettled with endlessly, or even inexpensive scratch built Frankenstein creations are fun guitars all day long. No excuses necessary. Beginner players today have no clue what a golden age of guitars we are living in.

Well before I ever had a signature line here on the forum, i’ve felt the same way in my heart for fifty seven years- I love playing guitar.

Stay chill CoolCat!
frank d.

[rockabilly69]

Originally Posted by Chickee

Rocky
Inexpensive guitars these days, whether purchased and played as is, or finessed and fettled with endlessly, or even inexpensive scratch built Frankenstein creations are fun guitars all day long. No excuses necessary. Beginner players today have no clue what a golden age of guitars we are living in.

Well before I ever had a signature line here on the forum, i’ve felt the same way in my heart for fifty seven years- I love playing guitar.

Stay chill CoolCat!
frank d.

When I bought my first guitar with my own money that I saved from caddying the local golf course it was the early 70's. I bought a 1959 Fender Musicmaster, and a Danelectro Cadet 6 watt 6" speaker amp. I paid $450
which in today's money is is about $2700. Think of the rig I could buy now with that same money. A Squier Classic 50's Tele and a Bugera V22 would cost me $918 and tax (free shipping). And I could be out gigging with it the next day!

[David Eastwood]

When I first came to the US in 1984, I found myself needing to buy a phone for my bedroom. I’d already bought a nice Panasonic unit for the main level, and didn’t want to spend a lot.

I found my way to the local Radio Shack (in Natick, MA), and was greeted by a sales person. He inquired as to what I was looking for, and I said “I’m looking for a cheap phone”.

He bristled, visibly, and replied “I’m sorry, sir, but we don’t have any cheap phones. If you’re perhaps looking for something inexpensive, I can help you”.

I still own that phone, and as far as I know, it still works. The Panasonic is long gone