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

mmasters · #1 02-13-2018, 10:04 PM

For me it's my 2016 Taylor 818e - I spent $2500 on it, bought it used. Best guitar I've ever come across for the money. I'm super happy with it. The only guitars that tempt me a little these days are guitars that cost 10 times as much or more and it's just doesn't make sense to pay that kind of money for a guitar. I love my Taylor.

Orfeas · #2 02-13-2018, 10:10 PM

The git in my sig

hearsedriver · #3 02-13-2018, 10:11 PM

Blueridge BR-160A

Brucebubs · #4 02-13-2018, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mmasters

For me it's my 2016 Taylor 818e - I love my Taylor.

A Spruce/Rosewood Grand Orchestra Taylor.
I absolutely believe you.
Nice!

vindibona1 · #5 02-13-2018, 10:20 PM

I've got two "best buy" guitars. The first was an Alvarez Yairi DY77 that I bought in 1980. I had $1000 in my pocket and was ready to buy a D28 until the shop keeper came out with this Yairi... $175 w/OHSC... but then...

I was looking for a "beater" a couple years ago just after I found my '72 D35. Lo and behold, listed on Craigslist SIX BLOCK from home was a 1981 MIJ Epiphone PR-755s. External construction is like a D35 but sounds like a D28. Price? $150- including a Shure SM58 and HSC. It was covered with dust and hadn't had strings put on for years. I didn't know what i had until I got home, got it cleaned up and re-strung. The young lady that sold it to me though her new Ibanez was a better guitar.... Not even close.

Here's the Epi, side by side with my D35

Pickcity · #6 02-13-2018, 10:24 PM

My Gibson J-15. I bought it new for $1299, while it was on sale locally. It is a great guitar and hangs all day with any of the $3000 guitars I've played.

My Taylor 114-e gets an honorable mention. Outstanding guitar for the $700 price tag.

JohnW63 · #7 02-13-2018, 10:33 PM

It's a little hard to say. I have two that I think fits the bill.

1) Walden G2070 - $300 with shipping. Came with a rather nice HSC. Cedar over mahogany. Plays really nice. Is louder than you'd expect, and just has a different sound than any of my other guitars.

2) My Ovation Legend 1974 version. Paid 400 bucks in about 1979 and have had it ever since. That works out to 10 bucks a year. Lots of learning and playing and smiles in that time.

jonbee · #8 02-13-2018, 10:37 PM

My '86 Alvarez-Yairi DY-90. It's just plain great in every way- play-ability, dynamics, tonality, sustain, rich overtones, body, bass response, top end sweetness you name it. Looks amazing too.
I paid $1100 for it- not bargain basement, but for such a wonderful instrument, a huge value.

akwingnut · #9 02-14-2018, 01:17 AM

My D-18GE.

gitarro · #10 02-14-2018, 01:49 AM

Do you mean the best guitar that over performed to a higher level with respect to its price ?

For me that's got to be my 2008 goodall rcgc that i bought used. I'm needing to offload it and other gear in order to replenish my fund's that went to the purchase of a much more expensive guitar subsequently but it is remarkable how good the hawaii era goodalls are.

#11 02-14-2018, 02:12 AM

The ones I own now.

1. Gibson made some of the very best electric guitars in their history (aside from the originals) between 2013 and 2016. They are the historic reissues and I found a superb example, a '58 RI LP.

2. My next best value is my Martin 00-28. It has a tone I have been looking for a long time. I honestly don't think it really sounds like other Martins. If it did, I'd own more Martins.

3. My last best value is the one I bought last (SCGC 00 SKYE). Not because it's the third best, but you are talking about ratios here and the one I just bought was really expensive, so for the lovely tone, I had to step up to the plate with a large mound of cash.

4. Eastman. A good guitar. Cheap. It's not the lest best sounding of my four but it's the cheapest by a significant margin. Some would not consider it cheap of course.

Steel and wood · #12 02-14-2018, 02:42 AM

My Epiphone Hummingbird which I sold to help finance my Martin.

inadu ridge · #13 02-14-2018, 03:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by akwingnut

My D-18GE.

This. Bought it used for 2K. Tone-wise nothing I've ever owned (including Collings, SCGC etc.) can touch it, to my ears.

AndrewG · #14 02-14-2018, 03:50 AM

Difficult question, so many potential variables. However if it's down to sound, spec and build quality for stupid money, then my little Harley Benton has to be near the top of the list. Solid sitka top, walnut back and sides, ovangkol fretboard and bridge, maple binding on neck and body, bone nut and saddle and lots of abalone including a 'tree of life' up the fretboard. £185 new including delivery, three year warranty and 30 days 'send it back if you don't like it' return policy from Thomann in Germany. Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U_oGJTllArc

N+1 · #15 02-14-2018, 04:15 AM

1997 Martin DM.

Bought it in 1998. There was no price tag on it, and when I played it alongside Taylors, Martins, and Gibsons costing thousands of pounds, it was obviously The Guitar, for me, by miles.

I asked the price, expecting it to be more expensive than any of them. It turned out to be half the price of the cheapest of the contenders! Easiest choice I ever made.