What's The Best Truly DIRT CHEAP Guitar You've Had?

[DavidE]

Got a surprisingly nice Tak with Koa back and sides and Fishman pickup last year for $300 on Hello Music. It was $650 at the big box retailers, so I don't know if that counts.

[srick]

Taylor Big Baby - $239 used from Daddy's Junky Music. It's a very comfortable guitar and has a surprisingly big voice... nothing fancy - spruce top, laminate sides, bolts hold the neck on, but it is a great little instrument.

[Stirlander]

Under 300? Never found anything real great for that.... Atleast not new.

I bought a 1970s Tak "lawsuit" guitar for 300 from a relative and THAT was an awesome guitar. I still use it. It needs a fret job BADLY(the action is a mile high in order to NOT get buzz, but it works fabulously this way for slide and sounds like a beast) and the fretboard is pulling away from the neck.... but it still sounds good.

for 399, I don't think you can beat a Seagul S6 Ceder.... I've played a few that were just incredible. I played this one that was just so resonant that I'd really put it up against almost any guitar and it would win in a tone test.

[RussB]

Recording King RAJ-16. $233 from Amazon on cyber monday...I scored a Guardian case from them too, the total was still under $300!

I really enjoy this guitar. It get a lot of play time.

[L20A]

For me, it was a Yari Alvarez. I got it used for $250.00 and traded it for a Yamaha L-20A. This was in about 1983 though.
I still have the L-20A and still love it!

[naolslager]

All my guitars are sub $300; that's where I operate! My best AND cheapest was a Yamaha SJ-180. I bought it for $75. I sold it for $150. Wish I still had it.
I bought a Silver Creek T-160 for $75. All solid and a great guitar but the headstock ornamentation was so garish I had to sell it. Probably should have kept it. Sold @ $150.
I bought an Alvarez Masterworks MD-95 (Solid engelmann over solid rosewood back) with electronics, arched top HSC, cable, and leather strap for $325. The guitar was near mint and probably the nicest guitar I ever owned. But in the end I had to sell. The "tree of life" on the fretboard and the "space shuttle-inspired" electronics control panel proved too much for me. I sold it for $400.

I bought a $40 guitar once and it was only suitable to be hung on the wall of the local T.J. Applebee's with sheetrock screws. I sold it for $75.

Full disclosure: My current main player is an Recording King RD-27 which I paid just over $400 (new). Maybe a little too shiny for my tastes but the sound will curl your toes!

[PowerTube]

This one:

http://www.walmart.com/ip/Kona-Thin-...inish/10975364

And it's well under the budget you suggested. I've since added a bone saddle and Carrico EZ-Pegs.

[Toby001]

Originally Posted by stratokatsu

Should have mentioned when I started the thread that I still have a Silver Creek T-160. I had a D-170 that sounded fantastic, but I only sold it because the neck profile was so small I cramped up quickly.

The only reason I returned my Silver Creek was because it smelled like arse. Darn thing stunk up my whole house.

[bousti999]

My Seagull Entourage Rustic. I got it new for $300 with a gig bag, and I just love it.

[Herringbone]

Got one for $125.99 @ MF on sale. Love it!

[BigRed51]

That would have to be a solid rosewood, solid spruce top that was my first guitar. It didn't exactly have a brand name. Bought at a very small shop toward the outskirts of Tijuana around 1964. $45 with a hard case.

[stratokatsu]

Originally Posted by Toby001

The only reason I returned my Silver Creek was because it smelled like arse. Darn thing stunk up my whole house.

I returned my first one because the workmanship was horrible. I started a thread in this forum called, "Specs Don't Make The Guitar", during which so many SC owners told me to give Silver Creek another chance and that I'd just gotten a bad one. I did try another and I haven't been sorry since.

Today is NDCGD, (New Dirt Cheap Guitar Day), whenever the UPS truck arrives with the Xaviere. I'll post some pictures and let you all know how it turns out.

[Fred]

Historically, my best buy was $95 for used Martin 0-18. (Of course, it was 1963.) In today's world, I've played a couple nice Art of Lutherie Amis that were sweet little boxes for less than $300.

[zombywoof]

Keeping it to purchases within the past five or so years, I got a bunch of guitars in the house I paid between $100 and $300 for.

I just gave the best one to a friend who needed a guitar - a beat up but perfectly playable 1972 Guild D-25 which I originally snagged from the back room of a friend's music store a couple of years back for $100.

Of those I have around the one that jumps to mind is my 1960 Harmony Sovereign which also set me back the princely sum of $100. These were just flippin' great guitars.

[jeepnstein]

My Seagull Entourage Rustic was $265. I have a bit in it now with a pickup and a case but it's still dirt cheap. Darned thing just doesn't understand it was supposed to be a cheapo. I'll go play a better guitar and come away nonplussed with the difference between it and the Seagull. Best value in acoustic guitars I've ever come across.

Silver Creek comes a close second for me. But that doesn't matter because I'm stuck with the Seagull until I wear the thing out. How's that for a good problem to have?