I like the mid- to high-end Epiphones; The Wildkat and Casino models are great. I just played a friend's Casino last night--that is a great axe, and it's not even one of the Elitist models.

As for Squiers, I really like the "Classic Vibe" models I've seen and played. They're probably one of the best budget models out there, IMHO.

I'm still waiting for a good metal-bodied resonator with pickups that I can afford; right now, the Dean Chrome G is high on the list.

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Good Vibes To Y'all!



Screamin' Armadillos
Texas Roadhouse Music
Guitar/Slide Guitar/Harp/Vocals

I've Played good Jay Tursers and Bad JTs. I'm not a real big fan of epiphone. If you're serious about it I'd buy the Tele.

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Yes... No... ... Maybe

About four years ago I had a short stint with Epi LP 100 (bolt on neck). It sounded very good and that is what drew me to it. On the negative side it had very bad flex in the neck and it would not stay in tune at all. Intonation suffered due to crappy fret work too. I read sometime ago on other forums that Epi special 2 is a better guitar compared to the LP -100 and cost less. Have a search for more updated info. I would sugest if you realy want an epi wait a bit more and get ones in $500-600 range.

Black top tele with HB sounds better and is made better than most of those entry level epi ymmv.

You get what you pay for. Budget guitars lack in one way or another. Why buy something you won`t be happy with when you can save more money and get a better made guitar. In the long run your going to wind up with a collection of low end guitars your not happy with. I`d rather have one good one then 10 bad ones.

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Depends. Look at some of the Dano guitars. Serious fun for the money. I have one that's 52 years old, plays and sounds great and I paid nothing for it. I actually have no "bad" ones and more budget guitars than so-called good ones.
Good is in the hands and ears of the beholder. I have a Ibanez AS73 with SD Phat Cats in it and it absolutely kills. I play it more than my so-called "good ones".

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Life...... It's sexually transmitted and always fatal

We all have our favorites no matter what we paid for them. I don`t care for cheaper guitars so I stay away from them. And you are right, it depends whose hands its in.

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Check out the Sqiuer Custom II Tele with the P90s.. It has a LP type of sound for $250

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08 Fender Highway One Tele-Sunburst
09 Squier Custom Tele II-Blonde
04 Squier Standard Strat Antiqueburst
07 Washburn D10SCE natural with Rosewood backing
Fender Mustang II amp


Experience is the best teacher

Hi Yodacaster,Next to Fender Epiphone is my favourite brand,it far exceeds Gibson in quality and bang for the buck.My Epi Les Paul Traditional Pro was only $510 Cdn and it is a fabulous guitar as it has PAF type pickups and coil tapping.I believe that the Epi L.P.100 is a bolt neck,if so I'd go the few bucks extra and get a set neck.I checked out the Squier Tele Custom and Deluxe recently and was surprises with the quality that they put in such a cheap guitar-certainly well worth the price-and then some.You can pick up Casinos in the $500 range too so they'd be worth checking out as they are fabulous to play and sound great.

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'65 Strat,65 Mustang,65 Jaguar,4 more Strats,3 vintage Vox guitars,5 Vox amps,'69 Bassman with a '68 2-15 Bassman cab,36 guitars total-15asst'd amps total,2 vintage '60s Hammond organs & a myriad of effects-with a few rare vintage ones.

One of the nicer things I've noticed about this forum is the fact that it is not oozing with the blatant snobbery that certain other forums seem to be riddled with.

I 'lurked' for a while before eventually posting on this forum, having previously enjoyed reading the many friendly and informative responses that were to be found here. It seems also that we are not restricted to a 'Fender only' policy when seeking that hard to find piece of information, which may relate to those 'other brands'.

Anyway I am digressing.

In my collection I have a number of Gibson Standard LPs including some highly touted Gibson CS '59 LP 'reissues'. I also have Rickenbacker, a number of CS Strats, a Fender Jazz Bass, a Tele and others.

Which do I play most? Well I probably spend most of my time doodling on the American Standard Tele or my Ebony Custom Epi Les Paul. Why? Well the Tele because it fits me like an old pair of slippers, and the 'Epi' because it feels like an even older pair of slippers. They both sound fantastic and only a real 'expert' - and I'm not one - would hear any difference between a high end Historic LP, a regular LP or whatever, and a well set up Epi LP. The Tele sounds like .... well like a Tele does.

My amps are mainly tube Fenders, so I am true to the brand, although I do have a Marshall half stack to fool around with plus a couple of neat solid state jobs.

My two Grandsons own three Epi LP Standards, each set up a little differently, and which sound amazing in their hands, playing Peter Green/Rory Gallagher type blues (lots of slide) or classic rock. Their guitars are played daily, they stay in tune and look and SOUND good. One of the 'Epis' is a January 1998 Korean model (Saein Musical Inst Co.), and I swear it sounds and looks better every time I hear it. It has a killer top and cost us under $400 used, with a case and strap etc. A fantastic buy.

I have never owned a 'Squier', but no doubt when properly set up they probably sound fine too.

My point is that a well set up 'cheaper' guitar - and the Epi is a 'cheaper' guitar as opposed to a 'cheap' guitar - can sound incredibly good when played by someone who knows what they are doing. The Epi LP Standard or Custom, amongst others, are remarkably well made and can provide years of excellent service. You simply don't have to spend mega-bucks to get good, reliable sound if you choose carefully.

My son who plays in a more 'Western' flavoured band, swears by his Epi Wilshire - another less expensive but reliable instrument that hits the road on a weekly basis.

Turser guitars are good for the price. It'll likely need some fret work. I played the Turser SG copy and it was sweet but those fret edges were not! For $100 i say go for it.

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Blues with a feeling.

GUILD GUITARS: MADE TO BE PLAYED!

I've got a Gibson Melody Maker - they're US made, have loads of character and 2nd hand they're gonna be very cheap - they're great value new!

If you want a Fender of sorts then the Squier Classic Vibe range is simply superb. Relatively pricey new but 2nd hand you should be able to find a great guitar for very little.

I checked out the guitar shop yesterday. No LP-100 but they had the bolt neck SG. I didn't like it. Played the Epi LP Standard. It was not too bad, but I ended up ordering the Squier Tele Custom II with P90s. They say it should be here in a couple of weeks. I am on the edge of my seat until it arrives!

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Thanks for all the comments guys!

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The best bang for buck for a LP style guitar is Agile. As for the budget Fender type guitars I've heard alot of good things about SX, Douglas, Raven West and Xaviere along with the Tursers. It is a modders dream to buy a $150 guitar and spend maybe another $150 into the mods doing the work yourself and have a guitar as good or better as one that cost as much as an American custom. I've seen them heard them and planning on my own very soon. It's about the guitar not the name it wears that matters to a real player anyways.

'Bought a Dillion VMD-75 made in Vietnam Mosrite look-kinda-sorta-alike a buncha years ago; it was a turd to play but had some vibe and after a setup and fret leveling and filing, it's a dang nice playable guitar with an off-name.

And it inspired needing the real thing....