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Post subject: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 6:30 am
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Rock Star
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Alright, I admit it, it took MANY years coming but at least I, now admit it! The MIMs, higher end Squiers and even 'standard' Epiphones (et. al) are damn good guitars. Discuss. (No flame wars need apply.)

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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:42 am
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No. You get to start a thread, you don't get to tell what people are to post.


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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:49 am
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It is amazing that the quality and sound of many of the "lower-end" guitars/amps can be anywhere from very good to fantastic, which makes them a phenomenal value as compared to some higher-end gear. It seems especially true in the modern era, with modern manufacturing techniques.

Although I generally prefer great quality US made gear, I do enjoy a few of the foreign made products, many of which are actually surprisingly fantastic. If it puts a smile on your face, that is what really matters. 8)

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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:23 am
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Welcome to the eternally enlightened also known as the "if you can play it and it sounds good, it's all good" :lol:

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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 9:27 am
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Solid Body Love Songs wrote:
Welcome to the eternally enlightened also known as the "if you can play it and it sounds good, it's all good" :lol:


I can't argue with this!

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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 11:47 am
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Eternally enlightened, and eternally broke!

I have my hands on a few really nice Squiers, Schecters, and Epi's, and if I find another that fills a niche I wouldn't hesitate to buy. The name on the headstock means nothing, really, these days. As someone else posted, if YOU like the guitar, and it gives you what you want, it's a GOOD guitar- regardless of price or brand.

The bad thing is that the quality , good tone, and playability keeps feeding our GAS...


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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:23 pm
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I am fortunate in that I have not had the opportunity to play any pricey brand name instruments in a long time (decades), so I am perfectly happy with my Epi Les Paul Studio, and (most recently) my Squier VM Jaguar Short-Scale bass. Then again, I traded in my Squier Bronco SS Bass for the Jag, and it (the Bronco) wasn't even really intended to be anything other than an entry-level instrument. Lots of variation within brands.
The most expensive guitar I own is a Fender MIM Standard Strat (not even the "American Standard"), and I think it's one of the cheapest in the Fender Strat lineup. It's perfectly fine.
The Squier VM Jaguar guitars are mighty tempting now, given the price and good reviews. I should wait until I get my tax refund though.

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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 12:52 pm
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arth1 wrote:
No. You get to start a thread, you don't get to tell what people are to post.


....you may need a group hug ...... :wink:

If the stars are aligned, hopefully the lower priced guitars "play" well, and the trade-off is limited to hardware, wiring and pickups.......and with the amount of processing available I would guess you could get a pretty good sound out of even the lowest priced guitar, if you have a good ear.
cheers,
FRR34

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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:14 pm
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Martian wrote:
(No flame wars need apply.)


Too late, Martian.

Our resident dissident has already lit and thrown his daily molotov cocktail.

It would seem that proggies prefer sturm-und-drang over a friendly discussion.

Karl Marx would be proud.

:roll:

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 1:26 pm
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Retroverbial wrote:
Martian wrote:
(No flame wars need apply.)


Too late, Martian.

Our resident dissident has already lit and thrown his daily molotov cocktail.

It would seem that proggies prefer sturm-und-drang over a friendly discussion.

Karl Marx would be proud.

:roll:

Arjay


Yea, I caught that but I never dignify such 'things' (note the duality) with a response. :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 2:34 pm
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I'll admit it - I like the neck on my MIMs better than my MIA. Not that there is anything wrong with the MIA neck, when I first picked it up I didn't want to put it down. Definitely easier to play yet at the same time harder to make it sound "like me". Kinda like driving at high speeds in a car with no or very light power steering then switching to a car with power steering so sensitive that I lose that feeling of the connection with the road. Might take a little more effort whether driving or playing, but that connection is worth it.


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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 4:13 pm
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Well, if you find a guitar that plays and feels great and at a bargain price, then there's nothing wrong with that at all. In fact, all the better, since you're damned lucky to make any money at all playing music these days. You might as well have less expenses doing so, if you are a performing/recording artist.

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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 5:34 pm
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Love my Epi! Hate the company that made it though, so the next one's a Fender. :evil:

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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 5:52 pm
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I think it all goes back to the player. A good guitar player can make anything sound good. All these lower end guitars are getting better by leaps and bounds.


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Post subject: Re: Confessions of an Ex-gear Snob
Posted: Sat Mar 07, 2015 7:12 pm
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Let's go back to 1980 for a moment when I was a young 14-year old shredder ...

Back then an "entry level" Memphis or Hondo Les Paul copy cost around $150 (=$425 in today's dollars), and they were HORRIBLE guitars (sorry, Hondo fans, but they were). $425 is about what a MIM Standard costs today which is far better than any 1980 Fender Strat and was also ... equivalently ... 1/3 the cost of it. In today's world, you can buy amazing Squiers (especially the VM line, etc.) for the equivalent of 1980 $100 ... which was cheaper than what a horrible Memphis Les Paul cost back then.

In 1980, a new Strat cost about $400 ($1,134 in today's dollars which is about what new Am Std is today), and they were NOT very good guitars back then, definitely not as good as a new MIM Std today. Also at the price point was the Ibanez Artist which was a shockingly good guitar.

Also in 1980, for about $700 (which was ALOT of money back then) you could get a Gibson Les Paul (which is about $2000 in today's dollars, and also is what they about cost today ... and STILL is a lot of money). Although Gibson Les Pauls back in 1980 (unlike Fenders) were awesome guitars. I still have my 1979 Gibson SG standard (that I bought used for $350 in 1982 ... the same as spending $850 today (also about what you would expect to pay for a nice used one today)). Just keeping it real, the nice Gibson models (Les Paul, SG Standard, etc.) were extremely good and worth the money.

So, yeah, the lower end guitars of TODAY are AMAZING and equivalently VERY CHEAP. And if you don't think so, you were not a guitar player in 1980. Just saying ...

And I know people will be falling from the rafters how great 1980-eras Fenders, Hondo, and Memphis guitars were. Let me tell you, from someone that was there and spent every free moment playing guitar, and (effectively) LIVED in my local music store, they were NOT. The Memphis and Hondo stuff was JUNK, and the Fenders were just plain 'not very good' compared to Gibsons and Ibanez of the day. PERIOD.

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