Hi,
I am looking for a new guitar except I only have $300 so I am on a low budget. What is the best guitar that I can buy for that budget or less?

I'd say a MIM strat, but that's around 500 so an Epiphone Dot Studio. The best 229 EUR I spent in 2010 so far ,


This site might help you too:
http://www.musicradar.com/tuition/guita ... 300-245701

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Dean, Epiphone and Fender guitars

used mim strat

You might give Squier's "CV" series Strats a look-see......

http://www.squierguitars.com/products/s ... vibeseries

They're well-appointed and built to a pretty high standard of quality -- pretty close fit to your budget as well.

HTH

Arjay

I bet you could negotiate for a new MIM Stratocaster at GC and get very close to what you have.

Let us know what you get, and pics too

Tagg

You might check Craigs List or Ebay for a used MIM Strat but I wouldn't rule out the Squire Classic Vibe 50s or 60s Strat. I tried one at GC and these are really nice guitars for the money. Way above other Squire series guitars. Some even prefer to the MIM.

I'd go the used MIM or Squire route,both great players and sound great too and they'd be right in your price range.

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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.

My local GC is selling used MIM Stds in good condition for $250. What a bargain.

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Laughing out loud with fear and hope, I have a desperate plan ...

+1 on that guitar. My friend owns one and (call me crazy) I find it to be more comfortable than my strat. Guess it comes down to the player, though.

Have you checked out any local pawn shops? My dream Strat is a Robin Trower. But i have gotten all three of my Strats from pawn shops and the most I paid was 450 for an AmStd sunburst with a great neck on it. I just picked up a 60th Anniversary MIM lefty for a 20th Ann. Squier and 130 bucks. All have Maple necks my personal favorite. only the lefty is original. The AmStd had a Floyd installed which is what I was looking for at the time. So go pawn shopping bro you never know what you'll find.

If your patient you can find a really nice axe on ebay that's in your price range. Here's a few recently purchased Strat's for around $300.
I've bought several guitar's off ebay with great success...
...knock on wood! Best of luck.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... K:MEWAX:IT

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An object at rest tends to stay at rest...
and an object in motion tends to stay in motion

Patience is critical to success if you want to find a good guitar for an excellent price. Given your budget, I think your best route is to look for a used guitar of some description. Three hundred bucks will get you a decent new guitar of course, but excellent deals can be made for high-quality used instruments that fit within your budget.

Pawnshops, local Craigslist or Kijiji ads, and the trusty newspaper will become your new best friend. Some options to consider that will fall within your budget are Mexican-made Stratocasters and Telecasters, Epiphone Les Pauls or 335s, some Ibanez models (I'm not too familiar with that company; all I know is that they seem to make great, popular instruments), and a wealth of other, lesser-known instruments.

My own advice, such as it is, would be to look for a MIM Strat or Tele. Telecasters are probably a bit cheaper, but are by no means any less versatile or well-made; in fact, they're simpler to construct, and I feel the MIM Teles are superior in many ways to the MIM Strats. I picked up just such a guitar last year. I paid 400CAD for it, but it contained a set of really high quality aftermarket pickups.

The best pieces of advice for anyone buying used are (1) have patience; and (2) take someone who really knows guitars with you if you're the least bit unsure. It's easy to get ripped off with a warped neck or myriad other problems. Good luck!

I would definitely go the used guitar route and if you are not in a rush and could hold off until you can raise your bankroll to about $500, you would be able to really broaden your options.

[url]http://www.rondomusic.com/shadowpro.html
thanks for all of the input but I have found a Douglas Shadow pro on Rondo music for only about $150. When I get it I will get new pickups, strings, and tweak it abit to make it feel right. There is the link to the website with images. There is no admitting that this guitar looks beautiful and once I tweak it, it will sound great. Thanks again!! [/url]

I'd go for one of these routes.

1. Squier Vintage Modified.
2. Squier Classic Vibe (own one...awesome)
3. Used MIM Fender

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RK

2007 Fender Highway 1
2012 American Deluxe
2015 MIM Dave Murray HHH
2010 Fender Blacktop
1987 Fender Avalon Acoustic
2012 Marshall DSL 15 watt head