Best build quality electric guitar for a $1K - $1.5K (or less) budget?

[Joss]

I understand that the most important things to choose a guitar are feel and sound. That's highly subjective and hard to assess on a forum.

So, looking at objective aspects, what guitars (or guitar brands) offer the best build quality for a $1k to $1.5k max budget? By build quality I mean:
- Materials,
- Craftsmanship,
- Visual & tactile appeal,
- Quality control.

I'm considering mostly new guitars here, though used instruments from reputable dealers is also an option. Also, I'm happy to pay less, as long as the build quality is as good as more expensive pieces.

Thanks,

JD

 

[KI-DUS]

If you want new i would check out the Shecters or ESP/LTD lines. Also I believe you can get into a entry level PRS in That price range. I dnt like the new Jacksons or I banez but would still buy their models from the 90's. You could probly get a basic less paul in that range as well. kida depends on your playing stulr. best thing to do is just get out and play with some to see what you like.

 

[W.M.B.]

This is unlikely to be a popular opinion, but if you are honestly looking for a particular sound, if you play with any kind of effects, even distortion from the amp, those things make more difference in the tone than most of the more subtle differences between 2 different guitars. Big differences you can hear, like neck vs bridge vs combined pickups. Full hollow vs solid. Most people can not tell the difference between strats and tellys if they are played through the same rig. Proll most cant tell a gibson all american II from a telly, sound wise. Decide which features you want, like solid or hollow, trem or no trem, humbuckers, singles, and how many. Then go from there. As far as build quality, honestly, even many cheap guitars are very well made today. Ive got a yamaha pacifica 112 that is in my opinion built as well as any fender ive ever played. I play it more than my gibson.

 

[Joss]

Just to precise my question: I'm not asking a general question on buying a new guitar. I'm specifically interested in the ratio build quality over cost, within $1,500 or less.

 

[W.M.B.]

Just to precise my question: I'm not asking a general question on buying a new guitar. I'm specifically interested in the ratio build quality over cost, within $1,500 or less.

Ok then, I guess we need to know what you mean by build quality. Funtion? Feel? Apparently tight tolerance? Durability? I think its better to start from the point of the basic features you are looking for. What do you want to play with it? Do you want a stop bar tail piece, string thru fixed bridge, tremolo? Single coils? Humbuckers? Some combination? Its a tool, start with how you plan to use it.

 

[Bob W]

I don't know much about guitars, and can't play, but I love the way this one looks. So I bought it.

Disclaimer, not my video and it sure as heck ain't me playing:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tItIW0ww_sY

Right at your price range, with some features that are usually found on the more expensive models. Made in the USA. Mahogany body Stratocaster Select. Unique appearance.
These were an exclusive through Guitar Center and related stores, now discontinued but available used for much less than I paid. I've seen some "used" models available with the American flag sticker still attached sell for well under $1000.
Being mahogany, it's heavier than a regular Stratocaster, but nowhere near as heavy as a Gibson Les Paul.

Your topic is so similar to the way mine started, here's a link to how my shopping went down:
http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/993348-Guitar-just-to-own-one

 

[Infi-del]

Some variant of a Fender Stratocaster.

But I say assemble your own. You can buy Stratocater parts and assemble your own dream guitar. I got Darren Sanders (A knife maker here) to copy my plastic pickguard from a sheet of solid copper I bought to make me a solid copper pickgaurd, got all my hardware copper plated in Chicago, had my buddy that owns a casket company paint my guitar body in midnight blue then stuck a warmoth birsdeye maple neck on it with 10-16 compound finger board radius. Put it all together and had my Luthier give it a final once over and setup. It's better than any guitar I could have bought for twice the money. And I got exactly what I wanted.

Here it is right before final assembly.

After it's had a little time to age...

 

[Bob W]

Whoah!

 

[Daniel Fairly Knives]

I look at guitars in a few ways but the scale length is a dividing factor in my opinion. A shorter scale has less spacing which can make long reaches easier or fat fingers harder to fit in and vice e versa. I usually stick to one scale length for a long time before switching and like both equally.

A Gibson style has a shorter scale which can have a smoother or creamier sound. A Fender style scale can sound punchier or snappier. PRS are in between. I can hear the difference in the sound easily especially with clean or lightly overdriven tone.

Bolt on vs permanent neck...

Humbucker or single coil...

I have probably played thousands of guitars over the years and there are a ton of companies that make good ones... most of those companies make junky ones too. I find these days with manufacturing being so controlled you can get a great inexpensive guitar and most of the difference is in the electronics and fit/finish.

I have a 90$ Epi Les Paul Junior that stays in tune better and for me has a better tone than my buddies 5k Custon Shop LP... one of the nicer guitars I have is a Gibson Nighthawk and it really does it all.

I'd probably wind up with a 1960's Les Paul Special or Junior if I bought a guitar on that budget right now... they are funky but get the midrange punchy tone and blown out distorted sound I like.

I was dead set on buying a Gretsch, had saved up the money and went in to buy one. I played a bunch and did not find a neck I liked... as much as I liked the looks I couldn't do it. Then again I'll buy almost any raggedy Telecaster with a V neck.

Guitars are like knives, it is hard to pick just one.

 

[Josh Carrasquillo]

Are you a new player? What kind of music do you play, what sounds do you like? You don't offer enough information to provide a reasonable answer. I would go to a music shop and play a bunch to see what feels and sounds good to you. I'll bet you will be surprised at how little difference there is between some $500 guitars and some $1k+ guitars. I don't feel there is enough difference between them to justify the additional cost. It's a whole different ball game with acoustic guitars though

 

[Joss]

Did you guys read the question? I'm not asking "what guitar should I buy", I'm asking "what brands / models generally have the best build quality (i.e., QC, f&f, materials,...) for $1,500 or less".

It's a very narrow, well defined question.

 

[Bob W]

Did you guys read the question? I'm not asking "what guitar should I buy", I'm asking "what brands / models generally have the best build quality (i.e., QC, f&f, materials,...) for $1,500 or less".

It's a very narrow, well defined question.

I don't expect you to find quality problems with any major brand in that price range, imported or American-made. Fender, Gibson, Ibenez, PRS, Jackson, etc.

For the record, I would never suggest a specific music instrument for anyone. My guitar above was used as just one example of what you could buy for that budget. :thumbup:

 

[bear71]

I personally love the USA built Charvel San Dimas, if you can find one they go for about $1100, less if used. A real players guitar, great components, super comfortable necks, no frills.

 

[W.M.B.]

Did you guys read the question? I'm not asking "what guitar should I buy", I'm asking "what brands / models generally have the best build quality (i.e., QC, f&f, materials,...) for $1,500 or less".

It's a very narrow, well defined question.

Its not as well defined as you seem to think.
or example, a Yamaha pacifica 112, which pretty much everybody would lump in the low end category, has a tighter neck pocket than any bolt on i have handled. But you won't get a fancy fender finish on it. But any neck through or set neck.is tighter than a bolt on. Not necesarilly more stable, mind you. Finish quality is highly subjective. Many will tell you that a thick polly finish will be detrimental to the tone, so a poorly done nitro finish, or even no finish, is better than a well done polly finish. Many others will say that is hogwash. And which is the best.wood (or other material) for a guitar body or neck? This is an endlessly debated and never answered question. You might.as well ask which is the best color for a guitar.

 

[Bob W]

So, looking at objective aspects, what guitars (or guitar brands) offer the best build quality for a $1k to $1.5k max budget? By build quality I mean:
- Materials,
- Craftsmanship,
- Visual & tactile appeal,
- Quality control.

Hi Joss. I'm curious if you can tell the difference. Being an experienced knife enthusiast can certainly help - noticing small details, knowledge of finishes, eye for machining precision, and weight-balance issues.
Visit a large guitar dealer, if you haven't already. Look at the $400 Mexican Stratocasters, the ordinary $800 American Strats, and the premium-priced $2000 Deluxe Strats. Aside from the obvious differences in feature levels, can you see a difference in the fit and finish, or QC issues?

I mostly cannot.

 

[Inazone]

I've been playing guitar since the early `90s, and just like in the world of knives, there is a certain correlation between country of origin (both materials and construction) and build quality. When I started playing, a lot of today's big name brands were either true custom shops or build-to-order only, usually through dealers; Jackson, Schecter and ESP are prime examples. I liked Jacksons best, and have owned at least a couple dozen of them over the years. Not everything they built was perfect, but generally speaking, any Jackson built in the USA or Japan was of high quality. When they switched to Indonesia, India and then China, both the sourced materials and actual construction suffered. The most I ever paid for a USA Jackson was $1400, and it was beautiful . . . but I ended up hating how it played and traded it away. That was in 2001. The next time I bought a brand new Jackson was probably in about 2005-06 and was a pre-order from Japan, which cost around $450. I picked up a couple more since then, but mostly used or on clearance. Now days, it would cost over $1000 to get a Japanese Jackson of that quality level, and $2500+ for a USA. The difference was, a production line model then was often offered with different types of body and fretboard wood, inlays, and pickups, all for production line prices rather than custom. The same guitar could be had with a mahogany or ash body, and maple or ebony fretboard, for roughly the same price as an alder body with rosewood fretboard.

My most recent guitar purchase was a Schecter AW-7 (seven string) that cost $800 and was built in Korea. Normally, I wouldn't have bought a Korean guitar, but it had a beautiful stained mahogany body, ebony fretboard and all the features I wanted. There is no current American or Japanese production model with those specs. I don't care for a lot of Schecter designs - they are sort of the CRKT of guitar makers to me - but when they get it right, they REALLY get it right. Also, I think there is a certain pride in workmanship among Korean builders that rivals that of Japan, which is to say it's incredibly high. I haven't found an Ibanez or ESP that is on par with an earlier Jackson or current Schecter.

Then again, I play in a metal band, so I'm not paying attention to some of the other brands out there.

 

[Joss]

This is helpful, thanks.

 

[immolatus]

I collect guitars as well. I'd say on the current market.....Paul reed Smith or American made esp's have best feel, hold their value and look and feel great. Gibson quality has suffered a bit over the last decade.

 

[Joss]

That confirms what I read in other places. I went to a store here with a number of PRS and ESP. They are at different price & quality level. The ESP seem to be a great value in the $500-$1,000 range. The PRS range overlaps a bit but seems to have a lot more in the over-$1,000 mark. The nicest guitar I saw was a PRS McCarty, but to be able to fit it into my budget I would have to find a used one.

The cool thing for ESP (for a seasoned player) is the possibility to get something built to specs.

 

[Bob W]

That confirms what I read in other places. I went to a store here with a number of PRS and ESP. They are at different price & quality level. The ESP seem to be a great value in the $500-$1,000 range. The PRS range overlaps a bit but seems to have a lot more in the over-$1,000 mark. The nicest guitar I saw was a PRS McCarty, but to be able to fit it into my budget I would have to find a used one.

I'm a huge fan of PRS. The 'real' ones are made in the USA and start at around $2000 new, but most are in the $3000 range. The SE models are made in Korea - by all accounts play excellently but don't feel as contoured as the American models. The "Stella" and "Mira" series is a lower price USA-made line; I have not seen one in person - guess they're called the S2 series now:

The S2 Story
The PRS S2 Series offers the fit, finish, feel, and attention to detail of PRS craftsmanship in a straightforward design. Standing for “Stevensville 2,” S2 Series instruments are made at the Maryland shop blending new design elements and manufacturing techniques with practiced quality control and workmanship to create reimagined, fresh guitars that reach a more affordable price for players.