Wow USA MADE Guitars are Expensive...

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

https://madtownguitars.com/home

Georgia made guitars from a dude that worked at the Gibson Custom Shop for 10 years.

Support your local luthier, great quality craftsmanship here. I build guitars too so I have a bit different perspective on pricing. Consider that for a steel string acoustic from rough sawn wood it takes about 100 hours to produce a finished piece. At $2000 that's twenty bucks an hour......cheap in my book for the level of artistry and skill required to produce these functional pieces of art. If you roll custom from a smaller maker you can usually specify just about every component as well so you end up with a piece truly unique to you. I'd never recommend a custom for a beginner simply because it might not take with the player. Let them beat on a cheap Yamaha import from Costco for a couple years. If it takes, if they really commit, then plan for a custom and have one built to your specs. My sister asked for a violin for my niece and I politely declined to build a hand made custom. Instead I built her a 3D printed electric violin. Sound is surprisingly good and it allows her to learn on something that's tough, easy to repair, won't fall apart if she accidentally let's it get rained on. Later if she commits the time to learn I'll build her a custom.

 

[InTune]

I have a custom shop Les Paul and a merican made Fender Stratocaster Deluxe. I like the fender because the set up is user friendly. The action and neck angle is easy to adjust.

 

[MRH]

I have a custom shop Les Paul and a merican made Fender Stratocaster Deluxe. I like the fender because the set up is user friendly. The action and neck angle is easy to adjust.

The Strat is perhaps the most versatile electric guitar of all time. Hang on to her. She's an American classic.

 

[Brent1967]

You can see what Gary Rossington choose for their biggest song. He plays his SG at every show on Free Bird. I had a Epiphone SG as a boy and it played amazing and had the velvet tone I couldn't get out of the Gretsch or the strat. But if I ever tried to emulate SRV or Hendrix the strat was my go to.

 

[Joshua223]

Yes they are expensive. It is absolutely possible to upgrade/mod a non USA guitar (electric) and make it just about as good for less money, but it isn't the same, I know. Owning a classic USA guitar is owning a piece of music history, so it has to be worth it to whoever is buying it. For me it is worth it.

Used guitars are always a good option, but proceed with caution. There are LOTS of counterfeits being made these days and some are pretty good jobs. But if you find a good one, you can save some serious jack.

I haven't played in about 10 years so my info may be outdated (hope to get carpal tunnel from computer use treated eventually and get back at it).

USA guitars are better quality. Korean made guitars are also good. I would choose a Korean Epiphone over a Chinese one. I think the quality of the Fender Squier guitars had improved, but not so much the super cheap intro models. If you see an American guitar (especially older ones) really cheap, check with someone to see if it is legit. A lot of times you can tell by looking at the picture if you are familiar with how they are supposed to look. They didn't always get the headstock design, inlays, or hardware just right.
There are USA made economy guitars that cost quite a bit less.

Fender Highway One Series
Gibson "Studio" guitars

I don't remember where they are made, but Danelectro makes some nice sounds guitars not don't cost much. They have pretty unique designs too.


Japan used to make copies that were considered as good (some say better) than their American counterparts. I think Fender actually made some of their guitars in Japan for this reason if I remember correctly. One of the companies that copied Gibson was Gecko.

You can find some well made Chinese/Taiwan acoustic guitars that are very plain at a decent price. The parts that make the guitar sound and play well are all that is focused on and they maintain good quality control. I think Guild or Tacoma made guitars like this. If not a full solid wood acoustic, you at least want a solid top, or solid front and back.

Schecter makes nice electrics for the money. The important thing is making sure the guitar fits his preferences (neck profile, guitar shape, weight, etc).

Make sure he is using good posture when playing and warming his hands up. Also make sure he is using good posture at the computer!!

 

[InTune]

Jimmy Page would shave the neck down on a Les Paul. So, one of his signature guitars has a skinny neck. Some models have a V shaped neck. My 57 has a neck like a baseball bat. I find it gives more leverage for chords. It is why you can't own just one. I've always wanted a Gibson Byrdland hollow body. Uncle Ted owns a few of of em. I think he owns a few nice guns too

 

[InTune]

Just a side note on Gibson SG's. The head stock was very prone to breaking. Seen several that have repair

 

[Coop]

Almost all made in Japan guitars are awesome. There are certainly exceptions but min are great. Edwards, Bacchus and Burny come to kind for a sg type guitar. Those companies have ones made in China now so make sure you ask of the guitar is made in Japan. You could save your self easy $500 dollars buying a Japanese sg guitar over American with equal or better quality depending on price point.

 

[Joshua223]

Just a side note on Gibson SG's. The head stock was very prone to breaking. Seen several that have repair

I think certain Les Pauls had the same problem. The higher end ones may have been even worse about it.

 

[Freshly Minted Georgian!]

That joint is called a scarf joint at an angle, with relatively small bonding surfaces, holding roughly 180 pounds of pressure from string tension it's a weak point so any weakness caused by even slightly sloppy joint prep during build, cheaper lot of glue, even differences in temperature and humidity present during assembly can affect strength of that joint. One shortcut I've seen builders use is to sand the mating surfaces to match. If you jug up the pieces you can belt sand them very quickly. I've always personally hand planed them though as in testing (by breaking samples) I got better bond strength with planed surfaces rather than sanded. Break at that point can be repaired professionally and if done well it can be good looking and far stronger than the original joint. It can also be "bubba'd" up right quick by people who aren't properly experienced, look like hammered dog $hit, and destroy the value of an otherwise beautiful piece.