This is the Fifth post in a 10 post series.  And HERE is where the ish gets real.

Used

If you’ve read the other posts in this series, you know by now that I’m a huge fan of used guitars.  You can get guitars for up to half price by buying used.  You need to know your stuff so you don’t get ripped off, but in general you can walk into a Guitar Center or Sam Ash and you won’t find fake Strats.  So they’re a good place to go, if you don’t really know your trem block from your writer’s block.  Ha ha!  I’m… funny, but that wasn’t.  Anyway…

  1.  Gibson Les Paul Tribute Series.  OK, this might be a stretch at this price point, but I’ve seen them go as low as $500.  Take a $2,000 Gibson Les Paul.  Instead of using pretty maple for the top, use maple.  Don’t add binding.  Instead of expensive fret inlays, use something cheaper.  Instead of a fancy burst, just paint it one color.  It’ll sound like a GLP but cost half the money.  Then buy it used.  I have two of these.
  2. Gibson Les Paul Studio.  This is a small step up from the Tribute, but you might get lucky and find one of these.  Listen, if you can get a real Les Paul for the price of a new Epiphone Les Paul, then do it.  There IS a difference.  The real thing plays better.
  3. PRS SE Custom 24.  I own this guitar.  It’s great.  You might be able to get one of these cheaper, though.
  4. Fender American Special Strat.  You have to work hard to find one of these, but sometimes you can.  What the Tribute and Studio series are to the Gibson Les Paul, the American Special is to the Fender American Strat.  Cut the frills and deliver a great guitar.
  5. Fender Deluxe Player Strat.  This is a Mexican made Fender, but it’s sort of like the Standard MIM with some frills and tweaks.

New

Five hundred bucks will get you a good guitar, definitely.  But the question is, do you go with a decked-out cheap guitar, or a no-frills good guitar?  Do guitar looks matter?  Hell yes they do.  Hmm…

  1. Fender Standard Strat.  You can get one at this price, but it might need to be on sale.  It’s a good guitar.
  2. Jackson Adrian Smith SDK.  I own one.  If you want a locking trem guitar, this is not the only option – there are many others.  I don’t think they’re all that different from each other – choose the look and neck profile you want.
  3. G&L Tribute Legacy Strat.  Shoot this out against the Fender Standard and see what you think.  I like G&L a lot.  Great guitar for this price.
  4. Sterling Stingray SR50.  This is Music Man’s foreign made “cheapie.”  I think these are great.
  5. Epiphone Les Paul Something Or Other.  There are lots of Epi’s at this price range.  They look like $2,000 Gibsons but cost 1/4 the money.  They don’t play as well, but they play well.  Secret tip: Spend another $100 on a great humbucker for the bridge and put it in.  Now your guitar sounds like a Gibson and looks like one.