There are thousands of affordable guitars just as good as any "famous brand" ones, and which quite often play and sound way better. A good 2nd hand LTD Viper 400 with good PUs will often be better than most Gibson, for instance. Of course, if you're a "snob" and you need that "brand" on the headstock you'll never ever get to even try such options. I just don't care where the guitar comes from, nor what's on the headstock. I play a 2nd hand LTD EC1000, and I'm just as comfortable with it for to play anything ranging from classic Rock to Blues, Jazz, and even Rock'a'Billy (with a split coil push-pull to thinner both Seymour Duncan humbuckers, and a newly installed Duesenberg Tremolo).
If you do a video about upgrading a guitar, please talk about they "whys" of doing upgrades and demonstrate some before/after sound and playability stuff. For some of us, we do not have as much of a discerning ear or playing technique to be able to hear or feel the differences or at least know what to listen for or feel. Thanks. Love your channel.
not thought about this, for those who have spent countless hours on the internet it's obvious but yeah I had no idea before I started, that'd be a great video for a lot of info in one place
I think that's a great idea. Also, when doing an audio comparison and you describe sounds that you're trying to achieve you might use terms like glassy, ice pick, or fizz for a description. However, some people don't know what that means. Perhaps you could put in yhe video audio examples for the nomenclature used? If you already have covered this could someone post a link?
@@hazrusInc Not that I disagree, but myself, I have to play a guitar to really hear what the guitar sounds like to myself. I've had people play my guitars and they sound a lot different. I've noticed , through the years I have a same kind of sound to an extent, whether I may be on a Fender (single coil) or a Les Paul (Humbucking) type. Or even an amp difference at times.
I own a couple of high- mid-range guitars, but I also have a budget Gretsch and I absolutely love it. Great tone, great feel, fast neck, super action, and just great fun to play. Well-made, and no bad stuff. It is my go-to for just picking something up and playing because it feels so good and resonates so well, even unplugged. Got it new for just over $400. Easily one of my best purchases.
I don't know, but there's something about buying used, cheap guitars that is so satisfying. Whether its meeting the previous owner and hearing their story as a musician and with the guitar, or just the grind of waiting and checking to see what's available in the local area, driving for miles to pick them up... It's so much better than just hitting order and getting exactly what you want in 3-4 working days.
@@ardatukenmez2890 I traded guitars about a year and a half ago just to try something different. When I was trying it through the guy's setup, it was alright but I figured I might just trade it again shortly after. When I got it setup through my own gear though in the comfort of my home I was blown away. It's a 1980 Ibanez Musician, which somehow went up in value almost immediately after the trade, lol.
@@mattdyck9931 they were good basses, and are still sought after. However, most used instruments for sale, are NOT of that calibre. Depends on what your after, really. . . . you wont find the tone of a'76 Stingray, in a 3rd rung Indonesian Stingray look alike . . . but, if you had the urge for say, a RED one . . . . you may find the 2nd hand lot is just the right . . err . . Color
I have a used vicente taytay tomas made in spain 1970 Its impressive how indestructible these classical guitars are and they sound great plus they are super lightweight Best experienced I've had with a used guitar
I *know* right?! For some reason, buying a guitar used kindof takes the "pressure" off for me as well. I am much more likely to actually "buy in to" a guitar and play it without being self conscious if I bought it used. I find a new guitar off the wall can be somewhat intimidating. Plus, having a story of the great deal you got, or the journey you went on to pick up the guitar sticks with the instrument!
G&L guitars are greatly underrated. I bought my first one back in 1993 while on a mission to look for a Fender Strat. Had to have the salesperson tell me what the hell a G&L was. When I learned they were built by Leo Fender & George Fullerton I immediately picked one up and played it,... 20 or so minutes later I told the salesperson to ring it in,... and that was after I had played about 8 Fender Strats in the same store. I still have that guitar USA made G&L Strat today and it plays and sounds like the day I bought. The fit and finish are perfect and the Dual Fulcrum tremolo keeps the guitar in perfect tune,... WAY better than the Fender Strat. I buy as many used G&L guitars as I can,... preferably those made in the early 80's to early 90's which have an average price of about $1,000. A true bargain when you consider the top notch quality.
Jerry Cantrell is known to be a big fan and user of G&L's. They were made in Indonesia, don't know if they still are but the quality of workmanship at that plant has a great reputation. I know Leo was happier with what they built than the stuff Fender was cranking out even back when he owned it.
got a usa made l2500 its an 01 been played hard, gigged and well traveled rock solid never let me down still sounds and plays like a dream just brought it to the shop for minor fret work a scratchy pot and new imput jack not bad for 20 years imo
yes - love my G&L S-500 Tribute. Around 500-600 bucks. Love the high output pickups, the extra pickup combinations and the PBT tone control for bass roll-off - an absolutely excellent tone-shaping tool that should be on every electric to cut the mud. I have shot this out against quite a few real fender Strats and have found that it is easy to replicate a "real" fender by dialing volume and both tones back to 8 (give-or-take), and having the extra bit of headroom to push things is really nice. And fingerboard is a tad on the wide side which definitely works for me.
@@WhoWouldWantThisName G&L Tribute guitars are made in Indonesia. The rest of G&L guitars are made in Fullerton California. The Tribute series is a great bargain. Unless they changed things, all the Tribute guitars have G&L pickups and bridges. The body and neck are made by Cort in Indonesia and assembled by them.
As a budget heavy man, videos like this are definitely up my alley! The Perfect Budget guitar might seem subjective, but I think there are many ways to determine so. Thank you for the work!
Great choice on the Gretsch! It took me over 20 years to decide to try a non U.S. made Gretsch. I own somewhere north of 10 vintage U.S. Gretschs and love every one of them. I got caught up in the whole " if it ain't made in the U.S. it sucks" thing when it comes to Gretsch guitars. Finally picked up a foreign version... and fell in love all over again. I have to honestly say that Gretsch just makes good stuff.
Here's an oddly specific tip for anyone looking at buying any recent Epiphone guitar (generally 2013 and on)... Look for one made in the Qingdao factory. I own several Epi's, and I have three that were made in that factory. They are far and away the best Epi's I have. I don't know how else to say it, they are simply all three of better quality than the others. You'll be looking for a '15' somewhere in the middle of the serial #, these are the Qingdao made models. Something like this: xxxx15xxxxx Trust me, they are good. Try one out for yourself.
My LP Prophecy is from the Qingdao factory. My favorite guitar hands down. Not that its got much competition, but like, even when im enjoying my Ibanez or my acoustic, i find myself drawn back to it eventually
I have an Epi Les Paul Studio LT and though it was about $250 before tax this is really an excellent guitar. It was my very first guitar and I still love it to this day. When I pick it up and play it it just seems to fit like a glove. I did a few mods to it but they were just cosmetic so everything about the guitar regarding playability is still the same as it was when I got it and I will keep this guitar forever because it plays great and was my first.
I get a charge out of the phrase “gig-able guitar”. As if anyone listening to your band would know the diff between a $2500 American Strat or an $800 Mexi with upgrades.
I think they mean in terms of reliability/how it would hold up on tour. You don't wanna run into input or electronics issues when you're out on the road.
The only problem I have with local stores, particularly the larger stores, is they don't do setups on the guitars they have on the racks. They can have a great guitar, but it plays like crap because they take it out of the package and hang it straight onto the wall. That can be the same if you order online as well, but they just don't do the instrument justice.
@@RadRumblings , probably! If it plays well, and sounds good acoustically as stated in the video, everything else can be changed. So, it would be a winner if the price is right!
Literally 90% of the guitars I try in my area shops play like shii and are in *desperate* need of a setup. It's definitely kept me from buying guitars I likely would have otherwise. In their defense; they lack employees who are capable of doing proper setups, fret work and repairs. The one or 2 guys they do have are usually already overwhelmed with repairs already and have no time to set up new guitars or do fret/nut work.
@@stevenjames9487 Well, if that's your concern, you should probably be a dealer instead of a player. In fairness, though, midpriced (under $1500) are for playability and tone, not resale. But there are also lesser known brands that offer incredible value for money...Eastman, Vola, Shijie...in the case of Eastman, I have two, and I wouldn't trade either for any Gibson.
Happened to me exactly the same with that same Gretsch .Didn't know what I was after . Tried it ,Loved it and got it .There and then .3 years later and still love it .
I agree with what everybody says about the quality of the "affordable" Gretsch models. I have had a couple-- they were probably the best built guitars I have had, and that includes some much more expensive American made guitars. I 'll let you guess the brand!
I bought a Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet and it's brilliant. $650 AUD brand new. The finish is better than a $2000 guitar from an American manufacturer the retailer had in stock and the pickups are incredibly versatile. I actually went in to the shop looking to compare a Streamliner with an Ibanez Artcore but the Jet blew me away. I know everyone's raving about the 2020 Epiphones but they'll have to do a lot to catch up with the Gretsch for value and quality.
I have a Gretsch G5420T and it's an amazing guitar. The build quality is flawless and I don't even feel a need to change pickups. I also own a Mexican Fender strat from the Road Worn series, which might stretch the definition of "budget" a bit, but it's nitro finished and definitely the loudest strat I've ever played (when strummed acoustically, like Dave mentioned in the video). I just love how it resonates and do believe that's something you should look out for, regardless of price.
Bought well over 3,000 guitars, and 3,000 amps my eye. I've got a few years on him and I've gone NUTS for decades with guitars and amps, broke the bank on many occasion, and I've probably bought MAYBE a couple hundred guitars and amps, and I've owned damn near ALL of them, including obscure models, lawsuit guitars, house brands, Masterbuilt, cheapies, Ampegs, Gretshes, Valcos, Supros, Danelectros, Silvertones, Harmonies, resoglass, lucite, every brand under the sun and multiple models, including having some featured in guitar books, you name it, not to mention all the Gibsons, Fenders, Epiphones you can imagine from every era... 6,000 guitars and amps means you have to buy at least one guitar or amp EVERY TWO DAYS FOR 30 YEARS!! Unless you owned a guitar shop for that long and were buying and selling guitars and amps for 30 years like mad, including your staff, all you'd be doing is packing and shipping and receiving guitars and amps all day.
I have that exact same hollow body Gretsch that Rhett was really impressed with. It's a G2622 Streamliner in the Single Barrel Stain finish. Absolutely killer guitar. A friend and I went to go jam out on some guitars at a shop one day, and out of all the guitars we played (20+ guitars with prices ranging from $150 to $1500), that Gretsch was both of our favorite guitar we played that day. I ordered one the following week.
Jack Steele so what you’re saying is that the guitar Rhett has is the Single Barrel Stain finish because I’m planning on getting either this one or the Torino Green. Does the video show a good representation of the color in person because I really like the dark brown and if it is it might the the reason I get this one over the Torino Green
I JUST picked up a Gretsch G2655T (the smaller bodied version of the one Rhett liked) and it is really nice for the money. Fit and finish is great, feels good in the hands, and sounds great. The stuff like plastic knobs aren’t great but they’re not bad either and are easily upgraded anyways. No complaints at all. Would highly recommend.
@@joshuaserve1675 Gretsch G2622 I think walnut stain. I just bought one brand new in Single Barrel finish and it feels and sounds as incredible as it looks. Rock on
Yes! I hoped Gretsch would get a look in when I saw the title of this video! I bought a Gretsch 5220 after buying a v cheap strat copy to learn on. I can't understand why more people don't own an Electromatic. The quality of them is amazing.
an early 2000's Epiphone DOT ...... replaced the pickups with a set of stock Gretsch H/S Filtertrons ....... I was an idiot and sold it when I was on a quest for a Gibson R8. Miss that guitar more than any that I've owned(even the R8).
A (UK) guitar shop I particularly like had their annual guitar show, at which there were bargains to be had. I bought a Vintage Paul Brett Statesboro parlour acoustic. It was at the knockdown price of £70 (normally £99, I believe). It is all laminate but it sounds and plays just beautifully. I struggle to believe a guitar this good can be made at that price point.
I purchased a Michael Kelly Custom Patriot from ebay for £199. They were £769 originally! Little known brand, but It feels solid In the hand. Korean-made, I have no idea about possible upgrades though. The bridge pickup sounds very thin to me. I wouldn't know what else to tinker on It.
I've been playing since 1998. These days ,there are no bad guitars, being manufactured. You may get a bad used one, but that has never happened to me, and I have bought lots of guitars. It's actually the BEST time to be a guitarist. You can get low cost guitars , amps, and pedals. You can watch reviews on you tube before you even go to the store. This video was very sound advice. I always check out USED guitars first . WHY, because lots of people don't have patients to "Play guitar" they change out gear like crazy. Thinking it's the gear. Nope at some point you have to PUT the TIME in to make music,to make it talk sing and make interesting sounds. That comes from sitting and digging in . So used gear is a good SAVINGS ,lower prices GOOD guitars are everywhere. Good video...
Rhett, that Gretsch G2622 is the big brother of my G2655. I've had mine for almost a year and love it. Last December I put a Vibramate/B5 on it. The smile has not left my face.
I’ve said it in other threads, I have a squire classic vibe that I like more than the American made Strat I used to own. It blows my mind, the money people are willing to spend just to have that Gibson or Fender name on the head stock.
Saw the Gretsch in the thumbnail, instant click and 'like'. Picked up a G5220 Electromatic Jet single-cut about nine months ago, and it's been easily as good as my American Deluxe Telecaster. Such a great value for money.
I love my g5220. I first played the g5230 or whatever has the bigsby but don't have the need for that, so I found a g5220 at another location and knew almost immediately that I was going to walk out with it and I did. A killer deal at $450 + tax new in Dec 2019 and now they are selling for $550.
I bought a MIM Strat on EBay for practice and to take camping and add to my small collection for around 400 bucks only slightly used. Wasn’t thrilled with it so I changed tuners, changed to a bone nut, swapped the pickups, the pots and 5 way switch, billet saddles, I hard tailed it, added a Switchcraft jack, and finally, I had to dress the fret ends and remove fret sprout ( couple hours of hand work). It’s a pretty good guitar now but at the investment of time and money I wished I just bought a American Strat at my local store, lesson learned for me. Always test that guitar BEFORE you buy it.
Ah, a fellow Gretsch lover. I have a double cut Electromatic hollow body, which aren't as budget friendly but, you can get a Jet for under $600 and they have basically the same hardware.
I bought a used 2018 Squire Classic Vibe Telecaster for $259. I installed a Lollar mini hummer in the neck and a Lollar J Street in the bridge with an upgraded wiring harness with 500K pots and a treble bleed. The neck is super easy to play. I'll put it up against any guitar of your choice. I have less than $700 in it. I own 17 guitars, some much more expensive. This CV Tele is my favorite of them all.
absolutely agree.. big fan of used. I picked up an blue double cut, Electromatic , Bigsby 2 yrs old (2017/18 so upgrades from previous year ) for less than half price of a new one. The plastic still on the pick guard no scratches I could see... but the toggle was a bit finicky it would cut out, the rear peg for the strap was loose , intonation was out because of the nut for some reason , so upgrade nut, new toggle new strings professional set up and WHOLELEECHEET what a difference. I put 160 bucks in it to still below half price new. And now they have gone up another 200 bucks(+/-) here in Canada at most stores from 2018...score . The deal is a big part of the fun of purchasing for me. Makes it sound better and rarely buyers remorse ...lol
I have one of those streamliners, it's a really well built guitar, and plays great. I keep recommending it to everyone :) It's my favorite at the moment, has been for a while.
I’ve been trying to spread the word. Tried one out at a shop and loved it so much my wife said, “We’re buying this. Don’t argue.” Pots are cheap and has a plastic nut but everything else is great.
Squires, Epiphones, PRS SE. All great deals. I love to find stuff that sounds decent then upgrade the electronics, maybe a nut or bridge upgrade. Pure players guitars.
I’ve been saying for years (and selling), that Gretsch semi-hollows are the best bang for the buck...I’m even contemplating grabbing the green 3 PU one...but I really don’t need another SH...but it is filter tron 🤔🤔🤔. Great video per usual.
Great video with a lot of good tips. One further tip I would recommend is to curb your bias away from Gibson or Fender and their subsidiaries, like Gretsch, Epiphone, or Squier. The names on the headstock aren't that important. Ibanez, Yamaha, Eastwood, G&L, Peavey, Washburn, and Reverend have great guitars that fit in this range on the used market, and their names don't demand the same price tags. Smaller budget brands like Tagima are worth checking out too. I know the name on the headstock is often the first thing we judge when buying a guitar, but it's not that important. Pick up cheapo guitars. Play blemished and knocked around guitars. Chances are you'll find something cool.
I think that goes with the whole “go to a shop and just play around with guitars” mentality though. Just play them until you find “the one,” regardless of name
I have a Harley Benton st-20 I bought for about 115GBP. It sounded OK out the box but I had plans. I replaced the nut with a Tusq Nut and the string trees with Tusq low friction string trees. I replaced the tuners with Locking Ratio tuners by Graph tech. I replaced the Pickups with the Lace sensor rainbow pack. I replaced the trem with the Vega trem. (Best Trem Ever) The next thing to do is replace the stock wiring - pots etc with good ones. The guitar is already amazing. The trem in particular is next level. Pickups too. It stays in tune under the most trem abuse. Testament to the Nut, trees and the graph tech tuners. All in all a totally transformed guitar. Luv and Peace.
I have the stoptail gretsch steamliner. Honestly it has no dire need for pickups upgrades. Imo. Maybe new pots and wiring but even without that..its not the same as getting a squire affinity strat and thinking "i need new pickups!"
@@ryanseanmusicandlove I compared a Streamliner (and a Electromatic - Double Jet) with a Fender Strat (Mexico) in a nearby guitar shop. I was impressed by the Gretsch's build quality (not so much by the Fender ones). The pickups are also very good :)
Great show guys, I'm an older hippie ofcourse there was no u tube, l loved the old reel to reel tapes cause you could slow them down a third and the song would still be in tune. That helped immensely. Then it only took me all day to figure out half of a Clapton song. Now ofcourse you tube shows you any song you may want to learn. Very different times. I came from a small town, not many if all my piers played guitar. Thank god l never gave up. Leaning to play guitar half way decent is a gift that can never be taken away. And for me it a great scent of achievement that I'm very proud of. So later in life we had a daughter and l taught her what l knew, now she is twenty something and can just rip the blues. It's a beautiful thing. I guess what I'm trying to say, all you young beginners out there, guitar is a very hard thing to learn. People get frustrated and simply quit. The biggest problem from my point of view is getting that frist beginners guitar. It doesn't have to be a Les Paul or something that is expensive. You just listen to these guys in the net. Sure there are a few things that have to be right. I mean your just not going to learn if the guitar won't hold tune, or the action is so high Jummy Page couldn't play it. You guys are so lucky to have a platform that teaches you what to expect ,how to even buy a good playing guitar. Back in the day we didn't have this tool. If your thinking about learning the guitar, go for it. It doesn't matter if your 50 or 5. Just get all the information you can and don't stop in the beginning, cause you will never be bored again and it is such an accomplishment. You will be proud of yourself till the day , well you know. Great show guys. Took me years to figure out what you can know accent in minutes Lean the pentatonic scales and just rock on. If you don't your really missing out. There is nothing better than playing a guitar with some distortion and cranked up just a little bit, you actually, well l do feel like a rock god.
Those new Indonesia Gretsch guitars absolutely surprised me too. Just saw one in a music store today and strummed it and the resonance acoustically was fantastic. Absolutely agree about the acoustically strumming and listening for the sustain, longer and louder the better! If the sustain is dead sounding then move on! Thanks for the video! Great job :)
I find the Chinese/Indonesian Gretsch's generally great, *except* for the pots. So if you're someone that's just going to dime everything, or don't mine the tone/volume knobs essentially being on/off switches, they're hard to beat. Also, I find Indonesian stuff has some of the best fretwork in the industry *period*.
I bought a streamliner 2420T and that is one of the best playing Gretsch guitars i have ever played. The feel and sound of the guitar is better imho than the electromatic line and ive never liked the feel of their US models. For 25 years i ignored buying one, but id always jam one out if someone had one. But the feel just did nothing for me. Finding this streamliner was random, picked it up and it stayed in tune with the Bigsby (Even after changing strings this trem is perfect). The neck felt right and the pickups to my ears had that Gretsch tone. Im sure you can get a more Gretschy tone with better electronics, but for me im happy with the guitar as is. Only thing i did was add graphite after my last string change to the nut. Try one out folks, ive seen brand new models in this series for as low as $379 new onsale. If i had a complaint it was the knobs lol, but i had a spare pair in my parts drawer and they fit the guitar a lot better. ;-)
Guitar center came in my city, gave a bunch of stuff away and cut prices until they broke all small music stores. Then raised their price, now they are the only thing we got.
I just bought a pristine condition 2014 Zach Myers, and it plays just about like any core-model PRS I've played. I went with a pre-2018 because I believe they're now made in Indonesia.
Would love to see a video of you guys buying a "budget" guitar and upgrading it. I just bought my first guitar - an Epiphone Les Paul Standard - so I was pleased to see you guys say good things about those guitars. I'm just a beginner, but it would be great to learn more about how to buy and upgrade used, or entry level, guitars.
I've the cheapo Squire Mustang, one of the best guitars I've ever played. It's fantastic, one of the best rock sounds I've gotten. I personally keep it in Eb standard, dunno if that'll change things.
I wish I had this kind of video when I was just starting out! Now I typically build my own electrics but this video was great because I felt like I got the rush of checking a guitar store inventory without leaving my couch and get to hear you guys talk about all the thoughts that run through my head. I’m a huge fan of those Gretsch streamliner hardtails. I’m not a super big bigsby fan, but my last guitar center run had a streamliner model that was an FSR in a blue like a dark blue ice blue metallic but it had P-90 soapbars (which isn’t normally on those models) with cream covers. The tone was so sweet, the action and build quality was so good, and just looking at it was so inspiring to play and play differently, I’m still kicking myself for not buying it.
I actually bought that Gretsch you demoed on a whim online and was also in love with it. The action is fantastic and it sounds great for such a low price. I plan on popping some Lollartrons in there someday but other than that, no complaints on that guitar at all. Scratched that semi-hollow itch for sure!
@@mrpotat680 These particular pickups are HB sized Broadtrons, designed specifically for this budget line - possibly one price point up as well. They're not like Filtertrons, nor Lollartrons. I think they're pretty much HB sounding, at least in my G2655 Streamliner Centerblock Junior. Would be an odd looking adapter ring to fit Filtertrons in that route.
Several months ago purchased a Gretsch 2215-P90 on sale at GC NEW for under $290. It needed strings, a setup and slight neck relief adjustment for the 10's I put on her. I was amazed in the store with the tone and playability and the neck scale felt right at home. Felt much like my Gibson J50 so muscle memory kicked right in, no adaptation necessary. After the new strings and setup I am as happy with her as any >$1000- electric I have played. What sets her apart however is the combination of a P90 at the neck with a Broadtron at the bridge. The tonal range is amazing and even the controls feel good on her. I also have a Washburn acoustic I found in a pawn shop for $185 with HSC. It has a really crisp clean tone and built in electronics. Workmanship is amazing on Washburn instruments I have had, I also have an HB35 Washburn. It needed a setup and strings of course, something I do myself on every rig. I actually play it a LOT more than my 1970 J-50 Gibson because it is small and has great projection inside the house. The Gibson is a boomer and needs a larger space.
Current Gear: Late 1970's Martin "tribute". Aria Company MIJ (Motsumoku) 1985 ish Fender Esquire 1954 re-issue. WOW! (Approaches custom shop in craftsmanship!) vintage47: classic 5 (point to point) 1976 Princeton Reverb (stock, w/ground cord) Bose 800's utility cabinets (pa, bass,guitar (with my old strat and 50 watt Traynor w/reverb: an eq pedal would have helped a clumsy rig!) Dad's 1959 J-45. I had some great vintage gear others are enjoying currently (55 Deluxe, 100 Super Lead, Blonde Bassman, 56 Strat: I played for 10,000 hours! Re-fret at Charlies in Dallas. Apologies for typos and long narratives you probably discussed previously. Budget Guitars (used) Golden Age of Japan. Return policies a must and study to ferret out the best for the $$ Heritage guitars (Parson's St). The old Gibson employees make great guitars. thanks to Rhett for his platform and hard work frosty413 full time 1966 to late 90's in a band 30 years as an alzheimerswhisperer
I have my eye on a Gretsch g2420 atm. I’m debating on whether trading it for my les paul studio since it has neck warp. :( But I have played the gretsch at a guitar center and fell in love with it :)
I recently bought a mid sixties Sivertone classical for $40 at a Goodwill that has one of the most beautiful tones and resonance I've ever heard. I've been playing it every day since I picked it up.
A great strat option are the 80's Hohner St-Specials (I think they did a little higher end '59?). Stock pups are really nice...a bit more output than stock Fenders but still great strat tones. 22-fret, Roller trees, good hardware and a nice Suhr-like headstock shape all for sub-200 bucks. Most are scratched and swirled now, but people actually pay extra for "relics" so that shouldn't be too much of an issue.
That Epiphone Les Paul - I have one from about the same time (I think the last year of it being made in Korea) that’s been great for me for years. I was a kid and it was the best I could afford at the time, but has really stood up. (And there definitely wasn’t much weight relief going on with mine either!)
I have several styles of guitars, but hadn't owned an LP since the 70s. I got an Epi LP Standard Pro since I wasn't going to drop 3-4k on a Gibson. I must say I was stunned by the fit and finish. It's a tea burst and the flame top is gorgeous. The pro buckers sound great and playability was perfect out of the box. Didn't have to bench it at all. Quite impressive for the price range.
From what I’ve seen Harley Benton guitars have been getting rock solid reviews.... I’m planning on buying one of their Tele style guitars soon... unfortunately where I live even the “budget” prices guitars are still tipis expensive and with onl one music store, there’s zero competition.
There's a satisfaction that I get from buying a cheap guitar and upgrading it. Just makes me remember the journey me and him took. My bullet squier was my first guitar and it basically saw me start with simple nirvana riffs to getting into David Gilmour and then Eddie Van Halen. From the custom pickguard to new pickups and push pull switches, going all crazy with ideas for more upgrades, I think this is the essence of playing the guitar. You get time to bond with the thing when you take it apart and try new things.
That's good to know. I have the same; Gretsch Streamliner with the Bigsby (same colour as this)... it sounds ace acoustically - and through my Marshall Valvestate - but I haven't played it enough (I'm busking on acoustic mostly these days) to know how best I can shape it to my needs. I'd like to get it properly set-up and played through a new amp upgrade I have in mind...
Hi. Being from Australia which is geographically really in Asia, it is good to see this kind of video give credence (where it is deserved) to "run-of-the-mill" Asian manufactured guitars. Like a lot of people I look to American made guitars as the pinnacle of workmanship but the prices that have to be paid here (overseas) are always a major factor in the "should I" or "shouldn't I" when it come to handing over the cash (i.e. if you want a medium sized collection of good gigable guitars). Hence my collection comprising S-type, "Super-Strat," T-type, "335," 'AG,' and "Mustang" guitars are made in Asian countries, being brands like Yamaha, Samick, Epiphone, Squier, Onyx, and Heerbie. I only own one Made in the USA guitar and I'm keeping it, but I'd rather (and happily) take any of the others out of the house to play them. Thanks Rhett for covering this kind of topic.
The cheap guitar thing really is amazing for those of us who “been around for a while”. When I was growing up in the 70s, Ibanez only made knock offs and any guitar that was “cheap” was exactly that. One of my favorite guitars today is my Epiphone 339, which is a “cheap” guitar, but in this case that just means inexpensive. He plays great, it sounds good, and like you say in the video if I wanna upgrade I totally can and improve it dramatically. The other thing about adding new components to an inexpensive guitar, is if you screw it up somehow, you haven’t destroyed some $2500 investment. And of course there’s always the “which guitar am I taking to the gig“ question. Sometimes there’s that gig, which is at that place, where you make sure your car is locked, if you know what I mean. I’m not bringing my Gibson custom shop guitar to that gig.
Another issue, is that these upgraded "cheap" guitars are sold by their modifier. A LOT of sellers think that the value of what they have is the full used cost of the guitar, plus the new price of everything they have done to it. It may sound like a $2500 guitar, but a set of pickups and a cap will not change a $300 guitar into a $550 one.
Of all my least expensive guitars, ya gotta Try an AIO Wolf Guitar, a must. Amazing setups. The Guitar plays itself. $425 brand new. Guitar is gorgeous too. My Wolf model is a W400.
One of my favorites is a Dearmond M-77t that I've upgraded. It's from about '99 and when new was right in the same market segment as the Gretsch he's playing in this video. I had it upgraded with new electronics, a bone nut, and TV Jones classic plus pickups back in about 2004. Sounds and plays incredibly and I've only got about $900 in it total (actually spent more on the upgrades than the guitar lol). Used American G&L stuff can also be VERY affordable if you're patient and willing to be flexible on color/config. You can find them in the $600-800 range, which IMO is the sweet spot pricewise for both guitars and amps.
Every guitar I have owned I purchased used and my favorite is my Epiphone Les Paul Standard, my second is a Gibson SG Special with mini humbuckers. Love shopping used guitars and learning stuff.
also he's right Epiphone stuff is generally better value than real Gibsons, the quality on them has been pretty random for at least a decade now. Some Epiphones can be surprisingly nice and more consistent & easy to upgrade.
I had a Epiphone Les Paul I bought in 1994. Paid $350. Sold it for $800. The best guitar I ever owned. Beat my 1979 Gibson Les Paul to death. Had an Electra mid 70s strat copy. Same thing. Paid $125 for it sold it for $500. Best strat style guitar I have ever played and my dad has a real '57 vintage strat. I pth that Electra in my dad's hands with his eyes closed and he loved it.
Brilliant. I actually owned one of those Streamliner Gretsch's ( mine was the G2622T ) which was an amazing guitar. I ended up trading it and upgrading to a G5422T Electromatic ( which was also an amazing guitar ) I wish I kept hold of both of them, and will probably reinvest in them again at some stage. I honestly believe spending £500 / £700 ( I'm in the UK ) wisely, can be a better move than spending a few thousand pounds on over priced /over hyped guitars. For the money, my personal favourite's are Eastman and Godin guitars - both extremely well priced for exceptional quality. Thanks for the video fella's, most enjoyable x
I bought a Streamliner too.. the same model Rhett is playing but witha Bigsby... sounds great, plays great too... I changed the knobs for the chromed ones, just for the looks and the tuners for Grovers... one of the best guitars I've had!!!
I've had a lot of used guitars on and out over the years and a number of the ones I didn't expect a lot out of have been stellar guitars after a good set up. One that surprised me was a very cheap Ibanez,(Roadstar II) that was in unplayable condition when given to me for next to nothing. I got rid of the trem and replaced it with a six screw Strat style trem (had to use wood filler to get rid of a slight indent routed for the original bridge). I did a minor leveling and dressing of the frets, swapped out the pots (they were seized, might have been okay if cleaned, but swapping them is cheap so just went that route). I shimmed the neck. The bridge pickup was a shrill single, so I routed out some space and put in a humbucker. I bought an HSS pickgaurd that didn't quite fit (made for a Strat) so I filed it to shape. Now that is the second best playing guitar in my collection, and I payed $40, spent $70 on parts. The bridge was rescued from another guitar, so the $70 was spent on the humbucker, the pickgaurd and the pots.
Love my G3700 Gretsch acoustic. 4-500 for an incredible sound. Buddies pick it up and prefer it to many of their far more expensive guitars. My Martin gathers dust
I have the left of the Gretsch G2622 Streamliner it's a stunning guitar! It was also the most expensive guitar I've bought so far (£320 second hand) and I adore it. I love my Epiphone Les Paul Special II but this Gretsch is starting to take over
Rhett: Thanks for all you do for this wonderful hobby of mine. I am just learning guitar and mandolin at almost 60. Recent purchase was a Squier Telecaster. Working on a pedalboard based on Mason Marangella's suggestions., beginning with the isolated power supply, a 1 Spot Pro 12... I wish I could afford your super effects like the Timeline, Big Sky and Mobius. Perhaps someday. I am also writing my own music far too late in life, but enjoying Cubase 10, UAD plug-ins, and NI Komplete 11, along with the Helix Native plug-in. Please keep posting videos, as there is so much I need to learn. Tim Pierce's site is also a favorite.
I bought a used 81 fender bullet 2 (the double cut body style) for $30, did a fret level, and put some used strat pickups in it, and it’s been my number 1 ever since. Less than $80 total and a couple hours of work and it plays as well, if not better, than some of the guitars I paid well over 10 times the price for. Some of those fender budget guitars are absolutely incredible with a little TLC As far as epiphones, in my opinion the 339’s are the absolute best value on the market. They sound phenomenal and play like butter, and have an enormous range of tone.
I love pawnshop guitars... I feel like I'm walking into a dog pound, looking to adopt a new family member. I tell my friends, "A great blues guitar earns it's soul at the pawnshop."
Yeah, I never could put that feeling into words. I don't like dogs but it's a good analogy. I passed on a Gretch today, the G2420. I loved the way it played. The tuning heads were no name and it was 550 dollars but I knew I could get at least 10 % off. Maybe more if paid for with cash. The price also gave me pause. Now I feel like I should have bought it. Worse case I change tuning machines and possibly the pick ups. It played better than the Jimmy Paige Tele. Of course it prolly wasn't set up but still, it was almost 2500 and the Gretch blew it away as far as feel and playability. I guess I'm going back today. I haven't slept all night because of this. I doubt it comes with a hardshell but I'm hoping. It was the best playing guitar in the entire store amo g the electrics, other than the high end strats. I have one so I'm not gonna be happy until I buy the damn Gretch. I knew i should have went with my gut. Played thru a early 70's Gibson solid state amp that sounded unbelievable for only 200 bucks. I'm considering grabbing that also. I don't need anymore shit but it feels like getting high and it lasts until the next day when the guilt sets in. Thank God I'm divorced. And I don't know how I went from a pawn shop feeling to my experience at a music store today. I guess I just needed to vent. But I agree, like puppies.
@@denyel_ Yes I did. And here is what happened since. I played it and it just didn't have the same appeal once I got it home. I passed on the amp. I have enough of those anyway. So a friend of mine who knows a guy who loves Gretsch told him about my mishap and I traded him for a Mexi-strat. I was really surprised with it. So he was happy and I was happy and all ended well.
Hey Rhett, Fantastic Video! I live in the Philippines on an early retirment and upon making my move I sold American strat, Rickenbackers and a custom SG. So starting over on the far side of the world was a learning experience. i found some FANTASTIC budget guitar brands that are manufactured in this region and have found my perfect guitars from Thompson (S.Korea) and J Craft guitars (Hong Kong)! I've come to realise that quality craftsmanship can be done and sold for a reasonable amount of money... brand New!
I would love a video of performing upgrades to a less expensive guitar. Tell why you would change the pickups or what is wrong with in and be in-depth about it. Maybe make it a 2 part video. You And Dave have skills that most of us don’t have access to locally. I video like that would definitely be down my alley! Thanks Rhett
Great video with terrific advice. I bought a new Epiphone Sheraton last year for $600. Great action and play-ability. Had my local guitar shop put in a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover in the neck and a Pearly Gates in the bridge and change out the pots for another $400 total. Monster sounding guitar.
This guy Dave knows his guitars and you won't ever sell him one for more than it's worth. However, if you have a hat that the dog went to town on, he's your man.
@Terms and Disagreement I've found that anything under $1,000 needs a decent setup and new pickups, at which point they all become comparable. I'll have to check out that Gretsch model though, probably even pick one up if they're that nice right out of the box, but I'll still have to install new pickups because those broad'trons suck compared to filter'trons.
@@ryan8779 I just bought an ibanez high perfomance series and it came straight to my house with a perfect setup. Action was on point, the floyd rose style whammy bar was perfectly level with the body and on top of it it was in tune, and perfectly intonated. The guitar was $899.99. The fretwork was also done really well. In all honesty the only thing that I would have liked would have been SS6105 or SS6100 frets to come stock on the guitar. But whatever, the low and fast action doesnt really make me press down too hard and I should get many years out of the frets that came stock. Point I'm trying to make is that not all guitars need a good set-up. Some companies, or whoever set it up before it shipped probably took pride in what they were doing.
Feel is a huge thing for me especially when it comes to the neck. I was always in love with the look and sound of an SG. Played a ton of them and finally bought one and now it’s just a nice wall decoration that’s played once in a blue moon. I ended up falling in love with the J Mascis Squier jazzmaster. I played at least 30 guitars in the shop from fenders to gibsons and was still just drawn to the $400 jazzmaster. crazy how good inexpensive guitars are now a days.
My first video course, The Tone Course, is now available. Check it out here!
flatfiv.co/collections/rhett-shull/products/the-tone-course
Rhett Shull You should get that Gretsch! I love mine!
What was that cinnamon red like color Gretsch
There are thousands of affordable guitars just as good as any "famous brand" ones, and which quite often play and sound way better. A good 2nd hand LTD Viper 400 with good PUs will often be better than most Gibson, for instance. Of course, if you're a "snob" and you need that "brand" on the headstock you'll never ever get to even try such options.
I just don't care where the guitar comes from, nor what's on the headstock. I play a 2nd hand LTD EC1000, and I'm just as comfortable with it for to play anything ranging from classic Rock to Blues, Jazz, and even Rock'a'Billy (with a split coil push-pull to thinner both Seymour Duncan humbuckers, and a newly installed Duesenberg Tremolo).
Hutto
@@juantovar5084 l
If you do a video about upgrading a guitar, please talk about they "whys" of doing upgrades and demonstrate some before/after sound and playability stuff. For some of us, we do not have as much of a discerning ear or playing technique to be able to hear or feel the differences or at least know what to listen for or feel. Thanks. Love your channel.
not thought about this, for those who have spent countless hours on the internet it's obvious but yeah I had no idea before I started, that'd be a great video for a lot of info in one place
I think that's a great idea. Also, when doing an audio comparison and you describe sounds that you're trying to achieve you might use terms like glassy, ice pick, or fizz for a description. However, some people don't know what that means.
Perhaps you could put in yhe video audio examples for the nomenclature used? If you already have covered this could someone post a link?
@@hazrusInc Not that I disagree, but myself, I have to play a guitar to really hear what the guitar sounds like to myself. I've had people play my guitars and they sound a lot different. I've noticed , through the years I have a same kind of sound to an extent, whether I may be on a Fender (single coil) or a Les Paul (Humbucking) type. Or even an amp difference at times.
Yeah, there are bargains to be found in upgrade hardware, sources, installation, and DIY info would be awesome!
I would like to know about a bone nut and saddle for acoustic upgrade.
I own a couple of high- mid-range guitars, but I also have a budget Gretsch and I absolutely love it. Great tone, great feel, fast neck, super action, and just great fun to play. Well-made, and no bad stuff. It is my go-to for just picking something up and playing because it feels so good and resonates so well, even unplugged. Got it new for just over $400. Easily one of my best purchases.
I don't know, but there's something about buying used, cheap guitars that is so satisfying. Whether its meeting the previous owner and hearing their story as a musician and with the guitar, or just the grind of waiting and checking to see what's available in the local area, driving for miles to pick them up... It's so much better than just hitting order and getting exactly what you want in 3-4 working days.
Agreed. The sense of satisfaction out of breathing new life into an instrument is pretty hard to beat.
@@ardatukenmez2890 I traded guitars about a year and a half ago just to try something different. When I was trying it through the guy's setup, it was alright but I figured I might just trade it again shortly after. When I got it setup through my own gear though in the comfort of my home I was blown away. It's a 1980 Ibanez Musician, which somehow went up in value almost immediately after the trade, lol.
@@mattdyck9931 they were good basses, and are still sought after. However, most used instruments for sale, are NOT of that calibre. Depends on what your after, really. . . . you wont find the tone of a'76 Stingray, in a 3rd rung Indonesian Stingray look alike . . . but, if you had the urge for say, a RED one . . . . you may find the 2nd hand lot is just the right . . err . . Color
I have a used vicente taytay tomas made in spain 1970
Its impressive how indestructible these classical guitars are and they sound great plus they are super lightweight
Best experienced I've had with a used guitar
I *know* right?! For some reason, buying a guitar used kindof takes the "pressure" off for me as well. I am much more likely to actually "buy in to" a guitar and play it without being self conscious if I bought it used. I find a new guitar off the wall can be somewhat intimidating. Plus, having a story of the great deal you got, or the journey you went on to pick up the guitar sticks with the instrument!
G&L guitars are greatly underrated. I bought my first one back in 1993 while on a mission to look for a Fender Strat. Had to have the salesperson tell me what the hell a G&L was. When I learned they were built by Leo Fender & George Fullerton I immediately picked one up and played it,... 20 or so minutes later I told the salesperson to ring it in,... and that was after I had played about 8 Fender Strats in the same store. I still have that guitar USA made G&L Strat today and it plays and sounds like the day I bought. The fit and finish are perfect and the Dual Fulcrum tremolo keeps the guitar in perfect tune,... WAY better than the Fender Strat. I buy as many used G&L guitars as I can,... preferably those made in the early 80's to early 90's which have an average price of about $1,000. A true bargain when you consider the top notch quality.
Jerry Cantrell is known to be a big fan and user of G&L's. They were made in Indonesia, don't know if they still are but the quality of workmanship at that plant has a great reputation. I know Leo was happier with what they built than the stuff Fender was cranking out even back when he owned it.
got a usa made l2500 its an 01 been played hard, gigged and well traveled rock solid never let me down still sounds and plays like a dream just brought it to the shop for minor fret work a scratchy pot and new imput jack not bad for 20 years imo
yes - love my G&L S-500 Tribute. Around 500-600 bucks. Love the high output pickups, the extra pickup combinations and the PBT tone control for bass roll-off - an absolutely excellent tone-shaping tool that should be on every electric to cut the mud. I have shot this out against quite a few real fender Strats and have found that it is easy to replicate a "real" fender by dialing volume and both tones back to 8 (give-or-take), and having the extra bit of headroom to push things is really nice. And fingerboard is a tad on the wide side which definitely works for me.
@@WhoWouldWantThisName G&L Tribute guitars are made in Indonesia. The rest of G&L guitars are made in Fullerton California. The Tribute series is a great bargain. Unless they changed things, all the Tribute guitars have G&L pickups and bridges. The body and neck are made by Cort in Indonesia and assembled by them.
I bought a G&L Tribute Legacy here in Australia about 16 years ago. Great value instrument with a tremolo that leaves Fender way behind.
As a budget heavy man, videos like this are definitely up my alley! The Perfect Budget guitar might seem subjective, but I think there are many ways to determine so. Thank you for the work!
Great choice on the Gretsch! It took me over 20 years to decide to try a non U.S. made Gretsch. I own somewhere north of 10 vintage U.S. Gretschs and love every one of them. I got caught up in the whole " if it ain't made in the U.S. it sucks" thing when it comes to Gretsch guitars. Finally picked up a foreign version... and fell in love all over again. I have to honestly say that Gretsch just makes good stuff.
You’re doing the Lord’s work. Dave is a boss and you’re cinematographer should get a raise!
Yeah, give Tilly a raise! Haha.
Here's an oddly specific tip for anyone looking at buying any recent Epiphone guitar (generally 2013 and on)... Look for one made in the Qingdao factory. I own several Epi's, and I have three that were made in that factory. They are far and away the best Epi's I have. I don't know how else to say it, they are simply all three of better quality than the others. You'll be looking for a '15' somewhere in the middle of the serial #, these are the Qingdao made models.
Something like this: xxxx15xxxxx
Trust me, they are good. Try one out for yourself.
I have an Epi Les Paul Standard Pro with a xxxx15xxxxx serial #. You're right. It's my favorite Epi.
My LP Prophecy is from the Qingdao factory. My favorite guitar hands down. Not that its got much competition, but like, even when im enjoying my Ibanez or my acoustic, i find myself drawn back to it eventually
I have an Epi Les Paul Studio LT and though it was about $250 before tax this is really an excellent guitar. It was my very first guitar and I still love it to this day. When I pick it up and play it it just seems to fit like a glove. I did a few mods to it but they were just cosmetic so everything about the guitar regarding playability is still the same as it was when I got it and I will keep this guitar forever because it plays great and was my first.
I've got an es-335 pro from that factory that is absolutely killer!
Thanks for that info man, that’s probably the most useful and helpful thing I’ve picked up in a long time.
Camera crew walks into guitar store:
That one guy: so anyway I started powerchording
I don't know about you but when I walk into a guitar store my playing instantly reverts to a "never picked up a guitar in my life" ability.
I get a charge out of the phrase “gig-able guitar”.
As if anyone listening to your band would know the diff between a $2500 American Strat or an $800 Mexi with upgrades.
Especially the way I play. XD
I think they mean in terms of reliability/how it would hold up on tour. You don't wanna run into input or electronics issues when you're out on the road.
@@colina1330 The phrase ''spare guitar'' comes to mind.
@@colina1330 that’s why I used the word “upgrades”
The same happens with effects. Noboby in the audience Will ever tell the diffrence between a very expensive boutique fx and a chinese clone.
The only problem I have with local stores, particularly the larger stores, is they don't do setups on the guitars they have on the racks. They can have a great guitar, but it plays like crap because they take it out of the package and hang it straight onto the wall. That can be the same if you order online as well, but they just don't do the instrument justice.
and conversely when a shop DOES set up their guitars, its so rare that you almost always end up walking out with one because they are "special" lol
The larger music stores are usually chains right?
@@LexanderMiller yes, that is the case.
@@RadRumblings , probably! If it plays well, and sounds good acoustically as stated in the video, everything else can be changed. So, it would be a winner if the price is right!
Literally 90% of the guitars I try in my area shops play like shii and are in *desperate* need of a setup. It's definitely kept me from buying guitars I likely would have otherwise.
In their defense; they lack employees who are capable of doing proper setups, fret work and repairs. The one or 2 guys they do have are usually already overwhelmed with repairs already and have no time to set up new guitars or do fret/nut work.
"Taking a budget guitar and turning it into something great" The most rewarding thing to do, my favorite pastime...🤘🎸
Mine too.
Been doing the same thing for years. And even upgrades don't have to cost a lot either. GFS pups are one of my favorite upgrades to do.
There is literally no reason to spend over $1500 on an electric guitar anymore, except snob appeal.
What about resale though
@@stevenjames9487 Well, if that's your concern, you should probably be a dealer instead of a player. In fairness, though, midpriced (under $1500) are for playability and tone, not resale. But there are also lesser known brands that offer incredible value for money...Eastman, Vola, Shijie...in the case of Eastman, I have two, and I wouldn't trade either for any Gibson.
Happened to me exactly the same with that same Gretsch .Didn't know what I was after .
Tried it ,Loved it and got it .There and then .3 years later and still love it .
I agree with what everybody says about the quality of the "affordable" Gretsch models. I have had a couple-- they were probably the best built guitars I have had, and that includes some much more expensive American made guitars. I 'll let you guess the brand!
I bought a Gretsch G5220 Electromatic Jet and it's brilliant. $650 AUD brand new. The finish is better than a $2000 guitar from an American manufacturer the retailer had in stock and the pickups are incredibly versatile.
I actually went in to the shop looking to compare a Streamliner with an Ibanez Artcore but the Jet blew me away.
I know everyone's raving about the 2020 Epiphones but they'll have to do a lot to catch up with the Gretsch for value and quality.
I’ve had a lot of guitars, but my Gretsch still sounds as good as my American Fender and better than my Gibson.
Does it start with G and end with N?
@@antma9028 great guess!
@@antma9028 Might do ; )
That hollow body Gretsch sounded great and both of you were running the notes like it’s frets were pushing you onwards.
What model Gretsch was this?
@@brianf4879 elsewhere in the comments someone asked the same question and someone answered they have the same guitar, a G2622 Streamliner
I have the same guitar with the bigsby bridge and it’s one of the best guitar I’ve ever played.
I have a Gretsch G5420T and it's an amazing guitar. The build quality is flawless and I don't even feel a need to change pickups.
I also own a Mexican Fender strat from the Road Worn series, which might stretch the definition of "budget" a bit, but it's nitro finished and definitely the loudest strat I've ever played (when strummed acoustically, like Dave mentioned in the video). I just love how it resonates and do believe that's something you should look out for, regardless of price.
Bought well over 3,000 guitars, and 3,000 amps my eye. I've got a few years on him and I've gone NUTS for decades with guitars and amps, broke the bank on many occasion, and I've probably bought MAYBE a couple hundred guitars and amps, and I've owned damn near ALL of them, including obscure models, lawsuit guitars, house brands, Masterbuilt, cheapies, Ampegs, Gretshes, Valcos, Supros, Danelectros, Silvertones, Harmonies, resoglass, lucite, every brand under the sun and multiple models, including having some featured in guitar books, you name it, not to mention all the Gibsons, Fenders, Epiphones you can imagine from every era... 6,000 guitars and amps means you have to buy at least one guitar or amp EVERY TWO DAYS FOR 30 YEARS!! Unless you owned a guitar shop for that long and were buying and selling guitars and amps for 30 years like mad, including your staff, all you'd be doing is packing and shipping and receiving guitars and amps all day.
Well done
Sheesh sir you are a legend
Do you have a favorite you’ve ever gotten?
9
I have that exact same hollow body Gretsch that Rhett was really impressed with. It's a G2622 Streamliner in the Single Barrel Stain finish. Absolutely killer guitar. A friend and I went to go jam out on some guitars at a shop one day, and out of all the guitars we played (20+ guitars with prices ranging from $150 to $1500), that Gretsch was both of our favorite guitar we played that day. I ordered one the following week.
Jack Steele so what you’re saying is that the guitar Rhett has is the Single Barrel Stain finish because I’m planning on getting either this one or the Torino Green. Does the video show a good representation of the color in person because I really like the dark brown and if it is it might the the reason I get this one over the Torino Green
I’ve got the G2410T. Super similar. Also that single barrel stain. Gorgeous instrument, sounds lovely.
I JUST picked up a Gretsch G2655T (the smaller bodied version of the one Rhett liked) and it is really nice for the money. Fit and finish is great, feels good in the hands, and sounds great. The stuff like plastic knobs aren’t great but they’re not bad either and are easily upgraded anyways. No complaints at all. Would highly recommend.
Do you know the model that Rhett liked?
@@joshuaserve1675 Gretsch G2622 I think walnut stain. I just bought one brand new in Single Barrel finish and it feels and sounds as incredible as it looks. Rock on
Yes! I hoped Gretsch would get a look in when I saw the title of this video!
I bought a Gretsch 5220 after buying a v cheap strat copy to learn on. I can't understand why more people don't own an Electromatic. The quality of them is amazing.
I wish I had resources like this when I was growing up. You guys are awesome! Thanks for doing what you do. I like how honest you are in your opinions
Whats the best budget guitar you've ever played?
The Sterling James Valentine signature is my go-to guitar, and I paid like $850 CAD for it
an early 2000's Epiphone DOT ...... replaced the pickups with a set of stock Gretsch H/S Filtertrons ....... I was an idiot and sold it when I was on a quest for a Gibson R8. Miss that guitar more than any that I've owned(even the R8).
I had an Epiphone es 335 pro that was great for the money.
A (UK) guitar shop I particularly like had their annual guitar show, at which there were bargains to be had. I bought a Vintage Paul Brett Statesboro parlour acoustic. It was at the knockdown price of £70 (normally £99, I believe). It is all laminate but it sounds and plays just beautifully. I struggle to believe a guitar this good can be made at that price point.
I purchased a Michael Kelly Custom Patriot from ebay for £199. They were £769 originally! Little known brand, but It feels solid In the hand. Korean-made, I have no idea about possible upgrades though. The bridge pickup sounds very thin to me. I wouldn't know what else to tinker on It.
I've been playing since 1998.
These days ,there are no bad guitars, being manufactured.
You may get a bad used one, but that has never happened to me, and I have bought lots of guitars.
It's actually the BEST time to be a guitarist. You can get low cost guitars , amps, and pedals.
You can watch reviews on you tube before you even go to the store.
This video was very sound advice.
I always check out USED guitars first .
WHY, because lots of people don't have patients to
"Play guitar" they change out gear like crazy. Thinking it's the gear.
Nope at some point you have to PUT the TIME in to make music,to make it talk sing and make interesting sounds.
That comes from sitting and digging in .
So used gear is a good SAVINGS ,lower prices GOOD guitars are everywhere.
Good video...
Rhett, that Gretsch G2622 is the big brother of my G2655. I've had mine for almost a year and love it. Last December I put a Vibramate/B5 on it. The smile has not left my face.
I’ve said it in other threads, I have a squire classic vibe that I like more than the American made Strat I used to own. It blows my mind, the money people are willing to spend just to have that Gibson or Fender name on the head stock.
Saw the Gretsch in the thumbnail, instant click and 'like'. Picked up a G5220 Electromatic Jet single-cut about nine months ago, and it's been easily as good as my American Deluxe Telecaster. Such a great value for money.
bthalko agreed. I bought one in December, had it set-up, and it plays and sounds great after breaking it in a bit.
I absolutely love the Blacktop Filtertrons that they have in those. I have one at home myself and love it.
I love my g5220. I first played the g5230 or whatever has the bigsby but don't have the need for that, so I found a g5220 at another location and knew almost immediately that I was going to walk out with it and I did. A killer deal at $450 + tax new in Dec 2019 and now they are selling for $550.
I bought a MIM Strat on EBay for practice and to take camping and add to my small collection for around 400 bucks only slightly used. Wasn’t thrilled with it so I changed tuners, changed to a bone nut, swapped the pickups, the pots and 5 way switch, billet saddles, I hard tailed it, added a Switchcraft jack, and finally, I had to dress the fret ends and remove fret sprout ( couple hours of hand work). It’s a pretty good guitar now but at the investment of time and money I wished I just bought a American Strat at my local store, lesson learned for me. Always test that guitar BEFORE you buy it.
I have that gretsch, but with a bigsby. It's an absolute killer guitar I love it
Me too! Love it!
@@jacobdrescher1756 What's the model number on it? Looks like a 5622 but all the RH ones I see have bigsby's instead of stoptails
Tyler Shaw g2622 streamliner
Ah, a fellow Gretsch lover. I have a double cut Electromatic hollow body, which aren't as budget friendly but, you can get a Jet for under $600 and they have basically the same hardware.
@@tylershaw3968 G2622
I bought a used 2018 Squire Classic Vibe Telecaster for $259. I installed a Lollar mini hummer in the neck and a Lollar J Street in the bridge with an upgraded wiring harness with 500K pots and a treble bleed. The neck is super easy to play. I'll put it up against any guitar of your choice. I have less than $700 in it. I own 17 guitars, some much more expensive. This CV Tele is my favorite of them all.
Holy crap, I never realized that Dave is a badass guitarist.
absolutely agree.. big fan of used. I picked up an blue double cut, Electromatic , Bigsby 2 yrs old (2017/18 so upgrades from previous year ) for less than half price of a new one. The plastic still on the pick guard no scratches I could see... but the toggle was a bit finicky it would cut out, the rear peg for the strap was loose , intonation was out because of the nut for some reason , so upgrade nut, new toggle new strings professional set up and WHOLELEECHEET what a difference. I put 160 bucks in it to still below half price new. And now they have gone up another 200 bucks(+/-) here in Canada at most stores from 2018...score . The deal is a big part of the fun of purchasing for me. Makes it sound better and rarely buyers remorse ...lol
I have one of those streamliners, it's a really well built guitar, and plays great. I keep recommending it to everyone :) It's my favorite at the moment, has been for a while.
I’ve been trying to spread the word. Tried one out at a shop and loved it so much my wife said, “We’re buying this. Don’t argue.” Pots are cheap and has a plastic nut but everything else is great.
Squires, Epiphones, PRS SE. All great deals. I love to find stuff that sounds decent then upgrade the electronics, maybe a nut or bridge upgrade. Pure players guitars.
I love Dave! He’s in a perpetual state of, “or, ya know, whatever... No big deal.” 🤷♂️
That older Epi for $350 was a great deal. I find those older Korean Epis to be a lot nicer compared to the newer Chinese versions.
I have a 2004 Les Paul and you can hear the wood has dried out compared to new ones!
I’ve been saying for years (and selling), that Gretsch semi-hollows are the best bang for the buck...I’m even contemplating grabbing the green 3 PU one...but I really don’t need another SH...but it is filter tron 🤔🤔🤔. Great video per usual.
Great video with a lot of good tips. One further tip I would recommend is to curb your bias away from Gibson or Fender and their subsidiaries, like Gretsch, Epiphone, or Squier. The names on the headstock aren't that important. Ibanez, Yamaha, Eastwood, G&L, Peavey, Washburn, and Reverend have great guitars that fit in this range on the used market, and their names don't demand the same price tags. Smaller budget brands like Tagima are worth checking out too. I know the name on the headstock is often the first thing we judge when buying a guitar, but it's not that important. Pick up cheapo guitars. Play blemished and knocked around guitars. Chances are you'll find something cool.
I think that goes with the whole “go to a shop and just play around with guitars” mentality though. Just play them until you find “the one,” regardless of name
Hagstroms too
What I've learned:
-Every cheap guitar is hard to beat
no it is easy- smash it against something.
Nothing is hard to beat if you grind enough levels.
@@vladv5126 ain't that the truth
I'd rather hear 'hard to beat" than "circle back".
@@vladv5126 bloodborne laughs at uou
I have a Harley Benton st-20 I bought for about 115GBP. It sounded OK out the box but I had plans.
I replaced the nut with a Tusq Nut and the string trees with Tusq low friction string trees.
I replaced the tuners with Locking Ratio tuners by Graph tech.
I replaced the Pickups with the Lace sensor rainbow pack.
I replaced the trem with the Vega trem. (Best Trem Ever)
The next thing to do is replace the stock wiring - pots etc with good ones.
The guitar is already amazing.
The trem in particular is next level. Pickups too.
It stays in tune under the most trem abuse. Testament to the Nut, trees and the graph tech tuners.
All in all a totally transformed guitar.
Luv and Peace.
So buy the gretsch and play it and then show it upgraded and playability
What gretsch is that? You know the model?
@@marcelduplessis I believe its the Gretsch G2622 Streamliner
I called the shop and bought the Gretch after seeing this video.
I have the stoptail gretsch steamliner. Honestly it has no dire need for pickups upgrades. Imo. Maybe new pots and wiring but even without that..its not the same as getting a squire affinity strat and thinking "i need new pickups!"
@@ryanseanmusicandlove I compared a Streamliner (and a Electromatic - Double Jet) with a Fender Strat (Mexico) in a nearby guitar shop. I was impressed by the Gretsch's build quality (not so much by the Fender ones). The pickups are also very good :)
Dude at 11:49 I could listen to you play that forever. Such a beautiful sequence of chords with a great tone Rhett!
I have a couple of Indonesian made Squier Teles and for the money, they are amazing guitars. They punch waaaay above their weight.
Great show guys, I'm an older hippie ofcourse there was no u tube, l loved the old reel to reel tapes cause you could slow them down a third and the song would still be in tune. That helped immensely. Then it only took me all day to figure out half of a Clapton song. Now ofcourse you tube shows you any song you may want to learn. Very different times. I came from a small town, not many if all my piers played guitar. Thank god l never gave up. Leaning to play guitar half way decent is a gift that can never be taken away. And for me it a great scent of achievement that I'm very proud of. So later in life we had a daughter and l taught her what l knew, now she is twenty something and can just rip the blues. It's a beautiful thing. I guess what I'm trying to say, all you young beginners out there, guitar is a very hard thing to learn. People get frustrated and simply quit. The biggest problem from my point of view is getting that frist beginners guitar. It doesn't have to be a Les Paul or something that is expensive. You just listen to these guys in the net. Sure there are a few things that have to be right. I mean your just not going to learn if the guitar won't hold tune, or the action is so high Jummy Page couldn't play it. You guys are so lucky to have a platform that teaches you what to expect ,how to even buy a good playing guitar. Back in the day we didn't have this tool. If your thinking about learning the guitar, go for it. It doesn't matter if your 50 or 5. Just get all the information you can and don't stop in the beginning, cause you will never be bored again and it is such an accomplishment.
You will be proud of yourself till the day , well you know.
Great show guys. Took me years to figure out what you can know accent in minutes
Lean the pentatonic scales and just rock on. If you don't your really missing out. There is nothing better than playing a guitar with some distortion and cranked up just a little bit, you actually, well l do feel like a rock god.
Those new Indonesia Gretsch guitars absolutely surprised me too. Just saw one in a music store today and strummed it and the resonance acoustically was fantastic. Absolutely agree about the acoustically strumming and listening for the sustain, longer and louder the better! If the sustain is dead sounding then move on! Thanks for the video! Great job :)
Do you know what model Gretch he's playing in the video?
@@jayloiselle9281 I'm sure you've figured it out by now, but it's a g2622
I find the Chinese/Indonesian Gretsch's generally great, *except* for the pots. So if you're someone that's just going to dime everything, or don't mine the tone/volume knobs essentially being on/off switches, they're hard to beat. Also, I find Indonesian stuff has some of the best fretwork in the industry *period*.
I bought a streamliner 2420T and that is one of the best playing Gretsch guitars i have ever played. The feel and sound of the guitar is better imho than the electromatic line and ive never liked the feel of their US models. For 25 years i ignored buying one, but id always jam one out if someone had one. But the feel just did nothing for me. Finding this streamliner was random, picked it up and it stayed in tune with the Bigsby (Even after changing strings this trem is perfect). The neck felt right and the pickups to my ears had that Gretsch tone. Im sure you can get a more Gretschy tone with better electronics, but for me im happy with the guitar as is. Only thing i did was add graphite after my last string change to the nut. Try one out folks, ive seen brand new models in this series for as low as $379 new onsale. If i had a complaint it was the knobs lol, but i had a spare pair in my parts drawer and they fit the guitar a lot better. ;-)
Man, that's a great little music store...wish we still had them in my area.
Guitar center came in my city, gave a bunch of stuff away and cut prices until they broke all small music stores. Then raised their price, now they are the only thing we got.
"These are hard to beat" - every guitar he's picked up. LOL.
true but he’s referring to best buck in each guitar style
Hahaha yeah, but let's be honest. We all know that feeling of picking up a guitar that strikes you immediately
Tryna keep his paycheck coming in lol
@@TheDistortionPrinciple he's explaining all the common defects with every guitar, so I'd say your negativity is unwarranted lol
That's a good salesman
That Gretsch guitar is almost exactly like the one I bought last year....I love it.
I got that same streamliner about a year ago, put some filtertrons in it and its ROCKS. Best guitar I've had. No need to spend big bucks.
Used PRS SEs are another solid choice in that price range.
I just bought a pristine condition 2014 Zach Myers, and it plays just about like any core-model PRS I've played. I went with a pre-2018 because I believe they're now made in Indonesia.
I just bought one of the Singlecut Jr-style SEs for $300. Great little guitar.
Would love to see a video of you guys buying a "budget" guitar and upgrading it. I just bought my first guitar - an Epiphone Les Paul Standard - so I was pleased to see you guys say good things about those guitars. I'm just a beginner, but it would be great to learn more about how to buy and upgrade used, or entry level, guitars.
I've the cheapo Squire Mustang, one of the best guitars I've ever played. It's fantastic, one of the best rock sounds I've gotten. I personally keep it in Eb standard, dunno if that'll change things.
I wish I had this kind of video when I was just starting out! Now I typically build my own electrics but this video was great because I felt like I got the rush of checking a guitar store inventory without leaving my couch and get to hear you guys talk about all the thoughts that run through my head.
I’m a huge fan of those Gretsch streamliner hardtails. I’m not a super big bigsby fan, but my last guitar center run had a streamliner model that was an FSR in a blue like a dark blue ice blue metallic but it had P-90 soapbars (which isn’t normally on those models) with cream covers. The tone was so sweet, the action and build quality was so good, and just looking at it was so inspiring to play and play differently, I’m still kicking myself for not buying it.
I actually bought that Gretsch you demoed on a whim online and was also in love with it. The action is fantastic and it sounds great for such a low price. I plan on popping some Lollartrons in there someday but other than that, no complaints on that guitar at all. Scratched that semi-hollow itch for sure!
And it's got Rhett & Dave's sweat & DNA on the strings. Don't change 'em. LOL
vannoted what model is that Gretsch?
I've always had a personal liking to filtertrons rather then lollar but to each their own.
@@mrpotat680 These particular pickups are HB sized Broadtrons, designed specifically for this budget line - possibly one price point up as well. They're not like Filtertrons, nor Lollartrons. I think they're pretty much HB sounding, at least in my G2655 Streamliner Centerblock Junior.
Would be an odd looking adapter ring to fit Filtertrons in that route.
@@draganpetrov9594 G2622
Several months ago purchased a Gretsch 2215-P90 on sale at GC NEW for under $290. It needed strings, a setup and slight neck relief adjustment for the 10's I put on her. I was amazed in the store with the tone and playability and the neck scale felt right at home. Felt much like my Gibson J50 so muscle memory kicked right in, no adaptation necessary. After the new strings and setup I am as happy with her as any >$1000- electric I have played. What sets her apart however is the combination of a P90 at the neck with a Broadtron at the bridge. The tonal range is amazing and even the controls feel good on her.
I also have a Washburn acoustic I found in a pawn shop for $185 with HSC. It has a really crisp clean tone and built in electronics. Workmanship is amazing on Washburn instruments I have had, I also have an HB35 Washburn. It needed a setup and strings of course, something I do myself on every rig. I actually play it a LOT more than my 1970 J-50 Gibson because it is small and has great projection inside the house. The Gibson is a boomer and needs a larger space.
One thing we have to remember, if you are plugged into a good amp you will sound good also .A good Amp contributes a lot to a sound.
That is why I have so many keeper guitars now, haha. Even 3-500 dollar guitars sound like a million bucks if you have a good amp.
Yep. The right player and amp can make a $300 guitar sound great. The right setup and it'll play great too.
If you have $1,000 to spend on a guitar and amp, you're better off getting a $700 amp and a $300 guitar than a $700 guitar and a $300 amp.
@@Bikedueder Pretty much everything sounds great through my Marshall DSL5 combo. Cost me $900 CAD all in.
Current Gear:
Late 1970's Martin "tribute". Aria Company MIJ (Motsumoku)
1985 ish Fender Esquire 1954 re-issue. WOW! (Approaches custom shop in craftsmanship!)
vintage47: classic 5 (point to point)
1976 Princeton Reverb (stock, w/ground cord)
Bose 800's utility cabinets (pa, bass,guitar (with my old strat and 50 watt Traynor w/reverb: an eq pedal would have helped a clumsy rig!)
Dad's 1959 J-45.
I had some great vintage gear others are enjoying currently (55 Deluxe, 100 Super Lead, Blonde Bassman,
56 Strat: I played for 10,000 hours! Re-fret at Charlies in Dallas.
Apologies for typos and long narratives you probably discussed previously.
Budget Guitars (used) Golden Age of Japan.
Return policies a must and study to ferret out the best for the $$
Heritage guitars (Parson's St). The old Gibson employees make great guitars.
thanks to Rhett for his platform and hard work
frosty413
full time 1966 to late 90's in a band
30 years as an alzheimerswhisperer
I have that Gretsch, its a brilliant semi hollow for the money.
Hi! Could you tell me the model?
@@ivansciarroni3354 G2622 Streamliner
Just bought one last week and it sounds great!
I have my eye on a Gretsch g2420 atm. I’m debating on whether trading it for my les paul studio since it has neck warp. :(
But I have played the gretsch at a guitar center and fell in love with it :)
One of these days I'm gonna get a doublecut streamliner. They're great guitars.
I recently bought a mid sixties Sivertone classical for $40 at a Goodwill that has one of the most beautiful tones and resonance I've ever heard. I've been playing it every day since I picked it up.
You guys make an excellent team. Highly informative video. Thanks.
A great strat option are the 80's Hohner St-Specials (I think they did a little higher end '59?). Stock pups are really nice...a bit more output than stock Fenders but still great strat tones. 22-fret, Roller trees, good hardware and a nice Suhr-like headstock shape all for sub-200 bucks. Most are scratched and swirled now, but people actually pay extra for "relics" so that shouldn't be too much of an issue.
That Epiphone Les Paul - I have one from about the same time (I think the last year of it being made in Korea) that’s been great for me for years. I was a kid and it was the best I could afford at the time, but has really stood up. (And there definitely wasn’t much weight relief going on with mine either!)
My buddy has a dec '02 or whatever... Great great lespaul. Better than half the gibsons ive played on.
And it weighs more than my uzi!
Just bought an Epiphone ES 335 Pro for $500. Had it for a week and I’m loving it so far.
Gretsch is hitting it out of the park lately. Killer value.
I have several styles of guitars, but hadn't owned an LP since the 70s. I got an Epi LP Standard Pro since I wasn't going to drop 3-4k on a Gibson. I must say I was stunned by the fit and finish. It's a tea burst and the flame top is gorgeous. The pro buckers sound great and playability was perfect out of the box. Didn't have to bench it at all. Quite impressive for the price range.
That Epiphone '59 LP sweetwater exclusive is amazing.
From what I’ve seen Harley Benton guitars have been getting rock solid reviews.... I’m planning on buying one of their Tele style guitars soon... unfortunately where I live even the “budget” prices guitars are still tipis expensive and with onl one music store, there’s zero competition.
I love how informative your videos are and without the attitude. Keep up the good work, you're helping so many of us out. Thank you sir.
I just bought a Gretsch G2622 because of this video! What a sound for the money. So thanks man!
There's a satisfaction that I get from buying a cheap guitar and upgrading it. Just makes me remember the journey me and him took. My bullet squier was my first guitar and it basically saw me start with simple nirvana riffs to getting into David Gilmour and then Eddie Van Halen. From the custom pickguard to new pickups and push pull switches, going all crazy with ideas for more upgrades, I think this is the essence of playing the guitar. You get time to bond with the thing when you take it apart and try new things.
I bought one of those gretsch with a bigsby on it. Favorite cheap purchase by far. Recommend swapping the switch/pots and wires, but it’s fantastic
That's good to know. I have the same; Gretsch Streamliner with the Bigsby (same colour as this)... it sounds ace acoustically - and through my Marshall Valvestate - but I haven't played it enough (I'm busking on acoustic mostly these days) to know how best I can shape it to my needs. I'd like to get it properly set-up and played through a new amp upgrade I have in mind...
Hi. Being from Australia which is geographically really in Asia, it is good to see this kind of video give credence (where it is deserved) to "run-of-the-mill" Asian manufactured guitars. Like a lot of people I look to American made guitars as the pinnacle of workmanship but the prices that have to be paid here (overseas) are always a major factor in the "should I" or "shouldn't I" when it come to handing over the cash (i.e. if you want a medium sized collection of good gigable guitars). Hence my collection comprising S-type, "Super-Strat," T-type, "335," 'AG,' and "Mustang" guitars are made in Asian countries, being brands like Yamaha, Samick, Epiphone, Squier, Onyx, and Heerbie. I only own one Made in the USA guitar and I'm keeping it, but I'd rather (and happily) take any of the others out of the house to play them. Thanks Rhett for covering this kind of topic.
The cheap guitar thing really is amazing for those of us who “been around for a while”. When I was growing up in the 70s, Ibanez only made knock offs and any guitar that was “cheap” was exactly that. One of my favorite guitars today is my Epiphone 339, which is a “cheap” guitar, but in this case that just means inexpensive. He plays great, it sounds good, and like you say in the video if I wanna upgrade I totally can and improve it dramatically. The other thing about adding new components to an inexpensive guitar, is if you screw it up somehow, you haven’t destroyed some $2500 investment. And of course there’s always the “which guitar am I taking to the gig“ question. Sometimes there’s that gig, which is at that place, where you make sure your car is locked, if you know what I mean. I’m not bringing my Gibson custom shop guitar to that gig.
Another issue, is that these upgraded "cheap" guitars are sold by their modifier. A LOT of sellers think that the value of what they have is the full used cost of the guitar, plus the new price of everything they have done to it. It may sound like a $2500 guitar, but a set of pickups and a cap will not change a $300 guitar into a $550 one.
Of all my least expensive guitars, ya gotta Try an AIO Wolf Guitar, a must. Amazing setups. The Guitar plays itself. $425 brand new. Guitar is gorgeous too. My Wolf model is a W400.
One of my favorites is a Dearmond M-77t that I've upgraded. It's from about '99 and when new was right in the same market segment as the Gretsch he's playing in this video. I had it upgraded with new electronics, a bone nut, and TV Jones classic plus pickups back in about 2004. Sounds and plays incredibly and I've only got about $900 in it total (actually spent more on the upgrades than the guitar lol). Used American G&L stuff can also be VERY affordable if you're patient and willing to be flexible on color/config. You can find them in the $600-800 range, which IMO is the sweet spot pricewise for both guitars and amps.
Yeah, those DeArmonds are real sleepers, such gorgeous guitars.
Every guitar I have owned I purchased used and my favorite is my Epiphone Les Paul Standard, my second is a Gibson SG Special with mini humbuckers. Love shopping used guitars and learning stuff.
also he's right Epiphone stuff is generally better value than real Gibsons, the quality on them has been pretty random for at least a decade now. Some Epiphones can be surprisingly nice and more consistent & easy to upgrade.
I had a Epiphone Les Paul I bought in 1994. Paid $350. Sold it for $800. The best guitar I ever owned. Beat my 1979 Gibson Les Paul to death. Had an Electra mid 70s strat copy. Same thing. Paid $125 for it sold it for $500. Best strat style guitar I have ever played and my dad has a real '57 vintage strat. I pth that Electra in my dad's hands with his eyes closed and he loved it.
Brilliant. I actually owned one of those Streamliner Gretsch's ( mine was the G2622T ) which was an amazing guitar. I ended up trading it and upgrading to a G5422T Electromatic ( which was also an amazing guitar ) I wish I kept hold of both of them, and will probably reinvest in them again at some stage. I honestly believe spending £500 / £700 ( I'm in the UK ) wisely, can be a better move than spending a few thousand pounds on over priced /over hyped guitars. For the money, my personal favourite's are Eastman and Godin guitars - both extremely well priced for exceptional quality. Thanks for the video fella's, most enjoyable x
Some of those budget Gretsch guitars are really great
I bought a Streamliner too.. the same model Rhett is playing but witha Bigsby... sounds great, plays great too... I changed the knobs for the chromed ones, just for the looks and the tuners for Grovers... one of the best guitars I've had!!!
I've had a lot of used guitars on and out over the years and a number of the ones I didn't expect a lot out of have been stellar guitars after a good set up. One that surprised me was a very cheap Ibanez,(Roadstar II) that was in unplayable condition when given to me for next to nothing. I got rid of the trem and replaced it with a six screw Strat style trem (had to use wood filler to get rid of a slight indent routed for the original bridge). I did a minor leveling and dressing of the frets, swapped out the pots (they were seized, might have been okay if cleaned, but swapping them is cheap so just went that route). I shimmed the neck. The bridge pickup was a shrill single, so I routed out some space and put in a humbucker. I bought an HSS pickgaurd that didn't quite fit (made for a Strat) so I filed it to shape. Now that is the second best playing guitar in my collection, and I payed $40, spent $70 on parts. The bridge was rescued from another guitar, so the $70 was spent on the humbucker, the pickgaurd and the pots.
Love my G3700 Gretsch acoustic. 4-500 for an incredible sound. Buddies pick it up and prefer it to many of their far more expensive guitars. My Martin gathers dust
I have the left of the Gretsch G2622 Streamliner it's a stunning guitar! It was also the most expensive guitar I've bought so far (£320 second hand) and I adore it. I love my Epiphone Les Paul Special II but this Gretsch is starting to take over
I'm curious what Dave thinks of the Classic Vibe series from Fender.
Rhett: Thanks for all you do for this wonderful hobby of mine. I am just learning guitar and mandolin at almost 60. Recent purchase was a Squier Telecaster. Working on a pedalboard based on Mason Marangella's suggestions., beginning with the isolated power supply, a 1 Spot Pro 12... I wish I could afford your super effects like the Timeline, Big Sky and Mobius. Perhaps someday.
I am also writing my own music far too late in life, but enjoying Cubase 10, UAD plug-ins, and NI Komplete 11, along with the Helix Native plug-in. Please keep posting videos, as there is so much I need to learn. Tim Pierce's site is also a favorite.
That red firebird
I bought a used 81 fender bullet 2 (the double cut body style) for $30, did a fret level, and put some used strat pickups in it, and it’s been my number 1 ever since. Less than $80 total and a couple hours of work and it plays as well, if not better, than some of the guitars I paid well over 10 times the price for.
Some of those fender budget guitars are absolutely incredible with a little TLC
As far as epiphones, in my opinion the 339’s are the absolute best value on the market. They sound phenomenal and play like butter, and have an enormous range of tone.
I love pawnshop guitars... I feel like I'm walking into a dog pound, looking to adopt a new family member.
I tell my friends, "A great blues guitar earns it's soul at the pawnshop."
I get that..
Yeah, I never could put that feeling into words. I don't like dogs but it's a good analogy. I passed on a Gretch today, the G2420. I loved the way it played. The tuning heads were no name and it was 550 dollars but I knew I could get at least 10 % off. Maybe more if paid for with cash. The price also gave me pause. Now I feel like I should have bought it. Worse case I change tuning machines and possibly the pick ups. It played better than the Jimmy Paige Tele. Of course it prolly wasn't set up but still, it was almost 2500 and the Gretch blew it away as far as feel and playability. I guess I'm going back today. I haven't slept all night because of this. I doubt it comes with a hardshell but I'm hoping. It was the best playing guitar in the entire store amo g the electrics, other than the high end strats. I have one so I'm not gonna be happy until I buy the damn Gretch. I knew i should have went with my gut. Played thru a early 70's Gibson solid state amp that sounded unbelievable for only 200 bucks. I'm considering grabbing that also. I don't need anymore shit but it feels like getting high and it lasts until the next day when the guilt sets in. Thank God I'm divorced. And I don't know how I went from a pawn shop feeling to my experience at a music store today. I guess I just needed to vent. But I agree, like puppies.
Joey Selder Did you go back and get the guitar and amp?
Joey Selder did u get the guitar and amp we need to know the story
@@denyel_ Yes I did. And here is what happened since. I played it and it just didn't have the same appeal once I got it home. I passed on the amp. I have enough of those anyway. So a friend of mine who knows a guy who loves Gretsch told him about my mishap and I traded him for a Mexi-strat. I was really surprised with it. So he was happy and I was happy and all ended well.
Hey Rhett, Fantastic Video! I live in the Philippines on an early retirment and upon making my move I sold American strat, Rickenbackers and a custom SG. So starting over on the far side of the world was a learning experience. i found some FANTASTIC budget guitar brands that are manufactured in this region and have found my perfect guitars from Thompson (S.Korea) and J Craft guitars (Hong Kong)! I've come to realise that quality craftsmanship can be done and sold for a reasonable amount of money... brand New!
I remember talking about this on Sunday night live.
I would love a video of performing upgrades to a less expensive guitar. Tell why you would change the pickups or what is wrong with in and be in-depth about it. Maybe make it a 2 part video. You And Dave have skills that most of us don’t have access to locally. I video like that would definitely be down my alley! Thanks Rhett
Gretsch streamliner. Plays great.
Great video with terrific advice. I bought a new Epiphone Sheraton last year for $600. Great action and play-ability. Had my local guitar shop put in a Seymour Duncan Seth Lover in the neck and a Pearly Gates in the bridge and change out the pots for another $400 total. Monster sounding guitar.
Between his ring and the buttons on his jacket there will be a scratch n dent sale tomorrow. All kidding aside love your playing and vids!
Yes, would love to see some videos on upgrading more affordable guitars!
This guy Dave knows his guitars and you won't ever sell him one for more than it's worth. However, if you have a hat that the dog went to town on, he's your man.
Got a ‘94 Japanese Strat for 400 bucks...I’ve modded it a little and it’s a beast...I love it...this stuff is right up my alley!!!!
I’d like to put a $250 total cost, well-setup Harley Benton with upgraded tuners and pickups in their hands and see what they say.
Probably feels like a 250 dollar guitar with a set up.
Yep, setup and electronics are what matter, not price or name on the headstock.
@Terms and Disagreement I've found that anything under $1,000 needs a decent setup and new pickups, at which point they all become comparable. I'll have to check out that Gretsch model though, probably even pick one up if they're that nice right out of the box, but I'll still have to install new pickups because those broad'trons suck compared to filter'trons.
@@ryan8779 I just bought an ibanez high perfomance series and it came straight to my house with a perfect setup. Action was on point, the floyd rose style whammy bar was perfectly level with the body and on top of it it was in tune, and perfectly intonated. The guitar was $899.99. The fretwork was also done really well. In all honesty the only thing that I would have liked would have been SS6105 or SS6100 frets to come stock on the guitar. But whatever, the low and fast action doesnt really make me press down too hard and I should get many years out of the frets that came stock.
Point I'm trying to make is that not all guitars need a good set-up. Some companies, or whoever set it up before it shipped probably took pride in what they were doing.
@@nc6714 Sounds like Ibanez really has their stuff together, I’ll have to check them out.
Feel is a huge thing for me especially when it comes to the neck. I was always in love with the look and sound of an SG. Played a ton of them and finally bought one and now it’s just a nice wall decoration that’s played once in a blue moon. I ended up falling in love with the J Mascis Squier jazzmaster. I played at least 30 guitars in the shop from fenders to gibsons and was still just drawn to the $400 jazzmaster. crazy how good inexpensive guitars are now a days.
I'm very happy with my Gretsch Streamliner.