I reqlly really like schecter Btw if you are planning to make an affordable guitar video again i'd recommend checking out DiMavery's lp-700. They look really nice, i just ordered mine, didn't see a lot of reviews though so it'd be interesting seeing someone checking them out
@@johnstarace8369 same! I picked up a miss marked RG470 in a music store local to me for 210 bucks. Paint was rough and it was definatly left in someone's garage or storage unit for A LONG TIME but she's in the process of paint and I'll be finishing the build very soon. IBANEZ is probably my favorite. I own a Strat and a Gibson. Gotta say I play my ibanez way more then either of them.
I bought an Ibanez, but because they switched distributors in Canada, and that we are in the middle of a pandemic, it has been 10 months since I ordered it and it still hasn’t arrived. I’m going to cancel my order and buy a prs se custom 24. From what I can tell though, they are both great brands to choose from, and are high quality.
I love Ibanez and ESP but I feel like Ibanez and ESP don't really get fantastic until you get to their Japanese lines. The E-II and Prestige series are phenomenal but I'd much rather a WMI Schecter over most of the under $1k Ibanez personally.
@@RyanOManchester my ltd kh 602 is amazing but my schecter cr6 is and fun to play there's no reason a 700 dollar guitar plays better then any gibson ive played
@@RyanOManchester This is what I like about Darrell's comment section, many different guitarists able to discuss which ones they like without spewing hate
@@beableish Made in china? Then there's harley benton etc. But 300 or so, that makes sense, i love gretsch but their mic ones are too pricy for what they are.
@@beableish Yeah they're really cool, some nice cleans in a singlecut package. The "real" ones are pricy though... the chinese ones too, compared to other chinese ones, and it seems they may need some work in the tuning stability department.
@@fredriksvard2603 the G&L tributes are made in Indonesia and if you buy a model with Leo fender MFD pickups you get American made pickups since those are wired in the U.S and then sent over to Indonesia for assembly.
I think Hagstrom is seriously underrated , having used the fantomen for i while i can honestly say that its one of the most, if not the most comfortable Explorer/RD style guitars i've played. Its perfectly balanced sitting or standing, the neck is really comfortable, and it holds tune well. IMO its really hard to beat in its price range
Hagstroms are great. I've got an old bass and a 12 string guitar from them, they can be a bit stiff to play so people that bend a lot might not like them but they sound fantastic. The bass has some crazy weird wiring going on, too, and is extremely noisy
I am stunned that you left out Ibanez. Ibanez has historically built some of the finest Japanese-made guitars ever. Even their more recent models, built in China and elsewhere, still exhibit superb craftsmanship. I own three Ibanez guitars, a 2355m built in 1977 -- an outstanding hollow-body jazz instrument, an AG-85, another outstanding hollow-body guitar, and an 8-string with fan frets that's in a class of its own. Did you deliberately leave Ibanez off your list, or have you just experienced momentary brain fade?
Ibanez are already on par with Fender and Gibson as a dominant brand within their market sector. They don’t need mention the way Adele doesn’t need a special mention.
I waited my entire career to afford a Gretch vintage Japanese factory Country Gentleman. It was certainly worth the wait. Quality build unmatched to anything else I've played over 50 years. Incredible instrument.
I want one too. Even though I know it's an original spec, though, I can't deal with the fake f-holes. I know not all of the classic G models have them. They just look goofy to me. It's not like I need there to be f-holes... just not fake ones.
@@grayaj23 the concept was to eliminate feedback, and for versatile as the guitar is and the ease with which you can play they could put clowns for all I care! You actually hardly see them with the dark walnut stain! 😁
Recently sprung for a Players Edition White Falcon and it was worth every penny. And a terrifying amount of pennies were involved. Fast, articulate and beautiful.
Edit: I get it guys. G&L aren't owned by Fender. I heard that they were from a guy at sweetwater and assumed it was true without checking. Lesson learned about assumptions. Original comment kept for transparency. G&L are fantastic but they are owned by fender (which is probably why they were excluded here). I consider the G&L Fullerton USA stuff leagues above my Fender American Pro which was only slightly cheaper.
@@DingoDIDeatmybaby that's true! I didn't catch that! Yeah then I don't know the logic of excluding them. Personally I'd rather have a G&L over a Rivolta or an SE so I don't get that.
Yamaha deserves a mention, really. Their Pacifica series are amazing Strat-like guitars at roughly the same price as a Mexican-built Fender Strat. And the RevStar series are pretty good too, though the design doesn't really appeal that much to me.
Big ups to you for mentioning Godin guitars. Criminally underrated and overlooked imo. Excellent quality instruments. I have a Godin Session (HSS, strat-style) that became my main gigging guitar. Beauty neck, lots of tones, it covers a lot of bases. Also I have a Seagull 6 string acoustic-electric and Simon & Patrick 12 string Acoustic Electric, both are excellent guitars under the Godin name.
The Godin brands are great (and made in Canada even). I really like the sound and string spacing on the Seagull and Simon & Patrick -- really improved my playing and enjoyment.
Ever heard of G&L? They have fantastic instruments that will not break the bank but have some as pricey as Gibson and Fender. their tribute series is killer. ESP makes good ones and of course, Epiphone. Glad you mentioned Gretsch, though.
I truly believe Yamaha is such a underrated company for making some very nice guitars, both in price and quality. Aside from their entire level guitars, their mid to high ends are super nice, amazing tones and looks
I own one Gibson, two Fenders, one Ovation, two Schecters, and *seven* Yamahas, so I suppose I agree. 😁 I had a Squier but it felt like playing a popsicle stick with strings. Also had an Ibanez Gio and Epiphone LP. Donated all three.
The Godin nylon slim multiac totally changed my playing, renewed my desire to improve after years of laying the guitar aside. I run it thru a Roland GR55 and I'm in my happy place. Thank you Godin/Canada.
EBMM & Sterling are fabulous and Schecter are the faves of mine, but I don’t quarrel with your 10 brands. I also have always loved the craftsmanship in Japanese guitars and basses, and the Korean guitars are fabulous these days!
Although I’m a big Ibanez fan, my biggest recommendation to add to this list would be Reverend. More on the Gibson side style-wise, but with some really unique/interesting features and designs at a really affordable price. The bass cut control alone caused me to almost buy one outright when I first played it 😅
I absolutely agree. My charger 290 is the best guitar I have owned or played. Looks amazing playability and quality parts and choice of woods is top notch for under a grand.
Here in Japan the number of good Fender/Gibson style brands is crazy. History, Edwards, Bunny, Bacchus, Fernandes, Aria, Fujigen, Tokai, Greco. It’s the reason why Fender Japan and Orville/Epiphone Japan were made to compete.
Kinda agree and disagree on this one, I bought the Cort X250, yes it sounded great but the build quality isnt so good... I mean sure it is an affordable guitar but there are many other brands that had way better quality with the same price
My Schecter Snow Leopard is an incredible guitar for just at 1k. Carbon fiber reinforced neck. Stable and amazing for low tuning and rhythm guitar. The nuts are compensated too. Stays in time crazy well
@@kiezersosay49 oh man I just got my first Ibanez Bass a few days ago? Look up the magic weave on Sweetwater. It's beautiful and plays great. I personally own a Schecter, Ibanez, a Yamaha, a D'armond guitar, a fender and a Squire. All great but my Schecter, Ibanez and my D'armond are the most fun to play. The D'armond has crazy high output pickups. Fantastic for hard rock, Grunge and metal
Yo amo las ibanez, son muy versátiles en pastillas y tienen variedad en estética, y tiene un buen precio/calidad, incluso tienen toda variedad de precios, en general, son guitarras variadas e increibles
Really appreciate your channel Darrell! I’ve made two purchases based on your reviews. A Schecter and a Charvel. Both unique, stunning and very well built. Thank you for the quality and time you put into your channel.
@@trashbagandrew you need to get one of their more expensive ones, given I’ve never tried any of schecter’s guitars, and I’ve only played 1 Ibanez, so I don’t know. All I know is my Jackson dinky dk2 plays like a dream.
My Seagull (Godin acoustic) I’ve had for 25 years and it’s an excellent guitar. I’m hoping to find a Godin electric soon. They clearly know how to build guitars
I bought an S6 a couple of years ago because of the wider nut width (I have big hands). I love the tone and the feel of the guitar. My wife's uncle who plays visited recently and was very impressed with the tone and volume of the guitar just by plucking a couple of strings while it hung on the wall.
Schecter and Ibanez are my faves overall. I think they are such value for the money. I am really interested in trying out an epiphone prophecy extura in the future....
I would have loved to see Reverend on the list. Great instruments, well-made and a pleasure to play. They also feature the bass contour knob which offers a unique way to sculpt your tone. I own a few and hope to own a few more. They definitely have their own vibe to them. Very cool guitars.
I totally am in favor: I have 4 Reverends and fullly satisfied. My go-to guitar is one of them and it's the fabulous Crosscut with hevo 90 and Nuevo 90 pups. Absolute gems.
Reverend are special and very different to the usual variations of strat/tele. Totally converted me, I wasn't expecting them to be quite as amazing as they are.
Darrell, thanks for another great video. I own a Gibson SG (my first electric), a Gretsch semi hollow Streamliner and five custom modified Squiers. My favorite guitars are the ones that I am building with parts (5 HHH Strats and 1 HSH Strat with a HSP90 in the middle position). All of my builds will have coil split Bare Knuckle humbuckers, Fender locking tuners and Oak Grigsby 6 way switches. Two designs will be custom sprayed.
Darrell gives the best guitar recs of any RUclipsr I've seen. I've bought 2 Schecters that he reviewed mostly based on his recos and I've very glad that I did.
My first electric guitar is a Gretsch Electromatic Jet Club -- entry level but amazing build quality and playability. I'll never get rid of it, and I plan to put legit 'trons in it one of these days. The "gretschbuckers" don't sound terrible, but they also don't sound like 'trons.
I was hoping to see some Yamaha. Their RGX guitars from the 80s and 90s are legitimately amazing. Love mine but I had to sell it. Seriously wanting another.
Revstars are definitely on my list. They look and sound amazing. It's a slightly different design that the typical S, T, LP and 335 shapes, and the electronics are unique.
I have a ES335 & Tele, but my new Variax JTV59 is now my main guitar because it’s all guitars and all tunings & when paired with a Line 6 pedalboard, one can select amp(s), effects, guitar, and tuning with one foot switch press. I’m currently playing out with a Les Paul, Tele, & 335 in standard tuning and open A & G slide and it’s all the same guitar!
I would add to the list: Yamaha (the 611 and 612 Pacificas & Revstar models are great), Ibanez (AZ Series for a budget Suhr and of course the good old RG & S Series) , ESP/LTD (sadly the japanese ESP E-II models have become expensive af lately, but the LTD Deluxe Series are amazing), Kiesel (if you want to spend a little more and get a totally customised guitar, for half the price of a Gibson ), Tokai (if you want a Les Paul that "out Les Pauls" an authentic Les Paul in any way for a fraction of the money).
A few in the comments mentioned Reverend, I have the Airwave 12 string which is pretty good, the bass contour knob really does dial in the tone of the soapbar pickups.
Great list of guitars. I bought the Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 2 24 HT HH Electric Guitar - Satin Black based on one of your other videos. Love the guitar.
ESP, JACKSON, BC RICH to name a few. On solely feel alone I love an EVH guitar. Please don’t forget Kramer. Also a Washburn PS 1800 (Sorry Paul). That model has a unique look as well as a solid sound.
At the moment I am playing a Duesenberg and I love the roundness of the sound and the art-deco style design. From your selection my favourite would be the Godin.
Gretsch is not “owned by Fender”. In late 2002, Gretsch and the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation reached an agreement giving Fender control over marketing, production, and distribution of guitars, with the Gretsch family retaining ownership of the company.
@@hughjass5156 They don’t make crucial decisions. Also, thay get money for the production, but Gretsch family get the profits. I wouldn’t call that “owned by Fender”. Sounds to me you think the family just own the “Gretsch” name. When family decide to make a new model, Fender have to make one. Oh BTW, the biggest guitar company in Japan operate almost the same way. Other company make guitars for them.
@@Twitexter Sounds to me like old man Gretsch is just a figurehead at this point. Nice of Fender to let him keep an office when he sold. And probably for the better that the Gretsch family did sell. Quality, brand reach, and relevance have soared under Fender's ownership.
@@hughjass5156 They have a contract. I don’t know the details but Gretsch family could sell the company to someone else (because thex still own it) or do whatever they like with THEIR company (I bet they renew the contract every XX years). The headquarters are in Savannah, Georgia.
I own 3 guitars (yamaha revstar, AM Std Telecaster and OM Acoustic Eastman). If all of the were burnt in a fire, the first one with no doubt I would buy again would be the Eastman. And if I ever want a LP model, SB57 will be the choice.
@@olimon63 it is indeed a beast guitar. If I may, have a look at my videos with the SB57 I have a playlist called “SB57 in action”. They should convince you to get one 😋
Glad to see Godin in here! For some reason I feel really comfortable with their instruments, and own two of them. One is a classical guitar, and the other a bass. The build quality, feel and sound of the instrument are awesome for the price, and I love how innovative and well thought out they are
I just picked up an Ibanez RG550 Genesis guitar and I am very happy with it. It’s made in Japan, comes with jumbo Frets, locking tuners, A thin neck with a satin finish and a very nice floating style bridge. The colors are incredibly eye-catching. Pick ups are HSH. Super hot for when you want to use gain but with gorgeous clean tones which makes it very versatile. It is a super Strat so, the target is metal players but, honestly, you can play anything on this guitar. Beautiful thing cost me 1000 bucks even. Priced right there with the electromatics from Gretsch and the PRS SE guitars. I am very surprised that you did not mention Ibanez. Those things are absolutely iconic and were played by all sorts of bands during the 1980s and 1990s. If you mention Sharvelle, you have to say something about Ibanez.
I'm really surprised you didn't mention Eastman guitars. You seemed to love them, and were the one who got me interested in them. I have an SB59/V, and have ordered a T59/V.
Ibanez should be in this list. Historically one of the first brands to offer high quality alternativez with original designs... other than thatgreat review
Happy to see D'Angelico in your list. I've got a Deluxe Atlantic and It sounds really good and looks beautiful as well. You could have mentionned G&L. After searching for the right Telecaster for me, I finally bought a ASAT Bluesboy Thinline. Another brand that makes cool guitars - maybe a little harder to find - is Pure Salem Guitars. Unique models with a lot of mojo!
D'angelico are definitely sweet, but i think for comparing the budget lines G&L are much better than D'angelico. The mid to high end d'angelicos though are awesome! Side note, in the video he mentions that d'angelico has 2 tiers but they really have 3; the premier/deluxe/excel
I own and have owned many 6 strings but as you might guess by my handle, I am primarily a Bassist. How about Danelectro or Epiphone? Every overpriced Gibson I ever wanted I found an Epiphone copy to scratch the itch. I traded a P Bass for a 1972 EA260 which is a Japanese Epiphone EB-2 copy. I took it to Mark Erlewine in Austin and had him shim the neck and drop the action and this one is now a real player. Its really great on Jazz gigs. I also did neck reworking likewise with a Dean John Entwistle Signature Hybrid 5 string Frankenstein Bass. I also have a mid-80s Corona Flying V Bass, an EB-3 and a few others. Musicman makes beautiful sounding but gaudy looking instruments with necks like a baseball bat. While G&L is basically just another Fender but I love them and have owned several. I have also come across some very nice playing and sounding Aria Pro instruments. I have a solid-body Upright Double Bass made by Aria, an SWB-1 Lite. I also own a Peavey T-40 from the late 70s and it is a great player and an incredibly versatile instrument. I bought it for $155 on ebay. You can get great playing instruments for $500 or less if you know what you're doing and what you're looking for.
Always worth getting a decent set up on your Gibson. Bought my sg brand new and was never overly impressed with it, but got it set up finally and changed the pick ups to high quality paf clones and the thing is insane and plays how you'd think it should when Gibson made it 🤦🏻♂️
@@notsosure7757 a condition of my purchase was that my Les Paul was set up perfectly. They did that for me. Dollar for dollar, the Kiesel wins, hands-down. Getting one built to my exact specifications is an additional bonus. The Les Paul is still a good guitar. I just feel it is overpriced.
@@kma6881 I got to be honest, I'd never heard of Kiesel. Just checked them out and they look pretty decent. Problem is Gibson churns out these guitars and unless you're going for custom shop, you're not going to end up with a great guitar every time. Plus there's a lot of desire in the brand itself. I've got 5 Gibsons, alot of hard work to buy them. The Sg (2009) was my first Gibson, I'd always had my Charvel before that, and to be honest I was quite disappointed with it. It never felt right, sounded ok but was always going out of tune and quite hard to play. Shop set it up again but it still sucked. About three years ago a mate of mine who is a pretty high quality luthier got hold of it and completely transformed it. Like I said, it's disappointing that Gibson couldn't build it like that in the first place. The rest of my Gibsons play perfect, but I only buy second hand and reasonably older ones.
Was expecting to see Reverend but great list overall. I have huge respect for brands who take inspiration from classics but give it their own twist. There’s just too much copycats out there.
I was always a Ibanez guy. During my playing days in bands out in clubs I would have Ibanez electrics with Ovation acoustic/electrics.. towards the end of my playing career before I had to stop due to a injury I acquired 2 Jackson Phil Colin models. 1 tobacco burst and the other a satin clear. Sisters :) they had a chunkier neck than my Ibanezs. However a real balanced sounds...
I'm amazed but not disappointed that you omitted Kiesel. I'm staggered that you omitted Ibanez. I'm not surprised that you omitted Shijie because I suppose it's easy to forget that there's a high quality manufacturer in China.
All these guitars are amazing in their own right. Most are out of my budget but I just picked up my first Les Paul…an Epiphone modern which I’m really enjoying. Couldn’t justify the extra thousands Gibson wants for a Les Paul when the Epiphone has decent quality and sounds every bit the part.
I find myself in a possibly unique position when it comes to guitars. For me it all comes down to neck profile. Physically I have the hands of a 10 year-old girl, and genetically I have some tendons in my fingers that have fused together, making independent movement of fingers hard to do. In my experience of trying different guitars, the Epiphone SG with a 60s slim oval C shape neck works the best for me. The guitars you have featured look fantastic, but I have to stick to a known neck profile that works with my limitations. Great video. Keep em coming.
As someone with small hands I have liked older japanese Jacksons and had many Godins that fit the bill. The ergo neck on the godin is a little chunkier than a jackson, but nicer to play on than a fender C...a little thinner and less round.
Great video, thanks for sharing! As a left handed, it’s always hard to find a LH version from any brand. Other than Fender or Gibson, I think Suhr is amazing! I tried the Classic S and got impressed by its quality and playability. Very expensive though.
I like my old Ibanez Roadstar ll, this was my first electric guitar, but I made some changes with new pickups and changes on the tremolo system and it sounds like a riff monster. I also have a modified Fender Stratocaster Pro and since a few days a baritone guitar ML1 from Chapman Guitars. All these guitars are great and have their own character. I tried out the Sire Larry Carlton T7 ahw. This is a very good guitar, high quality, good sounding pickups and not expensive. Maybe this guitar could be my next, because it is versatile and also has something special... Or I save my money for a Music Man 7 string....
This was a great list! A few I was not familiar with and now want to check out. Another often overlooked brand is Yamaha. Lots of affordable options and I think they are a great value. Of course a few others would be ESP/LTD and Ibanez but I feel like those brands get enough love and are pretty common.
Regarding Zemaitis, I would consider $3000.00 to be outside the criteria you outlined, unless they have a less expensive metal-top that I'm unaware of.
@@landonmontgomery2693 You can get a Korean built Zemaitis C22MF brand new for around $1500. I actually snagged mine last year for a bit less than $1400. Fantastic guitar.
Im loving Harley Bentons. Super cheep, German owned and designed, Chinese made, they can be hit or miss, but if you get a good one you will be very pleased. I bought an electric 12 string that resembles a Rickenbacker. Out of the box it was well made and sounded great, but I did a few tweaks to it and it was fantastic. I highly recommend them. Check em out.
I'm so excited that someone even MADE this video that I'm thanking you in the comments before I watch it. I have loved Jackson/Charvel for so long. But I also make my own.
You should add Duesenberg to your list. I`ve got a 12-string for around 2,000 € and played a bunch of 6-strings as well. They are mostly under 2k € but some reach into the 2.5k realm. These guitars all come pleked from the very start. Absolutely flawless instruments, good looking and good sounding. I guess they are even better than Fender or Gibson.
I would take my '78 Ibanez Artist Custom over any of these. Similar to the Bob Weir model, but slightly different appointments. Gorgeous trim and inlays, natural finish, gold hardware and so playable. Known back then as the "poor man's Les Paul". I also had a LP KM from the same era - best Paul I owned out of 3 of them, but the Ibanez still blew it away.
I have a few electrics and love them all. Gretsch Electromatic G5120 upgraded to custom brass saddle and fliltertrons from my dad’s country gent (he put T.V. Jones) Grote casino style. I adore this guitar. Unexpectedly great. The GTX tm2 that I will love even more with the new finish, also upgrading some hardware and electronics. Pretty great for $50 I paid for it a few years back. 1987 Yamaha RGX220. My first electric and current main project. Took off the paint went with heritage cherry finish. Staining the neck and laser engraving the headstock logo. Switch the Floyd rose out for a rolling tune-o-matic (that was a lot of work) and coil split Dragonfire pickups. Gibson SG Gothic Morte. My pride and joy electric. It was a long time coming and a dream guitar. I played every SG until I found the one I loved. By far my favourite active pickups. Gibson GEM actives. Super balanced and not crazy hot. All of them have their place, the Grote and Gretsch get the most stage play. I’m generally an acoustic player, but that’s a whole other list.
I've owned and still own alot of mainstream guitar brands but LTD/ESP are definitely the top dogs. The EC-1000/Eclipse models specifically I've found to be pretty much incomparable in quality and design to any other alternative LP style guitar... even Gibson themselves often times.
LTD models are fantastic guitar... especially the Korean made models. But there's just no substitute for the Japanese ESPs. you play a E-II for a month and everything else just feels like a toy after.
I’m really glad you spoke of Godin guitars. I own a 12 string & a strat style. They both play well and sound good. I practically never hear anyone mention them. I’ve had them both since about 2008. Mark Greene
Love Schecter now... after years playing a Gretsch I got the Schecter Nick Johnston HSS ST-style. Before it, I didn't like strat styles or their tones (put off by the tones & playing of Clapton & Knopfler); though I'm a complete convert to what Schecter do - satin neck, variety of tones, locking tuners, stays in tune and (for us more maturing folks) the contouring makes it comfortable for many hours of playing seated, or standing. Now I don't even mind Clapton and Knopfler :) Just wish these quality of guitars - of all the brands you mention here Darrell - were about when I started out playing guitar
I have the NJ HSS as well and I love it so much. I think it’s the strat for non strat people. And the hum bucket kicks enough for me to do some 80s style riffing and shredding, nut when I go full Hendrix that 4th position is as stratty as it gets. I stopped looking at strat types since getting it. They improved on all of the annoying strat stuff without losing what makes them great.
Really cool to see Zemaitis getting shown! I just bought one of their Superior Series LP styled guitars and it plays beautifully. like you said, the pickups sound awesome and the etch work they do is just incredible. Now I need to go check out some of these other brands I didn't recognize lol
Interesting to see Tony Zemaitis’s guitar designs still popular and available to more people than when he hand crafted the originals in Chatham, Kent, England.
PRS - Hands down the best fantastic instruments, and seriously they are the baseline as to the industry when it comes to quality control. Music Man and Sterling are also very Damn Good Schecter also very very good makes a good 7 string for a decent price Zemaitis love them, need more flappy pigeon Band Maid Ibanez for as much as I like their designs and signatures, they have some of the worst quality control.
I'd like to get suggestions. Looking for an exact equivalent to the Schecter Omen Extreme 6 FR, which is about my ideal guitar, but which is currently B/O worldwide. HH pickups (passive mandatory, vintage output if possible), 24 frets, coil splitting, dual volume knobs, and a floating trem (yeah, that's one to rule them all). The Music Man are very close to that, but they're missing one volume pot, and I already have a Jackson right in that alley, but for coil splitting. I adore Charvel's natural body finishes (I,m a sucker for natural bodies - haha); their HSH configurations Guthrie Govan specials are a close second, but I can't afford them. It could also be a 7 strunger; then, it would be my all-in-one goto. It's just hard not to have metal melting hot pickups with those. And no, I can't afford a custom shopper either. Ideas?
I own a PRS - a '97 CE24 - and I absolutely love it. It plays like a Strat, and sounds like a Les Paul with hot pickups. I've also played a few SE's in some of my trips to Guitar Center, and those are pretty impressive as well.
Guitars made in Japan are glorious! My 2013 Great Double Anniversary Vintage Burst is made in Japan with. an ebony fingerboard. It is Glorious!! My Godin Session HSS is great and I snagged mine for only $550! In mint condition! Thanks for having Godin in the list! I love that Vola!
I have 3 Fujigen Ibanezes, 1 of them right now is my main guitar. I also have an old Fujigen Fender I bought years and years ago, I'll never get rid of that guitar.
PRS is definitely the best brand that has something for everyone with amazing quality control across the board. I wish you would have mentioned Suhr though. IMO they are the best S or T style guitars out there in appearance, features, tone and feel. When I picked one up the first time I couldn’t believe what I was holding. Shout out to Duesenberg for being the prettiest guitars on the planet with the most unique Trem system on the market. Add Reverend to this list too which are manufactured in the same factory as Duesenberg. Also MJT which make the most affordable custom guitars out there in all the appropriate Fender styles.
Ibanez, LTD and schecter are good brand. Especially the ibanez rg550 genesis which is made in Japan and had the original edge tremolo, stupendously good value for what you get
what do you mean? Fender and Gibson quite literally make the best guitars. best feel to my hands. Doesn’t get any better IMO but everyone has their own taste and that’s the beauty of playing guitars
Matte powder blue. Looked white on my phone, but I caught the blue SLIGHTLY when you moved it once or twice. Lovely effect if it carries in the real world
Charvel all day every day. I got a red 86 model 2. It is hands down the most fun to play guitar ive ever gotten a chance to play. I was comfortable with it the second I picked it up.
I don't believe Fender owns Gretsch. Gretsch is owned by the Gretsch family and Fender has a licensing agreement to build and distribute them. I agree they are fantastic guitars!
@@markallen2984 I don't believe I can post links but do a search on Gretsch and Fender licensing. Gretsch is owned by Fred Gretsch and the guitars are produced by Fender under a license. Fender has never owned Gretsch.
Let me know what your favorite guitar/brand is! Also, let me know if you have a favorite that I didn't mention here!
What were the prices for these guitar. Thanks
Have you ever tried a Maton Master Sound?
I'm kinda surprised you didn't mention Suhr guitars
Mine are Gretsch, Rickenbacker, Danelectro (haven't tried it yet), Maton (also haven't tried yet).
I reqlly really like schecter
Btw if you are planning to make an affordable guitar video again i'd recommend checking out DiMavery's lp-700. They look really nice, i just ordered mine, didn't see a lot of reviews though so it'd be interesting seeing someone checking them out
I love Ibanez! Super affordable guitars and super high quality!
I agree, I bought a RG470DX recently and I love playing it.
@@johnstarace8369 same! I picked up a miss marked RG470 in a music store local to me for 210 bucks. Paint was rough and it was definatly left in someone's garage or storage unit for A LONG TIME but she's in the process of paint and I'll be finishing the build very soon. IBANEZ is probably my favorite. I own a Strat and a Gibson. Gotta say I play my ibanez way more then either of them.
My Ibanez pf 230 (1978) is my love.
I bought an Ibanez, but because they switched distributors in Canada, and that we are in the middle of a pandemic, it has been 10 months since I ordered it and it still hasn’t arrived. I’m going to cancel my order and buy a prs se custom 24. From what I can tell though, they are both great brands to choose from, and are high quality.
@@vladdumitrascu9026 At this point just fly over to Canada and get the guitar lmao
I've always been a fan of ESP/LTD, and Ibanez.
I love Ibanez and ESP but I feel like Ibanez and ESP don't really get fantastic until you get to their Japanese lines. The E-II and Prestige series are phenomenal but I'd much rather a WMI Schecter over most of the under $1k Ibanez personally.
@@RyanOManchester my ltd kh 602 is amazing but my schecter cr6 is and fun to play there's no reason a 700 dollar guitar plays better then any gibson ive played
@@JnJsw18 I've got a Schecter Solo 6 that I've had since 2011 and it genuinely is one of my favorites. Their American custom shop is phenomenal too!
@@RyanOManchester This is what I like about Darrell's comment section, many different guitarists able to discuss which ones they like without spewing hate
yamaha is also great
Leo Fender said G&L are the best guitars he ever made. He absolutely wasn't wrong.
@@beableish Made in china? Then there's harley benton etc. But 300 or so, that makes sense, i love gretsch but their mic ones are too pricy for what they are.
@@beableish Yeah they're really cool, some nice cleans in a singlecut package. The "real" ones are pricy though... the chinese ones too, compared to other chinese ones, and it seems they may need some work in the tuning stability department.
music man tho
@@fredriksvard2603 the G&L tributes are made in Indonesia and if you buy a model with Leo fender MFD pickups you get American made pickups since those are wired in the U.S and then sent over to Indonesia for assembly.
@@PerpetuallyTiredMusician aha i see, thanks
I think Hagstrom is seriously underrated , having used the fantomen for i while i can honestly say that its one of the most, if not the most comfortable Explorer/RD style guitars i've played. Its perfectly balanced sitting or standing, the neck is really comfortable, and it holds tune well. IMO its really hard to beat in its price range
A friend of mine use to play a Hagstrom 8 string Bass! Great sounding Bass!
Hagstroms are great. I've got an old bass and a 12 string guitar from them, they can be a bit stiff to play so people that bend a lot might not like them but they sound fantastic. The bass has some crazy weird wiring going on, too, and is extremely noisy
An old bandmate played a Hagstrom Pat Smear signature. Cracking guitar. Really nice to play and sounds great
I was gonna say the same. I’ve got an ultra Swede, and I get compliments on it all the time.
Totally agree. I own three. They're the most lefty-friendly brand I can think of, as well.
I am stunned that you left out Ibanez. Ibanez has historically built some of the finest Japanese-made guitars ever. Even their more recent models, built in China and elsewhere, still exhibit superb craftsmanship. I own three Ibanez guitars, a 2355m built in 1977 -- an outstanding hollow-body jazz instrument, an AG-85, another outstanding hollow-body guitar, and an 8-string with fan frets that's in a class of its own. Did you deliberately leave Ibanez off your list, or have you just experienced momentary brain fade?
I play a Ibanez s and I love the sound and shade.
Maybe he did that on purpose. ;)
Ibanez are already on par with Fender and Gibson as a dominant brand within their market sector. They don’t need mention the way Adele doesn’t need a special mention.
@@j_freed ibanez have super cheap guitar, like gio series
Ibanez is just as good as fender and Gibson
I waited my entire career to afford a Gretch vintage Japanese factory Country Gentleman. It was certainly worth the wait. Quality build unmatched to anything else I've played over 50 years. Incredible instrument.
I want one too. Even though I know it's an original spec, though, I can't deal with the fake f-holes. I know not all of the classic G models have them. They just look goofy to me. It's not like I need there to be f-holes... just not fake ones.
@@grayaj23 the concept was to eliminate feedback, and for versatile as the guitar is and the ease with which you can play they could put clowns for all I care! You actually hardly see them with the dark walnut stain! 😁
Recently sprung for a Players Edition White Falcon and it was worth every penny. And a terrifying amount of pennies were involved. Fast, articulate and beautiful.
@@kendouble9705 lol...terrifying is the perfect word. Most I ever thought I would pay for an instrument, but yes, worth every moment of terror. 🤗
I'm a big fan of G&L. The scale, the bridge, the pickups. Just a treat to play.
Was going to say the exact same thing!
Edit: I get it guys. G&L aren't owned by Fender. I heard that they were from a guy at sweetwater and assumed it was true without checking. Lesson learned about assumptions. Original comment kept for transparency.
G&L are fantastic but they are owned by fender (which is probably why they were excluded here). I consider the G&L Fullerton USA stuff leagues above my Fender American Pro which was only slightly cheaper.
@@RyanOManchester Charvel is owned by Fender yet was put on the list.
@@DingoDIDeatmybaby that's true! I didn't catch that! Yeah then I don't know the logic of excluding them. Personally I'd rather have a G&L over a Rivolta or an SE so I don't get that.
Yea I want a g&l after playing one at a shop. The one I want is only 600 too so I might get it sooner than later
Reverend guitars are incredible.
For reals. Don’t sleep on Reverend Guitars, they offer a lot of value for the price.
Double Down on the Reverend, you can't go wrong
Darrel's never been a Reverend fan - lack of sponsorship I assume.
Reverend makes killer guitars! I have 3 and each one kicks major ass in fit, finish, and tone!
They look amazing but the price tag of the guitars I have seen is well over the range mentioned in this video, more than double of any Fender Player
Yamaha deserves a mention, really. Their Pacifica series are amazing Strat-like guitars at roughly the same price as a Mexican-built Fender Strat. And the RevStar series are pretty good too, though the design doesn't really appeal that much to me.
Revstars are great.
also Yamaha Basses are amazing.
I have a TRBX204 ($300) and it plays better than some basses I've owned that were 3x the price.
Big ups to you for mentioning Godin guitars. Criminally underrated and overlooked imo. Excellent quality instruments. I have a Godin Session (HSS, strat-style) that became my main gigging guitar. Beauty neck, lots of tones, it covers a lot of bases. Also I have a Seagull 6 string acoustic-electric and Simon & Patrick 12 string Acoustic Electric, both are excellent guitars under the Godin name.
The Godin brands are great (and made in Canada even). I really like the sound and string spacing on the Seagull and Simon & Patrick -- really improved my playing and enjoyment.
Danelectro is a key guitar to me that stands out like no other company. Hope everyone has a chance to give one a try
I love my danelectro. It hits way above its weight class.
Danelectro might be the only ones who could make particleboard cool
@@mikeomatic9905 if that's true, then they didn't really make particle board cool now did they lmao
I dunno. Lipstick pickups is not for me. I give them credit for being different but i've tried to love 2 of them but just couldn't.
Was waiting for him to bring out the 59
Ever heard of G&L? They have fantastic instruments that will not break the bank but have some as pricey as Gibson and Fender. their tribute series is killer. ESP makes good ones and of course, Epiphone. Glad you mentioned Gretsch, though.
He have a G&L guitar, so yes, he heard about it
Had one of the Strat models, better than a Mex Fender!
The rampage models look like they came straight from valhalla
I think 10 is not enough, there`s more like Ibanez, ESP, Cort, FGN. This is very informative though, good one Darrel, keep them coming.
And Jackson
@@juanjoestar737 Jackson & Charvel is from Fender now so i think its not necessary to add those brand in the video
Fgn are absolutely amazing...but also super rare
The only cool one on this list is gretsch. Now hapas, aristides and ormsby, yes please.
💯true 10 is too less it'll never be enough 🙏
I truly believe Yamaha is such a underrated company for making some very nice guitars, both in price and quality.
Aside from their entire level guitars, their mid to high ends are super nice, amazing tones and looks
I own one Gibson, two Fenders, one Ovation, two Schecters, and *seven* Yamahas, so I suppose I agree. 😁
I had a Squier but it felt like playing a popsicle stick with strings. Also had an Ibanez Gio and Epiphone LP. Donated all three.
Yamaha Pacifica is a great series
I agree, I happily sold my Les Paul Custom, to buy an SG2000...never regretted it.
their basses are fantastic. Even the entry level TRBX plays like a dream.
The Godin nylon slim multiac totally changed my playing, renewed my desire to improve after years of laying the guitar aside. I run it thru a Roland GR55 and I'm in my happy place. Thank you Godin/Canada.
EBMM & Sterling are fabulous and Schecter are the faves of mine, but I don’t quarrel with your 10 brands. I also have always loved the craftsmanship in Japanese guitars and basses, and the Korean guitars are fabulous these days!
Gretsch is always a huge underdog to these brands, but the quality and tone is unmatched
Although I’m a big Ibanez fan, my biggest recommendation to add to this list would be Reverend. More on the Gibson side style-wise, but with some really unique/interesting features and designs at a really affordable price. The bass cut control alone caused me to almost buy one outright when I first played it 😅
I absolutely agree. My charger 290 is the best guitar I have owned or played. Looks amazing playability and quality parts and choice of woods is top notch for under a grand.
I played a reverend a couple months back, it blew me away. The look, the feel, the sound, the customization. They’re great instruments.
Reverend are nice
Here in Japan the number of good Fender/Gibson style brands is crazy. History, Edwards, Bunny, Bacchus, Fernandes, Aria, Fujigen, Tokai, Greco. It’s the reason why Fender Japan and Orville/Epiphone Japan were made to compete.
I think CORT should be the one of them, great quality and cheap....
CORT sort of is included, since they probably made some of the guitars in this list.
@@grayaj23 They made the first one on the list, the PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo.
Agree, one of my guitar is X500.
Kinda agree and disagree on this one, I bought the Cort X250, yes it sounded great but the build quality isnt so good... I mean sure it is an affordable guitar but there are many other brands that had way better quality with the same price
@@adrianjunor8661 I have only Cort X500, it was top model 2 years ago. Sound and build quality is pretty good, the best for its price.
My Schecter Snow Leopard is an incredible guitar for just at 1k. Carbon fiber reinforced neck. Stable and amazing for low tuning and rhythm guitar. The nuts are compensated too. Stays in time crazy well
I only own schecters all better than the lespaul custom I sold
Team schecter all day! I love my hellraiser hybrid pt...lol im also team ibanez. And bc rich. And ltd/esp. And carvin. And charvel...
@@kiezersosay49 oh man I just got my first Ibanez Bass a few days ago? Look up the magic weave on Sweetwater. It's beautiful and plays great. I personally own a Schecter, Ibanez, a Yamaha, a D'armond guitar, a fender and a Squire. All great but my Schecter, Ibanez and my D'armond are the most fun to play. The D'armond has crazy high output pickups. Fantastic for hard rock, Grunge and metal
@@kiezersosay49 I'm still mad the 7 string Hellraiser Hybrid doesn't come with a Floyd.
Yo amo las ibanez, son muy versátiles en pastillas y tienen variedad en estética, y tiene un buen precio/calidad, incluso tienen toda variedad de precios, en general, son guitarras variadas e increibles
Really appreciate your channel Darrell! I’ve made two purchases based on your reviews. A Schecter and a Charvel. Both unique, stunning and very well built. Thank you for the quality and time you put into your channel.
I’m a big fan of Jackson guitars, those things are the definition of shredder guitars.
I have two. They are great.
Idk they just always seemed cheaper made than brands like schecter or ibanez especially their low end models
@@trashbagandrew you need to get one of their more expensive ones, given I’ve never tried any of schecter’s guitars, and I’ve only played 1 Ibanez, so I don’t know. All I know is my Jackson dinky dk2 plays like a dream.
I thought Fender 9.5” Radius is shredder heaven?
The best shredder guitars are charvel. In my opinion.
My Seagull (Godin acoustic) I’ve had for 25 years and it’s an excellent guitar. I’m hoping to find a Godin electric soon. They clearly know how to build guitars
I have yet to play one I don't want
I got the Godin Session HSS and it is high quality for $600. I also started on a Seagull.
I remember playing an S6 thinking it was gonna be $1000. It was about $300 and I was blown away. I couldn’t buy it at the time though
I bought a used seagull acoustic in perfect condition about 10 months ago and I can't put it down some days!
I bought an S6 a couple of years ago because of the wider nut width (I have big hands). I love the tone and the feel of the guitar.
My wife's uncle who plays visited recently and was very impressed with the tone and volume of the guitar just by plucking a couple of strings while it hung on the wall.
Schecter and Ibanez are my faves overall. I think they are such value for the money. I am really interested in trying out an epiphone prophecy extura in the future....
I would have loved to see Reverend on the list. Great instruments, well-made and a pleasure to play. They also feature the bass contour knob which offers a unique way to sculpt your tone. I own a few and hope to own a few more. They definitely have their own vibe to them. Very cool guitars.
My dad has a Reverend that we've gigged a lot and it really is a nice guitar.
Agreed. All guitars need that bass contour and useable tone and volume controls. Double Agent OG is my jam.
Came here to say this.
I totally am in favor: I have 4 Reverends and fullly satisfied. My go-to guitar is one of them and it's the fabulous Crosscut with hevo 90 and Nuevo 90 pups. Absolute gems.
Reverend are special and very different to the usual variations of strat/tele. Totally converted me, I wasn't expecting them to be quite as amazing as they are.
Darrell, thanks for another great video. I own a Gibson SG (my first electric), a Gretsch semi hollow Streamliner and five custom modified Squiers. My favorite guitars are the ones that I am building with parts (5 HHH Strats and 1 HSH Strat with a HSP90 in the middle position). All of my builds will have coil split Bare Knuckle humbuckers, Fender locking tuners and Oak Grigsby 6 way switches. Two designs will be custom sprayed.
Darrell gives the best guitar recs of any RUclipsr I've seen. I've bought 2 Schecters that he reviewed mostly based on his recos and I've very glad that I did.
I fell in love with a Gretsch Jet the other day, fabulous tone and very playable. Yamaha is always hard to beat dollar for dollar.
My first electric guitar is a Gretsch Electromatic Jet Club -- entry level but amazing build quality and playability. I'll never get rid of it, and I plan to put legit 'trons in it one of these days. The "gretschbuckers" don't sound terrible, but they also don't sound like 'trons.
@@grayaj23 I think they changed the Gretschbuckers for Broad'trons
I was hoping to see some Yamaha. Their RGX guitars from the 80s and 90s are legitimately amazing. Love mine but I had to sell it. Seriously wanting another.
I hear the pacifica is a real good one from Yamaha😃
@@shawndouglass2939 Not the top of the line, but the basic Pacifica around $500-600 is quite a nice guitar. Feature packed, too!
Revstars are definitely on my list. They look and sound amazing. It's a slightly different design that the typical S, T, LP and 335 shapes, and the electronics are unique.
I love my Pacifica 311! Full of features for 299€
Sadly Yamaha was left out, both Pacifica and Revstar models are great
The new Harmony guitars built by Heritage are absolutely incredible USA made instruments for just over a grand. Check them out!
I have a ES335 & Tele, but my new Variax JTV59 is now my main guitar because it’s all guitars and all tunings & when paired with a Line 6 pedalboard, one can select amp(s), effects, guitar, and tuning with one foot switch press. I’m currently playing out with a Les Paul, Tele, & 335 in standard tuning and open A & G slide and it’s all the same guitar!
I would add to the list: Yamaha (the 611 and 612 Pacificas & Revstar models are great), Ibanez (AZ Series for a budget Suhr and of course the good old RG & S Series) , ESP/LTD (sadly the japanese ESP E-II models have become expensive af lately, but the LTD Deluxe Series are amazing), Kiesel (if you want to spend a little more and get a totally customised guitar, for half the price of a Gibson ), Tokai (if you want a Les Paul that "out Les Pauls" an authentic Les Paul in any way for a fraction of the money).
I've got a Pacifica 611 and have a hard time justifying buying any other guitar! It's got a wide range of tones and just feels great to play.
I agree with this list, I played a schecter that was 399 that I was impressed with and Ibanez makes great guitars for less then $500..Great video!!
A few in the comments mentioned Reverend, I have the Airwave 12 string which is pretty good, the bass contour knob really does dial in the tone of the soapbar pickups.
Great list of guitars. I bought the Charvel Pro-Mod So-Cal Style 2 24 HT HH Electric Guitar - Satin Black based on one of your other videos. Love the guitar.
I bought the same one also in black, it's my second Charvel. Bought it for the Fishman PU's. Love it.
Charvels are the modern fenders
ESP, JACKSON, BC RICH to name a few. On solely feel alone I love an EVH guitar. Please don’t forget Kramer. Also a Washburn PS 1800 (Sorry Paul). That model has a unique look as well as a solid sound.
Love my Kramer. I really like Jackson too because the styling is so similar...and they use Seymour Duncan's I think.
At the moment I am playing a Duesenberg and I love the roundness of the sound and the art-deco style design. From your selection my favourite would be the Godin.
Gretsch is not “owned by Fender”.
In late 2002, Gretsch and the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation reached an agreement giving Fender control over marketing, production, and distribution of guitars, with the Gretsch family retaining ownership of the company.
Lol. Not owned by Fender but Fender controls every aspect of the business.
@@hughjass5156 They don’t make crucial decisions. Also, thay get money for the production, but Gretsch family get the profits. I wouldn’t call that “owned by Fender”. Sounds to me you think the family just own the “Gretsch” name. When family decide to make a new model, Fender have to make one.
Oh BTW, the biggest guitar company in Japan operate almost the same way. Other company make guitars for them.
@@Twitexter Sounds to me like old man Gretsch is just a figurehead at this point. Nice of Fender to let him keep an office when he sold. And probably for the better that the Gretsch family did sell. Quality, brand reach, and relevance have soared under Fender's ownership.
@@hughjass5156 They have a contract. I don’t know the details but Gretsch family could sell the company to someone else (because thex still own it) or do whatever they like with THEIR company (I bet they renew the contract every XX years). The headquarters are in Savannah, Georgia.
@@Twitexter Yeah bro. I read the wikipedia article too.
I have found Eastman guitars to be high quality. I know that some don't want to support Chinese stuff.
I played an Eastman for the first time last year and was surprised by how good it felt and played.
I love my Eastman SB57 to bits!!! 🥰
I have an Eastman T64/V. It is a fantastic guitar.
I own 3 guitars (yamaha revstar, AM Std Telecaster and OM Acoustic Eastman). If all of the were burnt in a fire, the first one with no doubt I would buy again would be the Eastman. And if I ever want a LP model, SB57 will be the choice.
@@olimon63 it is indeed a beast guitar. If I may, have a look at my videos with the SB57 I have a playlist called “SB57 in action”. They should convince you to get one 😋
Glad to see Godin in here! For some reason I feel really comfortable with their instruments, and own two of them. One is a classical guitar, and the other a bass. The build quality, feel and sound of the instrument are awesome for the price, and I love how innovative and well thought out they are
I’d definitely add Reverend to that list. Awesome guitars that are cheaper than the US Fenders, and occasionally the Mexican ones.
I just picked up an Ibanez RG550 Genesis guitar and I am very happy with it. It’s made in Japan, comes with jumbo Frets, locking tuners, A thin neck with a satin finish and a very nice floating style bridge. The colors are incredibly eye-catching. Pick ups are HSH. Super hot for when you want to use gain but with gorgeous clean tones which makes it very versatile. It is a super Strat so, the target is metal players but, honestly, you can play anything on this guitar. Beautiful thing cost me 1000 bucks even. Priced right there with the electromatics from Gretsch and the PRS SE guitars. I am very surprised that you did not mention Ibanez. Those things are absolutely iconic and were played by all sorts of bands during the 1980s and 1990s. If you mention Sharvelle, you have to say something about Ibanez.
I'm really surprised you didn't mention Eastman guitars. You seemed to love them, and were the one who got me interested in them. I have an SB59/V, and have ordered a T59/V.
I have an Eastman SB57 and I too find the quality of these guitars to be beyond quite a lot of brands I tried 🥰
Yes, I've been playing for 40 years, and my SB59/V is one of the top 3 guitars out of about 100 I've owned.
Eastman's can be pricey.
ESP/LTD makes some great guitars. Balaguer guitars are really nice too.
Ibanez should be in this list. Historically one of the first brands to offer high quality alternativez with original designs... other than thatgreat review
Happy to see D'Angelico in your list. I've got a Deluxe Atlantic and It sounds really good and looks beautiful as well. You could have mentionned G&L. After searching for the right Telecaster for me, I finally bought a ASAT Bluesboy Thinline. Another brand that makes cool guitars - maybe a little harder to find - is Pure Salem Guitars. Unique models with a lot of mojo!
D'angelico are definitely sweet, but i think for comparing the budget lines G&L are much better than D'angelico. The mid to high end d'angelicos though are awesome!
Side note, in the video he mentions that d'angelico has 2 tiers but they really have 3; the premier/deluxe/excel
I own and have owned many 6 strings but as you might guess by my handle, I am primarily a Bassist. How about Danelectro or Epiphone? Every overpriced Gibson I ever wanted I found an Epiphone copy to scratch the itch. I traded a P Bass for a 1972 EA260 which is a Japanese Epiphone EB-2 copy. I took it to Mark Erlewine in Austin and had him shim the neck and drop the action and this one is now a real player. Its really great on Jazz gigs. I also did neck reworking likewise with a Dean John Entwistle Signature Hybrid 5 string Frankenstein Bass. I also have a mid-80s Corona Flying V Bass, an EB-3 and a few others. Musicman makes beautiful sounding but gaudy looking instruments with necks like a baseball bat. While G&L is basically just another Fender but I love them and have owned several. I have also come across some very nice playing and sounding Aria Pro instruments. I have a solid-body Upright Double Bass made by Aria, an SWB-1 Lite. I also own a Peavey T-40 from the late 70s and it is a great player and an incredibly versatile instrument. I bought it for $155 on ebay. You can get great playing instruments for $500 or less if you know what you're doing and what you're looking for.
The larry carlton Sire guitars are great value for the money, I have one and love it. And of course ibanez are amazing too.
ahhhh, love that green one.
I paid less for my custom Kiesel than I did for my Les Paul and the Kiesel is so much better. Makes me feel ripped off by Gibson.
Always worth getting a decent set up on your Gibson. Bought my sg brand new and was never overly impressed with it, but got it set up finally and changed the pick ups to high quality paf clones and the thing is insane and plays how you'd think it should when Gibson made it 🤦🏻♂️
@@notsosure7757 a condition of my purchase was that my Les Paul was set up perfectly. They did that for me. Dollar for dollar, the Kiesel wins, hands-down. Getting one built to my exact specifications is an additional bonus. The Les Paul is still a good guitar. I just feel it is overpriced.
@@kma6881 I got to be honest, I'd never heard of Kiesel. Just checked them out and they look pretty decent. Problem is Gibson churns out these guitars and unless you're going for custom shop, you're not going to end up with a great guitar every time. Plus there's a lot of desire in the brand itself. I've got 5 Gibsons, alot of hard work to buy them. The Sg (2009) was my first Gibson, I'd always had my Charvel before that, and to be honest I was quite disappointed with it. It never felt right, sounded ok but was always going out of tune and quite hard to play. Shop set it up again but it still sucked. About three years ago a mate of mine who is a pretty high quality luthier got hold of it and completely transformed it. Like I said, it's disappointing that Gibson couldn't build it like that in the first place. The rest of my Gibsons play perfect, but I only buy second hand and reasonably older ones.
@@notsosure7757 Kiesel used to be Carvin, who made some good guitars in the 90s
Was expecting to see Reverend but great list overall. I have huge respect for brands who take inspiration from classics but give it their own twist. There’s just too much copycats out there.
I was always a Ibanez guy. During my playing days in bands out in clubs I would have Ibanez electrics with Ovation acoustic/electrics.. towards the end of my playing career before I had to stop due to a injury I acquired 2 Jackson Phil Colin models. 1 tobacco burst and the other a satin clear. Sisters :) they had a chunkier neck than my Ibanezs. However a real balanced sounds...
Thanks for the video. Reverend guitars is another brand to consider. Specially the ones with Railhammer pickups
I'm amazed but not disappointed that you omitted Kiesel. I'm staggered that you omitted Ibanez. I'm not surprised that you omitted Shijie because I suppose it's easy to forget that there's a high quality manufacturer in China.
Eastman is another forgotten brand
You really need to add Reverend to the list.... They are an amazing guitar with a huge selection to meet your needs...
All these guitars are amazing in their own right. Most are out of my budget but I just picked up my first Les Paul…an Epiphone modern which I’m really enjoying. Couldn’t justify the extra thousands Gibson wants for a Les Paul when the Epiphone has decent quality and sounds every bit the part.
O did exately the dane and I am really happy
I don't even care for Les Paul style guitars, but holy moly that Schecter solo ii is so beautiful I might reconsider getting one.
a brand that I definitely recommend is burns from fernandes fantastic guitars. I even have two, one with built-in sustain
I find myself in a possibly unique position when it comes to guitars. For me it all comes down to neck profile. Physically I have the hands of a 10 year-old girl, and genetically I have some tendons in my fingers that have fused together, making independent movement of fingers hard to do. In my experience of trying different guitars, the Epiphone SG with a 60s slim oval C shape neck works the best for me. The guitars you have featured look fantastic, but I have to stick to a known neck profile that works with my limitations. Great video. Keep em coming.
As someone with small hands I have liked older japanese Jacksons and had many Godins that fit the bill. The ergo neck on the godin is a little chunkier than a jackson, but nicer to play on than a fender C...a little thinner and less round.
Great video, thanks for sharing!
As a left handed, it’s always hard to find a LH version from any brand. Other than Fender or Gibson, I think Suhr is amazing! I tried the Classic S and got impressed by its quality and playability. Very expensive though.
I like my old Ibanez Roadstar ll, this was my first electric guitar, but I made some changes with new pickups and changes on the tremolo system and it sounds like a riff monster. I also have a modified Fender Stratocaster Pro and since a few days a baritone guitar ML1 from Chapman Guitars. All these guitars are great and have their own character. I tried out the Sire Larry Carlton T7 ahw. This is a very good guitar, high quality, good sounding pickups and not expensive. Maybe this guitar could be my next, because it is versatile and also has something special... Or I save my money for a Music Man 7 string....
EVH standard, I love mine, the pick ups are amazing , a light and simple instrument with all you need for a very chap price
This was a great list! A few I was not familiar with and now want to check out. Another often overlooked brand is Yamaha. Lots of affordable options and I think they are a great value. Of course a few others would be ESP/LTD and Ibanez but I feel like those brands get enough love and are pretty common.
Regarding Zemaitis, I would consider $3000.00 to be outside the criteria you outlined, unless they have a less expensive metal-top that I'm unaware of.
You can get a Zemaitis without metal top for under $1500 though
@@landonmontgomery2693 You can get a Korean built Zemaitis C22MF brand new for around $1500. I actually snagged mine last year for a bit less than $1400. Fantastic guitar.
@@waynepurcell6058 Nice. I'm not a fan of the metal top, but that's a pretty decent price.
Im loving Harley Bentons. Super cheep, German owned and designed, Chinese made, they can be hit or miss, but if you get a good one you will be very pleased. I bought an electric 12 string that resembles a Rickenbacker. Out of the box it was well made and sounded great, but I did a few tweaks to it and it was fantastic. I highly recommend them. Check em out.
Truth
What about ESP/LTD? Very well made, good quality instruments, and it seems like you’re completely ignore them on the whole channel
Which is weird, because he demos so many Schecters and Schecter is owned by the owner of ESP, Hisatake Shibuya.
Agree 100% that Godin is well worth checking out. I used to own an Exit 22 that I regret selling to this day.
I'm so excited that someone even MADE this video that I'm thanking you in the comments before I watch it. I have loved Jackson/Charvel for so long. But I also make my own.
You should add Duesenberg to your list. I`ve got a 12-string for around 2,000 € and played a bunch of 6-strings as well. They are mostly under 2k € but some reach into the 2.5k realm. These guitars all come pleked from the very start. Absolutely flawless instruments, good looking and good sounding. I guess they are even better than Fender or Gibson.
ESP LTD series are great options.
I would take my '78 Ibanez Artist Custom over any of these. Similar to the Bob Weir model, but slightly different appointments. Gorgeous trim and inlays, natural finish, gold hardware and so playable. Known back then as the "poor man's Les Paul". I also had a LP KM from the same era - best Paul I owned out of 3 of them, but the Ibanez still blew it away.
I have a few electrics and love them all.
Gretsch Electromatic G5120 upgraded to custom brass saddle and fliltertrons from my dad’s country gent (he put T.V. Jones)
Grote casino style. I adore this guitar. Unexpectedly great.
The GTX tm2 that I will love even more with the new finish, also upgrading some hardware and electronics. Pretty great for $50 I paid for it a few years back.
1987 Yamaha RGX220. My first electric and current main project. Took off the paint went with heritage cherry finish. Staining the neck and laser engraving the headstock logo. Switch the Floyd rose out for a rolling tune-o-matic (that was a lot of work) and coil split Dragonfire pickups.
Gibson SG Gothic Morte. My pride and joy electric. It was a long time coming and a dream guitar. I played every SG until I found the one I loved. By far my favourite active pickups. Gibson GEM actives. Super balanced and not crazy hot.
All of them have their place, the Grote and Gretsch get the most stage play. I’m generally an acoustic player, but that’s a whole other list.
That Music Man with the traditional looking sunburst color is a real beauty.
Would be great to see some reviews of the Reverend models on the channel.
I've owned and still own alot of mainstream guitar brands but LTD/ESP are definitely the top dogs. The EC-1000/Eclipse models specifically I've found to be pretty much incomparable in quality and design to any other alternative LP style guitar... even Gibson themselves often times.
LTD models are fantastic guitar... especially the Korean made models.
But there's just no substitute for the Japanese ESPs. you play a E-II for a month and everything else just feels like a toy after.
Ibanez are one of my favourite brands - great range and different price points & always great quality!
I’m really glad you spoke of Godin guitars. I own a 12 string & a strat style. They both play well and sound good. I practically never hear anyone mention them. I’ve had them both since about 2008. Mark Greene
While I don’t own one I think the rickenbacker 330 and 360 are really underrated guitars seriously you can get some great tones out of them
I have a 360 and love it. Played 4001 and 4003 basses for years. I love their tones. Really versatile.
No LTD? Amazing guitars (for the money). G&L and their Tribute line kick butt also.
Love Schecter now... after years playing a Gretsch I got the Schecter Nick Johnston HSS ST-style. Before it, I didn't like strat styles or their tones (put off by the tones & playing of Clapton & Knopfler); though I'm a complete convert to what Schecter do - satin neck, variety of tones, locking tuners, stays in tune and (for us more maturing folks) the contouring makes it comfortable for many hours of playing seated, or standing. Now I don't even mind Clapton and Knopfler :) Just wish these quality of guitars - of all the brands you mention here Darrell - were about when I started out playing guitar
I have the NJ HSS as well and I love it so much. I think it’s the strat for non strat people. And the hum bucket kicks enough for me to do some 80s style riffing and shredding, nut when I go full Hendrix that 4th position is as stratty as it gets. I stopped looking at strat types since getting it. They improved on all of the annoying strat stuff without losing what makes them great.
Nick knows what’s up!
Really cool to see Zemaitis getting shown! I just bought one of their Superior Series LP styled guitars and it plays beautifully. like you said, the pickups sound awesome and the etch work they do is just incredible. Now I need to go check out some of these other brands I didn't recognize lol
Interesting to see Tony Zemaitis’s guitar designs still popular and available to more people than when he hand crafted the originals in Chatham, Kent, England.
Thanks, that was interesting. I particularly appreciated the thing about Rivolta and Novo.
No Rickenbacker? 😢
PRS - Hands down the best fantastic instruments, and seriously they are the baseline as to the industry when it comes to quality control.
Music Man and Sterling are also very Damn Good
Schecter also very very good makes a good 7 string for a decent price
Zemaitis love them, need more flappy pigeon Band Maid
Ibanez for as much as I like their designs and signatures, they have some of the worst quality control.
Band Maid Miko Flappy Pigeon PO!
I'd like to get suggestions. Looking for an exact equivalent to the Schecter Omen Extreme 6 FR, which is about my ideal guitar, but which is currently B/O worldwide. HH pickups (passive mandatory, vintage output if possible), 24 frets, coil splitting, dual volume knobs, and a floating trem (yeah, that's one to rule them all). The Music Man are very close to that, but they're missing one volume pot, and I already have a Jackson right in that alley, but for coil splitting. I adore Charvel's natural body finishes (I,m a sucker for natural bodies - haha); their HSH configurations Guthrie Govan specials are a close second, but I can't afford them.
It could also be a 7 strunger; then, it would be my all-in-one goto. It's just hard not to have metal melting hot pickups with those.
And no, I can't afford a custom shopper either.
Ideas?
Balaguer
@@owldish7381 Which?
I own a PRS - a '97 CE24 - and I absolutely love it. It plays like a Strat, and sounds like a Les Paul with hot pickups. I've also played a few SE's in some of my trips to Guitar Center, and those are pretty impressive as well.
Guitars made in Japan are glorious! My 2013 Great Double Anniversary Vintage Burst is made in Japan with. an ebony fingerboard. It is Glorious!! My Godin Session HSS is great and I snagged mine for only $550! In mint condition! Thanks for having Godin in the list! I love that Vola!
What about ESP? Is it enough high quality to feat the list? (James Hetfield asking). Can't believe it isn't there.
And what about Fujigen by the way?
I have 3 Fujigen Ibanezes, 1 of them right now is my main guitar. I also have an old Fujigen Fender I bought years and years ago, I'll never get rid of that guitar.
ESP Kanami Band backing Baby metal! Love Bites Midori ESP. I think both use Gilmer Amps and Marshall cabinets.
PRS is definitely the best brand that has something for everyone with amazing quality control across the board.
I wish you would have mentioned Suhr though. IMO they are the best S or T style guitars out there in appearance, features, tone and feel. When I picked one up the first time I couldn’t believe what I was holding.
Shout out to Duesenberg for being the prettiest guitars on the planet with the most unique Trem system on the market. Add Reverend to this list too which are manufactured in the same factory as Duesenberg.
Also MJT which make the most affordable custom guitars out there in all the appropriate Fender styles.
Ibanez, LTD and schecter are good brand. Especially the ibanez rg550 genesis which is made in Japan and had the original edge tremolo, stupendously good value for what you get
I agree with the schecter pick. The Synyster Gates guitar is one of my all time favorites
ESP/LTD needs to be on this list. I own two, and I will never part with them.
What about Eastwood. Quality, reasonable prices, very individualistic lines, and lastly, it’s a Canadian company
If I had the money Eastwood has a few electrics I really like.
“High quality guitars that is not Fender or Gibson”
It would be great if Fender and Gibson someday will produce high quality guitar for it’s price...
Fender is fine, but Gibson is crap
what do you mean? Fender and Gibson quite literally make the best guitars. best feel to my hands. Doesn’t get any better IMO but everyone has their own taste and that’s the beauty of playing guitars
Matte powder blue. Looked white on my phone, but I caught the blue SLIGHTLY when you moved it once or twice. Lovely effect if it carries in the real world
Charvel all day every day. I got a red 86 model 2. It is hands down the most fun to play guitar ive ever gotten a chance to play. I was comfortable with it the second I picked it up.
I don't believe Fender owns Gretsch. Gretsch is owned by the Gretsch family and Fender has a licensing agreement to build and distribute them. I agree they are fantastic guitars!
Fender DOES own Gretsch (and Bigsby, too)
@@markallen2984 I don't believe I can post links but do a search on Gretsch and Fender licensing. Gretsch is owned by Fred Gretsch and the guitars are produced by Fender under a license. Fender has never owned Gretsch.
@@hoganshideout I'll check it out....I can't recall the source of my earlier information, but it sounds like you have looked into it.....