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+--- Thread: Cheap vs Expensive Guitars (/thread-340.html)
Cheap vs Expensive Guitars - jtkung - 07-25-2021
You will notice that I will post about guitars that can be really expensive, but also really cheap. It doesn't matter to me. If a guitar is good, it's good. I do tend to look at more expensive ones but because they are made by one person, custom-made, very little if any CNC, with the highest quality materials and workmanship. Then there's the design and perfectionism that goes into them. This is why they are expensive. Not because they are artificially aged and relic'ed or a simple copy of a 60-year old design like a Les Paul. These are relatively easy to make for a skilled luthier and I doubt anybody can tell a real tonal difference by just listening to even the highest resolution clips in a blind test. The pickups and amp would dwarf any sound difference from the guitars. The high price for these guitars is because the market is willing to pay for these due to hubris, ego, and the thought of owning an expensive guitar that their owners can barely play. :-)
On the other hand, I appreciate bang for the buck and how much quality and sound you can get from something reasonably priced. I hate how image, brand, and marketing are jacking up prices of guitars that are shitty for the exorbitant prices they are charging. The main brands are guilty of this.
This is why I appreciate luthiers like Lavoie, Sankey, Pagelli and so many others who are making unique instruments, while at the same time, I really like the inexpensive EART guitars from China who are making great, traditional-design instruments for not much money. I see many more makers like EART on the horizon -- Sire, Shijie, and others. They aren't super cheap, but they are making some amazing guitars for less than half (or less) of the competition. I expect this will only continue. Great for the guitar consumer, not so good for the boutique luthiers or huge brand names who tout Made-in-USA as a big selling point and charging outrageous prices.