Boutique guitars
I don't believe that a good guitar has to be an expensive guitar (or even the other way around, although that is more often the case). I love and cherish my Gibson Les Paul (Standard Heritage Cherry Sunburst, bought around 2001), but I don't like the price tag on such an awesome instrument. Luckily, my Gibson was my eighteenth birthday present from my mom and dad. I don't think I could pay that amount of money for one piece of fancy wood with some decent electronic parts. I currently own about 15 guitars, and with the exception of that one, there isn't a single one that broke the bank in such a spectacular fashion, yet all are currently class A instruments. If you don't have the budget for multiple $3000 instruments, I think it makes good sense to search in a lower price bracket, and then custom shop it yourself to "get it as you want it", to quote a fast food franchise. The other exception to my rule is exclusive instruments: I own a relatively unique Ibanez RG J-custom with a multi-color finish, which I will probably never come across again. That one also set me back quite a bit of money… |
What to buy
If I had the budget, I would be living in Gibson city, just like Slash. Or even better, I would be living @ Guitar Center all together, like Joe Bonamassa. However, the reality is that, like most mere mortal instrument-aficionados, I do not make anything near the - downright obscene - budget I would like to spend on instruments in an ideal world and this sometimes forces to make some more sane budgetary choices. For instance, you can easily find some second hand axes that aren't too much scarred and do not have all the life played out of them yet. Moreover, as these will not set you back a fortune, there will be some cash left to enhance some of the existing features. My advice on buying 2nd hand axes would be to be extremely cautious when it comes to aesthetics and a bit less so when it comes to electronics and circuitry. A slightly faulty switch might get you a better deal price-wise and these are the parts that I would opt for to replace anyway. Nicks and cuts in the finish or dents and bruises in the lacquer are way harder and - if at all possible - a lot more expensive to remedy. |
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What (not) to spend on
You can also save a couple of bucks by not going for the absolutely high-end, top-of-the-line instruments in your preferred manufacturer 's product catalogue (e.g. my JS 100 model and Roland Ready Fender Strat). More often than not, a high-end model will have some better parts and perhaps some slightly better features, but still the better part of the quite considerable price difference can be explained by differences in labor costs. I don't mind paying for superior materials and parts being used, but at the risk of sounding somewhat disrespectful to the undoubtedly excellent craftsmanship of luthiers, price-wise, I find it rather unnerving to pay over a $2000 surplus for a marginal difference in build-quality,
A similar way of cutting the budget you have to spend on a prime axe in more than half, is going for the high-end models of the "knock-off brands" (e.g. Squier, Epiphone,…) in stead of the Real McCoy. Moreover, these cheaper instruments often come with great potential, much in the same way as one would look at a well-located piece of real estate that needs a serious renovation. |
Features to look for
Sometimes, mid-range knock-off models (e.g. Parker P-38, Epiphone Ultra-II) display a number of features that are normally associated with top-notch instruments (such as sustainers, piezo, active pickups, neck-through, …). The trick is to spot the positive elements of a certain design, safeguard those, and replace those parts where manufacturers obviously had to reduce the production cost. As a final remark, I need to point out that these are tips for the gigging and dedicated musician; if you are collecting axes as an investment, than disregard everything I just said. Just go for the high-end classics (Gibson, Fender USA, PRS, ...). Replacing stuff on guitars always reduces the value, so this is not a smart move if you are planning on selling your gear and making a profit. On the other hand, if you need a superior sounding class A workhorse that can cope with the inevitable abuse of being on the road (the wear and tear you don't want on your prime axes), you might want to read on. |
What to replace
Generally, the problem with second hand axes, starter or mid-range models and reasonably priced brands is that manufacturers have to cut corners on some of the (electronic) parts. Some people say the sound is in the neck, some people say it is in the wood of the body. Probably, there is some truth in all of that, but the simple fact remains that your pick-ups are the only thing that directly communicates with your amp, so they play a star role in your eventual sound. So my strategy is to always look at the high-end companies and what would be my axes of choice. I look at what parts they are using and I get my guitar tech to replace the off-the-shelf electronics (and sometimes bridges) in my cheaper models with some of the high-end professional pickups. Granted you might not get the sustain the boutique model has, but more often than not, you will get pretty close to its sound on as little as a sixth of the budget. |
Tuning for dummies
So the trick is to find and buy that well-featured medium-priced guitar and "pimp", "tune" and "chrome" it out until you end up with the axe that is aesthetically and aurally pleasing to you, and none other than you! My opinion is that everybody has a black guitar and it tends to get a little boring. Whether you are a stop-tail P-90 fanatic or an active pickup-crazed whammy-aficionado, there is almost always something still out there for you to customize in order for your instrument to sound better (and look unique).
Generally, that does not imply real major surgery. Basically, changing pick-ups and perhaps changing around some of the smaller plastic parts and you are practically there. My go-to-companies for these enhancements are Gibson and DiMarzio. There are some really good instruction videos for this on YouTube (e.g. The Tone King), but my recommendation is to have it done by a good tech. Guitars are valuable art pieces in their own right, so if you lack the skill or confidence to do it yourself, don't screw around with it. Skilled and trained professionals will generally do it better, and at a reasonable price. |
Your own custom model
Once you are comfortable enough to start replacing stock pick-ups, you will probably soon start developing an appetite for more extensive and excessive guitar pimping, and that 's where the more advanced plastic surgery comes in.
On at least two of my guitars, I've had the bridges replaced with Fishman piezos, I've got two guitars in the collection that have Roland GK hexaphonic pick-ups, hard-tailed Floyd Roses, put Graph Tech saddles on some of the tune-o-matics. As far as my wish list is concerned, I wouldn't mind some more piezo-bridges and a little sustainer every here and there. It is really fascinating stuff, and as far as I am concerned, the work is never done. I consider a standard model something of a blank canvas which is customizable to taste. Moreover, as long as I don't get a guitar built to my exact specification in an endorsement deal, this is the most affordable way of getting your own custom guitar. |
Advanced tuning
Having the pickups replaced, putting some different control knobs or replacing/removing pick-guards is brain-science nor rocket science. Most things you can do yourself or will be routine jobs for any decent luthier or guitar tech. But sometimes, it is just not enough...
Changing controls, putting in or taking out switches, changing from humbuckers to single coils, or having the switching on your instruments changed are generally less straight forward, but worth the effort. If you think about it, it is how the EVH and Steve Morse Frankensteins were born. I've had these major surgeries done on a couple of axes, and to me, it is what guitar modification is all about. Two friendly pieces of advice apply here. First of all, once you start messing around with the core configuration of your instruments (changing around switching, taking out Floyds, ...), be sure that both you and your tech know what you are doing. Secondly, putting in a new bridge, a piezo, a hexaphonic pickup and multiple humbuckers will set you back a whole lot of your hard-earned dollars. Make sure you can cover the charges before you have your customization done, and ask yourself whether it is worth the effort, the time and the price. Although, generally, it will be... ;o) |
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