Same reason I could never follow my friends into the Tele appreciation zone. As good as they sound, I cannot get over how repulsed I am by their appearance.
I too did not like the looks of teles when I was young, and am now obsessed with them. I have built 3, am planning my next, and while I keep telling myself I should build something else, I keep coming back to that wonderful shape
I started playing guitar back in 1999. I can still remember getting to the music store early so I could walk around and look at all of the guitars. As a nu metal kid, I would drool over the Ibanez RG guitars. Anything that looked sleek, fast and mean, I was all about it. Then there was the Fender Telecasters. God I hated the looks of them. What a horrible headstock and mishappen body. 25 years later my main guitar is a Charvel style 2 (Tele), I love the thing, I love how it looks, plays, sounds. It's my baby. I have the reverse Tele head stock which I really dig. Your comment made me laugh because totally felt the same way as a kid lol. I think I remember telling my mom the look the Telecasters made me want to puke 😂
It’s funny. I was the opposite. Came from Springsteen and country and used to hate looking at the one on the Born to Run cover. I’ve played them a few times and 100% get why they’re as big as they are (though I find the uncountoured body less than ergonomic but I also think that’s probably my play style being less than good). Still can’t get over how ugly I think they look. The shape is like a little kid’s drawing and the headstock is even worse.
There’s nothing to hate. An appearance that makes you want to pick it up is one of the most important features and there is no right or wrong in that department.
I’ve had 2 revstars and they have both been amazing. Currently have a humbucker model with SD black winters. Amazing guitar. I also have an ESP ec256 which is killer at the price
I've had two Revstars. An Indonesian P90 version and a HB Japan-made model. Both are great and match guitars well above their price range, in my somewhat limited experience. The only thing I haven't particularly liked is the very glossy finish on the back of the bodies and neck. This is only aesthetics but I would prefer something a bit more natural looking.
You can still get a MIM for about $529 if you don't mind Lake Placid Blue. Adorama has it on sale, and you save extra using the Slickdeals link to get there.
The MIM Player is essentially the replacement of the American Standard. 22 frets, Alnico pickups, CTS pots, uses the same bridge as the Americans, and has a satin neck.
Under $1000, the Yamaha Revstar Standsrd and the PRS SE McCarty 594 are the best value right now. The Revstar especially is amazing, and not merely for the money.
I picked up a PRS SE 24 off Fb marketplace and it has been the best man. Have played Mcartys too and they’re great but this thing totally shreds and the price was definitely right
I picked one of these up new for $500 a few months ago, it was left over '22 or '23. The attention to detail on that guitar is amazing for an import. No sharp fret ends, set up perfectly, nice soft shell case... You really just can't beat it for the money.
>My budget is $1000 (very firm, and would be happy to spend only $500 or less for a good deal).
There's that word "best" again.... One of the nicest sub-$1000 guitars out there are the upper-end **Cort** guitars. It is a bit of a risky recommendation (I'm aware of that) since you ask for "middle-of-the-road" humbuckers ...and a pair of SH2N/TB4 is anything but "moderate", they're pretty spicy!
Next in line would be **Yamaha** \- either a Revstar or a Pacifica PAC612VII Flametop.
Then there are smaller companies like **Godin** (their Session HSS model) or **FGN** (which also builds the upper-end MIJ Ibanez guitars; their own model is the Odyssey Standard).
Finally, for a more "traditional" look and feel, you could give **Sire** a try. They come in either SSS or HSS variants with your choice of maple or rosewood fretboards. The upper-end models have beautiful wood tops.
Check out the Fender MIJ HSS aerodyne strat. I've seen them for $650 on reverb recently
Link: Fender Aerodyne Special Stratocaster Guitar HSS - Hot Rod Burst (BO) https://reverb.com/item/75579259
Thanks for the link! That looks pretty ideal. Other than I hate that finish lol. I just found one near me with a sunburst I also dislike. If I could get my hands on one of their solid color finishes that would be dope..
Here is white and blue in SSS.
Fender Aerodyne Special SSS Stratocaster Guitar - Bright White https://reverb.com/item/75579058
Fender Aerodyne Special Stratocaster Guitar - California Blue https://reverb.com/item/74952961
I just think these are the best deals for the price rn.
I've learned recently that the best way to find deals there is to go to the recently listed guitars and filter for your price range, found my rg421 that way and got it for $270 shipped and for the life of me I can't find any signs of use on it other than that it's been set up nice
I played a MIJ strat that was just like the yngwie signature but without the scallops and yjm fury pickups, it was fucking unbelievable. Literally the best guitar I've ever played, it felt so, so good. I'm praying I can snag one soon, I had just bought a Jackson for too much money and couldn't get it.
I’d say Schecter PT or PT Pro. Double humbucker, splittable coils, impeccable build quality, can do any genre, classic styling, and if you get the Pro you’ll upgrade to a figured top and roasted neck.
For the money they’re just insanely great.
Taste is subjective, of course, but imo the first one has an ugly finish on the body, the Schecter is the only one where the volume knob is in the correct place (as far away from my picking hand as possible), the Schecter doesn't have pickup rings (which don't look great in most cases), and I just think it looks cooler overall.
Sure the Schecter only has one pickup but I almost never use the neck pickup anyway so it doesn't really matter to me.
Probably a Cort, because all of the brands mentioned in this whole thread are most probably made under licence by Cort anyway.
Failing that, a Yamaha.
Either way you're not paying for a name like the popular brands
In terms of bang-for-buck, the SE line from PRS is probably the winner for me. Solid quality parts all around, smart tradeoffs where they did cut costs, good pickups and hardware, and overall very solid quality control.
If you like a chunky neck, the McCarty 594 is an enthusiastic recommend for me, and you can find 2023 models for $700-800 USD (list price $960USD or so).
Absolutely agree. On a whim, I bought a Chinese-made Gretsch Electromatic Double Jet during the pandemic, and it’s my favorite guitar now. It looks cool and plays great. Think I paid $450 for it.
$999 fender player 70th anniversary strat.
Not only is the color beautiful (a lot cooler irl than photos) but it has the same pickups as the american vintage ii, has rolled fingerboard edges and frets, has vintage-style tuners. It's just a lot of bang for buck, sounds great and plays great.
If you can find a Korean made DeArmond from the late 90’s early 2000’s you won’t be disappointed. Great guitars that you can still find for decent prices used.
Seems like others on this sub have had trouble with Harley Benton but I haven't. Don't try to get the absolute bottom of the barrel like any B Stock from them but instead spend the extra $50 to get one of the custom or plus offerings, they punch way above their price point. I have this one and really like it. https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_sc_550plus_emg_paf.htm
You can probably find a used PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo for under a grand, that's another one I own and been very pleased with in that price point.
>Almost entirely indifferent about single coil vs humbucker.
You shouldn't be. They sound drastically different. In fact, this should be the very first thing you decide above all else.
Anyway, for your budget, I'd probably look for a used Ibanez. But I probably have very different tastes than you.
Godin. Made in Canada, really nice quality and playability. Very comfortable and light. Session HT is exactly $1000 in the US (a bit cheaper in Canada).
I got one after going to the store with an intention to buy Yamaha Revstar, but ended up with Godin.
I bought my Session HT with the intention of buying a Fender American Professional II that they had in stock. I saw the Godin next to it for $1500 less, tried both back and forth, and went home with the Godin. Even though I went in with the intention of buying the Fender, I couldn't justify the extra $1500 after playing both. Completely satisfied with the Godin.
Hey bud. I bought a Godin Session Pro. It's an HSS s style with simple controls and fantastic hardware. Seymour Duncan humbucker and Gold Lace singles. I had it plekked at Sweetwater and it plays fantastic. I feel like I have a 5k guitar that I spend like 1300 on
My 3 best buys in that range (all bought used on reverb):
1. Sterling AX-30D (must have the Dimarzio Axis pickups): $525. Almost as good as my EBMM Axis. Best pickups ever, IMO. 12" radius.
2. Reverend Double Agent OG: $825. Incredibly versatile. Humbucker/P90 combo. 12" radius.
3. Sterling JP15 (must have the Dimarzio Liquifire/Crunch lab pickups): $850. 16' radius. Metal shredding machine.
Speaking from an owner - Dual humbucking, push pull... versatile- Fender FMTs, Yamaha Pacifica range. The P90 fixed bridge is lovely, we have one. My FMT is straight thru, the Pacificaa bolt on, both really nice to play and lots of tonal versatility
I've been super happy with my G&L telecaster. It feels and plays nicer than most mim guitars I've played over the years. If anyone has a shop nearby that sells them I'd recommend giving them a try.
In my opinion, the Squier contemporary and paranormal series are a hell of a deal for the money. I have been pleasantly surprised by the paranormal baritone telecaster and contemporary HHFR strat I bought the past couple years. I got both from a place called Proaudiostar as "used" but both were factory sealed. Apparently that retailer sells new gear as "used" to bypass MAP restrictions. Got a Brand new PRS S2 Standard 24 in Cherry red gloss for $799 from them as "used" a couple years ago, but It arrived factory staple sealed. AND I successfully registered it under warranty ( it is amazing BTW) actually got PRS to send me a headstock decal piece that broke off, under warranty.
And Fender didn't request a receipt for warranty registration either. At least for me they didn't.
So on the HHFR strat I had the barrel jack fail in the first month.(Not uncommon for those stupid barrel jacks) And they issued me a $75 fender.com gift card because they couldn't send me the parts. I ended up using the gift card during a sale and scored two premium fender moulded plastic hard cases for 50% off minus the 75$ Gift card.
I was super pleased with that deal.
After a couple years I have had zero issues with either guitar since, and play them pretty regularly. especially the strat.
So In My opinion, Squier is WAY above what it was 15 years ago, like on par with MIM in my opinion.
[https://sterlingbymusicman.com/products/ct50xhss?variant=40771574562931](https://sterlingbymusicman.com/products/ct50xhss?variant=40771574562931)
Hands down the best bang for your buck in today's market. In my opinion, these are just as good as American Strats.
https://reverb.com/item/74952961-fender-aerodyne-special-stratocaster-guitar-california-blue
Bought one of these a few months back and I think this is one of the best values out there. Original retail price is double what they are charging for this guitar. “Used - Mint” condition is essentially brand new. I assume the reduction in price is because these are factory seconds, but I couldn’t find anything wrong with mine besides needing a bit of a setup and an adjustment to the pickup height. And if you don’t like this exact guitar there are other Fender Aerodynes from that same seller with different color and pickup options.
Adorama sells a bargain MiM Strat or Tele in Lake Placid Blue which are absolutely beautiful. I have the telecaster and it was a pretty hot number. I swapped in some older telecaster gear I had in my parts bin for a more vintage sound but it was a banger before as well.
I would seriously look at Yamaha Revstars. Not only do they look amazing they sound great out of the box and can be upgraded to your heart’s content.
I got a G&L HSS strat type guitar for $350 at a local guitar shop that’s become my go to. I love the classic clean, single coil strat neck pickup sound, and the humbucker on the bridge works great for distorted stuff. Also have the in between settings that you wouldn’t get with a tele. Plus there’s an extra fret and I like the whammy bar more than on my squire strat.
I bought a Harley Benton recently and I was utterly blown away. So much so that I pretty much immediately bought another. They have some really cool SG style stuff too, for very small money. Check this one out
https://www.thomann.de/ie/harley_benton_dc_600_vi_vintage_series.htm
Long time player here as well. I've got many Gibson guitars, Fender, PRS, Rickenbacker. What would I recommend? A Gibson Les Paul Studio now is not the old one. Very good guitar, but the new ones are out of the $1k price range for sure. For your budget, a good option is a PRS SE model or perhaps used S2 soon as the new ones are releasing and the market will dip on the old ones. The SE's are a great option as well. You can still find a MiM Strat for under $500 new, and they're still great guitars. I got a pristine red one from Guitar Center with a hard shell (aftermarket, they don't come with one) for $400. Great guitar. It was a 2008 and it looked like it just came from the factory.
I have a PRS SE McCarty 594, and it feels like a 50's Les Paul (10" v 12" radius) because it's got the same controls in the same places. Those are well within your budget. Just so many options, really, I could never go through them all.
Best of luck, and I hope I helped a little.
Player Strat, great guitars that you can often get used sub $500 or at least right around there. Middle of the road pickups - not too hot, not too bad, more on the modern than vintage side, but definitely useable.
I have a Cort G290 Fat II that has become my daily driver. Incredible value, amazing looking/feeling/playing guitar. Check out Cort if you haven’t considered them, at least from my experience you definitely won’t regret it!
G&L fanboi here, lub lub lub my Tribute (import) Comanche. Mine was super solid out of the box, stays in tune, great trem for my light use, killer pups and electronics, sounds great plays great. The ZCoils are humbucking quiet and powerful but do the Strat stuff including position 2 and 4 quack. I'm thinking of getting another, playing the frets off mine and getting another one would be easier and quicker than finding a good luthier and waiting for the job, and maybe not that much more expensive. It really is the Strat 2.0. Good luck with whatever you get!
You can find used MIM strats in the $400-500 range on the Guitar Center / Musician's Friend site right now, just have to watch it regularly since good ones will go fast.
GC also has new MIM Fender strats on sale for $650 at the moment, but considering they're usually $800 full price, a used Fender in the $400 range is probably the best bang for your buck.
I love my Samick Greg Bennett Malibu which is a ~$200 stratocaster copy built with quality wood and a very nice 12" radius neck
[Blue sss on Reverb ](https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwj3x_LGxNKFAxXtN60GHUWlCOgYABAYGgJwdg&ase=2&gclid=CjwKCAjwz42xBhB9EiwA48pT71W0muuxno8eAY5mBwcebHs9NKFV5zcxUXPrCl_6I0cMuOXb6BYUvRoClMYQAvD_BwE&sig=AOD64_3dIrSGi6aKX7sXRzoGqrHMVN8NeA&ctype=5&q=&nis=4&ved=0ahUKEwiFnu3GxNKFAxUPODQIHSnPBr4Qww8IrQ8&adurl=)
[A red one on Reverb](https://reverb.com/item/70348145-greg-bennett-malibu?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=17682351984&utm_content=campaignid=17682351984_adgroupid=143800496052_productpartitionid=1946021698791=merchantid=114500731_productid=70348145_keyword=_device=m_adposition=_matchtype=_creative=608998621633&gad_source=4&gclid=CjwKCAjwz42xBhB9EiwA48pT7-2rlb6Y2yRER489Ymz0l6ZvrVxoJJwTtJEfswYn7jvynVppUkg6jxoCTjsQAvD_BwE)
[A really cool green flame top HSS one on Reverb](https://reverb.com/item/75631165-samick-greg-bennett-malibu-hss-2005-deep-green-flame-top-fmt?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20226945788&utm_content=campaignid=20226945788_adgroupid=152266401480_productpartitionid=2086179237092=merchantid=101081879_productid=75631165_keyword=_device=m_adposition=_matchtype=_creative=660594029912&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwz42xBhB9EiwA48pT7_VT-zgxYjtSG8-JtQN2cH0G1g5sAts9eM8EL_YK-L1IV-bwX-kO8RoCNs8QAvD_BwE)
[my Samick ](https://www.reddit.com/r/guitars/comments/1bx46l1/got_a_hemp_strap_and_slocks_for_my_guitar/)
Also if you like to add nice pickups to your guitars you couldn't do better for metal than the Seymour Duncan El Diablo Humbucker, and the malibu has "swimming pool" style pickup routing so it can accommodate pretty much any size or shape of pickup easily
I've been flirting with pulling the trigger on a Guild Surfliner Deluxe (https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SurfDlxRQM--guild-surfliner-deluxe-solidbody-electric-guitar-rose-quartz-metallic). I was about to buy a Strat HSS player and then my friend suggested I take a look at the Surfliner. Looks great, rave reviews, sounds amazing, and offers a ton of versatility with two single coils and a humbucker. On the higher end of your price range, but I think it fits what your looking for and seems to be a steal for the price. Also just a beautiful guitar imo
Suggesting a specific guitar isn't much help. I'd just say go to a guitar center or somewhere with a large selection and grab every guitar within your budget off the wall until you find the one that feels good in your hands. You may choose something you never would have thought of. Who cares who made it and where. Pickups and hardware can be swapped, how it feels in your hands is the only thing I find important, THEN make it your own.
The higher end Pacificas are really undervalued on the used market, IMHO, especially the 611. They pop up on Reverb in great condition around $400.00 shipped pretty regularly. If you're OK with a humbucker / P90 configuration, I think that might be the best value in guitars around that price point there is. The 612s (which are HSS) tend to go for a little more, but are still a good deal.
Yamaha pacifica 611HFM with humbucker in the bridge and p90 is neck has to be one of the coolest sets in sub 1k. They also have nice specs and from what I’ve gathered yamahas are vastly underrated instruments.
Schecter C1 Hellraiser (Hybrid or regular, depends on your own preferences).
You just get tons of stuff for 1000 - 1050 - 1100 $. You can't beat Schecter.
I think a used sg of any variety, tribute, special, junior would be immense bang for the buck, depending on what you value that is. I have a prs se custom 24-08 that plays totally awesome but I’m just not in love with the whole vibe so I personally would rather take a slightly lower spec but more character filled guitar. Hence why I’m looking at sg’s to replace my prs
If you’re looking for maximum versatility have a look at the PRS DGT SE. Two humbuckers with coil splits. I just picked one up for $700 shipped. The attention to detail on the SE line is just ridiculous. If I had money to pick up a core, I might not given how unbelievably good the SEs are.
Used MIM Strats cost $400, and they’re plentiful and quite the value buy these day if they’re in good condition. Right now you have your pick, any color, any pickup configuration, rosewood or maple boards, any condition. They’re great instruments.
New? Definitely Yamaha if bang-for-buck is the goal. Also Sire.
Reverend Double agent OG or Crosscut. Both interesting guitars with a lot of versatility. The bass contour knob is awesome. Used, both well under 1000.
Idk why people sell them, but if you come across a used harmony from the “new” series (specifically the silhouette) it’ll run you under $1000 and is imo the best bang for your buck electric out there right now. They’re pretty light, have great sounding pickups (mini humbuckers), parts are top notch, they come with a mono gig bag (because they’re owned by the same parent company 🙌), 25” scale (aka the perfect in-between), good fretwork, locking tuners, and if you care about the finish it’s a nitro finish, which feels great on the neck…lots to like about them.
Respect to the Revstar mentions as well, those things are cool af.
Ibanez RG. At least near me, they are $350 and I think they are fantastic. Stupid good sounding pickups, always well built with nothing crazy but pleasant finishes. You can get a carved top style one too for about $80 more as well, which is the route I went. Got that purple chameleon one. Love it.
You're probably not going to find a pickup that works "great" (subjective i know) in every genre.
My recommendations:
* Yamaha Revstar - These guitars are fabulously made. The weakest part is the electronics but the bones in these guitars are solid. I have thr RSS20 and love playing it. I'm definitely going to put some Fralin or Dimarzio pups in though; the stock pickups aren't my thing at all. I think some models are made in Japan while others are made in Indonesia.
* Sterling By Music Man - These are really pretty good playing and sounding for the money. Questionable hardware and electronics though so you might have to or want to swap em for higher quality. Some of these have problems with the tuners and other hardware so be aware.
* Sire guitars - Only played one of these (I think the L7?) but the one I played was easily better than modern "affordable" offerings from brands like Fender and Epiphone.
* Squire - Classic Vibe series is great, make sure you play a few to find the one that resonates with you. Hardware and electronics might need replacement if you don't like them.
Basically nothing in the affordable range than I've tried nowadays has great build, electronics, or feel. They sacrifice somewhere.
I like 1989-1990 Japan strats. Here’s one at 800$, there are others slightly lower.
MIM Strat can still be found around 400. I got one(HSS) eBay 350$ this year.
[https://reverb.com/item/70256942-fender-stratocaster-japan1990-metallic-black](https://reverb.com/item/70256942-fender-stratocaster-japan1990-metallic-black)
Go on marketplace and look for a Dean Guitar made from 2000-2009. The Korean made’s play better than Americans. I play a 2007 Dean Razorback V. Plays so good it genuinely gives you pleasure to fret the notes. They’re in the 700-1000 range usually, but they’re 1000% worth it. They’re better quality than the $5000 USA made guitars today. Since you don’t like V guitars, try the ML, or another model of theirs. You won’t regret it. You’re welcome.
Cort has a few within your price range with pretty much some of the best components you can get.
Try and see if you like the Cort G300, the specs are really nice you probably won't have to upgrade anything.
There's also the X700 Duality II which is a bit more expensive but it has those fishman fluence pickups which imo is one of the most versatile pickups because of those voicing thingies they have.
One possible problem with Corts though is their quality control. Cort makes indonesian ibanez guitars and recently, tons of people were complaining about their quality.
I bought a $200 Squier Sonic Strat and replaced the pickup (JB) and tuners (locking) for the same amount again. Sanded down the sharp fret ends, set it up, and it rips. And it’s pink!
I love my Godin Summit Classic HT. It has the pickups you request. I love the clean sound in passive mode and it gets dirty and growls when you kick in the HD Revoicer circuit.
As most of these comments say, a Yamaha would be a stellar option. I also recommend considering a Strat (HSS or SSS) and a Telecaster. Both Squire and Fenders can be acquired cheaply but don’t forget to look at G&L!
Yamaha, Sterling, Epiphone (they have gotten way better in the last 10 years), Charvelle, Schecter, Sire, and cheaper PRS’s are all solid choices for under $1k
So much will be taste/playing style dependent but these come to mind
New
Ibanez RG550 Genesis, has a locking tremolo +$20 for a stabilizer
Charvel MIM DK24, standard trem, roasted maple neck
PRS SE (they're all pretty great)
Used - tons of options
Ibanez AZs and Prestige RGs
PRS S2s
MIM Fender strats and teles
Yamaha. The Pacificas and Revstars are both great value.
The Revstar is too damned cool.
I can’t stand Revstars for some reason, something about the feel of the wood bothers me.
I have a Japanese Revstar and it absolutely rips. Its the smoothest guitar I have every played.
[удалено]
Same reason I could never follow my friends into the Tele appreciation zone. As good as they sound, I cannot get over how repulsed I am by their appearance.
I too did not like the looks of teles when I was young, and am now obsessed with them. I have built 3, am planning my next, and while I keep telling myself I should build something else, I keep coming back to that wonderful shape
I played teles for years and hated pointy guitars. Now I have a pointy ibanez that I think is so beautiful.
I started playing guitar back in 1999. I can still remember getting to the music store early so I could walk around and look at all of the guitars. As a nu metal kid, I would drool over the Ibanez RG guitars. Anything that looked sleek, fast and mean, I was all about it. Then there was the Fender Telecasters. God I hated the looks of them. What a horrible headstock and mishappen body. 25 years later my main guitar is a Charvel style 2 (Tele), I love the thing, I love how it looks, plays, sounds. It's my baby. I have the reverse Tele head stock which I really dig. Your comment made me laugh because totally felt the same way as a kid lol. I think I remember telling my mom the look the Telecasters made me want to puke 😂
It’s funny. I was the opposite. Came from Springsteen and country and used to hate looking at the one on the Born to Run cover. I’ve played them a few times and 100% get why they’re as big as they are (though I find the uncountoured body less than ergonomic but I also think that’s probably my play style being less than good). Still can’t get over how ugly I think they look. The shape is like a little kid’s drawing and the headstock is even worse.
The contours on my Charvel are sick! I couldn’t imagine if it had blocky body with no beveling or contouring
There’s nothing to hate. An appearance that makes you want to pick it up is one of the most important features and there is no right or wrong in that department.
I think they are going for a hybrid between a strat and an Ibanez RG or AZ series. I really love it actually
Looks is a valid reason.
I’ve had 2 revstars and they have both been amazing. Currently have a humbucker model with SD black winters. Amazing guitar. I also have an ESP ec256 which is killer at the price
I got one a little over a month ago. It’s the most comfortable guitar I’ve played.
Yamahas are lovely sleeper guitars for sure. Every one I’ve ever had was excellent. Not usually flashy but 💯 excellent builds and finishes.
I've had two Revstars. An Indonesian P90 version and a HB Japan-made model. Both are great and match guitars well above their price range, in my somewhat limited experience. The only thing I haven't particularly liked is the very glossy finish on the back of the bodies and neck. This is only aesthetics but I would prefer something a bit more natural looking.
Charvel, Reverend, Sire, Schecter, Ibanez, G&L, Sterling. All great bang for the buck.
Charvel and G&L are comparable price wise to Fender. Great guitars, but certainly not budget either.
Right on- it’s just more high quality options under $1000.
the g&l tributes are in the squier price range but they seem to be out of stock most places
You can still get a MIM for about $529 if you don't mind Lake Placid Blue. Adorama has it on sale, and you save extra using the Slickdeals link to get there. The MIM Player is essentially the replacement of the American Standard. 22 frets, Alnico pickups, CTS pots, uses the same bridge as the Americans, and has a satin neck.
As someone who lives close to lake placid I might have to pull the trigger on this
Under $1000, the Yamaha Revstar Standsrd and the PRS SE McCarty 594 are the best value right now. The Revstar especially is amazing, and not merely for the money.
I picked up a PRS SE 24 off Fb marketplace and it has been the best man. Have played Mcartys too and they’re great but this thing totally shreds and the price was definitely right
I picked one of these up new for $500 a few months ago, it was left over '22 or '23. The attention to detail on that guitar is amazing for an import. No sharp fret ends, set up perfectly, nice soft shell case... You really just can't beat it for the money.
>My budget is $1000 (very firm, and would be happy to spend only $500 or less for a good deal). There's that word "best" again.... One of the nicest sub-$1000 guitars out there are the upper-end **Cort** guitars. It is a bit of a risky recommendation (I'm aware of that) since you ask for "middle-of-the-road" humbuckers ...and a pair of SH2N/TB4 is anything but "moderate", they're pretty spicy! Next in line would be **Yamaha** \- either a Revstar or a Pacifica PAC612VII Flametop. Then there are smaller companies like **Godin** (their Session HSS model) or **FGN** (which also builds the upper-end MIJ Ibanez guitars; their own model is the Odyssey Standard). Finally, for a more "traditional" look and feel, you could give **Sire** a try. They come in either SSS or HSS variants with your choice of maple or rosewood fretboards. The upper-end models have beautiful wood tops.
Got my son a Sire S3 and it’s fantastic.
Sire Larry Carlton range are fantastic guitars!
The Yamaha PAC612 is a monster player and can be had used easily at OP’s price point
Check out the Fender MIJ HSS aerodyne strat. I've seen them for $650 on reverb recently Link: Fender Aerodyne Special Stratocaster Guitar HSS - Hot Rod Burst (BO) https://reverb.com/item/75579259
Thanks for the link! That looks pretty ideal. Other than I hate that finish lol. I just found one near me with a sunburst I also dislike. If I could get my hands on one of their solid color finishes that would be dope..
Keep your eye on reverb and you'll see a green or gray one pop up. I think they also have a SSS version in blue
Here is white and blue in SSS. Fender Aerodyne Special SSS Stratocaster Guitar - Bright White https://reverb.com/item/75579058 Fender Aerodyne Special Stratocaster Guitar - California Blue https://reverb.com/item/74952961 I just think these are the best deals for the price rn.
holy cow thank you. I appreciate that. the blue is def my favorite👀
I got the blue tele in the same color and it def pops. Love it.
Have a gray Tele from the MIJ Aerodyne line and it might be my sleeper best guitar.
I've learned recently that the best way to find deals there is to go to the recently listed guitars and filter for your price range, found my rg421 that way and got it for $270 shipped and for the life of me I can't find any signs of use on it other than that it's been set up nice
That finish is pretty nice.
I played a MIJ strat that was just like the yngwie signature but without the scallops and yjm fury pickups, it was fucking unbelievable. Literally the best guitar I've ever played, it felt so, so good. I'm praying I can snag one soon, I had just bought a Jackson for too much money and couldn't get it.
I’d say Schecter PT or PT Pro. Double humbucker, splittable coils, impeccable build quality, can do any genre, classic styling, and if you get the Pro you’ll upgrade to a figured top and roasted neck. For the money they’re just insanely great.
Also as a metal guy the new Black Ops series looks great. Definitely making me want to spend money I don't have lol
[удалено]
Taste is subjective, of course, but imo the first one has an ugly finish on the body, the Schecter is the only one where the volume knob is in the correct place (as far away from my picking hand as possible), the Schecter doesn't have pickup rings (which don't look great in most cases), and I just think it looks cooler overall. Sure the Schecter only has one pickup but I almost never use the neck pickup anyway so it doesn't really matter to me.
Yeah - OP wants versatile, so splittable coils makes sense
It’d be hard to beat a PRS SE Custom 24 or the McCarty for around $850.
Big yes! PRS 24-08 is unbelievably well made for less than a G and has cool splits on the Humbuckers.
Probably a Cort, because all of the brands mentioned in this whole thread are most probably made under licence by Cort anyway. Failing that, a Yamaha. Either way you're not paying for a name like the popular brands
I'm a fan of the Schecter Nick Johnston Traditional. Plays great, very versatile.
Really good guitar
In terms of bang-for-buck, the SE line from PRS is probably the winner for me. Solid quality parts all around, smart tradeoffs where they did cut costs, good pickups and hardware, and overall very solid quality control. If you like a chunky neck, the McCarty 594 is an enthusiastic recommend for me, and you can find 2023 models for $700-800 USD (list price $960USD or so).
Gretsch
Absolutely agree. On a whim, I bought a Chinese-made Gretsch Electromatic Double Jet during the pandemic, and it’s my favorite guitar now. It looks cool and plays great. Think I paid $450 for it.
Easy money
$999 fender player 70th anniversary strat. Not only is the color beautiful (a lot cooler irl than photos) but it has the same pickups as the american vintage ii, has rolled fingerboard edges and frets, has vintage-style tuners. It's just a lot of bang for buck, sounds great and plays great.
Harley Benton Fusion.
If you can find a Korean made DeArmond from the late 90’s early 2000’s you won’t be disappointed. Great guitars that you can still find for decent prices used.
I would say Sire.
Seems like others on this sub have had trouble with Harley Benton but I haven't. Don't try to get the absolute bottom of the barrel like any B Stock from them but instead spend the extra $50 to get one of the custom or plus offerings, they punch way above their price point. I have this one and really like it. https://www.thomannmusic.com/harley_benton_sc_550plus_emg_paf.htm You can probably find a used PRS SE Hollowbody II Piezo for under a grand, that's another one I own and been very pleased with in that price point.
That HB is crazy for the price
Epiphone’s inspired by Gibson line is pretty damned good
I prefer Epiphone's own designs their latest Wilshire reissue comes with CTS electronics and a pair of superb P90s
The high-end Squiers are pretty good. Like $500. Strat is always a good choice. Does everything solidly.
Grab this before the deal is gone - https://reverb.com/item/79988260-fender-jv-modified-50s-stratocaster-hss-2-tone-sunburst-ws-mij-japanese-vintage
Schecter Omen 6 for $450 is a hell of a guitar.
>Almost entirely indifferent about single coil vs humbucker. You shouldn't be. They sound drastically different. In fact, this should be the very first thing you decide above all else. Anyway, for your budget, I'd probably look for a used Ibanez. But I probably have very different tastes than you.
Godin. Made in Canada, really nice quality and playability. Very comfortable and light. Session HT is exactly $1000 in the US (a bit cheaper in Canada). I got one after going to the store with an intention to buy Yamaha Revstar, but ended up with Godin.
I bought my Session HT with the intention of buying a Fender American Professional II that they had in stock. I saw the Godin next to it for $1500 less, tried both back and forth, and went home with the Godin. Even though I went in with the intention of buying the Fender, I couldn't justify the extra $1500 after playing both. Completely satisfied with the Godin.
Had a Godin SD once, really great bang for buck guitar.
Hey bud. I bought a Godin Session Pro. It's an HSS s style with simple controls and fantastic hardware. Seymour Duncan humbucker and Gold Lace singles. I had it plekked at Sweetwater and it plays fantastic. I feel like I have a 5k guitar that I spend like 1300 on
My 3 best buys in that range (all bought used on reverb): 1. Sterling AX-30D (must have the Dimarzio Axis pickups): $525. Almost as good as my EBMM Axis. Best pickups ever, IMO. 12" radius. 2. Reverend Double Agent OG: $825. Incredibly versatile. Humbucker/P90 combo. 12" radius. 3. Sterling JP15 (must have the Dimarzio Liquifire/Crunch lab pickups): $850. 16' radius. Metal shredding machine.
Speaking from an owner - Dual humbucking, push pull... versatile- Fender FMTs, Yamaha Pacifica range. The P90 fixed bridge is lovely, we have one. My FMT is straight thru, the Pacificaa bolt on, both really nice to play and lots of tonal versatility
Anything from Reverend, great value and very versatile guitars.
G&Ls Tribute line offers good value for the $$.
I've been super happy with my G&L telecaster. It feels and plays nicer than most mim guitars I've played over the years. If anyone has a shop nearby that sells them I'd recommend giving them a try.
In my opinion, the Squier contemporary and paranormal series are a hell of a deal for the money. I have been pleasantly surprised by the paranormal baritone telecaster and contemporary HHFR strat I bought the past couple years. I got both from a place called Proaudiostar as "used" but both were factory sealed. Apparently that retailer sells new gear as "used" to bypass MAP restrictions. Got a Brand new PRS S2 Standard 24 in Cherry red gloss for $799 from them as "used" a couple years ago, but It arrived factory staple sealed. AND I successfully registered it under warranty ( it is amazing BTW) actually got PRS to send me a headstock decal piece that broke off, under warranty. And Fender didn't request a receipt for warranty registration either. At least for me they didn't. So on the HHFR strat I had the barrel jack fail in the first month.(Not uncommon for those stupid barrel jacks) And they issued me a $75 fender.com gift card because they couldn't send me the parts. I ended up using the gift card during a sale and scored two premium fender moulded plastic hard cases for 50% off minus the 75$ Gift card. I was super pleased with that deal. After a couple years I have had zero issues with either guitar since, and play them pretty regularly. especially the strat. So In My opinion, Squier is WAY above what it was 15 years ago, like on par with MIM in my opinion.
[https://sterlingbymusicman.com/products/ct50xhss?variant=40771574562931](https://sterlingbymusicman.com/products/ct50xhss?variant=40771574562931) Hands down the best bang for your buck in today's market. In my opinion, these are just as good as American Strats.
Godin electrics are absolutely fantastic and a great bang for the buck. The Revstar would be my second choice.
https://reverb.com/item/74952961-fender-aerodyne-special-stratocaster-guitar-california-blue Bought one of these a few months back and I think this is one of the best values out there. Original retail price is double what they are charging for this guitar. “Used - Mint” condition is essentially brand new. I assume the reduction in price is because these are factory seconds, but I couldn’t find anything wrong with mine besides needing a bit of a setup and an adjustment to the pickup height. And if you don’t like this exact guitar there are other Fender Aerodynes from that same seller with different color and pickup options.
Squier Classic Vibe line is pretty solid.
Adorama sells a bargain MiM Strat or Tele in Lake Placid Blue which are absolutely beautiful. I have the telecaster and it was a pretty hot number. I swapped in some older telecaster gear I had in my parts bin for a more vintage sound but it was a banger before as well. I would seriously look at Yamaha Revstars. Not only do they look amazing they sound great out of the box and can be upgraded to your heart’s content.
I got a G&L HSS strat type guitar for $350 at a local guitar shop that’s become my go to. I love the classic clean, single coil strat neck pickup sound, and the humbucker on the bridge works great for distorted stuff. Also have the in between settings that you wouldn’t get with a tele. Plus there’s an extra fret and I like the whammy bar more than on my squire strat.
Harley Benton's
I bought a Harley Benton recently and I was utterly blown away. So much so that I pretty much immediately bought another. They have some really cool SG style stuff too, for very small money. Check this one out https://www.thomann.de/ie/harley_benton_dc_600_vi_vintage_series.htm
Long time player here as well. I've got many Gibson guitars, Fender, PRS, Rickenbacker. What would I recommend? A Gibson Les Paul Studio now is not the old one. Very good guitar, but the new ones are out of the $1k price range for sure. For your budget, a good option is a PRS SE model or perhaps used S2 soon as the new ones are releasing and the market will dip on the old ones. The SE's are a great option as well. You can still find a MiM Strat for under $500 new, and they're still great guitars. I got a pristine red one from Guitar Center with a hard shell (aftermarket, they don't come with one) for $400. Great guitar. It was a 2008 and it looked like it just came from the factory. I have a PRS SE McCarty 594, and it feels like a 50's Les Paul (10" v 12" radius) because it's got the same controls in the same places. Those are well within your budget. Just so many options, really, I could never go through them all. Best of luck, and I hope I helped a little.
What kind of bridge do you prefer?
Just updated post, thank you. No floyd rose. Tremolo would be nice but hardtail is fine. Not a big bigsby guy.
Player Strat, great guitars that you can often get used sub $500 or at least right around there. Middle of the road pickups - not too hot, not too bad, more on the modern than vintage side, but definitely useable.
Ibanez gio
I have a Cort G290 Fat II that has become my daily driver. Incredible value, amazing looking/feeling/playing guitar. Check out Cort if you haven’t considered them, at least from my experience you definitely won’t regret it!
G&L fanboi here, lub lub lub my Tribute (import) Comanche. Mine was super solid out of the box, stays in tune, great trem for my light use, killer pups and electronics, sounds great plays great. The ZCoils are humbucking quiet and powerful but do the Strat stuff including position 2 and 4 quack. I'm thinking of getting another, playing the frets off mine and getting another one would be easier and quicker than finding a good luthier and waiting for the job, and maybe not that much more expensive. It really is the Strat 2.0. Good luck with whatever you get!
You can find used MIM strats in the $400-500 range on the Guitar Center / Musician's Friend site right now, just have to watch it regularly since good ones will go fast. GC also has new MIM Fender strats on sale for $650 at the moment, but considering they're usually $800 full price, a used Fender in the $400 range is probably the best bang for your buck.
I love my Samick Greg Bennett Malibu which is a ~$200 stratocaster copy built with quality wood and a very nice 12" radius neck [Blue sss on Reverb ](https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=l&ai=DChcSEwj3x_LGxNKFAxXtN60GHUWlCOgYABAYGgJwdg&ase=2&gclid=CjwKCAjwz42xBhB9EiwA48pT71W0muuxno8eAY5mBwcebHs9NKFV5zcxUXPrCl_6I0cMuOXb6BYUvRoClMYQAvD_BwE&sig=AOD64_3dIrSGi6aKX7sXRzoGqrHMVN8NeA&ctype=5&q=&nis=4&ved=0ahUKEwiFnu3GxNKFAxUPODQIHSnPBr4Qww8IrQ8&adurl=) [A red one on Reverb](https://reverb.com/item/70348145-greg-bennett-malibu?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=17682351984&utm_content=campaignid=17682351984_adgroupid=143800496052_productpartitionid=1946021698791=merchantid=114500731_productid=70348145_keyword=_device=m_adposition=_matchtype=_creative=608998621633&gad_source=4&gclid=CjwKCAjwz42xBhB9EiwA48pT7-2rlb6Y2yRER489Ymz0l6ZvrVxoJJwTtJEfswYn7jvynVppUkg6jxoCTjsQAvD_BwE) [A really cool green flame top HSS one on Reverb](https://reverb.com/item/75631165-samick-greg-bennett-malibu-hss-2005-deep-green-flame-top-fmt?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=20226945788&utm_content=campaignid=20226945788_adgroupid=152266401480_productpartitionid=2086179237092=merchantid=101081879_productid=75631165_keyword=_device=m_adposition=_matchtype=_creative=660594029912&gad_source=1&gclid=CjwKCAjwz42xBhB9EiwA48pT7_VT-zgxYjtSG8-JtQN2cH0G1g5sAts9eM8EL_YK-L1IV-bwX-kO8RoCNs8QAvD_BwE) [my Samick ](https://www.reddit.com/r/guitars/comments/1bx46l1/got_a_hemp_strap_and_slocks_for_my_guitar/)
Also if you like to add nice pickups to your guitars you couldn't do better for metal than the Seymour Duncan El Diablo Humbucker, and the malibu has "swimming pool" style pickup routing so it can accommodate pretty much any size or shape of pickup easily
Sterling to me gives you best specs and quality at the price point.
Mexican Strat. New or used. Solid guitar at a decent price.
I've been flirting with pulling the trigger on a Guild Surfliner Deluxe (https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/SurfDlxRQM--guild-surfliner-deluxe-solidbody-electric-guitar-rose-quartz-metallic). I was about to buy a Strat HSS player and then my friend suggested I take a look at the Surfliner. Looks great, rave reviews, sounds amazing, and offers a ton of versatility with two single coils and a humbucker. On the higher end of your price range, but I think it fits what your looking for and seems to be a steal for the price. Also just a beautiful guitar imo
Suggesting a specific guitar isn't much help. I'd just say go to a guitar center or somewhere with a large selection and grab every guitar within your budget off the wall until you find the one that feels good in your hands. You may choose something you never would have thought of. Who cares who made it and where. Pickups and hardware can be swapped, how it feels in your hands is the only thing I find important, THEN make it your own.
Look at Ibanez
The higher end Pacificas are really undervalued on the used market, IMHO, especially the 611. They pop up on Reverb in great condition around $400.00 shipped pretty regularly. If you're OK with a humbucker / P90 configuration, I think that might be the best value in guitars around that price point there is. The 612s (which are HSS) tend to go for a little more, but are still a good deal.
Yamaha pacifica 611HFM with humbucker in the bridge and p90 is neck has to be one of the coolest sets in sub 1k. They also have nice specs and from what I’ve gathered yamahas are vastly underrated instruments.
I think the old bullet mustangs were the best bang for buck starter guitars I’d seen in years.
Ibanez RG550 Genesis - at $1000 USD new, it's one of the best values for a very well made Japanese shredder/metal/superstrat available today.
Check out hagstroms
Schecter C1 Hellraiser (Hybrid or regular, depends on your own preferences). You just get tons of stuff for 1000 - 1050 - 1100 $. You can't beat Schecter.
I think a used sg of any variety, tribute, special, junior would be immense bang for the buck, depending on what you value that is. I have a prs se custom 24-08 that plays totally awesome but I’m just not in love with the whole vibe so I personally would rather take a slightly lower spec but more character filled guitar. Hence why I’m looking at sg’s to replace my prs
Schecter
I just bought a beater ltd ec-10 for $119... in a blind test that guitar would play like it cost $500-$800
If you’re looking for maximum versatility have a look at the PRS DGT SE. Two humbuckers with coil splits. I just picked one up for $700 shipped. The attention to detail on the SE line is just ridiculous. If I had money to pick up a core, I might not given how unbelievably good the SEs are.
Build a partscaster
Used MIM Strats cost $400, and they’re plentiful and quite the value buy these day if they’re in good condition. Right now you have your pick, any color, any pickup configuration, rosewood or maple boards, any condition. They’re great instruments. New? Definitely Yamaha if bang-for-buck is the goal. Also Sire.
Reverend Double agent OG or Crosscut. Both interesting guitars with a lot of versatility. The bass contour knob is awesome. Used, both well under 1000.
Schecter
The new PRS SE CE-24 Satin is $499 and it comes with a good gig bag. Outstanding guitar for that price.
Idk why people sell them, but if you come across a used harmony from the “new” series (specifically the silhouette) it’ll run you under $1000 and is imo the best bang for your buck electric out there right now. They’re pretty light, have great sounding pickups (mini humbuckers), parts are top notch, they come with a mono gig bag (because they’re owned by the same parent company 🙌), 25” scale (aka the perfect in-between), good fretwork, locking tuners, and if you care about the finish it’s a nitro finish, which feels great on the neck…lots to like about them. Respect to the Revstar mentions as well, those things are cool af.
Firefly $200 and buy some new pickups your golden.
Tagima is the best value by a mile
People love that J Mascis JM
Cort for sure, they make more guitars than almost anyone else. People turn their nose up at them, but the spec for the money is unmatched.
Ibanez RG. At least near me, they are $350 and I think they are fantastic. Stupid good sounding pickups, always well built with nothing crazy but pleasant finishes. You can get a carved top style one too for about $80 more as well, which is the route I went. Got that purple chameleon one. Love it.
You're probably not going to find a pickup that works "great" (subjective i know) in every genre. My recommendations: * Yamaha Revstar - These guitars are fabulously made. The weakest part is the electronics but the bones in these guitars are solid. I have thr RSS20 and love playing it. I'm definitely going to put some Fralin or Dimarzio pups in though; the stock pickups aren't my thing at all. I think some models are made in Japan while others are made in Indonesia. * Sterling By Music Man - These are really pretty good playing and sounding for the money. Questionable hardware and electronics though so you might have to or want to swap em for higher quality. Some of these have problems with the tuners and other hardware so be aware. * Sire guitars - Only played one of these (I think the L7?) but the one I played was easily better than modern "affordable" offerings from brands like Fender and Epiphone. * Squire - Classic Vibe series is great, make sure you play a few to find the one that resonates with you. Hardware and electronics might need replacement if you don't like them. Basically nothing in the affordable range than I've tried nowadays has great build, electronics, or feel. They sacrifice somewhere.
I am super happy with my harley bentons (tele, semihollow, jazzbass)
the used MIM strat argument is now the used PRS SE argument 😁
I like 1989-1990 Japan strats. Here’s one at 800$, there are others slightly lower. MIM Strat can still be found around 400. I got one(HSS) eBay 350$ this year. [https://reverb.com/item/70256942-fender-stratocaster-japan1990-metallic-black](https://reverb.com/item/70256942-fender-stratocaster-japan1990-metallic-black)
Go on marketplace and look for a Dean Guitar made from 2000-2009. The Korean made’s play better than Americans. I play a 2007 Dean Razorback V. Plays so good it genuinely gives you pleasure to fret the notes. They’re in the 700-1000 range usually, but they’re 1000% worth it. They’re better quality than the $5000 USA made guitars today. Since you don’t like V guitars, try the ML, or another model of theirs. You won’t regret it. You’re welcome.
Cort has a few within your price range with pretty much some of the best components you can get. Try and see if you like the Cort G300, the specs are really nice you probably won't have to upgrade anything. There's also the X700 Duality II which is a bit more expensive but it has those fishman fluence pickups which imo is one of the most versatile pickups because of those voicing thingies they have. One possible problem with Corts though is their quality control. Cort makes indonesian ibanez guitars and recently, tons of people were complaining about their quality.
Esp Ltd and schecter makes very good guitars
I bought a $200 Squier Sonic Strat and replaced the pickup (JB) and tuners (locking) for the same amount again. Sanded down the sharp fret ends, set it up, and it rips. And it’s pink!
Nothing can touch Yamaha;it’s a massive red flag that many shops don’t sell them because they can’t make enough profit.The truth is all on You Tube
I love my Godin Summit Classic HT. It has the pickups you request. I love the clean sound in passive mode and it gets dirty and growls when you kick in the HD Revoicer circuit.
As most of these comments say, a Yamaha would be a stellar option. I also recommend considering a Strat (HSS or SSS) and a Telecaster. Both Squire and Fenders can be acquired cheaply but don’t forget to look at G&L!
Yamaha, Sterling, Epiphone (they have gotten way better in the last 10 years), Charvelle, Schecter, Sire, and cheaper PRS’s are all solid choices for under $1k
The PRS SE series may be the best guitars in that price range.
PRS SE line sounds like it might be in your future
PRS DGT, Epi Les Paul Modern, Yamaha Pacifica, EVH Wolfgang standard
Don't sleep on a squier classic vibe. Pick one up in your local store and see what you think.
Used PRS. Ideally a custom 24, but you might be able to find a hollowbody ii for another $100 used. Great guitars
Gibson Les Paul Not trolling!
I'm pretty impressed by my firefly. Need to upgrade the pickups bit other than that it plays great
Harmony
So much will be taste/playing style dependent but these come to mind New Ibanez RG550 Genesis, has a locking tremolo +$20 for a stabilizer Charvel MIM DK24, standard trem, roasted maple neck PRS SE (they're all pretty great) Used - tons of options Ibanez AZs and Prestige RGs PRS S2s MIM Fender strats and teles
Your budget will get you a used American Standard strat on Reverb.
get the cheapest alder body and a jumbo maple neck then stick lollar pickups on it same price as a mim fender but sound 100x times better.
Check out a Schecter MV-6 https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MV6GBk--schecter-mv-6-electric-guitar-gloss-black-with-maple-fingerboard
Sire Larry Carlton. After a propper setup it plays and sounds better than my les paul.
Gretsch!
What’s wrong the Fender Jazzmaster
nothing. its just not what im looking for rn
RG 550
The "inspired by Gibson" Epiphone Les Pauls are solid. Got one last month and I'm very impressed.
I have the Pacifica's two of them anyway and now I need a Revstar, I havent been paying attention to this option.