Gear, cheap,or mid-range that's really surprised you
Discussion
Might be a good thread to start,cheap or not that well known gear that's really surprised you?.I buy and sell a lot of guitars/amps and now and again you just stumble on something that surprises you.I remember about 20 years ago i bought a guitar at a local music store,it was a Starfield Altair custom,i remember it had a Wilkinson bridge,tuners etc and Seymour Duncan pickups(which meant nothing to me at the time)but it made a big impression on me.It out strats a strat for clear glassy tones,it was almost like glass bells ringing,a really beautiful clean sound,it just sang.Subsequently found out Starfield was some kind of subsiduary of Ibanez!Look out for one and if you see one seriously think about it,couple on Ebay now i think,they don't come up that often.
Next item that i bought was just a couple of days ago,bought a guitar and a little amp,the amp was a little Fender G-DEC junior,what a stunning little amp,it's tiny but sounds stunning for what it is.Amp sims,tuner,effects,backing tracks which you can alter the key and tempo of plus lots more,it's great!Doesn't even noticably suffer from the boxiness little amps usually suffer from,it's just a real quality cheap amp,anyone mention any more gear that usually passes people by?
Next item that i bought was just a couple of days ago,bought a guitar and a little amp,the amp was a little Fender G-DEC junior,what a stunning little amp,it's tiny but sounds stunning for what it is.Amp sims,tuner,effects,backing tracks which you can alter the key and tempo of plus lots more,it's great!Doesn't even noticably suffer from the boxiness little amps usually suffer from,it's just a real quality cheap amp,anyone mention any more gear that usually passes people by?
I'd have to give a vote to my old Bc Rich JRV Icon. Korean built, so I was expecting it to play like a mid-range guitar, but for £599 when I bought it, what do you want. However, for £599 you got a mahogany body, ebony fretboard, a proper Floyd Rose Original (not a licensed copy like you see on most guitars in this bracket) and an EMG81. The guitar was flawless, the fretwork was not top tier like I'd expect on a top end Japanese guitar, but it played and sounded really great, and tbh with the spec sheet Bc Rich had given it, well you'd struggle to match for that less than £1200 from the other major players in the sector. Obviously being Korean, and at the time I bought it, that was always going to bring the value of it down, but if you covered up the "Made in Korea" on the back of the headstock and put a £1000 price tag on it, people would buy it. I think Bc Rich realised this and they've put the price up another £100 since I bought mine.
The Koreans have really stepped their game up these past few years, due in part to the reliance of Japanese brands to farm out their mid range stuff without a huge compromise on quality to really corner the market at all levels in terms of quality. This was probably partly forced by the recession and the drop in value of the world market's currencies against the Yen. When the financial world hit the buffers a few years back, the price of Japanese made guitars went up practically overnight. Realising this would slow sales of the top end stuff coming out of Japan, a lot of the big players increased their marketplace presence of Korean guitars, adding new models and upping the quality. Ibanez launched their "Premium" line that sits below their Prestige line Japanese guitars. A lot of really, really good guitars are coming out of Asia now with quality that just seems incredible for the price they are selling at.
The Koreans have really stepped their game up these past few years, due in part to the reliance of Japanese brands to farm out their mid range stuff without a huge compromise on quality to really corner the market at all levels in terms of quality. This was probably partly forced by the recession and the drop in value of the world market's currencies against the Yen. When the financial world hit the buffers a few years back, the price of Japanese made guitars went up practically overnight. Realising this would slow sales of the top end stuff coming out of Japan, a lot of the big players increased their marketplace presence of Korean guitars, adding new models and upping the quality. Ibanez launched their "Premium" line that sits below their Prestige line Japanese guitars. A lot of really, really good guitars are coming out of Asia now with quality that just seems incredible for the price they are selling at.
A couple of things, some good some bad
One was a Dean strat copy, felt really good rather a bargain for just over £100. Would make a great base for a hot rod superstrat, stuff some humbuckers in there and you have your self a real shred machine for no money.
At uni I played a blacktop fender strat, really liked it, then got home a year later, bought a Jackson JS32rt, year later played on a blacktop again, hated it! Action was so high, really not any good for fast lead stuff, really surprised.
Oh I suppose I should mention the Cort X2 my first guitar, for 180 it was really rather great, not just me saying that out of bias, loads of people thought it was a 300 pound guitar when they had a go. Really recommend Cort, after playing a couple of 'metal' guitars like Dean Vs and razorbacks I would recommend any thrashers out there to have a look at Cort, you may be very surprised at how good an instrument you are getting.
Amp wise the Little Orange crush was rather good for the cash, it have a valve preamp so sounded rather good for a little solid state.
One was a Dean strat copy, felt really good rather a bargain for just over £100. Would make a great base for a hot rod superstrat, stuff some humbuckers in there and you have your self a real shred machine for no money.
At uni I played a blacktop fender strat, really liked it, then got home a year later, bought a Jackson JS32rt, year later played on a blacktop again, hated it! Action was so high, really not any good for fast lead stuff, really surprised.
Oh I suppose I should mention the Cort X2 my first guitar, for 180 it was really rather great, not just me saying that out of bias, loads of people thought it was a 300 pound guitar when they had a go. Really recommend Cort, after playing a couple of 'metal' guitars like Dean Vs and razorbacks I would recommend any thrashers out there to have a look at Cort, you may be very surprised at how good an instrument you are getting.
Amp wise the Little Orange crush was rather good for the cash, it have a valve preamp so sounded rather good for a little solid state.
Mastodon2 said:
I'd have to give a vote to my old Bc Rich JRV Icon. Korean built, so I was expecting it to play like a mid-range guitar, but for £599 when I bought it, what do you want. However, for £599 you got a mahogany body, ebony fretboard, a proper Floyd Rose Original (not a licensed copy like you see on most guitars in this bracket) and an EMG81. The guitar was flawless, the fretwork was not top tier like I'd expect on a top end Japanese guitar, but it played and sounded really great, and tbh with the spec sheet Bc Rich had given it, well you'd struggle to match for that less than £1200 from the other major players in the sector. Obviously being Korean, and at the time I bought it, that was always going to bring the value of it down, but if you covered up the "Made in Korea" on the back of the headstock and put a £1000 price tag on it, people would buy it. I think Bc Rich realised this and they've put the price up another £100 since I bought mine.
The Koreans have really stepped their game up these past few years, due in part to the reliance of Japanese brands to farm out their mid range stuff without a huge compromise on quality to really corner the market at all levels in terms of quality. This was probably partly forced by the recession and the drop in value of the world market's currencies against the Yen. When the financial world hit the buffers a few years back, the price of Japanese made guitars went up practically overnight. Realising this would slow sales of the top end stuff coming out of Japan, a lot of the big players increased their marketplace presence of Korean guitars, adding new models and upping the quality. Ibanez launched their "Premium" line that sits below their Prestige line Japanese guitars. A lot of really, really good guitars are coming out of Asia now with quality that just seems incredible for the price they are selling at.
That might explain the cort thing as well!The Koreans have really stepped their game up these past few years, due in part to the reliance of Japanese brands to farm out their mid range stuff without a huge compromise on quality to really corner the market at all levels in terms of quality. This was probably partly forced by the recession and the drop in value of the world market's currencies against the Yen. When the financial world hit the buffers a few years back, the price of Japanese made guitars went up practically overnight. Realising this would slow sales of the top end stuff coming out of Japan, a lot of the big players increased their marketplace presence of Korean guitars, adding new models and upping the quality. Ibanez launched their "Premium" line that sits below their Prestige line Japanese guitars. A lot of really, really good guitars are coming out of Asia now with quality that just seems incredible for the price they are selling at.
Squire by Fender for whatever reason seemed to have upped their game lately, I bought a few Squiers 10, 15 years ago and i thought they were garbage, I just got an affinity squire strat, feels and plays like a good strat, feels the part unlike the older ones.One other thing I forgot to mention, I've had hundreds of amps, a lot of top of the range stuff, best underated amp I ever bought? Peavey 5150 2x12 closed back combo, can be had for 400-500 now, the most musucal, responsive amp I ever played.Every tiny turn of a knob made a difference, every angle the plectrum hit the string sounded different, bottom end thud and gain to die for.Don't believe what they say that it's unable to do cleans as well!A really musical amp.
I think they're under rated only because people really struggle to sell them,everyone's heads seem to be full of Marshalls and the likes,i don't think people appreciate them enough,that was the angle i was coming from.Bought one once for £350!Ridiculous.Check how many Marshalls are for sale on Ebay,then check for 5150,s!I just wish more people bought them to see what they're missing.
rumpelstiltskin said:
I think they're under rated only because people really struggle to sell them,everyone's heads seem to be full of Marshalls and the likes,i don't think people appreciate them enough,that was the angle i was coming from.Bought one once for £350!Ridiculous.Check how many Marshalls are for sale on Ebay,then check for 5150,s!I just wish more people bought them to see what they're missing.
Hmm, I suppose it's just the crowd I run with. The marketplace will always be filled with old blues diddlers and whatnot, so some gear will always shift in large volumes. As with so many things, it's a case of those who know it, know it's good.I've got a 6505+ 112 combo, fantastic amp as far as I'm concerned.
Only indirectly guitar related, but I needed an interface for my computer based sequencer, the Steinberg (made by Yamaha) UR22 has xlr and 1/4" inputs for two channels, plus midi in and out, headphone out with volume control, powered by USB and it's brilliant (and I recommend it for anyone who wants to record guitar on their computer), even comes with an inexpensive version of Cubase.
£101 from GAK at the moment.
http://www.gak.co.uk/en/steinberg-ur-22-usb/78314?...
£101 from GAK at the moment.
http://www.gak.co.uk/en/steinberg-ur-22-usb/78314?...
A couple of years ago I fancied taking up guitar and bought an early 80's Westone Concord 1 from a music teacher at my college. It's Matsumoku built, with 2 single coils, an alder body and a hard maple neck. It cost me £50 and I love it, it sounds amazing for something so cheap. Guitarists at uni with vastly more expensive instruments are always asking to borrow it which is nice.
Anyway on more familiar turf, Stagg heavy duty drum stands are excellent and have served me well even when DW stands have failed.
Anyway on more familiar turf, Stagg heavy duty drum stands are excellent and have served me well even when DW stands have failed.
Behringer PA -
I bought a 2nd hand set of 10 year old 12" tops and 18" subs a few years ago for £250 as a spare PA to leave at a venue, run with a 2nd hand Behringer mixer and old chunky C-Audio XR3801 amp and it was brilliant.. Around £700 for a full 2k PA.
Nearly as good as my HK Lucas 2000/Soundcraft desk combo that was similar power but cost about 4 times the price.
Still have it around as a spare that gets wheeled out on occasion...
I bought a 2nd hand set of 10 year old 12" tops and 18" subs a few years ago for £250 as a spare PA to leave at a venue, run with a 2nd hand Behringer mixer and old chunky C-Audio XR3801 amp and it was brilliant.. Around £700 for a full 2k PA.
Nearly as good as my HK Lucas 2000/Soundcraft desk combo that was similar power but cost about 4 times the price.
Still have it around as a spare that gets wheeled out on occasion...
Cheeky Jim said:
Epiphone Les Paul Jr.... £90 brand new.
Absolutely fantastic...genuinely excellent build quality, great sound, it is genuinely the bargain of the century...
I don't actually think will ever part with it.
I recently bought an epiphone les paul plus top pro. I am very impressed with it; holds its own against axes two and three times the price.Absolutely fantastic...genuinely excellent build quality, great sound, it is genuinely the bargain of the century...
I don't actually think will ever part with it.
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