• From: Aberdeen, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 16

Topic: Cheap crappy guitar?

After being looked down upon by someone who i now consider to be a "guitar snob", i spent some time looking into the heritage of my old electro acoustic. It is a slim bodied model made by Marlin guitars
It has a plate on the back where the neck joins the body with a serial number on it, a manufactures name, British music strings, Wales and so on.But even the internet has failed me find any information on this brand, all i can get from these guys is how they had one twenty years ago, korean import crap, plywood acoustics and cheap electrics and how they all play like s**t.
I bought my one about fifteen years ago now, although i  only made an effort to start learning to play four years ago, she spent many years being trailed around the u.k. by various friends who could play and a good few years in my attic.
The thing is she sounds great, yeah there are a few niggles on her but nothing that takes away the pleasure i get from hearing that sound. so basicaly what i want to know is, do you have a guitar that was/is cheap n cheerfull and/or looked down on by others.
I mean c'mon, we cant all be playing Gibsons and martins right?

see you out the back. big_smile

2 Reply by Oldnewbie (edited by Oldnewbie 2008-02-05 15:25:27)

  • From: Woodbridge, VA, USA
  • Registered: 2008-01-19
  • Posts: 245

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

My only guitar is an inexpensive, laminated acoustic. It's made by Takamine, it is the "Jasmine"- their "student" or entry-level basic beginning guitar. All of the "guitar snobs" that I know have seen it and said, "This isn't bad, for a beginner's guitar". (they always have to put that qualifier on the end!) they also love to make a big deal out of the money they have spent on their Martins or their Taylors, but I know that it took me much less time to get my money's worth out of mine then it will them. The good thing about having a good cheap guitar, is that I am not afraid to play with it. I beat the heck out of this thing, and it just keeps sounding good. I have played Martins, and Takamines, and Taylors, and I know there is a diffference, but it will be hard to put Jasmine away when I decide to move up, and, maybe I won't!

Oh, and I don't think "cheap" necessarily means "crappy". I prefer to think of mine as "inexpensive"!  smile

Just play

Oldnewbie's Website

  • From: PA
  • Registered: 2007-08-13
  • Posts: 26

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

I still have my first guitar, a '71 Yamaha FG75. It was their cheapest folk guitar at the time.  It's well abused but I have a friend who has a bunch of Martins and other expensive guitars and he likes to borrow it because it plays so well.  I think I'm going to see if I can have it cremated with me when I die so I'll always have something to play.  8-))

Sometimes you have to burn a few bridges
to keep the crazies from following you.
  • From: Madeira Beach, Florida
  • Registered: 2007-12-05
  • Posts: 3,312

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

I played guitar and sax as a kid, probably 3 or 4 years in total. Lessons, school orchestra, the whole bit. That was 30 years ago or so. 6 months ago, I was fixing the ceiling fan in my step-daughters room and spotted her beginner Yamaha leaning against the wall. The guitar she HAD TO HAVE for her birthday a few years ago and hasn't been touched since. I suspect she liked some boy who played guitar at the time, and the loss of interest in the boy plus the finger pain relegated it to a decoration instead of an instrument.

Anyway..... I picked that guitar up and have played it nearly every day since. It sounds great to me and I will continue to play it until I find the right deal on the right A/E guitar. I look on craigslist every day for the right bargain, but until I find it, I am good with my cheapo Yamaha.

Rule No. 1 - If it sounds good - it is good!
  • Zurf
  • Zurf
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
  • Posts: 7,522

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

Mine is a cheap guitar that sounds good enough for me.  Yeah, I'd like a Blue Ridge.  What I don't like about a Blue Ridge is their price tag.  Worth the money, no doubt, but not to someone without the free cash in his budget.  Like we were discussing with time in another thread, there's only so much money to go around.  I earn a good income, but my money is better spent elsewhere for now.  Like supporting some charities important to me and encouraging my children's hobbies.  My eldest is interested in guitar.  If she sticks with it, she'll have a Martin or a Blue Ridge or a Taylor before me more than likely. 

I have a buddy with the same model guitar as I have.  He's got a dozen or so other guitars, plays professionally, and can afford what he wants guitar wise.  At the campfire, he still brings his inexpensive Yamaha - same model as mine.  And after 20 years, it still sounds good and he still likes playing it.

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
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  • From: Detroit Lakes , Mn , USA
  • Registered: 2008-01-30
  • Posts: 330

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

Hey longboarder ,
   You don't know what a snob is , untill you've met a violin snob . They are the worst . They think that because that instrument's heritage dates back four thousand years , then it's sacrilege to deviate from their perceived norm . Whenever I'm around them I love talking about solid body electrics , accoustic pickups ,
and , oh yea , fretted violins ,
that one drives em crazy.....
But about guitars , you know it's funny but around here you don't see the guys in bar bands playing anything but less expensive instruments . For good reason I suppose , you won't see me taking my Guild F-65ce out to a jam where I don't know exactly what will be going on . I take
one of my alot less expensive guitars that plays and sounds every bit as good .
I guess like these band guys , I don't mind emptying the beer out of a three hundred dollar guitar the next morning ............

" Just reading the lyrics , it's hard to hear the song , but if the words tug at the heartstrings......it's enough for now........... "
  • boxer
  • boxer
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  • From: Wales
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 176

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

Hello
I've just bought my first acoustic on ebay for a staggering £15. A Stagg. A lovely black body, and she sounds great to me. My classical is looking a little sorry in the corner!

aka ......   Boxer Petal....<3

boxer's Website

  • G S E
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  • From: Detroit Lakes , Mn , USA
  • Registered: 2008-01-30
  • Posts: 330

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

Boxer ,
    Sounds great , and don't worry about the other one , just let it pout for a couple days . It'l come around and they'll be the best of friends.......

" Just reading the lyrics , it's hard to hear the song , but if the words tug at the heartstrings......it's enough for now........... "
  • From: Aberdeen, Scotland
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 16

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

boxer wrote:

Hello
I've just bought my first acoustic on ebay for a staggering £15. A Stagg. A lovely black body, and she sounds great to me. My classical is looking a little sorry in the corner!

Hey boxer,
glad to hear you got a bargain.
a friend of mine has a black stagg acoustic, and it plays like a dream.
I'm sure you'll be very happy together.

see you out the back. big_smile
  • From: Bellevue, WA
  • Registered: 2006-06-15
  • Posts: 3,336

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

There are few things better in the world than a cheap guitar that plays great.  It's like that ugly girl in high school that people gave you crap about because you were nice to her.  Then she grew up to be a super model.

Someday we'll win this thing...

[url=http://www.aclosesecond.com]www.aclosesecond.com[/url]

jerome.oneil's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 2,662

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

Yeah, there's something to be said about spending a minimal amount of money on something and having that said something put out good.........














......sound!

Come on now, y'all know me better than that!
SouthPaw41L

Give everything but up.
  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 6

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

I have loads of crappy guitars but have found that if you strip off the cheap and nasty strings that they come with, that not only sound shite but also rip yer fingers to smitherines and then tweak with the action, coz most of them come with about 5mm of action that even yer Rambo's couldn't barre over, restring with decent strings they sound pretty good.

I do have one decent guitar but that was a painful begging excercise ("if  you do the decorating then you can treat yerself"). Got the guitar (Takemine 12 string electro-acoustic).....Still decorating 6 months on, but the guitar playing is improving. Ha.

Keep playing the crap guitars...even Sea Sick Steve  plays with a few strings EGB and he has a record deal and a concert at the Albert Hall this year!!!

  • Registered: 2010-08-30
  • Posts: 1

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

I bought a black marlin jasmine guitar about 18 years ago.  Not sure what cheap and crappy actually means but I've used it live with no ill effects, I've used it for live and studio recording with minor issues, and for many years it was my guitar of `choice.  Being slim-bodied it's a great little rock n roll guitar and does rhythm really well.  I was just reading from way back that it doesn't handle heavy strings - total arse - it works equally well with lites or heavies and yes you get some fret buzz but so what!! Can't stand pristine recordings - long live tape hum and fret buzz.  Anyway some of my best songs were written on it.  I took it out of retirement two years ago when me and a friend started rehearsing for acoustic gigs and it was nice to hear it again.  Right now I'm stuck on a purple Lindo electro acoustic - dirt cheap, fret buzz included, but actually quite nice to play and only bought cos it was purple!!  The guitar snobs will have a field day but hey put a crap guitar in the hands of Hendrix and it would have sounded brilliant.  It's only rock and roll but we like it.  Fact is a black strat style electro acoustic grabs the attention.

  • From: Frederick, MD
  • Registered: 2006-12-28
  • Posts: 851

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

Heya,

   Cheap guitars work great. My acoustic yamaha is a former party-guitar that has been around GWU in DC for years getting passed around and beat up. It had a huge dent kicked into the front of the body below the bridge when I picked it up for 30.00 and it smelled like beer, armpits and cigarettes.

But with a little love and a lot of repairs...it's a wonderful sounding guitar that I wouldn't trade.

=]
Dm

"Talent instantly recognizes genius,
but mediocrity knows nothing more than itself."

-Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle

Detman101's Website

  • From: Chillicothe, Ohio
  • Registered: 2010-08-16
  • Posts: 1,013

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

Zurf wrote:

Mine is a cheap guitar that sounds good enough for me.  Yeah, I'd like a Blue Ridge.  What I don't like about a Blue Ridge is their price tag.  Worth the money, no doubt, but not to someone without the free cash in his budget.  Like we were discussing with time in another thread, there's only so much money to go around.  I earn a good income, but my money is better spent elsewhere for now.  Like supporting some charities important to me and encouraging my children's hobbies.  My eldest is interested in guitar.  If she sticks with it, she'll have a Martin or a Blue Ridge or a Taylor before me more than likely. 

I have a buddy with the same model guitar as I have.  He's got a dozen or so other guitars, plays professionally, and can afford what he wants guitar wise.  At the campfire, he still brings his inexpensive Yamaha - same model as mine.  And after 20 years, it still sounds good and he still likes playing it.

- Zurf

I played Zurf's guitar while we were doing some campfire picking.  Maybe not quite as good sounding (to me) as my Martin 000-16GT, but real close.  My Martin doesn't sound as good as my BR-73 Blue Ridge, but if I had to do it over again, I would look for a BR-63 which uses the same woods but with less bling and a lot cheaper. I don't like all the abalone trim anyway, but it was the only Blue Ridge 000 size guitar in my local shop at the time.

I want to read my own water, choose my own path, write my own songs
  • From: Alabama Gulf Coast
  • Registered: 2008-06-24
  • Posts: 1,819

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

I bought my mid - 70's Yamaha FG350W at a pawn shop for my best buddy. He brought me along to help him pick out a nice guitar. Our local luthier did a great job setting it up. He played it until he passed away and left it to me in his will. I will never sell it but will leave it for my grandson when I take my own celestial dirt nap.
I installed an under-the -bridge pickup that sounded mighty fine until many sailing voyages in salt air did in the pickup. I played that guitar in New Zealand, Greece, Scotland and Ireland and have yet to hear one with a fuller sound.
I was gigging in a local bar with that old Yamaha when a guy asked me to perform with his new Martin. The Martin was heavy and had one string that rang out louder than the others. After one set I handed the Martin back to him - glad to go back to my Yamaha. He was surprised and somewhat offended. Tough toenails, mine was lighter, played easier and sounded better.
The FG350W is not an expensive guitar but it is a large body dreadnought with a nice neck and a flower inlay on the pick guard. It's big sound is hard to beat and it still looks great after all these years. I haven't repaired the pickup because I use a 1960 Gibson ES330 for electric gigs.
Played a house concert last Saturday. Rain forced all of us onto a covered patio. I brought my Gibson, small P.A., and was dying to show off my new harmonizer pedal - but that would have been overkill. I thought to bring the old Yammie and a comfortable stool and that was plenty for that gig.
I booked a Christmas party gig with the lady next door. 8)

We pronounce it "Guf Coast".
Ya'll wanna go down to the Guf?

tubatooter1940's Website

  • Zurf
  • Zurf
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  • From: Virginia, USA
  • Registered: 2007-06-27
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Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

Dirty Ed wrote:
Zurf wrote:

Mine is a cheap guitar that sounds good enough for me.  Yeah, I'd like a Blue Ridge.  What I don't like about a Blue Ridge is their price tag.  Worth the money, no doubt, but not to someone without the free cash in his budget.  Like we were discussing with time in another thread, there's only so much money to go around.  I earn a good income, but my money is better spent elsewhere for now.  Like supporting some charities important to me and encouraging my children's hobbies.  My eldest is interested in guitar.  If she sticks with it, she'll have a Martin or a Blue Ridge or a Taylor before me more than likely. 

I have a buddy with the same model guitar as I have.  He's got a dozen or so other guitars, plays professionally, and can afford what he wants guitar wise.  At the campfire, he still brings his inexpensive Yamaha - same model as mine.  And after 20 years, it still sounds good and he still likes playing it.

- Zurf

I played Zurf's guitar while we were doing some campfire picking.  Maybe not quite as good sounding (to me) as my Martin 000-16GT, but real close.  My Martin doesn't sound as good as my BR-73 Blue Ridge, but if I had to do it over again, I would look for a BR-63 which uses the same woods but with less bling and a lot cheaper. I don't like all the abalone trim anyway, but it was the only Blue Ridge 000 size guitar in my local shop at the time.

Yeah, well the hands playing the guitars made a big difference.  My guitar sounded a lot better under your control than mine.  Still, I dropped by the shop today to talk to the tech.  He's going to help rescue me from my "Google-trained expert" adjustments and set it up right.  I'll have him put in a Tusq or bone nut and lower the action when he does it.  The set-up's going to cost more than the guitar did, but I do like the sound of that Yamaha guitar.  In the meanwhile, there's a Blueridge Gospel (I don't recall the number) I've been eyeing.  It's not going to be mine unless work comes through with a bonus.  That's how I afforded the Yammie too, come to think of it.   

- Zurf

Granted B chord amnesty by King of the Mutants (Long live the king).
If it comes from the heart and you add a few beers... it'll be awesome! - Mekidsmom
When in doubt ... hats. - B.G. Dude
  • zguitar
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  • From: Mentone, Ca
  • Registered: 2009-01-10
  • Posts: 1,367

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

I agree with Jerome. Don't pay attention to what other people think. If you like it and it works good for you, then that's what you should have. I could never see myself spending $1000's on a guitar. Maybe if I was making a living playing guitar, but as a hobby, it's just not gonna happen. Like Zurf said, my money is better spent elsewhere.

Keep Rockin!!!!!!!!!!!
  • From: NY
  • Registered: 2009-08-26
  • Posts: 4,320

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

zguitar wrote:

I agree with Jerome. Don't pay attention to what other people think. If you like it and it works good for you, then that's what you should have. I could never see myself spending $1000's on a guitar. Maybe if I was making a living playing guitar, but as a hobby, it's just not gonna happen. Like Zurf said, my money is better spent elsewhere.

Guess what?  I played a $2500 Martin at the guitar store the other day... it buzzed just as much as my under $200 Epi ... I know it wasn't the guitar's fault, but I will stick with my beginner guitar because in MY hands, they both sound pretty much the same.  At least I'm comfy taking my Epi with me to beer riddled campfires, and the beach, and setting it down on the floor for a few minutes while I go change a dirty diaper!  LOL!  lol  I wouldn't be able to throughly enjoy my guitar at this stage in my life if it cost more than a few hundred.

Art and beauty are in the eyes of the beholder.
What constitutes excellent music is in the ears of the listener.

mekidsmom's Website

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 162

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

The only piece of solid wood on my Applause is the bridge. Have yet to find a guitar with a less-than-4-figure price tag that sounds as good.

  • From: North Carolina
  • Registered: 2008-03-29
  • Posts: 953

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

I have 3 guitars, one martin A/E, an epi electric, and a cheap Ibanez acoustic  that I bought from a pawn shop, 85% of the time I just bang around on my Ibanez, it sounds great to me, a set of new strings and a little neck adjustment and boom! It being the first one I learned on it has sentimental value as well. I love it and never want to part with it.

Cam

Keep a fire burning in your eyes
Pay attention to the open sky
You never know what will be coming down
  • From: Stockton-on-Tees UK
  • Registered: 2010-07-22
  • Posts: 146

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

I am currently playing a Tanglewood TW400 made in Korea and bought a lot of years ago when I had to pay a £30.00 premium on a £120 guitar because I wanted a leftie.
I have been into the local music shops many times and played expensive guitars and been impressed but not enough to fall in love. 
For the time being  I will stick with what because she does what I want her to do and I think that getting rid of the old girl for £40-50 just wouldn't be enough to compensate for the love I have for her.  It would be like getting divorced again only worse.

Ian

All things good to know are difficult to learn.
Greek Proverb
  • From: U.S.
  • Registered: 2007-01-24
  • Posts: 269

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

Hey Longboarder, love your post. I have a couple of really nice guitars, but I also have my Ibanez that I paid about $350. for new. It plays great, and I love to pick it up often.

  • Registered: 2006-03-04
  • Posts: 162

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

flester wrote:

The only piece of solid wood on my Applause is the bridge. Have yet to find a guitar with a less-than-4-figure price tag that sounds as good.

Though I tried a solid-topped Lag which I liked. (at good price due to being slightly scratched)

  • From: Bellevue, Idaho
  • Registered: 2009-10-31
  • Posts: 57

Re: Cheap crappy guitar?

There are a lot of companies that sell quote, "cheap guitars" That doesn't necessarily mean that they hired monkeys to build them. A lot of those people want to make high end guitars and their willing to start out working for cheap(er). There's always as chance that someone who build your $100-$250 will be making those $500-$1000 guitars three years later and they're just waiting for someone to notice. Its the maker of the guitar that's makes 40% of the difference. another 50% is personal preference and at least 10% is the quality of the wood ect.

I own an Epiphone, a cheaper end(but not the cheapest), of acoustic guitars and I think it plays just fine. I don't absolutely love it, but it was worth the buy and I constantly get complements about it. It mostly from people saying, "nice Guitar"

My avatar is me playing my mom's guitar(another Epiphone). Except for a string that buzzes it works just as good. (my guitar is made of a darker wood)

no audience required.

TheOnlyTaylor's Website