Where did all the cheap guitars go?

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Eruera
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Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by Eruera »

Was looking around the local retailers websites for an interesting bass to replace my Jazz and thought I’d have a look at what was going in the way of value guitars.

Maybe it’s rose tinted glasses but feel like 10 years ago there were a multitude of cheap guitar brands like Karina and AXL that offered surprisingly good bang for what was usually less the Squier money.

Now it looks like there is just a couple of Encore guitars at RS and a few Stagg strat things at MP, didn’t there used to be a full lineup of models under 500? I distinctly remember a sweet Karina thinline tele for 299 and I had a great 5-string ray that was only 400.

Are people just way more brand conscious now and so the stores can’t move cheapies, or is something more sinister going on?

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by Single coil »

Probably the latter.
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by null_pointer »

Either that, or the failure rate of the cheapo brands made them untenable for retailers to carry then have to warranty.

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by calling card »

Aliexpress?
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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by Mattallica »

Pretty sure all the Gio stuff has gone up a couple $100 in the last year or so, without any noticable improvement

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by Single coil »

I guess there are deals to be had, but we use the phrase “throw it to the sharks” for a reason.
werdna wrote:Well at least I can still make toast in the bath without anyone telling me it's unsafe.

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by StrummersOfThunder »

The used market is just so accessible with tradme and FB, reverb , eBay etc. Not much point buying new bottom of the range gear when used mid range gear is readily available for about the same price

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by olegmcnoleg »

StrummersOfThunder wrote:The used market is just so accessible with tradme and FB, reverb , eBay etc. Not much point buying new bottom of the range gear when used mid range gear is readily available for about the same price
This is so true, we bitch about the fees (justifiably) but really we never had it so good.

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by mr_sooty »

Cort still offers the best bang for buck around.

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by JHorner »

mr_sooty wrote:Cort still makes half the guitars in the world with other logos on
Fixed.

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by Aquila Rossa »

I agree with with what SOT said about there being so much more value in the used market. If i had a $500 budget, no way would i go new. Depending on the model, i would be taking a big hit on resale the minute i walked out the door. I prefer to look for good condition used guitars. Can usually sell them for what I paid if it does not float my boat. Same with most used guitar equipment like amps and pedals etc. it takes patience at times though. I waited for a couple of months for my guitar to come up for sale. I got a good price and a good gat that would be more than twice the price new.

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by Vince »

Aquila Rossa wrote:If i had a $500 budget, no way would i go new... I prefer to look for good condition used guitars.
True, though finding a GOOD 2nd hand guitar is a bit daunting when you're a beginner. If you don't have a friend or a relative to help you, there's a lot to be said for having a patient guy in a store show you through the forest of guitars out there.



On a different level, I myself am put off by the idea of buying an expensive 2nd hand anything, seeing the number of fakes out there
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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by Aquila Rossa »

Vince wrote:
Aquila Rossa wrote:If i had a $500 budget, no way would i go new... I prefer to look for good condition used guitars.
True, though finding a GOOD 2nd hand guitar is a bit daunting when you're a beginner. If you don't have a friend or a relative to help you, there's a lot to be said for having a patient guy in a store show you through the forest of guitars out there.



On a different level, I myself am put off by the idea of buying an expensive 2nd hand anything, seeing the number of fakes out there
Patient guy to help you in a store? They exist? :D

Most guitars music shop staff talked me into buying when i was a noob teen are definitely not what i would have bought if i knew better -- except for one which was an Aria Pro and very good. My first used electric was a 70s Ibanez Les Paul. A very nice one. I sold it because I thought the slight hum from the pups meant if was faulty. In hindsight i think they were probably not waxed. I was running it thru a Boss HM-2 heavy Metal pedal into a faulty Jansen twin, but the guitar got the blame for the hum. Doh. The music shop talked me into that Boss pedal too.

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Re: Where did all the cheap guitars go?

Post by Eruera »

Some of those Cort models look really fun, some swish looking basses too.

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