I Bought the Cheapest Guitar on Amazon... It's not what I expected (Part 1)
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- Опубліковано 23 тра 2023
- Get it here - amzn.to/3pFJECH
Video Part 2 out now - • I bought a $75 Guitar ...
I love playing budget guitars so I bought the cheapest one I could find on Amazon and was very surprised to find that it is actually pretty good! If you have limited budget, you can still make music!
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#theguitargeek #Cheapestguitar #amazonguitar
Click here to SUBSCRIBE for part 2 - bit.ly/3Wsvpff
I have no idea why I clicked on this video - I've failed for years to put the time I ought to in to learning the piano, but now I'm morbidly curious about how this guitar stands up to being used repeatedly for say two weeks, and what this could mean for someone who wants to learn guitar!
500,000 views compared to your regular 10,000 views.
It would be a travesty of you did not make a part 2.
This is like Delia Smith's effect on cranberries - but with guitars: *_"Currently unavailable"!_* 🎸
More please!
omg 10:11 that guitar has a sweet twang sound and it's perfect for some solid jazz/blues. I love that twang and the sweet notes it plays when you make it talk :D
The difference between being able to afford a guitar vs having no guitar is priceless. As a child i never owned a guitar, could not afford it. Missed a lifetime of learning music. Starting to learn now in my 40s. 😊 This is cheap guitar, the value is in the fact that it help to create future superstar musicians by making guitars affordable to talented youngsters.
The music gear industry is a racket. they've convinced everyone they need concert level performance gear when you can technically practice on a rainbow toy xylophone
on the head.
I got an epiphone les paul i paid £100 for ,and you would have to have an unbelievable ear to pick it out blindfolded in a line up of Gibson les pauls.
@@davehoward22 i had several guitars and my cheapest was a second hand squire strat that played better than all the rest.i giged with it over much more expesive and so called better ones. image costs but finding a gem that just fits is priceless no mater what name is on it
my favourite guitar i ever had my mom bought for me for 100CAD. Still miss it. Love u momma!
Yes, please do a part II on this one, it deserves it having got through the “I expect this cheap guitar to be crap” test.....
I agree.
Hey mate i just wanted to ask i have heard cheap guitars can sound best on expensive amps but cheaper amps can sound really bad with cheap guitars would that be the amp in fault of the situation or the cheap guitar
@@Nickgaming-sy5og really depends on your setup but if you're gonna invest in one invest in the amp
It deserves being pitched into the fireplace
Agreed. I am surprised at the pricing of guitars anymore. I know this is on the extreme low end, but that is a fantastic price for what you get. Brass and woodwind instruments have skyrocketed.
One easy tip for those who might find it helpful: I got a decent Amazon guitar that also had a really dry fretboard. I lightly rubbed some lemon oil on it and it completely fixed the issue.
Man, for a 75 euro, that's a really cool guitar. Love the finish and the headstock is actually nice for a change. It's insane comparing what is available now to what was available just some 30-ish years ago when I was learning to play guitar and looking for a Strat-like that's affordable and not crap.
Yamaha Pacifica was available back then
not this cheap tho
I wish we could have bought guitars at these sort of prices when I was younger! It is great for just €75. I am so glad you were positive about the guitar; it will encourage youngsters to maybe get one, form a band with their mates and bring us some fantastic rock!
The cheapest guitar when I bought my first electric was £30. But that was 1962, so equivalent to about £800 today (€950). But it was a Teisco SSL-4, look it up, they are very interesting. If I still had it, in reasonable condition, it would be worth £1500 to £2000. Unfortunately, I sold it in 1968 for about £25 to buy an acoustic guitar. Which I still have.
CNC routers really helped guitar players on that front- the first "modern" (made after 2010) guitar I got was a hundred-dollar Takamine Jasmine that played like a much more expensive one and was all set up like the one in the video right out of the box. I wore it out because the materials weren't great, and it started to bow below the neck after about five years, but I had been wanting one of theirs since I was a young teen, and their entire lineup was $800-900 each.
Of course, I know this, and yet I still spent extra to get a Martin that was US made in their Pennsylvania factory- but that's my main squeeze... the others are just for variety, really- and it's fantastic that I can finally afford more than one or two acoustics that aren't awful!
agreed I would of been playing for 30 ish years by now should it have been in my price range to even try but glad I can still have the option to start at 37 xD
As a kid I begged for my first bass and my folks got ripped off
They lowered it below 70
I don't even play guitar but I love seeing something cheap turn out to be much better than expected. Hope you do a follow-up on this guitar. 👍
Same here. It is just a very wholesome thing!
I don't play guitar, but I gratulate to this purchase. (German company: You will get a proper product quality, even if it is imported and "cheap" - what it isn't, it is preiswert (good value for money?)).
Me too! Thanks for watching - Part 2 is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
The pick ups sound naff on cheap guitars and you can't play some types of harmonics so easily. If cheap guitars were good, then they would be used by professionals - wouldn't they?
@@michaelmac1798 what? that makes absolutely no sense, obviously a cheaper guitar is going to be of worse quality than something thats much more expensive, however, that doesn't mean its necessarily awful, cheap guitars can be DECENT and is good for people on a budget. obviously professionals will use higher end guitars that sound and play good, often times they'll modify them themselves.
My first guitar was a Teisco. Paid $25 for it, a case, a cord, a strap and an amp. My brother and cousin both learned on this guitar. Wish I still had it. This was around 1970.
Probably wish you still had most possessions from 1970
You've NO idea how insanely happy I am to see a company giving you what you paid for, instead of thrown and badly glued together crap with fishing lines for snares, with "components" made out of the worst ever plastics and metals that oxydise the moment you look at them.
For once, I feel heart-warmed seeing a company that CARES for it's customers, and delivers something decent for a change.
Which says EVERYTHING about all other companies (read: thieves guilds).
Truly happy for you, GuitarGeek!!!
Not kidding.
And I am not the most of happy person around, especially lately.
Also, to that guitar company:
I am so gratyeful, you are one of the extremely few that gives good materials out.
My sincere!!! gratitude.
Keep up the good works, your honour and goodwill will be your advertisement.
For me the headstock is where a lot of strat styles fail but I genuinely love this guitars take on it
I do too, I really dig the look.
@@blazeandcyrus ME too
I love how good affordable gear is becoming ^^ I got a squier classic vibe which is still around 500, but not expensive, and that guitar kicks ass. Sounds almost just as good as my dads custom shop, and it stays in tune forever
the squier classic vibe stuff has honestly been blowing me away, bought some as project guitars and really haven't needed to do much to em
hell, initially planned on getting new necks to get rid of the squier logo but after a while it kinda became a point of pride
All levels of Squier are these days up there,,,especially the classic vibe and paranormal models...
I managed to get my hands on a brand new B.C. Rich Warlock for 450 euro and it's easily the best guitar I have ever had, an absolute dream to play
@@ZoophileHeggieI remember the days of picking up the local radio stations at practice many moons ago. ahahahaha.
Ditto. My CV Jazzmaster is a great guitar and easy on the wallet to boot.@@igooog
I'm also a sucker for a cheap guitar. They all sound different from one another. I come from the time of Hondo, Ames, Vantage, Tiesco, Harmony, Vox, etc. I could make incredible sounds with the junk guitars I found in those days. No pedals necessary, just experiment with cheap pickups, lol. Well done sir.
Vox are quality guitars
My first electric was a Hondo
mine was a custom, japanese copy.
Remember the Tiesco well! I had one and my brother had one. He still has has his. Sears used to sell them...
I lived in the Netherlands for 4y for my PhD, and having to come back to my home one of the biggest punches in the gut I had was having to part ways with a Hondo II double cutaway and a Vantage superstrat that I had salvaged and restored from Marktplaats... Such great guitars for so cheap, and the Hondo had a woodwork job that many $ 1000 guitars don't have today.
Some of these budget instruments are actually pretty impressive. I saw one a few months back, a $100 bass. I'm not super familiar with bass models, but it was shaped like Lemmy's bass. It needed setting up, but had excellent tone and played like any nice bass out there. It's encouraging, I haven't had a guitar in years now, and lately I've had the itch to play. I may be able to pick up a decent guitar without having to starve for a week.
Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
I have a Jay Turser jt50. Sg copy. Great guitar. Plays and sounds great. They go for a low price. It's a older one. Ar least 12 to 15 years old.
@@ja3a12wohnnevada2 My first guitar was an actual old Gibson SG. In my memory it was a '62, but I can't remember why I thought that. It was in a foreclosed storage unit my uncle got at auction. He gave it to me. None of us had any idea it was relatively rare and valuable. I bought an Ibanez a few years later, and traded the SG to the music store for a used Marshall half stack. Dude ripped me off hard. Live and learn. From that experience, I often check resale value on lots of things, just in case. For example, I discovered a few of the Gundam kits a bought some years ago and haven't got to yet are worth hundreds of dollars now.
I think Lemmy played a Rickenbacker, which are known for their unique tone. Maybe you had an imitation Rick
I just got free bass that came from a budget company it's nice just need an amp
As much as I enjoy seeing and hearing guitars I'll never be able to afford, it's nice to see a guitar in the beginner's price range. I have two guitars from the Squier FSR Bullet range as I'm a beginner and they suit my needs.
Well I have a bullet squire Tele and it's not bad
Hi Andy, I bought the guitar based on your UA-cam review. I'm really impressed with the quality for 70 bugs. Awesome😀😀, I've been looking for a small, light guitar for every day for a while. Many thanks for the great tip 🥰🥰
I bought a $40 Vizcaya concert ukulele kit from Amazon and was very pleased. I expected the sound/tone to not be the best, but the volume, feel and intonation were great! It's a great starter uke for anyone! I'm glad instruments are so accessible nowadays. Music is Life!
Get it on the bench! Really enjoyed this one, dirt cheap guitars are fun. Those pickups actually sound miles ahead of something like a Squier Bullet
Yep, new strings, check fret levels and maybe a fret level, crown, polish. Oil the board and take a nut file to the nut and clean it out and set slots to correct height (I'd swap out for a Tusq but that's me and at £10.99 something to consider if going full on mod crazy and changing pickups as well 😎). It's definitely not a bad guitar for a silly cheap price. Pity not available in the UK as would probably grab one to have some fun modding - it looks well enough put together to be a perfect modding guitar 👍
@@martin-1965 yeah, I just got done doing a full on set up including tons of fret work and Tusq nut on a squier affinity, and the guitar on this vid looks like it would require far less work and cost a fraction of the price. And I'm surprised to say, I don't even think I'd swap out the pups.. really unique and fun sounds there! I'm impressed and would like to see more.
A video showing some of your work and seeing and hearing the difference would also help others decide wether or not
to dive into a purchase. This was a very informative video showing how expectations can be misplaced. Although this is not a model I would prefer, nonetheless it is very well done. I am now subscribed to your channel. 👍
@@kentravitz7395 yep the p/u are great if that is the sound you want
Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
It's amazing that we can get guitars that play at all for that price. It would be interesting to see how it plays after a little setup time put into it.
Agreed and under a hundo so there should be some left over for set ups
Just goes to show how much of the cost of a big name guitar goes to marketing etc. The bad part is big name guitars can be pretty be low quality as well.
I'm not that surprised. Technology improves with time and that affects everything. Not so long ago 55 inch TVs were considered a luxury. Nowadays you can get one new for about 300 euros. Studio monitors used to be insanely expensive. Nowadays there are low-end monitors for like 100 euros a pair - and even if they're not that great for a professional studio, they still blow most commercial speakers out of the water.
When I started playing 45 years ago, electric guitars were a luxury item. I saved up for quite a while to buy a squire strat for 250 Deutschmarks. I loved that guitar and I wish I hadn't sold it twelve years ago for double of what I paid for it. Now I could buy one guitar a day at those prices, lol.
It’s amazing how cheap they can sell them for when they’re made with slave labor.
Thanks, that was a blast! I used to buy used guitars in the late '60s, then tinker them up for resale to earn some string/beer money. The Woolworth 'Audition' semi-acoustic was a favourite of mine... Lots of them about, usually in need of care. Ended up in a small music shop for a while, and one of my 'Audition' refurbs came through for an upgrade every three or four months! A kid would choose it, parents would buy it, and it would come back for part-ex on something the kid had earned - one of them was unbelievably good, and all self-taught. The pickups on those Auditions were microphonous, so I 'd pot them in wax - do a batch of them one weekend.
Got hired by a wholesaler/importer in '72, spent 5 years tinkering up their guitars and other stuff, Great fun!
Long time ago, been retired over 20 years now...
When you use the tremelo on a non locking guitar, try giving it a pull up as the last part of the bend so it travels down to the resting point instead of just letting it pull itself back up to pitch with the springs. They usually stay in tune better with just a little practice on how you release the bend.
Something I've noticed in the age of internet is how people prioritize the quality of their gear over the quality of their own playing. When I started guitar in the mid 1980's (yes, I am that old), everything was about how well you can actually play the guitar, nowadays it is "my amp will blow your amp away". I love this channel because I also love finding good deals, and the satisfaction of having a great guitar without spending so much unnecessary money on the name on the headstock. Keep up the good work, I always look forward to your videos because I know I can get the real, actual quality without being biased or seduced by name brands
Well said...
Give me any guitar and I will play it unless sharp frets rip off my finger tips.
Something I have noticed in the age of the internet is amps and pedals are far more important than guitars.
@@dirusj4006 your are right...amps and pedals makes these new brands of guitar that are cheap sound like a high dollar fender or Gibson Les Paul...I love Ibanez guitars I have several but guitars off wish or Amazon that are cheap but look great can sound like my Ibanez...I have one that's 3200 and I traded a fender starcaster guitar for it...a 30 dollar guitar and I come out with a very rare RG which was only made in 2013...he just wanted a guitar that he could string cause the one that I got from him had a Floyd Rose...I have one epiphone and its a SG... other than that the rest I have were just over a hundred dollars but if you put it through a great Amp and pedals it sounds amazing...so yes you are right technology has come along way...
I love all these new budget guitars coming out. I bought a $100 guitar about 3 years ago, and I've played it every day, and gotten pretty good. I've played a lot of more expensive guitars, and haven't found one that I like any better than my $100 baby.
Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
Try a Ibanez fella
Whered u get ur guitar from
Where did u get it from?
Almost all famous guitar players have a cheap guitar that they play, fix, modify and thrive on. Like Mr. Brett's Red Rocker
I would absolutely LOVE to see a part two for this one! I’m teaching myself guitar (been playing cello for 7 years) and I’d like to have one of my own that’s not out of my price range
The moment you started it was awesome!! I’m just starting out and picked up a Fender Squire, great job on your video, thank you for the demo as it’s helping my research into guitar 👍🏻
Surprisingly good for something so cheap. And yes, please continue to make it better!
Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
MSA actually builds quite decent instruments. I've got more of them (the same guitar as you have here, some basses and some other stuff) and I can't complain about the overall quality. For the price you can't go wrong really. Very recommendable for beginners.
Where are the MSA made? I can't find that info anywhere. I don't want to just assume and say China. I'd really like to know.
what I want to know is what amp is that? sounds amazing
Love to see this guitar fully checked out with new strings and buffed frets
I cane across your channel for the first time. Completely blown away by the quality of this guitar - would love to see a follow up after your cartying out some minor adjustments on it. You have a new fan 😀
I agree with the others to do a part two. I remember my Vintage Modified Squier with Duncan Designed pickups. I knew that I needed a real Fender so I bought one and was disappointed in the overbright pickups. Wound up buying some Duncan Designed's off eBay and putting them on my Fenders. I recall professional guitarists who were stunned at the quality of the Vintage Modified series. Getting quality in an inexpensive istrument is a real buzz, but tweaking the quality with the help of videos is uber rewarding.
Fender is in between a rock and hard place. Vintage strat pickups tend towards bright, microphonic and extremely touch sensitive and that's not what most modern players actually want.
@@davidmckean955 I have never actually played a vintage pickup so i assumed they were warm, but your point is a good one. The closest I got was a buddy's vintage Musicmaster; however, his pickup had a broken wire, so we substituted a modern pickup.
I got a Chinese made squire classic vibe s tele that played better than some guitars costing 3x as much I was impressed with that guitar but I gave it to my grandson he plays it constantly never puts it down because it's such a pleasure to play I'm getting another CV tele because it was such a great deal for under 500usd.
@@fabianvasquezjr8852 Sorry you lost the Classic Vibe, but you are a wonderful grandpa. Watching your grandson actually playing the instrument must be pretty nice.
Hum , i 've tried two Squiers Classic Vibe , the sound was atrocious , i could hear the mediums and the trebles separately , i don't know if the pick'ups were too high but it was the first time that i could hear two different sounds while playing a note ....Then , in the same shop i've tried a US Strat with Texas special pick-ups : way better but my heavy personal one with its massive neck was better : i've bought it after several tests , i lowered the volume knob after two seconds , i was afraid that the seller might raise the price lol , when a Strat is good on the neck pick-up , your jaw drops , the sound is fantastic ....
Then i ended my " find a not too expensive guitar and swap the necks " day in an other shop , and i 've tried a Vintage Modifier Squier , ohh the Classic vibes are beautifull , gold finish , very shiny , the Vintage Modifiers are ugly in comparison , that one had a very high action , the neck was huge , BUT : the Fender Stratocaster sound ,i guess that this guitar was better than the US Strat with Texas specials , easily ....
The Duncan designed pick-ups are very very good , these are what one can find on a Cort G260 , a guitar with a solid rep ....
I even wonder if they aren't better than the originals , i've played with some , on a Cort special serie , and they were neutral , maybe the wood wasn't dry enough i don't know ...
I don't own these guitars anymore , i have a Strat copy and i honestly don't have to complain ...
I find your story amusing but logical ....
I would never buy a Fender Strat if it isn't the one i'm testing at that very moment , if they want me to buy its sister , brand new in its box , they can keep it , i would never buy one online , and maybe i would never buy one eventually because you can be satisfied with the many cheap clones available ....
That's a fact , you try 10 US Fender Stratocasters , you find one gem , the others are just normal .....
Yup , the Duncan Designs , single coils : cheap and good , i'm not surprised but reassured , my ears didn't lie to me ....! I'm not the only one lol .!..^^
You've earned a sub, mate! I don't play guitar, but seeing how the industry is progressing for entry level equipment with a fellow that knows his gear is always great entertainment. Your enthusiasm and choice of equipment has drawn me in, so I am eager to see your future vids :)
Welcome! You SHOULD learn to play, it’s amazing fun
most common cheap issues are: 1) filed off fret ends making them feel like razors when you slide your hand down the neck 2) uneven fret height for whatever reasons 3) non-rounded fret tops cuz they couldn't be bothered to do more than file them flat to level them 4) bad sounding pickups 5) nut positioned either too far or too close to fret 1 which means you will never intonate it properly. always out of tune if that's the case. 6) neck is either warped or cannot be brought into a proper bow and without a dual bending truss rod.... hang it up. So, most of these issues seem to not be there on this one except the pickups are a bit thin sounding to me. But not horrible. For $75, I'd say that's a good buy instead of goodbye! hehe
I’d love to see you do more on this guitar!! I love your honesty!!!!
I like that guitar you bought. The head stock is sweet looking. Sounds pretty goos also. You did a pretty cool video here.
I have played more than 60 years and sometimes I look back at all the money I have spent on brand name guitars and amplifiers buying, selling, and trading, over more than 55 years. Not to count the time and effort involved in working on them to play and sound the way I wanted, sometimes costing even more money. Fender Stratocasters, Telecasters, and Jazzmasters, Gibson Les Pauls, SGs Explorers and other top brands. When I think about it, it really bums me out. I still have my 1977 sunburst Strat with a white pearl pick guard and my 1988 silver gray Strat with a black pickguard that I do like very well.
About 6 or 7 years ago I found this black off brand "BAJA" brand cheeze master guitar in someone's trash and picked it out. It wasn't in too bad of shape, more dirty than anything. I gave it allot of TLC, and made several minor repairs and adjustments and installed new tuners new knobs and new strings. It's a Stratocaster copy with one Humbucker pickup, one volume pod and one tone pod, which has a wide range from easily playing hard rock to soft country. It weighs about 1/3 of my real Fender Stratocasters too, in which I can stand longer with it strapped over my shoulder. I wish I could post pics of it also.
I also have had this small 30 watt Marshall practice amp that has sat in a corner for years and years that someone gave many years ago. Together with that trash picked guitar these two are the best sounding and playing pair I have ever had. I can't believe it. If I want it louder and more power, I can just plug it into one or both of my Fender 100 watt twin 12 amps to make louder noise with tone set on the Fenders to a clean clear sound. I have had more questions and compliments on this trash picked guitar that couldn't have cost more than 80-90 bucks new. Oh yeah, I renamed it the "Lil' Fucker" in Fenders trademark lettering on the head stock too... I love it to the max... 😜🤪🥰
Money and name don't mean it's better!!!
On the other hand, a good friend paid $265.00 for a Strat copy in a beautiful metallic mid blue. It has a maple colored neck and is really beautiful. But about all it's good for is to hang on the wall for decoration. It will not stay in tune long enough for one song, it has a constant buzz to it, you can almost feel the neck warping as you try to play it, and you can not get the tonation set on it. Three people with more than 50 years experience playing and working on guitars, including myself have tried and tried to work with and play this guitar. I think it's possesed somehow. My friend has bought and tried two different new sets of tuners and several gauges of strings also. All in all he has over $400.00 wrapped up in this Micky Mouse beautiful guitar that can't be played.
That guitar looked awesome! Great video. I have owned cheap strat copies and they vary a lot. Best result I had was when I gave a cheap strat to my old boss, when he retired he gave it back to me having upgraded the pickups!
Cool find, my main concern with any budget electric would be the electronics failing shortly after purchase. You can slap guitar strings on pretty much anything and have a good time so the overall structure is really a secondary concern IMO for the budget guitarist.
luckily, there is no "electronic" in this kind of guitar ...
Thank you so much for speeding up the boring parts. It makes all the difference in the world as to my decision to continue watching
I got a real cheap guitar years ago, around £40-50 "made by Encore", and just after a change of strings to some Pink Slinks, I fell in love with it, and still have it, has a tremolo bar, only a single pickup slot but easily interchangeable and mainly - it's a very solid construction, sounds nice, and more importantly, FEELS nice in my massive clown hands. It was brand new at that price too, if you know where to look, you don't need to spend a lot to make something your own and have it work for you - ESPECIALLY if you're just starting out, in fact MORE IMPORTANTLY if you're just starting out, like I was, find somehing you like the look of, something playable, and work from there, and if you choose wisely, you'll have that guitar for life - no matter how many come afterwards :)
Bassoon players are quietly sobbing in the corner. Even the $5000 models are "budget".
I remember Encore!!! Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
Encore was my first guitar when I was 15 in the 1990s, red strat. That served me well for 2 years.
Without a doubt a cheap guitar that you play is better than an expensive one you don't
This is such a great reminder that you don't have to play $1000 for a good sounding and well made guitar. So many people get caught up on the name on the headstock, but that doesn't necessarily translate into solid workmanship or precision. Awesome.
Ya it’s not the name it’s the quality. I spent $2500 on my PRS. Just a beautiful guitar to play. I don’t regret a thing.
It really depends on what you want. A Squier is perfect if it never leaves your home, but you do need something better if you are performing with it. There are a lot of things that were not discussed such as tuning stability which is extremely important and extremely rare in a cheap guitar.
No, if you spend 5000 quid on amps and pedals anything will sound awesome
@@SirPrizeMF This guitar sounded awful, no amount of technical wizardry is going to make it good.
@@michaelstanley5215 Agreed, but I didn't get the impression he was trying to convince people that you can go into the studio with this thing. The thing is, you can upgrade components like tuners, nut, bridge, and pickups and end up with an extremely good guitar with a low end name on it for a fraction of what you would pay for a "high end" guitar. But back to the point of the video, for a starter guitar that a guy could play for years without complaint? You can't beat that price.
Excellent review! I love that guitar too especially fir that price! You're right, as with all new guitars she needs a little TLC. Hope you enjoy her and make great music! It's always good for the soul!
I had bought cheaps Ibaneze Gio guitar starter pack 1year ago, thanks to tons of video on UA-cam showing how to upgrade guitar from fret leveling to pickup electronic setting I got new knowledge from it. Now I know how to look for good quality cheap guitar.
I bought a cheap donner acoustic on amazon (should have gotten the A/E though). Paid like $150 US for it. Came with a gig bag, tuner, etc. It's fantastic. Stays in tune like a champ. I was really surprised at how nice it was for the price. The worst thing about it is it sounds like crap, but that's only because I suck at playing it LOL. Seriously though, the sound on it is really nice. Obviously you can't compare it to like a $1500 guitar, but it's a really great cheap guitar.
I would 100% love to see this guitar post set-up and with a new set of strings. I was mind-blown at the tone.
Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
Wow! First time watching, I'm amazed how thorough your analysis on this guitar was? Loved it extremely much.
Love to see a part II from you on this guitar!
Absolutely do the part 2. I would love to see this thing be given the best fighting chance to really show what it can do.
Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
I walked into a Guitar Center about 5 years ago to buy a Fender fretless bass - an American Standard Jazz was what I was looking for - and I was blown away by the sheer number of 5 & 6 string (and 4s) that were "entry level" in price. I mean, they were maybe $275 for a 6 string with some name pickups! And the variety! It was crazy. I was told that manufacturing has gotten so good that even "cheap" basses (and presumably guitars and other instruments as well) are of pretty good quality. Gone are the warped necks and the tuners that look & feel like they're punched out of sheet metal. The downside: they stock all these instruments because they fly off the shelves at those prices, but a decent, higher-end instrument was not in stock. Indeed, they didn't have any fretless basses. I asked the clerk if they could bring one in for me to try out and he says, "sure, if you buy one." This, by the way, was the GC right near Berklee College of Music, where you might expect them to sell a few higher end instruments. It wasn't that they were sold out; they didn't stock them.
It's great that you found a decently-made instrument that sounds pretty good but it's a shame that the variety & customer service for brick & mortar store sales isn't there anymore. I don't like purchasing instruments by mail.
"hey why is this guitar store around the corner from a music college not buying in expensive guitars and only reasonably priced ones? WTF!!"
maybe cause big names are over priced status symbols and the off brands are pretty much the same standard now apart from the outragous prices?
@@random_an0n Let me be clear: these were decent but BEGINNER models. In the $199-$500 range. Decent but nothing an aspiring professional musician who is spending 4 years at a college to learn a craft would or should be buying.
@@random_an0n entry level instruments can sound great all things considered, but that's precisely the issue: they sound great **all things considered**. If you have to contextualize what is considered a great sound, then perhaps it is not all that great. If you're going to college to study music as your primary focus, then please for the love of God don't buy a $200 guitar as your main instrument. It's great for what it is, but it is not good enough for what you need as a professional musician.
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I think you are referring to DADDY'S JUNKY MUSIC, which was directly across the street from Berklee. Guitar Center was down a bit past Boston University on Commonwealth. Guitar Center was never near Berklee. That employee does sound like those from Daddy's. Remember that Ron Wood wannabe that worked there? Or maybe he thought he was Johnny Thunders.
Hecka fun opening the guitar with you. I was surprised pleasantly. Thanks.
That actually sounds nice for a low budget guitar. decent finish and better than many slightly more expensive on the market.
Yes, more. Loved this video. I have many great and expensive guitars but spent so many years broke that I am always fascinated to see how good a really inexpensive guitar can be. Great video, I very much enjoyed it.
Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
I like the look of pure, unbridled joy on Andy's face every time he opens a box. We all know that feeling.
Oh, The joy never fades. Each guitar is a whole new world of possibility!
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I loved your comments on this pretty guitar. I am saddened that on Amazon Canada, we cannot find this Vision guitar. I would certainly have bought it, because I am charmed with this guitar. Thanks Andy. xx kisses😘😘
As someone who got an 80$ guitar a off of Amazon that came with an amp, I’m happy with the quality of mine and that it was a relative affordable entry point into an instrument I was excited to play.
I loved this, especially since you were so surprised. I'd love to see how you tuned and improved this guitar.
Im genuinely impressed for 75 bucks. That's a good buy. It sounds good for right out of the box.
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I had just wondered a few days ago what such an inexpensive guitar sounds like, I am very surprised, I had expected less. I see you are engaging with the topic and also testing other inexpensive guitars, then I'll subscribe to your channel so as not to miss anything.
I'm lovin' the headstock design. It reminds me of D'Angelico steps for some reason. I'm going to watch part 2 now to see if you can improve the wiggle stick. Great video.
Flashback 45 years and my first guitar was a nasty Strat copy….but what really took me back was the Small Clone and the DS-1 😊 ….my first two pedals….still going strong now. New CNC machines mean budget guitars are sooooo much better than when I first started playing. Great video….thanks.
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I’d love to see a part 2 about this guitar. I’ve been thinking about getting a beginner’s electric guitar, but I can’t spend a lot on one. If this one can be made to hold in tune and is playable, could be my search is over. I’d like to see what you do to polish this diamond in the rough. Instant subscription!
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Absolutely a great deal for someone to get into music at an affordable price!! One of my best guitars is an acoustic Aria that is 40 years old that I paid an even 100.00 bucks at Strings and Things in Memphis, TN. It just gets better w age and makes me happy every time I pick it up!!! Max’s comment is dead on perfect!!!
First glance I thought Giovanni Allevi had hung up his piano but, no, it’s another super-talented man who made something which shouldn’t have been that interesting into something I’ll be looking for more of. Superb.
If there isn't already a part 2, please do one. I like a cheap and chearful guitar for a lot of what I do and this looks like it could be a winner!
Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
This reminds me of the Fesley guitar I bought off of Amazon. Just finished the upgrades. I leave the bar off and slammed the springs with tension. Some of these brands are putting out stuff that just needs some work and you off to rock. Nice surprise, Andy.
Hello mate! Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
We really encourage these companies to make more guitars like this so that kids who like to play guitar can save their pocket money to fulfil their dream.
i bought an off-brand "Indio" Telecaster for $99. Then I replaced the tuners (now locking), nut (now TUSQ), pickups (now Fender Tex-Mex), smoothed out the frets,
and shield-painted the inner routings.
So, for about $250, i now have a really comfortable Tele that sounds great and looks great (Blonde), and hasn't lost tune for an incredible
10 months now!
I doubt 250 bucks would've bought the same "quality" guitar right off the hook in a guitar shop.
Pretty excellent review, thank you for posting !
It would be interesting to see a comparison of critical parts like the pots, 5 way switch, etc., they had to save money somewhere !
Best regards,
Bill P.
I would absolutely love to see this with new strings and some tic. I think it’s fantastic that budget options exist for someone getting into this space.
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Great review! The dog joke totally got the sub! Man after my own heart.
I’m just learning the fine points of electric guitars at 60. Thanks for moving my education along. 😊
I've got eight budget guitars and I love all of them they sound good enough for me and I've been listening to Studio music all my life and I'm 62 I bought a PS1 from Musician's friend for $99 free shipping installed a EMGX pickup in a tp6 fine tuning Bridge new strings it's awesome
Honestly good to see that someone cared to set up the instrument. More often than not a really bad unplayable guitar will make most young (or older) aspiring guitarist turn away from the instrument, or develop bad habits due to the uncomfortable ergonomics of the guitar.
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Got a bass once from MSA which was 10€ more. Had no issues at all, played well and even kept the tuning great. There's definitely far worse Instruments out there a beginner could buy!
The best guitar review I’ve seen on youtube by far, and such a respectful critic.
To be even fairer, a whole new set of strings should be left at least overnight to let them settle. Also the neck needs time to settle to the tension of the string tension so I'd expect 2 to 3 days for this new instrument to settle. Yes you can hyper-stretch a new string during a gig but that's for one string out of 6 and you'll have to retune it frequently. Still I really like that you gave this an honest review. I've had so much fun buying various budget instruments from Amazon which given the advances in production technology are all absolutely fine for learning purposes 👍
Thanks but If your guitars need 24 hours to settle after restringing then there’s something wrong with your guitar or your technique
I recently bought a left-handed Les Paul type guitar from a UK dealer. The brand is antiquity for £150 and I’ve got to say it is excellent, became totally set up, not a mark on it and it plays excellent
I do a lot of product reviews for a wide variety of goods and was recently offered an inexpensive generic Strat like this one to review. I was similarly shocked at the quality. Like you, I was expecting to do a "this was as bad as I thought it would be at this price" review but instead wrote one praising it for being an incredible value. Not just a "beginner" guitar, this is decent enough to play a gig and a great choice if you are going to be busking or going places where you are worried about damaging your guitar - you can afford to replace this one if anything happens to it. I really like the bright sound and sharp, crisp tones I'm able to get from the pickups. The only concern about it I ended up having was: how many workers were exploited at ridiculously low wages and/or poor working conditions for the price to be so low?
And, yes, would love to see a "Part 2" with a greater in-depth examination of it.
Thanks for teaching me how little I know about guitars.
Definitely do a part 2. Wonder how it will play/sound if you do a little at home DIY set up. Maybe a little elbow grease on the frets, adjust intonation. Nothing in depth, just fix what an at home player can do.
I bought a crappy Amazon guitar for about the same price but was in a set which also included a case, extra strings, tuner, stand, amp, and more. Thing is, I’m no guitar geek so I have no idea if it’s good or not, and am pretty much a beginner and didn’t want anything better until I improve. So, this was fun and motivating. I will take a better look at the guitar I’ve hardly touched and try giving it a whirl again. I’ve also subscribed. So, Danke schön!!
You are welcome! Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
The main thing to remember about price is that it's about the quality of the material. If you played a Squier Stratocaster ($200) and then played a Fender Telecaster ($800+), you could definitely hear a difference. But you might think, "I'm not hearing this extra $600." There are a ton of things to consider when buying a guitar.
Sorry, I've been playing for 22 years and only recently did I start to get into the technical side of it so I like talking about it.
Iirc, mine was 80 euro and came with a bag, strings, and tuning flute. I'm pretty tone deaf so it took until Rocksmith and its expensive USB cable to give it a try, but i hate the swerving camera in that game. The fret ends are sharp and knobs crackle, but i don't think i'll be using it without tuning for hours, so probably don't need to spend more before being able to play.
When I was younger and getting into music, guitars that cheap were unplayable garbage. It's super cool to see that you can get something that is usable for that price... the increase in quality at the entry level over the years is really quite remarkable.
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I remember the cheap Japanese beginner guitars from the mid 60's. My God, your fingers would bleed just looking at them from across the room. Action high enough for a clothesline.
I’ve not watched your reviews before and found it very entertaining … thanks a million . Clear concise and amusing 😅
I almost bought one but wasn't sure. Just learning to play and didn't want to spent to much! Thanks for video I think I'm going to get myself one . Cheers and thanks🍻
For 75 quid you can't go wrong, it looks nice and sounds nice, that head stock is sort of odd looking but I like it. Id like to see more of this 75 quid little gem
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Great video, I was equally surprised by this review and I have already forwarded it onto a friend of mine who may end up being interested in this instrument. As for myself: I'm really curious to see how much better it gets with some TLC, so please show us that.
Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
@@TheGuitarGeek Awesome sauce, I'll check it out when I get home from work.
Getting started is the most important step of any journey. The first guitar doesn't have to be something unaffordable. I wish this had been available in my day.
not a bad guitar for the price, needs a bit of work and I would buy one, I tend to buy cheaper guitars just to see how good or bad they are in regards to pricing, so I enjoy watching the things you do with different guitars......Rock on Mr. The Guitar Geek!!!!
Several years back I bought an Ibanez Gio GRX-80 guitar with a soft gig bag, strings and a tuner for $150. Still plays amazingly and sounds good. Came in that exact type of packing, got it from musician's friend. Also has a tremolo and because it doesn't have a locking nut at the head it does lose tune slightly pretty easily if used much.
Got a Gio at the beginning of this year and it's become my workhorse guitar. Its a REALLY versatile guitar for the price
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I have the same guitar and it´s truly awesome! Bought it as a prop for an underwater shoot - but soon decided: this is way too good to trash. Now it is a practice guitar.
By the way: it came in tune and nothing had to be fixed, it was perfectly intonated (which a 1500 € guitar I bought earlier was not)
What scale is the guitar?
@@ibberman I have not measured it, yet. But it feels like the standard Stratocaster scale - and I am pretty sure that´s it!
There was a setting on the pickups you did that I think would sound great for "House of the Rising Sun".
I'm blown away how good that low cost guitar sounds.
Andy, your video reviews are pricless!~ Keep up the good work.
Definitely do a follow-up on this! I'd love to hear all the pickup configurations through your different amps + clean, overdriven, and distorted after you've finished setting this up. Surprisingly good find straight out of box.
PS: Just discovered your channel with this video and - from one guitar geek to another - am looking forward to watching more of your content. Also, I too love bargain hunting and modding the pickups & hardware over buying something much more expensive that sounds great with no work. One of my favorite guitars is a $130usd (second hand; $300usd retail) ES-335 semi-hollowbody copy that I was able to set up with amazingly low action; it is better than any Epiphone 335 I have ever played.
I like the finish. It looks like the matte black finish of my Kramer. The guitar looks and sounds very nice for the price. If I were a beginner, I'd be happy with it. Strings probably getting snagged on the nut when you use the whammy. A bit of graphite or oil might fix that.
Check out the update - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
I've played quite a few students cheap guitars. Honestly every one is different . That had a nice tone clean thru the Fender ..bridge pickup . Great for a kid . My first was a Stella harmony with a ¾ body style and concave neck . Bar chords were near impossible . I played a Martin a friend owned and everything clicked . It wasn't me it was the cheap guitar .
For the money, this guitar sounds great. My first guitar, a standard flat-top (I can't remember the name), was purchased from The Western Auto, a parts/hardware store in the US, in 1965ish and cost $25.00. I have had many guitars since, and none have excited me as much as it did. I wish I still had it!
Wow... I'm surprised...It sounds a lot better than I expected...
Especially at this price...
I'm getting one 🙂🙂
I already own 167 guitars including very old ones but damn...At this price 😁😁
I will give it the full treatment :
Level the frets, tusq nut, probably locking tuners, shielding, upgrade electronics, etc...
I really don't mind putting in all that work on such a cheap guitar... It's always a fun thing to do...
Thanks for the video 🙂🙂
I play my cheap , modified guitars more than i do the expensive ones...although i have to say....i spend quite some money on Pickups and tuners...always medling with them...
@@fellowshade At the end of the day modifying cheap affordable guitars is so much fun 🙂🙂
There's been times when I spent more on pickups and parts than the price of the guitar itself...But it's fun to do and very rewarding...Not to mention ending up with something that's completely unique and original...
@@apegrasshoplizard I've seen worse : Rumor has it Billy Gibbons owns more than 800 guitars and they're kept in a hangar at the Houston airport...
I'm pretty sure Joe Bonamassa's collection would put mine to shame too...
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Yes and yes, you should give it some TLC so we can check the results!
It seems it's getting to the point now that neck and body on cheap guitars are just good out of the box nowadays and that hardware is the deciding factor. I've had better fretwork on my cheapest models than ones twice their price. This can only be good for beginners and modders.
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Ive had a few cheap ones and the things I noticed is 1: a proper setup and maybe fret job needs done. 2: Hardware is always cheap. Pickups are always weak and they never stay in tune and the pots will go bad easy. 3: Sometimes the neck will warped. Have had a couple good ones with a little work.
Thank you for the fantastic demonstration. Yes, do whatever modifications you deem necessary for the guitar and then revisit demoing the guitar again. But before that, I don't know why, but I'd like to hear it with some heavy distortion before you do your modifications. You have a new subscriber, brother. Take care.
Yes, part two please 👍
Love these vids. Also love the cheapo-guitar and/or second hand ones.
Thanks for watching - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
That's a pretty sweet guitar. As a rule, I tend to swap out the strings and tuners on the more "economically friendly" guitars. But this seems to be holding its own.
You should definitely watch this then - Part 2 (Where I upgrade it) is now online - ua-cam.com/video/xIODheqVEwo/v-deo.html
I bought an unbranded, made in China, full size bass for my son to learn on. $65 off eBay.
It lacks some fit and finish and there are little things like the edges of the frets are a little rough but not sharp, I can’t adjust the height of the pickups as there’s no spring under the screws and one tone pot doesn’t seem to do much by way of adjusting the tone. But, JFC? For $65, it’s perfect for a beginner.
He’s learned some scales and is plucking around with some cool intros. Money well spent IMO.
I've bought a few guitars from Amazon, and overall I've been happy with all my purchases. Even an acoustic 12 string came pretty playable.