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I Used To Be A Guitar Snob

OldStrummer

Active member
Joined
Sep 12, 2016
Messages
118
If the headstock didn't say "Gibson" or "Fender," I wanted no part of that guitar. Squier? Epiphone? Surely, you must be kidding.

Then, one day I happened upon a guitar that just jumped off the page at me, and at the price, I had to have it. Thus it was that an Ibanez AG95QA joined my stable.

It may sound sacrilegious (especially here), but I have this one out and ready to play, while my Gibsons all sit in their cases waiting for me to remember them.

Ibanez_AQ95GA-X2.jpg
 

S. Cane

Active member
Joined
Dec 10, 2014
Messages
656
Well, I ain't a snob of any possible kind. I always say I am a guitar player, not a collector or a fetishist. I play live and don't care much about how much people will pay or sweat for Holy Grails, though I do admire and praise the qualities and history of old instruments and their reissues, and I do know that you get what you pay for, up to a certain point.

Nevertheless, some instruments speak to us no matter the price tag.

My main instruments are my electrics, Fender and Rickenbacker, both made in California and all that jazz, but sometimes this little Parlor sized Washburn is all I go for when I want to write music or just unwind a little by playing vigorous bluesy minor pentatonics.

52340168-117632965999638-1480633397691809792-n-117632962666305.jpg


It cost about $120 a couple of years ago.

There is a difference between the prom queen and the trophy wife.
 

OldStrummer

Active member
Joined
Sep 12, 2016
Messages
118
Well, I ain't a snob of any possible kind. I always say I am a guitar player, not a collector or a fetishist. I play live and don't care much about how much people will pay or sweat for Holy Grails, though I do admire and praise the qualities and history of old instruments and their reissues, and I do know that you get what you pay for, up to a certain point.

Nevertheless, some instruments speak to us no matter the price tag.

My main instruments are my electrics, Fender and Rickenbacker, both made in California and all that jazz, but sometimes this little Parlor sized Washburn is all I go for when I want to write music or just unwind a little by playing vigorous bluesy minor pentatonics.

52340168-117632965999638-1480633397691809792-n-117632962666305.jpg


It cost about $120 a couple of years ago.

There is a difference between the prom queen and the trophy wife.
I know what you mean, Sérgio. I have a little Gretsch Jim Dandy that simply amazes me with how great it plays and sounds. I paid $149 for it.

If only it were a 14-fret and not a 12-fret.

Gretsch-L.jpg
 

jwguitar

Active member
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
153
If the headstock didn't say "Gibson" or "Fender," I wanted no part of that guitar. Squier? Epiphone? Surely, you must be kidding.

Then, one day I happened upon a guitar that just jumped off the page at me, and at the price, I had to have it. Thus it was that an Ibanez AG95QA joined my stable.

It may sound sacrilegious (especially here), but I have this one out and ready to play, while my Gibsons all sit in their cases waiting for me to remember them.

Ibanez_AQ95GA-X2.jpg
Nothing at all wrong with that guitar. The quality of most imports now are quite amazing and rival their domestic competitors. Its not like the old days when you had very little in the way to choose from in terms of quality affordable guitars.
 

KennethTackett

New member
Joined
Apr 4, 2021
Messages
4
I know what you mean, Sérgio. I have a little Gretsch Jim Dandy that simply amazes me with how great it plays and sounds. I paid $149 for it.

If only it were a 14-fret and not a 12-fret.
Gretsch-L.jpg
Yes, I agree with you, sometimes the price is not a decisive factor.
And often you can buy a good thing for an affordable price. I recently selected Fuzz Pedals and find reviews of many options on this blog before making my choice. I noticed that those models that are not expensive have more positive reviews. I don't know if this is because they are simply bought more often, but nevertheless, I noticed such a trend.
 
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bern1

Well-known member
Joined
Nov 23, 2004
Messages
1,275
Absolutely! We now live in the truly golden age of instrument building.
 

simasonli

New member
Joined
Jul 2, 2021
Messages
1
People now pay a lot of money for good music, and good music requires the same quality musical instrument. I have never been sorry to give a lot of money for an old instrument, an instrument held in the hands of authoritative people. I recently discovered a ukulele on the website junumusic.com, and now I have three old ukuleles in my collection, but each sounds different. That is, none of them says the same. I have found that any instrument is similar to a person. It has his personality, even if they have the exact origin and the same model.
 
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siodettor

New member
Joined
Jul 29, 2021
Messages
1
What about the Yamaha? It's a great brand that makes quality guitars. Of course, they don't compare to the big name Gibson. Few people don't know about this brand. But not all guitars from unknown brands with horrible sounds. But it's not just the guitar that's important. It's how you play it. If a person's playing technique is wrong, even Guitar Tricks reviews won't help. You'll have to retrain with a tutor. But it's still possible. The hardest thing is to put the barre. In the future, you can play a fingerstyle Tobias Rausher, but few people will reach this level. So it's not always about the guitar. It's about the owner. And you can achieve a lot. Look at Ed Sheeran.
 
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Varitone

Member
Joined
Sep 16, 2022
Messages
29
Regarding the Yamaha, I purchased this guitar in 2016 as a beginner. My friend has a Gibson. To be honest, I don't feel any difference. Maybe I have something with my hearing?
I had a Yamaha SA-2200 that was just as good as my good Gibsons.

sa2200 (1).jpg

I have had some pretty bad Gibsons, by the way. My favortie guitar is my 345, but I didn't find it until I owned many Gibsons before it.
 
Joined
Aug 1, 2022
Messages
91
If the headstock didn't say "Gibson" or "Fender," I wanted no part of that guitar. Squier? Epiphone? Surely, you must be kidding.

Then, one day I happened upon a guitar that just jumped off the page at me, and at the price, I had to have it. Thus it was that an Ibanez AG95QA joined my stable.

It may sound sacrilegious (especially here), but I have this one out and ready to play, while my Gibsons all sit in their cases waiting for me to remember them.

Ibanez_AQ95GA-X2.jpg

Caught by the siren-song of the semi-hollow body. I had a similar experience with a D'Angelico, but traded it away... and got another Les Paul. 😏
 

bursty

Well-known member
Joined
Dec 25, 2012
Messages
544
I'm not a snob aka brand whore but I am stuck on MIJs in general which that concept covers a lot of different brands.

There are a lot of MIJs that are not that good but then there are some MIJs that are actually great guitars :D and that is what I love about all the different MIJ brands.

My first MIJ electric was an Ibanez Flying V, copy of a 1967 Gibson. The guitar was made circa 1977 and it was a fantastic guitar. :cool:

My only acoustic is a 1979 K. Yairi which is a copy of a Martin; solid spruce top, Brazilian back/sides/head stock veneer, 'hog neck, Ebony 'board/bridge/pins, abalone hex position markers, and tons of some kind of inlay on the top & back. Beautiful looking and sounding guitar. :love:

1979 K Yairi.jpg


KYairi fl frt.jpg
 
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jb_abides

Well-known member
Joined
Apr 6, 2005
Messages
5,276
I have a relative to OP guitar, the MIC Ibanez Artcore AF85( AF85L, left-handed) and it is indeed a fine instrument, but no match for my ES-275, I must say!


Now, my early-run, pre-decal relic'd Nash S-63 Strat with Lollars does indeed rival and best most of my Fenders... again, I must say!

🍑
 
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jwguitar

Active member
Joined
Jul 28, 2015
Messages
153
If the headstock didn't say "Gibson" or "Fender," I wanted no part of that guitar. Squier? Epiphone? Surely, you must be kidding.

Then, one day I happened upon a guitar that just jumped off the page at me, and at the price, I had to have it. Thus it was that an Ibanez AG95QA joined my stable.

It may sound sacrilegious (especially here), but I have this one out and ready to play, while my Gibsons all sit in their cases waiting for me to remember them.

Ibanez_AQ95GA-X2.jpg
Those Ibanez Artcore hollow bodies have been really good quality for quite a while now. If I’m correct I think they came out about 20 years ago! I have been really impressed with most of Ibanez’s hollow body lineup
 
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