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Post by Lesterstrat on Apr 25, 2024 7:09:25 GMT -5
My new guitar student would like a different guitar. He has a Kramer, but that thing absolute junk. His budget is $500, give or take. His Kramer has a Strat style body with two humbuckers. I doubt he knows the difference between those and single coils. Anyway, one that came to my mind is the Squier Classic Vibe series. They seem to be pretty good bang for buck at $430. Another I ran across is Sire, but I’m not too familiar with the brand so reluctant to recommend one.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Apr 25, 2024 7:56:50 GMT -5
What kind of music does he like? Something humbucker inclined or more single coil type stuff?
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Post by reverendrob on Apr 25, 2024 15:09:09 GMT -5
The Squiers are generally quite solid.
The newer "not bottom barrel $200" Epis are solid as well.
If recommending Epi, I'd likely suggest "new or last couple years used only" for better chance at not suck.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Apr 25, 2024 16:18:13 GMT -5
I'm curious about what sucks with the Kramer. Is it salvageable? I've read a lot of hype about Harley Benton guitars on the internet. I actually bought a 51 style P bass for like $180 (shipping was like $80). The body and electronics are very good considering, but the neck was abysmal. I put some work into it and it's decent now. Their more pricier yet still cheap stuff gets lots of accolades, but this is just hearsay of internet chatter.
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Post by Lesterstrat on Apr 25, 2024 17:12:21 GMT -5
I'm curious about what sucks with the Kramer. Is it salvageable? I've read a lot of hype about Harley Benton guitars on the internet. I actually bought a 51 style P bass for like $180 (shipping was like $80). The body and electronics are very good considering, but the neck was abysmal. I put some work into it and it's decent now. Their more pricier yet still cheap stuff gets lots of accolades, but this is just hearsay of internet chatter. The pups suck, the pots suck, the tuners suck, etc… There’s not one positive thing to say about it. I wouldn’t have thought you could buy a guitar these days that is that bad.
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Post by reverendrob on Apr 26, 2024 0:01:08 GMT -5
The worst POS I *ever* had was a 80s Kramer. The wood pulp body was so awful that the Floyd bridge posts bent forward within a month of it arriving.
It ended up as a literal wall-hanger.
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DrKev
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Post by DrKev on Apr 26, 2024 3:52:14 GMT -5
The Sires are getting great reviews. Yamaha Pacifica's are always excellent bang for the buck. I know people who love their Sterling by Music Man guitars. Just barely within budget are some of the PRS SE guitars.
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Post by Leftee on Apr 26, 2024 6:25:07 GMT -5
All great suggestions.
I’ll add - a hard-tail. Trems are just “one more thing” to deal with on the instrument when someone is starting out.
$.02
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Post by Lesterstrat on Apr 26, 2024 7:05:17 GMT -5
All great suggestions. I’ll add - a hard-tail. Trems are just “one more thing” to deal with on the instrument when someone is starting out. $.02 I agree!
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Post by Leftee on Apr 26, 2024 7:09:06 GMT -5
Is that Kramer one of the budget models with the cheapFloyd Rose?
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Post by Lesterstrat on Apr 26, 2024 7:37:59 GMT -5
Is that Kramer one of the budget models with the cheapFloyd Rose? I doubt it’s a Floyd as it isn’t a locking trem. That said, it’s junk just like the rest of the guitar. Again, I can’t remember the last time I come across a junk heap as bad as this thing. Kramer should be ashamed of themselves for putting out such an abomination. I’ll try to find out the exact model when my student comes for his lesson Monday.
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Post by Leftee on Apr 26, 2024 8:09:43 GMT -5
If it’s one of the models I think it is, they sell new for less than $400. It’s a case of getting what one pays for.
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Post by Lesterstrat on Apr 26, 2024 9:14:01 GMT -5
If it’s one of the models I think it is, they sell new for less than $400. It’s a case of getting what one pays for. I think he said he paid around $200 or so. I looked all over the internet and can’t find it. His has a single pot (volume), two humbuckers, a reverse headstock and a non locking trem. I was going to recommend a Squier Affinity, but the Squier Classic Vibe and the Sterling get a lot of love, and both are good within his budget.
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Post by Leftee on Apr 26, 2024 9:52:27 GMT -5
The Kramer would be a cool wall-hanger.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Apr 26, 2024 10:05:37 GMT -5
If something drew him to the Kramer style-wise, a more traditional type guitar like the Classic Vibe may not be his cup of tea. Then again from the sound of it anything would be better than the Kramer. Are there any decent shops in the area?
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Post by Lesterstrat on Apr 26, 2024 11:21:28 GMT -5
If something drew him to the Kramer style-wise, a more traditional type guitar like the Classic Vibe may not be his cup of tea. Then again from the sound of it anything would be better than the Kramer. Are there any decent shops in the area? He wants to “learn some chords to play around the campfire”. I submit he doesn’t know what he wants. As such, I may need to employ some sage advice from a friend of mine. He’s a REALLY REALLY good salesman. He told me once “Customers don’t know what they need. It’s my job to tell them what they need”. It might just be up to me to tell my student what he wants. Lol
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chucksmi
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Post by chucksmi on Apr 26, 2024 11:52:54 GMT -5
I tell students to buy the one they want to play.
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Post by Leftee on Apr 26, 2024 12:21:57 GMT -5
He must have wanted to play the Kramer.
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009
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Post by 009 on Apr 26, 2024 12:42:54 GMT -5
A Strat-style body is the most comfortable; lends itself to long practice sessions. If a trem becomes a problem, easily blocked. I like Squires and their skinny (nut width) 1-5/8-inch necks, but maybe he might not like that (but with some time and practice, you get used to anything).
" He wants to “learn some chords to play around the campfire”. "
But I'd want to clear up this "campfire" thing. Does he really intend to play in the woods with a battery powered combo, or does he mean he just wants to play "campfire songs" -- those relatively easy, simple three-chord ones...?
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Post by Lesterstrat on Apr 26, 2024 12:57:38 GMT -5
A Strat body is the most comfortable; lends itself to long practice sessions. If a trem becomes a problem, easily blocked. " He wants to “learn some chords to play around the campfire”. " But I'd want to clear up this "campfire" thing. Does he really intend to play in the woods with a battery powered combo, or does he mean he just wants to play "campfire songs" -- those relatively easy, simple three-chord ones...? I would imagine it’s the latter. And, the whole campfire thing was just his way of expressing the level he’d like to get to. I’m going to get him there, we have to get him something that’s worth playing. That POS Kramer is not going to cut it. I’ve played cheapie $200 guitars before and while they might not be the best sounding, they played fine and stayed in tune, etc…
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Apr 26, 2024 13:17:24 GMT -5
Maybe he just needs an acoustic guitar.
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Post by Leftee on Apr 26, 2024 13:43:21 GMT -5
Someone had to say it.
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009
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Post by 009 on Apr 26, 2024 14:07:57 GMT -5
I'd suggest that for your next paid lesson that you two take a field trip to your local Guitar Center. Get there early enough (at least an hour before closing). Let him pick out the contenders and then you sort it out from there (price/affordability vs. quality vs. playing ease, etc.).
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Post by Leftee on Apr 26, 2024 14:09:54 GMT -5
If you can get the time off of work.
… oh wait
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Post by Leftee on Apr 26, 2024 14:16:02 GMT -5
And while you have him there…
“You know, it’s kinda weird that you only want one guitar!”
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DrKev
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Post by DrKev on Apr 26, 2024 14:18:48 GMT -5
A Strat-style body is the most comfortable; lends itself to long practice sessions. If a trem becomes a problem, easily blocked. I like Squires and their skinny (nut width) 1-5/8-inch necks, but maybe he might not like that (but with some time and practice, you get used to anything). I've seen people mention this skinny nut thing so often but I really don't understand it. Personal preference is personal, of course, but the overwhelming majority of the great vintage strats with 5 figure price tags that the world fetishizes and wets themselves over are 1 5/8" nut width. I cannot recall a single review of a vintage 50s or 60s strat when someone said " it could play like butter the but the standard vintage Fender nut width of 1 5/8" is too narrow".
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Post by LTB on Apr 26, 2024 15:21:15 GMT -5
And while you have him there… “You know, it’s kinda weird that you only want one guitar!” Well, I would rather have one really good guitar than several mediocre ones. Just me. I say this out of experience buying a bunch of mediocre guitars and wished I had saved the money for one good one
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Post by Leftee on Apr 26, 2024 15:37:13 GMT -5
I'm with you. I didn't say he should buy a bunch of cheap ones. 🤣
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009
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Post by 009 on Apr 26, 2024 15:39:34 GMT -5
And while you have him there… “You know, it’s kinda weird that you only want one guitar!” This is a Joke.... a pretty good one, I thought.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on Apr 26, 2024 15:40:15 GMT -5
He should go for a Murphy aged R9. Just give him the speech, Lester. 😁
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