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Post by LM on May 31, 2020 13:11:58 GMT -5
I bought this Agile 2500 Goldtop in 2005 for $225. The color didn't look anything like the website photo. It was actually a putrid greenish-yellow, but it played very well with good action so I decided to keep it. When my teenage daughter first saw it, she said it was snot green, so I named it Ol' Snotty.
As soon as I got it, I turned it into a project guitar by gutting the electronics and installing Lollar Soapbar P90s for $200. For around $450, I ended up with a guitar that has a lot of tonal character (ie, doesn't sound generic) and all three pickup positions have a classic LP vibe. The color has mellowed somewhat over the years as shown in the pic on the left. The pic on the right is from 2010 and shows the snottish color. This guitar will be in my stable for as long as I'm on this side of the dirt.
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Post by Leftee on May 31, 2020 15:05:13 GMT -5
I think it would be my Les Paul Tribute HP Gold Top. Bought it NOS, last Dec. for $663. I put a set of Grover vintage-style tuners on it and ditched the chrome bling.
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Post by Vibroluxer on May 31, 2020 15:44:49 GMT -5
I paid $600 even for my Baja Tele. Its worth every penny.
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Post by Auf Kiltre on May 31, 2020 16:21:44 GMT -5
I have a fair amount invested into all my guitars which are mostly partscasters.
They'll all be great bang for the buck for the next owner.
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Post by stratcowboy on May 31, 2020 16:24:19 GMT -5
I'm pretty sure all I paid for my late '98 American Standard Strat was $500 (in late 1999). Got it from a guy who worked at a shop in the Albany, NY area. It still had all the plastic on the pickguard and parts. It has always sounded phenomenal. I've got it set up with Fralin Vintage Hot pickups as well, and the thing is just a killer. Big, fat Stratocaster classic tones and super easy to play. Nice dark rosewood board and Inca Silver color (so not a typical looking Strat, either). This guitar sounds far and away better than any Strat I've ever played including Custom Shop stuff I've had. But I'm not sure why. Still, at $500 it was beyond a fabulous deal
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Ayns
Wholenote
Posts: 767
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Post by Ayns on May 31, 2020 16:57:01 GMT -5
I bought a Sunburst AVRI 62 Hot Rod Strat, fitted with Bareknuckle Slowhands (best Strat pickup I've ever heard) plus fender tweed case (receipts for £1,350 plus £250 for pups)£500. It's my #1 gigging guitar.
I also got an AVRI 52 Tele for £500. They're about £1,500 new.
I bought a mint Epiphone Casino for £200.
But probably the best bang for buck was my Classic Vibe 62 Tele, for £250. I fitted a HB in the neck position, and it's my #2 gigging guitar. I take it to *every* gig, and sometimes it's the only guitar I use all night.
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gdw3
Halfnote
Insert clever statement here
Posts: 80
Formerly Known As: Gordon
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Post by gdw3 on Jun 1, 2020 0:47:57 GMT -5
Reverend. High quality guitars for half of what you'd pay for the same build and electronics quality elsewhere.
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Post by HenryJ on Jun 1, 2020 6:55:24 GMT -5
Mainly bedroom player here, so this may be facetious, but--
If "bang for the buck" = bang/buck, then my Squier Affinity Strat, from 1999. $169.99 plus tax. Doesn't even have "ocaster" as part of its name. They're typically $229.99 nowadays, but such is the CPI. For such a relatively small amount of money, it's not a bad instrument. Sounds good, plays well enough. If Clapton or Gilmour played it, they would still sound like Clapton or Gilmour.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jun 1, 2020 8:26:52 GMT -5
Probably the 1965 Fender Mustang. WHAT? Yeah. In the mid 1980s I paid $120 for it...some assembly required. I was in a local mom and pop guitar shop and in a corner in the back of the shop was a small cardboard box with a body and a neck sticking out of it, along with other stuff. Everything was disassembled, and the body looked like it had been badly refinished a bunch of times. It was currently black, but very rough...looked like asphalt or undercoating had been used on it. I recognized the body shape as a Mustang. I asked the shop owner what the story was; he said it came in like this on a trade deal. I put the box on the counter and looked through it. All the original parts were there--including the rare and hard to find brass shielding plates for the cavities. "What do you want for this?" He looked at the stuff and said $150. I pulled $120 out of my wallet and put it on the counter, and he said "it's yours." I refinished it in gold and shined up all the other stuff. In the late 80s in a fit of idiocy and stuck a set of Lace Sensors in it because I was doing a lot of recording and the stock pickups were too noisy. But years later I reinstalled the originals and wondered why I ever took them out...they sound so much better, even with the noise.
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Buster
Wholenote
Posts: 213
Formerly Known As: Buster Strings
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Post by Buster on Jun 2, 2020 11:44:25 GMT -5
I bought an early 90s Gibson J200 Jr. out of a pawnshop in the late 90s for $600. Best money I ever spent. Out of all of my guitars, it's the one that my two stepsons argue about who will get it when I'm gone.
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Post by LM on Jun 2, 2020 12:24:45 GMT -5
More pics would be nice. 😎
Geno, that's a beauty. Nice paint!
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jun 2, 2020 15:22:19 GMT -5
Cheers, LeftyMeister. Here's a closer pic. That finish crackle happened about 12 years after I shot the gold on. I don't know what caused it, but it looks pretty 60s.
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Post by LM on Jun 2, 2020 15:24:53 GMT -5
Indeed!
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Post by Leftee on Jun 2, 2020 15:58:06 GMT -5
The crackle is authentic.
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Post by stratcowboy on Jun 2, 2020 23:06:07 GMT -5
I don't know what caused it, but it looks pretty 60s. Oh, yeah! That's great. Bottle it!
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Tom B.
Halfnote
Posts: 54
Formerly Known As: Tom B.
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Post by Tom B. on Jun 3, 2020 12:59:02 GMT -5
Either a DeArmond Starfire, $250 during the blowout if I recall, or a Guild Bluesbird at 0.45 x MSRP when Mars went out of business.
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Post by stratcowboy on Jun 3, 2020 14:15:01 GMT -5
Those were beautiful guitars!
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Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
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Post by Deleted on Jun 3, 2020 15:36:48 GMT -5
I bought a Godin Session about 6 years ago new for just over $500 CAD. A bit like an HSS Strat.
It's stellar. Easily the best value in a guitar I have ever owned. In fact one of the best guitars, regardless of price, that I've had the pleasure of owning. Actually, I'm a little bit like Nigel Tufnel about it.
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Post by Leftee on Jun 3, 2020 15:40:07 GMT -5
I bought a Godin Session about 6 years ago new for just over $500 CAD. A bit like an HSS Strat. It's stellar. Easily the best value in a guitar I have ever owned. In fact one of the best guitars, regardless of price, that I've had the pleasure of owning. Actually, I'm a little bit like Nigel Tufnel about it. Those have long-looked appealing from my view. 😎
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Post by Duke on Jun 3, 2020 19:53:47 GMT -5
I have an early 70's Hagstrom Swede. I traded a low end Yamaha acoustic and $50 for it way back then.
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Post by Peegoo 🏁 on Jun 4, 2020 1:31:08 GMT -5
or a Guild Bluesbird at 0.45 x MSRP when Mars went out of business. Oh yeah. There were some real deals when Mars was folding up.
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Post by LTB on Jun 4, 2020 4:30:27 GMT -5
Mine is a 2018 Fender Player Series P bass on sale for around $550 new. Plays and sounds every bit as good as my Fender American Jazz bass. Superb neck that feels better than any other P neck I have played. Narrower top to bottom. Neck is very stable and no noticeable dead spots which is notable for a non carbon fiber braced neck. i.imgur.com/6v30Ru1.jpgWish it were a different color but considering the quality, I can live with it
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Post by ninworks on Jun 4, 2020 8:13:13 GMT -5
I bought my 63 Gibson SG Custom for $275 in 1975. A monster instrument says I.
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Bbendfender
Wholenote
Mostly play Fender guitars and amps. I'm 71 and have had a guitar since 1964. Got serious in 1975.
Posts: 216
Age: 71
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Post by Bbendfender on Jun 4, 2020 9:50:59 GMT -5
I guess I just recently purchased my "best bang for the buck" guitar. I picked up a Tele Squier Classic Vibe for $200 on Marketplace. It was already set up correctly and ready to go after a string change. This is a keeper guitar. The Classic Vibes are totally great guitars (Tele). I have 2 Vintage Modern Squires and they are also very good guitars. Doesn't bother me at all to grab a Squier and go to a gig even though I have other Fenders in my stash.
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Post by zenland on Jun 5, 2020 17:05:21 GMT -5
Mine is a 2018 Fender Player Series P bass on sale for around $550 new. Plays and sounds every bit as good as my Fender American Jazz bass. Superb neck that feels better than any other P neck I have played. Narrower top to bottom. Neck is very stable and no noticeable dead spots which is notable for a non carbon fiber braced neck. i.imgur.com/6v30Ru1.jpgWish it were a different color but considering the quality, I can live with it I think its a great color and a good deal! Congrats! My Classic Vibe Squire Strat is IT! but, I paid full price and that's OK! I've paid top dollar for most of everything I own and always seemed to break even down the line somewhere!
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Post by reverendrob on Jun 6, 2020 17:40:23 GMT -5
MY best bang for the buck is either my most expensive or one of my cheapest, go figure.
The Squier VM Jaguar I got when they first came out is still an astonishing little monster, does everything it should and then some.
In terms of 'max playtime per $$, with ZERO regret', it's my Les Paul Studio High Performance (and its sister built a couple weeks apart).
Absolutely perfect in every respect, and the arctic white one nails the New York Dolls/Sex Pistols/Mick Ronson thing waaaay too well.
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Post by Blacksunshine on Jun 6, 2020 17:52:16 GMT -5
I bought a Squier Classic Vibes '77 Jazz bass that is fantastic.
If I was in the market for another Tele or Strat, I'd give the Classic Vibes series a hard look.
You get a lot for your money with the Players series too, IMO.
EDITED: oops, just realized it's a Vintage Modified '77 Jazz bass
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RedStrat05
Halfnote
Posts: 56
Formerly Known As: AlohaEd
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Post by RedStrat05 on Jun 7, 2020 7:57:57 GMT -5
Lefty, is that the same Goldtop you are playing in your bottom picture? Looking different depending on the light?
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Post by LM on Jun 7, 2020 11:24:54 GMT -5
Red, it's the same guitar but the color has mellowed with age.
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RedStrat05
Halfnote
Posts: 56
Formerly Known As: AlohaEd
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Post by RedStrat05 on Jun 7, 2020 11:40:57 GMT -5
Cool. Thx Lefty. I don't really care for Goldtops for the same reason as your daughter. Yet, maybe if I buy on, I should learn patience until it mellows.
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