Cheap Guitars For Use And Abuse

[CM_X5]

Jackson JS22-7 is a pretty good beater 7 string

 

[bikescene]

I’m a cheap guitar guy. I don’t think I’ve spent more than $600 on a guitar. It’s allowed me to sample a lot of offbeat pickup types (lipsticks, jazzmaster, jaguar, P90s, firebird, etc.) without throwing down too much money.

The cheapest of cheap are these Monoprice Indio discount impulse buys that were like $60 with a gig bag. I happen to have some pickups from my teenage years that I threw in these guitars.

A GFS Mean 90 set in this one.

A Duncan Designed Detonator and a no name rail pickup in this.

 

[BahamaDada]

Jackson JS22-7 is a pretty good beater 7 string

I had a Jackson 32series Rhoads. IIRC it was under 300 new back then.

I swear it was the best playing guitar for metal I ever had. It just felt right when doing those "chugga chugga" and gallops.

 

[la szum]

Didnt you tell me you had a Squier 40th anniversary Tele you love a while ago? If so, still have it?

Now that my PRS experiment when to shit, I may put together a partscaster Tele this coming year or try to pick up one of those.

Yup. @eggpl@nt hipped me to that. It's stupid good for the price.

This is my latest cheap steal. $249. Get the fuck out!!

 

[DrewJD82]

They’re all ‘beaters’ by most people’s standards of care.

I’m cautious of the headstocks on the Les Pauls, but outside of that I’m treat them all the same and you can find any of them leaning against an amp or laying on the floor.

 

[James Freeman]

I decided not to fuck with my more expensive guitars, I will pick up a cheap Ibanez or Schecter to mod.
edit: My intention is to mod a cheap guitar to be a high gain workhorse, electronics, tuners, nut, everything.

 

[Eagle]

The important thing if you buy something cheap is make sure it is compatible with standard sized replacement parts and the core materials used are sound. I would strongly recommend a parts guitar instead unless you’re sure these things are good.
Budget trems are problematic and often not compatible with replacements without serious skilled work.

 

[Eagle]

An example of the problem is;
A Squire Affinity Strat isn’t even compatible with parts from an earlier version of itself. You can’t even fit a different pickup without tweaking the pick guard.

 

[Orvillain]

I have a Rally Les Paul, lemon drop kind of thing. It aint worth anything really, and I keep meaning to use it as a platform for learning how to work on frets and such. Haven't got around to it yet, but it's perfect for that kind of thing.

 

[James Freeman]

This is a new made in china GRG121DX which costs 188$ and was upgraded with several hundreds of dollars more and many hours of loving labor.
Luckily the frets were well leveled and glued from factory and did not have fret buzz or dead spots with my preferred action which is on the low side, a good foundation for upgrades.

Upgrades:
Seymour Duncan pickups (Jazz+Distortion).
CTS pots + solid brass knobs.
Alpha 3-way switch.
Gotoh locking tuners.
Solid jack plate + Switchcraft jack (required enlarging the jack cavity).
Nut filing and top shaping.
Binding and fret ends filing.
Neck sanding.

Turned out to be a really nice playing guitar.

 

[Iron1]

This is “Frankie”, short for Franken7. Partly due to the EVH inspired paint job I put on it, partly due to all the surgery it’s undergone. The paint job was an experiment with a dry brushing technique I saw on a home improvement show. Turned out pretty slick, which surprised me.

Started life as a run of the mill Jackson JS22-7 I bought for $100. It has Schaller locking tuners, a Hipshot bridge and is currently on like the 7th or 8th pickup combo.

At one point I sold it to @LiveeviL2000 cause he wanted to dip his toe in the 7-string waters, but a year or so later he decided it wasn’t his thing so I bought it back.

Right now it has a Nazgul in the bridge and (??) in the neck. It’s had stock Jacksons, a Nazgul, a Titan, Imperiums, some other Dimarzio, an Entwistle Dark Star and at least one other bridge pickup I can’t remember right now. All to go back to a second Nazgul that I got for $50 cause someone hacked the leads off it (even the wiring is Frankenstein’d).

It’s been used, abused, knocked over and is currently in the corner with a busted hi E string. But, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on stage in a pinch.

 

[JiveTurkey]

This is “Frankie”, short for Franken7. Partly due to the EVH inspired paint job I put on it, partly due to all the surgery it’s undergone. The paint job was an experiment with a dry brushing technique I saw on a home improvement show. Turned out pretty slick, which surprised me.

Started life as a run of the mill Jackson JS22-7 I bought for $100. It has Schaller locking tuners, a Hipshot bridge and is currently on like the 7th or 8th pickup combo.

At one point I sold it to @LiveeviL2000 cause he wanted to dip his toe in the 7-string waters, but a year or so later he decided it wasn’t his thing so I bought it back.

Right now it has a Nazgul in the bridge and (??) in the neck. It’s had stock Jacksons, a Nazgul, a Titan, Imperiums, some other Dimarzio, an Entwistle Dark Star and at least one other bridge pickup I can’t remember right now. All to go back to a second Nazgul that I got for $50 cause someone hacked the leads off it (even the wiring is Frankenstein’d).

It’s been used, abused, knocked over and is currently in the corner with a busted hi E string. But, I wouldn’t hesitate to use it on stage in a pinch.

I want a Nazgul loaded something or other at some point

 

[SillyOctpuss]

I have a Rally Les Paul, lemon drop kind of thing. It aint worth anything really, and I keep meaning to use it as a platform for learning how to work on frets and such. Haven't got around to it yet, but it's perfect for that kind of thing.

I've got an old Korean epiphone I used when I was experimenting with setups, pickup swaps etc before working on any guitars I actually liked.

It's been waiting for me to have a go at cutting a nut and trying to do a refret on it for about 10 years now.

 

[JiveTurkey]

On the cheap guitars note and if you are someone who would grab an Ibby or Jackson style; the Solars seem to punch WAYYYYYY above their weight. As least in the few cheapies I have grabbed off a GC used rack. Super impressed with the couple I have messed with. I'm still struggling with that 9-17th I mean 12th fret inlay but the rest is great if you love the pointy-pointy

 

[Iron1]

On the cheap guitars note and if you are someone who would grab an Ibby or Jackson style; the Solars seem to punch WAYYYYYY above their weight. As least in the few cheapies I have grabbed off a GC used rack. Super impressed with the couple I have messed with. I'm still struggling with that 9-17th I mean 12th fret inlay but the rest is great if you love the pointy-pointy

The S By Solar line (Solar’s version of Squire/Gio) have dot fret markers.

 

[Texsunburst59]

Most all my guitars in my collection are quality MIA or MIJ.

I recently picked up a really good partscaster in a pawnshop last November for $230.

It does have an upgraded slotted brass saddles and Seymour Duncan in neck and Lil’ 59 in the bridge, and a questionable Pick guard .

It sounds and plays amazingly well for what it is.

This guitar can be used and abused without any regrets.

Here’s some pics.

 

[Bloody_Inferno]

Got a cheap lefty Squier that I converted to righty, put some Dimarzio Areas and scalloped the entire fretboard. Good fun to play.

 

[TVvoodoo]

I picked up this "Rocker" brand strat AND the Yamaha cheapie and tone-tabulous practice amp for $70.

This is the Rocker now

This is the Yamaha

The amp is on workshop test duty.

Are they pro duty level gats? Nope, but they're 100% fun. The Scream strat went to my bro for his 50th birthday.

 

[Joshual-L]

Squiers are great but you have to try them, don’t buy them online. Some are just outstanding for the price.

Ibanez for other genre

 

[mercifulfuzziness]

I have a player Strat. Is that considered cheap?