Where does your brand snobbery lie?

[tekbow]

If indeed you have any.

I have only one, I'm basically cool about everything else.

Mine is ESP.

Before I present my reasoning , I'm objectively aware that LTD and E-II are well made instruments with few issues, and that my active dislike of them is irrational and stupid, otherwise it wouldn't be Snobbery. So to owners of any guitars mentioned, don't be offended, it says more about me and any others who decide to post their failings as a person than it does about your instruments. This thread is for shits and giggles.

I owned ESP before LTD was even a thing. They were not easy to come by. When LTD kicked off ESP became even harder to come by. In Europe they practically disappeared in favour of LTD, to the point where the LTD and ESP brands became interchangeable. This irked me.

And I reckon ESP realised this because cut to a few years back and they discontinue the ESP standard series, rebranding it E-II in what I believe to be an attempt to demarcate, disentangle and create a buffer between the Premium ESP marque and the budget LTD mark, which arent even budget anymore.

So to now get ESP on the headstock, you now have to pay upwards of £3.5k.

Nothing will make Me burn with simmering fury more than a sales listing on Reverb for "ESP LTD" or indeed "ESP" then opening it to find a LTD.

Gibson and Fender Snobs know what I mean, don't you? "Gibson Epiphone Les Paul"? "Fender Squier Tele"? It just makes your balls retract with anger doesn't it, but Don't worry, just ignore it and buy a Navigator

And it doesn't even end there. ESP are MIJ AFAIC. ESP USA do get kinda get a pass and less ire directed at them because there is a precedent with 42nd street guitars in the US and another place in Germany who did varying levels of custom finishing/configuration work using ESP parts and guitars for artists and customers in those locales.

So I'm not just being snobby about price. I'm being proper Snobby, as I don't count Edwards, Grassroots or Navigator in the above Tirade because they're for the Japanese Market and thus have pedigree, even though some of the Edwards or GR stuff isnt MIJ either, and yes I'm aware I'm contradicting myself but I literally just explained how I justified my cognitive dissonance, so do one.

Think of this thread, should you choose to contribute, as simultaneous catharsis and a self roast

 

[Justincase]

Addicted to the MIJ Ibanez stuff...I feel your pain. They can call the other offerings "iron label" "premium" or whatever they want...a Cort made to Ibanez specs is still a Cort. Granted some are better than others but therein lies the issue really..Alot more chance of hit or miss on the finer details. The details those fujigen boys seem to nail 99% of the time. I know a lot of people will say but CNC makes it right no matter where it's at....as someone that's spent decades making aerospace parts on CNC machines I can tell you that only means they will at least get the basic shape correct. The devil is in the details and those rest solely in the hands of skilled craftsman which are driven by work ethic, compensation, culture, and most of all passion.

 

[mk5]

I’ll play anything you hand me, but I probably wouldn’t buy a derivative vs the main brand for the same style guitfiddle

 

[Sleezy E]

My younger self used to stick his nose up at a strat that wasn't a fender, or a LP that wasn't a gibson.

I think mostly because back in the day generic brands were typically crap.

 

[TSJMajesty]

Ooh, good thread topic. haha

Since I see some minor QC with the brand guitars I now favor above all else, I'll say my preference for EBMM is a bit of snobbery.

And since I haven't tried other modelers, I'd say the way I feel towards Fractal products is also a bit of snobbery, but so far I've dealt with my one complaint, it does everything I want, and the dedication to further refinements from the company sure seems to be a great reason to own one.

And I absolutely love Mesa amps & cabs, to the point I wouldn't ever even bother trying something else.

The gear I own is really all I desire at this point, and considering how many decades I stayed with my previous setup without gassing for something else, I doubt very seriously I'll ever stray from those brands.

Oh, and I'm a total Ford truck snob. But driving them virtually trouble-free for over 700K miles, I know I did get lucky, overall.

 

[the-trooper]

Addicted to the MIJ Ibanez stuff...I feel your pain. They can call the other offerings "iron label" "premium" or whatever they want...a Cort made to Ibanez specs is still a Cort.

MIJ Ibanez is also not Ibanez. Nothing is actually Ibanez because Ibanez doesn't have, and never did have, their own guitar factory. They just order stuff from various manufacturers who offer them the best deal, slap their label on it, and DONE!
Damn bootleggers.
I own an Ibanez.

I have reverse snobbery, i despise all overpriced crap with ridiculous price because BrAnd HiStOrY. That includes Fender, Gibson and PRS (the Apple of guitars). I don't give a damn who played it 50 years ago. It's a relic stuck in time and development. God forbid to add a volute or change headstock angle. Not authentic!
Actually, after reading this thread I'll include ESPLTD to the list.

 

[Justincase]

MIJ Ibanez is also not Ibanez. Nothing is actually Ibanez because Ibanez doesn't have, and never did have, their own guitar factory. They just order stuff from various manufacturers who offer them the best deal, slap their label on it, and DONE!
Damn bootleggers.
I own an Ibanez.

I have reverse snobbery, i despise all overpriced crap with ridiculous price because BrAnd HiStOrY. That includes Fender, Gibson and PRS (the Apple of guitars). I don't give a damn who played it 50 years ago. It's a relic stuck in time and development. God forbid to add a volute or change headstock angle. Not authentic!
Actually, after reading this thread I'll include ESPLTD to the list.

An Asian guitar with a Spanish name
Like I said ...those fujigen boys nail it.
Fujigen has manufactured Ibanez guitars since the 1960s for hoshino-gakki. They also have their own house brand FGN and have been a supplier to Yamaha. All MIJ Ibanez guitars are made in this factory and have an F serial number. Ive owned their Korean, Indonesian, and Japanese stuff. Also put together amalgamations of all three. Its crazy how much they are wanting for some of the new mij prestige and indo Cort stuff. No way would I pay over a grand for their Cort made guitars. Seems like a lot of manufacturers are pulling this shit be it Indonesia or Mexico. These days you are better off getting a MIJ Genesis model or a used Prestige. Couldn't agree more about Gibson....then there's Jackson...talk about a once great brand totally fu@ked up by the Fender juggernaut. Have you seen the new "American series" soloist?? No binding and flake less solid paint? A far cry from the USA soloist of the mid 90's and double the price... however it's better than a Chinese one for $1000 I guess.

 

[the-trooper]

however it's better than a Chinese one for $1000 I guess.

Don't care where it's made, there are competent and shitty manufacturers everywhere in the world. Blind test is the only true measure.

 

[Justincase]

 

[HotRats]

@tekbow nice and honest post, I agree with you and really understand your line of thought.
Not a lot time ago I was gassing for a fixed bridge E-II Horizon and discovered that the LTD/ESP confusion is a really out of control in the used market. Really, really annoying.

We are all snob to some extent and sometimes snobbery is reversed and people are proud of their low budget instruments.
There are also the technology snobs, you know those who will try to convince you that your circuit board amp sound like shit compared to a point to point one with nos tubes. That kind of cork sniffery.

Being a Gibson guy and owning few custom shop Les Pauls I'm guilty too: I'm a proud owner of stupid expensive instruments that clearly don't worth their price tag in absolute terms. But I love them nonetheless.

Last but not least, being Italian, I know that Italian cuisine is the best in the world.
But that's not snobbery, is a fact.

 

[Justincase]

Last but not least, being Italian, I know that Italian cuisine is the best in the world.
But that's not snobbery, is a fact.

And Chinese cuisine is some of the most questionable in the world.

 

[Steinmetzify]

Caparison and ESP guitars (although after many years of playing ESPs the Caps are edging them out).

Caparisons are the easiest playing guitars in the world to me, it’s astounding to me how effortless they are. I feel like I’ve hit a magic bunch of numbers with the scale lengths/radius/neck shapes on those.

Also Diezel and Orange amps. I like thrash and doom, and those amps just don’t need any work for those tones. Just plug in and they do exactly what I want; other amps will do it, but that moment 2-3 times a week where you haven’t changed any settings but it sounds like shit to your ears doesn’t happen with these amps.

 

[sleewell]

i am not sure i have any. i like balaguer guitars but am not sure i would say i am a snob about it or particularly loyal to them. big fan of line 6 too but i think i could switch to fractal and be happy. love my orange cab but a mesa would sound great too.

 

[JiveTurkey]

I don't think I really am? If anything; expensive things need to "prove themselves" to me much more than the cheap stuff.

 

[spawnofthesith]

NAFTA guitars or gtfo




Jk, I'll take a Japanese guitar any time too

 

[bigcupholder]

I don't think I'm a brand snob but I do also hate when sales listings put ESP instead of LTD or Edwards or any of their other sub brands. eBay at least had the ability to add "-LTD" to remove search results that had both, but most sites don't have that functionality in their search. It's a plus for Ibanez having one consistent brand name with modifiers like Premium or Prestige after - you have to be far more blatant in misrepresenting the item to use those incorrectly.

 

[Justincase]

NAFTA guitars or gtfo

I about choked on my own vomit laughing at "NAFTA" to the point if I was still working I'd try to get FMLA.

 

[JerEvil]

Definitely ESP, Jackson and Ibanez.

I would never own a non Japanese made ESP or Ibby. I don’t care how fine a guitar an LTD is, I’m not buying one. And I agree OP, I HATE when listings for LTD are run as ESP. Same with Epiphone.

Like when guys say “Show me your ESP’s” and then have like 12 bolt on LTD’s, I say “I’m still waiting to see yours!”

 

[Fireproof]

Yeah, for me it’s Gibson vs. Epiphone. Yes, Epis are good guitars, but no, they are not the same. Plus the headstock shape just bugs me. So I would never own one. And like mentioned above, I hate when I’m searching for a Gibson Les Paul or something and it turns out to be an Epiphone. Come on…

 

[Bruce]

Knaggs. If it doesn’t have Joe Knaggs John Hancock on it, its not good enough.