Cheap Electrics that play and sound good

[Platefire]

Want to start a new thread that you can tag onto. I think all of us pickers/tinkerers have cheap guitars we've stumbled unto that turned out to be great players. I welcome you to share yours! Here's mine---

1-Peavey Preditor International. I recieved this ax to do some repairs to it and when I got it fixed, it played so well and sounded so good I traded one of my favorite long time owned axes for it.

2-Fender Affinity Squire "Tele" Butterscotch. I professional musician friend fell in love with my Stagg White Les Paul Custom on one of his tours stops at our Church and promised to send me one of his teles if he could make off with the Stagg, I agreed. I added a neck pickup(original was a little weak), re-wired and shilded it to get the hum out but it plays and sounds fantastic IMHO.

3-Epiphone Special. One of my Daughters recently got married and while I was over at my new Son-in-Laws house he handed this to me off the wall where it was hanging covered with dust. I took it home, cleaned it up, put on a new set of strings and been impressed with its performance ever since. The original pickups sound like vintage LP, the action is great and even with a bolt on neck has a great LP sound/tone. I even like the location of the volume and tone controls better than a classic LP because it's more handy for volume swells on the Special.


These all require set up to your taste but IMHO are great values. Platefire

[jim]

Mexican Strats from the early nineties have quality body parts and excellent playability. They can be had quite inexpensively. The electronics are really poor but we can change that easily on Strats.  It is a fun way to experiment with pick-ups and wiring on the cheap.
Jim

[John]

Dunno how I missed this, but anyway.

I don't have a pic, but I bought a Gibson knockoff at the local music store a while back. No idea who really made it, but if I had to guess I'd say Ibanez, only because the neck is so nice. The pots are shot and could use new pups, but it plays really nice. Specially for a buck25. It was played a LOT, so someone else must have thought it was a decent guitar as well.

[mojo]

I picked up a Vineyard Tele for $120. I had to do a minor repair to the p/u switch, but it is real nice for the $$$. These are made in China but set up in Cal.

I also got a Epi LP100 for $90. Just had to re-do the setup and real nice for the buck. Bolt on neck, but I'm not prejudiced.

Also, got a Memphis MG100. Brass nut and Brass inlays on the neck made in Japan. Dept store guitar but I like it. Some kind of Gibson clone. Traded an amp I listed on cl for $200 for it.

That's my story and I'm sticking to it. 
Al

[John]

Speaking of bolt on necks, I've never minded them either. I know they don't look as nice, but purty is as purty does.

But, I have noticed that a lot of times the necks are not exactly true with the strings - I mean, the bottom string might be closer or further away from the edge of the neck than the top string. I've thought about ways to keep the neck from moving around, and glue in addition to the screws is the only thing I've thought of.

Gabriel? 

[bigsbybender]

Mexican Strats from the early nineties have quality body parts and excellent playability. They can be had quite inexpensively. The electronics are really poor but we can change that easily on Strats.  It is a fun way to experiment with pick-ups and wiring on the cheap.
Jim

Agreed. My main Tele pictured at left is a 1994  Mexican Standard.  It has a great neck and the weight of the body feels right. The neck pickup is even original, and it sounds good. The original bridge pickup wasn't great so it's been replaced....also the big knock against that era of Mexi-tele is the lack of through-body strings.  My solution was to install a Bigsby.

I'm less impressed with later MIM and other non-USA or CIJ Fenders.

j.

[Platefire]

I've never owned a Mexican strat or tele but have played them and even recorded with a standard strat and all felt and sounded great. I do have a CIJ 54 re-issue strat (1998 model) and it's a keeper for sure--put Texas Specials in it and real happy with those.

My only American guitar is actually a Hwy 1 Tele and as I understand it not all the parts are USA. So all my guitars is way under the grand range--more like $180 to $600 range. Having said that, I'm really happy with them all! Platefire  

BTW-Here is a Austin PRS knockoff that I picked up cheap that plays really well--got the fattest sounding pickups.

[Ed_Chambley]

I got ahold of a Epiphone.  It is called a scroll and they made a few in the mid to late 70's.  Two pup humbuckers with a 24 fret neck.  Mahogony body, set neck.  The body is about the thickness of an SG.  Badass bridge.  It didn't make any sound when plugged in and has about 1/2 inch ofr dust on it.  The case inside looks like Dracula's Coffin.  I Installed a set of PAF's and it was wired for coil tapping, so I kept it in place.  The neck on this thing is the longest I have ever seen.  It really filled a hole I had in various sounds and styles.  It is very jazz sounding and warm, but not as thick as a Les Paul.  Really a great $50 guitar.  Not sure what it is really worth, but since it is an older Epiphone it may be worth a few bucks.

[Platefire]

Nice. I think I remember that ax when they came out in the 70's. I recently tried out a Epipone SG Classic with the Maestro whammy in a Pawn Shop just to get the feel and man the neck seemed a mile long.

[Platefire]

  Here is my X-Hoyer LP copy that I picked up cheap as a pawn shop prize in the 80's for $55.00 with case. It turned out to be a great quality guitar and did my LP chores all those years until recently where I sold it on e-bay for $500.00 to a Hoyer collector.

I re-invested the funds back into some ebay Epiphone LP's to keep my LP habit satified

[CraigB]

This is a great thread.  Thanks for starting it PlateFire. 

I bought a Washburn similar to this one.  I has the Buzz Feiten system of intonation.  I also like the tap (as opposed to conventional tone) controls, which allow you to progressively roll between humbucker and single coil.  It looks, plays and sounds like a much more expensive guitar.  I think I paid like $400, got it from Musician's Friend or AMS.

[Platefire]

Hi CrqaigB

  That's a cool Washburn kind of in the Les Paul vain but with a double cutaway. My CIJ 54 Strat reissue has a buzz feiten intonation mod done to it. As far as coil taps, I had a Kona Electric that I picked up at a thrift shop for $50.00 with two Humbuckers with coil taps that was a PRS knockoff. The thing would actually sounded like a tele in single coil mode. Another guitar player at church fell in love with it so he talked me into selling it to him.
  Lately I've been druelling over the $130.00 SX Liquid lately. There are good reviews and raves about it on the net--being a lot of guitar for the $$$. I think it's way cool!! Platefire

[Platefire]

  Got more incoming son in law guitars. It seems both of my son in laws are want to be guitar players and I just learned about this one when he brought two electrics with him when he, my daughter and granddaughter came in for Christmas. A 60's MIJ Kingston and a Yamaha Pacifica model 112. He's not giving them to me but wants me to keep them and set them up while he goes back to Afghanistan for another tour in the US Army. He will leave immediatly after Christmas and be back November 2012.  
  I've fooled around with the Pacifica and it would definitely come under the heading of cheap guitars that play well. The Kingston has no strings on it so I haven't got it up and running to make a comment. Did a serial number check on the internet for the Pacifica and found out it was manufactured 04 May 1996 the 299th unit. I like the feel of the neck. It has the feel of an old fender. I will take some pictures and post them soon. Now if I can just find room to stash these guitars---that makes a grand total of 13 electics in the house plus 3 at Church.   Platefire

[jjasilli]

Here's a Univox LP copy I just rebuilt for my gig-mate Eric, who'se standing behind it.  It was found by his friend in the garbage!   http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2734891541131&set=a.2734890861114.2106569.1522597440&type=1&theater

The neck, frets, body, 3-way switch, bridge & tailpiece were fine.  Everything else was a complete basket case.  Not monetarily worth fixing except for DIY.  Martin branded tuning pegs left over from an upgrade to his (Martin kit) acoustic -- required enlargement of rear, but not front of, peghead holes.  Bone nut replaces cheap plastic.  Washburn humbuckers left over from another project; decent enough.  Required routing to enlarge the pick-up cavities to standard humbucker size; a Dremel tool to mill down the inside lips of the PU covers, blah, blah.  Full-size quality pots, required enlargement of body holes.  All new large-gauge wiring with star grounding.  Orange drop tone caps.  New rear cavity cover (non-standard size) cut to fit from black sheet aluminum which was on-hand.

This puppy does not feel or play like a cheap guitar.  It feels fine (which is why I did the rebuild).  Sounds like an LP should.  

BTW: I discovered a good way to use drill bits -- step bits & regular bits -- to enlarge existing holes by hand: using a tapping bar.

[supro66]

I am working on a Kay Acoustic 1960
I will post as I go
I have her with no clothes on now
looks like this one

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1961-era-Kay-Kelvinator-archtop-jazz-guitar-sunburst-with-case-/230752764971?pt=Guitar&hash=item35b9efc42b

[Willabe]

I have her with no clothes on now

             Hey now, this is a family web site!


            
              Brad        

[supro66]

I have her with no clothes on now

             Hey now, this is a family web site!


            
              Brad        

Yes you are right

Here she is  no clothes no Make up no julery





I am getting new knees March 29 2012
I will work on her later

[Willabe]

She's looking good.

My wife's mother and father both got new knees, did them a world of good. I wish you well on your journey.


                              Brad       

[supro66]

I am 64 now I got that when I was 14

So I wanted a new paint scheme

Red Neck Black sides

Yep I got yelled at so it sat many years in the closet
now that I have half a brain I looked at it and it was made of all solid wood
no plywood

So I put on the costume jewelry and she sounded good with out the electronics
Since I am retired it is going to give me a project
I would like to do the sunburst

[bluesbear]

Pretty much any Yamaha ever made at any time. Even the cheapest ones play great.
Dave

[supro66]

Pretty much any Yamaha ever made at any time. Even the cheapest ones play great.
Dave

I got two Matin Sigma Guitars 1990 era
6 string
12 string
they sound great

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Sigma-12-string-acoustic-guitar-by-Martin-Co-very-good-condition-w-nice-case-/300678963088?pt=Guitar&hash=item4601dcdf90

[Platefire]

jjasilli---That's a cool LP. I always liked a goldtop. Looks like you did a great job and enjoying playing it!!

Supro66---Your blessed to have one of your original guitars from 14. My first guitar at 14 was a hollowbody too--a Harmoney archtop that I later added Kent pickups to. I'm 64 too. At about 15 I got my first solidbody Airline/Mongomery Ward/Valco guitar like the attached picture. The picture is not my guitar but mine was exactly like it including the rectangular black/white case. I had a silvertone 1482 amp at the time to run it through. I was big into the Ventures in those days. Platefire  

[supro66]

jjasilli---That's a cool LP. I always liked a goldtop. Looks like you did a great job and enjoying playing it!!

Supro66---Your blessed to have one of your original guitars from 14. My first guitar at 14 was a hollowbody too--a Harmoney archtop that I later added Kent pickups to.

I would not say blessd

Back in the 60's play a guitar pick up girls
I kind of felt sorry for the accordion players
Sax players did well also

I played Tuba in the school band
Dated a French horn player

[Platefire]

I played 2nd Trombone in the high school band but I traded it in on a guitar as soon as I graduated in 65. Got a Kalamazoo which was Gibson's version of a Fender Mustang----I latter got a 1967 Fender Jazzmaster for $300.00 with case. On amps I moved up from a Silvertone 1482 to a Gretch Variety 2-12 combo($360.00). Only amp I ever saw with a bass and lead channel----thus "Variety". I got a Framous Bass($200.00)---I played bass with one group and lead with the other. Yes in those days the girls was a nice side perk that went along with the music. Good memories! Platefire

[Geezer]

Pretty much any Yamaha ever made at any time. Even the cheapest ones play great.
Dave

Right on, BB!!!

I picked up a Yamaha SE203M (since I didn't have a true SSS Strat) and it is quickly becoming my
favorite axe!
Best of all, it only set me back $118 bucks!!!  

It's slightly smaller & lighter than a standard strat, and plays like a dream! Hard to decifer Yamaha serial #'s, but I think it's an '88(?)

Geezer
 

[Geezer]

Another pawn shop find (they didn't know what they had  ).....

This is a 1987 Squire Tele (parts made in Japan(?), assembled in Korea as they were transitioning from the Japanese to Korean plants, or so I've been told). The serial # is silver & starts with "E1".
Butterscotch Blonde (in person you can see the wood grain thru the finish), fantastic neck, beautiful body & finish.....every bit as good as any USA Tele I've ever played.

Got it for $150 "out the door".

I go day-to-day between this guitar & the Yamaha being my new "#1".....poor old Ibanez is feeling neglected.  

Geezer

[Platefire]

Very nice! Looks like new. I love Teles. I see the neck is a strat type pu, is that stock? I love my 2003 Butterscotch Affinity Squire CIC, play it as much a my USA Hwy 1 tele. Plate

[Geezer]

I see the neck is a strat type pu, is that stock?

It's standard tele size, but without a cover....the pups are Bill Lawrence (Wilde pickups, built by the real Bill Lawrence) Noise free set.....the bridge is an L290TL and the neck is an L280TN. Cost ~~$100 for the set (shipped) but well worth it! 

G

[tubenit]

Geezer,

Nice guitars!  I especially like the Tele.  I'd say you did well with those.

With respect, Tubenit

[Geezer]

OK, just one more......this is my LAST guitar purchase for a LONG time!

I had never owned a semi-hollow (ES-335) or hollowbody electric before & wanted to try one (to see what all the fuss was about). I saw this one on ebay & took a chance. So glad I did!

It's a copy (Korean made) of a Gibson ES-150DC....same exact shape as an ES335, but a full 3" deep body. It also doesn't have a full block under the bridge, just a small support block directly under. Trapeze tailpiece is also a 1st for me.

The guy I bought it from never even played it (it's a 2005).....he just had it hanging on the wall for display! It still had the plastic on the pickguard (which I removed to show off the flame maple a bit more) and not a scratch or scuff on it.

With my Dumble-style OD amps, this thing is quite unbelieveable in stunning tone! The "fatness" & sustain are almost unending, and the action & playability, fit & finish are every bit as good as any Gibson I've every owned or played. This one's a keeper!

Oh, and the fact that I paid $230 is just gravy!

[tubenit]

Magnificent guitar!  What a remarkable find.  Congrats. The price was incredible.

With respect, Tubenit

[Lucifer]

During an enforced period of hardship, I ended up with a £50 Jedson Telecaster - a cheap and nasty Japanese copy (Japanese guitars were rubbish back then).

It was AWFUL - rusted strings, lousy action, body made from blockboard, etc.  My band almost chucked me out because of it.

However, after a new set of strings and a bit of TLC, it played great and sounded great.

At one gig, two young guys were watching me all night.  At the end, they approached me and one asked "Hey Mister, how come your Fender Telecaster sounds so good ?"

I laughed and explained that it was only a cheap imitation, at which one of the guys thumped his mate on the shoulder and said, "You've got a REAL one and it doesn't sound anything like as good !"

They made my night !

[Platefire]

Jedson is a new one on me, never heard of that brand? Got a pix?

[Platefire]

Well I picked up an ION Strat Copy yesterday. Everybody knows there are millions of strat copies everywhere. The whole world is flooded with them falling out the windows and running into the street. I've been passing over them for years and never give it a second thought---however yesterday out running some errons decided to stop by the thrift shop and saw this ION sunburst strat, strings missing, loose jack, loose turning keys but all the parts were intact. The guitar has been abused with heavy dents behind the trem/bridge, cracks in the body(yet solid) and the trem arm broke off flush in the trem block. The thing that caught my eye was the sunburst finish with an emphasis on the red shade that I really liked. Looked at the price tag---$20.00. As I moved on continuing to look around I kept thinking about that ax and finally grabbed it and laid down the twenty bucks.
   Got it home tightened up everything, installed a new set of strings, took off the pickguard cleaned the pots/switch with contact cleaner, set the action and intonation. To my surprise the body is solid wood, not plywood. No fretting out or buzzes up and down the neck. Ajusted pickup height. Tuning keys work good after I thightened them up. The pickups are not wonderful but not bad either and is very quiet through an amp. Another thing, it's staying in tune very well after I got the strings stretched out. So far I'm pretty impressed and was fun bringing it back to life. I'll be jamming on it a while:>). I'll post some pixs soon. Love that sunburst finish. Plate  

[Ritchie200]

Welcome to the Rebel Alliance.  I'm glad you are stepping away from the Dark Side!

Jim

[Platefire]

Yeah, I feel so much better now!

[Platefire]

Well I used the ION in a live group setting tonight and it performed well. Got to play it with visiting Gospel Artist Randy Miller at our Church. Those cheap ceramic mag pickups retain that strat sound in a true enough way and reponded very well to playing dynamics. It stayed in tune without any retuning required--I liked that. Got the action set down right for me and the neck and strings had a good feel. I was able to pull off all my normal stuff on it with relative ease. Humm-strange the feeling I got when I spyed it in the thrift shop in its ragged dirty condition that I would actually go for it--after passing on all the other strat copies all these years. Thank you Jesus! Had to be you. Plate   

[Geezer]

Right on, Brother!

You rescued her out of the miry clay 

I'm still playing both of my Turser guitars as my #1 and #2.

I'm looking for a different set of pups for the Squier Tele....the Bill Lawrence just aren't doing it for me.....maybe some Joe Barden's.
Ha....they would cost twice what I paid for the guitar!

Congrats on the cool find....

G

[Platefire]

Thanks Geezer! That Turser Hollow Body you have picture previous is a fine looking guitar. I know on my Turser, JT-DLPH the quality is nice as anything I have or maybe even better. On my Affinity Squire Butterscotch Tele special, the guy I got it from told me it had a Dimarzio in the bridge position. I can't verify that because there isn't any identifing markers that I can tell but I like the way it sounds. The neck pickup must have been original because it was weak and thin. I put one of those stu mac Golden Age 7.0K in there and have been happey ever since. I play on the neck position most of the time on a tele and I like it kind of thick and punchy. Bridge thick but not with twang dialed out. Without the twang what would be the use in having a tele anyway:>)----of course on a strat I hang out on the middle/bridge position(quack) most of the time and the rest on the neck. Ain't it fun Plate 

[Platefire]

Thinking about a set of these pickups for the ION strat as a cheap alinco V upgrade from the original ceramics.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/111062508360?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649#ht_2269wt_952

maybe this wiring kid too. On this ax the action/feel is good and stays in tune very well with lot of bending---so thinking it my be worthy of a 0verall $75.00 upgrade. Plate

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Primo-Wiring-Kit-For-Stratocaster-CTS-Oak-Switchcraft-022uf-Sprague-225P-Strat/400523793164?_trksid=p3984.m2206&_trkparms=aid%3D222002%26algo%3DSIC.FIT%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D31%26meid%3D8870019905776169795%26pid%3D100052%26prg%3D1023%26rk%3D1%26sd%3D400486388881%26#ht_3883wt_820

[Platefire]

Been jamming a lot on the ION strat--I'm liking those ceramic PU's and for now will leave them in. I'm an old Hedndrex fan and the neck pup has that glassy "Hay Joe" "wind crys Mary" tone. The neck and action are just great. A lot of satisfaction for $20.00 :>)

[alerich]

I don't know if these qualify as cheap but they are certainly a fraction of what their Gibson namesakes sell for. I found a 1989 Epiphone Les Paul Standard on Craigslist a few years ago. Honey tiger eye burst with a hardshell case. Seller was out in the sticks about an hour and a half south of Atlanta so no takers. He started at $400 and gradually dropped the price by $25 at a pop until he got to $275. Final price drop. I pulled the trigger and made a nice Sunday afternoon drive out of it. Outstanding guitar. I snapped it up. Seems that 1989 was the first year that Epiphone actually offered true Les Paul Standard and Custom models. They were initially contracted out to Samick in Korea. They also briefly featured a modified open tapered book headstock. They went to the "boat paddle" sometime in 1990.

I have since scored three 1989 Epi Customs. Two from Craigslist and one from an online forum. The two with pickguards weren't necessarily cheap ($430 for the white one and $475 for the black one with a case) but again much cheaper than a Gibson. I have owned a couple really nice 80's Gibson Customs. The black one plays every bit as good as my old 88 three pickup Custom. The white one in the middle is a close second.

About a month ago I scored the yellowed one in the corner for $250 on CL. It needed a new nut and I swapped the pickups out for a set of Duncan 59's I had laying around. Installed a new Tonepros locking bridge and tailpiece last weekend. The yellowed one may be the best of the three. The luthier who installed the new nut is a local custom builder and he was shocked at how good it is.

These aren't as bargain basement cheap as some of the others in the thread but these aren't just "great for the money" guitars. These are "rivals guitars costing 4-5 times as much" guitars.

The little Junior was just something I picked up after my place was robbed just to have a guitar to play. Dropped a Duncan 59 in it and a set of no name aftermarket sealed keys from GFS and it is entirely road worthy. I have $230 in it. Wish I had had a guitar this good when I first started playing.

[Platefire]

You got a great collection of LP's there! I love Les Pauls too! In the 70's I had a Gibson Custom Black Beauty and also Gibson LP Deluxe with mini humbuckers but never bonded to those guitars. In the late 80's I picked up a Hoyer Les Paul Copy and really bonded with that guitar and kept it until 2012. Bought it for $55 and sold it for $500. I then needed another les Paul so I bought two off e-bay---one Epi Black Standard and one Epi Alpine White studio. I just played them both for a while to see which one I liked. It ended up being the Studio. I've bonded with the Studio and it does the LP thing even better than the Gibson custom I had in the 70's. BTW I picked up the Studio for $198.00 in great shape that included a nice Road Runner gig bag. I go through cycles---so long on a strat/tele and I have to have a good thick LP break. Har! Plate   

[Platefire]

Back to my ION strat copy, what tool would you use the remove the remaining broke off trem arm from the block with the top of the remaining about 1/8" below the top?? Tried getting it to move with a screwdriver and drill counterclockwise and no unscrewing movement back out yet! Platefire

[Geezer]

Depending on the diameter of the broken stud, you might try what's called an "easy out" ....it's a reverse threaded screw/drill bit type thing.
You have to drill a hole in the center of the stud. Then, as you screw the easy-out into the drilled hole (counter-clockwise) it tightens into the hole and allows you to back the stud out of the hole.

The thing is though, you have to have a large enough section of stud to drill into the center of it......

HTH, G

[Geezer]

They also briefly featured a modified open tapered book headstock. They went to the "boat paddle" sometime in 1990.

Yeah, that's what I really don't like about the newer epiphones, that ugly headstock.

That's a very nice collection you've got. My son has a black Epi LP Standard that plays every bit as good as the Gibby std I bought in '76

G

[Ritchie200]

Does the wang bar hole extend all the way through the block?  If so, try to drill it out from the back side.  Drill should be smaller diameter than the thread size.  It should spin it right out.  I'm not a big fan of easy-outs when the diameter is small.  It tends to blow out the sides and tighten everything up when you tap it in and before it grabs.  Geez, I dont think I've seen one small enough for a wang bar diameter?  Or try to find a left hand twist drill to reverse it out the top.  These bars are usually soft on the inside so the drill should bite.  Good luck!

Jim

[Platefire]

Jim

The wang bar hole don't go all the way through. I was in guitar center today and wanted to ask the repair tech about that but he was so busy I didn't bother him. i've pecked around on it with screwdriver and hammer trying to get it moving counterclockwise but never could get it to move. I might try putting some WD40 on it to loosen it up and maybe try a punch/hammer. If I could get it started and I think I could work it the rest of the way out. Thanks, Plate

[John]

Plate, I'd try something besides WD40 to loosen any rust, something like Gibbs or PowerBlaster if they stock it down there. If you can find Kroil, that's about the best. Then, if your block is off the guitar and supported on something, take a punch that's slightly smaller than the stud, a heavy hammer, and smack it hard just once. This jars the threads loose if they're rusted. But If that block is aluminum, don't do that.

Something else I'd try *if it were me* - I'd very carefully increase the size of the hole you're drilling in the middle of the broken stud.

[Frankenamp]

Kroil +1
It's about the best stuff I've used. Better than most other 'liquid wrench' penetrating oils.