Budget Guitars can be awesome! - Mike Rutherford (Genesis) and his Squier Bullet Stratocasters

  • I just stumbled about this article and thought it would be worth sharing: https://www.guitarplayer.com/p…uier-bullet-stratocasters


    Mike Rutherford, guitarist of Genesis, was playing some stock Squier Guitars on the latest tour. Some were upgraded with noiseless pickups or otherwise modded but it really shows that good tone is the result of a lot of components (and mostly the player themself in my opinion) and we maybe don't need 3.000€ (or more) guitars anymore.


    What are your "budget" guitars that you really like and do you really see that much of a difference to more expensive guitars?
    As a lefty I have a very limited choice but I'm always curious what other people play.

  • My main guitar is a Squier Deluxe Strat from 2008. Heavily upgraded over time, but it was a killer guitar right from the start.

    It has been refretted 2 times and I still play it so much that after 2 years now the stainless steel frets already show slightly wear.


    Long time I thought the high quality and sound of this specific guitar was just luck. But since then I had a lot of great cheapos in my hands. Indonesian made Squiers (Cort factory I think?) are such great guitars. Upgrade with a massive steel tremolo block often helps to reach the next level.


    I have nice Fender US guitars, Music Man, Gibson, Ibanez Japan...

    I prefer my Squier!


    Thing is, I really like guitars with basswood body (maybe because I played only basswood Ibanez guitars when younger?). It may sound strange, but sometimes guitars have too much own character for me 8) Than feels like the guitar is dictating the music and what she allows me to play. Often with basswood guitars it's the opposite. Much more versatile and I am in total control. And the pickups and playing seems to determine the sound even more than already. I like that.


    About difference to expensive guitars: You can spend a lot money on mods of cheap guitars to upgrade to the specs of pricey guitars. But also achieve a lot with a small budget. For example my Squier maple neck now has ultra polished ss frets, custom shaped profile, oiled/waxed back and fretboard treated with nitro-based bale polish (?), bone nut... plays better than any boutique guitar neck I had in my hand. I did all myself and did not cost much.

  • Ibanez dtt700. Indonesian made, but plays very well. Changed the pickups with EMG's, but quickly swapped back to the original DiMarzio's. Made a coilsplit parallel and in series. I like the guitar a lot. Quite heavy, neck-thru, killer looks (in my opinion). Too bad the shape shouts metal, but the sound is very versatile. Could use it in an all-round coverband ( and did that...).

  • My 'budget' giutars that I really like are 2 Epiphone both limited edition produced more or less 20 years ago.

    At that time they weren t 'budget' guitars and I still like/love them and actually useing them sometimes for some specific sounds I need.

    At that time, 20-25 years ago, 'entry level' guitars were actually 'cheap'

    But today you can buy an honest, full working and consistent instuments starting by 300 € new.. less if it s second hand.

    The quality has improved a lot in my opinion.


    I m not a Fender estimator but I have a 2017 Tele Usa "original 50" and a 2016 Squire Strato. If I have to judge just the sound or just the "quality feeling" playing them.. I woudnt say there are about 1300 euro of differences.

    Anyway My First elctric guitar (a cheap 'no brand' strato copy) was... less than ok.

  • I did find a massive difference between my first guitar (epiphany sg 400 pro from 2010?) and my fender telecaster player and my Gibson tribute. (Both the cheapest lines).

    Satin neck (and no lacquer anymore) was a huge improvement and the Humbuckers of the Gibson (490 and 498 I think) are a lot brighter than the old epiphones. They were way to muffled and dark.
    that’s my experience so far. So the Upgrades were a really improvement.


    and I also bought a Harley Benton and was really disappointed. Sound was not good, neck was sticky, got out of tune too quick. And I really wanted to like it…

  • 2018 HSS Squier Contemporary. The pearl white paint and matching headstock is just killer. The ceramic neck and mid pickups sound fantastic and don't carry the noise like the Fender oem ones. Has the rosewood fingerboard before they went to the cheaper stuff. Neck is 12'' and a satin smooth back. They even did a nice job on the headstock logo so it doesn't look cartoonish. Synthetic nut. I like the two knobs so I don't bust a knuckle like with the 3.


    To turn it into a Super Squier, I need to add locking tuners and a brass block. The HB is not bad but this is the one I want to add a SD for bridge. Maybe a Distortion or a Custom. Then I will paint "Super" in matching fonts above the logo and play it in front of 50,000 people. ;)


    I will also have to engrave the back head stamp Made in China to "Made Better by an American". :P


    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • I have 22 guitars and most of them are budget....


    I have about 5 squiers - a strat, John 5 tele, Jazz bass, HM strat but most importantly my number 1.....an 80's Jap tele....


    I also have a few Epiphone LP's, a Sterling axis( musicman) and I had an Electromatic Gretsch..


    Question - are these good enough? Totally. Are the higher end ones better? Given I've just replaced the Electromatic White Falcon for the full blown version...yes. I love my Falcon!! I paid £2500 but would not have paid £4000...


    Is it worth the extra money? Sometimes...I have just bought a Gibbo Les Paul to replace one of my Epiphones and its better...but I paid £1500. There is no way I would pay £3k+ for a Les Paul. Having played a few, they are overpriced and pants and my Yamaha SG eats them.


    Current guitars are so well made these days its hard to find a really bad guitar and hence definitely suitable for pro environments but some of the full blown versions are worth it when reasonably priced, not silly prices.

  • My 2018 Squier was street priced at $349US. Sweetwater gave me a ridiculous whale discount to only $279US. Once I add locking tuners, trem block, and bridge pup (about $180) , it will turn this guitar into a +$1000 level version. The only thing that would come close to it would be the new MiM Fender Player plus with a Pau Ferro fingerboard ($1029US) and mine would still sound better. (All that extra money I saved went to more guitars and a Kemper system). ;)


    Does that MiM Player plus play 2x or 3x better than my Squier now? NO. Does a Epiphone Les Paul Custom (got one of those too) play half as good as a Gibson Les Paul? NO. I would even argue they are pretty equal but the Epiphone LP wasn't that cheap either (`$700US).


    Some of my guitar heroes became famous playing POS broken and hand-me-down guitars, EVH frankenstrat, Paul Dean of Loverboy (who actually broke his neck and drilled two screws into it to hold it together because he couldn't afford a new guitar). Jimi couldn't afford a proper left-hand, ETC.


    If you make it sound good then the audience and fans could care less.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

  • Well .... it depends IMO.


    Looks? Well. .... you aren't going to get something that looks like a top of the line PRS cheap. Does looks matter? Only to us ;).


    As for tone ..... you can absolutely get great tone out of a less expensive guitar (note, I didn't say "cheap").


    You have to start out with the basics first and foremost:


    1) The setup has to be good. A poorly setup guitar will sound bad no matter how much money you put into it.

    2) The basic intonation has to be there. After you get the setup right, some cheap guitars are simply not capable of getting all 6 strings to have good intonation up and down the fretboard. If they can ... CHECK! You are off to step 3.

    3) A good bridge and a good nut will give your strings life (oh yea, and use some strings that aren't 3 years old).


    Now, you SHOULD have a guitar that sounds good with absolutely no amplification. If you don't have that first, no amount of processing will help you.


    4) PUP's are a matter of personal taste IMO. You don't have to spend $300.00 on Lindy Fralin's or Bare Knuckles (I use these because these are what I run. I am a hypocrite) to get something that sounds really really good IMO. You will likely need something better than what comes stock in a $300.00 guitar though.


    5) Make sure your electronics are actually wired in right with good pots.


    If you start with a 3-500 guitar, put in the upgrades above, you will likely be around 600-1000 when done. I would argue you cant really get a guitar that sounds better for any amount of money. You can definitely get one that sounds different though.


    Also, the neck is important to more than just intonation. Some necks just FEEL right in your hand when you play them.


    Anyway .... that is my 20 cents :)