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    Quote from BayouTexan

    Funny how Made in Japan guitars are now sought after. How times have changed.

    There is the long believed train of thinking of how only "american made" are good enough or of ultimate quality. This has changed, if you have me choose, I would rather get 2 japan made guitar than a usa one for the same cash. Same for south korean ones, they make fine instruments over there. It happened that mexican fenders were so on par on quality to the american ones, that they had to downgrade the specs of the pickups to make them sound different, not even better or worse.

    The answer is 42

    Like 3
    Quote from Alfahdj

    There is the long believed train of thinking of how only "american made" are good enough or of ultimate quality. This has changed, if you have me choose, I would rather get 2 japan made guitar than a usa one for the same cash. Same for south korean ones, they make fine instruments over there. It happened that mexican fenders were so on par on quality to the american ones, that they had to downgrade the specs of the pickups to make them sound different, not even better or worse.

    I agree, especially for guitars made in South Korea. They keep getting better each year but also more expensive.

    Quote from Nightmare Circus

    These are the only two guitars I've ever owned, had the one on the right for around 15 years or so and grabbed the other one a few years ago just to have a "fishman" guitar even though I never play it. I've never felt the need to play anything other than the LTD it's just amazing for me

    That's cool. A lot have come and gone but I still have the first two I ever bought.

    I still have my first one. MiJ Westone Spectrum DX. I got it for a gift when I wanted to learn guitar. Just took me many years later to want to practice. ;) I was going to sell it but another guitarist told me that would be nuts.


    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

    Like 5

    Yes, I also have an old Westone from 1983. Watch my signature. ;)

    These guitars were good for their price. Today they are underestimated and almost unknown. It is currently possible to buy them for an extremely good price. The cheap prices don't make them worse.

    I've long since lost my snobbery about brands and regions. Once upon a time, pros used mostly Fender or Gibson and everything else was junk. Not so today, as there are tons of options, many inexpensive, and the quality of even a "cheap" guitar today is comparable to what was considered pro back then. I was a Strat guy and have owned 70s Fenders, many of which were less than impressive.


    In the mid 80s a friend wanted to buy an electric and had tiny hands so I figured yeah, Strat. We went to the big music store in town and American Strats sat side by side with these new Strat Squires, at that time made in Japan. She could have afforded either. The quality of the Japanese Strat was far superior to the American one, so I told her to save money and buy the better guitar.


    I currently have a new American Tele (couple of years old) and it's a nice guitar, nothing wrong with it. I also have a $300 Chinese Fender Tele. The electronics and hardware on the latter are definitely not as good as the American one, but the neck plays much, much better. Part of me is tempted to strip the American hardware and put it on the Chinese guitar.


    On the other hand, I have an '89 American Strat and and '83 G&L that are both absolutely great. They've been my war horses for decades, until a PRS, yet another excellent American guitar, finally talked me into dividing my loyalties.


    Once upon a time the brand really mattered. These days it all comes down to the individual guitar. You either groove on it, or you don't. Everything else is just for ego.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

    Edited once, last by Chris Duncan ().

    Like 7

    BayouTexan  Kulle_Wumpenteich I have an early 80’s Westone Thunder IIA which was my first proper guitar. Made in Japan and wonderfully made. In the mid 80’s when I was going through the whole Yngwie phase I made the mistake of butchering it by having the fretboard scalloped. I also had one pickup removed and the cavity filled. Respeayed Ferarri Red (I was going to have a ferarri badge added under the clearcoat but never got round to it). I stripped out all the active electronics and remover 2 of the 3 knobs.. I added new bridge pickup with just a single volume knob. I regret it immensely. Know the only knob on that guitar is me ?‍♂️


    My main gig guitar for about 20years was an early 90’s Levinson Blade R4 made in Japan. Super high end guitar. A total Strat killer and better than any Fender I ever played. In fact I got rid of a Strat Ultra (I think that was the name -roller nut and Lace Sensor pickups) for the Blade and it was a major step up.

    My first two. On the sonic blue one on the right started out as a Marquis Strat copy bought new in 1977. A few years ago I had to junk all the hardware and crappy neck but couldn't totally part from the guitar. So I stripped and refinished the body and put a new neck and hardware on it. The one on the left I bought new from the Seattle Guitar Center in 1979. It's completely original. I don't play them much anymore but will never part with them.

    Wheresthedug I have the original magnaflux pups in mine with the coil split on tone knob. I was going to replace the pups with some SD's but was talked out of that too. I've written two songs that I can only get the sound I want out of those magnaflux. Glad I kept them. The guitar is all original.

    Larry Mar @ Lonegun Studios. Neither one famous yet.

    Like 2
    Quote from BayouTexan

    I can only get the sound I want out of those magnaflux

    I think that's the reason I don't own more guitars. My Fenders do all the variations of the Fender-y things, and the G&L covers the Frankenstrat territory. The PRS does the humbucker thing. An unused Gibson LP sits gathering dust as it's redundant.


    If I was going to buy more guitars, it would be to get sounds that I don't already have due to pups with a distinct character (like the magnaflux), hollow body, or some other factor. But I'm such a simple creature when it comes to music that there aren't any additional shades that I need, so I have an embarrassingly small collection of guitars.

    Kemper remote -> Powered toaster -> Yamaha DXR-10

    Like 2

    Hi, Chris.

    Quote from Chris Duncan

    I think that's the reason I don't own more guitars. My Fenders do all the variations of the Fender-y things, and the G&L covers the Frankenstrat territory. The PRS does the humbucker thing. An unused Gibson LP sits gathering dust as it's redundant.


    If I was going to buy more guitars, it would be to get sounds that I don't already have due to pups with a distinct character (like the magnaflux), hollow body, or some other factor. But I'm such a simple creature when it comes to music that there aren't any additional shades that I need, so I have an embarrassingly small collection of guitars.

    Great practical thinking!


    I went through "the great purge of 2015" when I cleared out redundant guitars. It was easier to cull the acoustics than the electrics. I still have a few near duplicates. For example - a Les Paul and a PRS Single-Cut - but the Gibson has humbuckers, and the PRS has P90s. Maybe that doesn't count. Yeah, I'll give myself a pass on that one.


    I got my Profiler in 2015 and haven't spent a penny on gigging amps since then. Although last year I got a Stage for small outdoor gigs. I should look at things through your lens before acquiring more gear. But I'm an optimist, and I just got all new PA gear. Yeah, an optimist, that's it.

    Quote from ST

    Pix please.

    OK... this will take a while to convert pics to 1meg or less...

    First up was my introduction to PRS guitars at the first Dweezil Zappa music camp in New York in 2010.

    They had cases of beautiful PRS guitars laying around for 5 days that you could just pick up and play at will.

    I had never seen such incredible instruments.

    At the time I was considering a Clapton Strat.

    Then... whilst at the music/boot camp I won this...



    A 2009 SE ONE that I... erm Won!

    Gigged that for a while after getting it home and thought... I wonder if they make a Stratty thing?

    So then... after having way too much fun with single coils, I felt like investigating some humbucker PRS.

    That led me to buying this rock machine from a forum friend... a 2008 core Mira



    Had to get a nice TRC to point out the ding on the headstock...:P

    Last one for the night...

    I found this McCarty on my local CL.

    I couldn't believe it. I was at work and asked the guy if he'd take $XXXX if it was what I thought it was. He said yes, so I jumped in the car.

    A 2001 McCarty with 10 top and rosewood neck...