How much of a guitar snob are you?

[Snoogans]

Thanks, that's a rosewood board on there. Turned out a lot better than I was expecting it to!

Did I mention that it's not an ordinary cheapo Squier, but one of the early Japanese ones...?

[budgolf]

I can't afford to be a snob. I play a Chinese SX SEG guitar ($129) through a Peavey ValveKing ($350), though I will have another more expensive guitar coming soon.

Me either. Unless you consider the fact that all of my Kramers are American series.:ROTF:

[bangkok]

I was converted by a Gibson Les Paul Studio! I would have never touched a lower end Gibson or anything for that matter, but a 94 Studio w/P90's changed my way of thinking. I'm now the owner of a Model 3!

[Rupe]

I appreciate well made, great playing/sounding guitars, period. Although that more often than not means high end, there are plenty of low end/import guitars that kick ass. Other local musicians used to laugh at me for playing a $200 reissue Danelectro on stage alongside a $3K Tom Anderson. Obviously you can't compare the build quality of the two, but the Dano played very well (still does) and had its own thing going on tonally.

Those early 80's Squier Strats are killer guitars and were frequently better players than their US counterparts at the time.

[straycat]

I love my 80's squier totaly screams 60's fender tone.
I love my mutts because they sound the best to me.Vintage pickups or boutique pickups thats where I'm a snob oh and the best electronics.

[jtr]

I don't think I'm a snob but the only guitars that I haven't own or played are a Gibson -sunburst 58-60 Les Paul , 58 Explorer and the late 50's non SG Doubleneck. I 've always went for how the neck feels. Just by holding and playing a guitar for a short while I can tell if I like it or not. As for cheap guitars I have a Dearmond Jet Star ,the necks were to thin on the original Thunderbirds . My personal favorites are neck thru guitars 60s-80s and my #1 is a 85 Jackson Soloist.

[RacerX]

I can't afford to be a snob. I play a Chinese SX SEG guitar ($129) through a Peavey ValveKing ($350),

...which is also Chinese, right? You commie supporter you

When playing through my Ibanez crapshack practice amp, I always feel compelled to tell people I have a bitching Mesa Boogie rack at home.

You should put one of those stickers on the crappy amp:
"My other amp is a Mesa Boogie!"

[pott]

Not too snob. My guitars are all MIJ 80s shredders. I'd never played them before buying and I am NOT disapointed. They're all AWESOME sounding. I don't care for playability as I do my own setups. So new nut, fret dress and setups and all guitars are done for, at least for me. But if the guitar that sounds amazing is a Squier, so be it.

For some reason I can't say the same of Epiphones... so far every Epis I played was crap. I also don't really like LTDs, but eh if there's a good one for me out there, why not.

My pedalboard has got no boutique effects and I'm perfectly fine with it.

My amp is a Laney VC15. I don't need a Boogie or a high gain monster channel switcher. With my rig I can have good tone in the bedroom and I'm ready to gig if needed.

[shobet]

I don't think I'm a snob when it comes to gear. But I've noticed that I do tend to favour Japanese and made USA brands. I don't tend to buy the stuff new, but I'll get it used for much less, mainly through ebay.

I think the old adage is true you do get what you pay for. But it's odd with guitars, you can have a 20k Strat that's a right dog and then you can play a Japanese re-issue which it just stunning. There are so many variables that come into play to make something good or to make something bad.

A lot of old guitars have that mojo to them, part of the reason that relic guitars are becoming more and more popular. I tend to buy player guitars and not the collectors pieces as I think they have more character and have seen more life.

I feel quite sad when I scan the vintage and rare sites and see those old guitars going for telephone numbers. They are the realm of the pros and the collectors now. Those things are meant for playing and not sitting in some vault appreciating. But that's the way of the world. Doesn't stop me wanting one though!

So I keep telling myself one day you'll have a pre CBS strat, tele and that 59' burst. Well I can dream, can't I?

Maybe I am a snob...

[nhspike]

Interesting thread, and thoughts dudes/dudettes!

For me, it's a question of multiple priorities.

#1 Is there something special about the guitar that makes it musical, like the tone, the action, or the look... or even some other emotional connection with my/our musical history... and do these elements add up and make me more musical, or even play differently?

#2 The price. This can be high or low. Usually, something nice for cheap is my favorite, but I'm not afraid to pay for what I'm looking for either if it's going to bring me someplace different, or satisfy something more.

In the end, certain guitars just end up hang out with me longer, like friends. Others, (more like girlfriends), may be great for a while, but in the end not what I'm looking for, so they end up in the "buh-bye now" zone.

Hey, has anyone else seen that 60 minutes episode (or whatever show it was... I forget ) where these dudes in prison make their own guitars from cardboard and other shit, and get together and jam out every day?

It's clearly about the music for them... although they were looking at the one guy's home-made axe with lust in their eyes, since he had a particularly nice one...

For the rest of us it's a combination of music and collecting/hobbie thing, which by definition doesn't have to make any sense to anyone else but the musician/collector, right?

[cdwillis]

I actually remember that show with the inmates jammin` out \m/

[straycat]

My hobby is buying decent older guitars 70s -90s that are in disrepair and need a few parts to get them back in playing shape.Then selling them to get something better like older USA/Jap guitar and keeping them.Works out prety well I have some cool shredders.

[thetroy]

...which is also Chinese, right? You commie supporter you

Yep - have you heard my "Made in China" jam in the mp3 section?

Eh if I had an infinite budget I'd have a custom Jackson and an SLO-100 with TC G-Force.

The quality to price ratio of the Chinese stuff simply cannot be beat.

[Joe_Steeler]

Not for or against high priced gear, because price is not always a true barometer.

BUT I have one thing to say: LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO PLAY SHITTY GEAR.

[Guitarzandstuff]

Not for or against high priced gear, because price is not always a true barometer.

BUT I have one thing to say: LIFE IS TOO SHORT TO PLAY SHITTY GEAR.

+1

Prettaayyy Prettayyy Snobby here!