What guitars would you consider to be the absolute best value for any price range?

[bigswifty]

Wondering what stands above the rest of the pack in any price range for you.

Standard guitars, ERG's, customs, all kinds. Let me know what you consider to be the best bang for buck!


I'll throw RG7620's into the ring as punching high above their price point (when they were available and more common, that is..)

 

[TheDandy]

May be recency bias since I grabbed one a few months ago, but the current lineup of PRS SEs is super strong, especially with the 20% off sale they had at the end of last year. Super well built, consistent, and all the ones I've tried have felt fantastic, well above their price range. Didn't love the pickups in my McCarty 594, but that was my one and only gripe.

 

[SalsaWood]

Definitely not a used prestige this time.

 

[Jonnysleftfoot]

I’ve always thought used Kiesel’s were up there. Sometimes at a steal, too. The hard part is finding one that has your preferred specs.

 

[bigswifty]

May be recency bias since I grabbed one a few months ago, but the current lineup of PRS SEs is super strong, especially with the 20% off sale they had at the end of last year. Super well built, consistent, and all the ones I've tried have felt fantastic, well above their price range. Didn't love the pickups in my McCarty 594, but that was my one and only gripe.

I've been hearing amazing things about them too. For the cost of the SE CE, I might just grab one for shits and see how good they are.

 

[John]

Vampiire guitars.

Rhythm in jump, dancing close to you.

 

[AlmaMater]

Used LTD 400 to 1000 series (Used)
Schecter SLS (Used)

mmm, that

 

[CanserDYI]

I'm not a PRS guy, but working in a guitar store I see a lot of guitars with a lot of issues and PRS is probably the most consistently good at low price levels in my honest opinion.

 

[High Plains Drifter]

PRS SE and Schecter's Diamond Series

 

[MFB]

PRS SE seem to have the most consistency for their price range, and typically the higher end lineup of a sub-manufacturer (for lack of appro. term at the moment) vs. the "name" brand's lowest end; ie, a high end Epiphone vs. the lowest end Gibson, or a Squier Contemporary/etc vs. a low-end Fender.

Used EC-1000 series also seem to be absurd values, and they're abundant so you can get them at varying prices but no need to pay more than $700 for one typically.

 

[Crungy]

RG7321/7421's are my favorite for a lower/mid price guitar. I think they're pretty decent stock but are so easy to mod. Same for the 6 string equivalents. Some of the Gio 7's are decent as well.

PRS SE's are also great. I had a Singlecut back when they came out that was great, but I was more serious about bass guitar at the time and sold it. I'd buy another SE of any kind.

 

[Matt08642]

PRS SE. My SE Torero is every bit as good as my other guitars.

 

[ItWillDo]

Honestly, RG350's (especially '89-'91) are probably my number 1 choice when it comes to versatility and best-bang-for-buck quality.

 

[l1ll1]

My 7621 is probably killing everything I own and have owned in terms of bang-for-buck. And it's the 2nd cheapest guitar I've ever owned.

 

[owlexifry]

RG550 (genesis)

 

[Phlegethon]

Going to second the RG550 genesis. They're incredibly inexpensive for something MIJ. Especially considering the importance of the RG550 to Ibanez.

 

[nightsprinter]

What deserves more respect for being exactly what you need and nothing you don't is the venerable Schecter Demon 7. Buy a used one for next to nothing and you have a rock solid 7 string.

Does it have the sleekest neck? Longest scale? Chameleon-like tone shaping options? Nope. But you're gonna play death or black metal on it anyway so who cares.

That's my pitch for excellent value in the budget range.

 

[Captain Shoggoth]

Sire Marcus Miller basses are fantastic value. I got my 5-string new for £300 and it has decent pickups, rolled fret ends, 35" scale + graphite reinforcement. Plays great and was totally reliable on a 14-date Korea/Japan tour.

Used Edwards can regularly be had for £6-700 and IME they compete with ESP SS/E-II quality-wise.

Used ESP Originals of less-popular models can be found in the £1000-£1500 range (generally toward the 1500 end) if one knows where to look. At that price they're superior to anything else to a laughable degree.

 

[nightsprinter]

Sire Marcus Miller basses are fantastic value. I got my 5-string new for £300 and it has decent pickups, rolled fret ends, 35" scale + graphite reinforcement. Plays great and was totally reliable on a 14-date Korea/Japan tour.

Used Edwards can regularly be had for £6-700 and IME they compete with ESP SS/E-II quality-wise.

Used ESP Originals of less-popular models can be found in the £1000-£1500 range (generally toward the 1500 end) if one knows where to look. At that price they're superior to anything else to a laughable degree.

+1 on Sire basses. They're going up in price because word's getting out that they're underrated. The M5/M7 line can sound like *almost* any other bass you can think of because it has a million tonal options.

 

[Crungy]

My 7621 is probably killing everything I own and have owned in terms of bang-for-buck. And it's the 2nd cheapest guitar I've ever owned.

The old MIJ 7420/1's are great too. Not that old MIJ is always better, but the ones I have or have played have been great guitars. Hard to go wrong with them in general.