The True Cost Of Buying A Cheap Guitar

In this video, I will explore the true cost of buying cheap guitars and what they actually cost. If you would like to help support my channel and get something cool in return, please consider the following:

[agnawkneemoose]

I bought 3 Glarry's with the intention of fixing them up myself, so I could practice working on the frets, etc. I leveled, crowned and polished the frets, took care of the fret ends, locking tuners, tusq nuts, replaced either the full bridge or the saddles and/or bridge block. One of them, I put in EMGs and sanded down and refinished the neck. They play... okay - not badly. The tuning stability is... better than it was, but I'm still re-tuning a fair bit. I don't regret the experience of working on them, but being honest, those are seldom the guitars I reach for when I want to play. Maybe it's the weight - they are lighter, but there's always something telling my brain that this is still a Glarry.

I recently bought a couple Harley Bentons in the $200 to $400 range. There's stuff I want to do to those guitars, but they were playable out of the box and it's not a situation where I need to completely reinvent them. It feels like this is a real instrument and not a toy I'm trying to make into one. I think for most people, unless you're looking to practice working on a guitar without having to worry about screwing it up, you're better off spending in this price range even for a mod platform. You'll be happier with the guitar you eventually end up with.

I don't own any guitars over $2K and frankly, I'm not sure I'd be able to enjoy playing them because I'd be paranoid about dinging it or something happening to it. I do have an Ibanez Prestige, which is my most expensive guitar... and honestly, it plays like it. If you have the money and you want that little bit of extra refinement, I wouldn't tell you not to do it. I do know that I can be perfectly happy playing a less expensive instrument. In the end, your guitar isn't going to change who you are as a guitarist.

[hereonmars]

I love what you do and watching your videos. I'm just never going to be able to swing a 3-4k guitar. At this point, it's a luxury item.

[benhynum]

If you run out if adjustability on the bridge it is time to shim the neck pocket.

[patrickmayo]

I bought an sg kit from solo music out of Canada. It came in the kit with an Epiphone bridge and tailpiece. It also came with a black tusq nut. I ordered a set of Seymour Duncan high voltage humbuckets. I put on a set of Hip shot locking tuners. 18 to 1 ratio. Did my own setup it is just as good or better than the Gison SG. I don't even have a thousand bucks in it. Including buying the kit did all the work myself. Learned all of it from YouTube videos on how to.

[gorgon]

hello!.. I'm from some centuries ago.. And growing up with Japanese origin guitars from 60s and 70s.. So when got my Fender, it needed a setup to actually be in order to play on!.. That was when my self-made snobbery on fenders stopped.. I had found out that my top Fender was in need for setup, right from the box.. Since Squier Japan's came out 40years ago, .. I've never saw any elsewhere!.. Perfect guitars when done some changes!.. Your channel are top notch, .. Subscribed!.. Thanks for your videos!

[rustydomino]

6:00 with bolt on necks you can just reverse shim the neck to lower the action.

[scillyautomatic]

My experience: About 6 to 8 years ago I bought a bass from Monoprice for $99. (They touted their pre-shipping set up that was done by their own luthier) I was pleasantly surprised that it was set up well when it arrived. No sharp edges the hardware did not feel cheap and grinding when adjusted. The only adjustment I have made over the years has been a slight truss rod adjustment. It still play great and that feeling of finding a great deal for $99 still makes me happy.
I also bought an Epiphone Joe Pass Emperor II Pro about 5 or 6 years ago - a much better instrument with a much better pedigree. But, even thought it had low action and nice tuners and felt great in my hands, I never "fell in love" with it. I never had a guitar before that I didn't fall in love with but this one just didn't make me happy. I think it was the "gold" hardware that I liked the least.
That's my story. Hope it helps someone out there.

[willieboy]

if you have had gig gear stolen .... if it looks inexpensive it is usually last to be looked at!

[kennyayala]

I wholeheartedly agree with everything you said here, Chris!
I always think of cheapo guitars being more up-front work to overcome defects and poor quality control vs the work you'd have to do on a more expensive guitar usually boiling down to smaller fine-tuning to dial in your personal preference
One thing I think is worth mentioning is that for some of us wanna-be luthiers who look forward to learning the techniques of building, modifying, and/or repairing guitars is that a cheaper guitar may be more enticing due to it being a better platform to learn on BECAUSE of the work you'd need to do to it to get it to play well.
It's definitely not for everybody, and sometimes when you're done with it you have an unplayable mess [bordering on firewood] and many lessons learned, but to someone like me who enjoys a good challenge and learning experience that can sometimes be worth the price of admission.
(Plus, you wouldn't have ruined an otherwise really nice instrument to get that experience!)
But, like you said, you get what you pay for. A local luthier building you a custom guitar will have way more attention to detail than a Squier/Epiphone/etc. and, as long as they're good at communicating with the client, can set it up for that out-of-the-box experience.
\m/

[chrisbroome]

I find a lot of my clients disqualify themselves from needing a functional guitar based on their self-assessed skill level. It’s hard as a tech to know where to draw the lines of “good enough” for people not wanting to commit to fixing an already cheap instrument, and the jobs’ results almost never feel satisfying or even finished. I think the real benefit to the cheap guitar is that you can upgrade it as you see fit, and over a longer period of time, compared to dropping a lump sum on a more professional instrument. A Guitar of Theseus, if you will 😅

[thepostapocalyptictrio]

J Mascis Jazzmaster: Perfect set up!
Fender Classic Vibe 70’s Jaguar:Total wreck. I fixed it. It’s my main guitar
Epiphone SG Special: pretty good setup.

[lyndelnavarro]

You and I both live in Colorado. As a matter of fact, I think we both live in the same area just South of Littleton. Humidity is so low here that it you buy a guitar from a higher humidity area, you're gonna need a good setup within a month or two. The inverse is also true if you take your guitar from here to there.
I have family in Florida that I visit a couple of times a year and I like to have a guitar to play when I do, so I bought a Squire Affinity from a pawnshop down there for $150. I also took my tools to level, crown, and polish the frets and do everything else it might need, and then proceeded to hot rod it. It now plays and sounds great, and I leave it there, but even with all of the hot rodding, it's still a $150 guitar if I were to try to sell it. Point is, don't think your upgraded Squire is worth more if you hot rod it. Put the original parts back on if you want to sell it.

[chocolatecookie]

7:28 - 8:11 finally someone speaking truth. i appreciate you Chris that you are honest not like MANY other youtubers. Setting up a guitar is NOT easy. And yes, you need tools and then comes the question which tools. It is a neverending proces and one can really destroy their guitars having believed that you can do it all yourself based on many stupid youtubers who tell you so. And I am so dissapointed in many of these famous youtubers who make a DIY video. That they can do it doesnt mean others can. But everyone is being sucked in in this illusion that it is easy, etc. No, it is not and I speak from experience.

[iuutoob]

I'm a beginner with a folk guitar. A few months ago I got a new Donner strat ST-152 for net $126 and paid a luthier $40 to fix nut height and intonation. In most respects it seems flawless. (There tiny gouge under the varnish from the machining of the maple neck; I expect that such imperfection would not go on a custom axe, but worrying about that, at a tune of $4K, would be vanity. Before going to the luthier, I rounded and polished the fret ends a little. The fretboard has rolled edges; is a handsome dark brown with a very uniform texture, and I'm curious whether it is synthetic or real wood, but it is nice. The pickups and pots really seem to need an upgrade.

[sgt.grinch]

I think the value of the guitar should be comparable to your current ability to play. My Grandson chose a Squire (not my choice) and the Music Store set it up for free. His guitar teacher checked it and gave it a thumbs up. My Grandson is happy with his choice. When he progresses to a much higher level he knows that a high quality instrument is in his future.

[andreykarayvansky]

Sometimes I get old kit squires from my friends, glue the frets in, do fret leveling, fret edge dressing, polishing, nut tuning, and other setup just for fun. A very trashy instrument, becomes a professional level tool.

[jaxm]

My first ever guitar was a $150.00 ebay special that barely lasted a year but served until i was able to buy a slightly more upscale guitar from Schecter. It was $650.00 and took several months worth of fiddling, different setups, and a few dollars to get to where i wanted it and now, it is my most cherished instrument. Years later I bout a $1300.00 7-string from Schecter and to this day I still am not happy with the way it sounds, or plays.
I don't know what my point here is, really, but I DO know that I have experienced just about every guitar buying experience you can have.

[jfrankcarr]

I got a cheap GearIT Thinline Tele style as a Christmas gift and I was very impressed with the fret work on it, rounded fret ends and no unlevel frets. The frets were dirty with residue and had to be polished and it needed a setup, which I do myself since I have the skills and tools to do it.

[GuitarIv]

I have a few examples:

Bought an American Professional 2 Telecaster and although the guitar feels and sounds amazing, the nut and the frets needed additional work.

Bought a Gibson Custom Shop LP Jr. and although it feels, sounds and plays amazing, there are some rough spots on the guitar (visually) that don't warrant the full price. Got it on a discount so not complaining.

Bought an ESP E2 Eclipse that was flawless out of the box; plays amazing and feels awesome; sounds like a total dog.

Bought a used Highway One Telecaster; beaten up finish and played to death by the previous owner, I need to have the frets leveled, but he clearly loved it and used it and the guitar has mojo; sounds good and still plays well

Got a Harley Benton Telecaster for 88€ and it sounds good, plays well and for an additional investment of 130€ (better tuners, used DiMarzio Pickups) I have a guitar I would gladly tour and record with.

Every guitar is unique, but I agree chances are better to get a good instrument when you pay more. There is no guarantee though.

Best is to try before you buy.

[hotcakesman]

I have bought mid priced guitars around 1k. They were pretty good to go. I have a lot of cheaper guitars. I like taking something that is meh, and making it amazing. I have been learning the skills over the years. I just got the Squier Debut and I am as we speak filing a brass nut. I have purchased some fireflys where all I did was change the strings.