Musicians
Related: About this forumI'm amazed at the quality of Asian guitars
The bubble has busted I have always been a collector of Japan guitars. Since I scored my first one a used tokai Les Paul reborn in 85 in Giessen west Germany 250$. Yesterday I played a PRs de 245 made in Indonesia a friend of our sons. Sunday Im going swap out the pickups with some Seymour Duncans that the young man received as birthday present.
In jamming with our sons friends I have played epiphone Les made in China as with the Indonesian PRs se And Their stellar guitars. For the price you get quality for the the dollars. With one kids epiphone I swapped out bridge tail piece with aluminum on the house. Because well zinc just wont cut it on tailpiece and but the Gibson humbuckers and pots stayed.
Regardless of where they are made you get a awesome guitar for under a grand. And I am happy all mahogany real maple cap decent guitars for living room players.
INdemo
(7,020 posts)the Chinese counterfeits are not even close to the quality of American made.
So save your reviews for this Chinese junk
TEB
(13,689 posts)I agree on the Chinese Les that have Gibson on headstock junk mystery wood. But the epiphone coming out Asia are decent for starter guitar long tenon real maple cap
INdemo
(7,020 posts)Locrian
(4,523 posts)But I also think the LP (USA) has done downhill in recent years - mostly due to mismanagement by Gibson.
Heritage is the "real" traditional LP
Locrian
(4,523 posts)I have a USA Jazzmaster and a Squier Deluxe Jazzmaster that I swapped out pickups and electronics - compares pretty well.
I like SD pickups but there are a few other places that offer custom design and winding - all USA stuff etc:
https://www.planettone.com/shop/
https://www.ebay.com/itm/293066436589?ul_noapp=true
https://brandonwoundpickups.com/shop/
TEB
(13,689 posts)I was looking at planet tone voodo set for 110$ thinking mexi Strat we have
INdemo
(7,020 posts)have not had any problems with it and the pickups are fine.To hear it, one could not tell the difference between the Strat American and the one made in Mexico
Iggo
(48,264 posts)I'm somewhere between tentatively and aggressively in the market for a Strat.
Had my eye on the American Special, Sonic Blue with Rosewood, but there isn't one local for me to try out before I buy.
So I've been haunting the guitar shops, looking for something that grabs me.
But so far, I don't see a lot of difference between the M's and the A's.
TEB
(13,689 posts)TEB
(13,689 posts)prodigitalson
(2,884 posts)Granted mine has a "real' Strat neck. But the body and pickups are Mexican. Its indistinguishable from a US made "real' version