Guitar you swear by that got panned when it was released...

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 2:32 am

Was discussing this with a mate earlier, I have a Highway 1 Tele that's been my number 1 guitar for the last 11 years. But I remember them getting slated all over t'internet when they were new (they get a better rep now). Was saying that I seen Mogwai a few years ago and Stuart was playing one if those 80s two knob freeflyte strats, the ones with the jack socket in the pickguard which I remember were said to be utter shite back in the day but are now reasonably sought after (he still breaks it out now and then). So what is your unsung hero?

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 2:43 am

Squier 51

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 5:11 am

I recall everyone loving the 51 actually except for me.

I oddly enough always really liked the highway 1 teles from the begining. I think at the time there were complaints that it was really assembled in the US with MIM parts or something like that and the finish was easily worn by guitar stand foam.

I think the Gibson Explorer, V, Marauder all fit this

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 5:17 am

My Peavey's feel like they would belong here. I love my US ones and still have my Patriot which was my first electric.

Nick · Post by **Nick** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 5:19 am

Ibanez Jet King

Airlines pre-JW

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 10:08 am

I think the explorer and V were just ahead of their time, that was a style thing. Once you got into hard rock / metal they were everywhere. the jet king was overlooked the original ones like Doog's are cool. also I was thinking more about ones you own that people had a dig at but now see the merit in.

laterallateral · Post by **laterallateral** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 6:24 pm

80s Squier Bullets.

Is mentioning any instantly dismissed, pre-2000 Squier that ended up shitting all over Fenders really fair, though?

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 7:33 pm

The Fender Toronado GT suited me.
No one seemed to like them, the MIM model was more popular because it was more like a Proper Fender.

Addam · Post by **Addam** » Mon Dec 14, 2015 8:31 pm

laterallateral wrote:80s Squier Bullets.

Is mentioning any instantly dismissed, pre-2000 Squier that ended up shitting all over Fenders really fair, though?

I have a 1989 Korean Squier Bullet, I like mine and it cost almost nothing.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 4:53 am

Squier Duo Sonic

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 9:14 am

I thought the squire 51 & duo sonic got good reviews.

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 9:33 am

Duo Sonic was dicontinued... That means we didn't appreciate that sucker enough...

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 10:10 am

Squier don't work like that. For anything that falls outside of the standard strat and tele ranges that they produce almost continuously, they basically tool up, manufacture a shit-ton of Duo-Sonics, 51s, etc, then shut it down and do something else. It's not so much that they get discontinued, they're only ever produced in limited quantities anyway, as I understand it.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 2:28 pm

Then Fender take the tooling and make the 51 and charge 6 times the price...

westtexasred · Post by **westtexasred** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 2:46 pm

ekwatts wrote:Squier don't work like that. For anything that falls outside of the standard strat and tele ranges that they produce almost continuously, they basically tool up, manufacture a shit-ton of Duo-Sonics, 51s, etc, then shut it down and do something else. It's not so much that they get discontinued, they're only ever produced in limited quantities anyway, as I understand it.

Like the Series 24 guitars?

sunshiner · Post by **sunshiner** » Tue Dec 15, 2015 3:52 pm

westtexasred wrote:
ekwatts wrote:Squier don't work like that. For anything that falls outside of the standard strat and tele ranges that they produce almost continuously, they basically tool up, manufacture a shit-ton of Duo-Sonics, 51s, etc, then shut it down and do something else. It's not so much that they get discontinued, they're only ever produced in limited quantities anyway, as I understand it.
Like the Series 24 guitars?

Them are Guilds

dub · Post by **dub** » Wed Dec 16, 2015 1:23 am

The guitar I will never sell
(because no one will buy it)

1980 Gibson Sonex Custom

Has a lovely fat, worn neck that's just so comfortable (ebony on maple). I have a bit of a love hate thing with the Dirty Fingers, and all the controls are wired in some bizarre way that turning down the neck volume (when not selected) for instance, rolls off treble on the bridge pickup. Still haven't figured out what the coil switch does, I think it puts both pickups into some sort of series configuration. Anyway, it's pretty resonant for something that is mostly made of glue.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 9:25 pm

I fucking love the oddball Gibsons from that era.

dezb1 · Post by **dezb1** » Thu Dec 17, 2015 9:42 pm

Do love the Sonex, holds a place in my heart from when I was just starting out on guitar.

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Sun Dec 20, 2015 4:22 pm

I almost bought a Sonex once as well. Odd guitars but very comfortable. I like the pickups, too.