What's the most you should pay for your ideal guitar?

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:05 pm

well my 77 'stang cost about Â£600 and i can't see myself wanting to spend much more than that.

i'm not greatly happy with that mustang as is, it's very dark in sound. muddy even.

Progrockabuse · Post by **Progrockabuse** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:05 pm

i don't actually know what it would be, to be honest.

i love my strat to bits and that was only Â£450. maybe a real 60's one would be cool but not Â£5,000 and upwards cool. same with my tele and that cost me less.
i blew a lot on my mustang, mainly as i was itching to get one and managed to get the one i fell for. just plays so nice.

One thing i would like to get is a 70's Les Paul deluxe, which i'd probably sink Â£1,500 quid into if it really spoke out to me. i'd have to find the dollar first, but i'd pay that for "the one" lol

Johno · Post by **Johno** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:23 pm

I can't see myself ever spending huge on a guitar, i'm pretty happy with my Jap Jazzmaster that cost me Â£145.
The most i ever spent on a guitar was about Â£700. I don't think i'd really want to have to worry about a Â£1500 + guitar getting damaged/nicked. I'd rather spend the money on a couple months holiday.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:26 pm

Johno wrote:I can't see myself ever spending huge on a guitar, i'm pretty happy with my Jap Jazzmaster that cost me Â£145.

That's a fucking batshit deal.

I don't worry about my '66 getting damaged. Have you SEEN it?

Johno · Post by **Johno** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 12:36 pm

Mike wrote:
Johno wrote:I can't see myself ever spending huge on a guitar, i'm pretty happy with my Jap Jazzmaster that cost me Â£145.
That's a fucking batshit deal.

I don't worry about my '66 getting damaged. Have you SEEN it?

Yeah, i was without a guitar & job for a while a few years ago so with little money i went looking for a ghetto deal & the Loot free ads paper came up trumps.

BobArsecake · Post by **BobArsecake** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 2:28 pm

Completely dependent on my income, outgoings and savings at the time.

Aeon · Post by **Aeon** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 3:05 pm

My eventual goal is to get an ES330 or equivalent (maybe from a company like Heritage).

I could see myself paying up to $2500 for one, although they do occasionally pop up for less than that. I don't really care if it's vintage or was made yesterday, as the money I'd be paying would be going towards a quality build rather than vintage mystique.

If I were ever going to get another Fender-style guitar, I don't think I would ever spend more than $1200. It's much easier and more satisfying to build your own to custom specifications for less than that. There's also a myriad of builders out there that rival the custom shop and sell them for ~$1500.

Post by **Mike** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 3:16 pm

Nothing beats the smell of the Sixties.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:33 pm

I spent around Â£1,000 on the 64 Jag, due to a lifelong GAS for it, that's about my limit too.
Never been interested in exotic woods and stuff besides, when i consider i picked up my Mustang and Duo for sub Â£500 there does'nt seem any sense in spending more. The only thing that has really tempted me to go over Â£500 again is another Patrick Eggle Berlin.

Aeon · Post by **Aeon** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 5:57 pm

Mike wrote:Nothing beats the smell of the Sixties.

I'm not such a big fan of mildew, bar-smoke, and forty years of coagulated man-sweat. YMMV

Post by **dots** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 10:59 pm

i paid $1500 for my avri jag new. the new ones go for $1900 now, and 2k is prolly my limit, although my actual-today-if-i-had-buy-a-guitar limit is more like $150. next year, though, i have to get an acoustic, and i plan to spend > $1000 for it. i want a good one.

MikeG · Post by **MikeG** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:33 pm

I bought my American Series Tele new, and did a lot of stupid stuff to it. Nice and customised now though.

Right now, I doubt I'd pay more than that... like Mr Arsecake says, it's dependent on a number of factors!

Gavin · Post by **Gavin** » Thu Dec 03, 2009 11:41 pm

Yeah, completely dependant on how much money you have. If I was a billionaire and I found a guitar I thought was the best one ever, ever, ever, then I'd spend millions and not care.

MikeG · Post by **MikeG** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:20 am

I often wish I'd bought a Mexican model, but I was young and bought into the 'American is better' story! Still, the neck is lovely, and it was a fine instrument stock!

mickie08 · Post by **mickie08** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 12:30 am

I would not set a price per se. It depends on the type of guitar. For a solidbody fender type guitar probably 1K unless it was vintage (and then only because the resale is solid)

For a hollowbody or archtop probably 2K

For an acoustic 2K easy

The most I ever spent:

used Fender custom shop tele 1500 (waste of money. Great sounding and playing guitar which still did not justify the cost verses a classic vibe tele at 350 or a decent used american for 6-700

Taylor t-5 1700 or so. Worth every penny. It played amazing, sounded great as an electric, and could be played as an acoustic. Versatile as hell.

PRS singlecut. 2K (traded, not cash...but that was the asking price).... Les Paul killer. Sounded better than any Les Paul I have ever played and I have played a bunch of 60's, 70's and even a 50's les paul. But, there are so many good les paul clones that can be upgraded to sound pretty damned close still not worth it.

Martin DC1e 1K awesome entry level martin (not one of the newer x series or dm series ones without solid woods/etc). Great playing with full Martin sound. Thin satin finish that really gives it a warm tone. Best acoustic I have ever owned and I have owned a bunch.

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Fri Dec 04, 2009 1:08 am

Sixties electric don't smell up like acoustics. Do not want stinky acoustic.

I am trying to think what the most I have paid for a guitar was. $700? I would feel guilty about owning something I paid much more than that for. Not as guilty for having a PILE of cheaper ones. Oh--well, I guess I traded a 67 Duo and Bronco for Pat's Tele. That's the most. But the cheapest thing I own is MY LABOR.

I still hanker for a Les Paul, just to know. But I think I could lose interest in it, just like any other. I love what I have, but prefer to get it broken. I blame society.