Took the words right off my keyboard. I think everything Leo didn't like about his work on his Fenders and Music Man guitars & basses he perfected at G&L. Especially the bridges. Massive.
Matty I own 5 G&L's with Leo's gold signature. They are professional instruments. They are tight due to they use the metric system. They were built by a small crew. Each one what 5x checked .They were setup and intonated.when they left the factory. Most guitars were sold to shops in Japan. G&L used the metric system than the Imperial system. What that means everything was more precise. When G&L arrived in Japan, they did not need to do a setup and it was in tune. So you own one?
I own a '77 Gibson Les Paul and 4 G&Ls. G&Ls are like getting a Fender custom shop guitar at half the price. Buy one used at $800-$1000 and it's like getting a $2000+ guitar. Good analysis.
Did they ever re-issue the radiator? I pretty much only play sevens now, but that is a guitar I'd put in my stable. Even though they weren't very expensive when new, I was broke when they were being sold, so I never ended up getting one.
Gordon Smith guitars are made and assembled in England with hand wound pickups that are also done here in England. Any finish/equipment/mod is accommodates by prior arrangement and they sound AMAZING. I once borrowed a GS model from a mate for a week or so back in the days before the company changed ownership and the quality was a litttle more variable. Now they’ve gone into ownership with Auden acoustics the quality is superb abs they’ve still got the character that made them a very very popular instrument with discerning pros in the seventies and early 80s. Hope Shane can find time or / dollars to buy one. They start at around £700gbp and go right up to well over £2k if you go daft with the finish.
One of my oldest friends has owned a G&S guitar since the mid 80s ; it supplanted his '67 SG and was his sole gigging guitar for over a decade that his band was touring . It needs a refret but he loves it nearly as much as his wife 😃
@@DMSProduktions I bought a Vox guitar from Guitar Center over a decade ago that's shaped alot like an LP and has pickups that go from a P-90 to twin rail Humbuckers with a flip pf the switch. I played it more than my Strat, S-G, LTD, or anything else. It has a mahogany neck thru body with bellied gold top. No pick gaurd. I loved it from first sight. 😊
For me, G&L is a secret that some folks just dont get-they make great guitars, even the Tribute series made in Indonesia which can stand up to MIM Fenders and are significantly cheaper than MIM Fenders at least here in US (max street price of G&L Tribute guitar here in US is about $550 wheras MIM Fender starts at $600 -700 and goes up to $1K) And the American made G&Ls are an even greater bargain in comparison to Fender American Pro or Ultra-especially if you buy used. So the fact that G&L has a perplexingly lower resale value-and this is a double edged sword-but it works in your favor if you find one you love and plan to keep!!! My budget doesnt allow me to collect American G&Ls but I have several G&L Tributes that I will be keeping long term-and some of them I bought used/NOS from Reverb for less than $400-compare that to used MIM Fender Teles which people are asking $500+ in used comdition on Reverb-often with numerous cosmetic damages (sorry, not into reliced guitars personnally)-and even 20 years old-from a time when MIM Fenders were not as consistently good in quality as they are now. And as for the G&L headstocks-I like em-kinda similar to Fender but with their own vibe-G&L pickups are solid to great (esp the MFD and Z coils!) and Leo’s more modern bridges are cool and usually more comfortable to play. So try out a G&L-buy a Tribute if you can’t find one locally to try in person-to try out the pickups and hardware and get your feet wet, esp if an American G&L is kinda outa your budget-then save up and buy a used American G&L on Reverb if you enjoy the Tribute. By the way-today (Thurs Aug 13) is International Left’s day-shout out and Happy Southpaw day to you Shane!!!! Keep up the great work on your channel and thanks for all you do to educate and inform us!!!
Personally I'd rather have a G&L Tribute than a Fender Player Series. I've been extremely disappointed with the fretwork on the Player Series guitars recently.
Small correction: Most of the PRS SE line is now made by Cor-Tek (Cort) in Indonesia rather than World Music in Korea. I believe some might still be made in Korea but they are being phased out.
I bought an Eastman T185 Mx Bd late last year and fell in love with it immediately. After having done more study on the company, a became a true fan of the Eastman brand. My second Eastman purchase was the T484. This is the guitar I’m playing the most right now. It gives me the tone I’ve been coveting ever since I started studying Jazz. I love the guitar but now want replace my Epiphone Dot with the T486. I considered the Sheraton II pro but couldn’t pass on the price I paid for the T486. It’s in shipping at the time of this post. Yes, I’m a converted Eastman fan boy.
When I got my first holiday job, I saved all the money to buy the Epiphone Les Paul Special 2 - was the first guitar I personally bought with my own money! Lovely guitar :)
I have four Reverend Guitars, and I play three of 'em more than I do my PRS Custom 24. Two of 'em have whammy bars, one a Bigsby and the other a Wilkinson, and I really have to go out of my way to knock any of 'em out of tune! The bass contour knob is basically a tone control done right, and I've used it in the last four years (when I first purchased my first Reverend) more than any tone control on any guitar I've had for the last 35 years! I already have my eye on my fifth Reverend. They're creepin' up in price for new ones, but you can still get them used for a good price! Great guitars!
Glad to see the Eastman make the list. I have a T64. Incredible build, sound, and feel. Definitely competes with guitars three times the cost. And they are beautiful.
I have a Mexican '72 Telecaster Deluxe that I bought used for $400 and it is fantastic. Two humbuckers- Articulate, sweet, plays great, holds tuning, Still can't decide if it is ugly. Black pickguard on a brown body. Bummed I missed Shane performing live in America.
Nice video Shane! I’m glad you included MusicMan guitars. They’re completely underrated and I’m not sure why. I own the aforementioned Axis Sport, a Super Sport, Mariposa, Valentine and even one of their sub brand Sterling Valentine guitars (chambered). Really great guitars IMO.
Love my Reverend Jetstream 390 it's quickly become my #1 guitar! 3 p90s w strat style controls and the bass contour, you can get endless tones along the whole spectrum. Also dig their designs and color choices. For me they hit that perfect balance of looking classic but at the same time new and different! Excellent brand especially for the price!
I’ll be adding a Reverend to my collection someday. I also have two Ibanez Prestige’s and they are fantastic. I would never replace the pickups. You’re right, they sound amazing.
The best les Paul I've ever owned is a epiphone les Paul vintage edition. It is a bolt on neck but has the best sustain out of any of the guitars I've had, including American les Paul standards. Maybe I just got lucky.
Godin should be on this list...quality at a reasonable price. I bought a like new Session plus on Craigslist for $400. The neck feels so good on that guitar and it has quality components and pickups.
Let me speak about Yamaha Pacificas: I've been playing for about 5 years, got 4 electric guitars (some over a grand) and the Pacifica is the cheapest of them all. A model 112V with alnico pups. I was recently thinking of getting an actual Fender HSS and tried to justify it because its going to be better/have better parts/costs more therefore better, etc. But after checking them out and trying to find any reason why the Pacifica is terrible I could not. It's an amazing guitar, so versatile in sound, the neck is so smooth and fast, the electronics work perfectly, the pups are so versatile too and have a quality tone, the bridge (usually a weak point on cheaper guitars) is solid and doesn't hurt tuning at all and the tuning pegs stay put (I like bending strings a lot too). Really, if you're a beginner or even intermediate the Pacifica 112 with alnicos is just amazing. Even if you want to mod eventually, the basics on this is guitar are so solid that it would be an amazing investment. Please don't think its rubbish because its cheap in price.
I am a drummer with a hybrid Spain set, Pearl Master series, Yamaha Oak Custom and Stage custom. In the drumming world some people do not see Tama Pearl or DW they think it stinks. Others know Yamaha build quality. I am looking at a 612 Pacifica with Seymour Duncan pickups.
My favorite electric is an Epiphone Les Paul Junior with a humbucker. You can find them used for less than a hundred bucks pretty regularly. It should be a piece of crap but it’s honestly a really good guitar. The pickup was actually really good sounding and the tuners, despite looking like your average garbage Epiphone tuners, actually stay in tune rather well. I’ve honestly thought about buying several more of these many times.
My Epi Special LP Jr gets more play time than the Gibsons in the fleet. Just a lot of fun. Some of them have poor fretwork but after touching that up they play easy, weigh half a Gibson LP and get just as great of tones. ... these will be collector items ;) the replacement models in 2020 are minimum $400 new.
What a great video. I bought a Michael Kelly T style guitar a few years ago and was really impressed with how much guitar I got for the price. I think their other models are very lacking in quality control but their T style axes are great (your mileage may vary, lol).
DeArmond Starfire IV is mostly underrated, some know, but definitely undervalued. I think the build quality from Korea is fab, and the pickups are legendary USA DeArmond Gold Tone hb. Owned one in early 2000's paid 280 for it on ebay, then later sold it. Then had to get one again because I knew selling the old one was a mistake I had to rectify. Found one last year for 700 to restore the harmonic balance. I totally agree that godin and pacifica are highly underrated.
I can't recommend Eastman guitars highly enough for the money. I just recently picked up the t64v casino/es330 type, with bigsby & lollar p90s. It just rings like a bell. Shudder to think an equivalent gibson would cost! Just when I thought my gas was under control, damn you Shane!! ;)
I’m glad you put Eastman in the group Shane. I bought one of their thin lines after seeing them at the Melbourne Guitar show a couple of years ago. Just magnificent guitars. Cost me less than $1300. High quality and fair prices what more could you want.
That's good to know that you're still pleased with it . I was very tempted at one point to buy a T58-V as although it's not a cheap guitar at £2100 British money, it is such a magnificent Gretsch type to the point where this would be a £5000+ Gretsch custom shop order . As Eastman's are made in China , I've been curious to know how they play years down the line and if the quality is just cosmetic.
Shaun W they are really high quality mate. Totally handmade as I understand it with no cnc machines. Yes made in China but not in the Chibson type factories. Also top flight electronics etc. If you get a chance to pick one up you won’t regret it.
Hi, nice video! I bought a Fender Heartfield rr9 crt by "accident", set neck, mahogany body, mahogany neck, rosewood fretboard (dalbergia latifolia), dot inlays, 22x frets, 648mm scale, 2x active humbucker, 1x volume, 1x tone, 3-way blade switch, american delxue tremolo, nickel hardware, color, made in Japan, and it even came with a Fender hardcase. Great guitar in my opinion sounds and plays fantastic. Price range maybe like the more expensive Epiphones.
I also had a G & L ASAT Classic Tribute and totally agree with all your comments re the neck and overall quality of the guitar, especially when compared to a comparable Fenders. When I ended up trading it in I was hammered by the dealer who repeated your comments that the punters are only looking for “Fenders and Squiers”. These guitars in my opinion are highly recommeded as keepers and I regret to this day parting with mine.
Bill Bermudez Hi Bill - I appreciate your feedback and insight especially the use of metric measurements. Coming from the UK it always seems odd that the US persists with imperial but I guess to change the whole country over would be a very big deal - it was in the UK but you eventually get used to it. I had forgotten that I have a G & L Doheny Tribute in my collection - ironically I bought it because I could not get the Jazzmaster I was looking for! While it looks like a JM it has its own sound , the great G & L tone controls and build quality. I won’t make the same mistake again - unless I fall on hard time’s! All the best Bill.
Having just bought a hard to find (in WA anyway) Yamaha Pacifica I can only agree that it is a superb guitar. Why spend 1,000's on a guitar when the Pacifica, which cost me AU$479, is excellent in every way? I especially like the P90, the ability to split the humbucker coils, the locking tuners and the special man-made nut. I play blues mainly and tend to use only the neck p/u but on the Pacifica I use mainly the combined middle setting which gives a Blues sound I really like.
PRS S2 series. Everyone knows the SE's, wood library, and the CE24, but the S2's are always overlooked. I have an S2 and it's my fav. INCREDIBLE guitars.
G&L - Yep, I have an ASAT TELE in my collection and love it. More versatile over the Fender BUT if its the Tele twang you're looking for, maybe a Fender Tele is still your best bet.
In the backroom at G&L, I replaced the bridge pickup with Leo's humbucker. I split the pickup so I could control each one as a single coil. It had anditional switch to control the tone of the bridge pickup. It was a 3way: 1 single coil, 2 humbucker 3 single coil with a bass-boost. It was not put in production as Lep died. Read my reply to Matty B.
I just placed an order for my third Reverend, a Jetstream 390. I already own an Airsonic RA and a Mercalli 5 FM bass. Both feel and sound absolutely great to me. I found the Airsonic in a local shop, plugged it in, gave it one strum, and my jaw dropped. I was taken totally by surprise. I can think of only one or two other guitars that have elicited such a strong initial (positive) reaction from me. On top of it all, Reverends look terrific and, as you said in the video, *unique*. I used to dream of owning a PRS Custom one day. But knowing I could buy 5, 6, or 7 bad-ass Reverends for the same price-well, it's hard to look back.
REVEREND GUITARS - Shane, I own 3 of them and have to say that the build quality of the older models "feel" better than the newer ones. HOWEVER, PRICE WISE this doesn't seem to matter because Reverend guitars hold their value and most times increase in value BETTER THAN ANY Asian made guitar on the market. I am a hobbyist collector and buy & sell about a half dozen guitar and amps a year for the last 15 yrs and amazed that I can get double the price for any Reverend I own. I have a Flatroc, Club King, and Buckshot. My favorite is my Club King with the RevTron pups. That one is not for sale - a real keeper.
I have a 390 and Old Gil Parris and while I really like them at the price I paid @ $550 back in the day I can't see the price north of 1K from retailers today. Back when I got the GP I was able to get Joe Naylor to sign the headstock.
My vote goes to Carvin. They made some really fantastic guitars and at great prices for what were essentially semi-custom instruments. I have a beautiful koa-topped DC127 and it's one of my favorite guitars I ever owned. The quality is great, and the playabilityand tone are just as good.
Vintage BC Rich. They were far ahead of their time. I'm mostly a bassist and I picked up a 1980 BC Rich Eagle bass for the best deal you can imagine. Insanely well built and versatile.
Thanks for the reviews Shane! I have been playing for 50+ years just to say I really have played many guitars. One of the most underrated guitars to me are the Korean made Brian Moore guitars. They are really wonderful instruments with great tone, finish and playability. I have had many Strats over the years , but recently purchased a G&L S500...WOW, it's like a super Strat. The quality and tone are head and shoulders over any Strat I have ever owned.
I own a USA made 2000 G&L ASAT Classic semi hollow body and I couldn't agree with you more about this brand being underrated. FYI, I am now subscribed to your channel but, have been enjoying your videos for awhile now. Keep up the good work!!! Happy New Year!
Shijie guitars from China, custom shop quality at a price of under 1k. Basically are Suhr and Fender style guitars with stainless steel frets and everything you want to put it in.
Great list of under appreciated guitar brands!!! As much of a Fender/Gibson fanboy I’ve been, some of these brands would definitely be a great choice for my next guitar. The Vola Vasti is perhaps the one model I would buy over a Fender Telecaster 🤭😯😲!!! Yes I said it! Something about it’s shape and the tones just makes it a better option for me. The PureSalem Mendiola is another great Tele alternative. There’s nothing wrong with something outside of the normal guitar shapes we all have seen over the years and I must thank you Shane for opening my eyes to these quiet gems!😁😁 Cheers!!🎸👍🏾👏🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾
My Reverend Club King is awesome, bought it in May and its like my perfect non-Strat companion. Been playing for 26 years and I’m a Strat guy, I’ve owned and sold many guitars and still have three custom Strats other guitars have came and went but the Club King 290 is like all the best parts of other guitars I’ve played rolled into one killer instrument. So versatile, immaculately finished and setup out of the box, stays in tune for days on end even with lots of use of the Bigsby. The 25.5in scale made it really easy for me to adapt to. It’s a keeper. I’ll be buying more Reverend guitars in the future, finances allowing.
Went to a big music store and played every offset guitar in the shop. Reverend's 390 Jetstream blew them away for tone, variety of tone, quality, and playability. Traded in my new Guild electric. The Jetstream is now my second most-played guitar. Really high quality. A workman's guitar at a decent price.
@@WebbChannel1 purchased both my Revs new in the last 6 years, no problems with fit and finish, although I have heard the older ones were constructed completely different and were very good
Great video Shane. It may sound stupid to mention, but I think Gretsch are underrated! It's not all rockabilly & country; "Won't Get Fooled Again"? Also, I'd take a Duo - Jet over a Les Paul Standard. My opinion of course.
I think the Samick brand is really good and totally underrated! The old 90s strat I have has really great pickups and a real rosewood neck, and I bought it for $12 and out about $100 into it for new bridge and tuners. I believe Samick manufactured for epiphone and squier and well as a bunch of other brands too. I have the cheapest model they make but it still sounds great, and I’ve played a couple higher end ones and they are also fantastic for the price
I like mine as well. I just got a late nineties silvertone by samick single cut style, in near mint with the plastic still on the covers and pickgaurd for 70 bucks on ny auctioneer buddys auction. Sat in a ladies finished basement for years in a hard case. Some new strings, rounded the fret ends, polished the frets, and setup my action, conditioned the fretboard, it sounds and plays great! Also scored a vintage peavey bandit 112 red stripe (made in USA) for 85 bucks as well! Little much for my bedroom though...Sike! ! Psych for all you douchebags. Happy jammin on a budget, be safe.
@@grinningintheirface2685 Now we have all wondered WTH that meant, ever since we heard Eddie Murphy use it in Delirious! NEVER translated to our Antipodean senses of humour!
Aria have made great instruments for decades and across the price spectrum. The Japanese models are very good and the budget models have always delivered, especially for the money.
I use my Eastman T184 mx with custom Lollar imperials regular on my youtube channel for covers. And it does not only look awesome they also play and sound awesome. One of the best guitars in my collection.
From Leo: Good reminder that Fender and Gibson are not the only brands with credibility. I have several G&L's, bought used at a great price. Great guitars. A "name" on the headstock has no value to me, and I am far past paying extra for it. The guitar needs to speak for itself. The G&L's speak feel, fit and sound loud and clear.
@@ratatatuff YOU ARE SOOO RIGHT !! Gibson should be EMBARRASSED with their EPI Acoustics. I wanted a lower priced model as a knock around guitar to take on trips or just noodling outside on my deck . NO LIE - Had to send back THREE (3) of them. In the end I lost patience and went to a entry level FENDER and loved the quality and tone for the money.
@@SteveBurke03181962 Love my Asat - the only - only change I would make is in the aesthetics. They left the head-stock a raw, pale, maple - A nice honey tint would have been appreciated - really sticks out. Everything else good, real good :)
G was George Fullerton and L was Leo Fender. They are real Fenders. I have an ASAT. They started Music Man as well. Godin guitars are one of the best values out there, acoustic or Electric. Having government subsidies helps with its pricing.
Hi Shane great video. I almost bought a Reverend but I watched your video on guitars that don’t hold their value. Instead I followed your recommendation and purchased the Fender American Original 50s Strat. Thanks so much it’s a great guitar even though it cost twice as much. Keep up the great work.
For me, the most under-rated guitar brands out there are Vigier guitars. As someone that loves low action, my first time I ran into a Vigier from the 80’s, which was one of the very first guitars to use carbon fiber in its construction, I was, and still am, absolutely baffled as to how low the action was without buzzing. The action is impossibly low. They also have some very unique body shapes on certain models, which is another thing that I love to see from guitar makers.
Dream setup: 1 guitar, 1 amp, 1 Cabinet, 1 pedal! Line 6 USA JTV-89F, Line 6 Spider V Mk II 240w RMS Head (with 4 inch internal speakers at 40w RMS), Yamaha 2x12", Line 5 FBV3 floor controller. I have many others but my list above can literally do it all... Line 6 USA JTV-89F Guitar can be several different instruments including 12 string, Baritone, Sitar, Banjo, violin, piano, synthesizer, choir... anything you can download! Mk II Spider V amp can sound exactly like "all other" amps/cabs combinations and any effects you want, if not already inside, anything can be downloaded. The Line 6 4x12" is strained by the 200w RMS of head unit power (plus 40w RMS into built-in 4-inch speakers) so I got the Yamaha w/ mismatched “Eminence Legend1218” and “The Tonker 12" drivers, (switchable mono or stereo operation, you can choose which driver to partner with which amp). FBV3 footboard controls it all! The guitar costs more than the rest of the gear put together, and very much worth it (even if like me, you have to go with the foreign-made JTV90F Bstock, which is still my best guitar).
I just bought an Eastman T486. These are Nitro finish, with high end pickups and parts. If you want a high quality 335 style guitar, but don't want to pay Gibson or Heritage prices, check out the Eastman.
Hello! I own a Reverend Double Agent W, the W is for the Wilkinson bridge/ vibrato. Awesome guitar. Roasted maple neck with a thick rosewood fingerboard. Humbucker in the bridge, P90 in the neck. You can use the bass roll-off or put the volume on 8. Many tones. Locking tuners, 12" radius fingerboard.
@intheblues. So weird to see myself on your video! That was actually at the Lucky Horseshoe in August 2017. I think it was called Skip’s Tavern before. That Fender amp is underrated. It’s super super loud and sounds great.
15:25 The low key comedy highlight of this video! Love the smoke casually drifting in during the epic guitar solo. My vote goes to Cort guitars. Not only do they make nice guitars with their own brand name on the headstock, they seem to make guitars for almost all the big name brands as well, which is a sure sign they know what they are doing. PRS have actually shifted their SE production to these guys and Squires are built by them too. Indonesia is still a cheap place for manufacturing guitars but Korea now, not so much. That is why the Reverend guitars may seem overpriced, but Korea is now a highly developed country with the wages that go along with that. This forced PRS to either put prices up or look elsewhere for their SE line guitars manufacture, & they went with Cort.
I have to say Shane, the content had really great info, but it your videos look freaking fantastic! Like the production has a more professional look than whats on TV right now!
For some unknown reason GC and MF put G&L Tributes on sale pretty often and I've bought three: an ASAT Special, an ASAT Classic and a Legacy and all are fantastic and way better than anything else for the money. As good overall (fit and finish, playability, sound) as my MIM Strat and in some ways superior for half the money. The ASAT Special, especially, deserves a look from anyone wanting a hot rod Tele; the MFD pickups are some of the best in any guitar at any price, period. And the rest of the guitar is top-notch also! Can't say enough great things about G&L, everyone should try one!
Hey , I am a Sarasota native and have lived here my whole life ! I dont remember a place called Jerrys lefties guitars.... I must have missed that one. We had Thoroughbred Music,Troll Music in Venice and a bunch of pawn shops that sold guitars. I was surprised to hear you mention Sarasota but we do have a few famous rockers here like Bryan Johnson and Joe Perry.
I’ll nominate the Vox Virage DC. Made in Japan, it’s pretty expensive but beautiful and unique in many ways. I would not think of parting with mine. Thanks for the interesting video. 👍
Great reviews. - I think an underrated guitar are Godin guitars from Canada. I own a strat style with 2 humbuckers and a single coil. I also have a twangy 12 string. Both are great guitars. Mark Greene, Arizona, USA.
Hey Shane I love your videos. My suggestion for underrated guitars is the Peavey JF2 EX. It’s a sparkle top 335 style with very distinctive styled eff holes and mini humbuckers in the neck and bridge. It’s got one of the nicest necks I’ve played and the tone is very very versatile, from crunchy rock all the way up to really smooth jazz. I think that you could actually find quite a few Peavey guitars that would fit the underrated category, although most are vintage now.
yeah, Pacifica... I got a Pac 412 back in 1998 from my parents when I started playing, and I always liked it. Then I didn't touch an electric guitars for some years (I was more into acoustics), but due to corona lockdown I decided to start again. As a christmas present for myself I ordered a new Fender American Professional II. A great guitar! But... well, what should I say... after some days of testing and comparing, I sent it back, got my Yamaha Pacifica new pickups, and haven't looked back since.
I wish I bought a Reverend when I first heard of them in the late 90's when they were still made in the USA . That Gristle master is a cool guitar either way , gotta love Mr Gregory Kochery 😊👍
There is at least one Yamaha Pacifica model with 2 great sounding HBs. It's the Tele style ash-body, Mike Stern signature. I acquired one (15 yrs ago) in a trade with a band-mate who convincingly covered all kinds of classic rock with it. To boot, it's the slightly cheaper consumer market version. 20+ years old, original tuners, pups, bridge, nut. It plays great, feels solid, and really rocks. Can't go wrong with Yamaha. Anything they make. Over the years, everyone loves playing my little 1980 Yammy FG331 acoustic ($110 new). I did set it up really good though.
My first electric guitar is an Epiphone LP Special ii from 2016. They are 100% worth upgrading the tuners on, but it's done me quite well over the few years I've had it. It actually drew me over to guitar from bass, and helped me understand a lot more about music over time.
I have a G&L ASAT Tribute Tele with MFD pups. Everything about this guitar is perfect. The pups scream, neck is fast, beautiful color (burnt orange). Also, thanks for suggesting the Epi LP II. I've past them up before. Not again!
I've had a G&L ASAT with MFD pickups since the mid 90's and I absolutely love it. This coming from a guy who could never find a Fender that I'd want to own. The ASAT is a keeper. All the little issues I had with Fender T style guitars were fixed by Leo Fender and George Fullerton. Another great guitar manufacturer is Godin Guitars. They have a huge range of instruments... something for everyone at different price points. Don't forget Godin's other family of brands from Richmond, Art & Lutherie, Seagull and a few others. Great instruments brought to you from Robert Godin, all started in Québec Canada. Worth checking out.
@@shanewalton8888 I would disagree about the hype, they spend almost no money on advertising.They hardly have any famous signature artists, and since they sell direct to customers they are absent from BiG BoX stores and their promotional efforts and quotas, which really hurts in the hype department.
Schecters are everywhere, and have many popular endorsees (Synyster Gates etc). And half metal bignames are/have been ESP endorsed. Dave Murray of Iron Maiden is hardly unknown, for instance, and have used ESP since forever. Kiesel inherited Carvin's guitar line, which have been pro material since the 80's. That can't be considered "underrated", but perhaps "unknown", since they've always been priced as the pro gear they were/arguably are.
I bought a Vox guitar that had pickups that went from P-90's to twin rail Humbuckers with a flip of a switch. Mahogany neck thru body with bellied gold top. I played it more than my Strat, S-G, LTD., or anything else. I also bought a used Stellar ES-335 copy from a guy who upgraded the nut , bridge and pick gaurd of all things and I really like it. They're about $200 brand new but I. Payed $220 because of the upgrades and the case he bought to go with it.
3 bolt S-500s are great. Very hard to find them now though in excellent condition - most have had several refrets by now simply because people love playing them
Bill, your comments were really interesting. Those Leo signed G&Ls sound like truly special instruments. My S-500 doesn’t have a golden signature but, to me, it’s still exceptional.
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I knew G&L would be on this list. I'm glad to see where they are on the list. They are CRAZY underrated.
Took the words right off my keyboard. I think everything Leo didn't like about his work on his Fenders and Music Man guitars & basses he perfected at G&L. Especially the bridges. Massive.
Matty I own 5 G&L's with Leo's gold signature. They are professional instruments. They are tight due to they use the metric system. They were built by a small crew. Each one what 5x checked .They were setup and intonated.when they left the factory. Most guitars were sold to shops in Japan. G&L used the metric system than the Imperial system. What that means everything was more precise. When G&L arrived in Japan, they did not need to do a setup and it was in tune. So you own one?
@@billbermudez9456 yes, I have a left handed Asat Classic tribute. Looks like a telie but Sooooooooo not a telie. Even better.
@Space Monkey mine is indonesian. I don't have any problems with it. Plays better than a $1,300 American Fender Custom Telecaster
Yamaha Revstar RS502T (the P90 model). Absolutely fantastic quality and tone.
I own a '77 Gibson Les Paul and 4 G&Ls. G&Ls are like getting a Fender custom shop guitar at half the price. Buy one used at $800-$1000 and it's like getting a $2000+ guitar. Good analysis.
An another underrated guitar brand is Godin guitars
Do you mean the wildly-popular, extremely highly-rated Godin guitars, or some other Godin brand that is actually underrated?
@@fdfsdfsvsfgsg4888 I think the word underrated is overrated.
@@fdfsdfsvsfgsg4888 I think when it comes to electric guitars I wouldn't call Godin wildly popular
@@fdfsdfsvsfgsg4888 I wouldn't call godin "wildly-popular".
Did they ever re-issue the radiator?
I pretty much only play sevens now, but that is a guitar I'd put in my stable. Even though they weren't very expensive when new, I was broke when they were being sold, so I never ended up getting one.
Hi Shane great vid, I personally believe that Godin is a brand that deserves much more appreciation in the guitar world.
I owned several Godins and Seagulls. They are no bueno. Really dull sounding with poor playability.
Reverend FTW. Their Eastsider T is my main axe and I also own a double agent og. Love both. Super fun and inspiring to play.
Gordon Smith guitars are made and assembled in England with hand wound pickups that are also done here in England. Any finish/equipment/mod is accommodates by prior arrangement and they sound AMAZING. I once borrowed a GS model from a mate for a week or so back in the days before the company changed ownership and the quality was a litttle more variable. Now they’ve gone into ownership with Auden acoustics the quality is superb abs they’ve still got the character that made them a very very popular instrument with discerning pros in the seventies and early 80s. Hope Shane can find time or / dollars to buy one.
They start at around £700gbp and go right up to well over £2k if you go daft with the finish.
One of my oldest friends has owned a G&S guitar since the mid 80s ; it supplanted his '67 SG and was his sole gigging guitar for over a decade that his band was touring . It needs a refret but he loves it nearly as much as his wife 😃
I had an Epiphone les paul special years ago, crummy tuners, but it played great and I absolutely loved it, so wish I still had it!
NOT a real 'Special'! LP Specials, SC or DC have P90 pick ups, not hum bucker types.
The new ones have lower end grover machine heads that are quit good. You can get them with P90's or Humbuckers. Blues On....💙
I Still have my 86 epiphone. Sold my Gibby custom and gibby standard because the epi sounds and plays better.
@@DMSProduktions I bought a Vox guitar from Guitar Center over a decade ago that's shaped alot like an LP and has pickups that go from a P-90 to twin rail Humbuckers with a flip pf the switch. I played it more than my Strat, S-G, LTD, or anything else. It has a mahogany neck thru body with bellied gold top. No pick gaurd. I loved it from first sight. 😊
@@tonyfedor9052 I have played the DC versions of them and quite liked them! The pick ups were interesting too!
For me, G&L is a secret that some folks just dont get-they make great guitars, even the Tribute series made in Indonesia which can stand up to MIM Fenders and are significantly cheaper than MIM Fenders at least here in US (max street price of G&L Tribute guitar here in US is about $550 wheras MIM Fender starts at $600 -700 and goes up to $1K) And the American made G&Ls are an even greater bargain in comparison to Fender American Pro or Ultra-especially if you buy used. So the fact that G&L has a perplexingly lower resale value-and this is a double edged sword-but it works in your favor if you find one you love and plan to keep!!! My budget doesnt allow me to collect American G&Ls but I have several G&L Tributes that I will be keeping long term-and some of them I bought used/NOS from Reverb for less than $400-compare that to used MIM Fender Teles which people are asking $500+ in used comdition on Reverb-often with numerous cosmetic damages (sorry, not into reliced guitars personnally)-and even 20 years old-from a time when MIM Fenders were not as consistently good in quality as they are now. And as for the G&L headstocks-I like em-kinda similar to Fender but with their own vibe-G&L pickups are solid to great (esp the MFD and Z coils!) and Leo’s more modern bridges are cool and usually more comfortable to play. So try out a G&L-buy a Tribute if you can’t find one locally to try in person-to try out the pickups and hardware and get your feet wet, esp if an American G&L is kinda outa your budget-then save up and buy a used American G&L on Reverb if you enjoy the Tribute. By the way-today (Thurs Aug 13) is International Left’s day-shout out and Happy Southpaw day to you Shane!!!! Keep up the great work on your channel and thanks for all you do to educate and inform us!!!
I see people spending mad money on Fenders and I’m just like... but G&L...🤷🏽♂️. They also have so many more options!
Played a few Indonesian guitars. All great. Rank them second behind Korea.
Read my reply to Matty B
Personally I'd rather have a G&L Tribute than a Fender Player Series. I've been extremely disappointed with the fretwork on the Player Series guitars recently.
G&L guitars are pure gems. Feel, tone, the whole package.
Let the church say amen! 🙌🏻 It's the ultimate guitar. Leo went out with a bang that's for sure. G&L is his under appreciated gift to the world
Was thinking about them during the whole video. The G&L Comanche is my dream guitar!
Read my comments to A.W. adn & Matty B. I also posted my comments.
Small correction:
Most of the PRS SE line is now made by Cor-Tek (Cort) in Indonesia rather than World Music in Korea. I believe some might still be made in Korea but they are being phased out.
Koreans wanted to be paid living wages so PRS couldn't have that. lol
I play a Musicman Albert Lee and I love this guitar. The neck is just amazing. The shape is not everyone's cup of tea, but I think they look great.
Read my comments about Music Man
I bought an Eastman T185 Mx Bd late last year and fell in love with it immediately. After having done more study on the company, a became a true fan of the Eastman brand. My second Eastman purchase was the T484. This is the guitar I’m playing the most right now. It gives me the tone I’ve been coveting ever since I started studying Jazz. I love the guitar but now want replace my Epiphone Dot with the T486. I considered the Sheraton II pro but couldn’t pass on the price I paid for the T486. It’s in shipping at the time of this post. Yes, I’m a converted Eastman fan boy.
When I got my first holiday job, I saved all the money to buy the Epiphone Les Paul Special 2 - was the first guitar I personally bought with my own money! Lovely guitar :)
I had a special ii, I hated jt after a while, never stayed in tune and tbe pickups always had problems
I have four Reverend Guitars, and I play three of 'em more than I do my PRS Custom 24. Two of 'em have whammy bars, one a Bigsby and the other a Wilkinson, and I really have to go out of my way to knock any of 'em out of tune! The bass contour knob is basically a tone control done right, and I've used it in the last four years (when I first purchased my first Reverend) more than any tone control on any guitar I've had for the last 35 years! I already have my eye on my fifth Reverend. They're creepin' up in price for new ones, but you can still get them used for a good price! Great guitars!
Glad to see the Eastman make the list. I have a T64. Incredible build, sound, and feel. Definitely competes with guitars three times the cost. And they are beautiful.
I worked for G&L from 1980-1982 Great Finishing Department in Fullerton,Ca.
I have a Mexican '72 Telecaster Deluxe that I bought used for $400 and it is fantastic. Two humbuckers- Articulate, sweet, plays great, holds tuning, Still can't decide if it is ugly. Black pickguard on a brown body. Bummed I missed Shane performing live in America.
It's a reissue
My MIM 72 Tele Deluxe is not only my number 1, but the least expensive guitar I own.... by a huge margin!
Reverend's are amazing, I have a Jetstream HB best guitar I've ever had.
Nice video Shane! I’m glad you included MusicMan guitars. They’re completely underrated and I’m not sure why. I own the aforementioned Axis Sport, a Super Sport, Mariposa, Valentine and even one of their sub brand Sterling Valentine guitars (chambered). Really great guitars IMO.
Love my Reverend Jetstream 390 it's quickly become my #1 guitar! 3 p90s w strat style controls and the bass contour, you can get endless tones along the whole spectrum. Also dig their designs and color choices. For me they hit that perfect balance of looking classic but at the same time new and different! Excellent brand especially for the price!
I have a JS 390 as well. Great tones and options. I find it a little heavy tho.
I’ll be adding a Reverend to my collection someday. I also have two Ibanez Prestige’s and they are fantastic. I would never replace the pickups. You’re right, they sound amazing.
I have a Burns Steer Cutaway , the look maybe not for everybody, but sounds and plays fantastic.
The best les Paul I've ever owned is a epiphone les Paul vintage edition. It is a bolt on neck but has the best sustain out of any of the guitars I've had, including American les Paul standards. Maybe I just got lucky.
Everytime I see a A/B on TH-cam between a Gibson lp standard and an Episode LP STANDARD, the Epi had more sustain
A couple of brands that I think are under rated are dangelico, godin and michael kelly.
I fully agree with you on the D'Angelico. Need to add one to my collection. I don't have experience with the other 2 brands.
Godin definitely. Never played a bad one, even in low-mid price ranges.
Godin should be on this list...quality at a reasonable price. I bought a like new Session plus on Craigslist for $400. The neck feels so good on that guitar and it has quality components and pickups.
@@JimmyRadloff Yeah, that neck on sessions feels so premium...
Godin indeed
Let me speak about Yamaha Pacificas: I've been playing for about 5 years, got 4 electric guitars (some over a grand) and the Pacifica is the cheapest of them all. A model 112V with alnico pups. I was recently thinking of getting an actual Fender HSS and tried to justify it because its going to be better/have better parts/costs more therefore better, etc. But after checking them out and trying to find any reason why the Pacifica is terrible I could not.
It's an amazing guitar, so versatile in sound, the neck is so smooth and fast, the electronics work perfectly, the pups are so versatile too and have a quality tone, the bridge (usually a weak point on cheaper guitars) is solid and doesn't hurt tuning at all and the tuning pegs stay put (I like bending strings a lot too).
Really, if you're a beginner or even intermediate the Pacifica 112 with alnicos is just amazing. Even if you want to mod eventually, the basics on this is guitar are so solid that it would be an amazing investment. Please don't think its rubbish because its cheap in price.
I am a drummer with a hybrid Spain set, Pearl Master series, Yamaha Oak Custom and Stage custom. In the drumming world some people do not see Tama Pearl or DW they think it stinks. Others know Yamaha build quality. I am looking at a 612 Pacifica with Seymour Duncan pickups.
Thumbs up for Reverend. I really want to get one from them someday.
My favorite electric is an Epiphone Les Paul Junior with a humbucker. You can find them used for less than a hundred bucks pretty regularly. It should be a piece of crap but it’s honestly a really good guitar. The pickup was actually really good sounding and the tuners, despite looking like your average garbage Epiphone tuners, actually stay in tune rather well. I’ve honestly thought about buying several more of these many times.
Absolutely agree. I picked up one of these for AUD80 and it plays really nicely and stays in tune.
My Epi Special LP Jr gets more play time than the Gibsons in the fleet. Just a lot of fun. Some of them have poor fretwork but after touching that up they play easy, weigh half a Gibson LP and get just as great of tones. ... these will be collector items ;) the replacement models in 2020 are minimum $400 new.
What a great video. I bought a Michael Kelly T style guitar a few years ago and was really impressed with how much guitar I got for the price. I think their other models are very lacking in quality control but their T style axes are great (your mileage may vary, lol).
Traded my fender for a G&L 35 years ago. I still play G&L to this day. Thank you for sharing. Stay safe and be blessed
DeArmond Starfire IV is mostly underrated, some know, but definitely undervalued. I think the build quality from Korea is fab, and the pickups are legendary USA DeArmond Gold Tone hb. Owned one in early 2000's paid 280 for it on ebay, then later sold it. Then had to get one again because I knew selling the old one was a mistake I had to rectify. Found one last year for 700 to restore the harmonic balance. I totally agree that godin and pacifica are highly underrated.
Since I saw my exact Reverend model in the picture I had to watch!
I can't recommend Eastman guitars highly enough for the money.
I just recently picked up the t64v casino/es330 type, with bigsby & lollar p90s. It just rings like a bell. Shudder to think an equivalent gibson would cost!
Just when I thought my gas was under control, damn you Shane!! ;)
I’m glad you put Eastman in the group Shane. I bought one of their thin lines after seeing them at the Melbourne Guitar show a couple of years ago. Just magnificent guitars. Cost me less than $1300. High quality and fair prices what more could you want.
That's good to know that you're still pleased with it . I was very tempted at one point to buy a T58-V as although it's not a cheap guitar at £2100 British money, it is such a magnificent Gretsch type to the point where this would be a £5000+ Gretsch custom shop order . As Eastman's are made in China , I've been curious to know how they play years down the line and if the quality is just cosmetic.
Shaun W they are really high quality mate. Totally handmade as I understand it with no cnc machines. Yes made in China but not in the Chibson type factories. Also top flight electronics etc. If you get a chance to pick one up you won’t regret it.
Hi, nice video!
I bought a Fender Heartfield rr9 crt by "accident", set neck, mahogany body, mahogany neck, rosewood
fretboard (dalbergia latifolia), dot inlays, 22x frets, 648mm scale, 2x active humbucker, 1x volume, 1x tone, 3-way
blade switch, american delxue tremolo, nickel hardware, color, made in Japan, and it even came with a Fender hardcase. Great guitar in my opinion sounds and plays fantastic. Price range maybe like the more expensive Epiphones.
I also had a G & L ASAT Classic Tribute and totally agree with all your comments re the neck and overall quality of the guitar, especially when compared to a comparable Fenders. When I ended up trading it in I was hammered by the dealer who repeated your comments that the punters are only looking for “Fenders and Squiers”. These guitars in my opinion are highly recommeded as keepers and I regret to this day parting with mine.
David you made me cry. Check out my comments to A.W. and Matty B. I also have my own comments.
Bill Bermudez Hi Bill - I appreciate your feedback and insight especially the use of metric measurements. Coming from the UK it always seems odd that the US persists with imperial but I guess to change the whole country over would be a very big deal - it was in the UK but you eventually get used to it.
I had forgotten that I have a G & L Doheny Tribute in my collection - ironically I bought it because I could not get the Jazzmaster I was looking for! While it looks like a JM it has its own sound , the great G & L tone controls and build quality. I won’t make the same mistake again - unless I fall on hard time’s! All the best Bill.
Having just bought a hard to find (in WA anyway) Yamaha Pacifica I can only agree that it is a superb guitar. Why spend 1,000's on a guitar when the Pacifica, which cost me AU$479, is excellent in every way? I especially like the P90, the ability to split the humbucker coils, the locking tuners and the special man-made nut. I play blues mainly and tend to use only the neck p/u but on the Pacifica I use mainly the combined middle setting which gives a Blues sound I really like.
PRS S2 series. Everyone knows the SE's, wood library, and the CE24, but the S2's are always overlooked. I have an S2 and it's my fav. INCREDIBLE guitars.
These are in fact very nice guitars! The PRS Vela semi-hollow is also fantastic.
G&L - Yep, I have an ASAT TELE in my collection and love it. More versatile over the Fender BUT if its the Tele twang you're looking for, maybe a Fender Tele is still your best bet.
In the backroom at G&L, I replaced the bridge pickup with Leo's humbucker. I split the pickup so I could control each one as a single coil. It had anditional switch to control the tone of the bridge pickup. It was a 3way: 1 single coil, 2 humbucker 3 single coil with a bass-boost. It was not put in production as Lep died. Read my reply to Matty B.
I just placed an order for my third Reverend, a Jetstream 390. I already own an Airsonic RA and a Mercalli 5 FM bass. Both feel and sound absolutely great to me. I found the Airsonic in a local shop, plugged it in, gave it one strum, and my jaw dropped. I was taken totally by surprise. I can think of only one or two other guitars that have elicited such a strong initial (positive) reaction from me. On top of it all, Reverends look terrific and, as you said in the video, *unique*. I used to dream of owning a PRS Custom one day. But knowing I could buy 5, 6, or 7 bad-ass Reverends for the same price-well, it's hard to look back.
REVEREND GUITARS - Shane, I own 3 of them and have to say that the build quality of the older models "feel" better than the newer ones. HOWEVER, PRICE WISE this doesn't seem to matter because Reverend guitars hold their value and most times increase in value BETTER THAN ANY Asian made guitar on the market. I am a hobbyist collector and buy & sell about a half dozen guitar and amps a year for the last 15 yrs and amazed that I can get double the price for any Reverend I own. I have a Flatroc, Club King, and Buckshot. My favorite is my Club King with the RevTron pups. That one is not for sale - a real keeper.
I have an 2007 roundhouse probably best guitar i have ever owned
Sensei 290 I have is killer...it hangs with my American made Strat..Tele and Paul any day.
I’m really wanting a reverend Baritone Descent looks amazing just hard to track down where I am.
I have a 390 and Old Gil Parris and while I really like them at the price I paid @ $550 back in the day I can't see the price north of 1K from retailers today. Back when I got the GP I was able to get Joe Naylor to sign the headstock.
Tricky, Manta Ray, Club King, Sensei & a brand new Jetstream RB. I HEAR YA!
My vote goes to Carvin. They made some really fantastic guitars and at great prices for what were essentially semi-custom instruments. I have a beautiful koa-topped DC127 and it's one of my favorite guitars I ever owned. The quality is great, and the playabilityand tone are just as good.
Vintage BC Rich. They were far ahead of their time. I'm mostly a bassist and I picked up a 1980 BC Rich Eagle bass for the best deal you can imagine. Insanely well built and versatile.
Thanks for the reviews Shane! I have been playing for 50+ years just to say I really have played many guitars. One of the most underrated guitars to me are the Korean made Brian Moore guitars. They are really wonderful instruments with great tone, finish and playability. I have had many Strats over the years , but recently purchased a G&L S500...WOW, it's like a super Strat. The quality and tone are head and shoulders over any Strat I have ever owned.
I own a USA made 2000 G&L ASAT Classic semi hollow body and I couldn't agree with you more about this brand being underrated. FYI, I am now subscribed to your channel but, have been enjoying your videos for awhile now. Keep up the good work!!! Happy New Year!
I love the PS body shape so much
Hey Shane, here's a couple of guitars you may have missed. Burns, Guild, D'angelico
Shijie guitars from China, custom shop quality at a price of under 1k. Basically are Suhr and Fender style guitars with stainless steel frets and everything you want to put it in.
Mines stunning 😊
Great list of under appreciated guitar brands!!! As much of a Fender/Gibson fanboy I’ve been, some of these brands would definitely be a great choice for my next guitar. The Vola Vasti is perhaps the one model I would buy over a Fender Telecaster 🤭😯😲!!! Yes I said it! Something about it’s shape and the tones just makes it a better option for me. The PureSalem Mendiola is another great Tele alternative. There’s nothing wrong with something outside of the normal guitar shapes we all have seen over the years and I must thank you Shane for opening my eyes to these quiet gems!😁😁 Cheers!!🎸👍🏾👏🏾🤙🏾🤙🏾
My G&L Legacy is the nicest strat ive ever played! the neck is SUPERB!
S-500 I redesigned it with hotter pickups. See my comments to A. W. & Matty B.
My Reverend Club King is awesome, bought it in May and its like my perfect non-Strat companion. Been playing for 26 years and I’m a Strat guy, I’ve owned and sold many guitars and still have three custom Strats other guitars have came and went but the Club King 290 is like all the best parts of other guitars I’ve played rolled into one killer instrument. So versatile, immaculately finished and setup out of the box, stays in tune for days on end even with lots of use of the Bigsby. The 25.5in scale made it really easy for me to adapt to. It’s a keeper. I’ll be buying more Reverend guitars in the future, finances allowing.
Went to a big music store and played every offset guitar in the shop. Reverend's 390 Jetstream blew them away for tone, variety of tone, quality, and playability. Traded in my new Guild electric. The Jetstream is now my second most-played guitar. Really high quality. A workman's guitar at a decent price.
Duesenberg and high end Cort, the former excellent design, quality and nicely different, the latter highly underated and are really nice to play.
The Cort source is amazing guitar
Shut up about Cort! I really would love for them to stay underpriced while I hoard them all.
I just bought a Cort G290 FAT and I love it. My next guitar
will be a Schecter Ultra III
Great list Shane. Glad to see Eastman on there. Speaking from personal experience, they make absolutely incredible instruments, custom shop quality.
I have 2 Reverend guitars, a Dean and a Yamaha Pacifica, all of them are great and played perfect right out of the box!
@@docamosroxie8686 they have a lot of models now, check their website and plenty of videos on youtube
30% of this video is now confirmed! :) Thanks, Mark.
intheblues I also have G&L both Fullerton and Tribute!
@@docamosroxie8686 due to build quality slightly going down on the Reverend I would buy used before buying new. Just a suggestion.
@@WebbChannel1 purchased both my Revs new in the last 6 years, no problems with fit and finish, although I have heard the older ones were constructed completely different and were very good
Great video Shane. It may sound stupid to mention, but I think Gretsch are underrated! It's not all rockabilly & country; "Won't Get Fooled Again"? Also, I'd take a Duo - Jet over a Les Paul Standard. My opinion of course.
Glad to see the Ibanez AZ series made the list, would love to see an AZ2204 on the channel as well
I would like to add Shijie to the list. Great guitars, really well made, with amazing attention to detail.
I personally own two Dean's and I absolutely love them. Both of them are at two different price points (400 & 800), but they both play amazing
Another vote for G&L being awesome. I have a HSS legacy as my main guitar for about 10 years. Have never thought of replacing it.
Read my comments to A. W. & Matty B.
I think the Samick brand is really good and totally underrated! The old 90s strat I have has really great pickups and a real rosewood neck, and I bought it for $12 and out about $100 into it for new bridge and tuners. I believe Samick manufactured for epiphone and squier and well as a bunch of other brands too. I have the cheapest model they make but it still sounds great, and I’ve played a couple higher end ones and they are also fantastic for the price
I like mine as well. I just got a late nineties silvertone by samick single cut style, in near mint with the plastic still on the covers and pickgaurd for 70 bucks on ny auctioneer buddys auction. Sat in a ladies finished basement for years in a hard case. Some new strings, rounded the fret ends, polished the frets, and setup my action, conditioned the fretboard, it sounds and plays great! Also scored a vintage peavey bandit 112 red stripe (made in USA) for 85 bucks as well! Little much for my bedroom though...Sike! ! Psych for all you douchebags. Happy jammin on a budget, be safe.
@@grinningintheirface2685 Now we have all wondered WTH that meant, ever since we heard Eddie Murphy use it in Delirious! NEVER translated to our Antipodean senses of humour!
Epi semi-hollow guitars and Masterbilt acoustics are still built at the Samick plant in Indonesia. Probably the hollowbodies as well.
Aria have made great instruments for decades and across the price spectrum. The Japanese models are very good and the budget models have always delivered, especially for the money.
I use my Eastman T184 mx with custom Lollar imperials regular on my youtube channel for covers. And it does not only look awesome they also play and sound awesome.
One of the best guitars in my collection.
Pure Salem owner is a lefty player. For that reason alone, we lefties should support it.
Great list! Definitely a lot of my favourites.... though I think after having built one from parts I don't think I'll ever go back to retail guitars.
From Leo: Good reminder that Fender and Gibson are not the only brands with credibility. I have several G&L's, bought used at a great price. Great guitars. A "name" on the headstock has no value to me, and I am far past paying extra for it. The guitar needs to speak for itself. The G&L's speak feel, fit and sound loud and clear.
yes they are
Gibson and credibility in the same sentence?
@@ratatatuff YOU ARE SOOO RIGHT !! Gibson should be EMBARRASSED with their EPI Acoustics. I wanted a lower priced model as a knock around guitar to take on trips or just noodling outside on my deck . NO LIE - Had to send back THREE (3) of them. In the end I lost patience and went to a entry level FENDER and loved the quality and tone for the money.
asat here
@@SteveBurke03181962 Love my Asat - the only - only change I would make is in the aesthetics. They left the head-stock a raw, pale, maple - A nice honey tint would have been appreciated - really sticks out. Everything else good, real good :)
G was George Fullerton and L was Leo Fender. They are real Fenders. I have an ASAT. They started Music Man as well.
Godin guitars are one of the best values out there, acoustic or Electric. Having government subsidies helps with its pricing.
Hi Shane great video. I almost bought a Reverend but I watched your video on guitars that don’t hold their value. Instead I followed your recommendation and purchased the Fender American Original 50s Strat. Thanks so much it’s a great guitar even though it cost twice as much. Keep up the great work.
For me, the most under-rated guitar brands out there are Vigier guitars. As someone that loves low action, my first time I ran into a Vigier from the 80’s, which was one of the very first guitars to use carbon fiber in its construction, I was, and still am, absolutely baffled as to how low the action was without buzzing. The action is impossibly low. They also have some very unique body shapes on certain models, which is another thing that I love to see from guitar makers.
Dream setup: 1 guitar, 1 amp, 1 Cabinet, 1 pedal! Line 6 USA JTV-89F, Line 6 Spider V Mk II 240w RMS Head (with 4 inch internal speakers at 40w RMS), Yamaha 2x12", Line 5 FBV3 floor controller. I have many others but my list above can literally do it all... Line 6 USA JTV-89F Guitar can be several different instruments including 12 string, Baritone, Sitar, Banjo, violin, piano, synthesizer, choir... anything you can download! Mk II Spider V amp can sound exactly like "all other" amps/cabs combinations and any effects you want, if not already inside, anything can be downloaded. The Line 6 4x12" is strained by the 200w RMS of head unit power (plus 40w RMS into built-in 4-inch speakers) so I got the Yamaha w/ mismatched “Eminence Legend1218” and “The Tonker 12" drivers, (switchable mono or stereo operation, you can choose which driver to partner with which amp). FBV3 footboard controls it all! The guitar costs more than the rest of the gear put together, and very much worth it (even if like me, you have to go with the foreign-made JTV90F Bstock, which is still my best guitar).
I just bought an Eastman T486. These are Nitro finish, with high end pickups and parts. If you want a high quality 335 style guitar, but don't want to pay Gibson or Heritage prices, check out the Eastman.
Hello! I own a Reverend Double Agent W, the W is for the Wilkinson bridge/ vibrato. Awesome guitar. Roasted maple neck with a thick rosewood fingerboard. Humbucker in the bridge, P90 in the neck. You can use the bass roll-off or put the volume on 8. Many tones. Locking tuners, 12" radius fingerboard.
@intheblues. So weird to see myself on your video! That was actually at the Lucky Horseshoe in August 2017. I think it was called Skip’s Tavern before. That Fender amp is underrated. It’s super super loud and sounds great.
haha! I hope you're doing well mate! :) I couldn't remember what it was called I had a feeling I got the name wrong :). Cheers mate.
My first guitar was a epiphone special II. After one or two years I have to change the 3-way switch, but other than that, it was a good instrument.
15:25 The low key comedy highlight of this video! Love the smoke casually drifting in during the epic guitar solo.
My vote goes to Cort guitars. Not only do they make nice guitars with their own brand name on the headstock, they seem to make guitars for almost all the big name brands as well, which is a sure sign they know what they are doing. PRS have actually shifted their SE production to these guys and Squires are built by them too. Indonesia is still a cheap place for manufacturing guitars but Korea now, not so much. That is why the Reverend guitars may seem overpriced, but Korea is now a highly developed country with the wages that go along with that. This forced PRS to either put prices up or look elsewhere for their SE line guitars manufacture, & they went with Cort.
I have to say Shane, the content had really great info, but it your videos look freaking fantastic! Like the production has a more professional look than whats on TV right now!
I don't know if you get them in OZ, but I would love to see you get some Michael Kellys on the channel. great vid as always :)
We get MIchael Kelly guitars in Australia. Musos Corner in Newcastle has them. Similar prices to Schecter import line.
For some unknown reason GC and MF put G&L Tributes on sale pretty often and I've bought three: an ASAT Special, an ASAT Classic and a Legacy and all are fantastic and way better than anything else for the money. As good overall (fit and finish, playability, sound) as my MIM Strat and in some ways superior for half the money. The ASAT Special, especially, deserves a look from anyone wanting a hot rod Tele; the MFD pickups are some of the best in any guitar at any price, period. And the rest of the guitar is top-notch also! Can't say enough great things about G&L, everyone should try one!
Outstanding Randall. G&L are professional instruments. Check out my comments to A.W. and Matty B. I also have my own comments.
Hey , I am a Sarasota native and have lived here my whole life ! I dont remember a place called Jerrys lefties guitars.... I must have missed that one. We had Thoroughbred Music,Troll Music in Venice and a bunch of pawn shops that sold guitars. I was surprised to hear you mention Sarasota but we do have a few famous rockers here like Bryan Johnson and Joe Perry.
Reverend Guitars =Feel Amazing, Amazing Pickups, ..yea, that bass contour, and they are just TANKS.
I’ll nominate the Vox Virage DC. Made in Japan, it’s pretty expensive but beautiful and unique in many ways. I would not think of parting with mine. Thanks for the interesting video. 👍
I learned how to play on Special II that I borrowed from my friend. It will always hold a, *ahem*, SPECIAL, place in my heart :)
Great reviews.
- I think an underrated guitar are Godin guitars from Canada. I own a strat style with 2 humbuckers and a single coil. I also have a twangy 12 string. Both are great guitars. Mark Greene, Arizona, USA.
Godin Guitars! Simply amazing and dirt cheap especially on the used market!
Bored so browsing around looking at some older stuff and this caught my attention... interesting list and great choices man..✌️🤘
Hey Shane I love your videos. My suggestion for underrated guitars is the Peavey JF2 EX. It’s a sparkle top 335 style with very distinctive styled eff holes and mini humbuckers in the neck and bridge. It’s got one of the nicest necks I’ve played and the tone is very very versatile, from crunchy rock all the way up to really smooth jazz. I think that you could actually find quite a few Peavey guitars that would fit the underrated category, although most are vintage now.
yeah, Pacifica... I got a Pac 412 back in 1998 from my parents when I started playing, and I always liked it. Then I didn't touch an electric guitars for some years (I was more into acoustics), but due to corona lockdown I decided to start again. As a christmas present for myself I ordered a new Fender American Professional II. A great guitar! But... well, what should I say... after some days of testing and comparing, I sent it back, got my Yamaha Pacifica new pickups, and haven't looked back since.
I wish I bought a Reverend when I first heard of them in the late 90's when they were still made in the USA . That Gristle master is a cool guitar either way , gotta love Mr Gregory Kochery 😊👍
There is at least one Yamaha Pacifica model with 2 great sounding HBs. It's the Tele style ash-body, Mike Stern signature. I acquired one (15 yrs ago) in a trade with a band-mate who convincingly covered all kinds of classic rock with it. To boot, it's the slightly cheaper consumer market version. 20+ years old, original tuners, pups, bridge, nut. It plays great, feels solid, and really rocks.
Can't go wrong with Yamaha. Anything they make. Over the years, everyone loves playing my little 1980 Yammy FG331 acoustic ($110 new). I did set it up really good though.
My first electric guitar is an Epiphone LP Special ii from 2016. They are 100% worth upgrading the tuners on, but it's done me quite well over the few years I've had it. It actually drew me over to guitar from bass, and helped me understand a lot more about music over time.
I have a G&L ASAT Tribute Tele with MFD pups. Everything about this guitar is perfect. The pups scream, neck is fast, beautiful color (burnt orange).
Also, thanks for suggesting the Epi LP II. I've past them up before. Not again!
Read my comments to A.W. adn & Matty B. I also posted my comments
I have a reverend crosscut, I love them.
I've had a G&L ASAT with MFD pickups since the mid 90's and I absolutely love it. This coming from a guy who could never find a Fender that I'd want to own. The ASAT is a keeper. All the little issues I had with Fender T style guitars were fixed by Leo Fender and George Fullerton. Another great guitar manufacturer is Godin Guitars. They have a huge range of instruments... something for everyone at different price points. Don't forget Godin's other family of brands from Richmond, Art & Lutherie, Seagull and a few others. Great instruments brought to you from Robert Godin, all started in Québec Canada. Worth checking out.
I have a epiphone blues hawk. I think it is the best guitar I have ever played. Great price too.
Kiesel, G&L, ESP and Schecter's, are extremely under rated!
I wouldn't say Kiesel are underrated. There is so much hype about them.
Schecters are definitely underrated guitars in Oz and hardly seen
@@shanewalton8888 I would disagree about the hype, they spend almost no money on advertising.They hardly have any famous signature artists, and since they sell direct to customers they are absent from BiG BoX stores and their promotional efforts and quotas, which really hurts in the hype department.
Esp is underrated ???? Wtf lol
Schecters are everywhere, and have many popular endorsees (Synyster Gates etc). And half metal bignames are/have been ESP endorsed. Dave Murray of Iron Maiden is hardly unknown, for instance, and have used ESP since forever.
Kiesel inherited Carvin's guitar line, which have been pro material since the 80's. That can't be considered "underrated", but perhaps "unknown", since they've always been priced as the pro gear they were/arguably are.
Two expensive brands that deliver are Collings and Xotic. One model of guitar that I feel needs more appreciation is Gibson ES-339 (I have a lefty).
I agree with the Yamaha Pacifica recommendation - just had a setup done on mine yesterday with a new set of strings - I love mine
I bought a Vox guitar that had pickups that went from P-90's to twin rail Humbuckers with a flip of a switch. Mahogany neck thru body with bellied gold top. I played it more than my Strat, S-G, LTD., or anything else. I also bought a used Stellar ES-335 copy from a guy who upgraded the nut , bridge and pick gaurd of all things and I really like it. They're about $200 brand new but I. Payed $220 because of the upgrades and the case he bought to go with it.
I bought a G&L S-500 in the eighties and it’s still one of my favorites. Truly an underrated guitar.
3 bolt S-500s are great. Very hard to find them now though in excellent condition - most have had several refrets by now simply because people love playing them
Wynn does you S-500 have Leo's gold signature? Read my comments to A.W. & Matty B. I also have my comments.
Bill, your comments were really interesting. Those Leo signed G&Ls sound like truly special instruments. My S-500 doesn’t have a golden signature but, to me, it’s still exceptional.
Great video, Shane.