Dean ML "Dime-oflage" Chinese remake, sounds pretty damn good and it was fairly reasonable just under 850. Jackson js32 king V too, it's very low priced at about 300 to 350 but for a low end guitar it's pretty rad to start on.
As a former touring musician who refused to pay for a top end guitar since I sold all of mine lol. All of the Epiphone Les Paul's are tremendous value. Even for recording purposes you can get any sound you want out of them.
IMO, basically every guitar coming from yamaha right now is incredible value for the money. Both the pacifica and revstar lines have really blown me away both in sound and looks.
Same here. Nobody has a better guitar channel. Darrell and Shane talk to the average guitarist. And it's really appreciated. This video is the perfect example of why Darrell's channel is so good. He, as does Shane, gets that most people don't have 2-3 thousand to spend on a guitar or an amp.
Got my Epi. 59' LP yesterday and cannot agree with you more! Most well spent guitar $$$ in my guitar life so far!! Excited to hear the next inspired notes that are waiting for me inside that fine instrument :) thank you for all your great content..
I am a newbie and I have learned a lot on your channel! In February, my first guitar was a new one in the sub-$200 range. I had to return it because it had a bent neck and the saddle on the high-E string kept sinking so the string was way too close to fretboard (buzz). In March, I moved up to looking in the $400-$800 range, and got a really nice used PRS Santana SE for $499 (with matching gig bag). Very similar to Paul's guitar, I found it much more playable with its 24.5" scale length, and the action and intonation are perfect. Thanks for all the help in picking a guitar!
I’m a completely beginner and I’m looking for a guitar so my questions is should I get a cheap guitar or a mid range guitar(1000-500) as a starter guitar I kinda want a mid range guitar since I don’t want to spend to much money on multiple guitar
The demos of these guitars are so pedaled-up that it's difficult to really get a true feeling for the sound of the guitar's respective pickups. But I love your channel and thank you for everything I've learned here.
I won't pretend to know how or why it comes out this way in his videos, but it's like this in every video. Every guitar sounds basically exactly the same, evey single time. I still watch and like his videos though.
@@edwardtcrump5312 Maybe there's just not much in it - or perhaps compared to how you play it, what you're playing doesn't matter as much as you might think it does. I remember years ago I joined a band with this guy who sounded fantastic and he only played really modest instruments. That made me completely re-evaluate getting a super expensive Gibson and got me to value practising more instead.
@@user-s1o3nr532 Many great guitarists would agree with you. Most guitar legends didn't care much for expensive guitars. Case in point, EVH, Brian May, and many more. It's often non-pros who are obsessed with expensive instruments. And the pros who do play high end instruments get them for free.😁
Would love a post-covid version of this video. You can't get a PRS SE Paul's under $1000 anymore. Yamaha is up $100 over what it was, PRS is over $1000 now and everything right at $999 it seems. Loved how great these all looked and sounded
I’m madly in love with my Schecter Reaper 6. It’s just about everything I want in a guitar. It’s got a string-through hardtail, swamp ash body, a comfortable ebony fingerboard, high output pickups, and completely satin. I’ve learned that a satin finish is a major deal in my picks. I’ve also never had a reverse headstock before, which made for a new playing experience for me because the tension was very different. The extra slim C neck feels like home & when I got the box & felt how light it was, I seriously thought I was being punked. This amazing guitar only went for $700 brand new. A must try
To be honest man. Most the guitars priced at 700 to 1000 simply just aren't worth it. Lots actually kind of suck. I mean of course some of them are good but I've played so many $700 duds. Anyway if you want a $1,000 guitar just buy one used. With that 500 bucks
@@beefnacos6258 What do you mean by duds? Is it about build quality? Is it playability? Sound? To me, it's kind of a snobbery saying that "lots of guitars" in the range of 700-1,000 USD aren't worth it. I find that hard to believe. You've got rather cheap Squiers and Epiphones, and others under 500 USD that sound, feel and play really well! Could it perhaps be that your personal preference is the problem? I've played lots of guitars in the 500-1,000 USD range, and many of them were really good! The PRS SE's are worth mentioning too. Gretsch have good ones also. I've played a 1,000+ USD Ibanez that I didn't like, but that's because that type of guitar didn't fit me. It's a great guitar, but it didn't feel good in my hands. I've played 2,000+ USD Les Pauls, and even though they're classics, I don't like the chunky neck, the heaviness, and the muddy bridge pickup that they tend to have sometimes. I've played a Gibson SG, but that one was too light, it almost felt flimsy. I've played the Yamaha Revstar RSP20CR, their top of the line Revstar, which I actually wanted to buy, but again, the neck was a bit too chunky for my taste, and it's also glossy, and I felt while trying it out that my hand didn't glide easily along the neck. As soon as my hand was a little moist, the neck felt a little, for lack of a better word, "sticky". It's a great guitar, and I still want it, but I'll wait to try to find one used, or get the cheaper ones 520 or 620, and see if I get used to the feel of the guitar. Yeah, so, I'm not saying that you're a snob who thinks only expensive guitars are good. It just might be that what you've been looking at guitars that don't fit you. "God knows" there are some pretty bad expensive guitars too, and yes, more expensive guitars do tend to have better build quality, but more expensive usually means made in the USA. And who's to say that American made is always better than Japanese, Korean or even Chinese made guitars, especially if they use the same type of machines in the manufacturing process? The Chinese Shijie guitars are actually handmade, and even though the Strat type of guitar they make is sub 1,000 USD, they can easily compete with the American made Fender Strats. Such specs don't come on Fenders that are twice as expensive. Although, it might be that you're after really polished frets with nicely rounded edges, and other such details that make the guitar feel expensive. But I'm protesting your opinion, that looks like you're being objective when you said that LOTS of 700-1,000 USD guitars suck, and SOME of them are good. That's simply just not true.
@@nedim_guitar I definitely agree that the statement he made about $700-1000 guitars not being worth the money isn’t really true. I would say that you can get guitars with close performance for slightly less but still that price range will have advantages
@@ethantorres4061 Look at a Suhr that goes for around 5,000 USD and an FGN or Ibanez that cost around 1,000 USD. Is the Suhr better? Very likely. Is it 4,000 USD better. Not a chance. That doesn't mean that expensive guitars aren't great, and guitars like Suhr are an important part of the market, not least because others can try to be as good for less money. But just saying that a lot of 700-1,000 USD guitars and that only some of them are good, it's just not true. Oftentimes we pay a lot for the brand too, and for the fact that the guitar is made in the USA, and there's nothing wrong with that, but like I said, money doesn't say everything about a guitar being good or bad. Guitars that cost 700-1,000 USD are not as good as guitars that cost 3,000-5,000 USD, but do they usually suck? Of course not! No one would buy them if they sucked. That sort of thinking can turn people away from really good guitars that are in their range, or make them wish for guitars they cannot afford, instead of actually playing the one they have and enjoying playing. If I had known all that I know today about guitars, quality, set-up and playability (including neck profile, and thickness, and string gauge), I would have been a much happier young man who's trying to find his way in this whole playing guitar schtick. Just that minor detail, string gauge, was a huge problem for me. I played in standard tuning with 12's. It was impossible to improve, because it was impossible to play, and no one cared to ask about strings or anything else, to help a newbie on his way. If I had had a Fender Strat custom shop with those strings, I would have hated that guitar too.
I love my LTD Eclipse Deluxe, roughly €900. I find myself playing it more than my Gibson LP lately. My friend's G&L ASAT Tribute is only around 500 but it is incredibly impressive.
Picked up my ASAT Tribute for $300 and it's the best $300 i could possibly have spent on an instrument. Gives $700 Fender Mexi-Teles a run. Gonna upgrade the pickups and still be under $600. :D
@@imdannymartins I think it's probably because few people think of them as a guitar maker because they make too much other stuff. They make the assumption that they're just a piano company using their name on every other musical instrument to make extra cash and don't them as seriously outside of the piano, drums, and live sound categories. Truth is though, nothing leaves a Yamaha factory that isn't built like a tank - at least in my experience.
Got the Yamaha 612vfm as my first electric. Same as your demo just indigo blue(actually my profile pic). Absolutely Love it! Excited to see it made the list. Thanks for the video, and congrats on 700!
Charvel literally built my dream guitar. A 24-fret Tele with all of the comfort features and Fluence Open Core Classics. Already own a Pro-Mod DK24 and can't wait to get my hands on the So-Cal Style 2.
They are awesome. I have a black one with a trem. Really good guitar, and I'm hoping Charvel continues to listen to players on social media to make further variations.
Darrell, you know why I keep looking up to your show? because the more I listen to you I learn what the intricacies of each guitar should be. I learn every time. For example when I saw your PRS SE Paul's Guitar presentation!
I picked up the Schecter Solo II Custom a few weeks ago, partly based on your review, and I have not been disappointed! I wanted a nice modern 'Les Paul' style guitar and did a lot of research before pulling the trigger. It is such a fantastic guitar - not just the feature set and the sound but it has that certain magic that just makes me want to play it. Thanks Darrell :)
I love my Guild Starfire I SC semihollow with "Guildsby" trem system, dual alnico humbuckers with true coil splits. Only $599 and just beautiful. I can get any tone I want.
I own the same Schecter Solo II Custom and is indeed lots of guitar for the money. The Fender JA-90 is also one of my favorites at just under 1K, such a fun guitar to play and those P90's sound so good.
My favorite guitar under $1,000 is the Schecter Reaper hard-tail by a long shot. It feels so. dang. good, and the pickups sound soooo crunchy with gain, but when you split the coils and add chorus, it's the most beautiful clean. It also just looks incredible with the burl top veneer.
After playing a Charvel DK24 I instantly bought it and I gotta say I will never consider a Fender ever again. It blew me away. My favorite meck and awesome value.
I'd definitely add the LTD ec-1000 to this list, at just under $1000. stales steel frets and amazing quality, to me they are unbeatable lp style guitars at that price.
Thank you Darrell, I’m sure I saw this video last year but either way when I watch your videos I chuckle because you’re enthusiastic and I know I’ll be looking for a new guitar or gear .
The PRS SE Custom 24 35th Anniversary faded blue burst is amazing. The same pickups & mini toggle switches as The SE Pauls guitar. Such a lot of guitar for your money don’t you think ? 😀 Love your channel too bud. It is fantastic. Many congrats for your 700k 👍👍
I will say that my Fender Player Strat HSS is amazing. Action is low and sounds great. I also have a PRS Custom 24 35th Anniversary that has the coil split like Paul's guitar and the trem system. I liked it better than Paul's guitar. It had many of the same features, but the trem and pattern thin neck sold me.
Lol. Called...borrow one from a buddy lol. Although, when I toured a ton I bought a used Mexican tele for $225.00 at a flea market. I took it to a guitar guru and switched out the pickups for "stacked" ones. That ended up being one of my 3 guitars that I'd use on stage.
Right now monoprice has the indio tele for $84 , that includes shipping, Amazon has Wilkinson lock tuners for $25, .....84+25=pretty darn fun and reliable ax
I got my Squier Bullet Telecaster for $150.00, and I’ve seen them on sale for $130.00. The Bullet is beyond impressive, and not just for the price - I also have an American Pro Tele, and the Bullet is not really far from it in build quality, playability, and sound.
I don't even have a reasenoble amount of dollars because I'm from Latam but I bet overall it is not that easy to get a nice built guitar in that price range
Yeah! I agree with almost everything, just missed an option for a semi-acoustic electrical guitar on the list. I do have an 84 American Fender Telecaster, a brand new Squier HSS Strato, a semi-acoustic Ibanez AK100, an electrical/acoustic steel mini jumbo Ibanez, an acoustic nylon Giannini Sevilla made in Brazil and just bought a new toy for my arsenal that I appreciate very much, a Squier Starcaster with two humbucking pick-ups that impressed me very well.
Had a 611 and 612...loved the sound...couldn't get used to the neck....decided to build a pickguard for one of my Strats with the SSL1's and the Trembucker...best of both worlds
Thanks for this video, Darrell. Your picks are all excellent! 👍👍👍 It is truly amazing to see and hear what you can get in the higher end budget model category. I'm looking forward to hearing about the models under $500. I'm hoping to see you review the AIO Wolf guitars someday. 👍💖🎸😎
Sitting here enjoy your content (always) and thought to myself "he did $1,000+ and now under 1k....wish he would do too 5 budget" and the as thrilled at the end when you announced the $500 video!!!....killer content, this channel is always a joy!
I got to try out the new sterling ct50 hss. For 500 bucks it's the best guitar available imo. Locking tuners roasted maple. And they feel super solid quality wise. I was very pleasantly surprised by them.
I love Paul Reed Smith Guitars but I play a Ibanez. I just put 2 Seymour Duncan humbucker pick-ups in it. It's not like the other Ibanez. Metal bridge and 4 knobs. It sounds pretty good and with a cry baby panel. I don't need a whammy bar!!!
Have a Yamaha 611HFM and love it. My schecter sun valley super shredder frs is great too at under $1000. Have a Godin Summit Classic P90, and Hagstrom Nothen Swede under $1k too that are awesome.
Schecters have gone up about €300 across the board. Was going to buy one but unfortunately the resale/2nd hand value was already poor here before the price hike so now they're just a bad investment brand new. Hope to find one used. PRS Paul's guitar are gone up about 250-300 too but better resale value at least. Depressing market right now!
I have that exact Schecter Solo ii Custom in the same black satin finish. Amazing guitar for the money. Plays and sounds great, and looks stunning. Love it!
Love the channel, please review a Keisel ! I bought an Ibanez $500 7 string, RD, blue poplar top and it the fastest playing neck and it just chugs so well ! I can’t believe it’s only $500.
‘59 Les Paul and 335 inspired by Gibson are both superb instruments for under $1000. I would add the Epi Hummingbird Inspired by Gibson acoustic. Epi is killing it under the new ownership at Gibson 👍🏻
Good stuff Darrell! My very first electric was a Pacifica waaayyyy back in 1994! I still have her! I've been researching and obsessing over see-through crimson strats, but your review on the 612 has me thinking... That fire red looks and sounds pretty sweet...
Solid list Darrell. Stoked to see Charvel on here. The PRO-Mod’s really are superb. Only other guitar that came to mind is the Chapman ML1 Pro Traditional, which is an exceptional piece of wood for the money.
DB, thanks for interesting video! I think it is possible to expand this chart up to 8-12 guitars. Please, think of making chart of guitars under 1,500 bucks, then under two grand, three grand etc
Love your reviews Darry! I wish you would make one on lefthanded guitars (which are not black, brown and white) and are light, with a great playability and sound!
I recently got a PRS semi hollow custom 22, charcoal burst. Sounds great, it’s taken the number one favorite spot in my collection. I have a Epiphone les Paul modern burgundy. A schecter C6 elite, that is my third favorite. Also rans are squier supersonic. Ibanez rg470, gio, then my first guitar, squier affinity strat. Then a d’angelico acoustic electric.
My Favourite guitar under 500bucks is the Larry Carlton Sire S7 in a lovely quilted flame top or in the lovely sherwwod green with abalone inlays. Great specs,great finish,great neck with rolled off edges and great quality woods. Thanks Dariel your doing a great job. Think my favourite guitar you've shown is the prestige Ibanez. Its a beauty.
Always dig your vids man. Best reviews and most in depth gear content on TH-cam. But hey, I haven’t seen you review a Michael Kelly, any plans in the future?
Sweet group, all great choices! I'd add my Player Lead II bought for well under $1000 in Canada. Vastly underrated because few "guitar stars" play it, but hits the sweet spot between a Tele and a Strat. I've owned Tele, Strat, Les Paul, 2x PRS and the Lead II is very competitive and my new Fender Fav.
I can struggle a bit with playability and certainly bells and whistles but not with sound and the Schector won that. I confess to loving the 'idea' of a Charvel as I feel it had the most 'cool' factor as it still gets a Charvel badge on it. Of course the Epi being an LP fit my prejudice. I am sure if all of them were put in front of me and told I could keep one for free ...I would take the Charvel because it is a Charvel :-)
All great choices. Kinda thought as a Canadian you might've gone for Epihone's LP Standard 'Axcess', the Alex Lifeson signature model, over the '59 reissue.
great list...good god, that Epiphone and the Charvel sound huge! I don't know if it's the mix or what?...but damn And Pauls Gtr?...with separate switches for the splits?...nice -I really wish they had a 24 fret version with those abalone birds though? good vid thumbs
You’re channel is awesome I love your parts caster builds espiceilly the cheaper parts caster is so awesome how you can make a cheap guitar sound so amazing
Guess I'll have to stop eating now and get myself a Charvel immediately. When I was 13 or 14, the father of one of my friends explained me a lot about his Charvel, which I just loved from it's looks. Now, 17 years later, I realised that I completely forgot about this brand and I'm very much looking forward to finding one of these in a guitar shop, so I can test it before I'll order one!
All five absolutely gorgeous guitars Darrell. With awesome sound quality. My favorite would probably be the first one you demoed there the Epiphone Les Paul special oh my God the sound coming out of that sounded just like angels singing from heaven. Take care brother. Have an awesome weekend. And if you're a dad happy Father's Day.
The sleeper of this group is the Charvel. I have purchased several of the Mexican Charvels. The strats were cool, but I got this same color tele and it is just unreal for the money.
Hey Darrell, you should check out the Gretsch G5426. I just got it through Sweetwater. I got the Silver one and got a gig bag for it and it cost me $472.00. It's a great guitar.
I own Two out of your top 5 list. The 59' Epiphone in the same finish and the PRS Paul's guitar in the same finish. I love both of them for different reasons. I also love my Epiphone Prophecy Les Paul 24 fret. That would be under the $900 mark. I have The Joe Bonamassa Epiphone Custom 3 pickup BB Epiphone it's killer. All other guitars I own are under the $700 mark or way above the $1000 mark. Each one tells a story, feels different, sounds different. I get asked a lot why so many guitars? They all look, feel, and sound different. The Best Guitar is the one you pick up, play, and fall in love with. It doesn't matter if it Gibson, Fender, PRS, or some other brand. I have an Epiphone Les Paul SG that I paid $450 for and changed the pickups to hand-wired humbuckers and it kills some of the Gibson Les Pauls I've played that are in the thousands, no lie. you can pay for two brand new Gibson Les Paul Standards and they will sound different. A simple test, if it rings and sings take her home with you. Some guitars need a little more love and setup, not the end of the world if you have the time and patients. Great video as always Darrell.
great Show Darrell. I love my Pauls Guitar too. I went and bought one after your review :-} Im also a sucker for any epiphone les paul. I am thinking about getting the solo 2 a well. keep up the good work
What do you think of Vintage brand guitars? I have two and am blown away. The simple fact that they have a traditional trem system that actually stays in tune right out of the box with the need to upgrade anything had me sold. I’ve had American Strats costing over $1k that wouldn’t do that!
Thanks for the selection! Very impressive. Not exactly on point but have you considered reviewing the PRS S2 Vela? Interesting form factor and pickups!
Do you guys have any favorite guitars in the $700 - $1000 range? Let me know!
Enjoy !
Dean ML "Dime-oflage" Chinese remake, sounds pretty damn good and it was fairly reasonable just under 850.
Jackson js32 king V too, it's very low priced at about 300 to 350 but for a low end guitar it's pretty rad to start on.
As a former touring musician who refused to pay for a top end guitar since I sold all of mine lol. All of the Epiphone Les Paul's are tremendous value. Even for recording purposes you can get any sound you want out of them.
That's if they're set up correctly.
Epi LP custom (yeah yeah it’s not $700 but it was $710 when tax kicked in so ya
I'm a Gibson hater and yet I still believe Gibson Tribute Les Pauls are something else for the price. Just saying.
IMO, basically every guitar coming from yamaha right now is incredible value for the money. Both the pacifica and revstar lines have really blown me away both in sound and looks.
Same with their acoustic guitars, Chris. I have an AC3R that is amazing.
Grats on 700k!!!! Thats huge, and I am very proud to say ive been here for about 5 years, again, congrats Darrell!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Me too
Same
Norsk eller?
Same here. Nobody has a better guitar channel. Darrell and Shane talk to the average guitarist. And it's really appreciated. This video is the perfect example of why Darrell's channel is so good. He, as does Shane, gets that most people don't have 2-3 thousand to spend on a guitar or an amp.
@@user-xm5fo3bo3t jauuuuu
Got my Epi. 59' LP yesterday and cannot agree with you more! Most well spent guitar $$$ in my guitar life so far!! Excited to hear the next inspired notes that are waiting for me inside that fine instrument :) thank you for all your great content..
I am a newbie and I have learned a lot on your channel! In February, my first guitar was a new one in the sub-$200 range. I had to return it because it had a bent neck and the saddle on the high-E string kept sinking so the string was way too close to fretboard (buzz). In March, I moved up to looking in the $400-$800 range, and got a really nice used PRS Santana SE for $499 (with matching gig bag). Very similar to Paul's guitar, I found it much more playable with its 24.5" scale length, and the action and intonation are perfect. Thanks for all the help in picking a guitar!
I’m a completely beginner and I’m looking for a guitar so my questions is should I get a cheap guitar or a mid range guitar(1000-500) as a starter guitar I kinda want a mid range guitar since I don’t want to spend to much money on multiple guitar
The demos of these guitars are so pedaled-up that it's difficult to really get a true feeling for the sound of the guitar's respective pickups. But I love your channel and thank you for everything I've learned here.
Agreed, they pretty much sounded the same here, can't really hear the gits tone . But I too love ya'lls channel..
I couldn't tell one from the other in a blind test. That may be a good thing.
I won't pretend to know how or why it comes out this way in his videos, but it's like this in every video. Every guitar sounds basically exactly the same, evey single time. I still watch and like his videos though.
@@edwardtcrump5312 Maybe there's just not much in it - or perhaps compared to how you play it, what you're playing doesn't matter as much as you might think it does. I remember years ago I joined a band with this guy who sounded fantastic and he only played really modest instruments. That made me completely re-evaluate getting a super expensive Gibson and got me to value practising more instead.
@@user-s1o3nr532 Many great guitarists would agree with you. Most guitar legends didn't care much for expensive guitars. Case in point, EVH, Brian May, and many more.
It's often non-pros who are obsessed with expensive instruments. And the pros who do play high end instruments get them for free.😁
Would love a post-covid version of this video. You can't get a PRS SE Paul's under $1000 anymore. Yamaha is up $100 over what it was, PRS is over $1000 now and everything right at $999 it seems. Loved how great these all looked and sounded
I said the exact same thing. And now, they have gone up even more. Yamaha by $159, the schecter by $300. Really no excuse for it
@@terryshrives8322 Supply and demand.
@@terryshrives8322 inflation. Money is worth a lot less then pre-covid.
611 and 612s price has gone down by $100, at least here in Canada
This is prolly due to introduction of higher end pacificas
I’m madly in love with my Schecter Reaper 6. It’s just about everything I want in a guitar. It’s got a string-through hardtail, swamp ash body, a comfortable ebony fingerboard, high output pickups, and completely satin. I’ve learned that a satin finish is a major deal in my picks. I’ve also never had a reverse headstock before, which made for a new playing experience for me because the tension was very different. The extra slim C neck feels like home & when I got the box & felt how light it was, I seriously thought I was being punked. This amazing guitar only went for $700 brand new. A must try
I have the Reaper 6 FR-S and it’s my first Floyd rose. Don’t like the Floyd rose at all. I wish I got the standard!
Technically my guitar qualifies, but I'll wait till the 'under $500' video since that's more appropriate.
To be honest man. Most the guitars priced at 700 to 1000 simply just aren't worth it. Lots actually kind of suck. I mean of course some of them are good but I've played so many $700 duds. Anyway if you want a $1,000 guitar just buy one used. With that 500 bucks
@@beefnacos6258 say something good about my guitar - Fender Player Stratocaster
@@beefnacos6258 What do you mean by duds? Is it about build quality? Is it playability? Sound? To me, it's kind of a snobbery saying that "lots of guitars" in the range of 700-1,000 USD aren't worth it. I find that hard to believe. You've got rather cheap Squiers and Epiphones, and others under 500 USD that sound, feel and play really well! Could it perhaps be that your personal preference is the problem? I've played lots of guitars in the 500-1,000 USD range, and many of them were really good! The PRS SE's are worth mentioning too. Gretsch have good ones also. I've played a 1,000+ USD Ibanez that I didn't like, but that's because that type of guitar didn't fit me. It's a great guitar, but it didn't feel good in my hands. I've played 2,000+ USD Les Pauls, and even though they're classics, I don't like the chunky neck, the heaviness, and the muddy bridge pickup that they tend to have sometimes. I've played a Gibson SG, but that one was too light, it almost felt flimsy. I've played the Yamaha Revstar RSP20CR, their top of the line Revstar, which I actually wanted to buy, but again, the neck was a bit too chunky for my taste, and it's also glossy, and I felt while trying it out that my hand didn't glide easily along the neck. As soon as my hand was a little moist, the neck felt a little, for lack of a better word, "sticky". It's a great guitar, and I still want it, but I'll wait to try to find one used, or get the cheaper ones 520 or 620, and see if I get used to the feel of the guitar.
Yeah, so, I'm not saying that you're a snob who thinks only expensive guitars are good. It just might be that what you've been looking at guitars that don't fit you. "God knows" there are some pretty bad expensive guitars too, and yes, more expensive guitars do tend to have better build quality, but more expensive usually means made in the USA. And who's to say that American made is always better than Japanese, Korean or even Chinese made guitars, especially if they use the same type of machines in the manufacturing process? The Chinese Shijie guitars are actually handmade, and even though the Strat type of guitar they make is sub 1,000 USD, they can easily compete with the American made Fender Strats. Such specs don't come on Fenders that are twice as expensive.
Although, it might be that you're after really polished frets with nicely rounded edges, and other such details that make the guitar feel expensive. But I'm protesting your opinion, that looks like you're being objective when you said that LOTS of 700-1,000 USD guitars suck, and SOME of them are good. That's simply just not true.
@@nedim_guitar I definitely agree that the statement he made about $700-1000 guitars not being worth the money isn’t really true. I would say that you can get guitars with close performance for slightly less but still that price range will have advantages
@@ethantorres4061 Look at a Suhr that goes for around 5,000 USD and an FGN or Ibanez that cost around 1,000 USD. Is the Suhr better? Very likely. Is it 4,000 USD better. Not a chance. That doesn't mean that expensive guitars aren't great, and guitars like Suhr are an important part of the market, not least because others can try to be as good for less money. But just saying that a lot of 700-1,000 USD guitars and that only some of them are good, it's just not true. Oftentimes we pay a lot for the brand too, and for the fact that the guitar is made in the USA, and there's nothing wrong with that, but like I said, money doesn't say everything about a guitar being good or bad. Guitars that cost 700-1,000 USD are not as good as guitars that cost 3,000-5,000 USD, but do they usually suck? Of course not! No one would buy them if they sucked. That sort of thinking can turn people away from really good guitars that are in their range, or make them wish for guitars they cannot afford, instead of actually playing the one they have and enjoying playing. If I had known all that I know today about guitars, quality, set-up and playability (including neck profile, and thickness, and string gauge), I would have been a much happier young man who's trying to find his way in this whole playing guitar schtick. Just that minor detail, string gauge, was a huge problem for me. I played in standard tuning with 12's. It was impossible to improve, because it was impossible to play, and no one cared to ask about strings or anything else, to help a newbie on his way. If I had had a Fender Strat custom shop with those strings, I would have hated that guitar too.
The orange binding on the Schecter is drop dead gorgeous.
Really solid selection. Yamaha in particular are amazing in this price range. Good video.
From your video, the one that stood out the most was the epiphone. That thing is a monster.
I love my LTD Eclipse Deluxe, roughly €900. I find myself playing it more than my Gibson LP lately.
My friend's G&L ASAT Tribute is only around 500 but it is incredibly impressive.
Picked up my ASAT Tribute for $300 and it's the best $300 i could possibly have spent on an instrument. Gives $700 Fender Mexi-Teles a run. Gonna upgrade the pickups and still be under $600. :D
@@coreysanders6709 G&L Tributes already have USA pickups on them. :)
@@cabwaylingo the "limited edition" ones that Musicians Friend puts up on Stupid Deal of the Day don't. All the others do, though. :-)
Congrats on 700k, huge
My fav guitar sub $1000 is my Shijie STE. Just unreal how great it is.
My Nick Johnston HSS Strat is the most inspiring guitar I’ve played in this price range (:
Im gusting one of those in q near future actually 🙃
I got one too and it's amazing!
Aint that a Schecter?
@@SeedOilFitnessOfficial It is
@@SeedOilFitnessOfficial it is
The Yamaha is a great guitar at an affordable price point. As you note build quality is up there with the best.
Why Yamaha guitars are so underrated ?
@@imdannymartins I think it's probably because few people think of them as a guitar maker because they make too much other stuff. They make the assumption that they're just a piano company using their name on every other musical instrument to make extra cash and don't them as seriously outside of the piano, drums, and live sound categories. Truth is though, nothing leaves a Yamaha factory that isn't built like a tank - at least in my experience.
Everytime you bring out the Pacifica, it makes me want one lo
Great pick on the Yamaha 612. Definitely for the money and value 👌. Alot of other reviewers totally agree with you! Great for beginners and on up!
Congratulations on the 700,000 subscribers. A lot of work to get that number. Your videos are consistent, informative and top quality. Two 👍
Just ordered a Schecter Nick Johnston HSS in Blue Frost. $799; roasted maple neck, locking tuners and ebony fretboard. Can't wait
I’m a sucker for single cuts and That 59 epiphone lp just makes me tear up every time I see it
Got the Yamaha 612vfm as my first electric. Same as your demo just indigo blue(actually my profile pic). Absolutely Love it! Excited to see it made the list. Thanks for the video, and congrats on 700!
Charvel literally built my dream guitar. A 24-fret Tele with all of the comfort features and Fluence Open Core Classics. Already own a Pro-Mod DK24 and can't wait to get my hands on the So-Cal Style 2.
They are awesome. I have a black one with a trem. Really good guitar, and I'm hoping Charvel continues to listen to players on social media to make further variations.
Darrell, you know why I keep looking up to your show? because the more I listen to you I learn what the intricacies of each guitar should be. I learn every time. For example when I saw your PRS SE Paul's Guitar presentation!
I picked up the Schecter Solo II Custom a few weeks ago, partly based on your review, and I have not been disappointed! I wanted a nice modern 'Les Paul' style guitar and did a lot of research before pulling the trigger. It is such a fantastic guitar - not just the feature set and the sound but it has that certain magic that just makes me want to play it. Thanks Darrell :)
That Yamaha sounded awesome. Gonna look into the Pacifica more. Thanks, Darrell!
Damn Darrel, you made that Charvel sound so good, had a few over the years, very underrated guitar!
The Gretsch Electromatic line is worthy of consideration. They’re at least 80% as good as the pro series, but at a quarter of the price.
100%
Totally agree especially those model are made in a top Korean factory..
That's exactly what I was gonna post. My Electromatic with a Bigsby is well under 1000.00 and it's awesome!!!
Cool guitars. Slightly overpriced and nowhere near 80% of the pro ones though.
I have two PRS SE guitars in my collection right now and enjoy playing both of them. The next SE I'd like to get is the Paul's Guitar SE version.
I bought a DK24 HSS in Shell Pink, and the neck on that thing is the best neck I've ever played. 12-16 radius is no brainer.
I really want this model. 😍
@@fredmuloin1545 It's great. Easily the best in terms of playability I've played. Plays super easily
Nice to see the 59 RI Epiphone listed. And it’s gorgeous.
I love my Guild Starfire I SC semihollow with "Guildsby" trem system, dual alnico humbuckers with true coil splits. Only $599 and just beautiful. I can get any tone I want.
The DC model is my dream now, I will buy one when I can afford. Guild are ..... What to say?
I own the same Schecter Solo II Custom and is indeed lots of guitar for the money.
The Fender JA-90 is also one of my favorites at just under 1K, such a fun guitar to play and those P90's sound so good.
My favorite guitar under $1,000 is the Schecter Reaper hard-tail by a long shot. It feels so. dang. good, and the pickups sound soooo crunchy with gain, but when you split the coils and add chorus, it's the most beautiful clean. It also just looks incredible with the burl top veneer.
After playing a Charvel DK24 I instantly bought it and I gotta say I will never consider a Fender ever again. It blew me away. My favorite meck and awesome value.
Isnt that more of a superstrat than a vintage sounding strat though?
I'd definitely add the LTD ec-1000 to this list, at just under $1000. stales steel frets and amazing quality, to me they are unbeatable lp style guitars at that price.
I agree , I own one with the jb pickups and I love it. Picked it up with a hardshell case for 650 .b mod
Thank you Darrell, I’m sure I saw this video last year but either way when I watch your videos I chuckle because you’re enthusiastic and I know I’ll be looking for a new guitar or gear .
All good picks. About a week ago I bought an Ibanez S621 cost 530 bucks. I can’t believe how good that guitar is.
The PRS SE Custom 24 35th Anniversary faded blue burst is amazing. The same pickups & mini toggle switches as The SE Pauls guitar. Such a lot of guitar for your money don’t you think ? 😀 Love your channel too bud. It is fantastic. Many congrats for your 700k 👍👍
I will say that my Fender Player Strat HSS is amazing. Action is low and sounds great. I also have a PRS Custom 24 35th Anniversary that has the coil split like Paul's guitar and the trem system. I liked it better than Paul's guitar. It had many of the same features, but the trem and pattern thin neck sold me.
Player Strat HSS!
I have one too, its so fun to play!
Can you do one for under $149 dollars, the approximate amount of money in my wallet?
Lol. Called...borrow one from a buddy lol. Although, when I toured a ton I bought a used Mexican tele for $225.00 at a flea market. I took it to a guitar guru and switched out the pickups for "stacked" ones. That ended up being one of my 3 guitars that I'd use on stage.
Glarry is alright for around that price from what I can tell
Right now monoprice has the indio tele for $84 , that includes shipping, Amazon has Wilkinson lock tuners for $25, .....84+25=pretty darn fun and reliable ax
I got my Squier Bullet Telecaster for $150.00, and I’ve seen them on sale for $130.00. The Bullet is beyond impressive, and not just for the price - I also have an American Pro Tele, and the Bullet is not really far from it in build quality, playability, and sound.
I don't even have a reasenoble amount of dollars because I'm from Latam but I bet overall it is not that easy to get a nice built guitar in that price range
Nice to see the Charvel in there. After your review Darrell, that guitar has gone to the top of my shopping list!
Perfect timing, I was debating over the Pacifica...done deal! I already own a Pacifica 012 and wanted to upgrade.
That Schecter Solo 2 really is an epic bang for your buck! Looks fantastic
Congrats for the 700k! love your content ♡
Yeah! I agree with almost everything, just missed an option for a semi-acoustic electrical guitar on the list. I do have an 84 American Fender Telecaster, a brand new Squier HSS Strato, a semi-acoustic Ibanez AK100, an electrical/acoustic steel mini jumbo Ibanez, an acoustic nylon Giannini Sevilla made in Brazil and just bought a new toy for my arsenal that I appreciate very much, a Squier Starcaster with two humbucking pick-ups that impressed me very well.
Darrell, thank you for your passion in your videos.
You could say I've been schooled in everything guitar by you.
Had a 611 and 612...loved the sound...couldn't get used to the neck....decided to build a pickguard for one of my Strats with the SSL1's and the Trembucker...best of both worlds
Thanks for this video, Darrell. Your picks are all excellent! 👍👍👍 It is truly amazing to see and hear what you can get in the higher end budget model category. I'm looking forward to hearing about the models under $500. I'm hoping to see you review the AIO Wolf guitars someday. 👍💖🎸😎
Excellent choices! The crimson red on that Yamaha looks awesome.
Sitting here enjoy your content (always) and thought to myself "he did $1,000+ and now under 1k....wish he would do too 5 budget" and the as thrilled at the end when you announced the $500 video!!!....killer content, this channel is always a joy!
PRS SE 24-08
Fender Player Strat HSS
Sterling Cutlass HSS
I got to try out the new sterling ct50 hss. For 500 bucks it's the best guitar available imo. Locking tuners roasted maple. And they feel super solid quality wise. I was very pleasantly surprised by them.
Picked up a Fender Player HSS a few months ago and love it!
I love Paul Reed Smith Guitars but I play a Ibanez. I just put 2 Seymour Duncan humbucker pick-ups in it. It's not like the other Ibanez. Metal bridge and 4 knobs. It sounds pretty good and with a cry baby panel. I don't need a whammy bar!!!
@@jeremyrafuse5330 I'm really thinking about a hss version and swapping in bare knuckle pick ups.
Congratulations for 700k subs........keep it up 👍👍
I have the Paul’s PRS.... FANTASTIC GUITAR hands down
Another guitar I really liked under a grand was the Schecter Nick Johnston HSS. In my opinion, it plays better than any fender out there
Yup, absolutely. I would take one over any Fender Strat at the moment.
I'm loving my Yamaha Revstar 502T, about the same price as the Pacifica 612
Have a Yamaha 611HFM and love it. My schecter sun valley super shredder frs is great too at under $1000. Have a Godin Summit Classic P90, and Hagstrom Nothen Swede under $1k too that are awesome.
Ibanez S521 is sweet. It's has kind of neutral pickups but with an EQ pedal it just means you can make it what you want, and it's really light :)
Rebuilding a 94' red sparkle 721, can't wait till it's done.
Had one back in 94' and neck got broke... broke my heart.
Pacificas are terrific.
I can’t believe how much some of these guitars have gone up in the last year. It’s crazy
Schecters have gone up about €300 across the board. Was going to buy one but unfortunately the resale/2nd hand value was already poor here before the price hike so now they're just a bad investment brand new. Hope to find one used. PRS Paul's guitar are gone up about 250-300 too but better resale value at least. Depressing market right now!
Glad an epi made it to the list :)
Beautiful guitars!
That Schecter looks really cool! Looks a little like a D'Angelico guitar with that matte finish with those gold bindings.
I'm likely buying that Schecter. Its gorgeous and how about the Pasadena pickups? They sound really nice dont they?
I have that exact Schecter Solo ii Custom in the same black satin finish. Amazing guitar for the money. Plays and sounds great, and looks stunning. Love it!
@@boomerdell thanks dude. Youre inspiring me more lol
@@boomerdell Same, great axe.
Love the channel, please review a Keisel ! I bought an Ibanez $500 7 string, RD, blue poplar top and it the fastest playing neck and it just chugs so well ! I can’t believe it’s only $500.
Had been waiting for this video a long time. My eye is on that schecter solo ll. Thanks for the video Darrell!!!!
Kudos for including a Yamaha Darrell, they are very underrated imo 🎸🤟🍻
‘59 Les Paul and 335 inspired by Gibson are both superb instruments for under $1000. I would add the Epi Hummingbird Inspired by Gibson acoustic. Epi is killing it under the new ownership at Gibson 👍🏻
Got a Charvel SD 24 for a few months. So happy with it. Very great value under 1000$. Very interesred by the Paul’s model from PRS SE.
Torn between the prs and the schecter! Great video, thank you!
Paid $800 for my Baja tele and I wouldn't swap it even if i was given two of these 5.
Good stuff Darrell! My very first electric was a Pacifica waaayyyy back in 1994! I still have her! I've been researching and obsessing over see-through crimson strats, but your review on the 612 has me thinking... That fire red looks and sounds pretty sweet...
I do really enjoy my solo 2 custom thanks for putting it on my radar
Solid list Darrell. Stoked to see Charvel on here. The PRO-Mod’s really are superb. Only other guitar that came to mind is the Chapman ML1 Pro Traditional, which is an exceptional piece of wood for the money.
DB, thanks for interesting video! I think it is possible to expand this chart up to 8-12 guitars. Please, think of making chart of guitars under 1,500 bucks, then under two grand, three grand etc
Love your reviews Darry! I wish you would make one on lefthanded guitars (which are not black, brown and white) and are light, with a great playability and sound!
Awesome review Darrell. All very very awesome guitars. Not sure which one I would pick ! I like that epiphone a lot ! And the schecter!
I have a 2019 P.R.S se, my 40 year search is over. The 59 Epi is just a fine instrument also.
I recently got a PRS semi hollow custom 22, charcoal burst. Sounds great, it’s taken the number one favorite spot in my collection. I have a Epiphone les Paul modern burgundy. A schecter C6 elite, that is my third favorite. Also rans are squier supersonic. Ibanez rg470, gio, then my first guitar, squier affinity strat. Then a d’angelico acoustic electric.
Always great info and awesome reviews! And sounds to prove your point. Far and away my favorite reviewer of guitars and gear on the net.
My Favourite guitar under 500bucks is the Larry Carlton Sire S7 in a lovely quilted flame top or in the lovely sherwwod green with abalone inlays. Great specs,great finish,great neck with rolled off edges and great quality woods. Thanks Dariel your doing a great job. Think my favourite guitar you've shown is the prestige Ibanez. Its a beauty.
Always dig your vids man. Best reviews and most in depth gear content on TH-cam. But hey, I haven’t seen you review a Michael Kelly, any plans in the future?
I bought an early PRS CUSTOM 22 with rotary pick-up selector. Not my favorite but still rocks!
As soon as I saw the title of the video, I knew you'd pick the PRS and Epiphone 😁
Sweet group, all great choices! I'd add my Player Lead II bought for well under $1000 in Canada. Vastly underrated because few "guitar stars" play it, but hits the sweet spot between a Tele and a Strat. I've owned Tele, Strat, Les Paul, 2x PRS and the Lead II is very competitive and my new Fender Fav.
I can struggle a bit with playability and certainly bells and whistles but not with sound and the Schector won that. I confess to loving the 'idea' of a Charvel as I feel it had the most 'cool' factor as it still gets a Charvel badge on it. Of course the Epi being an LP fit my prejudice. I am sure if all of them were put in front of me and told I could keep one for free ...I would take the Charvel because it is a Charvel :-)
All great choices. Kinda thought as a Canadian you might've gone for Epihone's LP Standard 'Axcess', the Alex Lifeson signature model, over the '59 reissue.
Gretsch 2622T center block semi hollow in gunmetal. A little under $700 and my favorite guitar.
On your next mod project I think you should try installing a focus/ bass cut knob. Honestly its amazing the effect it has on a guitar.
great list...good god, that Epiphone and the Charvel sound huge! I don't know if it's the mix or what?...but damn And Pauls Gtr?...with separate switches for the splits?...nice -I really wish they had a 24 fret version with those abalone birds though? good vid thumbs
You’re channel is awesome I love your parts caster builds espiceilly the cheaper parts caster is so awesome how you can make a cheap guitar sound so amazing
Guess I'll have to stop eating now and get myself a Charvel immediately. When I was 13 or 14, the father of one of my friends explained me a lot about his Charvel, which I just loved from it's looks. Now, 17 years later, I realised that I completely forgot about this brand and I'm very much looking forward to finding one of these in a guitar shop, so I can test it before I'll order one!
All five absolutely gorgeous guitars Darrell. With awesome sound quality. My favorite would probably be the first one you demoed there the Epiphone Les Paul special oh my God the sound coming out of that sounded just like angels singing from heaven. Take care brother. Have an awesome weekend. And if you're a dad happy Father's Day.
Darrell, make a video about the Vintage brand guitars!
The sleeper of this group is the Charvel. I have purchased several of the Mexican Charvels. The strats were cool, but I got this same color tele and it is just unreal for the money.
Darrell, have you reviewed any of the quirky Eastwood Airline guitars? Love your videos, BTW! Please keep em coming!
great job - very entertaining - what was up with throwing the acoustic on the snow covered roof LOL
Hey Darrell, you should check out the Gretsch G5426. I just got it through Sweetwater. I got the Silver one and got a gig bag for it and it cost me $472.00. It's a great guitar.
I own Two out of your top 5 list. The 59' Epiphone in the same finish and the PRS Paul's guitar in the same finish. I love both of them for different reasons. I also love my Epiphone Prophecy
Les Paul 24 fret. That would be under the $900 mark. I have The Joe Bonamassa Epiphone Custom 3 pickup BB Epiphone it's killer. All other guitars I own are under the $700 mark or way above
the $1000 mark. Each one tells a story, feels different, sounds different. I get asked a lot why so many guitars? They all look, feel, and sound different. The Best Guitar is the one you pick up, play, and fall in love with. It doesn't matter if it Gibson, Fender, PRS, or some other brand. I have an Epiphone Les Paul SG that I paid $450 for and changed the pickups to hand-wired humbuckers and it kills some of the Gibson Les Pauls I've played that are in the thousands, no lie. you can pay for two brand new Gibson Les Paul Standards and they will sound different.
A simple test, if it rings and sings take her home with you. Some guitars need a little more love and setup, not the end of the world if you have the time and patients. Great video as always
Darrell.
great Show Darrell. I love my Pauls Guitar too. I went and bought one after your review :-} Im also a sucker for any epiphone les paul. I am thinking about getting the solo 2 a well. keep up the good work
What do you think of Vintage brand guitars? I have two and am blown away. The simple fact that they have a traditional trem system that actually stays in tune right out of the box with the need to upgrade anything had me sold. I’ve had American Strats costing over $1k that wouldn’t do that!
Thanks for the selection! Very impressive. Not exactly on point but have you considered reviewing the PRS S2 Vela? Interesting form factor and pickups!