Your recs for a solid beater electric guitar

[tantric superman 4668]

So I'm officially tired of my cheapo Epiphone SG (plus amp, plus carrying case, etc.) electric. I want to move up to a solid guitar that is going to last many years but, with the assumption that I keep improving, will not be my ultimate guitar.  I want this to be a workhorse that is fun and always ready to do and has solid quality.  

I realize that lower end guitars are not a commodity so understand that it depends on the individual guitar. 

But I'm interested in some of your 2nd or 3rd guitars (Sub $800?) that you have enjoyed and which did all that you asked for but may not have been your dream guitar. 

(I haven't played enough to know whether I'm wed to a Gibsonish style guitar.  I've got short fingers and I'd like to get playing up the neck a bit.)  I'd be totally happy exploring non-Fender/Gibson/Epiphonish guitars.

I generally play barre chords on the low end of the neck and an exploring "dyads and triads" up the neck.  I don't really have a right handed technique. 

[tantric superman 4668]

oh hell.  Reposting to music.

[ERhine 1909]

Maybe repost it to the guitar thread?

[jimmyjazz 46295]

Wait . . . your budget is $800?  There are a million options and I wouldn't call something at that price a "beater".

I've had a couple of Gibson "Faded" guitars that I really liked.  Both were SG models but they have a similar Les Paul type model.  Very bare bones but pretty well made and they sound good.  Otherwise, you could probably get close to an American Standard Tele or Strat at that price (gently used).

[Ollie Slatt 289]

Huge caveat that I don't play electric much anymore and have not shopped for a new electric guitar in 15 years . . . but I always loved G&L and seem to remember that even their cheaper models had pretty good quality.   So maybe try out a legacy ASAT special and see what you think.  

[Deej 76983]

$800? Used (you can get new for that, but can save a few hundred) higher end Made in Mexico Fenders. Classic Player's series, Classic Series, etc. 

[ajax 2626]

800 is a lot for a beater guitar, to me at least. For super cheap guitars, I've seen good things about Harley Benton guitars especially their PRS knockoffs although I've never played one.

My strategy is to cycle through cheap used gear until I find a gem. For example I recently bought a cheapo second tier Washburn shaped like Nuno's N4 that was total dog shit. And I also found a cheapo ESP LTD that plays as sweet as any American made I've played. 

[Celery Man 21015]

Make a decision between an sg/les paul/humbucker and a strat/tele/single coil and we will happily spend your money for you.  But short answer is a strat or telecaster.  Get a classic 60s strat in fiesta red because that's what I kinda want right now.

[DougO 5256]

Musiciansfriend had a USA SG faded on their stupid deal of the hour for $599 this morning.

But yeah, $800 is not exactly what the poors like me call a beater. That's my prime stuff.

Tough to beat a PRS SE Korean made model, great quality guitar.

[Buzzrock 14953]

I think a SSH Strat is kinda the ultimate versatile guitar in that price range. You get that great Fender neck sound but you still have a humbucker in the bridge if you wanna crank it. And Strats are some of the best players around.

 

Edit: something like this:

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/fender-standard-stratocaster-hss-plus-top-maple-fingerboard-electric-guitar/h96910000001001?pfm=item_page.rr1%7CClickEV

 

https://www.musiciansfriend.com/guitars/fender-deluxe-hss-stratocaster-with-maple-fingerboard/j42416000001000?pfm=item_page.rr1%7CClickEV

[PRONG HORN 3165]

 

Whatever these guys use should suit your needs.  

 

[noharleyyet 2852]

2 hours ago, Celery Man said:

Make a decision between an sg/les paul/humbucker and a strat/tele/single coil and we will happily spend your money for you.  But short answer is a strat or telecaster.  Get a classic 60s strat in fiesta red because that's what I kinda want right now.

Here ya go...new meaning for SDOTD...https://www.ebay.com/itm/Vintage-Original-1961-Fender-Stratocaster-Fiesta-Red-/253619658730

...niiice birdseye tho

Edited August 17, 2018 by noharleyyet

[Celery Man 21015]

[TXLNGHRN10 341]

You're welcome

[jimmyjazz 46295]

21 minutes ago, TXLNGHRN10 said:

You're welcome

My first "good" guitar was one of those, a couple of years older, in tobacco sunburst.

Those pickups suck.  I pulled them and had Mark Erlewine put in Van Zandts.  Wow, a huge difference.

[DougO 5256]

36 minutes ago, TXLNGHRN10 said:

You're welcome

I would almost offer to swap you my '93 wine red American Standard, but I ain't messin' with no lace sensor pickups.

Edited August 17, 2018 by DougO

[dcbc 14544]

Picked up a strat partscaster with an early 80s replacement neck that's really worn in.  It's on a squire strat body with American standard picups and ebay knobs and switches.  It is always on a stand (no case).  It gets grabbed for practicing more than anything and I even took it to a show at my kid's school to rock out Billie Jean with the Dad Bod band.  I paid $220 for it, almost sold it once, got it back and would be hard pressed to sell it now.  Look for a beater partscaster and buy the one where the seller put the money in the important spots. 

 

Edited August 18, 2018 by dcbc

[Superhero 8858]

What Buzzrock said. A SSH Strat will be the most versatile as long as you’re okay with scale length. 

Personally I prefer the 25.5” scale, but if you’re used to the SG scale length, then you may want try it out first. 

[BoomMF 1399]

You're welcome

Damn.

[BoomMF 1399]

Dbl

 

[tbone_ 14200]

get a tele

[DougO 5256]

Squier Bullet Tele for $149 brand spankin' new at Musician's Friends is awesome. I keep mine here by the computer desk for sudden urges. Fantastic value, gorgeous guitar, plays great.

[hullabelew 3724]

My favorite electric to play is my Mexican made, Nashville tele (3 pickups/5 way switch)  I bought it at a used shop for $200.  Still had the sticker on the pickguard.  I have a guitar I paid 10x as much for but if I only had to pick one, the tele would be it.  $800 buck is a lot of fun to be had.  Like mentioned, since you have a Gibson, get a Mexican made Fender.  I can't keep the new names straight anymore.

[jimmyjazz 46295]

Or go partscaster.  Set aside $250 for a good tech to set it all up.  That leaves $550 for parts, which should be easy to hit and end up with a far better instrument than a Mexican Strat.

So who has opinions on the best bang-for-buck parts out there?  Personally, I'd drop the coin for a Warmoth neck in one of their Screamin' Deals, but beyond that, I suspect bodies & parts can be bought cheaper without taking a huge quality hit.

[tbone_ 14200]

Psa - I bought a guitar fetish HH tele body for $69. Looks great. The rout was for complete shit though. Nothing fit. My guy had to cut a fret off the damn neck because the neck pickup hole was too close. And the neck pocket was all jacked, never have been able to get the action correct

 

For your $800 budget, I’d get this

 

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/TelePM3TS--fender-player-series-telecaster-3-tone-sunburst-with-maple-fingerboard

 

Can’t tell from that where it’s made though.

 

Edit: google says Player Series is MIM.

 

[jimmyjazz 46295]

I bought one body from Guitar Fetish and it was fine, but yeah, I get that it's a crapshoot.  The weird thing is that the guy who sets up my guitars said he loved that body -- it was like $59 -- because it was so light.  It resonates like crazy.  I put horrible pickups in it, though.  I was seeing how cheap I could assemble a guitar.

Now that I think about it, it's almost the perfect gloss orange for my Gulf livery partscaster.  Maybe I could mask off a center orange stripe, krylon the rest baby blue, and add a white pickguard?

Holy shit!  A project with no cost!  (OK, it needs new pickups and a better neck.  I think I have a Warmoth neck in a closet somewhere.)

[tbone_ 14200]

I put crazy hot hand wound bill Lawrence pickups in mine. Same ones dimebag used in his blue lightening guitar. Turns out they are really versatile, but I figured they would overcome the tone suck of whatever Chinese balsa wood GF used.

And they do. It sounds great. Just doesn’t play well.

[Deej 76983]

You can buy an actual Fender tele body for $169. A new Fender Tele neck for $199.

https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Telecaster-Vintage-Bridge-Olympic/dp/B00DUJ3IQQ/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1536094214&sr=8-3&keywords=fender+telecaster+body

https://www.amazon.com/Fender-Vintage-Style-50s-Telecaster-Neck/dp/B0148JN7QM/ref=sr_1_3?s=musical-instruments&ie=UTF8&qid=1536094264&sr=1-3&keywords=fender+telecaster+neck

[jimmyjazz 46295]

I assume those are MIM equivalents, or worse?  You can get a world class neck from Warmoth for $150-$160.

[TK421 29]

Schecter Hellraiser.  The price of these drops like a rock when used.  Best deal on a used electric I can think of.  

http://www.schecterguitars.com/guitars/hellraiser

[ajax 2626]

I love the Hellraiser. It's almost indestructible and stays in tune but the pickups blow ass.

[DougO 5256]

Beater electric guitar? What did Ike Turner play?

 

[jimmyjazz 46295]

Beater?  I barely know her!

[tbone_ 14200]

Or just go buy a nice used usa tele or strat off reverb. Should be able to get something for $800 or better.

[DougO 5256]

I recently got a 2011 American Standard Tele for $800. I sure as hell wouldn't consider it a beater...but then I am among the poors.

[tbone_ 14200]

That’s not a beater. That’s a damn workhorse.

[ajax 2626]

On 9/4/2018 at 8:31 PM, TK421 said:

Schecter Hellraiser.  The price of these drops like a rock when used.  Best deal on a used electric I can think of.  

http://www.schecterguitars.com/guitars/hellraiser

Hey if you like Hellraisers there's one for sale in SF, lol.

 

 

[DougO 5256]

Here's one that can take frequent beatings...or so I've heard.