Dealbreakers. What are yours?

[MeloJG]

My fingers are past their prime, so I doubt I'll buy another 25.5" scale 6 string. I'd make an exception for a 7 since there aren't many options in short scale.

I also have an easier time playing 24 frets than I do 22 cuz I have this nerve pinching wrist thing that kicks in when I'm playing in higher positions. 24 tends to shift everything forward a couple notches, so that's something I consider

I think multiscale looks funky, and I'd never buy one unless it was used to make stuff shorter and easier to play like a 25-24

For a 7 string with a slightly shorter scale try tracking down some of the first prs se custom 24 7 strings, they had a 25" scale length.

 

[MeloJG]

I have few deal breakers, I find something to love, like or appreciate in most guitars when put in the right context. That being said I can't really deal with.....
1) Baseball bat necks, I can deal with "standard C" or "modern C" shaped necks, some of them feel very nice, and I can deal with 60s gibson neck profiles, but if the neck as chunky as hell it's a complete turn off.
2) Pickup rings on modern guitars, it just makes them look cheap, however they look right on more classic looking guitars such as les pauls and 335s.
3) Killswitches, I find them dumb.
4) 22 frets on 7 string/extended range guitars, unless it's a jazz box/hollow body jazz guitar I feel like you might as well add 2 more frets.

 

[Emperoff]

My only 100% dealbreaker is no tone knob. I play with it rolled off to some extent more than half the time.

Not my business but that 100% dealbreaker has a very easy solution. Get a drill and make a small hole. Then use a reamer to enlarge it to 6 or 9mm to fit a tone pot in there. Easy!

 

[Hoss632]

Thin necks, by that I mean anything slimmer than 20mm. 20mm is pushing it but I can do it. I prefer 21-24ishmm personally.
Gloss painted necks are a no for me. I know you can sand it down I just am eh about doing that to a guitar. I'd just rather a natural tung oil neck or a satin painted from the factory one. And as shallow as it sounds, just over all aesthetics. If I don't like how it looks I'm not picking it up no matter how great it might play.

 

[Antiproduct]

- TOM bridges, they are soo uncomfortable
- overly fat necks, one of the reasons I am holding off AZs for now
- single coil in bridge position
- 21 frets
- PAF pickups, unless I really want the guitar

 

[Pippo]

My dealbreakers in order of importance:

- gloss fretboard
- too thick neck profile
- square heel (please Ibanez, release an RG565 with AANJ)
- Floyd Rose and any trem with the fine tuners pointing upwards (Ibanez Edge is fine, though)

 

[NoodleFace]

I have a couple:
1. Licensed floyds that ARE NOT original edge/lo-pro edge. I tried it with my Carvin and didn't like it. I just use the whammy too much and the licensed ones never hold up.
2. Painted/glossy necks. I just never got along with these. I much to prefer the wood in my hands.
3. This one is funny - but I can't stand super heavy plain 3rd strings. When I tune 6s to B I usually have to use a wound string.

 

[Crungy]

Finally found an example of another dealbreaker.


On paper, I'd probably love playing this thing.

But!

The body and headstock binding with those inlays is gaudy as fuck. I don't want to look like I'm playing an Affliction t shirt.

Or this one

 

[jl-austin]

my dealbreaker, MIC
my brother gave me a MIC guitar, and it's not a bad guitar, its more of the principal of it than quality.

 

[Noodler]

Deal breaker for me are Fishman pickups. I haven't played a set I liked.

 

[John]

View attachment 122588

Bonus dealbreaking points for that rosewood fingerboard looking quite cheap when paired with a solid black finish.

Deal breaker for me are Fishman pickups. I haven't played a set I liked.

Their acoustic stuff is ok, not like that's bottom of the barrel. But I did not enjoy using any of their Fluence sets at all.

 

[ErockRPh]

Not my business but that 100% dealbreaker has a very easy solution. Get a drill and make a small hole. Then use a reamer to enlarge it to 6 or 9mm to fit a tone pot in there. Easy!

Easy-ish 😁 I'm looking at the two half-finished kit guitars in my mancave and I can't say I'd trust myself taking a drill to a new guitar. A cheap find from Reverb maybe, but not something new out of the box.

 

[Emperoff]

Easy-ish 😁 I'm looking at the two half-finished kit guitars in my mancave and I can't say I'd trust myself taking a drill to a new guitar. A cheap find from Reverb maybe, but not something new out of the box.

Then get it done by someone else. It's still easy, they won't charge much, and your biggest dealbreaker is forever gone.

 

[elkoki]

When it’s made in China . Don’t think I’ve owned any guitar made in China in a long time

 

[7stringDemon]

When you go to make a deal, but the guy says no. HUGE dealbreaker.

 

[Kwert]

Really only two that I can think of

Abalone binding
Single pickup guitars

 

[CanserDYI]

When it’s made in China . Don’t think I’ve owned any guitar made in China in a long time

Pick up an Eastman and you'll throw this silly hangup out the window.

 

[SalsaWood]

I remember when Eastman were like the only company putting out semi/hollow body 7 strings- for ridiculous prices yet still under the custom build costs.

I've seen one, it played ok. Didn't play worth the money, but it was ok. Being made in Beijing though I'd never buy something from them which I could get from anywhere else.

 

[Kwert]

Pick up an Eastman and you'll throw this silly hangup out the window.

I think these days people have more of an ethical problem/problem of principle buying from China than a quality issue.

 

[elkoki]

I think these days people have more of an ethical problem/problem of principle buying from China than a quality issue.

That’s true but for me it’s more about quality