What is The Lexus of Guitars?

[complex-barb.0t]

I seem to have unusually bad guitar luck at the moment. Often if I buy something it usually has several tall frets or some other playablity issue. Here is some recent stinkers:
* Jackson JS42, without the bridge grounded at all. Actually like this guitar otherwise.
* LTD EC-256, missing a fret marker on the side of the neck. Tuns of tall frets all over the place. Surprised because this brand is usually praised. Must have just gotten a stinker.
* Epiphone ghosthorse, completely unplayable out of the box. 6th string really close to the fretboard edge so you have to be very precise fretting or you will slip off.
* Epiphone "inspired by gibson custom shop" (lol) Explorer. Finish cracked/damaged out of the box. Feel cursed with this brand.

After trying a bunch of cheaper stuff, I am looking for a solid player that won't feel the need to get out the fret leveling board or swap out electronics/pick ups. Tired of playing amateur guitar tech.

So what I am wondering is, what guitars out there are so reliable you would blindly buy one? Or does no such brand exist? Quality seems all over the place for many reasons, but what is the most consistent? What are usually just open the box, tune and start playing guitars? A guitar that wont come with 2mm+ action from the factory. Currently I am sorta thinking of just getting a new RG550 or something. A guitar that is not a cheap POS, but is well built.

Was thinking MIK Schecter, but @BadSeed got a real POS one recently in a video. No brand or factory is perfect, I get that.

I know the best advice is to just play guitars in person before buying, but sometimes there are things you don't notice in the excitement at the store until you get it home, etc. Also a lot of the local shops don't have certain models in stock and you have to take a risk, etc.

Anybody go down the route of just getting a cheaper guitar and getting it plek'ed and setup so there is no bullshit?

 

[cmpxchg]

PRS S2 if you want two humbuckers. Otherwise a MIM Tele or Strat.

 

[Robslalaina]

Fender and Charvel MIM stuff is generally good.
Ibanez's Genesis line isn't immune to issues.
Don't know about Schecter. Never considered buying one new given the stupid high prices in Europe.

 

[narad]

ESP is the Lexus of guitars. E-II is the Toyota of guitars. Ibanez J-Custom is the Acura of guitars, and Prestiges are the Honda of guitars.

 

[SalsaWood]

So what I am wondering is, what guitars out there are so reliable you would blindly buy one? Or does no such brand exist? Quality seems all over the place for many reasons, but what is the most consistent?

Mayones.

 

[Puttness]

So what I am wondering is, what guitars out there are so reliable you would blindly buy one? Or does no such brand exist? Quality seems all over the place for many reasons, but what is the most consistent? What are usually just open the box, tune and start playing guitars? A guitar that wont come with 2mm+ action from the factory.

Made in Japan ESP. Obviously I'm biased because I own one, I ordered it sight-unseen from a Japanese music store and right out of the box it was setup and played beautifully. It only needed a little cosmetic cleanup because Japanese music stores display and let you demo all of their guitars for sale regardless of price, so it wasn't "brand-new" in the form that us Americans are familiar with. I wouldn't buy any other guitar brand blindly especially at the prices handmade ESPs command. I won't deny I have some fanboy-ism since all of my favorite guitarists play ESP.

Next time I am in a position to afford one I am going to buy the 6 string versions of it, I can't get enough of these guitars. I've never heard of anyone having a complaint with a MIJ ESP, they're handmade by only a few people so getting a lemon isn't really a possibility.

As for cheaper guitars, I haven't owned a whole lot of guitars in the past. But I used play sub $1k Ibanezes and never had a problem, I remember they were all pretty comfortable to play and this was before I even knew what a setup was.

 

[narad]

It only needed a little cosmetic cleanup because Japanese music stores display and let you demo all of their guitars for sale regardless of price, so it wasn't "brand-new" in the form that us Americans are familiar with.

Uh, Citation needed.

 

[RG570EX]

Uh, Citation needed.

Yeah, I'm an us American and know of zero stores open to the public where a guitar on display for sale is not available for play testing. Every time I buy off the rack in a guitar shop I haggle a discount because it's basically a used guitar unless it was literally just unpacked.

 

[Puttness]

Yeah, I'm an us American and know of zero stores open to the public where a guitar on display for sale is not available for play testing. Every time I buy off the rack in a guitar shop I haggle a discount because it's basically a used guitar unless it was literally just unpacked.

That's not what I'm referring to, maybe I was confusing in how I worded it. When you buy a guitar from a store like guitar center or any other large chain in the US, they typically get a new-in-box one from the back of the store instead of selling you the one off the wall. You said it yourself, the ones on the wall are basically used guitars. Americans consider those demo models. But buying from a Japanese music store, that's the guitar you get even if you order one "brand new". Japanese have a more utilitarian attitude towards guitars compared to Americans who would be upset over buying a "brand new" guitar and seeing that it was played before.

My guitar was sold as brand new but it was actually sitting on the wall at Kurosawa Ochanomizu for about a year before I bought it and had its share of people demo'ing it. That wouldn't be new by American standards.

 

[Puttness]

Uh, Citation needed.

Don't know what to tell ya guy but what I said was pretty cut and dry so I have no idea what you're taking issue with. If you see a guitar listed by a Japanese music shop online, even if it says brand new, it can be on display in said shop. Especially if it's a model like mine where the store will never have more than one at a time. They're going to display it otherwise how will they sell it?

American music shops differentiate between display guitars and the ones they keep aside in the original packaging, Japanese ones don't. You get a discount from American shops if you buy a display guitar. Americans might see the Japanese way as strange especially with $5k+ guitars.

 

[Dekay82]

ESP is the Lexus of guitars. E-II is the Toyota of guitars. Ibanez J-Custom is the Acura of guitars, and Prestiges are the Honda of guitars.

Came to post this.

 

[John]

For years, it was Eric DeVries.

Rhythm in jump. Dancing close to you.

 

[Kosthrash]

PRS SE line (MIK earlier, now I'm not sure where) is considered also as the Honda of guitars imho... Almost perfect factory qc... Of course needs a first time setup according to the players' personal preferences, as every single instrument that travels across countries/regions during initial shipment.

 

[John]

now I'm not sure where

They relocated the SE stuff to Indonesia. China for the SE acoustic line, though.

 

[budda]

PRS.

 

[Dekay82]

PRS.

Splitting hairs, but I would Say PRS (and LPCs) are the Cadillacs of guitars. High end, US made, and big. When I think of a Lexus, what comes to mind is something of a quality standard, affordable line (ala LTD) akin to Toyota being upgraded to a more premium, more betterer package like ESP. I for one, would rather have an old caddy over a Lexus any day.

 

[Seabeast2000]

Splitting hairs, but I would Say PRS (and LPCs) are the Cadillacs of guitars. High end, US made, and big. When I think of a Lexus, what comes to mind is something of a quality standard, affordable line (ala LTD) akin to Toyota being upgraded to a more premium, more betterer package like ESP. I for one, would rather have an old caddy over a Lexus any day.

How about a 500 cubic inch, front wheel drive old Caddy?

 

[MAJ Meadows SF]

Yeah, I'm an us American and know of zero stores open to the public where a guitar on display for sale is not available for play testing. Every time I buy off the rack in a guitar shop I haggle a discount because it's basically a used guitar unless it was literally just unpacked.

Paragon Music of Tampa would not let you put a fingerprint on an instrument if you were not buying it. If I remember though they only sold a couple brands, including BC Rich, which pissed me off that I could not handle one myself. I also think they quit selling guitars a few years back; might even be closed now.

That's not what I'm referring to, maybe I was confusing in how I worded it. When you buy a guitar from a store like guitar center or any other large chain in the US, they typically get a new-in-box one from the back of the store instead of selling you the one off the wall. You said it yourself, the ones on the wall are basically used guitars. Americans consider those demo models. But buying from a Japanese music store, that's the guitar you get even if you order one "brand new". Japanese have a more utilitarian attitude towards guitars compared to Americans who would be upset over buying a "brand new" guitar and seeing that it was played before.

My guitar was sold as brand new but it was actually sitting on the wall at Kurosawa Ochanomizu for about a year before I bought it and had its share of people demo'ing it. That wouldn't be new by American standards.

Having worked at GC, that was dependent of stock. Most of the time low end models came in batches so we could sell from the back, but there was little to no such thing as a "demo discount". But I also worked at a giant store who held the line. Higher end stuff and platinum room instruments you could play all day but had to buy whatever was on the floor because it was likely the only one. Same thing with Sam Ash. And people working there handle everything so it's almost unheard of that anything is untouched.

Splitting hairs, but I would Say PRS (and LPCs) are the Cadillacs of guitars. High end, US made, and big. When I think of a Lexus, what comes to mind is something of a quality standard, affordable line (ala LTD) akin to Toyota being upgraded to a more premium, more betterer package like ESP. I for one, would rather have an old caddy over a Lexus any day.

Well, in the spirit of comparing autos to guitars, it makes sense based on country of origin (even if manufactured somewhere else). I'd want to say ESPs are higher up than a Lexus, but I guess that makes sense with the Original Series, which are excellent.

For the OP: what kind of guitar are you looking for and how much are you trying to spend? MIJ Fender, Jackson, Charvel are all solid, S2 series PRS or a good deal on a used Core model; ESP E-II might be the best bang for the buck. I've had phenomenal luck with Ormsby, but I've read others who have not. What you want may not always be available. Ibanez premium might be worth a look, but they have been hit or miss for me. I hear you on the Epiphone Ghost Horse; holy crap was that a bad instrument in hand, trying one out in a Sam Ash. The latest Epiphone Les Pauls though, actually pretty good. I bought the JC Wino on the spot because it felt and played excellently, AND stayed in tune!

Also, who are you ordering from? Are these all shipped or are you getting them in store? I'd be very gun shy about ordering online if I had done that and had all the troubles you are encountering.

 

[budda]

Splitting hairs, but I would Say PRS (and LPCs) are the Cadillacs of guitars. High end, US made, and big. When I think of a Lexus, what comes to mind is something of a quality standard, affordable line (ala LTD) akin to Toyota being upgraded to a more premium, more betterer package like ESP. I for one, would rather have an old caddy over a Lexus any day.

Im including S2 and SE. Also a Cadillac and Lexus are both expensive here

 

[narad]

Don't know what to tell ya guy but what I said was pretty cut and dry so I have no idea what you're taking issue with. If you see a guitar listed by a Japanese music shop online, even if it says brand new, it can be on display in said shop. Especially if it's a model like mine where the store will never have more than one at a time. They're going to display it otherwise how will they sell it?

American music shops differentiate between display guitars and the ones they keep aside in the original packaging, Japanese ones don't. You get a discount from American shops if you buy a display guitar. Americans might see the Japanese way as strange especially with $5k+ guitars.

Yea, I mean, just that you're making a Japan/American generalization when it's really just a matter of specific shops' policies.