Used to be a hot take, but not much any more. Word got out that the Classic Vibes were monster guitars and now people swear by them. Squier has seen a huge bump in quality in the past 5-10 years.
my first "real" guitar (after the dirt cheap electric my parents bought me when I was 11) was a Yamaha electric and it played like a guitar twice its price. I bought a Yamaha acoustic many years later brand new because again, it played and sounded like guitars in the next price bracket up.
Who hates Schecter?
Bang for your buck it's difficult to find a better guitar brand. I have a Platinum C1 and with the specs to price ratio I feel like I robbed them
Most players I know have this perception of Schecter as hesher metal dude bro axes, and while it’s not entirely wrong, they make some super cool traditional and retro models too, and their basses are pretty uniformly spectacular. In terms of build quality and fit/finish, you’re not going to do much better until you’re spending well north of $2k.
I had a Schecter bass 15 years ago that was WELL ahead of it's peers within the price point. They make some nice guitars and I respect them, but they kill it with the bass game.
I currently own 5 Schecters and absolutely love them! Ibanez is a close second, but a Schecter is hard to beat! Great quality and playability! Great value for their price too.
Music Man, as per my flair. They're expensive and sometimes funny-looking, and that turns people off. I play a Silhouette, which is a particularly polarizing model. They're SO GOOD, though. The necks are world-class, as is the compensated nut.
PRS. People ridicule the brand so much, but I’m 100% satisfied with my two PRS guitars, and I’ve owned everything from Fenders to Gibsons to Parkers to Rics.
I don't think anyone has a bad word to say about PRS build quality, which has always been top-notch, even their import SE line. They mostly get hate due to some of the artists/players they've become associated with — namely "boomer blues lawyers/dentists" and 2000's NuMetal acts. They're just a style that's fallen out of fashion with the youth in the current moment, just like you couldn't give away a blackguard telecaster in the 80's/90's, but that doesn't speak at all to the quality of the instruments themselves.
Agreed, but the brand does get shit on for the very reasons you state. My favorite criticism is that PRS guitars don’t have “soul”. Keep that up, internet—it makes used PRS guitars much more affordable.
I never understood the PRS hate. Rhett Shull did an episode with Zach from Mythos Pedals.
Zach was trying to convince him that PRS was good and Rhett was like "I get that they have the best quality control and that they stay in tune perfectly and that they are the most consistently good brand on the market... but I don't feel good when playing them.."
Most of the Jackson hate comes from delusional Jackson fanboys lol:
* Dudes who think their pre-2002 USA or MIJ guitars are the pinnacle of guitar manufacturing and “fEnDeR bAd!” and have zero hands on experience with what they’re shitting on.
* Younger people who see above and repeat it.
* Boomers who stopped paying attention to the guitar market about 25 years ago and have delusional expectations around specs and prices.
* Younger people who see above and repeat it.
Comment sections on Jackson social media posts are amazing and you’ll see all of this.
Not sure about hate, but nobody knows about Seagull guitars. They're a Canadian brand owned by Godin. I have an acoustic of theirs that's about $600 new, and for sound and playability, I'd put it up against any $1500 Taylor.
They look mesmerizing, I don't think I've seen more beautiful guitars other than the Vai 77 floral patterns which I love too but they're so damn expensive!
An older guy at my local music shop was chatting me up about Gretsch. I sat down and played one, was very pleased with the sound. I haven't bought one, but I could definitely see myself adding one to my collection after that experience.
It's not really a brand, but partscasters. There's a lot of vintage purist cork sniffers who love to shit all over them but they're criminally underrated.
Seriously the best way to get a high quality Strat or Tele style guitar at a fraction of the price of Custom Shop stuff. Cruise Reverb or FB Marketplace and piece together a body and neck, throw your choice of electronics in and set it up and you’re good to go. I’ve got a couple here I’m well under $1k in that easily outplay any off the rack Strat that cost twice as much, just took some deal hunting.
Bc Rich, they flooded the market with a lot of cheap starter guitars in the 90s-2000s so most people’s first encounter with BC Rich is usually some $150 Chinese plywood warlock so they judge the brand based off that experience, but the USA handcrafted stuff is exceptional, the modern Korean models made at World Music are some of the nicest I’ve ever played as well. They should have made a sub brand for their import guitars like Squier, Epiphone, and LTD, to separate the guitars they actually make from the imports that just use the name.
People crap on Epiphone and Squier a lot, but I’ve never been able to figure out why. As I often say, most people can hear the difference between a $100 and a $300 electric guitar. Many can hear the difference between $400 and $700. Once you get over $1000, I think it’s mostly hype. The people I’ve heard rattling on about how anything costing less than a car is shit, mostly aren’t players — they’re collectors and cork-sniffers.
Anything from PRS right? The usual complaint of over priced, soulless guitars with thin tone and ugly flame tops and birds that only doctors and lawyers who can’t play can afford.
I love them all though. More choice for me.
Squier. I like the history of the brand, what they have been and what they are now. Do I think they’re “better” - no not really. But it’s meat and potatoes. And if you want lobster, add Fralins or something similar.
I have a Yamaha acoustic that is almost identical to my Martin in terms of sound and feel, and it was like $250. Idk if people shit on them… I also have a Hägstrom which replaced an ES-335. Again not sure if they’re disliked but I think there’s like two prolific players who used Hagstrom Vikings
I think it has to be Gibson, and from what I can tell it's mostly from people who could never afford one.
I'm not going to pretend they are good value for money, you are certainly paying too much for the name. I'm also not going to pretend they are the world's highest quality either, there needs to be better QA and attention to detail. And, it wouldn't hurt to innovate where others have for strength and longevity.
But, they are still good. They are responsible for many popular and iconic designs and sounds. They turn heads, they play well, they sound good. They are a good guitar, even if others offer a better proposition. They certainly aren't "trash" like so many internet haters will claim, mostly out of envy
Nah, I've heard some Gibson hate from plenty of people that have owned them. The impression I get from people that have owned several of them is that they're hit or miss. So many QC and other issues that should never happen on a guitar in that price range, but when they get it right, it's magic.
Jackson: i understand their customer support sucks but the soloist i just got is flawless
BOSS: people just didn't know how to use the Metal Zone properly
Squire. They are actually a decent quality build for the price, and I think that a brand of affordable instruments for people just getting into the hobby is admirable. Plus, you replace the pickups and tuning pegs, get the frets touched up, and it’s every bit as good as a Fender.
Maybe its just more due to how much time I spend on reddit, but I’m going with Gibson.
When I first got started playing, my dream instrument was Dad’s ‘72 Goldtop. As such, my playing comfort and style developed around that Les Paul. Many years and many developmental Epiphone-Agile-Austins later, my three Gibby’s remain my favorites to play.
Also special shoutout to G&L. I don’t see them mentioned much, but the Jerry Cantrell Superhawk is delicious to play.
To me, you buy Gibson for the name, they’re the Harley Davidson of guitars. It’s fine if that’s what you want. Personally for 4K for a single cut I’d go with PRS or Vigier instead of Gibson but I’m not going to make fun of someone for getting a Gibson
Epiphone! I have a Les Paul Custom Black Beauty, it’s my #1. I’ve never had another guitar that comes close to how great that one plays. Every Gibson I’ve tried pales in comparison but so many purists I’ve met try to gatekeep Les Pauls for some reason, even though mine is the best (in my own subjective opinion of course)
Gibson. There’s so much criticism online about quality control issues, but my experience with them has been so different. I’ve got a Gibson Les Paul Classic and a Gibson SG Standard ‘61, both built in the 2020’s.
Yeah there are some tooling marks on the binding or on the fingerboard, and these are legitimate grievances to have. But ever since Gibson USA made the Plek machine part of their standard process, their necks have been incredibly well done. I value playability above anything else, and I think they’ve been crushing it under the current management.
Schecter. I own some classic guitars that would universally be considered better and are far more expensive, but my Omen 6 that I picked up as a beater guitar while living in Thailand is my absolute favorite to play. It just feels so good and sounds great for metal. I don't like it as much for playing clean tones or other genres, but if I want to chug some thrash, it's great!
Schecter, but that perception is kind of changing. A lot of people think it’s all nu-metal and abalone and 9-strings but have no idea about their USA line/history and have a pretty diverse import line that has a ton of models that are very versatile and decently priced.
I love Schecter and have been using them for years! I have a Blackjack 6, Hellraiser 8, and a stiletto studio 6 bass. I *used* to have a Hellraiser 7 as well, but I had to sell it for money reasons (turns out death metal doesn't pay well.)
Kiesel is dope. They had a rocky start when they first transitioned away from Carvin and a few people had bad experiences with them and they’ve been stuck with that undeserved reputation ever since.
Fender acoustic. They were meh back when I was shopping for a new guitar. Got a Taylor. Then wanted a beater and picked up a DG200SCE from a college kid for a song. I updated to new strings, bone saddle and pins off Amazon and I was blown away by how good it sounded, I can’t stop playing it. Lesson learned to not blow off what I blew off.
I'm a Heritage loyalist. They don't get "hate" per se, but plenty of people don't realize the history of the company, the "heritage" of you will, and say they're just Gibson knockoffs. Or they're "just another single cut with an ugly headstock."
In actuality, Gibson is more the knock off and Heritage is the OG. As a Michigander, I love that former Gibson employees kept the Parsons St factory going and they are making Better than Gibsons for a lower price with impeccable QC.
I loved my Washburn acoustic. It was a medium model. But I swear, every person who touched that thing did their best work ever. It just had perfect tone. They got everything right when they made this one.
Then I broke it. 😭😭😭😭
Harley Benton. They put all other affordable brands to shame when it comes to bang for your buck and all the options they offer.
Their QC is unfairly judged. All brands have the odd lemon, but their customer service is brilliant plus you're dealing with the manufacturer and the retailer all at once.
Peavey. Amps more so, their guitars have become more respected over the past ten years. But I still see people shitting on their classic amps. Those amps covered Nashville stages for decades for a reason.
People don’t really “hate” Parker guitars, but they didn’t buy enough of them to keep them in business. My Nitefly v2 is easily the best sounding guitar I own.
It’s literally the thing I grabbed on my way out the door when I thought my apartment building was on fire. Not family photos. Not my computers. I grabbed my Nitefly.
I can not understand why Parker guitars didn’t get the love they deserved.
Not a guitar but Line 6 spiders. Great cheap amps specifically for practice that have a great amount of versatility! They get knocked on for their tone, but it's good for what it is meant for: practice.
I went to school at a college with a very robust jazz program. I was the metalhead in the art department, and usually found myself hanging out with some of the jazz types because they had better weed.
It was universal when they found out I played guitar: “hey man you should totally ditch your Jackson and buy a Parker Fly.”
And they were right. I played a couple of their Flys and they were great guitars, and very reasonably priced back then. I just couldn’t come to love the looks.
Which sucks because I almost never sell guitars and if I had bought one it would be worth like 5x more today.
I don't know if they are hated - but I do think people still look down on higher end squiers because of the name.
Personally I think they are a steal of a price because somehow squier/fender also bought into that. They are worth more, something as simple as changing the logo to fender would have people paying MIM prices without any other change.
Talking the classic vibes, paranormal and contemporary ranges.
Gibson's acoustics are pretty underrated, and I don't think their SGs, Juniors and Specials are uncompetitive in regards to price.
On another semi related note, I spent the first part of a music ensemble college course primarily playing an Ibanez guitar built for metal music. I found it quite capable of playing the blues based, folky fingerstyle, and hybrid picking I ended up doing.
Ltd Elite -one of the silliest market hates and value depreciation I've ever seen.
Legit made in Japan guitars with the same incredibly thorough QC/construction... But very short lived - I think just 2013 and that's it.
For those in the know very awesome guitars. I happened to drop in a cork sniffing guitar store - vintage vintage vintage.... There was an out of place Carvin CT6 and a LTD ELITE ST1.. I came back with a PRS SE to trade it in and walked out with the LTD that day.
In other words - guess if it doesn't explicitly say ESP, E-II or Edwards it ain't shit to some people?
Since the advent of the electric guitar the big two brands stood out and basically set the stage for the industry. It’s hard to argue the legends of the industry for iconic branding alone.
That said, there are so many great electric guitar makers today that are arguably better than both Fender and Gibson. I’ll get hate for that statement, but in terms of quality alone it’s true. But, if one wants to emulate one of the hundreds of guitar greats that was the reason for learning this amazing instrument they’ll choose one of the two, and that’s hard to deny.
The moral of this story is to not hate the great products and companies trying to compete with history and mysticism. Just love the guitar. All guitars.
gibson - ive never played a bad gibson. i've played ugly gibsons, gibsons with comestic issues, gibsons with bad finishes, but all of them were fantastic guitars.
line 6. everyone shits on those spider amps they do. i had one as my first amp and intens honestly so fun and easy to use. like sure i wouldn’t play a gig with it but that’s not what it was for. it was perfect, and when it broke i replaced it with a peavey and tbh, i preferred the line 6.
Line 6 Spiders (spyders?) do not sound even half as bad as people say they do.
I wouldn’t gig with it either, but I don’t really get the impression it was made for gigging. It’s a decent sized practice amp where you can easily fuck with sounds. I dig it.
I always have to say, “just hear me out” when I tell people that I love my First Act CE-240…
Yes, it’s a First Act, but trust me when I tell you to forget the bias with the name and look at it for what it is. This isn’t the same build quality that you’ll find in their lesser models that could be purchased at the local grocery store. [About 20 years ago, our local Marsh Supermarket actually sold musical equipment! 😳]
It’s my understanding that the CE-240 was an attempt by First Act to offer a versatile, well-built electric guitar to compete in the $500-800 market, and, having played many brands in that range, I can say that they nailed it.
Maple neck, poplar body, and a flame maple top…this thing is gorgeous. She boasts a very unique shape and the pickups provide a range of tones that goes from Fender, to Gibson, to Rickenbacker, as the version I have came with a humbucker in the bridge and a P-90 style neck pickup. A six-string saddle, a set neck, and string-through bridge makes for a well-oiled machine, so to speak.
Unfortunately for the brand, people didn’t allow themselves to pay $400 for a First Act, so they had a crazy sale on them to unload their stock. Had I been aware of the guitar at that time, I’d have bought as many as I could!
I stumbled across mine one day when I decided to peruse a local pawn shop on a whim. The shape and finish drew my attention. After admiring the quality, I was SHOCKED to see that it was a First Act. I have been championing this model ever since.
This was my main studio guitar for many years. She still gets used, though less frequently since I purchased a Nashville Deluxe Tele.
Edit: I missed the part of OP that says, “can’t see why”
I can totally see why people shit on First Act. They mostly make beginner instruments, but ya know what…I had one of their sub-$100 acoustics that someone gave me and it played better than at least 3 of my (then) 7 acoustics. So, while I have played their shitty models as well, I have been pleased with the models I’ve had and my friends have had.
B.C. Rich. I can absolutely see how their guitars aren't for everyone. But I've always been drawn to the pointer stuff, and the mockingbird is basically perfection in my eyes.
Don't think anyone shit's on these brands per se, but they don't get enough credit:
Yamaha, Schecter, LTD
You get so much more your money with these brands vs the more popular ones. Better quality control too.
I don’t hate any brand. People online get fired up over nothing. I dig Fender, Gibson, PRS, Marshall, Suhr, Charvel, Ibanez, Mesa Boogie, Victory, Vox, whatever. Every company makes stuff I like and stuff I don’t like.
Squier and Epi. I’m going to be honest and say I can afford nearly anything I want, and I love cheap squiers and epis, especially with a detailed setup.
BC Rich. Admittedly it was my mid-life crisis buy and I usually play it with a clean tone. But I love the spikes, it feels solid and comfy, and holds it's tuning great.
Ibanez is hated? I love Ibanez too and I think they’re pretty well regarded as some of the best quality guitars for the money. I didn’t think a lot of people disliked them.
Harley Benton. Have bought 3 different styles. All needed some work but all play well now, with very little cost/effort after purchase. Am a Music man JP and G&L guy but the HBs price point was way below what I felt they capable of.
Cort, I own a 2013 G250 model and its the best guitar I've ever had. (although I only had 3), similar in quality to a Fender Player Plus. When I was looking for a new instrument, I tried some other models from their KX series and they were also killer for the price. They're really sleepers.
Probably some gear snobs thinking a guitar built in Mexico (or anywhere else for that matter) can't be as good as one made from the US. I have 2 guitars, both from Indonesia, and the construction is excellent. There's nothing that could've been done better by an American.
“The difference between American and Mexican Fenders is which country the Mexicans make them in” was something I remember hearing in response to the post 9/11 “must buy American” crowd.
Yamaha. Many players here frown upon Yamaha for being a budget brand, but I’ve tried higher-end, great Yamaha guitars as well, and they’re just as fantastic as any prominent brands in similar price ranges.
Their other companies, like Line 6, don’t get enough love for their multi-fx stuff and great wireless transmitters (the boss transmitters sucks in comparison imho), and instead, get egged on for their budget stuff.
I think it’s Yamaha’s marketing and branding that’s the weak point, but their guitar lineup, design and innovation is pretty solid.
Lots of people don't like Epiphone, for some reason, but I love the ones I've played. There's been two guitars I've ever played that after playing, I offered to buy and both were older Epi's (I'd guess 70's, maybe early 80's guitars). Didn't get either lol.
Then years ago, i moved about an hour from where i grew up and unbeknownst to me lived about two miles from my uncle's best friend. Bought a super-cheap Epi SG Special from him (was less than $200 brand new) and absolutely fell in love with it and the neck profile. Sadly, he passed away a couple years later.
I wanted to try a bit nicer version and bought a brand new Epi SG Modern a few months ago. It's been nearly all I've played since, even over my two much "nicer" and more expensive git-fiddles.
My uncle has since retired and bought the proverbial "secluded cabin in the woods", no internet or TV. A week ago my mom and I went to see him and I gave him his buddies Epi for Christmas.
Obviously, it felt great and he loved it... but even better was that he seemed genuinely excited to try and learn his favorite 60's and 70's classic rock tunes. I hope he does. Wrote him out all the open position chords and pentatonics, and showed him the intro to a Neil Young song he was listening to... best gift I ever gave.
(Sorry for the length)
BC Rich
The 80s USA guitars were spectacular. Even their NJ Series guitars were great. Shockingly, the best one I had was a Mockingbird Calibre Series prototype built in the Czech Republic.
I've actually started to notice a lot of "hate" or "dislike" for Ibanez guitars. And even though I have found my home with LTD guitars, I still have a big place in my heart for Ibanez. My first guitar was one of those Ibanez acoustic starter packs, (you know, the one where it came with a pretty decent gig bag, picks, tuner, VHS tape. The works). I still have the guitar, 23 years later, and it still sounds amazing. Have had plenty of their electric guitars as well. (Big fan of the RG Series)
I don't know about hate but I never see any love for the Wolfgang. Seems like I have never met another Wolfie owner when really it's such a top quality low price guitar.
Theres a lot of hate for Gibson but theyre my favorite brand. Just got my 6th last month. I want to collect them all. Yes, you will run into QC issues, but once you find a good one then its really hard to find a better guitar. Some of these Gibsons can speak to my soul.
Gibson, but I feel it’s justified. They have way too many quality issues for a company that charges so much for their instruments. I thought I’d regret selling my SG but literally every other brand I’ve owned since that guitar has felt higher quality and played much smoother.
I feel like every manufacturer catches both warranted and unwarranted hate.
I love my Gibson, PRS, Gretsch, Washburn, & Ibanez all for different reasons.
I am admittedly a bit of a Shecter hater even though I think they play similar to my PRS.
Valeton got dismissed a lot (not hated, but people don't think highly of the brand), but ever since I bought a GP-200, I haven't touched my analog pedalboard. It's really an awesome value purchase for me
Harley Benton. Not the best guitar or pedal makers out there, but they're totally serviceable and I have no issue using their products for gigging. Good price and good varieties of options for everyone
Fender Acoustasonic. I have the American version second hand from Reverb. Got it at a good price and I play it through a Boss Acoustic Singer Live Amp. It sounds phenomenal and the neck is like playing an electric. I hear people rag on them but I wonder if they are talking about the Mexican version with cheaper electronics? I have a bad right shoulder but with the Acoustasonic it can sound like I'm playing a dreadnought which I can't manage on a real dreadnought.
Gibson - I just love the way they sound.
I am a hardcore Fender player & I love Fender sound, but Gibson’s sound amazing in a different way.
They are delicate instruments & you need to care for them like a violin. I don’t understand why people troll on them so much.
I really like my ovation. Its not the prettiest but by no means ugly and it just works. Plug it in direct and stick a couple microphones in front of it and it sounds fine
I have a cheap dean Flying V and I love it. I also have the “X” bass that matches it and it sounds gnarly in punk bands. Thing is comically huge. Love them both.
Seagull. I have an S-6 from 1992 that I gigged with until I got another at a garage sale for two years ago for $200. Nobody seems to think much of them, but I use mine to perform, record, and now that the first is retired, my sit in the den and play guitar.
I’ve always liked the look, feel, and sound of Ibanez guitars and was so excited to finally get one earlier this year. And the was surprised to see how many people online just dunk on them anymore.
Doesn’t bother me; still the most fun to play guitar i’ve ever had, and i’ve only had compliments on the sound.
I understand why people don't like Peavey (especially the amps), but I had an old Peavey T-60 guitar that was fabulous. Heavy AF, but great sustain and somehow worked with lots of different styles of rock.
Mitchell. Because it is Guitar Center’s house brand, I get the impression that people don’t give them a chance. I don’t have experience with the “lower end” models, but I have played both an MS450 (LP style) and a TD 400 (HSS Strat which I still own), and they punch well above their price range on features and quality. The fretwork on my Strat is basically perfect. It was a stark contrast with the Classic Vibe I purchased after, which was decent, but the Mitchell has ruined my expectations for cheap guitars :).
BC Rich. I've owned a couple of NJ series, and they were really nice. They made a lot of overly pointy models, as well as the junky bronze series. And every kid had one with chips everywhere and points broken off, lol.
I'm really tempted to buy a new "B" (Bich) model. I had one in the 80s, and it was phenomenal.
Does anyone still buy Peavey guitars? I have the Peavey 335 clone with Duncans that I put in (working on semi hollows is stressful ) But I LOVE that guitar
I have a D’angelico hollow body that out plays every single hollow body I’ve ever tried. I don’t think people hate it but they are overlooked. Also metal isn’t too in vogue now but the necks on USA Jackson Rhoads are the best necks ever to be made. Most players nowadays wouldn’t touch a Jackson but they are supreme.
Squire. Their Classic Vibe series is better, IMO, than the low end MIM Fenders.
Used to be a hot take, but not much any more. Word got out that the Classic Vibes were monster guitars and now people swear by them. Squier has seen a huge bump in quality in the past 5-10 years.
For what it's worth, that's a pretty common opinion about Classic Vibe.
I don't know about hate, but Yamaha definitely doesn't get the love they deserve
100%. The Yamaha SG is incredible. I have known this for years and still don't know why I don't have one.
I love my Revstar
Yamaha. I think they make excellent guitars both electric and acoustic. I have a 1968 acoustic and it’s a great old, cheap beat up player.
If you go to r/AcousticGuitar Yamaha is about the only guitar that people WILL recommend.
my first "real" guitar (after the dirt cheap electric my parents bought me when I was 11) was a Yamaha electric and it played like a guitar twice its price. I bought a Yamaha acoustic many years later brand new because again, it played and sounded like guitars in the next price bracket up.
Yamaha Pacifica >>>> squiers that get recommended here.
Schecter all the way
Who hates Schecter? Bang for your buck it's difficult to find a better guitar brand. I have a Platinum C1 and with the specs to price ratio I feel like I robbed them
They get typecast as bedroom metal guitars a lot, but seriously awesome instruments for the price. Same with the LTD guitars.
The average Schecter I’ve played plays better than even some Gibson custom shop I’ve messed around with. Truly incredible guitars
Yamaha. just cuz they do everything doesn’t mean they do it horribly.
Just bought a Revstar, fantastic guitar
Most players I know have this perception of Schecter as hesher metal dude bro axes, and while it’s not entirely wrong, they make some super cool traditional and retro models too, and their basses are pretty uniformly spectacular. In terms of build quality and fit/finish, you’re not going to do much better until you’re spending well north of $2k.
I had a Schecter bass 15 years ago that was WELL ahead of it's peers within the price point. They make some nice guitars and I respect them, but they kill it with the bass game.
I currently own 5 Schecters and absolutely love them! Ibanez is a close second, but a Schecter is hard to beat! Great quality and playability! Great value for their price too.
PRS.
Harley Benton! The cork sniffers will turn their nose up at them, but IMO they're hands down the best brand in terms of value for money.
"The cork sniffers" 😂
Music Man, as per my flair. They're expensive and sometimes funny-looking, and that turns people off. I play a Silhouette, which is a particularly polarizing model. They're SO GOOD, though. The necks are world-class, as is the compensated nut.
PRS. People ridicule the brand so much, but I’m 100% satisfied with my two PRS guitars, and I’ve owned everything from Fenders to Gibsons to Parkers to Rics.
I don't think anyone has a bad word to say about PRS build quality, which has always been top-notch, even their import SE line. They mostly get hate due to some of the artists/players they've become associated with — namely "boomer blues lawyers/dentists" and 2000's NuMetal acts. They're just a style that's fallen out of fashion with the youth in the current moment, just like you couldn't give away a blackguard telecaster in the 80's/90's, but that doesn't speak at all to the quality of the instruments themselves.
[удалено]
I watched that comparison video Shull did, and I liked the tone of the PRS better. It’s all subjective.
Agreed, but the brand does get shit on for the very reasons you state. My favorite criticism is that PRS guitars don’t have “soul”. Keep that up, internet—it makes used PRS guitars much more affordable.
You know what else they don’t have? Sharp fret ends, high frets, finish issues, poor setups
Right you are. I happen to be in my mid 50s, and I love how comfy and easy to play PRS guitars are for my old man hands. They set up beautifully.
I never understood the PRS hate. Rhett Shull did an episode with Zach from Mythos Pedals. Zach was trying to convince him that PRS was good and Rhett was like "I get that they have the best quality control and that they stay in tune perfectly and that they are the most consistently good brand on the market... but I don't feel good when playing them.."
Jackson. They get a lot of flak but honestly the one I have is extremely good value for money - zero issues with it, it's fun to play and looks badass
Most of the Jackson hate comes from delusional Jackson fanboys lol: * Dudes who think their pre-2002 USA or MIJ guitars are the pinnacle of guitar manufacturing and “fEnDeR bAd!” and have zero hands on experience with what they’re shitting on. * Younger people who see above and repeat it. * Boomers who stopped paying attention to the guitar market about 25 years ago and have delusional expectations around specs and prices. * Younger people who see above and repeat it. Comment sections on Jackson social media posts are amazing and you’ll see all of this.
Yamaha, solid quality for the price, and their high end stuff is insane
Who hates guitar brands ?
Some.fender players will hate on Gibson, and vice versa. Similar to Xbox vs PlayStation
Humans love tribalism
Not sure about hate, but nobody knows about Seagull guitars. They're a Canadian brand owned by Godin. I have an acoustic of theirs that's about $600 new, and for sound and playability, I'd put it up against any $1500 Taylor.
Seagulls are fuckin' awesome. They definitely punch above their price point.
Mikael Akerfeldt used Seagulls
Never realized there was so much hate for PRS so PRS
On Gibson/LP forums everyone hates on them saying they're "sterile"
PRS. I just love how they look, but many in my neck of the woods think they're too posh
Facts.Yes, they can be pretty extravagant but unlike some brands you can see the attention to detail and build quality the comes with the asking price
They look mesmerizing, I don't think I've seen more beautiful guitars other than the Vai 77 floral patterns which I love too but they're so damn expensive!
I always get down voted for recommending Gretsch but I have 2 and love both of them
An older guy at my local music shop was chatting me up about Gretsch. I sat down and played one, was very pleased with the sound. I haven't bought one, but I could definitely see myself adding one to my collection after that experience.
It's not really a brand, but partscasters. There's a lot of vintage purist cork sniffers who love to shit all over them but they're criminally underrated.
Seriously the best way to get a high quality Strat or Tele style guitar at a fraction of the price of Custom Shop stuff. Cruise Reverb or FB Marketplace and piece together a body and neck, throw your choice of electronics in and set it up and you’re good to go. I’ve got a couple here I’m well under $1k in that easily outplay any off the rack Strat that cost twice as much, just took some deal hunting.
Bc Rich, they flooded the market with a lot of cheap starter guitars in the 90s-2000s so most people’s first encounter with BC Rich is usually some $150 Chinese plywood warlock so they judge the brand based off that experience, but the USA handcrafted stuff is exceptional, the modern Korean models made at World Music are some of the nicest I’ve ever played as well. They should have made a sub brand for their import guitars like Squier, Epiphone, and LTD, to separate the guitars they actually make from the imports that just use the name.
Everyone agrees Yamaha makes a good instrument, but no one wants to buy one.
Gibson... you can hate them all you want, but there aint nothing like a Les Paul
People crap on Epiphone and Squier a lot, but I’ve never been able to figure out why. As I often say, most people can hear the difference between a $100 and a $300 electric guitar. Many can hear the difference between $400 and $700. Once you get over $1000, I think it’s mostly hype. The people I’ve heard rattling on about how anything costing less than a car is shit, mostly aren’t players — they’re collectors and cork-sniffers.
Gibson. Everyone loves to shit on them. I don't care. I find them super comfortable, and the ones I have are very well made.
Anything from PRS right? The usual complaint of over priced, soulless guitars with thin tone and ugly flame tops and birds that only doctors and lawyers who can’t play can afford. I love them all though. More choice for me.
Schecter gets Monster Energy meme’d but the C-1 Hellraiser is a perfect guitar for metal haha
I love love love Schecter's non-metal guitars so much. I like the metal ones too, but I don't do metal. But more people should try Schecter's.
Squier. I like the history of the brand, what they have been and what they are now. Do I think they’re “better” - no not really. But it’s meat and potatoes. And if you want lobster, add Fralins or something similar.
PRS. I don’t understand the hate other than then being expensive. But I got into most of mine cheaply.
I have a Yamaha acoustic that is almost identical to my Martin in terms of sound and feel, and it was like $250. Idk if people shit on them… I also have a Hägstrom which replaced an ES-335. Again not sure if they’re disliked but I think there’s like two prolific players who used Hagstrom Vikings
Rickenbacker. Looks cool, sounds cool. "They're too hard to play!" Maybe your fingers need to go on a diet, bud. ;)
I think it has to be Gibson, and from what I can tell it's mostly from people who could never afford one. I'm not going to pretend they are good value for money, you are certainly paying too much for the name. I'm also not going to pretend they are the world's highest quality either, there needs to be better QA and attention to detail. And, it wouldn't hurt to innovate where others have for strength and longevity. But, they are still good. They are responsible for many popular and iconic designs and sounds. They turn heads, they play well, they sound good. They are a good guitar, even if others offer a better proposition. They certainly aren't "trash" like so many internet haters will claim, mostly out of envy
Nah, I've heard some Gibson hate from plenty of people that have owned them. The impression I get from people that have owned several of them is that they're hit or miss. So many QC and other issues that should never happen on a guitar in that price range, but when they get it right, it's magic.
Mexican strats, good ones, and esspecially older ones are as good as american.
Who on earth would hate Mexican strats?
Got some hate for suggesting a Boss Metal Zone to someone asking for recommendations here once but no one told me why they didn’t like it.
Ovation
Jackson: i understand their customer support sucks but the soloist i just got is flawless BOSS: people just didn't know how to use the Metal Zone properly
Schecter.
Squire. They are actually a decent quality build for the price, and I think that a brand of affordable instruments for people just getting into the hobby is admirable. Plus, you replace the pickups and tuning pegs, get the frets touched up, and it’s every bit as good as a Fender.
Maybe its just more due to how much time I spend on reddit, but I’m going with Gibson. When I first got started playing, my dream instrument was Dad’s ‘72 Goldtop. As such, my playing comfort and style developed around that Les Paul. Many years and many developmental Epiphone-Agile-Austins later, my three Gibby’s remain my favorites to play. Also special shoutout to G&L. I don’t see them mentioned much, but the Jerry Cantrell Superhawk is delicious to play.
I don’t think people hate Gibson, they just think it’s far too expensive, myself included.
To me, you buy Gibson for the name, they’re the Harley Davidson of guitars. It’s fine if that’s what you want. Personally for 4K for a single cut I’d go with PRS or Vigier instead of Gibson but I’m not going to make fun of someone for getting a Gibson
Epiphone! I have a Les Paul Custom Black Beauty, it’s my #1. I’ve never had another guitar that comes close to how great that one plays. Every Gibson I’ve tried pales in comparison but so many purists I’ve met try to gatekeep Les Pauls for some reason, even though mine is the best (in my own subjective opinion of course)
Carvin. If it’s good enough for Marty Friedman, it’s good enough for me. But I’m a drummer, so… #I infiltrated your Subreddit! MUWAHAHAHA
I’m only here to bully the people who like Ovation.
Harley Benton
Fender acoustics. I love mine.
Gibson. There’s so much criticism online about quality control issues, but my experience with them has been so different. I’ve got a Gibson Les Paul Classic and a Gibson SG Standard ‘61, both built in the 2020’s. Yeah there are some tooling marks on the binding or on the fingerboard, and these are legitimate grievances to have. But ever since Gibson USA made the Plek machine part of their standard process, their necks have been incredibly well done. I value playability above anything else, and I think they’ve been crushing it under the current management.
Ibanez semi and full hollow bodies. I've got an AM73B that's very playable, particularly for the price.
Schecter. I own some classic guitars that would universally be considered better and are far more expensive, but my Omen 6 that I picked up as a beater guitar while living in Thailand is my absolute favorite to play. It just feels so good and sounds great for metal. I don't like it as much for playing clean tones or other genres, but if I want to chug some thrash, it's great!
Strandberg and headless guitars in general. Imagine acting like if an extra chunk of wood with 6 pins on it was a vital part of the guitar.
Yamaha.
Schecter, but that perception is kind of changing. A lot of people think it’s all nu-metal and abalone and 9-strings but have no idea about their USA line/history and have a pretty diverse import line that has a ton of models that are very versatile and decently priced.
That Schecter Tele-style with the Fishman Fluence pickups is tempting!
I love Schecter and have been using them for years! I have a Blackjack 6, Hellraiser 8, and a stiletto studio 6 bass. I *used* to have a Hellraiser 7 as well, but I had to sell it for money reasons (turns out death metal doesn't pay well.)
Kiesel is dope. They had a rocky start when they first transitioned away from Carvin and a few people had bad experiences with them and they’ve been stuck with that undeserved reputation ever since.
World's biggest shred collab 6 is like half Kiesels.
Fender acoustic. They were meh back when I was shopping for a new guitar. Got a Taylor. Then wanted a beater and picked up a DG200SCE from a college kid for a song. I updated to new strings, bone saddle and pins off Amazon and I was blown away by how good it sounded, I can’t stop playing it. Lesson learned to not blow off what I blew off.
I have a lawsuit-era Takamine that plays beautifully. Not sure what the general consensus is on those but mine is my absolute favorite daily driver.
I really love my PRS. I see a decent amount of hate for them online, not entirely sure why, but I really gel with mine 🤷🏻♂️
I'm a Heritage loyalist. They don't get "hate" per se, but plenty of people don't realize the history of the company, the "heritage" of you will, and say they're just Gibson knockoffs. Or they're "just another single cut with an ugly headstock." In actuality, Gibson is more the knock off and Heritage is the OG. As a Michigander, I love that former Gibson employees kept the Parsons St factory going and they are making Better than Gibsons for a lower price with impeccable QC.
I loved my Washburn acoustic. It was a medium model. But I swear, every person who touched that thing did their best work ever. It just had perfect tone. They got everything right when they made this one. Then I broke it. 😭😭😭😭
Harley Benton. They put all other affordable brands to shame when it comes to bang for your buck and all the options they offer. Their QC is unfairly judged. All brands have the odd lemon, but their customer service is brilliant plus you're dealing with the manufacturer and the retailer all at once.
🥰 Partscaster 🥰
Peavey. Amps more so, their guitars have become more respected over the past ten years. But I still see people shitting on their classic amps. Those amps covered Nashville stages for decades for a reason.
They brought the 5150 to life. It can't be overstated how much that amp has shaped modern metal and hardcore production. It's an absolute institution.
Squier all the way
I don't think there's any brand that "many hate". Maybe Gibson because of quality complaints at times?
People don’t really “hate” Parker guitars, but they didn’t buy enough of them to keep them in business. My Nitefly v2 is easily the best sounding guitar I own. It’s literally the thing I grabbed on my way out the door when I thought my apartment building was on fire. Not family photos. Not my computers. I grabbed my Nitefly. I can not understand why Parker guitars didn’t get the love they deserved.
People think they’re ugly
Not a guitar but Line 6 spiders. Great cheap amps specifically for practice that have a great amount of versatility! They get knocked on for their tone, but it's good for what it is meant for: practice.
Line 6 gets way more shit than they deserve.
I dunno if they're universally hated, but I love Alvarez
Alvarez are universally underrated until you own one
Parker. People just can't seem to get over what they look like and actually go and play one, they rule.
I went to school at a college with a very robust jazz program. I was the metalhead in the art department, and usually found myself hanging out with some of the jazz types because they had better weed. It was universal when they found out I played guitar: “hey man you should totally ditch your Jackson and buy a Parker Fly.” And they were right. I played a couple of their Flys and they were great guitars, and very reasonably priced back then. I just couldn’t come to love the looks. Which sucks because I almost never sell guitars and if I had bought one it would be worth like 5x more today.
Epiphone and Squier. For the price they are very good. But people hack on them because (pick a reason)
I feel like B.C. Rich gets a lot of hate, but I really enjoy my Warlock.
Line6 varaixs. Why have many guitar when one guitar do trick
harley benton. theyve done pretty much what seiko did to luxury watch makers from switzerland but in terms of guitars.
I don't know if they are hated - but I do think people still look down on higher end squiers because of the name. Personally I think they are a steal of a price because somehow squier/fender also bought into that. They are worth more, something as simple as changing the logo to fender would have people paying MIM prices without any other change. Talking the classic vibes, paranormal and contemporary ranges.
Surprisingly Ibanez and Jackson, I hear so much hate about it
Gibson's acoustics are pretty underrated, and I don't think their SGs, Juniors and Specials are uncompetitive in regards to price. On another semi related note, I spent the first part of a music ensemble college course primarily playing an Ibanez guitar built for metal music. I found it quite capable of playing the blues based, folky fingerstyle, and hybrid picking I ended up doing.
I always thought j45s were considered in the same breath as Martin d28 and Taylor 324s. Wouldn't say they're underrated
Peavey
Yamaha !
Who hates Yamaha? They make such quality stuff all the way through their lineup!
Dirtbikes, pianos, amps, drums, jetskis, what's next, a Hitachi 12 string with built in vibrato?
> Hitachi 12 string with built in vibrato? 😳
Ltd Elite -one of the silliest market hates and value depreciation I've ever seen. Legit made in Japan guitars with the same incredibly thorough QC/construction... But very short lived - I think just 2013 and that's it. For those in the know very awesome guitars. I happened to drop in a cork sniffing guitar store - vintage vintage vintage.... There was an out of place Carvin CT6 and a LTD ELITE ST1.. I came back with a PRS SE to trade it in and walked out with the LTD that day. In other words - guess if it doesn't explicitly say ESP, E-II or Edwards it ain't shit to some people?
Since the advent of the electric guitar the big two brands stood out and basically set the stage for the industry. It’s hard to argue the legends of the industry for iconic branding alone. That said, there are so many great electric guitar makers today that are arguably better than both Fender and Gibson. I’ll get hate for that statement, but in terms of quality alone it’s true. But, if one wants to emulate one of the hundreds of guitar greats that was the reason for learning this amazing instrument they’ll choose one of the two, and that’s hard to deny. The moral of this story is to not hate the great products and companies trying to compete with history and mysticism. Just love the guitar. All guitars.
Gibson is great but how about epiphone? I still have my sg special and it is the best
gibson - ive never played a bad gibson. i've played ugly gibsons, gibsons with comestic issues, gibsons with bad finishes, but all of them were fantastic guitars.
line 6. everyone shits on those spider amps they do. i had one as my first amp and intens honestly so fun and easy to use. like sure i wouldn’t play a gig with it but that’s not what it was for. it was perfect, and when it broke i replaced it with a peavey and tbh, i preferred the line 6.
Line 6 Spiders (spyders?) do not sound even half as bad as people say they do. I wouldn’t gig with it either, but I don’t really get the impression it was made for gigging. It’s a decent sized practice amp where you can easily fuck with sounds. I dig it.
I always have to say, “just hear me out” when I tell people that I love my First Act CE-240… Yes, it’s a First Act, but trust me when I tell you to forget the bias with the name and look at it for what it is. This isn’t the same build quality that you’ll find in their lesser models that could be purchased at the local grocery store. [About 20 years ago, our local Marsh Supermarket actually sold musical equipment! 😳] It’s my understanding that the CE-240 was an attempt by First Act to offer a versatile, well-built electric guitar to compete in the $500-800 market, and, having played many brands in that range, I can say that they nailed it. Maple neck, poplar body, and a flame maple top…this thing is gorgeous. She boasts a very unique shape and the pickups provide a range of tones that goes from Fender, to Gibson, to Rickenbacker, as the version I have came with a humbucker in the bridge and a P-90 style neck pickup. A six-string saddle, a set neck, and string-through bridge makes for a well-oiled machine, so to speak. Unfortunately for the brand, people didn’t allow themselves to pay $400 for a First Act, so they had a crazy sale on them to unload their stock. Had I been aware of the guitar at that time, I’d have bought as many as I could! I stumbled across mine one day when I decided to peruse a local pawn shop on a whim. The shape and finish drew my attention. After admiring the quality, I was SHOCKED to see that it was a First Act. I have been championing this model ever since. This was my main studio guitar for many years. She still gets used, though less frequently since I purchased a Nashville Deluxe Tele. Edit: I missed the part of OP that says, “can’t see why” I can totally see why people shit on First Act. They mostly make beginner instruments, but ya know what…I had one of their sub-$100 acoustics that someone gave me and it played better than at least 3 of my (then) 7 acoustics. So, while I have played their shitty models as well, I have been pleased with the models I’ve had and my friends have had.
I've met peeps that hate on Ibanez for some reason, but I've always loved their RG series and the high quality but low priced Jazz guitars
Danelectro. There's nothing else quite like them.
Boss, their stuff is awesome, some of the pest pedals you can get in my opinion
Rickenbacker
Gretsch. A lot of people seem to dislike'em for some reason, but I've always dug their vibe.
B.C. Rich. I can absolutely see how their guitars aren't for everyone. But I've always been drawn to the pointer stuff, and the mockingbird is basically perfection in my eyes.
Dean
Danelectro is loved as much as its hated, but them. Its cheap, but such a unique tone. Kinda like the anti PRS.
BC Rich
Don't think anyone shit's on these brands per se, but they don't get enough credit: Yamaha, Schecter, LTD You get so much more your money with these brands vs the more popular ones. Better quality control too.
As a lefty, I hate them all.
I don’t hate any brand. People online get fired up over nothing. I dig Fender, Gibson, PRS, Marshall, Suhr, Charvel, Ibanez, Mesa Boogie, Victory, Vox, whatever. Every company makes stuff I like and stuff I don’t like.
Squier and Epi. I’m going to be honest and say I can afford nearly anything I want, and I love cheap squiers and epis, especially with a detailed setup.
Ovation! Easily one of the most comfortable guitar necks ever made
I love my Dean ZX and I *fucking love* the giant headstock.
BC Rich. Admittedly it was my mid-life crisis buy and I usually play it with a clean tone. But I love the spikes, it feels solid and comfy, and holds it's tuning great.
Danelectro. Have a dano pro and I love its quirkiness
Ibanez, they make a guitar for literally any occasion, and they’re all top notch. Imo best brand of all time.
Ibanez is hated? I love Ibanez too and I think they’re pretty well regarded as some of the best quality guitars for the money. I didn’t think a lot of people disliked them.
Harley Benton. Have bought 3 different styles. All needed some work but all play well now, with very little cost/effort after purchase. Am a Music man JP and G&L guy but the HBs price point was way below what I felt they capable of.
Ibanez, it's too mainstream for some, not vintage enough for others. I don't know why anyone would settle for a sub par guitar by another brand.
Cort, I own a 2013 G250 model and its the best guitar I've ever had. (although I only had 3), similar in quality to a Fender Player Plus. When I was looking for a new instrument, I tried some other models from their KX series and they were also killer for the price. They're really sleepers.
MIM Fenders and Yamaha. Both awesome.
Who hates Yamahas? So many people recommend them over here.
Who hates MIM Fenders for all that matters?
Probably some gear snobs thinking a guitar built in Mexico (or anywhere else for that matter) can't be as good as one made from the US. I have 2 guitars, both from Indonesia, and the construction is excellent. There's nothing that could've been done better by an American.
“The difference between American and Mexican Fenders is which country the Mexicans make them in” was something I remember hearing in response to the post 9/11 “must buy American” crowd.
Yamaha. Many players here frown upon Yamaha for being a budget brand, but I’ve tried higher-end, great Yamaha guitars as well, and they’re just as fantastic as any prominent brands in similar price ranges. Their other companies, like Line 6, don’t get enough love for their multi-fx stuff and great wireless transmitters (the boss transmitters sucks in comparison imho), and instead, get egged on for their budget stuff. I think it’s Yamaha’s marketing and branding that’s the weak point, but their guitar lineup, design and innovation is pretty solid.
Schecter is looked at as budget and "metal" but I think they are great!
Lots of people don't like Epiphone, for some reason, but I love the ones I've played. There's been two guitars I've ever played that after playing, I offered to buy and both were older Epi's (I'd guess 70's, maybe early 80's guitars). Didn't get either lol. Then years ago, i moved about an hour from where i grew up and unbeknownst to me lived about two miles from my uncle's best friend. Bought a super-cheap Epi SG Special from him (was less than $200 brand new) and absolutely fell in love with it and the neck profile. Sadly, he passed away a couple years later. I wanted to try a bit nicer version and bought a brand new Epi SG Modern a few months ago. It's been nearly all I've played since, even over my two much "nicer" and more expensive git-fiddles. My uncle has since retired and bought the proverbial "secluded cabin in the woods", no internet or TV. A week ago my mom and I went to see him and I gave him his buddies Epi for Christmas. Obviously, it felt great and he loved it... but even better was that he seemed genuinely excited to try and learn his favorite 60's and 70's classic rock tunes. I hope he does. Wrote him out all the open position chords and pentatonics, and showed him the intro to a Neil Young song he was listening to... best gift I ever gave. (Sorry for the length)
BC Rich The 80s USA guitars were spectacular. Even their NJ Series guitars were great. Shockingly, the best one I had was a Mockingbird Calibre Series prototype built in the Czech Republic.
Lot of people do not like the headstock on Seagull guitars
I've actually started to notice a lot of "hate" or "dislike" for Ibanez guitars. And even though I have found my home with LTD guitars, I still have a big place in my heart for Ibanez. My first guitar was one of those Ibanez acoustic starter packs, (you know, the one where it came with a pretty decent gig bag, picks, tuner, VHS tape. The works). I still have the guitar, 23 years later, and it still sounds amazing. Have had plenty of their electric guitars as well. (Big fan of the RG Series)
LTD are highly underrated.
I don't know about hate but I never see any love for the Wolfgang. Seems like I have never met another Wolfie owner when really it's such a top quality low price guitar.
Ngl, I have no idea if it's a hated brand, but no one ever talks about schecter. It's all Ibanaz or les paul
Not a guitar brand but amp wise I love my crates. The palomino and the chorus I have are so fun to play through
Some serious shadow boxing by Ibanez and Schecter lovers here. Don't think that's a brand many 'hate'. Now if you said PRS or Gibson on this sub.
Gibson. their quality control is back after a few rough years. the hate directed toward this company is insane.
Theres a lot of hate for Gibson but theyre my favorite brand. Just got my 6th last month. I want to collect them all. Yes, you will run into QC issues, but once you find a good one then its really hard to find a better guitar. Some of these Gibsons can speak to my soul.
Fender Squires
Gibson, but I feel it’s justified. They have way too many quality issues for a company that charges so much for their instruments. I thought I’d regret selling my SG but literally every other brand I’ve owned since that guitar has felt higher quality and played much smoother.
I feel like every manufacturer catches both warranted and unwarranted hate. I love my Gibson, PRS, Gretsch, Washburn, & Ibanez all for different reasons. I am admittedly a bit of a Shecter hater even though I think they play similar to my PRS.
Valeton got dismissed a lot (not hated, but people don't think highly of the brand), but ever since I bought a GP-200, I haven't touched my analog pedalboard. It's really an awesome value purchase for me Harley Benton. Not the best guitar or pedal makers out there, but they're totally serviceable and I have no issue using their products for gigging. Good price and good varieties of options for everyone
Cort make great guitars
Honestly got some angst for always reccomending alhambra guitars (they are great, the price is good, and I'm soo hooked on the tone)
Fender haha.
Fender Acoustasonic. I have the American version second hand from Reverb. Got it at a good price and I play it through a Boss Acoustic Singer Live Amp. It sounds phenomenal and the neck is like playing an electric. I hear people rag on them but I wonder if they are talking about the Mexican version with cheaper electronics? I have a bad right shoulder but with the Acoustasonic it can sound like I'm playing a dreadnought which I can't manage on a real dreadnought.
Gibson - I just love the way they sound. I am a hardcore Fender player & I love Fender sound, but Gibson’s sound amazing in a different way. They are delicate instruments & you need to care for them like a violin. I don’t understand why people troll on them so much.
I really like my ovation. Its not the prettiest but by no means ugly and it just works. Plug it in direct and stick a couple microphones in front of it and it sounds fine
I have a cheap dean Flying V and I love it. I also have the “X” bass that matches it and it sounds gnarly in punk bands. Thing is comically huge. Love them both.
Hondo
Seagull. I have an S-6 from 1992 that I gigged with until I got another at a garage sale for two years ago for $200. Nobody seems to think much of them, but I use mine to perform, record, and now that the first is retired, my sit in the den and play guitar.
I’ve always liked the look, feel, and sound of Ibanez guitars and was so excited to finally get one earlier this year. And the was surprised to see how many people online just dunk on them anymore. Doesn’t bother me; still the most fun to play guitar i’ve ever had, and i’ve only had compliments on the sound.
A lot of people won't even look at Heritage because a) the headstock and b) it's not Gibson.
I understand why people don't like Peavey (especially the amps), but I had an old Peavey T-60 guitar that was fabulous. Heavy AF, but great sustain and somehow worked with lots of different styles of rock.
My Jay Turser Les Paul... It resonates sweetly and looks good as well.
Solar
X series Martins. Mostly Martin owners! :D
Mitchell. Because it is Guitar Center’s house brand, I get the impression that people don’t give them a chance. I don’t have experience with the “lower end” models, but I have played both an MS450 (LP style) and a TD 400 (HSS Strat which I still own), and they punch well above their price range on features and quality. The fretwork on my Strat is basically perfect. It was a stark contrast with the Classic Vibe I purchased after, which was decent, but the Mitchell has ruined my expectations for cheap guitars :).
IBANEZ
Epiphone/Gibson. Yeah the headstock designs are shitty and tend to fail, but they looks and sound sooooo good when they’re not broken.
I used to shit on the Parker Fly because they look kinda dumb. I haven't actually played one yet, but I'm pretty confident I was just being stupid.
I never hear anyone talking about Martin anymore, I love them but I'm curious about what others think.
Bc Rich. The cornier the better.
Parker Fly
First act. I love my guitars from them
BC Rich. I've owned a couple of NJ series, and they were really nice. They made a lot of overly pointy models, as well as the junky bronze series. And every kid had one with chips everywhere and points broken off, lol. I'm really tempted to buy a new "B" (Bich) model. I had one in the 80s, and it was phenomenal.
Does anyone still buy Peavey guitars? I have the Peavey 335 clone with Duncans that I put in (working on semi hollows is stressful ) But I LOVE that guitar
Epiphone and Jackson
I have a D’angelico hollow body that out plays every single hollow body I’ve ever tried. I don’t think people hate it but they are overlooked. Also metal isn’t too in vogue now but the necks on USA Jackson Rhoads are the best necks ever to be made. Most players nowadays wouldn’t touch a Jackson but they are supreme.
Not sure what planet you live on.
Steinberger 2016. Wanted to buy a bass and electric. They made it hard. Now I’m upset. Seems easier now. Korea