Favourite Guitar Manufacturers and Why

What brands of guitar do you prefer, what guitar more specifically and why?

Paul Reed Smith makes some of the best guitars on the planet-- they play like butter, sound like gold and look like art

Fenders... My first guitar was a Squier I got for Christmas.

Ibanez was the main brand for the past six years, but I finally sold my one six string and I purchased the Ernie Ball Petrucci Special. Last night in fact.

Ibanez: I was always a metal, even before becoming exposed to prog and even now, and this brand always seemed to give me what I wanted; whether it was feel, sound, and what not.

In retrospect my favorite guitar is a used Jem 555 bk:



(this isn't my guitar, I used a wikimedia pic)

The only problem is that the tuners are broken, because obviously the previous owner tightened them with a wrench ... I think that I'll order some replacement tuners from Ibanez and start using it again.

My fave is Vantage. As long as they are ones made in Japan until the early 80s. I picked up a vp795 about 6 years ago for $200. In many comparisons that I've made when trying instruments at music shops, it keeps its' own more than adequately. Neck through body, and sustain for days. In fact about a month after I bought this fire red one, there was another that came into the second hand shop that I frequent. IT was priced at $135 as the neck pickup was scratchy. In my then naive state of guitar knowledge, I didn't want to take a chance so I passed it up. It was sold a week later. The buyer asked the store if they could take out the neck pickup for him, and he would eventually get around buying & having a new one installed. Turns out all that was wrong was some crap around the wiring, and a somewhat loose wire.
And the best part ... despite their high quality ( along with their top of the line models, sold under the name Aria Pro), they are not considered collectible. Therefore, you can get them a very good prices. If you see one and it's in good shape, and please ensure that they are japanese made, try them. YOu may be in for a nice surprise.

Westone are another Matsumoku brand that made some amazing guitars in the early 80s. My first electric was a Thunder 1A, wish I still had it! I bought a Paduak 1 on Ebay for £120.00 a year or so ago, a beautiful guitar.

A B Negative wrote: Westone are another Matsumoku brand that made some amazing guitars in the early 80s. My first electric was a Thunder 1A, wish I still had it! I bought a Paduak 1 on Ebay for £120.00 a year or so ago, a beautiful guitar.

True, I was just reading that the other night. The best part about a lot of these guitars is that their prices don't come close to reflecting their quality. SO if you're not into the "name" as THE way to determine how good a guitar is, these are a good bet.

"I use the word "attemt" because no one can really do it like them"

Or even spell it properly.

MisterProg2112 wrote: Trademark wrote: "I use the word "attemt" because no one can really do it like them" Or even spell it properly.    My mistake! I have seemed to have gone on a typo spree last night.