Batlle of the budget brands!

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Hi guys, would like to get your opinions.
I'm looking to get a budget tele, just for playing around and tinkering with... And maybe as a backup axe. I'm looking for warm overdriven sounds, but can handle mid range distortions. I play alternative pop/rock like Mayday Parade, We The Kings, Boys Like Girls, The Maine, Lifehouse etc, so it doesn't have to be crazy metal siao distortions.
The brands i'm looking at are Craftsman, Squier and KGarage. If you have other brands please do share as well! My budget would be under 500, and i wouldn't mind getting a secondhand axe.
Probably not looking to sell it, maybe upgrade if necessary, so resale value does not really play a big part in my purchase. Thank you!

 

[carboxymoron]

Budget teles are not likely to have the sound you want. I personally like the J&D tele. Think it's just over $200 at Ranking, which leaves you more than enough in your budget to change the pickups to something suitable and get it wired with more configurations.

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Hmm but i have heard decent reviews on the three. J&D? I heard that for J&D, if you're lucky you get a good piece, unlucky no good. Squier is secondhand around 300, Kgarage firsthand 250 and Craftsman, 150-200. So all around that range. Just wanna know if they overdriven sounds are warm and nice, be it with amp or pedals. And whether it can handle around10-12oclock distortion sounds.

 

[Whitestrat]

Oh crap... I need to go do a market survey again. I thought Edwards was a budget brand! Or at least the best budget LP on the market.

Sorry for the GAS...

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

heh, whitey bro white, the budget of a working uncle in modern singapore society and as a student on allowance from folks at home/part time job prolly are very different leh.

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Doesn't edwards cost around 1k?!

 

[mero]

yes they do

...buy my Edwards please

 

[PatheinRaindropMoe]

oh well, whitestrat been working for years, i believe in executive management level, 1k to him, in guitardom, is prolly budget mah

oh well, remember that 15 years from now, when you are at where whitestrat is, right now, you will know how it is like...

the higher we go, the more we earn, certain cost of things will become affordable to cheap, thus budget gear, bang for the buck kind.

 

[superpotato_30]

i think my cij strat is selling for prices below a brand new edwards. Come get it pls

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Heheh guys please keep to the thread to help this poor student...

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Bro mero, is it the one you submitted for PGOTM April? How much is it going for?

 

[Likui]

Samick Artist series , made in korea

 

[EugeneSmasher]

I'd recommend Craftsman. Good guitars for the money. Poor folks like me, budget brands are a godsend.

Samicks are damn good too, but they're not so easy to obtain since they're discontinued. Greg Bennett is the new brand by Samick... They're pretty nice, too, but no match for the pre-Greg Bennett Samicks in my opinion.

 

[reez_rock]

do give a try on AXL also...I think the badwater series are pretty GAS worthy....

 

[Whitestrat]

heh, whitey bro white, the budget of a working uncle in modern singapore society and as a student on allowance from folks at home/part time job prolly are very different leh.

Basket!!! You call me Uncle??? You old fart!!!! Hahaha!!!

Ya lah... I know... Just that... TGM? J&D? I thought those were beginner brands? Brands that you start with, move on eventually and never look back? Budget to me means affordable quality. Like Epiphones, PRS SEs, Sterling, MIM Fenders etc etc.

But ya lah... budget brands means depending on one's budget...

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Budget for me is under 400 w/o upgrades. Currently though, pre-Greg Bennett stuff is rare and is getting more expensive. Thanks for the replies though, keep them coming!
Bro reez_rock, AXL also has Telecasters? Far as i know, the Badwater series is a 335 copy...

 

[kuang89]

since u alrdy have a guitar to settle the genre u specialise in, so y not get a guitar tat is gunned towards achieving versatitilty, so a strat or a sg would do nice....

 

[Jumpin'Jellybean]

Hmm i don't like the look of an SG, and Strat i already have. I prefer the looks of a Tele and would like one i can play around with.
Bro Whitestrat: Hahah those are like, save up half a year don't eat at all kind of guitars for me. And stuff like Tom Anderson and Suhr, i'm left dreaming. And GASing.

 

[reez_rock]

Yes. The badwater series started with a strat shaped guitar....Check this out
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjfvAXBoolg

 

[mero]

Bro mero, is it the one you submitted for PGOTM April? How much is it going for?

that's not an Edwards la...

and anyways that one I wouldn't part with it. Somehow all the pieces just came right for that one. The only thing that would really really get me seriously considering parting with it would be a straight trade for a PRS Custom 22