Best cheap gigging guitar with both h/b and single coil tones

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VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
edited April 2017 in Guitar
With all the discussions on expensive custom shop and vintage guitars, I've been thinking lately about how over recent years the quality of budget guitars has come on in leaps and bounds. 

So, I've been considering buying a guitar for gigging around £300 - 400 max, new or second hand, that I wouldn't worry about getting damaged or stolen. Within reason I don't care about make, but would be interested in anything that's good and meets the following criteria:

1. Genuinely still sounds great but an absolute must have is that it can deliver both humbucker and single coil tones - the target is LP and Strat tones, preferably without the Strat 60 cycle hum.
2. Comfortable to play with nice neck and frets and sufficiently good build quality to still be considered a professional standard gigging guitar.
3. Must have good hardware for reliable tuning/intonation. A decent trem would be a plus but I don't use a trem much so not essential.
4. I'm quite traditional and not interested in anything that looks pointy or avant-garde.

So what do you think guys...anything out there you can recommend that fits the bill?


I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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Comments

  • welshboyowelshboyo Frets: 1808
    Mexican HSS strat
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  • cj73cj73 Frets: 1003
    ^ this.  unless you need extreme trem action 
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    edited April 2017
    Heard good things about Mex strats and a definite short list contender. is there a HSS version that comes with noiseless single coils?
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • SassafrasSassafras Frets: 30273
    My budget guitar is a Vintage AV-2. More Tele than Strat but it never ceases to surprise me at how good it is. Didn't cost more than about £150.
    It's a funny looking thing but it's an excellent guitar sound-wise. It's light and it plays very easily.

    Image result for vintage av2
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  • markslade07markslade07 Frets: 833
    edited April 2017
     It if a left-field option, but a Line 6 Variax....I had the JTV69....Strat(ish) shaped and can do all the above and much more. 
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
     It if a left-field option, but a Line 6 Variax....I had the JTV69....Strat(ish) shaped and can do all the above and much more. 
    Interesting thought although personally I prefer the JTV59 but both are well outside my price-point. 

    I've been thinking about what neck I prefer, and I think I'm more comfortable with the Gibson style shorter scale neck.  In fact hardtail is going to be more stable so I'm now not bothered about a trem.  



    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • I saw a guy gigging a Pacifica 611 recently. Sounded awesome. 
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    edited April 2017
    I saw a guy gigging a Pacifica 611 recently. Sounded awesome. 
    Appreciate the suggestion and I know they are well regarded. Haven't tried the 611 or 612 so will look into them.

    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • The only criticism I've heard of the higher Pacificas is that the nut can be a bit smaller than "normal". 

    I had a 510v it was excellent (the hardware was brilliant- locking Grovers, Wilkinson trem, SD P-rails and a tusq but), but the nut was a bit narrow for me. 
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  • guitarfishbayguitarfishbay Frets: 7953
    edited April 2017
    welshboyo said:
    Mexican HSS strat
    This.

    The MIM standard is routed for a bridge HB anyway and they're always easy to find.

    Plenty of aftermarket parts for Fenders too if you want to mod it over time 

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  • Second-hand Charvel hardtail San Dimas with H-S config just about fits into the price range. Dunno if that counts as pointy but the neck/frets will be great on it.

    I can guarantee that if you gig in the UK you will not get 60-cycle hum with any guitar. ;)
    I'm just a Maserati in a world of Kias.
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    edited April 2017
    The only criticism I've heard of the higher Pacificas is that the nut can be a bit smaller than "normal". 

    I had a 510v it was excellent (the hardware was brilliant- locking Grovers, Wilkinson trem, SD P-rails and a tusq but), but the nut was a bit narrow for me. 
    Thanks' I'll bear that in mind.  The 611 hfw and vfw have a P90, which I really like the sound of as I don't have a P90 guitar currently.  It also has coil tapped SD H/bucker, graphtec nut and locking Grover tuners. The vfw has the wilkinson trem too.  So on paper this could well fit the bill.  Not too many used ones around, but I'll definitely find a new one to try out. 
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    edited April 2017
    Sassafras said:
    My budget guitar is a Vintage AV-2. More Tele than Strat but it never ceases to surprise me at how good it is. Didn't cost more than about £150.
    It's a funny looking thing but it's an excellent guitar sound-wise. It's light and it plays very easily.

    Image result for vintage av2
    Thanks for the suggestion. Interesting hb to single coil 'roll off' feature. Vintage quality has definitely been improving over recent years. 
    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • ICBMICBM Frets: 71960
    welshboyo said:
    Mexican HSS strat
    I'll raise you a Chinese Squier HSS Strat.

    For the budget you could afford to replace the pickups with something really decent if the stock ones don't cut it.

    For a while I had a Chinese Squier HH Strat which I put a Duncan Jazz/Distortion pickup pair in, with a Superswitch to give PRS-style inner and outer split-coil sounds. Didn't change anything else, and it was easily good enough for gigs - the trem and machineheads were fine.

    "Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski

    "Just because I don't care, doesn't mean I don't understand." - Homer Simpson

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  • jimboflojojimboflojo Frets: 122
    Another vote for the Pacifica 611
    Really versatile. Agree was bit narrower at nut than the usual but it widens out more and quite quickly as you go up the neck. I guess the idea is it's easier for chords and better for soloing further up.
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    ICBM said:
    welshboyo said:
    Mexican HSS strat
    I'll raise you a Chinese Squier HSS Strat.

    For the budget you could afford to replace the pickups with something really decent if the stock ones don't cut it.

    For a while I had a Chinese Squier HH Strat which I put a Duncan Jazz/Distortion pickup pair in, with a Superswitch to give PRS-style inner and outer split-coil sounds. Didn't change anything else, and it was easily good enough for gigs - the trem and machineheads were fine.
    Thanks for suggestion but sorry, not for me. I wouldnt touch a Squier and I'm not buying a guitar and then changing pups.  It has to sound good stock,  and build quality and hardware is just no where near as good as Mex. 


    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • VoxmanVoxman Frets: 4718
    edited April 2017
    Another vote for the Pacifica 611
    Really versatile. Agree was bit narrower at nut than the usual but it widens out more and quite quickly as you go up the neck. I guess the idea is it's easier for chords and better for soloing further up.
    The more I read, the more I'm intrigued.  I don't normally like pacificas as for me they look and feel cheap, but the 611 is definitely in a different class. The 611 vfm looks like it could be perfect aside from the trem reportedly being too stiff and needing shorter springs, and I need to see how it feels and check out nut width..at 40mm its very narrow. 

    Found some vids and it sounds great and very versatile.  However, its way above my budget and it doesnt even come with a gig bag either.  Have found a brand new 611 vfm for £505 (£575 - 625 elsewhere) with free delivery, but I won't buy one without playing it first.  

    If I like it, I'll try and find a vfm used. 


    I started out with nothing..... but I've still got most of it left (Seasick Steve)
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  • UnclePsychosisUnclePsychosis Frets: 12881
    Used G&L of some description would probably be my choice. 
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  • TTBZTTBZ Frets: 2873
    edited April 2017
    Why won't you touch a squier? They're really good guitars and a bargain. I'd say an upgraded one (pickups) will sound better than a stock fender for the same money...
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