Cheap Semi recommendations (Again)

bobblehat

Hi ALl,

I know this has been posted before but I can't find the old thread.

I am currently on the look out for a cheap semi. Max budget around £200 secondhand.

Would like something thats playable and worth upgrading in the future.

Would ideally like to hear from anyone who currently owns one or who has owned one.

Any help much appreciated,

ThePrettyDamned

There has been some talk recently of a shine you can get for 95 quid. For that money, you can easily replace the stock bridge with a much better one and even pop some better tuners on (Wilkinson?) and hit your 200. Or just do the bridge and pickups for irongears.

Panama_Jack666

I recommend a copy of Razzle.

Also, maybe an Ibanez artcore?

steamabacus

Ibanez Artcore range - should be plenty of choice for around £200 s/h.

I got an Ibanez AGS83B for £300 new about 6-7 years ago (discontinued now, I think). It's become my go-to guitar.
The pickups weren't the best (though not entirely awful) and I've upgraded to Seymour Duncans but the rest of the hardware is fine.

blueskunk

There was a lovely washburn around classified recently. Well cheap. Not sure if its still there but very good guitars.
Id also be checking the epiphone 339 with coil taps.
The peerless epiphone rivieras are as good as it gets imho. (Without spending grands)

BluesyDave

Shine, Washburn or maybe an Aria Pro II.  £200 is cutting it a bit fine.....good luck with your search.

bobblehat

Thanks ,

Recently I have seen these in my price range:

WASHBURN HB30

Aria Pro II TA60 

Ibanez AS50 /73

also seen a Westfield E7000 but looks a bit rubbish.

crunchman

I had a Korean Tokai 335 copy several years back.  It didn't use the "correct" woods - it had a maple neck, and the centre block looked like something from the spruce/pine family not maple, but it was a very good guitar.  I preferred to a Gibson I played in the shop when I bought it - although that wasn't a particularly good Gibson.

I don't think they make them in Korea anymore, and it would be out of your budget new, but it would be a good option second hand if you can find one.

OilCityPickups

My Artcores cost me £200 and £250 respectively

Fully hollow, beautiful necks ... Bigsbys that stay pretty much in tune (roller bridges).

The only shit things were the pickups ... but that was easily solved ... for me, obviously with Oil City pickups. On a budget you could use Irongear or Warman or similar.

ThePrettyDamned

Here it is... Sorry for lateness! I couldn't find the model when I first replied...

http://www.chasedirect.co.uk/guitars/electric-guitars/shine-sil-510tb-electric-guitar-translucent-black

By all accounts, they're okay stock, but for that money, just put the other £105 to upgrades.

Edit: I love @theguitarweasel ibanez ones, though.

blueskunk

Yeah the stock buckers wernt for me so i stuck some wonderful cowtrons in , nice one Ash

blueskunk

The Rivtron.

blueskunk

Ooh fancy doing one of them up myself , looks ace.

bertie

I sold my ES-60 for a nadger over £200

bobblehat

TheGuitarWeasel said:

My Artcores cost me £200 and £250 respectively

Fully hollow, beautiful necks ... Bigsbys that stay pretty much in tune (roller bridges).

The only shit things were the pickups ... but that was easily solved ... for me, obviously with Oil City pickups. On a budget you could use Irongear or Warman or similar.

Stunning.

Gru

Aria Pro II, Ibanez or Epi 339 would by my considerations. The Shine is an option and you could jump in on upgrades straight away, but one of the other 3 may have what you want right out of the box.

Roaster

The Hagstrom Viking Rextone I got off here is excellent

HAL9000

Does it have to be a 335-alike?

Squier CV Telecaster Thinline. Tried one out a few weeks back and it's a very nice instrument indeed. Just need to find a pile of cash I'd left lying around but had completely forgotten about. Like all Squier CVs a lot of bang for your buck.

 http://www.fender.com/en-GB/guitars/telecaster/classic-vibe-telecaster-thinline-maple-fingerboard-natural/

usedtobe

I've got a Washburn semi, and I think it's great. I bought it with upgraded pickups, though..

marktheharp

plenty of used epi dots come up on gumtree for less than 200. but ya might want to change pickups (mine had already been changed)
but if ya can stretch to epi 339 with coil split and lovely pelham blue ?
not yet tried one as would prob end up buying one:-)
good luck in your quest;-)

DarnWeight

Not a recommendation, but I just had a promo email through from gear4music advertising this semi for £220.  It's one of their generic-branded SubZero imports, but I have to say, it looks the business in the photos.  Googling returns me nothing but stuff about SubZero amps, so could be a worthless pile of crud, but thought I'd pass the info along nonetheless.