I think Supro is also putting out some really solid Tube amps for the price too! I've loved the Royale every time I've plugged into one

Ultimately, the more I’ve spent, the better the guitar is. Some guitars just suck. But the Murphy lab, Gibson custom, and even high end Japanese Gretsch’s of the day are largely serious, sensitive and articulate instruments.

I think what we are seeing is that the major guitar brands are leaving the budget guitar space ($100-$300) to "Amazon" brands that have been getting better and cheaper. Epiphone is getting closer in quality to Gibson and Squier and Mexico Fenders Closer to Fender Corona. So the $100 bolt on Epiphone's and Squier Starter pack are gone in lieu of $900 Les Pauls or $1200 ES-335s and $600 Strats.

So glad I found this podcast-it’s easier to connect with than Dipped in Tone even though that’s fun as well

I think between brands like Boss, MXR and TC there are plenty of mid priced pedals if nothing else.

Great vid as always! I would like a custom shop tele and a lester. I owned and gigged an 03 american tele and an american made hamer monaco super pro into an od3> cs3> memory boy> holy grail into a HRD and a sovtek mig50. It was all stolen at a gig post load out watching the headliner (i know, rookie mistake). I chased that sound for a long time. In 10' i found a LP studio and gigged all over the south and the east for 7 years. It went through a bad car accident and was never really itself after that. Since then, ive been more frugile and specifically really enjoyed the versatility of the bass roll off feature of reverend. It leaves me never needing more than two guitars at a time. And i do love them. But a custom shop tele or a murphy lp would be really soecial to me. Congrats on the success of the big herc release! The herc v2 remains my favorite soft clipper! Have a good day fellas!

I think the increase is cost is making partscasters more attractive. Parts availability has increased and now you could build a relicd nitro tele or strat with amazing parts for less than 2,000 and you have so much control over everything.

This podcast was such an echo chamber of agreeable shit I've had rattling in my head that I was worried you guys turned into the voices of my inner monologue. Only two things I'll add is people complaining about price points (especially Gibson brand anything) remind me of people who react to a headline without reading the article. All outrage no context. Epi standard $800 version of a $3000 guitar, Epi Inspired By $2000 version of a $10,000 guitar, Gibson amps the cheapest Mesa Boogie amp you can buy....context. The other thing is the Bonamassa quote (ironically also out of context) if you were to corelate cars & guitars then guitars are Porsche 911s. 80% unchanged from inception, especially stylistically, but that 20% change & refinement has fundamentally changed & evolved everything about them.

I play a K-Line strat as my only guitar. Amazing instrument, under $3000. Chris started making Lester style guitars, they look amazing, but not sure about the cost of those.

When it comes to pedals, I’d be more inclined to pay 300-400 for a guy in his garage then to a major company before I know it means more to those people

Not that it’s the best option, but financing has before more available for people now. I feel like that contributes to the push of 2k plus guitars

I don’t have a problem with pricing as long as pickups, wiring and hardware are good quality. If you fix up a $500 guitar, you’ll spend $300 to it up to par.

Just going to put this out there, guys: lavalier mics.

I agree with Zach, you only need RD for pedals if you skipped the electronics lessons, its not the customers fault, its not quite RD as studying for the job.

The abundance of Chinese made budget pedals on the market has also helped push the price of lower end/entry level gear up. Boss DS-1 is over $60 new. I remember them selling for $25 used and somewhere around $45 new less than 20 years ago.

Not sure what prices are like this year for them, but my 2019 option order G&L ASAT set me back under $2k. If you’re not picky about colors they frequently put up B-Stock instruments for like a grand which is a steal.

Godin guitars are the middle cost quality brand people are sleeping on, they make those in US and Canada.

Side note, I saw people arguing on Facebook regarding weather or not the new "inspired by Custom Shop, Epiphone 59 Standard" is a R9 or not 😅

you can get a LP Std 50's/60's for just under $2000 on the used market. So If I were buying I would go used Gibby USA over Epi. In the world of PRS it makes WAY more sense to spend $2500 on a new S2 judging by quality alone. However, you can buy used S2 for around $900-$1200 and put any pickups you desire in it. So you'd really have to like PRS's Pickups to justify a new S2 over a Used S2 with a slamming set of Duncans, lollars, dimarzio etc in it.

Tell me why I shouldn’t buy a DGTSE and put a set of Throwbacks in them?😮

The Tom Delonge Starcaster is Indonesian made, leaving it on par with the price points of an Epiphone / Gibson Custom model price, and not the Mexico made artist series. IF production and quality is the same or better than the Ensenada factory, this could be a great way to save costs or improve offerings. I think I'd like to see, at minimum, a gig bag for that price, however.

Kiesel is still under 3k and fully custom. Harmony is American made for real cheap too!

cheap entry level gear is unbelivable now. imagine starting guitar today and picking out classic vibe tele or a prs se. with an interface and a plugin, you're done.

Who is making a new $1400.00 fuzz face? Analogman will sell you a brand new Sunface with vintage germanium transistors, and through whole parts for under $200.00. Analog Mike comes across as a really cool humble guy too so I'm happy to spend my money with his company. Also, I'm pretty sure the standard reissue Fender amps 65 Princeton, 65 Deluxe Reverb etc are made in the US.

YES I NEED THE BIG RED AND BRAZILIAN JAM

I've seen too many reports of record profits despite inflation to believe that the reason for higher pricing is simply inflation. But also: once we admit that lots of 500 dollar guitars sound fantastic, a lot of the concern around pricing goes away. Buy the 500 dollar guitar and let the snake oil sales people sell their high priced snake oil.

Also the used market is crazy these days. I tend to look there first.

Fender Am Pro 2 and Gibson USA Standard are the definition of mid-priced gear. The thing is they're no longer mid-priced. If you want US made, you pay extra. It is what it is.

I don’t own a Mythos Pedal yet… but I’ve been looking and I think Zach’s prices are pretty damn good.. I’m not sure what is considered mid priced gear.. I think mid priced means different things for different people. I do think it’s weird though, how so many people cry and complain about the prices of things. There’s something for everyone. I’ve never seen the price of something and felt compelled to bitch about it and post it all over the place… lol people are dumb.

Cork sniffers!!!🤪

Does Matt know about the esp e-ii line?

Harmony guitars are putting out good US made guitars for sub $2000

G&L makes American guitars for under $3000

PRS SE CE is $499

Oh PRS, I really wish to be PRS fan ... but they guitar just dont feel good with me. Im yet to find neck, that fits me and their pickups, that sounds good. I know, I can replace pickups with something else, but I dont feel PRS should be mod platform. Maybe one day, maybe one day.

Did Matthew leave Novo Guitars?

I love Eastman solid body guitars. Sb59 sb56 are grouse. Put them up against anything and think they hold up. Also have a t64 which is bitching. Have a lovely day (Chinese made, oh no)😂 ps, I live in Australia, so to me us made guitars are imports

Texas Toast Guitars.

I think you’re dead wrong about the S2 changes hurting the line. The S2 line was already dead. You could buy a functionally similar guitar for half the price before. Now the line has an identity. American electronics at a cost that’s affordable to someone who was on the fence about buying a $4k core. Mark my words, sales will be way up for them year over year.

Fender and Gibson have both betrayed the very customers that made them great to begin with. Other than GREED-flation, there is NO excuse for ANY guitar made OUTSIDE of the U.S., to cost $800-$1000. Also...$3000 for a new Les Paul, Really?...Really?.....Cezar seemed like a real players kinda guy, while he was sho-boatin himself to the board for CEO. Turns out he's a real turncoat, Henry J. 2.0. And Fender...how much for what? And STOP trying to sing us that sad song about how $200 in 1954 money has inflated to your current $2200 (in some non-custom shop models). YOUR PART OF THE REASON WHY INFLATION IS SO BAD! Idiots.....but I digress, keep on charging outlandish prices, there are PLEANTY of other brands who are cheaper and more well crafted. Oh and I don't wanna hear the "..But PRS guitars are even more expensive..."....and yeah they are, but they EARNED there reputation for high QUALITY and CRAFTSMANSHIP.

Just like the middle class. Thanks government.

the death of my ridge wallet/gear budget 2024 is OVER party

Kiesel....

thanks for sharing

It’s the best time to start playing guitar!