The market for mid-price guitars (defined here as £400-£600) is very crowded with hundreds of guitars available from manufacturers. Most of us want the best we can buy, but we also want something cool, great sounding and preferably made in the USA! Well, that is not going to happen, although you can get mid-price guitars from Taylor, Martin, Gibson and Fender but these (apart from Gibson) are made in Mexico and the Far East.
Now with today’s manufacturing and global sourcing the Far East made guitars are superbly well made for the best part, particularly at this price point. What they may lack in ‘mojo’ is more than compensated for in quality and price. So what should you buy? Well rather than trot out the usual suspects (Far East made Fender Strat’s and Tele’s, PRS SE models, Gibson Melody Maker’s etc) we have taken a look at the reviews from four top magazines (Guitarist, Guitar & Bass, Total Guitar and Acoustic) over the last six months or so. All of these received good reviews and ratings and a couple of them we have in our studio and at home…
Electrics
G&L Tribute ASAT £410. Made in Indonesia. Basswood body and bolt-on maple neck. Guitar & Bass rating – 88%
Danelectro ‘59M NOS £449. Masonite top and bottom with bolt-on maple neck. Guitar & Bass ‘best guitar under £500’ rating
Vintage V100 MU. £499 Made in China. Midge Ure signature model with solid carved mahogany body with maple cap, mahogany neck. Guitar & Bass rating – 90%
Epiphone Lee Malia Custom £599. Made in Indonesia. Great looking LP with Mahogany body and maple top, mahogany neck. Guitar & Bass rating – 87% Total Guitar rating – 5 stars
Michael Kelly Deuce Classica £459. Made in China. Maple laminate semi-acoustic. Guitar & Bass rating – 89%
Kramer Baretta Vintage £519. Maple body and neck. Total Guitar rating – 4 stars
Cort Manson MBC-1 £499. Matt Bellamy inspired electric with basswood body and maple neck. Total Guitar rating – 5 stars
Acoustics
Seagull S6 Cedar Concert Hall £429 Made in Canada, cedar top, wild cherry back and sides, maple neck. Guitar & Bass rating – 85%
Freshman Songwriter SONGOCRW £599. Designed in Scotland and made in China. Solid AA Sitka spruce top and solid mahogany back and sides. Total Guitar rating – 4 stars
Tanglewood Premier Deluxe TPE DC DLX £599. Solid AA Englemann Spruce top and Tiger Stripe Mahogany back and sides with mahogany neck. Total Guitar rating – 5 stars
LTD TL-6 £469. Thinline electro-acoustic cutaway with mahogany body. Great for stage use. Total Guitar rating – 4 stars; Guitarist rating – 4 stars
Taylor GS Mini Mahogany £503. Made in Mexico. Billed as the ‘ultimate modern-day parlour guitar’. Mahogany top, sapele back and sides. Acoustic rating – 4.5 stars
Yamaha LL6 £493. Made in China. Upgrade of Yamaha’s popular range. Handcrafted with a solid Englemann spruce top, rosewood back and sides, mahogany and rosewood 3ply Neck. Acoustic rating – 5 stars
