Non-PRS Instruments that surprised you

[solacematt]

About a week ago me and a friend were driving back home and I had this song idea I just couldn't hum into my voice recorder to remember, so we got off the interstate and went to a Sam Ash, haha. Went into the store and the two PRS they had there were both badly out of tune with strings that made you wish for a shot afterwards, so my buddy handed me a Squier Jazzmaster. Not my cup of tea, but surprisingly for a 300.00 guitar it sounded pretty decent and I was able to pull that song idea out of my head and onto video on my iPhone

 

[AP515]

Two that put a smile on my face lately.

First was my old MIM Strat that I haven't played for about 9 months. I got it out for some Eb tuning blues and was pleasantly surprised at how good it sounded. Strats like Eb.

The other is a Heritage H150 that I got a pretty good deal on last month. There are some guitars that just have the something extra, and this one has it. I need to say that being a "something special" guitar put it up there with my PRSi. It had tone that good, which surprises me, for other brands to be that good.

 

[mezzio]

My unicorn... the Peavey Accelerator F, lol. Only 400 made in 1994, who knows how many exist now. Occasionally see one pop up on eBay, but never what I'm looking for.

I bought one in, well, 95, first guitar I bought on my own, it was a very long 4 months taking in money weekly to pay off the layaway, but after i took it home I was in love. Why was I surprised by it? Well because it was a mid range Peavey, lol. Even as a kid I knew their guitars were at best so-so (until EVH teamed up and gave us that killer Wolfgang), but with 2 dual blade SC pups, and a quad blade bucker, I was able to get all sorts of tone out of it. The wide neck even felt good to me, lol, it was nice being the only kid in school with a Floyd rose trem too

I suppose if anyone see an Accelerator F in transparent blue with chrome hardware and maple neck, let me know so I can buy it, lol, been looking for years now and have only seen green and "blonde" show up... with icky gold hardware.

 

[garrett]

I can't think of anything new I've tried in the last few years that isn't a Tele or a PRS!

 

[HANGAR18]

Two that put a smile on my face lately.

First was my old MIM Strat that I haven't played for about 9 months. I got it out for some Eb tuning blues and was pleasantly surprised at how good it sounded. Strats like Eb.

The other is a Heritage H150 that I got a pretty good deal on last month. There are some guitars that just have the something extra, and this one has it. I need to say that being a "something special" guitar put it up there with my PRSi. It had tone that good, which surprises me, for other brands to be that good.

You got a new H150?

 

[gush]

I have a G&L nighthawk that I bought new in 1983. It sounds good. My buddy has a schecter PT that sounds and plays really well.

 

[gball]

A couple of months ago I picked up a Gibson SGJ, a sub-$500 guitar, because I'd been jonesing for an SG for a while and didn't want to drop the scratch for a "higher-end" one. Well, that thing has turned out to be a huge eye-opener: Very well made, excellent playability and has tons of mojo. I even really dig the minimalist finish. The guitar is so good it was worth a few upgrades and I dropped in a Dirty Fingers, put on a pickguard and changed out some of the stock parts for nicer pieces. Great guitar (and really a shame they are dropping these from the lineup for '15)

 

[guitarman001]

A Fender American Deluxe and Suhr Pro Series.

 

[MOBirds]

Bottom of the line Parker PDF35. I had to sell off my P22 to fund a home project over the summer and I really missed the piezo. Out of curiosity, I picked up this thing and was amazed at how well it was built. The stock pups are pretty limited, no coil tap, so just the straight HB tones - which aren't bad, but don't exactly excite me either. I'll eventually swap out the pups and put push/pull pots in for split. But for $400 I really can't complain about it at all. It's currently my "noodle around while watching football" guitar.

It's a shame PRS doesn't have an SE with piezo option. I'd have jumped all over that if it were available.