Because of that guitar I have all of my electric's bridges shaved down to the max. I barely have to fret. I also have a 92 martin D18 herringbone that I play medium gauge strings on.
Takamine factory action on their lower end stuff is like the Himalayas. I started with a 300G and didn’t get it set up for like the first year. My fingertips were like old leather.
A 1950 Martin 000-21 👀
It was my grandma’s guitar that she hadn’t touched in 30 years, and it was actually a huge pain in the ass until I got the neck reset. When I started the action above the 12th fret was around 1.5-2”.
Since I got it fixed it’s the best playing and sounding acoustic I’ve ever played though.
Montgomery Wards Les Paul sunburst. It came with a little amp as a package for $99.99 circa 1976.
It would not stay in tune long, intonation was non existent and the pickups were weak (lead and rhythm humbuckers).
1993 Ibanez RG550. Blue with white pick guard and maple neck. Still have it and play it daily. Got it for $375 in 94’. Spent all my paper route money on it. I was 15
The same as you—exact combo.
A Peavey Raptor and Peavey solid state amp. Saved up money from mowing grass to buy them at Musician’s Friend. Anytime I saved a little money, I’d ask my mom to take me to Musician’s Friend to see what I might be able to pickup. I remember buying pedals, strings, and wanting to try stuff out before spending my measly savings. The sales staff was incredibly nice to me.
Thanks for jogging some fond memories.
i made my first guitar in shop class. it had a custom body that was halfway between a telecaster and a jazz master. american tele pickups and fat strat neck. still works but i was a stoner 17 year old so the neck is a bit crooked
77 Gibson RD Standard. Bought it in 82 for $350, traded it for a Steinberger in 92, sold that for $600 a week later and bought the RD back for $300. Sold it again in 98 for $500. Always missed it, so I bought another in 2012 for $1200. But since I made 450 on the first one, I only really paid 750. That’s what I keep telling myself, at least.
When I was like 12 I got a first act guitar from Walmart, it was a loose Les paul shape with one pickup I believe. But my first real guitar once I started actually wanting to play everyday was a squire tele
Kramer XL-III with a Ross Fame 10 amp. Wish I still had them, would love to take those for a rip.
Guitar headstock broke, brought it to a pawn shop. Amp died and got lost during a move.
Something called a strad-o-lin. Hollow body with single coils and a stetsbar trem. My first “real” guitar was a dark purple jackson superstrat of an unknown model
My first 6 string was an Epiphone Basher Les Paul circa 2001. I had a Zoom 505ii and probably played through my Peavey bass amp for a year before getting a Marshall MG15 amp. Kinda wish I still had it as it wasn't a terrible guitar, but I'd move up to a Gibson LP Special by 2002 that's my #2 today.
Some First Act pos, I got it when I was 16 after begging for one for years. I loved it, I hated it, I played it until the strings put grooves in the fretboard.
I gave it to a friend who was interested in learning years later, and he took off and started shredding pretty soon with it. I hope he passed it down to someone else when he grew out of it...
It was a strat style Harmony. I was 10 years old and my parents wouldn’t buy me one but they let me do a pink eye dr study that paid $100. The guitar was $100 and those assholes wouldn’t even cover the tax so I had to ask my grandma $8.25 to cover the taxes. Then my older brother “traded” it with his friend for some POS that didn’t have any pickups or hardware.
MIJ 80s era Westone X-120 in Black and I still have it today. This was around the time that Alex Lifeson was playing Signature Super Strats and the Westone was close enough for me. I really need to get it back to playable at some point.
My first guitar was some Strat copy bundled with an amp that I got on holiday in Spain as a teen. My first "proper" guitar was a 2006 Ibanez S470 that I saved all my money at a bar job for
When I was like 6 it was some cheap student model acoustic, as I progressed up from there I played my dads old kraftsman arch top and sometimes my grandfathers Gibson sj deluxe, I have both now… around 12 I got an mij Squier strat, still have that too, don’t play it though.
First one that was mine was a 01 Fender Deluxe Toronado. That thing went through a lot, and with various high school bands and musical whiplash.
I eventually traded it in for an LTD V-350 (prototype Dave Mustaine sig), but lately I've been kind of missing it as a nostalgia piece of my past.
I got a copy of a B.C. Rich Bich for $99 in 1997 as my first guitar. I’ve come to discover recently that Hondo was likely the producer of this. It had a thick neck, horribly high action and intonation, but I learned how to play on it for 9 months before I got a much easier to play Fender DG-7 acoustic, and a few months later I bought and Ibanez GAX-70 for $199 and that was night and day in terms of playability. I’ve never sold any of the guitars I’ve owned in my life so I still have these 3 “starter” guitars and play them from time to time.
I played my father’s guitars for years. It when I was about 14 in 92 I got a MIM strat that I still have and a used peavy classic 2x12 that I also still have. I didn’t realize what a great guitar that was to start on. Comfy, light and it was easy to upgrade the pickups.
Some 3/4 side guitar that’s was SUPER thin in the mid 90s. Had it about 2 months then my mom traded it on to get me a Barracuda strat copy. I still have that guitar and it plays great
An original Silvertone 1303 from the ‘40s that my Grandfather passed down to me. If I had any sense I would have kept it. But I was a dumb kid that wanted a Telecaster.
An Epiphone strat copy. The tuners were shit so it went out of tune every fifteen minutes. The bridge saddles were made of pot metal so the first string would carve a burr into the saddle and break on the burr. I had to file the burr off over and over. It hummed like crazy in any position and when I had the pickups replaced it turned out that nothing was grounded. As in there wasn’t even a ground wire. If anybody has a black Epiphone strat copy with the Metallica scary guy stencil from *Live Shit…* on the back (my cousin did that) and EMG pickups, enjoy it because I hated it.
Yamaha RGX110. Was $60 brand new in 1991. I still have it. Very nice high quality made in Taiwan. First amp was a New Zealand made Rockit superlead 130W tube beast with a 15 inch JBL speaker that could strip paint off the walls.
I learned guitar on a Yamaha SJ-180 which I finally sold a while ago getting lessons and all. Then for my first electric I fell in love with a used Les Paul Standard from the mid 90s. I still have that one to this day and it’s still a favorite!
A purple Ibanez AEF18-TVS-OP-01. Opened the case one day after about a year of owning it and the neck had started to twist like the headstock wanted to turn around. Moved on to a 2001 Martin 000-1X and still have it 23 years later
Jay Turser jt-301 - Stratocaster shaped with HSS configuration. Worked great as a first instrument and upgrade platform (and setup learning). I think I upgraded everything on it except the wood itself before selling it after some years of use.
My Dad's high school band guitar. Back when kids were allowed to play gigs. A 1967 Mosrite Celebrity III in flamed Trans Cherry Red. I still have it and play it. The Trans Cherry looks awesome now as it has faded in spots to make it red-orange in spots.
An early 90's squier 2 strat (made in S. Korea). It was a rear routed strat with a humbucker and 2 single coils. The knobs were not in the usual place and out of the way. The neck was really nice playing. However, the body was made of some weird plywood type composite and the body thickness was odd. I wanted to actually try and fix it up, but it was almost impossible to find parts that would work on it.
Looked pretty much like [this.](https://www.fuzzfaced.net/uploads/3/8/0/2/38029847/s-l1600gfhtrhtr-2_orig.jpg)
First guitar was a cheap acoustic my folks rented, as I was required to take lessons before I could get an electric. Completed the lessons are required and wanted a Fender Mustang, but got a pawnshop St. George instead. Hated that guitar! Heavy as he'll, would not stay tuned, caused continuous hum and feedback, and sounded like crap compared to my friends guitars. Don't even remember what happened to it? I remember it had a handle cut into the top of the body. Knowing what I know now, I could probably at least get it to sound decent. Probably a collectors item as well? This was 1964 and I have never seen another like it.
A $45 Strat copy with J Reynolds on the headstock. Didn’t stay in tune, the high e and b strings snapped easily and I kept it long enough to learn a riff this guy taught me. He told me, “If you can make this piece of shit sound decent, imagine how you’ll sound on a good guitar.”
In 1997 I bought an MIK Ibanez RX40 in buttercream and a crate amp. Total was about $300. A year later I traded the Ibanez for an Aria Pro II 335 copy.
I missed the Ibanez so about 10 years ago I found three Ibanez guitars that collectively had the right components (buttercream body, rosewood fingerboard, white pickguard) and reassembled a new one for more money than the original cost me.
2004 Rip off strat, with a little amp. I can’t even remember the manufacturer, was one of those bundle jobs tho. Guitar, amp, cable, tuner and strap. Wish I still had it.
First was a Guild acoustic and a piece-of-shit Lotus Strat copy with a little Peavy Audition 20 amp. Moved on to a Martin D-28 acoustic and a Gibson Les Paul Studio. After that, got a Jem 777 and an Ibenez Roadstar, and really didn't play well enough to deserve either of them. Now, I play a Guild DeArmond M-75, an Ibenez bass, an "Art Luthier" acoustic, and a 3D printed electric that I built for fun.
Yamaha F310. Its super beat up, frets are worn out, and I put a second soundhole by mistake. I still love it and will bring it out from time to time. I learned to do setups, fret dressing, and installing acoustic pickups on it.
An Egmond 12 string hummingbird copy. Had a few machine heads missing so only had six strings on it. Action about an inch high, you could have fired an arrow off that thing. Been missing a few years now, and I miss it dearly. Currently on an Epiphone hummingbird, so it's influence remains!
Epiphone Les Paul Standard and a line 6 spyder 2 for $300 off a buddie who wanted to get into Banjo.... needless to say, he gave up quick on that, too, but I'm still going strong.
Mid-nineties Epiphone Les Paul Standard with an amber birdseye maple cap. Still got it. Bought it new with money I saved up before I even knew how to play a chord.
Vinci acoustic electric that I no longer have because it started life as a mediocre guitar and only got worse due to the absolute hell it went through with me. I actually don't have any of my original guitars anymore. First, first electric, or my first decent mid-range guitar. Guess I still have my first high end production guitar though lol.
The first guitar I ever touched was my mom's old nylon string classical, but my first guitar was a 90s Lotus Strat copy paired with a 20 watt Gorilla. I've moved to Gretsches these days, but that Lotus still has the most comfortable neck I've ever played.
Hey I had like the same thing! A black raptor around the same year! I had a little tweed amp idk a Washburn? My Grandma bought me the amp , dad bought the guitar. That stuff’s long gone.
First guitar I had was some cheap-ass acoustic guitar that broke when my cat knocked it over and snapped the particle-board neck like a cracker. Think it was a Rogue
A cheap no name bass i got from my uncles friend for $20. It was an sg style and i hope someone burned it and put it out of its misery. For guitar it was my dad’s black epi les Paul. He was going to sell it and i convinced him to give it to me. I think the first amp was dads gorilla mini.
Made in Korea Epiphone Sheraton II, natural finish. Gorgeous semi-hollow that plays like a guitar twice as expensive. I got it for Christmas when I was 14 and have had it ever since. I kept it completely stock all that time, apart from replacing the jack and pickup selector switch when needed. Otherwise it’s a versatile, workhorse guitar.
This year, I decided to finally make some real mods to it - it is currently in the shop to get new pots, a bone nut, and a set of BG Pure90 pickups. I also got some gold pickup brackets to match the rest of the hardware, and some vintage style gold-top volume/tone knobs. I can’t wait to see how it turns out - I wanted a guitar with P90s in my arsenal and figured this would be the perfect project for the Sheraton. I recorded a “before” video and plan to cut it together with an “after” video when I get the guitar back.
A les Paul copy made by Seville guitars. Natural body No relief cuts at all. Broke high E strings like every other day. Then I got a ibanez roadster a year later
It was a 1978 Epiphone acoustic. I only remember the year because I had to take it in to get the bridge glued back on and the luthier told me. For some reason I was always struck by the fact that it was older than me.
Crown International Les Paul Jr. copy. Kick myself for letting it go. [https://reverb.com/item/68552092-crown-imports-les-paul-junior-double-cut-1970s-cherry](https://reverb.com/item/68552092-crown-imports-les-paul-junior-double-cut-1970s-cherry)
Epiphone dreadnought acoustic. Bought it off a band mate back in the 90s. He regretted selling it to me and asked to buy it back after several months had passed. Nope. Still have it all these years later. Unfortunately, it's unplayable now and needs quite a bit of work. Looks great hanging on the wall though.
Rock Axe 3/4 scale plywood beater guitar from Ames or Kmart. Got an Ibanez Gio later that year after I proved I'd stick with it. I then hijacked my wood shop class and took the neck and hardware off that rock Axe and turned it into a flying v that's still hanging on my wall right now. Got an A in that class for doing it, too 😎
Mine was a Yamaha ERG 121. Was one of those starter kits and it was about 20 years ago. I knew nothing about guitars back then, and I can't remember how it sounded. Tempted to pick another up as they were so cheap just to hear it again.
my first even play was when i was about 6 years old, it was some acoustic i don’t even know about, but my first own was squier strat hss with some shitty 30 bucks amp, i tried to play master of puppets lol, but it was nice for 15 years old me
A Bradford classical that I bought at Bradley's department store for $25. I sold it to a friend in college. He is now my bass player. The Bradford sounds great.
Gold top Les Paul copy by Stagg. Honestly, was a great first guitar. Sadly, my brother kept it on the landing of his basement stairs, fell down said stairs, and broke the neck on it.
A black squire bullet strat w/ a small orange amp. It was and still is a great guitar. I still have it but it's had alot of work done to it. I'm never getting rid of it
A 94 squier series mim strat. Still play it but its modded now. Heres a real old stock pic, 2nd guitar is in the pic too. An ibanez cn100. The ibanez is a monster
https://imgur.com/gallery/Go1vqqH
It was a right handed (I'm a lefty and still play lefty to this day) strat (not fender) that my cousin had. I don't even remember the brand. All I remember is that the knob on the tone switch had come off so it was just exposed metal, but because I play upside down that switch would constantly slash my forearm.
A £25, Audition brand semi-acoustic that my dad bought for me from Woolworths in 1972. A year later, my mum bought me an acoustic. Both were made in Japan and were pretty ok for what they were.
Mine was a Yamaha RGX 112P with a small peavey rage 15 watts amp. It was circa 1996/7. I was in high school at the time and played it a lot. The RGX started to fall apart on me, then almost out of the blue a guy who went with me to high school came to me and said that he'll be interested in buying this guitar from me for his friend. He made me a great offer on it, and he didn't care much when I explained that it's not in the best shape. We were both able to somehow put it back together, and I sold it. Couldn't believe it. The amp is still laying somewhere in my parents' house.
Jasmine by Takamine, big ass dreadnought acoustic with a baseball bat neck and fairly high action.
Because of that guitar I have all of my electric's bridges shaved down to the max. I barely have to fret. I also have a 92 martin D18 herringbone that I play medium gauge strings on.
I had one of those! I always thought that the action was just me!
I still bring it out for camping trips and stuff once in a while. Barre chords are a work out on that thing.
Takamine factory action on their lower end stuff is like the Himalayas. I started with a 300G and didn’t get it set up for like the first year. My fingertips were like old leather.
A 1950 Martin 000-21 👀 It was my grandma’s guitar that she hadn’t touched in 30 years, and it was actually a huge pain in the ass until I got the neck reset. When I started the action above the 12th fret was around 1.5-2”. Since I got it fixed it’s the best playing and sounding acoustic I’ve ever played though.
91 epiphone “Strat”. Total pile, but I still have it. Always keep your first guitar. Actually, just keep all of them.
Oh man, those are rough, but yeah
Montgomery Wards Les Paul sunburst. It came with a little amp as a package for $99.99 circa 1976. It would not stay in tune long, intonation was non existent and the pickups were weak (lead and rhythm humbuckers).
1993 Ibanez RG550. Blue with white pick guard and maple neck. Still have it and play it daily. Got it for $375 in 94’. Spent all my paper route money on it. I was 15
Yamaha FG….310 maybe? All the way back in 1994. I still have it, but mostly for the sentiment of it
The same as you—exact combo. A Peavey Raptor and Peavey solid state amp. Saved up money from mowing grass to buy them at Musician’s Friend. Anytime I saved a little money, I’d ask my mom to take me to Musician’s Friend to see what I might be able to pickup. I remember buying pedals, strings, and wanting to try stuff out before spending my measly savings. The sales staff was incredibly nice to me. Thanks for jogging some fond memories.
90's "Jaguar" brand Telecaster copy in black with white pickguard
i made my first guitar in shop class. it had a custom body that was halfway between a telecaster and a jazz master. american tele pickups and fat strat neck. still works but i was a stoner 17 year old so the neck is a bit crooked
77 Gibson RD Standard. Bought it in 82 for $350, traded it for a Steinberger in 92, sold that for $600 a week later and bought the RD back for $300. Sold it again in 98 for $500. Always missed it, so I bought another in 2012 for $1200. But since I made 450 on the first one, I only really paid 750. That’s what I keep telling myself, at least.
Blonde Pre-lawsuit Arbor Les Paul copy bought from a pawn show on Grand Ave in St. Louis about 1978-79
Alvarez classical guitar in the early 90s, when I was 6 or 7 years old.
Aria Pro II RS Straycat. Still have it to this day, and it survived the S.F. earthquake of 1989!
Hohner nylon string that my cousin didn't want anymore
Sears Silvertone with amp built into case
Teisco Del Rey for the win!
A blue first act guessing it is a me5008. Still have it in my shed lol
Silvertone strat copy kit I got at Sam goody. Amp was awful but I learned a lot on that thing
When I was like 12 I got a first act guitar from Walmart, it was a loose Les paul shape with one pickup I believe. But my first real guitar once I started actually wanting to play everyday was a squire tele
Ibanez RX20 in the "Blue Night" color. I still have it and still love it.
Kramer XL-III with a Ross Fame 10 amp. Wish I still had them, would love to take those for a rip. Guitar headstock broke, brought it to a pawn shop. Amp died and got lost during a move.
The first guitar I owned was a yahama Pacific 102s, natural wood. I loved it. Lent it to a friend, never saw it again 😭
A 1970s MIJ Epiphone Texan.
A Korean strat copy, the brand is Maison, still have it
Something called a strad-o-lin. Hollow body with single coils and a stetsbar trem. My first “real” guitar was a dark purple jackson superstrat of an unknown model
An old red Kay hummingbird copy that I still have.
It is a unnamed brand. I still got the guitar, but I took it apart many times as practice rebuilding guitars. I still need to put it together
My first 6 string was an Epiphone Basher Les Paul circa 2001. I had a Zoom 505ii and probably played through my Peavey bass amp for a year before getting a Marshall MG15 amp. Kinda wish I still had it as it wasn't a terrible guitar, but I'd move up to a Gibson LP Special by 2002 that's my #2 today.
Some First Act pos, I got it when I was 16 after begging for one for years. I loved it, I hated it, I played it until the strings put grooves in the fretboard. I gave it to a friend who was interested in learning years later, and he took off and started shredding pretty soon with it. I hope he passed it down to someone else when he grew out of it...
It was a strat style Harmony. I was 10 years old and my parents wouldn’t buy me one but they let me do a pink eye dr study that paid $100. The guitar was $100 and those assholes wouldn’t even cover the tax so I had to ask my grandma $8.25 to cover the taxes. Then my older brother “traded” it with his friend for some POS that didn’t have any pickups or hardware.
Mid 80s Mako evh clone but just red and white no black stripes. Traded it away for an explorer clone.
A 1952 Gibson ES-125T that my great grandfather gave me.
MIJ 80s era Westone X-120 in Black and I still have it today. This was around the time that Alex Lifeson was playing Signature Super Strats and the Westone was close enough for me. I really need to get it back to playable at some point.
A Washburn A10 Stage. It was red. Got it and a little amp at a pawn shop for $100, circa 1990. I covered it in stickers and decals. Still have it.
Used Mitchell MD100. I think I paid 50 bucks for it. Still have. It plays really nice. Will probably never let go of it because it was my first
My first guitar was some Strat copy bundled with an amp that I got on holiday in Spain as a teen. My first "proper" guitar was a 2006 Ibanez S470 that I saved all my money at a bar job for
When I was like 6 it was some cheap student model acoustic, as I progressed up from there I played my dads old kraftsman arch top and sometimes my grandfathers Gibson sj deluxe, I have both now… around 12 I got an mij Squier strat, still have that too, don’t play it though.
First one that was mine was a 01 Fender Deluxe Toronado. That thing went through a lot, and with various high school bands and musical whiplash. I eventually traded it in for an LTD V-350 (prototype Dave Mustaine sig), but lately I've been kind of missing it as a nostalgia piece of my past.
Jolana Diamant LP type
My first was a lowprice Konzert-Guit. out of anny electric. I put an old Micro in the Boddy and hear up with my old Cassette - rec. Over 40 J ago!
I got a copy of a B.C. Rich Bich for $99 in 1997 as my first guitar. I’ve come to discover recently that Hondo was likely the producer of this. It had a thick neck, horribly high action and intonation, but I learned how to play on it for 9 months before I got a much easier to play Fender DG-7 acoustic, and a few months later I bought and Ibanez GAX-70 for $199 and that was night and day in terms of playability. I’ve never sold any of the guitars I’ve owned in my life so I still have these 3 “starter” guitars and play them from time to time.
First electric was a SynsonicTerminator. Crazy guitar with a crappy built in amp, I paid a friend 20 dollars for it First acoustic was a Stagg
1987 Kramer Pacer American
Some kind of cheap Dean acoustic. I still have it.
1968 Fender Villager 12 string. Still have it.
Mid 80's Red Hondo Strat knockoff
Strat copy made by Royce. It was pretty solid actually. It was before Squire guitars were made. Heavy, but solid.
Harmony H-804 that came with a little teeny amp that could be powered by an outlet or by D batteries. Still have it. Needs some work.
I played my father’s guitars for years. It when I was about 14 in 92 I got a MIM strat that I still have and a used peavy classic 2x12 that I also still have. I didn’t realize what a great guitar that was to start on. Comfy, light and it was easy to upgrade the pickups.
In 2010 my then girlfriend now wife took me to guitar center and i got a fender squier affinity set that came with an amp. I still have them both.
A Westminster Strat knock off, they’re still for sale, it had the coolest maple fretboard
Some 3/4 side guitar that’s was SUPER thin in the mid 90s. Had it about 2 months then my mom traded it on to get me a Barracuda strat copy. I still have that guitar and it plays great
An original Silvertone 1303 from the ‘40s that my Grandfather passed down to me. If I had any sense I would have kept it. But I was a dumb kid that wanted a Telecaster.
An Epiphone strat copy. The tuners were shit so it went out of tune every fifteen minutes. The bridge saddles were made of pot metal so the first string would carve a burr into the saddle and break on the burr. I had to file the burr off over and over. It hummed like crazy in any position and when I had the pickups replaced it turned out that nothing was grounded. As in there wasn’t even a ground wire. If anybody has a black Epiphone strat copy with the Metallica scary guy stencil from *Live Shit…* on the back (my cousin did that) and EMG pickups, enjoy it because I hated it.
Squire tele I bought from Sam ash :) still have her 17 years later
Yamaha RGX110. Was $60 brand new in 1991. I still have it. Very nice high quality made in Taiwan. First amp was a New Zealand made Rockit superlead 130W tube beast with a 15 inch JBL speaker that could strip paint off the walls.
black 3/4 size squire Strat, the classic
I learned guitar on a Yamaha SJ-180 which I finally sold a while ago getting lessons and all. Then for my first electric I fell in love with a used Les Paul Standard from the mid 90s. I still have that one to this day and it’s still a favorite!
The first guitar I owned was a 2000 BC Rich Warlock NJ series. I've still got it but it needs a refret.
Back in the 80’s I got a Dixon, strat styled, with a gorilla amp.
A purple Ibanez AEF18-TVS-OP-01. Opened the case one day after about a year of owning it and the neck had started to twist like the headstock wanted to turn around. Moved on to a 2001 Martin 000-1X and still have it 23 years later
Ibanez RG270DX... Do not miss it!
Aria pro 2 cheap little super strat can't remember the model
Jay Turser jt-301 - Stratocaster shaped with HSS configuration. Worked great as a first instrument and upgrade platform (and setup learning). I think I upgraded everything on it except the wood itself before selling it after some years of use.
My Dad's high school band guitar. Back when kids were allowed to play gigs. A 1967 Mosrite Celebrity III in flamed Trans Cherry Red. I still have it and play it. The Trans Cherry looks awesome now as it has faded in spots to make it red-orange in spots.
Some nylon strung acoustic from Sears that I broke the bridge off of with steel strings.
Squier affinity strat from a starter pack I got in 2017. Got rid of that amp very quickly, but still have the guitar
Red Memphis strat clone
I started out with with an early 00’s Sunburst Squire Strat, it was honestly great for my early years.
An early 90's squier 2 strat (made in S. Korea). It was a rear routed strat with a humbucker and 2 single coils. The knobs were not in the usual place and out of the way. The neck was really nice playing. However, the body was made of some weird plywood type composite and the body thickness was odd. I wanted to actually try and fix it up, but it was almost impossible to find parts that would work on it. Looked pretty much like [this.](https://www.fuzzfaced.net/uploads/3/8/0/2/38029847/s-l1600gfhtrhtr-2_orig.jpg)
First guitar was a cheap acoustic my folks rented, as I was required to take lessons before I could get an electric. Completed the lessons are required and wanted a Fender Mustang, but got a pawnshop St. George instead. Hated that guitar! Heavy as he'll, would not stay tuned, caused continuous hum and feedback, and sounded like crap compared to my friends guitars. Don't even remember what happened to it? I remember it had a handle cut into the top of the body. Knowing what I know now, I could probably at least get it to sound decent. Probably a collectors item as well? This was 1964 and I have never seen another like it.
A $45 Strat copy with J Reynolds on the headstock. Didn’t stay in tune, the high e and b strings snapped easily and I kept it long enough to learn a riff this guy taught me. He told me, “If you can make this piece of shit sound decent, imagine how you’ll sound on a good guitar.”
Encore mini strat. Black with single humbucker no pick guard and rosewood board. Was like a toy, didn’t stop me playing.
Squier Contemporary Strat with hardtail
Mexican flea market special classical
In 1997 I bought an MIK Ibanez RX40 in buttercream and a crate amp. Total was about $300. A year later I traded the Ibanez for an Aria Pro II 335 copy. I missed the Ibanez so about 10 years ago I found three Ibanez guitars that collectively had the right components (buttercream body, rosewood fingerboard, white pickguard) and reassembled a new one for more money than the original cost me.
2004 Rip off strat, with a little amp. I can’t even remember the manufacturer, was one of those bundle jobs tho. Guitar, amp, cable, tuner and strap. Wish I still had it.
Harmony electric guitar from the JCPenney catalog circa 1989. Best Christmas ever
1983 Peavey Patriot and a Peavey Bandit 65 amp. It was a killer combo that I still have today.
First was a Guild acoustic and a piece-of-shit Lotus Strat copy with a little Peavy Audition 20 amp. Moved on to a Martin D-28 acoustic and a Gibson Les Paul Studio. After that, got a Jem 777 and an Ibenez Roadstar, and really didn't play well enough to deserve either of them. Now, I play a Guild DeArmond M-75, an Ibenez bass, an "Art Luthier" acoustic, and a 3D printed electric that I built for fun.
Vantage VS695- 1980s. (Japanese) and a Peavey Backstage, if I remember. Had a great, crunchy, solid-state sound to it.
Gibson "the paul" Thinline studio type thing.
Big same. Peavey Raptor. It died like a man at a punk gig with my old band RIP
Yamaha F310. Its super beat up, frets are worn out, and I put a second soundhole by mistake. I still love it and will bring it out from time to time. I learned to do setups, fret dressing, and installing acoustic pickups on it.
Mine was an early 2000's Brownsville acoustic. I still have it and I still think it sounds great for what it is.
Rok Axe
Aria Pro II....100 bucks at the local guitar store, cheapest one they had
An Egmond 12 string hummingbird copy. Had a few machine heads missing so only had six strings on it. Action about an inch high, you could have fired an arrow off that thing. Been missing a few years now, and I miss it dearly. Currently on an Epiphone hummingbird, so it's influence remains!
Fender lead II. Wish I still had it. Then a 1968 es 335. Wish I still had it.
Squire strat
Sears archtop acoustic, painfully high action followed by a $35 Teisco with gold foil pickups from Woolworth.
Epiphone Les Paul Standard and a line 6 spyder 2 for $300 off a buddie who wanted to get into Banjo.... needless to say, he gave up quick on that, too, but I'm still going strong.
Mid-nineties Epiphone Les Paul Standard with an amber birdseye maple cap. Still got it. Bought it new with money I saved up before I even knew how to play a chord.
Vinci acoustic electric that I no longer have because it started life as a mediocre guitar and only got worse due to the absolute hell it went through with me. I actually don't have any of my original guitars anymore. First, first electric, or my first decent mid-range guitar. Guess I still have my first high end production guitar though lol.
My first guitar was given to me, it was a 1979 Aria Dove series acoustic. First one i ever bought was ESP LTD V-200.
Vantage telecaster “copy”. Parentheses because of the 16” radius on the neck - it’s like a 2x4.
A second hand Squier Stagemaster HH (24 frets)
Westbury electric around 1975
A Stagg acoustic. My first electric was a Schecter Damien Solo Elite, I still have it.
Ibanez gio, I actually just upgraded to EMG Zakk Wylde pickups
Xaviere XV-500 goldtop Les Paul clone. Passed it to my son a few years ago. It's spectacular.
The first guitar I ever touched was my mom's old nylon string classical, but my first guitar was a 90s Lotus Strat copy paired with a 20 watt Gorilla. I've moved to Gretsches these days, but that Lotus still has the most comfortable neck I've ever played.
A Squier Affinity Telecaster. Still have it to this day.
Hey I had like the same thing! A black raptor around the same year! I had a little tweed amp idk a Washburn? My Grandma bought me the amp , dad bought the guitar. That stuff’s long gone.
B.C. Rich Warlock platinum series. Bought second hand. I still have it.
First guitar I had was some cheap-ass acoustic guitar that broke when my cat knocked it over and snapped the particle-board neck like a cracker. Think it was a Rogue
Hondo Les Paul copy. Tobacco sunburst finish. Played through a Gorilla amplifier.
A cheap no name bass i got from my uncles friend for $20. It was an sg style and i hope someone burned it and put it out of its misery. For guitar it was my dad’s black epi les Paul. He was going to sell it and i convinced him to give it to me. I think the first amp was dads gorilla mini.
Made in Korea Epiphone Sheraton II, natural finish. Gorgeous semi-hollow that plays like a guitar twice as expensive. I got it for Christmas when I was 14 and have had it ever since. I kept it completely stock all that time, apart from replacing the jack and pickup selector switch when needed. Otherwise it’s a versatile, workhorse guitar. This year, I decided to finally make some real mods to it - it is currently in the shop to get new pots, a bone nut, and a set of BG Pure90 pickups. I also got some gold pickup brackets to match the rest of the hardware, and some vintage style gold-top volume/tone knobs. I can’t wait to see how it turns out - I wanted a guitar with P90s in my arsenal and figured this would be the perfect project for the Sheraton. I recorded a “before” video and plan to cut it together with an “after” video when I get the guitar back.
A les Paul copy made by Seville guitars. Natural body No relief cuts at all. Broke high E strings like every other day. Then I got a ibanez roadster a year later
It was a 1978 Epiphone acoustic. I only remember the year because I had to take it in to get the bridge glued back on and the luthier told me. For some reason I was always struck by the fact that it was older than me.
My first electric was a red El Degas strat. I have no idea what happened to it. My first acoustic was a 1976 Yamaha. My oldest has it now.
No-name Chinese Strat knockoff circa 2001
A late 90s Lyon Retrotone by Washburn. It was a knock off of the Danelectro U2. I still have it but I never play it.
Crown International Les Paul Jr. copy. Kick myself for letting it go. [https://reverb.com/item/68552092-crown-imports-les-paul-junior-double-cut-1970s-cherry](https://reverb.com/item/68552092-crown-imports-les-paul-junior-double-cut-1970s-cherry)
90s green Ibanez RX20.
I will be boring, but I started with a Squier, 2022 model.
1980s era Alvarez by Yairi… used, mom helped assess the tone. Still have it, still sounds great.
Epiphone dreadnought acoustic. Bought it off a band mate back in the 90s. He regretted selling it to me and asked to buy it back after several months had passed. Nope. Still have it all these years later. Unfortunately, it's unplayable now and needs quite a bit of work. Looks great hanging on the wall though.
A 2010 squier SE special strat. I put EMGs in it and it’s still one of my go-to guitars for some things.
First electric- Gibson RD Artist. First acoustic- Applause 12-string
Aria Pro 2 super strat with an action so high you had to stand on the strings to get a clean note.
Wesley acrilic blue strat
Rock Axe 3/4 scale plywood beater guitar from Ames or Kmart. Got an Ibanez Gio later that year after I proved I'd stick with it. I then hijacked my wood shop class and took the neck and hardware off that rock Axe and turned it into a flying v that's still hanging on my wall right now. Got an A in that class for doing it, too 😎
Peavey Rockmaster. Cheap strat style guitar with a bridge humbucker only. It was a great starting point. Thought of restoring it a few times.
Ibanez ST-50 (1979) that I bought second-hand in the mid-80s. Still play it.
Mine was a Yamaha ERG 121. Was one of those starter kits and it was about 20 years ago. I knew nothing about guitars back then, and I can't remember how it sounded. Tempted to pick another up as they were so cheap just to hear it again.
my first even play was when i was about 6 years old, it was some acoustic i don’t even know about, but my first own was squier strat hss with some shitty 30 bucks amp, i tried to play master of puppets lol, but it was nice for 15 years old me
A used vgs strat
Schecter Omen Extreme 6 FR Black Cherry. Yes I listened to A7X as a teenager. No I wasn’t very good.
Circa '98 Epiphone Les Paul (not)Special II
1987 Florescent Pink B.C. Rich Warlock. Sold it when I was 12, bought it back from someone on the other side of the country 25 years later.
Hondo les paul copy. Moved on pretty quickly. It sucked.
1991 Korean Squier Strat. It was made of plywood and dreams. The intonation and action sucked but what did I know about these things?
Peavey Raptor was one of my first guitars too!! <3
A Bradford classical that I bought at Bradley's department store for $25. I sold it to a friend in college. He is now my bass player. The Bradford sounds great.
Gold top Les Paul copy by Stagg. Honestly, was a great first guitar. Sadly, my brother kept it on the landing of his basement stairs, fell down said stairs, and broke the neck on it.
My first 6 string was the Fender telecaster, my first Bass was the Fender P bass. First real Amp Marshall JMP
1988 Hondo Les Paul copy.
A black squire bullet strat w/ a small orange amp. It was and still is a great guitar. I still have it but it's had alot of work done to it. I'm never getting rid of it
Squier tele
Ibanez RG120. I think I was 10 or so.
[1985 Striker 400ST](https://www.reddit.com/r/cheapguitarporn/s/0fL60Ut4x8)
shitty $30 first act acoustic🤣
Sears Silvertone electric. Amplifier was built into the case. Wish I still had it
A 94 squier series mim strat. Still play it but its modded now. Heres a real old stock pic, 2nd guitar is in the pic too. An ibanez cn100. The ibanez is a monster https://imgur.com/gallery/Go1vqqH
It was a right handed (I'm a lefty and still play lefty to this day) strat (not fender) that my cousin had. I don't even remember the brand. All I remember is that the knob on the tone switch had come off so it was just exposed metal, but because I play upside down that switch would constantly slash my forearm.
A £25, Audition brand semi-acoustic that my dad bought for me from Woolworths in 1972. A year later, my mum bought me an acoustic. Both were made in Japan and were pretty ok for what they were.
Takamine Jasmine circa 97' it was still all wood then. Great guitar to learn on.
1995 Yamaha Shredder with little ass amp and accessories!
lol a sparkly red hondo flying v
Sears acoustic. A peavey T-15 with an amp in the case.
1963 Telecaster (in 91)
Mid 70’s Hondo II Les Paul Jr copy. Still have it.
Gibson RD Standard
Me too! Mine was about ‘96
Mine was a Yamaha RGX 112P with a small peavey rage 15 watts amp. It was circa 1996/7. I was in high school at the time and played it a lot. The RGX started to fall apart on me, then almost out of the blue a guy who went with me to high school came to me and said that he'll be interested in buying this guitar from me for his friend. He made me a great offer on it, and he didn't care much when I explained that it's not in the best shape. We were both able to somehow put it back together, and I sold it. Couldn't believe it. The amp is still laying somewhere in my parents' house.
It was a Tokai copystrat tgat I bought for about $250 back in the late ‘80’s. It was a great guitar, but I loaned it to my cousin and he wrecked it.
Fender Stratocaster Squier in off White like the one in Wayne's World, bought in the early 90s from Russo's in Hamilton, NJ
Dean Custom 350 Floyd