Attention guitar players....Little help needed on guitar selection. :)

[jhansman]

Any guitar is the best in the world if it's the only one you've played.

True. I thought my acoustic was the shit til I wandered into my local shop and picked up a $4,000 Martin D-35. Plucked one chord and almost broke out my wallet. As others have noted, go play a few. You may be surprised what you really like.

 

[BlitzPuppet]

American made has nothing to do with it. My best guitars are MIJ from the late 70s and very early 80s. Blows away most top line American guitars made today.

When I have a choice between America, Japan, and Mexico I'll take Japanese all day long...don't get me wrong. They made sweet guitars in a time where everyone thought they were junk. Now they're highly sought after.

You have three (that I know of) choices for Fender and they all correspond to different levels of quality. China (Squier), Mexico (Lower end Fender name brand on up), American (Original Fender, higher shelf).

Now each will have it's exclusions but that's the hierarchy of Fenders. This is no "'Murica beats all!" just what I remember being taught when I was first diving into the guitar world.

 

[Oyeve]

A few years ago I bought a rare Mexican squire hss. It's pretty sweet and somewhat rare. I mainly use it for fast fretting as its neck is thin.

 

[zanemoseley]

F'ing love my black Gibson SG Standard, fitted with Tony Iommi pickups. Worked for $5.15/hr in the late 90's at Blockbuster in HS to save $1000 (+$200 pickups) to buy it, it is my one possession which I would never sell. I also have a Fender American Deluxe Stratocaster, arguably prettier than the SG but I'd sell it in a heartbeat compared to the SG.

One thing I like about the SG is the fixed bridge, I learned playing with the side of my hand right next to or almost on top of the bridge, just doesn't feel right with the strat and the tremelo.

 

[A Casual Fitz]

I prefer Gibson and Fender for my playing style. I can't stand Ibanez because of the necks personally but a lot of people love them. Following what others have said, go play a bunch of different guitars at a shop and buy what feels the most comfortable.