GuitArcher

My recent Squier Standard Stratocaster has me thinking about entry level guitars, and specifically the first new electric guitar I purchased, a Yamaha Pacifica 112.  They're great guitars if you ask me, but for obvious reasons don't get the exposure a "real Stratocaster" does (as real  as a Squier can be I suppose). A comparison of the two may be apt. A Squier Stratocaster lists for $289.99 on L&M , while a new Yamaha Pacifica 112J will set you back $239.99 plus tax.  I seem to recall that the Yamaha and a hard case ran me just over $400, so we're about exactly where we were 20 years ago in terms of price.  Weird. Don't expect a comprehensive review of either guitar - that really isn't the point.  I want to talk about a few differences that indicate where your money is going and hope you can figure the rest out yourself. Yamaha Pacifica 112 / Squier Standard Stratocaster The Yamaha was my second electric, purchased sometime around 1995.  Th

I could be wrong, but I think Gibson made a serious mistake in 2014 with the introduction of the SGJ.   I know.  Gibson?  Make a mistake?  Never.  Their decision making tree can never be questioned, right? For those unfamiliar, the Gibson SGJ is the lowest cost, "full featured" guitar you can currently buy from Gibson.   For under $650 CAD , you too can have your very own, brand new, USA made Gibson.  When you consider that the Epiphone Les Paul Standard Pro lists for almost 15% more, you have to wonder if the product folks at Epiphone got the memo about the 2014 product lineup.  I know, I know, they're not the same guitar, but stay with me.  Why would you buy the Chinese Les Paul when you could have the USA SGJ and a couple of $20s in your pocket instead?   Well, for the most part I blame teenagers and their parents (AM I RIGHT?!?!).  Parents won't deal on the used market, convinced that a "warranty" is of great value, so they'll happ