Aria
Generally seen as an entry level maker I’ve worked on some incredible Aria basses over the years. Their acoustics are a little more basic.
Ashbury
A very good entry level maker of folk instruments. I have a very nice acoustic fretless bass by them and worked on some great mandolins bouzoukis and citterns by them.
Barnes and Mullins
Makers of great classical and folk instruments at entry level prices, these can be pretty solid but some have fundamental problems like intonation and neck profiles
Crafter
Their acoustics can be ok but are generally pretty nasty.
Daion
One of the rarer japanese makers. Their Les pauls are pretty well flawless.
Duesenberg
These guys used to make sports cars in the 30s. No doubt very expensive but on point german engineering, anmazingly built things.
Eastman
A pricey maker but some of the Easman mandolins I’ve worked on are amazing. The guitars are not my cup of tea but beautifully built all the same.
EKO
The buskers classic. Built like farm machinery, very cheaply priced and hard to destroy. But be prepared for a raft of problems with bellied tops and clunky necks.
Encore
Definetely an entry level maker, these range from ok to terrible.
Epiphone
Much the same as Squier, these are like Gibsons for sane people. The best examples of Lps, Explorers, and Vs I’ve worked on have all been Epiphones. As good as any Gibson at around 1/6th of the price, especially when you get into pricier models like the Les Paul custom on which the only differences between Gibson and Epiphone are the inlays and headstock.
Ernie Ball
Makers of the music man series basses these really are very, very good. Inimitable tone and great build quality. Not cheap but absolutely worth it.
Fender
By and large more sensibly priced but you’d need a brain injury to be OK with their custom shop pricing. They can suffer from poor factory fret work and their electronics are very much a matter of taste. I hate three saddle bridges on Teles witth a vengeance and the Leo Fender design feature of the buried truss nut is a hate crime against guitarists. The best fenders I’ve encountered are 1980s american made strats, but I wouldn’t want to pay for one. Acoustics are not what they are good at and I really don’t rate them in that respect.
Gibson
There is no doubt that few brands hold value like a Gibson, so they make a very sound investment. But their pricing is absolutely insane and in the past 20 years their QC has not been on point. I’ve seen a pube trapped in the finish, cutting paste all over the cavities and flat top frets on gibsons worth thousands. I have worked on some very nice vintage Gibson basses but that is another world. Their worst contributions have to be fret nibs anbd robot tuners.
Godin
Canadian makers of some slightly unusual instruments. They are largely very well built and can feel quite nice but they have flaky troublesome electronics.
Gretsch
Not for me. I can see why people like things like the falons but they are too blingy for me. I can’t fault them for build quality btu they are on the pricey side and I don’t really connect with them.
Guild
These seem like a very good maker. Expensive, but very well built. Not the most techically delicate instruments though. Pricey chord bashers.
Harley Benton
HB are making guiotars at entry level prices to take on the likes of Gibson and PRS, and I can’t really fault them.
Harmony
Collectable vintage maker – there are some incredible hollow body electrics to be had, and they hold a decent value.
Hofner
German vintrage maker, best known for 50s and 60s instruments. Not really my cup of tea but a pretty good maker for the period.
Ibanez
I’ve worked on some very good vintage Ibanez guitars but the JEM series is lost on me. Even the 3 grand ones have floppy necks, badly cut pockets, and Floyd Rose bridges which I hate. I don’t see the attraction at all. Their bass guitars on the other hand are lovely all round,
Jackson
I like these a lot. If you like a superstrat these are a more sensible and better built option than Ibanez. Solidly built with nice necks and electronics.
LAG
French upper entry level maker -these aren’t terrible but are badly let down by horrible electronics and hardware.
Lowden
Luthier made and on the whole incredible instruments although they are too expensive and have a bunch of flaws such as truss access, clunky neck feel and second rate fret work. They sound incredible though
Martin
I’ve workled oin a lot of Martins, too many for such an expensive maker. They are beset by belly problems, detatching bridges, detatching binding and failing neck angles, often in under 10 years. Vintage Martins from the 50s-70s can sound very nice but inevitably suffer from the same problems. On the upside Richlite fingerboards make for very easy refrets and a good martin will hold value as a collectors piece, but I’d avoid them all the same.
Maton
One of the rarer acoustics I’ve come across. They seem to be quite well built but the pricing is iff the scale and I find the necks a bit clunky.
Ovation
If you love these nothing else will do but they aren’t for me at all. Horrid things and badly built.
Ozark
An unspectacular but sensibly priced maker of folk instruments.
PRS
No doubt very well built but shrouded in too much bullshit and overpriced.
Schekter
Expensive, aimed at the metal player, and incredibly well built.
Shaftesbury
I’ve come across some amazing lawsuit era shaftesbvury instruments from the 60s and 70s, and some of the nices Les Pauls I’ve ever played and a very memorable Rickenbacker copy bass used by Doug from Hawkwind. Solidly built and affordable.
Shergold
Lawsuit era british maker. Great instruments and some of the most innovative and complex electronics you’ll ever find.
Sigma
A budget range by Martin, these can be ok and are sensibly priced but caution is advised as they can suffer the same problems as Martins.
Simon & Patrick
Popular on the folk scene, these are very tasty guitars with a luthier made feel for sensible prices. I’m surprised I don’t see a lot more of these.
Squier
In recent years Squier, with their classic vibe series guitars, have got so good you’d be an idiot to buy a Fender, Better fret work and. sensible prices. Basic squiers such as the affinity series make some of the best entry level electric guitars available and with some fret dressing can be a s good as any Fender. Squier acoustic guitars are junk.
Takamine
I’ve been a big Takamine fan for 30 years. In my opinion one of the best makers of acoustic guitars out there with unbeatable electronics. I’ve seen very few problems on Takamines, and I’ve never seen one with a bellied top or in need of a neck reset. Their range is also very good from dreadnoughts to the exquisite Santa Fes and lovely modern hybrid classicals and are very well priced for the build quality. The only downside is appalling customer service. I’m a registered repairer and parts often take me months to obtain.
Tanglewood
These used to be terrible in the 90s but have grown into a solid entry level maker, they can be very nice. Not quite on the same level as Takamine but I can’t see a whole lot wrong with them.
Taylor
I have worked on some high end Taylors from the 90s which are very nice but on the whole I see Taylor as one of the worst makers. Shitty bolt on neck joints, badly fitted frets, detatching bridges and on baby taylors screws through the fret board. Just no.
Vintage
A bit hit and miss – these range from pretty nice to feckin horrible. The best I’ve seen was a three pickup Les Paul which was quite a nice build, but I’ve seen acoustics that would make great bird boxes.
Westwood
A rare entry level maker of a Strat owned by a student. There isn’t m,uch to love anout the build quality but I’d recomment buying one for the electrics – one of the nicest sounding Strats I’ve ever heard.
Windsor
Makers of very nice banjos throughout the 20th century. If youu’re a banjo player you shouild probably get one.
Yamaha
These guys don’t make anything badly, be it guitars, basses, amps or pianos. Yamaha can always be trusted to be dependable well priced instruments which can feel a lot more expensive than they are.