A very interesting thread here guys,
As I've just read through this for the first time, I know I can relate with some of what you are saying. But to get back to the very first post here that Dante put up, on the flip side of the coin, aren't most of us brand snobs too?
I'm referring to guys like me who have a lot of ADA gear, and for us, nothing else will do?
I'll put any of my ADA rigs up against anything you've got, and I'll either match you tone, or best it!
As for guitars, sure, I have some American made Fenders that are all considered vintage and collectible, but I'm not a collector, I'm a player, and I play what I like. That's why I also own 3 of the Korean made Fender Showmaster guitars. They have issues, but they also have enormous potential. First of all, these guitar are set-neck and not bolt-on, meaning they are glued in like Gibsons. The wood is African Mahogany, and the fretboard is Brazilian Rosewood. The electronics and hardware it comes with is garbage, especially the locking tuners! Those are the finest examples of over-engineered bullshit that I've seen in all my years of living!
They come with SD Pearly Gates in the bridge and RWRP JB's in the neck, (HH models). They are 24 fret, 25.5" scale with Dunlop 6105 fretwire, on a 15" radius fretboard. The hardware is cheap pot metal castings of the 2-point Fender style trem, and not even close to stable. Electronics are the cheapest Chinese junk you can find on the internet.
DiMarzio pots and a Monster switch can fix this up in a hurry, as do the Dimarzio Air Buckers I have in there now. Air Zone, (bridge) Air Norton, (neck). In the other one, I have the same neck pickup, but I have a Steve's Special in the bridge.
The 3rd one is basically the same guitar but with a S-S-S pickup configuration. This is my special project that I have planned for the future. That came with SD SSL52 in them but those are the lamest pickups I've ever heard. I've bought a set of Burns Tri-Sonic pickups to put in there, and with a few Push-Push pots and a Mega Switch, and a little creative wiring, it should be quite a different animal! I'm also going to re-do the finish on that guitar since it's the ugliest thing to come along since Pugs were bred.
I got the 1st one used for $269.00 USD, the 2nd for $300.00 USD and the 3rd, (NOS) $600.00 USD
The body and neck construction is as solid as it gets, and the tones are pretty warm, so with the mods I'll do to them, these will be my signature axes, but they will work to the end of time if need be. Sometimes you have to crawl through a mountain of mud to find the diamond in the rough.
Harley