Your advice requested...

[GuitarMD]

Alright,
I pose this question for my little brother.

Here is the scenario...
My brother wants a new guitar <font color="blue">for Pop-Punk / Pop-Rock music</font id="blue">.
<font color="red">HE HAS $600 to spend and not 1 penny more.</font id="red">
He has a Marshall JCM 900 head and an Orange 2x12 cabinet.

Please include a reason for your suggestions.

~GuitarMD~

[Bluz57]

I would look at the G&L's on ebay. Why, because they are some of the best guitar I have seen for that kind of money.That being said, he is probably going to have to crap up a bit more for the best ones.$750 will get you a top quality american made G&L.I own four of them. They will stand up in quality with the best guitars I own.

Here is an example of a guitar that has killer tone.
http://cgi.ebay.com/1994-G-L-ASAT-Ameri ... dZViewItem

[MSP]

I'd say look into some Mexican Stratocasters or Telecasters. They're versatile, easy to play, sound good with Marshalls and there's definitely a long history of strats and teles being played in that genre of music. I have a MIM Standard Telecaster and sure I've played more expensive guitars but, it's still my go-to guitar. It's well made, plays well, sounds good and it's a workhorse.

It's too bad he has 600, because 600 is sort of the inbetween price. You get to 700 and you can buy guitars that are really meant to last. At 700 you can buy an SG Junior or a Deluxe Telecaster, both guitars definitely are worth the extra bit, but if as you said, not a penny more, I'd say look at a Standard Telecaster.

[Jaws Theme Swimming]

for pop punk stuff the first thing that came to my mind was an epi LP custom. i have one, love it, great tone for what he's doing and it doesn't have a one dimensional tone which will serve him better down the road. also, with a little more money he can upgrade the pickups eventually and really have an excellent punkrock piece.

edit: (this one's for clay) with this purchase he'll also have to take into account the money he'll need to chiropractic work later on down the road[:p]

[Borderline Productions]

I would second the idea of a Mexican Tele or an Epiphone V or LP. Find one that plays well. When he gets more money he can always replace the pickups and wiring.

I also agree that he might do well to save a couple hundred more, then he can get into the quantum of guitar quality.

[mre1208]

72 thinline reissue

[JXG]

I would look at Gibson SG faded, or maybe a used standard if you're really lucky

[niangelo]

The G&L Tribute line is a good choice as well. They're CNC'd as opposed to handmade, with all the same hardware.

That's as far as I understand, however.

[WannaBWeiland]

I second the Fender 72 Thinline tele, but have him look into Schecter C-1's. For the money you won't find a nicer playing instrument. I bought my brother one for around $550 and it sounds phenomenal and looks very elegant for being made in Korea. If you're lucky you might find a nice Gibson Les Paul Special or Studio on eBay for around $600. With the Schecter, you might swap the pickups for nicer ones to get your desired sound--I installed a Duncan JB in the bridge of my brother's C-1+ and it sounds amazing. The Thinline is what a lot of the new-coming bands are using because, well, it's a Tele and it sounds good through Marshalls. I hang out with a band called Ports of Aidia and the lead guitar player has a 72 Thinline and he gets some of the best sounds ever. Check 'em out, you won't be disappointed... and neither will your brother haha.

[MSP]

Is he looking to buy new or used?

[irish_admiral]

If it's used, then I second what Clay said - look for a G&L ASAT. That will do you very well for pop 'n' punk. Anything with humbuckers won't. Epiphone are pure s---e compared to G&L (apologies to Epi fans).

I also hate 70s Teles. Their look is in, the sound has never been. They play worse than all the other Fender Teles i've come across, and most Fenders come a distant 2nd place to the G&Ls on used guitars.

Just my view, FWIW...

[GuitarMD]

Keep it coming guys, this is good stuff.

He has no problem grabbing a good deal new or used...

~GuitarMD~

[MSP]

Used highway one tele perhaps? For the same reasons I listed above, just this way it's American and supposedly better components. I've never played a G&L, so I can't comment on those. I have to disagree with Joe, I think the 70s reissue teles are great. A few people on the forum own them, I nearly bought one (couldn't scrape up the cash) and I know other people who love theirs. If you can find one of those used, it'd be worth a good look, because I think they're about 700 new.

[irish_admiral]

The 70s Teles are based on one of the worst technical periods of Fenders' production. They also have buckers, and so don't sound like Teles should, and therefore aren't as good for punk or indie.

I've played lots of various 70s Teles and RIs, and they just don't play as well or sound as good as other Teles. For my money, the MIJ 62 Teles are the best value, bang for buck, that you'll get out of Fender.

I reiterate that this is just my experience, and personal preference plays a big part - so play as many guitars as you can.

The Highway Teles are pretty decent, although I prefer the MIJs, or the G&Ls by a long way. I still don't know why people buy the 70s Teles compared to the other ones though... maybe it's just as they have humbuckers in. But they are consistently the worst Fenders i've played.

[GuitarMD]

So far,

I like the idea of grabbing:
a) used Highway 1 Tele
b) G&L Asat
c) Epi Custom LP (with upgraded tuners and the Seymour Duncan Hot Rod Humbuckers Jazz neck JB Bridge)
d) Faded Gibson SG

~GuitarMD~