Grateful Dead Music Forum

So i just found this guitar on ebay. It looks beutiful and its a semi hollow. Im saving up for a prs but for 300 bucks this is a steal. What do you all think?

http://cgi.ebay.com/Raven-West-RG450-Ch ... dZViewItem

You get what you pay for. Lots of generic-ness in the description. Don't expect it to be PRS quality.

Sure is pretty...but be careful...I bought a Fender Strat on line and i've lived to regret it. Never again!

Well, Asian guitars have been getting better in quality, but still, the law of getting what you pay for is usually true.

A $300 guitar made in Asia in 2007 is certainly better than a $300 Asian guitar from 10-20 years ago, but I'd still be a bit wary. Who knows, it really could be as good as all those glowing reviews, but the truth is that many unauthentic reviews get posted on harmony central all the time in order to make something look like the best thing since sliced bread ( or the original TS-9 ). Besides, imho, it sure has a lot of bells and whistles, and some extremely fancy ( and expensive! ) inlay work and wood used and finish to only cost $300.00.

So, in short, I'd be skeptical, ESPECIALLY if it's on ebay and you can't play it first or return it if you don't like it. Not to mention what kind of resale value it will have if you do decide it isn't for you - the world is already flooded with inexpensive Asian made guitars.

Not trying to be a wet blanket, but just know what you're getting into if you do decide to buy it. How a guitar looks means nothing.

I think it is always a bad move to buy a guitar that you haven't played. The exception is of course if you want to buy a 1977 Ibanez George Benson for example on E bay and were able to try out the same model in person before doing so. I did this and it worked out for me.

Unless you played the model in person, it is such a crapshoot. So much of guitar playing is how it feels in your hands, how your fingers feel on the frets, how it sounds when you play it, and if it "fits" you and by that I mean that part of the instrument that connects with your soul. That sounds kind of new agey but you know what I'm talkin' bout.

My advice is to play it before you buy it. Not the exact guitar, but the same model. Otherwise, it is a roll of the dice.

i think is beautiful, but i dont know the brand so i dont have idea how it may sound

That seems like a really cheap price for the detail of the inlay and the designs in the wood, not to mention the set neck, as opposed to a bolt on. I wouldnt do it without playing it. But I would have to assume that the electronics arent very good.

I have a Galveston 335 knock-off. Can't remember if it's Korean or Chinese. I only paid $200.00 and it's seems pretty good for my hacking around on the guitar needs. I did have a pro-luthier check it out before I bought it.

wisedyes wrote:Well, Asian guitars have been getting better in quality, but still, the law of getting what you pay for is usually true.

Re Asian guitars: I bought a Schecter C-1 from the Guitar Center in Jax, FL for about $800. I thought it was a good deal because it was the only thing that I saw will the features I wanted that was under $1500.

The thing looked great and played like shit. Luckily Guitar Center has a generous return policy.

However, I also own 2 Ibanezes, both of which were very inexpensive, and both of which sound and play fantastic for an amateur like myself.

So while I prefer to buy American, I stand by Ibanez. I recently I bought an Ibanez hollow body for $320 (mentioned it on another thread) and I couldn't be happier.

But, ultimately, I would not buy I guitar I could not either play first, or return if I didn't like.

That was a ramble....

Anohter thought I had is that it is really like it is with women. You don't propose to a woman until you have sampled the goods. Same concept with guitars. Easier to rid yourself of a shitty axe than a shitty wife however.

I second that on the Ibanezes. I'm a loyal player of Ibanez acoustic guitars and a lot of the electrics I've played by them are sweet as well.

prs "ISH" ???!!!

I would not buy it without playing it first.

I believe there are plenty of great quaility guitars that you can buy online and will not be too risky, but this is not one of them.

Anything that is "ish" scares me.

Surprisingly Ravens are not bad guitars.

I've heard some people make them shine!

wisedyes wrote:Well, Asian guitars have been getting better in quality, but still, the law of getting what you pay for is usually true.

A $300 guitar made in Asia in 2007 is certainly better than a $300 Asian guitar from 10-20 years ago, but I'd still be a bit wary. Who knows, it really could be as good as all those glowing reviews, but the truth is that many unauthentic reviews get posted on harmony central all the time in order to make something look like the best thing since sliced bread ( or the original TS-9 ). Besides, imho, it sure has a lot of bells and whistles, and some extremely fancy ( and expensive! ) inlay work and wood used and finish to only cost $300.00.

from what i've heard fender had to move it's factory from korea because the koreans were making guitars comparable to the american ones for 1/4th the price.

what a coincidence my neighbor's son just purchased that exact guitar and a mahogany lp copy. Since they know I'm gear obsessed they wanted to show me.

The quality of mass produced asain "knockoff" guitars has risen substantially over the last decade. I would put it up against any sub 1000 imported guitar.
Both had nice grover tuners, i'm not sure but the nut seemed like a harder composite than plastic and was cut cleanely.Fret job was that of a mass produced guitar, but no worse than that either. electronics on both were quiet and smooth.

The inlays were not my style but w/the help of cnc machines were precise and clean. While it does look nice I'm not a big fan of poly and the hollowbody is wearing a very heavy coat. the lp seemed too "unfinished"..

If a hollowbody is what you're looking for and you want to spend under 450-500 this is prolly one of the better choices.

For my money the 2 best deals are made in Mexico fenders and the faded series of Gibson SG's, but are totally different.

good luck! jb