Bad Aax semi-hollowbody - worth a gamble?

[Pickngrin]

I have an Amazon gift card to use and of course I figured I'd use it toward an inexpensive guitar. I was considering either a Jay Turser tele (I've never owned a Tele style) and then came across this semi-hollowbody (never owned one of those either):
http://www.amazon.com/Badaax-335gt-Electric-Guitar-Antique/dp/B003A0VUH4/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1318550990&sr=8-1

I've found no reviews on the web. The guitar is also sold by other nonmusical vendors (eg, Newegg). $199 with a hard case makes me wonder if this thing can possibly have any merit as a guitar. Looks nice though. What do you think?

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Well, I was just looking at the seller's (Music Factory Direct) web site, and they state a 30-day return policy. So, like with many other online stores, the risk is minimized to shipping costs if you just don't like it.

They have the same guitar/price as their listing on Amazon.

http://musicfactorydirect.com/p-840-badaax-335gt-electric-guitar-in-antique-burst-with-case.aspx

http://musicfactorydirect.com/t-faq.aspx

 

[Pickngrin]

Yeah, the risk is minimal but I don't want to pay to ship it back if I can avoid it. Talk about an inflated MSRP..$559...!

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

That's what ya gotta do if you want to buy a guitar that can't be seen any other way. Oh, and if you return a guitar for refund at any of these stores, you pay the shipping both ways.

 

[FrankenFretter]

I'm not familiar with that brand, but the Tursers seem to have a pretty good reputation. Personally, I'd go with the Turser.

 

[Eric]

Well, I can only really offer my opinion of the Jay Turser guitars I've played, and it's that they're OK. Not bad, but they are a cheaper guitar. You know that kind of plastic, slightly-unfinished feeling that some guitars have? Kind of like that. I mean, the ones I've played had old strings and not much TLC and they played fine, so if you do your own guitar maintenance I'll bet you could make it into a pretty comfortable guitar. Depends on what you like, I guess.

 

[Pickngrin]

Thanks for the feedback, guys. I think I am going to go for the Turser tele with neck humbucker. It will cost me only $50 out of my pocket.

 

[syo]

I think that will be a better deal for you. Semi-hollows are more expensive to build (and more difficult to build well). A lower end solid body, esp. a Tele is probably the better choice for getting your money's worth. Good luck!

 

[Eric]

I think that will be a better deal for you. Semi-hollows are more expensive to build (and more difficult to build well). A lower end solid body, esp. a Tele is probably the better choice for getting your money's worth. Good luck!

Though I'm no guitar builder, I agree. When I really look at a tele, I realize how simple they really are -- a couple slabs of wood and some hardware. I'm sure I'm oversimplifying, but the point remains.

Edit: Almost forgot: congrats!

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Not to disparage pick's choice, but to just say something about cheap semi-hollow guitars, my Epiphone Dot Studio, a factory second at $199 (4 years ago), is surprisingly well-made, as good as any cheap solidbody I've seen. I've seen other inexpensive semi-hollows that were just fine, too. Don't assume......

 

[Pickngrin]

I actually had similar thoughts to you, Eric, and you, Bookkeeper's Son (yes, I know, contradictory). I hadn't seen a factory second Epi Dot selling for that little, but they aren't that much more than this Badaax one, and the Epi Dot gets great reviews. I have zero experience with semihollows and it seems like a gamble to order one that I've not even read one review of.

 

[syo]

Don't assume......

I'm sorry BS, but why not? This is simply a general truth. Personally I have bought a semi-hollow direct from the factory for $80 that was surprisingly good. It is just a question of averages. My comment was based on the fact that it is neither an Epi (with their QC), nor is it listed as a second (as is the Epi). It is also shipping with a hard case. This is an unknown brand and Pick didn't want to have to pay to ship back. Given his situation this is not really an assumption but common sense. My comment was never that a cheap semi-hollow is always bad. Although I have played an Epi Dot or two that weren't very good. Weren't seconds either...

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Syo, I was just suggesting that inexpensive doesn't automatically mean crap, hollowbody or otherwise. I tend to look at all Asian imports as pretty much the same thing, regardless of brand name, and that they're all about as hit-or-miss as any other, although many are surprisingly well-made. Actually, I kinda like the idea of buying the off-brands, and getting the same guitar without the premium for the name on the headstock.

And I repeat: I was NOT criticizing Pick's choice in any way.

BTW: In the hit or miss department, my first Dot was, in fact, defective, and thanks to Gibson's warranty, they sent me a new one. In my case, the limited lifetime warranty was a very good thing to have (but it did cost me 60 bucks to ship it to Nashville).

 

[syo]

Syo, I was just suggesting that inexpensive doesn't automatically mean crap, hollowbody or otherwise. I tend to look at all Asian imports as pretty much the same thing, regardless of brand name, and that they're all about as hit-or-miss as any other, although many are surprisingly well-made. Actually, I kinda like the idea of buying the off-brands, and getting the same guitar without the premium for the name on the headstock.

And I repeat: I was NOT criticizing Pick's choice in any way.

BTW: In the hit or miss department, my first Dot was, in fact, defective, and thanks to Gibson's warranty, they sent me a new one. In my case, the limited lifetime warranty was a very good thing to have (but it did cost me 60 bucks to ship it to Nashville).

I do understand what you were saying Bookkeeper. Also I didn't think you were criticizing Pick's decision at all.

It really is just a question of the odds. On the very low end (which the "Bad Aax" decidedly is), a semi-hollow costs around $40 more to manufacture than a solid body. Furthermore semi-hollows (again on the low end) are notoriously uneven in quality even when made by the same manufacturer. There are just more variables involved in putting them together. All this, plus hard case included, makes it less likely that one will get lucky buying it over a solidbody (perhaps with gigbag) for the same price.

As for all Asian imports being pretty much the same, here I would strongly disagree. I'm assuming by "Asian" here you actually mean "Chinese". Chinese manufacturers vary considerably in expertise, consistency and quality. I know because I've worked with 5 of them and visited with and tested guitars from another 20. If you truly mean Asian as in Chinese, Korean, Indonesian and Japanese, well here I think it's obvious that a low-end Chinese Bad Aax would not compare at all favorably with a Japanese made Gretsch or a Korean made Peerless. It would in fact, by comparison, be, well... a bad axe...

BTW, your $199 Epi Dot second actually cost you $259 (still a very good deal for even a decent semi-hollow).

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Dude, I specifically indicated that I bought the Dot four years ago, when it did sell for $199. I defer to your broader experience with guitars, as I have nothing to prove, but I meant my generalization to be a characterization of similar-priced guitars from China, Indonesia, etc., not of apples and oranges.

 

[syo]

Dude, I specifically indicated that I bought the Dot four years ago, when it did sell for $199. I defer to your broader experience with guitars, as I have nothing to prove, but I meant my generalization to be a characterization of similar-priced guitars from China, Indonesia, etc., not of apples and oranges.

Sorry dude, my mistake apparently. I do specifically remember what you specifically said you paid for the Dot. I thought that the Dot you were referring to as having paid $199 for was the one that was defective and replaced with another by Gibson (which cost you $60 to ship back, hence the $259 I stated to get you a Dot you were happy with). So you own 2 Epi Dots?
:thwap

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Alas, my net cost did turn out to be $260, but if I had noticed to problems within the 45-day return period, I coulda returned it to MF and not had to eat the freight to Nashville. It was, in fact, a problem that existed when I got the guitar. In any case, all of my cheap guitars, one Canadian, the rest Chinese, none over $250, have been quite good.

Note: The problem with the Dot was somewhat minor and did not make it unplayable. The strings didn't align perfectly along the fingerboard, due to a neck and/or bridge set that was slightly off. It bugged me, so I decided the shipping cost was worth my ultimate peace of mind.

But I do get your point about the possibly higher net cost of a cheap guitar, where the buyer might have to invest additional bucks (nut work, fret work and such) to make it a payer.

 

[Pickngrin]

Thanks again for the input, guys. My Turser Tele was waiting at my front door when I got home from work yesterday -- well packed, I should add. Here are a few pics. I played around on it a bit last night, but haven't put on new strings yet (which it badly needs). The Amazon price on this guitar has been fluctuating wildly. I paid $152.xx a few days ago, then yesterday it dropped $13 and today it's $234.57! Anyhow, I haven't put it through all its paces yet, but I am happy to own my first Tele-style guitar. I was a bit apprehensive about buying a low end guitar with gold hardware out of concern that it will come off. The neck is pretty varnishy and I think that I will have to use some steel wool to take that down a bit. I'm very happy with the purchase so far and feel that I made the wise choice over the unknown BadAax.

Here's the porn...

 

[Bookkeeper's Son]

Looks pretty darn nice!

 

[Tig]

Wow, that looks great! Let us know how she plays and sounds.

 

[syo]

Nice pics, Pick. Congratulations! That's quite a deal.
I have never been too much into gold hardware but I must say, this combo looks great. :applause

 

[Lev]

Wow, that looks like a lot of guitar for the money, congrats!

 

[Pickngrin]

Thanks. Definitely a great deal for the money, particularly so from my perspective given that $100 of it was an Amazon Gift card that I got from Dish TV. I wouldn't have otherwise chosen the natural finish with gold hardware, but the other Turser humbucker Teles at Amazon were $250 and up (ie, $100 more than this guitar cost). I'm thinking this could look nice with a black pickguard too. I played around a bit on the guitar tonight after putting on a new set of strings. It plays very nicely. The neck bucker seems muddy to me. I tried adjusting the height a bit. I'm not sure if it's a 250K or a 500K pot; it it's a 250K, maybe a 500K will help brighten it a bit.

 

[markb]

Nice pics, Pick. Congratulations! That's quite a deal.
I have never been too much into gold hardware but I must say, this combo looks great. :applause

Gold on a tele? Abomination!

Nah, looks good with the flamey top :AOK

 

[Pickngrin]

Gold on a tele? Abomination!

Nah, looks good with the flamey top :AOK

Heheh thanks. I am really liking this git, although the neck humbucker is darker than I want.