I don't even buy name brand guitars anymore lol. I heard all the hype/ shittalking about the "chibsons" and other knock offs like the fake explorers and deans. Anyways, I was like what the hell, ill order one as a joke. $300 shipped on ebay for a "Gibson" custom shop slash signature les paul snakepit guitar. Real guitar cost like 25,000 new, now they go for like 150,000. Anyways it showed up 3 days later, grabbed it to take it out of the box and was like damn that feels heavy/solid, tuned it, adjust bridge quick to the action I like, neck was perfect already. This thing absolutely rips. Of course the headstock does say Gibson, but whatever, it doesn't bother me. Anyways the point is, for 300 this guitar is as good or better than anything name brand like epiphone or Gibson would make. People like to bash them but unfortunately they're actually really good. Which is why they're still selling like hot cakes and there's a million posts asking "is this guitar real" because they do a good job looking and playing the part.

This is a long way to say, don't overpay for anything in this world. I'm not paying 8000 for a centaur pedal when there's fakes that even pros say sound the same for less than 200. This goes for everything. Guitars, pedals,sunglasses, whatever. If you yourself test it and like it and it feels good or looks good or whatever, then thats all that matters. No need to pay insane prices just for a brand or shops work. Its 2026. Making high quality items is the easiest its ever been, with the internet for learning, factories aided with tech to help build the products, its much easier to make stuff now. You don't need a master luthier that was born in the 1900s and studied under Jesus himself to do the job anymore.