Sublime Chieftain Deluxe
The Chieftain Deluxe smartly addresses the traditional weak links of budget guitars: notably the fretwork, hardware, setup, and pickups. And the instrument recalls an era when budget guitars were unique, quirky, and cool—not just cheap-as-possible knockoffs. Strong character elicits strong reactions, so not all players will relate, but Joe Gore was thrilled to encounter so much personality in such a reasonably priced instrument.
$899 street ($1,119 with Bigsby B7 vibrato option)
sublimeguitars.com
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