If you were to break down and buy one...

[riverbluff]

If I were buying an off the rack guitar it would either be a Zion single cut away (recently played one and only live 40 miles from the shop where they are made) or a Gibson LP Custom.  I've always been a big LP fan and love the 1980 LP that I have.

 

[Volitions Advocate]

EDIT!::

I forgot about these. I"ve wanted one forever. I believe they're called transperformers.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L9ppkHjgUJA

LINK: I like how they say "Who in their right mind thinks this is cool?" and then inconspicuously has a little arrow pointing to a picture of Jimmy Page

EDIT: From the FAQ: What types of guitars can be retrofitted with the Performer?

Currently we support any guitar body that closely resembles Les Paul, Les Paul Special, Stratocaster or Telecaster body shapes.


.... me sees a nice DL quilt top Warmoth Transperformer somewhere in the future.

 

[Vol. Knob]

I like Epiphones, they're like Gibsons only cheaper.  In the past I've had an Epiphone Les Paul Standard, Dot and Casino.  Currently I have a Les Paul Custom.  Were I to go buy a guitar off the rack, it would be an Epiphone, perhaps LP Jr., those look fun.  Or another Casino.

 

[stratplayer1]

I'd get a charvel, or a Ibanez JEM those are sick

 

[Chris of Arabia]

At the moment, some of the top end Tokai's are making a play for my affections

 

[nathan a]

I'd agree with Wyliee, and go for a vintage archtop.  If not that, then a Benedetto Cremora.  If not that, a Taylor Pallet guitar, I am goofy that way.  If not that, a Yairi Alvarez bari with the Series 600T MKII preamp in it.  This could go on for quite sometime so I will stop now.
Patrick

That yairi baritone is my main acoustic!!! Doesn't have the preamp though. Gonna pick up (no pun intended) one of those lr baggs M1a pups for it soon, though.

 

[kboman]

I'd get this...

...or this...

Hagström HJ-500 Tremar jazz guitar and Ibanez EWC30 all-padouk (mahogany neck) slimline acoustic. They fit my current needs perfectly.

 

[Chris of Arabia]

...and I'd like a Gretsch too  :icon_biggrin:

 

[kboman]

...and I'd like a Gretsch too  :icon_biggrin:

Who wouldn't, really?  :icon_biggrin:

 

[greywolf]

Well if you include acoustics ... this would be it .. an All Koa Taylor k65 

 

[Graffiti62]

The Melody Maker would be a quick grab for the time being, but I'd take an old Epi Riviera or Sheraton with a thick neck--I love the sound of the mini humbuckers--every guitar that I've ever played with them on has always had such a great mid-range bite and always had such an eagerness to push through the mix.

A fat-necked 335 would be a lot of fun too...

I think I have the same problem jimh has--I think I'd wind up getting G.A.S. (guitar acquisition syndrome), otherwise known as the (Chet) Atkins diet. If that happened, I think my wife would bounce a rolling pin over my head. She's already sick of me using broken old pickups as fridge magnets, even though we all know that they look really cool and work really well...

 

[thumb55]

a  James Goodall acoustic!!! or a real Les Paul (if someone else was paying)

If I had to shell out the money......a Charvel San Dimas or a Fender Strat plus.  Not fancy, or expensive...

 

[jackthehack]

I wouldn't, unless it was something vintage.

 

[tfcreative]

On the bass front, I could go for a Dingwall Z3, maybe a Super J 5.

On the guitar side, a Tom Anderson Crowdster.

 

[Super Turbo Deluxe Custom]

It made me think--if you had to break down and buy a pre-manufactured guitar, what would it be?

My first choice would be a Butterscotch Blonde '52 RI Tele or a '62 RI Jazz Bass.  However, those are compromises.  The thing about my Warmoth and future Warmoth's, they aren't much different from production models.  I want things like a different body wood, finish, pickups, hardware, etc., so I go the custom route but start with production model parameters and change the things I choose.

 

[hannaugh]

I'm not as interested in building acoustic stuff.  I don't see myself having the skills or tools for it within the next few years, so I will probably buy a high end acoustic or a/e.  I need an improvement over my Ibanez AE series (although, it's a decent guitar for the price I paid, and it is pretty). 

Taylor T5s and their higher end acoustics bring a tear to me eye.  There is a Taylor grand concert 12 string at Rockit Music that I always play for a few minutes whenever I am in there.  I've played Martins too, and they are also nice, but for some reason I always go back to the Taylors, although I strongly prefer the Little Martin to the Baby Taylor. The sapele solid body Taylor is pretty, but I haven't really had a chance to plug one in and play yet. 

If anyone is ever in the area, check out the Taylor factory tour in El Cajon. It's free and fun.  And you get free sound hole coasters at the end!