Great subject! I'll stick to guitars, that's all I know.
Overrated:
1.
The Fender Stratocaster. Yes, it's an amazing guitar. Borderline brilliant, versatile, comfortable, good looks. But I think the fact that everybody and their great aunt plays one, and the fact it's the #1 most copied guitar in the world just kills it for me. You could hand me a '54 Strat and I wouldn't play it live.
2.
The Flying V. It has to have the most obnoxious shape ever. No guitar that you can't play sitting down should be legal.
3.
Gibson Les Paul Jr. . Actually, a very cool little guitar. A very cool little
student guitar. The reason it's overrated is that people are paying $10K+ (late 50's models..) for a cheap guitar that was mass produced as an affordable version of the "real deal." Which brings me to the next one....
4.
Gibson Les Paul Standards made between 1958 and 1960. Brilliant guitars. The damn Holy Grail of all things guitar. The Stradivarius of electric guitars. Unfortunately, they trade hands for the princely sum of up to half a million dollars. C'mon now. That is ridiculous. It's a GUITAR. The people paying that much for them probably can't even play them, and purchase them as an investment. In the light of collectibles and works of art, sure they will go for big money, just like a Rembrandt or a 1948 Tucker Torpedo......but it just kills me to see a guitar go for that much money. Besides, there are equally as good sounding, visually IDENTICAL newer Gibson clones made for less than $4K.
5.
Almost any guitar made by Charvel, Jackson, or BC Rich. OR....anything with a Floyd Rose. Sure they can "dive-bomb" and stay in tune. I bet through a wall of Marshalls they would make anybody a bona fide Rockstar. I bet they play and sound great for their target genre.....but they've got to be embarassing to play. Kind of like the guitar equivalent of sleeping with a fat girl (sorry for the sexist interjection ladies! ). It's probably great, but I wouldn't want to tell my friends about it.. Same with the Charvel etc. It's a guitar I'd hide under the bed when company comes over. And BC rich.......you could put an eye out with em!
6.
Ovation Acoustics. Can't stand the horrible toy guitar sound or the plastic "slide-off-your-knee" bowl in the back (see the Flying V above..). I used to have one- a friend gave it to me for free, and I think i got ripped off. They do get points though, for being a leader in the field of acoustic/electrics. Plugged in, they sound much clearer/crisper than earlier A/E guitars, but still have the cheap twang of an Ovation. They made some cool electrics (the Breadwinner etc..) but I never understood the hype around the acoustics.
Underrated:
1.
Rickenbacker guitars. Alright alright. I'm biased. I admit it. This is the place to be Ric-biased anyways, right? Ric are
special. They say something unique about their owner. If I'm at a club and I see somebody pull out a Ric, we're more likely to end up talking cos I know they likely sought out that guitar as something unique and different. They aren't as rare as some guitars, but certainly far more rare than the usual Fenders/Gibby's you see anywhere. I've also never played a Ric that wasn't comfortable and sounded great. Even the black sheeps of the Ric family (the 200 series etc..).
2.
Fender Japan. Some people on guitar boards are very very xenophobic when it comes to guitar production. I think Fender Japan is one of the best things to happen to the brand in the past 25 years. I have some very early MIJ '62 Tele Customs, and they sound GREAT! Better than AVRI (which are a good bargain too..), have the broken-in feel of an old guitar, and sound amazing. Bargains at $400ish too....The pickups are the only downside on Fender Japan guitars, but that's also the easiest thing to change. Finish, fit, and quality were far and above what Fender USA was doing back in the 80s, and at least equal to what they are doing today.
3.
Fender Jazzmaster/Jaguar. They were never intended to be cheap guitars like the Mustang, Duosonic etc. They were top-of-the-line guitars when they were introduced, and I think they are still more comfortable, versatile and COOL than a Strat or Tele anyday. The Jag gets a few points subtracted for being shortscale, but some folks like that too. A decent vintage (pre CBS) example can still be had for under $5K. Try getting an equivalent strat for even 5 times that amount!
4.
Ampeg ADA 6. The famous Keith Richards/Greg Ginn "see through" plexi guitar. Never a huge hit, but cool enough to be reissued a few years ago. Nice wide neck, great for slide as Richards did. coolest part (other than the awesome clear lucite body) is the slide-in removeable pickups. At least six distinctly different pickups were issued, each sounds great. Super clean vintage examples sell for around $3k, reissues for about a grand. Very cool.
5.
Univox Guitars (and other Matsumoko made Japanese guitars). They get a bad wrap for being considered "cheap copy" guitars back in the day. My view on these far east gems is probably different than many because I'm much younger, and didn't live through the era when these were "uncool" to have. It'd be the opposite nowadays. They were all well made guitars that sounded great. Personal favorite is the High Flier mosrite copy. Such a bad "copy" that it almost stands on it's own as a fresh design. I've owned over 50 in the past, now narrowed to two early examples. They play like butter, and nothing sounds like them. They are "plywood beasts." (well...they have solid alder bodies, but it's not as much fun to say it...).
Whew....
Cheers,
-Collin
I've always held them in the highest esteem!