Usaly I am a big fan of Us Guitars, Fender Gibsons.
Both designs where meant for beeing reachable for the avarge hobby musician.
Today I am a professional player and I just can laugh about for what they call today....insane, way to expensive.
In the last few years I always checked the market for something decent from china, japan, korea etc.
I give the new guitars my tech.... Even if he charges me another 300 I am lightyears away from what those big name brands call for.
And the best is: The guitars are by no means BAD..... They just wear the brand Ibanez, for example....
I am in the market for a Tele, but I simple do not want to spent so much Cash on an USA made one.
The guitar is good, maybe great, but they went up 10% per year in the last decade., thats to much even if we had years with 5% inflation.
By no means that is no offending.
Sometimes I think the CEOs have forgotten what a normal musician can afford.