It’s time i moved up in the world. Are the only places in existence to buy guitars Sweetwater and Guitar Center? The guitar market appears to be a monopoly owned by Fender. What does a comrade do?
There are some guitar shops that are worker own co-ops. Some of them will even make custom pieces if you can afford it. It’s not the best solution but much better than guitar center. You could maybe go there to try out some models and then try ordering online. The only ones I know of are local so I’d rather not link.
Look for a locally owned music store or buy second hand. Extra points if the shop is a co-op but depending on where you live, it’s pretty unlikely you’d find one
I am a proponent of buying instruments in local stores. It’s usually better to take a look at the specific guitar and play it for a brief moment before buying - it can save you a lot of hustle later if something’s not up to your expectations. (I bought my last guitar online and it is OK, though)
You can also consider buying a used guitar if you don’t want to actively support the brand. (: in this case 100% play it before buying
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I should have stated that I live in the middle of nowhere and the nearest local store is an hour away. I would definitely be willing to buy used. There is a lot of swindlers out there though.
https://shijieguitars.com/ is pretty well regarded among guitarheads. They are made in China but I don’t know how communist or anticommunist they are. Pickups are not the very best available but are perfectly fine and the build quality and craftsmanship are supposed to be excellent.
