Know Your Gear Podcast with Phillip McKnight
Episode: "Squier & Epiphone Are No Longer Affordable, So Things Will Change"
Date: August 14, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Phillip McKnight addresses the shifting landscape of affordable guitars, focusing on the rising prices of Squier and Epiphone models, and how these changes might impact the guitar industry, brands, and consumers. As always, he fields dozens of audience questions, shares up-to-date factory and industry insights, recounts personal experiences with brands and gear, and offers practical advice for guitarists at all stages. The tone remains conversational, honest, and insightful, with several memorable stories and candid assessments of manufacturers, products, and industry trends.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

The Affordability Crisis: Squier & Epiphone

[00:20–19:00]

• Phillip opens with a listener story: Buying a Squier Strat for $270 that feels like a steal.
• Recognition that Squier and Epiphone still make quality instruments, but value at lower price points is diminishing.
• Brand reputation is still an advantage for Squier/Epiphone:

  “You can buy something from Guitar Center or your mom and pop shop and feel like you could walk back in with your Squier and Epiphone and say hey, I'm having an issue and there's a huge history there.” – Phillip, [00:50]

• Contrast with “Fly By Night” import brands flooding the market via Amazon and YouTube.
• The rise of quality imports: Brands like Firefly, EART, and Harley Benton offer impressive value for their price. These companies are learning rapidly from YouTube reviews and consumer feedback.
• Squier/Epiphone seem locked in an outdated mindset:

  “They're still running the same game, which is, hey, do you want a Fender but can't afford one? Well this looks like one, doesn't it?” – Phillip, [12:40]

• Example: Epiphone Les Pauls now retail at $1300, with more basic models still hundreds of dollars—a disconnect from their traditional branding as affordable alternatives.
• Hypothesis: When today’s high-quality budget guitars hit the used market in 10 years, what happens to Squier/Epiphone’s appeal?

Harley Benton & Industry Strategy

[19:30–25:00]

• Listeners mention Harley Benton’s value proposition.
• Harley Benton succeeds because of Thomann's bulk buying power—something large U.S. retailers could emulate but haven’t.
• Inexpensive brands (e.g. Mitchell at Guitar Center) don’t compete in quality with Harley Benton.
• Phillip’s theory: U.S. retailers avoid Harley Benton-style house brands due to risk aversion and lack of strategic vision. Promises future discussion after Sweetwater CEO interview airs.

Behind the Scenes: Factory Visits & Interviews

[25:00–30:00]

• Phillip details the logistical complexities of arranging tours at major Asian guitar factories (Korea’s Cortek, Indonesia).
• Upcoming interviews with CEOs from Guitar Center and Sweetwater will offer new insights.
• Creative travel scheduling: “I spent more time in airports and on planes than I spent at the factories.” [28:27]

Guitar Trends: Ovation Guitars & Vintage vs. Modern

[30:00–33:00]

• Listener asks about Ovation and its diminished popularity.
• Ovation was once the standard for amplified stadium and ballad performances in the ‘70s and ‘80s.
• Cultural cycle: The guitar market rewards “vintage” traditionalism, often overlooking innovations unless they return to fashion.
• “If you want it, you should get it. The fact that it's in favor, out of favor shouldn't matter to you at all.” [33:00]
• Historic durability and construction issues are minimal.

Ed Roman Guitars Storytime

[31:50–36:44]

• Recounting firsthand experience attempting to purchase “Baker” branded guitars from Ed Roman.
• Ed Roman was evasive about country of manufacture—eventually admitting the guitars were Korean-made, only “finished” in the US.
• Shauna’s direct questioning led to a confrontation with Ed Roman himself.
• Memorable quote:

  "He got very angry with me and the call did not end well. And we did not buy the guitars." – Shauna [32:48]

• Lesson: Always ask probing questions about provenance, and don’t let passion override business sense.
• Awareness: Many used “USA” Bakers are actually rebranded Korean Schecters with swapped US hardware.

Guitar of the Week: Danelectro 59 NOS

[36:30–55:00]

• Phillip’s birthday purchase: A Danelectro 59 NOS in baby blue.
• Personal saga with Danelectro’s vintage-style guitars—initial distaste turned into favoritism after trying new, higher-quality versions produced in Korea.
• Heartfelt story of the search for the perfect color and the emotional journey of gear acquisition.
• RJ Ronquillo’s videos praised for production—lesson about the difference lighting/photography makes in online listings.
• Demo and technical rundown:
  • Masonite and hollowbody construction, lightweight, improved build quality compared to vintage.
  • Series middle pickup position provides powerful, “humbucker-like” tones.

Gear Questions & Advice

[55:00–1:15:00]

• Two Notes Reload 2 vs. Universal Audio OX Box:
  • "Two Notes is more like a PC and the OX Box is more like a Mac." [1:08:00]
  • OX Box is user-friendly but limited; Two Notes offers more flexibility at a better price.
  • No clear reason to “upgrade” to OX Box if you already have Two Notes; preference matters more than specifications.
• Storing guitars in gig bags: Safe in controlled climates, but check every few months for neck or fret issues.
• Truss rods in Music Man guitars: Factory practices change; most use dual-action truss rods now but always confirm with new models.
• BC Rich, Kramer, and the “Atrophy” of 80s Brands:
  • Kramer languishes under Gibson’s ownership, lacking innovation and variety compared to competitors like Schecter.
  • “No one really... passionate about [Kramer]. [It's] atrophying off.” [1:20:00]
  • Brands miss the “meat” of the mid-tier market by focusing only on entry-level or elite collector models.

Used Gear, Selling Strategies, and Marketplaces

[1:20:00–1:25:00]

• Advice on consigning / selling used gear:
  • Sell least-desirable pieces first to avoid being stuck with what you don’t want.
  • Personal experience: Sweetwater's Gear Exchange offers a better, friendlier transaction experience than Reverb, though it’s slower and has less reach for now.
  • “All the reasonable price gear sells really fast. Our data shows it. If you put your stuff on Gear Exchange at a reasonable price, it moves fast.” – Mike Clem, Sweetwater CEO, related by Phillip [1:23:00]

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• On the changing market:

  "What's going to happen to Epiphone and Squier? Is that going to be enough for someone who's 10 years old today, when they're 20 years old?" – Phillip, [15:30]

• On YouTube’s influence:

  “They've [import brands] watched the YouTube channels. They took the notes. Not just my channel — there’s a lot of channels showing them what matters.” – Phillip, [06:00]

• About Harley Benton:

  "They [Thomann] have so much buying power... Sweetwater and Guitar Center could easily be in this." – Phillip, [20:10]

• About used guitars:

  “In 10 years, the used stores are going to be full of these really high quality, used guitars.” – Phillip, [15:45]

• On personal bias:

  “My business acumen is corrupted with my passion, which happens... when it's not guitar stuff, I come across like a smart person in business.” – Phillip, [34:30]

• In defense of gear collecting:

  “You need excuses to buy a guitar. I use birthdays, holidays, and Mondays.” – Phillip, [36:50]

Timestamps for Important Segments

| Timestamp | Content | |-----------|---------| | 00:20 | Listener question sparks main topic: rising Squier/Epiphone prices | | 05:00 | Discussion of import guitar quality and brand responsiveness | | 12:40 | Why Squier/Epiphone are out of touch with the new market | | 19:30 | Harley Benton’s strategy and retailer comparisons | | 25:00 | Inside factory visits and CEO interviews | | 30:00 | Ovation guitars’ fall from favor | | 31:50 | Ed Roman guitar vendor story (Shauna’s experience at [32:01]) | | 36:30 | Guitar of the Week: Danelectro 59 NOS — personal story and demo | | 55:00 | Gear Q&A: Attenuators, pickups, storage, etc. | | 1:08:00 | OX Box vs. Two Notes — “PC vs. Mac” analogy | | 1:20:00 | State of Kramer/BC Rich & advice for atrophying 80s brands | | 1:23:00 | Selling gear/marketplaces — Sweetwater vs. Reverb experience |

Closing

Phillip delivers a nuanced and candid analysis of the guitar gear ecosystem, emphasizing how industry inertia, rising costs, and rapidly improving “budget” brands are transforming the market. His personal anecdotes and listener Q&A offer practical advice and plenty of laughs. The episode cements his reputation as a passionate, informed, and entertaining voice in the gear community.

“Small communities tend to be better. The bigger the community, the bigger the amount of jerks get in. That’s why I like it right now.” – Phillip, on Gear Exchange vs. Reverb [1:24:00]

For complete tone, detail, and technical demos, listen to the full episode or check related content on the Know Your Gear YouTube channel.