I have a collection of guitars
I have to say that I only have three that would be classed as 'Name' guitars - A Yamaha, an Ovation doubleneck and a Babicz*. The rest were bought because of fantastic sound & playability despite what was printed on the headstock. I've seen and played Fenders, Gibsons and Martins** that were pretty damn average - in some cases fucking awful - yet had high price tags.
Alt: Strings. Cheap strings are, by and large, shit.

*Look it up.
** generally the HPL ones - FFS why did they make these things?
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Thu 17 Oct 2013, 11:07, 3 replies, latest was 12 years ago)

I love my Fender Stratocaster
but I played many when choosing one and some were awful and others were great. However my best sounding and playable guitar has OLP on the headstock, is called the MM1 and was £120 brand new. medias.audiofanzine.com/images/normal/olp-mm1-trans-color-511728.jpg mine is this one but unsigned by whoever the fuck that is. Who would sign an OLP? it say Ernie ball licenced it on the back of the headstock so I assume its and Officially licenced copy of the music man.
( Peej, Thu 17 Oct 2013, 11:12, Reply)

Due to my sausagefingers and lack of talent I don't play electric guitars
I've always had a sneaking suspicion that 99% of the 'sound' of an electric comes from amplification, not the guitar itself. I could be (and I probably am) wrong.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Thu 17 Oct 2013, 11:16, Reply)

I have three electric guitars that sound distinctly different through the same amp.

( tangledupinblue hairy badge with moving eyes, Thu 17 Oct 2013, 11:18, Reply)

See! Told you I could be wrong.
Could be the pickup placement/electrics pots etc in the guitar rather than the wood though.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Thu 17 Oct 2013, 11:19, Reply)

The base you attach the strings to is bound to have an effect on the sound
although probably much less in a solid body guitar than a hollow one.
(localboy purveyor of pisspoor puns, Thu 17 Oct 2013, 11:34, Reply)

Yes it does
However, the electrics/electronics will always have a more profound effect. Having said that, playability is entirely different, a guitar that suits your hands/style/build etc will always be played more*.

*My Ovation double-neck sounds OK unplugged, much better when amplified but it's a bastard to play - too unwieldy.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Thu 17 Oct 2013, 11:48, Reply)

I've got a Takamine electro-acoustic.
S'alright.
( Kroney, Thu 17 Oct 2013, 11:14, Reply)

I've got a Tanglewood Electro-Acoustic
But I'm fucking shit and never get the chance to practice so if anyone wants it I'll sell it cheap. Sounds beautiful.
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 17 Oct 2013, 11:18, Reply)

Which one?
Got a model number/pic? Gaz me the details - I have a couple of contacts who may be interested.
(Captain Placid 24/7 ball gags, brownie mix and clown porn, Thu 17 Oct 2013, 11:27, Reply)

I'll check tonight.
I was looking for an acoustic that wouldn't break the bank - I had a guitar expert friend of mine trail round places with me checking out all the ones I liked the look of. He told me right at the start to avoid electros as you're paying extra for the gubbins so usually the guitar is less good. Then he played this one and just said "buy that now, it's beautiful"
( the mighty badger Aphrodite, on a bar stool, by your side, Thu 17 Oct 2013, 11:38, Reply)