@@x3a3x3 From Lumix g7 to a sony zv10 with a sigma lens. I could get more quality out of it, but I don't have enough hard drive space to edit 4k videos.
I agree. I really like the sound of the chambered models, especially the prog series for most of the music im tryna do. But the lesser amount of weight potentially making the guitar fall over is an issue i would have never considered. Its definitely gonna make me do some kind of comfort test for myself regarding that aspect. Cheers
I really love this channel. I know there’s no way that TH-cam is paying for these guitars and you’re likely trading guitars constantly. I really appreciate your constant strive for honesty and the thoroughness of your reviews. You also go over things that most other people don’t even bother with because you know your stuff. Overall I’m going to start commenting on every new video because I really want to help you succeed on TH-cam! Best of luck!
@@andrefludd gotta boost you in the algorithm! I play in a couple bands and made a channel under a different name so I completely get the struggle. But it’s the passion that we strive for! Anyway, I hope to see you hit 100k subs soon! PS: I love the guitar lesson series too!
Okay, okay, so tons of tubers out there not covering the "things you can improve" aspects, and sometimes that feels like a lie of omission. Glad that you go into these kinds of details, it is truly and wildly objective compared to most other reviews out there in the market! If I'm going to spend a chunk of money, I'm betting on your reviews to help me purchase wisely!
I've owned 8 different strandbergs over the years. 2 of them had the first fret actually lift up off of the fretboard. Both were models on the low end for them (standard and classic) but both times Strandberg customer service fixed the issue at no charge and were fairly quick about the repairs too. I will say their customer support is excellent in my experience.
@andrefludd - I appreciate your focus on feature details for Strandberg and all guitars! One tip I've learned from the Kiesel guys to address your often raised peeve of the protruding sharp string tips at the headpiece: Pull a new string thru so it's taut, cut it as close as possible, and then pull the string back until the tip is retracted so it's no longer protruding; then tighten the screw, and tune. I really wish that Strandberg would eventually introduce a smaller headpiece like the Steinbergers and Kiesels (w/Hipshot trem).
Great video! As a Strandberg enthusiast (and a long-time Parker player before that!) whose main guitar is a 6-string Boden Prog Neck-Thru, I've been really enjoying watching your Strandberg Experiment series and seeing all of your thoughts on your Fusion. I had actually considered getting that exact model when I bought my Prog because I loved that teal finish so much, but ended up going with the Prog because I wanted something with an HH configuration (since middle pickups tend to get in the way of my picking). This video was really interesting because I had also considered picking up that exact 7-string TT model, but I decided against it because at the end of the day I just can't get past the bolt-on neck construction. I'm surprised to hear you say that the neck joint is one of your favorite things about the 7-string considering that the other guitar you've been playing is a neck-thru! Do you feel like the upper-fret access is just as good as what you've got on the Fusion, or were you comparing it to other bolt-on Strandbergs that you've played?
I was def comparing it to the older bolt ons. This neck joint is far superior. Compared to the fusion, the access is pretty much equal, but I always pay extra for a neck thru. Not so much for the access but more so because it’s 2% more comfortable and 1,000% prettier imo haha. Thanks for the support.
What an interesting review. I have a Boden Metal NX7 and honestly, the heel joint is the most annoying thing is the guitar for me. I dont find it comfortable enough, I dont have big hands so it just gets in the way of my thumb and I will need to strech it, or place my thumb on top of the joint, which is a weird position to play. I also owned an ESP Horizon E-II and the it being one solid piece has the best access I've seen.
I have the same "issue" with the "neck dive" of Strandberg Boden guitars with more than 6 strings, especially the 8 string version. One potential fix is, to add some weights to the electronic compartment to make the body heavier on that side to balance out the heavier neck.
I just got a nx 8 refurbished and i really love it ive onlt had it for about 5 days and i really have no complaints other than a grounding issue which really shocked me but even then i still like how it sounds other than the noise which i feel i can fix but i shouldnt have to for an 1800 dollar guitar even though i only paid 1300 for it
Honestly, if it was from Strandberg or any major dealer, they will fix that for you for free. It’s only been 5 days, def call them up and DON’T pay for it yourself. If you can, shoot me an update. This is good info for the community.
@@Anthony43993 Hi there I was wondering did you manage to get in touch with Strandberg? They do have a responsibility to offer you a proper instrument even if it's refurbished , that's an expensive guitar. I'm curious because I own a Strandberg guitar myself but have had no issues at all. If you did contact them, I'd love to hear if they were helpful :)! Thank you so much!
@@Nickshreds890 they ended up giving me instructions to fix a grounding issue with one of the string posts and i was able to get it fixed without sending it back to California pretty quickly
Thank you for going into real depth about the pros and cons of your new axe. I just subscribed so that I can be notified when the new videos drop. Keep up the good work! 👍🏽👍🏽
Hi Andre! I think that I would be more inclined to try your other Strandberg over this one. The thing that I'm most curious about this one is of course, "the elephant in the room". I'm looking forward to the next episode. Cheers man! ✌
The nx bolt on neck joint really is a work of art. As for the string issue the new clampy thing at the missing headstock end is designed to use a pair of diagonal cutters to cut the strings flush with it.
Let us know how the zero fret works out. Zero frets are notorious for wearing grooves when you bend strings which leads to buzzes and pinging. Kiesel used to use them but they quit because of that issue. In fact they offered to replace the zero fret with a proper nut.
i bought a nx6 about a month ago and my only complaint is that out of the 11 guitars i have from all different makes and models it has the roughest fret ends. Not cut your hand bad or anything, but noticeably rougher. Like your other comment I don't even notice it when playing so I didn't feel it was worth complaining about.
I bought mine used so it has a little more where and tear but compared to my charvel and my tele it does have rougher frets but I can’t complain because of how much I love the neck.
My fret ends were pretty good. Not perfect but pretty good. I just had to shave a bit with a fret file at it was great. It took about two minutes. It seems I got lucky?
@@andrefludd for sure, they could roll the edges more like my chapman guitar (uber rolled fret ends) or my jackson, or any of the 3 PRS models I own. Hell, the baritone squire I have has better rolled fret ends, but that said, the strandberg really is just a different animal.
I actually considered getting a strandberg some time ago.. but all these fret issues, locking nut, neck dive, etc. could never come up on a $1500 guitar, let alone a $3k one. Prices increased a lot and the issues are still not fixed
Aside from the neck dive which is only a problem with 7 and 8 strings, these are actually pretty small issues compared to things I've run into on Fenders or Gibsons.
@@louderthangod Ibanez prestige RG652 for example or some premium/prestige AZ models (around 1.8k max where I live), Charvel DK24, Schecter Nick Johnston or Aaron Marshall signature models (although also overpriced imo), just to name a few
I really wanted the 7 string...but after watching your review my focus is on the 6 string.... i want them to make a Carbon fiber 7 or 8 string. I am focused on Ergoniomics!
The back of the endura neck feels different at every fret. Very slightly. Because of this I notice my hand finds position more naturally without needing to look for the markers as often. This is an advantage I never here mentioned. Maybe just me.
I've been looking at getting a Strandberg Boden 6-string. Like you and your elbow I have back, neck, and shoulder issues. Lately even my under 6lbs Ibanez S is even getting difficult to hold without problems. I'm still on the fence though. I teach online, and based on your first video some regular bar chords might be awkward to play. I teach mostly beginners, so the approach for the guitar working more for soloing is cool for me personally. Just not sure if it'd be the right fit teaching, which is what I spend most of my time doing. Love these videos, look forward to the rest of the series!
I used to love the old S series when I was a kid. Back when they had a different floating bridge on it. I think that extra weight may have helped it balance. Honestly Austin, I think this is a great guitar for those purposes. You can always give it a try for a few weeks and return it if it isn’t the right fit for you.
The Strandberg store on Reverb sells refurbs for 15% off and comes with a 30 day return period. Also, returning it is easy: just shove it into the heavily padded gig bag, put it back in the form fitting box and mail it back. If you're having back and neck problems, I doubt that you'll return it, though. It is a great help with these issues because your sitting posture will be better.
@@andrefludd I'll keep that in mind, I was looking at a couple on Reverb, and was even able to try one at GC a couple days ago. I noticed playing it was mostly comfortable, but my hand was a bit lost with the frets not being the same scale length on the low and high end. 🤣
@@markuyehara7880 Thanks for the insight, I'll check out their store. I hate buying something on Reverb and returning it if I don't like it. Most people on there are just a regular person like me. So they use the money for something else like bills or buying another guitar once it clears. If Strandberg sells them through Reverb at a discount I can have peace at mind I'm not messing with an individual's bank account.
@@MrAustinMusic I feel the same way. Also, it's nice that if you decide to keep it, the refurbs come with a full factory warranty which is why I ended up buying from their Reverb store.
I recently played an ormsby headless multiscale it was a great guitar overall, but , in the guitar store I was having a hard time keeping it in tune ,, still was a great sounding great playing guitar,, it didn't seem to have any comfort problems with the string lock end as far as I can tell. It's possible if I bought it might be tweakable into perfect. My thoughts were the tuning problem was the store had it down tuned. On my personal bucket list is an old school composite construction Steinberger or a Steve Klein guitar , also just wanted to say I'm glad you're still digging the Parker over every other guitar no matter the price
have you tried clipping the strings before locking them? I usually do that, and rarely have strings poking out of the end of the string lock. Although I have a different headless guitar than a strandberg.
Thank you for making this video, and as always thank you for all the trouble you go to to carefully explain your opinions. I think it's important for guitar companies to have proper feedback from the customer. Especially when a brand has a particularly elitist feeling on social media. I by no means dislike Strandberg and am totally in love with my guitar from them. I do however think they should sponsor some guitarists who are not virtuoso players. Abd this comes from a fan of prog and metal. Anyway, I do hope as they grow there will be more styles of guitarists welcomed . This was really helpful and I will need to check out your review of the 6 string model too. Thanks again :)
My luthier friend is obsessed about frets. Stainless steel frets are so hard that when inserted into not dry enough neck like in strandbergs or any Indonesian guitar (mostly Ibanez) are sprouting over time. His solution is to glue the frets into the neck. He said he never saw an strandbergs with good frets.
Look forward to the true temperament video! Great series! I suppose besides the sharp edge and string ends, the fret issue could be solved by some filing work and the neck dive by placing some weight discs inside the cavities. Would you ever do that?
They need to get rid of the chambering honestly. The second cut-out for the leg and the cut-out for the tuners already reduce the weight a fair bit over traditional shapes and so chambering it just makes the whole guitar neck heavy again.
@@markuyehara7880 that’s nothing like ebony. Ebony is notorious for shrinkage. The whole point of a composite fret board would be stability or what’s the point at all? This is a $3000 guitar and an Ebony fret board blank retails at $10.
@@michaelmenkes8085 I agree that it moves far less than ebony. I was just pointing out that it does move and given the sensitivity of the hands, players can detect even tiny amounts of sprout -- especially if their ends were smooth at one point. My own Metal NX 6's neck is a teensy bit less smooth than when I received it only a few weeks ago. As I understand it, other reasons to use richlite are cost, sustainability, greater rigidity, workability and consistency.
Great channel and super interesting! Just subscribed! Do you also think that the Standard NX7 (non chambered), is affected by the neck dive issue? Thanks!
I get what you mean about the ergonomics. I can forgive the drastic neck-dive in my flying V (also it's pretty light tbf), but balance is part of the charm of ergonomic headless guitars. The level of comfort, like baggy trackpants you lounge around the house in. Just being able to pick it up and play. There are other charms for headless guitar for mes, but the notion of struggling with playing them at any point is antithetical to their ethos for me, too. I expected nothing less than perfect balance from my "ergonomic" headless guitar, even with its chambering (it balances fine, but it is a 6-string to be fair). Anything less should be a dealbreaker, absolutely. It doesn't even sound like the neck-dive is terrible on the Strandberg, but imagine how much worse it is on the 8-string version...
I'm loving the flashbacks to "past Andre" in these clips.😁 I am very surprised that the balance is not as good on the 7 as it is on the 6. Could have been a design choice based upon saving overall weight. Could just be that that particular body blank was less dense than official spec - wood does vary and all that. I like the new heel, looks very comfortable - but the string locks could be, and should be, better. Can you round that off a bit yourself? I know you should expect perfection on the fret ends, but again - wood is wood and metal is metal - it can and does shift. As long as a quick sand/file fixes it, I'm OK with that and it should be a basic skill/maintenance thing that most players should have.
I tend to agree with you. BUT, after playing a dozen parkers from the 90s all of which were flawless, 3 vigiers all flawless and one was from 2003, the 2019 Novo, yea. I love Strandberg but I can't stand up for the sharp edges at this price range.
The balance on these is so important they really should include a weight cavity and balance them as well as possible from the factory. I recall Ola working hard to get this right back in the buildingtheergonomicguitar days and it's disappointing that this just slips through now.
@@andrefludd I think you should send him this video and maybe even directly e-mail the guy. I would hope he'd be receptive to feedback, he seems like an alright dude.
You should check out kiesel. I have an aries 6 string and an aries 7 string and while they are not the same its more similar than my ibanez 6 and 7 string. And my k series 7 string neck is to die for
Thanks very much for your detailed analysis. This is extremely well done. Since the quickly falling neck is a deal breaker for you, I don’t understand why you don’t use the Performaxe. I understand that you feel you shouldn’t need to use one in an expensive ergonomic guitar, but since you’re having this problem, will the Performaxe rectify this? Does it not fit on the Strandberg body?
Hey Will, thanks for your question. The performaxe will fit the body, but if I'm using the performaxe I just see no point in buying a Strandberg. The performaxe will give me more flexibility in terms of the posture I can take, yes.
I feel that pain on the fret edges. I don't own a Strandberg but I recently just picked up an Ibanez RG prestige. I love the guitar, it's fucking badass but towards the higher register of the neck the fret edges are sharper. The thing that annoys me the most is on the website the frets are labeled as, "Jumbo Stainless steel frets with Prestige Fret Edge Treatment". I work at a guitar store so i can just have one of our techs touch up the frets. Kinda sad Strandberg's QC would let something like this slide on such an expensive instrument.
I know the quality isn’t what it use to be when it was just Ola handling the guitars, but a lot of these things can be fixed, the real disappointment is that you pay so much for it, it should be as close to perfect as you can get
You are fussy...and some of your observations relate to things that would not bother me. In particular the balance issue...unfortunately when you are dealing with natural products such as wood then accurately gauging things so that there is more weight in a certain area is rather problematic. On the other hand, you are correct in so far as how does one improve the instrument if it gets nothing but praise? I guess what I am trying to say is...keep it going 😂😎👍
Thank you :). the only thing I’d say is that balance is important for every guitar. If your left hand is holding up the neck you will limit your potential
Strandbergs never appealed to me. Pickups are all wrong. I'm not a fan of 24 fret guitars. They look like toys in my hands. HOWEVER, I appreciate the innovation Strandberg is pushing. Much like Parker back in the day, these are both ahead of the times and long overdue. They still strike me as a Chapman Stick for guitarists, and for my money, I might as well get the Chapman Stick. Yet something like Strandberg needed to happen just to jar the industry. Guitarists will benefit from all this in the long run.
@Andre Fludd dunno, never played them. The Fluence pickups I can understand, and I'll be the first to admit their construction is a sign of things to come. My ear is highly varied on the subject of pickups. After listening to the Seymour Duncan 6 string shootout, I walked away thinking, "I can use all but a few of those." And I have to admit I look at Jeff Beck and reproach myself for my gear fettish. I haven't seen the man without that Strat with essentially stock pickups in decades. If ever there was a more emphatic argument: the tone is in the hands, Jeff personified it. I can wax rhapsodic about timbre, but I'm a "right tool for the job" man. The first generation of rock guitarists operated with a devotion to experimentation I can't match. Either they had a better ear, or they were satisfied with hours of playing with knobs and gadgets I have no patience for. I admit, this is an odd statement for a guy who just swapped pickups in one of my guitars last week. The endless quest for timbre continues, and I can't help but think I'm running down all the wrong lanes much to my financial woe. I am looking forward to the next episode of building a guitarist incidentally.
This again really hits on the issue i have with buying a Strandberg (in my case, bass). Their Boden Basses are around 3300$US, and how can I justify paying that for a mass produced bass with (likely) fret sprout when I can get basses hand built by smaller mfgers like Maruszczyk or Atelier Z, or Sago, or Tom Clement or, etc etc etc. made to my specs for roughly the same price? It's a real bummer because I really enjoy their design philosophy, the endurneck, headless instruments, and fanned frets and all that.
Dr. Flood, how do you feel about the 20" radius on all these Strandbergs ? I'm very interested in these ... esp. the 8 stringers .. but this VERY flat radius is sorta intimidating. I've played Ibanez 16" s before and they seemed extreme. None seem to be in stock in stores near me.
I’m so relieved to hear your experience with the sharp nut. I thought I was just the worst player. I’m in now way technically proficient , but I agree the design was flawed on the string locks. Thanks doc for your content.
I have a true temperament 8 string, do you tune yours like a normal guitar with all open strings or do you tune it the true temperament way with all "A" notes for good intonation, like 5th fret on e-string, 2nd and 14th fret for the g-string, etc.?
It's sort of comical the irony in a guitar that identifies itself as being ergonomically focused creating a nut design that's less ergonomic and comfortable than the typical headstock it replaces. They've had years to iron out the right angles at the nut and still insist on pushing a design that you would expect to find on a $400 Amazon headless.
Thank you, Andre. I'm loving this first "The Experiment" series, the concept is a great idea - a deep, deep, deep, deep dive into discovering all the nuances, good and bad, that a guitarist may and definitely will come across after extensive playing of a particular guitar. I love it.
$3800+ for a guitar built by Cort. Say that again. $3800+ for an Indonesian import LMFAO!!!!! I just can't see the logic there? Import guitars have absolutely improved over the years, but that's nearly custom shop price for an assembly line mass produced instrument. Just my 2 cents
Honestly, I had a rant on this…but I cut it out of the video. I don’t mind paying that much money for a guitar and I honestly don’t care what country it’s made from…but it must be absolutely flawless for that price.
And that's my point as well. Indonesian, and Chinese manufacturers don't have the QC in place to offer instruments at this price point. It's custom shop price, but assembly line manufactured. The added touches you get with a $4k instrument is why you buy them. I'm not scared to spend that much on a guitar, but as you do, I expect it to be meticulously perfect
its too expensive for a bolt-on design,with 4k there is so many option with better woods,music man kaizen-aristides headless and I personaly would buy a custom Kiesel Vader or Osiris cause I hold guitar classic stylee on left leg so that body option doesnt concern me
Maybe it's just me but i find it weird to talk about a guitar's ergonomics when someone plays it in a different way whether sitting up or down... Fo me, the guitar's position/angle, etc, stays the same no matter if i'm standing or sitting. My personal opinion is that you should find your best position to play at while standing up, and tto try to keep it the same while standing down...unless someone just don't care about his technique. Great video nonetheless.
Fret sprout is not a builder's fault. It just happens, to any guitar ..depending on the weather conditions it has endured in its' trip from factory, to your hands. It's like saying "This guitar was out of tune ..from the box! I'll never buy [ _brand X_ ] again!! ☝️😤❗
I'm leaving a comment instead of thumbs up! I'm into automotive Mechanics and i like the later years of a model.....because of all the little things that are upgraded over time.... i still love my first year model production.
Oh wow, the true temperament makes a huge difference! I'm not sure I want to watch your video on it though. With that price tag I might be better off keeping myself in the dark :)
Interesting timing, as I just got a factory-refurb Strandberg a week ago! I will say that I've been unable to re-produce the "balancing on one leg by itself classical style" move you did on your 6-string without a little help from the right arm and/or some leg crossing, but that's not a huge issue. It's also the semi-hollow model, so the body is lighter than most. Overall I'm totally delighted with it, but it's great to hear you take on things. :)
Thanks for sharing. Yea, I do need a little right arm weight to hold it in place but it doesn’t take much. Maybe I just got super lucky with this one. I did also see in the comments a few people say things similar to what you said
Hey Andre if you look at the string locks they are triangles. The hand is contacting the bottom (Fat end) of the triangle at the zero fret on the high E because it kinda sticks out. This doesn’t happen on the low E because the hand is meeting the top of the triangle (the skinny end). Ola needs to simply rearrange the string locks for a smoother transition at the skinny E. I don’t think the blockiness at the low E would interfere with the thumb as much. Does this make any sense?
It does make sense. But I just feel like for a guitar this price, let's have a more cool solution. Maybe it's just me, but having a small magnetic plate that covers that entire area would be really cool.
We reviewed the boden HSS and gave it high rating but did point out the fret sprout issue. It did, however, play supremely well and am not getting the hardtail Metal 6 String version in white with Fishman Fluence Moderns. May go for the T style or the Fusion in the future.
@@andrefludd I'm looking forward to it. I only just discovered your channel the past couple weeks and I think your content is excellent. I especially like the annotation text you add when you say something weird and it's something that catches me often lol. I like the sense of humour. You being an advocate of good, stable trems is also good in a "community" where many seem to give up and want to deck/block/hardtail everything as a solution. Would be cool to see you try something a little bit different in the Virtual Jeff Pro, seeing as you are a amp modelling and trem guy.
Just got a Strandberg Boden Nx8 myself, just 2 weeks ago. And after 2 weeks of playing it, I'm seriously considering selling all my other 8 strings now! I can't balance it either, the way you couldn't with your NX7. But still in that position, the neck is so smooth, and the rest of the guitar so light that my thumb on the trapezoidal works like a linear guide, and makes moving around on the neck very easy - like too easy almost! And the sound!! Especially on the 7 -8 string, this massive humpf-ding sounds, which i can't reproduce on either my Ibanez, or ESP - even though my Ibanez also has Fishy's Moderns. Overall it's become my favourite instrument in my collection.
Really digging my new Fusion NX so far. Haven‘t touched any of my others for more than 10 minutes sinces. You kind of get used to the weight. If you switch guitars, it‘s mindblowing everytime again (have a super light Custom Shop LP 59 as well as a hand made one, both are around 3.7kg and a super beefy Explorer).
I have the Boden Metal 7 (pre NX) and you mentioned 2 points that I agree on: a little more weight on the body would be nice so that the guitar doesn’t move as much while heavy down picking and I’d be very interested in the new neck joint. But that doesn’t justify another purchase for me. Never had any issues with the fret ends, but bumped into the sharp locking nut a few times. I actually never touched the open string ends. However, sometimes the thinner strings jump on tiny grooves in the 0 fret. Then there is this little plingy sound while bending the string. For my sitting position (classical style) the guitar rests with the bridge on my right lap. So the contour on that part doesn’t do anything for me. The fret leveling is perfect in my opinion. The guitar plays itself. I’d love to have the tool, because tuning the low B string is really tough sometimes. I tried using machine oil on the tuner, but it didn’t improve. Thanks for sharing your opinions!
There are lots of channels out there that will tell you how a guitar sounds, but these videos are great because you deep dive into how a guitar functions in its feel. The way it rests on a leg, how it balances, the feel of a cutaway or how the neck would physically fill a person's hand. This is all vital information when choosing a guitar in the increasingly "buy before try" world of online retail. When I watch one of your videos I get a sense of how it would physically feel to hold this guitar, the comfort it may have or lack in very specific areas on the body or the neck. Not just cursory glances at these aspects but in depth look that informs. It's all crucial information to know before buying something like a guitar.
Ah man, I love your videos, u talk of all the details ‘bout the guitar itself, from the comfort things to the sound (really everything). I really find your videos one of the most enjoyable ones out there! If I just wanna chill and watch some guitar related videos I go on your channel and pick one randomly, ‘cause I know I’ll like it. Keep going this good work ;) cheers from Italy !
legit watching this series to decide if I should get either a 6 or 7 string strandberg. Your 7 string criticisms make me think I should stick with the 6 and just appreciate the 7 string solar more
Hey man, glad to see you again. Thanks for always supporting. Next week there are going to be a lot of videos of me playing. I don’t want people to forget since I talked this entire video lol
Andre : did you gave a try to the Chinese Strandberg-like available for €600-700 on Ali-Express? I was already pretty surprised with the MiC Danelectros compared to the MiK ones... And considering that the salaries in Indonesia are inferior to salaries in China and something like a Strandberg is not more expensive to build than another guitar, let's make it clear, an €650 guitar MiC has potential to compare with a €3k MiJ. Those making these MiC guitars obviously pose as being custom shops willing to make stuff to the client's specs... Thus, I've also found a young French luthier willing to make guitars for €1200 a solid body, mainly due to the fact he winds his own pickups... I'm starting by ordering some of his PUs, we'll see later for guitars, and my priority -once the recording studio will be operational- is getting a jazz-box, smth like a Super-400 or L5 with a 25.5" scale, I'll consider solid-bodies later: due to my rule limiting myself to two solid bodies per main wood, and my own guitar designs looking a bit in the Auerswald range as well as inspirations from Matisse, Picasso and Dali, this may end pretty funny... We have a lot of peer trees around, and I've already a peer fretboard bringing a unique grain and insane sustain. There are other woods I'd like to explore
I cant understand why those small sharp ends sticking out would be an issue? Why would you be running your finger/hand across that part anyway? It would be like rubbing your hand across any headstock, which all have sharp ends because you can't clip them below flush of the tuner. I've never played a Stromberg, but it seems like that sharp right angle locking piece could be a little uncomfortable, like a sharp edged nut.
Yea, it seems like it wouldn’t matter. But when you play a headless guitar, your hand ends up in that area way more than you’d expect. I discuss it in episode 1. It’s a strange headless guitar quark.
Not saying that this justifies any of the issues, BUT there's an etsy page called headlessguitarhats that (shockingly) makes some really cute and functional headless guitar hats. You can leave a note for customizable options and ask for whatever color options, just a fun alternative that fixes the infamous issues with the strandberg nub. Didn't need to shamelessly shill, but it's a great use of $20 or so for some functional guitar drip and I love mine. Might be a fun investment for any other strandheads out there 🤙
In these reviews I try to nitpick as much as possible so companies make things as perfect as possible. A lot of the issues I mention aren't deal breakers, but they are slight annoyances. In fact, if you look at my most recent strandberg review, you'll see they actually made changes I recommended.
Still refining the new camera gear. Thanks for your patience.
I only subconsciously noticed that somehow looked 'newer', but yeah, looks great now
What was the upgrade? Just curious
@@x3a3x3 From Lumix g7 to a sony zv10 with a sigma lens. I could get more quality out of it, but I don't have enough hard drive space to edit 4k videos.
@@andrefludd your vids are fine as they are mate, most of us watch you on a phone or tablet anyway…
Great video!
Your attention to detail makes your reviews stand out among many.
This channel will go far!
I appreciate that man! I thought the same thing when I saw your first Chapman video back in the day.
I agree. I really like the sound of the chambered models, especially the prog series for most of the music im tryna do. But the lesser amount of weight potentially making the guitar fall over is an issue i would have never considered. Its definitely gonna make me do some kind of comfort test for myself regarding that aspect. Cheers
This is quickly becoming my favorite guitar channel on YT, your analytical approach is very insightful.
Thank you :)
I really love this channel. I know there’s no way that TH-cam is paying for these guitars and you’re likely trading guitars constantly. I really appreciate your constant strive for honesty and the thoroughness of your reviews. You also go over things that most other people don’t even bother with because you know your stuff.
Overall I’m going to start commenting on every new video because I really want to help you succeed on TH-cam! Best of luck!
Nope, TH-cam can’t even pay for my groceries 😂. But I’m gambling on myself. I appreciate you trying to help it pay off.
@@andrefludd gotta boost you in the algorithm! I play in a couple bands and made a channel under a different name so I completely get the struggle. But it’s the passion that we strive for!
Anyway, I hope to see you hit 100k subs soon!
PS: I love the guitar lesson series too!
Saturday morning uploads (Australia) from the doc are an instant watch. You're killing it, this is your year brother.
Your lips to gods ears. Haha thanks for the support.
One year later...
So was it....??
@@lueyteledeluxe7457 HE'S GETTING SPONSORSHIPS NOW YAYYYY!!
Okay, okay, so tons of tubers out there not covering the "things you can improve" aspects, and sometimes that feels like a lie of omission. Glad that you go into these kinds of details, it is truly and wildly objective compared to most other reviews out there in the market! If I'm going to spend a chunk of money, I'm betting on your reviews to help me purchase wisely!
Dude, your videos are so good. Love how deep you get with real daily issues with guitars.
I appreciate that thank you!
I love my Strandberg Per Nilsson Signature Singularity True Temperament!
It's a beautiful guitar for sure.
I've owned 8 different strandbergs over the years. 2 of them had the first fret actually lift up off of the fretboard. Both were models on the low end for them (standard and classic) but both times Strandberg customer service fixed the issue at no charge and were fairly quick about the repairs too. I will say their customer support is excellent in my experience.
That is a plus for sure!
@andrefludd - I appreciate your focus on feature details for Strandberg and all guitars! One tip I've learned from the Kiesel guys to address your often raised peeve of the protruding sharp string tips at the headpiece: Pull a new string thru so it's taut, cut it as close as possible, and then pull the string back until the tip is retracted so it's no longer protruding; then tighten the screw, and tune. I really wish that Strandberg would eventually introduce a smaller headpiece like the Steinbergers and Kiesels (w/Hipshot trem).
Great video! As a Strandberg enthusiast (and a long-time Parker player before that!) whose main guitar is a 6-string Boden Prog Neck-Thru, I've been really enjoying watching your Strandberg Experiment series and seeing all of your thoughts on your Fusion. I had actually considered getting that exact model when I bought my Prog because I loved that teal finish so much, but ended up going with the Prog because I wanted something with an HH configuration (since middle pickups tend to get in the way of my picking). This video was really interesting because I had also considered picking up that exact 7-string TT model, but I decided against it because at the end of the day I just can't get past the bolt-on neck construction. I'm surprised to hear you say that the neck joint is one of your favorite things about the 7-string considering that the other guitar you've been playing is a neck-thru! Do you feel like the upper-fret access is just as good as what you've got on the Fusion, or were you comparing it to other bolt-on Strandbergs that you've played?
I was def comparing it to the older bolt ons. This neck joint is far superior. Compared to the fusion, the access is pretty much equal, but I always pay extra for a neck thru. Not so much for the access but more so because it’s 2% more comfortable and 1,000% prettier imo haha. Thanks for the support.
If you’re interested in test driving nice 7 strings, the Jason Richardson Music Man 7 in Buckeye Burl has an amazing neck.
really looking forward to your opinion on the True Temperament frets.
thanks for the review
Thanks! I wanted to have that today, but all the testing, ABing, and editing is taking really long.
thank you, great review !
What an interesting review. I have a Boden Metal NX7 and honestly, the heel joint is the most annoying thing is the guitar for me. I dont find it comfortable enough, I dont have big hands so it just gets in the way of my thumb and I will need to strech it, or place my thumb on top of the joint, which is a weird position to play. I also owned an ESP Horizon E-II and the it being one solid piece has the best access I've seen.
I have the same "issue" with the "neck dive" of Strandberg Boden guitars with more than 6 strings, especially the 8 string version. One potential fix is, to add some weights to the electronic compartment to make the body heavier on that side to balance out the heavier neck.
I just got a nx 8 refurbished and i really love it ive onlt had it for about 5 days and i really have no complaints other than a grounding issue which really shocked me but even then i still like how it sounds other than the noise which i feel i can fix but i shouldnt have to for an 1800 dollar guitar even though i only paid 1300 for it
Honestly, if it was from Strandberg or any major dealer, they will fix that for you for free. It’s only been 5 days, def call them up and DON’T pay for it yourself. If you can, shoot me an update. This is good info for the community.
@@andrefludd will definitely follow up. Thanks for the response
@@Anthony43993 Hi there I was wondering did you manage to get in touch with Strandberg?
They do have a responsibility to offer you a proper instrument even if it's refurbished , that's an expensive guitar.
I'm curious because I own a Strandberg guitar myself but have had no issues at all. If you did contact them, I'd love to hear if they were helpful :)!
Thank you so much!
@@Nickshreds890 they ended up giving me instructions to fix a grounding issue with one of the string posts and i was able to get it fixed without sending it back to California pretty quickly
Im relieved to hear that and hope it all worked out for you!! 😊@@Anthony43993
Thank you for going into real depth about the pros and cons of your new axe. I just subscribed so that I can be notified when the new videos drop. Keep up the good work! 👍🏽👍🏽
Awesome, thank you!
Hi Andre! I think that I would be more inclined to try your other Strandberg over this one. The thing that I'm most curious about this one is of course, "the elephant in the room". I'm looking forward to the next episode.
Cheers man! ✌
The next episode is going to be a big one.
The nx bolt on neck joint really is a work of art. As for the string issue the new clampy thing at the missing headstock end is designed to use a pair of diagonal cutters to cut the strings flush with it.
I used diagonal cutters with it. Didn’t really do much for the high strings
@@andrefludd that is strange.
Let us know how the zero fret works out. Zero frets are notorious for wearing grooves when you bend strings which leads to buzzes and pinging. Kiesel used to use them but they quit because of that issue. In fact they offered to replace the zero fret with a proper nut.
i bought a nx6 about a month ago and my only complaint is that out of the 11 guitars i have from all different makes and models it has the roughest fret ends. Not cut your hand bad or anything, but noticeably rougher. Like your other comment I don't even notice it when playing so I didn't feel it was worth complaining about.
This is what I mean! Clearly people have noticed. Idk why no one says it in reviews. I bet Strandberg could fix it.
I bought mine used so it has a little more where and tear but compared to my charvel and my tele it does have rougher frets but I can’t complain because of how much I love the neck.
My fret ends were pretty good. Not perfect but pretty good. I just had to shave a bit with a fret file at it was great. It took about two minutes. It seems I got lucky?
@@andrefludd for sure, they could roll the edges more like my chapman guitar (uber rolled fret ends) or my jackson, or any of the 3 PRS models I own. Hell, the baritone squire I have has better rolled fret ends, but that said, the strandberg really is just a different animal.
I actually considered getting a strandberg some time ago.. but all these fret issues, locking nut, neck dive, etc. could never come up on a $1500 guitar, let alone a $3k one. Prices increased a lot and the issues are still not fixed
The guitar overall is great for 6 string imo. But the 7 I don’t love just yet
Aside from the neck dive which is only a problem with 7 and 8 strings, these are actually pretty small issues compared to things I've run into on Fenders or Gibsons.
@@louderthangod Ibanez prestige RG652 for example or some premium/prestige AZ models (around 1.8k max where I live), Charvel DK24, Schecter Nick Johnston or Aaron Marshall signature models (although also overpriced imo), just to name a few
Get to the frets! I'm so curious about these frets!
I really wanted to, but the video has so so much editing. I couldn’t finish it in time.
I’ve heard lots about fret sprout on stradberg
I really wanted the 7 string...but after watching your review my focus is on the 6 string.... i want them to make a Carbon fiber 7 or 8 string. I am focused on Ergoniomics!
The back of the endura neck feels different at every fret. Very slightly. Because of this I notice my hand finds position more naturally without needing to look for the markers as often. This is an advantage I never here mentioned. Maybe just me.
Hmmm I never noticed that but I think it’s a totally valid point. Thanks for sharing
I've been looking at getting a Strandberg Boden 6-string. Like you and your elbow I have back, neck, and shoulder issues. Lately even my under 6lbs Ibanez S is even getting difficult to hold without problems. I'm still on the fence though. I teach online, and based on your first video some regular bar chords might be awkward to play. I teach mostly beginners, so the approach for the guitar working more for soloing is cool for me personally. Just not sure if it'd be the right fit teaching, which is what I spend most of my time doing. Love these videos, look forward to the rest of the series!
I used to love the old S series when I was a kid. Back when they had a different floating bridge on it. I think that extra weight may have helped it balance. Honestly Austin, I think this is a great guitar for those purposes. You can always give it a try for a few weeks and return it if it isn’t the right fit for you.
The Strandberg store on Reverb sells refurbs for 15% off and comes with a 30 day return period. Also, returning it is easy: just shove it into the heavily padded gig bag, put it back in the form fitting box and mail it back. If you're having back and neck problems, I doubt that you'll return it, though. It is a great help with these issues because your sitting posture will be better.
@@andrefludd I'll keep that in mind, I was looking at a couple on Reverb, and was even able to try one at GC a couple days ago. I noticed playing it was mostly comfortable, but my hand was a bit lost with the frets not being the same scale length on the low and high end. 🤣
@@markuyehara7880 Thanks for the insight, I'll check out their store. I hate buying something on Reverb and returning it if I don't like it. Most people on there are just a regular person like me. So they use the money for something else like bills or buying another guitar once it clears. If Strandberg sells them through Reverb at a discount I can have peace at mind I'm not messing with an individual's bank account.
@@MrAustinMusic I feel the same way. Also, it's nice that if you decide to keep it, the refurbs come with a full factory warranty which is why I ended up buying from their Reverb store.
I recently played an ormsby headless multiscale it was a great guitar overall, but , in the guitar store I was having a hard time keeping it in tune ,, still was a great sounding great playing guitar,, it didn't seem to have any comfort problems with the string lock end as far as I can tell. It's possible if I bought it might be tweakable into perfect. My thoughts were the tuning problem was the store had it down tuned. On my personal bucket list is an old school composite construction Steinberger or a Steve Klein guitar , also just wanted to say I'm glad you're still digging the Parker over every other guitar no matter the price
It’s going to take a truly special guitar to replace my Parkers
Your reviews are great brotha! Please keep it up
Thanks! Will do!
have you tried clipping the strings before locking them? I usually do that, and rarely have strings poking out of the end of the string lock. Although I have a different headless guitar than a strandberg.
Thank you for making this video, and as always thank you for all the trouble you go to to carefully explain your opinions. I think it's important for guitar companies to have proper feedback from the customer. Especially when a brand has a particularly elitist feeling on social media. I by no means dislike Strandberg and am totally in love with my guitar from them. I do however think they should sponsor some guitarists who are not virtuoso players. Abd this comes from a fan of prog and metal. Anyway, I do hope as they grow there will be more styles of guitarists welcomed .
This was really helpful and I will need to check out your review of the 6 string model too.
Thanks again :)
My luthier friend is obsessed about frets.
Stainless steel frets are so hard that when inserted into not dry enough neck like in strandbergs or any Indonesian guitar (mostly Ibanez) are sprouting over time.
His solution is to glue the frets into the neck.
He said he never saw an strandbergs with good frets.
Parkers have them glued in too.
@@andrefludd in my opinion strandbergs are inspiring but when you take a closer look form sacrificed function
Thank you for keeping things honest!
Thank you for supporting!
Sounds like there is an opportunity for someone to sell an aftermarket cover that clips over those string ends on the “headstock”. 🤔
I was thinking something that is magnetized.
Look forward to the true temperament video! Great series! I suppose besides the sharp edge and string ends, the fret issue could be solved by some filing work and the neck dive by placing some weight discs inside the cavities. Would you ever do that?
I’m def going to do that as a form of testing. If I like the results and if I can adapt to this 7 string neck, then it may still be a keeper.
Yeah, but it would be pretty annoying to me to have to do that to a $3800 new guitar.
With flush cutters you won’t have the string issue. I’d be happy to recommend a pair
I’d like that. Please do, I’ll include it in the update
They need to get rid of the chambering honestly. The second cut-out for the leg and the cut-out for the tuners already reduce the weight a fair bit over traditional shapes and so chambering it just makes the whole guitar neck heavy again.
100%
Thanks 👍🧔
Thank you!
Fret sprout is a function of fretboard wood shrinkage due to dry conditions, and so its impossible on a Richlite board. Its just badly finished frets.
As I understand it, it's not much but richlite is not 100% dimensionally stable so tiny movement is possible.
@@markuyehara7880 that’s nothing like ebony. Ebony is notorious for shrinkage. The whole point of a composite fret board would be stability or what’s the point at all? This is a $3000 guitar and an Ebony fret board blank retails at $10.
Yea, that was also my thought but I didn’t use the correct words to describe it. Thanks for that info.
@@michaelmenkes8085 I agree that it moves far less than ebony. I was just pointing out that it does move and given the sensitivity of the hands, players can detect even tiny amounts of sprout -- especially if their ends were smooth at one point. My own Metal NX 6's neck is a teensy bit less smooth than when I received it only a few weeks ago.
As I understand it, other reasons to use richlite are cost, sustainability, greater rigidity, workability and consistency.
@@markuyehara7880 it’s not cost at all. A fretboard blank is cheap. There might be $100 of wood in any guitar
Great channel and super interesting! Just subscribed! Do you also think that the Standard NX7 (non chambered), is affected by the neck dive issue? Thanks!
Hey Nick, I honestly couldn’t say. I’ve never played it but no one seems to complain so I assume it is fine.
@@andrefludd many Thanks Andre!!!
I get what you mean about the ergonomics. I can forgive the drastic neck-dive in my flying V (also it's pretty light tbf), but balance is part of the charm of ergonomic headless guitars. The level of comfort, like baggy trackpants you lounge around the house in. Just being able to pick it up and play. There are other charms for headless guitar for mes, but the notion of struggling with playing them at any point is antithetical to their ethos for me, too. I expected nothing less than perfect balance from my "ergonomic" headless guitar, even with its chambering (it balances fine, but it is a 6-string to be fair). Anything less should be a dealbreaker, absolutely. It doesn't even sound like the neck-dive is terrible on the Strandberg, but imagine how much worse it is on the 8-string version...
I had both the nx8 and the henshall 8 string and both had horrible fret sprout and customer service told me it happens and to get it fixed on my dime.
What a shame. I just send them back. It’s unacceptable at this price point
I'm loving the flashbacks to "past Andre" in these clips.😁
I am very surprised that the balance is not as good on the 7 as it is on the 6.
Could have been a design choice based upon saving overall weight.
Could just be that that particular body blank was less dense than official spec - wood does vary and all that.
I like the new heel, looks very comfortable - but the string locks could be, and should be, better.
Can you round that off a bit yourself?
I know you should expect perfection on the fret ends, but again - wood is wood and metal is metal - it can and does shift.
As long as a quick sand/file fixes it, I'm OK with that and it should be a basic skill/maintenance thing that most players should have.
I tend to agree with you. BUT, after playing a dozen parkers from the 90s all of which were flawless, 3 vigiers all flawless and one was from 2003, the 2019 Novo, yea. I love Strandberg but I can't stand up for the sharp edges at this price range.
Great video! I'm eyeing the Salen Jazz personally but it doesn't have the arm contour argh, how frustrating.
That one is beautiful! I want one of them too lol.
The balance on these is so important they really should include a weight cavity and balance them as well as possible from the factory. I recall Ola working hard to get this right back in the buildingtheergonomicguitar days and it's disappointing that this just slips through now.
I'm a little confused about it as well. I know Ola is a talented guy.
@@andrefludd I think you should send him this video and maybe even directly e-mail the guy. I would hope he'd be receptive to feedback, he seems like an alright dude.
You should check out kiesel. I have an aries 6 string and an aries 7 string and while they are not the same its more similar than my ibanez 6 and 7 string. And my k series 7 string neck is to die for
I’ve had 4 kiesels love them. Check out episode 2 if you get a chance, I discuss it :).
@@andrefludd will do, I'm always on the lookout for guitar nerd channels lol
Thanks very much for your detailed analysis. This is extremely well done. Since the quickly falling neck is a deal breaker for you, I don’t understand why you don’t use the Performaxe. I understand that you feel you shouldn’t need to use one in an expensive ergonomic guitar, but since you’re having this problem, will the Performaxe rectify this? Does it not fit on the Strandberg body?
Hey Will, thanks for your question. The performaxe will fit the body, but if I'm using the performaxe I just see no point in buying a Strandberg. The performaxe will give me more flexibility in terms of the posture I can take, yes.
To be honest the only thing I don’t like is the active pickups, that’s why i bought the passive version which is also cheaper
Fair enough!
I feel that pain on the fret edges. I don't own a Strandberg but I recently just picked up an Ibanez RG prestige. I love the guitar, it's fucking badass but towards the higher register of the neck the fret edges are sharper. The thing that annoys me the most is on the website the frets are labeled as, "Jumbo Stainless steel frets with Prestige Fret Edge Treatment". I work at a guitar store so i can just have one of our techs touch up the frets. Kinda sad Strandberg's QC would let something like this slide on such an expensive instrument.
Hopefully they correct them moving forward
Is there a big difference regarding comfort between the new neck joint vs neck thru in order to reach the higher frets?
Nope. Very small difference to be honest. I just love the looks of a neck thru.
I know the quality isn’t what it use to be when it was just Ola handling the guitars, but a lot of these things can be fixed, the real disappointment is that you pay so much for it, it should be as close to perfect as you can get
This channel and Euge Valovirta's channel for honest reviews, for me that is.
Thank you
Lolz try an Abasi Concepts Guitar 😉
I’d love to
The NX series are fucking awesome and the heel design and new tool as well! All strandbergs are great haha jk. Thanks for the vid dude!
Thank you!
You are fussy...and some of your observations relate to things that would not bother me. In particular the balance issue...unfortunately when you are dealing with natural products such as wood then accurately gauging things so that there is more weight in a certain area is rather problematic. On the other hand, you are correct in so far as how does one improve the instrument if it gets nothing but praise? I guess what I am trying to say is...keep it going 😂😎👍
Thank you :). the only thing I’d say is that balance is important for every guitar. If your left hand is holding up the neck you will limit your potential
Strandbergs never appealed to me. Pickups are all wrong. I'm not a fan of 24 fret guitars. They look like toys in my hands.
HOWEVER, I appreciate the innovation Strandberg is pushing. Much like Parker back in the day, these are both ahead of the times and long overdue. They still strike me as a Chapman Stick for guitarists, and for my money, I might as well get the Chapman Stick. Yet something like Strandberg needed to happen just to jar the industry.
Guitarists will benefit from all this in the long run.
My 6 string has shur pickups. I feel like that's a great choice no?
@Andre Fludd dunno, never played them. The Fluence pickups I can understand, and I'll be the first to admit their construction is a sign of things to come. My ear is highly varied on the subject of pickups. After listening to the Seymour Duncan 6 string shootout, I walked away thinking, "I can use all but a few of those." And I have to admit I look at Jeff Beck and reproach myself for my gear fettish. I haven't seen the man without that Strat with essentially stock pickups in decades. If ever there was a more emphatic argument: the tone is in the hands, Jeff personified it.
I can wax rhapsodic about timbre, but I'm a "right tool for the job" man. The first generation of rock guitarists operated with a devotion to experimentation I can't match. Either they had a better ear, or they were satisfied with hours of playing with knobs and gadgets I have no patience for. I admit, this is an odd statement for a guy who just swapped pickups in one of my guitars last week. The endless quest for timbre continues, and I can't help but think I'm running down all the wrong lanes much to my financial woe.
I am looking forward to the next episode of building a guitarist incidentally.
brands like NK are just as good now
That’s coming in a later episode
@@andrefludd let's goo!!
I don't get why people like those Fishmans
They’re dope
Love this channel. If im gonna drop $4k on a guitar I want someone like this to review it. Cant believe the quality here
This again really hits on the issue i have with buying a Strandberg (in my case, bass). Their Boden Basses are around 3300$US, and how can I justify paying that for a mass produced bass with (likely) fret sprout when I can get basses hand built by smaller mfgers like Maruszczyk or Atelier Z, or Sago, or Tom Clement or, etc etc etc. made to my specs for roughly the same price?
It's a real bummer because I really enjoy their design philosophy, the endurneck, headless instruments, and fanned frets and all that.
That is a really high price. At least for the guitars they have models under 1,500.
Dr. Flood, how do you feel about the 20" radius on all these Strandbergs ? I'm very interested in these ... esp. the 8 stringers .. but this VERY flat radius is sorta intimidating. I've played Ibanez 16" s before and they seemed extreme. None seem to be in stock in stores near me.
I really need a true temperament guitar. Every thing always sounds so out of tune to me.
You will love next week’s video
I’m so relieved to hear your experience with the sharp nut. I thought I was just the worst player. I’m in now way technically proficient , but I agree the design was flawed on the string locks. Thanks doc for your content.
Never blame yourself for an instrument under performing! Thanks for supporting.
I have a true temperament 8 string, do you tune yours like a normal guitar with all open strings or do you tune it the true temperament way with all "A" notes for good intonation, like 5th fret on e-string, 2nd and 14th fret for the g-string, etc.?
I follow the offsets they provide on the site
It's sort of comical the irony in a guitar that identifies itself as being ergonomically focused creating a nut design that's less ergonomic and comfortable than the typical headstock it replaces. They've had years to iron out the right angles at the nut and still insist on pushing a design that you would expect to find on a $400 Amazon headless.
I def think it should be better
Thank you, Andre. I'm loving this first "The Experiment" series, the concept is a great idea - a deep, deep, deep, deep dive into discovering all the nuances, good and bad, that a guitarist may and definitely will come across after extensive playing of a particular guitar. I love it.
Glad you enjoy it!
Great point on the neck dive issue. Appreciate your honest reviews!
$3800+ for a guitar built by Cort. Say that again. $3800+ for an Indonesian import LMFAO!!!!! I just can't see the logic there? Import guitars have absolutely improved over the years, but that's nearly custom shop price for an assembly line mass produced instrument. Just my 2 cents
Honestly, I had a rant on this…but I cut it out of the video. I don’t mind paying that much money for a guitar and I honestly don’t care what country it’s made from…but it must be absolutely flawless for that price.
And that's my point as well. Indonesian, and Chinese manufacturers don't have the QC in place to offer instruments at this price point. It's custom shop price, but assembly line manufactured. The added touches you get with a $4k instrument is why you buy them. I'm not scared to spend that much on a guitar, but as you do, I expect it to be meticulously perfect
its too expensive for a bolt-on design,with 4k there is so many option with better woods,music man kaizen-aristides headless and I personaly would buy a custom Kiesel Vader or Osiris cause I hold guitar classic stylee on left leg so that body option doesnt concern me
Fair enough! But none of those have TT fret options
@@andrefludd looking forward for your next review about TT frets
these videos are perfect for people like me on the fence, thank you so much dude
Glad you are enjoying them :)
Maybe it's just me but i find it weird to talk about a guitar's ergonomics when someone plays it in a different way whether sitting up or down...
Fo me, the guitar's position/angle, etc, stays the same no matter if i'm standing or sitting.
My personal opinion is that you should find your best position to play at while standing up, and tto try to keep it the same while standing down...unless someone just don't care about his technique.
Great video nonetheless.
Fret sprout is not a builder's fault.
It just happens, to any guitar ..depending on the weather conditions it has endured in its' trip from factory, to your hands.
It's like saying "This guitar was out of tune ..from the box! I'll never buy [ _brand X_ ] again!! ☝️😤❗
I'm leaving a comment instead of thumbs up! I'm into automotive Mechanics and i like the later years of a model.....because of all the little things that are upgraded over time.... i still love my first year model production.
Oh wow, the true temperament makes a huge difference! I'm not sure I want to watch your video on it though. With that price tag I might be better off keeping myself in the dark :)
Fret sprout shouldn't exist, even on cheap guitars. Unacceptable that any strandberg has it.
Conclusion. I prefer not humbuckers. I prefer the dot split sound. Only a strat can quack.😊
Interesting timing, as I just got a factory-refurb Strandberg a week ago! I will say that I've been unable to re-produce the "balancing on one leg by itself classical style" move you did on your 6-string without a little help from the right arm and/or some leg crossing, but that's not a huge issue. It's also the semi-hollow model, so the body is lighter than most.
Overall I'm totally delighted with it, but it's great to hear you take on things. :)
Thanks for sharing. Yea, I do need a little right arm weight to hold it in place but it doesn’t take much. Maybe I just got super lucky with this one. I did also see in the comments a few people say things similar to what you said
Hey Andre if you look at the string locks they are triangles. The hand is contacting the bottom (Fat end) of the triangle at the zero fret on the high E because it kinda sticks out. This doesn’t happen on the low E because the hand is meeting the top of the triangle (the skinny end). Ola needs to simply rearrange the string locks for a smoother transition at the skinny E. I don’t think the blockiness at the low E would interfere with the thumb as much. Does this make any sense?
It does make sense. But I just feel like for a guitar this price, let's have a more cool solution. Maybe it's just me, but having a small magnetic plate that covers that entire area would be really cool.
We reviewed the boden HSS and gave it high rating but did point out the fret sprout issue. It did, however, play supremely well and am not getting the hardtail Metal 6 String version in white with Fishman Fluence Moderns. May go for the T style or the Fusion in the future.
You should try a headless from GOC!
The difference in the chord at the end was eye (ear) opening wow.
Can’t wait for you the see the full video.
@@andrefludd I'm looking forward to it. I only just discovered your channel the past couple weeks and I think your content is excellent. I especially like the annotation text you add when you say something weird and it's something that catches me often lol. I like the sense of humour.
You being an advocate of good, stable trems is also good in a "community" where many seem to give up and want to deck/block/hardtail everything as a solution. Would be cool to see you try something a little bit different in the Virtual Jeff Pro, seeing as you are a amp modelling and trem guy.
I wonder how it compares with the Prog nx7 without those temperment frets
I think 7 string’s would be a too complicated for me
Take a file and round that sharp corner, and dont touch the part where the strings poke out.
Just got a Strandberg Boden Nx8 myself, just 2 weeks ago. And after 2 weeks of playing it, I'm seriously considering selling all my other 8 strings now!
I can't balance it either, the way you couldn't with your NX7. But still in that position, the neck is so smooth, and the rest of the guitar so light that my thumb on the trapezoidal works like a linear guide, and makes moving around on the neck very easy - like too easy almost!
And the sound!! Especially on the 7 -8 string, this massive humpf-ding sounds, which i can't reproduce on either my Ibanez, or ESP - even though my Ibanez also has Fishy's Moderns.
Overall it's become my favourite instrument in my collection.
I totally get it. I still love my 6 string.
Really digging my new Fusion NX so far. Haven‘t touched any of my others for more than 10 minutes sinces. You kind of get used to the weight. If you switch guitars, it‘s mindblowing everytime again (have a super light Custom Shop LP 59 as well as a hand made one, both are around 3.7kg and a super beefy Explorer).
100%
I have the Boden Metal 7 (pre NX) and you mentioned 2 points that I agree on: a little more weight on the body would be nice so that the guitar doesn’t move as much while heavy down picking and I’d be very interested in the new neck joint. But that doesn’t justify another purchase for me.
Never had any issues with the fret ends, but bumped into the sharp locking nut a few times. I actually never touched the open string ends.
However, sometimes the thinner strings jump on tiny grooves in the 0 fret. Then there is this little plingy sound while bending the string.
For my sitting position (classical style) the guitar rests with the bridge on my right lap. So the contour on that part doesn’t do anything for me.
The fret leveling is perfect in my opinion. The guitar plays itself. I’d love to have the tool, because tuning the low B string is really tough sometimes. I tried using machine oil on the tuner, but it didn’t improve.
Thanks for sharing your opinions!
Thanks for your comment! I’m trying to get an idea of how the old 7 strings balance
There are lots of channels out there that will tell you how a guitar sounds, but these videos are great because you deep dive into how a guitar functions in its feel. The way it rests on a leg, how it balances, the feel of a cutaway or how the neck would physically fill a person's hand. This is all vital information when choosing a guitar in the increasingly "buy before try" world of online retail.
When I watch one of your videos I get a sense of how it would physically feel to hold this guitar, the comfort it may have or lack in very specific areas on the body or the neck. Not just cursory glances at these aspects but in depth look that informs. It's all crucial information to know before buying something like a guitar.
glad I could help! I appreciate you watching and leaving a comment in support. It really means the world.
Ah man, I love your videos, u talk of all the details ‘bout the guitar itself, from the comfort things to the sound (really everything). I really find your videos one of the most enjoyable ones out there! If I just wanna chill and watch some guitar related videos I go on your channel and pick one randomly, ‘cause I know I’ll like it. Keep going this good work ;) cheers from Italy !
Italy is one of only two countries I've been to outside of the US. Loved it! Thanks for supporting.
legit watching this series to decide if I should get either a 6 or 7 string strandberg. Your 7 string criticisms make me think I should stick with the 6 and just appreciate the 7 string solar more
I can already say, just go 6 string.
@@andrefludd appreciate you.
sheiiit.
3800 bucks for a indonesian guitar?! that's insane...
Lol it is very expensive
subscribed because your awesome!
Thank you :)
Not to disparage other channels but, it’s not often you get gear overviews from someone who really plays. Its what makes your channel great
Hey man, glad to see you again. Thanks for always supporting. Next week there are going to be a lot of videos of me playing. I don’t want people to forget since I talked this entire video lol
Andre : did you gave a try to the Chinese Strandberg-like available for €600-700 on Ali-Express? I was already pretty surprised with the MiC Danelectros compared to the MiK ones... And considering that the salaries in Indonesia are inferior to salaries in China and something like a Strandberg is not more expensive to build than another guitar, let's make it clear, an €650 guitar MiC has potential to compare with a €3k MiJ.
Those making these MiC guitars obviously pose as being custom shops willing to make stuff to the client's specs...
Thus, I've also found a young French luthier willing to make guitars for €1200 a solid body, mainly due to the fact he winds his own pickups...
I'm starting by ordering some of his PUs, we'll see later for guitars, and my priority -once the recording studio will be operational- is getting a jazz-box, smth like a Super-400 or L5 with a 25.5" scale, I'll consider solid-bodies later: due to my rule limiting myself to two solid bodies per main wood, and my own guitar designs looking a bit in the Auerswald range as well as inspirations from Matisse, Picasso and Dali, this may end pretty funny... We have a lot of peer trees around, and I've already a peer fretboard bringing a unique grain and insane sustain. There are other woods I'd like to explore
Nope. I’m kind of done with the knock offs after tomorrow. It’s tiring dealing with them lol
I cant understand why those small sharp ends sticking out would be an issue? Why would you be running your finger/hand across that part anyway? It would be like rubbing your hand across any headstock, which all have sharp ends because you can't clip them below flush of the tuner. I've never played a Stromberg, but it seems like that sharp right angle locking piece could be a little uncomfortable, like a sharp edged nut.
Yea, it seems like it wouldn’t matter. But when you play a headless guitar, your hand ends up in that area way more than you’d expect. I discuss it in episode 1. It’s a strange headless guitar quark.
Not saying that this justifies any of the issues, BUT there's an etsy page called headlessguitarhats that (shockingly) makes some really cute and functional headless guitar hats. You can leave a note for customizable options and ask for whatever color options, just a fun alternative that fixes the infamous issues with the strandberg nub.
Didn't need to shamelessly shill, but it's a great use of $20 or so for some functional guitar drip and I love mine. Might be a fun investment for any other strandheads out there 🤙
Plug away haha
your issue with clipping the strings I really dont understand. I can get the strings without coming out
In these reviews I try to nitpick as much as possible so companies make things as perfect as possible. A lot of the issues I mention aren't deal breakers, but they are slight annoyances. In fact, if you look at my most recent strandberg review, you'll see they actually made changes I recommended.
when dean gordon hehe
:)