EJ Strat versus Suhr S1, Round 1

[ratter]

My Suhr S1 arrived today. Man, it does not disappoint. The quality and fit and finish is near flawless. I guess it helps that the previous owner seems to have barely touched it. There isn't a scratch on the black body, and that's tough to maintain with black!

I don't like the gigantic locking tuners. They work fine, but they look like somebody chained a buick to the headstock. And the white humbucker has to go, but other than that, sweet, sweet guitar. Hard to believe that these can be had for ~$1200 used with this kind of quality. I actually had to raise the action - it was very low. It wasn't buzzing at all, I just like it higher. Once I did that, the tone improved too, which is nice.

The EJ wins out in the "vintage vibe" department with the nitro finish and 6-screw bridge. It also has more beef to the neck, which I like. But the Suhr is a killer in its own right...

 

[yngzaklynch]

Clips!!!!

 

[thiswaythatway]

I dare you to go on TGP and say that the EJ Strat beats the Suhr in ANY category.

 

[ratter]

I dare you to go on TGP and say that the EJ Strat beats the Suhr in ANY category.

lol...well the EJ has some fans over there. If I said YJM strat, that'd be a different story....

 

[stratotone]

I haven't played a Suhr, I'm suhr (hah hah) they are great guitars, but my EJ is just the best strat for me.

12" radius, so I don't fret out on bends
Nice beefy neck, quartersawn so it never needs truss rod tweaks
vintage looks and super thin nitro paint
no string trees, the trem actually stays in tune pretty well, but I 5 springed mine
very light weight

and the thing resonates and rings like a bell.

Damn, I'm going to go home and play mine now!

Pete

 

[thiswaythatway]

I haven't played a Suhr, I'm suhr (hah hah) they are great guitars, but my EJ is just the best strat for me.

12" radius, so I don't fret out on bends
Nice beefy neck, quartersawn so it never needs truss rod tweaks
vintage looks and super thin nitro paint
no string trees, the trem actually stays in tune pretty well, but I 5 springed mine
very light weight

and the thing resonates and rings like a bell.

Damn, I'm going to go home and play mine now!

Pete

Did the finish on the neck wear in a bit? The EJ Strats i played the necks were sticky enough to trap mosquitos with.

 

[stratotone]

I haven't played a Suhr, I'm suhr (hah hah) they are great guitars, but my EJ is just the best strat for me.

12" radius, so I don't fret out on bends
Nice beefy neck, quartersawn so it never needs truss rod tweaks
vintage looks and super thin nitro paint
no string trees, the trem actually stays in tune pretty well, but I 5 springed mine
very light weight

and the thing resonates and rings like a bell.

Damn, I'm going to go home and play mine now!

Pete

Did the finish on the neck wear in a bit? The EJ Strats i played the necks were sticky enough to trap mosquitos with.

Yep, it's not sticky at all now. I bought mine used, and it had been played a bit. I picked a new one up at guitar center and it was very sticky.

Pete

 

[ratter]

I haven't played a Suhr, I'm suhr (hah hah) they are great guitars, but my EJ is just the best strat for me.

12" radius, so I don't fret out on bends
Nice beefy neck, quartersawn so it never needs truss rod tweaks
vintage looks and super thin nitro paint
no string trees, the trem actually stays in tune pretty well, but I 5 springed mine
very light weight

and the thing resonates and rings like a bell.

Damn, I'm going to go home and play mine now!

Pete

Did the finish on the neck wear in a bit? The EJ Strats i played the necks were sticky enough to trap mosquitos with.

Yep, it's not sticky at all now. I bought mine used, and it had been played a bit. I picked a new one up at guitar center and it was very sticky.

Pete

Yeah, mine isn't very sticky now either (used.) It feels like any other gloss lacquer neck...lp, etc...

 

[Digital Jams]

I dare you to go on TGP and say that the EJ Strat beats the Suhr in ANY category.

lol...well the EJ has some fans over there. If I said YJM strat, that'd be a different story....

TGP thinks that RF plays louder than Yngwie

Check out Yngwie's custom Dumble ODS.......................

 

[Telephant]

The only thing I dont like about the EJ strat is how big the neck is. Its just too big for me. Although they will never offer it in lefty anyways.

 

[mightyjoeyoungxnj]

I'm actually considering either of these for my next strat...

The EJ looks great to me. Hmmmm

-Joe

 

[ratter]

I've all but settled on the Suhr at this point. I actually like the feel of the EJ neck but at the same time my left hand was killing me the past few days, and I wonder if it's because of the EJ neck? The Suhr is just kind of a generic C-shaped satin job. But playability-wise it's just effortless. Whereas the EJ makes you work a little bit.

The trems both work well. I have both set with a slight float, 3 springs, 10 gauge strings and they stay in tune real well. The Suhr trem has a slightly smoother action.

I prefer the standard strat layout with the volume right up under your pinky, so advantage EJ there.

They both have staggered tuners, no string tree. The Suhr's are locking, but the EJ's again have the cool vintage look.

Fretwork, no contest. One looks like a luthier finished them and one looks like Maria Rosa Consuela finished them.

They're both strong guitars, but I like to pick one guitar and bond with it like I did with my EVH for the last 15 years.

 

[stratotone]

Actually, the Suhr frets look like a robot finished them - I think all their necks are pleked.

Having said that, I'm thinking of having one of my strat necks pleked, since there is a machine in OKC.

Pete

 

[ratter]

Actually, the Suhr frets look like a robot finished them - I think all their necks are pleked.

Having said that, I'm thinking of having one of my strat necks pleked, since there is a machine in OKC.

Pete

Yeah, I guess so. Although I was mainly referring to the fret ends which I don't think the machine does, does it?

 

[Digital Jams]

PLek does not touch the ends nor does Fender..............OOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Telephant]

Suhrs are pretty awesome. And like I said the Ej neck is to big for my hands too so I feel your pain.

Ive noticed on guitars like my Am Dlx with two point trem and locking tuners, you can get on the whammy hard and it holds tune really well. Ive never had that luck with normal tuners and 6 point trems.

 

[ratter]

Well, pain is right. I played the Suhr most of the day yesterday with no problem. Later on, played the EJ again and after 15 minutes or so the hand pain came back. So that makes the decision a little easier...turns out I'm just a pussy.

 

[Telephant]

Do you have pics of your Suhr? I wanna see this bad boy.

 

[ratter]

The white bucker will be replaced with black. I can't live with a white humbucker...

 

[Telephant]

Damn thats the most Fender looking Suhr Ive seen. Not over the top at all. I always knew you had good taste.