NGD: Strandberg

  • Thread starter Thread starter Strandberg Junkie
  • Start date Start date
Anyone who hasn’t tried one really should…I have one and while it isn’t close to being my main guitar, I own 20 awesome electric guitars and this is the only one that feels absolutely foreign to any of them (in a good way)

It’s interesting and fun to play and definitely worth your time to at least hold one to see what a radical departure it is. Kudos to those guys for having the guts to bring it to market!
 
@Philhouse

HA, both of mine have the exact same skid mark around the volume pot. :giggle:

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Maybe the best thing is the action. Strings are 10-46 and the neck fans from Les Paul on the high E to Strat scale on the low E.

Easy bends with nice snappy lows!
 
Do they all have that uh "unique" neck shape to them? I think they look pretty cool otherwise.
 
Nice.

I scored a pretty outrageous deal on a headless blackat about a year and a half ago, that unexpectedly changed my opinion on headless guitars. A few months later, I played a strandberg 8 string that a buddy had and was really impressed with it, despite feeling like a complete fish out of water on a 8 string.

If I come across a pretty good deal on a used one, I'd probably pick one up. Still not my favorite guitars visually, but anything that I can pick up and get some playing & writing done has it's place.
 
just played one for the first time last week.
for all of its unconventional body and neck elements, it was comfortable to play and sounded pretty cool.

the strangest aspect imo was just how light the thing was and the fanned frets would take some getting used to.
 
Chubtone said:
Do they all have that uh "unique" neck shape to them? I think they look pretty cool otherwise.
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Yes. You have a number of folks in this thread saying it takes next to nothing to forget
about it and just wail. Then after a while you understand why it's shaped that way.

If you have any carpel tunnel or other wrist/hand issues it's worth trying just to see what it
does for that.
 
Chubtone said:
Do they all have that uh "unique" neck shape to them? I think they look pretty cool otherwise.
Click to expand...

I think they all do. What I've found is if you're a thumb over the top of the neck, Hendrix chords in the left hand kind of guy, it's probably not going to be very comfortable. If you're more of a thumb on the back of the neck, guitar in the classical position (they basically balance themselves if you put it on your left knee while sitting) the "unique" neck shape will make playing easier. It brings your thumb right inline to give your fretting fingers support. It's definitely unique but I don't find I really have any big adjustment going from regular guitar to my strandberg - either the fanned frets or the neck. Now the Dingwall 5 string bass I used to have? That was a pretty big adjustment from my p bass.
 
The purple pic kinda shows the lack of any real forearm relief on a 2019 and the new NX shows the improvement.
It really was uncomfortable so added a slight radius to the edge at first. That wasn't enough so decided on a full rest.
First problem was the veneered top. Grabbed my own nuts and went for the radical fake cutaway look.

Here's where the Doh part is. Should have called them first to see if there'd be any issues.
Quickly came upon the fact of the inset underside routes in the maple cap. No turning back by then.
Screwed the looks and just went for comfort. I gave a couple of tries at hiding with fill and pencils but it
looked too Mickey Mouse. Now it's so polished in from wear I ALMOST like the look.

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DemNuts said:
Actually about a month old. It's a 2022 Plini NX to go along with the 2019 I got used back in 2021.

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Not sure I've seen much Strandberg talk around here. Anyone else playing them?
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I’ve played a couple, one was older, not sure where it was made, but it played really easily and sounded good also. I was surprised. Really fun guitar to play for sure.

Nice!
 
Hey DemNuts I'm trying to decide right now between buying a used 2018 Plini or the new NX. I don't have any opportunity to try them both out, so I'm stuck doing internet research over-analysis. I like the forearm and neck relief on the NX, and the ideas behind the other small improvements to the hardware, but I don't know how the tone or tuning stability between the two differs. With the two models being made with completely different materials/woods/pickups, there somehow aren't any side by side examples out there I can listen to or reviews to read. How do you feel their sound compares?
 
bsupreme said:
Hey DemNuts I'm trying to decide right now between buying a used 2018 Plini or the new NX. I don't have any opportunity to try them both out, so I'm stuck doing internet research over-analysis. I like the forearm and neck relief on the NX, and the ideas behind the other small improvements to the hardware, but I don't know how the tone or tuning stability between the two differs. With the two models being made with completely different materials/woods/pickups, there somehow aren't any side by side examples out there I can listen to or reviews to read. How do you feel their sound compares?
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Hey @bsupreme

The hardware differences between the original and the NX are minor and don't have any impact on tuning or playability. so that's a wash.
The original's Suhr pickups are hotter than the new NX ones although the NX are a bit more organic sounding. Both awesome sounding and not a major difference.

There's definitely a bit of an LP vs Strat vibe with the different woods. The mahogany/mahogany is thicker in the lower mids and not as snappy up high. Ash/Maple has more snap and the emphasis is a bit more in the upper midrange. Differences are far from night and day.

The improved neck heel carve on the NX isn't really that big a deal cause the Original already had a great one with full access to all 24 frets.

Honestly, the biggest difference BY FAR between the two is the forearm carve. The original is terrible in this regard FOR ME - tons of players don't seem to mind it though. It was always leaving an indent in my forearm and was often a distraction.

Maybe try buying from somewhere with an easy return policy so you can test drive them? The Strandberg Riverside, CA store on Reverb offers
really easy 30 day returns. Because of the weird design they get lots of tire kickers so it's no biggie for them handling returns.

Hope this helps.
Cheers.
 
That helps a ton, thanks for taking the time to write about it. I was leaning towards a Reverb purchase for that reason, now I'm convinced. Cheers!
 
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