This is why I don't get Suhr guitars..?? ??

[jet66]

This is WHY I get them

That is a sweet looking finish. I wanted to come to the show in Orlando last weekend, but already had plans with family from out of town. I'll keep an eye out for the next time you come nearby. One of the few new bands that my kid and I both like.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Suhr and Tom Anderson both use the Basswood/Maple combo and it works great. I love it for my Drop Top. Suhr is consistant in making quality guitars which you can't say about Fender. Of course, tone is always subjective and i haven't had great luck with Suhr. Don't be shocked if a 3K Suhr didn't sound as good as a 500 dollar Charvel, it happened to me with a 400 dollar Ibanez.

 

[thiswaythatway]

Suhr and Tom Anderson both use the Basswood/Maple combo and it works great. I love it for my Drop Top. Suhr is consistant in making quality guitars which you can't say about Fender. Of course, tone is always subjective and i haven't had great luck with Suhr. Don't be shocked if a 3K Suhr didn't sound as good as a 500 dollar Charvel, it happened to me with a 400 dollar Ibanez.

It's great when you find something that your really bond with. Suhr makes killer stuff but i haven't played one that was it for me, i owned a few and i played a Modern which was cool but....., there's always a but. If we all liked the same stuff it'd be a boring forum.

 

[glip22]

Suhr and Tom Anderson both use the Basswood/Maple combo and it works great. I love it for my Drop Top. Suhr is consistant in making quality guitars which you can't say about Fender. Of course, tone is always subjective and i haven't had great luck with Suhr. Don't be shocked if a 3K Suhr didn't sound as good as a 500 dollar Charvel, it happened to me with a 400 dollar Ibanez.

It's great when you find something that your really bond with. Suhr makes killer stuff but i haven't played one that was it for me, i owned a few and i played a Modern which was cool but....., there's always a but. If we all liked the same stuff it'd be a boring forum.

Even with Suhr thier are differences. I played both of my Moderns today and plugged in my Vigier and it sounded like shit. I have BK pickups for it I am going to install.

 

[Beret]

Maybe I'm as retarded as Eric Johnson, SRV, Malmsteen, Clapton etc etc but I wouldn't get caught touching a basswood guitar in public.

Tell that to Joe Bonamassa, Joe Satriani, and John Petrucci. They both have/do wield basswood guitars and somehow I doubt they're retarded.

Saying this because I had some extra cash that I was putting into a Bushmaster ACR but they sold out so I was thinking about a Suhr. Tried one and after throwing up (although they are gorgeous as hell) I grabbed an American Deluxe and it was no contest. I'm looking at $1500 for a Deluxe vs $2000+ for a basswood Suhr and $3000+ for a Suhr Alder Classic. My friend wouldn't even try palying the Suhr with distortion..he put it back immediately. It was defenitely a better feeling guitar due to the heel on a Suhr but that was it.
My favorite guitar is a Jackson Soloist and I own a custom shop that is NOT $3600 better than my Deluxe but I still like it more (all mahogany). I love my Soloist but I regret paying $3600 when I have a Deluxe that I go to more.
This is what I compared the Suhr to, some of my guitars. Yes, the Ibanez is basswood and I also have a music man axis but I didn't pay over $1000 for them. The Ibanez I got an incredible deal on brand new so I bought it.

The bottom line is it's preference. Play what you like and like what you play. A quick bunch of reasons for going Suhr over Fender are build quality, wood quality, neck shape, fret dressing/choices, hardware, pickups, etc. That list is only if you limit yourself to the Strat copy. If you start talking about Moderns for example, the list is endless as to why Suhr guitars exist. If you like your classic Ford then by all means enjoy it but that doesn't mean the guy flying past you in his Ferrari or Porsche wasted his money. He apparently had different needs and preferences than you.

FWIW, I have an American Deluxe Strat and a Suhr Custom Modern. The strat is not in the same league as the Suhr. Yes, it was worth the money and I'd do it over again.

~B

 

[Beret]

I'll also eat my own dog food a bit here and say that even though I like the Suhr, I'd take either one of my PRS guitars if I could only have one guitar to gig with. The Suhr is great, but the PRS guitars are "me".

Maybe I'm as retarded as Eric Johnson, SRV, Malmsteen, Clapton etc etc but I wouldn't get caught touching a basswood guitar in public.

Tell that to Joe Bonamassa, Joe Satriani, and John Petrucci. They both have/do wield basswood guitars and somehow I doubt they're retarded.

Saying this because I had some extra cash that I was putting into a Bushmaster ACR but they sold out so I was thinking about a Suhr. Tried one and after throwing up (although they are gorgeous as hell) I grabbed an American Deluxe and it was no contest. I'm looking at $1500 for a Deluxe vs $2000+ for a basswood Suhr and $3000+ for a Suhr Alder Classic. My friend wouldn't even try palying the Suhr with distortion..he put it back immediately. It was defenitely a better feeling guitar due to the heel on a Suhr but that was it.
My favorite guitar is a Jackson Soloist and I own a custom shop that is NOT $3600 better than my Deluxe but I still like it more (all mahogany). I love my Soloist but I regret paying $3600 when I have a Deluxe that I go to more.
This is what I compared the Suhr to, some of my guitars. Yes, the Ibanez is basswood and I also have a music man axis but I didn't pay over $1000 for them. The Ibanez I got an incredible deal on brand new so I bought it.

The bottom line is it's preference. Play what you like and like what you play. A quick bunch of reasons for going Suhr over Fender are build quality, wood quality, neck shape, fret dressing/choices, hardware, pickups, etc. That list is only if you limit yourself to the Strat copy. If you start talking about Moderns for example, the list is endless as to why Suhr guitars exist. If you like your classic Ford then by all means enjoy it but that doesn't mean the guy flying past you in his Ferrari or Porsche wasted his money. He apparently had different needs and preferences than you.

FWIW, I have an American Deluxe Strat and a Suhr Custom Modern. The strat is not in the same league as the Suhr. Yes, it was worth the money and I'd do it over again.

~B

 

[dfrattaroli]

I don't get why anyone in the right mind would go out and spend $1500+ on an American Deluxe ALDER Classic when you can get a Squier Affinity Strat for $180 and change the pups. I'm saying the American Deluxe because you're not going to compare a mahogany Jim Root Telecaster to an Alder guitar and if you do. The Strat comes out ahead even more. I don't get it and that American Deluxe guitar is not even a Squier, a Squier has traditional tuners and traditional dots with a traditional heel. The American Deluxe just has better pups. I'm just noticing alot of videos lately with Fenders getting treated like a red headed stepchild by Squier strats. So what's the deal? I know Fenders are built incredibly well but..having to do it all over again would you pay $1500+ for a Fender Deluxe when you can get 8 Squier Strats I don't expect much honesty but I'll ask either way.

etc. etc.

Brilliant.

 

[dfrattaroli]

For me, playing Suhrs came down to fit, finish and feel. Of all the guitars I've played, to me, the Suhrs feel the best. I never paid so much for a guitar before I owned a Suhr but I found in them, the place where you say "I don't care how much it costs. It's worth it to me".

Their customer service is second to none as well.

What I don't get? I don't get why someone needs to post "I don't get why people pay $X for Brand Y". It's pointless. Why the fuck do you have to get it? Who gives a shit if you get it? I have a Charvel San Dimas that cost me $700 new and I love it to death. I also have an Ibanez RG7321 that I bought for $200 and love it as well. Plays and sounds great. So I'm by no means a gear snob.

Here are my overpriced Suhrs. I just don't get them.

 

[sinfish]

For me, playing Suhrs came down to fit, finish and feel. Of all the guitars I've played, to me, the Suhrs feel the best. I never paid so much for a guitar before I owned a Suhr but I found in them, the place where you say "I don't care how much it costs. It's worth it to me".

Their customer service is second to none as well.

What I don't get? I don't get why someone needs to post "I don't get why people pay $X for Brand Y". It's pointless. Why the fuck do you have to get it? Who gives a shit if you get it? I have a Charvel San Dimas that cost me $700 new and I love it to death. I also have an Ibanez RG7321 that I bought for $200 and love it as well. Plays and sounds great. So I'm by no means a gear snob.

Here are my overpriced Suhrs. I just don't get them.

PERDY!

 

[rupe]

This is damn near perfection IMO...awesome guitar. I may need to add a Suhr to my stable.

 

[Ventura]

To the OP, it's an interesting topic for sure... All I can say is I've always loved the single coil, jangly crisp tones of a proper strat, but I can't play one to save my life (bearing in mind I'm a Lester guy through and through). And believe me, I've tried all sorts. I just can't get along with them. My supplier caught wind of this last summer and said, just for shits and giggles, try out this Suhr he was sending out to me - if I liked it, keep it - if not, send it back.

I loved it

So much I'll probably order up another one next year. I have NO idea what the innate physical, design, or construction differences are, but it feels different, plays different, hugs my body better, resonates better, feels sooooooo smooth, and just rips! Considering it's nearly identical when looking at it beside a proper Fender, beats the shit out of me why it's so different. But it is, and for the better at that

V.

 

[Scuba200ft]

Wow..Lots of chest bumping in here.

Ibanez J customs are AMAZING guitars. Absolutely flawless in every aspect, and in the $2k range. CRAZY fretwork like nothing I have ever seen. Suhrs are also amazing guitars. Now obviously, the original poster was stirring up shit, but the fact remains.

This Suhr is outstanding, but I had another one 5 or 6 years ago that lasted all of 2 days before I sold it. Rigid, dry and dead.

There are no absolutes.

 

[Anonymous]

wow, that metallic finish is just breathtaking on that bottom suhr.

how about how fucking cool that windowblind reflection effect on that yellow ibanez is!!! awesome if that were offered as a stock finish affect!!!

 

[japetus]

If it costs more, it has to be better. Remember, there is magic wood that only certain manufacturers can get.

 

[Bob Savage]

If it costs more, it has to be better. Remember, there is magic wood that only certain manufacturers can get.

n00b

 

[racerevlon]

Well, I have a Suhr and a Fender American and there's plus and minus on both sides. The Suhr is H-H wired with a 5-way mega-switch for:

1. Neck
2. Outside coils of both humbuckers parallel (Tele sound)
3. Both humbuckers
4. Inside coils of both humbuckers parallel (Strat sound)
5. Bridge humbucker

The American Strat is new so I haven't changed anything yet, but I'm torn. There's sounds that come out of this guitar that are ingrained in the history of rock 'n roll. While I'm not all that fond of the single-coil bridge sound, it DOES sound GOOD. I think I just prefer a thicker sound, so will probably install a Dimarzio Air Norton S in the bridge, but leave everything else. Bears mentioning that the Strat I have has the Texas specials installed and a satin neck.

So is one better than the other? Not really, they're just two different guitars. As far as the difference in price... simple economics of scale... Fender is probably more "assembly line" and can therefore turn out higher volume, less specialization, lower cost. ECON 101.

Interested to hear other thoughts, though...

Gonna be REAL interesting once I get the Dimarzio installed in the American to A/B it with the Squier...

 

[RJF]

I just can't get over how damn ugly the headstock is on Suhrs. Most of them are bolt ons anyway.

I'll take a 90's USA Jackson over anything else anyday. Good looking, great playing, and are neck thru designs.

 

[glpg80]

I just can't get over how damn ugly the headstock is on Suhrs. Most of them are bolt ons anyway.

I'll take a 90's USA Jackson over anything else anyday. Good looking, great playing, and are neck thru designs.

yeah wierd enough they look alright reversed - better than the normal facing.

i have played a USA Jackson and to be honest they are great guitars, but having played a tom anderson guitar the Anderson's are in a whole different league. better tone, better pickups, better paintjob, better woods (translucent paint showed woods with ZERO voids and grain pattern direction was watched)

its pretty bad when i can plug a Tom Anderson guitar into the same no-name cheap solid state 20W Vox amplifier as the MIJ Fender right before it, and then it suddenly makes all other guitars in the store people are playing sound like shit/thin/weak. even store employee's were looking at the price tag wondering what it was/who it was made by as they had no clue to who Tom Anderson was.

You'll pay for it, but with these grades of guitars, you have to hear it to believe it. ive never been a Tom Anderson fan or a Suhr fan and always put them as overrated until i played one. made a believer out of me.

 

[Ventura]

Suhr guitars play like a dream, but I haven't seen one that's my cup of tea. I couldn't really warrant spending that much on a production guitar, but the people who play Suhr are often fanatics, with good reason.

Kinda like this, ya...

I've spoken at length about the fact I was after a single coil strat tone and tried a multitude of Strat propers (Fender) and I just couldn't get along with any of them... No idea why. I mentioned this to my distributor, and in a week I had a Suhr S4 with limited edition curled maple top. He said 'try it, if ya like it, keep it, if not, send 'er back'.

It looks like a strat, has single coils like a strat, has a maple bolt on neck like a strat, has a toggle and pick guard like a strat, has a headstock like a strat...

But DAMN that thing plays like NO strat I had ever picked up before. It was an instant keeper - and I have NO idea how it is it plays and feels so different than any of the Fender Strats I'd tried for years before...

Beats da shit outta me but I'm stoked on playing it

V.

 

[rupe]

Suhr guitars play like a dream, but I haven't seen one that's my cup of tea. I couldn't really warrant spending that much on a production guitar, but the people who play Suhr are often fanatics, with good reason.

Kinda like this, ya...

I've spoken at length about the fact I was after a single coil strat tone and tried a multitude of Strat propers (Fender) and I just couldn't get along with any of them... No idea why. I mentioned this to my distributor, and in a week I had a Suhr S4 with limited edition curled maple top. He said 'try it, if ya like it, keep it, if not, send 'er back'.

It looks like a strat, has single coils like a strat, has a maple bolt on neck like a strat, has a toggle and pick guard like a strat, has a headstock like a strat...

But DAMN that thing plays like NO strat I had ever picked up before. It was an instant keeper - and I have NO idea how it is it plays and feels so different than any of the Fender Strats I'd tried for years before...

Beats da shit outta me but I'm stoked on playing it

V.

And that is what its all about right there...finding that certain piece that works for you

But you forgot to say that it has "mojo"