A 2 year old Harley Benton came in for service - So time for a Workshop Review! www.tonyedwardsguitars.co.uk www.clausenpickups.co.uk tonyedwardsguitars
I bought one of these last week. It's absolutely amazing, I've played many different types of guitar and couldn't find a guitar that fit me. The closest I liked was a prs and I've had 2 custom 24 se. One hollow body one regular. Both of them I sold due to the frets not being level and one had a huge dent in after a week. It feels perfect in my hands which are I'd say slightly smaller than an average man with thin fingers. If you struggle finding a comfy guitar try this (13.78) radius. Thease have them and also Chapman guitars amongst lots of others. Just FYI mines made in Indonesia in paridise flame and has stainless frets.
Interesting you mention the width of the neck and strings not falling off the edge. I've found that I prefer chunkier necks (back to front) but a narrow 1 5/8 inch at the nut. I have a strat like that and there's no issue with the strings being too close to the edge whilst I have another with a wider neck and flatter profile that really needs seeing to as the strings on that will come off the edge if you're not careful.
When I build guitars I have fallen across what I find to be a golden minimum size ratio (at the nut) : depth = width/2 Anything less than that feels a bit cramped to me. As for the string lie issue - with traditional strats (pre 1985 rebuild of Fender in Corona), I find that the same issue can occur. I always look to cut the nut 1/8" minimum from the edge of the fingerboard, especially on an A or B neck. I've recently taken to fitting narrow conversion tremolos to 1970's Strats for customers as well (reduces bridge width to 54mm on 56mm base place so no new screw holes). That's an excellent solution to the strat E hang issue too. When refretting 70's strats I use a taller fret and don't shape in as much either, closer 60 degrees than 45 maybe. Same tricks will work in lots of situations - even a les paul can have new saddles cut with a narrower profile. There's nearly always a cure - good luck with working your one out.
@@TonyEdwardsGuitars Got a very good luthier near me....he can sort it out! I've gone with the narrower trem on one of my guitars too. I've found over the years that neck shape/size is the most important thing in whether I'll really take to a guitar or not. Can't abide slim or V shaped necks but they work for others!
Mine was made in Indonesia and the frets were actually pretty good. When I received it though the neck was bowed, and not forward but back. Fortunately the truss rod works in both directions so I was able to get it straightened out.
I've got my CST 24 last week and its without any issues, the build quality is equal to my Fender Player Strat or Ibanez AR 420. Just the stainless steel frets are a bit rough. The Guitar is now made in Indonesia, not China or Vietnam anymore. Maybe thats the reason for the better quality. According to Thomanns homepage the body and neck wood is Meranti with a maple top, i guess a veneer. The fretboard is Jatoba.
