I am sitting in a wheelchair. Bought a Strandberg Boden 6string two years ago. The best guitar for me and my wheechair. Comfort, sound,builtquality,weight...the best guitar in my collection. Thank you Mr. Strandberg for this Masterpiece. And thank you for this review.....
One of those just came through my shop. Definitely the most comfortable guitar I’ve ever played. The ergonomics are out of this world. Everything is just so well thought out. I agree about the trem claw - perhaps if they blackened the claw, springs, and trem block, it would streamline the back better.
True... it may be a bit "conventional" looking in the back, but who looks at the back very much? I see it for a second when I put the guitar over my shoulder and that is it. Certainly no one watching you play sees it.
This is my most often played guitar in my collection. It is the most comfortable and ergonomic guitar I have ever played. Well worth the cost and like 5 pounds total weight. I would definitely buy another.
I had the pleasure of trying one at a guitar clinic a couple years back; the neck is just absolutely perfect! If only my cheap ass could justify spending that kind of money on a single guitar lol.
I’ve had my os8 for a few years now and I can safely say if you have any issues with left hand posture or pain, this guitar is the answer. It will force you to play correctly and you’ll take that correction with you to other guitars without realising it. Genius ideas with strandberg
While not my most often played, It's definitely a gateway addiction and I fully admit to binge-playing it a lot from time to time! The Suhr pickups sound killer! It's a lot of fun to play, just inconsolably intolerant of my sloppy guitar work. 🎈
I'm a hobby builder and found Strandberg when I considered making a custom headless guitar. His bridges look amazing but like everything, there are a bunch of cheaply made knockoffs of his design. It sucks when you put so much R+D into something that gets copied for pennies.
I am sure many will disagree with me but I cannot get over the price premium on this guitar. I understand the market pretty well and the premium is probably 70%-80% given the location of manufacture and component cost. I get the innovation and if it does the job that much better, cost is somewhat relative but it doesn’t negate the fact that Strandberg is pushing the envelope on price here.
If you consider the prices, that the top dogs like Fender and Gibson charge for their custom guitars, Strandberg is in the similar league. Moreover, if you face the prices of the Top-Guitars from Fender and Gibson, Strandberg is even cheaper! However, the difference is that for a 5 kg Les Paul you need an orthopedist to repair your spine after the gig. I already have two very good guitars, but my next one will definitely be a Strandberg.
@@quantum_beeb The whole discussion is ultimately a lot of nonsense. If everyday goods are left out, the consumer ultimately determines the value of a product, namely the price he is willing to pay for it. It's that simple. As long as someone is willing to pay €2,000, €5,000, or even €10,000 for a premium quality guitar, the manufacturing costs don't matter.
I think people are completely forgetting things such as Research and development costs. It's like saying an iPhone should only cost 300 dollars because of components. Strandberg's trem system and other components are made in-house. Not to mention Strandberg has nowhere near the economy of scale of fender or Gibson. Obviously there's a bit of a price premium, but you are paying for a relatively new manufacturer.
Gimmick guitar like Steinbreg where they lock key in the 90s. And then eddie played one and people go it, but no one has them anymore. Because of the collective headsmack, what was I thinking.
Very glad you enjoyed that neck carve. I came across a used lower end Strandberg for about 1300. Sat with it for about two hours in my local Guitar center, and absolutely regret not buying it. I own an Ibanez QX25 right now, and I can definitely see the Strandberg being the second guitar in my collection.
A couple of years back, I bought my first Strandberg after amassing an collection of five headless Kiesels of varying models. I bought the Strandberg because I really wanted a “T style” guitar, something that Kiesel didn’t offer. I was immediately a convert! As great as the Kiesels feel, play and sound, the ‘berg has the edge. I am inspired every. Time. I. Play! The Suhr T style pups are so versatile with just a three way switch, a volume and tone that I play every gig without even a passing thought of another sound. The neck is the best, restringing is a breeze (it is a hard tail like a Tele) and the attention to detail immaculate. That guitar is a Sälen Deluxe in sunburst, Pre NX, and earlier this year I bought a second, a Sälen Standard in traditional T Style butterscotch which is an NX… and it’s hard to tell which is my favorite! The new one is a little snappier without the F hole but with a moment’s play I’m in love with either!
Thanks. You just sold me on a Stranberg instead of a Keisel. Not sure which model I am getting but LOVE the lightweight vibe of the guitar. I am 61 so no more Les Pauls for me. Thanks for the comment😎
Happy for all the Strandberg owners. I never understood this channel. It seems to be a guy who seems to play guitar and is an expert on all things concerning the instrument.... But does not actually create music only more info and impressions on each item he focussed on ... Here the Strandberg. So I rarely watch anything he says and look for others who actually use the guitars and gizmos to make music. Perhaps someone can let me know if Phillip plays any music or just makes these videos and collects guitars and amps and related musical paraphernalia fetish items?
Absolutely hideous to look at; they play nice but so do a lot of guitars that are beautiful; it looks like a Gen z comic character’s special weapon and that’s “not” cool because nothing Gen z is cool it’s all lame.
Great vid. I've had one of these for several years and find it extremely playable, as are all the others I've tried. Mine is the 6-string fixed-bridge Boden made in Korea. There were only two things I didn't like about it. The first was the pickups. The stock ones were Seymour Duncan and just didn't seem to give the range of sounds I wanted. I tried a few others, including EMGs, but eventually settled on a pair of Q-Tuner humbuckers, which sound perfect and also match the modern look. The other thing I wasn't fond of was the design of the rear control cavity, which made working on the guitar really annoying (it still does, but I've settled on the right pickups now, so it doesn't matter). It's been updated for later models, however, and the newer version is much, much better. I've most recently played a friend's Salen Jazz and it was fantastic. The only model I've never been able to get my hands on is the Varberg, and I would absolutely love to try one of those. They are amazing examples of how a modern guitar could be conceptualised. Strandbergs are, I think, the best-designed major new instruments on the market today, and deserve every bit of success they've had.
PLEASE do a review on jet guitars they are very much on the budget side of guitars and I've seen amazing reviews but you would be my deciding factor on whether I would get one
I have to add another comment. This was one of your best reviews. It was very honest and pointed out all the important features without any bias one way or the other. Basically there’s a purpose behind everything. You did an extra good job demonstrating the pickups and their versatility. I can understand the issue with the back trem area. Possibly using darker springs and claw with a brass block?? Idk…Thanks for the great review.
I liked the tone a lot. I also like early Teles and tri-5 Les Pauls for the thick necks and old wood. That neck scares me but I'm willing to try it. LOL One of the reasons I love guitar is the tradition and simplicity of it, so I also have to get by that. Green is not my fav color either, but just a visual thing. The whole thing is like going from a Corvette to a Tesla. LOL 8) --gary
I had 2 of them. A 6string and an 8 string. The quality was sooooo bad! The max price should be like 900$ because they aren't worth more! Strandberg is even a bigger rip-off than Gibson!
Almost bought a Strandberg 7 string a few years ago. Tried one out at a local store for about 5 minutes and refused to ever pickup a Strandberg again. I could never play on a endura-neck. I get that it’s probably the best ergonomically way to play and avoids any wrist issues but it was so uncomfortable. I don’t like a guitar that tells me how to position my hand and in my opinion Mr.Strandberg is missing out on a lot of business by not offering traditional neck profiles on his guitars.
I just got the prog nx in charcoal. my gripes are super minimal. the gig bag is great, but it's still just a gig bag so I had to diy a case. i also would rather have a push in trem arm rather than having to do the helicopter. that's all i can find to complain about. i play a lot of styles and the guitar takes it like a champ and out preforms my expectations every time i play it. i barely have to tune anymore. i've never had a guitar that gets out of the way more than thing. i'll sit with a fender or schecter or a gibson, etc, etc, and they all sort of tell me what to play. this guitar is a blank canvas that gives me free reign. the neck profile disappears into my hand. the fan frets took me a long time to get used to, but now i love it. i may be over-hyping it, but i love this guitar!
These guitars look cool. I like the idea of a compact light weight guitar. I just wish it had a traditional neck profile and no fanned fret crapola. That's a definite deal breaker for me.
The Strandberg Essential doesn’t have fanned frets. Check out Andre Fludd’s review on his channel. He says it’s the one to get. And it’s only $999. The blue is only available at the Strandberg site.
You are SO right about the 7 string and endureneck. I have 3 6 string strandies - I like the endureneck, but I also like my Ibanez necks. BUT - On the 7-String and 8-Strings I got rid of all other guitars. It is a HUGE thing there, every extenden range guitarist should check it out!
I'm the owner of two Strandbergs and BOTH of them have had huge quality issues: The Strandberg Prog came with active pickups, which used up the batteries even when I was not playing! I've had to send the guitar back in order to change the input jack. The string lock assembly and the metal washers are really low quality. When the washers wear out, you have to change them and buy new ones, which only Strandberg can provide. If you don't change them, you won't be able to keep the guitar in tune. I've decided to swap the string lock assembly for another system. Both guitars are at the luthier right now. I'll update you when the work is done if you want to. Moreover, the zero fret is useless. Strandberg, get rid of them! It gets dents every now and then, which cause a pinging noise when you bend or use vibrato. All this thing do not happen the first day you have the guitar. It took these issues one year to start to appear and to realise how low quality these guitars are made. I've just bought an Ibanez Q, which are half as expensive as Strandbergs and might be superior qualitywise. Let's see how they compare to the Strandbergs in a year or so.
Best necks I played ever some hand made asymmetrical neck by an amazing luthier and they feel so comfortable. Gonna order a guitar from when I’ve saved enough nickels and dimes. When building a guitar he has people come in near the end of the year long process so he can shape the neck to the player’s hand. Such a nice guy and a great player, too. Gonna try different guitars and figure thin or thick neck, the body style (he has a couple and they look great), pickups, etc.
I’m sorry about this but I thought that sign behind the guy you showed in the very 1st clip read LESS BUTT BUTTER 😂 It actually read Less But Better 😂 What an absolute gem of a guitar, I’d really like to get myself one of these, but pricey though aren’t they?
So what if you have Albert King sized hands? Serious question. The classical hand placement is just not something I utilize much over the 40 years I've been playing. Any thoughts Phil?
I have the Boden Original 6 and it’s an incredible guitar, not impressed with the newer models for the fact they come with Veneer tops and lack of roasted necks unlike the original models and still carry such a hefty price tag
As always, very informative and I enjoyed this greatly. A Strandberg was not previously on my radar due to lack of information, but I am intrigued and will definitely seek out one to try. I also wanted to let you know that I enjoyed your playing greatly also.
I want one. However, I'm struggling with 2k for an Indonesian guitar VS $400 for A Chinese made. Thanks for the review. The 2 things that I want that might push me in one direction are the weight and the Trem. But I do think it is over priced.
I took your advice and picked one up at guitar center. I immediately got on sweetwater and bought a demo version. Best playing and lightest guitar I ever played.
Purchased the same model from Sweetwater about 6 weeks ago. I love it! However it tends to freak out most my guitar playing acquaintances for whatever reason. I guess some people are intimidated by it. This is coming from someone who owns 3 core PRS guitars. I don’t get the “ugly” stuff. At 57 I have developed arthritis and issues with my wrists and thumb. The ergonomics are no joke. I can play without being as sore afterwards. Still love my other guitars, but the Strandberg was a smart decision. Also, it’s pretty cool not worrying about banging the head into things.👍
I use this guitar for playing in a modern big band. It is extremely versatile and so lightweight that you can play forever. I can do classic swing comping as well as funky stuff, flashy solos for rock tunes- all in one guitar, and with on board controls, no adjustment at the amp*. It is easy to transport and there is no head-neck- joint that can break. The neck profile is great for me, but it is maybe not so good for players with thumb over the edge of the fretboard. To adjust to the fanned frets took no effort for me. But I have to say, I am a Jazz guy, I have the guitar quite high and prefer a nearly classical position for my left hand and thumb. I can use this guitar instead of two I would normally need. * well except I switch to the overdrive channel for the Rock solos
This guitar should cost about $1200 imo. Yeah, its unique but nothing justifies the cost for a guitar made in Indonesia. I have also owned one of these guitars.
Phil: How would you describe/compare the feel and movement of the Strandberg trem system versus more common Ibanez Edge/Floyd or even Strat style 2 and 6 point trems, especially in terms of the perceived smoothness?
Great point, a lot of hype arund teh ergonmics and headless and new look etc, but Ibanez have made the best trems for decades, and if you want to do more than basic trem stuff i think an Ibanez Pro Edge would be better
I bought my first Boden Original 8 string a few months ago and it’s the best guitar I’ve ever played. I have a custom Aristides, PRS custom 22, Ormsby, Ibanez, Fender strat. And the craftsmanship, playability, and sound from the Strandberg is on another level. Just holding it you can feel the quality of the instrument. My only regret is I don’t have more of them.
@@aninfinitemindofmusicandreams Ormsby’s are solid. Even the import models from Korea that I’ve played are fantastic for the price point ($1,200-$2,000 USD). I too love the Hype GTR models. Enjoy!
I haven't tried it TBH, I'd like too, but I haven't been in a decent guitar shop since the last boutique shop in Tampa closed and the local big box stores stopped carrying any high end except Gibson, Fender & Taylor (unless that's changed). The Suhr pickups are undeniable, I put them in my Charvel HSS (Thornbucker, V63, V63), I don't buy trem guitars (the Charvel is from the 80's and the Floyd is blocked) - OK I'll be the one - just on price and point of origin alone, I couldn't see buying one. A PRS SE is half or less with the same veneer construction, and those things are getting as good as most other companies US guitars (Not PRS Core of course). I have one Indonesian guitar, a 10 year old Squier Precision Bass and I modified the crap out of it to make it playable and decent sounding. Now I want to go on a road trip - I think the nearest high end guitar store to me is 80 miles away in Orlando - make a day of it, keep an open mind and try one of these. From a design perspective, amazing and interesting - like a supercar made in a Hyundai factory maybe?
My buddy has a plini model and I was shocked how thicc the neck was. Didn't expect that. I honestly only played a few quick riffs on it and gave it right back because it scares me to think 'what happens if I love it' and I order one and next thing you know, I want to sell all my guitars and have nothing but strandbergs. I'll just keep my hands off of them and stick to my current traditional necks, lol.
I may be in the minority... but I seriously hate the way Strandberg guitars look. It's hip and cool to like these, but if Behringer had brought out this guitar design, people would be ripping it from here to the south pole and back. However, they appear to be extremely, extremely well made. The pickup choices are really great. It certainly sounds great. Great review.
@@peteromikus433 I get that it's ergonomic and I'm sure it feels great to play. I will definitely try one if I get a chance! I just hate the way it looks.
I love my Strandberg Boden 6. The pickups are amazing and identical to those in my Suhr Modern Satin. I toss a HX Stomp, some headphones and a cable into the gig bag and the whole package comes in under 12 lbs. It's perfect for travel and easily goes in the overhead bin on a plane. The neck feels great to me as well.
Great review Phil, thank you. I remember you saying the strandbergs felt too expensive for you for an Indonesian guitar. Have you changed your thinking on that? I listened to the podcast with Ola too, but would be great if you could mention your latest thoughts on the price point maybe in another podcast
I have a Strandberg Metal NX6 but over time my thumb started hurting a lot. I am considering trading it for a Fender Ultra Luxe Strat. I also miss the vibration you feel through the body when playing. But saying these two things that Strandberg is a really innovative and wonderful guitar just not sure if you can tell how the Endurneck will work for you until you play it for a long time.
Well, the neck might be ergonomic and all, but the neck joint goes up to the 15th-16th fret: so what about the last 8-9 frets where ideally you need unrestricted access????
Really cool. Liked the back plate incorporating the input jack. I'd worry w/the light weight and balance of it all that I might be busting that. But w/ that setup I'm not as much. Cool,cool.
Throwing out my 2 cents because I just played one earlier today at guitar center. I come from a classic background strictly Gibson and fender. I still think those happen to be some of the best looking guitars by far, after playing a Strandberg for the first time even just unplugged at first I get why people have them. Aesthetically they aren’t my taste but that’s because they designed this guitar for function not fashion and it really was maybe the easiest most effortless guitars to play that felt more comfortable then my custom shop stuff right off the bat. It’s designed to be played and be comfortable for the user and now I’m actually thinking about going back and buying it to have to pick up and be that guitar at home I can easily go to. I like that I wouldn’t have to worry about breaking the headstock and strings are arguably easier to change
You lost me playing with effect pedals. I wanted to hear what the guitar sounded like in the five positions, not the effects. You could've just played a Squire.
Expensive guitar and looks like there are still screws going directly in the wood everywhere. Why not threaded inserts and bolts? Especially on the back cover and claw. It is a cheap mod, but adds a lot in terms of durability and overall longevity.
it's expensive and there is no normal profile neck shape.same price u can buy a custom neck through Kiesel ,and its not made in indonesia the more I see thi review the more I dont understand how they charge 2.400$ for this :D veneer top? cheapest woods for neck and body
doggammit ... that guitar actually seems to stay in tune using the whammy. my guitar never stayed in tune, barely stayed in tune even without the whammy. ugh.. and the heaviness of mine destroyed me physically. ffs. i really coulda used sometihng lke this. now ive lost my hearing and probably goingto die before i ever got started. life of torutre.; no place to play in the end/ fuc
You're technically paying way more for way less guitar kinda weird😂. These things are so light and comfortable I want one so bad I've had the opportunity to mess with one a few times and they're fantastic
I've seen lots of review and read lots of comments and Strandbergs seem to be loved by pretty much everyone who owns/plays them. One of my friends has owned one for a few year and he loves it! He's owned many guitars over the years and it's his favorite out of anything he's owned. I've never played one but I do play those hybrid 9-46 strings and I love them 🙂
I really want this guitar and I've almost pulled the trigger a couple of times, but the issue is I really want to test it out first and haven't had a chance in person. Probably somewhere I can find one in Chicago to demo but I haven't really looked.
A thought about the hybrid string choices that you mentioned: wouldn't it make sense to do the opposite of what you did, a heavier gauge on the high strings for the shorter scale and a lighter gauge on the lower strings for the longer scale? Otherwise, you are amplifying the tension differences between the different scales?
just a pity that their basses are a complete design failure. they are so "head" or better said "neck" heavy (or the body is so light, take your pick) that it nosedives immediately and always. it's just not balanced out at all. you literally have to always hold the neck up while playing standing up. can't believe they let this pass the quality tests....
On the one hand, I'd really love to get my hands on one of these and try it. On the other, it's well out of my price range. If I loved it, it would break my heart. Thanks for the video Phil!
