Talk me out of (or into) buying a Strandberg Guitar

Post close up shots. and explain the defect that isn't the way you have put on the strings. Your tuning issues will be 100% down to how you are clamping the strings and if all the screws are tight.
 
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Have any of your Strandberg owners found a supplier for thrust bearings that fit?

I tried some F6-11M (6mm bore x 11mm OD) bearings from AliExpress. The inner diameter is perfect but the outer is slightly wide which is a problem for bearings on adjacent strings.
 
secondwindow said:
Like always (I believe), Suhrs are built in the USA, but not all materials are sourced from the USA; woods, hardware, etc. Suhr changed the headstock engraving to comply with US law.
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So you're saying they aren't allowed to write "made in the USA" because some components are sourced outside the US?

I guess if they're using a bridge made in Japan that kind of makes sense. Wood from outside the US makes no sense. Even in the US they don't grow their own trees (they don't "make" the wood).

Interesting, if that's the case.
 
unix-guy said:
So you're saying they aren't allowed to write "made in the USA" because some components are sourced outside the US?

I guess if they're using a bridge made in Japan that kind of makes sense. Wood from outside the US makes no sense. Even in the US they don't grow their own trees (they don't "make" the wood).

Interesting, if that's the case.
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https://www.suhr.com/headstock-engraving/
 
unix-guy said:
So you're saying they aren't allowed to write "made in the USA" because some components are sourced outside the US?

I guess if they're using a bridge made in Japan that kind of makes sense. Wood from outside the US makes no sense. Even in the US they don't grow their own trees (they don't "make" the wood).

Interesting, if that's the case.
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Found this on the Suhr website (https://www.suhr.com/headstock-engraving/)

”…

Headstock Engraving Change – ‘Made In U.S.A.’ to ‘Lake Elsinore, California’​

Let’s start by saying, nothing is changing. Well, other than the engraving. Why?

We source woods and hardware from all over the world. Though we have been building our guitars the same way for the past 25 years, we are making this change to keep up-to-date with U.S. guidelines. These regulations prohibit the use of “Made In U.S.A.” when using a certain percentage of materials not originating from the United States.

Rest assured, Suhr will remain the leader in craftsmanship and tone, only with an updated headstock engraving. We are incredibly proud of our talented family of craftsmen and women. We are also incredibly proud of our home, where we’ve built our guitars, amplifiers, pedals, and pickups for the last 25 years.

Starting this year, you will begin to see Suhr instruments with the new, ‘Lake Elsinore, California’ engraving. Thank you for your support and understanding.

-Suhr – Lake Elsinore, California.
…”
 
unix-guy said:
So you're saying they aren't allowed to write "made in the USA" because some components are sourced outside the US?

I guess if they're using a bridge made in Japan that kind of makes sense. Wood from outside the US makes no sense. Even in the US they don't grow their own trees (they don't "make" the wood).

Interesting, if that's the case.
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The wood is not part of the "made in USA" regulation but where it is cut is. The made in Japan Gotoh parts and the Korean Suhr tuners together with the other hardware suppliers eat in to the equation. Dropping the USA monica allows flexibility for the future. Same for USA Fender.
 
rickboot said:
Have any of your Strandberg owners found a supplier for thrust bearings that fit?

I tried some F6-11M (6mm bore x 11mm OD) bearings from AliExpress. The inner diameter is perfect but the outer is slightly wide which is a problem for bearings on adjacent strings.
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Nope. I sized up the ones I have from my old Benton bridge and they are too big, probably 11mm version you have. Looks like the Strandberg is 9mm, I can't find anything with specs to fit. Which may explain Strandberg's continued use of a Teflon washer. :(
 
Will Chen said:
Nope. I sized up the ones I have from my old Benton bridge and they are too big, probably 11mm version you have. Looks like the Strandberg is 9mm, I can't find anything with specs to fit. Which may explain Strandberg's continued use of a Teflon washer. :(
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Thanks for checking, Will.

I did find some 6x10 bearings for RC Helicopters… for $17 each. Nope!

There are 5x10 bearings on Aliexpress but I am pretty sure that inner diameter is too small. Need to find my calipers.
 
rickboot said:
Thanks for checking, Will.

I did find some 6x10 bearings for RC Helicopters… for $17 each. Nope!

There are 5x10 bearings on Aliexpress but I am pretty sure that inner diameter is too small. Need to find my calipers.
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Hey, let me know if you find any. Definitely an upgrade I want to make.
 
Will Chen said:
Hey, let me know if you find any. Definitely an upgrade I want to make.
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Will do.

I found these RC helicopter bearings that are about $50 for six shipped to the US. A bit more than I want to spend for an experiment.

https://webshop.f FF havb deen on .com/en/helicopters/h/vario/parts/946-thrust-bearing-6x10mm.cc for
 
Chromatizm said:
Utter BS.
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Pics !! it will be an easy fix . There's almost nothing to stop these guitar from stying in tune short of the way the string is clamped. The string MUST be in the centre of the clamp bolt and the tiny disc MUST be over the screw head, then the clamp body its self MUST be tight on the neck. At the other end the intonation bolt has to be tight to hold the tuner body from sliding forward . That is IT, the neck can't move at all they have pretty much no flex due to the truss rod type and carbon reinforcement . So unless you have installed a hing on the neck joint these things WILL fix it. :tearsofjoy:
 
I'm not following, sorry. I'm doing the restring exactly as shown by Ola at and exactly https://strandbergguitars.com/how-to-re-string-your-strandberg-guitar/ describes (oh, sorry, not exactly - they didn't even mention in 6.1 that you have to bend the end of the string a little so it doesn't stuck inside the lock!). If any of these instructions are not precise, please remind me, how exactly that would be my error?

So I before you answer, I will show you something I've described earlier. Two photos to display the "precision engineering" in installing the bridge tuners, and another photo to show how smart the bridge construction is.

https://strandbergguitars.com/eu/product/boden-metal-nx-6-black-granite/ says:
  1. String spacing at bridge: 10.5 mm/.41″
Let's check that, shall we?
Image 1: the ruler is aligned against the 1st string. Do the math yourself if you'd like to check if we have 10.5 mm between each string. Spoiler alert: we don't.
Oh, and pay attention to the gaps between the bodies of the tunes - there is no optical distortion, you can see the difference with plain eyes.
1 photo_2023-10-28_21-31-48.jpg

Image 2 to verify the same, but aligned against 6 string saddle.
2 photo_2023-10-28_21-31-47.jpg

And now to one of my favorite part in Strandberg's bridges, the screws which can screw with your hand. I've had at least three incidents with this particular screw tearing the skin on my little finger till it bleeds.
And no, I cannot "push" it any further inside the tuner. And please don't give me your opinion that "I should use another playing technique". To play funk riffs Wong-style on this guitar I've had to remove the tone pot completely and put the volume pot in its place. This is how much thought the builder put in these guitars. Brilliant work.

3 photo_2023-10-28_21-31-46.jpg
The screws are the worst solution ever, and when paired with the saddle, feel terrible when do palm muting. Worst I've ever experienced.

And the number of incidents I've had when the first string jumps out of the saddle when you do the bending is simply ridiculous. Someone has no idea how to do proper engineering.

So please, stop telling me about incredible Strandberg quality. I can live if we agree to disagree. Can you?
It is your opinion at best. I'm happy for those who had great copies, really, or simply enjoy these guitars for what they are.
It still doesn't make these guitars "incredible value" with the "precision engineering" and near-perfect "build quality".
 
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