NGD, and the power of Rationalization...

Project Mayhem

Experienced
Do I need another guitar?...No. Did I need some new Monitors?...Yes.

So while discussing with the manager options on a pair of a7x's...I happen to notice that the Kotzen Tele I have had my eye on for a while has finally gone clearance. I'm no Tele guy at all, but this one Is quite different than the norm, and I figured if one falls into my lap... why not? Adam's are price restricted, but I was able to work a ridiculous package price that I just couldn't pass up...So I finally have a Tele, and this thing is a beast! Huge neck, jumbo fret's and rings for days. Four distinct sounds with the series parallel switching and the Chopper T in the bridge just cuts... this is going to get a lot of work.

I had planned to go check out a Plini Strandberg the following day but I hadn't planned on the Tele purchase, and the two guitars and monitors would have blown my fun budget..but I went anyway because I haven't played a Strandberg before. I knew that had I gotten the Plini, I would have changed the switching anyway (5 way)... What I didn't know was that they had just had a guy trade a Boden 6 for a 7.... and this thing was in great shape... played both and the Boden already had the switching I wanted, played just as well, and upgrading the trem parts to current spec was going to be very cheap..and it was 1k cheaper...Done!

I suspected I was going to like the Strandberg, but I was surprised at how quickly it felt right...actually better than right. This neck concept seems long overdue and perfectly natural to me. Once you get past the "Ikea-ness" of it, you really can see the genius of it's solution's. I know it's not for everyone...guitar purist's view them with same objectivity that amp purist's view the Axe...but in both cases, you could argue aesthetic, sentiment, whatever ...but it's really hard to deny the function. I feel like I have a better understanding of what Parker guys have been saying all these years.

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I know it's not for everyone...guitar purist's view them with same objectivity that amp purist's view the Axe...but in both cases, you could argue aesthetic, sentiment, whatever ...but it's really hard to deny the function.

I wouldn't call myself a guitar purist, nor an amp purist in any way. I'm an if it works then it works purist. Amp purists keep on saying that modeling just can't match the magic that tube amps give you. With Strandberg there is no guitar magic that gets violated. I reckon they are really good guitars and I like that they are trying to come up with something new. It's just that I don't like what the end product looks like. :fearscream:
 
I have a Boden Prog. Awesome guitar. One of my favorites. Great balance, and very easy to perform with. The neck shape and the fanned frets have a great feel. Mine is loaded with Suhr SSV in the neck and SSH in the bridge.
 
I wouldn't call myself a guitar purist, nor an amp purist in any way. I'm an if it works then it works purist. Amp purists keep on saying that modeling just can't match the magic that tube amps give you. With Strandberg there is no guitar magic that gets violated. I reckon they are really good guitars and I like that they are trying to come up with something new. It's just that I don't like what the end product looks like. :fearscream:

Yeah, I know what your saying. It’s what has kept me from getting a majesty...which are fantastic guitars...but I just can’t reconcile the look. Which is just stupidity on my part really...it either works or it doesn’t. The Strandberg, (and others) are a radical departure from the norm and somehow I think that’s why it doesn’t bother me...as I don’t compare it my concept of the “traditional guitar “.
 
I have a Boden Prog. Awesome guitar. One of my favorites. Great balance, and very easy to perform with. The neck shape and the fanned frets have a great feel. Mine is loaded with Suhr SSV in the neck and SSH in the bridge.

Couldn’t agree more. I remember back when you got yours and that had an influence on me to check it out. I had seen Plini a couple of times and was really intruiged by the Strandberg, but when I saw that someone with your instrument knowledge was able to bond with it, then I knew it was more than a novelty. My love for the neck was almost instant, same with the the fanned frets . The Plini had the Suhr combo yours has and it was the one thing I did prefer on it...but for the price difference I can always throw them in and still be pretty far ahead. Plini is doing a clinic here tomorrow and the new trem parts arrived today...so it’s going to be an all Strandberg couple of days around here.
 
Thanks for your kind words @Project Mayhem. Greatly appreciated. As you know, I play mostly in church. Some of our worship services can last for 3 hours. That’s a really long time for a geezer like me to be on my feet with a guitar strapped on. At times like that I really really appreciate the light weight and balance. I find it to be a really exceptional instrument. And it plays great and sounds great to boot.
 
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