Strandberg Fusion

The ones with those fanned frets and no headstocks? I've just called most musicians arch conservatives in another thread, and yet I must confess to being one in this regard. Mea culpa. I'm sure they make excellent guitars, but I wouldn't want to be caught dead with one.
 
The people who own those guitars seem to love them. They're compact and lightweight, and the headless design ostensibly entails other advantages too. I reckon you should try it.
 
Ergonomically, you just can’t beat it, tho the neck may take some getting used to I have a 3year old Boden 6 , I don’t really know what the f.fusion entails....It would.certainly be a change from your Heritage....
 
The Fusion is a Boden. It has 3 Suhr pickups (which I love) in a H/S/H configuration. Should be a very expressive pick up config. Not sure if I would like the neck. I'm going to head up to Guitar Sanctuary in McKinney TX. They are a dealer. Hopefully they will have one with the strange frets. I'd really like to try one before I take the plunge. So how do you like your Boden?
 
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I have a Strandberg OS 6 Trem and I love it. Love it so much I wore out the pickup switch. It's not my first headless. I have a Steinberger ZT3 and a Spirit (which was for having something super compact and light in Iraq), and a Carvin Holdsworth HH2X.

It's my main guitar now. It's 4.5 pounds. The fanned fret multiscaling, if you're not familiar with it, you'll grow into it pretty quick. You just don't feel so crowded on the lower strings at the higher frets. It's really not that strange after just a few minutes. Same with the Endurneck profile. It's very comfortable. Mine's got a set of Alumitones but yours I think will come with Suhr pickups by default.

I've had it since May. Honestly I don't even reach for any of my other 20 guitars anymore.... I see them all lined up in their racks and know I could get that down to my five most sentimentally valuable and unload the rest.
 
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I’ve had two over the past couple years. The first was an a Boden OS 6 trem that was built right before the newest production line was released, and a current model line OS 6 non-trem. Of the two, I preferred the older Boden line, as the neck profile was quite a bit thinner than what they’re making now.

Both guitars were nice, but there were multiple issues (personal preference issues, mostly) that prompted me to sell both.

First, I just can’t stand the tone of neck pickups on 24-fret guitars. I’m primarily a jazz guitarist, so having a classic neck tone is very important to me. Some people don’t seem to mind the difference, but no matter how hard I try, I can’t get the sound to work for me. Similarly, I haven’t been able to bond with stainless steel frets. The feel is great, but the extra brightness and zing is bothersome to me.

I also found the upper fret access to be poor. The heel is pretty prominent, and really limits your reach especially if you’re trying to play chords. I’ve seen a couple custom builds using a neck through design, which I imagine would provide better access.

Then there’s the neck, which really doesn’t take a lot of time to adjust to, but a lot of times I use my thumb to complete unconventional chord voicings, and the neck profile isn’t conducive to that, though others might be more successful.

Finally, and this is just a small gripe, but there are too many small bits and pieces on the guitar that are easy to lose — especially the tuners and the head locking screws. If you’re not careful when changing strings, you’ll find yourself spending more time than necessary scouring the floor for a tiny screw the size of a pen tip. Imagine changing a string on a dark stage and losing a vital locking screw!

That said, the Boden is a very compact and lightweight guitar that is incredibly comfortable. If they ever made a 22-nickel fret model, I’d be all over it.
 
I personally love guitars that are $2000 and made in Korea or China... I love loosing money
Dude, please don't. You're not being helpful. We're having a discussion here. I can get every dime back from my Korean made Strandberg (and my PRS SE for that matter - made in the same plant) if I wanted, as if I'd ever sell it. You don't really know what you're talking about, you're just regurgitating clichés.
 
Dude, please don't. You're not being helpful. We're having a discussion here. I can get every dime back from my Korean made Strandberg (and my PRS SE for that matter - made in the same plant) if I wanted, as if I'd ever sell it. You don't really know what you're talking about, you're just regurgitating clichés.

Yes, this, and for the record, I sold my Strandbergs for only about $100 less than what I originally paid for them.
 
Thanks guys. Very helpful feedback, well...at least most of it. Greatly appreciated. I'll be headed to The Guitar Sanctuary on Tuesday to try the headless Norseman. I'll drag my icky bod up to McKinney. (sorry... this stuff just runs through my mind).

It is really the Suhr pickups that draws me in. I have played a few headless guitars (only time a player like me matches the instrument). I like the feel of it, but never found one that I just had to get. Guess it is as good an excuse as any to visit the Guitar Sanctuary. The place is well named.

And Trev, thanks for your service. My respect and gratitude sir.
 
The people who own those guitars seem to love them. They're compact and lightweight, and the headless design ostensibly entails other advantages too. I reckon you should try it.

It's a visual thing mostly. I like the sight of a large headstock. The smaller the headstock the less visual appeal for me. So no headstock equals no appeal at all to me.

More for me.

You happy, I happy, win-win for everyone I'd say.
 
Dude, please don't. You're not being helpful. We're having a discussion here. I can get every dime back from my Korean made Strandberg (and my PRS SE for that matter - made in the same plant) if I wanted, as if I'd ever sell it. You don't really know what you're talking about, you're just regurgitating clichés.

#1 thing that matters in a guitar is WHERE IT IS MADE
A lot of guitars say Fender but they're not all made equal

My problem is the guitar community is getting had... or maybe screwed-

We are ok and accepting buying a $3000 guitar that needs fretwork out of the box new
We are ok paying $1000-2500 for Korean and Chinese guitars...
We think $5000 for a new japanese guitar that is mass produced is a good deal

But with these guitars- my point is...
If a Korean one is $2000-2500- at least spend $3000 on a japanese one or one that will hold the value

Sure the used market is strong on these- but after 5-10 years of mass production in china and korea... what's going to happen?

Price is what you pay
Value is what you get

and any dollar spent on guitars the last 15 years with the exception of a small few (PRS SE for example)
is a horrible value...

(if they're made in the same factory why are PRS SE's 350-500 and these things are $1500-2500? I'm not saying they're not more to produce and have more expensive parts- they do-- BUT--- they're greedy and the people that eat it up- make everyone else pay)
 
#1 thing that matters in a guitar is WHERE IT IS MADE
Gonna disagree with on this. #1 thing that matters on a guitar is THE END RESULT.

The value of a guitar is not just defined by cost. The sound, the features, the look, all determine a guitar's percieved value. A lot of cars say Nissan on the badge, but there is a huge difference between a Sentra and a 350Z. Where they are made is irrelevant. The final product determines its place in the market.

I have been around long enough to have owned a lot of "vintage" instruments. My early 60's strat is worth way more than my 65 Thunderbird. Given the choice, I would much prefer to get my Thunderbird back. One has value to me, and the other not so much. It's not about the money like you think it is.

The point of this thread is to get some opinions on the playability and features of the guitar. I'll decide if it is worth the cost.
 
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I agree with both here. Some of the best guitars I had would not net a lot of money if I tried to sell them, because they weren't made in those countries that most buyers think they should. The best Strat I have is a made in Korea Strat that I bought for literally peanuts. Certainly a lot less then the Lace Sensor pickups I put in there instead. On the other hand there are a lot of excellent guitars out there that lose a lot on resale value, because they carry the wrong brand names and countries of origin as far as the buyers are concerned. There is neither logic nor reason in that regard. I reckon it depends on what you think is the most important. Resale value vs. the end result.
 
I get that, and your point is well taken. At my stage in life, the resale value will be an issue for my estate execution. When I sold my ES335 and bought a Heritage H-555 my friends thought I was nuts... until they played the Heritage. Hold it's value? Time will tell. Way better guitar for a player like me? Absolutely. My point is that "value" is more than money. When I check out the Strandberg tomorrow, I'll be interested in playability and tone. It remains to be seen if it is worth the money to me, but that will not be my prime consideration, which makes my point.
 
Well, the journey continues. I went to The Guitar Sanctuary today. And a shout out to the guys at Guitar Sanctuary. Super nice and very helpful. So if you are ever in McKinney TX...

So I went to check out the Boden Fusion. They had one in Black (which I hated the color). The neck and fanned frets did take some getting used to, but I settled in pretty quickly and it was VERY comfortable to play. The Fusion has 3 pickups in a H/S/H configuration. The Strandbergs are very compact so having the 3 pickups packed together like they are made it impossible for me to find a comfortable picking zone that did not strike one of the pickups. I tried a few different hand positions, but striking the pickup with my pick happened no matter where I placed my picking hand. So, I loved the neck and the pickup config, but hated the picking zone.

OK so then I move on the the Pilini model. Same awesome Suhr pickups, but in a H/H config. Way better picking zone, and a slightly different neck profile. I found I really do prefer the neck profile on the Pilini (a bit thinner than the Fusion). It seemed to fit my small hands a little better. Problem with the Pilini, no tone control. Just a volume knob. I get the minimalist thing, but it was no deal for me. I use my volume and tone knobs all the time. So, thumbs down on the Pilini for me.

Ok so, now I'm really liking the neck shape and the fanned frets. So I find out that the Pilini model is just a Boden Prog with Pilini's specs. The prog has the same great pickups, neck and fanned frets, but also has a volume and tone knob. So the winner is... the Boden Prog. I was able to order one directly from Strandberg, so I avoid the $200 in sales tax. I tried to work with the Guitar Sanctuary guys but I guess there is just not enough margin for them to eat the sales tax. Strandberg had 2 Progs in stock so it is now on it's way to the Geezer Hacienda. The Boden Prog is a very interesting guitar. Not sure if it will ever be my #1, but I'm really looking forward to getting it and owning it and playing it. I am fired up about the combination of the Prog and my AX8. Could be sonic nirvana.

Thanks again for all your feedback guys. Greatly appreciated.
 
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