Strandberg Fusion

I have a Boden OS7 since 2015 and love it!

"There's a new USA Custom Strandberg line of custom guitars called the Boden USA Select, offering a limited number of custom options for body and top woods, fretboard woods, pickups and electronics, hardware colors and finishes. Teaming up with Desert Son Musical Instruments LLC (DSMI) based in Scottsdale, AZ, the Boden USA Select instruments will be handbuilt by experienced master builders one at a time with the utmost attention to detail and the best possible workmanship. We will exhibit the very first samples at NAMM to provide a glimpse of what is possible on the Boden USA Select."

What's the excuse now? :cool:
 
There's also Boden Original with the same Suhr pickups if you didn't know... but too late :p The Prog should be a great guitar, happy for your positive experience!

I have the Boden Original with Trem, great guitar, my go-to. The ergonomics can't be beat, it's too comfortable to not grab, and the other guitars get a bit neglected. It has its own sound, Ola would say mostly from the aluminum hardware, quite punchy and loud acoustically.
 
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Glad you pulled the trigger John. I just got back today to my Chicago crib after a while away, and picked up my Boden and thought of you. Welcome the club, yet again.
 
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.
Congrats on the Prog! That's the one i've been gassing for! (Now, the Axe III will make me keep gassing for it for a while ;))
 
Congrats on your impending NGD! Ed Yoon is the Strandberg USA guy, out in Temecula. He answers every email, even for nobody me. When they put out that you can get silicon washers for us older version trem guys for the tuners for free (Ola mentioned it on a YouTube Q&A session), he had them in the mail to me the next day or the day after. Super awesome.

Does that sound like the kind of service and support you get for a guitar made in Korea? Nope. I submit that it does not.
 
I’m happy to say in my very first post here that Ed Yoon provides absolutely spectacular customer service. I bought an older Boden trem a few months before the newer model came out. It was a great guitar, but it had some issues with returning to pitch. After speaking with Ed, he had me ship it back to him, and after examining it, he determined that the trem was defective. Instead of replacing the trem, he sent me a brand new guitar with the updated trem.

Now that is how you build a loyal customer base!
 
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.

Nothing that getting an extra pot, cap, knob and a drill could not have fixed though. Adding a tone pot is easy. Especially since resale value is not an issue with you.
 
Nothing that getting an extra pot, cap, knob and a drill could not have fixed though. Adding a tone pot is easy. Especially since resale value is not an issue with you.
I actually gave some thought to that, but after I verified that the "Prog" model already has the tone knob, I decided to just go for that. They really are interesting guitars.
 
Very glad to hear the good news regarding Strandberg. I gave some thought to the American made guitars, but after learning how expensive they are, and the wait times, I decided that the Korean made instrument will suffice. I know it it not the Cadillac, but I am OK with that. My only complaint so far is... no senior discount.
 
Very glad to hear the good news regarding Strandberg. I gave some thought to the American made guitars, but after learning how expensive they are, and the wait times, I decided that the Korean made instrument will suffice. I know it it not the Cadillac, but I am OK with that. My only complaint so far is... no senior discount.
Senior coffee for one.
 
In most cases it seems rather foolish to buy a guitar thinking of the future resale value. It's a tool and unless you are collecting them, I believe you should buy the one that best fits your need regardless of brand and where it's made.

I really don't think anyone considers the future value of a table saw or planer when they're buying one. It's about durability and performance.
 
Update update. I sent Strandberg an email last night asking about my order. I had not received any order confirmation or information from FedEx. To my surprise, about 5 minutes later I got an email from Ed (it was after 8pm). He took the time to tell me my order had shipped, and provided me with an order number and FedEx tracking number. Man, talk about service. As the great philosopher Yoda would say, "Impressed I am".
 
Update update. I sent Strandberg an email last night asking about my order. I had not received any order confirmation or information from FedEx. To my surprise, about 5 minutes later I got an email from Ed (it was after 8pm). He took the time to tell me my order had shipped, and provided me with an order number and FedEx tracking number. Man, talk about service. As the great philosopher Yoda would say, "Impressed I am".
You’re freaking me out a little ...
At the same moment you posted your Star wrs ditty here, I posted this over here....
<a href="https://forum.fractalaudio.com/thre...rd-keeping-this-a-secret.134964/#post-1596009">Cliff, has it been hard keeping this a secret?</a>
 
That's awesome man, happy for you!

Ive seen Plini a couple of times and always been intrigued by his Strandberg. Must say the fanned frets seem alien to me, but the consensus seems to be that you adjust quickly. Ive seen a couple of show's at the Sanctuary, guess I'll have to get over there during the day and try one out.

OT: have you moved, or has where we live become the Twillight Zone? I'm inclined to believe the latter.
 
They had a Pilini at the Sanctuary. I loved that way it played, but did not like the no volume knob thing at all. They did not have a Prog in stock so I ended up getting one directly from Strandberg. The Pilini is actually a modified Prog. Same neck profile and Suhr pickups, but modified to his specs (no tone pot). I am a creature of habit and work my volume and tone knobs a lot so the Pilini didn't work for me.

The Guitar Sanctuary is an awesome store. So many killer guitars and amps under one roof. I'm surprised they do not have drool buckets there. Brian and the rest of the guys are super helpful and such pleasant people to work with. I see them a lot at the Arlington Guitar Show, when I am there either as a guest artist or just an attendee. It had been a while since I visited the store. Wow. Just wow.

I have not moved. Still very much in the Twilight Zone...almost at the Outer Limits.:eek:
 
Strandberg has been on my GAS list recently, and I was thinking seriously about picking one up, but then the Axe-FX III was announced, bumping it down to the future GAS list. Oh well, one day I do plan on joining the club.

I have a friend coming by to jam shortly and he's bringing another makers fanned fret guitar for me to check out, so at least I'll be able to see how I adapt to that soon.
 
They had a Pilini at the Sanctuary. I loved that way it played, but did not like the no volume knob thing at all. They did not have a Prog in stock so I ended up getting one directly from Strandberg. The Pilini is actually a modified Prog. Same neck profile and Suhr pickups, but modified to his specs (no tone pot). I am a creature of habit and work my volume and tone knobs a lot so the Pilini didn't work for me.

The Guitar Sanctuary is an awesome store. So many killer guitars and amps under one roof. I'm surprised they do not have drool buckets there. Brian and the rest of the guys are super helpful and such pleasant people to work with. I see them a lot at the Arlington Guitar Show, when I am there either as a guest artist or just an attendee. It had been a while since I visited the store. Wow. Just wow.

I have not moved. Still very much in the Twilight Zone...almost at the Outer Limits.:eek:


Yeah, I intend to check it out soon. I have perused the inventory on line though...Impressive! Before I Moved here I was spoiled with places like Make n music and, the Chicago Music Exchange. It seems that most of the cool stuff is kept in Austin. But a least McKinney is what 20 minutes closer ?:flushed: Although I did recently discover there was a PRS dealer almost in my back yard. And of course you can't beat the guitar shows here.
 
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