# Convince me : Suhr or Aristides?



## lilstryer (Sep 15, 2018)

I love the Suhr Modern Pro as well as the Aristides 060. I have funds to get either! I've tried both very briefly and loved both dearly. 

People who have owned both, shed a bit of insight? Please?


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## NateFalcon (Sep 15, 2018)

If you’ve played and love both...go by looks. Really only you know what guitar is going to fit you looks wise so roll with that


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## A-Branger (Sep 15, 2018)

I voted for Aristides only because I like how they look better


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 15, 2018)

Go used. Buy both.


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## lilstryer (Sep 15, 2018)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Go used. Buy both.



Haha that's the thing. The Suhr Modern is SO much cheaper used. Aristides seem to have a good resale value based on their finishes?


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## lilstryer (Sep 15, 2018)

A-Branger said:


> I voted for Aristides only because I like how they look better


Haha sick! I love the look as well but is it 2000USD more pretty...that's the question.


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## lilstryer (Sep 15, 2018)

NateFalcon said:


> If you’ve played and love both...go by looks. Really only you know what guitar is going to fit you looks wise so roll with that


The thing I don't just play prog so I feel the Suhr will look more versatile but DAMN the Aristides looks sick. Anyone plays an Aristides and not play prog? haha.


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## vejichan (Sep 15, 2018)

That was my decision between mayones and suhr
...most guitar players using mayones are playing prog and suhr has a pool of guitar players from different genre of music. So i went with suhr


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## narad (Sep 15, 2018)

If you're looking to cop more vintage tones / 80s stuff / more rolled off clean, I'd go for the Suhr. I don't think an Aristides sounds bad in those settings, but the way most come out with the BKP pickups and perhaps the arium, it just seems like a darker, more balanced tone, and doesn't have the bright / spanky / or alternatively more mellow tones of strats/LPs. For a truly versatile guitar, I'd go with the Suhr.

That said, because I have other guitars for these sounds, Aristides is personally next or near-next on my own list. I've liked all the ones I've played, but not a substitute for the Suhr type tones.


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## budda (Sep 15, 2018)

lilstryer said:


> Haha sick! I love the look as well but is it 2000USD more pretty...that's the question.



That's your call. If you have money to burn, you probably already know your answer.



lilstryer said:


> The thing I don't just play prog so I feel the Suhr will look more versatile but DAMN the Aristides looks sick. Anyone plays an Aristides and not play prog? haha.



How will the suhr "look more versatile"? I don't understand what you're trying to convey here. 

The guitar doesn't determine the genre it's used for, though some *generally* suit specific ones reasonably well.

Me? I'd get the Suhr.


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## Avedas (Sep 15, 2018)

I'd go with the Aristides. Not having any wood involved is gonna be nice for humid Asian summers. Also they look cool as fuck and have killer finishes. I also think it's a bit more unique than a Suhr.


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## NateFalcon (Sep 15, 2018)

lilstryer said:


> The thing I don't just play prog so I feel the Suhr will look more versatile but DAMN the Aristides looks sick. Anyone plays an Aristides and not play prog? haha.


...it sounds like you prefer the Aristides lookwise...nobody’s gonna boo you for not playing ‘prog only’ on an Aristides


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## axxessdenied (Sep 15, 2018)

Owned four Suhrs.

Now I have 5 Aristides and a sixth on the way. Suhr is nice but Aristides is next level.


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## Winspear (Sep 15, 2018)

Trying Aristides for the first time this year inspired me like nothing


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Sep 15, 2018)

If it helps, Whitechapel has a guitarist that uses Aristides, and they're not prog.


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## jephjacques (Sep 15, 2018)

New Suhrs are ludicrously overpriced these days. Aristides are amazing but a different animal. Just go with whichever one you think looks better.


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## stratjacket (Sep 15, 2018)

No wrong answer, both are incredible. I like the Suhr Modern look better, so that’d be my choice.


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## Shoeless_jose (Sep 15, 2018)

Im gonna be a dick and suggest a third option. Get a Tom Anderson.


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## Pablo (Sep 15, 2018)

I’m a bit of an old conservative fart, so I’d go with a Suhr Modern... unless you have specific preferences that requires the full custom treatment, I’d pick one from the Pro line, though - possibly used.

Cheers

Eske


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## lilstryer (Sep 16, 2018)

Pablo said:


> I’m a bit of an old conservative fart, so I’d go with a Suhr Modern... unless you have specific preferences that requires the full custom treatment, I’d pick one from the Pro line, though - possibly used.
> 
> Cheers
> 
> Eske


I am afraid I don't really have specific preferences but thanks for letting me know your thoughts!


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## lilstryer (Sep 16, 2018)

Dineley said:


> Im gonna be a dick and suggest a third option. Get a Tom Anderson.


I've actually owned a TA! I didn't quite fancy them though.


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## lilstryer (Sep 16, 2018)

axxessdenied said:


> Owned four Suhrs.
> 
> Now I have 5 Aristides and a sixth on the way. Suhr is nice but Aristides is next level.


DAMN! That's sick. Got any photos to share?


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## lilstryer (Sep 16, 2018)

narad said:


> If you're looking to cop more vintage tones / 80s stuff / more rolled off clean, I'd go for the Suhr. I don't think an Aristides sounds bad in those settings, but the way most come out with the BKP pickups and perhaps the arium, it just seems like a darker, more balanced tone, and doesn't have the bright / spanky / or alternatively more mellow tones of strats/LPs. For a truly versatile guitar, I'd go with the Suhr.
> 
> That said, because I have other guitars for these sounds, Aristides is personally next or near-next on my own list. I've liked all the ones I've played, but not a substitute for the Suhr type tones.




Do you reckon an Aristides can do good strat-like sounds?


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## KnightBrolaire (Sep 16, 2018)

i doubt you can go wrong with either brand, but personally I think aristides is more visually and conceptually interesting. I really like the idea of an all composite guitar that can withstand the ridiculous weather we get here in MN, plus I've come to like the supercar like scoops. YMMV
As far as sound goes, I know aristides offers HSH, HH, HSS and SSS variations so you could definitely cop more vintage tones depending on the pickup choices/wiring options.


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## narad (Sep 16, 2018)

lilstryer said:


> Do you reckon an Aristides can do good strat-like sounds?



A very subjective topic. If you're trying to have like 1-2 guitars and want something that can do strat-ish sounds, I'm sure an Aristides HSS would be pretty decent. However, there's just a smoothness and balance I associate with neck throughs, especially Aristides, that is very different from the response and brightness of teles/strats. 

To me it wouldn't be close enough. Like if I was going to have 5 guitars they'd roughly be LP/strat/tele/metal/semi-hollow, and as you start collapsing those categories you start making pretty big compromises to the sound and the experience.


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## A-Branger (Sep 16, 2018)

guitar brand and looks got nothing NOTHING to do with how it would sound and the styles of music it would be played at.

You wnt to play more "clean" kind of music, then order the Aristides with a different set of pickups with a coil split tone pot so you can have different more versatile sounds. You want more?, get a HSS or a SSS aristides

who gives a massive F about who uses the guitar for what....... you do yourself. IF you want a bright pink sparkle guitar to play death metal, then you fucking go for it, with the right humbuckers who would give a fuck, guitar would sound the same as any other badn...... You want a mate all black guitar to play funk/jazz?.... then get a guitar with the right set of pickups for it.

stop seeing guitar with a stereotype googles. Get what you want bro


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## narad (Sep 16, 2018)

A-Branger said:


> guitar brand and looks got nothing NOTHING to do with how it would sound and the styles of music it would be played at.
> 
> You wnt to play more "clean" kind of music, then order the Aristides with a different set of pickups with a coil split tone pot so you can have different more versatile sounds. You want more?, get a HSS or a SSS aristides
> 
> ...



Did anyone in this thread put forth that opinion?


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## KnightBrolaire (Sep 16, 2018)

narad said:


> Did anyone in this thread put forth that opinion?


after rereading the thread the op said he thought the suhr "looks more versatile" and that he could use it for stuff other than prog


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## Cynicanal (Sep 16, 2018)

I could never play an Aristedes just because those cutouts/indentions and weird horn shapes make them look like toys. Go Suhr.


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## narad (Sep 16, 2018)

KnightBrolaire said:


> after rereading the thread the op said he thought the suhr "looks more versatile" and that he could use it for stuff other than prog



I wasn't interpreting it that way but I don't want to put my neck out and say that's not what he meant. But you know, if someone gives me some 2020 supercar specs I might say, "wow, looks like that's going to be a fast car", even if I haven't seen what it looks like, etc.

But yea, surprisingly no one's brought up that spec-wise Suhr's options are way more varied. It's really a shame Aristides hasn't figured out a way to offer different neck carves, or even off the carve from like the 020 on the 060. The 060 specs are by no means bad, pretty pleasing carve/width/radius, but I'd be lying if I thought they were optimal -- there's a lot of playability specs the Suhr can cater to you. Plus different woods, some different bridges. Honestly, I think just knowing what kind of stuff OP wants to play would be necessary information for any recommendation.


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## axxessdenied (Sep 16, 2018)

lilstryer said:


> Do you reckon an Aristides can do good strat-like sounds?


100% the very first one I ordered was SSS. I also got a pretty sweet little wiring mod that I think they do as a standard feature now if you order SSS. I added a push/pull when you're in the middle position it goes from the middle coil to the two outer coils so essentially adding a sixth position and giving you that tele vibe.


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## dhgrind (Sep 16, 2018)

narad said:


> I wasn't interpreting it that way but I don't want to put my neck out and say that's not what he meant. But you know, if someone gives me some 2020 supercar specs I might say, "wow, looks like that's going to be a fast car", even if I haven't seen what it looks like, etc.
> 
> But yea, surprisingly no one's brought up that spec-wise Suhr's options are way more varied. It's really a shame Aristides hasn't figured out a way to offer different neck carves, or even off the carve from like the 020 on the 060. The 060 specs are by no means bad, pretty pleasing carve/width/radius, but I'd be lying if I thought they were optimal -- there's a lot of playability specs the Suhr can cater to you. Plus different woods, some different bridges. Honestly, I think just knowing what kind of stuff OP wants to play would be necessary information for any recommendation.



the neck carve was the major deciding factor for why i sold my aristides, the sound was fantastic with black winters. I've decided I like shorter scale lengths between 25-25.5 is my optimal range but i also don't tune down to the earths core. Like if i could get a Daemoness cimmerian made of arium... well i could dream right?


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## narad (Sep 16, 2018)

dhgrind said:


> the neck carve was the major deciding factor for why i sold my aristides, the sound was fantastic with black winters. I've decided I like shorter scale lengths between 25-25.5 is my optimal range but i also don't tune down to the earths core. Like if i could get a Daemoness cimmerian made of arium... well i could dream right?



Ha, why would you want a Daemoness made out of arium though? Isn't the humidity pretty constant it AZ? That resilience to moisture/temp, and the environmental friendly bit, are the only 2 things I can think of in wanting an arium Daemoness. But yea, that seems like the least Dylan thing I've ever heard (besides endorsing guitarists for pop bands, and we all know how that went), so I don't think we have to worry about that


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## FourFour (Sep 17, 2018)

Ayyy, fellow Singaporean!
I'd go for the Suhr simply because the everyone seems to be hyping them Aristides guitars these days.

Disclaimer: I have played neither of those guitars. And those Aristides do look really well built.


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## noise in my mind (Sep 17, 2018)

Get a Vigier. They are highly underrated!


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## eugeneelgr (Sep 17, 2018)

Another fellow Singaporean here. Try the modern out first, if you like the lower cutaway. It was too cramped for my liking. Haven't tried an Aristides as well. I would recommend trying a TA Angel as well. From what I'm hearing, it's quite a different breed from the 22 fret models.

Also, try out a PRS custom 24 as well. It won't have a flat radius(10") and stainless frets however, and you might prefer a 25.5" scale but, give it a shot. Fell in love and placed an order for a PS.

If you fancy a second hand Modern, I have one for sale. Pm me.


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## MatiasTolkki (Sep 17, 2018)

KnightBrolaire said:


> i doubt you can go wrong with either brand, but personally I think aristides is more visually and conceptually interesting. I really like the idea of an all composite guitar that can withstand the ridiculous weather we get here in MN, plus I've come to like the supercar like scoops. YMMV
> As far as sound goes, I know aristides offers HSH, HH, HSS and SSS variations so you could definitely cop more vintage tones depending on the pickup choices/wiring options.



I'm with you on this. Aristides are expensive, but they are environmentally friendly and don't use any wood iirc, only synthetic materials, to make their guitars. I'd REALLY love to try one and if I could afford one, i'd so snag one.


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## Ben Pinkus (Sep 17, 2018)

If you're going 2nd hand I'd go Suhr, if you've played an aristides and KNOW you get on with them I'd go for that and then you can spec it how you like. 

I was in the initial stages of an order and Aristides customer service is great. 

I have a Suhr Modern Guthrie spec btw, and its a lovely versatile guitar.


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## narad (Sep 17, 2018)

MatiasTolkki said:


> I'm with you on this. Aristides are expensive, but they are environmentally friendly and don't use any wood iirc, only synthetic materials, to make their guitars. I'd REALLY love to try one and if I could afford one, i'd so snag one.



There's a demo guitar they send around, each person gets it for a week and forwards it to the next. I know there's other guys in Japan who want to try, and Tokyo is convenient enough we may be able to physically hand it off if we can get it over here. I'm mostly set on mine, but would mind a dedicated week to make a decision.


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## MatiasTolkki (Sep 17, 2018)

narad said:


> There's a demo guitar they send around, each person gets it for a week and forwards it to the next. I know there's other guys in Japan who want to try, and Tokyo is convenient enough we may be able to physically hand it off if we can get it over here. I'm mostly set on mine, but would mind a dedicated week to make a decision.



Really? didn't know about that. I think the only place that sells them though, as a dealer, is Soundhouse, and i've used them when Kiesel was still carvin and they were the dealer. They had no clue WTF they were doing, I asked lots of questions (in Japanese of course) and they were slow to respond and didn't know the details of a lot of the options (this is when I ordered my JB200). If you want to just straight up buy something, they are cheap as hell and are very good, but once custom order stuff from foreign builders is brought into the equation, they are absolute shit.


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## yuri_1973 (Sep 17, 2018)

noise in my mind said:


> Get a Vigier. They are highly underrated!



TRUE, I second this


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## narad (Sep 17, 2018)

MatiasTolkki said:


> Really? didn't know about that. I think the only place that sells them though, as a dealer, is Soundhouse, and i've used them when Kiesel was still carvin and they were the dealer. They had no clue WTF they were doing, I asked lots of questions (in Japanese of course) and they were slow to respond and didn't know the details of a lot of the options (this is when I ordered my JB200). If you want to just straight up buy something, they are cheap as hell and are very good, but once custom order stuff from foreign builders is brought into the equation, they are absolute shit.



No need to involve a dealer with Aristides though. For real though, it's worth trying to put together a Japan tour for that guitar. Every player I meet here is complaining about setups and humidity.


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## MatiasTolkki (Sep 17, 2018)

narad said:


> No need to involve a dealer with Aristides though. For real though, it's worth trying to put together a Japan tour for that guitar. Every player I meet here is complaining about setups and humidity.



Really? I thought Aristides was only available through them. I'll have to look into them a bit more, if more than just Soundhouse carries them, I'll have to look around when I get some time.


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## TedEH (Sep 17, 2018)

IMO the Aristides strikes me as a more unique piece... so if you have other, more traditional guitars already, I'd go for the Aristides. I can't see going wrong in either case though. Between the two I've only ever played a couple of Suhrs in shops and it was pretty great.


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## pott (Sep 17, 2018)

A lot of brands mentioned in here...
I've had or currently have 2 Suhrs, 2 Vigiers, 2 Aristides, 1 Tom Anderson.

I rate Aristides the best here, then Vigier, then TA. I am keeping one of my 2 current Aristides and have 2 more on orders with them. I am also keeping my TA and Vigier GV (which is just an INSANELY good axe).
I am selling my two Suhrs; one I don't enjoy a lot though it's a good guitar, sure. The other is super fun to play and sounds amazing (Aldrich pickups...) but I have 2 many 6 strings. 

They all have very different feels. The Aristides and Vigier feel extremely modern and precise. The Suhrs are more fun and versatile, and the TA is, to me, super inspiring (though it's the only one with build 'issues' to speak of, where the top's dye has bled onto the natural binding quite a bit).

If you want something that feels like an existing great guitar, a Suhr will be no wrong. If you want something next level, with a 10-years into the future-type vibe, Aristides is where it's at. Somewhere down the middle is Vigier. My TA Angel feels quite different than my Suhrs (it's a much larger instrument) and is in its own niche there: just a great axe even with nothing to compare directly to.


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## sakeido (Sep 17, 2018)

Aristides body shape is possibly the worst take on a Strat-type 2 horn guitar ever. Absolutely fuck ugly, poorly proportioned guitars with a 12th fret inlay so stupid they make the ESP flags look tasteful

Suhrs on the other hand are insanely gorgeous.

Buuuut Aristides is also a very forward looking, future conscious guitar with really cool technology that goes into the build. Suhrs are very traditional, but their pricing has gone up even faster than average for the high end guitar market so there is no value there at all. My Suhr custom carve top is still my favorite guitar I own (hands down) but I wouldn't buy another one these days.

So my vote goes to the pug ugly, misshapen pancake Aristides. Altho if I wanted a guitar with a similar build, I'd actually get a Flaxwood... they've been building guitars that way for much longer than Aristides but the huge size contraction in their dealer network that happened a few years ago is very disconcerting.


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## vilk (Sep 17, 2018)

I recommend used Ibanez prestige


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## xzacx (Sep 17, 2018)

sakeido said:


> with a 12th fret inlay so stupid they make the ESP flags look tasteful



I don't actually hate the Aristides shape that much—I don't love it, but I don't think the Suhr Modern shape is particularly attractive either. But the awfulness of that inlay is hard to overstate. I'd like to get one some day, but it would have to be without that. It's definitely one of the very few that the ESP inlay compares favorably against.


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## Jonathan20022 (Sep 17, 2018)

You have to convince yourself, both guitars are different to the core and are both made by some of the best people in the game. You literally can't go wrong either way, just go based on your needs spec-wise and whatever you want aesthetically.

Like I said, no wrong choice here see what they both do and see what can build what you have in mind.

I don't agree with the pricing comparisons, Suhr has gone up but so has the Euro. So unless you're wanting a basic Suhr with no options I think if you get something decently spec'd it should match the final price of an Aristides with anything over a solid/satin color finish.


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## pott (Sep 17, 2018)

The inlay is completely optional. None of my 4 Aristides have/will have it.


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## Shoeless_jose (Sep 17, 2018)

pott said:


> The inlay is completely optional. None of my 4 Aristides have/will have it.



But what will people bitch about now?!?!?!? 

Im assuming the inlay gripe is mostly just people who cant afford them telling themselves they wont buy it for the inlay so they dont feel bitter about not having one


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## sakeido (Sep 17, 2018)

Dineley said:


> But what will people bitch about now?!?!?!?
> 
> Im assuming the inlay gripe is mostly just people who cant afford them telling themselves they wont buy it for the inlay so they dont feel bitter about not having one



maybe I don't like my guitars to have Microsoft Window pack-in fonts on the fretboard?

but yeah I can't afford it and am just hating so I can sleep at night


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## Shoeless_jose (Sep 17, 2018)

sakeido said:


> maybe I don't like my guitars to have Microsoft Window pack-in fonts on the fretboard?
> 
> but yeah I can't afford it and am just hating so I can sleep at night
> View attachment 64074



I meant since its optional!!!


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## narad (Sep 17, 2018)

sakeido said:


> Aristides body shape is possibly the worst take on a Strat-type 2 horn guitar ever. Absolutely fuck ugly, poorly proportioned guitars with a 12th fret inlay so stupid they make the ESP flags look tasteful



Damn straight. Had to pass on so many nice used ones because they have the dumb inlay on there.


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## khanate7 (Sep 18, 2018)

All i know is that the only time ive tried to buy a "custom" suhr, they denied every single thing about the build. 

"
We do not have Mahogany thick enough for a carve top, so he will have to get a top (which could be Mahogany as well if he wanted).
We will need to change some of the colors of the neon drip or add colors to be different from the limited run we did.
We do not offer the 1.625” nut width on the set necks
The neck and back need to match and either be gloss or satin. We cannot do a satin neck and gloss top/back on a set neck. 
We cannot do a single bridge pickup on a Modern due to the neck joint, it needs a pickup in the neck as well.
We cannot do a single Volume knob on a Carve Top, it needs to have both holes for V/T. You can put a 3-way toggle in place of the Tone knob to fill the hole."


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## Snarpaasi (Sep 18, 2018)

khanate7 said:


> All i know is that the only time ive tried to buy a "custom" suhr, they denied every single thing about the build.
> 
> "
> We do not have Mahogany thick enough for a carve top, so he will have to get a top (which could be Mahogany as well if he wanted).
> ...



...and people complain about Carvin (Kiesel, whops) not being able to customize every single detail for half or less the price of a Suhr.

I have never tried an Aristides but definitely would like to. Then again, I've tested ~10 different Suhrs and each of them except one felt like "this is a well built instrument, but hardly inspires or gives any feelings at all".


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## A-Branger (Sep 18, 2018)

narad said:


> Did anyone in this thread put forth that opinion?



kinda


KnightBrolaire said:


> after rereading the thread the op said he thought the suhr "looks more versatile" and that he could use it for stuff other than prog



^yup. My coment was because OP post:



lilstryer said:


> The thing I don't just play prog so I feel the Suhr will look more versatile but DAMN the Aristides looks sick. Anyone plays an Aristides and not play prog? haha.



so I was trying to say that the looks of a guitar doesnt matter, And specialyl with these companies where you can get different pickups combinations for different styles of music. Only thing would be the neck shape/fretboard radius kinda specs

also I think I was drunk when I wrote that  so sorry about it


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## xzacx (Sep 18, 2018)

Dineley said:


> But what will people bitch about now?!?!?!?
> 
> Im assuming the inlay gripe is mostly just people who cant afford them telling themselves they wont buy it for the inlay so they dont feel bitter about not having one



Really? Is that why people criticize Kiesels too? It's not taste in design, they're just broke?


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## Avedas (Sep 18, 2018)

MatiasTolkki said:


> Really? I thought Aristides was only available through them. I'll have to look into them a bit more, if more than just Soundhouse carries them, I'll have to look around when I get some time.


Soundhouse also only carries pretty old models for the most part. I'm not surprised they don't know anything about Aristides now because they're probably barely dealing with them anymore. I haven't sorted out my priority list of "shit I want" quite yet but a custom Aristides order is gonna be coming this way at some point.


Also I saw Intervals tonight and the second guitarist's Aristides lineup stood out way more than Aaron's Suhrs. I also really like Aaron's Suhrs.


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## Kyle Jordan (Sep 18, 2018)

khanate7 said:


> All i know is that the only time ive tried to buy a "custom" suhr, they denied every single thing about the build.
> 
> "
> We do not have Mahogany thick enough for a carve top, so he will have to get a top (which could be Mahogany as well if he wanted).
> ...



That sucks. Kind of in the same vein of Suhr charging something like $200 extra for black hardware. That irked me when I first saw it over a decade ago. 

OP, the Modern can get you some Strat-ish tones quite well. Sadly, I have no experience with Aristides. Something else to keep in mind is that if you go with Suhr (or Anderson which has been suggested to you by others) you can get a roasted maple neck of some type and that should perform well for you in the humidity you'll face. I know Tom Anderson has stated that their Chocolate Maple (not their Caramelized Maple though) is almost impervious to climate.


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## MatiasTolkki (Sep 18, 2018)

Avedas said:


> Soundhouse also only carries pretty old models for the most part. I'm not surprised they don't know anything about Aristides now because they're probably barely dealing with them anymore. I haven't sorted out my priority list of "shit I want" quite yet but a custom Aristides order is gonna be coming this way at some point.
> 
> 
> Also I saw Intervals tonight and the second guitarist's Aristides lineup stood out way more than Aaron's Suhrs. I also really like Aaron's Suhrs.



Just did a quick search on Digimart and only a used 070 that sold came up. Guess you gotta order direct to get one now.


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## lilstryer (Sep 18, 2018)

Avedas said:


> Soundhouse also only carries pretty old models for the most part. I'm not surprised they don't know anything about Aristides now because they're probably barely dealing with them anymore. I haven't sorted out my priority list of "shit I want" quite yet but a custom Aristides order is gonna be coming this way at some point.
> 
> 
> Also I saw Intervals tonight and the second guitarist's Aristides lineup stood out way more than Aaron's Suhrs. I also really like Aaron's Suhrs.


omg that's the same experience I had. It's Sam Jacobs. I love the sound of Aaron's guitar but damn does the Aristides look good.


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## lilstryer (Sep 18, 2018)

Kyle Jordan said:


> That sucks. Kind of in the same vein of Suhr charging something like $200 extra for black hardware. That irked me when I first saw it over a decade ago.
> 
> OP, the Modern can get you some Strat-ish tones quite well. Sadly, I have no experience with Aristides. Something else to keep in mind is that if you go with Suhr (or Anderson which has been suggested to you by others) you can get a roasted maple neck of some type and that should perform well for you in the humidity you'll face. I know Tom Anderson has stated that their Chocolate Maple (not their Caramelized Maple though) is almost impervious to climate.


Yeah I am more curious about the range of tones I can get with the Aristides compared to the Suhr. Thanks for the advice!


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## lilstryer (Sep 18, 2018)

pott said:


> A lot of brands mentioned in here...
> I've had or currently have 2 Suhrs, 2 Vigiers, 2 Aristides, 1 Tom Anderson.
> 
> I rate Aristides the best here, then Vigier, then TA. I am keeping one of my 2 current Aristides and have 2 more on orders with them. I am also keeping my TA and Vigier GV (which is just an INSANELY good axe).
> ...


This was extremely helpful! How about playability? How does the Aristides compare to the Suhr?


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## budda (Sep 18, 2018)

lilstryer said:


> This was extremely helpful! How about playability? How does the Aristides compare to the Suhr?



They are both high end guitars, so they will play as such. Neither is better, they are different instruments.

Buy the guitar you wont want to put down.


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## Musiscience (Sep 18, 2018)

As a lot of other people have said, just buy the one you vibe with the most. During the last few years I have played, sold and owned a lot of top of the line guitars and at this level of craftsmanship, it’s really a question of preference rather than one being better than the other. A Suhr classic T custom will be just as good as a Mayones Duvell, just very different.


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## tedtan (Sep 18, 2018)

It all comes down to personal preference. The Aristades doesn't work for me visually (the scoops, in particular), but that's just me.


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## bnzboy (Sep 18, 2018)

Suhr for me. Suhrs are readily available and play really nice.


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## Shoeless_jose (Sep 18, 2018)

xzacx said:


> Really? Is that why people criticize Kiesels too? It's not taste in design, they're just broke?



It was a tad of hyperbole. But its an option!!!! Saying you arent buying something because of an optional inlay is just silly.


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## xzacx (Sep 18, 2018)

Dineley said:


> It was a tad of hyperbole. But its an option!!!! Saying you arent buying something because of an optional inlay is just silly.



Well, I didn't say that, I said if I bought one it would have to be without it. But IMO it's not entirely silly to say it outright either—it's all part of the branding. To me, that design is so bad that it cheapens the entire image. I associate it with the guitar whether it's there or not. It's supposed to be this premium, forward-thinking design, and it has a font right smack in the middle of the fretboard that is anything but. I'm sure I'll end up buying one eventually, but I probably would have already if not for my impression of that.


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## Shoeless_jose (Sep 18, 2018)

xzacx said:


> Well, I didn't say that, I said if I bought one it would have to be without it. But IMO it's not entirely silly to say it outright either—it's all part of the branding. To me, that design is so bad that it cheapens the entire image. I associate it with the guitar whether it's there or not. It's supposed to be this premium, forward-thinking design, and it has a font right smack in the middle of the fretboard that is anything but. I'm sure I'll end up buying one eventually, but I probably would have already if not for my impression of that.



Fair enough


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## A-Branger (Sep 18, 2018)

lilstryer said:


> Yeah I am more curious about the range of tones I can get with the Aristides compared to the Suhr. Thanks for the advice!



Order an Aristides with the same pickups and the same pickup/electronics configurations and bridge than the Suhr.... There, you got the same range of tones. You might need to EQ your amp a bit different due to the guitar natural "tone", But range would be the same. Again, looks dont matter for how a guitar sounds

What it matter is the playability, get the one with the right specs for you on scale lenght, neck shape, fretboard radius ect



budda said:


> They are both high end guitars, so they will play as such. Neither is better, they are different instruments.
> 
> Buy the guitar you wont want to put down.



^^ that, so much that ^^


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## Vyn (Sep 18, 2018)

My answer is neither unless they are really what you are after and you can't find the specs on anything else. Personally getting sick of boutique brands/manufacturers.


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## pott (Sep 18, 2018)

lilstryer said:


> This was extremely helpful! How about playability? How does the Aristides compare to the Suhr?



Glad  As for your question, as it's been said earlier, you really can't go wrong with Aristides or any of the other brands mentioned in this thread. These are all high-end guitars with strong representation; they will all play as well as it gets given the same good setup. I wouldn't worry too much about it.


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## narad (Sep 18, 2018)

A-Branger said:


> Order an Aristides with the same pickups and the same pickup/electronics configurations and bridge than the Suhr.... There, you got the same range of tones. You might need to EQ your amp a bit different due to the guitar natural "tone", But range would be the same. Again, looks dont matter for how a guitar sounds



Really have to disagree with this though. My Suhr has the classic-style gotoh 510, and so I haven't played an Aristides with that style (I don't think they do them), but it's night and day. They feel very different (the body, the weight, the balancing, the heel, the neck carve, the neck width), and the natural timbre of the instruments is very different. Les Pauls with single coils and trems don't sound or feel like strats. I dig both these instruments, but if I was OP I would imagine there really is a right answer. Not about looks, but about being fundamentally different things.


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## dhgrind (Sep 18, 2018)

narad said:


> Ha, why would you want a Daemoness made out of arium though? Isn't the humidity pretty constant it AZ? That resilience to moisture/temp, and the environmental friendly bit, are the only 2 things I can think of in wanting an arium Daemoness. But yea, that seems like the least Dylan thing I've ever heard (besides endorsing guitarists for pop bands, and we all know how that went), so I don't think we have to worry about that



Oh just me wanting that stupid stability Incase I ever become famous and tour (ha never gonna happen)


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## A-Branger (Sep 18, 2018)

narad said:


> They feel very different (the body, the weight, the balancing, the heel, the neck carve, the neck width),



exactly, they feel different. But not that they cant get the same range of tones and be used for same styles. Yes, there might be a slight variation in tone due to construction/materials, but nothing major that it cant be fixed with the right set of pickups and/or amp settings. (IF you really want an A=B matched tone out of the two guitars).

But thats my point, for the OP to focus on the feel, the things that would make him be comfortable and help him to have a better playing experience, rather than what range of sounds both guitar can accomplish


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## budda (Sep 18, 2018)

dhgrind said:


> Oh just me wanting that stupid stability Incase I ever become famous and tour (ha never gonna happen)



People tour epi's and MIM standard fenders for years.


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## dhgrind (Sep 19, 2018)

budda said:


> People tour epi's and MIM standard fenders for years.


and thats fine for them... i'm a gear whore what more can i say.


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## lilstryer (Sep 19, 2018)

A-Branger said:


> exactly, they feel different. But not that they cant get the same range of tones and be used for same styles. Yes, there might be a slight variation in tone due to construction/materials, but nothing major that it cant be fixed with the right set of pickups and/or amp settings. (IF you really want an A=B matched tone out of the two guitars).
> 
> But thats my point, for the OP to focus on the feel, the things that would make him be comfortable and help him to have a better playing experience, rather than what range of sounds both guitar can accomplish



Thanks for that! I appreciate the sentiment. Personally, I am a big fan of Strandbergs because of their playability. I am leaning towards the Aristides just because I 've heard how resonant and how different they are from other super strats.

Honestly, I never expected this thread to have so much helpful comments! Thank you all for your feedback! AS for now, I am going to wait for the release of the R series for Aristides. I heard it's going to be slightly cheaper in terms of the starting cost so that's a relief. Just curious (and excited) on when it's gonna be released!


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## budda (Sep 19, 2018)

dhgrind said:


> and thats fine for them... i'm a gear whore what more can i say.



You can be a gear whore and still understand that a $500 guitar can do a world tour as well as a boutique one. Just want to make sure that bit gets through .


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## Jonathan20022 (Sep 19, 2018)

narad said:


> Really have to disagree with this though. My Suhr has the classic-style gotoh 510, and so I haven't played an Aristides with that style (I don't think they do them), but it's night and day. They feel very different (the body, the weight, the balancing, the heel, the neck carve, the neck width), and the natural timbre of the instruments is very different. Les Pauls with single coils and trems don't sound or feel like strats. I dig both these instruments, but if I was OP I would imagine there really is a right answer. Not about looks, but about being fundamentally different things.



To be fair, the 060 I just got that I showed you has the same pickups as my Suhr Classic and other than being slightly warmer the tones are pretty much identical. The single coils at least.


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## MattV (Sep 19, 2018)

How to choose between two options: flip a coin; catch the coin; before looking at the coin, you will know if you strongly prefer one option or the other; if still required, consult the coin.


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## A-Branger (Sep 19, 2018)

MattV said:


> How to choose between two options: flip a coin; catch the coin; before looking at the coin, you will know if you strongly prefer one option or the other; if still required, consult the coin.


"2 out of 3 times"

if you think that, then you wanted the other option lol


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## oracles (Sep 19, 2018)

Vyn said:


> Personally getting sick of boutique brands/manufacturers.



Yeah, nice things suck. Probably gonna sell all mine and replace them with the cheapest aliexpress guitars I can find.


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## budda (Sep 19, 2018)

oracles said:


> Yeah, nice things suck. Probably gonna sell all mine and replace them with the cheapest aliexpress guitars I can find.



Or just the most reliable production model.

Boutique used to be for "no one else makes this with these specs" and now it seems to be mostly for bragging and YT views, with a small percentage of people who actually couldnt find what they wanted elsewhere. Getting a custom daemoness for a wild graphic makes sense to me. Getting a mayones in north america for YT videos does not.

A good chunk of the guys playing the frets off these high end guitars are out gigging and practicing .

At the end of the day, buy whatever you want. If you're just trying to be trendy, at least you are helping someone eat.


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## dhgrind (Sep 19, 2018)

budda said:


> You can be a gear whore and still understand that a $500 guitar can do a world tour as well as a boutique one. Just want to make sure that bit gets through .



-visible confusion-


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## Vyn (Sep 19, 2018)

oracles said:


> Yeah, nice things suck. Probably gonna sell all mine and replace them with the cheapest aliexpress guitars I can find.



You're missing the point entirely - you can have a nice, a very nice guitar from pretty much any manufacturer. I just don't see the point in spending $2k extra just to have the flavour of the month builder's logo on the headstock.



budda said:


> Or just the most reliable production model.
> 
> Boutique used to be for "no one else makes this with these specs" and now it seems to be mostly for bragging and YT views, with a small percentage of people who actually couldnt find what they wanted elsewhere. Getting a custom daemoness for a wild graphic makes sense to me. Getting a mayones in north america for YT videos does not.
> 
> ...



^ This guy gets it.


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## narad (Sep 20, 2018)

Pascal has a new kid -- think of the children!! John Suhr's kid is old enough to work at Suhr. +1 Aristides


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## Jonathan20022 (Sep 20, 2018)

budda said:


> Or just the most reliable production model.
> 
> Boutique used to be for "no one else makes this with these specs" and now it seems to be mostly for bragging and YT views, with a small percentage of people who actually couldnt find what they wanted elsewhere. Getting a custom daemoness for a wild graphic makes sense to me. Getting a mayones in north america for YT videos does not.
> 
> ...



I actually don't agree with a single thing you just said, your viewpoint just seeps cynicism. No one buys gear for Youtube Videos and the 3 cent check you get cut in 2 years when your channel breaks a couple hundred followers. You're on a forum where people habitually showcase their new instruments, I'd like to think a majority of people are just enamored by their new guitar. This isn't reddit, and there's no more popularity points to farm on here (Thank God). Overall I think you vastly misinterpret how people decide on making purchases, people buy based on trends and what is currently popular, sure. But if anyone's buying guitars as a form of status symbol, I'd wager they're in an extreme minority, and also not very bright in the first place.

I also don't get the obsession with hating people for wanting a custom instrument, if all you want is function over form and aesthetic then go grab yourself a black RG and play that for the rest of your life. Doesn't mean other people should settle for things they feel are missing from their choices currently available. Boutique used to mean multithousand dollar Fenders/Gibsons/Vintage Guitars & Amps, and that hasn't changed. You should be glad there's more luthiery talent out there perfecting their craft and making the custom guitars people envision a reality for far less than it used to cost.


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## Vyn (Sep 20, 2018)

Jonathan20022 said:


> But if anyone's buying guitars as a form of status symbol, I'd wager they're in an extreme minority, and also not very bright in the first place.



This is a lot more common than people think - the amount of people who don't even play guitar but have cash to burn and want a 10k USA Strat / USA Gibson on the wall as an art piece is ridiculous. 



Jonathan20022 said:


> I also don't get the obsession with hating people for wanting a custom instrument, if all you want is function over form and aesthetic then go grab yourself a black RG and play that for the rest of your life. Doesn't mean other people should settle for things they feel are missing from their choices currently available. Boutique used to mean multithousand dollar Fenders/Gibsons/Vintage Guitars & Amps, and that hasn't changed. You should be glad there's more luthiery talent out there perfecting their craft and making the custom guitars people envision a reality for far less than it used to cost.



I'm not hating on the dude for wanting a custom, I'm just expressing my opinion that he could save quite a bit of coin by going with a major manufacturer if they offer the specs he's after. I personally do not understand paying more for something that is of equal quality and condition.


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## budda (Sep 20, 2018)

Jonathan20022 said:


> I actually don't agree with a single thing you just said, your viewpoint just seeps cynicism. No one buys gear for Youtube Videos and the 3 cent check you get cut in 2 years when your channel breaks a couple hundred followers. You're on a forum where people habitually showcase their new instruments, I'd like to think a majority of people are just enamored by their new guitar. This isn't reddit, and there's no more popularity points to farm on here (Thank God). Overall I think you vastly misinterpret how people decide on making purchases, people buy based on trends and what is currently popular, sure. But if anyone's buying guitars as a form of status symbol, I'd wager they're in an extreme minority, and also not very bright in the first place.
> 
> I also don't get the obsession with hating people for wanting a custom instrument, if all you want is function over form and aesthetic then go grab yourself a black RG and play that for the rest of your life. Doesn't mean other people should settle for things they feel are missing from their choices currently available. Boutique used to mean multithousand dollar Fenders/Gibsons/Vintage Guitars & Amps, and that hasn't changed. You should be glad there's more luthiery talent out there perfecting their craft and making the custom guitars people envision a reality for far less than it used to cost.



Yes, people *do* buy guitars just for YT. You don't remember the Jared Dines debable with the guitar-with-too-many-strings? 

I'm on a few forums, and I've been on them for 14 years. One notices trends. There's definitely popularity points to be earned. In the age of social media, people do in fact buy or say stuff for the fleeting attention and likes. You may not believe that, but it doesn't make it less true.

Where did I say I hate anyone for going custom? Man, I have a custom. I'm having a second custom guitar built as I type. I dislike when people who more or less don't actually need a custom decide to get one as a product of being here, when they could put half that money in the bank (because they will need it later) and still get a kick ass, gorgeous guitar. But that's 29 year old me talking, because 18 year old me didn't know so well. Call it a "don't repeat my mistakes" thing, which most older forum members try to impart .

Where did I say I'm angry that there's more options?

I'd say you don't understand where I'm coming from, so I hope I've explained myself better.

As I said - I don't care what the other guys are playing, because it's not my money. But if someone can save $2k towards life/more gear/other hobbies and *still* get something sweet, I'm gonna suggest it.


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## Nick (Sep 20, 2018)

I voted suhr because I own a modern. Its essentially Stratbanez with extremely good build quality. if that sounds like your thing go for it.


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## secretpizza (Sep 20, 2018)

Aristides is pretty hard to beat, if you can find one for a reasonable price. The neck profile is the most comfortable of any guitar I've played, and although you're going to get insane build quality either way with these two options, I've yet to find a defect on either of the Aristides I own, or any of the ones I've played.


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## Jonathan20022 (Sep 21, 2018)

Vyn said:


> This is a lot more common than people think - the amount of people who don't even play guitar but have cash to burn and want a 10k USA Strat / USA Gibson on the wall as an art piece is ridiculous.
> 
> I'm not hating on the dude for wanting a custom, I'm just expressing my opinion that he could save quite a bit of coin by going with a major manufacturer if they offer the specs he's after. I personally do not understand paying more for something that is of equal quality and condition.



I get that, and while the quality argument is totally subjective and based on what the player has experienced. High end guitars in the 1.5 - 2.5k range are arguably amazing and better than anything cheaper than that, at least in my experience. And sure but most people you're describing are older players with huge collections from over the years and they have 20+ guitars on wall hangers, I think it's also very short sighted to assume people who want expensive guitars can't play. The argument of needing to be this good to play gear in this price range is a very tired one, I remember a novice bought a TAM100 and didn't even know what all the tones were called or what the switches did and he got so much shit on Youtube over it. He deserves that guitar the same way anyone else does because you buy what you want to play. So even if there is some guy who buys a 10k Les Paul and just hangs it up and doesn't know how to play, who cares?

The logic doesn't fall in line in any other industry either, Sports Cars, Designer Watches. The cheaper products absolutely function the same but there always has been a market for the higher end of the spectrum where people appreciate the finer details and care taken during the build process. Different strokes, he'll I've met guitarists who are well off and instead of having 4 multi thousand guitars they elect to collect older 80's/90's guitars and have like two dozen of them, older Charvels/Jacksons/Fenders/etc.



budda said:


> Yes, people *do* buy guitars just for YT. You don't remember the Jared Dines debable with the guitar-with-too-many-strings?
> 
> I'm on a few forums, and I've been on them for 14 years. One notices trends. There's definitely popularity points to be earned. In the age of social media, people do in fact buy or say stuff for the fleeting attention and likes. You may not believe that, but it doesn't make it less true.
> 
> ...



Sure Dines, but that's also his career so it's different from who I was talking about. He's already a youtube success and partnered with a brand to not only benefit his channel but Ormsby as well, it's a little different than a nobody buying an expensive guitar thinking it'll skyrocket their view/subscriber count overnight the second they record a video with that guitar. I've actually shied away from posting everything I get on social media and even making videos all the time because I felt like people focused on that more than my playing, which annoyed me since I actually put countless hours into practice even to this day. 

I didn't say you were angry or you in particular hated anyone for getting customs, but you were saying rather obvious things such as cheaper gear exists that plays just as well. I feel like most people understand that since most people probably started on an LTD and eventually started putting more and more money into the hobby as time goes on. I get where you're coming from with the setting money aside, I definitely should have done that rather than buy so much gear but you live and you learn hah. But yeah, I don't honestly feel like scoffing at novices with crazy good gear and older guys with less time to play with Private Stocks hanging in a basement somewhere personally.


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## xzacx (Sep 21, 2018)

Jonathan20022 said:


> He deserves that guitar the same way anyone else does because you buy what you want to play. So even if there is some guy who buys a 10k Les Paul and just hangs it up and doesn't know how to play, who cares?
> 
> The logic doesn't fall in line in any other industry either, Sports Cars, Designer Watches.



I totally agree with this, and I like to think of myself as a decent player. Imagine the logic of saying how good at telling time you'd would need to be to own a Patek Grand Complication or something? The only thing one needs to be able to do to play expensive gear is be able to afford it. I don't care if people are strictly collectors and don't play at all even. I might not value someone like that's opinion on how something plays, for example, but I'm not mad at them for having it.


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## EchelonXIII (Sep 22, 2018)

Both guitars are different beasts all together. Suhrs are lovingly crafted while Aristides are engineered.
Personally I prefer the benefits and tonal characteristics of the Arium for any and all ERG. 

As far as standard 6-strings go; it is a tie for me, but I must say that Aristides has some of the best thought out guitar designs out there and that playing one is pure comfort. 

If you are in the position to get a super nice finish, Aristides it is


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## narad (Sep 22, 2018)

EchelonXIII said:


> Both guitars are different beasts all together. Suhrs are lovingly crafted while Aristides are engineered.



Just because they fill their offices with blue print style drawings, have not functioning vents, and give their body material a name, they're engineered..


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 22, 2018)

narad said:


> Just because they fill their offices with blue print style drawings, have not functioning vents, and give their body material a name, they're engineered..



Not "engineered", but _Engineered _with the uppercase "E" and the fancy italics.

It's not engineerd like a Toyota they're _Engineered_ like a Tesla.

Get with the program narad.


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## narad (Sep 22, 2018)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Not "engineered", but _Engineered _with the uppercase "E" and the fancy italics.
> 
> It's not engineerd like a Toyota they're _Engineered_ like a Tesla.
> 
> Get with the program narad.



So you're telling me I should buy Aristides stock?

But yea... I mean, there's an approximate right angle on the back of the guitar edge near the ribcage, and flat back side. Classic form over function. So I'm not going to give them engineering credit for building the guitar that looks most like a spaceship -- you don't hug a spaceship for hours on end. Unless you're Elon.


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## MaxOfMetal (Sep 22, 2018)

narad said:


> So you're telling me I should buy Aristides stock?
> 
> But yea... I mean, there's an approximate right angle on the back of the guitar edge near the ribcage, and flat back side. Classic form over function. So I'm not going to give them engineering credit for building the guitar that looks most like a spaceship -- you don't hug a spaceship for hours on end. Unless you're Elon.



I'm telling you to watch out for the Aristides bulls, lest they think you're a short.


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## EchelonXIII (Sep 25, 2018)

narad said:


> So you're telling me I should buy Aristides stock?
> 
> But yea... I mean, there's an approximate right angle on the back of the guitar edge near the ribcage, and flat back side. Classic form over function. So I'm not going to give them engineering credit for building the guitar that looks most like a spaceship -- you don't hug a spaceship for hours on end. Unless you're Elon.



I guess I can speak for more than most here considering I've owned both an 060 and a Suhr Modern.

Like I said, different animals, but to say that an 060 would be remotely uncomfortable is plain wrong. The 060 in my book is one of the most comfortable instruments for elongated playing out there. Wether you prefer the former over the latter is a manner of taste. However, from a building and durability standpoint, If I were to order a guitar from scratch , I would go with an 060(s) in a heartbeat.


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## narad (Sep 25, 2018)

EchelonXIII said:


> I guess I can speak for more than most here considering I've owned both an 060 and a Suhr Modern.
> 
> Like I said, different animals, but to say that an 060 would be remotely uncomfortable is plain wrong. The 060 in my book is one of the most comfortable instruments for elongated playing out there. Wether you prefer the former over the latter is a manner of taste. However, from a building and durability standpoint, If I were to order a guitar from scratch , I would go with an 060(s) in a heartbeat.



It's not uncomfortable, but there's really nothing about a flat surface into your ribs that screams ergonomics first. It's not uncomfortable, it's just less comfortable than any guitar I own that's not based on a shape from the 1950s.


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## pott (Sep 25, 2018)

I agree with the above (also have had both Suhrs and Aristides): my Suhrs are more comfortable, especially for longer playing sessions.
The issue with the Aristides body shape is that they're very slick: they tend to slide away and require being kept in-place while playing, if sitting down. Standing up is not an issue.
It's not to say the Aristides aren't comfortable. But there are guitars easier to maintain in playing position, for longer, and without as many edges as Aristides for sure.


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