# Strandberg Boden os 7: Pros and Cons?



## Dredg (Aug 27, 2017)

Although I have an Ormsby Goliath headed my way in November, I'm in the market for a second headless 7 string. I've contemplated getting a second Goliath, but I also found this lefty Strandberg on Reverb: https://reverb.com/item/4590306-strandberg-boden-7-os-left-handed-2015-purple-with-flame-top

I'd love to hear the community's thoughts on Strandberg's Boden line, both the good and the bad.

For context, I own an Ormsby 6 and have no complaints about the multiscale spread or the neck.


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## diagrammatiks (Aug 28, 2017)

I wouldn't buy a 2015 rosewood without being able to inspect it and return it if necessary.


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## Dredg (Aug 28, 2017)

diagrammatiks said:


> I wouldn't buy a 2015 rosewood without being able to inspect it and return it if necessary.


Did that run have problems?


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## diagrammatiks (Aug 28, 2017)

Dredg said:


> Did that run have problems?



they are just really inconsistent. I mean if your willing to spend a bit of money on top of the asking price to get a fret level and a setup if necessary then it's fine I guess.


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## Dredg (Aug 28, 2017)

diagrammatiks said:


> they are just really inconsistent. I mean if your willing to spend a bit of money on top of the asking price to get a fret level and a setup if necessary then it's fine I guess.


I've already talked to the seller and it seems sketchy. As-Is sale as well... but I've never seen a lefty strandberg hit the market before.


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## blacai (Aug 28, 2017)

I had a '16 os7 with lace pickups. I was a very nice one. Very comfortable, although endure neck didn't feel "amazing". I played normal the same way I usually do with all my others guitars.
I sold it because I had too many guitars(yes, it is possible...) and a friend of mine wanted to buy one strandberg without paying the almost 2k.
They are ok, light, something that is very important to lot of people. Some flaws I noticed in mine:
-Nut were not "in line" and the first string goes crooked->Extra tension for the string. I had to adusted it.
-Electronics. I am sorry, but the wiring was badly done. Like any 500 cheap guitar and the coverplate had the holes wrong, not matching with the body. Very disappointing.


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## Bdtunn (Aug 28, 2017)

I had one of the lefties from that run. I sold mine as I couldn't really click with it. I ran into some issues with it as well. 

I have a lefty Oakland axe factory 7 string headless for sale for less then the strandy. It's all hand built. Selling due to not being a 7 guy, I'll be building the same guitar in a 6 string version. Pm if your interested.


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## Dredg (Aug 29, 2017)

Bdtunn said:


> I had one of the lefties from that run. I sold mine as I couldn't really click with it. I ran into some issues with it as well.
> 
> I have a lefty Oakland axe factory 7 string headless for sale for less then the strandy. It's all hand built. Selling due to not being a 7 guy, I'll be building the same guitar in a 6 string version. Pm if your interested.




If it's the one on Reverb, it's very tempting. Not a fan of the boxy hipshot, but still very tempting. Is it a Drinkwater build?


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## PAINGVR (Aug 29, 2017)

I had a nice blue one (OS7) with EMGX's. The neck felt great at the nut end but when you follow it down to the neck joint, the flat surface is close to the bottom strings. Not leaving much meat to grab onto when playing on the small E. When I did the old school thumb over the top down at the heel, the neck edges felt like pressure points. I would really dig the guitar if they would opt for a round neck version (stock). The EMGX's sounded really nice and the guitar is light and easy to manage. Although, for the price I would hope for a better top. Some of the OS versions have really poor quilt/flame in my opinion. - Hope this helps. 
\m/


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## marcwormjim (Aug 29, 2017)

Sadly, the (more expensive, non-OS) CL7 was their round-neck option - Hopefully, some will sell on Reverb and Ola and Ed will notice.


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## Konfyouzd (Aug 29, 2017)

I just ordered one of the "Boden Original 7" models on Saturday. I think they might be a bit different from the OS models. I'll let you know how it is when it shows up.


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## marcwormjim (Aug 29, 2017)

Looking forward to an honest review - We've had some really embarrassing ones here to do with guys ejaculating all over the board about their four hour-old Strandys without even _*looking *_at the thing: They send the defective axe back for a refund, and their glowing non-reviews stay up to mislead the curious googler.


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## Casper777 (Aug 29, 2017)

marcwormjim said:


> Looking forward to an honest review - We've had some really embarrassing ones here to do with guys ejaculating all over the board about their four hour-old Strandys without even _*looking *_at the thing: They send the defective axe back for a refund, and their glowing non-reviews stay up to mislead the curious googler.



Hopefully, you are here to remind people in EVERY thread about Strandberg that you hate them and they are crap and not Worth their prices....


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## marcwormjim (Aug 29, 2017)

How does that relate to what you quoted? You were offended by who made the post; so use the ignore feature - That way you won't have to endure occasionally scrolling past a Strandberg owner with less-than-stellar words to say about the brand in threads soliciting "pros and cons" thoughts from Strandberg owners.


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## C_Henderson (Aug 29, 2017)

It seems that for some reason you absolutely can't conceive that just because there are some lemons out there doesn't mean every other one can't be good? Is there a need to call happy owners blind on every thread? Because it's getting a bit tiring and honestly I don't get it.

To keep it short, everyone can read my honest review on the other thread last month and I still stand by it, word by word. Aside from a couple minor finish flaws on the top (both barely noticeable, nowhere near enough to send it back at all), my Plini sig has been pretty much stellar. Finish is great though not perfect, but in terms of tone and playability it's definitely the best guitar I've owned so far, so it's worth the price IMO.

I'd like to see more reviews though, since it seems like there are still some lemons out there, but the general consensus seems to be far more positive this year.


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## marcwormjim (Aug 29, 2017)

C_Henderson said:


> It seems that for some reason you absolutely can't conceive that just because there are some lemons out there doesn't mean every other one can't be good? Is there a need to call happy owners blind on every thread? Because it's getting a bit tiring and honestly I don't get it



I made no mention of you or your review; so I don't see the point in derailing a curious buyer's thread just to dogpile that you're...tired of not getting it. As I suggested above: the ignore feature will spare you of the sense that a fellow Boden owner is attacking you by talking about _other _guitars.


On-topic: Dredg, *I* managed to buy and keep a Boden without my skin growing thin - Just keep your expectations realistic, and don't settle for less than you'd get from any other guitar in the price range - Until we hear otherwise, Ola and Ed's return policy is the main thing (other than exorbitant price  ) that sets their brand apart.

I'll step out of the thread now - Had I known my comment about misleading reviews would cause owners to lash out, I would have phrased it a little more diplomatically.

http://www.sevenstring.org/threads/ngd-2017-strandberg-os.321401/#post-4733239


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## C_Henderson (Aug 29, 2017)

I'm not going to ignore anyone because this is a discussion forum for a reason, don't take me wrong. Of course you have every right to give your opinion, I haven't said otherwise. And as I said there ARE some bad Strandbergs out there. But it doesn't make my point (or Casper's, or Jonathan's on the other thread) any less valid: a good Strandberg is a great guitar worth every penny.

And just in case you've forgotten, you've been the one who first answered on THIS thread a few hours ago saying "Looking forward to an honest review - We've had some really embarrassing ones here to do with guys ejaculating all over the board about their four hour-old Strandys without even _*looking *_at the thing". I answered to that specifically, to make clear the potential buyer that what you said there is not true, so I'm not derailing anything.

To contribute to the OP, buying a second hand guitar is always an added risk, so you'd have to keep that in mind. As it's been said, there are some bad Boden OS out there, but there are many more good ones. Regardless of the brand, me personally I wouldn't buy ANY guitar if I can't either try it out first, or return it later in case there's something wrong. If in this case trying it out is out of question, I probably wouldn't risk it.

*EDIT*: I do agree with you that Strandberg's customer service is one of the things that sets them appart. That's what buying a new one, in case someone's hesitating, should be a no brainer for me. If it's not as good as you expect, you can easily get another one very quickly or get a full refund. Buying second hand though, it's another story...


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## cardinal (Aug 29, 2017)

I'm a bit confused (don't follow Strandberg stuff too close): do the new production Strandbergs have issues? I was pretty close to ordering an Original with a trem over the weekend.


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## diagrammatiks (Aug 29, 2017)

cardinal said:


> I'm a bit confused (don't follow Strandberg stuff too close): do the new production Strandbergs have issues? I was pretty close to ordering an Original with a trem over the weekend.



Haven't heard too many negatives about the new stuff. But there have been very few originals sent out. If you are ordering new you have the return policy. Just check over everything when you get it.


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## cardinal (Aug 29, 2017)

diagrammatiks said:


> Haven't heard too many negatives about the new stuff. But there have been very few originals sent out. If you are ordering new you have the return policy. Just check over everything when you get it.



Cool. Thanks. It just kinda dictates who I order from. GC didn't have any in stock but it's much easier to return stuff to them than others. So seems like I'll at least wait for GC to get them. Ended up buying an ESP M-Seven, but who knows if I'll keep it.


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## C_Henderson (Aug 29, 2017)

cardinal said:


> I'm a bit confused (don't follow Strandberg stuff too close): do the new production Strandbergs have issues? I was pretty close to ordering an Original with a trem over the weekend.



So far feedback seems to be mostly positive, I've only heard of one return of a Metal (in this forum too), but I'm very happy with my Plini sig, and the people I know who ordered a Metal, Prog or Fusion have found no issues either. No idea about the Original though.


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## diagrammatiks (Aug 29, 2017)

cardinal said:


> Cool. Thanks. It just kinda dictates who I order from. GC didn't have any in stock but it's much easier to return stuff to them than others. So seems like I'll at least wait for GC to get them. Ended up buying an ESP M-Seven, but who knows if I'll keep it.



GC gets stocked from strandberg and they are backlogged as well.

music zoo has 2 in stock and they inspect all their guitars and they have a return policy.


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## Dredg (Aug 29, 2017)

While I'm positive that Strandberg makes fine guitars and the majority of the WMI productions are great axes, averaging out the OS line does nothing when we're talking about a single used lefty on the secondary market. Due to the Reverb seller pushing back/refusing to take more pictures of the guitar, it makes the negative feedback much more valuable. If we theorize that the guitar in question is indeed a lemon, any and all information on common issues within the production run is of great importance. Issues such as blemishes to the finish don't bother me, but uneven frets, wonky side dots, and issues with the nut/bridge absolutely do.

I don't speak for all southpaws, but in my experience we're a rather skittish bunch not only because our initial options for a quality mid-to-upper tier guitar are few and far, but our recourse is usually worse. This Boden is used, and the seller has an as-is policy. The more I know about Strandberg's lemons, the more informed of a decision I can make. I'd really like a Strandberg, but if the flaws are too much and the neck is gimmicky, won't hurt my feelings.


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## diagrammatiks (Aug 29, 2017)

Dredg said:


> While I'm positive that Strandberg makes fine guitars and the majority of the WMI productions are great axes, averaging out the OS line does nothing when we're talking about a single used lefty on the secondary market. Due to the Reverb seller pushing back/refusing to take more pictures of the guitar, it makes the negative feedback much more valuable. If we theorize that the guitar in question is indeed a lemon, any and all information on common issues within the production run is of great importance. Issues such as blemishes to the finish don't bother me, but uneven frets, wonky side dots, and issues with the nut/bridge absolutely do.
> 
> I don't speak for all southpaws, but in my experience we're a rather skittish bunch not only because our initial options for a quality mid-to-upper tier guitar are few and far, but our recourse is usually worse. This Boden is used, and the seller has an as-is policy. The more I know about Strandberg's lemons, the more informed of a decision I can make. I'd really like a Strandberg, but if the flaws are too much and the neck is gimmicky, won't hurt my feelings.



I mean the neck didn't change my life..but I really prefer it. I never thumb over and the neck is perfect for me to the point where I'd buy the neck if possible.

That being said. there are lemons...especially those earlier ones. For example, I couldn't in good conscience resell my rosewood 7 without getting a fret level and some neck work done. 

I would strongly advise not buying a used one unless you can see it in person first.


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## Dredg (Aug 29, 2017)

diagrammatiks said:


> I mean the neck didn't change my life..but I really prefer it. I never thumb over and the neck is perfect for me to the point where I'd buy the neck if possible.
> 
> That being said. there are lemons...especially those earlier ones. For example, I couldn't in good conscience resell my rosewood 7 without getting a fret level and some neck work done.
> 
> I would strongly advise not buying a used one unless you can see it in person first.



Yea, that's my consensus as well. We'll have to see if the Goliath brings the thunder.


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## C_Henderson (Aug 29, 2017)

You're completely right. Some of the older models did indeed come out with uneven frets and hardware issues, even if they were a minority. It might very well be a good one, but if the seller is refusing to give you more info I'd pass just on principle.

About the neck though, just so yo know, I'm not finding it a gimmick at all! I was a bit skeptical at first but now I find it one of the most comfortable designs I've laid hands on. That said, it's certainly not for everyone, so if you don't like thick and flat necks chances are you won't like it. If you do on the other hand, it's a treat.


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## Dredg (Aug 29, 2017)

C_Henderson said:


> You're completely right. Some of the older models did indeed come out with uneven frets and hardware issues, even if they were a minority. It might very well be a good one, but if the seller is refusing to give you more info I'd pass just on principle.
> 
> About the neck though, just so yo know, I'm not finding it a gimmick at all! I was a bit skeptical at first but now I find it one of the most comfortable designs I've laid hands on. That said, it's certainly not for everyone, so if you don't like thick and flat necks chances are you won't like it. If you do on the other hand, it's a treat.



I do prefer flat necks, which is my primary infatuation with the model, but I'll just wait for a lefty run that doesn't have rather expensive QC issues, and the subsequent price drop on the secondary market. I won't be buying a strandberg at the price they want - I want to pay for a guitar not a patent.


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## cardinal (Aug 29, 2017)

diagrammatiks said:


> GC gets stocked from strandberg and they are backlogged as well.
> 
> music zoo has 2 in stock and they inspect all their guitars and they have a return policy.



The folks at the Music Zoo are awesome. In fact I would sorta feel bad having to return something to them. For me at least, the QC is only part of it. I'm very picky and Strandbergs are kinda funky, so it seems likely I'd end up returning it, but who knows. Maybe it'll end up being exactly right and awesome. They seem cool, but obviously not a normal guitar.


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## Bdtunn (Aug 29, 2017)

Dredg said:


> If it's the one on Reverb, it's very tempting. Not a fan of the boxy hipshot, but still very tempting. Is it a Drinkwater build?



Yep that's the one built by mr tom drink water himself  
The bridge is actually very comfortable. I found the strandy bridge very finicky as I had to have numerous saddles replaced. 
Hit me up if interested.
Thanks


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## Bdtunn (Aug 29, 2017)

Dredg said:


> I do prefer flat necks, which is my primary infatuation with the model, but I'll just wait for a lefty run that doesn't have rather expensive QC issues, and the subsequent price drop on the secondary market. I won't be buying a strandberg at the price they want - I want to pay for a guitar not a patent.



Also the neck is very thin and flat on the oaf


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## Casper777 (Aug 29, 2017)

I would also highly recommend to order directly on the Website to benefit from the return Policy.

The new Asian models are definitely a step up vs. old OS models...


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## nistley (Aug 29, 2017)

I've gotten 2 Bodens, and I love everything about them. The Endurneck is the only neck I can just forget I'm playing more than 6 strings on. The only downside I can see is just a personal preference, I'd like them them to be heavier, heh.


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## cubix (Aug 30, 2017)

There are no perfect guitars out of the box, just depends on how picky you are and what bothers you. I'm very picky and detailed and I'm yet to hold a perfect guitar (finish and tech wise - not even talking about sound). Stranberg also had some issues (one main issue for me was a high 0 fret on most early OS, but it's something not everyone cares about), but unlike other brands they were worth dealing with because the instrument is unlike anything. The stainless/aluminium hardware and the fanned stainless frets alone are worth it. Combined with the low weight of the guitar they simply don't have competition (if those are the 3 things you're looking for, and I was looking for them for many years).


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## Razerjack (Sep 2, 2017)

Just purchased an OS7 with roasted maple neck, tried quite a few OS7s in the process, and I think its worth noting that the neck on the roasted maple one(and possibly the 2017 models) is noticeably thinner than the older models, especially on the lower frets.


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## NikolajBak (Sep 3, 2017)

I think this discussion has something to do with the hype. Some people are complaining that they don't live up to it, and others are trying to justify their purchase. IMO It depends on how you look at it.
The OS line had some QC issues. Definitely more than other guitars in the same price range (fx Mayones Duvell standards, at least where I live they are around the price point). But I think you have to realise, that the strandbergs in general are very odd and different guitars, that suddenly became a production line, the OS. The strandbergs have features that are difficult to make. The design is unique and so on.
You pay for the features, you pay for the design. You have to be realistic, you can't have the cake and eat it too at this price point. I regard the OS like the Ibanez Premiums; Great features and design, but the craftsmanship is not up there, but still ok. If you strip away the features, if this was yet another superstrat, perhaps it would be half the price. My point is you can't compare it to ordinary guitars at the same price point, they are different in many ways. So it is up to you, if you think the features are worth the extra $.

I am a happy OS 8 owner, but my guitar was not flawless, it had some finish issues on the back of the neck. I fixed it myself, but Ola offered to fix it with free shipping and everything.
So all in all it is now a really great unique guitar.


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## artorr (Sep 3, 2017)

@NikolajBak, if you've played others, how would you compare your OS8 to other 8-strings?


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## NikolajBak (Sep 3, 2017)

I've mostly tried 8-string ibanezs a high end one and a RG8, I've tried a Schecter as well. In my hands the standard 8-string is too bulky, the scale is always a compromise whether it's 26.5, 27, 28 or more. The RG8 was almost unplayable with very high action, especially at the low F#. The prestige was much better, but the low strings still need very heavy gauges to stay stable. IMO an 8-string needs to be fanned for everything to work properly. But a lot of people have great results with standard 8's. I don't think the fan is as necessary if we're talking sevens. 
Combined with the endurneck my strandberg is very easy to play, and the intonation is great. But it is not for everyone, because it's different.


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## Esp Griffyn (Sep 3, 2017)

I had an OS7, an early-ish one with EMG 707Xs. Though it may disappoint some in this thread, I didn't have any issues with mine. The nut was cut right, the frets were level, the electronics were good, everything felt really nice. I only sold it because I moved pretty much full time to bass.


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## KnightBrolaire (Sep 3, 2017)

Older ones are hit and miss at times. My first OS8 had great fretwork, no sharp edges, no dead spots, frets were all properly seated. Second had some dead spots and a few of the frets were definitely not leveled. The setup was really bad too, it had ridiculously high action. Both of the OS8s had the worst figuring on a top I've ever seen in that price range, which really pissed me off, since my second one was a limited edition with a quilted top/ebony fretboard and cost me a little more than my 1st OS8.
My custom shop 8 also needed work with the action being pretty high, some fret buzzing, nonfunctional pickups/pickup ring screws broken off in the body (both of those are from the previous owner and not strandberg though). 
I can't really recommend them at 2k usd or more when you can get a used vader with better specs for that or less.


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## A-Branger (Sep 4, 2017)

NikolajBak said:


> The strandbergs have features that are difficult to make


what features?, if you see the guitar is actually a pretty easy to build. Simple flat design to cut quick on a cnc. Difficult would be something like a carved top PRS in comparison with this body. Neck is the same, square cut thing easy to do on a cnc too. Plus as it doesnt have a head it requires less wood and no scarf joint process.

To design the original shape of the neck was unique, and might had taken a pretty radical approach and some good old try and error. But once it was done and digitalised, then is as simple as input a cnc program to build, same as any other neck out there. Which every brand has gone trough many neck designs to refine their desired shape. 

The enduro neck might have taken an out of the box way of think and approach, but is not that far from R&D as any other luthier wanting to have their own take of a neck shape.



NikolajBak said:


> you pay for the design



sadly this is the point. Which I still think is a cheap excuse everyone loves to trow around. "the enduro neck, you paying for the breaktrough desing" every brand goes trough their own R&D process to get their desired specs "perfect", one guy decided to build the "perfect D shape asimetrical neck", while the other decided to make "a square ergonomic neck". At the end of the day, both are a cnc program on a machine that takes the same time to make.

You are paying for the lack of numbers vs a big brang like ESP/PRS, quality and grade of woods used and materials (frets, bridges, tunners), pickups, quality of electronics, type of nut, sidedots/inlays material, finish/colors, QC in factory, QC out of factory, ect. And then whatever they just want to charge for them selfs or better said, charge for the name brand. 

but jsut because its being build on the same factory as other brands it doesnt mean they are gonna cost the same. There are hundreds of factors inside the factory process that could make two guitars build prices far wide apart. And then whatever each brand wants to charge at the end for profit. How much is too much its up to you, but you are not paying "for the design", the design have been done years ago, they are not paying royalties for it, not it took years of R&D and machinery to build like if this was a car that they had to pay back the investment of making the moulds for the parts like for example Aristides.


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## eugeneelgr (Sep 4, 2017)

Try out the bolt on neck joint if you can before you purchase. It's the only thing I wish could be better on mine(less obtrusive) that is applicable to the boden os spec.


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## C_Henderson (Sep 4, 2017)

eugeneelgr said:


> Try out the bolt on neck joint if you can before you purchase. It's the only thing I wish could be better on mine(less obtrusive) that is applicable to the boden os spec.



Agree. It's quite good and all frets are easily accessible for me, but it could be a bit better. Probably the one thing that I think could be improved on the Boden design.
Coming from years of playing mostly Strats and Teles though, it definitely is an improvement and a welcome change (as much as I love them).


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## NikolajBak (Sep 4, 2017)

A-Branger said:


> what features?, if you see the guitar is actually a pretty easy to build. Simple flat design to cut quick on a cnc. Difficult would be something like a carved top PRS in comparison with this body. Neck is the same, square cut thing easy to do on a cnc too. Plus as it doesnt have a head it requires less wood and no scarf joint process.
> 
> sadly this is the point. Which I still think is a cheap excuse everyone loves to trow around. "the enduro neck, you paying for the breaktrough desing" every brand goes trough their own R&D process to get their desired specs "perfect", one guy decided to build the "perfect D shape asimetrical neck", while the other decided to make "a square ergonomic neck". At the end of the day, both are a cnc program on a machine that takes the same time to make.



I respect your opinion, but I think you misunderstand me partly. I’m sorry, I’m not a native speaker, but when I say features I refer to something different than common guitars, something that makes it stand out. I’m not talking about if it’s easy to make or not, I’m referring to the upcharge and if it’s worth it to the person who created this thread. If you are convinced that the bodens doesn’t offer anything special, or don’t think of the fanned frets, lightweight body, endurneck, headless design, “glow in the dark” side dots etc. as features, because they are easy to make, that’s ok with me, but I don’t see it that way. That was the reason I bought the guitar. These things stand out compared to my other guitars.

If they are so easy to make, why isn’t everybody doing it? If it would give them an edge over the competition? I’m not a builder, I don’t know how difficult these things are to create. Your points concerning the computer created stuff all makes perfect sense, but then again, if all guitars are easy to make, why do we pay even more money for guitars from other brands, if they are all created the same way? I don’t know, I’m just wondering.

I'm not throwing around cheap excuses, there is nothing to excuse. When I said ‘design’, I didn’t mean that the guitars are expensive to design. I meant that you pay a lot for a unique design, like when you buy a Mayones with v-frets, an Audi instead of a Skoda or an expensive lamp with a special design or whatever. That doesn’t mean it’s fairly priced, no, it’s overpriced I agreed compared to other guitars of the same build quality. But if the ‘features’ that the Strandbergs offer are important to the person who created this thread, perhaps he would be very happy with this guitar.
If not, then I would not by a Boden OS.


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## A-Branger (Sep 4, 2017)

yeah I got what you say now. You are jsut paying for the brand and their take on a guitar. The uniquenes of what they offer. You want a Standberg, you pay for a Standberg, same as if you want an LP, then you pay for a Gibson, ect ect.

My point was to say that what they offer, although yes, unique, its not difficult to make/build. Yes, it was hard to come up with the idea, but its not hard to build. In other words, you are paying for the name brand, not for some magically "unique" method of building a guitar. You also are paying for some features like side glow dots (which lots of other companies now do btw) and the semi multiscale, and all the other features like I already mention that can bring up the price of the build up on the factory, but you also are paying $$$$ for a name brand too. 

I only said that because I have seen too many times people justifying the price with the "design" part of the equation, like if they were charging back their investment in R&D like a car, with the "you are paying for the enduroneck!....", this is something great about them, but in no way they should up charge that much for a neck shape, as it does not take much longer to make like any other neck out there.
You are paying for the brand itself, or maybe even for the low volume numbers they manage, or their expensive shipping process they have to deal with ect ect. How much that upcharge is worth it, is up to you. Im not saying is wrong or good, just making aware of it


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## Bryancap7 (Sep 4, 2017)

I've considered getting a boden a few times, only just getting into the headless guitar game. the neck profile seems a bit...gimmicky


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## Razerjack (Sep 4, 2017)

From my experience...
Pros:
Very light and very short
Quite comfortable to play
Looks kinda cool(if you're into the shape that is)
Very 'snappy' and loud when played unplugged

Cons:
QC is pretty much nonexistent(bad frets, cracked neck, horrible top if that counts). So always carefully inspect the guitar before you buy.
Quality issues aside, the craftmanship of the guitar is still quite average.

The rest, including the Endurneck, the fanned frets etc doesn't make much of a difference really, I wouldn't say they're 'gimmicky' but only that I don't feel or think about them when I play the guitar.


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## Lemonbaby (Sep 5, 2017)

A-Branger said:


> My point was to say that what they offer, although yes, unique, its not difficult to make/build. Yes, it was hard to come up with the idea, but its not hard to build.


The build of a Boden is absolutely more expensive, no doubt about it. Add the low volumes plus custom headless hardware and there's your price tag.


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## A-Branger (Sep 5, 2017)

Lemonbaby said:


> The build of a Boden is absolutely more expensive, no doubt about it. Add the low volumes plus custom headless hardware and there's your price tag.



it might be more expensive due to reasons I already mention and you too, like the hardware, grade of woods used, stain/paint, QC level chosen at factory, quality of electronics, pickups, top vs veneer, low volumes of guitars made, ect, stuff like that plus whatever the brand wants to make a profit. But no by the guitar itself. To make this guitar it requires the same process as an Ibanez RG would do (or any other guitar build at WMI), if not this guitar is actually easier as it requires no 3D carve, its a flat top with a rounded edge, just like any other superstrat flat top really. Same as the neck, the cnc instead to cut a D shape or U or C, it just cut a square one. Plus this neck requires no scarf glue process or extra material to be cut as it has no headstock, so in a way it uses less wood (or trows away less wood once its cut).

Thats my point, everyone seems to think because this is a "Standberg" with an "enduroneck" that the build process of the guitar is some magical mystical long process that requires extra $$$ to be done. Nope, this is a normal guitar like any other, build like any other out there, its jsut the shape is different, as any other guitar out there. The price comes from other factors


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## C_Henderson (Sep 5, 2017)

Somewhat long informative note incoming: 

Yeah, of course we're paying a plus for their uniqueness and low volume production. How much exactly we can't know, but adding up the costs of what we know and compared to other guitars produced in the same factories, I don't think it's that much to be honest.

They might not be that much more difficult to make, but they surely take a lot longer to make when compared to traditional guitars, and therefore they are more expensive for the manufacturer and for us buyers (and trust me, as someone who works with factories and suppliers I know how much little changes in their production line can add up to the final cost). And that's just the manufacturing part. Considering that just bridge and pickups alone can already cost ~$1k, the final price tag doesn't look inflated to me at all.

To give a numeric example, where I live a Schecter KM-7 (great guitar made at WMI, I think most will agree) costs between 1400 and 1600 € depending on where you get it. The Strandberg Prog 7 (also made at WMI) is made at much lower volumes, with somewhat nicer woods (or maybe not, but roasted maple for example is surely a bit more expensive), more expensive hardware (bridge alone costs roughly 400 € more than the Hipshot) and more expensive pickups (again about 150-200 € more per set). If the Strandberg was made at the same volumes as the Schecter, with the same range of profits (whichever it is), we'd be talking about ~2100 € on average for a Prog 7. And that's simplifying costs A LOT. They actually cost 2500 €, so in my opinion, I can't objectively say they're much more expensive that any other guitar of similar quality, which barring some unfortunate exceptions (much less common this year), it's top notch.

So, in the end, both NikolajBak and A-Branger are on the right train of thought. Strandbergs aren't expensive just because: their design and playability are unique but you're not just paying for that, the biggest difference comes from all the other factors that should be taken into account when building a guitar. Because of course no one goes from building thousands of super strats with Hipshots and Duncans to a dozen "ergonomic headless" with custom hardware and boutique pickups at zero cost.


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## diagrammatiks (Sep 5, 2017)

A-Branger said:


> it might be more expensive due to reasons I already mention and you too, like the hardware, grade of woods used, stain/paint, QC level chosen at factory, quality of electronics, pickups, top vs veneer, low volumes of guitars made, ect, stuff like that plus whatever the brand wants to make a profit. But no by the guitar itself. To make this guitar it requires the same process as an Ibanez RG would do (or any other guitar build at WMI), if not this guitar is actually easier as it requires no 3D carve, its a flat top with a rounded edge, just like any other superstrat flat top really. Same as the neck, the cnc instead to cut a D shape or U or C, it just cut a square one. Plus this neck requires no scarf glue process or extra material to be cut as it has no headstock, so in a way it uses less wood (or trows away less wood once its cut).
> 
> Thats my point, everyone seems to think because this is a "Standberg" with an "enduroneck" that the build process of the guitar is some magical mystical long process that requires extra $$$ to be done. Nope, this is a normal guitar like any other, build like any other out there, its jsut the shape is different, as any other guitar out there. The price comes from other factors



i don't think anyone except the building process to cost a bajillion more. it probably costs a couple hundred per unit. but the hardware is custom made and not made by wmi. 

the ormsby goliath is about 800 less then the os6/metal and it uses all korean made hardware, veneers, and has a standard neck profile. 

the legator ghost is retailing for 800. It's made in china. pretty much a piece of shit and has oem pickups, nickel frets, and chinese hardware. 

The only other production headless you can somewhat buy is the corona ape which is 1300 usd. I don't know where the hardware and stuff is made although I'm pretty sure the guitar is made in korea. You don't get fan frets or any fancy stuff except emgs.

A kiesel vader with a 3 piece neck, chambered body, flamed maple top, luminlays, and ss is 2100. you get hipshot hardware but also lithiums.

assuming that you even want a headless guitar in the first place..which if you don't then who cares it's all going to seem ridiculously overpriced. 

your choices right now for a production guitar are either a chinese groteberg for like 300 which is going to be terrible. A chinese legator for 800 which is also going to be super bad. 

1300 gets you into the first decent guitar in that price range...

The only 2 choices you have after that is if you want to pay 800 more for strandberg hardware, fluences, and the enduranck 
or 800 more for american production and hipshot. 

I don't really understand how this seems unreasonable to anyone. 

The only reasonable objection could be that you really want american production and you hate the eduraneck in which case get the vader. that's the beauty of having choices.


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## Lemonbaby (Sep 5, 2017)

A-Branger said:


> [...]But no by the guitar itself. To make this guitar it requires the same process as an Ibanez RG would do (or any other guitar build at WMI), if not this guitar is actually easier as it requires no 3D carve, its a flat top with a rounded edge, just like any other superstrat flat top really. Same as the neck, the cnc instead to cut a D shape or U or C, it just cut a square one. Plus this neck requires no scarf glue process or extra material to be cut as it has no headstock, so in a way it uses less wood (or trows away less wood once its cut).


The wood/carbon neck is glued w/ epoxy instead of wood glue and needs different tools - the carbon prepregs can't be cut like wood. Furthermore, the multiscale fretboard can't be sawn in three seconds like a regular one. As you're referring to an RG: Ibanez and Jackson have 15%-20% upcharges from their regular 7s to the multiscale versions.


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## takotakumi (Sep 5, 2017)

Pro: No Headstock 
Con: No Headstock


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## cubix (Sep 5, 2017)

Someone who is comparing Stranberg manufacturing cost to regular guitars has no idea about manufacturing  One bridge part on a Strandberg costs more to make than a whole bridge on some guitars (as they are injection moulded pot metal parts on most instruments). Sorry but this is miles away from anything you'll see on mass produced instruments.


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## KnightBrolaire (Sep 5, 2017)

cubix said:


> Someone who is comparing Stranberg manufacturing cost to regular guitars has no idea about manufacturing  One bridge part on a Strandberg costs more to make than a whole bridge on some guitars (as they are injection moulded pot metal parts on most instruments). Sorry but this is miles away from anything you'll see on mass produced instruments.


injection molded lmao. There's so many guitars in the 2k price range using milled brass/steel bridges (hipshot or abm or schaller). Nobody injection molds bridges, the cheaper ones are usually milled steel with steel saddles.


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## Lemonbaby (Sep 6, 2017)

KnightBrolaire said:


> injection molded lmao. There's so many guitars in the 2k price range using milled brass/steel bridges (hipshot or abm or schaller). Nobody injection molds bridges, the cheaper ones are usually milled steel with steel saddles.


AFAIK, almost all trem components and many TOMs are injection molded. Not necessarily a bad thing - I love the Ibanez TightEnd bridge for example. If you compare that to some paper thin Tele bridges I'd prefer the molded parts any time.


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## cubix (Sep 6, 2017)

They are molded, deal with it  Maybe the Gibson titanium saddles aren't, but the base ect - molded. If they were actually machined you wouldn't think they'd make it out of stainless rather than some shit that is good for melting and pouring?  A machined Titanium FloydRose BASEPLATE costs USD330, and that is not because it's titanium but because of the manufacturing cost.


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## A-Branger (Sep 6, 2017)

Lemonbaby said:


> The wood/carbon neck is glued w/ epoxy instead of wood glue and needs different tools


I didnt knew they were using carbon fiber sheets between the wood laminations. I eat my words then, I wasnt aware of it 

as the speed to do multiscale frets, you would be amazed and how quick those guy work. Makes pretty much no difference for them to do a multiscale vs a standard



diagrammatiks said:


> the ormsby goliath uses all korean made hardware, veneers, and has a standard neck profile.



they are using Hipshot hardware, but yeah they are veneers


At the end there are many factors that up the price, each brand is different, each have their own thing. Up to you to pick the one you feel you like the best features/colors/shape, and the one you are happy to pay the price.


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## diagrammatiks (Sep 6, 2017)

A-Branger said:


> I didnt knew they were using carbon fiber sheets between the wood laminations. I eat my words then, I wasnt aware of it
> 
> as the speed to do multiscale frets, you would be amazed and how quick those guy work. Makes pretty much no difference for them to do a multiscale vs a standard
> 
> ...



the goliath is not hipshot hardware.

*HARDWARE*
The bridges are custom made for us to exacting tolerances by our partners at World Music, using a variety of materials proven for longevity and tone. This is the same manufacturer often used by other well known headless manufacturers.

that doesn't seem like something you'd want to off up on your sales page.


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## A-Branger (Sep 6, 2017)

diagrammatiks said:


> the goliath is not hipshot hardware.
> 
> *HARDWARE*
> The bridges are custom made for us to exacting tolerances by our partners at World Music, using a variety of materials proven for longevity and tone. This is the same manufacturer often used by other well known headless manufacturers.
> ...



yup, that was the hardware they were going to be using, This was changed after winter NAMM when they meet with Hipshot. If you are on the facebook group you can search it and they have a photo of the bridge, which is ismilar to the vaders minus the flat top part of it that covers the springs.  maybe they forgot to update that part of the page


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## KnightBrolaire (Sep 6, 2017)

A-Branger said:


> yup, that was the hardware they were going to be using, This was changed after winter NAMM when they meet with Hipshot. If you are on the facebook group you can search it and they have a photo of the bridge, which is ismilar to the vaders minus the flat top part of it that covers the springs.  maybe they forgot to update that part of the page


yup this^. I'm in the ormsby group and I remember the pic. I have multiple vaders and it's pretty easy to see the similarity in the hardware.


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## diagrammatiks (Sep 7, 2017)

I'll ask perry. That seems like a weird thing not to update on the page.


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## cubix (Sep 7, 2017)

And that's a typical example of a massed produced bridge - cheap looking, possibly wobbly (as it draws from the classic fender saddle design) and most likely injected pot metal


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## KnightBrolaire (Sep 7, 2017)

cubix said:


> And that's a typical example of a massed produced bridge - cheap looking, possibly wobbly (as it draws from the classic fender saddle design) and most likely injected pot metal


you need to quit dickriding strandberg's bridge. I've had 3 strandbergs and the hipshot headless hardware is far better. Easier to turn the knobs, easier to grip, better tuning stability (I don't have to tune my vaders nearly as frequently as I did with the strandbergs). T4M, ABM and some other companies make better versions of single bridges as well imo. Hipshot usually mills their bridges and saddles out of steel or brass. They're not die cast like a TOM.


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## xzacx (Sep 7, 2017)

KnightBrolaire said:


> you need to quit dickriding strandberg's bridge. I've had 3 strandbergs and the hipshot headless hardware is far better. Easier to turn the knobs, easier to grip, better tuning stability (I don't have to tune my vaders nearly as frequently as I did with the strandbergs). T4M, ABM and some other companies make better versions of single bridges as well imo. Hipshot usually mills their bridges and saddles out of steel or brass. They're not die cast like a TOM.



I've never had any issue with Strandberg tuning stability. They've been as stable as anything I've owned (that didn't have a Floyd). I'll co-sign them being a little hard to turn though - not where I had a problem with it, but not ideal.

I also agree that it's 100x better looking than the Hipshot. I know that shouldn't matter, but then again, I've never bought something with a Wilkinson either because I thought they were ugly.


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## C_Henderson (Sep 7, 2017)

Me neither, if anything it's the most stable non-Floyd bridge I've had to date. And the easiest to adjust too (as far as trems go). I agree the tuning pegs are pretty hard to turn though, that's 100% true.


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## KnightBrolaire (Sep 7, 2017)

xzacx said:


> I've never had any issue with Strandberg tuning stability. They've been as stable as anything I've owned (that didn't have a Floyd). I'll co-sign them being a little hard to turn though - not where I had a problem with it, but not ideal.
> 
> I also agree that it's 100x better looking than the Hipshot. I know that shouldn't matter, but then again, I've never bought something with a Wilkinson either because I thought they were ugly.


Yeah I didn't think it was a big deal until I got my 2nd and 3rd strandberg, and then it became really difficult to tune up with the strings I was using. It was the same gauges I have on my vaders, in the same tuning but it was going out of tune more, and was a lot harder to turn the knobs due to the way they knurl them. It could easily be fixed by doing a crosshatch knurl imo.
the only difference (like branger said) is that they removed the top faceplate from the bridge that's on the vaders/hipshot's website. It functions exactly the same. Personally I think it looks cleaner with the faceplate, but I'll have no problem using one without it.


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## cubix (Sep 8, 2017)

I barely need to turn them because my Strandberg stays in tune like no other guitar I've had. I rather have them hard turning then wobbly with the potential to create buzz and other vibration related noise (which all bridges with spring mounted saddles are destined to do at some point). I don't dickride anything, it's just a far better made bridge that will outlive most stuff out there, cnc billet machined, anodized aluminium and stainless steel saddles. Maybe because I come from manufacturing/machining background I appreciate this more than the average person. Sue me


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## marcwormjim (Sep 8, 2017)

The gripes about Strandberg tuners being hard to turn are overplayed: Mine took no longer to break in than any of my new Steinbergers did. You can lube the threads, PEOPLE.


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## Casper777 (Sep 8, 2017)

Lube is always a good solution........


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## crackout (Sep 8, 2017)

Lubed threads or not, the fact that the tuning barrel is only slightly larger in diameter than the actual thread gives you very poor leverage.
I tried Mera and ABM as well and both use a lot smaller threading which results in easier operation.

However, while tuning Strandberg tuners takes more effort, it's possible to tune from high to low without having to go over the sweet pot and tighten again. Especially with Mera hardware this isn't really possible.


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## PAINGVR (Sep 9, 2017)

diagrammatiks said:


> GC gets stocked from strandberg and they are backlogged as well.
> 
> music zoo has 2 in stock and they inspect all their guitars and they have a return policy.



I bought mine from The Music Zoo, excellent return policy - no probs.


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## diagrammatiks (Sep 9, 2017)

doesn't a turning tool come with it?


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## laxu (Sep 10, 2017)

I didn't like the Strandberg tuner/bridge design much. Adjusting action was a massive chore, the tuners on the one I had were so stiff I needed to use an allen wrench to turn them and the finish seemed like it would chip easily.


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## cubix (Sep 10, 2017)

You adjust the action by turning the saddle clockwise or anticlockwise, what massive chore? Besides you don't fiddle with the action, you set it and any changes that can happen are neck related, so you adjust the trussrod. Anodizing is a finish that is created in the metal, not on top, so it does not chip (might wear through abrasion in some time).


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## Señor Voorhees (Sep 10, 2017)

Why are people defending it? People owned them and didn't like something about it. Stiff tuners was something I heard about, and I've had to deal with too. It's not the end of the world, but it's not ideal either. The guitar doesn't need its ass kissed. 

For the record, adjusting tuning should be a simple two second thing. You shouldn't have to exert yourself or use a tool to do it. Every other guitar manages that, so it's not out of the realm of reason to expect that.


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## cubix (Sep 10, 2017)

And people who own them and actually like them can't say anything?  I think it's good to know several opinions, especially if this is a PROS and CONS topic, no? What is a massive chore, or an issue for one person might not be a problem for someone else. The only "tool" i need sometimes to turn the tuners if my hands are sweaty is my t-shirt.


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## Señor Voorhees (Sep 10, 2017)

They can say something. They just don't have to word it like people are imagining things.

It really just comes off as a circle jerk, which this forum is known for doing a lot. Dick riding BKP, or fanned frets, or whatever the hip new thing is. Meanwhile Kiesel sets their saddles a little higher than people are used to seeing and people lose their shit saying the Aries is unplayable trash.

Say what you will about the hipshot hardware, but it's reliably built and is in general simpler to operate. You don't have to take the string out of the saddle to adjust the action or intonation. You can be fine with the strandbergs downsides and put up with them if it suits you, but that doesn't mean it doesn't have those downsides. Changing the intonation alone is obnoxious enough that it's worth mentioning. Same with a floyd. If anyone says "changing tunings with a floyd is just as easy as changing tunings on a normal guitar," they're lying. The same way you'd be lying (or at the very least disingenuous) if you said:



> You adjust the action by turning the saddle clockwise or anticlockwise...



You have to loosen the string to the point where you slip it out from the saddle, raise/lower the saddle, put it back on the saddle, tune it up to pitch and then measure. Normal saddles involve, tune down, raise/lower saddle, tune to pitch, then measure. Hell, if you're LOWERING the action, you don't even need to loosen the string first. Either way it's a good deal quicker than having to fidget with the string.

Among other things, like intonation, it's impossible to say the methods are on par with other options. You just have to decide if it's worth it to you... Not pretend like they're not legitimate issues/concerns. Enough people, who even still like their strandbergs and aren't just dick riding, have brought up that tuning is stiffer than on other headless guitars. It's fine to be okay with it, but it's not fine to pretend like there's nothing more to it than other options.


TL;DR, The way some people talk about Strandbergs sounds like EVERY 5 star review of EVERY cheap guitar ever, and THAT'S what irritates me. "Great guitar, no flaws or quirks whatsoever. There is absolutely NOTHING that might turn you off about this guitar if you buy it. You'll buy it and nothing will strike you as out of the ordinary or worse than other guitars with similar features." It's better to listen to people who say "It's a good guitar, but..." than to listen to somebody who gushes over it 100%. 

Perhaps it's just a pet peeve of mine. I usually just keep my mouth shut about it, but this thread has been a constant bout of "I had a strandberg, and this is a thing I didn't like about it" followed by "That's not true. My tuners aren't stiff/you don't need to adjust action/intonation often/it's just a turn of a screw."


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## KnightBrolaire (Sep 10, 2017)

cubix said:


> And people who own them and actually like them can't say anything?  I think it's good to know several opinions, especially if this is a PROS and CONS topic, no? What is a massive chore, or an issue for one person might not be a problem for someone else. The only "tool" i need sometimes to turn the tuners if my hands are sweaty is my t-shirt.


If I hadn't owned the vaders I would still complain about the tuning instability on my specific OS8s, and how the tuners are hard to turn. I'm not a small guy (6'0, 230 lbs with huge hands) and even for me, they're hard to turn at times. I tried lubing them up and it helped a bit, but like I said earlier in the thread, putting a crosshatched knurl would give a lot better grip/ make them easier to tune. the strandberg tuners just aren't as good as other brands like T4M or hipshot imo. I've tested all 3 brands of headless bridges and in an apples to apples comparison, the strandberg are found lacking imo.


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## cubix (Sep 10, 2017)

I will not say they are perfect, of course they could turn easier. I'm just more interested in the materials the bridge is made of and the durability of those materials and finishes over time than the fact that the tuners turn a bit hard. I did not investigate but are there any specs for materials / finishes on T4M or Hipshot?

And everything is opinion based. I did not say it's not true the tuners turn hard. When someone says the action adjustment is a chore then in my opinion he might just be lazy, but other people reading it might think it's actually hard/impossible to do. And it is a fact that 95% of the time you don't change your string action once you set it, so what's this, searching for problems that don't exist? Come on guys...


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## marcwormjim (Sep 11, 2017)

Speaking as someone who has owned and reviewed the current and previous iterations of the Strandberg (trem) bridge design, I agree with the complaints. The current hardware addresses some of the common complaints against the previous design, and the next revision will improve further.

That said, though the complaints are valid, they're not dealbreakers: Those of us who kept a guitar have opted to either deal with the design or pay someone at a local store to. Different isn't bad, but it can always be better.

Cubix, find something in there to disagree with.


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## diagrammatiks (Sep 11, 2017)

It's a pros and cons thread. It'd feel really weird if something had nothing but pros.

Anyhow, someone asked about the Goliath bridges and they are actually hipshots. So i was wrong about that. But then he also said that Asian Strandbergs use asian made hardware...that sounds not really right. I emailed strandberg about that. See what they say.

They haven't really changed the mockups on their website either to use the new hardware...I'm wondering if they had hipshot make them a custom angled headpiece. There was a thread on their group page a while ago where Perry was basically like if you make a multi scale guitar and the end of the fretboard is straight but the nut is fanned you are just a lazy pos...but then the goliath custom shops have that exact setup whoops.

Whatever, honestly, ease of action adjustment, intonation, and tuning can be seen as cons but I hardly think they are deal breakers. The hipshot standard adjustable saddle design is really awesome in terms of ease of use and their headless system uses that same saddles. That being said...plenty of european companies like use the ABM single saddles and schaller hannes for regular guitars and those things are a pain in the ass as well. Especially the abm when adjusting intonation. 

The abm headless system is much better then their regular bridge. Mera is great for headless and t4m is pretty good too but you're really not going to see that in guitars under 3k. 

what I suggest is just make more money and then buy one of everything.


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## C_Henderson (Sep 11, 2017)

diagrammatiks said:


> Anyhow, someone asked about the Goliath bridges and they are actually hipshots. So i was wrong about that. But then he also said that Asian Strandbergs use asian made hardware...that sounds not really right. I emailed strandberg about that. See what they say.



As far as I know, all Strandbergs use the same Swedish made hardware, that's what they said when they released the production line. So the bridge on a MIK Boden for example is exactly the same as the one you'd find on a CS one.

It absolutely has its pros and cons as it's been said, and I agree with most of those points, but what is undeniable is that it's a really well crafted system. Adjusting some things might be a bit more complex than with other bridges, other things are easier, but in the end as it's been said it's a matter of preference and finding comfort (or lack of it) when using it. As far as headless systems go, I'm no expert and I've yet to try some Mera and T4M hardware, but despite a couple of aspects that could still be improved the Strandberg system is still the best one I've tried IMO.


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## laxu (Sep 11, 2017)

cubix said:


> You adjust the action by turning the saddle clockwise or anticlockwise, what massive chore? Besides you don't fiddle with the action, you set it and any changes that can happen are neck related, so you adjust the trussrod. Anodizing is a finish that is created in the metal, not on top, so it does not chip (might wear through abrasion in some time).



You unlock the screw that holds the saddle in place, then rotate it up/down, then lock it back down, put the string back on and tune it then check if the action feels right. On other bridge designs you don't have to detune and remove the string from the saddle to adjust the height and have finer control over the height than what Strandberg offers. The anodized finish seemed to wear easily on the edges where it is probably pretty thin.


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## A-Branger (Sep 11, 2017)

diagrammatiks said:


> They haven't really changed the mockups on their website either to use the new hardware...


thats because its a lot of work to make a bridge from 0 in a 3D model. And since the current 3D mockups works jsut fine to ilustrate the shape and color, then theres not much point to do all that work.

I help them with the photo real mockups, but I need real photos to work and layer them. Since theres no Goliaths GTRs made yet, I cant use the custom one photos as the hardware and "headstock" would be different. thats why theres only 3D models

As for the "headstock" I have no idea whats the plan there. I know hipshot is designing an angled locking nut for them for future models that use a floyd in a semi-multiscale. So I guess there should be a neat better locking headpiece than the prototypes customs. Whats Kiesel using for their multiscale vaders? is their headpiece still hipshot too?


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## diagrammatiks (Sep 11, 2017)

A-Branger said:


> thats because its a lot of work to make a bridge from 0 in a 3D model. And since the current 3D mockups works jsut fine to ilustrate the shape and color, then theres not much point to do all that work.
> 
> I help them with the photo real mockups, but I need real photos to work and layer them. Since theres no Goliaths GTRs made yet, I cant use the custom one photos as the hardware and "headstock" would be different. thats why theres only 3D models
> 
> As for the "headstock" I have no idea whats the plan there. I know hipshot is designing an angled locking nut for them for future models that use a floyd in a semi-multiscale. So I guess there should be a neat better locking headpiece than the prototypes customs. Whats Kiesel using for their multiscale vaders? is their headpiece still hipshot too?



Yes, Kiesel the standard hipshot hardware with a straight headpiece and an angled nut. It's fine honestly. I prefer the look of a angled headpiece on headless guitars...like the strandberg or the skervesen skerveten or the mockups of the goliaths. But I prefer a straight fretboard on my headstock guitars.

It's just funny because of the thread where perry was like that's lazy.

Although I might be a little miffed if the production goliaths have come with a straight headpiece...the photos in the sales section have had angled headpieces for like a year.


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## A-Branger (Sep 11, 2017)

yeh I know what you mean I rahter to be clean and go with the angle, but it doesnt look bad with the vaders, 

also that post was regarding the fretboards, like what Ibanez do for example in their multiscales, were they have a little triangle of fretboard behind the nut before the headstock.

Like I said the 3D models of the Goliaths were made ages ago at that point they were going with the other hardware. No idea what would be the deal with the head piece tho. Just a couple of months more and we would find out


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## cubix (Sep 11, 2017)

Action adjustment might require a step more or two, if that's a dealbreaker fo someone who messes with the action every day then so be it. To me thanks to the set screws it makes the saddles more stable than on most typical designs, and the bridge doesn't need walls around it to keep traditional saddles from shifting  As for the finish wear - I personally haven't experienced it, maybe someone can post some pics how that looks? Anyways even if it does wear eventually it will not rust like most other hardware.


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## diagrammatiks (Sep 12, 2017)

A-Branger said:


> yeh I know what you mean I rahter to be clean and go with the angle, but it doesnt look bad with the vaders,
> 
> also that post was regarding the fretboards, like what Ibanez do for example in their multiscales, were they have a little triangle of fretboard behind the nut before the headstock.
> 
> Like I said the 3D models of the Goliaths were made ages ago at that point they were going with the other hardware. No idea what would be the deal with the head piece tho. Just a couple of months more and we would find out



meh. Perry replied that the headpiece will be straight and an angled nut like on the custom shops. I hope these goliaths are really good...
I ordered because of the mockup...i could have just bought an overload themis. why.
Oh well.


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## channie (Sep 13, 2017)

KnightBrolaire said:


> yup this^. I'm in the ormsby group and I remember the pic. I have multiple vaders and it's pretty easy to see the similarity in the hardware.





I'm also from the Ormsby group and actually this picture was a protoype hipshot way back in Febuary 2017, not sure how the final bridge would look like

but i hope they find some way to cover the springs though


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## KnightBrolaire (Sep 13, 2017)

channie said:


> I'm also from the Ormsby group and actually this picture was a protoype hipshot way back in Febuary 2017, not sure how the final bridge would look like
> 
> but i hope they find some way to cover the springs though


yeah it would look cleaner with the faceplate that the regular hipshot bridge has.


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## Konfyouzd (Sep 17, 2017)

My Boden came in early. Picked it up today. First impression is that I like it. It's very loud acoustically and from the bit of fiddling I did in the store it's a very articulate guitar. I like the Fluence Moderns more in this axe than the KSM7 I used to have.

I should spend a bit more time w it before saying more.


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## diagrammatiks (Sep 17, 2017)

I got confirmation from ed that all their hardware for all their guitars is custom made in Korea.


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## DudeManBrother (Nov 14, 2017)

I ordered the Mera Submarine 3 mod2 bridge(s) and ovalock head pieces a couple weeks ago from Dmitry; so I’ll chime in, once I get them, with direct comparisons between them and Strandberg’s design, form, and functionality.


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