# LAG SF-II Stephen Forte sig model to be released!



## progmetaldan (Jul 8, 2008)

Adagio Official Website



> The new Lâg Stéphan Forté Signature II is between the expert hands of Stéphan since the 10 Th June. This incredible weapon, thiner than the SF I is a real jewel, equiped with 2 DiMarzio SF Signature.
> 
> Lâg and Stéphan are at the moment working on a cheaper model that will be released worldwide in 2009.
> 
> The custom model can already be ordered via Lâg custom shop: Contact Lag Guitars UK



Pics can be seen here:

Adagio Official Forum

 I'm totally thinking I might get one of these when they come out...


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## st2012 (Jul 8, 2008)

Always liked that guitar, looks like a pure speed machine


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## The Hoff (Jul 8, 2008)

Whoa.

Major GAS


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## Mattmc74 (Jul 8, 2008)

Very cool guitar! I could deal with a different color but besides that it looks to be pretty badass The selector switch is in a different location but I think I could get used to it.


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## sakeido (Jul 8, 2008)

Whoa that is very nice. ULTRA slim body!


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## jacksonplayer (Jul 8, 2008)

Good god, that thing is thin. How in the world did they manage to fit a trem on it?

It looks great, but I'd worry that the lack of body mass would affect the tone.


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## Randy (Jul 8, 2008)




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## Mr. S (Jul 8, 2008)

Wow! Thats sexy as hell!


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## D-EJ915 (Jul 8, 2008)

That guitar is insane!


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## Variant (Jul 8, 2008)

That's a schmeksy axe fo' so'.


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## Emperoff (Jul 8, 2008)




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## 7slinger (Jul 8, 2008)

looks alot like the old schecter headstock...I wish they'd trim off the extra, the headstock would then look alot like a parker or blackmachine IMO, which would be good 

the rest of the guitar looks great


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## Apophis (Jul 8, 2008)

looks awesome


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## hairychris (Jul 8, 2008)

Very nice! I like that one!!


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## The Echthros (Jul 8, 2008)

that version is oh so much nicer than the first one. highly figured flame maple neck FTW!


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## Drage (Jul 8, 2008)

I want one!


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## TMM (Jul 8, 2008)

first thing I'd do after buying it is cut off the natural finished part of the headstock... BM-style headstock FTW. Sweet guitar... this my compete with my GAS for an RC7G.


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## progmetaldan (Jul 9, 2008)

Well this has 7 strings, 27 frets, FR, thin body, progressive scalloping, pretty much my custom idea of a guitar anyway, so if I can get access to one...


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## Metal Ken (Jul 9, 2008)

It just looks like the neck is sticking much further out of the body, and the bridge is moved up, to compensate. So, from the trem to the strap pin on the end of the body, looks incredibyl empty. Aside from that it looks awesome


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## progmetaldan (Jul 9, 2008)

I believe its like 25.5" scale, so with 27 frets its pretty long... But yeah the bridge does look a long way forwards now that you mention it... interesting...


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## techjsteele (Jul 9, 2008)

OMG, thats a hot looking guitar! Great score!


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## Drage (Jul 9, 2008)

Yep, I want one.


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## progmetaldan (Jul 9, 2008)

I've said for ages if they ever made this guitar available, it'd be perfect for me, and then I start thinking about a Carvin DC727, and *bam* suddenly they're gonna release this... It must be a sign, I need this guitar...


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## Jerich (Jul 9, 2008)

http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/se...-coming-soon-stephan-forte-lag-signature.html


we need to do searchs before we post guys....this has been talked about in alot of different forms...


hahah!! i really like some of the improvements to the new one he plays (this is not a production model this is stephans custom)...I have the first model (and it too is custom ordered) ..and i have not played it in years...this one more resembles a custom the one i have is more like a IBBY Saber on steroids..

atv NAMM i was talking to the LAG guys they said i was one of three people who have the 7 string model....


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## nikt (Jul 9, 2008)

that's not the same model


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## Digital Black (Jul 9, 2008)

Metal Ken said:


> It just looks like the neck is sticking much further out of the body, and the bridge is moved up, to compensate. So, from the trem to the strap pin on the end of the body, looks incredibyl empty. Aside from that it looks awesome


I noticed that too. It makes it look out of balance.


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## progmetaldan (Jul 9, 2008)

Jerich said:


> http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/se...-coming-soon-stephan-forte-lag-signature.html
> 
> 
> we need to do searchs before we post guys....this has been talked about in alot of different forms...
> ...



Yeah I was aware of that one, but this is a different, newer model...


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## Randy (Jul 9, 2008)

Oh... and how quaint... the pickups are actually the SAME FRIGGIN' color...


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## Trespass (Jul 9, 2008)

1) Balance looks out

2) Neck looks raised up. Personally I'd have a recessed trem rather than a raised trem and a thin body. Comforts more important on the recessed trem.


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## Paul Malmsteen (Jul 9, 2008)

Trespass said:


> 2) Neck looks raised up. Personally I'd have a recessed trem rather than a raised trem and a thin body. Comforts more important on the recessed trem.



I like it better that way 

Anyway, this is what I would get if I were to get a custom. Maybe a ZR bridge instead, but apart from that I wouldn't have it any different. I gotta get me one of these


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## trippled (Jul 10, 2008)

How much should it cost?


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## 777 (Jul 10, 2008)

ive played alot of LAG and my advice is dont buy one they play like theyve ben shat on


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## HighGain510 (Jul 10, 2008)

I really like that headstock design.  Reminds me a little of the Brian Moore one but I like the LAG better.


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## metalfiend666 (Jul 10, 2008)

777 said:


> ive played alot of LAG and my advice is dont buy one they play like theyve ben shat on



I'm guessing you've probably played production Lag's in shops, right? If so, you can't compare to this. That's like saying I shouldn't have bought the Death Warrior because I've played a badly set up production model in a shop. You can't compare production models to custom shop insturments, they're totally different animals.

FWIW, one of the nicest guitars I've ever played was my old guitar teachers Lag. Ok, it was an 80's model, but it's still a Lag and still a damn fine guitar.


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## 777 (Jul 10, 2008)

metalfiend666 said:


> I'm guessing you've probably played production Lag's in shops, right? If so, you can't compare to this. That's like saying I shouldn't have bought the Death Warrior because I've played a badly set up production model in a shop. You can't compare production models to custom shop insturments, they're totally different animals.
> 
> FWIW, one of the nicest guitars I've ever played was my old guitar teachers Lag. Ok, it was an 80's model, but it's still a Lag and still a damn fine guitar.



i meant the production ones, i obviously cant comment on this one coz i havent played it my bad for not specifying


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## progmetaldan (Jul 11, 2008)

trippled said:


> How much should it cost?



yikes, I've been in touch with the Aussie distributors for LAG, and he reckons the custom model (ie. exactly the same as the one Stephen Forte plays) will cost somewhere upwards of $6000AUD!!! 

I'm thinking a Carvin DC727C or Caparison Dellinger 7 might be the way to go at this stage...


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## trippled (Jul 11, 2008)

How much is AUD6000$ in USD?


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## progmetaldan (Jul 11, 2008)

$5812.30 right at the moment... But I'm not sure whether that $6K includes customs and import taxes which might be exclusive to Australia... Either way, its probably gonna be at least $5000...


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## Groff (Jul 11, 2008)

Man, the pics are stunning!!


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## progmetaldan (Jul 11, 2008)

yeah, the first time I saw them they seemed a little dark, but it looks really, really beautiful!


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## Rhoadkiller (Jul 12, 2008)

the back of the neck is beautiful !!!!


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## Desecrated (Jul 12, 2008)

Rhoadkiller said:


> the back of the neck is beautiful !!!!



+1


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## thesimo (Jul 13, 2008)

that is LITERALLY the sexyest guitar i have ever seen, no exaggeration. i want one NOW


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## Snorelax (Jul 13, 2008)

It would be awesome if the bridge wasn't moved up.

That totally ruins it for me


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## Mindcrime1204 (Jan 25, 2010)

I think this badboy is coming out this year... whose gonna get one?

GAS 

Video so you can see the partial scallops 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F4nOTlfw9Iw


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## MaxOfMetal (Jan 25, 2010)

Mindcrime1204 said:


> I think this badboy is coming out this year... whose gonna get one?
> 
> GAS
> 
> Video so you can see the partial scallops




They've been out. This video is from April, 2009.

The price is just obscene and LAG's are pretty hard to come by in the first place. 

Needless to say, even with the release of the "cheaper" model, they still don't have widespread distribution. 

Also, why epic thread bump?


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## Mindcrime1204 (Jan 25, 2010)

Well I am interested in the guitar, and the pics before didnt show the scallops.

Why epic thread bump? Would you rather I made a new thread so you could tell me "why didnt you search?" lol

Anyone know the price of the cheaper model?


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## technomancer (Jan 25, 2010)

He at least added the video, so there was some new content and not a completely pointless bump


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## sly (Jan 26, 2010)

This guitar will be available in March as a cheaper version made in Korea. The price is about to be 1400&#8364;. I think the quality will be good (it looks exactly like Stephan's one I tried at a music fair in Paris).

Lâg Signatures S. Forte, K. Jones, C. Hedger, P. Campbell - Les forums de la Boite Noire du Musicien


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## loktide (Jan 26, 2010)

sexy


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## ShadyDavey (Jan 26, 2010)

Oh snap.

Shall have to try one at least.


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## Fred the Shred (Jan 26, 2010)

Mindcrime1204 said:


> I think this badboy is coming out this year... whose gonna get one?
> 
> GAS
> 
> Video so you can see the partial scallops




At fucking last!


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## Mindcrime1204 (Jan 26, 2010)

I dunno how accurate this is but I did a currency conversion for the US guys and 1400E ~ $1,680


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## sly (Jan 26, 2010)

The 1400&#8364; is the price including French VAT. Without it, it would be 1170&#8364;. I don't know how it works, but I don't think that US guys have to pay the VAT.


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## Mindcrime1204 (Jan 26, 2010)

sly said:


> The 1400 is the price including French VAT. Without it, it would be 1170. I don't know how it works, but I don't think that US guys have to pay the VAT.


 
My last conversion was wrong I think, unless these currency converters I'm trying just suck ass...

1170E ~ $1,644


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## guitar4tw (Jan 26, 2010)

That is one sleek guitar...


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## technomancer (Jan 26, 2010)

Mindcrime1204 said:


> My last conversion was wrong I think, unless these currency converters I'm trying just suck ass...
> 
> 1170E ~ $1,644



Use XE - Universal Currency Converter they update the exchange rates continuously more or less.


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## Mindcrime1204 (Jan 26, 2010)

technomancer said:


> Use XE - Universal Currency Converter they update the exchange rates continuously more or less.


 
Yep, thats the one I used...

So the $1,644.00 still stands then. I don't think it's a bad price at all for all the goodies you get on that guitar:

Partial scallops
27 frets
THIN-as-FUCK body and neck (looks about the thinnest I've ever seen)
Reverse Headstock


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## Fred the Shred (Jan 26, 2010)

Only thing I'm slightly afraid of is the position of the volume knob. Given my Marty Friedman'esque picking approach, the less in my way the better, although the carve seems to be enough to accomodate a lower profile knob to lessen inteference, should it occur.


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## Mindcrime1204 (Jan 26, 2010)

^^^^^
Actually one of the first things I noticed was the less than desirable knob n switch layout. But, everything else makes up for it for me. You know someone on here will eventually wind up with one, so i'll wait and see on a full report...

I still REALLY want one. Just for the 27 frets and scallops alone


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## ShadyDavey (Jan 26, 2010)

Fred the Shred said:


> Only thing I'm slightly afraid of is the position of the volume knob. Given my Marty Friedman'esque picking approach, the less in my way the better, although the carve seems to be enough to accomodate a lower profile knob to lessen inteference, should it occur.



It's in a good place for me, but my hand position is a lot more conventional - those pickup selectors are a little odd but again, the position is fine.


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## Fred the Shred (Jan 26, 2010)

Yeah, and you don't tend to pick over the fingerboard like I do in some cases.  It's mostly the alternate picking that worries me. Mindcrime has already seen on Camfrog how I pick, and knocking the volume till I'm dead quite is a concern there. Could be just my impression, but let's wait and see. I met the guy briefly, but I didn't have the chance to pick his guitar at the time.


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## troyguitar (Jan 26, 2010)

I don't know, that's still pushing $2k for a Korean guitar.


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## stuz719 (Jan 26, 2010)

troyguitar said:


> I don't know, that's still pushing $2k for a Korean guitar.



Country of origin =/= quality

If you got in a TARDIS and went back 30 years or so you'd find most guitarists thought that "Japan" was synonymous with "Haste" when prefixed by "Made in" on a guitar...


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## troyguitar (Jan 26, 2010)

My statement had nothing to do with quality. Country of origin does have a lot to do with cost of production. Unless LAG is paying their Koreans twice as much as other guitar companies, that price is rather whack.


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## Bungle (Jan 26, 2010)

Metal Ken said:


> from the trem to the strap pin on the end of the body, looks incredibly empty. Aside from that it looks awesome


x2.

Still,


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## Troegenator (Jan 26, 2010)

troyguitar said:


> My statement had nothing to do with quality. Country of origin does have a lot to do with cost of production. Unless LAG is paying their Koreans twice as much as other guitar companies, that price is rather whack.



+1


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## Fred the Shred (Jan 27, 2010)

Because Korean workers do not get raises since 1985, economy and consequently exchange rates are a constant, and the move of lower end production lines to China and Indonesia, for example, was quite clearly due to far more inspiring landscapes in those places... 

Come on, guys, as much as I really like to get my gear as cheap as possible there is no way to go below a certain point without cutting costs. Koreans were fortunate enough to be a sort of "new Japan" quality-wise as their production became more consistent and QC standards rose over time, so I'd gladly wait and see what the actual production instruments are like before accusing them of being overpriced.


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## Mindcrime1204 (Jan 27, 2010)

Fred the Shred said:


> Because Korean workers do not get raises since 1985, economy and consequently exchange rates are a constant, and the move of lower end production lines to China and Indonesia, for example, was quite clearly due to far more inspiring landscapes in those places...
> 
> Come on, guys, as much as I really like to get my gear as cheap as possible there is no way to go below a certain point without cutting costs. Koreans were fortunate enough to be a sort of "new Japan" quality-wise as their production became more consistent and QC standards rose over time, so I'd gladly wait and see what the actual production instruments are like before accusing them of being overpriced.


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## troyguitar (Jan 27, 2010)

Fred the Shred said:


> Because Korean workers do not get raises since 1985, economy and consequently exchange rates are a constant, and the move of lower end production lines to China and Indonesia, for example, was quite clearly due to far more inspiring landscapes in those places...
> 
> Come on, guys, as much as I really like to get my gear as cheap as possible there is no way to go below a certain point without cutting costs. Koreans were fortunate enough to be a sort of "new Japan" quality-wise as their production became more consistent and QC standards rose over time, so I'd gladly wait and see what the actual production instruments are like before accusing them of being overpriced.



You know what they are. And every other manufacturer with similarly featured guitars being made in Korea is selling them for ~$600-1000. See: Schecter, BC Rich, Fernandes, Ibanez, ESP/LTD, Agile, and so on. Even the Suhr import line is running like $1200 and that supposedly is getting a full PLEK job and setup in the USA.

It's only worth it IMO if you're obsessed with Forté and LAG and can afford $2k but not $4k for a new guitar.


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## Fred the Shred (Jan 27, 2010)

I strongly encourage you to check where current Ibbies at that price point are produced, for instance. I'm not saying this is not an "expensive" import instrument, as it is. However, you are using the US as a reference in brands such as Schecter, which really aren't that awesome value for money around these parts, for instance as they are there.

Thing is that, in Europe, more particularly the EU, we get buttraped regarding strict customs policies, so that there is a hefty "punishment" by resorting to non-EU labour or production. A run of the mill Schecter Loomis costs 1070 EUR, for instance. Perhaps you can get it for as low as 1000 euro by haggling a bit, but in all fairness it will result in slightly more than 1500 USD at its normal street price.

This is all a matter of proportion, as all of a sudden the LAG will have far more attractive features to many, a not so unrealistic price, and considering the hardware, quite a few selling points. I can honestly say that, should it live up to the customary quality I've found in more than 10 years of fiddling with LAG guitars, it's quite likely it'll wipe the floor with the competition.

I can't tell how much it is supposed to cost in the States, but one thing is certain - both markets are quite different in their workings, and I speak as an European customer who sees something coming out of a well-established brand with legendary QC around here (even on their Chinese debutant line), boasting unique features and a price that doesn't make me wonder whose Pope has blessed it to be worth that much.


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## troyguitar (Jan 27, 2010)

Fair point. Your prices are generally ~50% more than ours, which would put this right in the mix for you guys.

(note to self: buy any music gear you are going to want before moving to France  )


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## Fred the Shred (Jan 27, 2010)

Just do yourself a favour and do NOT buy amps there unless you're after US brands specifically. European amps cost roughly 50 to 70% more in the States.


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## troyguitar (Jan 27, 2010)

Yeah I'm thinking about taking my Mesa with me to sell over there, then buying some pricey European amp like the ENGL SE with its voltage-switching option


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## sly (Dec 9, 2011)

For those intereted, Lâg will release a more economic version of it's signature model (Lâg SF500 : Fixed bridge, 24 frets and maple fretboard):

La Boite Noire du Musicien - News


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## 77zark77 (Dec 9, 2011)

nice axe but that chunky headstock and SF inlay at 12th fret bother me !
too bad ! the scalloped fretboard going to 27th fret pleased me a lot, and couldn't be found on another brand/model


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