# NGD: Strandberg #23 (56k = faster than what i have on tour)



## bulb (Feb 19, 2012)

So this is a little late, but this is the first chance i have had to do a proper NGD and review since we have a day off in Italy!

The backstory on this guitar is that Ola made me #15 which i absolutely fell in love with the exception of one issue: Relative to the sound i was after, straight pickups made the low strings sound weird because of the fan on the frets leaving more space between the bridge and pole pieces on those strings.

Ola offered to rebuild the body for me to accommodate slanted pickups that would solve that issue. He contacted Tim at BKP who then designed and made the first angled Aftermath set, spec'd to the fan on the guitar. This maintained a relationship between the bridge and strings that was a lot more in-line with what my other guitars have.

I loved the sound and resonance of the original body, so i made sure Ola use the same woods and used woods of the same density to maintain the sound #15 had. In the process he ended up finding a top that was even more beautiful than the last one, so this guitar saw sonic and aesthetic improvements with the rebuild!

Anyways here are some awesome pics that Nolly took and edited for me:






















And for those interested in the specs:





Review:
The thing that really struck me with #15 was its instant playability. The fan on the frets was so slight that you wouldn't notice it, but you would noticed the awesome stretches you can do on a 24 fret guitar with a 24.75 scale on the high side. That coupled with probably the lowest playable action i have ever seen on a 7 string guitar made it just a dream to play. If i would describe the feel of this instrument with a few words it would be "touch sensitive". 

I recieved #23 when we played Wembley Arena on this tour with Dream Theater, and the first thing i noticed was that the feel of the guitar had not been compromised in the least. Even though i had Ola up the string gauges for me to my live ones (11-64), it still had this insanely low action that still managed to sustain notes without compromise, and that touch sensitive feel to it. The real test was just playing it live for the first time having been used to the feel of my other guitars.
I adjusted to the guitar with no issues and managed to play the set feeling very comfortable on the guitar even though it is VERY different from my other guitars in quite a few ways. 

As far as the tone goes, the guitar sounds HUGE and almost pissed off with attack. My Daemoness probably has the most attack out of my 7s and my Jackson is the fullest sounding. My impression is that this fits very nicely in the middle. Fuller sounding than my Daemoness, and yet similar in attack qualities. Chords ring out so vibrantly on the guitar, and it stays in tune magnificently well, so i can make the most out of big ringy chords.

The only aspect of the guitar that took some getting used to was the way a headless guitar feels as you are moving about on stage. This is a very lightweight guitar, and since the neck itself has a lot less weight to it because of the headless design, the guitar will feel a little different in your hands as you headbang or move around with it, but this only took a few live songs for me to get fully used to.

So in the end, #23 ended up being a great success, and this will likely remain one of my main 7s for live use because of how quickly i got attached to its feel and sound.

I want to thank Tim Mills and Ola Strandberg for all the hard work they put into making this guitar a reality and getting it ready in time for this tour!


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## Vicissitude27 (Feb 19, 2012)

Glad to hear it plays as well as last time! He kept how badass it looks too!


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## LolloBlaskhyrt (Feb 19, 2012)

Standing ovation!!!


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## schecterhellraiserc-7 (Feb 19, 2012)

how do you get so many beautiful guitars


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## wyldweasil (Feb 19, 2012)

Cool stuff, which one of your tunings will this one be in?


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## nickable (Feb 19, 2012)

Very nice instrument!


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## xiphiod (Feb 19, 2012)

sexy


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## MED (Feb 19, 2012)

I can't wait to see that baby in action!


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## prh (Feb 19, 2012)

so the issues you were finding with the bridge pickup are resolved now?

i was on the fence about the tone of these guitars (mainly in a high-ish gain metal setting, the cleans always sounded gorgeous) but if it's good enough for you to be using live its good enough for me, my spot on the waitlist cant come soon enough haha


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## bulb (Feb 19, 2012)

prh said:


> so the issues you were finding with the bridge pickup are resolved now?
> 
> i was on the fence about the tone of these guitars (mainly in a high-ish gain metal setting, the cleans always sounded gorgeous) but if it's good enough for you to be using live its good enough for me, my spot on the waitlist cant come soon enough haha



Yeah, more than resolved, this guitar sounds absolutely incredible. I could tell it was just the pickup positioning because the higher strings sounded amazing, and the neck position is so buttery on this guitar just as it was before.
Might have the best neck sound out of all my 7 strings!


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## Lorcan Ward (Feb 19, 2012)

Nice!!!!!!! Do you have a pic of the back of the neck?


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## Pablo (Feb 19, 2012)

That thing is simply gobsmackingly gorgeous... now scallop it ;-)


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## MiPwnYew (Feb 19, 2012)

It's so beautiful...


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## InfinityAndThree (Feb 19, 2012)

I love maple and walnut. They just looks so perfect together.

HNGD man, yet another awesome fiddle!!


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## Captain Shoggoth (Feb 19, 2012)

HNGD, another winner!


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## prh (Feb 19, 2012)

bulb said:


> Yeah, more than resolved, this guitar sounds absolutely incredible. I could tell it was just the pickup positioning because the higher strings sounded amazing, and the neck position is so buttery on this guitar just as it was before.
> Might have the best neck sound out of all my 7 strings!



holy fuck im so sold then! id love to hear a short clip using it, although you probably wont have a free moment for the next billion years


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## Contra (Feb 19, 2012)

I liked the look of the old top more, but it's good to hear about the improvements. HNGD!


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## Philligan (Feb 19, 2012)

And my Strandberg GAS is back through the roof 

Congrats man, I saw Ola post this and have been looking forward to it for a while now. Nolly takes some great looking pictures, too. Can't wait to hopefully see it and you guys live soon.


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## KingAenarion (Feb 19, 2012)

Pretty much


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## Ayo7e (Feb 19, 2012)

That walnut.


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## Bouillestfu (Feb 19, 2012)

I wish I were you for one day! Then my life would be complete...  Very nice guitar hope to get sound bites of it one day!


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## scherzo1928 (Feb 19, 2012)

I said it for the first axe, and I'll say it again. The red hardware looks AWESOME with those wood choices.


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## Mwoit (Feb 19, 2012)

Look great! Makes me want to get my *strandberg sooner.

Just to clarify, is this #15 but with a new body and slanted Aftermaths, or a brand new guitar so you have 2 *strandbergs?


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## HighGain510 (Feb 19, 2012)

Looks awesome Misha!


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## DoomJazz (Feb 19, 2012)

+1 for the insanely low action and awesome fit into your arsenal.


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## Pablo (Feb 19, 2012)

Mwoit said:


> Look great! Makes me want to get my *strandberg sooner.
> 
> Just to clarify, is this #15 but with a new body and slanted Aftermaths, or a brand new guitar so you have 2 *strandbergs?



It is the neck and hardware from No. 15, with a new body and custom Aftermaths.


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## Fred the Shred (Feb 19, 2012)

Gorgeous, as Ola has us used to.  Enjoy the guitfiddle - looking forward to seeing it in action in a few days.


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## technomancer (Feb 19, 2012)

Looks fantastic, love a good walnut top


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## Dethonator (Feb 19, 2012)

I like how you used "touch sensitive" instead of "easier-to-play" since there actually is some getting used to. Hopefully it won't change your performance on stage when you switch between the other guitars.


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## MartinMTL (Feb 19, 2012)

That is my dream guitar. I don't think that there are many guitars that come with the same beauty as Strandbergs do. Ahhhhhhhhhhhhhh......


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## mhickman2 (Feb 19, 2012)

Swamp ash and walnut always work well together. Absolutely stunning!


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## WildBroskiAppears (Feb 19, 2012)

What a gorgeous instrument. That walnut is to die for 
Does is feel awkward at all on stage, being so small compared to your other superstrat-style guitars?


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## brutalwizard (Feb 19, 2012)

nicest looking strandberg so far


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## AngstRiddenDreams (Feb 19, 2012)

Wow, that pretty much made my day to see.Would it be possible for us to have clips when you are free from touring?


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## bulb (Feb 19, 2012)

Dethonator said:


> I like how you used "touch sensitive" instead of "easier-to-play" since there actually is some getting used to. Hopefully it won't change your performance on stage when you switch between the other guitars.



Well actually, i used touch sensitive because i was trying to get across that it was even easier to play than anything else. The only thing that took getting used to was the lack of weight on the end of the headstock, but thats being nitpicky, i played it for the first time at wembley and absolutely fell in love with the way it played and sounded during that set!


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## Alpenglow (Feb 19, 2012)

The figuring on that walnut.


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## Winspear (Feb 19, 2012)

Absolutely awesome 



WildBroskiAppears said:


> Does is feel awkward at all on stage, being so small compared to your other superstrat-style guitars?





Bulb said:


> The only aspect of the guitar that took some getting used to was the way a headless guitar feels as you are moving about on stage. This is a very lightweight guitar, and since the neck itself has a lot less weight to it because of the headless design, the guitar will feel a little different in your hands as you headbang or move around with it, but this only took a few live songs for me to get fully used to.


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## themike (Feb 19, 2012)

Congrats man, she's gorgeous.

I love this photo - Mangini approved!


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## WildBroskiAppears (Feb 19, 2012)

EtherealEntity said:


> Absolutely awesome
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Read the thread and still missed that detail before I posted? 
Blame it on no coffee while posting. Shhh don't make me look bad in front of Misha


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## JP Universe (Feb 19, 2012)

Oh man... lovely guitar dude


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## s_k_mullins (Feb 19, 2012)

This is beautiful! Congrats on another awesome guitar Misha!


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## pingOMOG (Feb 20, 2012)

the top is amaziiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing


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## iamdunker (Feb 21, 2012)

F-Yeah, love that guitar. Hows the Ibanez Swirl 7 feeling for you(if you already posted about it i will find it). Being that the stranburger(haha) is outa reach for the guys that want something sweet now.


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## iamdunker (Feb 21, 2012)

th3m1ke said:


> Congrats man, she's gorgeous.
> 
> I love this photo - Mangini approved!


Also, Zipper=Oh shit


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## Lasik124 (Feb 21, 2012)

Wow this is awesome man, congrats!


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## Miek (Feb 21, 2012)

There's something very serene looking about it, even with the red hardware. Kinda like cinnamon, I guess.


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## Geognosy (Feb 21, 2012)

This is the guitar Legolas would play. He's in Keep of Kalessin.


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## Rook (Feb 21, 2012)

Misha, I remember you saying the control cavity's bigger than average to act as a chamber, how big is it? Is there any extra chambering? Can you really hear the difference from that do you think?

Does the Luminlay thing really help?

Cheers, sweet guitar.

Again.


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## georg_f (Feb 21, 2012)

HOLY.... cow!!


on noes, now everyone will send BKP inquiries for custom slanted pickups LOL


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## themike (Feb 21, 2012)

georg_f said:


> on noes, now everyone will send BKP inquiries for custom slanted pickups LOL



That's probably a good thing - if there is enough interest I'm sure Tim will make a production model.


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## bulb (Feb 23, 2012)

Fun111 said:


> Misha, I remember you saying the control cavity's bigger than average to act as a chamber, how big is it? Is there any extra chambering? Can you really hear the difference from that do you think?
> 
> Does the Luminlay thing really help?
> 
> ...



I actually asked for this body to not be chambered. I noticed very slight feedback issues with #15 because the body was almost too resonant with the chambers. I think chambering works best with natrually denser woods, but with light density ash like on this guitar its really not needed!
Chambering will give you a bit more snap and attack, but this guitar has more than enough of both, so even tonally it wouldnt benefit in the context of periphery.

I ask for luminlay on all my guitars now, saves my ass on stage every night!


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## shaggydogJV (Feb 25, 2012)

Classy as fuck.


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## Tulpa (Feb 25, 2012)

That guitar probably plays better than anything I'll ever get my hands on.

Congratz! She's purrrttyy


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## Relinquish69 (Feb 25, 2012)

Always thought Mangini was a drummer. I like the ergonomic design of the guitar. I'm actually amazed by the fact that you got BNK to wind a custom slanted humbucker. nice!


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## Andromalia (Feb 25, 2012)

Bulb, lenghtening luthiers waiting lists since 2006 ? 
Congratulations, looks very nice


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## Konfyouzd (Feb 25, 2012)

Is my math wrong or does that really only weigh 1 lb?


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## srrdude (Feb 25, 2012)

Konfyouzd said:


> Is my math wrong or does that really only weigh 1 lb?




4.9lbs according to my friend named google.


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## Rook (Feb 27, 2012)

A whole guitar weighing 5lbs.

That's insane.

And Misha, thanks for your response. I had a JPX before which we're all aware is chambered and I absolutely loved how resonant it was, particularly after I got to compare it to the non-chambered JPXI, but I did notice it was a little squealy and the low end I felt suffered very slightly.

You've basically reaffirmed my concern 

hmmmm.....


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## bulb (Feb 27, 2012)

Fun111 said:


> A whole guitar weighing 5lbs.
> 
> That's insane.
> 
> ...



I wouldnt be concerned about chambering, it honestly comes down to the type of wood and application.
My Blackmachine B2 which is my holy grail of guitars is chambered and that is a big part as to why it sounds as good as it does. And i think the JPX sounds awesome for that reason as well!


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## Pauly (Feb 28, 2012)

Every time I see his builds it cements my desire to sell all my guitars and just have a collection of Strandbergs.


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