Feeling kinda bad for Suhr...

Endorsements are a business, period. Suhr makes stellar products but their artist deals are nothing compared to what Ibanez or FMC will do for an artist.

 

I don't care what it is, there will always be more $1000 guitars sold than $3000 to $4000 guitars.

After playing (and owning) a MIM Charvel, I have zero interest in what Suhr is doing.

 

I don't know how bad it actually is for Suhr though. They're still a high end boutique, and Ibanez is a mass producer with multiple quality tiers. I always thought that Suhr is basically modern boutique Fender. Whereas Ibby is Ibby, they do their own thing.

It's a bit weird that something as oddly specific as an HSS strat with a vintage trem and a with roasted maple neck got the traction that it got.

 

Suhr doesn't do traditional endorsement deals, everyone has to pay. So they're not going to hold artists like the mainstream production companies that pay out for artists, which is exactly what Suhr wants. It means the endorsement is genuinely about the gear and not a pay check.

People don't buy Suhr (or any of the boutiques) because so and so plays them, they buy them because they're exceptional guitars.

Besides, based on recent build time tables, Suhr is doing just fine.

 

In Bangladesh, guitar players in smaller villages know about Suhr guitars. The avg player buys in the Harley Benton range though.

I'm really happy with the DK24 range. I can bring it back home and not be 'too' concerned. The DK24, honestly, is doing its job as a Suhr surrogate. It has Suhr pickups in it.

If it were more reasonable, that I can travel with any where and play with whatever crowd, I really wish there was a Suhr in the mid, or even, reasonable ranges.

I tried a few Suhrs at Cosmo music, Toronto, and the rosewood neck with the suhr logo and the fretboard roll off is something to appreciate. Nice headstock too.

 

Suhr's going after a different clientele.

Not really a big deal. I think they sell everything they are able to make and are just fine with that.

They did the whole modern Marshall thing before Friedman and could have easily been as big.

They also attempted the mic low cost line almost a decade before anyone else. John will make moves when he needs too.

Anderson has never really been worried about any of this stuff either. Just keep selling 5000 dollar guitars.

 

Funny... I was just playing my ibanez js2450 and Suhr modern satin. As great as the JS is, the Suhr is just on a different level. Playability and tones are stellar.

 

i don't feel too bad for them, i'm sure their bank acct has several more commas than mine so they must be doing something right.

 

The owners cashed out a long time ago when they were purchased, so they're doing fine.

As for the guitar company, they sell more than they can build.
Their main target audience is wealthy "older" players who couldn't care less about any modern endorser, so any impact of AZs or DKs will be truly minuscule in terms of demand.

 

Some boutiques just want to be boutiques. And often “exclusive” has an appeal to it as well.

 

Suhr is not as big as FMC because they did not invent the Stratocaster, so I could care less that they are not as big and can't do as much. I think they also make Telecaster variants, I mean...not very original if you ask me. If they had invented something different and unique and then someone else took their people then maybe you could feel bad.

 

Something to note too is that remember, endorsements are primarily about cash for the artist, and more about gaining brand recognition (and the cash that follows) for the endorsing company. A brand as iconic as Suhr, in my opinion, really doesn't need a whole lot of publicity to get their name out there because those that are in the market for a guitar like that very likely are already aware of who they are and what they do.

Especially for a shop where quality >>>> quantity, as long as they can keep their order book full (which is a fraction of a fraction of the size of what a company like Ibanez moves), I'm sure they don't really care.

Granted, it is always kind of a bummer to see someone's "thing" get copied and mass produced, but it's kind of inevitable. And in my opinion, honestly a win all around. Players get their 'cheap Suhr,' Ibanez gets their business, and folks that may not have been in the market for a Suhr in the first place might now want a 'fancy AZ.'

 

I'm quite sure Mr. Suhr doent give a fluff

 

A fancy AZ with actually good factory fretwork, and without that abomination of a headstock.

 

Just the fact everyone instantly thinks "Suhr" when any company makes a pickguard-less super Strat with a two point trem is enough to cement how "not bothered" they are with endorsement drama.

 

Suhr can never churn out enough guitars for the amount of orders they get, they'll be fine. They've already built their rep as one of the top boutique manufacturers and won't need to try hard to get a new wave of artist sponsorships.

 

more people think suhr then Anderson and Anderson isn’t hurting. He tried to retire. And he’s said that he’d retire if they have a year where they don’t do enough sales.
That was like 8 years ago.

 

do you feel bad for fender because suhr exists?

suhr cant be bothered putting out a quality product in the 1-2k range

both AZ and DK series are loaded with specs that suhr can't match at a fraction of the cost