High-End Advice

[marke]

Anyone else annoyed by the fact that in FR guitars, the locking nut rests partly on air with Suhrs and Andersons? It looks sloppy tbh. I'm also in a similar situation, but can't stomach dropping 5k on a guitar with such a clumsy design.

Check post #11 to see what I'm talking about https://www.rig-talk.com/forum/threads/anderson-review-rant.49678/

Old thread, but the design persists. Probably there are no practical implications, but maybe it's just safer to get another ESP. Also, keep in mind Suhr guitars are sometimes criticized of their poor upper fret access due to the lower horn getting in the way of certain wrist positions.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

At that level they're all good, It's more about what meshes with you. Aristides are excellent guitars, on par with core PRS in terms of factory fit/finish/setup, but a veryyy different feel. The necks are very thin and shreddy, they have excellent sustain, they're quite environmentally stable too. Mine don't fluctuate much with the weather.
The bodies are thin enough that the lack of contours isn't a problem imo. My only quibble is that they're heavy. My 070 is damn near 10 lbs

 

[NoodleFace]

Anyone else annoyed by the fact that in FR guitars, the locking nut rests partly on air with Suhrs and Andersons? It looks sloppy tbh. I'm also in a similar situation, but can't stomach dropping 5k on a guitar with such a clumsy design.

Check post #11 to see what I'm talking about https://www.rig-talk.com/forum/threads/anderson-review-rant.49678/

Old thread, but the design persists. Probably there are no practical implications, but maybe it's just safer to get another ESP. Also, keep in mind Suhr guitars are sometimes criticized of their poor upper fret access due to the lower horn getting in the way of certain wrist positions.

That would bother me to no end. Functionally it's fine, but aesthetically it looks like a bad aftermarket mod

 

[ChrispyFinch]

Well i played a Suhr modern over the weekend. My bandmate actually got one in a trade, so very serendipitous for me.
Unfortunately for me, it plays and sounds amazing. I give the slight edge to my PRS just because of the neck profile (pattern thin) and wider neck. The Suhr had the .78 modern neck profile that was quiet interesting and comfortable. Goes from a C shape to a D shape i think.
Definitely going for the recessed Gotoh 510, that bridge flutters so nicely. Ideally i'd also only like 2 humbuckers.
So now i have to figure out if im going to snag my bandmates Suhr, or pickup a used modern, or maybe even modern T.
The James Ivanyi, and Andre Nieri models look great, but i believe are far too much $$ for such a plain guitar.

My bandmate has the hots for an Aristides, so I may pick one up to try, and swap him for the Suhr.

 

[michael_bolton]

Never played a PRS.

Own Aristides 060r, had Suhr Modern and Mayones Hydra - both for a few days. Out of these I prefer Aristides with Mayo being close second. This particular Mayo had a cosmetic defect I wasn't willing to deal with other than that was pretty great.
Suhr had a couple of minor issues - the biggest one - maybe it's my playing lol - but the high E string kept slipping off the fretboard with 010s in D standard.

 

[BaliGod]

Probable late to this dance, but I had a Suhr and it suucckkedd. Bought a new Modern Satin in January and traded it on an ESP Custom Shop about 30 days later at a loss of about $1,000 USD. The sound was lame and thin with the SSH+ so I installed an Alridge in the bridge and it still sounded bad. The fret work was sloppy and uneven. I can easily run my ESPs with low Es at 2/64s, but the Suhr was buzzing and fretting/choking out real bad between 14 and 19 on string bends unless I raised the action to an acoustic level. The neck was never comfortable to me. I have since played about 10 others at a local music shop trying to give them a another chance and I was not impressed by any of them.

If you are used to high end guitars, definitely audition a Suhr in person before purchase. Might have been more impressive if I was used to playing junk, but it was a real let down compared to what I am used to.

 

[narad]

Probable late to this dance, but I had a Suhr and it suucckkedd. Bought a new Modern Satin in January and traded it on an ESP Custom Shop about 30 days later at a loss of about $1,000 USD. The sound was lame and thin with the SSH+ so I installed an Alridge in the bridge and it still sounded bad. The fret work was sloppy and uneven. I can easily run my ESPs with low Es at 2/64s, but the Suhr was buzzing and fretting/choking out real bad between 14 and 19 on string bends unless I raised the action to an acoustic level. The neck was never comfortable to me. I have since played about 10 others at a local music shop trying to give them a another chance and I was not impressed by any of them.

If you are used to high end guitars, definitely audition a Suhr in person before purchase. Might have been more impressive if I was used to playing junk, but it was a real let down compared to what I am used to.

I guess every brand is going to have some bad experiences out there, etc. I've had ESPs that have fret issues and wonky dots or are just musically duds, at least to my preferences. My Suhr was a fantastic guitar with fretwork as good as anything. I still prefer ESP overall for what I go for, but I think both brands have a pretty consistently good reputation in aggregate.

 

[oremus91]

I have since played about 10 others at a local music shop trying to give them a another chance and I was not impressed by any of them.

This is a big enough sample size to tell me that you just don't like the spec/feel of this brand mostly, not that they "suucckkedd". Regarding the neck shape, Suhr has a catalog of different shapes/sizes.

 

[Metaldestroyerdennis]

Ok so I know who this guy is bc I'm also on TGP and John Suhr literally begged him to send the guitar in for repair so they could see what's wrong and he refused to do it. I've had 2 Suhrs and they both sounded and played absolutely immaculate, so much so that I have a third on its way despite the first one I had kind of turning into a fiasco. I'm not saying they're for everyone, but I'd take this particular person's views on the brand with a pinch of salt.

 

[BaliGod]

Ok so I know who this guy is bc I'm also on TGP and John Suhr literally begged him to send the guitar in for repair so they could see what's wrong and he refused to do it. I've had 2 Suhrs and they both sounded and played absolutely immaculate, so much so that I have a third on its way despite the first one I had kind of turning into a fiasco. I'm not saying they're for everyone, but I'd take this particular person's views on the brand with a pinch of salt.

Beg, hardly. He suggested that as a solution, but I live in Bali and it costs about $600 to $700 ship a guitar one way to the US. Then I would have to pay another $600 or $700 to ship it back into Bali and pay 25% customs on it when it entered back into Indonesia.

Easier for me to take the $1,000 loss trading it out instantly on something I like than incur huge shipping and customs charges to mess with something that was in candor just a step or two below just about everything else I have. Even my cheap Ibanez RG620QM played better and sounded better . . .

 

[BaliGod]

This is a big enough sample size to tell me that you just don't like the spec/feel of this brand mostly, not that they "suucckkedd". Regarding the neck shape, Suhr has a catalog of different shapes/sizes.

Be accurate now, I said the he Modern Satin I had ssuucckked. I just said the other 10 or so I played just were not impressive, especially for the price.

The Suhr Classics played decent, but I already have around 25 Fender Custom Shop Strats back at my home in the US that play better. It just cost me +/- $1,500 in shipping and customs to get them to my home here in Bali. If the Suhrs were better, I would buy probably several here on the island as I am buying all new gear for my Bali home and studio here.

Wish the Suhrs were better as I can actually purchase new Suhrs in person from a store here in Bali. Everything else I am buying now comes from Jakarta. I just purchased an Anderson and a Mayones from Jakarta and all of my ESPs came from Jakarta so there is no try before you buy, the stores does NOT accept returns and shipping is super sketchy here.

Shipping here is a trip. Northing is insured, it may or may not show up, deliveries can take 2 weeks to a month or more and it is not uncommon from delivery services to extort more money out of you to release your package to you.

 

[bzhang9]

Not too surprised, there's definitely a lot of brand inflation and hype with suhr, as with some other boutique brands but that 3-4k strat isn't going to be that much better than a quality 2k strat. lemons happen with any builder, no one is immune

 

[oremus91]

Ibanez RG620QM played better and sounded better

Subjective, but I'm happy for you if you can get what you like out of a cheaper instrument.

 

[BaliGod]

Subjective, but I'm happy for you if you can get what you like out of a cheaper instrument.

I will play anything, if it plays well. Not a brand snob, but I am demanding. My only advise above was audition a Suhr and don't purchase on internet lore if wanting "high end."

I bought that Ibanez RG620QM for kids to use at our Bali School of Rock for $600 at a local music store. Turned out to be rare and up to $2,500 on Reverb.

Week 1, I pulled the SSH+ out of my Suhr Modern and put an Aldrich in trying to improve the Modern's sound. I put the SSH+ in the RG620QM and the RG620 sounded amazing. Suhr has nice pickups in other guitars . . .


RE: Suhr's "Public" Save Face Solution to My NGD not so happy post:

Suhr/John told me to contact Customer Service to discuss setup. There was no agreement to pay shipping and return customs.

I found this CS suggestion humorous. CS was not going to fix uneven frets over the phone, but we are also not exactly a "hold my beer while I set this guitar up" crew although we act like it. I started touring in 84 and my guitar tech here in Bali toured as a tech with my current band mate, Metallica, Ozzy, Suicidal Tendencies and etc. since the 80s. We could probably set one up while holding our beers.

I could have fixed the frets and tweaked pickups/electronics, but I found a guy with a 2005 ESP Kiso Custom Shop JH Truckster in Java willing to take my Modern in as partial trade. First year 2005 Kiso CS Truckster is a good score and I knew I would NEVER play the Suhr even if we sorted the fret work out as it just was not a great quality, great playin guitar.



Anyway. here is a departing shot of my Suhr Modern that RG620QM and the Truckster that replaced it.

 

[jl-austin]

I'm curious why Charvel custom shop guitars aren't in this conversation?

 

[oremus91]

Playing "well" is subjective, not sure why you are telling me your life story brotha

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I'm curious why Charvel custom shop guitars aren't in this conversation?

Because they've been so limited over the years. For decades FMIC refused to do just about anything that's not a basic SD with a whacky finish.

They would sort of push you towards either Fender CS or Jackson.

Now you see even less outside of special runs of artist models.

They're positioning the brand as sort of "budget metal Strats" vs. it's own thing.

 

[BaliGod]

Playing "well" is subjective, not sure why you are telling me your life story brotha

To a degree. Playing well is also largely controlled by previous experiences. So yes, one who has played nothing but entry level or trash may find a Suhr amazing, which those who are more demanding may find it unimpressive. I don't care what your back ground or experience may be, there are guitars that anyone and everyone would find great playing. The OP is probably seeking that level of a guitar and perhaps feedback from more discriminating players.

 

[Metaldestroyerdennis]

To a degree. Playing well is also largely controlled by previous experiences. So yes, one who has played nothing but entry level or trash may find a Suhr amazing, which those who are more demanding may find it unimpressive. I don't care what your back ground or experience may be, there are guitars that anyone and everyone would find great playing. The OP is probably seeking that level of a guitar and perhaps feedback from more discriminating players.

Look man you can have an opinion all you want but saying that anyone who would like a Suhr has no experience with nice guitars is pretty out there if you ask me. I think they're great and I've had all manner of nice instruments. The Suhrs were up there at the top.

 

[BaliGod]

Look man you can have an opinion all you want but saying that anyone who would like a Suhr has no experience with nice guitars is pretty out there if you ask me. I think they're great and I've had all manner of nice instruments. The Suhrs were up there at the top.

Haha, of course I don't mean EVERYONE either way. There word "MAY" in "may find it unimpressive" connote some may, but not all.