NGD Abasi Concepts J Larada 7

[HungryGuitarStudent]

On the same day I received this guitar in the mail 2 months ago, I was diagnosed with tendinitis in both arms. Needless to say, I’ve had time to inspect my new J Larada 7 thoroughly; it came in pristine condition.

Two weeks ago, I got the all clear from the physio to get back to playing. I started with 10 min playing super simple stuff every 2 days and I’m now at 30 min with a bit more complex stuff (I’m still not at 100%).

I waited until yesterday to try out my J Larada 7 mainly because I didn’t want to spoil the 1st impression by being severely limited in my ability and playing time. Here are my impressions.

Overall impression: this is the best built guitar I’ve ever owned. The attention to detail is insane. Playing the 1st notes had me inspired, both because it feels and sounds so good.

Customer experience: Ivan at Abasi Concepts is super professional; quick replies and precise answers to questions.

Weight: this guitar is surprisingly light. I don’t feel much difference with the other “light” guitars I own (e.g. Strandbergs).

Body shape: classical position feels super natural. The “above neck” body shape ensures that the guitar rests stably.

Neck profile: over the years I’ve played Wizard necks, C-shaped Kiesel necks and Endurenecks. Having hand problems, neck shape is a really important to me. My 1st impression with the neck: I love it. I think I even prefer the ovoid J Larada neck to the Endureneck, namely because it doesn’t have “corners”. The thinning of the oval really relieves hand stress for certain chords and licks.

Upper fret access: can’t complain here, this bolt-on neck has drastically better access to the higher register than my other bolt-on guitars.

Fret fanning: I’ve always tried to stay away from fanned frets. My rationale: 25.5” scale length parallel frets make tapping arpeggios and stretches way easier. I was pleasantly surprised that my adaptation was pretty quick and more importantly, that it feels natural.

Pickups: judge for yourself below... NeuraDSP Plini through studio monitors caught by a Blue Yeti mic on my desk.

I’ll post more when I get better and once the honeymoon wears off. In any case, I’m confident this will become my main guitar from now.

 

[katsumura78]

Sounds great and congrats on the new guitar! If PRS doesn’t make a core 7 model soon then a J Larada it is.

 

[Crash Dandicoot]

Congrats! Any photos to share?

 

[Pietjepieter]

Cool! please share some photos!

nice playing as well, great sound!

 

[HungryGuitarStudent]

Sorry guys, I don’t have more pics than the one I already shared in the Abasi Concepts thread. I’ll try to take more eventually.

 

[Thaeon]

Sounds crazy good. That Plini plugin is so tasty. I'm glad that the reviews that are coming in on these are so stellar. They aren't necessarily my bag, but man are they a great option for extended range players.

 

[Fluence of Shred]

HNGD! Congrats on such a nice piece.

For me, its between this guitar and the Longfield Boden Metal 8, and its too bad I would never be able to try these in store or something.

Have you played a Strandberg Metal Boden 8? Can you compare if you have?

Enjoy!

 

[Lorcan Ward]

Happy NGD! Take your time with recovery, rushing things can make you lose your progress and land you back to square one.

 

[HungryGuitarStudent]

HNGD! Congrats on such a nice piece.

For me, its between this guitar and the Longfield Boden Metal 8, and its too bad I would never be able to try these in store or something.

Have you played a Strandberg Metal Boden 8? Can you compare if you have?

Enjoy!

Thanks man!! Today is my « no play day », so here’s a wall of text to answer your question.

Context: I only play 7-strings, so I have no clue about the 8-strings. That being said, in the past I’ve owned a Boden Metal 7 and a Prog 7 (both now sold) and a Singularity 7. I’ve been using Strandberg guitars almost exclusively for the last ~4 years.

I’m still in the honeymoon period with this new guitar (now 3 weeks in), but all things point towards me sticking with the Larada and not using my Strandberg anymore. Here’s why.

Neck profile: One of the most important characteristics for me is the neck profile. I like the Endureneck, but I’ve always wished for it to be thinner, which is why I got the Singularity (which has a thinner Endureneck). That being said, the « edges » of the Endureneck still kinda hamper my mobility (especially when doing stretches or fast string skipping/position changes). I guess this might be one reason why Per Nilsson’s new Singularity will have a rounded and thinner Endureneck. Unfortunately, it will only come with True Temperament frets, which makes it a « no go » for me.

Long story short: the Japanese Larada neck feels thinner than the Endureneck, is rounded and has an ovoid shape which gives the same ergonomic advantages as the Endureneck (for me anyhow). It’s just a better neck for me and feels incredibly natural and easy to play. It also has better upper fret access than Endureneck bolt-ons.

Body: In terms of body ergonomics, the Larada rests just as easily in classical position and feels just as light as a Strandberg. The « lump » in the body also makes it rest more stably against your body.

Other factors: for me, the J Larada just sounds incredible. Is this due to a combination of tonewood and pickups? I don’t know, but that great sound, combined with incredible playability and aesthetics just inspires the hell out of me. It’s the first guitar I’ve ever owned where I feel that things just click for weeks.

Don’t get me wrong, Strandberg guitars are great. If you feel they’re more for you, then go for it.

Happy NGD! Take your time with recovery, rushing things can make you lose your progress and land you back to square one.

Thank you! Good point about not starting too crazy. I’m following my physiotherapist’s plan. I’ve done 10 minutes every two days for week 1, then 20-30 minutes week 2 and now I’m trying up to 1-2 hours.

I take lots of breaks and often play super simple stuff (e.g. learning melodic minor modes horizontally super slowly). I don’t focus much on rebuilding my technique yet. I also warmup, stretch, massage, hot-cold before and after (as well as 1-3 times a day). I also send her a report of every practice and little pain I feel. I try to be in tune with how my arms and hands feel; if I feel sore, then I skip a day.

 

[Fluence of Shred]

Thanks man!! Today is my « no play day », so here’s a wall of text to answer your question.

Context: I only play 7-strings, so I have no clue about the 8-strings. That being said, in the past I’ve owned a Boden Metal 7 and a Prog 7 (both now sold) and a Singularity 7. I’ve been using Strandberg guitars almost exclusively for the last ~4 years.

I’m still in the honeymoon period with this new guitar (now 3 weeks in), but all things point towards me sticking with the Larada and not using my Strandberg anymore. Here’s why.

Neck profile: One of the most important characteristics for me is the neck profile. I like the Endureneck, but I’ve always wished for it to be thinner, which is why I got the Singularity (which has a thinner Endureneck). That being said, the « edges » of the Endureneck still kinda hamper my mobility (especially when doing stretches or fast string skipping/position changes). I guess this might be one reason why Per Nilsson’s new Singularity will have a rounded and thinner Endureneck. Unfortunately, it will only come with True Temperament frets, which makes it a « no go » for me.

Long story short: the Japanese Larada neck feels thinner than the Endureneck, is rounded and has an ovoid shape which gives the same ergonomic advantages as the Endureneck (for me anyhow). It’s just a better neck for me and feels incredibly natural and easy to play. It also has better upper fret access than Endureneck bolt-ons.

Body: In terms of body ergonomics, the Larada rests just as easily in classical position and feels just as light as a Strandberg. The « lump » in the body also makes it rest more stably against your body.

Other factors: for me, the J Larada just sounds incredible. Is this due to a combination of tonewood and pickups? I don’t know, but that great sound, combined with incredible playability and aesthetics just inspires the hell out of me. It’s the first guitar I’ve ever owned where I feel that things just click for weeks.

Don’t get me wrong, Strandberg guitars are great. If you feel they’re more for you, then go for it.



Thank you! Good point about not starting too crazy. I’m following my physiotherapist’s plan. I’ve done 10 minutes every two days for week 1, then 20-30 minutes week 2 and now I’m trying up to 1-2 hours.

I take lots of breaks and often play super simple stuff (e.g. learning melodic minor modes horizontally super slowly). I don’t focus much on rebuilding my technique yet. I also warmup, stretch, massage, hot-cold before and after (as well as 1-3 times a day). I also send her a report of every practice and little pain I feel. I try to be in tune with how my arms and hands feel; if I feel sore, then I skip a day.

Great post and comparison
Thank you

 

[HungryGuitarStudent]

Update: honeymoon over, still my main 7-string guitar I haven’t touched any other guitar since.

If I have to nitpick, the only negative thing I can find is that it uses a battery for the pickups instead of the Fishman USB charged battery pack.

 

[Two Panthers]

The USB pack is a great idea to add....

HNGD and congrats, i know the honeymooon is over but i know the love and enjoyment isnt

When do you prefer multiscale playing , and when do you prefer a straight fretboard? I am asking in regards to both rhythm and chords as well as solos and leads?

Great review too....you really are making me wonder if I should’ve waited lol! (But i could always order one down the road)

 

[HungryGuitarStudent]

Thanks man! Right now I’m used to fanned frets for everything. I’d say straight frets used to be more natural to me for tapping arpeggios and leads, but now I’m totally at home with the fanning on the Larada. Riffs sound better than say, on a 25.5” 7-string.

Still my favorite guitar by far.

 

[lautaroxg10]

Having played TT, could you explain why you don't like it? I am considering it for a custom build but it is really expensive, worth it?

 

[Two Panthers]

I really think that is a great lick in the video. Were you able to record anything else? Either video or audio, either one?

 

[Shawn]

Awesome review and congrats! Love your tone too. Very nice!

 

[Bdtunn]

Love these!
Forgive me, what’s the scale length on on this? I can’t find a “straight” answer anywhere.

 

[HungryGuitarStudent]

Thanks guys!!

Sorry I’m not posting more, I’m currently woodshedding to rehab my arms and to improve something I suck at: alternate picking (goals: 130 bpm sextuplets).

In parallel I’ll start composing again and eventually record demos for an instrumental track (that will probably suck since it’ll be my 1st full song composition).

Scale length: 25.5-27.?? (somewhere in the main Abasi Concepts thread someone posted it; you could ask Abasi Concepts in the comments of their IG posts, they’re usually quick to reply).

@lautaroxg10 : my main reason for not playing TT guitars is that they’re expensive, I’m not sure what clear advantage in intonation I’d get and fret maintenance may be a nightmare (specially fret replacement). Also, recording and performing-wise, I’m not sure how a TT guitar would “tonally interact” with non-TT guitars (but maybe that’s a non-issue, I don’t know much about TT tbh).

 

[lautaroxg10]

Thanks for your reply

 

[HungryGuitarStudent]

A video I did for the Kadinja solo contest. They asked us to compose a solo for one of their upcoming tracks. The audio is the studio track I recorded since they asked for something they could copy-paste on their album.