Abasi Concepts/Larada Megathread

[Mayath321]

i Think I Know what you’re referring to- but I’m not 100%. Lol apologies . Here’s a pic of the distance from strings to body near the bridge.

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That is exactly what I'm talking about! I'm trying to read the value on your tape measure, but I'm struggling a little bit. Is that 5/8ths of an inch??

 

[Jonathan20022]

Yep, definitely not a big deal. But for guitars in that price range I'd expect the finish quality to be a little better.
It's also entirely possible that the guitars that people receive have perfect finish.

People really need to understand production and how it's changed in the last 3 - 4 years.

The people in Korea build excellent guitars, but they have not significantly gotten better as time goes on. They have tooled up for all these features, body styles, and specs that everyone wants at an "affordable" cost. You're not paying for a higher end instrument, WMI is pumping out equally solid guitars as they did half a decade ago. Maybe marginally better, as things tend to iron themselves out and improve as the crew building instruments gets better naturally at what they do.

You are not going to get a 100% flawless instrument out of Korea/Indonesia just because you now have to fork over 1.5 - 2x the price for an instrument made from the same folks 5 years ago.

Looking at it under a microscope is only going to net you disappointment, but the build should be 95 - 98% there in my experience.

 

[Stuck_in_a_dream]

Good for Tosin, really happy for the guy, wish him the best. The design is not my cup of tea, so I'm not sure. I like the features though and the price is perfect. To me, I find the Aristides raw-finished H/0 8-string w/ trem slightly more appealing. I have a couple of questions though:
1. How do u get the single coil voicing (voice 3)? Is it thru the 5-way?
2. How come the (sold out) "limited" edition solid colors are more expensive than the charcoal burl one? What am I missing?

 

[HungryGuitarStudent]

@Stuck_in_a_dream Charcoal is satin, other models are gloss. That’s my guess.

 

[spudmunkey]

2. How come the (sold out) "limited" edition solid colors are more expensive than the charcoal burl one? What am I missing?

Seems like it's just a "solid colors are limited edition" upcharge.

 

[HungryGuitarStudent]

Seems like it's just a "solid colors are limited edition" upcharge.

Aquaburat Burl is the same price as solids and is gloss, while the brown Burl is satin and cheaper.

 

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

Limited editions are the reason the for up charge. I think that’s been said 3-4 times already

 

[xzacx]

Aquaburat Burl is the same price as solids and is gloss, while the brown Burl is satin and cheaper.

Exactly, there's more labor involved. The pricing seems very logical. A satin finish isn't a special feature as some have been led to believe, it's just a cheaper way of finishing things. Some people may prefer it, but regardless it takes more time.

Limited editions are the reason the for up charge. I think that’s been said 3-4 times already

That may be part of it, but they also have more expensive finishes. Look at Aristides, for example, since their finish prices are easily accessible. It's almost $250 more for the gloss versions than the satins.

 

[HellaSickTight]

Good for Tosin, really happy for the guy, wish him the best. The design is not my cup of tea, so I'm not sure. I like the features though and the price is perfect. To me, I find the Aristides raw-finished H/0 8-string w/ trem slightly more appealing. I have a couple of questions though:
1. How do u get the single coil voicing (voice 3)? Is it thru the 5-way?
2. How come the (sold out) "limited" edition solid colors are more expensive than the charcoal burl one? What am I missing?

Voice 3 is position 2 and 4 on the 5-way, which negates any push-pull of the volume knob.

 

[Noisy Humbucker]

Tried telling my wife how it actually “feels good” to have no money, sure fire cure for GAS! She did not find me amusing...

Yeah, Legion 8 is definitely on the “some day baby, some day” list.

 

[Hollowway]

I get the $200 limited edition color up charge, but can we get a “those limited edition colors actually suck” rebate for $200? I mean, I’ll pay extra for a hot pink or that chartreuse color, but a light gray ain’t moving the needle for me.

 

[Vyn]

There has to be a final US-based QC on these or one hell of a QC tier at WMI, that's the only reason I can work out these costing so much.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

There has to be a final US-based QC on these or one hell of a QC tier at WMI, that's the only reason I can work out these costing so much.

Or they just know they can charge that much.

Strandberg charges real money for pretty much Ibanez Indo quality, and it's possible because the fans don't really care.

 

[StevenC]

There has to be a final US-based QC on these or one hell of a QC tier at WMI, that's the only reason I can work out these costing so much.

Or they just know they can charge that much.

Strandberg charges real money for pretty much Ibanez Indo quality, and it's possible because the fans don't really care.

Literally the same price as an LTD JR-608.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Literally the same price as an LTD JR-608.

Apples to oranges. The LTD is hit with dealer markup. The Abasi sold direct.

I hate comparisons like this because it's not like these things grow on trees, there are various supply chains and complexities that get sunk into making stuff like this.

There is no one single formula to determine price, so there is definitely some industry comparison and analysis used to hit what they think will be a price that works.

My point is, price doesn't have a 1:1 on quality like folks sometimes think.

 

[StevenC]

Apples to oranges. The LTD is hit with dealer markup. The Abasi sold direct.

I hate comparisons like this because it's not like these things grow on trees, there are various supply chains and complexities that get sunk into making stuff like this.

There is no one single formula to determine price, so there is definitely some industry comparison and analysis used to hit what they think will be a price that works.

My point is, price doesn't have a 1:1 on quality like folks sometimes think.

That's all valid. Just 8 string signature guitar from leading 8 string guitarist made in the same factory with the same pickups. If people complain about this price, they aren't complaining enough about other prices or are living in the past.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

That's all valid. Just 8 string signature guitar from leading 8 string guitarist made in the same factory with the same pickups. If people complain about this price, they aren't complaining enough about other prices or are living in the past.

Or, you know, there are more factors.

LTD is something of a known quantity. As of right now, Abasi is not. Luckily we'll know more soon.

As already expressed in agonizing detail, being made in the same factory means absolute fuck all. Most guitars at retail are made at one of two or three facilities. Does that mean they're all the same quality? Of course not.

 

[bassisace]

Being made in the same factory does indeed mean nothing. Small and big companies can use the same factories and even the same workers, but with different machine maintenance schedules, different worker familiarity with builds, etc.

Or they just know they can charge that much.

Strandberg charges real money for pretty much Ibanez Indo quality, and it's possible because the fans don't really care.

This. Strandberg's QC for their Korean and Indonesian guitars has been subpar to the point I wonder if the company just accepts it as a fact of life.

I really hope that Schecter helping with QC for Abasi yields good results.

 

[Meh]

Anyone know where the legion are shipping from?

 

[TheInvisibleHand]

I think the fact that many of the colors are already sold out answers any questions about why these guitars are priced as such. People have been seeing the Laradas selling out in minutes at the 3k+ pricepoint. 2k will seem like a steal by comparison. So why not?

QC issues aside, Abasi has done a bang up job of cultivating demand, waiting for that demand to marinate in our consumer mind, and then dropping Legion at what seems like an apex of consumer interest.