Abasi Concepts/Larada Megathread

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

Mine was roasted maple with a richlite board though. I've heard horror stories about wenge being unstable, but lots of builders are using it on a mass production scale these days, and I've never personally encountered any issues with it either. I'm inclined to write my old Larada off as a lemon unless we start seeing more of them with problems like that one had.

My replacement should be here by the end of the week and I am CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.

I am thinking that with the legions, we might see different QC stuff. I will review mine when it arrives

 

[cip 123]

Mine was roasted maple with a richlite board though. I've heard horror stories about wenge being unstable, but lots of builders are using it on a mass production scale these days, and I've never personally encountered any issues with it either. I'm inclined to write my old Larada off as a lemon unless we start seeing more of them with problems like that one had.

My replacement should be here by the end of the week and I am CAUTIOUSLY OPTIMISTIC.

Ah that is slightly more strange, I figured they were all wenge!

Hoping you get a great one this time!

I am thinking that with the legions, we might see different QC stuff. I will review mine when it arrives

The last guitars I've had from WMI have been great so heres hoping

 

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

Ah that is slightly more strange, I figured they were all wenge!

Hoping you get a great one this time!


The last guitars I've had from WMI have been great so heres hoping

Ah that is slightly more strange, I figured they were all wenge!

Hoping you get a great one this time!


The last guitars I've had from WMI have been great so heres hoping

I have never had an issue with WMI. Last one I had was 3 years ago. It was an Ormsby. The quality was good just hated a 3 inch fan. I have alien fingers but that was too much

 

[Albake21]

 

[Mayath321]

Unfortunately I can't help, I just wanted to say that I'm glad I'm not the only one who also prefers this! It was honestly one of the few things about my Strandberg that I didn't like. Hopefully someone else here can answer 'cause I'm interested as well.

Hey glad I'm not the only one either! It makes such a difference for me, especially when it comes to fast 16th/32nd note chuggy stuff on the low strings. It's probably poor technique on my part, but when theres a big gap between the string and the body, I feel like I need to put my hand at a weird angle to do that stuff. I was watching a bunch of videos with the larada and it looks like the strings are closer than a strandberg. It's kind of hard to tell though.

Can any larada owners chime in on that? Also wondering how bad the neck dive is.

 

[CW7]

Hey glad I'm not the only one either! It makes such a difference for me, especially when it comes to fast 16th/32nd note chuggy stuff on the low strings. It's probably poor technique on my part, but when theres a big gap between the string and the body, I feel like I need to put my hand at a weird angle to do that stuff. I was watching a bunch of videos with the larada and it looks like the strings are closer than a strandberg. It's kind of hard to tell though.

Can any larada owners chime in on that? Also wondering how bad the neck dive is.

I have a J Larada 7. It does dove some on the right leg in “traditional” position. I personally feel this guitar was designed with propped up on left leg/classical style playing in mind. It definitely shines in that position, and I find myself playing it that way the majority of the time. But it’s not AWFUL- just something you need to be mindful of.

 

[Mayath321]

I have a J Larada 7. It does dove some on the right leg in “traditional” position. I personally feel this guitar was designed with propped up on left leg/classical style playing in mind. It definitely shines in that position, and I find myself playing it that way the majority of the time. But it’s not AWFUL- just something you need to be mindful of.

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping it wouldn't have any neck dive, but it sounds like it isn't awful. It might just be something that I have to see for myself.

I was wondering if you could speak to the string/body gap on your right hand? I really prefer very little gap like on my strat or a prs. I have a strandberg and the gap is quite large. It's 9/16" on my strandberg and 5/16th on my strat. How is it on the larada? Are the strings pretty flush with the body (where your right hand is)?

 

[den_3k]

If someone could do a strandberg vs abasi that’d be handy

Yeah, I've got strandberg too, so curious to read about comparison before buying another guitar.

 

[HungryGuitarStudent]

@Jack McGoldrick @den_3k Ive had 3 Strandbergs in the last 4 years. I sold them all (last one was 2 days ago).

Wrote a bit about how that experience compares with the J Larada in my NGD thread in this section of the forum.

 

[bassisace]

I’m curious how quality will turn out. WMI covers a lot of brands. Do smaller brands have the same quality insurance checks and machine maintenance than larger brands? Do they do quality tests in LA and ship the guitars from there?

 

[den_3k]

@Jack McGoldrick @den_3k Ive had 3 Strandbergs in the last 4 years. I sold them all (last one was 2 days ago).

Wrote a bit about how that experience compares with the J Larada in my NGD thread in this section of the forum.

Could you please share a link to that part of forum? Will be glad to read.

 

[cip 123]

I’m curious how quality will turn out. WMI covers a lot of brands. Do smaller brands have the same quality insurance checks and machine maintenance than larger brands? Do they do quality tests in LA and ship the guitars from there?

WMI make good stuff but ultimately it's up to the brand how final QC is worked. Schecter (Who I believe are helping Abasi in some capacity with the Legion) will have guitars shipped to the US for final QC which obviously helps. Without knowing exactly how Abasi works you just have to go on what you see and hear.

 

[HungryGuitarStudent]

Aquaburst and Sage got me gassing haha.

@den_3k https://www.sevenstring.org/threads/ngd-abasi-concepts-j-larada-7.340917/

 

[sym30l1c]

Is it just me being picky, or doesn't the finish on the front of the headstock on the legions (the limited version) look a little sloppy?

 

[CW7]

Thanks for the reply. I was hoping it wouldn't have any neck dive, but it sounds like it isn't awful. It might just be something that I have to see for myself.

I was wondering if you could speak to the string/body gap on your right hand? I really prefer very little gap like on my strat or a prs. I have a strandberg and the gap is quite large. It's 9/16" on my strandberg and 5/16th on my strat. How is it on the larada? Are the strings pretty flush with the body (where your right hand is)?

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.

View media item 3403

 

[bassisace]

Is it just me being picky, or doesn't the finish on the front of the headstock on the legions (the limited version) look a little sloppy?

If I zoom on the headstock pics for the aquaburst I see white dots on the lower headstock paint job. Is that what you're talking about?

 

[sym30l1c]

If I zoom on the headstock pics for the aquaburst I see white dots on the lower headstock paint job. Is that what you're talking about?

You mean the Aquaburst 7? That one actually looks fine. The white dots might be just a reflection.

Most of the other models (7 and 8), apart from the charcoal, appear to have some paint bleed on the headstock.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

WMI make good stuff but ultimately it's up to the brand how final QC is worked. Schecter (Who I believe are helping Abasi in some capacity with the Legion) will have guitars shipped to the US for final QC which obviously helps. Without knowing exactly how Abasi works you just have to go on what you see and hear.

This 100%.

WMI, like all the OEMs, will deliver the level of QA/QC paid for by their customer.

PRS for instance has an entire part of thier facility devoted to working on the SEs they receive (when they were made by WMI, and now), and they would have pallets worth of rejects.

 

[bassisace]

You mean the Aquaburst 7? That one actually looks fine. The white dots might be just a reflection.

Most of the other models (7 and 8), apart from the charcoal, appear to have some paint bleed on the headstock.

I see what you mean. It's really obvious on the Sage model. Not a big deal to me, but you don't see that type of errors on higher end guitars like Suhr.

 

[sym30l1c]

I see what you mean. It's really obvious on the Sage model. Not a big deal to me, but you don't see that type of errors on higher end guitars like Suhr.

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.