New Balaguer Model Diablo

[Selkoid]

Digging this a lot

View attachment 90264

Lord almighty, I had a similar one spec'd out I think I would have pulled the trigger on if the winter sale was still live... (missed it by like 3 days ugh)

Anyone have a Balaguer yet? How do these things play? They look awesome and the prices seem pretty decent but there don't seem to be many in the wild (aside from the usual youtube offenders). Also does anyone know what hardware they use? They don't really say much about tuners/nuts/ what their inhouse bridge is like.

 

[ThePhilosopher]

I do quite like this shape, but have we forgotten about the other new shape?

 

[Frostbite]

I win

 

[Ordacleaphobia]

Ohhhhhh man. Opening this thread was a terrible, terrible idea. This looks so good.
That builder is such a trap. I don't need another guitar. I don't need another guitar. I don't need another guitar.....

 

[cardinal]

I do quite like this shape, but have we forgotten about the other new shape?
View attachment 90306

View attachment 90305

That other one is neat. Was building some 8s with that last night

 

[TheBolivianSniper]

haha I win

 

[Meeotch]

I do quite like this shape, but have we forgotten about the other new shape?

Yeah the Astra DC is probably my favorite in their lineup so far. Kinda looks like a PRS CU24, and you can get it fully carved top too. I'm a sucker for black bursts, and Evertune.

The Diablo is cool. Don't really like their extreme headstock though, kinda duck-billed.

 

[Mathemagician]

you can get all that on a tartarus too tho View attachment 90040

PINK. PINK. PINK. PINK.

 

[Millul]

Ohhhhhh man. Opening this thread was a terrible, terrible idea. This looks so good.
That builder is such a trap. I don't need another guitar. I don't need another guitar. I don't need another guitar.....

C'mon man, you KNOW you DO need another guitar...and then another...and then another...and then...

 

[mbardu]

Edit: going to give 6 months to Kiesel to offer the Vanquish in 24.75" scale, or I guess I'll order that instead.

Or maybe simpler finish:

 

[Hoss632]

Probably my favorite shape that Balaguer now offers. I'd probably go with one of the below 2 looks for myself. if I did decide to order a guitar from Joe.

 

[Hollowway]

Now that we have this - a good, modern SS, the next shape needs to be crazy again. I vote for something crazy like the Anomaly. Something unique. (In an 8 with a Floyd, of course!)

 

[broangiel]

I’d love to hear more about Balaguer. I play with their online guitar builder tool more often than I’d like to admit, but when I get to the end, I look at the price and think “nah, that’s way too much.” At minimum, a Balaguer costs what I paid for my used, mint JP6. At maximum, forget it. I’d probably go with a Suhr or some other US-based builder.

Open question: where does Balaguer fit into the guitar world, in your opinion? Is this somewhere you’d go only if you couldn’t find a production model offering similar specs?

(I understand this is a very US-centric view, but that’s where I live and where Balaguer is HQ’d. I’m open to anyone’s inputs though.)

 

[mbardu]

I’d love to hear more about Balaguer. I play with their online guitar builder tool more often than I’d like to admit, but when I get to the end, I look at the price and think “nah, that’s way too much.” At minimum, a Balaguer costs what I paid for my used, mint JP6. At maximum, forget it. I’d probably go with a Suhr or some other US-based builder.

Open question: where does Balaguer fit into the guitar world, in your opinion? Is this somewhere you’d go only if you couldn’t find a production model offering similar specs?

(I understand this is a very US-centric view, but that’s where I live and where Balaguer is HQ’d. I’m open to anyone’s inputs though.)

I'm also curious about the actual quality of the guitars.
And the price (easily over 2k$) is not low. That was my reaction too.

It's not fair to compare the price of a new custom Balaguer to that of a second hand US-made guitar though. Second hand Balaguer are a things too, and they don't cost 2k.

On new then, compared to something like Kiesel, the price is in the same ballpark indeed so it makes you think. But looking at an equivalent Suhr/Jackson/ESP/... the Korean semi-customs Balaguer would probably still save you 30/40%. Easily. Add to that the very numerous shape/scale length/construction combinations...and it's not a totally ridiculous proposition.

 

[broangiel]

I'm also curious about the actual quality of the guitars.
And the price (easily over 2k$) is not low. That was my reaction too.

It's not fair to compare the price of a new custom Balaguer to that of a second hand US-made guitar though. Second hand Balaguer are a things too, and they don't cost 2k.

On new then, compared to something like Kiesel, the price is in the same ballpark indeed so it makes you think. But looking at an equivalent Suhr/Jackson/ESP/... the Korean semi-customs Balaguer would probably still save you 30/40%. Easily. Add to that the very numerous shape/scale length/construction combinations...and it's not a totally ridiculous proposition.

I was only making the comparison from standpoint of “if I have $1500-$1600 to spend on a guitar, what would I do?” I understand it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but it is a very real situation. I suppose what I was saying was, I’d have to be looking for something that’s very much not a production-type guitar in order to go for a Balaguer at that price range.

Your latter point is understood. I suppose they are competitive in the semi-custom world. I guess I’m just not that audience, as I’ve never felt the need to look outside of what’s more commonly available.

 

[mbardu]

I was only making the comparison from standpoint of “if I have $1500-$1600 to spend on a guitar, what would I do?” I understand it’s not an apples-to-apples comparison, but it is a very real situation. I suppose what I was saying was, I’d have to be looking for something that’s very much not a production-type guitar in order to go for a Balaguer at that price range.

Your latter point is understood. I suppose they are competitive in the semi-custom world. I guess I’m just not that audience, as I’ve never felt the need to look outside of what’s more commonly available.

Well if you're not into custom / semi custom, they still offer standard import guitars, and that's closer to 1k$. So even *new*, that's still lower than your second hand example.

 

[John]

I’d love to hear more about Balaguer. I play with their online guitar builder tool more often than I’d like to admit, but when I get to the end, I look at the price and think “nah, that’s way too much.” At minimum, a Balaguer costs what I paid for my used, mint JP6. At maximum, forget it. I’d probably go with a Suhr or some other US-based builder.

Open question: where does Balaguer fit into the guitar world, in your opinion? Is this somewhere you’d go only if you couldn’t find a production model offering similar specs?

(I understand this is a very US-centric view, but that’s where I live and where Balaguer is HQ’d. I’m open to anyone’s inputs though.)

Regarding what niche it fits: it's a semi-custom shop with a decent enough reputation, so far. To an extent, basically similar to what you would find in league with Kiesel as they boast some degree of flexibility among an ultimately finite number of body options, just without the documented quality control gaffes, the possibility of facing the aforementioned firsthand, and Jeff being, well, Jeff. They do have their higher end shop based in the US, as well.
There's plenty of other options out there from other competitors across several price ranges, and Balaguer isn't particularly unique in that regard. It's been fine for people who have formed a rabid following of sorts and/or have that much of a vested interest in the options they do have regarding their shapes, aesthetics, flexibility of options, etc. But just like anything else it's not for everyone as there is no one-size-fits-all as far as guitar manufacturers are concerned.

ie- we could find someone else if we're talking their upper range of price and options which can easily surpass 2k, 3k, even 4k USD if you really tried on account of a variety of factors, such as- but not limited to- the increased options that hit the table at such price points. That goes for both relatively larger-scale manufacturers such as Suhr, PRS, ESP, Aristides, etc, all the way to independent luthiers (ie- one man shops) who are willing to work with making a full-custom build. I've resorted to the latter when nobody would or could cater to some specific preferences and niches I wanted out of a guitar without having to wait on my laurels for a production model or semi-custom shop to accommodate with what exactly I was interested in.

 

[broangiel]

Well if you're not into custom / semi custom, they still offer standard import guitars, and that's closer to 1k$. So even *new*, that's still lower than your second hand example.

Good call. Funny enough, the exact Diablo I built is one of the Select series options. I like the pink Thicket too.

 

[mbardu]

Regarding what niche it fits: it's a semi-custom shop with a decent enough reputation, so far. To an extent, basically similar to what you would find in league with Kiesel as they boast some degree of flexibility among an ultimately finite number of body options, just without the documented quality control gaffes, the possibility of facing the aforementioned firsthand, and Jeff being, well, Jeff.

I'll limit myself to the semi-custom since it's the topic here, but IMO that part is a bit backwards. Kiesel is well documented indeed. Very very well documented. And you'll see the few fiascos that they've been through - all of them are pretty famous. Plus Jeff is all over the place obviously. But the large majority of info online is going to be literally hundreds of NGDs full of praise, glowing professional reviews, tons of samples and youtube videos from random no names to huge boomer channels like Phillip McKnight or Rick Beato. So with that, the gaffes and CS issues are really a tiny minority.

Balaguer on the other hand, I'm really having trouble finding reliable info and reviews TBH. A couple of positive comments here and there. A few NGDs online, most positive, some ranging from "good" to "good for the price" or "good with some small defects", but hardly enough to generalize regarding quality. One or two youtube videos, the biggest of which from someone who actually had to have his guitar returned because of quality issues...

I'd really like to get one specced as above (been interested for a while), and have no way to doubt South Korean quality a priori - but it's still a shot in the dark to do it as of today. Especially because there's really no way to return a guitar to them if you build it to your specs. I mean for all I know it could be better than Kiesel, or better than Tom Anderson...but I don't feel like we have enough info and feedback as of today.

 

[John]

I'll limit myself to the semi-custom since it's the topic here, but IMO that part is a bit backwards. Kiesel is well documented indeed. Very very well documented. And you'll see the few fiascos that they've been through - all of them are pretty famous. Plus Jeff is all over the place obviously. But the large majority of info online is going to be literally hundreds of NGDs full of praise, glowing professional reviews, tons of samples and youtube videos from random no names to huge boomer channels like Phillip McKnight or Rick Beato. So with that, the gaffes and CS issues are really a tiny minority.

Balaguer on the other hand, I'm really having trouble finding reliable info and reviews TBH. A couple of positive comments here and there. A few NGDs online, most positive, some ranging from "good" to "good for the price" or "good with some small defects", but hardly enough to generalize regarding quality. One or two youtube videos, the biggest of which from someone who actually had to have his guitar returned because of quality issues...

I'd really like to get one specced as above (been interested for a while), and have no way to doubt South Korean quality a priori - but it's still a shot in the dark to do it as of today. Especially because there's really no way to return a guitar to them if you build it to your specs. I mean for all I know it could be better than Kiesel, or better than Tom Anderson...but I don't feel like we have enough info and feedback as of today.

I'm not sure what you're finding backwards. Indeed, they've had gaffes and instances featuring Jeff going off as a sentient TapOut shirt over social media; I for one did not say something earlier one way or another past the extent of such issues being real and documented.
If anything, the criticisms when such times have come were in more detail past some single sentence blurb on how the guitar either sucks or is the best thing since sliced bread. Either way, whether it's in a minority or not, these haven't been doing any real favors for the brand so far, at least not from the ones that have blown up like Jeff's case of getting roasted more than that maple neck last spring, give or take.

As for Balaguer, yeah they're relatively more obscure. There is an increasing following of sorts, though. Especially out of other folks that I've run into who are also into more 'modern' guitars and music so far. While I don't care for brand loyalty, it is concerning at times to hear some fans of their guitars starting to sound like a cult of sorts- sometimes not too far off from what I've seen in a couple Kiesel groups over the internet, be it the boomer crowd or the djentstick crowd, or whoever else.

ie- I recently encountered a couple other guitarists who were trying way too hard to proselytize the brand and their instruments towards me (for a lack of better, more succinct descriptions), only to take great offense and go on a bit of a tirade when I declined on account of not being interested as I have my own preferences that differ, and I have what I like and need at this time. It was weird.