SSO Group Buy

[LeviathanKiller]

If we're actually being serious about this
1. any shape besides another fucking super strat (i'd love a jazzmaster, tele or explorer)
2. 7 strings.
3. obnoxious 80s colors are preferable (ie road flare red, cosmic purple).
4. maple fingerboards.
5. 26.5" scale
6. hipshot bridges/tuners

I could second this, add on stainless steel frets. My fave option

 

[jephjacques]

wow $649 is a fucking ripoff dude, it shouldn't cost more than $350 imo

 

[Jonathan20022]

I’m all for this.
So I’ll take it as a given that we’re all on board an alder body Horizon with an oiled extra thin C maple neck, 25.5” scale and 6 strings, 42mm nut, 14” radius, extra jumbo stainless steel frets, maple fretboard with offset black dots, reverse Jackson headstock, and Floyd Rose in seafoam green with a crackle finish option?
I know it’ll really come down to a major brawl over bolt on or neck thru, but I could go either way. I’ll let the other 150 buyers flesh that out. Just tell me where to send my $649 and I’ll be good to go.

On the real, I am 100% into something like this

I've been after a Vester ever since I saw Ellis on youtube with his. One of my close friends found a minty rainbow crackle but it's damn near impossible to find one now.

 

[StevenC]

I’m all for this.
So I’ll take it as a given that we’re all on board an alder body Horizon with an oiled extra thin C maple neck, 25.5” scale and 6 strings, 42mm nut, 14” radius, extra jumbo stainless steel frets, maple fretboard with offset black dots, reverse Jackson headstock, and Floyd Rose in seafoam green with a crackle finish option?
I know it’ll really come down to a major brawl over bolt on or neck thru, but I could go either way. I’ll let the other 150 buyers flesh that out. Just tell me where to send my $649 and I’ll be good to go.

When you say Floyd Rose you mean Ibanez Edge, right?

 

[feraledge]

On the real, I am 100% into something like this

I've been after a Vester ever since I saw Ellis on youtube with his. One of my close friends found a minty rainbow crackle but it's damn near impossible to find one now.

Not for long, once everyone here signs on this group buy. We'll all be problem free soon enough.
Crackle finish is the Wyld Stallyns of guitar finishes. It could unify the world, if only it was ready to come out of the garage and let us embrace it. Sans-Steinbergers.

 

[feraledge]

When you say Floyd Rose you mean Ibanez Edge, right?

Original Floyd Rose with stainless steel upgrades and an improved block. Duh.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

I could second this, add on stainless steel frets. My fave option

yeah, ss frets are a must have for me.
so basically:
1. non-superstrat body (let's say a modern tele like the FR) out of alder/basswood
2. 26.5" scale, 7 strings
3. road flare red/cosmic purple
4. maple fretboard/neck with jumbo ss frets and black dot inlays (gotta keep the rg550 theme)
5. hipshot hardware/tuners/hardtail bridge
basically this as a 7 string:

venmo me your deposits now

 

[StevenC]

Original Floyd Rose with stainless steel upgrades and an improved block. Duh.

OK, I'll compromise. OFR but with titanium parts. That seems fair.

 

[lurè]

Solid colors with satin finish with matching headstock is a must, ss frets and tremolo are welcome.

I ask for a ban for whoever suggests poplar burl tops.

 

[Albake21]

yeah, ss frets are a must have for me.
so basically:
1. non-superstrat body (let's say a modern tele like the FR) out of alder/basswood
2. 26.5" scale, 7 strings
3. road flare red/cosmic purple
4. maple fretboard/neck with jumbo ss frets and black dot inlays (gotta keep the rg550 theme)
5. hipshot hardware/tuners/hardtail bridge
basically this as a 7 string:

venmo me your deposits now

There's a reason why you see so many super strats around here. There's now way a run like this could be anything other than a super strat. The only way this run could work, is if the guitar was pretty basic, non niche specs.

 

[feraledge]

OK, I'll compromise. OFR but with titanium parts. That seems fair.

I agree, but titanium is expensive. Let's make sure that the sticker shock of $649 isn't turning people off already before we bump it up to $674.99. That said, I think the titanium parts are going to just increase this tone beast.
I take it as a given that we all knew this SSOmachine is direct mount Black Winter PUPs, so all the TONE SUCK of pickup rings and pickguards is gone. A bit of titanium will only help.

 

[Xaios]

There's a reason why you see so many super strats around here.

This. Speaking for myself, the simple fact is that the superstrat is easily my favorite shape. I simply don't want anything else.

Trying to keep things as reasonable as possible, this is my go at it.

Body: Mahogany 7-string superstrat (RG or something reasonably analagous). (I'd also be fine with Alder or Basswood, but I'm not a huge fan of Ash.)
Body Finish: I can totally get behind the RG550 colors, although I think a nice white would be a good choice too.
Neck: Maple, 25.5" (I can also see scale length being a big sticking point for most people. I personally have no desire for a 26.5" neck.)
Neck Finish: Satin, body-matching headstock.
Fretboard: Maple, 16" radius, no fret markers, jumbo frets (I can live with or without SS)
Bridge: Hipshot (Truthfully I'd like an OFR, but I can live with a fixed bridge, and it's easier to sell trem people on fixed bridges than the other way around.)
Tuners: Hipshot locking.
Pickups: Honestly, don't install any.
Controls: Volume, Tone, 5-position blade switch. (Typical RG layout.)

 

[Jonathan20022]

I think on the serious side, and something most people aren't ready for is compromise. You're going to have to give up something you want to make the run happen because you need broad appeal. For example, having a solid black satin/gloss will sell more feasibly than a specific color 5 - 10 people will like.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

There's a reason why you see so many super strats around here. There's now way a run like this could be anything other than a super strat. The only way this run could work, is if the guitar was pretty basic, non niche specs.

the whole point of runs is to get uncommon specs. if people want black or white super strat 7 strings with trems then esp and ibanez have them covered.

 

[Jonathan20022]

Yeah but why not save the more niche shape for run 4 or 5 and get a larger customer base with the first run by going more broad in consumer appeal.

 

[StevenC]

Yeah but why not save the more niche shape for run 4 or 5 and get a larger customer base with the first run by going more broad in consumer appeal.

Consumer appeal?

 

[spudmunkey]

yeah, ss frets are a must have for me.
so basically:
1. non-superstrat body (let's say a modern tele like the FR) out of alder/basswood
2. 26.5" scale, 7 strings

Genuinely curious: have you had a chance to ever pay a 27" scale "tele"? My local mom-and-pop had a Fender one of some sort (black, I believe), and after about 45 seconds, i determined it was the most uncomfortable guitar I've ever played in my life. The short upper bout combined with the long scale made for a nut that felt like it was a 1/4 mile away. And that ignored that particular telecaster's lack of forearm contour, blocky-as-heck neck heel, and all else that goes with a 'traditional" Telecaster...

In other news, I'm surprised nobody had posted this artist's conception of the SSO group buy built-by-consensus guitar:

 

[Jonathan20022]

Consumer appeal?

Like the run would obviously be open to more than just SSO members right. You'd want to get as many people in as possible, so going with the spec that appeals to the majority the most makes sense to me.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Genuinely curious: have you had a chance to ever pay a 27" scale "tele"? My local mom-and-pop had a Fender one of some sort (black, I believe), and after about 45 seconds, i determined it was the most uncomfortable guitar I've ever played in my life. The short upper bout combined with the long scale made for a nut that felt like it was a 1/4 mile away.

In other news, I'm surprised nobody had posted this artist's conception of the SSO group buy built-by-consensus guitar:

i own multiple teles with over 27" scales, they're plenty comfy for me provided they have a good forearm contour and belly cut. the rfr one i posted previously is one i made with a warmoth baritone neck 28 5/8"scale.
the difference between 25.5 and 27" scale is like having one extra fret basically.

also i can't believe people are calling a tele a niche shape, it's not like i was saying "we should do the bc rich stealth shape".

 

[LeviathanKiller]

I'm curious if we can actually make this into a real thing. What's the number for WMI?

What are all of the options we would need to consider? blue text is stuff that's easily changeable after purchase

• # of strings
• scale length
• body shape
• headstock shape
• tuner configuration
• type/brand of tuners
• fret material
• # of frets
• body material
• top material (if any)
• binding (if any)
• overall color
• hardware color
• neck finish
• neck material
• neck shape
• fingerboard
• fingerboard radius
• inlay type (if any)
• inlay color and material
• side dots?
• type of nut
• type of bridge
• truss rod adjustment location
• strap buttons (normal or some type of locking?)
• pickup routes/configuration
• brand and model of pickups (I like the blank idea though)
• control configuration
• knobs