Strandberg / Astral EXR Systems / Announcement!

[StevenC]

Why did they drop wenge from the 8 string? Disappointed there's no purple stain, but I'm not particularly interested in any of the guitars the stain is available for. What happened to Cleartone Strings? There's a typo on the 8 string page.

And I wonder where Mike Fortin went?

Also, totally called it on a Per Nilsson signature guitar!

EDIT: I was also hoping something would come of the maple fretboard on the Boden 8 and that we'd get a Boden 9, but that was going to be a long shot, anyway.

EDITEDIT: And compound radius on all the guitars is a nice touch, too.

 

[Seanthesheep]

Well, there's one in progress. I think all the maple tops have been natural so an oil finish has been fine. Mine will be stained, and I'll just throw it out there for anyone on the list: pricewise you're better off going with some crazy naturally figured wood (koa, etc.) and getting an oil finish than getting a stained maple top with a lacquer finish. It's a bit backwards.

well lacquer is expensive as hell in general to shoot on a guitar, so thats probably the expensive part for your build instead of the actual stain on maple. The production bodens Ill be surprised if they actually shoot the stained ones in lacquer instead of danish oil or whatever oil they normally use

 

[BlackStar7]

I dunno... $3500 is real Suhr CS money. At $2750 and $2850, they were an attractive option for a fixed-spec, uncommon instrument. At $3500, that's nearly a 20% price increase, and puts you in a completely different league.

Kinda feeling the same. At the former price point they were a slam dunk, but with a $750 increase for the Boden 7 and given previous build issues (i.e. Cloudy's Boden NGD) it makes me start wondering about Mayones. Despite Dylan's waitlist doesn't Daemoness start at around 3k as well?

 

[jahosy]

Sun-flare stain sounds interesting

So no more claro walnut for the bodens?

 

[narad]

well lacquer is expensive as hell in general to shoot on a guitar, so thats probably the expensive part for your build instead of the actual stain on maple. The production bodens Ill be surprised if they actually shoot the stained ones in lacquer instead of danish oil or whatever oil they normally use

Well yes, it is the lacquer that makes it expensive, but that's the point. Here's Ola's advice on the finish:

It is possible to stain and oil, but there is a risk that it becomes uneven, depending on how much stain is absorbed by the wood. If this happens, one has to apply more stain so that it becomes a little darker. Also, with a stain, there is a very high risk that it runs through from the top to the body portion of the wood. If this happens, all you can do is stain the back as well.

These boden stains are rather dark, so maybe that is a non-issue and they just get away with the standard oil finish. A nitro finish adds 4k SEK ($600) to the cost of a build.

 

[ramses]

It is possible to stain and oil, but there is a risk that it becomes uneven, depending on how much stain is absorbed by the wood. If this happens, one has to apply more stain so that it becomes a little darker. Also, with a stain, there is a very high risk that it runs through from the top to the body portion of the wood. If this happens, all you can do is stain the back as well.

Oh! This explains why the production Bodens have a full body stain instead of just the top. I was wrongly assuming that staining just the top, which seems to be more popular, would be easier for them to do.

 

[Seanthesheep]

Well yes, it is the lacquer that makes it expensive, but that's the point. Here's Ola's advice on the finish:

It is possible to stain and oil, but there is a risk that it becomes uneven, depending on how much stain is absorbed by the wood. If this happens, one has to apply more stain so that it becomes a little darker. Also, with a stain, there is a very high risk that it runs through from the top to the body portion of the wood. If this happens, all you can do is stain the back as well.

These boden stains are rather dark, so maybe that is a non-issue and they just get away with the standard oil finish. A nitro finish adds 4k SEK ($600) to the cost of a build.

Yea makes sense why theyre using dark stains then. Also makes sense why they stain the full body too.

 

[Watty]

Soooo, I was all set to pull the trigger, but seeing those prices highlighted in yellow at the bottom of the spec sheets is mighty daunting when we don't even get a "real" color or wood choice (within reason, of course). I get that these are production instruments and therefore we can't ask for exotics or anything outlandish with pickups/binding/hardware, but these are now more expensive than a PRS....and you get a whole lot more choice from them, even if you average out the costs per instrument what with Astral being a smaller operation.

The Cl7 is now looking more appetizing, but now that the price has been increased, it's that much harder of a decision, knowing that your indecision cost you $500+....

 

[technomancer]

Well yes, it is the lacquer that makes it expensive, but that's the point. Here's Ola's advice on the finish:

It is possible to stain and oil, but there is a risk that it becomes uneven, depending on how much stain is absorbed by the wood. If this happens, one has to apply more stain so that it becomes a little darker. Also, with a stain, there is a very high risk that it runs through from the top to the body portion of the wood. If this happens, all you can do is stain the back as well.

These boden stains are rather dark, so maybe that is a non-issue and they just get away with the standard oil finish. A nitro finish adds 4k SEK ($600) to the cost of a build.

Wow you've got to wonder how PRS and Suhr ever manage all those stained tops and natural edges / backs

 

[jahosy]

Well i was prepared for the increase, but wasn't expecting the extra cost for the different stain options.

It is what is it i guess...

 

[Shimme]

nope. a boden 7 from ola himself starts at around 3750$ after the conversion from SEK

I never noticed that the prices were in SEK. I always assumed that it was in USD, and while that's insanely expensive, I know that there are a few guitar makers in that price range. Yeah, that makes a lot more sense

 

[Seanthesheep]

I never noticed that the prices were in SEK. I always assumed that it was in USD, and while that's insanely expensive, I know that there are a few guitar makers in that price range. Yeah, that makes a lot more sense

if his builds start at 27K$, He wouldnt have a waitlist with almost 600 names

 

[Tommy]

if his builds start at 27K$, He wouldnt have a waitlist with almost 600 names

If they were that much I wouldn't have two build slots.

But if they were that much I probably have enough time to save it up, that's how far away they are.

 

[baryton]

With this new price i would prefer to keep my name on the waiting list and save few hundred $ to have a full custom than a production model with a fixed spec and bloody expensive options...

 

[silent suicide]

So glad I ordered last week
Nothing beats the CL7's specs for me on the new catalogue

 

[Seanthesheep]

So glad I ordered last week
Nothing beats the CL7's specs for me on the new catalogue

would you get new spec or old spec since you ordered from the previous catalouge? either way the only difference is new ones get compound radius, and 2 IRW neck fillets

EDIT: Just realized something. The boden 6/7/8's get the entire body stained if you order it for the top. The CL7 still gets a natural back, despite Ola supposedly saying bleeding stain is really with an oil finish. what the hell?

 

[Tommy]

would you get new spec or old spec since you ordered from the previous catalouge? either way the only difference is new ones get compound radius, and 2 IRW neck fillets

EDIT: Just realized something. The boden 6/7/8's get the entire body stained if you order it for the top. The CL7 still gets a natural back, despite Ola supposedly saying bleeding stain is really with an oil finish. what the hell?

Yeah I think that's a little weird of them. Last year when I was talking to Paul about ordering a Boden when they were still with Strictly 7 I convinced him to do a Boden 8 with a green top and a natural back. I didn't happen because of all the drama involving S7.

I can understand how they don't want to allow a lot of options so they can increase speed. It probably doesn't seem like a lot but I bet it would slow things down some.

 

[Seanthesheep]

Yeah I think that's a little weird of them. Last year when I was talking to Paul about ordering a Boden when they were still with Strictly 7 I convinced him to do a Boden 8 with a green top and a natural back. I didn't happen because of all the drama involving S7.

I can understand how they don't want to allow a lot of options so they can increase speed. It probably doesn't seem like a lot but I bet it would slow things down some.

I get what youre saying but at almost 4k you would. Think theyd slow down a litttle and not do things like stain the whole body so they can get the guitar pit the door faster

 

[jahosy]

So glad I ordered last week
Nothing beats the CL7's specs for me on the new catalogue

Good on ya mate!

Was prepared for the $500 increase, but not the extras on stain options. Oh well

 

[ikarus]

I find it kind of odd that they roll off the paypal fees on the customer.