Strandberg / Astral EXR Systems / Announcement!

[Blackheim]

I think the top looks significantly better in this pic Paul send me (NOT FIRST BUILDS CL's level though). I think I am going forward since:
a) I don't think they will step up the top game any sooner and this doesn't look that bad. I think it could be done better (the finishing) in order to pop up the grain.
b) I have an incoming set of pickups that will look killer with it.

 

[Cloudy]

I think the top looks significantly better in this pic Paul send me (NOT FIRST BUILDS CL's level though). I think I am going forward since:
a) I don't think they will step up the top game any sooner and this doesn't look that bad. I think it could be done better (the finishing) in order to pop up the grain.
b) I have an incoming set of pickups that will look killer with it.

As long as you're happy with it thats all that matter.

PS Burnt chrome looks dooope

 

[Blackheim]

As long as you're happy with it thats all that matter.

PS Burnt chrome looks dooope

Not as happy as a with a better top, but what are my options? Wait other 4+ months for a rebuild and just maybe get a decent top. Nah, hope it just is flawless. It might get refinished at some point.

 

[ramses]

Not as happy as a with a better top, but what are my options? Wait other 4+ months for a rebuild and just maybe get a decent top. Nah, hope it just is flawless. It might get refinished at some point.

These tops are less figured than a Carvin's flame maple top; however, they do look really, really nice in person, or in a good photograph—check out the Boden 8 NGD I posted yesterday. The cellphone pictures taken at AstralEXRS's shop don't do them justice. I'm sure you'll be happy once you see your top in person.

 

[BlackStar7]

How'd you get the chrome hardware on there? Definitely looks pretty cool.

 

[mschob]

Did anyone else notice that all of the Strandberg-Guitars have vanished from the Musicstore site for a week or so ? Does anyone know why ?

 

[TBF_Seb]

Did anyone else notice that all of the Strandberg-Guitars have vanished from the Musicstore site for a week or so ? Does anyone know why ?

Yup, noticed that, too.
They had listed most Strandberg guitars as on backorder with ETA july 3rd for weeks now. Then all of a sudden (last week, before july 3rd) all were marked red (= sold out) and shortly after everything was gone.

I've no info what's that supposed to mean, but I guess they (Music Store) are finally tired of both the wait and and angrily inquiring customers (like myself )

Remember, they expected the first Boden8 shipment in december 2013 and still nothing, not even a serious ETA.

 

[StevenC]

From Chris' Facebook:

"Allan Marcus has been texting me nudes all day. Almost done! Just in time for tour!"

I would have went blue hardware, but that matte silver works well. At least I think it's matte silver.

 

[narad]

Hardware could have been coordinated better, but I love the solid finish on a boden.

 

[bschmidt]

From Chris' Facebook:

"Allan Marcus has been texting me nudes all day. Almost done! Just in time for tour!"

I would have went blue hardware, but that matte silver works well. At least I think it's matte silver.

not a lot of flame on that top

something about a sparkly finish always gets me fired up

 

[Jebe-]

Did anyone else notice that all of the Strandberg-Guitars have vanished from the Musicstore site for a week or so ? Does anyone know why ?

Yeah I've wondered about the same thing awhile ago. I'm guessing too that they grew tired of waiting for the guitars to come and always answering to the "no can do" situation. Maybe that's a good thing for my GAS after seeing all the issues with the lately delivered guitars. I almost pulled the trigger on a CL7 when Musicstore received a couple of them (this was before the price raise) and got pictures of one guitar that was still unsold. It had a decent top, but there was a knot in the bodywood contour so I decided to skip the deal. Guess someone was still ready to pay 3k euros for that guitar, but I wasn't one of those.

 

[TBF_Seb]

Wow... I've been and still am waiting for 7,5+ months for my (2013) Boden8, and I know there are others who are waiting even longer. I still haven't any ETA, any status update, nothing.

Yet AES/Strandberg are directly selling a Boden7 and a Boden8 right now via Facebook, instead of serving the wait list.
They're working hard at destroying my faith in them.

 

[blanco]

Also their $100 dollars more for the 8 string and $200 dollars more for the seven string than the price on their 2014 price list.

IGNORE THIS WHOLE COMMENT I CLEARLY CAN'T READ IT'S BEEN A LONG DAY. I THINK I'M JUST GOING TO GIVE UP

 

[StevenC]

Here's the guitars they're selling:

The $200 on the Boden 7 is because of the SD pickups. Can't tell what the $100 on the Boden 8 is for.

I imagine these are cancelled orders, and aren't serving the wait list because they already have parts built for those orders.

 

[Jlang]

I know the topic about "lackluster tops" has been beaten to death already ; but holy shit are those pretty terrible looking quilts. Come on Astral, step your game up.

 

[Cloudy]

I think these two tops are actually pretty nice, definitely a step up from some of the other crap they've put out recently.

 

[thrsher]

i would be livid if those were the tops i got

 

[leonardo7]

At least we know now that the maple top is for tone and not looks



But honestly, that 7 isn't bad. Do you think with a good stain done right they would pop a little?

 

[Watty]

I think I've seen a 121 with more flame than that 8....

 

[BlackStar7]

I think I've seen a 121 with more flame than that 8....

I've seen 321s that definitely have better figuring than the more recent CL7s, not to mention a better finish.

Rating the quality of a top is obviously subjective, and it seems like some people will defend them no matter what they put out, but they want $3450 for these, not to mention whatever paypal fees come out to. A full on custom isn't that far off. Bleh.