The .strandberg* Thread

[gunshow86de]

Stripped down Boden for under $1k, not bad.

The Boden Essential | .strandberg* Guitars

strandbergguitars.com

 

[Masoo2]

*under $1k meaning $999

Boden Essential 6 Elemental Blue | .strandberg* Guitars

The Essential is a true .strandberg* Boden instrument with all the key features that has made it an electric guitar icon of the 21st century: lightweight headless design and ergonomics, EndurNeck™ profile, .strandberg* EGS Arc hardware, and a unique sonic character that is balanced and...

strandbergguitars.com

just buy an NK clone

 

[StevenC]

Oh great, a whole new abomination of a bridge.

Remember when Ola was talking about the importance of separate saddles and string locks?

 

[lattjeful]

*under $1k meaning $999

Boden Essential 6 Elemental Blue | .strandberg* Guitars

The Essential is a true .strandberg* Boden instrument with all the key features that has made it an electric guitar icon of the 21st century: lightweight headless design and ergonomics, EndurNeck™ profile, .strandberg* EGS Arc hardware, and a unique sonic character that is balanced and...

strandbergguitars.com

just buy an NK clone

Honestly if it comes with a gig bag and the quality isn't too bad (big ask for strandberg imports apparently) this could be solid.

 

[Alberto7]

Well, it is at least easier to justify now. Would have been nice if they'd gone for a more... normal bridge. $300 cheaper than the RESQD line and ~$600 cheaper than the standards isn't bad.

Guess I'll have to wait and either get one used or wait for them to start distributing them to retailers, cause so far it's an online only model... when the hell will they begin shipping to Canada

I kinda really dig the blue one, though the black one is cool also.

 

[gunshow86de]

These are what I'm most interested in. Placing bets now over/under $5k...

 

[Robslalaina]

Fret access still poor, no trem, don't care about the Endurneck, I'd rather get a Quest...

 

[jco5055]

man strandberg has fallen so far from it's initial "be all end all ergonomic guitar of the future" lol, but Ola is the one laughing all the way to the bank...

 

[Alberto7]

These are what I'm most interested in. Placing bets now over/under $5k...

https://strandbergguitars.com/product/boden-futur-tt6-archetype-natural-gloss/

Over 6K USD. Still cheaper than the J-Artisan line, kinda surprisingly...

EDIT: interestingly, they don't have 7 or 8 string versions of it listed on the site yet.

 

[gunshow86de]

$6,250??

Must be that "4A Solid Flamed Ash top."

 

[lattjeful]

Took a look at the Essential specs, and for $1k it's... not bad? You get a gig bag, stainless steel frets (not Jescar though, interestingly enough. Wonder if it's actually stainless), and a roasted maple neck. Not a bad deal by Strandberg standards anyway.

 

[Hollowway]

I know it's possible to get guitars made cheaply, but how is this getting done? Volume? Lower QC? Lower profit? I'm wondering where they can cut to get the price so low. It's obviously not a cheaper country (I'm assuming MIC) so I'm wondering what they did to get the price down, when everything else seems to be going up.

 

[lattjeful]

I know it's possible to get guitars made cheaply, but how is this getting done? Volume? Lower QC? Lower profit? I'm wondering where they can cut to get the price so low. It's obviously not a cheaper country (I'm assuming MIC) so I'm wondering what they did to get the price down, when everything else seems to be going up.

Indonesia, according to the site which makes it even more confusing. Body is made of Meranti, has a rosewood board, OEM pickups, one piece bridge, straight scale, and "DHP Stainless Steel fretwire" instead of Jescar.

No shot that all brings it down $600 retail below the Standards. They must have some crazy margins on the other lines, then.

 

[Hollowway]

Indonesia, according to the site which makes it even more confusing. Body is made of Meranti, has a rosewood board, OEM pickups, one piece bridge, straight scale, and "DHP Stainless Steel fretwire" instead of Jescar.

No shot that all brings it down $600 retail below the Standards. They must have some crazy margins on the other lines, then.

Yeah, I'm assuming they are accepting a lower margin to combat softening sales, maybe? Or, doing like Solar, and accepting lower margin (I'm assuming) to get into new markets, where the discretionary income isn't as high as the US?

It's not a bad idea. The cheaper Ola can make them the less tempted people will be to buy knock offs. $1000 is still waaaaay north of what you can buy a knock off for, though, so I'm not sure this will really reduce the Chinese clones.

Either way, the regular Boden is so austere I can't imagine these would feel much different. I like the Strandberg brand, and am impressed with what Ola's been able to build, company and following-wise, but MAN, I do not "enjoy" playing my Boden. It's a tool, for sure, but I can't say it feels good, or is pleasing to look at, or inspiring. It's like an Ikea table. Cool, but more for it's pragmatic purposefulness.

 

[Alberto7]

Yeah, I'm assuming they are accepting a lower margin to combat softening sales, maybe? Or, doing like Solar, and accepting lower margin (I'm assuming) to get into new markets, where the discretionary income isn't as high as the US?

It's not a bad idea. The cheaper Ola can make them the less tempted people will be to buy knock offs. $1000 is still waaaaay north of what you can buy a knock off for, though, so I'm not sure this will really reduce the Chinese clones.

Either way, the regular Boden is so austere I can't imagine these would feel much different. I like the Strandberg brand, and am impressed with what Ola's been able to build, company and following-wise, but MAN, I do not "enjoy" playing my Boden. It's a tool, for sure, but I can't say it feels good, or is pleasing to look at, or inspiring. It's like an Ikea table. Cool, but more for it's pragmatic purposefulness.

You know... you've kind of hit the nail on the head, I think. Put my own feelings into words. For the first time in forever years I got together with a dude to jam. I brought my Boden 8 because the guy wants to create some super low tuned, heavy, slow, doomy vibes. The guitar did its job, but god I hated playing it. I think it's just because I am still too conscious that it is not a normal guitar. It's more comfortable in most regards (save for the neck), but it's just too different.

Regarding how they're cutting costs... I realize it's just a marketing post, but in the blurb on the announcement video on Instagram they say this:

"The Boden is now the undisputed standard in headless guitars with its groundbreaking innovation in ergonomics, unmatched playability, and a distinctive yet versatile sonic character. Achieving such a standard meant an all-out no-compromise approach to research and development when it came to design, materials, components, and workmanship. The result was that they were costly and difficult to produce and, hence, priced accordingly and out of reach of many working musicians and casual hobbyists. Until today."​

I have a tendency to read into things too much sometimes, but that whole paragraph kinda tells me the whole story. Paying for the "design" aspect of things is... well, the R&D for these guitars has been done for a long time, imo. They haven't done anything in terms of innovation for a long time other than Ola trying whacky stuff like the titanium travel guitar. All they've really done is change minor specs, onboard artists, recycle material they would have had throw out otherwise, (i.e. the RESQD line) and probably some minor savings with the change in specs for the NX line (switch from flamed maple cap to veneer and no roasted maple), and probably minor-to-major savings on - oh, I don't know - shit quality control.

Ola owns the company, so he reinvests and pays himself whatever he wants (from full profits to nothing at all) after paying all company costs. They've also settled on a routine by now and seem to have stabilized their manufacturing to the Indonesian factory. They've probably been raking in quite a lot of cash for a while from those big margins, since we all know these guitars really aren't worth the asking price. (Particularly the more expensive models. Which, mind you, doesn't mean they are bad guitars... just priced way too highly.) Marketing seems to have been their main investment the last few years. They've built a very strong brand and have managed to move quite a lot of overpriced gear. In terms of branding and company identity, I really feel that they've basically become to the guitar industry what Apple and Nintendo are to the tech and gaming industries, respectively.

This probably all means that they either had a substantial amount of money set aside to invest in the Essential line or that they decided it was time to reduce their overall margins to sell more of the cheaper and more accessible stuff. In other words, strandberg as a company is probably perfectly positioned nowadays to start investing into economies of scale, and the Essential line may be just that. They have had great margins so far, a large and stable revenue stream, and probably a ton of cash sitting there ready to be invested. Honestly, in the end I don't think it has much to do with price of materials or features; that's just part of the overall equation.

Then again, as always, I am open to being wrong about all this. I have had a love/hate relationship with the company ever since I got my strandberg, partially because Ola has been ambitious enough to not mind sacrificing a few things that us diehard guitar nerds have strong feelings about, but also because I am allergic to blatant marketing.

Anyway, that's my late-night spiel. Excuse my insomnia.

 

[profwoot]

Counterpoint: My Strandbergs feel like home to me, both in comfort and tone (Polymaths help with the latter, granted), and I remain heartbroken that I can't really play them anymore due to what the endurneck does to my left thumb.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

I know it's possible to get guitars made cheaply, but how is this getting done? Volume? Lower QC? Lower profit? I'm wondering where they can cut to get the price so low. It's obviously not a cheaper country (I'm assuming MIC) so I'm wondering what they did to get the price down, when everything else seems to be going up.

Cut margins and hope to sell in quantity and aim for second purchase returns on a higher end model.

Just like the cheaper lines of every brand.

 

[TheShreddinHand]

I know it's possible to get guitars made cheaply, but how is this getting done? Volume? Lower QC? Lower profit? I'm wondering where they can cut to get the price so low. It's obviously not a cheaper country (I'm assuming MIC) so I'm wondering what they did to get the price down, when everything else seems to be going up.

Robbing people blind on the price of most of their guitars for ten plus years.

 

[ramses]

I need wall hangers for .strandberg* guitars.

.strandberg* sells their own wall hanger design. Can anyone here comment on their quality/practicality? Do you own another wall hanger for headless that you prefer for your .strandberg*?

 

[profwoot]

I need wall hangers for .strandberg* guitars.

.strandberg* sells their own wall hanger design. Can anyone here comment on their quality/practicality? Do you own another wall hanger for headless that you prefer for your .strandberg*?

normal wall hangers (string swing &c.) work for Strandberg 7s. For 6s get the banjo version.