[NGD] Strandberg Boden Essential Galactic Blue

[deepskyone]

I was Strandberg-curious for quite some time and when I saw this new color at Thomann, I went for it.

Here she is...

Great playability out-of-the-box, perfectly cut nut (which wasn't at all the case with my Prestige Ibanez), and almost perfect fit and finish. The weight or rather lack thereof is also great.

I am still on the fence, though. The Endurneck feels weird in the lower frets as if the back of the neck has the wrong angle. The tuners are stiff AF and adjusting the action is somewhat annoying.

 

[dbagchee]

Looks nice!!

I’d say give it a few days - my essential has been awesome to play (and also my first Strandberg). The tuners were stiff as well at first but they have broken in after a bit of use.

 

[Warmart]

She's a beauty! A little oil on the tuners, perhaps? And give it time to adjust to the neck - I've wondered how I would get on with one, but haven't had the chance to play one yet.

Congrats, and hopefully you will love it long time!

 

[Los-D]

congrats!!

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

Weird that they did away with the O-fret.
Both mine have them.


I guess that was part of their double price increase...
Where they hiked up the price and ditched roasting the maple necks and tops became a veneer.

But anyways congrats.

 

[deepskyone]

Weird that they did away with the O-fret.
Both mine have them.


I guess that was part of their double price increase...
Where they hiked up the price and ditched roasting the maple necks and tops became a veneer.

But anyways congrats.

I assume it's a cost cutting measure for the Essential series or in marketing speak "to make it more appealing to the traditional player": no fan frets and no 0-fret on the Boden Essential.

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

Looks good!!!! Looks like fun!!!

 

[Los-D]

I assume it's a cost cutting measure for the Essential series or in marketing speak "to make it more appealing to the traditional player": no fan frets and no 0-fret on the Boden Essential.

I tried a few Strandbergs and actually liked the neck, but not the fan fret so much (on 6-strings only). So the Essential is right up my alley

 

[Eagle]

The Essential seems pretty good so far. The tuners loosen up a bit with use.

 

[spawnofthesith]

Congrats! Looking forward to hear ongoing thoughts. I'm rather strandberg curious myself. Come dangerously close to ordering an NX a few times but cant bring myself to do it. but the essentials line doesn't elicit an immediate negative gut feeling at the price point they're at lol

I like that blue a lot more from your photos than the stock photos

 

[Achilles]

AWESOME SAUCE!!!

 

[deepskyone]

I've made up my mind...it's going back.

Not due to the ergonomics but due to simple and somewhat silly fact that the matte solid-color finish just doesn't do it for me.
I can't help myself but next to the Ibanez it just looks...plain

At the same time, the Ibanez now feels clumsy, unbalanced, and heavy compared to the Strandberg

I ordered a B-stock Boden Original directly from Strandberg instead and will keep you posted...

 

[deepskyone]

 

[Los-D]

I've made up my mind...it's going back.

Not due to the ergonomics but due to simple and somewhat silly fact that the matte solid-color finish just doesn't do it for me.
I can't help myself but next to the Ibanez it just looks...plain

View attachment 28682

At the same time, the Ibanez now feels clumsy, unbalanced, and heavy compared to the Strandberg

I ordered a B-stock Boden Original directly from Strandberg instead and will keep you posted...

I get it! I am interested in the Essential because it lacks the fan frets but had started looking into how I would refinish it.

 

[Ed DeGenaro]

I assume it's a cost cutting measure for the Essential series or in marketing speak "to make it more appealing to the traditional player": no fan frets and no 0-fret on the Boden Essential.

That would make sense

 

[dbagchee]

I’m glad I went with the black essential - it works in the satin finish. They should do a white one.

 

[spawnofthesith]

I've made up my mind...it's going back.

Not due to the ergonomics but due to simple and somewhat silly fact that the matte solid-color finish just doesn't do it for me.
I can't help myself but next to the Ibanez it just looks...plain

View attachment 28682

At the same time, the Ibanez now feels clumsy, unbalanced, and heavy compared to the Strandberg

I ordered a B-stock Boden Original directly from Strandberg instead and will keep you posted...

I feel you, the finishes are kind of the biggest thing holding me back. If they did just a natural finish the meranti body would would like fine imo

Doubly curious now what you'll have to say about the original vs essential, particularly the difference you think the fanned frets make

 

[deepskyone]

DHL Express? More like "DHL Slow-Ass"!

Pardon the bad joke, I am frustrated...

 

[deepskyone]

This finish sucks I played it with a strap for maybe an hour in total and it already left a mark.
If the finish of the Original series is as delicate, my Strandberg experiment will be over soon...

 

[Eagle]

View attachment 29057
This finish sucks I played it with a strap for maybe an hour in total and it already left a mark.
If the finish of the Original series is as delicate, my Strandberg experiment will be over soon...

Yes they mark very easily. I don’t know why they use such a delicate paint for these because they use plenty of very durable 2k paints in the factory for other products.