[NGD] Strandberg Boden Essential Galactic Blue

[deepskyone]

So...

The Boden Original B-Stock is finally here. I had to put the shipment on hold because DHL fumbled and I was on vacation last week.

First impression is...meh.

The low E string buzzes like crazy and the high E string slips off the fretboard when you look at it wrong. Fretwork seems okay at best. It's nicer to look at and has Suhr pickups but the price difference to the Essential seems unjustified. It does not feel like a two grand instrument and in this price range "if it's not a hell yeah, it's a no" for me.

 

[Axe]

So...

The Boden Original B-Stock is finally here. I had to put the shipment on hold because DHL fumbled and I was on vacation last week.

First impression is...meh.

The low E string buzzes like crazy and the high E string slips off the fretboard when you look at it wrong. Fretwork seems okay at best. It's nicer to look at and has Suhr pickups but the price difference to the Essential seems unjustified. It does not feel like a two grand instrument and in this price range "if it's not a hell yeah, it's a no" for me.

That string alignment is bad wrong. That alone would be a deal breaker for me. I sent back an Epi Lifeson model for the same reason.

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

So...

The Boden Original B-Stock is finally here. I had to put the shipment on hold because DHL fumbled and I was on vacation last week.

First impression is...meh.

The low E string buzzes like crazy and the high E string slips off the fretboard when you look at it wrong. Fretwork seems okay at best. It's nicer to look at and has Suhr pickups but the price difference to the Essential seems unjustified. It does not feel like a two grand instrument and in this price range "if it's not a hell yeah, it's a no" for me.

View attachment 29669

If looking at the amount of fret at fret end, either side ...it almost looks like the neck is tweaked. Also looks like the g string tuner is cocked.
Maybe resetting the neck may help .. DHL can be heavy handed AF and it could have been jarred hard....

But yeah, that price.....send it back.

 

[Eagle]

The nut has slipped. It is not usually glued. Line it up with equal distance from the fret end on both Es and see if that works.,

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

The nut has slipped. It is not usually glued. Line it up with equal distance from the fret end on both Es and see if that works.,

That is exactly it ....damn, can't believe I missed that, so obvious now ..great catch.

This thing obviously took an impact somehow.

 

[Achilles]

I've had close to 20 Strandbergs go through here - probably more than half B-stocks - and never seen
anything even close to this sort of skull-fuckery, as noted by @likitlikeyoulikeit

I'm putting $1K on that it did not leave the factory like this. Who's the dealer?

 

[deepskyone]

I'm putting $1K on that it did not leave the factory like this. Who's the dealer?

Strandberg EU

 

[likitlikeyoulikeit]

This is a shipping issue. That sucks, because it is a nice looking guitar, with great pickups, and a decent price ....sad for you.

 

[Eagle]

I've had close to 20 Strandbergs go through here - probably more than half B-stocks - and never seen
anything even close to this sort of skull-fuckery, as noted by @likitlikeyoulikeit

View attachment 29679

I'm putting $1K on that it did not leave the factory like this. Who's the dealer?

You can probably correct that in 30seconds as well. The tuners are on the edge of the available play in the most unfortunate way. Losen then and hold them straight while you tighten them. The recessed base portion is sat in a CNC router cut recess so it will be correct because when they go wrong there won’t be a body to even use.

 

[Los-D]

Strandberg EU

 

[Eagle]

Only send it back if any of the things can’t be easily corrected, or you don’t like it.

 

[deepskyone]

The Bergs are both going back. I might give it another try in the future. If there is a white Essential for example...

Here's my summary:

Boden Essential

• Great playability OOTB
  
• Tender snowflake finish
  
• Great value compared to the Original

Boden Original B-Stock

• Setup was total horseshit OOTB
  
• Nice top
  
• I like the new hardware on the Essential much better
  
• Too expensive for the offered quality
  
• Blemishes on the neck edges were a bit much for me but it was a B-stock after all

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

Fanned frets did not bother me at all but I do play in classical position. There might be more of a difference if you keep the neck more horizontal.

I've had close to 20 Strandbergs go through here - probably more than half B-stocks - and never seen
anything even close to this sort of skull-fuckery, as noted by @likitlikeyoulikeit

It looks much worse in the pic than it is. I believe the bridge is actually properly aligned but the tuning cylinders are not centered and wobble around the axis. Captured the worst possible configuration.