Standberg Boden Essential vs HILS Next

[Frankencat]

So I am trying to decide between the HILS Next and a Strandberg Boden Essential. They are both made in Indonesia and the Strandberg has both good and bad reviews while the HILS reviews are pretty much all positive. I don't mind paying the extra $$ if the quality is there, but since this is going to be something I use in my home studio, sitting in front of a computer 99% of the time, I am trying to stay in this price range. Thanks!

 

[Eagle]

The hils is a good $ 500 guitar but I think the Strandberg is better. In a few ways but it’s not twice as good.

 

[dbagchee]

I have no experience with the Hils but absolutely love my Strandberg Essential. I ordered mine straight from Strandberg a didn’t have any quality issues. There’s definitely a mark up for the brand but I do like the endurneck and prefer the shape/aesthetics of the Strandberg.

 

[Jynx]

I was thinking about this same thing the other day. If I bought a HILS I would almost certainly be swapping the pickups for BKPs that cost almost the same as the guitar. So I wondered if the Strandberg pickups were good enough would I not be better off getting that instead?

Also, Strandberg do 8 string and if I ever did get a headless it would be for that to help lose some of the excess weight and there is still no sign as to whether HILS are going to do an 8.

 

[Frankencat]

I was down at the local GC earlier and they didn't have any Strandbergs in stock, but the guy there asked me for if I wanted to try his personal me out that he had there for whatever reason and I said sure and thanks. I think he said it was a Boden NX model and he plugged me into an Orange Rockerverb and man what a sweet guitar that was. It am definitely buying one. Now on to find one within my budget and in stock.

 

[Will Onyx]

Not that you asked, but try out an Ibanez headless guitar if you get a chance. Their Quest series has a lot of options around $1k and can be had much cheaper used.

 

[dbagchee]

I was down at the local GC earlier and they didn't have any Strandbergs in stock, but the guy there asked me for if I wanted to try his personal me out that he had there for whatever reason and I said sure and thanks. I think he said it was a Boden NX model and he plugged me into an Orange Rockerverb and man what a sweet guitar that was. It am definitely buying one. Now on to find one within my budget and in stock.

Yeah a similar thing happened to me a few years back (I think it’s when I bought the Catalyst) and they had a used Boden Metal randomly and I used that to test the amp. Got used to the neck pretty much right away and loved how light weight it was. I had planned on getting a Res:qd model as they were a bit cheaper but when they announced the essentials I thought it would be a good compromise for the price.

 

[dbagchee]

Also these headless guitars are the best “desk” guitars - plug a wireless unit into it and rock!

 

[Frankencat]

iI looked it up and the one I played was an Boden Standard NX 6. I have played fanned fret guitars and I am kind of indifferent about them. Honestly I don’t think they are necessary on a 6 string but I don’t mind them. I did really like the guitar and I have never touched the Boden Essential 6 so I am trying to decide which one to get. They are both in stock on the Strandberg site. Anybody played both and have an opinion?

 

[Frankencat]

Seems like a lot of reported QC issues on the lower priced Strandbergs. That’s kind of a bummer.

 

[Frankencat]

So just thinking out loud here,,,I think I might buy an Essential and a Hils and try them both myself.

 

[dbagchee]

So just thinking out loud here,,,I think I might buy an Essential and a Hils and try them both myself.

Good idea. Nothing beats playing them yourself through your own gear!

 

[Warmart]

Meant to respond earlier but the weekend got in the way.
I think you'll run the risk of a pickup swap on either the HILS or the Essential. So trying both is the correct answer, lmao!

 

[Frankencat]

Just purchased this one from Pitbull Audio

I figure it's a weird looking guitar so it deserves a weird color. Plus my wifey likes it.

 

[Jkist7]

The frets on the HILS feel smaller than I prefer. The Strandberg has jumbos. Also the strandberg is a more ergonomic shape. I have a classic and it sits on your leg in classical position easier than the HILS.

I do prefer lots of the little things on the HILS, things Strandberg could learn a thing or two from. The rubber feet that allow you to lean the guitar against stuff. The widened head part so that you can still hang it on wall hangers. The string clamp being designed with an area to tuck the cut string part. They're all great innovations that should be adopted to other headless designs.

Adjusting intonation is much easier on the HILS as well.

That said, I do think the strandberg has the edge for me. It's held to a slightly higher standard (in theory), and those big frets make it feel better to play (for me). Like Eagle said though, it's the better guitar, but not the twice as good guitar, definitely not.

The Ibanez Q guitars are really good, but they disregard a lot of the "ethos" of headless guitars. That may or may not be your thing. But they are easy to play and the pickups give huge versatility of tones.