Members Presc Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 I just took delivery of a custom ordered K-Line Truxton, which you could call a Tele copy. I played a bunch of Fender CS Teles before going K-Line. While many were nice, I didn't want a relic finish, and while I like a traditional look and sound, I wanted a flatter fingerboard and larger frets. Given those constraints, I couldn't find a Tele off the rack that worked for me. With K-Line, I was able to spec out what I wanted and have it turned around in a very reasonable time at a materially lower cost than a Fender CS custom order. While Fender invented the Tele, that doesn't mean they do it best. There's no secret to a Tele. Good wood, good frets, good components and that's about all you can do. So I wasn't going pay Fender a premium for the headstock. If you extend the argument to Suhr or Anderson, those guys offers tons of a stuff that Fender doesn't even make. You can't get Fender to make your a Suhr Modern or Anderson Atom - those are unique designs. Ultimately, it's your cup of tea - but I think it's a good thing to have choices. Since when were monopolies good for the consumer? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members hecticone Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 I just used up all my fingers and toes and counted 37 strats over the years. Custom shops,mexi's,squiers and these were just the Fender stuff. I know and like Fender but if you think any of these guitars hold a candle to an Anderson I am calling you out as I don't believe you have ever played an Anderson and this is just another Thursday afternoon troll thread. There is no comparison to setup and playability the sound it makes may not be your thing but build quality is way past the Fender stuff. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 Might as well throw in Tylers as well. What an obnoxious headstock. Major fail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Snappy Hat Posted July 26, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 Perhaps it's simply that men are genetically programmed to view curves: As intrinsically attractive? thats the direction I was going , I was going to try a Fibonacci Spiral overlay on Fender headstocks but my photoshop is acting up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 What an obnoxious headstock. Major fail. Perhaps James Tyler is trying hard to be the next Ed Roman in terms of shameless self-promotion? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Kap'n Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 I think it's mostly this. After all this time, to many, Fender and Gibson headstocks just look "right." True, but a lot of three on a side headstocks look good - Gibsons, Gretsch, Guild, Martin - I'm partial to the "snakehead" look myself. The only six on a side pegheads that really look good are Fender....and Bigsby. Even the reverse Firebird and batwing Epi look kinda eh. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mark Wein Posted July 26, 2012 Share Posted July 26, 2012 I've had one of my Suhrs for about 10 years and the other for about five. I played a ton of guitars when I was shopping for the first one including Tom Anderson (I had an acquaintance at the time who worked for Anderson as a luthier so I could have gotten a great deal on one) and Tyler and I worked for a Fender dealer so I could have gotten any Fender instrument for cost but the Suhr was the one that spoke to me. At the time I was into the idea that it had the Buzz Feiten intonation (not so much anymore) but for the recording work I was doing it was nice having one guitar that was super accurate (at least more so than the isntruments I had at the time). My second Suhr was the Tele and by that time I knew how better to place an order and what I wanted so it actually surpassed my expectations. This year I've added a Badger 30 amp and a Koko Boost pedal from Suhr to my rig and its amazing how easy it is to get workable sounds that make me happy at many different volume levels depending on the gig requirements. The level of quality and craftsmanship and the thought that goes into everything really has me sold. For the $2250 the strat cost me and the $2500 the tele did I'm extremely happy. As far as customer service goes they were awesome too from letting me come to the factory to talk to John about the build and take a tour to this year driving a Koko boost pedal out in person to my studio after an online dealer totally blew it. I'm a huge Suhr fan, but that doesn't stop me from owning and playing other instruments depending on what the gig requires..I have a custom guitar coming from a brand new small luthier in a month or so that I'm pretty excited about too. Ultimately when you buy a small builder you are hopefully paying for attention to detail, additional time spent on each instrument, premium materials, and better customer service. Can I play the gigs I have with an American Standard strat and a Crate Classic 30? yeah, but I wouldn't be as happy. And if I'm happy I play better Suhr Classic T Suhr Classic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Snappy Hat Posted July 26, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 Someone beat me to it at tdpri did it for tele bodies with neck using golden ration , still would like to see it on headstocks. But just looking at Suhr and Anderson headstocks they just are off, you really dont even need the overlay. They are unnatural .. . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members DavidMgT Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 IMO, G&L is a great option if you want the strat form with some modern improvements at a reasonable price. Oh, and I think one of those guys used to work at fender too. I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yngtchie Blacksteen Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 I've played Suhrs and Tom Andersons that I like more than Fenders I've tried. I play Ruokangas, but wouldn't mind shelling out the big bucks for either of the aforementioned brands. Never played a Suhr or TAG I didn't like. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 True, but a lot of three on a side headstocks look good - Gibsons, Gretsch, Guild, Martin - I'm partial to the "snakehead" look myself. The only six on a side pegheads that really look good are Fender....and Bigsby. Even the reverse Firebird and batwing Epi look kinda eh. I like the snakehead too. I'm also a fan of other 6-on-a-side headstocks though, like Fano. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Doctor Morbius Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 Might as well add Xaviere to the list. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Guitar Heel Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 Someone beat me to it at tdpri did it for tele bodies with neck using golden ration , still would like to see it on headstocks. But just looking at Suhr and Anderson headstocks they just are off, you really dont even need the overlay. They are unnatural .. . Science! That's really neat. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members ugameus Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 I think bsman is on to something. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Help!I'maRock! Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 Someone beat me to it at tdpri did it for tele bodies with neck using golden ration, still would like to see it on headstocks. But just looking at Suhr and Anderson headstocks they just are off,you really dont even need the overlay. They are unnatural .. they're different. "unnatural" makes you sound like somebody who hates civil rights or universal suffrage. it's just a guitar. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grunge782 Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 lol tone is in the headstock. I can't speak much about Andersons too much (though the ones I have played are nice), but Suhr's build process is a bit different. That and the options you can get. IMO the best instruments aren't bought, they are played. Even though it is fun for some of us to obsess over specs, wood types, pickups etc...at the end of the day getting that #1 guitar I believe is playing enough and just getting lucky. So why are they so expensive comparatively? As far as I can tell it really comes down to three things; custom options (exotic wood types), super blinged out poly finishes and their plek machine. When you factor those things in and that it is done by VERY skilled workers in a smaller business, the price begins to make sense. You will never get a Suhr or Anderson that makes you just go "Meh, I think it sounds pretty good", but it also doesn't guarantee they will be your #1. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bsman Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 Since we're on about high-end non-Fenders, how about US Masters? Since those are built in the town where my wife grew up, I've always been interested in perhaps obtaining one some day... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members fretless Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 I have a Suhr & a G&L and I would say they are equals both are amazing instruments Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Alan Roberts Posted July 26, 2012 Members Share Posted July 26, 2012 To me its proportion . Or could be 40 years of brainwashing seeing Fender headstocks I'm not sure, either, but I've never been able to get past it. I even own some G&L's and owned an Anderson but the look of the headstock still annoys me. Maybe it is brainwashin I knew a guy who hated the look of the G&L's so much that he recut and refinished the headstock on a couple of his. Ruined the value but he was happy and planned to keep 'em... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Snappy Hat Posted July 27, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 27, 2012 they're different. "unnatural" makes you sound like somebody who hates civil rights or universal suffrage. it's just a guitar. How you get to politics in a guitar thread, thats just not natural. Its just a forum thread. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Help!I'maRock! Posted July 27, 2012 Members Share Posted July 27, 2012 How you get to politics in a guitar thread, thats just not natural. Its just a forum thread. this is EG. all threads are thinly veiled political threads. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Snappy Hat Posted July 27, 2012 Author Members Share Posted July 27, 2012 this is EG. all threads are thinly veiled political threads. I did do this thread wrong however. Should of just done a poll, all things equal , price quality which would you get. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Help!I'maRock! Posted July 27, 2012 Members Share Posted July 27, 2012 I did do this thread wrong however. Should of just done a poll, all things equal , price quality which would you get. wait a week, do it again. remember to make it a public poll! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members wimpy77 Posted July 27, 2012 Members Share Posted July 27, 2012 I"m not a headstock cork sniffer but those James Tyler stocks look ugly as {censored}. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members benzem Posted July 27, 2012 Members Share Posted July 27, 2012 Snorkeldinkery? Some hipsters just gotta outsmart everything. transparent. Suhr headstocks are butt ugly. I'm sure (hehe) they are decent guitars, tho....for those that can stomach the butt ugly headstock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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