Members grunge782 Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 I just found out about these guys- http://store.guitarfetish.com/xvdocusobo.html Anybody try the xv-870? Right now I am tied between getting that and a Benford www.benfordguitars.com I'm guessing the xv-870 is not US made, but to be fair the price is QUITE a lot less and it at least comes stock with a decent nut. I plan on actually owning both if they are both good. I'm just afraid of getting the XV and wondering why I bothered to get the Benford. I'm not THAT picky to be honest. Keep in mind, I am getting this Benford just stock, no crazy options. I'm wondering how the stock pickups of the Benford vs. the GFS compare. I really am not trying to invest a big amount of dough. This strat isn't going to be my most played piece of gear, but I don't want it to be crap either. Also I heard complaints about the standard pots with the Xaviere, I have a TON of high quality 250k pots and I am damn good with a soldering iron. Any thoughts guys? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grunge782 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 No one? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Mo' Cowbell Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 You're comparing a $200 guitar to a $400 guitar? I would be comparing stock Benford's to custom Xaviere's with hand wired NeoVins. Bear in mind, that with the Xaviere's you're also buying real customer service. Jay appears to go out of his way to satisfy his customers. Maybe some one with Benford experience can chime in here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grunge782 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 You're comparing a $200 guitar to a $400 guitar? I would be comparing stock Benford's to custom Xaviere's with hand wired NeoVins. Bear in mind, that with the Xaviere's you're also buying real customer service. Jay appears to go out of his way to satisfy his customers. Maybe some one with Benford experience can chime in here. What are those? Are the GFS stock pickups not good? And yes I am. I am under the impression that Jay is a cut above the other 200 dollar guitar guys. That is why. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members webwarmiller Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 A $425 (shipped) benford will stand toe to toe with an American Std Strat.A $200 (shipped) XV-870 is about on par with a Squier Std Strat (better hardware and electronics, but the Squire has a better neck/body IMO). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members d_dave_c Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 I would expect with a really good setup and maybe a few tweaks, the Xaviere could be made to rival a MIM Fender. I would expect that the Benford would show up with a good setup and would exceed a MIM Fender and Rival a MIA Fender. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members benricci Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 I must have missed "Part 1". For under $500, why not just consider a Fender Standard? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vintage55 Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 I own 2 Benfords...the best strats I've every played, including alot of American Fenders. Steve is a real pleasure to deal with, so you'll get the same level of customer support that you will get from Jay. But I'd be surprised if you need it after receiving your guitar. The stock Benford pickups will most likely be Mighty Mites, at least they were on mine but these guitars were purchased over 4 years ago. They sound great...I would buy MM SC's as an upgrade for any inexpensive strat that needed that. I bought a Xaviere strat a few years ago, when they were a little different than the current crop and it was ok, but not even close to the Benfords, which I had at the same time. I sold it. I'll never sell the Benfords. For one thing, they both have the Fender headstock shape with "Benford" on it (prior to Fender telling Steve he couldn't do that). Mine have ebony fretboards which really add alot to the guitar, IMO. Fretwork is fantastic. Super low action on both with no buzzing issues. Quality hardware and electronics. To me these guitars are $1K+ level instruments for $400....and the reason is because of how they were assembled and finished. The Xaviere necks are nice and I'm sure the guitars themselves are very good for $200, but they are not going to rival a Benford. Not gonna happen. Here's mine...the first stock, except for the Rio Grande HB in the bridge: This guitar started out as a natural finish, but I did a cracked-paint repaint and reliced it. I also changed out the black pickguard for the tortoise and went with a SC in the bridge, rather that the HB that was stock. It now has a Rio Grande Railgunner in the bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vintage55 Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 A $425 (shipped) benford will stand toe to toe with an American Std Strat.A $200 (shipped) XV-870 is about on par with a Squier Std Strat (better hardware and electronics, but the Squire has a better neck/body IMO). Absolutely...pretty much sums it up. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 I've played a few Xavieres, but never the 870. Never played a Benford. I've done quite a bit of Xaviere defending but I'd expect a Benford to be a pretty considerable step up from a current production Xaviere. Price isn't always indicative of quality or value, but Xaviere has a decent reputation and Benford has a great reputation. They both sell either direct or basically direct so I'd assume they are both solid values but crunching the numbers a little but, I actually expect there's less of a percentage markup on the Benfords. Like I said... you do the math. If you can afford and are willing to get the Benford, get the Benford. If you can't afford the Benford, get the Xaviere, do a decent setup on it and I have no doubt you'll have nearly the equivalent of a MIM for less than half the price with better stock pickups. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members dimmypage Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 This Benford company looks good/ great prices/made in the US of A. :thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grunge782 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 I own 2 Benfords...the best strats I've every played, including alot of American Fenders. Steve is a real pleasure to deal with, so you'll get the same level of customer support that you will get from Jay. But I'd be surprised if you need it after receiving your guitar. The stock Benford pickups will most likely be Mighty Mites, at least they were on mine but these guitars were purchased over 4 years ago. They sound great...I would buy MM SC's as an upgrade for any inexpensive strat that needed that. I bought a Xaviere strat a few years ago, when they were a little different than the current crop and it was ok, but not even close to the Benfords, which I had at the same time. I sold it. I'll never sell the Benfords. For one thing, they both have the Fender headstock shape with "Benford" on it (prior to Fender telling Steve he couldn't do that). Mine have ebony fretboards which really add alot to the guitar, IMO. Fretwork is fantastic. Super low action on both with no buzzing issues. Quality hardware and electronics. To me these guitars are $1K+ level instruments for $400....and the reason is because of how they were assembled and finished. The Xaviere necks are nice and I'm sure the guitars themselves are very good for $200, but they are not going to rival a Benford. Not gonna happen. Here's mine...the first stock, except for the Rio Grande HB in the bridge: This guitar started out as a natural finish, but I did a cracked-paint repaint and reliced it. I also changed out the black pickguard for the tortoise and went with a SC in the bridge, rather that the HB that was stock. It now has a Rio Grande Railgunner in the bridge. This is what I was looking for. Thanks! Benford it is then. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grunge782 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 Absolutely...pretty much sums it up. Also, what kind of nut did you get on yours? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vintage55 Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 Also, what kind of nut did you get on yours? Both of mine were bought in a shop in Appleton, Wisc (where Steve is from and started his luthier career) and were not custom ordered. They both have bone nuts. I walked into this shop, one that I had visited many, many times and the owner says "you need to try that red strat on the wall". I looked at it and asked him who "Benford" was, his answer that it was a guy who used to work there doing guitar tech work and had started his own guitar line and made the move to Milwaukee. I grab the guitar, go into the amp room and with 5 minutes I own it. Unreal playability. Just fantastic. The switch is a treble roll-off that effects all pickups. There's a push-pull coil-split on the tone control (which also effects all pickups), so the guitar has 12 different sounds. The high frequency roll-off is very effective. I probably have it on more than off. These guitars are so well setup they really do rival or exceed anything I've ever played strat-wise. Everything is just plain right...from the nut to the frets to the electronics. They both sound wonderful, even though the pickups are not highend, by any means (except the bridge changes I made). I absolutely love the ebony fretboards...there's a "slickness" that makes them even more playable. I've taken both of these guitars to friends who own or work at guitar shops here in Alabama, where I now live, and the reactions have all been the same....OMG! I have no doubt you'll love your Benford... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Yogi_Sizzle Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 I've taken both of these guitars to friends who own or work at guitar shops here in Alabama, where I now live, and the reactions have all been the same....OMG!I have no doubt you'll love your Benford... OT but where do you live in Bama? Im down in Tuscaloosa. RTR! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Vintage55 Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 OT but where do you live in Bama? Im down in Tuscaloosa. RTR! In Summerdale...Baldwin County. Grew up in Wisconsin and moved down here in 1974 after getting out of the service (family was now here) and then moved to Maine (2001-2004) and then Green Bay (2004-2007) before moving back down here. Long answer... ROLL TIDE!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members grunge782 Posted January 7, 2010 Author Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 Both of mine were bought in a shop in Appleton, Wisc (where Steve is from and started his luthier career) and were not custom ordered. They both have bone nuts.I walked into this shop, one that I had visited many, many times and the owner says "you need to try that red strat on the wall". I looked at it and asked him who "Benford" was, his answer that it was a guy who used to work there doing guitar tech work and had started his own guitar line and made the move to Milwaukee. I grab the guitar, go into the amp room and with 5 minutes I own it. Unreal playability. Just fantastic. The switch is a treble roll-off that effects all pickups. There's a push-pull coil-split on the tone control (which also effects all pickups), so the guitar has 12 different sounds. The high frequency roll-off is very effective. I probably have it on more than off. These guitars are so well setup they really do rival or exceed anything I've ever played strat-wise. Everything is just plain right...from the nut to the frets to the electronics. They both sound wonderful, even though the pickups are not highend, by any means (except the bridge changes I made). I absolutely love the ebony fretboards...there's a "slickness" that makes them even more playable. I've taken both of these guitars to friends who own or work at guitar shops here in Alabama, where I now live, and the reactions have all been the same....OMG!I have no doubt you'll love your Benford... Man that sounds really good. I'll go for it then:thu: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bdegrande Posted January 7, 2010 Members Share Posted January 7, 2010 Benford has excellent customer service. You are getting a guitar built by someone who really knows what he is doing, and you can customize whatever options you don't like. Mine has a Varitone control, ebony board, and locking tuners, for example. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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