Bill Nash Strats

[Joe Tone]

I recently bought a Nash 60's strat reissue, all relice'd out and it is better than my two pre-cbs strats that I have owned. Now before you go nuts, lemme explain.

1. Who wants to take a 20k guitar to a gig?
2. One of my pre-cbs guitars sounded like garbage, so not all that is vintage is golden.
3. This Nash rings like crazy and I can mod it with pickups and such and not have destroyed the value at all.

Now why buy a beat up guitar at all? Three reasons:

1. the vibe is coool.

2. I hate being the first to put a ding in a new guitar, and

3. This is the best reason of all. When I bought my first Fender relic years ago, I called the custom shop to ask a question about it. the conversation went like this:

me: "hi, got a question about a relic"

CS: "Did you buy it new or used?"

me: "Doesn't matter"

CS: "what do you mean it doesn't matter?"

me: "Hey, either it was never new or it still is. It's a relic, right? Did you document the relicing?"

CS: "Uh...no."

me: "then it's still new"

CS: "We never thought of that..."

A good relic should always maintain it's value because it was used when it was new! I can throw it down the stairs and it's still new! :jo

But seriously, I already bought another Nash and they just blow Fender relics away. Big C neck, 6100 frets. One is a 9.5 radius and the other is compound radius, 10" - 16". Plays and sounds and feels amazing, like an old pair of jeans. (I'm not suggesting you can play and old pair of jeans)

Any other nash lovers out there?

[Zoner]

Hi-Newbie on the forum...I have 2 Nash strats & 2 teles...AWESOME!!!!!!!

[reddgeetarzan]

I always used to joke when I'd bump mine "Oops.....the value just went up another $10!!!"

I'd love to try out a Nash, but you pretty much have to buy one before playing it- at least I don't know of anyone that has one near me (Cincy, Ohio) and they seem to be pretty much on back order......so for now, my Cunetto strat and tele will have to do for me- no complaints there, I have a couple of really nice ones I got into for a very fair price.

I've heard nothing but GREAT things about them- how do they compare to the mythical GVCG's?????

[Hackubus]

3. This is the best reason of all. When I bought my first Fender relic years ago, I called the custom shop to ask a question about it. the conversation went like this:

me: "hi, got a question about a relic"

CS: "Did you buy it new or used?"

me: "Doesn't matter"

CS: "what do you mean it doesn't matter?"

me: "Hey, either it was never new or it still is. It's a relic, right? Did you document the relicing?"

CS: "Uh...no."

me: "then it's still new"

CS: "We never thought of that..."


lol good point!

[Joe Tone]

I've heard nothing but GREAT things about them- how do they compare to the mythical GVCG's?????


I have actually played a GVCG 1954 strat replica at Lark st music in Teaneck, where I might add it was going for an obscene price, no fault to Buzzy as someone actually bought it.(4k?) It looked to old. Seriously, it resembled a copy I once had of the Declaration of Independence. It wAS LIKE THE Thomas Jefferson sig. strat, looking like real old parchment or something, kinda bad varnish look? I only saw this one and the rest could all be great. anyway I'm in NJ so if you ever get close come play it.

[MightyGuru]

I've heard nothing but GREAT things about them- how do they compare to the mythical GVCG's?????


It looked to old. Seriously, it resembled a copy I once had of the Declaration of Independence. It wAS LIKE THE Thomas Jefferson sig. strat, looking like real old parchment or something, kinda bad varnish look?

noice...

I love my shell pink Nash S-63. Just the best damn strat I've ever had.

[currypowder]

I bought a used, lightly reliced Nash Strat, Tobacco Burst with a Warmoth 10-16 compound radius fatback neck about a week ago. It is an absolute joy to play. As a result, I just put a hold on a Nash T-63, blonde, mint green pickguard, medium relic. It will probably be a month or two until I get it, and I will need to sell a guitar or two, but its definately worth it.

[Joe Tone]

I bought the white one that was in the picture next to it and then picked up a sunburst off ebay too. They are everything a strat should be in spades!

[57special]

Nash's are nice for the price (although i've heard they keep going up), usually play well and he has nice taste in pups so they usually sound good. The GVCG's usally are lighter, and while not a guarantee that they will play better and sound better, they often do.
The GVCG's finish, relicing, and appointments, are superior to the Nash's, IMO. Some of the relicing on the Nash's look like he just went nuts with a screwdriver or belt-sander, while the GVCG's sport VERY convincing
wear.
The GVCG's should be better at 2 1/2 times the price, and i think they are. Still liked the Nash i had a lot.

[Joe Tone]

Well, there ya have it. I guess it's safe to say all the GVCG and Nash strats are all individuals and would have to be judged piece by piece.
My white Nash is very light. I'll weigh it tomorrow and post.

[TimBascom]

I just bought my first Nash Strat last week....a Shell Pink '62...I love it.

http://photobucket.com/albums/v301/timbascom/Nashtoppink.jpg

[JingleJungle]

....But seriously, I already bought another Nash and they just blow Fender relics away. Big C neck, 6100 frets. One is a 9.5 radius and the other is compound radius, 10" - 16". Plays and sounds and feels amazing, like an old pair of jeans. (I'm not suggesting you can play and old pair of jeans)

Any other nash lovers out there?

Hmmm.
One of my acquaintances purchased a '57 Nash relic in Chicago.
I was very excited to be able to try one out (as you can imagine you can't just walk into a store over here and try one out) - I mean, Bill Nash in my book is / was some sort of idol, having had the cojones to stand up to and been bashed by Big F Brother, and so on.

Alas,
I was disappointed from the sound (the relic job was really outstanding).
It sounded flat, compressed with a limited frequency response... :(
Must have been the pickups IMO... but then again, for $1500 (IIRC) I guess I could not scream for a set of hand-wound Lollars.
Or maybe I should?

JJ

[Unburst]

I've heard nothing but GREAT things about them- how do they compare to the mythical GVCG's?????

Nash are parts guitars, he buys parts, assembles and relics them.

GVCG are built from scratch.

[clothwiring]

I have a reliced parts guitar that I purchased on ebay for 1/2 the price of a Nash and in my opinion (and others), although it doesn't blow the Nash out of the water, it does edge it out just a bit. Also the nash wasn't very convincing. My Cunetto Strat I recently purchased, does blow both (Nash and my relic) out of the water though...sounding very close to my friends 1956 Strat.

But if you want to get a great reliced guitar that you can take to a gig and beat...Nash guitars are a good option.

[voodoo364]

I think Nash's stuff is great. I nearly pulled the trigger on a Suhr a year ago. The Henderson Suhr was very nice, but I saved a ton of $$$ by purchasing a Nash..could not be happier.

[Joe Tone]

this is really interesting. I had a Cunetto strat and it weighed a metric ton and was incredibly bright sounding while my Nash is light and very punchy sounding. No doubt pickups are a vital part of the sound, but so is the rest of the signal chain and amps and all.

As far as GVCG and the handmade thing, I bought 2 Nash strats for a total of $2725.00. I have played a GVCG and was not impressed that it was real looking, it looked over relice'd, overaged, kinda like Jaques Cousteau found it underwater somewhere.
As far as handmade vs parts goes. I don't get it. After you handmake a neck, isn't it a "part"? I mean if it was an archtop jazz box, I would probably want handmade, but were talking fender clones of old 50's and 60's guitars so I don't see how handmade comes into it.
It all comes down to personal, still I wonder if logos and decals were all correct, I wonder in a blind test if we could tell the Cunetto from the Nash from the GVCG from the true pre-CBS fender, I mean without disassembling them and even more I wonder which we would actually like better?

[bbarnard]

I have a Nash Strat and after I got it I sold a CS 59 reissue, and two Groshes. I don't look back with regret at all.

[Joe Perry]

Hey Scott,
So far, so good then? What do you think of the Lace Holy Grails? Just curious. I know p/u's are soo subjective.
Joe

[Joe Tone]

Hi!
I like it so much I sold my PRS ce22 and bought another for backup. The new one has Lollars in it so I will do a comparison over the weekend and let you know, but I am so satisfied.:D

[Joe Perry]

Great! Glad to hear it. Even though I ended up selling both it was a hard decision on which one to let go first. I didn't plan on selling both. Even with selling both of them my debit card is still smoking after getting the /13 & Suhr at the same time.
Joe

[57special]

Nash are parts guitars, he buys parts, assembles and relics them.

GVCG are built from scratch.

You absolutely sure about that?

[jpage]

how do they compare to the mythical GVCG's?????

You could buy a Nash and a used car to drive it home in for the price of one of the GVCGs.

I was disappointed from the sound (the relic job was really outstanding).
It sounded flat, compressed with a limited frequency response... :(
Must have been the pickups IMO... but then again, for $1500

First I've ever heard anything negative about how the Nash's sound and play. First out of probably 100 users. And all the ones I've ever priced have been $1400. Which one? Where? What pickups?

Nash are parts guitars, he buys parts, assembles and relics them.

GVCG are built from scratch

That's assinine. So are Fenders, Suhrs, Andersons... Just because he uses someone else's CNC machine, his are parts guitars? I don't have a Nash, but everyone that does loves them. "Built from scratch"? they better be--they cost as much as a real vintage strat for God's sake. For that price he better be "whittling" the body and neck by hand with a scalpel out of some exotic wood found only deep in the jungles of Africa. He best be winding his own pickups with metals that he mined himself. And I imagine that he bent the saddles for the bridges and handcrafts the tuning machines...

$1400 for a fine example of a well broken in Fender is a steal in today's market full of $3-5000 Fender knockoffs. How anyone can say any different boggles my mind.

[Joe Tone]

my understanding is he buys blanks and shapes them per request. I haveno problem with that. My sunburst has a Brazillian fingerbd.
Ya gotta start somewhere and that's good enough for me. The inference is if he's buying parts that he's not particular about them, which is nonsense. I mean how crazy do ya wanna get here? Are the guys who are handbuilding Growing their own trees and felling them by hand? Wants the difference if it is a quartersawn board or roughed out neck? Do I start with a seedling or a seed?

[Joe Tone]

You could buy a Nash and a used car to drive it home in for the price of one of the GVCGs.


That's assinine. So are Fenders, Suhrs, Andersons... Just because he uses someone else's CNC machine, his are parts guitars? I don't have a Nash, but everyone that does loves them. "Built from scratch"? they better be--they cost as much as a real vintage strat for God's sake. For that price he better be "whittling" the body and neck by hand with a scalpel out of some exotic wood found only deep in the jungles of Africa. He best be winding his own pickups with metals that he mined himself. And I imagine that he bent the saddles for the bridges and handcrafts the tuning machines...

$1400 for a fine example of a well broken in Fender is a steal in today's market full of $3-5000 Fender knockoffs. How anyone can say any different boggles my mind.

Well said Jpage!

[Unburst]

That's assinine. So are Fenders, Suhrs, Andersons... Just because he uses someone else's CNC machine, his are parts guitars?

You mean asinine?

I'm pretty sure Suhr and Anderson don't buy in bodies and necks.

You absolutely sure about that?
No.

[jpage]

You mean asinine?

Yep. I'm so embarrassed...

I'm pretty sure Suhr and Anderson don't buy in bodies and necks.

Do they program a CNC machine to cut them to a shape that resembles a 50 year old design? Than unless they are growing their own trees I see no difference whatsoever. All strats are parts guitars. Leo designed them that way.

And I can't imagine that any Fender copy is worth $4-5000 but I guess I'm mistaken because someone's buying them.

[Phil M]

I have a Daphne blue '60s S-type that my brother gave to me. Simply the greatest Strat styled guitar I've ever played. I'm not into the relicing, but it doesn't matter. As soon as I played the guitar I fell in love with Strats. I guess I had never played a great one previous to that. I'm very grateful for both the gift AND the fact that I was able to walk into a shop and wrap my hands around it.

[Joe Tone]

I think if Nash doesn't get price crazy, he will have a long profitable run.
My whole thing is this: I can buy a used nash for a lot less then a Fender relic and for my $ they are better. I would never spend the $ for a GVCG because it will never be worth that much to me. As far as Nash's being over relic'd, that's up to the buyer. You can choose the amount of reilcing. I have seen some incredibly trashed pre-cbs strats.

[Unburst]

Do they program a CNC machine to cut them to a shape that resembles a 50 year old design? Than unless they are growing their own trees I see no difference whatsoever. All strats are parts guitars. Leo designed them that way.


Point is they choose the wood and cut the bodies and necks, doesn't make them a parts guitar.


And I can't imagine that any Fender copy is worth $4-5000 but I guess I'm mistaken because someone's buying them.
+1

[jpage]

Point is they choose the wood and cut the bodies and necks, doesn't make them a parts guitar.

I don't know enough about the process either company uses to choose their wood so I really can't speak on it. I am sure that Mr. Nash does more than just put in a call for "some wood" and I am also sure that Suhr does not grow his own raw materials (trees). Assuming that both companies use CNC machines to cut the bodies and necks, I find that both companies' processes are strikingly similar--both rely on someone else for the wood. I believe both outsource tuning machines, bridges, frets, electronics, hardware, strap buttons and finish materials.

Essentially the only differences between the two that I can see would be the ownership of the CNC machine, the number of units produced, the fact that Nash does not wind his own pickups and the fact that Suhr does not use nitrocellulose finish (please correct me if I am wrong). I might go so far as to assume that Mr. Nash spends a painstakingly long amount of time on his guitar's finishes while Suhr's finish work, while excellent, might be a bit more cost and personnel effective.

Taking into account the fact that Suhr is a very well respected name in the guitar community I come to the conclusion that Mr. Nash's guitars are an amazing value, since I believe they retail for essentially half the price of the aforementioned Suhr.

[Unburst]

Essentially the only differences between the two that I can see would be the ownership of the CNC machine, the number of units produced, the fact that Nash does not wind his own pickups and the fact that Suhr does not use nitrocellulose finish (please correct me if I am wrong). I might go so far as to assume that Mr. Nash spends a painstakingly long amount of time on his guitar's finishes while Suhr's finish work, while excellent, might be a bit more cost and personnel effective.


Exactly, Nash is predominantly a "finisher/relicer" while Suhr is a guitar builder.

I come to the conclusion that Mr. Nash's guitars are an amazing value, since I believe they retail for essentially half the price of the aforementioned Suhr.

Street price on a Suhr Pro Series is less than $2k

Also I am yet to be convinced that nitro makes any difference to the tone of a solidbody.

[µ¿ z3®ø™]

Also I am yet to be convinced that nitro makes any difference to the tone of a solidbody.

sorry to be dense here, but...
really?

[Joe Tone]

You know saying Bill Nash Makes a heck of a guitar doesn't reduce the value of a Suhr, so I am not sure what the point is. I had a Suhr for a day and sent it back. It was very well made and finished but the pickups didn't work for me and it just didn't feel like a Strat to me any more than Andersons do to me. But I still agree that any Strat type of bolt on guitar is a parts guitar no matter who's running the CNC machine.

[jpage]

You know saying Bill Nash Makes a heck of a guitar doesn't reduce the value of a Suhr, so I am not sure what the point is.

Amen. And as the guy who brought them up, I agree. But for some strange reason, there are those who like to degrade what Mr. Nash does and it is (as I have pointed out ad nauseum without rebuttal) absolutely ridiculous. These same folks seem to worship at the altar of one builder and demean others. Unless the other "boutique bolt on" companies do not use CNC machines to cut their wood, they are no different from Nash. He outsources? Really? Who doesn't? For $1400, the guy puts together a hell of a strat replica, and spends hours more personal time on them than most any other builder, including many who are very highly regarded here.

As for the Suhrs retailing for less than $2k, I'll keep my eye out. I was in the market and Suhr guitars were much higher than that--must be a recent price reduction. Regardless, the Nash instruments are nitro finished (means alot to me) and hand aged and cost less than $1500. Hell of a deal, however you look at it.

[EBGB]

"As far as GVCG and the handmade thing, I bought 2 Nash strats for a total of $2725.00. I have played a GVCG and was not impressed that it was real looking, it looked over relice'd, overaged, kinda like Jaques Cousteau found it underwater somewhere.
As far as handmade vs parts goes. I don't get it. After you handmake a neck, isn't it a "part"? I mean if it was an archtop jazz box, I would probably want handmade, but were talking fender clones of old 50's and 60's guitars so I don't see how handmade comes into it.
It all comes down to personal, still I wonder if logos and decals were all correct, I wonder in a blind test if we could tell the Cunetto from the Nash from the GVCG from the true pre-CBS fender, I mean without disassembling them and even more I wonder which we would actually like better?"

Nashes seem nice and interesting. I have no other 1st hand experience with them other than a friend who ordered one and the specs were off.

I own a 57 Mary K GVCG Strat. I have also seen 2 54 GVCG Strats at Lark Street Music. I agree the 54s looked a little funny-- mainly because the sunburst was very stripe-y 2 tone. My blonde doesn't have that problem-- I think it's GVCG's best finish. To me, many Fender Relics and Nash's look quite fake on the wear.

In any case, the hand made thing does make some sense. For GVCG, no 2 necks are the same. They are hand shaped until they feel right for the particular guitar. The beauty of the finishing process lies in how finish is put on, not just how it is taken off (relicing). He also uses the serious old school nitro.

If GVCG's bodies are in fact cut by CNC, they are only rough cut that way. His shaping and perfecting of the body shape for a particular year is by hand. There is a difference between a raw CNC cut and a hand shape-- You can see and feel it, especially after finishing.

"they cost as much as a real vintage strat for God's sake."
Have you looked at real vintage strat prices lately? $10k and up, not $4k like a GVCG.

"I would never spend the $ for a GVCG because it will never be worth that much to me."
Owning one, I believe the GVCG is worth it. I see, hear, and feel why it costs more. That aside, he is no longer making strats and I expect mine to be worth significantly more in the near future. You pay more for the most regarded builders, but often it's worth it, from both a playing and investment point of view taken together.

"As for the Suhrs retailing for less than $2k, I'll keep my eye out."
It's the new Pro series. $1650 ea.?

[jpage]

Well, I hope that you love that guitar of yours and it sounds like you do. As for the Nash you mentioned in passing that the "specs were off", did you contact Mr. Nash? What exactly was wrong? What was his reply? I have heard nothing but great things about the guy from actual owners and would be interested to hear the full story--maybe Mr. Nash could make this oversight right for your friend. He doesn't make many--maybe he remembers the instrument you speak of...

Wow, you must be pretty picky as I think the Fender stuff looks great. What did you find "fake"? I've played many and so have quite a few folks I know who know much more than I--we have all been impressed.

As for the "no two necks are alike", I'm not so sure what that means to the player. What is the "serious old school" nitro? How is the application process different? Not being pissy--I would like to know what goes into this.

You can find many pre-1973 Fender stratocasters for less than $4000. Vintage does not necessarily mean pre-CBS all original. Whether or not you want to funnel your funds in that direction is your business but I would consider any Strat over 35 years old to be unquestionably vintage label worthy.

I sincerely hope that your instrument appreciates considerably. It would be a shame if it did not as it is obviously a serious investment. You pay more and expect more from a "Masterbuilt" Fender, why not yours?

I checked the Suhr website again and found the Strat copy model (the "Classic"?) to be as I had remembered--$2800. What is this new model? Is it a Strat? How is it different from the Classic?

I have no affiliation with Nash nor do I have any beef with any other "3-pickup guitars that look like strats" builder companies. But I can tell you that I was in the market for a new guitar of this type and was surprised at how many there were. And at how much they sell for. I saw the Nash and did some research and found alot of folks who seem to badmouth the man's operation for really no reason. Still, I have found no Nash owners who have had a bad experience. Just owners of "competing" guitars who all seem to "know someone" who has had a problem. In this internet day and age, this sort of thing can harm a man's reputation and business and I think it's wrong.

[Joe Tone]

My Nash's are not accurate to 1960 specs. That's one of the reasons I bought em. I have no use for a 7.25" fingerboard radius that frets out up the neck nor for vintage frets or the very thin 60's neck that cramped my hand. They look wonderfully vintage and yet play like a dream. This is their appeal, if only to me. I would never monkey with the board radius or neck carve or pickups on a vintage fender because of the loss of resale value. So for me, and that's just me, these are the best of both worlds. I am willing to bet that there are a lot of very accurate and beautiful GVCG out there. I am just happy with having spent less, something that usually doesn't happen, so it is refreshing to me. The funniest thing about all this is I have seen very few Nash or GVCG that don't have a "Fender" logo on them. For a group of people who rave about the build quality and value of the builder, we are real quick to dissassociate the instrument from him publicly.
I also want to say no disrespect meant to any builder mentioned or implied. I am gald we are all happy with our purchases! Don't want this to turn into a pissing contest.

[Disco Scottie]

They look wonderfully vintage and yet play like a dream. This is their appeal, if only to me.
Me too! I've yet to play/buy a Nash, but it sounds like what I've been looking for. I would've bought a MIM 60s Classic the other, great feeling axe, but the damn radius killed it. The idea of a strat that looks and feels vintage but features playability for modern guitarists is a holy grail to me. Luckily I live somewhat near a Nash dealer, so I'll be going to check one out before I make my final decision.

[deeval]

I have played Shur,s and Andersons and even though they are very well made guitars I have yet to keep one.
I have a 63 Nash Tele that sounds and plays as good as my 66 Original Fender Tele,so I dont care if its made from scratch or bolted parts,if it sounds good thats what matters to me,and It would cost you about 600.00 to buy the parts,and then your time to do the work so his pricing is Fair!
One guitar that I do have to say was just Outstanding tone and playablity is A DeTemple Tele that was just Unbelievable to play.But its like a 2yr wait on those from what I heard.

[dave s]

Me too! I've yet to play/buy a Nash, but it sounds like what I've been looking for. I would've bought a MIM 60s Classic the other, great feeling axe, but the damn radius killed it. The idea of a strat that looks and feels vintage but features playability for modern guitarists is a holy grail to me. Luckily I live somewhat near a Nash dealer, so I'll be going to check one out before I make my final decision.

What sealed the deal and made the decision to buy sight unseen and unplayed was the fact that the T style came with a rosewood board, 9.5 heck radius, dunlop frets and Lollar pickups. Sounds like this guitar will be a real screamer when it gets here! Not a Nash strat, but a Nash with some pretty nice pieces/parts.

[Joe Perry]

That is the reason why I owned two. Modern features with vintage looks. All I wanted was a 62 reissue style strat with a big neck, big frets & flatter radius. This would have to be a Fender Custom shop order costing twice as much. Nash made exactly what I wanted for the same price as a standard AV62 reissue. They are hands down the best bang for the buck. Especially if you choose (non botique) pickups like Duncan SSl's or even Fender 57/62's. Plus they have excellant resale.

I think it is unfair (to both) for people to keep comparing Nash & Suhr's. Especially pricing. Suhr has much more overhead the Nash. Factory space, equipment etc. Nash's are what they are. Affordable well built (assembled) custom "F" style guitars that almost anyone can afford. Some of the best that *I've* played.

Now I must come clean. I've recently sold both of mine ONLY because I got a FANTASTIC deal on a /13 FTR37 ($2800 head/cab) and had to come up with some quick cash. I originally wanted to sell my CS Rory Gallagher and keep the two Nash strats. I had no takers on the Rory so I decided to put one of my Nash strats up for sale. I was only going to sell one but had multiple offers with in hours and ended up selling both.

Joe

[Relicula]

I will never understand how Suhr's name, and Fender's name come into play when these Nash threads appear. You cant buy a Suhr for the same price, and you certainly cant buy a custom shop fender for the price as well.

As far as period correct specs go, that goes out the window. If you want a period correct strat, go buy one. Nash built me a strat to my specific spec's something you cant get from the custom shop in a timely fashion, or priced similar to a Nash. And fender itself has some period correct inaccuracies in several of their own models, cunetto's being one of them.

I agree that a lot of people dont care for certain relic type finishes, and Nash is no different, love em or hate em, they just might not be for you. I have seen some of the ugliest finishes from boutique builders around here, colors that just dont seem to cut it with me, but for some they are the coolest, and I am glad for those guys.

Finish, CNC machines, parts o casters, whatever your issue is with Nash strats, I can tell you from owning one for about a year, they just are killer guitars, for the money or not. I sold 3 Cunetto relics in the last year, all for more money than my Nash, because it just sounded to good (to me), to sell it.

I have never had anyone give me the attention, and customer service that Bill did, not Fender, Gibson, or Marshall, not Victoria, or any other boutique builder that I have come across.

Cool guitars, not for everyone, but nothing is. Great prices, and they have their own vibe. Try one, you may like it. I aint selling mine anytime soon.(oops, I have said that before though);)

[Praline]

I think it's a knock against anyone who outsources a MAJOR part of the guitar making process, if they are attempting to sell a product that has the image of cutsom-shop outfit.

They might still be great guitars, but I think anyone who is serious about guitar building wants to control every single aspect of the process that they can, especially the actual wood that becomes the instrument and how that is cut.

[pacomc79]

I think if Nash doesn't get price crazy, he will have a long profitable run.
My whole thing is this: I can buy a used nash for a lot less then a Fender relic and for my $ they are better. I would never spend the $ for a GVCG because it will never be worth that much to me. As far as Nash's being over relic'd, that's up to the buyer. You can choose the amount of reilcing. I have seen some incredibly trashed pre-cbs strats.


He won't. In my quest to find a perfect strat under $1500 Bill Nash was what I decided on but I couldn't pull the trigger not having played one first and then Bill stopped selling direct so he can get orders filled and not add more cost by hiring mor people. I ended up with a used 62 fender that I love, but I'll probably fill my Tele or some kind of hollowbody needs from one of Bills creations. Other than a pissing match it really dosen't matter who makes the "best" guitars. Bill Nash builds a quality quitar just as many of the other fine companies like say Callaham or what have you. I've played 54's that sounded like absolute shite and 65's that were absolute dreams. The fact of the matter is at any price a good guitar is a good guitar. Bill Nash builds a good guitar that the average player can reasonably afford and carry around with them without this dreadful feeling someone will steal it every second.

Strat guys like us are finiky, we want certain things out of them and they are seemingly all different. A good one is different for a lot of people and our hands are different sizes what have you and our ears are different So it's great to have a good looking unit we can hack up with new pups, good slick nuts, locking tuners, graph tech bridges and the like so we can gig the crap out of them and love them and not worry so much. It's those reasons that make me admire Bill Nash. For maybe 300 bucks more than a new 62RI Strat with a bunch of changes needed to be perfect, he could build in everything you wanted for you. A good strat should be one you never want to take off.


I have no doubt the guy can do anything he wants, but it keeps the cost down to outsource the bodies and neck building and for the buyer of a nash that's a very important aspect of the guitar. If we wanted to drop 3 to 5 grand there's already people doing that, not many if more than Bill are building truely affordable customised guitars.

[jpage]

The only point in comparing Nash and Suhr strats is to make the point that both outsource their wood and Suhr has earned a great reputation here. Folks stick their head in the sand for some reason when that is pointed out to them, and we have seen it again by the Nash detractors (none of whom it seems have ever owned one of the Nash guitars) on this thread. The only folks who seem to care that Nash uses someone else's CNC machine are the folks who don't own his guitars.

[Joe Tone]

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y299/joetone/nash.jpg
Nash with brazillian board

Anyone know where I can get a "Nash" waterslide for my Suhr?
HA!

[EBGB]

Well, I hope that you love that guitar of yours and it sounds like you do. As for the Nash you mentioned in passing that the "specs were off", did you contact Mr. Nash? What exactly was wrong? What was his reply? I have heard nothing but great things about the guy from actual owners and would be interested to hear the full story--maybe Mr. Nash could make this oversight right for your friend. He doesn't make many--maybe he remembers the instrument you speak of...

Wow, you must be pretty picky as I think the Fender stuff looks great. What did you find "fake"? I've played many and so have quite a few folks I know who know much more than I--we have all been impressed.

As for the "no two necks are alike", I'm not so sure what that means to the player. What is the "serious old school" nitro? How is the application process different? Not being pissy--I would like to know what goes into this.

You can find many pre-1973 Fender stratocasters for less than $4000. Vintage does not necessarily mean pre-CBS all original. Whether or not you want to funnel your funds in that direction is your business but I would consider any Strat over 35 years old to be unquestionably vintage label worthy.

I sincerely hope that your instrument appreciates considerably. It would be a shame if it did not as it is obviously a serious investment. You pay more and expect more from a "Masterbuilt" Fender, why not yours?

I checked the Suhr website again and found the Strat copy model (the "Classic"?) to be as I had remembered--$2800. What is this new model? Is it a Strat? How is it different from the Classic?

I have no affiliation with Nash nor do I have any beef with any other "3-pickup guitars that look like strats" builder companies. But I can tell you that I was in the market for a new guitar of this type and was surprised at how many there were. And at how much they sell for. I saw the Nash and did some research and found alot of folks who seem to badmouth the man's operation for really no reason. Still, I have found no Nash owners who have had a bad experience. Just owners of "competing" guitars who all seem to "know someone" who has had a problem. In this internet day and age, this sort of thing can harm a man's reputation and business and I think it's wrong.

I HAVE NOTHING AGAINST NASH.

"SPECS OFF": I BELIEVE IT HAD TO DO WITH THE FINISH BEING BUBBLY. THIS WAS BACK WHEN NASH WAS VERY BUSY TAKING CUSTOM ORDERS. MY FRIEND CANCELLED THE ORDER. MAYBE SOMETHING ELSE WAS OFF TOO, I DON'T REMEMBER.

FAKE ON RELICS: THE EVENNESS AND UNIFORMITY OF THE DINGS. THE EDGE WEAR ON THE NECK LOOKS LIKE A LITTLE STRIPE. THE ARM WEAR LOOKS TOO CLEAN.

NITRO ON GVCG: ILLEGAL HIGH SOLIDS CONTENT NITRO APPLIED AS THIN AS POSSIBLE. HANDRUBBED LAYERS. IF THE SITE WAS STILL UP YOU COULD READ ABOUT IT MORE CLEARLY THAN I CAN SAY IT.

HAND NECK SHAPING: I BELIEVE IT FEELS DIFFERENT FROM CNC. BETTER TO ME AND MORE UNIFIED WITH THE SPECIFIC GUITAR.

VINTAGE: FOR ME ON STRATS, IT'S 4-BOLTS AND EARLIER (-'71). FIND ME ANY OF THESE (NOT TRASHED, NO REFIN) FOR ANYWHERE CLOSE TO 4K.

"SERIOUS INVESTMENT": FOR MANY 4K IS NOT. I PAID 3.5K ANYWAY USED. (NASHES DO SEEM LIKE A GREAT DEAL BTW)

SUHR PRO SERIES: SEE INDOORSTROM.COM THEY MAKE THESE IN BIGGER BATCHES OF THE SAME GUITAR SO THEY'RE CHEAPER TO PRODUCE BUT SAME QUALITY AS THE OTHERS. LASER CUT LOGO TOO. I BELIEVE IT'S THE STANDARD SIZE WITH SSH.

I BY NO MEANS AM BADMOUTHING NASH.

[jpage]

3 4-bolt strats sold within the last couple of weeks:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Stratocaster-1971-Vintage-w-Original-Case_W0QQitemZ7391306704QQcategoryZ118987QQssPageN ameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/1969-Fender-Stratocaster-original-the-coolest-NR-wow_W0QQitemZ7390384488QQcategoryZ118987QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/1972-Fender-Stratocaster-all-original-one-string-tree_W0QQitemZ7389251249QQcategoryZ47069QQssPageNa meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Your friend cancelled his order yet he found the finish bubbly? So, what did Mr. Nash do, ship the guitar anyway? Good thing he cancelled the order, huh? With the "something else wrong", it sounds like the guitar that your friend never got was a real lemon.

From my experience, what you are saying about the nitro is no different from others' procedures. It is all toxic, all reputable finishers apply it by hand in layers as thin as possible. I'll have to ask RS--they do my stuff--if they are using the best nitro available...

For me, $4000 is a serious investment in an instrument and I make $125,000 a year. I'm sure there are those who throw that kind of jack down on a whim but I don't hang with many of them.

I find it amazing that Suhr was able to cut his price by $1200 and still produce a guitar of the same quality. Can I assume that he will no longer be producing the Classics then?

[EBGB]

3 4-bolt strats sold within the last couple of weeks:

http://cgi.ebay.com/Fender-Stratocaster-1971-Vintage-w-Original-Case_W0QQitemZ7391306704QQcategoryZ118987QQssPageN ameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/1969-Fender-Stratocaster-original-the-coolest-NR-wow_W0QQitemZ7390384488QQcategoryZ118987QQrdZ1QQcm dZViewItem

http://cgi.ebay.com/1972-Fender-Stratocaster-all-original-one-string-tree_W0QQitemZ7389251249QQcategoryZ47069QQssPageNa meZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Your friend cancelled his order yet he found the finish bubbly? So, what did Mr. Nash do, ship the guitar anyway? Good thing he cancelled the order, huh? With the "something else wrong", it sounds like the guitar that your friend never got was a real lemon.

From my experience, what you are saying about the nitro is no different from others' procedures. It is all toxic, all reputable finishers apply it by hand in layers as thin as possible. I'll have to ask RS--they do my stuff--if they are using the best nitro available...

For me, $4000 is a serious investment in an instrument and I make $125,000 a year. I'm sure there are those who throw that kind of jack down on a whim but I don't hang with many of them.

I find it amazing that Suhr was able to cut his price by $1200 and still produce a guitar of the same quality. Can I assume that he will no longer be producing the Classics then?

Re: the ebay strats: 2 out of 3 are refins. You'll see in my previous post I said no refins. The 3rd is a bullet truss not pre-72. I didn't know they even had bullet trusses without the 3-bolt. They might be cool options, but it is so hard to tell what you're really getting on ebay. I prefer the nitro guitars, pre-67 or earlier. Still-- OK-- They are vintage and $4-5K. Find me a 50s maple board (like my GVCG) for 4k (in ANY condition) and I'll be REALLY impressed.

Re: my friend's Nash: I'm not sure of all the details. He did get shipped the guitar and saw the finish problem. You can contact him on TGP as jackaroo. He didn't keep the guitar.

Re: nitro: I don't know enough about it. I know he claims he finishes necks like no one else and that his nitro is currently illegal because of EPA standards. I know his blonde finishes look better and relic better than others I've seen.

Re: $4000: Many who spend that do it after research, not "on a whim." Many of them (us) are rewarded financially and when we play the guitar. I know you don't have to spend this much to get a good guitar. I gig with a 68RI MIJ and an AVRI62. I believe you when you say Nash is great for the money.

Re: Suhr Pro Series: Search them on TGP. There has been extensive discussion of why the quality is the same as their custom models. In a nutshell, all the materials are the same, they are just not custom order, so they can be run in batches, saving Suhr and the buyer money. He still produces the regular classics and standards.

[jetlag]

The three nash guitars that I've played left me a little underwelmed. To the point where I certainly couldn't recommend them to people sight unseen. I'd have to put my hands on one before buying it. Bill's finish work, fret work and relic just seemed rushed and average or a little below average to me. One guitar I played did sound pretty good though. Checking these out made me realize that I was either going to pickup a used fender relic (which I did for ~ $1100 - 1200 total investment) or put a parts o caster together (and get it finished/relic'd by someone like M Jenny). The relic fell in my lap so that's where I went. I will say though that Bill's three tone bursts, at least in the pics, consistently look excellent. He does a nice job on those. To be fair, I do realize that his guitars are at a price point and are a pretty good value for what you pay.

[guitarlix]

I think most

[gkoelling]

I've never had the opportunity to play a Nash but I'm sure they're very nice.

My complaint is that his web site says you're not allowed to play any EC after Layla and SRV only in the privacy of your own home. At least Freddie King is acceptable.http://www.thegearpage.net/board/images/icons/icon10.gif

[µ¿ z3®ø™]

Don't want this to turn into a pissing contest.

U may not WANT that, but here it often seems inevitable.
sad.

[atomheartmother]

So, let me get this straight...Are Nash guitars handmade from scratch?

Because there is some Fender CIJ Tele in the Emporium for $1100 that the seller refers to as a Nash. So apparently he (or a previous owner) bought it from Nash, who relic'd it a bit and set it up.

So basically you're paying (for that guitar) $600 for some relic'ing and a setup?

Couldn't I just go buy a CIJ Tele on ebay for $500 and then have my favorite tech set it up and run it under a faucet while rubbing it with some sand paper to get some relic going for like $50?

At least that one seems kind of like a scam. It sounds like you're paying an extra $500 or so to have some guy bang it around a bit. You might as well set your guitar in front of your toddler and hand the kid some sandpaper and a rotary tool and let her rip. You'd save yourself a bundle of money.

Maybe I'm being just a little cynical. But I'd rather relic my guitar myself, I suppose.


But if they're handmade from scratch dealies for under $1500, they'd be real steals.

On a side note, I did peruse a bit of his site, and he seems to be a very cool guy with a great sense of humor.

[deeval]

So, let me get this straight...Are Nash guitars handmade from scratch?

Because there is some Fender CIJ Tele in the Emporium for $1100 that the seller refers to as a Nash. So apparently he (or a previous owner) bought it from Nash, who relic'd it a bit and set it up.

So basically you're paying (for that guitar) $600 for some relic'ing and a setup?

Couldn't I just go buy a CIJ Tele on ebay for $500 and then have my favorite tech set it up and run it under a faucet while rubbing it with some sand paper to get some relic going for like $50?

At least that one seems kind of like a scam. It sounds like you're paying an extra $500 or so to have some guy bang it around a bit. You might as well set your guitar in front of your toddler and hand the kid some sandpaper and a rotary tool and let her rip. You'd save yourself a bundle of money.

Maybe I'm being just a little cynical. But I'd rather relic my guitar myself, I suppose.


But if they're handmade from scratch dealies for under $1500, they'd be real steals.

On a side note, I did peruse a bit of his site, and he seems to be a very cool guy with a great sense of humor.


You can do all the stuff you mention,except you didnt add the High priced pickups to your Formula!
That will be about another 250.00 so CIJ Tele from Ebay and PUP,s is about 750.00 and time with your Baby beating on the guitar about 200.00 for several days of your time,and setup by your ProTech,100.00 so now you are at 1050.00 so you could save a couple bucks I Think you should try that and let us know how it works out!:jo

[atomheartmother]

You can do all the stuff you mention,except you didnt add the High priced pickups to your Formula!
That will be about another 250.00 so CIJ Tele from Ebay and PUP,s is about 750.00 and time with your Baby beating on the guitar about 200.00 for several days of your time,and setup by your ProTech,100.00 so now you are at 1050.00 so you could save a couple bucks I Think you should try that and let us know how it works out!:jo

Why would it cost $200 to have a baby relic the guitar? I could get a nice set of used Fralins for $150 if I look hard enough and Lollars wouldn't be much more. $100 for a pro setup is a pretty high number, even including fret work.

So basically, you're paying $500+ to have some dude to soak the hardware in water and acid and taking some sand paper and rotary tool to the finish. I guess I'd rather use higher quality, handmade parts (not licensed products) and build a nicer guitar for less dough and do the relic'ing myself over the years of playing.

[TimBascom]

Because there is some Fender CIJ Tele in the Emporium for $1100 that the seller refers to as a Nash. So apparently he (or a previous owner) bought it from Nash, who relic'd it a bit and set it up.

So basically you're paying (for that guitar) $600 for some relic'ing and a setup?

Couldn't I just go buy a CIJ Tele on ebay for $500 and then have my favorite tech set it up and run it under a faucet while rubbing it with some sand paper to get some relic going for like $50?

At least that one seems kind of like a scam. It sounds like you're paying an extra $500 or so to have some guy bang it around a bit.

Have you ever seen a Nash guitar? Have you ever examined the work that Bill Nash does when he relics a guitar?

It's an intensive and very well thought out process....he's doesn't just "bang it around a bit"...he tries to recreate what the actual wear patterns might have been over the years...including the occasional nod to the possible accidental abuse to the guitar by the owner (dings, scratches, etc.)

I would highly recommend that you examine one in person....and would suggest that the relicing process is not nearly as simple as you surmise.

[atomheartmother]

Have you ever seen a Nash guitar? Have you ever examined the work that Bill Nash does when he relics a guitar?

It's an intensive and very well thought out process....he's doesn't just "bang it around a bit"...he tries to recreate what the actual wear patterns might have been over the years...including the occasional nod to the possible accidental abuse to the guitar by the owner (dings, scratches, etc.)

I would highly recommend that you examine one in person....and would suggest that the relicing process is not nearly as simple as you surmise.

Well, I was being a little facetious about the difficulty of the relic'ing process. However, it seems kind of absurd to pay $500+ extra for a guy to essentially beat up your guitar and make it look old, when you could do it for free yourself over the years of playing; it also be an authentic relic. I'd rather use that $500 to get higher quality parts (and not the licensed products that he uses...I really hope he's not using Mighty Mite and All Parts crap).

[Shark Sandwich]

I've never played a Nash strat, so I can't comment on their quality. However, I've perused his site and some of the relicing seems a bit contrived and over the top, at least for my taste. For example some of his maple board strats have wear on almost the entire fretboard and on others the body dings and scratches just looked too intentional and uniform. Maybe he's improved his technique since those pictures were taken, that pink strat looks pretty good.

[Jim Barth]

Well the Nash's I have seen some looked really "right" in terms of legit player's wear. Other not so "right" in terms of legit player's wear.

Have never played one.

[µ¿ z3®ø™]

:horse
i'm sorry, WHAT was this thread about?

[JackButler]

I have had a Nash for about three years now, still love it. I actually just ordered another. They are a great guitar at a fair price considering all the time put in on them. I have owned a few custom shop strats and played tons, as well as many vintage pieces through the years. The Nash is a keeper for me. Say what you will, for what he does they can;t be beat in that price range. Suhrs seem to keep coming up here, yes they are very nice guitars, as well as many others out there, but I think the main thing here is the price point in question: Nash is a great playing, sounding, and looking guitar for a decent price.

[majorledhead]

My Nash Strat Replica Has Been My Number One For 4 Years Now, I've Bought Other Guitars That Cost More Or Have More Press So Far None Of Them Have Been Able To Unseat Her From The Top Spot. Bill A Great Guy To Deal With, Which I Can't Say About All The Manufacturer

[les_patlaw]

My nash strat smokes. I had it made before he started using dealers and I am crazy about it.