So just how good is a Suhr Classic?

[Killcrop]

I've owned many Strats and although I've been close I've never found one that really speakes to me. I've owned a Callaham, several Relics and Reissues, Anderson Classics, and a few Warmoths.

Is the Suhr Classic just another Strat copy or do they really have something going on?

 

[Marty Horne]

Excellent build quality and one of the sweetest sounding strat style pickups I've ever heard.

 

[Kappy]

Originally posted by Marty Horne
Excellent build quality and one of the sweetest sounding strat style pickups I've ever heard.

That pretty much sums it up for me too. I don't know if they're the best (haven't tried all the strats out there) but they're damned good.

 

[mattmccloskey]

Dave, I feel they are the very best. I do think because of the true custom nature of the suhrs, it is important you spec it out just right for what you want. The bridge and pickup choices are many and make a major difference.
For example, I have heard some guys say that they think the suhrs are bright, or too refined, but the bridge, pickup selection, frets,etc can completely change that.
If you get a vintage C carve neck, 1088 bridge, klusons, v60low peaks, on an alder classic it sounds very warm and smooth.
If you get a slim neck, standard trem, regular v60s, sperzels, huge frets, it might sound a bit more modern and hi-fi.
Here is what I love about suhrs- 1)amazingly tight tolerances and build. I have never seen another company where every guitar has a perfect neck fit, flawless finish, dead on string alignment, etc. every suhr comes this way.
2)john gives you so many hardware options, chrome knobs/plastic knobs, side jack/face jack, kluson/sperzel, about a dozen bridge options, lots of pickups, etc....
3)any finish, (literally).
4)any neck carve, any radius, nickel frets, SS frets, various sizes.
5) buzz fieten, ss frets, AND PLEKED
6) my new suhr has real single coils, AND NO NOISE!
7) john's truss rod- you get a vintage style heel adjust, but you can adjust it without taking off the neck, and it is not a wheel nut thing. Plus he supplies the wrench.
I have had numerous andersons, fenders, warmoths, usa custom...the suhrs just get everything right in tone, tuning, style, ease of set-up,playability.

 

[tms13pin]

I'm sorry... no disrespect intended, but how many "classic
strats" do you think were "spec'd"?

This whole "spec'ing out" of high end custom strats kinda makes
me laugh. Vintage 50's and 60's strats were churned out in a
factory. 70's even more. This "loving touch" to get "THE" strat
sound is sort of ridiculous. It may be a perfectlly acceptable
means for getting a "great single coil guitar tone", but to put
the word "strat" into it is kind of a stretch. Really, no such
effort was put into making authentic strats (for the most part)
until the "custom shop" came to be and this effort to re-create
the old (factory produced) profiles and tone suddenly became
posh.

Don't get me wrong, I love strats. I've got a '79 that I bought
new and have had since, and that wasn't even the "golden
era" of strats, though I like it more than any 60's or even 50's
vintage strat I've played. But I don't pretend that there was
much in the way of agonizing "tone tweakage" going on when
my strat was designed/built.

You want a Strat (tm), go buy a Fender. They own the name.
Anything else, no matter how good or carefully crafted.. is ...
well... just a rip-off ! (really!).

--Tom

 

[mattmccloskey]

Tom-
What you said has no bearing on the discussion. What is your point? Suhr is not trying to build any replicas, he is building guitars in the strat style that feature some of the best attributes of those guitars, but have many refinements in sound and playability. The term 'strat' is used because it simply refers to a type of guitar. Do you get bent out of shape when someone refers to generic facial tissue as 'kleenex'?
Are you saying it is laughable that a player would want a strat style guitar but prefers custom colors, different neck carves, or pickup choices? How is that laughable?

 

[SteveVHT]

There is NO Fender in the world ever made that can compare to a Suhr....
It's what a strat was supposed to be, but never was...

 

[tonedrip]

Originally posted by SteveLINY
There is NO Fender in the world ever made that can compare to a Suhr....
It's what a strat was supposed to be, but never was...

I'm not even gonna begin to get involved with the flame war you want to start... but Ill bet that John Suhr would never make that kind of comment about the company(and man) that obviously inspired his works.

And by the way ....my Dad's better than your Dad ~!!!

 

[SteveVHT]

Originally posted by tonedrip
I'm not even gonna begin to get involved with the flame war you want to start... but Ill bet that John Suhr would never make that kind of comment about the company(and man) that obviously inspired his works.

And by the way ....my Dad's better than your Dad ~!!!

I am not starting a flame war.
A Suhr is a precision insrument, and a Fender is not.
I own about the nicest CS strat I've ever seen, and it's not even close....
If you keep looking at the big picture, you'll never notice the small things that make it up.
Steve

 

[Ogre]

Buying sight unseen and without playing is risky. I have played many Suhrs. Some were exceptional. Just as many were NOT. No two models from any builder are identical. There are too many variables. Forget the hyperbole, and find out for yourself, firsthand.

 

[sanhozay]

Suhr owners love Suhr guitars.

Fender owners love Fender guitars.

BB King plays a Gibson.

Anyway, Dave - you've owned some of the very best manufactured S-style guitars on the planet, so what's left for you to buy other than a Suhr? {Grosh owners say Grosh / Chapin owners say Chapin / Lentz people say Lentz / BB King plays a Gibson}.

Try one. All I see is big gains if it *speaks* to you.

Nick Curran plays a Squire.

John Suhr's a superior craftsman and caring, good guy. He didn't reinvent anything but he's taken an existing and provenly successful blueprint and built it to a specification that is more exacting and at a higher tolerance, which makes a lot of people grin ear to ear when they play it.

SRV played parts guitars.

 

[TNJ]

My Suhr Classic is the best sounding and playing Strat I've owned.
Others who have played her concur.
I rest my case...
Hold on a second...Dave, you know Chuck. Get over there and try one out already!
S.
j

 

[Glowing Tubes]

I have played many Suhrs, and I will agree they vary to some degree in sound, I have yet to try one that was anything other than Excellent. Hype? No.
When I got my Suhr classic (used) my first impression was it was a little "tight" feeling and I had a couple issues with the way it was setup. I ended up sending it back to John and what I got back was a guitar that really speaks to me when I play it. You can get all those "stratish" tones your thinking of but on a level you never before could imagine, all this and it just feels great in your hands.
Good luck with your search. I dont think you will be dissapointed

Richard

 

[Joe Perry]

Matt,

Did you already recieve your new classic with with the silent coil system? I'd love to check that out. I'm on the fence on ordering one. What neck carve did you get? Did you order it locally?

Thanks,

Joe

 

[Dave Orban]

John makes some really fine instruments, but my guess is that if the Callaham or the Relics didn't do it for you -- at least part of the way -- then, you might not be a Strat guy, after all...

 

[mattmccloskey]

Joe,
It is finished but on its way here still. I got the standard vintage C shape neck carve. I should have it within a week. I didn't order anywhere locally, although I think medley music is now a dealer.

 

[Den]

Originally posted by tms13pin
I'm sorry... no disrespect intended, but how many "classic
strats" do you think were "spec'd"?

This whole "spec'ing out" of high end custom strats kinda makes
me laugh. ...
--Tom

... I don't think anyone suggested that the magic of a classic strat was due to it being "spec'd". As it turns out, the end product, however it came about, turned out to have the combination of specs ... neck carve, playability, tone, feel, mojo or however you want to describe it ... that appeals a great deal to some players. Of course many others find no magic at all in these same guitars.

The concept of "spec'ing out", whether it be a strat style, lp style or some other style guitar, is about putting together the combination of features and components that gets you closest to whatever you find to be the most magical combination ... in a brand new guitar. John Suhr happens to have the skill, knowledge and experience to build a guitar that gets you as close as possible to whatever your definition of a great guitar might be.

And as others have pointed out, "strat" like "blackface" or other similar terms have come to describe a style, not a specific brand. Hope this helps.

 

[Dave Orban]

Originally posted by Den
...The concept of "spec'ing out", whether it be a strat style, lp style or some other style guitar, is about putting together the combination of features and components that gets you closest to whatever you find to be the most magical combination... in a brand new guitar. John Suhr happens to have the skill, knowledge and experience to build a guitar that gets you as close as possible to whatever your definition of a great guitar might be...

+1

 

[Killcrop]

Suhr Classic on the way. Ash/Maple, my favorite combo for a Strat. Nice soft V neck with vintage style hardware.

I really wanted a Fender Relic but I am not going to pay that kind of money for the junk I was finding in stores.

as a side note will a Fender pick guard fit a Suhr or do they have their own shape?

 

[57special]

Originally posted by Ogre
Buying sight unseen and without playing is risky. I have played many Suhrs. Some were exceptional. Just as many were NOT. No two models from any builder are identical. There are too many variables. Forget the hyperbole, and find out for yourself, firsthand.

Exactly! It's like a piece of clothing, it might fit you and your needs, but not mine.
My strat, is of course an exception to everything. It is the best one on the planet.