Subscribe to this man's newsletter! Really professionally pieces with lots of great and fun nuance without losing the joy of music by overcomplicating music theory/ obscure concepts. As someone still in the early stages of studying music your videos and newsletter feel really educative and it has the perfect lengths. Keep it up Andre everything you're doing you can really feel the love and passion. Too many people out there making it feel like look at my greater understanding of everything but you're keeping it real. Don't change and glad to be here at these stages and see when you make it big time!
@@andrefludd I believe this is perfect for you and I relate to all the issues you raise with forming your preferences, which is why to me the EBMM Majesty is the perfect guitar in every way for me, as it solves the "issues" with my Ibanez JS guitars (24 frets, piezo system, locking tuners to make string changes simpler and faster). I say "issues", because my JS guitars are aesthetically the most perfect looking guitars ever made in my opinion, and while the new models have 24 frets they don't look as good (to me) with the sustainer humbucker in the neck. Again, this is all semantic personal preferences, but even though these models may never sway you from these "perfect for you" Abasi models, I would recommend trying them if only to hear your detailed reviews of them as I find your commentary truthful and unbiased to where I can learn about things I may one day want to consider if I was to go the route of making or ordering a custom instrument specific to my preferences.
I love that you’re breaking down modern designed guitars. So many people just rehash the same stuff over and over. You dive into what works for you and what doesn’t & everything in between.
You know a video's a winner when you watch it more than once even though it's ostensibly about a guitar that's probably always going to cost more than I'd spend. I appreciate your existential approach to the instrument, "what should an electric guitar be?" instead of being permanently anchored to the same 70 year old concepts we find throughout most of guitar lore.
Was really looking forward to this one after your spontaneous phone recording. While I think the Larada looks like an advanced space (which I totally love), this one looks more functional while still looking beautiful. I expect these things to be sold out and sold for even more second hand.
That Abasi guitar is absolutely gorgeous. I don’t think I’m in the market for it but maybe someday. Also, I’m left handed and I don’t think that one is being made for lefty’s at least not yet. I’m jealous of your guitars Andre! And your hair.
Asymmetrical necks are my absolute favorite. My Evh Wolfgang Ed Sig Ivory changed my life forever. An Abasi is now on my radar more than ever because of you
Very happy for your joy in finding that Abasi! Congrats, Dr Fludd. It has the most beautiful fretboard I’ve ever seen too. And gotta say, love that red Strat…really cool you still have it.
Great review and you speak to how finding the guitar that fits you in particular makes the overall enjoyment so much better! BTW, it's a "Set-In neck" and not "neck-through", although that's being overly technical and there's no practical reason why it would matter either way.
I have to say, though the Strat is obviously an aging design at this point, you have to appreciate its ideas. Aside from the leg cut, almost every ergonomic guitar, not taking account technological advancements and small adjustments to the dimensions, just follows the body shape that Leo figured out way back. It's interesting that the pickup configuration (ignoring the 5-way selector) is still popular and hasn't really changed.
Another consideration regarding the Satin/gloss finish on the cutaway: Satin finishes can sometimes become glossy with a lot of contact with skin or fabric. It's entirely possible that the finish was made that way to keep the look consistent after repeated use, since that forearm contour is one of the most touched areas of the entire guitar. I'm not saying you're wrong about your theory or that mine is more or less correct, you'd have to ask Tosin Abasi or the company.
So, I'm 5 1/2 minutes into the vid and it seems like this is about your personal preferences and the very expensive guitars you can afford. It hasn't made me feel like watching any more of it, but I'm glad you found one that's right for you. Finding an instrument that feels right and allows you to express yourself is always the 'holy grail'!
The fishman pickups are not single coils even though they look like single coils. They are stacked humbuckers. A humbucker is just 2 single coils with the wire on the coils wrapped in opposite directions and a magnet with the coils side by side. with these fishman pick ups they just stacked the coils instead of putting them side by side with the metal poles being magnetized instead of using a bar magnet.
Cool guitar, cool review! Will you be reviewing the Kaizen? Looking forward to your review. I played one recently and I liked it a lot, although the lower horn sometimes got in my way. The multi scale aspect made bending really easy.
This channel is absolutely incredible for us gear nerds that like niche topics talked about in a lot of detail. Channels like this or Phillip McKnight are incredible, although even Phillip doesn't go into as much detail as you do. Or at least, not about the same things anyway. You would never get this level of in depth review from someone like Andertons. Thank you Andre!
TY! Not to brag but..I think Philip and I make a perfect duo. You can watch him and get all of the precise technically specs and measurements, then you can come to me and get how those specs translate to extended playing.
I don't necessarily agree with your opinions on guitars, we're just not looking for the same things, but I still enjoy your videos because of your approach to reviews. You do a great job of explaining why you like or dislike certain things, so regardless of what you think I have a pretty good idea what I think.
Exactly how I feel about Dr. Fludd! He has a talent for explaining why he likes or dislikes something without sounding patronizing or over complicating it. And from that I am able to glean whether I would like it or not even if our tastes are different. Regardless of taste/preference, I know my needs are vastly different from Andre’s simply because of biology. When Andre says the upper frets of a 24.8” scale are too cramped, I laugh only because I can’t relate. I wish I had the large hands and long leggies, but alas… I don’t!
Very happy to see your channel is over the 15K mark! I've been intrigued by Abasi guitars since they came out, seems like a very well thought out guitar. Thanks for your videos!
I'm sure you can get a bridge humbucker on this one because well, borrowing the pickguard from the strat means that switching out electronics is quite a bit more accessible (Unless is actually not hollowed out underneat the pick guard tho) So maybe as part of the experiment, if Abasi Guitars or a third party sells pickguards for this model that can accomodate humbuckers you could try those and even compare them to the single coil space thin humbuckers I've seen around, just some ideas for future vids.
You keep amping up my desire for the sTele, I would take all the pros you listed and take the playability of a tele, the bridge and the compound radius out of the cons , also using a very light touch and light strings I rarely ever change the adjustment of the truss rod on my tele so that wouldn't be a con either, probably the only thing I would want is the 4way tele wiring with series parallel position , I'd love to see a deep dive video on that guitar
Thank you, Dr. Fludd, for another stellar review. That guitar "floats my boat!" Now, I have to decide if it is worth a second mortgage. I think it is, but I must convince my wife, as well!
@@andrefludd my wife never tells me not to buy a guitar, an amp, a pedal or anything else. she says, if you want it get it. she says i work hard, i should be able to enjoy it and get what i want. i have to be careful, if i show her stuff i like, she just says get it.
I definitely think the Larada looks better(the Ēmi still looks BEAUTIFUL though), but I do have the same method of using the thumb over the neck just as you do, so I would definitely go with the Ēmi. Great stuff Andre!
I, for one, think these guitars look absolutely atrocious, BUT I am so happy for you that you found your unicorn! There's nothing like picking up a guitar and it just feeling right...
Nice video and analysis man! I think you should keep the Strandberg*, if scale length and time of playing the instrument are important facts, that's the one that must stay. MY non-asked reasons:The Vigier has an extremely short scale length and the Klein sTele doesn't have a floating bridge (with the understanding that's a must for you)
I can see that this was 10 mo ago... but I thought I would comment anyway. First, I think fishman makes about the best sound hole PU for acoustic guitar and I use them over piezo pickups for stage work (in studio use a mic) They change the size of the sound hole and therefore the resonance of the body to a frequency that happens to work really well with a D tuning. The Fluence pickups are new to me and I have not tried them. I am always leery of having a battery in my guitar to worry about but my bass has active PU and it has not been a problem and I will not use phantom power on stage as any slight dirt on the plug gives pops when one moves around. So batteries it is. They do sound nice and having a lower impedance output direct from the pu will always mean less noise. The cons with active pu are A) the trick of changing the frequency response of the pickup with the volume control will no longer work because the volume control is now isolated from the coil. I suspect the extra solder pad and a dual pot could take care of that. B) with active pu you are all in, you can't mix and match with passive pu for sure and probably not other manufacture's active pu either. Considering that almost all guitarists use at least some pedals anyway, the lower impedance into the amp probably doesn't matter, one has to trust Fishman has got that right in their preamp. Yeah, I am a bit of a tech...
I am a luthier in Nashville and I'm currently working out my designs before offering anything for sale. It must be right. Your focus on playability is why I watch your videos. As a builder who's main focus is playability as opposed to fancy features and wacky paint jobs, your videos are good source of intelligence. Thanks, Dr..Flood!
You did it again, Doc….now I gotta wait for another 6 to show up! Lol I really would love to see a 6 with humbuckers, and I love Nocaster necks at 1” from start to finish…. Keep on doing what you do and thanks again!
Hey man, I found your Gibson vintage video and thought it was spot on. Your reviews are so thorough and well thought out. Subscribed to you now. Also, side note your hair is cool af. 😎
Cool! Happy you found a new guitar that feeds your needs. All the Abasi single coil guitars have Greg Koch's sets, if if i'm not mistaken. I'd sell the Kline and the Vigier because i prefer the looks and the overall concept of the Strandberg. Although signature guitars tend to increase in value, so...
Hey, just wanted to let you know both the Jackson Juggernaut models and prs mark holdcomb signature have 20 in fretboard radiuses which is completely flat. I own the Holcomb and I absolutely love it
Incredibly interesting that you carved out a Strat years ago and it ended up being the cosmic prototype for the Abasi! To be fair, there a few guitars out there that have carved out the end of the body like that - but only a select few have done it successfully and with the other ergonomic aspects that are important. I love my .strandbergs* and I think it is great that other designers like Abasi Concepts are pushing the design concept forward and being innovative. I really believe that the innovation in ergonomics and in the tech in the guitar world is so exciting. I wish the Abasi wasn't so expensive, but I guess if you want high quality you are going to pay for it. Maybe I can find one used soon...I am guessing you are not selling yours!
Abasi concepts is still pretty new but if they keep up the success, I’m sure each model will have sub $2500 versions. I agree with you! This is the stuff the excites me about guitar. I have a whole series on innovation starting in a few weeks. Hope to see you there :)
Hey Andre, after snooping around your channel, I just say I really enjoy your content! Feels great to hear somebody geek out about guitars. Regarding your Gibson Video, BTW I hate Gibson, have you thought of trying a flying V or any V shape guitar? For me it is the perfect shape. With a strap and positioning it on the right leg for your (I'm a lefty, so it's my left leg), it feels like the most ergonomic guitar ever for me. If you have not tried it out yet, give it a shot! Take care!
Surely the Klein would be on the chopping block, given that there's no whammy bar? (And having to remove the neck to adjust the truss rod is a HUGE drawback, IMO...)
My mans face when he said "expensive guitars" and all the prices popped up and the screen froze for a moment. true pain in that face i feeeel for you brother
My next step is trying to convince them to do a custom build for me with a fat neck and maybe diff fishman pickups. But I’m pretty sure this overall shape and idea is my new fav
EMI 6 looks intriguing but I'm not into flat fretboards. How is the roll on the fingerboard edges? One of my favorite guitars is a 1999 Teal Strat Deluxe like yours - love that neck! As you age you will find it even more important to have a good/comfortable playing position. Good stuff, Doc.
Your insight is always very valuable and interesting indeed. I wish Aristide would make your signature model headless model. I think THAT guitar would be THE ONE for me. I travel a lot and my guitar is constantly exposed to rough environments extreme atmospheric conditions.
Love your videos Andre, and I agree with 100% of everything your said regarding the EMI 6. I just recently received mine and it exceeded my already high expectations. You said you liked the Larada's aesthetic design better than the EMI but the feel wasn't up to par. Have you tried a Larada 6 Master Series? The Master Series Larada's are similar to the EMI and Abasi Concept's attention to perfection but also with the same price point.
Hey Steve, just saw you sign up on Patreon thank you :). I didn't try the Master larada, but I didn't like the overall balance and shape. Even though it was an import model, the quality was still very good. Just not for me.
omg, somebody call the Strat police! Actually, I once had the idea to carve out a guitar body to allow for bowing (i.e. to use a cello bow), but I've never committed to this idea...
If you really like the strandberg neck shape, then keep it out of the three (the trapezoidal shape is probably the most unique/different); if you do not, then make sure it's one of the sold ones - they are known to hold their value well so you should get a solid resale out of it, especially if you take as much care with your instruments overall as it appears in the videos.
@@andrefludd it's never easy to let something go unless it was acquired for some other means than possibly keeping. I have a couple unpassable deals that I have pocketed for a rainy day, but to be fair I really don't need a lot of guitars/basses, and the more comfortable I get as a player I find the fewer I'm interested in. In the end ergo and tone are the determining factors. If the guitar I found was some horrible color but was perfect otherwise I guess I'd be stuck playing it for life.
great video man! One question I was asking myself though, you have some really expensive guitars, but every one has some issues you don't seem to like. Why didn't you let someone built a custom guitar with the exact specs you prefer ? And if you ever were to get a custom shop guitar, which company would you choose? take care bro
I am still trying to nail down every single spec I want before investing in a custom guitar. I’d probably have a smaller luthier build it over a big company. Maybe someone like Chris Forshage. I love his work.
Yea. I'll probably get those too to compare. But I really might also buy the HH version of this one when it drops and decide if I like the single coils or humbucker version more.
The guitar industry is tough for someone who can’t stand Fluence pickups. They are more dynamic than EMG’s but the pick attack/transient has a bad trampoline spring artifact
@@andrefludd I noticed that right after I posted the comment. 🤦🏻♂️ I didn’t get a chance to see if you have a video on it or not, did you like that guitar?
Sounds to me like you need to hold on to the Klein T-style for 2 reasons: 1. Amazing ergonomics. 2. Access to a tele-style guitar to achieve that iconic, specific sound.
Hi Andre, congrats to this fine guitar! I was grubbing through the comments and found that nobody asks you if the EMI is top- heavy. Is it??? 😁 I think strandbergs, esp. the neck-thru ones are the todays consistentlyest experiment of an erg. guitar, because they are (among other things) very lightweight and not top- heavy. It really needs a longer time than most people say or think, to adapt completely to the endurneck. That´s why i say: Never sell your strandberg!!! 😉
Thanks for the very detailed review. Way outside my price range, but i will say i like the double cut design way more than the Larada, but I also would prefer humbuckers over single coil. Though tbh, without knowing much about them, are the fluence "single coils" ACTUALLY single coils? I have a pair of the fluence modern humbuckers in my Agile 8-string and they are the best pups I've ever used, and I'm assuming it's similar technology but in a different form-factor.
Ok i'm happy u are finally happy ... sometimes perfection is in imperfection ... no matter how cheap or expensive a guitar is ... It's in our hands ... i fear sometimes the problem is in our head ... REALLY !!!!!! Being so ocd sometimes underlines being in the spectrum with due respect....
Hey Andre, great video! Do you happen to know the weight on this and maybe even the Larada? I feel like it's a very important thing in the ergonomics of the instrument but I haven't seen anyone talk about it, and it's not specified on the website either :(
11:44 The EMI is way, way nicer looking to me than the Larada!! I just can’t get into the Larada shape. I think the upper single bout on the bass side is just *too* long for me. The detail of the contour being gloss and the top being satin? I swear to God, between that and the 5 way switch, the designers at Abasi watched your videos. Convinced. Where’s your residuals? 😂 I love that you like the single coil pickups when you previously thought you would never feel that way about single coils! (I understand your history with strats and your feelings. I personally associate single coils with jangly, happy, nostalgic guitar tone.) I don’t hear a lot of great things about noiseless single coils - seems like a lot of time what makes them noiseless also ends up ruining what makes single coils good. I remember a video where you showed how bad the noise gets - that was a jaw drop moment for me. I never personally experienced anything like that before, so I then understood your humbucker requirement. But it sounds like the noiseless single coil technology is finally perfected! I love how you compared the EMI to your other ergonomic guitars to explain what worked for you and what didn’t. Usually when people make comparisons, they say “I like that it reminds me of x” but if I have no experience with x, that doesn’t help me. But you are so thorough about what exactly makes you like or dislike something and you’re able to identify what the source of the issue is. For a lot of people, me included, I may dislike something but it’s difficult to articulate why. Lastly - didn’t you poll your subscribers about what color to get? Since it’s a keeper guitar for sure, do you wish it was a different color? Or a color that isn’t offered? (I am glad you got the ivory over the black - more interesting to look at, in my opinion.) It’s silly, but I care about color more than I want to admit. The right color makes the guitar feel more like *mine* instead of just one off the rack.
Thanks for your comment! These single coils are my new fav by far. In terms of color, I liked this more than the black. I am not a fan of colorful guitars on me for the most part so even if they had funky stuff I wouldn’t have gone for it. I like that this is basically off white. Also, when I wear all black in these videos, a black guitar is really difficult to see. I know you probably aren’t shocked that that is a serious consideration to me, but it is lol.
Oh man, this does look very ergonomic, I am of the same opinion as you, I find Strandberg very comfortable but I just don't like headless guitars. This seems like the best of both worlds. you might end up making me about $4K poorer. 😂
Listen, Andre. I love you bro, but you're making my wallet quiver in terror. I have been eyeing the Emi ever since it was announced because it fixed the issue that prevented me from buying a Larada (mainly the single cut design, which I hate). And having six Strandbergs also made me feel guilty about getting yet another expensive guitar. But you're making it really really hard to not get one.
Subscribe to this man's newsletter! Really professionally pieces with lots of great and fun nuance without losing the joy of music by overcomplicating music theory/ obscure concepts. As someone still in the early stages of studying music your videos and newsletter feel really educative and it has the perfect lengths. Keep it up Andre everything you're doing you can really feel the love and passion. Too many people out there making it feel like look at my greater understanding of everything but you're keeping it real. Don't change and glad to be here at these stages and see when you make it big time!
Thank you so much! I really appreciate this :). Keeps me going for sure! Btw new newsletter dropping tomorrow. :)
When the pickiest guitar player alive calls an instrument ‘perfect’ you know its the real deal
I’m just as shocked as you are lol
@@andrefludd
Lol🤣🤟👍
@@andrefludd I believe this is perfect for you and I relate to all the issues you raise with forming your preferences, which is why to me the EBMM Majesty is the perfect guitar in every way for me, as it solves the "issues" with my Ibanez JS guitars (24 frets, piezo system, locking tuners to make string changes simpler and faster). I say "issues", because my JS guitars are aesthetically the most perfect looking guitars ever made in my opinion, and while the new models have 24 frets they don't look as good (to me) with the sustainer humbucker in the neck.
Again, this is all semantic personal preferences, but even though these models may never sway you from these "perfect for you" Abasi models, I would recommend trying them if only to hear your detailed reviews of them as I find your commentary truthful and unbiased to where I can learn about things I may one day want to consider if I was to go the route of making or ordering a custom instrument specific to my preferences.
@@lordmatthewlukeobrien I play pretty much anything and love the variation. For some sessions ill use the studio guitars.
Just remember there’s probably not one guitar that fits all. And it’s $4,000 so if you have that money, make sure to try it!
I love that you’re breaking down modern designed guitars. So many people just rehash the same stuff over and over. You dive into what works for you and what doesn’t & everything in between.
You know a video's a winner when you watch it more than once even though it's ostensibly about a guitar that's probably always going to cost more than I'd spend. I appreciate your existential approach to the instrument, "what should an electric guitar be?" instead of being permanently anchored to the same 70 year old concepts we find throughout most of guitar lore.
I appreciate you watching! And I appreciate you even more for watching more than once :)
I concur.....
Was really looking forward to this one after your spontaneous phone recording.
While I think the Larada looks like an advanced space (which I totally love), this one looks more functional while still looking beautiful.
I expect these things to be sold out and sold for even more second hand.
That Abasi guitar is absolutely gorgeous. I don’t think I’m in the market for it but maybe someday. Also, I’m left handed and I don’t think that one is being made for lefty’s at least not yet. I’m jealous of your guitars Andre! And your hair.
Asymmetrical necks are my absolute favorite. My Evh Wolfgang Ed Sig Ivory changed my life forever. An Abasi is now on my radar more than ever because of you
Very happy for your joy in finding that Abasi! Congrats, Dr Fludd. It has the most beautiful fretboard I’ve ever seen too. And gotta say, love that red Strat…really cool you still have it.
Happy friday man. You and that guitar look great together. * The Abasi me6
Great review and you speak to how finding the guitar that fits you in particular makes the overall enjoyment so much better!
BTW, it's a "Set-In neck" and not "neck-through", although that's being overly technical and there's no practical reason why it would matter either way.
Then why bring it up in the first place?
Desaturated color grading for the "cold light of day" commentary is great. :)
“I can’t pretend to know what any of that means.”
love it, should be my motto.
you’re the best Dr F.
Mine too. haha
Watching this while noodling on my brand new acquired ergonomic nightmare of a Danelectro 59 Nos+.
As long as you are playing guitar, you are doing the right thing :)
I have to say, though the Strat is obviously an aging design at this point, you have to appreciate its ideas. Aside from the leg cut, almost every ergonomic guitar, not taking account technological advancements and small adjustments to the dimensions, just follows the body shape that Leo figured out way back. It's interesting that the pickup configuration (ignoring the 5-way selector) is still popular and hasn't really changed.
Yep couldn’t agree more. I have a video coming on this soon :)
13:15 Tosin abasí actually did that bevel thing because he enjoyed how it looked on an iPhone! Interesting design
Another consideration regarding the Satin/gloss finish on the cutaway: Satin finishes can sometimes become glossy with a lot of contact with skin or fabric. It's entirely possible that the finish was made that way to keep the look consistent after repeated use, since that forearm contour is one of the most touched areas of the entire guitar. I'm not saying you're wrong about your theory or that mine is more or less correct, you'd have to ask Tosin Abasi or the company.
Yea that’s another great point! sometimes these are just happy side benefits
So, I'm 5 1/2 minutes into the vid and it seems like this is about your personal preferences and the very expensive guitars you can afford. It hasn't made me feel like watching any more of it, but I'm glad you found one that's right for you. Finding an instrument that feels right and allows you to express yourself is always the 'holy grail'!
I have another Emi video coming next Friday that is more specs and less about me. Maybe you’ll like that one more :).
Cool guitar, but I wish Abasi would offer it with a more traditional radius, say 12". The very flat radius is a deal breaker for many.
The fishman pickups are not single coils even though they look like single coils. They are stacked humbuckers. A humbucker is just 2 single coils with the wire on the coils wrapped in opposite directions and a magnet with the coils side by side. with these fishman pick ups they just stacked the coils instead of putting them side by side with the metal poles being magnetized instead of using a bar magnet.
Another excellent video - thank you so much.
Cool guitar, cool review! Will you be reviewing the Kaizen? Looking forward to your review. I played one recently and I liked it a lot, although the lower horn sometimes got in my way. The multi scale aspect made bending really easy.
eventually yes! There are already a few deep dives and comparisons on Patreon if you are interested.
This channel is absolutely incredible for us gear nerds that like niche topics talked about in a lot of detail. Channels like this or Phillip McKnight are incredible, although even Phillip doesn't go into as much detail as you do. Or at least, not about the same things anyway. You would never get this level of in depth review from someone like Andertons. Thank you Andre!
TY! Not to brag but..I think Philip and I make a perfect duo. You can watch him and get all of the precise technically specs and measurements, then you can come to me and get how those specs translate to extended playing.
I don't necessarily agree with your opinions on guitars, we're just not looking for the same things, but I still enjoy your videos because of your approach to reviews. You do a great job of explaining why you like or dislike certain things, so regardless of what you think I have a pretty good idea what I think.
I have certain film reviewers I follow for the same reason. If they love a film I know I’m going to hate it and vise versa lol.
Exactly how I feel about Dr. Fludd! He has a talent for explaining why he likes or dislikes something without sounding patronizing or over complicating it.
And from that I am able to glean whether I would like it or not even if our tastes are different.
Regardless of taste/preference, I know my needs are vastly different from Andre’s simply because of biology. When Andre says the upper frets of a 24.8” scale are too cramped, I laugh only because I can’t relate.
I wish I had the large hands and long leggies, but alas… I don’t!
I think the emi might be my ideal guitar. Would love one with a humbucker bridge and p90 neck config.
The pawn shop strat comparison 😄.Thank-you for not using that as clickbait!
Wow u read my mind with the strat cut. Abasi looks awesome. 😮 As a chiropractor I'm living this.❤
Very happy to see your channel is over the 15K mark! I've been intrigued by Abasi guitars since they came out, seems like a very well thought out guitar. Thanks for your videos!
Thanks man!
Dude...I've seen some Hightowers but Stoll there is wearing it like a necklace.
Crazy.
I am glad that you've found finally your Abasi Concepts guitar
I'm sure you can get a bridge humbucker on this one because well, borrowing the pickguard from the strat means that switching out electronics is quite a bit more accessible (Unless is actually not hollowed out underneat the pick guard tho)
So maybe as part of the experiment, if Abasi Guitars or a third party sells pickguards for this model that can accomodate humbuckers you could try those and even compare them to the single coil space thin humbuckers I've seen around, just some ideas for future vids.
Nope. They aren't routed at all apart from the single coil slot. I was already considering putting a humbucker in the neck until I saw that.
You keep amping up my desire for the sTele, I would take all the pros you listed and take the playability of a tele, the bridge and the compound radius out of the cons , also using a very light touch and light strings I rarely ever change the adjustment of the truss rod on my tele so that wouldn't be a con either, probably the only thing I would want is the 4way tele wiring with series parallel position , I'd love to see a deep dive video on that guitar
I fell for the Emi-6 at NAMM-22, and you snagged the latte one out from under me. ;) I got the black one, and it is a nice guitar!
Black one is also beautiful. But the latte hits different
Thank you, Dr. Fludd, for another stellar review. That guitar "floats my boat!" Now, I have to decide if it is worth a second mortgage. I think it is, but I must convince my wife, as well!
I'm getting all of these purchases out of the way before I get married and have kids. lol
@@andrefludd my wife never tells me not to buy a guitar, an amp, a pedal or anything else. she says, if you want it get it. she says i work hard, i should be able to enjoy it and get what i want. i have to be careful, if i show her stuff i like, she just says get it.
if she gives you too much trouble, just trade her in.
I definitely think the Larada looks better(the Ēmi still looks BEAUTIFUL though), but I do have the same method of using the thumb over the neck just as you do, so I would definitely go with the Ēmi. Great stuff Andre!
Yea sounds like we are in the same position. Thanks for supporting :).
@@andrefludd oh yeah! I'm a tall and huge-handed dude, so I can definitely relate to the problems you state in most of your videos
Andre 'that being said...' Fludd ! Always a blast watching your videos, thank you !
I, for one, think these guitars look absolutely atrocious, BUT I am so happy for you that you found your unicorn! There's nothing like picking up a guitar and it just feeling right...
Nice video and analysis man!
I think you should keep the Strandberg*, if scale length and time of playing the instrument are important facts, that's the one that must stay.
MY non-asked reasons:The Vigier has an extremely short scale length and the Klein sTele doesn't have a floating bridge (with the understanding that's a must for you)
Whatever gets someone to pick up the guitar is what’s important. Comfort is not my priority but in the end its all subjective
I can see that this was 10 mo ago... but I thought I would comment anyway. First, I think fishman makes about the best sound hole PU for acoustic guitar and I use them over piezo pickups for stage work (in studio use a mic) They change the size of the sound hole and therefore the resonance of the body to a frequency that happens to work really well with a D tuning. The Fluence pickups are new to me and I have not tried them. I am always leery of having a battery in my guitar to worry about but my bass has active PU and it has not been a problem and I will not use phantom power on stage as any slight dirt on the plug gives pops when one moves around. So batteries it is. They do sound nice and having a lower impedance output direct from the pu will always mean less noise. The cons with active pu are A) the trick of changing the frequency response of the pickup with the volume control will no longer work because the volume control is now isolated from the coil. I suspect the extra solder pad and a dual pot could take care of that. B) with active pu you are all in, you can't mix and match with passive pu for sure and probably not other manufacture's active pu either. Considering that almost all guitarists use at least some pedals anyway, the lower impedance into the amp probably doesn't matter, one has to trust Fishman has got that right in their preamp. Yeah, I am a bit of a tech...
Check out the updated video! I modded it with PRS humbuckers
The red-strat proves great minds think alike! Just seems that some minds have a few more tools at their disposal!
I am a luthier in Nashville and I'm currently working out my designs before offering anything for sale. It must be right. Your focus on playability is why I watch your videos. As a builder who's main focus is playability as opposed to fancy features and wacky paint jobs, your videos are good source of intelligence. Thanks, Dr..Flood!
I’d love to try your stuff once it’s done, Jim :)
@@andrefluddcareful what you wish for, Doc....
I get so much out of your videos Andre! Really enjoy the reviews and tuition/coaching. Cheers!
Thank you!
consider doing a review of the SD Hyperswitch at some point. love your vids man.
I already did lol ua-cam.com/video/Aw7nle8Bq5U/v-deo.html
You did it again, Doc….now I gotta wait for another 6 to show up! Lol
I really would love to see a 6 with humbuckers, and I love Nocaster necks at 1” from start to finish….
Keep on doing what you do and thanks again!
I asked the guys about a humbucker model because I'd want that too, but it doesn't seem like that's coming right away
Hey man, I found your Gibson vintage video and thought it was spot on. Your reviews are so thorough and well thought out. Subscribed to you now. Also, side note your hair is cool af. 😎
Thank you!
You are fantastic. Thank you.
Cool! Happy you found a new guitar that feeds your needs.
All the Abasi single coil guitars have Greg Koch's sets, if if i'm not mistaken.
I'd sell the Kline and the Vigier because i prefer the looks and the overall concept of the Strandberg. Although signature guitars tend to increase in value, so...
Another great video. Thanks Dr Fludd
Abasi is such a bad ass guitar designer. He’s gonna be the next Leo Fender👏👏👏
I have nothing really to add, I just love your videos.
You're the best!
The push pull is nice, but hard to switch to pull position quickly. I prefer it in the up position for a hotter tone. Love the no-noise fluence.
I like the vintage one more. I do think a push push pot would be better.
Great video. Love the reference to the Strat copy :-)
1month update and thoughts with comparison to kaizen please. Thank you so much for the video !!
That's all on Patreon for now, but other stuff coming on youtube eventually.
Hey, just wanted to let you know both the Jackson Juggernaut models and prs mark holdcomb signature have 20 in fretboard radiuses which is completely flat. I own the Holcomb and I absolutely love it
I have a Holcomb coming! But 20in isn't totally flat. Thought it is very close to being totally flat.
@@andrefludd ohhhh okay my bad. It felt like it was flat so I just assumed
Incredibly interesting that you carved out a Strat years ago and it ended up being the cosmic prototype for the Abasi! To be fair, there a few guitars out there that have carved out the end of the body like that - but only a select few have done it successfully and with the other ergonomic aspects that are important. I love my .strandbergs* and I think it is great that other designers like Abasi Concepts are pushing the design concept forward and being innovative. I really believe that the innovation in ergonomics and in the tech in the guitar world is so exciting. I wish the Abasi wasn't so expensive, but I guess if you want high quality you are going to pay for it. Maybe I can find one used soon...I am guessing you are not selling yours!
Abasi concepts is still pretty new but if they keep up the success, I’m sure each model will have sub $2500 versions. I agree with you! This is the stuff the excites me about guitar. I have a whole series on innovation starting in a few weeks. Hope to see you there :)
@@andrefludd Absolutely will be there. Just signed up for the newsletter - really enjoy your work.
I’m really enjoying your channel man, thank you and keep it up!
I appreciate it!
Another great video, Andre
Thank you!
Hey Andre, after snooping around your channel, I just say I really enjoy your content! Feels great to hear somebody geek out about guitars. Regarding your Gibson Video, BTW I hate Gibson, have you thought of trying a flying V or any V shape guitar? For me it is the perfect shape. With a strap and positioning it on the right leg for your (I'm a lefty, so it's my left leg), it feels like the most ergonomic guitar ever for me.
If you have not tried it out yet, give it a shot! Take care!
I will be reviewing a V before the end of 2023 thanks for comment and continue to snoop. ;)
I must hate ergonomics because my 2005 Les Paul Custom is my most favorite guitar I've ever played.
They really seem to have things rolling at Abasi Concepts now! Their new shapes and guitars look and play great!
couldn't agree more. I think I'm gonna give up the shawn lane...as much as it hurts.
Surely the Klein would be on the chopping block, given that there's no whammy bar? (And having to remove the neck to adjust the truss rod is a HUGE drawback, IMO...)
as always...thank you for your insights.
I wanna play one of these. I don't want to pay those prices though
My mans face when he said "expensive guitars" and all the prices popped up and the screen froze for a moment. true pain in that face i feeeel for you brother
I see in the future 6 months, you have issues with it and keep searching. It’s a fun journey I don’t think you will stop.
My next step is trying to convince them to do a custom build for me with a fat neck and maybe diff fishman pickups. But I’m pretty sure this overall shape and idea is my new fav
@@andrefludd that would be awesome!!
@@andrefludd the Strat cut you made. Fender japan has something very similar for Japanese market. It has 2 single coil pickups.
EMI 6 looks intriguing but I'm not into flat fretboards. How is the roll on the fingerboard edges? One of my favorite guitars is a 1999 Teal Strat Deluxe like yours - love that neck! As you age you will find it even more important to have a good/comfortable playing position. Good stuff, Doc.
Very surprised to see the Shawn Lane Vigier! I hope to one day own one.
Your insight is always very valuable and interesting indeed. I wish Aristide would make your signature model headless model. I think THAT guitar would be THE ONE for me. I travel a lot and my guitar is constantly exposed to rough environments extreme atmospheric conditions.
I do think this does eventually end with me designing a guitar and a 90minute documentary explaining every single choice lol
@@andrefludd YES!
Love your videos Andre, and I agree with 100% of everything your said regarding the EMI 6. I just recently received mine and it exceeded my already high expectations. You said you liked the Larada's aesthetic design better than the EMI but the feel wasn't up to par. Have you tried a Larada 6 Master Series? The Master Series Larada's are similar to the EMI and Abasi Concept's attention to perfection but also with the same price point.
Hey Steve, just saw you sign up on Patreon thank you :). I didn't try the Master larada, but I didn't like the overall balance and shape. Even though it was an import model, the quality was still very good. Just not for me.
omg, somebody call the Strat police! Actually, I once had the idea to carve out a guitar body to allow for bowing (i.e. to use a cello bow), but I've never committed to this idea...
That's a Half Abasi half ESP Horizon III. Excelente review Dr. Fludd!
Oviform-- Ovi = egg, form = form… egg-form.
More verification that I want the Fishman Fluence set to replace the Dimarzio Area T noiseless set in my Tele.
This is not a neck-through construction, the EMI has a set neck joint.
If you really like the strandberg neck shape, then keep it out of the three (the trapezoidal shape is probably the most unique/different); if you do not, then make sure it's one of the sold ones - they are known to hold their value well so you should get a solid resale out of it, especially if you take as much care with your instruments overall as it appears in the videos.
Even the stuff I want to let go is still hard to let go lol but you are right. I will probably sell the Strandberg maybe the Vigier too
@@andrefludd it's never easy to let something go unless it was acquired for some other means than possibly keeping. I have a couple unpassable deals that I have pocketed for a rainy day, but to be fair I really don't need a lot of guitars/basses, and the more comfortable I get as a player I find the fewer I'm interested in. In the end ergo and tone are the determining factors. If the guitar I found was some horrible color but was perfect otherwise I guess I'd be stuck playing it for life.
I demand a review on that slaughtered strat
😂😂😂😂😂😂 that’s a great fucking idea, maybe I’ll title it “my first signature guitar”
@@andrefluddDO IT. I really hope you make that video! 😅
Congratulations man, my money was on like a billion dollars for you to find the perfect guitar. Appreciate you sharing man.
Beautiful guitar. But SO expensive!! I think I'll wait for the "SE" version. 😋
keep the strandberg and the stele, theyre cool as hell
yeeeeeeeeee imma keep that 9k geetarrr
I think ima do that actually
great video man! One question I was asking myself though, you have some really expensive guitars, but every one has some issues you don't seem to like. Why didn't you let someone built a custom guitar with the exact specs you prefer ? And if you ever were to get a custom shop guitar, which company would you choose? take care bro
I am still trying to nail down every single spec I want before investing in a custom guitar. I’d probably have a smaller luthier build it over a big company. Maybe someone like Chris Forshage. I love his work.
@@andrefludd Thanks, appreciate it!
I'm waiting on the legion version for a more affordable option.
Yea. I'll probably get those too to compare. But I really might also buy the HH version of this one when it drops and decide if I like the single coils or humbucker version more.
The guitar industry is tough for someone who can’t stand Fluence pickups. They are more dynamic than EMG’s but the pick attack/transient has a bad trampoline spring artifact
hmm. I didn't really notice that but I did notice they sound different. Not bad for me just different.
Main issue is not the price, its the availability, cause i would get the new 8 in a heartbeat
Just had the opportunity to play the Ernie Ball Abasi collab guitar… absolutely blown away.. you should check it out if you get the chance.
You mean the Kaizen? I have it. It's even in the video lol
@@andrefludd I noticed that right after I posted the comment. 🤦🏻♂️ I didn’t get a chance to see if you have a video on it or not, did you like that guitar?
great video
Sounds to me like you need to hold on to the Klein T-style for 2 reasons: 1. Amazing ergonomics. 2. Access to a tele-style guitar to achieve that iconic, specific sound.
Yea the Klein is def the one I want the most.
What's the weight of it? Best feature about Strandberg is the lightweight body and neck.
Not that you need more tones, but i love neck and bridge strat tonws. Would be cool to add a second push pull to add the bridge to the neck position
I do too. One of my favs
Hi Andre, congrats to this fine guitar! I was grubbing through the comments and found that nobody asks you if the EMI is top- heavy. Is it??? 😁
I think strandbergs, esp. the neck-thru ones are the todays consistentlyest experiment of an erg. guitar, because they are (among other things)
very lightweight and not top- heavy. It really needs a longer time than most people say or think, to adapt completely to the endurneck.
That´s why i say: Never sell your strandberg!!! 😉
Not top heavy at all!
Thanks for the very detailed review. Way outside my price range, but i will say i like the double cut design way more than the Larada, but I also would prefer humbuckers over single coil.
Though tbh, without knowing much about them, are the fluence "single coils" ACTUALLY single coils? I have a pair of the fluence modern humbuckers in my Agile 8-string and they are the best pups I've ever used, and I'm assuming it's similar technology but in a different form-factor.
can we get a kaizen review? would love to hear your take on it
There’s one on Patreon already and a comparison between Emi and kaizen. The UA-cam one will def come eventually but I’m not sure when
Ok i'm happy u are finally happy ... sometimes perfection is in imperfection ... no matter how cheap or expensive a guitar is ...
It's in our hands ... i fear sometimes the problem is in our head ... REALLY !!!!!!
Being so ocd sometimes underlines being in the spectrum with due respect....
You wouldn’t be the first person to suggest that about me lol
Would like to know your opinion vs the Parker Fly
Seems like a great guitar, might have to get one when the bolt-on comes out.
Curious to see if the pickups can handle high gain well
Yes they can. They are kinda made to do high gain a long with traditional tones.
Hey Andre, great video! Do you happen to know the weight on this and maybe even the Larada? I feel like it's a very important thing in the ergonomics of the instrument but I haven't seen anyone talk about it, and it's not specified on the website either :(
Thank God I know how broke I am or I would buy one of these.
11:44 The EMI is way, way nicer looking to me than the Larada!! I just can’t get into the Larada shape. I think the upper single bout on the bass side is just *too* long for me.
The detail of the contour being gloss and the top being satin? I swear to God, between that and the 5 way switch, the designers at Abasi watched your videos. Convinced. Where’s your residuals? 😂
I love that you like the single coil pickups when you previously thought you would never feel that way about single coils! (I understand your history with strats and your feelings. I personally associate single coils with jangly, happy, nostalgic guitar tone.)
I don’t hear a lot of great things about noiseless single coils - seems like a lot of time what makes them noiseless also ends up ruining what makes single coils good.
I remember a video where you showed how bad the noise gets - that was a jaw drop moment for me. I never personally experienced anything like that before, so I then understood your humbucker requirement. But it sounds like the noiseless single coil technology is finally perfected!
I love how you compared the EMI to your other ergonomic guitars to explain what worked for you and what didn’t.
Usually when people make comparisons, they say “I like that it reminds me of x” but if I have no experience with x, that doesn’t help me. But you are so thorough about what exactly makes you like or dislike something and you’re able to identify what the source of the issue is. For a lot of people, me included, I may dislike something but it’s difficult to articulate why.
Lastly - didn’t you poll your subscribers about what color to get? Since it’s a keeper guitar for sure, do you wish it was a different color? Or a color that isn’t offered? (I am glad you got the ivory over the black - more interesting to look at, in my opinion.)
It’s silly, but I care about color more than I want to admit. The right color makes the guitar feel more like *mine* instead of just one off the rack.
Thanks for your comment! These single coils are my new fav by far. In terms of color, I liked this more than the black. I am not a fan of colorful guitars on me for the most part so even if they had funky stuff I wouldn’t have gone for it. I like that this is basically off white. Also, when I wear all black in these videos, a black guitar is really difficult to see. I know you probably aren’t shocked that that is a serious consideration to me, but it is lol.
Oh man, this does look very ergonomic, I am of the same opinion as you, I find Strandberg very comfortable but I just don't like headless guitars. This seems like the best of both worlds. you might end up making me about $4K poorer. 😂
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder... That Klein! 😆
Listen, Andre. I love you bro, but you're making my wallet quiver in terror. I have been eyeing the Emi ever since it was announced because it fixed the issue that prevented me from buying a Larada (mainly the single cut design, which I hate). And having six Strandbergs also made me feel guilty about getting yet another expensive guitar. But you're making it really really hard to not get one.
Sells 3-4 strandbergs and you’ll have more than enough!
@@andrefluddI'm trying. Already sold my Plini Edition neck-thru (I have another Strandberg neck-thru). Gonna sell a Fusion and a Standard too.