The Ultimate Boomer Guitar vs. The Ultimate Millennial Guitar

Use code "XMASBOGO" on any individual course over at www.samuraiguitartheory.com and get a second course free.
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The Strandberg Boden sweetwater.sjv.io/JzvXv2
The '63 Strat reverb.partnerlinks.io/samura...
Sammy G Merch www.shopsamuraiguitarist.com
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00:00 Intro
01:16 1963 Fender Stratocaster
03:05 Ad Break
03:36 Strandberg Boden NX7+
08:53 Comparison
12:36 Outro

[@samuraiguitarist]

Use code "XMASBOGO" on any individual course over at www.samuraiguitartheory.com and get a second course free

[@Ruija27]

"Bogo" is a funny word

[@TheLourie10]

Could you make a quick follow-up video, The Ultimate Zoomer Guitar vs. The Ultimate Gen Alpha Guitar?

[@Ruija27]

@@TheLourie10Both of those would just be laptops

[@TheLourie10]

@@Ruija27 Zoomers is definitely an Ibanez, Gen Alpha is probably a smart phone whenever voice to midi enhanced by reinforcement learning AI happens, which I am guessing isn't too far away.

[@Dudewheresmyguitar]

The telegram comments are fake right?

[@mfmartinez]

The ultimate boomer guitar is a heavy Les Paul with PAFs and a headstock that's been repaired at least 2 times.

[@plumbummusic2051]

Sooo... greeny?

[@mariesyvian8187]

the toan is in the wood glue

[@cynicalclockworks9857]

What's an ESP Eclipse?

[@TheThunderwars]

tOnEwOoD trust me bro

[@Ottophil]

Id rather have a reattached headstock than a guitar that never had one in the first place

[@retread1083]

5:14 FUN FACTS: Although the early Stratocasters had a 3-position switch, it was possible to have 5 different pickup selections. Those switches have make-before-break contacts, so by placing the lever between the bridge and middle positions, you could get the bridge pickup in parallel with the middle pickup. Likewise, you could get the neck pickup in parallel with the middle pickup. The selector switch is mechanically unstable in those intermediate positions, so players would often use a toothpick or matchstick wedged between the lever and the pickguard to hold it in position to use these desirable selections. This practice became popular and eventually Leo had the switch manufactures produce a variant of those 3-position switches that had 2 additional detents which made those intermediate positions stable. Thus the 5-position Stratocaster switch was born. Your '63 Stratocaster IS capable of 5 different selections but it will require a modification (a toothpick) to access 2 of those selections. Although some vintage purists may disagree, I believe the age of the toothpick is irrelevant.

[@hecanseeme8210]

I can’t believe you didn’t mention the toothpick absolutely must be hickory.

[@martinkrauser4029]

DON'T use toothpicks that aren't vintage correct

[@216trixie]

@@hecanseeme8210Tone hickory

[@NeuronicPlague]

I firmly believe that somewhere on the internet, there has at one point been a heated debate about the merits of toothpick tonewood.

[@bretthake7713]

Oh look a bunch of hipster dorks that can't appreciate a beautiful maple toothpick

[@drsrsv8884]

It's amazing how a Stratocaster still looks modern, a truly timeless design!

[@bagpiper117]

Strats, rick basses, high-top chucks, double edge safety razors...

[@drsrsv8884]

@@bagpiper117 Yes!

[@vapingcringe]

it has to do with the fact that its the most influential shape

[@rockapartie]

Absolutely nothing about a Strat (and especially sunburst) looks modern, it just screams old-school.

[@Denkersis]

@@rockapartie Plus, it's the most NPC guitar shape ever. It should be easier to get a guitar with a shape you like instead of being forced to stick with a strat/superstrat/whatever because you can't afford the weird ones.

[@mtus647]

I have to admit, of all the guitar players on KZbin that I follow, I didn't think you would be so open minded about new tech put on guitars considering the vintage lover that you are, but I am pleasantly surprised. Kudos to you, I really enjoyed watching this video all the way through.

[@glenngardin3561]

Well said!

[@eloyreveronrizzo4800]

That technology is almost 20 years old.

[@jacobfife7273]

I'm a metalhead but Sammy G is the channel that I've stuck with over time and thats one of the reasons why. He can see it from all angles and doesn't talk down about things he might just not understand or have an interest in. Also he doesnt chase jokes and memes all that often like a lot on here do. All the metal channels seem to get too meme-y after their first couple of interesting videos, or they go full elite mode and reject everything.

[@216trixie]

Actually I think Sammy is the one who is always trying new things. So

[@ccelik97]

About "loving vintage": What's vintage to us today was the best of its time back then. So, I don't find it strange that he digs both lol. Also a thumbs-up for him adjusting the old strat's original original price to inflation today, which clearly showcases that it wasn't a "$200 guitar" (of 2023/2024 that is).

[@johnmoyle4195]

I have a 1954 Stratocaster that has been in my family for 3 generations. It’s all original except I upgraded the 3 way switch to a DiMarzio 5 way. It sounds great and is super comfortable to play. The downside: it’s my grandfather’s guitar. I spend a lot of time tuning it. The pickups buzz, the frets buzz, the tremolo puts it out of tune and makes lots of noise. The tuners are stiff and the output jack and saddles are full of rust. I can’t travel with it and I don’t show it to visitors because I’m worried about being robbed. It’s a great rhythm guitar, but I never record solos with it. Never. I swap to an Ibanez for that.

[@mathiashellere8907]

My Strandberg Original NX 8 is the best guitar purchase I've ever done. It's just so nice to play in every way, that I've barely used any of my 6 strings now, for a year.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

How does it feel using vibrato over the spots the frets change drastically? It looks as if the the B string would catch on certain spots where the fret has such a steep angle change it almost creates a sharp corner. Other than that, I'd love to have one. As I've been saying since I was child in the 70's that guitars are literally impossible to tune. You can imagine the arguments I had, especially with adults.😠 One of the few who agreed with me was Ralph Novak: the inventor of fanned-fret guitars and basses.

[@Anticure95]

Vibrato is very easy on all the frets. The angles aren't that drastic, especially with the Strandberg signature neck shape. @@aylbdrmadison1051

[@usuallyclueless4477]

@@aylbdrmadison1051 Marty Friedman and Steve Vai themselves said it feels fine to bend and vibrato on true temperament frets.

[@flynnedwards]

@@aylbdrmadison1051The original nx8 does not have true temperament, so that's not a problem, unless it's a plus. However, the string would not catch because there is no change in height, it only changes horizontally, so there would be no difference.

[@216trixie]

I would have to give up on the idea that a guitar is beautiful.

[@nafspark]

I love how Sammy G's ideas of cool things to do with the low B string consist entirely of just occasionally hitting it to let the open B drone out.

[@Vivi_9]

What else would you do? Fret the bugger? Not a chance, it's the lowest string!

[@havokmusicinc]

That's not a bad thing or even atypical thing, though. Bass notes like the low B or F# on a 7 or 8 string guitar, or on a more ancient instrument such as the theorbo, the lowest strings have always been used primarily as pedals and drones.

[@orcasarebest]

@@Vivi_9 i take it your unfamiliar with modern metal.

[@spicysalad3013]

@@Vivi_9 the kinds of maniacs who play ten string classicals would beg to disagree

[@IndieMerchantSam]

I have only ever played one Strandberg, but it was fantastic, I definitely want one at some point. The weird neck made playing upper extended voicings super satisfying, especially 9th chords

[@216trixie]

I like eighth chords on that instrument

[@steffomca762]

It's because of the neck design itself, it has some kind of V shape that makes the hand grip much more comfortable

[@poser_disposer]

I always appreciate that sammy only does ads for his own courses. It's refreshing seeing a different ad on videos, and really shows that he believes in himself and what he has to offer. I've considered buying one of the courses many times, some day i certainly will when i have enough time to utilize it.

[@tusharjamwal]

Note, the fishmans do NOT run passive. They always need a battery. The "passive voicing" emulates the dynamic response of PAF like pickups. It's not actually working passively.

[@JohanJortso]

Yeah, the voicing of it changes, but pickup is still active.

[@TheLarsonite]

This is Gen X erasure. But we already know the ultimate Gen X guitar is a Fender Jazzmaster.

[@mugrex]

I'd argue that's also the ultimate Millennial guitar.

[@Andrea-qg5yk]

what's the gen Z's guitar tho🤔

[@tamask7749]

​@@Andrea-qg5yktimhenson signature lmao

[@mugrex]

@@Andrea-qg5yk probably a multi-scale, wobbly fretted, headless monstrosity with 20 strings more than anyone should need (i got a bit of a millennial/boomer attitude, i know. Just messin with errrbody)

[@LonkinPork]

That chord comparison at 8:45 is truly surreal. You can hear a difference in the "wobble" underneath the sound, similar to when you're tuning an instrument to a reference pitch. Not the sort of thing that's easy to pick up on without hearing them back to back like that.

[@gagealbright]

honestly, i dont buy that part. there is no chord on a strat that sounds that out of tune if you have it tuned well and intonated well and have filed the fret slots well and you dont press down too hard on the strings when playing (all the common causes of going out of tune)

[@LoraxChannel]

Meh. The guys doesn't seem to understand that the fender has a bridge that you can adjust for intonation. Sure, play a poorly set up guitar, and it's going to sound bad.

[@LonkinPork]

@@gagealbright I don't know what you mean by you "don't buy that part." There's no feasible reason for it to be trickery. Every straight-fretted guitar sounds that out of tune, if properly intonated and yadda yadda that you listed off. It's fundamental to the 12TET tuning system; it's a compromise that the western musical Public has broadly agreed to for about a century and a half. It's just such a subtle and slight dissonance that you wouldn't notice it without looking for it the way SammyG does in this video.

[@LonkinPork]

@@LoraxChannel Proper intonation only concerns the open string and the 12th fret, the octave. If those are both in tune simultaneously, for each string, the guitar is properly intonated. It's intrinsically impossible to get every fret on every string perfectly in tune at once, even with the wiggly-fret guitar. The wiggly frets can only mitigate the discrepancies between notes a little bit, compared to normal straight frets. But straight frets are much easier to manufacture, which is why string instruments have been built with them for longer than the guitar as we know it as existed. Rather than painstakingly try to get every note in tune at once, we all just accept that every note is slightly out of tune in a way that's nearly imperceptible.

[@gagealbright]

@@LonkinPork what i mean is that i dont think that any chord will sound as out of tune as the one in the video, if you have done a good job of doing all the things i listed. i get that with a guitar with straight frets that there will always be some notes that are a tiny bit out of tune (its especially noticeable when you change keys). i'm just saying i think there are some other factors in the video too, not just the "normal" out of tune you get with straight frets.

[@gimmenames9039]

Cool video! So much resonating with my experiences. Got a Sälen Classic and it's my favourite guitar by far. It's the guitar I miss when I go traveling and the first one I grab when coming back. It just makes you make music. The only thing missing is an 8 string version of the Sälen. I'd jump on it in no time.

[@TheStrykerProject]

I so appreciate Sammy G's videos. Informational, but not infomercials; entertaining, funny, and upbeat; and the in-video breaks are about his own products instead of Raid Shadow Legends or Better Health. Bravo, Sammy! 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻

[@216trixie]

Sammy is the one who goes just ahead of us on the Internet and find things to show us.

[@CodyGudmundsen]

I love the simplicity of older instruments. Wouldn't trade my Gibson SG for the world. I love the tech and playability behind the new generation as well. They're both valid.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

That's a good take.

[@Ottophil]

My gibson SG is tattoo’d on my leg, and will be going in the casket with me when its time. Sorry vintage market, one less Gothic SG for you

[@Neightlive]

No one of them looks dumb

[@rosekennedy9744]

I play a Strandberg Original NX8, which is similar to the one you showed in this video. Not only is it the best playing guitar I've ever played and the most comfortable I've ever played, it has an incredible versatility tone wise. I can use it to play jazz, rock, funk, metal, and anything else I want. It's shocking how well it fuses with other instruments, given how outlandish it looks and how strange it can feel to play for someone new to that guitar world. It was my dream guitar, and I play it almost exclusively.

[@quazimodo619]

I honestly really lile when things are ever so slightly out of tune so when u hit an octave, theres this really nice warble effect that adds alot of character

[@mj6582]

Man I so want a strandberg. It's the ultimate ergonomic guitar. The cutaway so you can play on your lap and classical. No headstock that bangs on walls or furnitures, The neck that's shaped so it guides your hand, no hefty shoulders that blocks your palm I mean that's genius. I'm sure it feels weird at first but it is the ultimate comfy guitar that does it all. I have an Ibanez AZ prestige right now which I fing is a good mix of modern and classical, but I keep thinking it's not versatile enough and too big for my small apartment Of course if a build a collection one day it'll have one strat and one gibson because they look so good and are history.

[@curiousuranus810]

Brilliant post! I'm a custom shop Strat Les Paul player, but I'm definitely going to check out a Strandberg after this post! Thanks.

[@EvanVaskeWx]

Strandbergs are actually awesome. I have two of them. Definitely my favorite guitars I own

[@Lensman864]

Likewise. An 8 (purple) and 6 (brown/orange) original True-Temperament pair.

[@aylbdrmadison1051]

I have a variety of guitars (including a Strat), but would love to have a Strandberg as well. There is no perfect guitar. Nor even such a thing in reality as "perfection," witch is clearly a matter of opinion. That's why I see just having one type as a nothing more than an intentional limitation. Witch is fine if ones own aesthetic is limited that same way. As long as they don't force such artistic limitations on others, that's totally fine too.😊

[@msolano00]

Same, I have a Boden Standard 6 and a Boden Plini NT. I can't be happier! I would love to try an Aristides too

[@TheDemonsReflection]

You should do a shoot out between this strat and your vintage Tele. See how they stack up.

[@Wills.musicpage]

Dude..... That bit you were playing on the strat during the intro had Cory Wong's influence all over it.... Love it!

[@ShallieDragon]

I've been considering a Strandberg for an 8-string. I've played a couple 8-strings in recent memory, and the Strandberg is by far the most comfortable one. I have very small hands, and the Strandberg is the only one that didn't feel like I was trying to fret a surfboard. The narrower neck profile around the edges is just so much easier to fit my hands around. Plus, it weighs a LOT less than other 8-strings (which are already massive, because of the added fretboard size). So I think it'll probably be my next guitar. I won't be GETTING one anytime soon (I recently got a new guitar already, and I am going to have a hard time justifying the $2k+ price tag), but I can dream.

[@isuckatguitar6252]

I've been hankering after a 7 string Strandberg for a while. I've got an 7 & an 8 in another brand but would love a strandy 7 for traveling and couch noodling.

[@chrisragan9309]

I have a Strandberg 8 and 6, as well as a PRS. The PRS collects dust - needs to go in a case or get sold at this point, tbh. Strandies are just such a great combo of modern tech, great looks (subjective obvs), and ergonomics.

[@SuperLocrian]

I don't know about the guitars, but that little groove you were playing at the top IS FIRE!!! 🔥🔥🔥 You should develop that into a full fledged toon!

[@TheTobesOfHades]

Thanks, appreciate the detailed breakdown and comparisons.

[@DavidPerry-ui2qz]

Love em both. The Strandberg is something I’m looking at due to shoulder issues. 🤘🎸🤘

[@martinkrauser4029]

Don't be afraid to modify guitars you already own and use to reduce weight, either. Health comes far far ahead of aesthetics, but done right you shouldn't see it

[@simonpark843]

This is one of the most informative videos I've seen you make - I'm not in the market for a new guitar, but this video did make me think so thank you.

[@diegoleiva7242]

I once setup a Strandberg for someone else and the only way I can describe it is it felt like playing air guitar, except it made sounds not coming out of my mouth. Extremely effortless and truly exceptional stuff even though I'm not a "modern" player in the least.

[@Johnkiernanmusic]

I love how even measured your review here is. Both guitars are great, but I feel you reflected them as best as possible. Great review!

[@mivani84]

I have a strandberg boden standard. I love it. The first time i saw it i was laughing at it. But it got my intrest. Its a real nice guitar and ideal to breng with you and sit behind the computer and practice songs.

[@michaeltravis3562]

As a gen X'er (born in 73), I find myself split between these two offerings. I currently own a vintage tele and a Strandberg. While the tele gives me loads of inspiration and allows me to dial in the tones of my guitar heros, the Strandberg forces me to play as my own artist and has helped me refine my technique/ I prefer the Strandberg (overall) if forced to choose only one.

[@kievitz]

Only the player knows what kind of instrument they need. It only matters in a subjective sense, because the listeners do not fkn care at all, about your instrument or your tone. If it stays in tune and plays well, its a good instrument.

[@worstghosthunting3466]

It’s really weird but cool to see a blues fiend like Samurai Guitarist enjoy something like a strandberg. This is an enjoyable video

[@ChainsawChristmas]

Buying a Strandberg was the best guitar purchase I've ever made. It's very difficult to pick up any other guitar. It's so light, ergonomic, and easy to travel with.

[@oldgoat381]

So I'm gonna say this as a piano tuner that knows how to tune equal temperament by ear as well as many other historical temperaments and wants to try to help set the record straight on what true tempered frets actually do. "True temperament" frets are still in equal temperament, they are compensating for an issue that is inherent in strings called inharmonicity rather than an issue with the tuning system. Inharmonicity is a phenomenon where strings do not vibrate for the entire speaking length (scale length) of the string, the very ends of the speaking length are rigid (on open strings, this is at the nut and the bridge saddle), which causes the actual pitch of the note produced to be higher than what it should be. Oddly enough this is undetectable by most tuning machines but not by human ears. What the true tempered frets help do is account for the rigidity of the strings. Also for clarity, I support manufacturers putting these kinds of things in, it gives us an additional way as musicians to express music, I just find that the people who market it leave that part out, and I'm a gigantic nerd who thinks it's really interesting

[@JohanJortso]

Not sure what you mean with “undetectable by tuning machines”? Plenty of modern tuners should have enough accuracy for that. (At least strobe tuners?) Isn’t it more due to the fact you usually tune the open strings, hence fretted notes will then be somewhat off. (And opposite, tune after a fretted note and other frets/open will be off)

[@oldgoat381]

@@JohanJortso it's not so much that the tuners are inaccurate, it's that this phenomenon is only detectable to the human ear (which is how we process anything musical). When a piano is tuned by ear we tune an octave of notes around middle C, then we match the notes above and below that by octaves. If we look at A 440Hz to A880Hz you'll often find that if you tune A 880 by ear using the octaves a tuning machine will find it's noticeably sharp, potentially up around 890Hz. Specialised piano tuning machines have adjustments for this built in to them to varying degrees, because the size of the piano/length of strings determine how much inharmonicity is present.

[@t3hgir]

@@JohanJortso I would trust a piano tuner on tuning matters, have you ever looked inside a piano?

[@JohanJortso]

@@oldgoat381 I understand. You are referring to the stretch tuning compensating for the inharmonicity in the strings. That is cool, and definitely matters. (And I’m sure you know this as a piano tuner, but for others: that is why grand pianos tune slightly better, the nonvibrating part of the string is a smaller percentage of the whole string, due to longer strings.) Though what you are saying is implying that it IS detectable by tuners though. Not the opposite. If it wasn’t detectable by tuner, the tuner would read the same in both cases. So since the tuner reads sharp, it obviously did detect the change… As for exactly what frequency that would be is more complicated (calculate from overtone series, use a strobe tuner with that as a reference etc) so I agree that is probably just quicker to do by ear for an experienced piano tuner. 😁

[@oldgoat381]

@@JohanJortso more that it's observable with a tuner, the actual inharmonicity basically can't be detected because the interference can't be determined by a machine yet

[@zloboslav_]

I like being in the middle of these generational extremes with an Ibanez RG550 :)

[@James.99]

That's a gen X guitar

[@kennybassett2249]

Would you consider doing a blues course on your platform? You could go over the basics of different subgenres of blues from one guitar and a singer, Robert Johnson and SRV- type stuff to Chuck Berry- type stuff. I would love to get into more blues, but don’t really know where to start and you’re amazing at everything blues. Honestly, I wouldn’t have anyone else teach me except for people like Eric Clapton or Muddy Waters. Please consider this because it would be really helpful. (PS: I also DM’ed this to you on Instagram)

[@NicklausSIR2]

Small addition from a metal player: chords will still sound nice on a 7-strings, but 8 and more and this gets too low to get proper definition (same as why bass players don't play power chords, or pianists play their left hand a lot more open than the right hand, has to do with the exponential naure of the pitch vs frequency curve and how the low end is more "cramped together"). Typically 8 strings riff will be single note in the low range or maybe octaves (if you want to avoid muddiness).

[@jackbootshamangaming4541]

I am waiting for my Strandberg Boden NX7 Standard to arrive, I can't wait.

[@LucasChoate]

For what it's worth, my 11y/I wants a red strat for Christmas.

[@Spider602]

I dont if im alone on this, but the slight off-tune you get from equal temprement is something i really like and i feel its a huge part of the guitars unique sound and is part of what makes a guitar what it is

[@twojointsjay7330]

No, you're not alone on this, literally 99.99% of the music listening world agrees with you.

[@geroffmilan3328]

You're not alone - but with only 4 likes & 1 response in agreement, versus other comments with 400+ likes, you're apparently in a minority. Nothing wrong with that, mind.

[@geroffmilan3328]

​@@twojointsjay7330 😂 so you've canvassed opinion from "most of the music-listening world", have you? And asked them to distinguish between whether they liked the dissonance, as opposed to tolerating it? And accounted for the fact that a large chunk can't distinguish between 2 different notes, much less this dissonance? Or - much more likely - have you just assumed everyone agrees with you cos you must be right? 🤔

[@twojointsjay7330]

@@geroffmilan3328 "And accounted for the fact that a large chunk can't distinguish between 2 different notes," congenital amusia only affects less than 4% of the global population so claiming it's a "large chunk" only highlights you have no idea what you're talking about. Great job acting like a pedant in the face of obvious hyperbole, hope it made you feel really smart. The fact is true temperament frets were only invented in 2006 and haven't really been used on any major music recording since. The idea that enjoying the sound of a guitar without true temperament frets is a niche position rather than the default one is ridiculous.

[@epsilon6516]

If you add enough overdrive you can't tell.

[@TwelveSticks]

Really nicely balanced review / comparison.

[@-Spence]

Always positive vibes - I’ve been wanting to check out a strandberg myself

[@ArchetypalCat]

Very good review of very different instruments. Thanks!

[@kanazak2]

For me the ideal guitar would probably be closer to the strandberg, but with the addition of a middle pickup, a tremolo+piezo system, and aesthetically I really still want there to be a head on it. A headless guitar just... doesn't look as good to me. But I'm currently slowly working through modded strats as a project right now, as the strat is close enough on almost all metrics feel-wise and aesthetically, and very easy to mod the electronics in. Currently working on one that has a mid boost AND a 10-way pickup selector. Some day I intend to combine that with the Seymour Duncan P-Rail pickups and the Fishman Powerbridge.

[@cederickforsberg5840]

A Stratocaster with TT frets and Evertune bridge is just amazing with classic look but modern fantastic functional features I value Evertune bridge higher than TT frets since staying in tune and doing crazy bends is more important to me personally than having increased intonation from TT frets

[@DroctorKloebner]

I think the value comparison isn't quite fair given that the strat is expensive because it's a collectors item. 3500 bucks will definitely get you one hell of a stratocaster. So I'd say their value is pretty equal.

[@ZappaSheik]

Being a guy that has 2 63' strats I prefer them over modern. I love the modern guitar and I'm missing a Strandberg even though I'm swedish and a collector. My Strats will not lose me money a Strandberg will.

[@shlebmo]

It’s a cool video with a guitar I know nothing about (the Strandburg) A Strat is the ultimate chime machine. That bell like tone is killer. That strandburg looks nice and I bet it sounds amazing. I can’t say which classic guitar I have is my favorite. Probably the strat over my Les Paul standard. It’s just silky smooth but if I may there’s this semi gritty tone from a barely distorted Les Paul that inspires rhythm like crazy and an equally biting lead tone on the bridge too. I’ve owned so many others, PRS, SG, Telecaster and for me it would be Strat, Les Paul, Telecaster, then the Jag/SG/Firebird. PRS does all the tricks but masters none of them at least the custom 24 I owned. A 335 is close to the Les Paul. I love it too

[@jakemixd]

Your videos are so addictive 😊. Not to mention your playing and doing writing are awesome too.

[@elliotrichards6948]

I recently purchased an 8 string nx strandberg as my first guitar. It is a decision I absolutely do not regret. It plays better than any other guitar I've tried in my opinion. The jumbo frets and carbon compound fretboard give it a glassy almost semi scalloped feel and the shape makes the instrument sit in a perfect playing position without you having to work at a weird angle. Ola really was ahead of his time with these things

[@tima6044]

No offense, but you don't have a frame of reference since you've never owned and played a guitar for a long period of time. 8 strings aren't recommended for beginners since the extra 2 strings complicate how a guitar is normally held and now you position your hands. They are not good first guitar choices and I do not recommend them to anyone, with one exception. If the music you love and are inspired to play uses 7 and 8 string guitars then it might be more acceptable.

[@isuckatguitar6252]

​@@tima6044 If u treat an 8 string guitar as it's own instrument then there's no reason to not start with it. I mean it's the same as starting on any instrument. I started on a 6 string & purchased my 8 string after 8 months just because I discovered that style and fell in love. Guitar friends ask me how I can play it & how its so weird but I see it as It's own thing, I went into it completely ignorant and never had any probs. I even found myself a teacher who plays 7 & 8 string too. I absolutely love it!

[@martinkrauser4029]

​@@tima6044the two extra strings and additional girth aren't going to confuse someone who isn't used to six. They'll find fewer teachers and resources, and that's about it

[@WoodwindMusicWeb]

You can get a TT neck for Strat/ Tele. Made in Sweden, about $ 650

[@chrisjs6123]

I have a CS 1960 Strat and a Strandberg Boden Prog 6 and all I can say is my poor strat doesn't get played all that often these days. The Strandberg with the Suhr pickups is as close to perfect as I've every known in a guitar.

[@sacundim]

I wasn't convinced that this explanation of True Temperament guitars is right. Looking at other materials I understand it is not something that contrasts with equal temperament as presented here (and in some other sources I saw!), but rather is dealing with the problem that straight frets cannot in actual practice intone equal temperament accurately throughout the fretboard because the strings don't all have the exact same thickness.

[@MnasonMarlatt]

I have a 1981 headless Steinberger bass guitar. Amazing instrument but it requires special double-ball end strings that are not easy to get in a regular shop.

[@LS-jj4sy]

Man I just want... any .strandberg boden non-6-string. The true temperament honestly seems like a bit much for me haha. Next time I'm in the position to drop 2k on something I'll probably get one (unless I can track down an OP-1)

[@dangranot5703]

"The only guitar you'll ever own." How many takes did you need to say that with a straight face? Very interesting guitar, I'm glad you were able to compare the two for us. Thank you!

[@samuraiguitarist]

Lol it could be the only guitar you ever own! But let's be honest it won't

[@oliverschellenberger7697]

Hey Sammy G: could you show us how bending strings feels like on the wiggly frets of the Strandberg? Thx. Love from Bali

[@benjamineer3045]

I have both and enjoy them equally. Tuning down a strat Dropped B is fun though

[@JayKughan]

"2 great electric guitars from 2 very different generations" summarised in 1 great video. Cheers bub! You rock!!! 🤘

[@Samus5164]

Strandberg ruined other guitars for me, I sold the rest of mine. You oughta try out the Strandberg Salen line, you might really dig the Telecaster config or the more vintage/vintage-hot oriented pickups in the Salen Jazz. I understand the jump to show off the true temperament frets, though. 😂

[@alicewilson1913]

You misunderstood what those frets do, and I think you may also be misunderstanding what equal temperament actually is or at least how it's different from 'Just Intonation'. True temperament frets just get you closer to equal temperament (it explains this very clearly on their website). A normal piano in equal temperament can actually be more or less exactly in equal temperament because it's strings vibrate along a fixed length. On a normal guitar, this can only be approximated because fretting a note puts the string at an angle meaning it has to be very slightly longer to still be playing the correct note (it becomes like the hypotenuse of a very shallow right triangle). When you adjust an intonation saddle you are compensating for this, the higher the bottom of the string is from it's fret the more its length will need to change. The ideal is to have the the length when fretted be in tune with the open note across the whole fretboard, but because the action and angle to the bridge change slightly as you go up and down the guitar neck we can never make it perfectly correct for every note, so we can only approximate equal temperament on guitars and similar fretted instruments. The True Temperament system takes it an extra step and adjusts the frets individually in order to compensate for *that*. It is still an approximation, but it is much closer to equal temperament than a normal guitar is.

[@angryroosteranimations5194]

Despite the number of "strat" copies out there, most modernize the guitar in some way which almost always involves ditching the single coil pickups. That pickup layout is what makes a Strat, and monkeying with it fundamentally changes the sound of the guitar. There are many different pickups/configurations out there that can emulate the strat tone, but the traditional single coil layout has a very distinct sonic character. For me i'm less about the body shape, and headless vs. standard construction, but if i want a "strat tone" The guitar will have traditional single coils in it.... and the wiggle stick.... i like my wiggle stick.

[@kitko33]

This reminds me of gearheads/petrolheads salivating over 4-wheel steering these days. Which were common on Japanese cars in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Guitar players tend to be numb and backward and this duel confirms it. As for Stranberg... NONE of the tech is new or groundbreaking. Headless is old, true temperament is old as the guitar itself as people were trying to overcome the natural tuning limits of a guitar - compensated nut, adding more frets, and yes... having a unique fret wire position as on this Stranberg. Fishman pickups are still a magnet wrapped by wires. Necks have been shaped and 'tempered' for decades. As for the Fender, I'm approaching my 50th birthday and Fenders never appealed to me.

[@martel8626]

Modern guitarist view: I’ll buy a guitar released last year, based on a novel design from the last 20 years. I’ll use that guitar, along with whatever modern forms of sound generation I can get my hands on to have the broadest musical palette. Traditional guitarist view: I'll buy a replica of a 60s Strat, based in turn on a design released in 1954, because (for example) David Gilmour had a ‘69 Strat. I’ll pair that with a valve/tube amp and keep my signal chain simple by modern standards. That’ll make me like Gilmour! David Gilmour in 1970, when he got his Black Strat: I’ll buy a guitar released last year, based on a novel design from the last 20 years. I’ll use that guitar, along with whatever modern forms of sound generation I can get my hands on to have the broadest musical palette. Traditionalists tend to preserve everything about the greatness of the heyday of guitar-focused music, except the stuff that actually matters.

[@nicholasaragon4126]

As a millennial, I like boomer looks with modern features, modern playability, and modern electronics. But I'm not too picky I'll play anything and everything. Great video.

[@georgebluestorm2439]

Then youve gotta get yourself a Charvel

[@pinkhairedwitch]

Anything from the Fender Vintera runs would be great for you.

[@nicolepaul5304]

I would love to see a comparison between the Gibson Les Paul and that thing. Also, how can you bend the string on those weird frets?

[@DOBbysMusic]

Mad respect for putting the amazing Sarah Longfield in the supercut of headless guitarists.

[@franklulatowskijr.6974]

Bass player here. I have two Dingwalls, a Canadian ABZ and a Chinese NG3. But I also have two Fender based builds, one of which is built on a refinished 1964 P neck. The ABZ is absolutely perfect and the NG3 is a funk machine, but there’s something about those Fender builds that makes me love them. Both have modern Fender parts with pickups with Nordstrands and/or Fralins. The fretless is based on a 1960 J and I probably play that almost as much as the ABZ. I guess what I’m saying is that modern tech is great, but older tech is just as great. It just won’t be perfect, which I fine by me. I like that imperfection.

[@thebluesrockers]

The original "Les Paul" signature guitar was actually hated by Les Paul. He had a fit about his name being connected to that guitar shape. Later Gibson changed the body shape of that guitar and re-named the first Les Paul, guitar the "SG" (stands for signature) And because of that we have now have two great looking Gibson guitars. The Fender "Broadcaster" name was changed to the "Telecaster" and like he said in this video, "Fender" later created the Stratocaster, and then we had the four most popular guitars in music history. So are you a Gibson, or Fender lover? I personally love all four of these guitars. I've owned a 1953 Les Paul custom. A 1974 SG custom. and I've owned a 1983 Buddy Holly re-make. I've never owned a Telecaster, but I had a friend years ago, that let me play his 1990, and I absolutely loved it. Out of all the guitars that I've ever owned I miss my 1953 Les Paul custom. My second most missed guitar was my 1974 SG. I now own a Standard, Fat, Fender Stratocaster. It's lighter and easier to play than some of the Les Paul's that I've owned, and much easier to play high on the neck. I still think the Les Paul's look better but I'm really in love with my Stratocaster.

[@PeterCleff]

Bloody hell! I sometimes forget how great a player you are. As a proggy super Strat boy, The strandburg is a bit of a dream guitar for me. Great video!

[@rideu2b]

I bought a Strandberg Boden Original NX 6 about 2 months ago. I was going to send it back the same day after playing it for 30 minutes. I was not able to send it back (basically my fault). To make a long story short, I decided before listing it on Reverb, I'll force myself to play it some more and try to get used to it (maybe/hopefully lol). Fast forward 2 month later to today, it became my favorite guitar. I play it all the time, and my Gibsons, PRSs, Fenders and Jacksons are just hanging on the wall (I have 26 other guitars). I can't recommend the Strandberg highly enough. Give it a chance, be open minded, play it, and you'll love it. I can almost guarantee it.

[@fender4brad]

Both amazing Guitars, that Strat definitely has that Strat sound. Not always the case with new Stratocasters. I’ve never been happy with gear that cover too much sonic ground. Part of that is I don’t enjoy tweaking gear. I prefer plug into a great sound and playing. Not sure what else that says about me. I did buy a metal guitar and put it in drop c. Super fun guitar! Interesting thoughts!

[@aaronsmithey4044]

You can get replacement necks from True Temperament for your Strat.

[@Nasha-Official]

The ultimate millennial guitar could do with a sustainiac, graphtech ghost + acoustiphonic preamp, two outputs and perhaps an evertune bridge. Development is ongoing luckily and I can't wait to see what the future holds. For me, I could not get used to the Strandberg's neck and went Mayones Hydra.

[@TaxEvader420]

Gold top les paul is the ultimate boomer guitar but I'll allow it

[@Lensman864]

Errrr ... a 59 Burst is it but you're close.

[@TaxEvader420]

@@Lensman864 Yeah you're right, I thought Jimmy Page had a gold top for some reason. Not a rock guy at all lol

[@t3hgir]

@@TaxEvader420 Jeff Beck and David Gilmour played Goldtop LPs I believe, I know Gilmour's had P90s and wraparound bridge...

[@swatchcovers5401]

I think it’s easy to write off modern guitars for being to clean and not having that “mojo” when they haven’t really gotten that chance to age. I have my 13 year old Jaguar that I’ve been playing forever and has age to it, but after having my strandberg for a while. It’s hard to go back sometimes because of how great it plays and feels. It’s so nice and easy to play.

[@kennethlambert]

thanks for a well done honest comparison.

[@stevehawley5618]

On the Strandberg what happens on wide string bends and/or double string bends?

[@figeon]

I think the modern innovations in guitars like fanned frets, true temperament, and extra strings are major improvements that should be standard nowadays.

[@cullenjames7542]

Love my Strandberg. One of the True Temperament versions is in my future.

[@dalerothgordt8329]

Strat for the win

[@nickk6109]

Hehe my guitars 1989 strat 25.5" scale, sunburst, thin neck, single coils. 2023 scratch build 7string 28.625" scale completely custom build - laminate through neck ergonomic body (close to the stranberg built for sitting and standing), equal temperament, hum buckers, fixed bridge.

[@Double_J_48629]

the question that IMMEDIATELY popped in my mind, the answer to which was _never even hinted at_ , is what does this Strandberg sound like with heavy bending? my guess is that it could range somewhere between "interesting" and "wtf"

[@ivan_osorio]

Interesting. When you demonstrated the chord played on both guitars, I was actively expecting to prefer the Strandberg... But then I did not. I found the inherent lack of intonation of the Strat to be... familiar? And I welcomed to small dissonance the imperfection brought to the chord. In the end, the Strat sounded a lot more like what I both expected and wanted to hear out of a guitar. Having said that, the neck profile on the Strandberg is genius.

[@thseed7]

We're going to be fine. Wish we were getting more done while we have so many awesome players reaching the tail end of their time in K.C. Need to keep working to get it tightened up.

[@mickeyknox9341]

Love this format. Good ideas!!! Enhance!!

[@alexisjordan3303]

That intro jam was SICK!

[@ChrisTopherBunnell]

bending notes on a true temperament like that strandberg, sure seems like it would be a challenge to get even, well-controlled bends.

[@SONOMA_VALLEY_TOM]

Professional quality video. Intelligent commentary. Guitars, my take: I had my first guitar lesson July 1960. I've bought and sold 1,000's of guitars. Owned a musical instrument store 1998 - 2007. Modern guitars are better instruments for construction quality and musically. A cheap mass produced electric guitar 60 years ago, even made in the USA, was usually difficult to play and sounded pretty bad especially through. a cheap amp. Today there are so many Asian made guitars at low prices that are really credible and reliable instruments that are used by working musicians. Corollary is amps, too. I own two vintage 1960's Fender amps in pristine condition. I also own a Boss Katana 100 watt. I enjoy the various tones and dynamic sound of the Katana over the Fenders for rock. Though for archtop jazz playing the Fender Deluxe is still king of the hill.

[@richsackett3423]

Looking forward to your piece on Gen Xer guitars. Don't forget us.

[@samjohnson8588]

I did play a Semi-Hollow Strandberg a few weeks back and it just felt nice - although I don't know why I'm looking at reviews of them now, I can't afford one and I don't think there'll ever be a point in my life in which I can XD

[@Doty6String]

I recently thought that the intonation is something that makes the “vintage” sound.

[@RepaidGold58]

Never pay more than 2k for a guitar, and that’s a lot in it if itself. Often times, guitar companies will try to market crappy guitars as ‘high quality’ by adding a high price tag to give the impression that you’re getting better bang for your buck. Any Ibanez signature model is of the exact quality of their standard models, which I learned the hard way with a (very expensive) Steve Vai signature PIA which I would compare to the quality of a medium tier squire.

[@charles-davidcorbin3341]

Cool video thanks. With the stanburg and the wiggles frett is doing barre chord are as "easy" as in the stratocaster?

[@Lensman864]

Yes. Vibrato likewise.

[@Nathan_Wolf7779]

If had two choice between these two it would be the Strat. However, now I am into PRS and what they are doing now is modern for today’s age. I have a US Silver Sky which is the modern Strat but their other models are fantastic too and innovative!

[@latheofheaven1017]

You can, of course, buy a TT neck and fit it on your Strat. I did, and I love it. I get the same feeling about the improved intonation of the TT system as SG mentions in the video. Just makes me smile!

[@alangreenway6695]

I always wonder if string bending works on true tempered fret guitars? If you’re bending up 2 steps does the fret disrupt the gradient of the bend?

[@connorkeen6645]

I certainly love my modded 50s reissue strat. I have played it live more than any other guitar. However, my 8 string Strandberg is the nicest instrument I have played, and probably will ever own. I tried 6, 7 and 8 string Strandbergs in stores and loved them, after being a headless and multiscale hater for a long time. I have played and considered purchasing instruments that cost the same to around twice as much and nearly all had something like a third of the features, and sounded "dead" and unresponsive in comparison, not to mention that they felt like they didn't want to be played... My Strandberg was immmediately many times over more playable and familiar feeling than any 6 I have tried, out of the box from the company itself. The neck is deceptively odd, it is the most comfortable I have played (I also prefer the Fender soft V second, so maybe I am just generally an outlier). The odd body shape is understandably off-putting to some, but it is extremely comfortable, in its forearm and stomach carves, and for playing classical position, and has great access with the nicest neck joint shape I have ever felt. Again, I used to be a multiscale hater, but it really does help with every aspect of playing (except for pinch harmonics at first!). The zero fret is a great addition, especially since that grounds from one string to the rest as all the hardware is aluminum, for weight reduction (and as an engineer, its ideas like that, the system of improvements that Strandberg uses to make an overall better instrument that work together so well, that make me love the company and its designers so much. We need more advancements from middle-of-last-century tech!). It is the best sounding guitar I own, the Strandberg soapbars quickly became my favorite pickups. I wouldn't complain if it had Fishmans, but I generally like passives more. The split tones are kind of hot-fender-y and save for the absence of a tremolo it can do everything my strat and other favorite guitars can, but better. The luminlays are pretty great too-even if most of the places I play are usually well-lit, they certainly come in handy when in low light more than you may think. Most features are innovative, and in a world where the majority of music tech advancements are pushed back due to unreasonable traditionalism, tools like these are a breath of fresh air. Stay open-minded y'all :)