Suhr Classic (Strat)

[Mark Wein]

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l230/markwein/IMG_0947.jpg

http://i97.photobucket.com/albums/l230/markwein/IMG_0948.jpg

This is my Suhr Classic that I ordered in 2002. One of the main reasons for buying this guitar was that I needed something that was very versatile and had super accurate intonation for recording. I had done a few recording sessions earlier in the year where the guitars I had were running into problems either staying in tune or having bad intonation. Not so good when you are getting paid to do a session...

Cost with 30% discount was $2250 in 2002.

Body: 2 piece Alder

Neck: Maple with a rosewood fretboard

Pickups are Suhr v60lp single coils and a Suhr DSV Humbucker in the Bridge.

Hardare is Gotoh 1066 Bridge and Kluson Tuners.

Buzz Feiten Intonation. When the guitar was built Suhr wasn't doing the PLEK setups yet but I had it back to the factory for a setup and they PLEK'ed it in 2006. Best $150 I ever spent. The guitar played better than new when I got it back.

The Feiten intonation is great but a pain if you are switching between guitars and one doesn't have it on a gig as you have to remember to switch modes on your tuner.

When I ordered the guitar I had the opportunity to go to the factory and refine my order with John Suhr. He played a few of the guitars I brought with me, I played a few that were there and we talked about what I wanted. He changed some things about my order around (actually saved me about $100 for the Brazilian Rosewood fretboard I didn't need) and then I waited for 4 months.

I really love the guitar now but when I first got it I was a little disappointed in the thinner neck that I had chosen....for a long time I considered having them put a thicker maple neck on it but I'm glad I didn't as I grew into what I had. My Tele was a much easier build and came out making me happier right off the bat but I think I dig both guitars equally now...here are some clips...

The infamous "Bad Amp Demo"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qhfz11vTYsI

Here are a few clips I've never posted before from the CD that goes with our "Rhythm and Groove" class curriculum

80's Rock

markweinguitarlessons.com/soundfiles/06 Track 06.mp3 (http://markweinguitarlessons.com/soundfiles/06 Track 06.mp3)

Funky - the Suhr is the one in the left speaker...the right speaker is my buddies strat with Duncan Lipstick Tube pickups in it for some extra "spank" and to set the two clean guitars apart....

markweinguitarlessons.com/soundfiles/17 Track 17.mp3 (http://markweinguitarlessons.com/soundfiles/17 Track 17.mp3)

Here is the only recording I have of my Top Hat Ambassador 35 with the Suhr.

markweinguitarlessons.com/soundfiles/16 Track 16.mp3 (http://markweinguitarlessons.com/soundfiles/16 Track 16.mp3)

One of my favorite live tones with this guitar...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ey9frsFHUJM

[Help!I'maRock!]

its one of the nicest strats i've ever played. i, however, am not a strat man.

[Mark Wein]

its one of the nicest strats i've ever played. i, however, am not a strat man.


I actually didn't play it for nearly 3 years after I stumbled across my Les Paul...

The problem I find with strats is that when I do rock stuff they generally don't have enough personality for me. On the Felt album we had a "no strats" rule and I think thats one reason why it sounds like an actual "Rock" album.

For the blues and Jazzier things I do it seems to work better, though...

[Help!I'maRock!]

so what you're saying is, Suhr guitars have no balls.

[Mark Wein]

so what you're saying is, Suhr guitars have no balls.


Well, you can listen to the clips and judge that for yourself.  I didn't own a Suhr when we made that album but between the two of us we had 6 strats and no desire to play them.

They are a little more refined than I like for rock, though.  I love mine and play them daily but if I need a giant rock sound thats not metal I usually grab my Les Paul.

This is the other amp demo and I play both this Suhr and my Les Paul straight into the amp.  Now that I think about it you've played both guitars, too so you probably know what I'm talking about already  :facepalm:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EoLcYYI0vyU

[Help!I'maRock!]

They are a little more refined than I like for rock


= no balls.

[Mark Wein]

idn_smilie

[Help!I'maRock!]

rock or do not rock. there is no try. :weebz:

[Mark Wein]

heavy-metal-044

http://markweinguitarlessons.com/soundfiles/micwaltmetal.mp3

markwein.com/soundfiles/RockGod.mp3 (http://markwein.com/soundfiles/RockGod.mp3)

[Help!I'maRock!]

sounds good. what's the problem?

[Mark Wein]

sounds good. what's the problem?


Those are my Les Paul biggrin

[Mark Wein]

actually this one is my Suhr http://markweinguitarlessons.com/soundfiles/06 Track 06.mp3

[Help!I'maRock!]

ok, whatsa problem?

[Mark Wein]

Its a feel thing for me.

This guitar doesn't feel "rude" enough for me to play a "RAWK" show with. The Paul also has a little more output that I think I relate to on a physical level, too...

[Help!I'maRock!]

Its a feel thing for me.

This guitar doesn't feel "rude" enough for me to play a "RAWK" show with. The Paul also has a little more output that I think I relate to on a physical level, too...


people say the same thing all the time about PRS. man, i rock the fuck outta my PRS. i dunno what you people are talking about.

[Mark Wein]

idn_smilie

Different tools for different gigs. If my guitars were all the same I could get by with just 2.....

[Help!I'maRock!]

idn_smilie

Different tools for different gigs. If my guitars were all the same I could get by with just 2.....


i agree with that in principle, but the practice of it seems to be what's in question.

[Mark Wein]

it what way?

[Help!I'maRock!]

obviously its a personal thing. so what works for me isn't what works for you.

when i buy a guitar, obviously i have an idea in mind. i want a certain feel or sound. with guitars like PRS or Suhr, they're appealing to the engineer/corksniffer in us all. you and i bought the guitars because they were done better than their counterparts. you can engineer all the soul right out of a guitar, so there's a balance that we felt these guitars achieved. there's also a "swiss army knife" mentality to both, even though they're very different in the looks department. so we're obviously going for a wide range of tones.

the PRS evokes an LP-ish nature with Strat lines and vibrato. the Suhr offers the best damn Strat you can get, with the thicker tones of a bridge humbucker. but the premise on each is the same, find the sweet spot on the volume knob, flick a switch, and let the guitar work with the amp. so you can really run the gamut of styles on each.

you and i both use pedals for our distortion. so there's a third element here that we can tweak to exactly how we want it. put down a different pedal, and i guarantee your Suhr goes from funk to metal at the stomp of a button and flick of a selector switch. its my assertion that this is why we buy these kinda guitars.

now if we were talking about Rics here, i might agree with you more. yes, Guy Piciotto from Fugazi played one, so we know it can do much more than just jangle. but its not gonna make it in an Iron Maiden tribute band. the Suhr however, will. that's the beauty of the bridge bucker. make it more versatile for modern stylings of rock n roll. and if you really need to, you can also roll off the tone control on the neck pup and play jazz.

"course that's just my opinion, i could be wrong." - Dennis Miller

[Mark Wein]

Makes sense....but I have strats that are "Ballsier" than the Suhr...its a small difference but its important to me...

[Help!I'maRock!]

Makes sense....but I have strats that are "Ballsier" than the Suhr...its a small difference but its important to me...


change the pickups.

[Mark Wein]

But i like how the Suhr sounds...just not for everything! biggrin

[Help!I'maRock!]

But i like how the Suhr sounds...just not for everything! biggrin


you know, you really are a Spaceball. messedup0

[Mark Wein]

You should talk to my wife :weebz:

[Help!I'maRock!]

You should talk to my wife :weebz:


i have 10 guitars, i shouldn't really talk. biggrin

[platypus]

have you tried the texas specials in your strats?

[Help!I'maRock!]

have you tried the texas specials in your strats?


DO NOT WANT crunkp

[platypus]

have you tried the texas specials in your strats?


DO NOT WANT crunkp


WELL HAVE YOU?

[Help!I'maRock!]

have you tried the texas specials in your strats?


DO NOT WANT crunkp


WELL HAVE YOU?


i have played texas specials before. they are crunkp

[platypus]

to each their own biggrin

I dig them, here's a clip I did with some tex specs in the neck position:
http://soundclick.com/share?songid=6545752 O0

[Mark Wein]

have you tried the texas specials in your strats?


I'm not a fan of them, to be honest. I haven't put them in one of my guitars but when I worked for the Fender dealer I played a bunch of guitars with them and didn't really dig them too much. idn_smilie

[platypus]

have you tried any SD alnico II pro's?

[Help!I'maRock!]

have you tried any SD alnico II pro's?


great pups. very low output.

[Mark Wein]

No...I haven't done too much with replacement pickups. So far I've tried the SD Antiquities, Fender 57-62 reissues, SD '59 and the Trembucker Cstom. Once I have a guitar that sounds the way I like I usually don't mess with it too much...

[Help!I'maRock!]

No...I haven't done too much with replacement pickups. So far I've tried the SD Antiquities, Fender 57-62 reissues, SD '59 and the Trembucker Cstom. Once I have a guitar that sounds the way I like I usually don't mess with it too much...




sure, but you've tried them in something. i played them in a music man guitar. was supposed to sound like a strat and it really did.

[Mark Wein]

No...I haven't done too much with replacement pickups. So far I've tried the SD Antiquities, Fender 57-62 reissues, SD '59 and the Trembucker Cstom. Once I have a guitar that sounds the way I like I usually don't mess with it too much...




sure, but you've tried them in something. i played them in a music man guitar. was supposed to sound like a strat and it really did.


I don't really know...if I have I wasn't aware of it...

[Prages]

I've got APSIIs in the middle and neck position of my orange Warmoth. I like 'em.

[Help!I'maRock!]

No...I haven't done too much with replacement pickups. So far I've tried the SD Antiquities, Fender 57-62 reissues, SD '59 and the Trembucker Cstom. Once I have a guitar that sounds the way I like I usually don't mess with it too much...




sure, but you've tried them in something. i played them in a music man guitar. was supposed to sound like a strat and it really did.


I don't really know...if I have I wasn't aware of it...


this is unacceptable, Mark. you must know every last thing about every guitar you've ever played. only then can you make an informed decision on why everybody else's gear sucks so much more than yours does.

[Mark Wein]

No...I haven't done too much with replacement pickups. So far I've tried the SD Antiquities, Fender 57-62 reissues, SD '59 and the Trembucker Cstom. Once I have a guitar that sounds the way I like I usually don't mess with it too much...




sure, but you've tried them in something. i played them in a music man guitar. was supposed to sound like a strat and it really did.


I don't really know...if I have I wasn't aware of it...


this is unacceptable, Mark. you must know every last thing about every guitar you've ever played. only then can you make an informed decision on why everybody else's gear sucks so much more than yours does.


lol.


I've never been enough of a "detail" guy to be a complete gear snob :weebz:

[platypus]

The alnico II pros are my favorites in the neck and middle, I haven't got around to putting them in the strat I play most though :weebz:

[Prages]

I really prefer the singles in the US Masters guitar over the APSIIs or even the Kinman AVN '62s in my other Warmoth. I have no idea what kind of pickups they are...if they are stock or aftermarket, what kind of magnets, their resistance, nothing.

I just know I love the way they sound.

[Mark Wein]

I really prefer the singles in the US Masters guitar over the APSIIs or even the Kinman AVN '62s in my other Warmoth. I have no idea what kind of pickups they are...if they are stock or aftermarket, what kind of magnets, their resistance, nothing.

I just know I love the way they sound.


Thats all that really matters, actually....

[Help!I'maRock!]

I really prefer the singles in the US Masters guitar over the APSIIs or even the Kinman AVN '62s in my other Warmoth. I have no idea what kind of pickups they are...if they are stock or aftermarket, what kind of magnets, their resistance, nothing.

I just know I love the way they sound.


call and ask them?

[Prages]

I really prefer the singles in the US Masters guitar over the APSIIs or even the Kinman AVN '62s in my other Warmoth. I have no idea what kind of pickups they are...if they are stock or aftermarket, what kind of magnets, their resistance, nothing.

I just know I love the way they sound.


call and ask them?


I sent them an email and apparently the serial # database was lost a few years ago, so they don't really have much info on the guitars they built a few years back.

And I'm not sure that sending pics of the pickups would help because there are no identifying markings anywhere on the pickups.

[Mark Wein]

hehe.