New Floyded Suhr Pro Series

[hippietim]

Pretty pricey for a guitar with a licensed Floyd.
Why did they drop the OFR?

Suhr dropped the OFR because of quality problems. He has been saying it's a much better bridge for a while now.

[hippietim]

Cost, plain and simple. The Suhr Pro line is about a streamlined product, to be produced with no mods the specs they offeer are IT. Quick to market at a reasonable cost.

It isn't about cost AFAIK. John Suhr has been saying for years that his favorite body wood configuration is a basswood body with maple top. That's been since way before the Pro line. It's also worth noting that in the United States basswood is not some big cost savings.

[hippietim]

suhr guitars are way to pricey. hell, you can get a u.s.a. soloist for a lower price than a suhr.

That doesn't make the Soloist a better deal.

[mattsmusiccenter]

suhr guitars are way to pricey. hell, you can get a u.s.a. soloist for a lower price than a suhr.

Have you played a Suhr?

[jaydog]

Have you played a Suhr?

yep, my friend has one it's a nice guitar but imo the soloist is just as good for a lower price.

[jaydog]

That doesn't make the Soloist a better deal.

yeah, lower price + perfect guitar (soloist)= better deal.

[Dreamland_Rebel]

i've never played anything that plays as good as a Suhr.
now if they would just make one with a cool looking headstock.

[HiOctane]

Have you played a Suhr?

I agree, the Suhrs are great guitars!

Comments on a few points:

I can't believe that anyone would play a Suhr and not admit that it was a quality guitar, even if it wasn't for them.

The prices on the Suhr Pro Series are pretty reasonable, even if they are more than some production USA Soloist models. Both are a good value and great axe. It's just a matter of preference.

I agree that basswood is soft, but while it might not be everyone's first choice, it does sound pretty darn good. I remember how many times I was amazed when guys used to just grab an Ibanez RG with a trem and maple/maple or maple/rosewood board, plug into a Marshall and it sounded great. Sure, it might not have been the perfect guitar, but for $500 bucks with Ibanez pickups and locking system, how could you go wrong when it sounded like that?

Also, MANY artists, such as Eddie Van Halen, John Petrucci, Joe Satriana, Steve Vai, Paul Gilbert, etc. have chosen basswood for their signature models. So since they can choose whatever they want, I take that as reasonable evidence that basswood is a viable tone option.

And I think that John Suhr and Tom Anderson offer all of the traditional body woods if you want them, at either no upcharge (alder, ash, etc.) or a small one for mahogany. So I would have to think that they wouldn't push basswood if they weren't believers in the tone. I know that my basswood Suhr convinced me after many years of resisting trying this particular wood.

Finally, regarding the original FR, John Suhr has defended the bridge for years, but to my knowledge they are now moving away from it because of quality issues and the fact that the Gotoh has a better radius (14') for their guitars. They are going to a lot of trouble to work on the CNC programming to make the change- and that costs money.

And if you look around, many of the Gotoh Floyd models sell for the same as an original FR. So I think it's not about saving money, but rather using what they think is the best product on their guitars.

[shreddermon]

I've never played a Suhr, but hear good things.

I ain't buying the OFR "QC" argument, though. The Gotoh may be a decent unit, but IMHO it's not even in the same league as the Original Floyd. I'm sure they will be cool, quality axes. But, IMHO, that's a lot of coin for a guitar with cheaper licensed-import hardware.

[hippietim]

I've never played a Suhr, but hear good things.

I ain't buying the OFR "QC" argument, though. The Gotoh may be a decent unit, but IMHO it's not even in the same league as the Original Floyd. I'm sure they will be cool, quality axes. But, IMHO, that's a lot of coin for a guitar with cheaper licensed-import hardware.

John Suhr has been made much mention of this on other forums. Are you questioning his honesty/integrity? My experience with Suhr is that he has always been a very straight shooter.

BTW, OFRs are imported too

[pott]

I played two Surhs... both unplugged.

AMAZING build quality. Very bright sounding. Not very loud accoustically though, and to me, lacking that thing that'd make me go 'wow'. In the UK they're over 5,000 bucks keep that in mind...I've played dead Schecters that impressed me more... I mean they were fantastic guitars and for all I know the magic happens when plugged in, but it wasn't as humbling a experience for me. They were the most expensive guitars I'd ever touched (I never played a PRS, Anderson or whatever guitar over 1,500 bucks).

[Endrik]

Suhr's are some of the best guitars ever.... they destroy Jacksons IMO

don't like the OFR to Gotoh thing though.... I think OFR is better than Gotoh in every way

[rjohnstone]

The Gotoh thing is my only complaint when you consider the cost factor.
Every Suhr I've played felt great. The build quality is spot on, but I think it some how cheapens the instrument when you put on a second rate trem.

If the OFR has "QC issues", then why not a Schaller?

I don't care for Gotoh trems, but that's my personal opinion of them.
I can see the radius thing being an issue and that it has been a common complaint among OFR users, but it can be dealt with by adding shims.

[shreddermon]

John Suhr has been made much mention of this on other forums. Are you questioning his honesty/integrity? My experience with Suhr is that he has always been a very straight shooter.

BTW, OFRs are imported too

Just because I don't agree with his statements, that means I'm calling him a liar? And I suppose because I don't prefer basswood like him, I must think he's really full of s**t?

And, no duh - OFRs are made by Schaller in Germany. As far as I'm concerned, the OFR unit is the "gold standard" of locking trems. I have NEVER had a problem with an OFR. The Gotoh isn't even in the same league.

[hippietim]

If the OFR has "QC issues", then why not a Schaller?

Schaller makes the OFR