Suhr Guitars Classic

- Classic Swamp Ash (full size strat shape)
- Maple neck with Pau Ferro board
- Even Slim C neck shape w/ 10"-14" radius
- Floyd Rose bridge
- 1.687" nut
- S/S/H EMGs w/5 way control

This guitar was amazingly darker and warmer than my first suhr which is a mahagony neck/body w/chambered maple top. The guitar is dead quiet w/the EMGs in a S/S/H configuration. Sweet looking and sounding guitar.

Action directly from the factory was great. Fit and Finish from the factory superb. I lowered the action just slightly. Now its pretty low w/no fret buzz. Frets were superbly finished. Just like my 1st Suhr.

This guitar is extremely solid. I took out to play live the first week I had it. Stayed in tune with no problems due to the superior Floyd Rose set up my Suhr. Truly seems 100% dependable. I replaced the stock oversized strap buttons w/schaller strap locks. However, I do that to all of my guitars as its easier to remove/put on the same strap from guitar to guitar. Live is where this guitar shines. EMGs were made for cutting through, being quiet and sounding great live. Studio and home playing will reveal the limits of the EMGs as they will not replicate the glassy, shimmering tones of a trule single coil or crisp bite of a classic PAF.

Email response from Ed Yoon at Suhr Guitars was always prompt and courteous. No contact yet for any warranty work, nor do I expect to need any warranty work done on either of my Suhrs.

I've been playing 21 years. I own another Suhr and 2 Les Pauls. I love all of them. I've played many guitars and Suhrs are simply the best and most consistent from the factory for set up and overall quality control. However, I truly love playing my Gibsons and always will. I still judge all guitars' playibility to my Gibsons. I'm still not sure if its Gibson's 24 3/4" scale and ability to get super low action. My Suhrs do not play easier due to the string tension being higher on the 25 1/2" scale neck, nor do my Suhrs have lower action. They are set equal. I would say if you are a true Strat or Tele fan, you will not find a better guitar for the money. I haven't played a Fender Custom Shop yet that compares to the sound, quality or playibility of my Suhrs.

2005, light alder, all single lpV60 pups with noise suppression circuit 5 way switch. Pretty standard.

I play neo-surf to blues, anyting rootsy or atmospheric. I put this through Keeley comp- Z Vex 2 in 1-Keeley mod TS808 reissue- keeley mod Boss BD-2- Line 6 modulation modeler- Line 6 DDL- out stereo to a Carr Rambler and Tone King Meteor II.

This guitar has a sweet, dark sound with total open clarity. The noise suppression makes it silent, yet preserves the clarity of true single coils. Other strat type guitars seem brassy after playing this one. I'm used to playing a chambered swamp ash Anderson T guitar, and suddenly that guitar sounds thin. The Suhr has a beautiful depth and nuance, with piano type sustain. I'm digging it totally!

Set up perfect, no buzz. Everything impeccible.

This is a very new guitar, but knowing Suhr, I'm not worried.

Always been great, this is my 3rd Suhr.

I've been playing 30 years, pro on and off. I have two anderson Atoms, both great, an Anderson Hollow T, and a '72 les paul deluxe I just picked up, a soulful piece of wood with a great slide tone. This Suhr is the best classic I've ever had. I'm not sure if the noise suppression changes the tone- it's not as bright as other classics, but I'm turning the tone down even more (wierd for me) because I'm loving the darker character, the harmonics, the sustain. Subtle harmonics just jump off the neck, it's a lively and complex beast, very resonant, smooth, and lively. I was nervous seeing that it was a 'light body option', but the reduced weight is a plus and the sustain and tone are sublime. The only reason I give it a 9 not a 10 is that it's a pricey guitar, but I have no regrets and I'd buy another if stolen.

I think this guitar was made in 2004. Made in USA. 22 frets. One piece swamp ash body - 2 tone sunburst(John Suhr does THE best sunbursts) with a "Big V" maple neck. Most of the Classics I have seen are around 7.5lbs. This one is 7.8 lbs. I used to really want super-light guitars, but I think Mr. Suhr has realized that most of the best sounding guitars sit in the medium to medium-light weight range. I agree! The contoured hand cutaway is great. One of the tone controls operates on the bridge pickup - which is great! (these are the excellent sounding Low Peak Strat pickups). Stainless 6105 frets - there is no downside to stainless steel frets. S-S-S pickup configuration. 1088 Gotoh bridge. No string trees - the tuners are staggered - great for staying in tune! I'll give it a 9 for features - a utilitarian Strat type guitar but with a few excellent tweeks.

This guitar sits in traditional Strat territory tonally. I compared it to a real 1956 Strat - all original - and the Suhr was a little more articulate, had way better "notch" position tones, and had a very interesting, slightly overwound bridge pickup that was "just different" than the bridge sound on the '56 - not better or worse.. The Low Peak pickups that JS offers are killer. Very, very balanced across the audio spectrum. I have had alot of vintage gear. The aforementioned '56 Strat was always a benchmark of tone - and this Suhr is the ONLY Strat style guitar that I can honestly say sounds BETTER! I really am glad that there is a reasonably priced alternative to the very expensive vintage gear. No question - 10 out of 10 for sound!!!

Totally impecable quality! The "56 V neck is so comfortable - and - as you may have heard, not huge, but just comfortably large. The 6105 stainless frets are great! Normally, I like the biggest frets possible, and the 6105 stainless frets are not quite as wide but just as high as the 6100s - and they are fabulous for bends. Stainless wears better and is more slippery than traditional nickel - there is just no down side to this material! My only niggle is the 1088 bridge - the strings receed into the steel block enough to make quick string changes on the gig in low light difficult for a string breaker like me. But this is a very minor point. Some drips of clear coat in the trem cavity - but we're not supposed to have that cover off - are we? All in all, a very, very well built and set up instrument!!!

Super-high quality boutique guitar. 10.

John Suhr sent me a free replacement part when I ruined a metal part on the guitar due to my own stupidity - fiddling!... would Fender do this... don't think so!!! THE BEST!!!

I have been playing for 30 years and have been through all manner of vintage guitars and amps. Possibly 300-400 guitars! Is it just my evolution as a player or are we just entering a time when the boutique guitars actually surpass the vintage ones - and with the vibe and mojo too? The Suhr Classic would be the one guitar that I could gig on for life. And it has all the tone, feel, vibe, and mojo of any vintage Strat. This is such a balanced sounding, resonant, ballsy, articulate axe!!! I would replace it in a heartbeat if it were stolen. I've had a few Anderson Strats, and they are superb, but (just!)slightly more modern in tone and feel. The Suhr really is the evolution of the vintage vibe. I have a few Fender Strats - vintage and Custom Shop... and they are great, but there is a subtle improvement with the Suhr. If you want the name, the headstock, the cache... take the Fender! If you want the feel, the tone, the versatility... take the Suhr!!! The Suhrs are consistent enough that you are less likely to get a dud with the Suhr. All of JS's neck profiles are very comfortable and there are a half dozen or so choices - so try to play the different necks - or perhaps pick from the descriptions... but I digress... I'll give the Suhr Classic a 10!

Body Wood : Basswood

Body Option : Flame Maple Top

Neck Wood : Maple w Indian Rose

Neck Back Shapes : 60's C Vintage Standard .810-.930 10"-14" R

Nut : Tusq

Frets : 6105 SS

Bridge : Standard Trem (Steel Block)

Nut Width 1.687

Hardware Color : Chrome

Gears : Sperzel Locking

Pickguard : No Pickguard - Rear Rout

Electronics : Volume, Tone, 5-way

Input Jack : Side Jack

Knobs : Chrome

Neck Pickup : JST V60's Single Coil LP - Black

Middle Pickup : JST V60's Single Coil LP - Black

Bridge Pickup : JST DSH Humbucker _ Black

Finish : Trans Teil / Black Back

Paint Options : Painted Headstock Black

Case : Custom Hardshell Form-Fit Case

String Gauge : .010-.046

Buzz Feiten tuning system

Sound is subjective but it'd be hard to believe that anyone wouldn't love the sound of this guitar. Suhr makes probably some of the best pickups as well. The single coils on this guitar are sweet and clear...not bright and tinny like a lot of others out there. Probably one of the best single coil pickups out there. The single coils have a warm, fat tone without sounding overly bright and harsh..not at all edgy. The humbucker is just what you'd expect...louder and punchier than the single coils but also with superb definition. Overall, spectacular sound !!!
Finally, I'd like to add that this is probably one of the only guitars I've played that actually has a useable tone control. Turn it half-way down and it just takes some of the top-end off of the sound but leaves the rest of the tone intact. None of that muffled sound that you usually find with typically guitar tone controls. This circuit is perfect !!!

The action on the neck is probably the most consistent you will find...much better than any production guitar. The action is consistently low across the fretboard from high to low strings and from the first fret to the 22nd fret. String bending is flawless and easy, fast runs are effortless.
There is no fret rattle or buzz except for the open low E...I think the nut was cut a little too low for this string and there's also a medium amount of buzzing as you work your way up to about the 4th or 5th fret on the low E string. Oh well. Should have been perfect but this can be repaired.
Still, the neck is very fast and smooth. Overall, it is very warm sounding and there's no fret rattle or buzz. This is a guitar conniseur's neck. Very, very different experience from playing a production guitar.
The fretwork overall on this Suhr Classic is as close to perfect as you can get.

I would imagine this guitar would hold up well under normal playing situations. Harware and wood is top notch quality. Hard rock maple neck, Indian rosewood fretboard, basswood body with flame maple top. Solid steel tremolo, Sperzel locking tuners, etc. All components are top quality.

Haven't dealt with Suhr Guitar Company but I've read stellar things about them so I have absolutely no worries should something go wrong with the guitar.

Incredible instrument...really worth the money. If you're in the market for a Custom Shop guitar, whether it be a Tom Anderson, Fender Custom Shop, Paul Reed Smith, James Tyler, Melancon, etc...you owe it to yourself to try out a John Suhr guitar. Compared to other makers, they are actually quite reasonably priced for the quality that you get. A similar guitar from Fender, Anderson, Tyler could have easily cost me anywhere from $500 to $1000+ more. I would not hesitate to purchase another John Suhr guitar. In fact, I plan on purchasing a few more over the coming months.
By the way, I also own several Fender Custom Shop Strats, a couple of Ibanez Prestige RG3120 models, a G&L S-500, and a couple Fender American Deluxe Strats. The Suhr Classic is the most consistent in terms of quality and construction, though my Fender Custom Shop Contemprary Strat ( designed by John Suhr !!! No wonder !!! ) and my Ibanez RG3120 come pretty close. I also have a Fender Custom Shop Classic Player Strat which is quite nice but doesn't sound as good as the Suhr.

2003 John Suhr Classic- 22 frets, 5-way selector,3 single coils LP John Suhr, alder body, rosewood fingerboard, sperzel tuners, strat style

Blues style, played through evil fender twin and/or mesa boogie maverick. I'm blown away by this guitar. It has sustain forever and it comes from the guitar- this is the most resonant acoustic quality guitar I have ever played. It has many piano-like sounds, excellent balance, clarity, and balance. The pickups are great- perfect for blues guitar.

Flat-out perfect. This is the guitar- I love it so much I have thought about having two although I don't know why I would need another one.

This guitar is very solid. Extremely dependable.

I have been playing for twenty years. I am a strat man. Sorry Fender but outstrats a strat ( I know that is not a word) but it conveys the message. Just a rdicolous guitar that makes you want to play. You are the man Mr. Suhr. Thank you.

Brand new made in Lake Elsinore, CA in 2005.I Bought the guitar From Boston Guitar (great people).
Ash body with see through 'Mary Kaye'type finish
One piece Birds Eye Maple neck (Soft V - very comfortable)The neck is a compund 10-12 radius which makes it a dream to play compared to the 7.25 on my vintage strat.
22 Medium Frets
Gold Hardware
5-way pickup switch V-T-T
2nd tone is for the bridge pickup
Pickups are John Suhr's Hand wound 54's (Awesome)
Came complete with a custom fitted, very high quality case.
It's a Strat which doesn't have tons of 'features'therefore I gave it a '9'. The attention to detail that Suhr put into this guitar with each of it's features probably deserves a '10', however. The guitar is a beautifully made and set up instrument. It plays perfectly out of the box. Great neck plays clean everywhere, no buzzing. The sustain is incredible. I also own a 1961 hardtail strat. This guitar sustains much better and is louder acoustically (in part becasue of the Ash body)

I play mostly Blues and Blues/Rock. This guitar is perfect. The guitar has a bright, fat sound. I was surpised at how fat the sound was for ash/maple. The natural brightness of the guitar is great. I've been playing with the tone control on about 6 or 7 for a really warm sound but I can dial in more or less brightness very easily. I'm playing with a Victoria Low power Twin 2x12 and practice at home through a Fender Blues Jnr. I also use a Fulldrive 2 and Deluxe Clyde Wah.The pickups on the guitar have a very small amount of noise which is correct for a vintage style hand wound single coil pickup. BTW - The pickups sound fantastic. You can get all of the classic sounds out of this guitar with the 5-way. The sound is every bit as good as my 1961 strat, if not better but with much better playability.

Perfect setup
Perfect pickup balance
Flawless
A+++

I have not played live with this yet but it's a strat and seems very solid. Hardware etc. - solid.

I called John Suhr a couple of times with questions before ordering the guitar. I was very surprised that he a)talked with me on the phone b)was very helpful and patient. Try talking to someone at Fender!!! The guitar is new and therefore has not needed any repair. From my conversations with John Suhr, I'm positive that they will take care of the customer.

I have been playing for over 20 years. I currently own a 1961 hardtail strat, 3 custom made 'Master' guitars. My amps are 1)Victoria Low Power Twin 2) Fender Blues Jnr. Not only would I buy another one of these guitars if it were lost or stolen, I'm considering selling the 1961 strat and buying 2 more right now! Of all the Strats I've played over the years John Suhr makes the best playing, best sounding guitar for the money, period. For me as a player I just don't see the point paying $5,8,000 for a beat up 'players' quality vintage strat with issues when you can get one (or 2) of these.

This one is a Left-Handed 2004 Suhr Classic made in the USA. It is a swamp ash body with a 22 fret maple neck. The pick-ups are two V60LP's and one SSV humbucker. The finish is two-tone sunburst. It has the strat body style with a Gotoh 1088 tremelo bridge, Sperzel tuners and 6105 SS fret wire. The neck is standard C size. Also came with a form fit case. Volume and two tone knobs. Basic...but all you need.

I play rock and blues style guitar and this fits the bill perfectly. I play thru a BadCat Hot Cat 30R amplifier. The guitar just forms to your body. It's like a third arm. The guitar just sings when you play it. It's the best I have ever owned. You can dial in just about anything. The harmonics come alive!

The fit and finish is perfect. No flaws and No complaints.

I've owned a few real nice guitars. I don't see any problems with this one. This is a quality built machine.

I've never dealt with the company but everyone says Johns the man and I believe it.

I've been playing now for 27 years. I've owned PRS, Gibson and Fender top of the line instruments and this on is the BEST. I can't seem to put it down. I will be ordering another in the future. Probably the Classic T next.

This is a 2004 Classic with the 3 tone burst finish, Alder body, Maple neck with Brazilian Rosewood fret board, 60's "C" Vintage Medium neck, 10-14" radius, Tusq Nut, 6105 stainless steel frets, Chrome hardware, Aged Green pickguard and knobs and 3 JST V60's LP single coil pickups. It also came with a custom hardshell case.

This guitar is an absolute dream to play. I play mostly blues and contemporary Christian music and it fits that particular style perfectly. Right now I am playing a Fender Deluxe Reverb amp with the following effects. Boss TU-2 tuner, Aramat Green Machine overdrive, Fulltone Fulldrive 2, Homebrew Power Screamer, Jekyll & Hyde into a Boss DD-3 delay. The V60 LP pickups sounds full and articulate when played either clean or with overdrive/distortion. The 5-way switch and blend control add to the combinations available as you can add the bridge pickup to the neck and vise-versa as needed. I couldn't be happier!!

When I recieved the guitar I was pleasantly surprised when I opened the case. The 3 tone burst finish was beautiful and the fit of the neck and fret work was superb. It comes standard with the Buzz Feiten tuning system which I really like. The action was perfect, with no buzz or problems found anywhere.

This is a very high end guitar and is built to the highest of standards. I do not expect to have any problems and should see years of playing pleasure with this instrument. The strap buttons are slightly oversized and very solid.

I have e-mailed Suhr several times as the guitar was being built and I always got a response within 24 hours. E-mails were always friendly and informational. Couldn't be happier

I've been playing for 20 years and this guitar is as good as anything I've ever owned. I currently have a David Thomas McNaught Vintage Double Cut as my second guitar. I've played several Fender Custom Shop Strats and this guitar is as good or better than any I've played. I would purchase another Suhr Classic immediately if something were to happen to this guitar.

This is a 2004 with alder body, maple neck with brazilian rose fingerboard, even C medium 10"-14"R, tusq nut, heavy frets, a 1088 bridge, Gotoh Kluson tuners, 3 Suhr V60's single coil pickups with volume, tone-neck and middle, and tone-bridge controls. The finish is the stunning ocean turquiose metallic.
Came with a custom form-fit case, 2 allen wrenches, fret protector the dealer sheet, and some instructions for tuning with the Buzz Feiten tuning system.

I'm playing this into the following: Peterson Strobostomp > Fulltone Clyde wah > Fulltone Mini Deja-Vibe > Fulltone Fulldrive 2 > Digitech Digidelay into a Fender Blues Jr amp.
The sound is simply my dream come true. I find it to have a warm sound which i prefer, and i love the fact that the bridge pickup has it's own tone knob. I usually leave that around 5, and the other tone knob is at 6 or 7 for clean sounds, and 7 or 8 for the overdrive sounds. I vary the volume knob during the course of playing, and it definitely reacts to subtle changes. For soloing, i prefer the sound of just a single coil, and all three have their own distinct voices, and are usable. The 2 middle positions are great for clean sounds when you want a little less bite.
The guitar is so well-constructed that it just seems to "sing" when played, something i've never experienced with any other guitar. I actually had to get used to how resonant it was, and refine my string dampening technique when i first got it.
The pickups are quiet, but they are single coils, so depending on the wiring of where you are playing, as well as other factors, don't expect dead silence. A little hum never bothered me anyway.
I don't use a pick, just my fingers, and the guitar is extremely responsive to dynamics, and nuance, which are the things i strive for at this stage in my playing.
Also, i must state that i'm not trying to get someone else's sound, so i can't tell you how well it does Hendrix or SRV or whoever.
The pickups also don't seem to be high-output, but personally i prefer that, as i like to let the amp do it's job without being overpowered.
I do notice a difference with the Feiten tuning system, but others do not, so that's an individual preference.

I bought this guitar off of ebay, but it was basically brand new. Coing from the seller's climate controlled home to my humid, hot apartment i'm sure affected it, but it still palyed great when i got it. The neck is the most comfortable i've ever played. There was a slight buzz on the g string around the 9th fret, and after a couple of weeks, there was some buzzing on the 2 higher strings too. I took it to my local tech, who did a setup, and it plays fine now, although there is still the slightest buzz on the g string. Keep in mind that i use my fingers when i play, and play hard, so that has a big affect on things.
The fretwork seems fine, but what do i know about these things? My tech seemed impressed, and he works on $25,000 D'Angelico guitars. The bridge stays in tune extremely well, but i use the vibrato bar subtly, not for dive-bombing or science-fiction sounds.
The finish was immaculate, and is one of the nicest colors i've ever seen. There are a couple of slight gaps where the pickguard (it's a single ply) meets the body of the guitar, i don't know if this is normal or not, but i expected there to be no gaps on a guitar of this quality and price.

Suhr instruments are pure quality, through and through, from the materials used to the construction and playability. I have no doubt that this guitar will last me the rest of my life should i choose to keep it that long.

Suhr is the example by which i judge all other companies. John Suhr personally answered questions i had when i first got the guitar, and is continually answering questions and interacting with people on his website. If all companies treated their customers the way Suhr does, there would be no such thing as poor customer service.

I've been playing for over 25 years, and i finally decided to make the leap to a high-end instrument in the quest for musical expression. I am glad i chose Suhr. I hope to someday be able to afford to order one straight from the company with all of my exact specs built in.

This is a 2004 model. It has a Humbucker in the bridge, and 2 single coils in the neck and middle positions. The Bridge humbucker is the DSH+ and the neck and middle single coils are the V60's. It has a five way switch. Frets are Jumbo stainless steel. Neck is the "C slim" shape. Fretboard is Brazilian rosewood, Body is made out of alder, and the neck is Mahognay. Tuners are Schaller. Suhr logo is done in Abalone, and so are the fret and side markers.Color is shell pink with a MOP pickguard.

I play primarily modern rock. I needed a guitar with single coils for more versatility, but I wanted the guitar to have a more "modern, hot rodded" tone, as opposed to a traditional strat. I chose the Alder body to add more mids, and the mahogany neck to darken/soften the tone.
I am playing the guitar through a Bogner Shiva El34 reverb head, through a DrZ Zbest cab loaded with a Celestion greenbakc, and a Vintage 30. As for effects, I use an Analog Man Clone chorus, Dunlop Wah, Analog man Silver modded Ods1, and a Boss Bf2 Flanger.
The guitar sounds wonderful through my rig....Rich and full....Tons of balls for a strat. The Single coils have lots of punch and bite. The Humbucker also has a great deal of power....It's a loud pickup.Perfect for the type of music I'm playing. The Humbucker also has a coil tap, so I can split it, and have it sound like a single coil if I desire. The guitar has wonderful definition and clarity. Chords really ring out, and the clean tones with a little bit of chorus really shimmer through my rig. The guitar is also very quiet.
My only gripe is that the Bridge pickup (humbucker) tends to be a little bright. This has been remedied by turning the bass settings up on my amp, and tweaking the tone control.
I should also add that this guitar has lots of sustain for a strat. I could play this guitar unplugged, and it still resonates like crazy.

The guitar arrived flawless. My only gripe is that the axe was shipped with Elixir strings. I'm not a fan of coated strings, and don't care for how they sound....So I restrung/set up the guitar on my own with D'addario 11-52, and I was much happier.
The paint job was stunning! Frets were all even, and again, Just perfect in this regard!

This guitar is very well built. Hardware is top notch, as is the overall build quality. Strap buttons are solid, and I feel like I can depend on this guitar. I would never use ANY guitar on a gig without a backup though....been there, done that, bought the T-shirt.

John Suhr is a class act, and was very helpful and patient when I emailed with questions! Superior customer service!!! I feel that they truly care about making the customer happy.

I've been playing 10 years, and I gig 2-3 times per week with my band. I own 14 guitars total, mostly PRS, Bakers, a Mcnaught, and a Hamer. I previously owned a Don Grosh strat, a Fender Custom Shop Strat, but sold both as I felt the tones were too thin. My purpose in ordering this guitar was to build a "modern sounding" strat with a rich, full tone. A "strat on steroids" so to speak. I feel like I got what I wanted. I also played some Tom Andersons..... These were also very fine guitars, but I liked the Suhr pickups better.
I like the light weight, and easy playability of this guitar. If it was lost/stolen I'd replace it in a heartbeat. It is a versatile axe that can also nail some nice vintage Stevie Ray type tones as well.
My only gripe is that the bridge pickup is a bit bright...Not harsh, just bright, but I can live with it, as it is tweakable through the amp/tone control on the guitar.