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.

This guitar is your basic Strat configuration: alder body in olympic white, maple neck w/rosewood fingerboard 10-14" compound radius neck, 6100 frets, vintage standard neck, sperzel locking tuners, and three V60-LP single coil pickups. There is something else that makes John's strats special: he uses a super switch instead of the standard pickup selector. On top of allowing you to make custom wiring jobs, this switch is set up to give you the bottom tone pot 100% dedicated to the bridge pickup on position 5, and the middle tone pot to positions 1,2,3 & 4. This is very cool, because normally the bridge pickup by itself is too bright. So you can really tame it very effectively with this configuration, without having to reset the tone once you go back to the 4 position (middle/bridge). I added a DPDT mini switch that also allows me to get the series connection of the brige/middle and neck/middle, effectively making a mid-boost without any batteries, and without losing my 5 basic strat tones. The guitar is very well built as well. The fret job is awesome, the neck pocket has a perfect fit, and the electronics and shielding are very well executed. It is a superb value for the money. A Fender Custom shop of this quality would set you back $5k for this quality. I have to other Suhr?s with slightly different configurations, and they are all super well built and sound great. I would give it a 10 if it had more stuff to it, but I really did not want a guitar full of gitzmos, I wanted a classic strat!

The combination of roswood fingerboard and Alder gives me a very, very balanced sound. I love the snap of the alder body, that mellows up a bit the high end with the rosewood fingerboard. It is a great combination that gives snap with smoothness to the tone. And those V60-LP pickups are superb. They have a FAT tone, very vintage sounding, a bit more gutsy than a standard Fender pickup. The guitar has the typical single coil hum, but it is definetly quieter than other single coil guitars I've had. It is well wired and shielded, which makes it a quiet intrument. I added the mini-switch, giving me those two extra fat neck and bridge sounds. It is very cool, because the tone retains its charachter, but it is an 80% noise cancelling sound, and it there is a noticeable boost in volume and mid range tone. Very cool because it does not require electronics, batteries or crap, and it still has my classic 5 sounds at the flick of a switch.

I believe this is one of the things that sets John Suhr's guitars head and shoulders over a lot of stuff out there: the finish, fret dressing, setup, electronics, neck pocket, etc. It is superb execution on the build quality and attention to detail. I think it is essentially the quality of a master built custom shop guitar at a far more reasonable price (about 50% less). However they are not inexpensive. I just feel that it is worth what you pay for it.

I think only time will tell, but the guitar is very well built, better so than many other boutique guitars and big brand custom shop ones. It odes feel very solid and well assembled.

I have found that John is very accessible and replies to emails quickly, with full information. Now how cool is that the owner cares enough to answer his own email? I can also see very good communication between the dealers and him. I think that this guy really cares about what he sells, and wants to maintain a certain high standard for quality and it shows.

I have been playing on and off for gees... 25 years? I have seen quite a bit of instruments and owned a whole bunch. These guitars are all keepers, and they are made to play. They look really sharp, but these guitars all scream to be played. They have a lot of mojo. The combination of woods, pickups and craftsmanship just set it apart from the crowd. I owned several Fender Custom shop guitars, and I have sold them ALL to get Suhrs. That is how much I like them. I would definetly buy another one if something happened to it. As a matter if fact,I have another one coming in in the next few days. Great instrument and value for money.

This is about as standard a strat style guitar as you can get:
- 3 tone burst
- 3 single coils
- alder body
- custom neck wood (mahogany) and head stock (maple)
etc.

The options available on this guitar are extensive, I wanted the classic strat and that's what I got. The thing is that I've been through this process ordering a Private Stock guitar at PRS that was literally 6 times as expensive and they didn't get the details right.
With Suhr, the attention to details is extraordinary.

This guitar sounds like the strat I imagined in my head for years. I've had a bunch of strats over the last 25 years and none of them has ever quite matched my expectations. That is a lot of buying and selling to get to something that is readily available now from Suhr.

- piano like detail
- bright but not strident
- incredible tonal range

This is the first guitar I've had, strat or otherwise, that I use the tone controls to any real extent. Using combinations of tone settings you can go from twang to violin-like singing tone just changing the pickup selection.

When I got the guitar it didn't play or sound like I expected it to. Apparently, having been assembled and set-up in the California desert made it susceptible to the damp east coast climate.

The folks at Alpha Music (H.L.(sales), Walter (tech)) set the guitar up beautifully at my request. What a difference! Bends sustain sweetly and sing into light feedback with high gain. This guitar is so responsive and pleasant to play that I've been using it for hours a day. Just a hint for anyonw who has heard these guitars vary in tone and playability, check the set-up!

Finally, this is the most perfect instrument in terms of fit and finish I have ever seen or played. For reference, I own 2 private stock PRSs.

Built like a tank!

Although I ordered through a dealer, John Suhr called me at home to talk about his plans for the guitar and what kind of playing and sound I was interested in.

John makes the impossible look easy. He is an incredible inspiration to mere mortals like me. He is a great guitar player, builder for the likes of Mark Knoffler and Scott Henderson, highly regarded amp designer and builder, Fender Master builder and very successful Luthier.

His atention to detail and thorough understanding of the electric guitar make his instruments worthy of the virtuosos who chose them.

I've been playing for 30 years I've played strats 6 nights a week for years, this one is the best I've owned.

I would be interested in what John's humbucker equiped guitars can do.

This is a swamp ash, one piece maple neck model. The neck
is super comfy, its a "60's Vintage Slim." Very awesome satin finish. The frets are the BEST I have ever seen,felt,or played on.
They are #6105 stainless steel. Sperzel locking tuners; no tuning
problems.Incredible guitar folks. Beautiful lake placid blue. The
TONE of this thing is the best Ive ever heard in a guitar. It has two
single coil V60 low peak single coils and an incredible humbucker,the JST DSV. (double screw vintage)These pickups
are just righteous,they come from John Suhr's shop I think.
Look at his website,lots of info.

Ok...I cant imagine where to begin.This thing is so resonant you
can play it and you feel like you are playing an acoustic.Now
plugging it in is like jumping on a musical racehorse. Notes
sustain forever. The sound can go any way you want. Piano and
bell like tones just come out with ease. This has a 5-way switch
and a tone control for the neck/middle pickups as well as a tone
for the bridge. The clean tones can be bluesy,jazzy,classical,
whatever you want to play. Same applies to the distortion. I can
use the neck for the awesome bluesy or Hendrix type sounds.
The other combinations are staggering.Like Eric Johnson?
This thing will deliver those tones ,PERIOD. Put on the bridge
position and you have a stradivarius or a crunch machine.

The action is PERFECT. There is a compound radius,11-14 inch. That allows for ultimate comfort and optimal bending
capabilities. The neck wood is a plain grain maple. Awesome
looks,feel and sound. The bridge was perfectly intonated.
There is a contoured cut where the neck bolts to the body. More
comfortable. Oh,this neck fits in the pocket perfect. Never seen
so good of a fit. The bridge is all stainless steel with a steel block . Awesome looks! Awesome looks!!

This thing was OBVIOUSLY built to be played. The finish is
perfect. It seems to be verythin and hard. Not a cellulose finish;
much better.HARD and BEAUTIFUL. What a combination. Everything is great,the strap buttons are a bit bigger than normal
too.

To be sure,this has been the most pleasing experience I've ever
had with a company. John Suhr is very nice,very professional.
Answered my questions with patience. The best advice I could
give someone is to really read the information on his website.
Just a ton of useful information.

Wonderful. Far exceeded my expectations.Wow. I bought this
guitar "blind" without ever playing it. Would I buy it again? Lets
just say that I will definitely be looking to get ANOTHER one.
Tremendously great stuff here folks. I cant say enough good things about this guitar.This is a 10 for sure all the way.

2000, strat type body, 22 frets, 5 way,tone,vol. ,2pc alder, no top, map neck, rosewood, suhr vint style trem, even c, hvy frets. passive suhr singles, locking tuners. you can get almost anything you want I've heard.

Pretty nice thru a bogner, a little noisey, thinnish sounding, tinny , Ice pick in the ears until you play with tone and amp, nice quack in combo positions, with tweaking I can get some nice sounds out of it. may have to change pick ups, unless the wood is just to thin sounding. nice attack, average sustain, strings buzz. To be fair, the action is low, but not extremely low, so maybe buzz is something that one must live with. bzzzzz Bzzzzz feiten system is great- The ratings on suhrs in here seem a little inflated, nice guitar, but not necessarily something sent down from the heavens.

action medium low, set up fine, havent examined it 100% but looks good, space between the pickguard and the body at one point between 2 screws ( a small thing, but this is not acceptable for this caliber of guitar) , will follow up upon further inspection.

Can't predict how sturdy and durable, but I would expect it to be solid, it's a high end guitar, seems like it would last.

friendy, but the company is apparently so under staffed or swamped that the completion time needs to be muliplied by 4 to get close. Waiting is fine, but they should be honest about delivery dates at the outset. That said, it's a pretty nice instrument, so check them out, and don't hold your breath.

playing for 14 years, have owned fenders, grosh, anderson, prs, gibson,taylor etc.. If I were to get another suhr, I would look at what is at a store, play it and buy one if I find a good one, just like you do with any other guitar. Generally happy with the guitar except for the thin sound, but my expectations were inflated due to the hype and over-the-top, unrealistic ratings. Most high end luthiers are in the same balpark quality-wise, they all make good ones, average ones, and not so great ones.

2001 Suhr Classic
21 heavy frets
1 vol, 2 tones with a push pull pot to put the bridge on in any position (this is a killer option!!)
3 VT 60's (rockin pick ups)
Feather Weight Alder body with Brazilian Rosewood Fretboard
Metalic Tiel (looks like Lake placid Blue)
Fishman steel Tremolo
Kluson stagered tuners
Mother of Pear Pickgaurd

OH MY GOD!!! I played a bunch of suhrs and they were all different. This one is a jem with amazing tone. YOU CAN NOT TOUCH THIS SOUND!! John Surh is the man! The tone options range from Classic strat to twangy Tele to jazzy hollow body. Just play with the controls, they really do something on this guitar. I would not change a thing it was perfect out of the case.

Excellent, great atention to detail and flawless paint. Playablity is perfect. Fret job is the best I have ever seen.

Everything is top of the line...a lifetime investment

Its like the guy lives next door. Very available and willing to help

This has to be one of the finest instruments ever made. Tone Tone Tone and more tone. If you can't find it here in a Strat or Tele it does not exist. The optional Electronics upgrade is a MUST HAVE. This adds sooooooo much to the sound its not even explainable. This guitar and a BF super reverb and look out. A match made in heaven. Worth every cent I paid!

Strat style Alder body, even contour C-Medium size maple neck with Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard, 22 6105 frets, Sperzel locking tuners, 5-way slider, volume-tone-tone knobs with pull knob for outside combo, two V60's and one JST Bucker for the S-S-H pickup configuration, faded vintage burst. Custom vintage style bridge with the Buzz Feiten tuning system. All the features you could ever want from a modern-vintage guitar.

I play blues, fusion, rock, alternative and everything in between. The Suhr Classic goes to an Ernie Ball Volume pedal then to a rack containing a Fulltone FullDrive 2, Fulltone Ultimate Octave, Fulltone ChoralFlange, and a Voodoo Lab MicroVibe. My Dr. Z MAZ18 Jr. pumps out the tone! I also have a Tom Anderson Classic, which I demoted to back-up. I play gigs and do studio work.

This baby sings! I performed an exhaustive 4-month bench test of all the guitars I wanted to own next. It came down to Anderson, Grosh, and Suhr, but it didn't take me long to decide on a Suhr. It has all the vibe of a classic with very exacting tolerances in both fit and design unseen in any Fender (vintage or new, custom or mass produced). Suhr designed a strat body larger than those of his competitors, which accounts for the massive tone this thing generates. I love thick necks, but this one doesn't feel slow or sluggish like many big neck guitars I've tried. I can perform silky fast fusion runs and big bend antics all on the same neck!

Let's talk electronics. The two single coil V60s and JST Bucker humbucker speak volumes. The 1, 2 and 3 positions create my favorite strat sounds. Punchy, sparkly, smooth and shimmery all come to mind when using the different V60 positions. Never harsh, never mush. Now, go to position 5 (all JST Bucker) and stomp on your favorite overdrive, fuzz, or distortion pedal... what a "screamer"! Oh the sustain, drive, and blessed tone!! Never got such a rewarding response from my fuzz and overdrive pedals before! And that's not to say the V60s lack response, all the pickups are awesome!

Think of all the great strat tones you love, and the Suhr Classic will make them a reality when coupled with a great amp. I know nothing is perfect, but to my ears, it is!

Suhr had very exacting tolerances, which enables the sound from the guitar to resonate from the head all the way down to the tail piece. The paint job looks like the waters of Pugent Sound at sunset, smooth as glass. Solid and true, everything about the way the people at Suhr put this baby together says "I care"!

This instrument will be handed down from generation to generation, it's built to last many life-times.

I never gig without a back-up... let's face it, strings do break from time to time.

I hear John Suhr lives for great customer service. The people at Atlanta Music Brokers were just awesome in helping me get this guitar. Ask for Tim Nicols or Jon Whitley, they'll take care of you! www.atlantamusicbrokers.com

I've been playing for 22 years, and have went through Charvels, Gibsons and Fenders. I have a Zion Custom Maple and an Anderson Classic... the Suhr Classic blows them all away in terms tone, playability and overall vibe. I would definately get another regardless if this one got stolen or not!

Made in California early 2001. Standard strat-type controls and pick up configuration with JST V60's. Ash body, maple neck with african rosewood fretboard, 60's C vintage medium neck, Sperzel tuners, 1005 trem bridge with solid saddles. Heavy frets. Strat style body in a very sexy fiesta red. Pretty much standard strat style hardware setup(my favorite). I will give this category a "10" not because it has a lot of bells and whistles (stoopid switches and knobs) but what it does have is perfect.

Suits my bastardized blues rock funk style to a "T" (or "S"). I play through a VHT Pitbull and Dr. Z Maz 38 mostly and sometimes through grungy old smaller Blackfaces. The sound is perfect. Very straty with a tad less high end shrillness. Hard to describe, round, full and rich with excellent balance. The 2 and 4 cluck positions are to die for. I am basically a strat lover (have two Custom Shops that I love dearly) with an occasional foray into LP, Explorer and tele territory. This is the sound. Gorgeous strat tone, chimey yet full. And the sustain is stupendous, bolt-on's aren't supposed to sustain like this. It sustains forever. WOW!

Perfect, all I can say, perfect. String height, PUP height, everthing. I am afraid to alter even the slightest thing because if I could express how I like my guitars set up this would be it. The african rosewood neck feels so good as does the lightly varnished maple neck. The tolerances on the assembly are gnat's butt close. Astounding. The fiesta red finish is perfect. The whole guitar exudes such a sexy tactile perfection. Suhr has captured my feel. Cool.

This thing is a rock. With these manufacturing (crafting) standards my sons or grandsons will be fighting over this when I've departed. The only reason you would need a backup is if someone stole it.

Haven't dealt with them yet but I do intend to call John Suhr just to express my appreciation of his work. All craftsmen need that don't they?

I traded another Suhr back in on this one (just not my style of guitar, neck too thin) and Eddie Berman was a Prince. If there was a review category for salesmen Eddie would be "10's" all over. I've playing since dirt was rock (pro, semi-pro and just at home depending on phase of life) and I have owned or played just about everything out there and in the past ten years have gravitated to Strats. This Suhr is a notch above, don't get me wrong, I absolutely love my Custom Shop strats and they are excellent faithful recreations of '50's and '60's classics but this Suhr goes them one better. No buzzes, no fret noise, better tuning, and slightly better workmanship which is saying alot since these CS strats are near perfect. This guitar is the one. I realize I sound like a gushing teenager here but this Suhr is really something.

Purchased online from Alpha Music in Virginia. Made December 2000, 22 fret, alder classic. Has a 56 big "V" neck, maple with african rosewood fingerboard. Sperzel locking tuners, 6105 tall frets, and 3 V60LP single coils. Bottom line, everything anyone would want in a classic looking, playing, and sounding strat. Came with a G&G hardshell case.

I have always been a strat man, have owned several including a mid 80's standard (Junk), a late 80's 57RI, and custom hacked thing I built out of spare parts. I only have the RI now, along with a PRS Custom. Playing through a mesa heartbreaker, and a handful of fulltone stuff. I was looking for a killer strat sound without all of the drawbacks of the real thing, mainly poor craftsmanship. I was tired of pulling every strat off the wall at the dealer only to find that each had odd problems and quirks. The 1 out of 10 thing didn't work for me. I took a shot on the Suhr having never played one, which I would typically would never do, but i'm glad I did. The eternal search is over. If you are looking for the utimate strat sound, this is the holy grail. Has everything the 57RI has and tons more. This thing is in a completely different league. Know anyone who wants a 57RI? The V60LP's have the perfect vintage vibe, without sounding dead or weak. The acoustics are unbelievable, can you say belltone. The sound jumps out of this thing, very resonant with tons of sustain. Tone out the wazzoo. Best sounding and playing guitar I've ever seen, hands down.

Setup with a medium action (.010-.046) out of the case. Took me a day to get used to but I'm glad I didnt lower it. Plays easier than my PRS with extremely low action. Wish I had it set up for .11's, plays so easy it feels like i'm playin 8's. I must say, the thing about this guitar is the neck. If you are a fan of "V" necks, you have to play one of these. Perfection. Straight as an arrow, no buzz, perfect fret height and dressing. Craftsmanship, finish, playability all A+++++.

Hasn't been on a gig yet, don't foresee any problems. Seems solid as a rock. Another bonus, huge strap buttons, a definite plus. No backup needed.

Had some questions for John about the differences between the standard V60PU and the V60LP. The LP has more of a vintage vibe, not as bright, with tons of character. He responded quickly with answers to my questions. Seems like a nice guy who definitely knows his stuff, takes pride in his craft, and is willing to help.

Been playing for 16 years. Never bought a guitar without hours of playing and debating. Had been reading reviews on Suhr for a while and decided to take a shot. Grabbed this from Alpha Music after seeing a picture on their web site (great group of guys). If you cant play one, I wouldn't be nervous about buying one sight unseeen, you will not be dissapointed.
As close to the perfect playing/sounding/looking guitar you will ever find.

I would just like to add that the Suhr Classic I reviewed below was purchased through Eddie Berman at Indoor Storm. I included that info in my initial review, but, for some reason, it didn't register. Perhaps I typed in too many characters.

At any rate, Eddie is the absolute best, and Indoor Storm carries killer gear. Be sure to check 'em out at www.indoorstorm.com

Year 2000 Suhr Classic. Lightweight Alder body finished in beautiful Teal Green Metallic. 11" - 14" compound radius Maple neck with Bois de Rois fingerboard, even C medium large (custom, .850 - .940). 6105 tall/narrow frets. 1.687" nut width. 1088 bridge with machined steel inertia block. 3 JST V60's single coil pickups, with bassplate on the bridge pu. Volume, tone, blend controls. 5-way switch. Input jack located on the side. Sperzel locking tuners. Buzz Feiten Tuning System.

John Suhr offers many, many options and can build the guitar that will be perfect for you. Go to www.suhrguitars.com for details.

Imagine the best-sounding Strat you've ever heard. That is the tone of this guitar.

The lighweight Alder body is very loud and resonant. The guitar just rings and rings.

John's V60's single coil pickups are my favorites, and I even like them better than the Fralin Blues Specials I have in another guitar. They seem more detailed and full-sounding.

Materials, construction, hardware, etc. are unsurpassed. The custom neck fits my hand perfectly. Everything is top-of-the-line.

John's finishes have to be among the best in the business. And the satin-finished neck has just the right amount of tinting.

Aesthetically everything works together beautifully on this guitar.

Excellent factory set-up.

Very solid. Strat syle guitars are indestructible, aren't they? I hope so!

Although this is a new one, I own two other Suhr guitars and I have never had the slightest problem with them.

John is friendly, patient and very knowledegable. He's accessible and most generous with his time and talent.

As I stated above, I own three Suhr guitars; this Classic, as well as an Alder Standard with 3 single coil pickups, and a basswood/maple Standard with a hum/sing/hum pickup configuration.

There are many fine builders, but I really believe John Suhr is the best of the best. His guitars are flawless, and yet there's nothing clinical or sterile about them. John's guitars are very toneful.

If you want to go the vintage route, John can do that to perfection. He can also do modern. On this particular guitar, I wanted the sound and feel of a killer Strat along with some more modern features, such as a compound radius neck, Buzz Feiten Tuning System, etc. John delivered this and them some!

Bottom line: John Suhr consistently builds wonderful guitars.

As stated in other reviews, the Classic is a traditional Strat-styled body with the exception of a ?contoured heel? for easier access to upper frets. This guitar was built in April ?99 in Southern California. It features a solid alder body with Even C-Slim maple neck with satin finish and an Indian Rosewood board, Sperzel locking tuners, Gotoh 1088?which is a vintage bent saddle bridge with screw in arm, Buzz Feiten tuning system, heavy frets?which aren?t as wide as Tom Anderson heavy frets as a comparison (better IMHO), aged green pickguard, and a ?59 burst finish under a very glossy lacquer. The pickup configuration is a Suhr Noiseless in the neck, Suhr V60 in the mid, and a Suhr Broadcaster in the bridge. Standard 5-way selector with volume and two tone controls?one for the neck and mid, and one for the bridge. The guitar was shipped in a G&G case. With the exception of the heel contour and the cord jack being located on the side of the lower bout, rather than in a face-plate on the front of the body, this guitar is a strat that we all know too well. I rate a 9 here for useful features and the versatile pickup combo.

Most of my playing is in an instrumental jazz/funk/R&B style, and after several strats, other solid-bodies and a couple hollow-bodies I?ve owned, I find this Suhr Classic is the most impressive guitar I?ve played for my application. The alder/rosewood combo give me a nice neutrality and warmth to cover a wide range of tones, and the Noiseless/V60/Broadcaster configuration really extends the versatility. The Suhr Noiseless in the neck was a very pleasant surprise. Beside the obvious benefit of getting rid of any 60 cycle hum which I can no longer tolerate, it covers a lot more ground in jazz than a true vintage single coil. It?s a lot more believable trying to get a 335 tone than a true vintage single. Yet it?s still gets a very snappy, spongy single coil tone with great clarity. Highly recommended. The Suhr V60 is a true vintage single coil, which I prefer to fralins. Great mid-pickup twang tone with punch. It?s a great compliment to the Noiseless in the neck/mid position. I?ve never been a fan of the in-between positions on other strats, but this Suhr has me using them a lot more. The Broacaster pickup in the bridge is essentially a tele bridge pickup and can be best described as a hotter strat bridge pickup which can really get you into a tele type of tone with some serious bite running through a Barber Burn Unit. The Fralin single at the bridge on my Don Grosh is noticably weaker. As an esthetic bonus, the black pickup cover on the Broadcaster gives the whole guitar a more ?modded? look than the standard 3 white pickup look. Both the V60 and the Broadcaster have very little single coil hum. As a general point of comparison, I?ve owned a Tom Anderson Classic, Hollow-T, and the forementioned Don Grosh Retro Classic. I won?t bother with any comparisons to Fender?this is a different league. The Suhr is a brigher, fuller sound than both the Grosh and the Anderson. The Suhr has more balance in the middle tones. The best way to describe the sound is that it?s more ?alive?. I?d read reviews on Suhrs and was a bit skeptical of the praise because the Anderson and Grosh quality is first rate, but I admit, the Suhr definately takes it up a notch in strat-style guitars. I won?t say you can specifically get Stevie, Eric, Knopfler, Jimi sounds that these reviews tend to claim. Last time I checked, Stevie, Eric, Knopfler, and Jimi were the only ones getting those specific sounds. What I am saying is I no longer have the Andersons and the Grosh. After owning many guitars and amps, running the Suhr through my 30 watt, 1x12 Carr Rambler is a rig I?ll be very happy with for quite some time. Nothing?s perfect. The Suhr comes close. Therefore a 9.

As I said, I?ve owned Andersons and grosh so I?m used to the pinnacle of bolt-on neck guitar quality. Still I must say the Suhr is a stunning level of craftsmanship. It took me a couple of weeks to get the set-up worked out. It came set-up way too high (maybe as a result of shipping) and with .009?s, so I sent it back for some rework on the nut to fit .010?s and it came back a hair low on the action. I e-mailed John Suhr for a quick set-up remedy, and using his input I tweaked the truss rod and individual saddles resulting in a guitar set-up better than anything I?ve ever played. The fit and finish is second to none. The ?59 Burst is a very simple black-to-deep amber gradation. The best burst finish I?ve ever seen. The finish makes even alder look like a flashy wood. Not a spec of orange peel to be found. Like a mirror. The satin neck finish feels great as did the Anderson and Grosh necks. fretwork is perfect. The neck feels right in between an Anderson and a Grosh. Not as vintage in feel as a Grosh, and not as Modern as an Anderson. The neck feels more stable than the Grosh which would at times play differently at different times, temps and humidity during any given day. I could go on but what?s the point. This is as good as it gets in a strat. It gets a 9 for near-perfection.

I see no reason to think this guitar won?t hold up to any playing situation of a real musician. Pour beer on it or throw it at the drummer, maybe you?d have a problem. All the hardware is tight, the strap buttons are big, the finish looks extremely durable. heck, maybe you could throw it at the drummer? I used to be one.

I?ve e-mailed John Suhr on a few occassions and have received a reply usually the same day. Sometimes within the hour. I spoke with them on the phone and found them to be curtious and helpful.

I chose a Suhr because I knew the Andersons and the Grosh Retro weren?t exactly what I wanted in sound and playability. I?ve never had a guitar that felt better on my fingers, ears, and eyes than this Suhr. I feel like I no longer need to think about the guitar and just play. I don?t like having a lot of gear lying around, so I anticipate this guitar will be a workhorse. If you can, check these guitars out. If you can?t, buy one sight-unseen. They?re that good. In a few months, I just might order a Suhr tele. That is, if my wife says I can. Nothing?s a 10, but?

Classic strat shape basswood body, Even C Slim neck back shape, 22 medium frets, sperzel locking tuners, 1055 bridge with push in arm and solid steel saddles, bolt-on straight maple neck with 16" radius pau ferro fingerboard, H/S/H with a Duncan '59 in the bridge, Suhr V60 in the middle, and Duncan '59 in the neck, 5 way selector switch with volume and tone controls, push/pull on the tone control to split the neck pickup only,Buzz Feiten Tuning System....
The typical wait period for a custom ordered instrument is 4-5 months, and mine was delivered as promised almost to the day.
Please note that this guitar was custom ordered and built to my exact specifications. All Suhr guitars are hand built in the USA to meet each clients needs, and almost any feature can be included into the design. The possibilities are almost endless.

This guitar plays and sounds like a dream. I play mostly jazz and fusion, but I also do allot of pop/rock sideman gigs and recordings. I use this guitar (and a 2nd Shur) for 95% of the work I do, the other 5% being covered by my semi-hollowbody and acoustic guitars.
I have a few different rigs that I use, and this guitar sounds just perfect with all of them. My main rig is a small rack which includes a CAE 3+ SE Preamp and a VHT Classic Power Amp. I mostly use 4x12 cabinets with Celestion 25w Greenbacks, or 4x10 cabinets with Jensen P10R's.
I like a dirty sound that is a cross between Scott Henderson, Allan Holdsworth & old Van Halen.... and this guitar delivers the goods in spades! The bridge humbucker is sweet, but can also get nasty in the best way (think about the first VH album). The neck humbucker is warm, but not too much so; it still has great definiton even with medium to high gain settings.
The combo and split positions do a great job with strat type tones. No, not quite authentic vintage Fender here (for that you'd need to get a Suhr equiped with (3) V60 pickups...killer!) but this guitar can more than hold it's own in "strat land" and has versatility to spare. If you're like me, and your style includes aspects of jazz, rock, blues, funk, etc....then this guitar is your dream!
All pickup positions are dead quiet except for when you split the neck; then you get typical single coil 60 cycle hum.
In all honesty, I was speachless when I first played this instrument, and I own/owned other "high end" guitars by Anderson, Tyler, PRS, etc...but this Suhr guitar, well, I just can't seem to put it down. Every note sounds as fat as an Italian opera singer!

The action was just as I specified; 1/16" measured from the bottom of the string to the top of the 22nd fret. The action is also very even all over the neck, giving the guitar an incredibly consistent feel. No string choke when bending, and absolutely no fret buzz.
The neck arrived perfectly straight with little relief, just as I like it. The guitar was shipped with D'Addario strings gauges 10-46, again, just as I asked. The funny thing is, this guitar plays so effortlessly that I almost thought the instrument was shipped with .009 or .008 gauge strings!
The combination of the 1055 bridge with Sperzel Locking Tuners works great. I use the bar allot, but in a subtle way; no divebomb stuff here. True, for more extreme vibrato work, the guitar will slip out a bit, especially on the low E and G strings. But for my needs and playing style, the guitar stays perfectly in tune, more so than any other guitar I've owned. Super feel and tone, without the hassle of a Floyd.
I'd also like to comment on the Buzz Feiten Tuning System. This basically helps the guitar intonate more perfectly over a greater range when compared to a typical instrument. Simply put, things (especially chords) sound more in tune in all keys; not perfect, but much better than any other instrument I've played, and comparable to a well tuned piano. This is a standard feature on all Suhr guitars.
The insturment arrived in flawless conditon. It was obviously built with great care and to very tight specifications.

I've been playing Suhr guitars exclusively for about a year now, and I've had no problems. When I gig, I bring just one of them. No need for a backup. The worst that might happen is I'd break a string. I don't ever anticipate having a problem with this or any other Suhr guitar I own. They are that good.
Remember, we are talking about what is IMHO the best custom built bolt-on style instrument currently available, and they don't get more reliable or durable than this.

I've corresponded with John Suhr on numerous occasions regarding the design of my instruments, and I've never found him to be less than wonderful. And no one knows guitars and wood tone like he does. John Suhr is a super talented individual, and a warm, sincere human being. He a guitar player too, so he understands the needs of guitar players like no one else can. In fact, everyone at the company is first class. They've always responded to my questons with great knowledge and enthusiasm, and have shown me time and again that they have a real passion for what they do. IMHO, you will not find better customer support at ANY other custom guitar company.

I've been making a living as a musician for about 15 years, and I've been playing for over 24! As I've said, I've owned Andersons, PRS, Tylers,etc....and they are all very good instruments. But the Suhr is a GREAT instrument, in every way that an instrument can be great.
This guitar has a magic that can not be described with words. You have to play one to understand what I mean. There is nothing about this guitar that I do not love, and you'd be hard pressed to find a better value in a custom made instrument.
Provided that the potential buyer takes the time to become familiar with the features they might like or need (body wood, neck shape, fretboard radius, etc...) I can't imagine a person not being thrilled with a Suhr. This instrument is as close to a "Robert Koebler Model" as I'll probably ever get. Obviously, if my Suhr guitars were stolen, I'd cry...then I'd not walk, but RUN to the phone and order another one ASAP!
Oh yeah, make sure you check out their very cool website at www.suhrguitars.com ;there you can learn more about John Suhr (whose clients have included Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Scott Henderson, Mike Landau, etc..)and his wonderful company.
And please excuse any typos; I just got home from a gig and felt compelled to share my thoughts about these wonderful instruments. Good night!

Suhr Guitars are made in Elsinore, California by former Pensa-Suhr and Fender Custom Shop Master Builder John Suhr. The Classic is a solid-body Strat-style guitar. Mine has 3 Suhr V-60 single coils, light Alder body, maple neck rosewood fretboard, volume tone and blend controls, five way selector switch, Suhr's vintage style neck, a 12 inch radius, Gotoh 1099 bridge, Sperzel locking tuners big strap buttons, super nice G&G case (no fretboard protector?) and heavy frets. Not every feature possible on an electric guitar, but extremely well chosen and high quality features for this style of guitar. Hence, the high rating.

I play blues and jazz. In an attempt to consolidate my gear to just what I need, and thereby increase the stability of my domestic finances, I decided to cut back to just the right guitar for each of these styles, and then use one as the other's back up, in the case of broken strings or weirdness on a gig. I have played Strats and Strat-styled guitars for over 16 years, and I've owned all varieties, including custom shop stuff and boutique stuff. It seems that only the boutique shops produce instruments of consistently high quality. No offenseto bigger manufacturer's custom shops, it seems you still end up having to have a nut re-cut, or a few frets re-dressed. Such is the price of high volume manufacturing. I heard so much about how Suhr was of an even higher quality than my previous optimum selection, a great Anderson tele-style with 3 singles and no pickguard, I decided to buy a Suhr(I wanted to return to a Strat-style body, more classic styling, and a better 60's vibe on the neck and pickups). This guitar sounds ten times better than the Anderson. Suhr's V 60's are the most wonderfully full and warm single coil pickups I have ever heard. They have crazy, crazy vintage sound, but the magnets haven't gone all weak! There's the nice "glassiness" of a good single coil, but with plenty of warmth, and "throatiness". They are prety damn quiet, and sound great clean or overdriven. This single coil cannot be beat! All of the variety available with a single coil is here, plus two goodies. There's only one tone control (fine by me), and the other is a blend control that allows you to blend neck pickup in with bridge, or bridge pickup in with neck. This is useful, especially for the bridge pickup, which many blues players I know consider so brittle on most guitars that it's almost useless.

The alder body is light, and super resonant. The pickups seem to be adjusted perfectly. The hardware is attached well, the neck pocket is tight, comparable only to Anderson, and the finish is pefectly apllied and gorgeous (Cactus Green Metallic is beautiful in person). Here's my problem with this guitar: When set up to Fender factory specs (which seem to entail higher action and more relief than Suhr's specs), the string buzz on the "E" "A" and "D" strings is as great or greater than on any guitar I've owned. And I've not owned a guitar that buzzed over so much fretboard on all three strings. The buzz occurs over a wide (10 frets or so) expanse of the fretboard on each of these strings. To reduce it somewhat, you have to go with a bit more relief and string height, and the guitar starts to get on the high end of what I think most people would consider medium action. This sort of a guitar is so well-designed and crafted (and expensive), you should be able to get lower action than that, and minimal buzz. Reading other reviews in this database, this seems to be an anomaly for Suhr guitars(almost everybody seems to specifically mention "no buzz"), so I got in touch with Suhr. This man is dedicated to customer service. He personally responded to my e-mails, and talked with me on the phone. He even offered to have me send it back, and said he would try and do whatever it took to make it right. That is the man you want making the guitars you buy, and that's all there is to it. However, after following his suggestions, the buzz still isn't rectified. I'd send it to Suhr, but I liquidated my Anderson, intending to use this as my only solidbody, and really can't afford to be without it right now. Hopefully, tweaking and time will help reduce it. Still, one should remember that sometimes there are problems with even high end boutique guitars. The frets are big and well crowned and polished. I wish I could give this category higher numbers, believe me.

This guitar is used with my medium-full depth Guild arched top as a backup, but it seems very reliable and durable. The finish seems of a very high quality. Strap button are huge, and seem to be high quality. All in all, I'm going to speculate that this guitar is going to be dependable. It seems much more solid than anything else I've owned.

The warranty is lifetime to original owner. John Suhr couldn't be more friendly (he must be a zen master to be so calm and pleasant while running his company and helping you with your problems). I can't say enough good things about the customer support.

I've been playing nearly eighteen years, and play a lot of blues in the modern electric tradition. B.B., Freddie and Albert King, Buddy Guy, Magic Sam, Clapton, Hendrix, Vaughan and Cray were all influences, and I tend to play a lot of clean toned stuff, with jazz and soul influences. As far as jazz goes, I really dig the Herb Ellis, Kenny Burrell type style, something with some obvious swing and blues influence. I play a Guild Manhattan for jazz, and I bought it because it stood up so well to so many Gibsons, and was much less expensive to boot. I use a Rivera 20th Anniversary combo, and it's super-versatile and gets great clean and dirty sounds. It's also really portable, and looks sharp. I bought this guitar because of its great reputation, even compared to Anderson, which I've owned and found extremely impressive. I wanted to get down to one solidbody that incorporated exactly the features I wanted and was built to the highest standards of quality, and Suhr really seemed like the ticket. I love the tone of the pickups, and the "vintage" style neck has a perfect size and feel, IMO. I also love the body size and the color. I ordered it from Suhr's fine dealer PGD at www.premiumguitars.com, because the local dealer of Suhrs was newly a Suhr dealer had nothing in yet, and in browsing Suhr's Dealer Page I found that PGD had a new Suhr that was exactly the thing I was looking for, down to the smallest detail. My only disappointment with this guitar is that it takes higher action that I've had on my other Strats to lower that string buzz to an almost tolerable level. I really think this is unusual for Suhrs, but at the same time, it's a bummer to pay significantly more than one would for an off-the-rack Custom Shop Strat, and have more buzz at higher action than a Custom Chop Strat. I would probably replace this guitar with another Suhr if I could find one that had the exact same features, and I could try it in advance. Otherwise, I'd find an Anderson and put Suhr V-60's in it.

Completed in 1999. Cherryburst.
This was an "in-stock" Suhr (pre-made) that Indoor Storm had in stock. I was not completely happy with the two Fender Strats I owned (AmdStd w/Fralins, and a Custom Shop '54 RI), and figured the thing to do was get one superior Strat and be done with it. I looked at the Suhr site, found a jpeg of a guitar I liked, and contacted the dealer to see if it was still in stock.
S/S/H, prototype JS noiseless S and a JS humbucker. Blend control, tone, 1099 bridge, 1.65" nut, cut for .010-046 strings. Ash body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard. Large frets. Bridge HB splits in 2nd position (from bottom); push-push pot on tone splits the neck and middle noiseless single coil for times when I miss single-coil hum (and extra pickup clarity). It's got the features I want, but not every feature you can put on an electric guitar.

The sound is the thing I like best about this guitar--provided you use it for what it is made for: sounding like one of the best Strats you've ever heard. I've read some comments about how you can get a jazz sound out of it, though, and I disagree. I personally have never been able to get any realistic jazz sound out of any Strat, and this one is no exception. I do get *killer* Eric Johnson/Allan Holdsworth sounds out of the bridge humbucker when overdriven--but that isn't jazz in the sense someone usually means. You won't sound like Wes or Pat Martino with this guitar.

Here's where I've got a (personal) problem with the guitar. I sent it back for rework (changed the pickguard, added coil split to the two noiseless pickups) but didn't spend enough time with the guitar prior to sending it back to figure out that the .010-.046 setup was way too light. As a result, the guitar is great for shredding, but not all that playable with respect to jazz or blues. I'm sure JS would cut a new nut, but I've lost the opportunity to have it out of hand for the few weeks of turnaround this would take.
Otherwise, all the glowing reviews about fretwork, finish, attention to detail, etc., are completely and fully earned. What great work JS does.

This is the best-made guitar I've ever owned. I can't say I've owned dozens of guitars, or anything, but I've owned some damned nice ones (Fender and Gibson Custom Shop, etc.).
Absolutely dependable.

The devotion to customer service from JS Technologies is unparalleled. I'll leave it at that.

I've recently rekindled my fire for music, after ending my dead-end, run-of-the-mill pro career in 1980. I've been playing 30+ years, about 15 of it pretty seriously. I compared the guitar to various Tom Andersons--they were very close, but the Suhr just gives you more for your money IMO. Plus there's that fantastic JS customer service! The only two things I wish it had were (1) a splitable humbucker at the neck, for more authentic jazz tones and (2) a nut cut for .011-.050. Otherwise, it's really and truly a perfect electric guitar.

This will be a quick review of my Suhr Classic. John Suhr operates a very small custom shop in Lake Elsinore CA. This is #325 made is 1998. Here are the specifics. It is a swamp ash body, finish in 6120 trans orange. The neck is between the even C slim and the even C medium with a Madagascar Rosewood Fret Board. Frets are heavy. Neck size is about the same as a mid-90's Strat Plus, maybe a little thinner. The guitar is a S/S/H configuration with the blend control that mixes the front single coil and the rear humbucker. The guitar uses a traditional strat 5 way switch which also splits the HB in the 4 position, so you still get the nice quack of a strat in that position. The single coil pickups are John's version of the DiMarzio Virtual vintages. The humbucker is also a custom made for John by DiMarzio. Tuners are Sperzal locking units. Gotoh floating trem bridge. I ordered this guitar through Eddie Berman at Indoor Storm in Raliegh, NC. Eddie already had guitars in work and this guitar took about 10 weeks for delivery. John shipped it directly to me which cut down delivery time by a week. I should note that John uses some of the best cases I've ever seen. As I ordered this guitar, it is exactly what I requested and wanted. John was very helpful in sorting through the neck and wood options. The neck size was especially difficult as I had two references for him to compare to. One was a little too thick, one a little too thick. Once I described this John told to "write down these numbers and tell Eddie", I did and the neck is exactly what I wanted. John offered to send me the neck before the guitar was built, but I did not want to slow down the process any more, feeling like it would be very close. The finish is tremendous. Trans Orange might not be the color for everyone, but everyone that sees this guitar comments on it. It is unique, and if I may so so, stunning.

I play mostly classic rock covers and blues through a Rivera M100. I expected this guitar to be bright, being swamp ash and madagascar rose wood. It is, but not overly so. It will stand up to a lot of distortion and still have great sounds. Using the VV style pickups, it is noise free. The humbucker let's it cover a lot more sonic ground than a standard strat. It is hard for me to complain about any sonic aspect of this guitar. It might sound better with John's V60's in it, but I use it to play live and don't want to put up with the single coil noise. It might be too bright with old strat pickups. It sounds a lot better than my other strats (Fender Am. Std and Strat Plus).

The action was set up exactly as I had specified (I spec'd the string height and relief so John would know what I wanted). Came in with the strings I had requested set up perfectly. It has the Buzz Feiten system, so it was a little difficult for me to check intonation (don't have a programmable offset tuner), but sonically, it seems right on the money. The neck pocket is perfect, the finish is mirror-like. No complaints on any aspect of this. I will say that this is some of the best fret work I have seen.

I've been playing this guitar live since it arrived. So far so good and no reason to anticipate any problems. The finish seems very hard. No noticable wear on the back yet. It uses the huge PRS style strap buttons. I regularly gig with this as my only strat. I'll give this a 8 for now because it really to soon to judge.

As I said, John is really nice guy. He spend way more time on the phone with me than I expected. He plays each guitar and called me when it shipped telling me how it sounded (as if I needed something to make me more anxious). Eddie at Indoor Storm is a great guy. There pricing on these guitars is very aggresive. There are a limited number of Suhr dealers. This was not the first time I've dealt with Indoor Storm, and their service has always been first rate.

Overall, I give this a 10. I told myself when I ordered this that it would be the last strat (really didn't believe myself), however now that it is here, it may be the last strat - at least for a while. I've been playing for over 30 years and this guitar is in the top two or three in my I'd certainly replace it with an identical unit if it was stolen, it is precicely what I wanted. As a point of reference, I played several Anderson's and Grosh's before settling on this. Those are both great guitars, the Suhr just fit me better.

I ordered this guitar in March of 1998 from Jeff Olson at the Music Box in Lodi, CA and it arrived in early June '98. I have been playing it regularly for almost a year weekend gigs and it has become my main guitar. The guitar is a lightweight (7 lbs.1oz.) Strat style solid swamp ash body with a super thin Mary Kaye transparent white finish and a white pearl pickguard. The neck shape is called a "60's Vintage taper .810-.930". The Strat scale length flat-sawn maple neck has a Madagascar rosewood fingerboard and 21 heavy frets with a 10" radius. The back of the neck has a very comfortable satin finish that feels like wood. I am very happy with the chrome hardware including Sperzel locking tuners and a Gotoh 1099 bridge (similar to an American Standard with two pivots) with a push in arm and solid saddles. The 3 passive pickups are John's in-house 50's style single coil pickups with a tall "D" string pole piece stagger. The guitar is wired to look like a stock Strat but the controls are as follows: master volume, master tone, and pickup blend which allows various combinations of neck or bridge pickup to be blended in. The guitar has a 5 way switch and a side mounted output jack which is convenient as it does not interfere with the vibrato arm. The guitar is built with the Buzz Feiten Tuning System which allows more accurate intonation across the fingerboard than traditional tempering methods. It is still easy to tune the guitar and the improvement in intonation is very noticeable.
John has included a "hand cut" to accommodate upper fingerboard access. It is very comfortable to play in all positions on the neck. The guitar comes equipped with large strap buttons that work, a nice touch.
A well thought out Stratocaster design that improves on ergonomics and playability.

I play in a country/rock/blues bar band and the guitar does a great job of covering these bases. I like being able to roll some of the highs off the bridge pickup. It gives a beautiful tone that is not harsh. By rolling on the blend knob I can blend in the neck pickup for a fuller tone. I play through a Matchless SC-30, Victoria 45410-T Bassman replica or a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe depending on the weather and location of the gig. The guitar sounds great through all the amps. Pedals include a Fulldrive II, Demeter Tremulator and Boss DD-5 and RV-3.
The guitar is very resonant and acoustically loud even with the trem floating. I use Teflon lube sparingly on the nut and saddles and can really use the bar hard and stay in tune. I change strings weekly and have yet to break a string on this guitar (I break many on my Fenders!).
The guitar is bright,sweet and ringy yet not harsh. I believe the Madagascar rosewood fingerboard compliments the ash body's tone. The pups are well balanced in volume and give a broad spectrum of Strat tones. The guitar sounds great clean and still has punch and definition at high gain settings. It is very flexible.

John Suhr's work is of the highest quality. There is no aspect of the guitar's construction or set up that has dissappointed me. The fit and finish are flawless. The action is quite low and buzz free and even along the length of the fingerboard.

I always bring two guitars to jobs but frequently play my Suhr all night. I've had the guitar for about a year and it looks great even though I don't pamper it. I expect it to hold up as well or better than any high quality bolt on neck guitar. It has been reliable at hot dusty outdoor gigs at the San Joaquin County Fair and under hot stage lights and cold rainy winter barn dances as well. The guitar really stays in tune, and the satin finish on the neck is comfortable. I plan to hand this guitar down to my 20 month old son some day.

I have spoken to John Suhr several times on the phone and he has been extremely friendly, helpful and patient with me. Tbe guitar has not needed any repairs. I am not aware of the warranty status but I trust that John stands behind his guitars.

I have been playing for about 30 years and enjoy playing great guitars and amps. I have really bonded with this guitar and feel a little guilty that it has taken my attention away from some other guitars at home. I like my Suhr Classic so much that I just ordered another one in lightweight alder with a V neck and John's V-60 pickups.

Suhr Guitars are built by John Suhr of Pensa-Suhr fame, in California. He was also the master builder at the Fender Custom Shop for a time. The Suhr Classic I purchased is a strat-style body made of alder. The neck is John's Even C Medium size satin finish maple with a Madagascar Rosewood fretboard featuring 22 heavy frets. The bridge is a Gotoh 1099T with push in vibrato arm. The guitar has Sperzel Locking tuning gears. My model has three of John's custom-wound JST V60's single coils, passive electronics, and a 5-way switch. Controls are volume, tone, and blend, which allows the user to blend tones from the bridge and neck pickups. A very nice plush black hardshell case was shipped with the guitar. All Suhr Guitars feature the Buzz Feiten Tuning System.

My tastes run from classic rock and blues to country and jazz (lots of music with great guitar tones). I prefer playing through Fender-style amps and a few choice pedals (overdrive, chorus, delay). I've played a half-dozen or so of John's guitars and am struck by their consistent tone and workmanship to date. This model is a straight-ahead no b.s. strat. While he offers some great models with almost any combination of pickups and necks (visit www.suhrguitars.com to see what I mean), I felt a standard 3 single coil strat-style fit my tastes better. You have to play this guitar to believe it! While every guitar sounds different in different hands, the balance and clarity in this guitar are inspirational. Suhr touts his V60's as the "ultimate 60's single coil with the greasy, fat, throaty tones you've been looking for [using] the correct Alnico 5 magnet." I compared these pickups to the DiMarzio Virtual Vintage pickups he also offers, and found the V60's to be more "alive" sounding with a very balanced and articulate tone across all frequencies. The bass frequencies are rich and full-bodied yet still "cut" very musically. The highs will give you as much Nashville twang you'd ever want without ever being piercing. These are great pickups and are surprisingly quiet. The DiMarzios sounded nice in the Suhrs I've played (it's hard to screw up a great guitar's tone) and were very quiet, but were more midrangy and "soft" sounding to these ears. I own quite a few guitars and use lots of different ones for different sounds in both studio and live settings. If I needed a classic strat single coil sound, I would use this guitar even before my Fenders. It is the quintessential sound, with a much more complex tone. I think the Buzz Feiten system really makes a difference in the intonation of chords and single notes over the entire range of the guitar neck. It's such a subtle, yet beautiful sound. Think of the classic strat tones that many people use as reference points (Knopfler, Clapton, Eric Johnson, Vaughans, etc...) as well as tele guys (Albert Lee, Danny Gatton, Brent Mason, etc...). While the tones are in their hands, if you have a feel for emulating these styles, this guitar is more than happy to oblige.

This is the area I'm amazed with. The set-ups on all Suhr guitars I've played are phenomenal. While this is an area of personal taste, I've found the action and intonation to be as rattle-free and in tune as can be expected. These guitars almost play themselves yet have enough resistance to make you feel like you're really playing. The pickups seem to be adjusted optimally. The bolt-on neck fits very tightly and the fretwork is impeccable. The quality of Suhr's finishes and the available choices are first class all the way. The only reason I'll refrain from giving this category a perfect 10, is because my guitar was shipped with a couple of very, very small depressions in the body. They are so small that most people might not notice them right away, but they do annoy me somewhat, given the price of this guitar and the fact that I special ordered it. I'm convinced that the dings were in the body before painting because the finish is flawless and smooth even over the areas in question. I know every guitar that gets used will get banged up, but I'd rather do the banging myself (unless it's a Fender Relic). One other interesting note, Suhr doesn't use necks with a high-degree of fancy quilting or birdseye maple because he feels a plain grain wood is more stable. I have numerous guitars with amazing cosmetics and the look of this neck is downright boring comparitively, but that's the way it should be. It feels and sounds so good! The satin finish feels perfect to me.

This guitar seems to be as well-made as you could hope to find. The strap buttons are over-sized and prevent straps from falling off. The attention to detail is so comprehensive that I think it will translate into years of reliability. I will not give this category a rating though, because I've only had the guitar for a few days.

John Suhr has been kind enough to discuss his products with me via e-mail and telephone. He strikes me as very knowlegeable and opinionated. He normally asks customers to allow 3-4 months delivery for special orders. Mine took 2 months and 1 day to receive. This may change as people become aware of his products. The true test of customer service, though, comes when you need help with the product you've already bought. Therefore, the jury is still out.

I am a big Fender fan, but feel that John Suhr's products have surpassed anything coming out of Fender's Custom Shop as of late. I think Fender has become such a big corporation that they don't take the time to pay attention to the important details that John does, such as lightweight and resonant woods with immaculate fretwork. The only reason I use Fender as a comparison here is because the Suhr Classic is patterned after the timeless strat design, with a few functional upgrades. I still love my newer Fender guitars and amps, but feel I have a piece of functional art with the Suhr. The tone and feel of this guitar make perfect sense. It just seems to be common sense that everybody interested in the craft of guitar making would build a guitar like this. I must admit the small dings in the body bother me, but I have been reluctant to pursue the matter because the guitar sounds and plays so nicely, and I guess that is what matters the most. I'm not sure that Suhr would be able to fix them anyway. I do feel that this is the exception rather than the rule because the other examples I've played have been flawless. I don't normally write equipment reviews, but feel that Suhr deserves some attention here. By all means, go to his website at www.suhrguitars.com for a better look at what he offers.