Ryan's Gig Guide - July 2019

Tech Metal community and many axe wielding bedroom heroes have demonstrated its ergonomic bravado through their ability to pull off behemoth riffs and mind numbing licks that will liquidate your brain.This bass is fresh blood on the scene and it wont be long until the next generation of greasy metal bassists compose their own throbbing bass lines upon its Stain- less Steel frets. If this bass is so great why are all the frets wonky? Well spotted you eagle eyed bunch, but everything has a purpose on this well oiled machine. The frets are fanned to allow for a different scale length per string. The scale length being the distance of the string between the bridge and the nut that vi- brates freely. Longer scale lengths will have less tension than short- er ones at the same pitch. By each string having its own scale length, Strandberg have been able to ma- nipulate the tension on a string by string basis. Yes it looks cool but more importantly it has a massive impact on how it plays and sounds. Tension affects the playability as well as playing a major part in the overall tone. The string is the source of your sound so obviously anything manipulating how it vi- brates is going to affect this. Mul- ti-Scale is yet another neatly exe- cuted part of this design marvel. Each aspect put together has cre- ated something profoundly unique and an example of what guitars pushed to their limits can look like. Where do you go when you have taken conventional design to its limit? Many manufactur- ers are putting out epic recre- ations or improvements on past designs, but very few are having success with designs they have created completely by them- selves. However, vibrant design has flourished under certain brands. Strandberg is an ex- cellent example of a company who have found success with- out having to bow down to the demands of the traditional play- er. Spawning a new era of gui- tar innovation, Strandberg has gained traction amongst players looking to obtain the most er- gonomic instrument they can get their finely tuned fingers on. Famed for their range of headless guitars, the brand have now decided to tackle anoth- er instrument that lurks a little deeper than their previous off- spring. So, after a much anticipat- ed four years in the making, we welcome into the world the Strandberg Boden Original Bass. There are several unorthodox features that give Strandberg their unique appeal. Never afraid to fringe the cusp of eccentricity, this company does not make odd gimmicks to sell gear, instead they opt for unusu- al solutions to everyday guitar conundrums. They are squeezing out that little extra drop of design juice to give you their take on what the guitar should be. The first item they felt need- ed some attention was the neck.Their solution: the Edur- neck. This consists of three flat surfaces in a trapezoid shape.The flat surface on the back is set at an angle with the intention of best placing your thumb as you move fur- ther up the neck.The neck is effective at placing your hand in a comfortable position and would be welcomed by anyone looking to play in- tricate technical bass parts. The advantages may be lost on someone looking to play less speed intensive arrange- ments. A peculiar shaped piece of roasted Maple can seem daunting to someone well acquainted with the smooth curves of rounded profiles found on most gui- tars. Some people adjust to it straight away and others can not seem to fathom even picking it up. You will have to try it yourself to find out if it is for you. The prominent grains of both the Ash body and the flame Maple top com- pete for your attention. Both the back and the front of this guitar have the potential to catch your eye. Thanks to the natural finish, each and every one of these guitars will be able to show of the unique twists and turns of their wood’s anatomy.The Swamp Ash body is bustling with colour- ful harmonic content ready to be funnelled through the specially designed pickups. Designed and built by Nordstrand Audio, the pickups and 3 band pre-amp make up the vital organs that breathe life into this electric beast. Pick it, finger it, or slap it around, thanks to its Hum-Cancelling Zen Blade pickups the Boden Original bass is a versatile tool that can convey an eclectic array of playing styles. Having a three band eq onboard allows you to finely sculpt out the sound you are looking for within the guitar itself, amounting to a pool of creative juice waiting to burst into the ears of an unsus- pecting audience… but hopefully not in the form of a bass solo. Strandberg have used a cham- bered Ash body to significantly reduce the weight of this in- strument. Any bass player accus- tomed to the more ordinary of this bass’s counterparts may be shocked to hear that on average it only weighs in at 6lbs, or per- haps more shocked when they accidentally throw it through the roof. By losing the headstock you do not require as much weight in the body to keep the instru- ment balanced which allows for this kind of extreme weight relief. Losing your head can also conjure up some other advantages, for in- stance, shaving a few inches off the top makes for an extremely com- pact companion. Ponder around the next Tech Fest and you will see many a metal head carrying around a sleek and extremely compact Strandberg case. Like a pony with a hostile disposition, it might be cute to look at but it will knock the eyes out your face if you give it the chance. Its true power has been harnessed by the REVIEW: The Boden Bass by Strandberg By Adam Roberts Local stockists... www.ryansgigguide.com rgg Jul 2019 29 www.ryansgigguide.com 28 rgg Jul 2019