merciful-evans Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Flaxwood Hybrid 3SC This pic is not the actual guitar. My one has a dark tortoiseshell pickguard The following was posted elsewhere (songstuff) on Tuesday I thought I was going to finish 2016 without getting any more guitars. But no, I ordered another . The pickup change on the Esprit was supposed to provide me with the Fender sound I miss. It sounds good, but it doesn’t sound like a Fender. I’ve been considering options for quite a while now. Oddly, actual Fenders are low on my list. I’ve looked at G & L, MusicMan, Flaxwood, Chapman (Yes Rob Chapman. His models are made in Korea and most have ebony fretboards), Yamaha, Godin and MIJ Fender copies. The MIJ’s look wonderful but all of them have 21 frets. It’s not enough. It must be 22 minimum. Most of everything else has high output pickups. Some have nasty bridges too. Whatever I go for will need some mods. It’s mostly a question of what is the simplest. I did very much like the looks of the MusicMan Silhouette Special, but finding one was the main problem. I plumped for a Flaxwood. These are made in Finland and are made from an artificial material (also called Flaxwood). Again, the pickups are the weak point here, together with the floating bridge. The pickups Single coil version 3SC-: - bridge: Seymour Duncan SSL-2 Vintage Flat - middle: Seymour Duncan SSL-2 (RwRp) - neck: Seymour Duncan SSL-2 Vintage Flat These are 6.5 output, so quite high, but at least they are alnico 5. I’m not a great fan of Duncans, but if needs be, I only need to replace the neck pup. I don’t use anything else. Bridge: It’s a trem bridge, but it looks like a robust one. If so I should be able to block it up rather than replace it. This particular Flaxwood is what they term a ‘Hybrid’, meaning that only the neck is made of the eponymous material; the body being of European alder. These Hybrids are cheaper than the rest of the range. Unfortunately, there is only one uk shop that stocks them, and that’s in Scotland. It’s also priced miles above the list RRP published by ZedMusic (the official distributer). What swayed me to buy were the two Hybrids held at Thomann (the vast German shop). They had both the single coil & humbucker versions at a greatly reduced price. They are ‘B’ stock, but that doesn’t worry me. (end) -------- Today: Friday 28-10-16 It just arrived. Much earlier than expected. I had the tracking turned on, and it seems to have overtaken it because its not even marked as 'out for delivery' yet. I spent about 3 minutes playing it and..... I don't like it. It only took 30 seconds to decide that really. The neck feels tighter than the stated 12" rad. Maybe its the roll off at the edges? But the e strings are too close to the edges. I didn't push them off, but it would have been inevitable if I'd kept playing. I've put it straight back in the box and have advised Thomann. I have no idea how much it will cost to return, but it will still have been worth the opportunity to try it out. So it doesn't handle well, but the neck material is fine. The fingerboard forms part of the neck. It feels ok and I'd have no problem if it been shaped to my liking. The chromed hardware seems of very good quality. I expected the pickups to be poor, and they certainly are. Seymour Duncan consistently make pups that I hate. That's not intended as a challenge to you SD fans. It is of course totally subjective. So waiting to hear something from Thomann right now. Never mind. I have been extremely lucky with mail order guitars up on the whole, so I was long overdue for a disappointment. Plans A & B have failed. Plan C is formulating.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C-RAM Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Flaxwood Hybrid 3SC I spent about 3 minutes playing it and..... I don't like it. It only took 30 seconds to decide that really. The neck feels tighter than the stated 12" rad. Maybe its the roll off at the edges? But the e strings are too close to the edges. I didn't push them off, but it would have been inevitable if I'd kept playing. I've put it straight back in the box and have advised Thomann. I have no idea how much it will cost to return, but it will still have been worth the opportunity to try it out. So it doesn't handle well, but the neck material is fine. The fingerboard forms part of the neck. It feels ok and I'd have no problem if it been shaped to my liking. The chromed hardware seems of very good quality. I expected the pickups to be poor, and they certainly are. Seymour Duncan consistently make pups that I hate. That's not intended as a challenge to you SD fans. It is of course totally subjective. So waiting to hear something from Thomann right now. Never mind. I have been extremely lucky with mail order guitars up on the whole, so I was long overdue for a disappointment. Plans A & B have failed. Plan C is formulating.... How very refreshing to hear such an honest appraisal - first impressions are almost always the ones that count. I really don't get it when people claim they are offput by an instrument but then go on with the odd thought of "I'll keep it and play it for awhile to see if it 'grows' on me" - so many instruments, so little time... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kidblast Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Well applauds for the quick decision on that! Sucks when it's sort of let down when you're expecting to be into a NGD and it turns out to be, NOPE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StRanger7032 Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 It just arrived. Much earlier than expected. I had the tracking turned on, and it seems to have overtaken it because its not even marked as 'out for delivery' yet. I spent about 3 minutes playing it and..... I don't like it. It only took 30 seconds to decide that really. The neck feels tighter than the stated 12" rad. Maybe its the roll off at the edges? But the e strings are too close to the edges. I didn't push them off, but it would have been inevitable if I'd kept playing. I've put it straight back in the box and have advised Thomann. I have no idea how much it will cost to return, but it will still have been worth the opportunity to try it out. So it doesn't handle well, but the neck material is fine. The fingerboard forms part of the neck. It feels ok and I'd have no problem if it been shaped to my liking. The chromed hardware seems of very good quality. I expected the pickups to be poor, and they certainly are. Seymour Duncan consistently make pups that I hate. That's not intended as a challenge to you SD fans. It is of course totally subjective. So waiting to hear something from Thomann right now. Never mind. I have been extremely lucky with mail order guitars up on the whole, so I was long overdue for a disappointment. Plans A & B have failed. Plan C is formulating.... It happens sometimes. You'll find something good eventually. I just did the same thing with basses, sending back an Ibanez and Yamaha before even plugging them in. If you've been playing for a while, you can tell quickly if you're not going to like something. Better to send it back now and get a refund or exchange than using it and having to sell it later for a loss. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaiser Bill Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 I feel your frustration. Same thing happened to me with my Midtown Kalamazoo three years ago. I still have it, but would dump it in a heartbeat if it wouldn't break my wife's heart. She bought it for me, but eeeewwww. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted October 28, 2016 Author Share Posted October 28, 2016 I feel your frustration. Same thing happened to me with my Midtown Kalamazoo three years ago. I still have it, but would dump it in a heartbeat if it wouldn't break my wife's heart. She bought it for me, but eeeewwww. Oh man! That's an unresolvable problem! On the plus side, her happiness is much more important than just another guitar. Holding on to it is part of your mutual commitment. Me? I am disappointed but sanguine. Its a shame because there is smuch to admire about Flaxwood. I really wanted to like it, and I mean what I said about valuing the opportunity to play it. The company are just getting started in the uk, and I would check other models (but in shop next time!). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Retired Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 That is a lovely looking guitar but if it doesn't work, send it back. Wish I could have done that to one my mother gave me as a teen. Absolutely hated it and it was unplayable. Oh it looked real pretty and it was a hollow body. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted October 28, 2016 Share Posted October 28, 2016 Well.....you need a Fender with 22 frets...they do make 'em. FSR Strat is pricey and you might not like a bridge hb but they are out there. Best wishes! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
merciful-evans Posted October 29, 2016 Author Share Posted October 29, 2016 Well.....you need a Fender with 22 frets...they do make 'em. FSR Strat is pricey and you might not like a bridge hb but they are out there. Best wishes! The only FSR I've seen are 21 frets. Worse still, they have a 7.25 radius. As I've said elsewhere, I owned a Stat (70s) like this for over 20 years and never got used to the neck. The tiny rad and rolled edges impeded play constantly. I only kept it so long because of its sound. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdgm Posted October 29, 2016 Share Posted October 29, 2016 The only FSR I've seen are 21 frets. Worse still, they have a 7.25 radius. As I've said elsewhere, I owned a Stat (70s) like this for over 20 years and never got used to the neck. The tiny rad and rolled edges impeded play constantly. I only kept it so long because of its sound. Ah ok...have seen a 22-fret one somewhere....but agree about the radius, could never get used to 7.25 myself either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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