Strandberg Guitarworks

Hi all, despite being in the early days, I have started designing the next generation hardware. I would be very grateful to hear what you think! Please visit http://guitarworks.thestrandbergs.com/ for more pictures. Thanks, Ola And BTW - don't miss eLUTHERIE.org the new location of buildingtheergonomicguitar.com, hosted by Rob Irizarry and Rick Toone!

Thanks to everyone! I happen to agree with the majority, please see the site for the results :-) I will still keep the poll open, but I decided to disclose the results due to reasons I explain on the site. In place of it, I have added a new poll with different tremolo spring block materials: aluminum, brass, and steel. To make it worth your while, and to make things more interesting, I will raffle off a black fixed bridge (i.e. a set of 6 tuners) to the voter who can identify correctly which is aluminium, brass and steel respectively. I will announce the results on Feb 1, 2009. If more than one has a correct answer, the coolest project will win, so please let me know how you plan to use the bridge for if you win it. Submit your entries via e-mail only please.

Thanks for contributing! I will keep the poll open for a while, but let's say I will call the official results at the end of the week. Cheers, Ola

I have recorded some sound samples of my fulcrum knife based bridge, a ball-bearing based design and an original Floyd-Rose. Furthermore, I have anonymized them and arranged a poll to see which is the best! Please visit my home-page and cast your vote.

As soon as I start making some money off this, I will definitely look into extending the range of available items :-) FYI, I am offering a very generous warranty on these pieces to ease your mind regarding potential "1.0" aspects. Cheers, Ola

Happy New Year to all of you here at Project Guitar! I'm not moving quite as fast as I had wanted on my build, but do have some encouraging progress on the hardware. The fixed bridge/tuner is shipping currently. The tremolos pictured here are assembled with my stainless prototype knife. As soon as I get the hardened steel version (any day now...) I will be ready to ship tremolos as well. As always: more info on my home page.

Hi! I only have black available at the moment, but here is a sampling of colors that will be available. Cheers. Ola

Yes, introductory price is indeed 35 Euros per string - that is for tuner/bridge and string lock. The current design can take a string up to 2 mm diameter at the wound end. How big do you need? I have only a small number of units finished (finished as in surface treated) so I can machine a larger diameter before sending the next batch to the finishing shop. Cheers, Ola

I am thrilled to announce that I am now taking orders for the fixed bridge version of the "EGS: Ergonomic Guitar System"! Please watch my homepage and this site for more info about the tremolo version. Here is a mock-up of the bridge, with only three strings. It is sold individually and priced per string, so you can do 6-, 7-, 8-string instruments or mixed scale guitars. The string lock, by popular demand! See my home page for more info. This mock-up shows it mounted in three alternative ways.

Hi Cam, it uses regular strings. You insert them from the rear of the tuner and then lock them at the head with either a Floyd Rose string lock or one that I have designed. That fastener will also be available on a per string basis and can be fastened in a variety of ways and positions, including the original tuner holes, if a regular neck is being converted. Cheers, Ola

A tidbit of virtual progress - I have definitely not given up yet! More info on the site as always...

Check out steaming hot pictures on my blog of the "mould mould"... It's set to cure until about noon tomorrow, so I am very nervous right now.... I think I have used too much epoxi, so it might be tricky to remove the mould from the "plug".

Dave, if you look at the following picture: things might become a little clearer. Looking at the piece with the routing completed: may clarify it further. I simply bolted my piece onto the jig (top picture in original post) then ran the router up and down the ironing board rods, progressively increasing the depth until the full depth had been reached. Then I moved it "up" the width of the bit and ran to the same depth again. Pucko, great indeed to see someone from Uppsala! My contact details are on my site - feel free to get in touch. Regarding fretwork, there is not necessarily any difference compared to a regular neck. It is possible to slot a fretboard the same way. I am still working out what strategy I will take. I could either glue a wooden fretboard on top or make it as well in carbon fiber/epoxi. I am considering the latter since it will most likely be better in the long run with a single material in the neck. In this case, slotting it would remove most of the strength of it. So, I might remove the tangs from the fret wire and glue the frets on top. This will get rid of some additional weight as well. Only drawback is future fretwork, but it is still possible to grind away old frets and replace with new ones. Cheers, Ola

Here are a couple of pictures of the neck. I had (I personally think it's a brilliant idea!) the idea to learn small on just making a neck which led to making it "standard" Strat dimensions, which means that you will be able to buy both a neck and a bridge from me to create a truly ergonomic instrument from your favorite! The routing jig, made from an ironing board: The finished positive neck mould: Plenty more pictures on the site as always. Cheers, Ola

I'm finally on a well deserved holiday, which I am spending partly getting the guitar going again. I have done some work on a new mould. Progress pictures on my site. http://guitarworks.thestrandbergs.com/ Will get 100 tuners done in the September timeframe.

Hey! those of you who are interested in a bridge, make your finish preferences known. I am not planning on using the "tufram" (teflon impregnated hard anodization) coating since it will not match any other gear on the market currently. Once I develop a more complete offering, with string fasteners for the neck, I might use it again. Easiest for me would be matte or semi-glossy black anodization, or natural aluminium colored anodization, because I now have the connections with a company that can do it. It is also possible to get it chromed or gold plated, although I would have to find a supplier first. I am planning to do a fixed bridge version and a "single" version, i.e. mounting plates for mounting individual tuners stand-alone, in the first run. Implementing the lessons learned from the FR replacement will require a little more thinking and prototyping on my end. Please let me know what you would like and I will try to accommodate it ASAP. Don't know the cost just yet, but expect highish (as high as $350) with a damned good warranty policy. Cheers, Ola

I have a meeting next week to discuss manufacturing of a batch of a 100 or so tuners (i.e. ~16 bridges) and should have some indicative prices soon. Feel free to drop me a line marking your interest and I should hopefully be able to start shipping in not too long...

Great to hear! As it happens, I have a 6-string base plate for a fixed bridge deployment. I can sell this with reservations for potential life-time wear issues... If I get paid enough, I can finance a production batch :-)

I have posted some sound samples of replacing an original Floyd-Rose and the tuners (i.e. 1 lb weight reduction!) with my tremolo on my site. The replacement itself took less than 15 minutes, including removing the tuners and adjusting the post height, etc. Very promising! I wish I had had the guts to cut off the headstock as well, but I actually want to keep the guitar as-is and use my prototype for more tests so the FR is back on again. Quite a noticeable difference in sound, I hope to the better?

Nope, the ball end is on the bridge side. The string is routed through a threaded plunger that is moved back and forth by turning the knurled knob.

Yes, I am doing two bridges - which in fact just means two different mounting plates for the saddles/tuners. The pictured one is headless, so the strings are locked at the nut with the existing FR lock. I could cut the headstock off altogether if I wanted to but I think I'll put the Floyd back when I have finished toying with it. I am borrowing a Charvel for another conversion project next week. At that time, I am also making some sound clips.

The first bridge is done! It sounds great and the weight reduction is massive: from 600 grams of Floyd Rose + tuners to 140 grams of Strandberg Guitarworks FR. More pics and info on the site as always. More info by the weekend.

Mattia, I have done most of the machining myself, in the lathe at the place where my day job is. The stuff where I got help, was on an understanding that I will place a "real" order if it turns out well, so I haven't paid anything yet. If/when I do place a production order, it will be for manufacture of all the parts, so I will have more info then. Cheers, Ola

I am making some progress on the bridge, although the guitar itself has been down due to other priorities. More stuff on my site as usual! I am making two bridges: one Floyd Rose drop-in replacement and one fixed. I will have a few spare tuners as well, opening up possibilities for 7- or 8-string deployments in the first round.

Arrgghhh - I added what I thought the final touch to my styrofoam mould yesterday.... I had bought spray filler to be able to get a really good wet sanded finish. But... some component or other of the spray filler melted the styrofoam, so it's now ruined. Too depressing to photograph at the moment, but I will document this setback at some point. In the meantime, I am hoping to put the final touches on the bridge parts early this week to send off for finishing.