Talk to me about Blade guitars

[Dave L]

I´ve been on the look-out for a more classic strat (some of you may recall my threads on the Fender Lite Ash and the Peavey Predators) and now the Blades have caught my eye. There seems to be two distinct price ranges;

1. The lower-priced range including the Texas models, the RH-2 and the California Standard.

2. The premium line including the RH-4 and the California Custom.

Because of this I´ve got a few questions:

1. Looking at the amount of Nashville session players that uses Blade I´m guessing they´re pretty solid guitars. Any comments on the all-round quality? Hardware, workmanship etc?

2. Is country of origin the same for the two price ranges? Which country/countries are we dealing with here? The info on the webpage is pretty scarce.

3. Has the quality changed over the years, for better or for worse? Looking at used models it at least looks like they´ve ceased using Wilkinson bridges now.

4. Is there anything else I should keep in mind regarding these? Any quirks or special characteristics?

Anyway, I hope some of you have some experience with Blade, because I think they look cool. Thanks in advance, guys!

[VitaminG]

apparently the lower priced range is made in China. According to this old review, anyhoo.... http://www.australianmusician.com.au...c_Guitars.html

a local dealer carries Levinsons and that RH4 Classic sure is a pretty looking guitar in Misty Violet.

[shobet]

Well I've been quite happy with mine.



For the life of me I can't remember what model she is but is one of the made in Japan models. It plays very nicely and you can push the tone pot to turn on the active circuitry. Locking tuners keep her in tune, but I don't really use the tremolo when I play. I think they have changed the headstock on the later ones as well.

I've also got a Strat and I swing between preferring this to the Strat and back again. I have to say the Blade feels a bit more engineered than the Strat.

[Dave L]

VitG - Wow, if the low-end ones still are made in China they´re actually pretty pricey. Here in Sweden they´re noticeably more expensive than say a japanese Jackson.

shobet - That one looks like something from the Texas range, and if the different ranges haven´t changed much during the years it´s from the less expensive side of Blade. Are you sure it´s made in Japan? But I guess it´s entirely possible that they´ve moved manufacture of the imports somewhere along the line, to get more cost-effective builds.

[shobet]

It's got a made in Japan sticker on the heel of the neck. So I'm assuming it was made in the land of the rising sun, if not I have to go and break someones legs.

[Dave L]

Then I guess we can safely assume it´s japanese. Where´s the high-end stuff made, does anyone know? Switzerland?

[Super_shredder]

It's got a made in Japan sticker on the heel of the neck. So I'm assuming it was made in the land of the rising sun, if not I have to go and break someones legs.

:ROTF: :ROTF:

all i can imagine is an angry welsh man breaking someones legs in with a crow bar:ROTF: :ROTF: