Bernie Questions

Mark Ray

Mark Ray

The RockTrain
Joined
Jun 19, 2012
Messages
1,133
I need another guitar as much as I need a hole in the head, but we all know how this goes. I've got a line on a Bernie SE. Here are my questions/thoughts:

1. I had a first generation Santana SE that I got for a stupid low price. It was fine FOR THE MONEY. What I didn't like about it is that it felt "not as sturdy" to me. Maybe it was my imagination, but I just didn't think it felt as solid as guitars that I am used to. I moved it on pretty quick, after making a huge mistake: putting an extra set of zebra Dragon 1's I had into it. DAMMIT!

2. I had a first generation Tremonti SE, black. Great looking, and pretty decent playing and sounding guitar. Once again, I never felt that it had a "solid" feeling to it for lack of a better term. Maybe it was because it was so light, because it was a feather! Alas, I moved it on as well.

SO, for those who own/have owned the Marsden SE, what are your thoughts/feelings/reviews? Is it made out of better grade mahogany? Are they heavier as a general rule?

Thanks, Mark
 
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It's thicker, and has a lot of balls. It definitely hits way, way above it's price point. When I bought mine back in 2012(?) I was at GC looking for a Les Paul. I played every LP and Epi LP they had in my price range ($2500) and didn't really care for anything I'd played. I spotted the Bernie, which I knew nothing about, and gave it a try. Never got it plugged in. Maybe 10 minutes of playing it unplugged before I whipped out the credit card. Bottom line; the Bernie got a lot of playing time at Casa De Bodia.
 
AP515 said:
Also has a thick neck. Cannot be thought of as flimsy...
Click to expand...

I forgot to mention that in my post. I like the biggest necks available! 1" stem to stern if possible. I thought the Bernie was on the chunky side from watching Bernie's videos about it. Excellent!
 
Yeah, mine’s a substantial feeling guitar. I know what you mean about those early Tremonti’s but they're not the same.
 
They’re great guitars and mine feels very solid. However, I needed to do the toothpick-and-glue trick to get the tuner screws to stay put. With the tuner changes, I also removed the bushings and the wood was a little porous inside the bushing holes.

After doing that, I tend to be quite conscious of the sound the headstock makes when it is tapped. The S2s and regular cores are definitely better in that area.

That being said, once I screwed the tuner buttons into the my glued up holes, that issue with the guitar disappeared completely. Even with that issue, I still prefer the Bernie over more expensive Les Pauls - mostly due to the neck shape (they all had 60s tapers), but it just felt like a better quality instrument when compared to LPs. With a pickup upgrade, I am pretty sure it will out-Les Paul a LP.
 
I love my bernie, probably gets the most play out of my 7 SE's & 5 USA models (probably gets the most play out of my whole collection = 120 guitars in all). Like others have said has a nice hefty feel to it without being overly heavy, the neck on mine is almost identical to the neck on my 2014 Gibson LP Trad although I have to say the Bernie is nicer altogether, You really can't go wrong with a Bernie. I nearly bought a spare for my number 1 but found a S2 Vela for the same price (only went went with the Vela cause I didn't have one if the collection and it looked interesting).

 
I’ve spent a metric a$$-load of gig time with my SE 245 (basically the same thing) and can attest to it NOT being flimsy or anything short of fantastic. Bernie Marsden does not waste his time with crap, just listen to him play. And he personally showed me his new model at Experience with the exuberance of a teenager with their first car. He was so darned nice, you just knew he was totally sincere.
 
Dammit @Alnus Rubra! What are are waiting on??!! C-MOOOON MAN! That mutha's got your name written all over it...well, except the part that has PAUL REED SMITHS SIGNITURE ON IT..HELLO!

I mean since @bodia will finance it...I will pitch in too...I'll even sneak the family jewels out of the wife's purse and lend them to you...I mean thats what forum bros are for...plus, I'm not using them anyway.;)

DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! DID YOU DO IT YET??!!! DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! DO IT! BERNIE GAS....ENGAGED!
 
Alnus, it looks like one of the early models with 53/10's -inquire discreetly about whether the pickups are the ones that came with the guitar. If they are, either you buy it or get a lobotomy. This would be the bargain of the year.
 
dogrocketp said:
Alnus, it looks like one of the early models with 53/10's -inquire discreetly about whether the pickups are the ones that came with the guitar. If they are, either you buy it or get a lobotomy. This would be the bargain of the year.
Click to expand...
Unfortunately it doesn't look like one of the (one of 50 I think) 53/10 limited editions. And the pickups have been swapped to Seymour Duncan anyway. The 53/10 versions came out a little after the first versions
 
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