NGD SE Fredrik Akesson!

[metalrocker]

Before I bought this guitar I was looking for info on it and couldn't find many reviews, so I wanted to post this up for anyone who might be looking at getting one!

I was looking for a backup guitar that didn't cost 2k and something I could take on the road and throw in the trailer without worrying about it. I picked up an SE Bernie Marsden and was not impressed, even with different pickups the tone was very shrill and the guitar had no depth to it, once my bass player said it sounded bad I sent it back.

After looking for some time I ordered the Fredrik Akesson model - the tone pros bridge and the finish were what got me. Anyway out of the box my impressions were - the nut was sticky and the guitar wouldn't keep tune, and the pickups were OK but they were too muddy for a mahogany body guitar for the style of music I play in the band I am using this guitar in. The fit, finish, fretwork and fingerboard were awesome. I replaced the nut with a Graphtech nut which really brought the guitar to life, after a few pickup swaps believe it or not EMG 81/60 set really made the guitar come alive (I tried passive duncans as well), sounds totally different than with the same EMG set in other others. Dropped the guitar off at my tech and he finished up the nut for me getting it at the perfect height as well as cutting the bridge slots for 11-52 strings which are perfect for the 24.5 scale.

To sum it all up - after dumping the nut and pickups the guitar is awesome. Easily on par with my ESP Eclipse and my LP. It's a very dark sounding guitar, and leads are smooth due to the ebony fingerboard. Rhythm stuff has a nice growl and meanness to it, I can see why Fredrik uses this guitar live. (note in the picture I had the EMG 57/66 set in it, it sounded good but not as good as the 81/60 in this guitar)

 

[andy474x]

Nice one!!!

Great choice, I think the Akesson is one of the most underrated, or maybe just slightly ignored, guitars in the SE line. You get so much with it, ebony, tonepros, jumbo frets, not much to complain about. Another guy here got one recently and was very impressed as well.

Interestingly, I also had a very similar reaction to the stock 245's as you had to the Bernie. Anyways, welcome to the club, and CONGRATS on NGD!

 

[Matthew]

That sucker must growl! Top looks fantastic to boot!

 

[DISTORT6]

Looks great! :top:
What are you tuned to?

 

[metalrocker]

Looks great! :top:
What are you tuned to?

It's 1/2 step down sometimes dropped



The top is sweet! It's a workhorse guitar for sure, I hope they keep making it so I can snag another down the road

 

[brook]

Bad ass! Thinking of picking up one of these myself. If only I didn't have too many guitars already....

 

[SausageofPower]

You said EMG 81/60, but isn't that a Het Set?

 

[maxtuna26]

Sweet axe! I've seen one hanging on the wall of my dealer. It's definitely the best looker of the bunch. Tried it and all I can say is that it plays as good as it looks, maybe even better. Hope you're enjoying it!

 

[CantankerousCarl]

Picked up one used about a month ago, and it's my favorite SE I have ever had. Only thing I did was throw on Grover 406Cs. Dumped SE245s and Bernies in the past, this one, although still dark, has alot more definition than the other SE SCs I had before.

 

[metalrocker]

You said EMG 81/60, but isn't that a Het Set?

It has the new 57/66 set in the pic. Great pickups but for whatever reason sounded sloppy in this guitar. The 81 opens up some of the darkness in the tone

 

[metalrocker]

Finding a case for this guitar is hard, I tried the SKB 56 and now the Gator Les Paul ATA case, the gator works if I put a towel under the body so the neck is angled right, a regular Singlecut fit in both of these cases - the thicker body on this guitar is making things hard.

 

[CoreyT]

Very nice guitar.
This is the case you will probably need, it fits my 2012 SE Tremonti Custom perfectly.
http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?3108-SKB-3i-4214-PRS-Case-For-My-SE-Tremonti-Custom

I had problems with the PRS hardshell case just like you are describing, but my SKB case is much deeper than a PRS hardshell case.

 

[metalrocker]

Very nice guitar.
This is the case you will probably need, it fits my 2012 SE Tremonti Custom perfectly.
http://prsguitars.com/forum/showthread.php?3108-SKB-3i-4214-PRS-Case-For-My-SE-Tremonti-Custom

I had problems with the PRS hardshell case just like you are describing, but my SKB case is much deeper than a PRS hardshell case.

Thanks Corey! That case looks slick, it's half of what I paid for the guitar though. I will try to find one used. This gator case works great if I put a folded cloth under the guitar, but looking for something more bullet proof. That SKB looks like it would do it

 

[CoreyT]

You are welcome.
I looked at the specs of the 56, and some said a Les Paul was a tight fit, and I think yours is thicker?
The case I have has more room.

Hopefully my Zach Myers fits in one of my spare PRS hardshell cases.
If not, I will be getting another SKB like the one I have now.

 

[metalrocker]

You are welcome.
I looked at the specs of the 56, and some said a Les Paul was a tight fit, and I think yours is thicker?
The case I have has more room.

Hopefully my Zach Myers fits in one of my spare PRS hardshell cases.
If not, I will be getting another SKB like the one I have now.

I think its the neck angle - it shoots straight like a strat, my LP is just as thick but the neck tilts back which is how they designed the case. Till I get the case you mentioned I'll use the 56 with a cloth under the neck. It holds the body tight enough that the neck not touching anything doesn't concern me. Painted the pup ring screws black, I love the new look.