Suhr
John Suhr worked at Pensa-Suhr and then Fender's Custom Shop before starting his own company in Lake Elsinore, California, and the instruments carry that pedigree: bolt-on guitars built to a tolerance most factories do not attempt, alongside amplifiers and a small, well-regarded pedal line. We cover new Suhr models like the Classic S Vintage Limited Edition and the signature builds — the Ian Thornley Thornicus fuzz, the Brighton treble booster — as well as the industry stories the brand has found itself part of.
Fender’s Strat Attack: 17 Major Guitar Brands Hit with C&Ds
Fender triggers an industry-wide legal war, hitting 17 major guitar brands with cease-and-desist letters over the iconic Stratocaster body shape.
- Electric guitars
- Bass guitars
- Amplifiers
- Effects pedals
- Pickups
- Modern
- Classic S
- Standard
- PT-100
- Riot
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Suhr FAQ4 questions
What are Suhr guitars known for?
Build precision. JS Technologies, trading as Suhr Guitars, was founded in 1997 by John Suhr and Steve Smith and is based in Lake Elsinore, California. The company also makes amplifiers, pedals and pickups, but its reputation rests on consistently exact fretwork and setup on Strat- and superstrat-derived designs.
Are Suhr guitars made in the USA?
The main line is built in Lake Elsinore, California. Suhr does not run a cheap overseas range under the same name, which is why there is no low-cost entry point into the brand the way there is with Fender or Charvel.
What is the difference between a Suhr Modern and a Classic?
The Modern is the contemporary superstrat — flatter radius, 24 frets, humbuckers, often a Floyd Rose. The Classic follows vintage Fender templates more closely, with 21 or 22 frets, a smaller radius and single coils or an HSS layout. Both are built to the same standard; they answer different playing habits.
Does Suhr make pickups separately?
Yes. Suhr sells its pickups as standalone parts, including the widely used noiseless single coils and the Aldrich and Doug Aldrich humbuckers, so you can fit them to a guitar that is not a Suhr.