It takes some Balls to come out with something new in the guitar world.
(see what I did there)
Doing new things at MM is not new. We all see that. In a world where shapes are mostly strat, tele, LP derived, here's yet another thing new. Let me rattle off some names and you tell me which one didn't take some balls to bring to market:
Bongo
Albert Lee
EVH/Axis
Reflex
Game Changer
the 4 on 2 headstock
silent circuit
compensated nut
Not only were all of these introduced.....they were stuck with. Heck....even Gibson discontinued the LP when sales were down because.....well.....they didn't have the balls and commitment to stick with something that they thought was good to start.
Jeff's post really nailed it. His Lamborghini comment also got me. I also can't afford one and I like the previous model when new ones come out, but they do grow on me. Everytime I see the Armada, I find something else that I like about it. I'm thinking that when one hits DuBaldo's, I'll have to take a day off and grace Nick and Pete with my presence. (haha.....I can just hear Nick saying "oh, it's you again" when I walk in the door)
Hey! You're right! I just looked it up. The body on that thing looks massive. Maybe if it was scaled back it would look good! Oh well, back to the ARMADA! Really like the headstock inlay! yummy
wise words. I didn´t like the design of the AL for some years - that was before I was a EBMM owner and player. Now I own one.
With the Armada I´m still undecided. But there are some functional aspects too: I don´t have that big interest in set-in necks with the shorter scale.
Seriously, every guitar player needs a Les Pauly-y sounding instrument... I really hope the Armada will be that Les Paul-y guit-fiddle for a lot of us - my curiosity is peaked, that's for sure!
I played one at NAMM the other day. Certainly a very unique looking guitar - I liked the way the name of the guitar was inlayed on the headstock, very nice. I must say about the comparisons to a Les Paul, it really reminded me more of a Firebird in terms of shape and feel. Very resonant guitar which I liked alot, but personally didn't like the placement of the volume and tone knob.
I actually like the design, although I'm more of a dark-color-guy.
To be honest, most of the EBMM designs didn't appeal to me. Most of them are not my cup of tea.
Until the moment you hear one. Until the moment you feel one. Then youknow you're sold.
And now I would even like to own a Reflex, Axis or Silo. Not because of their looks, but because you KNOW it is going to be awesome
My feeling about the disruptive design thing that goes on at EBMM is that I think it's great. I loved the EVH when it came out, but I couldn't afford it. I hated all the other EBMMs. Over the course of a decade or so, I started to really like EBMM's design, because they addressed many of the shortcomings I saw in more "classic" designs. Now, I love EBMM's designs!
The Armada seems to really appeal to wives. What a great marketing stategy! Make a guitar that my wife will think is sweet looking and it makes it twice as easy to buy!