Prabhat Raghu is a Mumbai-based guitarist and composer celebrated for his versatility across various styles and genres. With a passion for exploring diverse musical landscapes, Prabhat brings a dynamic and eclectic approach to his craft, blending different influences to create distinctive and engaging compositions.
Let’s delve into why Prabhat opted for Strandberg guitars as his preferred instrument for musical expression.
Q. Tell us about your Strandberg guitar.
Prabhat: I got my first Strandberg Guitar in 2019 from Alberto Music. It’s a Boden NX 6 in Red Colour. I can never forget the first 15 min with that guitar. The playability and tone took my breath away and I decided to go for it and get one for myself. I enjoy traveling with it and it’s been my main machine for all my big shows and recordings. I trust its stability and playability over anything I’ve had in my career. I always say to my colleagues that this is my “FERRARI”. It’s fast yet smooth!
Q. Can you share any specific features or innovations of Strandberg guitars that have had a significant impact on your playing experience and performance?
Prabhat: The way the fretboard is designed allows me to move across the fretboard, accessing the top frets. That hollow body gives a nice bite and the pickups are Steller. It’s actually hard to imagine looking at it first that this little monster can sound big, clean, and versatile.
Q. As a musician, how do you feel Strandberg guitars contribute to your creativity and musical expression, particularly in terms of tone and playability?
Prabhat: Of course! WE AS A GUITAR COMMUNITY are always looking for new ways to play chords, arpeggios, riffs, and licks and trying new tunings and whatnot. The design and the feel are different, making it sound different is sometimes easy on the Strandberg. Also the fanned frets have my heart.
Q. Could you describe a memorable moment or performance where your Strandberg guitar played a pivotal role in achieving the desired sound or feel?
Prabhat: I have played a lot of amazing shows on this guitar. I always take this on shows where I am the only melody instrument on stage. Only this has the cleans to satisfy the Bollywood vibe and emotions. Enough gain to turn the table with fuller powerful thump for crunch and high gain parts. Also not to forget mentioning the amazing intonation and tuning stability. I was surprised with its intonation stability. Simply amazing!
Q. How do you navigate the versatility of Strandberg guitars to accommodate different musical genres and playing techniques in your repertoire?
Prabhat: Well, I try playing a lot of things. Sometimes I like to shred sometimes just try to play beautiful chord vamps. I have tried this guitar for a couple of recordings also in Bollywood and my instrumental projects. I just love the fact that this guitar can travel through different sonic spaces and ranges. I’ve also tried Hybrid Picking, Sweeping and other playing techniques on this and the clarity and comfort is outstanding.
Q. Can you share any insights or anecdotes from your personal journey with Strandberg guitars that highlight their significance in your musical career and development as an artist?
Prabhat: Well I have a lot of guitars and I have always struggled either with pickups or fretboard shape or size and sometimes weight has also disturbed me. Since I practice for long hours and play longer gigs, it is definitely saving my spine and shoulders. Its keeping me healthy in a way.
Q. As someone who values tone and sonic experimentation, how do you utilize the tonal flexibility and range of Strandberg guitars to explore new sounds and textures in your music?
Prabhat: Well it has a great blend of traditional and non-traditional sounds. I have played a lot of genres on this guitar from funk to the blues to metal to prog and whatnot.
Q. What role do you see Strandberg guitars playing in shaping the future of guitar design and construction, especially in terms of sustainability and innovation?
Prabhat: Strandberg has changed ways and approaches. Just the design itself speaks for it. Their guitars are sturdy in design, the hardware is impressive and the feel is smooth. They have surely pushed the guitar
building/designing industry towards new approaches, ideas and
materials.
Q. How do you balance preserving the traditional aspects of guitar playing while embracing the modern advancements and forward-thinking features of Strandberg guitars?
Prabhat: To be honest I don’t think about it while playing this guitar. The
fretboard does make a lot of difference. But I can say this is the only guitar I have that can make the Traditional/Modern switch as fast as my mind. I am just happy sometimes that this is so “ME’’ Sounding. I like to play more and think less about other stuff.
Q. How do you perceive Strandberg guitar’s impact on the broader music community and their potential to inspire innovation and creativity among fellow musicians?
Prabhat: Well a lot of Progressive, Modern Metal in fact Jazz and fusion also have a lot of amazing players using Strandberg guitars. They have already inspired the masters and the commoners. The potential and inspiration are clearly visible. India has a fair share of these instrument.. All thanks to Alberto Music, S.B. Music, and The Stockist team for making things happen.
Q. What advice would you give to aspiring musicians who are considering incorporating Strandberg guitars into their setup for the first time?
Prabhat: Go for it! The overall setup for this guitar is professional, with a lot of tones to explore. This is a quality investment for people who understand the importance of Tone, Intonation, Playability, and Stability. It’s an investment for a lifetime.
Q. Describe Strandberg guitars in 3 words.
Prabhat: EFFICIENT, PROFESSIONAL, SEXY!
