Standard Build vs. Crossroads
Standard Build vs. Crossroads - Which one should you get?
The Similarities:
The Standard Build series and the Crossroads series both offer exceptional value for money. Our mission is simple: To deliver high-quality musical instruments from a customer-centric state of mind. Both series are manufactured in a streamlined production environment and can be easily purchased with fast delivery from our available stock.
When a B&G model is seen across series (such as Little Sister) That means that the overall concept of the instrument is similar and the major differences would be in the building techniques and materials used.
B&G Standard Build Series:
Those of you who have been following us for a while may recognize a striking resemblance between the featured instruments in our Standard Build series to our luxurious Private Build series. That is simply because they are built using the same materials, in the same place, and by the same luthiers that make each Private Build piece. Therefore, the mastery, building techniques, and quality of materials used for each Standard Build guitar are at the level of a Private Build piece. The key difference is that the guitars we make in our Standard Build series cannot be customized. The Standard Build models are crafted with the specs and finish that our master luthiers best intended them to come with - classic, prestigious, reliable instruments for the professional player. We have set a new standard for a B&G instrument, allowing for a top-of-the-line axe at an affordable price.
B&G Crossroads Series:
The Crossroads series came to be from the idea that playing a quality instrument should be an option for everyone. Luckily, when we launched this series, we had solidified the secret to building our dream guitar. We had been making each Private Build guitar by hand and had gone abroad to train a team of luthiers and craftsmen and create a wider production line. We monitor the materials being used, and we are there at every step of the production line to assure a level of quality that matches our set of standards. At first, it wasn't easy, and we had to overcome many challenges and obstacles, but we have finally made it. We were able to bring the magical spark of our Little Sister, along with a few other models (Big Sister) to an affordable instrument with surprising skills in playability, sound, look and feel. We are constantly developing and are working hard to bring more models and products from our high-end line to the Crossroads series.
The Differences:
Place of Birth
Each guitar from our Standard Build series is built in Tel-Aviv, Israel. The Crossroads series is made in China, under strict B&G regulation and supervision.
Tonewoods
In the Crossroads series the tonewoods are picked from the absolute best options available for semi-industrial production, and they are all solid. We don't use any plywoods or veneers on our guitars. In the Standard Build every piece of tonewood is hand-picked by our luthiers.
Pickups
Each B&G Standard Build pickup is wound by hand, in-house. We have been optimizing them for years, to ensure they deliver those true, vintage-sounding, rich tones. The unpotted pickups achieve that additional feel of airy openness and sensitivity to the acoustic tone. They are superb for clean, jazzy/bluesy crunch and mid-gain picking.
The P90 is built according to the golden era tradition, with Alnico V magnet on the neck position and Alnico II on the bridge. Producing a rich tone, embodied in a translucent halo of upper harmonics, and fat, warm bass.
The Kikbuckers™ is an original design from B&G, for those players who love the P90 but need to get rid of their typical hum. With a stacked humbucking configuration, the Kikbuckers™ deliver a quieter, more focused tone, while retaining the typical sound of a single coil pickup, along with the exact same look and size of the standard P90.
For the Little Sister Crossroads, both the P90s and Humbuckers are an option. They are factory-made according to our specs. Modeled after their Private Build siblings, they offer a balanced, rich tone. Aimed to offer maximum versatility, the Crossroads series pickups are wax-potted to eliminate unwanted feedback, to adapt well to higher gain tones with enough power to push the amplifier's front end, and produce just the right amount of upper harmonics.
Electronics
The Standard Build electronics are the most reliable US-made parts available, utilizing the highest quality components on the market such as CTS potentiometers and custom-made B&G capacitors, as well as a Switchcraft toggle switch and output jack, producing a substantial tonal upgrade and state-of-the-art functionality.
The Crossroads electronics are the most reliable Asian made parts available, based on the same specifications.
Hardware
Each Standard Build guitar is equipped with hand aged solid brass hardware, a metal that became synonyms with B&G instruments. The Crossroads series instruments are equipped with brass pickup covers and saddles and the rest of the hardware is gold-plated zinc alloy, made especially for B&G. Both the Standard Build and the Crossroads come with B&G Delta Tuners, for easy and precise tuning.
The Bottom Line
The Crossroads offers a budget friendly professional instrument. It performs well in the studio as well as on stage and it is perfect for both the touring musician and the passionate bedroom player.
The Standard Build is a top-notch premium instrument that will serve the professional musician throughout a lifetime of composing and performing. Due to the impeccable attention to details, it excels both sonically and in playability.
