Bello-ed

One of metal's more eminent bassist, Frank Bello, is now in the Spector camp (Above: NC-4). Looks like it's retaining more of his previous ESP affair than moving away from it. In any case, the bass looks good but that headstock will be a hit / miss affair. This is due to Frank's preference for a 4-a side tuner lineup as opposed to Spector's traditional 2x2 version. All in all, Frank Bello deserves attention from any bass company for that matter.

Pic: Spector

8565

This is one of the new lineups this September - RG8565R. It's the RG565 given the J-Custom specs. Till I become a vine inlay & gold hardware fan, I can make do with the Genesis RG565.

Pic: Ibanez 

Shift

A new one by BOSS but not entirely new. We've come across various pitch-shifting pedals by BOSS & they were great, to say the least. I used to have the Pitch Shifter (PS-5) before moving on to the Harmonist (PS-6). All these because I decided to try a friend's PS-2 which he used for delay applications more than pitch shifting. The buy-in here is the absence of latency issues which should be the primary considerations before buying any pitch shifting pedals because these are not cheap. Also, forget about using batteries for these units, the power will last about 15min at best. 

The XS-1 appeals on grounds of simplicity. Just two knobs controlling how much shifted notes are in the mix (BALANCE) & what type of shifting takes place - upwards / downwards displacement (SHIFT). Also, for those of us who are quickly dazed by terminologies, the XS-1 keeps references in the average Joe territory; how much shifting do you want - a semitone / two semitones / three semitones? Unlike key references of the previous iterations. 

Pic: BOSS

Assassins

A simple affair by SOLAR; single humbucking (active), non-whammy bridge & a single control knob. These specifications mean the Assassin models are appealing to a niche market but there's a strong following for such instruments. As for me, I wish there's a non-Evertune iteration. Loving the black-red theme. 

Pics: SOLAR

Earth GO

Cort now has a smart acoustic - Eath GO. If you've come across brands like Enya & LAVA, this one is akin to those. Unlike other brand names that utilize non-wood materials for the body, Cort uses a solid spruce top & mahogany sides & back. Please be informed that it's a 3/4 dreadnought with a 22.8" scale length. It's aimed at the travelling / busking individuals who are after a little more sonic edge without pedal references so they are a little lighter on the go. Some chorus & reverb go a long way for small-bodied instruments lacking in depth when it comes to tone.

Pic: Cort

Surf's up

Jackson Surfcasters are in at Swee Lee. The JS Series, the most affordable iteration, list for $399. This is basically a no-frills model with no fancy inlays. The X Series lists for $879 (shark fin inlays). The 7-string version is $50 more.

Pics: Jackson