Not 9s in there?

I'm basically too attached to my Ibanez RGA32 for the last few days or so (ok, so I did play my Fenders & ESP as well...) but felt something was amiss while playing it; I made too many fundamental mistakes & felt tired rather quickly (no, Red Bull didn't help). So I decided to re-string it today (GHS Boomers rules!) & discovered the source of my clumsiness & lethargy- the default strings were not a set of .009...

Mike @ Standard Value confirmed my suspicion as the RG321 guitars in his store are equipped with .010s from the factory. So there we have it, the Indonesian models were not strung with .009s...

That un-flat top

How curved is the RGA's body top? Hope the above pic gives you an idea of how it is (featured guitar is my RGA32). If you are wondering what's the big deal with the RGA, then be informed that the top is arched- the 'A' in RGA.

Sounding huge

This is my current spin right now (Mindi Abair- It Just Happens That Way), not new though, a 2003 release but I bought it for a reason- some great tunes are played down-tempo, greatness is not about how fast one can play (especially you shred dweebs out there).

The saxophone is also a very commanding instrument as it is able to sound huge without layering/over-dubbing. It also has a natural reverb to it, making it full-sounding, compared to the average guitar.

Japanese, Chinese & Indonesian

This 2009, Ibanez fans would see Japanese...
Chinese...
& Indonesian guitars offered in the stores. There would be no more Korean models.

Lock it!! (Part 2)

Say you love your current strap & it's the type which doesn't feature a locking device, so the chances of your guitar committing suicide by kissing the floor during a stand-up play, is very real.

This is where your investment in Dunlop's Ergo Lok would be a prudent move. It's simply a device you cap onto the strap button.

Of course, make sure you buy a pair...

This product was first featured here: Read this

7-drop!

I had Beez replace the volume/tone pots of my Ibanez RG7620 last weekend, had him install the orange drop caps in there as well. Why do you see 2 caps in there? The other is a treble bleed cap for the volume knob. I could use some treble sustenance when lowering the volume of this guitar especially so when there's an additional low, B-string in there.

Relic Hamilton

Helmet's Page Hamilton gets a new, old model (or should that be an old, new model?) this year; it's actually a relic version of the first ESP he played.

It seems the relic-is-cool application is catching on with more brand names. Fender & Gibson have bigger shares in this market owing to a stronger acceptability of owning a trashed-but-loved guitars; it's all about what's on the headstock. I think I'm the very few people left on planet earth who get excessively perturbed when I ding my guitar.

When dad's not looking (Part 7)

When dad's not looking, someone brought over some friends to play with used picks...

Ibanez guitar... em... bass? What?

This is the latest attention-grabbing instrument offered by Ibanez this 2009, the SR7...

The 'SR' prefix indicates its bass nature & its overall outline is indeed reminiscent of a typical Ibanez Soundgear (SR) bass. However, the manufacturer reckons the addition of a high E string in there makes this a 'hybrid' instrument; something capable of churning out the bottom end frequencies as well as enabling the player to break into solos...

Default tuning (low to high): B-E-A-D-G-C-E

Significance: An innovative release by Ibanez, it's still in its proto stages so seeing one in stores would take time. I'd say it'll catch on with the bass dweebs more so than the guitar slingers due to its bass scale length.

Concern: As depicted, the instrument features a stressful string break angle from the nut to the machine head (especialy so for the ones at the extreme ends) & this would affect tuning effectiveness (friction related).

PS: Click pic if you think you need to see a bigger manifestation...

Time flies

A year ago, when I started this blog, I took a pic of my little girl with my Ibanez RG8- this is the same person with the same guitar...

Escape to the void

I was up early today, decided to play guitar but the daughter was still asleep & my wife was working on some papers in the next room (where I usually play) & wanted the room door left open in case the daughter wakes up. I grabbed my RGA32 & mini Fender amp along to the void deck...

Deatspell Omega: Chaining the Katechon

My first purchase for '09 is Deathspell Omega's Chaining the Katechon; it's a one song EP lasting 22min- definitely not for the impatient.

I'm a keen fan of this French black metal outfit; the band keeps a very mysterious profile yet the music remains very commanding & ahead of the times. Chaining is a typical DO song, with lots of guitar dabbling, nothing too elitist in tone but the arrangement here is worthy of exaltation. While the change in pace to address the various phase of the track isn't exactly original, the band's conviction for the music genre remains clear- uncompromising.

Twin Tube Blue

Seymour Duncan's tube adventure continues this 2009 with the Twin Tube Blue, an extension of the TT series. If you are the in-between player- ie. you deem the Twin Tube too polite & the Twin Tube Mayhem too excessive- the Blue might have something for you. The hue here is alluding to a certain BOSS offering which is responsible in making all things crunchy very addictive.

Personal gripe: Where's the midrange control?

Talman

It's been a while since a last played my Ibanez Talman- was distracted by active pickups, protruding guitar body outlines, 8-strings & bass, among others. This affordable guitar is definitely my firm favourite namely attributable to the neck profile. I do not favour a finished neck, I sweat too much & the sticky sensation would kick in quickly during play but the overall profile of this neck makes me wanna play for hours (which I did last night). It has that wide/flat feel which helps me play fast with minimal mistakes. The bonus here is that I managed to lower the action to rival some of my RG models so playing it is as inviting as the rest. The default humbuckers are also a surprise; these aren't the darling Super 58s but they are fine through my amps, lots of warmth & clarity.

I'd do well this year to check more Artcore models out.

Seymour Duncan: Triple -shot mounting ring

This is a clever product by pickups manufacturer, Seymour Duncan; can't get used to splitting your humbuckers via your guitar's volume/tone knobs? The simple but brilliant solution is seen above- the Triple-shot is a pickup mounting ring which lets you do that.

New EVH Wolfgang

This is the new Van Halen signature guitar- it's still called a 'Wolfgang'.

The headstock is a love/hate affair. However, it's not a total departure from its Peavey predecessor- just a mere removal of that beveled section.

Look at how much shielding is on board...

Significance: While Fender's custom shop currently handles the production of both his amp & guitar, there's still no 'Fender' moniker anywhere on these products. Instead, 'EVH' is now a stand-alone brand name which is an easy recognition for the man himself considering the enormity of his following.

Edward Van Halen can choose any wood in the world for his guitar body but it's basswood for him- & there are people out there who still think basswood is a pariah material to invest in.

Lock it!

If you love your guitar, you wouldn't want it to kamikaze to the ground while playing it strapped-on. This happens because the strap slit for the button to fit into, has worn out over time, expands & manifests lesser grip for your instrument.

The strap you see above is my Planet Waves' Planet Lock strap, which has a ready locking system; just fit the strap button into the gap & lock it. It fits majority of the strap button less PRS'. So if you love your Gibson Les Paul & deem replacing the small, problematic, default strap buttons a desecration of authenticity, this strap would help.

Does the plastic material scratch you guitar body's finish? No. The underside of the locking mechanism is lined with rubber, your guitar stays scratch free but because the locking contraption tightens up upon use, when you move about, you'd hear it squeaking. Some people find this terribly annoying while recording fanatics say it (the squeaking sound) bleeds into their recordings.

All in all, the Planet Lock is an affordable security strap, a definite alternative to using Dunlop's Strap Lock buttons & pins.

GH's Laguna

Super guitarist Greg Howe has teamed up with Laguna guitars to manifest the LE924FRT. This isn't a long term deal but a limited period collaboration & we know how Mr. Howe had done so with Peavey & ESP guitars, among others, for such enticements.

Marshall- MG series, revised

The popular solidstate range by Marshall, the MG series, is revised this 2009 (it's now known as the the MG4...). As you can see (you cant? click pic, please...) the buttons on board are sleek & the amp features a tuner. I really hope the tone gets some revision as well; planning to get the head version... it's either this or a CRATE model.

Also, in this light, I'm hinting at the likelihood of letting one of my tube heads find a new, more deserving owner...

RG321... farewell?

Word has it that the RG321MH will no longer be available for the market here- I'm still trying to confirm this...

PG's new (Ibanez) pedal...

In addition to his signature Ibanez guitars, Paul Gilbert has a signature pedal to entice you effects dweebs; the Airplane Flanger here features a flanger only offering as well as a chorus/flanger combo. Neat.

Fixed JEM

This is the confirmed production model (for 2009) of the Ibanez fixed bridge JEM (JEM7EAFX). The fixed bridge here is the manufacturer's Tight End model featuring a locking saddle-to-base plate mechanism for superior vibration transfer.

Ibanez ARTB

The Ibanez ARTB100 is in stock @ Swee Lee. It's very similar to the Artcore bass (AGB200) in terms of outline & scale length (30.3") just that this one is a solid body version.

List: $856

PS: For the record, S'pore is one of the very first few countries to have the initial 2009 models in stock (second week of JAN '09); Europe's getting them after 20th Jan & over at State-side, NAMM '09 takes priority...

When Dad's not looking (Part 6)

When Dad's not looking, someone brought over her Sesame Street friends to jam...

Who makes the best Les Paul?

From the above list of manufacturers, which Les Paul is the best?

Ans: None of the above guitars are Les Pauls...

The 'Les Paul' tag is so synonymous with a singlecut design, it's used freely to refer to the latter- that's how influential the 'Les Paul' name has become.

Ibanez: XP300 (Part 2)

The XP300 is a simple guitar despite its protrusive body outline.

It features a bolt-on construction unlike its 700-series siblings.

I dislike the manufacturer's INF humbuckers (due to excessive upper frequencies) but in this guitar, they sound just right. I'm keeping them in the mean time, my spare Duncans will have to wait for other guitars. The XP300 also sports a fixed bridge, making re-stringing & tuning a simple affair.

Like its other XP family members, the instrument comes with one of the strap buttons detached. If you purchase a Xiphos, do not scream bloody 'cheat' when you see a hole in your guitar; check the darn accessory package.

Crunched PPE

I've never plugged a high drive/ intense distortion pedal into my Marshall's crunch channel because I deem this a desecration of Marshall's greatness but on days I get bored, anything goes. I plugged my Pocket POD Express into the aforementioned amp's channel & it was great- a pleasant concoction of tube crunchiness & digital intensity. Without the noise gate in the chain, the background hissing was excessive.

Silver MG

If you fancy the low wattage Marshall MG series, it's now available in silver...

Ibanez: RGA32 (Part2)

The RGA32 joins its ART sibling in offering an affordable active output. Unlike other brand names, Ibanez assigned an AA battery pair in powering up the humbuckers. Besides being different, the AA battery type is more readily available than a block 9V unit.

This is rather mysterious to me- the RGA's serial number indicated its 2009 inception but this is only the third week of January. I am wondering if the guitar was manufactured late 2008 & finished in the budding days of this year hence its chronological indication. If production was strictly initiated this year, it was a rushed job.

Ibanez: XP300

The other Ibanez I acquired is the Xiphos XP300. If you purchase this guitar, be informed that the bag is an inclusive accessory. I'm not a big fan of protrusive body outlines (especially a Jackson Warrior wannabe...) but this one appeals to me in terms of tone & overall QC. The bummer here is its black finish- it's another black guitar for me.

AT100- reissued...

For the record, Andy Timmons is no longer an Ibanez endorser. This 2009, in the spirit of true benevolence (believably...), the manufacturer is re-issuing the AT100; here's what Mr. Timmons has to say about it (taken from his official home page):

Hi Folks,

I'm very proud to announce that Ibanez and I have agreed to re-issue the original AT100 on a global scale. As opposed to the original AT100 which was a limited production (we think @ 300 were made), the AT100CL will be available worldwide and will be made to the exact specs as the original including the hand shaped neck!!

As you may recall, I announced a while back that I had parted ways with Ibanez and that I just wanted to play whatever I felt like playing. I never had any intention of signing with another guitar company as many had speculated. I did get approached by many companies once word got out (which I was very flattered by) but it was more important to me to remain independent and avoid a reputation as an "endorsement hopper".

What I discovered in this time period is that I do love to play Strats occasionally as well as SG Specials, Teles and Les Pauls but nothing feels like "home" like my original AT100. Tone, feel and expression.

It's truly MY guitar. As I was coming to this realization, Hoshino invited me to play for their 100th Anniversary concert in Japan w/Steve Vai and Paul Gilbert.

I was very honored to be asked to do so and I thought it was cool for them to ask considering I wasn't currently an endorsee. During my visit they approached me with the idea of re-issuing the AT100. It was just perfect timing...it felt "right"!

I know there has been a lot of interest in this guitar in the past, so I'm so happy to say that it will finally be available in 2009!

The guitar will be unveiled at the January NAMM show (and available for pre-order) in Anaheim and should be in stores by Spring.

The Andy Timmons Band will appear opening for Paul Gilbert and Racer X
as part of the NAMM festivities. Good stuff indeed.

I'm off to play...I'm inspired!!!

Andy

Ibanez: RGA32 (Part1)

Having a soft spot for a lacquer-free body finish, I was naturally attracted to the new RGA32, so it's naturally the guitar I brought home yesterday. I own an RGA121 but this Indonesian version is very much lighter than its Prestige counterpart.

Here's a look at the guitar's rear...

I have no gripes with the overall QC but it seems that someone over at the factory missed a spot in one of the screw cavities.

The Gibraltar Standard bridge is a neat inclusion, but it's not easy finding replacement parts as this is a unique Ibanez hardware. It's a marvelous first 2009 acquisition for me- but which other guitar made its way here as well? Stay tuned...

Ibanez 2009: Touchdown! (Part 1)

The above 2009 Ibanez (Indonesian) guitars are now available @ Swee Lee (thanks Adam @ BB showroom for the heads-up!):

• RGA32: List- $856
• DTT700: List- $1,920
• XP300: List- $735 (bag included- wise move, Ibanez...)
  

The weekend crowd prevented me from trying them all, I just managed to try the RGA32 & it sounds very commanding in the midrange partly attributable to its light nature, unlike its Destroyer sibling which makes the average Les Paul easy handling. One of the above guitars would be following me home tomorrow (Monday 12th Jan)...

Of busking & waiting

We were at Lot1 last evening for dinner & a meet-up with a certain individual to collect payment for (guitar-related) items. The individual concerned gave a simple instruction, '...just be there at 7 (pm)' which I did.

After dinner we waited at the MRT's station control vicinity & after 20min of waiting my spouse headed home because waiting was never her forte. Also, the daughter was running around the crowded station, often bumping into commuters & we had to apologize to these people repeatedly, which was not the favoured thing to do on an evening day off (we have other better emgagements). But I still waited.

A good evening shower later, my spouse sent a text message asking if that person had showed up. I answered the negative. Time check: 7.40pm & the wait continued.

Finally, the meeting took place at 7.50pm & the payment collection was finalized. Having sent a reply to the spouse saying I was on the way home, her reply was, 'Friends who make you wait are not important. You are being too nice'. So the matter arises again this 2009- am I being too nice?

Would you tell someone to be some place at a stipulated time & show up at the terminal moment? Could you send a simple message to the waiting party to update occurrences (considering the existing technology facilitating this practice)? These are simple considerations which help put our ethics in good stead but we overlook them thinking other people don't mind our rotten ways. As for me, I'm not one to pester others for compliance.

While waiting, I managed to talk to the busker pictured above- he plays an Ibanez RG170 at the entrance of LOT1 just before the MRT station itself, operating with another visually impaired companion who is the vocalist. I told him I was gonna take his pic for this blog & he obliged. The song selections were great, I particularly enjoyed some of the Bangles tunes they covered. If you see them there on weekends, do give generously. God bless.

Ibanez: 2009 anticipations (Part 5)

New additions to the Xiphos family this 2009:

• XP300- a simple Xiphos model featuring a non-whammy bridge; something I'd like to own this year
• XPT700- the 700 model has a regular (non-reversed) headstock on offer & a new neck pickup; a DiMarzio Norton (single coil size)
  

Wah for distortion (talk box segue...)

People are asking me what's the best wah pedal to match a distortion unit. My advice for them is usually to consider the brand names which include a distortion option in their wah (eg: MORLEY PDW-2) as the manufacturer had considered a dual application in their products which imply optimal combination. If you still don't like what you hear or the tones aren't what you'd hoped for, then it's a personal liking.

In its fundamentals, a wah unit is a tone manipulator; it fluctuates bass/treble extremes at the user's authority. If you have quick hands, turning your guitar's tone control up/down would give this basic effect (but why indulge in such sado-masochism when a wah pedal is readily available out there?). If you have lots of distortion going in your set-up, try turning up/down the tone control; chances are, the outcome would be minimal/insignificant- same goes for a wah application. Friends are telling me, despite sending their wah for various mods & having gem capacitors/ pots in there, things are still sour when wah & distortion are in synchronized application. Well, it's proven then that wah & distortion don't mix too well, maybe this is the reason why we enjoy Hendrix's clean wah tone instead...

Moving on, if you still insist on pairing distortion with wah, then my best offer to you stubborn tone mongers out there would be to consider the talk box (pictured above: Rocktron's Banshee talk box) instead. It's not a direct replacement but it achieves a parallel outcome. Rather than a pedal-type rocker manipulation, the talk box has a hose which leads up to the user's mouth- that's how it's used. The human voice is processed in the unit in tandem with the instrument's signal (usually guitar/ synth) to give a very wah-like output. Do listen to Bon Jovi's Living on a Prayer to hear how Sambora used the talk box to maximum effect (the unit used was a Heil, not a Rocktron). Jennifer Batten also had some talk box going in her As Above, So Below release.

Simply bass

There are some very addictive bass contents in this album... The trouble with playing bass next to guitar luminaries is always the discretion not to over-shadow them on their own turf but with song-oriented tunes, the bass is set free...

Tube coffee

This was my play set-up last night; decided to plug my Black Coffee into the Tube7. The BC has no distortion control so what was heard was ful- on distortion coupled with a drive kick from my Coolcat Transparent Overdrive. Also, the overall tone was scoop-inclined as the BC only has treble/bass controls on board.

Guitar zone

I bought this album not because I'm wimping out but, as with the Take That acquisition, it's simply a change of approach guitar-wise. It's quite a challenge to convert some tunes here into guitar instrumentals but if it's doing so for the vocal parts exclusively then it's one boring transformation.

Ibanez: 2009 anticipations (Part 4)

The Darkstone series is a new Ibanez addition this year. Evidently, it's a quirky guitar in view of its outline but I'm keen to hear its tonal manifestation as it features a sapele body & neck.

Chrome

Plastic presence...

Now chrome.

It's a simple substitution but it made my day; I'm less clumsy with smaller knobs.

Stock check 2009...

Above are some of my singlecut guitars... but it's time I keep stock of what I own (as at 4 Jan 2009):

Ibanez:

1. RG321
2. RGR321
3. RGR08 LTD
4. RG560
5. RG1550
6. RG2610
7. RG7620
8. RG2228
9. RGA121
10. SA2020
11. SZ2020
12. TM71
13. AF105
14. S540
15. S1620
    
16. SV5470
17. SZR520
    

Fender:

1. American Series 50TH Anniversary Stratocaster
2. American Standard Telecaster
   
3. Highway1 Stratocaster
4. Highway1 Telecaster
5. ST-72

Gibson:

1. Les Paul Std (60s neck)
2. Les Paul BFG

ESP/ Edwards

1. Eclipse II
2. E-LP85-SD/P

The rest:

1. EBMM SUB1
2. BC Rich Ironbird Body Art series
3. Smash S2 Lite
4. Kramer Vanguard S440-S
   
5. PRS McCarty

Bass:

1. Fender Mustang
2. Yamaha BB414

Not too keen in buying more guitars this year, looking forward to some basses instead...

Ibanez: 2009 anticipations (Part 3)

This 2009, the Destroyer makes a come back...

People are asking me when these guitars would ship in here; I have no idea. If they do make it here at all (some are regional exclusives), it would be well after NAMM's '09 winter event.

Ibanez: 2009 anticipations (Part2)

More confirmed 2009 models: RGA32/ 42. This was in the grapevine back in late 2007 (that's how long ago the leak was...); a more affordable carved top RG to debut & they do this year. Look closely- they are not Prestige units (not saying this is bad) so expect a non-Japanese craftsmanship.

Ibanez: 2009 anticipations (Part1)

This is one of the confirmed production for 2009: Paul Gilbert's PGM401. The guitar features an ash body & a pair of 'polite' DiMarzio Air Classic, covered humbuckers.

New finish: RG321

Another new finish for the RG321 this 2009: Weathered White.

The rhythm companion

The days leading to the new year were dreadful episodes of work preparation. Everything takes a back seat, work commands priority. I was too whacked to even update anything here hence the hiatus. Everybody else believes the new year would be the opportunity to start anew- less me, of course. I don't look forward to be engaged in the line of duty where change is marginal. The Luciferian whispers inside of me provokes a career switch...

Enough whining.

Anyway, I played my RGA121 today with some rhythm backing courtesy of my ZOOM RT123 (discont'd). I've put this away for a while because I misplaced the power adapter for it but today it was unearthed beneath a sheaf of rancid newspaper, so work took a back seat.

I invested in a simple drum machine to spur inspiration; I get motivated to play after hearing an interesting percussion inter-play more so than being intrigued by another guitar player. My rhythm companion here is really a fundamental beat generator but it does its job well. More importantly, it helps me play on.