Ironpoly

Ending June with the knowledge that some things will creep into your life sooner or later. Monopoly Iron Maiden edition; didn't see that coming.

Pic: MI

Eid-Ul-Adha

Blessed Eid greetings to all Muslim readers & a happy rest day to the rest of us. 

There are many tenets of sacrifice, the important thing here is to do so when the time comes. May all our sacrifices not come in vain, no matter how small these are.

Review quickie: Seymour Duncan Red Devil

The Seymour Duncan Red Devil (RD) is a single coil sized humbucker which is nothing new in terms of design. The JB Jr & Lil '59, among others, look like the RD so without flipping the pickup to read the details on the chassis, there's no telling which pickup is which. This humbucker is a collaboration between Billy Gibbons & the manufacturer, proudly wound by MJ at the factory.

Likes

• clarity
• overdriven tones

Dislikes

• clean tones

A lot of how a pickup sounds like has everything to do with the artist's specification. In this case, Billy Gibbons was already in love with his Pearly Gates humbucker so the RD was spec'd out to manifest what he already liked in the PG. So in this aspect, the RD gives off plenty of midrange as documented by the manufacturer above. The difference here is that, at least to my ears, the RD is not excessively trebly like the PG. In fact, I would describe it as a hybrid PG - '59 & a lot of the '59 characteristics could be heard in crunch mode. If you are into some raunchy drive tones without having to deal with an overcooked top end, this is it. It simply loves distortion / drive / gain. In fact, the pickup sounds just OK in clean mode; nothing fantastic. Then again, I am only privy to the bridge model, it might be something else in the neck position. Recommended for a guitar that is not bright sounding in its unplugged nature.

Rating: 80%

Seymour Duncan: Red Devil

List: $135

Availability: Davis GMC

Pics: Seymour Duncan

New DOD

 Ah yes, that I think I need a new pedal to spice up my tone trap working nicely.

NF & MK

It's been a week or so since these new PRS guitars were released & I've been holding back from giving any opinions & trying my best to understand where PRS is coming from with these new instruments. The new models are the NF53 (L) & the Miles Kennedy (R) signature instruments pictured above. These are Tele-esque single cutaway, bolt-on models & the manufacturer had been ramping up their bolt-on superstar profiles since the Silver Sky took centerstage. We saw the Fiore & the re-vamped CE models being pushed into the spotlight, both bolt-on models, so adding these two into the hype seems a natural thing to do.

This is the only video promo that matters to me as opinions come from the PRS people themselves so the philosophy behind the manifestation was clear. The reason why these two were released together is a clever bit of commercial strategy. While PRS is clearly jumping into that Tele twang tone bandwagon, albeit their very own interpretation of it, they are aware that people might be put off by this limited appeal. That's where the MK version does its part; it retains interest in the new outline but offering a tone variation for those not too keen with the cowboy imagery & associated music. So capturing two market segments here is a smart thing to do instead of one in the mean time because the missed opportunity might not be rekindled after players have forged an initial opinion based on either of these guitars. They might think that the other one might still be based on the initial one & they might not be interested. So the risk of losing substantial interest & one market segment is real & potentially costly. 

I own a Tele (OK, I own a few) & to relegate it to country music-specific application is really myopic. This intention was present in the video above. We understand that guitar is merely a tool (for music making) & if you think it's only suitable for a specific intention then you are trapped in time. I'm trying not too say too much about this guitar because I'm interested in one. I was interested in the Fiore as well but prices were prohibitive & I ended up not buying. I have a feeling this will repeat itself with these two guitars.

Pic: PRS

MV-6

I believe this is a recent release by Schecter, the MV-6. If it looks familiar, it's because...

... Squier has a version of its own, before this MV came along. No further comments. 😑

Pics: Schecter / Fender

Price watch (60)

An entry level LTD going for a whisker shy of $850? EMG + Bareknuckle pickups + Gotoh bridge = $850... Hmm... A Toyota with Lexus part upgrades - would you pay for that?

I used to own this guitar, it's from the Tribute Series (Les Paul 50s Tribute, 2012), slightly more affordable than the Studio due to the satin finish - that's how that relic'd part at the elbow rest got there. This won't happen if the guitar is gloss-finished. When new, this was $1.4K +/- so the listed price here is simply due to the fact that there's no more Gibson selling off the shelf & the opportunity to use age in mitigating price.

Review quickie: Fender (Japan) Late '60s Stratocaster

Once again, this is the Japanese interpretation of a late '60s Stratocaster & not an official re-issue. If it is, then the body wood should not be basswood. However, the spirit of this era is kept true at the headstock; bigger, post-'65 outline & truss rod adjustment at the neck heel.

Likes

• weight
• overall construction, fit & finish
• neck profile
• price

Dislikes

• stiff pickup selector
• vintage frets

This is a good guitar in terms of build; almost flawless, less the little bit of untidy nut slots (wound strings) which can be easily trimmed with a pen knife. Everything feels solid & well put together, a good testament to the Japanese craftsmanship. Out of the box, even the rosewood fretboard looked well-conditioned. To me, the biggest draw here is the neck profile. It's not the typical Fender C but a flat-ish U with substantial edge spaces. If you've played an ESP, that's how this feels but a beefier version of things so that it won't exclusively appeal to the shredders. If there's any put off here, then it would be the vintage frets. OK so this guitar is an attempt to re-live the spirit of the times & these frets are thoughtful inclusions but they won't appeal to heavy handed players especially those who bend notes like there's no tomorrow. I'm not that kind of a player (in fact, I hardly bend) but I'm put off by these frets for that effect on feel. 

Tone-wise, these pickups are labelled as 'Vintage style' by the manufacturer & they sound darn warm & sweet in clean mode. Bonus - these sound impressive with loads of distortion as well; proof that you don't need high output pickups to sound menacing; it's about having the suitable pickup type to do the job regardless of the details. Last but not least, this instrument lists on the favourable side of $1K since it's from the Traditional Series, a line up that do not feature extravagant, price-bumping details, which might account for why the 5-way selector feels a little stiff.

Final rating: 89%

Fender (Japan): Traditional Late '60s Stratocaster (bag included)

List: $1,299

Availability: Swee Lee

Black guard

New guitar! Of course not. I'm barely employed, moving around looking wasted with hardly any cash in hand. That's how it is these days; tough times, tougher than what others perceived it to be. Anyway, I decided to mod the American Special Strat you see above:

• Pick guard: Black 3-ply with painted edges to make it look like a single ply
• Pickups: All Seymour Duncan affair - Psychedelic (n) / SSL-1 (m) / Red Devil (b)
• Electronics: A500K volume + 2x A250K tone, HOSCO .022uf capacitor + 5-way selector
• All plastic parts replaced with white version

Since I have a few Strats, I have assigned this one to sport an HSS config. The humbucking RD is not wired to any tone knob, it's giving off that raw, punchy tone which I really favour for aggressive music. The other single coils here are simply doing their job well; twang clarity under tremendous amount of gain / drive. This is my first experience with the Psychedelic (n), would give it a few rounds of tone rigour before a deserving appraisal. Initial impressions - positive.

Also, I have decided to black guard this guitar for a simple reason; the light background with a contrasting dark pick guard makes the instrument look a little bolder, especially with the edges blacked out.

Strings: Value for money

Following my recent fallout with D'Addario, I have been looking at other string brands that won't make a visit to the guitar store more painful than it should be. These are some recommendations if you are equally interested:

• Darco. Darco has a Martin affiliation. The fact that it doesn't say Martin there means 1) It's not as enticing to players 2) It keeps costs down. These are my current go-to brand name but since City Music had moved away to Sims Drive, buying these online means paying for delivery. Darco strings are neither duds nor fantastic. They just get the job done without the extras. The affordability factor here is its main enticement.
• Harmony. I purchased virtually the entire Harmony stash back when Swee Lee's I12 branch did its closing down sale. These are good strings, very much under-rated but it won't be a hit with those of us with an aggressive playing style. These retails for as much as the Ernie Ball Slinky set in the mean time so people are more drawn to the EB name.
• Olympia. One of the most unchartered names in guitar string-dom, people are actually asking if these are legit. Yes they are, Olympia is Korean. The feel of these need a little getting used to. Durability-wise; as good as the Harmony. There are currently three stores selling Olympia strings, one of them is a music school & they are selling this for a little more than the rest. Why? Hmm...

Where to get them:

• Darco - City Music
• Harmony - Swee Lee
• Olympia - Music Theme

Pics: City Music / Swee Lee / Amazon

Call of Cthulhu (3)

I got this guitar for cheap & it needed some attention especially in dealing with the body finish. This S370 has a quasi-trashed body. It was badly scratched in some areas & had chunks of wood missing as well. It's like it might have been run over by a trolley or chewed up by a dog. I used wood putty to fill up the various cavities like the ones you see above. This was left to dry for a few days & sanded the surface back to shape. Really grateful the adhesive properties of the putty saw this through.

The sticker treatment for the final finish.

To be continued...

MOMM (41)

Received a couple of new music in the mailbox.

Immortal: War Against All

Looking forward to this release actually because Abbath's Dread Reaver was a let down & I ended up not buying that release. So WAA is Immortal reduced to a lone member, Demonaz. WAA is also a close reproduction of Northern Chaos Gods. Conceptually, these releases are similar with WAA re-visiting some At the Heart of Winter moments; you know, those icy, down tempo tunes. So things are kind of predictable after the third track. 

Tulus: Fandens Kall

I was also looking forward to this release because I know Tulus gives me what I want to hear - good black metal with no speed obligations & a standout bass production. So nothing really changed in that aspect just another good Tulus serving. The band sort of stabilized in their music making with Olm Og Bitter arguably the only contentious release that threatened to derail a good following but Tulus proved themselves capable of getting back on track. Also, I hear a more distorted tone here, more distortion saturation to be precise, unlike the previous release where the guitars sounded crunchy almost suggesting someone had forgotten to max out the guitar volume while recording.

Review quickie: Fender (Japan) Heritage 70s Stratocaster

Pic: Fender Japan

Folks, this is the Japanese team's attempt in the re-interpretation of a 70s Strat. I'm using the term 're-interpretation' here as opposed to 're-issue' because the latter would involve period correct parts which today would have been discontinued or extinct owing to the winding down of the parts company which used to manufacture components for Fender back in the day. The Heritage Series of Japanese Fender is an attempt to re-live the days when these instruments were manufactured & hence not a commissioned re-issue. The USA equivalent of these models would be the American Original Series but there's no 70s Strat in the line up.

Likes:

• overall build quality
• feel
• pickups

Dislikes

• weight
• pickups
• price

We can always trust the Japanese to do it well & they did it with this instrument. Fault-free build, fit & finish that feels exquisite upon handling. Be informed that the 70s C-profile neck is beefier than today's version. Everything about this guitar, in terms of functionality, is worth every cent. However, the ash body here is not the lighter swamp ash version so it is substantially heavier than the average Mex / American Strats out there. In fact, if you are living in your golden years in the mean time, this guitar is not recommended for live, strapped-on applications. It's as spine-taxing as a non-chambered Les Paul.

The pickups here are hit / miss because as a high gain dweeb, I feel they lack the output for heavier stuff; ACDC at most, but nothing beyond that. Also, the neck & middle single coils lack clarity, certainly not recommended for the legato-inclined owing to the lack of individual note separation at high gain settings. It's a totally different story in clean mode. These are warm-sounding pickups & would definitely appease the jazz camp. Yes, it's that kind of rounded top single coil tone, nothing too sharp-sounding. In fact I love them for the clean offerings; nothing excessively chimey, very usable tones for crunchy, overdriven stuff.

Lastly, those vintage style frets - if you are the heavy handed benders, these might get worn out very quickly. They are not the tall version as well so intense fretting would mean scratching your fretboard with the strings. It's listing for nearly $2K which many of us would find excessive since there are other more affordable Mexican Strats around offering similar feel & tone for less money. 

Rating: 80%

Fender: Heritage (Japan) 70s Stratocaster

Availability: Swee Lee

List: $1,949

Call of Cthulhu (2)

For older guitars, once you remove the trem spring for maintenance & re-install it, it won't stay put. It keeps popping out of the hole where it's supposed to anchor. I've had enough of this nonsense so an easy fix here would be to wedge in an extra bit of string & hammer in the spring together with it for a tight fit. You can then proceed to trim off the extra bit to make it look more presentable. In this case, a bit of .011 string length was used. So there.

To be continued...

Melody chopper

I love this guitar (& the rest that I own, of course). It's like built to my specs; no frills, all action. However, it came default with a single coil pickup which I respect but do not favour. I am on high gain mode 90% the time & the single coil hum is something I can do without.

Addressing the issue is not just putting in a single coil sized humbucker in there because the pickguard slot accommodates vintage specs so if it's a covered pickup, it won't fit. That's the reason you see the cover of this DiMarzio Chopper removed before it could be fitted into the pickguard. Before that could happen, the exposed part of the pickup was taped up to prevent the penetration of dirt & moisture. Also, it took quite a while to remove the cover as it was sealed with silicon, I believe. If you just yank it off, the fragile base (that green portion you see there) might crack. Use a hair dryer (heat) to dislodge the silicon & pry open the cover slowly.

Then off to Beez's for the necessary surgery & installation.

Re-string & it's good to go. Wishing everyone a good weekend ahead.

Maple Sky (SE) (2)

Looks like the PRS SE Silver Sky (maple) is already available at Swee Lee & prices remain unchanged: $1,049.

Pic: PRS

Another salvaged S...

This was done last week. It's an unwanted S421 with a semi-mouldy fretboard & a terrible dust accumulation in the pickups cavity. Being an S-Series fan, I obliged to take this on board & gave it a new lease of life. This included, among other things, refinishing the body into that copper tint you see there which was a semi-botched job. Only the top was re-finished, the rest of the original colour remained in tact. Semi-botched because:

• Two different spray & lacquer brands were used which were incompatible. Initially, when the lacquer overcoat was done, it looked fantastic but upon drying, it actually dissolved the colour underneath. I tried this thrice before realizing it's not gonna work & left the final iteration be.
• Due to several layers of coating, the paint & lacquer actually seeped through the tape that protected the sides & the rest of the body so upon removal, there wasn't a clear separation, the colour bled through. Good thing though, this is only visible upon closer inspection

To be continued...

Mid-year delight @ Swee Lee

Swee Lee is having selected discounts for some items this mid-year. Some of my recommended picks:

Selected Aerodyne models are worth checking out. Remember, these are Japanese & they sport a curved top. Recommended for players who want something a little different with a firm recognition at the headstock.

The Limited Edition Player Series (Mex) are also worth considering since a good selection of them are under $1K (after discount). I feel the Mexican Fenders should be affordable at all times, not just during seasonal discounts. Then again we need to factor in shipping charges & inflation to understand why prices are as such.

Since these are now below the $500 mark, the Squier Classic Vibe Starcaster gets my vote for value-for-money. Especially with those wide-range humbuckers in there. 

I believe the Noventas will NOT be a hit even at these discounted listings. Why? P90s appeal to a niche segment of players & these people always look for Gibson / Epiphone instruments sporting P90s, not Fenders. Mexican Fenders with P90s going for more than $1K - a very difficult proposition. 

Ditto the Junior models listing for more than $1K. Who would be enticed to buy scaled down models of popular takes - kids / ladies? Even Fender promotes female guitar players playing standard sized guitars over at their official web space. 

Pics: Fender / Swee Lee

Maple Sky (SE)

PRS has finally announced the official (Summer) release of the Silver Sky SE maple fretboard version. These are available in three colours in the mean time: Overland Gray, Nylon Blue (above) & Summit purple. Hopefully, when these get here, prices won't be too inflated.

Pic: PRS

Legacy

Folks, these two feature the new ESP Legacy pickups & they are available at Davis GMC. Price-wise, not as terrible as some new Fenders which are not even American.

Pic: Davis GMC

Sonic presence

The most affordable Squier Series (albeit the price revision) are now available @ Swee Lee. All models list for $289 unless otherwise stated. Once upon a time, the most affordable Squier listed for $199... those were the days.

Pic: G4M

Price watch (59)

As depicted above: Squire Bronco bass + ibanez amp = $500 for two used items. Swee Lee's prices: Bronco bass $299 + Ibanez IBZ10BV2 $99 = $398 (new + warranty). You decide.

Swee Lee: $899...

So there are two listed for more than $1K... 😶

Some things

After the Satch-inspired post a few days ago, I made a personal reflection of why I go with the stuff I prefer:

• Pickups. I'm still a firm Seymour Duncan camper. People would tell me time & again, if you like Ibanez, DiMarzio would sound better for you. Yes, I have an Ibanez inclination but I still stick to what I like to hear, not some commercial guitar-pickups hype endorsed by the respective brand's artists. Duncans give me that brash but clear tone for intense music & this is my tone domain, primarily. I'm also a pedal minimalist & Duncans give me the most effective guitar-to-amp experience thusfar so I stick to what works for me. Yes, I do keep things open & have other pickup brands in other guitars on days when I need to put things in perspective, tone-wise. The pickups you see above are Seymour Duncan's Custom & '59 in a G&L Skyhawk. Regardless of which guitar they are in, Duncans will always give me what I wanna hear & that's important.
• Picks. Over the years, my experiences with picks got a little too personal. I reject certain brand names & thickness, once again, to fulfil my needs. As mentioned above, I tend to remain in the intense music domain so wimpy picks that would flex when in use are totally out of my consideration. Also, I have grown accustomed to a certain pick thickness therefore anything too thin & do not contribute to my picking style / effectiveness (even on days when I don't play aggressive music) are also out of the question. The pick you see above is the Northern Ghost Planchette. It's not available off the shelf & takes time (3 weeks or later via normal, untracked mail) to reach me once I've committed to purchase. Why bother? Because they make picks according to my preferences. Simple.
• Pedal. Yes, as mentioned above - pedal minimalist, that's me. The irony is, I keep buying pedals to keep me entertained on days when I am bored. OK back to the point, on any playing occasion, I only have the tuner pedal & one drive / distortion unit to boost proceedings. All the primary aggression comes from the amplifier, the pedal is there to make me feel angrier 😅 I've cycled through may pedals but have recently stood by the Elektrik Head Snakestortion you see above. No, you can't get this anywhere, it's custom made by good friends over at Malaysia 🇲🇾 Anything extra special about the pedal? Not really, other than the fact that it offers 4 different clipping modes which I find very useful for various applications. More importantly, I need those features for my playing style.

Over the years, I've learnt to let go of this feeling of insecurity; I don't feel out of place by not playing a certain brand name when it becomes the flavour of the moment. I enjoy being me more than joining the next guy in exalting the hype. 

Availability

Came across this article while trawling for gear news. Fender fans here, in this country, could not really relate to this because we've been getting Japanese Fenders all along in the shops here. Even when the manufacturer indicated an online exclusive tag for certain models, we would eventually see them for sale in the shops. We are considered fortunate, really because these guitars, being import models in the USA (& elsewhere) would manifest quite a sum when it comes to import charges. 

Japanese Fenders are long considered restricted products in the USA due to its rival QC Standards-to-price considerations; why buy an American Fender when you can get a Japanese one with equivalent / better standards for less money? So these guitars, now being allowed into the USA market, surely, would trigger higher demand in time to come. Simple economics would tell us that prices would go up. Meaning - the ones available here would be subjected to such price revisions. So that's an overview of the matter in case we get too thrilled by the fact that Japanese Fenders are gonna be made readily available everywhere soon.

Pic: MR

A year

 

Was wondering how much string waste I would accumulate over a year & this is the answer. I kept filling this container up with used strings since June 2022 & it reached the brim just days ago. Will deposit this in the recycling bin soon. There are unfortunately no active recycling movements involving guitar strings in this country. I believe these can be recycled & we should make efforts to give metal a new lease of life. Care for the environment - guitar-inclined people can make a difference by doing their part.

Dare to be different

I came across this while reading a Satch interview recently. He dared to embrace something different. More importantly, he did this for himself. 

I noticed that players here tend to go with what's hype. They wanna feel safe & keep the company of like-minded people. Music is a creative platform & choice embrace should be it. Don't just go with the flow, know why you are going with it. If it doesn't serve you, then move on. Embrace something else. There are choices out there, it's not like you have only one guitar brand, one amp brand, one string brand... you get the drift.

The counter argument here would be - they don't have what I want so I have no choice. This is true as some brands deal directly, dealer-free & we just don't have the means to acquire it, especially the younger players out there who are just starting out, without credit cards. Along the way, as your purchasing power changes, you should exercise your choices. Nevermind if those popular brands work for others, ask yourself if those work for you. Coming back to the creative realm - it's about the artist. 

I just find this quote inspiring. Satch had a particular liking to the Radius model which was discontinued & Ibanez kept this one particular model going which became the current JS model. People around me are either Fender or Gibson players & I made it a point to try those instrument just to find out why they don't really work for me. However, I keep it open on creative grounds; on days when I need a good single coil tone & I know none of my Ibanez could pull it off, I would gladly reach out for the Strat. But coming back to my Ibanez should not be an issue. 😎

Stripes

 The Japanese Traditional 60s models with competition stripes are now available at Swee Lee. Prices, surprisingly, remain respectable:

• Strat / Tele: $1,349
• Mustang: $1,399
• Jazzmaster: $1,499

P-bass is also available: $1,349

Pics: Fender Japan

Paranormal June '23

An interesting Summer '23 Squier releases. This Jazzmaster XII is creating quite a stir among offset fans & the guitar community at large. If there's a 12-string revival then this might be it.

Fender fans would know the Nashville Tele but this is the Strat version. Tele bridge & control plate in a Strat; this should be interesting.

This is something I need to check out. Remember the Noventa Strat that's very hyped up & ultimately over-priced (for a single pickup guitar)? This should be a good alternative & I like the fact that the bigger, JM-like headstock is used here. Also, it's a 24.75" scale length.

Speaking of single pickup, this finally happened & it's also high on my to-check list. Single pickup is it for me.

Of course, not forgetting the bass fans, this is the Paranormal reiteration of the Rascal bass (short scale: 30"). How the original Rascal bass looked like: CLICK

Pics: Fender / Squier

Call of Cthulhu

Another salvation project completed yesterday. Made a trip down to Beez's for the re-wiring & stuff. Bonus - it actually sounded good. 

To be continued...

VD '23

Ah... the long weekend. A very good day to keep up with guitars & stuff. Hope everyone is in good health & spending good times with family & friends. It's a good thing guitar stores are still open today so that's where I'm heading to after lunch.