Noir Strat

I mentioned this Strat back in 2022 & it's now available at Swee Lee (List: $1,699). This is a Hybrid II Noir Strat, the colour scheme reminds me very much of that car from Knight Rider. If you know what I'm talking about, you grew up enjoying good 80s TV shows. 

Pic: Fender Japan

Silver Vaughan

Aw, darn! Someone out there, in the sheer spirit of defiance, relic'd a PRS Silver Sky to mimic SRV's fabled Number One. 

Everything, in my opinion, was done in good taste. This flip side look shows us how serious this was set out to be. 

Saving the best for last - just look at how well the headstock turned out to be! I'm not a relic fan but I must applaud this effort; it's maximum dedication, to say the least. You might demerit this for missing one crucial detail; the bridge should be the lefty version as per SRV's. However, in view of the default routing excluding this consideration, I won't hesitate to give top marks all round.

Pics: TGP

MOMM (51)

There's a fair amount of hype for this release just because it's the second effort from the acclaimed Vltimas lineup. Epic by name not by impact.

• Agree. Yes, this album fell short of the standard set by its predecessor, Something Wicked Marches In. Namely, it's due to the lack of that black-thrash vibe set by SWMI. Many songs have that laid back heavy metal vibe where speed is not an obligation. Obvious example: Mephisto Manifesto. The fact that David Vincent sounds like Randy Savage, especially in this album, doesn't help either.
• Disagree. This is not a bad release. It just sets itself apart from its predecessor but the metal pundits out there are certainly not impressed. It seems that bands should not go astray from what they had set out to do from the start unless your band's name is Darkthrone, simply put.

POD Express

If you think LINE6's POD adventure had closed its chapter for good then be informed the POD is still alive & kickin'. Of course, it no longer looks like its former incarnation - that bean shaped unit that had been the popular recording gadget not too long ago - it's now a very effects pedal looking as depicted above. 

 

Ola's perspective on the matter is very much mine; we are both interested if this one can pull off some of the best distorted tones out there with very little tweaking effort. If you are interested in one, it's currently out of stock at Yamaha (List: $285).

Pic: LINE6

S2 ver 2024

Folks, the new (ver 2024) PRS S2 Custom 24 is now available at Swee Lee. New here refers to the fact that the S2 range is now a full American, ie. all parts are made in the USA. The S2's Previous iteration has non-American pickups & electronic components. Of course, there's a price revision in the midst of all this - $2,799 (previously $2,699). 

 

Pic: PRS

SL @ CQ

 Finally, some Friday evening time to drop by the new Swee Lee outlet at Clarke Quay.

The overall vibe is that of an extended Star Vista outlet, those familiar hue & texture of the fittings certainly added to this feel. 

The store is divided into several focus areas. The one you see here is the instrument space, the very first sight that would greet you if you entered by the taxi stand entrance. Moving along, it's the software / hardware space with some dining space. A little further up would bring you to the vinyl listening space & more dining area. Order for F&B is located here. Nothing further beyond this space except the exit door.

Swee Lee had made it clear that this is a music lifestyle store & not an instrument outlet exclusively. For a gear geek like me, I find this place off-putting. I'm surrounded by people who are not into gear exclusively. In fact, I see couples having a meal date there, a job interview conveniently taking place at a strategic corner, vinyl enthusiasts talking loudly with their headphones on & a caucasian guy who plonked himself onto a very comfy seat, getting lost in his laptop computer. I was here for a good 20min & he didn't order any food, stayed put at the same place. I guess he might be an employee of the company. That's my best bet. 

Over at the instrument testing station, things are pretty much noise-free. You test the instruments with headphone amps (I believe those are the Fender Mustang Micro units). Nobody could hear your Smoke on the Water riffs which is a good thing. To me this is a definite no. Sometimes an instrument manifests inherent anomalies which cannot be realized through the headphones. However, there is one testing station near the entrance door which features a real amp & some effects unit but the volume was kept down.

I'm not contesting how a guitar store should be, Swee Lee is free to conceptualize stuff that works for them; lifting their business profile, appealing to a greater group of (potential) customers than merely gear buffs, providing an alternative venue for a quick bite, etc. For a gear-inclined individual like me, the place is excessive & not gear-centric. Coming back here for gear hunting would be very far down my consideration list. If you like this place, good for you. I'm very happy to check stuff out at the Star Vista outlet instead. A belated congrats to Swee Lee for their deserving extension into the other recesses of the island. Presence is everything.

PS: Thanks to store manager, David, for letting me take photos while I was there. I actually have more to share but these 3 are good for now.

EDIT: The headphone amps at the silent testing stations are the BOSS KATANA:Go

Thanks & goodbye: CJ Snare

Sad passing of Firehouse's frontman, CJ Snare, just days ago. He is one of those unique singers whom you could easily identify once he starts singing.

 

There were too much grunge on the radio back in the 90s & Firehouse was one of the rock bands who withstood the test of that decade. I'm not fond of the ballads but Don't Treat Me Bad was one of my favourite songs from the band.

Pic: X

Delonge Star

This had been gear news fodder for a while & it's finally unleashed to guitar-dom. The Tom Delonge Starcaster maintains the single pickup feature but did away with the original Fender Starcaster headstock. In its place, we have the big Strat-type, 70s design which in my opinion is a cool replacement. Colours are kept in the pastel family as opposed to the loud, solid options of the solid body counterparts.

Interestingly, it's made in Indonesia. Does Fender have an Indonesian factory? So this is hinting at the instrument's pedigree. 

Pics: MR / Fender

A blast

Variation of a theme - Fender Japan has a sandblast finish Strat in its Hybrid II series. More accurately, sandblasting is a process, not a finish type per se. What you see here is a natural finished ash body, given the sandblast treatment. A Tele & Jazz bass are the other members in this sandblasted affair.

Pic: Fender Japan

Price watch (78)

Folks, this is another blatant fake still available in the after-market despite an authenticity red flag submission to the platform owner.

Just look at this rubbish headstock - Prestige?? But labelled as a GRG, selling for less than $250? Gosh...

This is the authentic GRG170DX as documented at the official Ibanez website. We should not be tolerating this nonsense. If you visit this buy-sell platform, do us all a favour & submit a fake product report.

Pic: Ibanez

Yngwie @ CT

Folks, if you have bought the ticket for this one, do note the change in performance venue. I'm of the opinion that an enjoyable Malmsteen show should be done outdoors considering how loud he likes his live sets to be.

Pic: SISTIC 

Oxy goodness

Solar Guitars has this AB1.6FR model covered in metal. Yes, the body's top coat here is of the metal element. Objective - to manifest an oxidized, worn-in look as time goes by, compounded by how much bio fluid you transfer onto it. Not cheap though: USD 2,199.

Pic: Solar

Antigua returns

The Antigua finish makes a return but not in the Fender range. The models you see above are all Squiers & these are strictly a finish re-visit. Meaning, these models are not the actual 70s embodiment. 

The Antigua finish is also currently offered as a 70th anniversary fixed bridge Strat (Mexican: CLICK) & I managed to get myself a Tele version not too long ago (Japanese: CLICK). If these Squiers make it here, don't be surprised if they cost a wee bit more than the rest rest of their Squier siblings.

Top pic: Yahoo Tech

Jap hums

Noticed there's a good offering of humbucking Strats in the recently released Hybrid II (Japan) Fender models. The HSH Strat is seldom seen in the stores these days especially so when the Charvels took over the Super Strat territory.

This HSS is simply stunning. Covered humbucker in a Strat - not a common feat. Also that cosmic purple finish is downright attention grabbing. However, this one is an exclusive model form the Japanese flagship store but we remind ourselves of how certain exclusive Fenders would make their way here when least expected.

Pics: Fender Japan

Aidilfitri 2024

Empty.

Selling: Claren Guitars 2M.st

Tough times ahead. Employment contract will terminate in a few weeks. Selling. Thanks for reading.

• Claren Guitars: 2M Standard (hard case included)
• Full solid (mahogany) construction, rosewood fretboard, okoume neck
• Electro-acoustic
• Scale length: 24.8"
• Self-collect @ CCK / Yew Tee mrt station
• Contact: email at left shoulder of this page
• No reservations / trades
• Price is final: $550

Price watch (77)

This ESP George Lynch guitar is an outright fake. That price tag there is a downright red flag. From this picture alone, we see the wrong bridge being used plus there are no markings on the humbucker (the original version has a Seymour Duncan label on the pickup). The fact that it has ESP on the headstock is an invitation into legal trouble. 

The platform administrator has issues when users submit a fake item report. The authenticity of an item is according to their absolute assessment. It's very much like how the POFMA law in this country works; a piece of news is considered fake at the absolute assessment of the minister. The seller in this case did not hint at a possible authenticity issue. There's outright misrepresentation & the fact that the platform owner does not exercise due care on the matter are disturbing indeed.

BB

Not exactly the answer but it works. I'm currently using a small practice amp & as we know it, the bottom end response for such a unit is rather lacking. Does this BB9 solve the problem? Not quite.

1. A pedal is an implement that sits before the amp in a signal chain. If there's any influence on tone, then it is affecting the guitar's signal rather than sculpting the amp's voicing at source. I'm referencing my current situation where no looping feature exists at the amp's rear panel.
2. The final outcome is of more significance when one utilizes an effect pedal. The BB9 helps beef things up because, well, that's its job. I can hear more lower frequencies during play & it doesn't matter if the guitar's signals are actually being affected as opposed to the amp's. This is rather obvious as I'm currently playing a guitar that has EMG pickups on board.

S2 Ver 2024

PRS' S2 lineup has undergone a -mindful revision, so to speak, this 2024. The instruments now feature the American 58/15 LT pickups. The other electronic components are equally American, ditto the bridge. So the S2 is truly an American guitar this year.

My perspective: Even before this overhaul, the S2 prices had increased by so much, it's no longer worth considering getting one. This is compounded by the fact that the SE version of the Core / S2 lineup are up there when it comes to value-for-money options. The Indonesian craftsmanship plus export electronics simply get the job done. In view of the aforementioned price hikes, PRS did a smart thing by American-izing the S2 so that buyers would not feel short-changed when they pay exponentially more for the latest iteration because it's American through & through.

Pic: PRS

MOMM (50)

Throwback music moment. Pure Holocaust is the second full length release by Immortal (1993). The production here still featured a largely treble inclined guitar works with lots of blast beats dictating the pace of things. Had the urge to listen to this one as I believe the current wave of black metal music are lost when it comes to identity & the embrace for resistance. 

FYI, the rightmost guy in this lineup is Grim. He did not play on this album but toured with the band as its drummer. 

Inspired by ... headstock

When we were just celebrating the new revised Epiphone headstock, the Inspired By series went one up by basically putting a Gibson headstock there. Pickups are also the 490R / 498T affair (not my type though). Gibson wants you to feel OK paying more for their instruments in the mean time so they are going the extra mile giving you are near-Gibson experience while treading the Epiphone economy. Not good for those of us who look forward to the Epiphone name to account for our gear budget. USD1,299 ... Hmm ...

Pic: Epiphone

SL @ Clark Quay

Following the closure of its Bras Basah branch, Swee Lee now has a new lifestyle music store at Clarke Quay. If you enjoy the Star Vista outlet's vibe, this should be a grand extension of that atmosphere. Looking forward to dropping by. Wonder when...

Pic: Straits Times

Scream

Another artist-related pedal. Mille Petrozza's KHDK Deathscream has the appropriate graphic to let you know what it's for. This isn't an intense-type, Metal Zone-esque pedal, be informed. It was conceived to push the distortion of Petrozza's Kemper on live outings. If you are in need of a similar implement, do consider.

Pic: MR

Ibanez: April '24

There were no new releases in March despite Ibanez saying otherwise in the SM feeds. Come April, four Japanese models were unleashed. The one you see here is the AZ2203N, not exactly new but a new finish - seafoam green. If it's not as seafoam green as the Fender version that's because Ibanez has no obligations to match that.

Another new but not really new - the AZ2204N in gray metallic.

 Another gray finish goes to the AZ2402.

Last but not least, the RGDR4527ET. Not my thing: 1) Evertune bridge 2) Richlite fretboard / body top.

Pics: Ibanez 

Raya

Swee Lee is having a Hari Raya promo till 14 April. Discounts as above.

Pic: SL  

Re-string Saturday

Had been playing this lately. Something easy on the hand & a lighter overall feel. This may not be your thing because it's a scaled down guitar, very toy-like, for kids they say.

This guitar gives me the perfect opportunity to adapt. I'm also a small-framed individual so it's something I can get used to. In any case, Paul Gilbert isn't small-framed but he plays the miKro RG. Stayed indoors today so gave this a good clean up + re-string. By the way, those strings are a sponsored set.

Good Friday 2024

A drab long weekend today. Indoors, reading, keeping up with gear maintenance. Nothing fantastic. Hope everyone had a good break from work & some deserving rest.

 

Quilted hybrid

The Japanese Hybrid II models now come with quilted maple tops for selected finishes. The 'Hybrid' iteration is not new, they are just getting you into these series with a decorated top. Let's see how much these would go for once they get here.

Pic: Fender Jp

MOMM: Pick from the 90s

The '90s... that time when grunge took over & the affiliation for guitars suffered an internal conflict; minimalism vs extremism. Why did we bother to contemplate at all, if we were true music fans, really. Anyway, I got sucked into grungefest briefly before realizing my true inclinations & the need to return to what makes me tick - metal. The above three albums were on my playlist, so to speak, considering 'playlist' back then was that bunch of cassette tapes or CDs you always brought along in your bag.

Bathory: Octagon (1995)

This is one of those glorious cassette tapes I own back then & it was a legit local copy. The original version cost nearly thrice as much. I have a soft spot for this one as opposed to the cult favourites - Blood, Fire, Death / Hammerheart - as it retains a substantial amount of right hand chugging while treading the extreme metal domain. One of those very addictive HM-2 tones are here for your reverence.

Morbid Angel: Covenant (1993)

Another esteemed favourite in cassette tape form. Its predecessor, Blessed Are the Sick (1991), was a let down for me; the band bloody slowed down. Covenant re-visited the speed aspects of the band's music albeit not entirely. This is also the first album without the late Richard Brunelle so Trey forged the guitar works here alone & he did fine but the solos hinted going south. We could all agree that Brunelle was the better player between them. 

Slayer: Undisputed Attitude (1996)

This album was part of my initial years in the CD domain. Back then, I really had to save good money to purchase CDs. One CD could have easily gotten me 3 cassette tapes so some intense considerations really needed to happen before I parted with money. This album got me thinking hard because it was an EP of punk covers done the Slayer way, there's only one new song on offer; Gemini (which became my personal favourite very quickly). In the midst of all the CD buying, I still needed to buy guitar strings so the struggle was real. 

Pics: Last FM / Amazon 

Gored

 

New from Wylde Audio - the Goregehn. Let's see... this design has the elements of a Mockingbird, Explorer & heck, that extended forearm cutaway reminds me of an Ibanez 540P. Looks like Mr. Wylde really enjoys manifesting his design ideas under this brand name. We know it's not gonna stop, yes?

Pic: WA IG

Snappers

These E-II Snappers are available at Davis GMC (List: $2,050). They are essentially Strats in another guise. If you are a Fender purist, then you might miss out on a decent Japanese craftsmanship with tone that holds its own. 

There's also the rosewood 'board version if maple (& gold hardware) is not your thing. 

Pics: ESP Japan

ULV

Matthias Ia Eklundh, the long time user of Caparison guitars, now has his own brand of instruments. Reading between the lines, it has everything to do with those true temperament frets. He favours these frets & would gladly move over to the side that would listen / meet his needs. The Caparison design, in my opinion is much more appealing than what we see above but nothing beats having instruments that are meeting your ideals. 

Pic: MIAE FB

Yellow Saturday

It's a classic case of not having the funds to go out & enjoy some refreshing sights & smell outdoors. I'm that pathetic these days. If it incurs some spending, transportation fare included, I will re-think. So it was an indoor Saturday with my yellow Dinky. These Jackson strings (Previous intro: CLICK) are alright but I won't be re-visiting them; strictly a price consideration. 

These DiMarzio D'Activators are perhaps my favourite pickups for distortion application. Paired with the Snakestortion, things sound as mean as I want them to be without mushing out.

I have to thank my gear for keeping my lucidity in check. The depression domain is a very lonely realm. Distractions are needed to prevent one from doing stupid things that might be harmful. I remain gainfully engaged (no pun intended) with my gear while dealing with monsters. Hope you are enjoying your weekend.

Fixed Standard

Jackson released new iterations of its American Series guitars, this time, it's a dual humbucking version. Pictured above: SL2MG. Default pickups are EMGs (81/85).

I'm definitely interested in the fixed bridge version despite not being an EMG fan. Those inverted inlays might be a deal breaker...

 Pics: Jackson

Harmonizing

Another adventure out of the comfort zone. Got this for a good price, the former owner is not really a guitar person, more like a sonic experimentalist. So far, I'm using this to somehow make my solos more interesting. To me, it's not really suitable for extended riffs. A proper appraisal to come.