Glitter

I mentioned these guitar at the start of August - Grass Roots G-M-II-FX. Before August turns, these guitars are offered in metallic flake finishes, this blue version is one of them. I would rather spend money getting this kind of entry level instruments as opposed to the Squiers & Ibanez GIOs. Agree?

Pic: ESP Japan

Post-purchase

Now that you've acquired your dream guitar, what do you need to own to keep your needs in check? Or are you that type of person who would only purchase stuff on a needs-only basis?

First & foremost, you need an amplifier. However, the philosophy of amplification today had been displaced by amp simulators residing in the computer. Simply put, it pretends to be an amp so that when you plug into a computer, it receives your signals & processes it to make it sound like you are playing through an amp. I'm not compelling you to get an amp & tread the purist path because the simulators today are darn good imitators. The latency issues had been dealt with along the way & this, in my opinion, makes amp simulators more respectable. Let's move on.

The items on this list are neither definitive nor final.

Essential

• Tuner. Everybody needs a tuner unless you have perfect pitch. If you play acoustics without any electronics on board (a tuner is a common feature), a clip-on tuner is compulsory acquisition. The electric players are better off with pedal tuners (just my opinion) unless they are pro players who need to prance around on stage most of the time, away from their pedalboards. I've tried app-based tuners; not too bad but it gets distracted easily by extraneous noise. 
• Cable. Never be content with that complementary cable that came with your guitar. The ones that came with my Ibanez some time ago ended up being radio antennae. I heard a phantom Michael Jackson singing through my amp once, so there. Invest in a good cable which are very affordable today unlike in the 1990s when I started out. Preferably, get one with replaceable plugs & OFC wires. To me, a good cable makes or breaks your interest in playing.
• Picks. Try different picks along the way. Try different pick materials, thickness & shapes. These are the pick factors that would define your picking hand movements & eventually your playing precision. I started out with thin picks because those were given to me, I didn't know there were other picks out there which were life-changing (they still are). Also, what works for others might not work for you. Till today, I'm still trying out picks.

Good to have

• Strap. Even if you are a bedroom guitarist, you should at least try playing standing up. There's a marked difference in playing position & posture when you play standing up with the guitar strapped on, the main factor being the fretting hand curvature. I discovered that the standing position frees the hand from excessive stress (that impedes movements) simply because the guitar, in its strapped position, forces the player to straighten the forearm.
• Guitar stand. Do not lean your guitar against the wall, cupboard, table edge, etc. because the chances of it toppling over & breaking is very high. Also, not all guitars can be placed flat on the floor due to its angled headstock (eg. Epiphone, Gibson). If you have to leave your guitar out till the next playing time, get a good guitar stand, otherwise, keep it away in its case / bag.
• Polish cloth. Please, please... wipe down after play. If you don't believe in polishing, just give it a wipe down. This removes moisture & grime off your instruments. You won't appreciate this routine until your guitar's bridge is corroded beyond cleaning or your guitar's electronics get messed up entailing in repair costs. If you do not believe in buying a dedicated instrument polish cloth, use an old t-shirt which works equally fine but it needs to be cotton, no compromise.
• Polish fluid. The job of this fluid is actually to remove grime / oil off your instrument, a good shine is a bonus. This often goes unnoticed till its accumulated significantly on your instrument making it look really repulsive. At the very least, it will affect your instrument's resale value if you are considering selling it off.

Pics: Swee Lee / Dunlop / GC

A Beast to Praise

This is only the band's second live album, the first was back in 2004. I'm buying this to actually hear what's going on with the guitars. The studio albums couldn't manifest a clear difference between the two guitarists, usually live albums would shed some light on this situation. I learnt this after listening to Slayer's Decade of Aggression. I'm definitely a fan of the music but the studio albums suggest that they don't need two guitarists in the band because I struggled to hear any differences along the way.

Pic: knottfest

Chimey

I have always enjoyed clean tones with an acoustic plugged in. Recently, a nylon string alternative was preferred. I don't strum chords too often (can't remember the last time I did), I tend to stick to arpeggiating three notes with an overload of chimey modulation dialled in. I have no obligations to follow what others are doing for cleans, I'm mostly on heavy distortion anyway. This LANEY Prism mini has such good clean tones on board. 

79s Thinline

This is a good release (to me) by the Japanese end of Fender. Ash body, 3-bolt attachment, CuNiFe pickups, the works. That's right, the thing with limited edition Japanese stuff is always the probability of it not making its way here.

Pic: Fende Japan

ICWH

So Ibanez is doing things a little differently this August, releasing this new model in the middle of the month instead of doing so at the start of the month. This here is ICWH727; Iceman Wes Hauch 7-string. A signature 7-string model - meaning - it would manifest a niche appeal. It's beyond reach for most of us so I won't state the price here. Do you even know Wes Hauch?

Pic: Ibanez

Dry

This had been a Squier P-bass which was a display unit at the store. After the strings were removed, we can all agree that the fretboard had dried up along the way & it's in need of moisturization. I'm of the opinion that, the fretboards of instruments on display are subjected to more drying than its sealed up counterparts. Reason being - indoor air-conditioning. It's not an anomaly by any means; all porous fretboards undergo drying along the way, we need to give some TLC by applying some fretboard oil or re-moisturizing fluid along the way.

BT @ DGMC

Just a price update - The Orange Baby Terror is now in stock @ Davis GMC ($299). Reminder - this is an amp head, you'll need speakers to make it work. Also, it's solid state technology.

Pic: TGM

Price watch (108)

Just look at these ridiculous listings. Once again, I'm sure everyone would agree that upgrade is a subjective term when tagged onto musical instruments. Our concept of an upgrade might be different from what others understood it to be. Inflating a Squier in view of such upgrades is a push factor as opposed to attracting potential buyers. $800 for an upgraded Mustang? Look harder & you'd find Fender (not Squier) Mustangs listing for less.

That $2K Mustang reeks of ignorance & possibly desperation. The details of the listing did not disclose the 'revamp'. It's 'hardly use in good condition' but it's 'not for fussy buyer'. We have other listings to consider which are neither confusing nor contradictory, yes?

Japan-inspired

Fender calls this the Japan-Inspired series. I have absolutely no idea what those terms are supposed to conjure; is there a unique Japanese inspiration out there going into these guitars exclusively? After reading the specs, I did not see any such inspirational inputs that went into these guitars leading to the term used to describe this series. Whatever, Fender.

Pic: Fender Japan

Kala U (4)

Kala made it a point to round off the edges of the Wave Baritone ukulele for maximum playing comfort. I look forward to see more of such ergonomic design considerations from the manufacturer. I have no idea if such simple consideration would entail some significant costs in production. The outcome here implied a simple procedure but I'm not a luthier so I have no idea what processes were involved.  

It's a wrap

There are 1001 reasons out there as to why people do a wrap over for their tune-o-matic + hard tail bridge assembly. Some cited added sustain & tension issues for doing so - good for them. My personal reason is depicted above; the wrap over method prevents the strings from coming into contact with the tune-o-matic bridge because the break angle is less acute. If strings come into contact with that tune-o-matic bit, there would be some funky buzzing happening which would highly likely annoy you. So, there.

In brief: Ibanez 540PIII

This 540PIII should have been the re-intro of the moment save for the neck width detraction. I see where Ibanez is coming from in terms of production economy; the 540PIII neck sports a generic Genesis Series reverse headstock neck to avoid the need for manufacturing a period accurate 540PIII neck. Nevertheless, another good one for the catalog.

LIKES

• fast neck
• upper fret access
• strap-on balance
• overall fit and finish

DISLIKES

• bridge pickup
• discomfort (sitting down)
• Chrome input jack while other hardware are black

Because the Genesis Series guitars are Japanese but not in the same reverence as its Prestige / J-Custom counterparts, there is actually no point for the manufacturer to replicate the 45mm nut width for nostalgia's sake. It would mean other cost entailments, the least of which would be the inclusion of a wider top lock unit to accommodate this width difference. There's already a reverse headstock neck in the Genesis production line - the RG565 / RG565R - Ibanez simply used this one for the 540PII. The current generation of Ibanez enthusiasts wouldn't mind but the purists would scream heresy. 

The 540PIII is a warped body version of an RG, that's how I see it. Warped in a good way, definitely. In fact it's visually pleasant. The not so pleasant part would be the body outline inducing some discomfort while playing sitting down. It's that lower curvature proximate to the electronic controls; this bit here got trimmed to compensate the extended treble side cutaway. However, things get interesting if you play this one strapped on; it's suddenly one of the most comfortable body shape you've come across. Adding on to the fast neck, do take note of the more generous upper fret access. The 540PIII's block heel joins the neck at the 21st fret as opposed to the RG's 17th. 

Last but not least, if you are the type who prefer keeping the default pickups in tact, that bridge humbucker, to me, is merely a get-by unit; neither special nor a dud. The neck counterpart on the other hand is above expectations especially for distortion applications. 

Final rating: 89%

Ibanez 540PIII

• available at Swee Lee ($1,749)
• bag not included

Pic: Ibanez

SJ

I'm not putting this here because of the need to celebrate another Fender product. In the wake of recent developments, celebrating anything Fender should be the least of our concern. Anyway, the Paranormal Squier instruments had been around for a while. It's arguably the very few avenues Fender could be more liberal in its feature permutations & this one is a perfect example. In the catalog, this bass is referred to as the Paranormal Thinline P-Bass SJ. The SJ here refers to the pickup configuration which features a single coil (neck) & a Jazz type counterpart (bridge). This, of course, isn't standard feature in Fender products but since its a Squier, they are more willing to try things out. 

Yes, Fender did the Alternate Reality range which are now fragments of our imagination while these  Paranormals continue to intrigue, six years & counting.

King's power

Confession - I had no patience when it comes to the older King Crimson releases. I couldn't pin it down to a particular dislike but I simply couldn't click with any of those albums. Then I came across The Power to Believe. This happened in 2003, where I was too busy checking out the dark arts of Norwegian & Swedish acts mostly. Yes, I'm a big fan of instrumentals & despite not being fully instrumental, the KC materials simply didn't appeal. What made The Power stand out from the rest of its predecessors? Heavy guitars. That's right, the band actually incorporated a more aggressive overdriven / distorted tones in this final studio adventure & it's ace to say the least. Sad that KC won't further the prog wave any more but I rest in the knowledge that something's brewing post-KC.

SPB

After days of adjustments / re-adjustments, this Squier P-Bass is ready to be returned to its owner. I usually take more time to re-string & set up a bass due to the neck issues. Once the neck is relieved of string tension, it will bow. After re-stringing, it will auto-straighten itself in accordance with the fresh string tension. At times, the neck will return to its correct nature but that's a very rare feat. This is unlike re-stringing a guitar where the neck is not physically vulnerable to changes in tension due to its shorter length. 

After talking to the owner before the re-string / setup started, I convinced him to try a set of flatwounds in view of his preference for a warmer overall tone. Also, this is his chance to experience how smooth & skin friendly flatwound strings are. Diligent wiping after play means the strings would last longer than an average wound set. On that note, check out the discounts for Rotosound strings at Swee Lee.

In brief: Kala Waterfall baritone ukulele (solid mahogany)

I am documenting this appraisal from a guitar player's perspective because I am a guitar player & this is a guitar blog after all. I purchased this ukulele for a simple reason - it features a guitar tuning (top 4 strings of the guitar: E / B / G / D) therefore I need not re-think my playing while handling one.

LIKES

• solid build
• smooth tuners
• ergonomic body edge design
• truss rod included
• warm tones

DISLIKES

• some evidence of patchy fretboard stains
• dark inlays against a dark fretboard

The thing about baritone ukulele is that, the size is almost that of a travel guitar so handling one is a familiar affair when you are a guitar player first & foremost. KALA is indeed one of the leading ukulele brands & the quality on show here is above expectations. I'm just a wee bit annoyed by the patchy stains on the fretboard which are more visible from a playing perspective. Also, I hope the manufacturer re-thinks the application of inlays which are too close, colour-wise, to the fretboard hue. The tones coming from this one are warm & favours the fingerpickers more so than the strummers; thanks to the all solid mahogany body for the most part. I particularly like the rounded body edges which make playing very pleasant compounded by the satin finish so that sticky feeling when your sweating arms & hands are in contact with the instrument is a highly unlikely affair. 

Also, coming from the guitar camp, I wish the frets are a little beefier to supplement quick single note runs during solos but then again, this is a ukulele to begin with, extended solos belong to the electric guitar so quit whining.

Special mention goes to the good people at Ukulele Movement for the very non-intrusive shopping experience.

Final rating: 89%

KALA Wave Series Baritone all solid (mahogany) ukulele

• List: $479
• Availability: Ukulele Movement
• Bag included

Pics: KALA

Devil's Monday

I'm taking every opportunity to remind everyone that some of your guitar's default mounting ring is unable to frame Seymour Duncan pickups, especially the TB models. Just a gentle reminder that SD widened the pickup's dimension (length) in addition to the pole pieces spacing to accommodate the F-space.

This version you see above, was provided by the manufacturer to specifically fit the TB pickups. The entire pickup passes through easily.

61st

It's the nation's 61st birthday. I'm not much of a birthday person, I don't even celebrate mine so the nation's birthday is a non tangential affair. Yes, I am a proud citizen of this country & I love the nation but I continue to be estranged from the current narrative. I have stopped watching the National Day parade on TV because I see the people who are making my life miserable here, smiling away.

However, this year, one of the songs (still wondering why more than one song was needed this year) composed for the nation's birthday actually features a guitar. The tune's catchy & puts people in festive exuberance unlike the other song that meddled with melancholy. I do not wish to be specific but IYKYK.

Kala u (3)

After a few days of playing, one of the KALA Baritone ukulele strings snapped. It's most probably due to sharp edges at the nut. Ordered this pack from Swee Lee & would like to appreciate their efforts in making such strings available despite them not having any baritone ukulele in their inventory.

These are ball end strings so it removes the math of tying, winding & securing the strings at the tail end while keeping things visually presentable. My only grip here is that the strings should be of a single colour instead of the four different ones you see here.

Re-string Friday

Not a working day for me, decided to spend some time with this purple menace after my morning walk. 

I had a set of 10s installed previously & the neck bowed despite the guitar tuned down a whole step. Switched to 9.5s this time, guitar was tuned a half step down. I have decided that this guitar should not be in standard tuning to serve my needs for heavy riffing. Looking forward to more gear time this long weekend.

Nargaroth @ SG

Legions of the dark, be informed that the German dark authority known as Nargaroth, will unleash its sonic assault come September 2026. It is hoped that the details captured above would suffice to trigger your latent interest.

Pic: BMS

Kala u (2)

This is me preferred ukulele. It's a KALA & purchased from this store called Ukulele Movement:

• All solid mahogany body
• Truss rod included
• Baritone scale length
• Ebony fretboard

The decision to finally purchase a ukulele was compounded by the fact that the store accepts CDC vouchers as payments.

To be continued...

National Day deals @ SL

Swee Lee is having seasonal discounts (National Day 2026) for selected products. 

I'm attracted to this Fender FSR Hybrid II P-bass. Usually not a finished headstock fan but this one looks very flushed together with the rosewood 'board. That white pickguard adds class, IMO. This is about the only thing I'm interested in this time round 😅

Pic: SL web store

MoMM (65)

I listened to this online & was not expecting to purchase a copy. This acquisition was more of an attempt to supplement the need for grandiose black metal riffing & composition ideas. Saying this upfront because there are (to me) no outstanding numbers in this collection. Songs are mostly unnecessarily lengthy (especially the intros) & patched with orchestration to remind listeners, ardent followers & newbies alike, the Dimmu Borgir identity. However, the staunch listeners would agree that things took a turn in this aspect after Death Cult Armageddon (2003). But this is definitely not a shabby effort. FYI, Grand Serpent Rising is DB's eleventh LP, the first after Galder departed in 2024.

Kala u

Totally out of my comfort zone, totally unnecessary but went ahead anyway.

To be continued...

GM-II-FX

Just look at this one; isn't it simply attractive? Yes - simple & attractive. It's merely a Grass Roots but as the model citation suggests, it's a Grass Roots (G) version of the ESP M-II. I'd rather spend money on this one as opposed to a lower tier LTD because those cost too much these days. Really hope this would make it here regardless of when that would be.

Pic: ESP Japan

TOD100N

We end July in the knowledge that the TOD model moves one up to become the TOD100. The guitar has an immediate visual impact with the exposed layers at the elbow rest area. This finish is referred to as the natural high (gloss).

This rather pale version is called the toasted marshmallow (matte). Visual distractions aside, it's good to know that the TOD100 feature a solid body. The natural high version sports a solid spruce top while this pale beast has a flame maple top. Both versions have solid okume backs & sides.

One of the new feature highlights for this TOD version is the smoother neck-to-body joint. It's especially useful for those who venture up the upper fret area.

The other note worthy revision - double hole bridge. This offers a tighter grip but a little fiddly which I discovered while dealing with the AUP10N. I'm just happy to see the TOD100 moving a tier up in terms of features as opposed to being another obligatory signature adventure.

Pics: Ibanez

Baby Terror

Orange is still banking on its Terror hallmark to pre-empt players on the potential gain capacity of its amps. This Baby Terror is no different albeit the diminished dimensions. Interested parties need to be informed of its solidstate nature instead of being tube-driven. The promo & appraisal clips out there are portraying this one to be worth its price & demeanour. 

My only beef with any amp of this nature is the fact that they are powered by adapters instead of pin-plug power cords. This contributes to humming especially if you have pedals with a gain function plugged in.

Pics: Orange

Active Modern bottom end

I must say that I find the JB version of the Fender (Japan) Active Modern to be attractive. The subtle appeal here is the fact that the body outline was re-calibrated a little bit to allow access to the 22nd fret. This makes the body look somewhat more compact & contemporary. Then again, I'm not someone who can easily adapt to the bass' (any bass for that matter) overall longer / bigger outline.

Pic: Fender Japan

27 / 7 / curved

This is the 7-string version of the SOLAR ACS model (ACS1.7FRPS) with an extended scale length of 26.5". No idea if 27 frets are a thing in the mean time but SOLAR has its own take which often end up being more affordable than the competitors. Really like the flake finish 👍

Pic: SOLAR

Active modern

New Japanese Stratocaster, Active Modern, they call it. Yes, as the name suggests, it's an active circuitry but with some funky circuit in there to propel the activity & hush things up so you you enjoy playing, not fighting feedback. 

Actually quite intrigued by the 5-bolt neck joint with an elegant cutaway to boot. This guitar reminds me of the Aerodyne model more than anything. I find the Aerodyne more futuristic with the curved top design. Both models feature a hard edge outline, not the rounded version that everyone loves.

Pics: Fender Japan

PRISM mini (2)

Very happy the Laney PRISM mini has a C type access which allows the user to use a power bank to keep it running / charge the internal battery. This should be the standard moving forward; devices with internal batteries are equipped with C type access. In fact, it won't be absurd if pedals are given this feature as well. I had been playing & charging my PRISM mini. By the end of the playing session, the amp was fully charged for the subsequent play episode. Neat.

The King's new guard

Long time King Diamond's guitar maestro, Andy Larocque, had departed the band. Gus G is the new replacement. Larocque had been at the helm for 40 years. It pretty much defined his career. The way I see it, Laroque doesn't sit well with inactivity, so together with Dee, Blakk & Patino, they are entitled to keep their mojo going while they still can. Nothing against the King, but music-wise, it's a good move for Larocque & gang.

Pics: ESP / Metal Injection

GL-200 @ DGMC

LTD's GL-200 is now available at Davis GMC for the price stated above (GL-200 - first mentioned here in February). This is one of those minimalist designs that I like. Back in the day, a Series 200 guitar would  not be listed in this price bracket. The Series 10, 50, 100 & 200 guitars are meant to appeal to the new players out there on a limited budget. In today's context, the guitar tier means nothing when prices are pegged against shipment costs & import duties. If you are agreeable with the asking price, please go ahead.

Pics: ESP

PRISM mini

I told myself not to spend any more money on stuff that don't contribute to frequent use / the manifestation of my preferred tone. This Laney PRISM mini was never going to be on my acquisition list for that reason. I've stopped using my Blackstar FLY 3 amps, Marshall mini amps, etc. for the same reason. 

However, amps with simulation technology should be treated differently. The incorporation of such technology into table top amps are arguably recent. Before this, nobody gives a hoot, only the bigger amps are considered for such incorporation thinking that it would be continuously in demand by the pros. Or so they thought. 

The Laney PRISM mini offers additional goodness for those of us who are constantly using table top amps for ideation or other similar indulgences. The simulation technology on board gives an extra dimension to tone as opposed to merely a get-by episode. Leaving this here before sharing further details on the PRISM mini's capacity after spending weeks with it, discovering its potential & hindrances.

To be continued...

E-Maverick

And so it happened; ESP did an Edwards version of the Maverick. After the ESP & LTD versions in February, the Maverick is now represented in three manifestations. Will a Grass Roots version take place soon? That aside, the Edwards Maverick features a Lil '59 in the neck position instead of a rail type single coil. Reminder: The Maverick features 27 frets.

Pic: ESP Japan