Kelly 27

Just seen this after browsing the Jackson homepage to look for short scale basses. 27 fret Kelly with an HS pickup combo, single volume knob, Duncans... nice. But not into the gold hardware & the fact that it's a signature (Brandon Ellis) model.

Pic: Jackson

Domestic cyclone

Pre-lunch indulgence, a Cyclone episode. I bought this one because: 1) It's neither a Strat / Tele 2) It sports a 24.75" scale length sitting between the Jazzmaster (25.5") & Jaguar (24") 3) It was listed for a clear-out. 

A set of 10s to accommodate the afore-mentioned scale length.

The pickups in this guitar (Seymour Duncan): JB (bridge) / SSL-1 (neck). Was actually at Beez's yesterday to sort out the out-of-phase situation when both pickups were selected (middle position of the toggle switch). I need to rotate the selector toggle so if flicks up / down instead of the current left / right.

Black Metal

ESP released these LTDs calling them the Black Metal Series. These are only two from the lineup of six guitars. Variations apply, do visit the manufacturer's homepage to know more.

I actually find this Black Metal label rather contentious. We do know (my assumption) Black Metal is a music genre as well, yes? So by inviting this distraction, players might be thinking these guitars are for this music genre exclusively. Yes, the Seymour Duncan Mortal Coil pickups in these guitars are the perfect supplement for hard, heavy music but not exclusively. Reb Beach has EMGs in his guitars but he's not a metal guy. 

If that colour scheme looks familiar, it's actually the reverse of what SOLAR is doing with their Assassin models. 

And everyone was inspired by BC Rich, yes? 😅

Pics: ESP / SOLAR / GC

Diabolus in Musica

Seymour Duncan's El Diablo humbucker has a single appeal; it feeds on distortion, the more the better. Is it worth buying? Well, considering it's made with a very narrow objective in mind & it's a custom shop model, the immediate answer here is no. However, if you've been through several high output pickups & love distortion more than anything else, the El Diablo would offer a good variation to a certain extent. Unlike the Dimebucker, this one has more bottom end on board but do not raise it too close to the strings as notes get muffled at high gain/ high distortion settings. That's right, it suffers from poor single note separation. I had to lower mine more than the default Ibanez pickup height recommendation. Thereafter, the El Diablo is a beast as the name implies.

The El Diablo is paired up with a Hot Stack & the latter simply could not match the beast in terms of output & distortion.  Anyway, I require less aggression & more clarity in the neck to prevent my tapped notes from sounding like trash. Thanks to Davis GMC for their continuous commitment when it comes to having Custom Shop / Custom Floor models available every once in a while. 

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.

Indoor Saturday

Someone recently said that I like wood-looking guitars. He's actually referring to those unfinished guitars of mine, exposing the bare wood grain. This was of course, a default finish from the factory. I happened to play one such guitar today, the RGA32 you see above.

This was the original batch of non-Japanese RGA models; notice the absence of cutaway chamfering unlike the models of today. This guitar also had a default set of active pickups which I didn't fancy so they made way for a pair of Seymour Duncans: Distortion (b) / P-Rails (N).

Someone actually handled this guitar while I was at Beez's some time back. He said Ibanez necks are supposed to be thin which this one is not. Well, if you are not familiar with the Ibanez line-ups, there are various neck profiles for the various models offered. Ibanez got associated with think necks when the JEMs debuted, followed by the RG550, which retained the neck profile. Along the way, Ibanez did not limit thin necks to all the guitars on offer but they stuck to the Wizard name which became synonymous with thin necks. The really thin necks are the Super Wizard of the 1980s. The Wizard III profile which are equipped in many mid-priced models are definitely not thin. My RGA32 has a Wizard II version which is 21mm at the 12th fret as opposed to the Super Wizard's 19mm at the same fret.

Whatever the case, I'm not obsessed with thin-necked Ibanez guitars. I'm OK with any neck profiles as long as they facilitate my playing style. Re-string day today, a fresh set of Olympia 9s for my RGA32. 

Purple S

Did another quick re-finish since the weather was good with eventual downpours in the evening. Nothing fancy, just my Ibanez S521. I will continue to hunt for used fixed bridge S-Series because I prefer it to the RG, really. I wouldn't pass the chance to acquire the older 22-fretted version if a good one comes my way but understand the fact that these are usually equipped with a whammy bridge.

As usual, Beez handled the electronics with ease. I tend to replace the default 5-way selector to a 3-way because these days, I do not fancy the split coil option.

That's right, I'm still pre-occupied with the metallic flake finish. Also, those pickups are passive humbuckers given the cover treatment. This guitar was strung with a set of DR 10s & tuned a half step down. It's designated for heavy tunes as the pickups on board are (Seymour Duncan) the Nazgul / Sentient pairing.

50th Custom

This is definitely a cool release - the 50th Anniversary Seymour Duncan Custom / '59 set. Pickups were constructed for a bit of time-travelling episode, the '70s to be precise, when the Custom was conceived to push distortion boundaries without being too overbearing; a medium output pickup with a ceramic magnet. Anyway, that semi-distressed look, nostalgic sticker & MJ's initials would get fans excited. The catch - only 500 units of these would be offered for sale. Sigh.

Pic: SD

DGMC / SL

Folks, be informed that Seymour Duncan & DiMarzio pickups are now available at both Davis GMC & Swee Lee. I love both pickups but currently leaning towards Duncans due to the nature of my set up. 

Pics: SD / DiMarzio

Duncanized

Was at Beez's today to get pickups wired up for this one - RG565.

Nothing wrong with the default Ibanez pickups actually. In fact I've kept it in tact since Day 1 & tried my very best to like it. Unfortunately, after countless bitter episodes (tone-related), having my preferred pickups in there would certainly end this misery: Seymour Duncan Cool Rails (N) / PATB-2 (B). There is a dichotomized embrace out there with regards to the default pickups. Some say they sound more than decent, while others lobby for an immediate replacement. I agree with both opinions. The deafult Ibanez pickups sound perfectly acceptable if you run your guitar into a Quad Cortex / Tone Master or any of the contemporary digital processors. However, if you are the plug-&-play type (like yours truly), the pickups sound very underwhelming. 

Do note that the PATB models have this TREMBUCKER etching on the underside of the pickup's baseplate & does not sport the three holes in the mounting flap unlike its other TB siblings.

JB_J 50th

As an ardent follower of all things Seymour Duncan, I am happy to see the 50th Anniversary commemoration of the JB & Jazz pickups. These might not be everyone's cup of tea, especially if you are from the DiMarzio camp. The JB is an in-your-face pickup when paired with the right kind of amp drive / gain. From a personal perspective, it dislikes pedals or any excessive processing. The jazz here hold its own when it comes to clean tones but it's also a closet avenger when it comes to driven tones. Am I buying this commemorative set? There seems to be no news of a trembucker version for the JB, so...

Pic: SD

ESP 2026: Maverick

I've always loved ESP's MV (Maverick) models for its offset design; yes, it's a subtle offset unlike Fender's Jaguar et al. This year, the ESP version features a control knob. If you wish for that traditional single knob affair, then the LTD version preserves this originality. The other differences we note in the LTD version:

• headstock binding
• SD Hot Rails neck pickup (EPS has the Cool Rails version)
• FR 1000 bridge (FRO for the ESP)
• 24.75" scale length (25.5" for ESP)

Pics: ESP 

Seymour Duncan: Mortality

Yes, I agree to a liberal extent that Seymour Duncan is doing a Fluence of sorts. No, I disagree that this Seymour Duncan would be a ready / direct displacement for the Fluence. In any case, I am more of a passive camper, I have very few guitars with active electronics, regardless of the brand name. After years of playing, I am of the opinion that active pickups are excellent for detuned stuff / thicker strings.

Pic: SD

S-Sunday

Spending more time with my S-Series this year as this is my preferred Ibanez model, not the RG. In any case, I will utilize whichever model that would manifest my ideas / needs. This particular model is an S1625 which I bought used for quite cheap because:

• the default D-Tuner was missing
• the default Q pickups were in bad shape, one of which had collapsed into the body & the former owner did not bother to rectify
• 5-way selector was not working in some positions
• one pot was missing a knob
• body was chipped in several places, dents & scratches aplenty
• whammy bar was missing

I did my best to revive this guitar, nothing pristine but more presentable than it was before:

• Wiped-down + polished. There is this car polishing cream you can purchase at the petrol kiosks here & it managed to remove minor scratches + restore some shine to the body. 
• Fretboard was cleaned + moisturized. I actually used a penknife blade to scrape away built-up dirt on some of the fretboard areas.
• 5-way selector made way for a 3-way version
• New GOTOH pots & knobs. FYI, GOTOH pots are now extinct, they stopped making electronic components but hardware (tuners, bridges, etc.) are still in production

The biggest decision was to have these Seymour Duncan '59s in there. These are not known for overdriven applications but let that be everyone else's grievance because till you try these yourselves, you just wouldn't know what they are capable of. I still believe the Jazz is preferred in the neck if you are into distortion, the '59 in this position was very much conceived for clean applications.

Dunlop strings for today.

Cyclone

Spent Sunday morning with something different, but not entirely. Jaguars & Jazzmasters are predominantly Fender's offset darlings, other models get sidelined for being second fiddle or too estranged (eg. Meteora). The model you see here is the Cyclone. The Cyclone was discontinued in 2006 / 2007 & reappeared in the Japanese end of Fender quite recently. I lost track when that happened... The Cyclone sports a 24.75" scale length so it sits in between the Jaguar & the Jazzmaster.

I dislike the M / Wave-type default string retainer; it sits too low on the headstock. Will always make it a point to replace them with this rounded version. Fender experts told me this is necessary to keep the strings in place at the nut when you whammy. Since I don't whammy, it made perfect sense.

Beez installed these SDs yesterday: Scooped (N) / JB (bridge). Anyway, these are excess pickups that I didn't know I own, really. I'm not into white pickups, was wondering why I have this trembucker version lying around. I recall buying the middle Scooped single coil, not the neck model. Still wondering why I have it to begin with.

I have a fresh set of 9 - 42 in this guitar as an experiment. I'm tuned to fourths, getting a feel for the high E / B strings before making further changes. First impressions - it's necessary to have thin strings for this tuning approach for the aforementioned E / B but the rest of the strings feel floppy. Looking forward to try the 9.5 - 44 instead.

JS-Duncans

Nothing fancy, an entry-level Jackson JS11. I'm re-visiting my preference for 22 frets.

Since I have these two lying around, they go into the JS11 giving it a much deserved voicing for heavy / intense music. The Alnico II Pro sounds surprisingly good in this guitar considering it's not one of my favourite Seymour Duncan neck models. I prefer the '59 or Jazz for some dynamic responses. I was expecting a Slash-esque tones but since I don't have a Slash set up to begin with, things turned out pleasant. The tones from this one are at least meeting my expectations. The Dimebucker is something I'm used to hearing & it's a welcomed inclusion here.

Length matters

After years of handling pickups, I thought this would be good info for both seasoned & beginning players alike. The pickup depicted above is the Seymour Duncan trembucker version of the JB.

This here, is the F-Spaced version of DiMarzio's Evolution humbucker. Notice the length difference for both pickups.

Yes, I'm highlighting a minor length difference between these pickups but it makes a lot of difference if you intend to install these into the various guitar brands / models out there. Do keep these in mind:

• For guitars with pickguards, there is a high chance that a little trimming / filing needs to be done if you opt for the SD trembucker. Yes, it's only a mere mm difference but the trembucker would either not fit into some pickguards or the fitting is so tight, the sides of the pickup are scraping against the pickguard.
• For guitars with pickup mounting rings, the same issue would manifest. Notice Seymour Duncan includes a complementary mounting ring for all its trembucker pickups. So this is what it's for, please do not discard that.
• For guitars with direct mount pickups, the trembucker would again scrape against the sides of the pickup cavity. Filing this away is a little tricky but from experience, it's a tight fit as opposed to an impossible fit.

Machete

The new Seymour Duncan Dino Cazares signature pickup depicted above, is called the Machete. Despite looking traditional, it's an active unit. The 7-string version is also available. I like the fact that a small SD logo was preferred instead of the full name version. Do note - this was conceived to manifest a pronounced treble response by default.

Pic: Seymour Duncan

S-Tuesday

Unemployed, indoors with some time in hand; I'm taking this opportunity to play & look after my gear. Just wanna hear an S-Series in action today so this was the guitar of choice - S1620.

I just love playing solos in the neck position, the Seymour Duncan Distortion is an awesome pickup for this intention. Good definition & won't mud-out under intense distortion. I dislike neck pickups that churn out muddy notes at high gain despite sounding good clean. Many Gibson pickups are as such. A quick re-string & a little set-up (bridge related) before playing.

Standard Sunday

Sunday with the Standard (S2 Standard 22 satin). This was an unplanned purchase. The S2 Series were given the American treatment rather recently  & it came with a revised price which contradicted the manufacturer's philosophy of making the S2 range affordable price-wise. The model you see here is the pre-revision Standard 22 in a satin finish. The reason you don't see the wing button tuners there. I like PRS for its 25" scale length. That in-between (Fender's 25.5" & Gibson's 24.75") feel & tone makes it different (to me). I'm also quite a sucker for non-gloss finishes especially the neck. This was clearing for a good price at Davis GMC once upon a time so I had to grab it. 

I don't quite fancy the default pickups so these are Seymour Duncans (JB / Jazz). I don't see too many covered JB trembuckers available here so it was grab & go from Davis GMC. The neck pickup is a pre-owned unit which the previous owner did not install into his guitar. It was virtually new. I don't whammy so the bridge sits flushed against the body.