Ross the boss

I got this through a swap deal; my octave pedal for this discontinued ROSS distortion. The ROSS brand of pedals were briefly handled by JHS before being discontinued late last year. These were offered at clear-out prices State-side (USD99) but it didn't happen here. Since I'm more of a distortion fan as opposed to wallowing my tone in octave adventures, it was a worthy deal.

ROSS era ends

August 2023 - the new era of ROSS pedals began under the JHS revival. They sold over 4,000 pedals back then (which wasn't too far away). This year, till August, only 300+ pedals were sold & the company decided to end production owing to this sale performance. Come Friday, 15 November, each ROSS pedal will clear for USD79.90 each (SGD107). Currently, Swee Lee listed each ROSS unit for $269 & B-models are clearing for $236.72. If you decide to purchase a ROSS pedal direct from JHS & pay for shipment, it will be less than whatever it's listing for here. Let's see what happens over the next few days.

Pic: GNews

Price watch (66)

This is a guitar store located at Excelsior SC. The store's glass panel extends to the building's washroom area. Enough clues already.

The guitars you see above are all discontinued models less one PRS. These are not new models, they have been around for a while, still waiting for the right individuals to fall in love with them & bringing them home (after payment, of course). The thing is, prices for these instruments are Day 1 prices. Yes, these have not been subjected to any discounts (yet) till today so falling in love with any of these instruments is a little subjective. Some of the guitars still have the plastic protective layer on them, eg. the Fender Elvis Costello Jazzmaster. This one debuted in 2008 so good luck in removing that; we know what it's like dealing with something that should be removed but given a prolonged existence. 

I'm nobody when it comes to sale recommendations but some things should be cleared in good time. Take that green Strat there with the flag sticker on the pickguard for instance; is an American Original Series. It debuted in 2018 & discontinued in 2021. When Swee Lee still had it in stock, it was listed for $2.8k+ & rightfully so as it's in the higher tier of Fender's offerings. Also, this particular store does not display prices up front; even their online references do not bear any price listings. Price tags, I feel, has a psychological effect on the shopping minds. Even if you don't end up buying, the figures cannot be unseen (if you understand what I mean). This is why some stores even display a fake slashed / discounted listing. I've nothing against this store. In fact, I've purchased three guitars from them, pickups & countless number of strings. I would want them to do well & give other stores there good competition. Then again, I'm sure they know what they are doing despite us (the outsiders) thinking otherwise.

Wishing everyone a good week ahead.

Edwards: G-type. It's been a pleasure.

One of the most depressing developments for October - Edwards have discontinued the Gibson-type instruments from their catalog. The E-LP models you see above - gone.

ES, SG & Designer types are gone as well. I really hope there's an alternative in the works, otherwise, ESP is doing a great dis-service to their G-type models. The ones in the shops are gonna be the final few units making their way here. In fact, a fresh batch of Edwards are in at Davis last weekend. Darn.

Pics: ESP Japan

Edwards E-RS: Discontinued

Another one gone from the Edwards catalog - the RS model... 

... or better known as the Random Star model which began life as an ESP. As you can see, it's basically an Explorer with a sizeable wedge outline removed from behind the bridge.

Not many of us could relate to this model unless you grew up in the Loudness era; this was the preferred body outline of one Akira Takasaki, one of the best Asian guitar slingers. I have no idea where ESP is heading with the Edwards range, the lineup had been much trimmed over the last couple of years with no signs of similar replacements. 

Pics: ESP Japan / Loudness FB

Discontinued

Edwards has discontinued this Explorer-esque model this Summer, the E-EX-125D.

This one's gone as well - the E-FV-125D. Both are non-gloss models featuring active pickups. There seems to be no newer models as replacements in the catalog. 

Pics: ESP Japan

Gotoh - gone

Sad to learn that Gotoh will not be making pots any more. This is my go-to made-in-Japan brand, they last a long time & feel smooth in use. More importantly, they fit into my Ibanez instruments without issues as they are in metric  form. The ones you see floating around in the mean time are left-overs.

Pic: doremi

Discontinued: Ibanez MS

I keep forgetting to update this - Marco Sfogli has left the Ibanez camp (now in the Charvel / Jackson camp) so his signature models are discontinued WEF 2021. If you are interested in the AZ version ($3,499), it's still available. The Sfogli model features DiMarzio pickups instead of the default Duncans & does not include the dyna-MIX switch. Even the Premium model, the one preceding the AZ, is still available ($1,649). 

Sad news to me because Mr. Sfogli is one talented player but he would do well with his other endorsements for sure. The AZ version lasted for about a year & might hint at something deeper than merely switching camps. Still wondering why there's still a Korn model in Ibanez's catalog & all the people who are dedicated to playing, left the brand. It's about the $$$, yes?

Pics: PMT

Discontinued: Ibanez RG550DX

That's right folks, the RG550DX is discontinued for 2021 for this region. It's facing a stiff competition against its own siblings in the Prestige & Premium line ups. It's also a victim of stubborn people who insist the 'true' RG550 should feature a maple fretboard at all times.  

However, back in 1987, the catalog clearly showed that a non-maple version was offered. We say goodbye to January on a high knowing the good gear released this month had been worth waiting for. Most of them. 😬

Pics: Ibanez / VJ Guitars

HBO

Giving some playing time to my ESP Horizon bolt-on. It's actually finished in a very dark green hue which could easily be mistaken for black from a distance. 

Here's another example in a dark brown finish taken from an online listing. These were made in 1994 - 1995, listed as the Horizon Custom Deluxe. Unlike its current iteration, this one is a bolt-on version. I did not buy mine in the '90s. Back then, ESPs cost way too much for the average working person, brands like Aria & Vantage were the go-to budget references. I was still a full time student in the '90s so this was beyond reach. Davis GMC had a new old stock in their shipment back in 2012 & I managed to grab it just hours after it was displayed in store. The default pickups were ESP's in-house models & I replaced them with Duncan Distortions almost immediately. The selector was a 5-way & I replaced that one as well; 3-way plus a push-pull coil split option. 

Just days ago, Beez did a revival by replacing the dead tone knob. 

Here's my attempt to highlight the green finish by having a green pick there - not quite successful as you can see. Anyway, just glad that this came my way because it's the only ESP in my line up with an unfinished neck, something that the manufacturer will not consider in the mean time.

Discontinued: PRS S2 Singlecut

It took me a while to realize that the Singlecut will not be offered in the S2 Series for 2020. So if you wish for one next year, you either eat sand & save up for the PRS Core McCarty SC 594 or settle for an SE Starla/ 245 Standard (more selections in the Signature range). The good thing is, PRS had ensured their SE models go one up in terms of QC & features for 2020, befitting of the slight price increase (I see this as inevitable). Players in general tend to lean towards the Gibson side of things when it comes to a singlecut offering. PRS is wise enough to pick this hint up & chose to focus on their more appealing flagship design, the double cuts & it's not surprising. 

If you are still interested in the current S2 take, be informed that Davis GMC still has a few of them in stock including the limited edition semi-hollow version (not listed on PRS' website). 

Happy failure but the end

I terribly disliked the default pickups in my Ibanez SIX6FDFM (Iron Label Series, discontinued). Since I have the time & a little extra in the piggy to get this right (always grateful for His providence), I bought Duncans. It's partly my fault for not checking first but I have no issues with my other S-Series in my possession so this was a calculated assumption & one that I got wrong.

Could it be the exclusive case of the direct-mount type? Well, the Prestige S5470 way back in 2010 did not manifest this issue. I own one & that's the reason why I'm sure there won't be issues with the current generation of S-models & again I'm proven wrong.

To prevent further disappointment, I just made do with a pair of DiMarzios. I respect the brand & have no particular dissent towards any of the products, it's just that for a direct guitar-to-amp set up, I get better results with Seymour Duncan & it's my go-to brand. Seen here: PAF 36th Anniversary (n) + Super 3 (b). On that note, DiMarzios are going for good discounts at SV Guitars, do check them out.

I bought this guitar because it's the first reverse headstock S-Series in standard production. It's now discontinued & superseded by the S61AL featuring active Fishman Fluence pickups which I tested & disliked. I think I'm the passive aggressive type. 😁

Despite the eye-catching front finish, it's actually a regular S-Series as seen here; the rear finish is as standard as it gets.

Here's the full pic for everyone's reference. It's one of the lightest Ibanez guitars out there but made annoying by the locking tuners (default) which makes it neck heavy. But I still love this guitar.

On that note, I'm staying away from Ibanez in the mean time until they make something enticing in the AZ range (22 frets, no pickguard, not a signature) to my liking. If you've been following my entries, I've not bought any new Ibanez guitars for quite a while & are clearing some of them (RGs mostly) for good prices. They are just not my thing any more. 

Hello, July! 😎

Pic:Ibanezrules

Junior no more

I think this news came to me late- Martin has called an end to the Dreadnought Jr. Thought this to be a little strange since they updated the specs of these guitars at Winter NAMM this year. I've played the Jr many times, even recommended it to a colleague once. I really thought they were doing well- an all solid body guitar at this price is a steal. Oh, well.

Glaive- deactivated

One of the reasons why I seldom play this one is because it sports a pair of in-house Ibanez CAP active humbuckers. My ears are a little fatigued listening to such responses not that those CAP pickups were under-performing (certainly not!) but because I don't fancy such manifestations.

Made a quick trip to Beez's yesterday to have these replace the CAPs: PATB Distortion (b)/ Jazz (n). A rather peculiar pairing of a menacing bridge model with a reserved neck counterpart. Not really. Seymour Duncan's Jazz (SH-2) humbucker should not be overlooked to deliver outstanding lead tones just because it's labelled to project a reserved demeanour. It's one of those versatile pickups equally adept in clean as well as driven tones. And then some in semi-hollow guitars.

The X-series weapons model are extinct now. They can be identified easily at the headstock less the early Xiphos models which were cataloged without that specific label. 

A quick cuppa before heading home.

FYI, the rest of the family members seen here. These were definitely interesting additions to the Ibanez fold but there were very few takers & it's all about the outlines. Ibanez fans are still hardcore when it comes to the RG. It remains to be the manufacturer's formidable model in terms of sales & no frills offering when it comes to design pleasantries. 

Shoutout to brother Joshua- good to have met you at Beez's! 

Good horsie

I've given this horse a good ride & it's time to share the good bits.

The Pale Horse (PH) is a TS-ish pedal, there's no hiding that. It's even conceived in a TS colour scheme, there's no hiding that either. The VFE philosophy is not solely about cloning & riding on the originator's runaway success, now that, is worth not hiding. What the PH retained from a certain mid-bumped mild overdrive is the value of transparency. In fact, I believe the PH is one of the best in redefining this transparency (whatever it means to you)  which I understood to be unhindered clarity. Theoretically, that's impossible; once a signal is made to go through a clipped processing, the output would be coloured, however audible that may be. The PH, after a personal encounter, is indeed one of the best when it comes to positive intrusion.

Having that in mind, the voicing of this pedal could be manifested into three interpretations- Asymmetrical, LED & MOSFET. Sounds familiar? Of course, these are the standard approaches in regulating intensity in terms of drive. I'm hearing the most transparent of responses in the A mode, leading to more aggression in the L & M modes, the last of which is the thickest in terms of bottom end & closest to a fuzzy response. There are two more EQ related controls in addition to the master tone control defining bass & treble. These shouldn't be too hard to figure out especially when they are rather sensitive in terms of the sweep on offer.

I'm actually not really interested in the details especially so when there are more hidden controls once the base plate comes off. Indeed, there's a pot to control the LED brightness for the battery-conserving dweebs out there. I'm interested in the pedal's overall performance; is it really a clever re-interpretation of a certain other green pedal or just another clone riding on shadows. So here's my understanding of why the Pale Horse was conceived as such- it's a wonderful stand alone unit if you need quality transparency in your signal chain. I'm very happy with it in this aspect especially with the single coil tones- one of the best. In M mode & a little combination with a booster unit or maybe - dare I suggest - a distortion unit, you could have a faux fuzz tone going. Personally, it has the push to drive my amp's dirty channel into dark, black metal territory, with lots of shredder harmonics to boot.

Sadly, the Pale Horse is out of production. Peter Rutter did away with the later series of his effects series, only retaining a key few units for his resume. The Pale Horse was one of the highlights of the initial series of effects units, still featuring that comic-esque graphics; horses, dogs, bees & company. He returned to teaching (his other passion) & spurred students into his electronic engineering track. He is currently funding his newborn son's upcoming surgeries to correct a cleft lip. Do some good & check his stuff out over at his webpage (CLICK). The Pale Horse is still available at SV Guitars going for 50% off if you are still interested. 

Ibanez: RG655 discont'd

The Ibanez RG655 had been discontinued this year, rightly so when there's the RG550 to take its place. The 655 is indeed spec'd out like the 550 in every way but people are not looking at it as much as the 550. The latter has a marked history in the Ibanez archive but it all boils down to the name.

Fender: American Standard Telecaster

The new Fender is an American Standard Telecaster in this rather doom-esque green finish that threatens to be grey under certain lighting. I'm currently looking at some guitars here at the stores which are still in stock despite being discontinued (largely from the Jackson, Ibanez & Fender family. I have no further considerations for Ibanez in the mean time, the Jacksons are mostly equipped with locking double whammy bridges which I'm not too keen to invest in & so that left me with Fender. The American Standard models were discontinued this year & there are still some floating around in the market sporting their original prices. When I bought my first American-made Telecaster in 1999, I managed to get it for less than $1K. Fast forward some 18 years later, the same guitar in the series are about $900 more expensive than they used to be. Prices are moving up & it's crazy. Between the two guitars, nothing had changed much but prices continue to observe an upward trend.

I don't recall getting these in the purchase bundle back then but it's good to see them included in the hard case. I'm not too keen with a Fender brand accessory when I know there are others out there with a more proven price-quality ratio. 

The pickups in my 90s Tele didn't get played much because they were below par when it comes to tone & I have my preferences when it comes to what's good for me. The CS pickups here were semi-awful at the store when I plugged the guitar into a Marshall amp but they are different beasts with my set up at home. They will definitely remain in the instrument as I plan to keep everything stock as much as possible. The string saddles may require a re-think as they affect comfort with my playing posture. 

Yes, I opted for a rosewood fretboard this time round for a couple of reasons. Firstly, my other American Tele sports a maple fretboard so the rosewood consideration was for variety's sake. Secondly, with the CITES situation threatening to make lives miserable for guitar dweebs everywhere, availability & prices are definitely going to be affected. Fender has already discontinued using rosewood for some of its models & charging extras for the existing models with this wood type.  I find the latter account unreasonable but cost considerations are inevitable for commercial entities. They need to be careful & make it more respectable for buyers pertaining to price issues especially  so when the competitors offer products which surpass the flag bearer's quality & aesthetics among others. 

Modern Player- recall (Part 3)

I'm still having a go at the Fender Modern Player series. Don't get me wrong, these are some of the best value-for-money Fender, period (I own more than one instrument from the series, rather unfortunate that they met an obscure demise with much misunderstanding. Here's my take on the series' COD (you have every right to disagree, it's a personal take).

1. Peculiarity

The Modern Player models were downright estranged, even the 'Fender' monicker failed to extend a saving grace to keep them in perpetual production. Take the HSH mahogany Strat for instance (preceding pic); if it isn't a Fender, the mahogany body per se would invite serious interest from tone dweebs. What's that? Keep the alder body, you say? Well, the alder HSS version didn't generate much interest even in that outstanding silverburst finish. Mind you, a Les Paul in silverbust at that same period of time was arguably on top of everyone's want list. A humbucking Jazzmaster, a Jaguar with tune-o-matic bridge, dual humbucking P/J basses, a HSS Tele with a Strat middle pickup- players were not ready to embrace these alien specs. Newbies want a 'real' Fender for keep's sake, not something twisted hiding behind an acclaimed brand name. The seasoned professionals stick to their 'real' Fenders as well- why embrace controversy, yes?

2. Made in China

No offence to Chinese blog readers & friends but the Chinese label effectively de-Fender everything from the buyers' perspective. Prior to this experience, Fender had some excellent models made in Korea with outstanding QC but generated diminished interest (eg: Lite Ash Strat). Keeping this in mind, why would a Chinese label enthused them differently? Some enterprising sleuths connected the Squier brand name to the Chinese Modern Players & that spelt doom for the brand name. The uninitiated camp went so far as to conclude the fact that Fender had then shifted production to China entirely. Aw, damn.

3. Miserable support

This cut both ways. Firstly, when the instruments debuted, can you recall the artists who actually endorsed the Modern Player instruments? Can't think of any? Exactly- no pros gave a hoot about them. Secondly, do you recall any distributors/ retailers who actually promoted the Modern Player models? Ditto- nobody cared. They somehow knew these instruments were plagued by the country of origin dilemma & feature quirky specs & failed to put owners at ease. 

So there you go, the sure demise of Fender's Modern Player models. Despite the controversies, I'm actually alright with the bizarre specs as well as them being manufactured in a country where food items are actually semi-edibles in disguise. I know they were well-made after personal encounters in store & they sound perfectly acceptable without outstanding electronics. Still, players were simply not ready for Fender's non-conventional manifestations despite manufacturing these instruments in good faith. It seems that bona fide admiration for the Modern Players weren't enough to pull them through. 

Go with the flow (Ibanez content)

Good day everyone. On this holiday eve, I'm not schooling you in on how you should be running your Ibanez inventory because you have your own store policies, unique terms with the manufacturer & more importantly, you have a strong team of market analysts to back your commercial decisions- good for you. I am an Ibanez fan, I have my own perspectives of all things Ibanez & some of these are based on how you (the Ibanez distributors) behave in both domestic & international contexts. I'm not putting anyone under the microscope, just sharing what I observe & the implications thereof. You could say that my engagements with the Ibanez brand name have reached the geek status (if there is such a thing to begin with) due to a healthy dose of obsession, purchasing power & a good relationship with the local distributors (trying to think of another authorized Ibanez distributor besides the well-known one here. Hmm...). The final element of that last statement- well I'm not trying to hide the fact that it had gone south but I'm not at the detriment of this episode. I have moved on, I am buying fewer Ibanez guitars with immediate effect. Maybe I have another avenue for my Ibanez acquisitions... 😜

To begin with, when dealing with Ibanez, there's a simple philosophy to uphold: Go with the flow. Ibanez is not a brand name where buyers look at past models gleefully with an intent to purchase a good investment. Ibanez is not Fender or Gibson. Past/ discontinued model references do not automatically make it a valued possession. These older models have a time-shackle element; they are awesome at the particular time of release. If you keep them for too long in the showroom, especially when the manufacturer themselves have clearly moved on, you have dead guitars in the premises. A clear example will be the Falchion model you see here. Together with the Glaive & Halberd from the X-Series, these were departure models for 2014. If you are still selling these & insist on keeping the original price tag, it shows a lot about you.

Still on keeping up with the times, we need to observe some turning points with Ibanez. Paul Stanley was back with Ibanez (2014) & people are buying the regular Iceman model again with the standard (4 by 4 pegs) headstock. The ICT version (pictured above) was done with in 2012. Despite featuring DiMArzio pickups in there & a technically more efficient bridge, players are not looking forward to invest in a variant, certainly not in 2017 (2018, 2019... clock's ticking). 

Ditto the signature models. Marty Friedman ended his Ibanez deal in 2012. Heck, he reverted to the Jackson camp after a PRS stint so selling a half-decade old signature piece (at a price where one could easily consider the most affordable Gibson) is an uphill task.

Worth mentioning in passing- the Mick Thompson model. This was the latest casualty (2016) so clearing it at the quickest possible opportunity is a wise consideration. 

The other aspect of an Ibanez inventory consideration- featured parts. Ibanez fans know that when it comes to individuality, Ibanez is hardcore. Think of an Ibanez model with a Floyd Rose bridge in there & you'll get the picture. There is a strong insistence on putting their own features into their products; it's more pride than anything else. The founders even commissioned trusted partners to manufacture special components for their instruments (The Ibanez Electric Guitar Book, 2013). Along the way, parts were revised & newer versions substituted preceding models. Even higher tier models like the Prestige (RGT320QM pictured above) line weren't spared.

The bridges featured above are older models. They had been defunct for various reasons. The Edge Pro was conceived to address a patent issue when the licensing agreement between Ibanez & Floyd Rose ended so no Edge/ Lo-Pro Edge were manufactured for a period of time till 2010/2011. It wasn't put to rest for technical reasons, in fact, it's one of the best dual action model at that point in time especially so when it accepted the strings' ball end into the system cavity. When the Edge/ Lo-Pro Edge returned to the scene, players opted for the tried & trusted model instead of the Edge Pro (compounded by the fact that endorsers like Satriani & Vai wouldn't part with their Edge/ Lo-Pro Edge units) so when you see an Ibanez with this bridge in there, you'd know how old it is & re-think how much you should pay for one. The Edge III was the least favourable model as it proved to be technically incompetent when keeping tuning in check. Basically, it was a stiff unit affecting tuning accuracy when in use. The Falchion featured here was equipped with an Edge III. So if you were a seller in this aspect, you should be clearing models sporting the older features due a drastic drop in desirability. More importantly, the manufacturer had stopped offering spares for these older models so should a technical issue surface, it would be a dead end for owners. 

Enough for now. I'm reiterating the fact that I'm not putting any one party responsible for the Ibanez developments here. There's no more 'here' come to think of it as online purchases are there at the ready for our wider considerations. We should be supporting one another in this small community for a win-win outcome but when $$$ considerations get in the way, some hands are tied. They are acting in the best interest of the company & we totally understand the dispositions at stake. 

However, please do not deny the real situations taking place as time ticks on. There is a limited market here for musical instruments & we are no longer staying true to our previous convictions in light of the developments. This is especially true when Ibanez is no longer flexing its significant Japanese muscle as we know it (the Premium models are very good distractions. You didn't realize it most probably because you were distracted- there it worked!) & the limited inclinations are currently driving players away more than attracting a stronger legion. 

There is no other way to clear the older Ibanez models than to free them from their current listed prices. Do not hide behind a clearance promo like offering a free amp or pedal as enticements because buyers are still paying the same, old prices for them. A drop in prices will trigger interest from, first & foremost, the collectors or true fans of the brand name. These are the very people who do not look forward to re-sell their purchases in the near future so they won't think too much about acquiring these instruments for the sake of allegiance more than anything else. You might have a different, undisclosed, strategy with regards to the matter & I wish you all the best in dealing with zombie Ibanez models in store. 

LTD ST: The end

If you head over to ESP's homepage, you won't find any more LTD ST models listed there. In fact, the entire series had been removed from the catalogs. The model you see here is the ST-213, it's about the price of a Mexican Strat but I prefer the workmanship & feel over a Mex Strat, not to mention its value-for-money manifestations.

The only Strat-like model left in the LTD pages is this Snapper SN-200 but as you can see, the headstock is a little quirky & the body outline is less convincing compared to its ST counterpart. Of course, one less knob as well.

If you wish to salvage what's left of the STs, Davis GMC still has some models left & they are all in awesome condition.