Dark singles

Raining + no money = Stay home, play guitar. The Strat lasted for 10min. Not a Strat day for me, kept making mistakes, movements across strings were awful. The AZES - 30min. I am just glad I have different guitars in the house when this kinda situation happens. On some days, for some unfathomable reasons, I just can't play a certain guitar but in other days, that same guitar is great. Today, the Strat was just not it but I want to hear single coils in action so the AZES more than made up for things.

Dark here refers to the dark fretboard. I have a thing for maple fretboards when it comes to single coils but there are days the darker rosewood has more tonal appeal. The AZES31 on the other hand has a jatoba fretboard but still exudes the warm midrange. 

Dark board

Owing to its rather popular nature, the Ibanez SRM (medium-scaled) is now offered in a darker fretboard version - jatoba. However, only a white finish is offered in the meantime. Have not tried this one, only the maple 'board version. Recommended for players who wanna take a break from playing standard-scaled basses but do not wish for something too compromised in terms of size. (Available now @ Swee Lee - $399)

Pic: Ibanez

6-7-8

These are in at Davis GMC, the satin finished LTD EC 200 series. This six string version is the EC-256, no nonsense player sporting a Les Paul scale length of 24.75" & a thin U-profile neck. 'Thin' here is not 'skinny' so if you are after an Ibanez type of Super Wizard thin, then it's not in that likeness. It's still thin for fast playing episodes, definitely; one of the most comfortable I must say.

And here we have the 7-string version (EC-257), everything stays the same less the scale length - 25.5"

Finally, the 8-string version (EC-258) & the scale length goes up a little bit to 26.5" - note the covered pickups. These are still passive humbuckers just given those covers, they look flushed against the satin body finish. All versions feature a roasted jatoba fingerboard & push-pull coil split options (tone control). The 200 series are fundamentally well-made instruments with affordability in mind. 

LTD: Eclipse 200 series

Availability: Davis GMC

Price: EC-256 ($690) / EC-257 ($780) / EC-258 ($880)