LTD Dimmu Borgir

These 2 LTD signature models are available @ Davis GMC:

1. TOP: LTD Okkultist (Silenoz) List: $1,500
2. BOTTOM: Shadow (Galder) List: $1,600

Conceived to the specs of the respective Dimmu Borgir guitarists, both instruments feature a satin finished body. Davis GMC is bringing in more LTD models; slowly but surely.

Worthy quote: Pete Townsend

Do you know Pete Townsend? He's that guitar smashing lad from The Who. If you've been watching CSI on TV; that's Mr. Townsend's music you hear playing in the background. The pic above shows Mr. Townsend accompanied by some Fender amps- these are the Vibro King model, here's what he has to say about his loved ones:

"The Vibro King sounds more like an early Marshall amp than a new Marshall amp. They are great amps, but require quite a bit of maintenance, tube biasing, etc. I mix 10" & 12" speakers in two cabs."

That last bit from Mr. Townsend is crucial because Fender's Vibro King is a 3x10" unit by default. If you hear something different or more commanding from Mr. Townend's version, now you know why.

Rampaging QC

I was out & about, trying to get myself a belated present which is an alternative good reason for staying out & coming home late. Anyway, I saw the G&L Rampage, Jerry Cantrell model above. Being a sucker for guitars with a solitary humbucker, I took interest in it as it is $990 (rather affordable at this point in time of my life...). A closer look revealed misaligned strings (against the pickup pole-pieces) so it was a NO. I wonder if:

1. It's the manufacturer's omission in including a Duncan Trembucker version when the Kahler bridge doesn't require such a pickup manifestation (maybe) or,
2. this guitar is a second model, meaning- it has a non-life threatening defect but would sell anyway...

I really don't know. What I know for sure is, I won't be buying it.

LTD 8

The Ibanez RG/ RGA models are not the only 8-string models here, Davis now has the LTD FM-418 for your considerations. If you are not agreeable with the RG/ RGA scale length (27"), the FM-418 offers only 26"- it's 0.5" shorter than the ibanez RGD model, so you know what to expect when you try this mammoth.

LTD: FM-418
List: $1,450
Availability: Davis GMC

Goal guitar

This, my friends, is the official World Cup 2010 guitar, a FIFA-ARIA collaboration. The single humbucking guitar features an on-board amplifier, powered by a 9V unit. If you look closely, the black pentagon football patch there is the amp. Wonder if Adidas has anything to do with the three stripes at the headstock...

Telemaster

Fender's Custom Shop has the above Telemaster- a hybrid Telecaster + Jazzmaster guitar. People go berserk over such fusion work, they deem this a highly collectible instrument in terms of desirability. On the practical front, would there be a tonal difference here? Arguably, the different body outline would give a different tonal response; there's more wood to play with but hearing a major difference in tone is subjective. As the difficulty of coming up with fresh guitar designs gets heightened these days, putting together a Frankenstein classic might just sell.