BER10

This was a late inclusion in the Ibanez September release - Bernth's BER10. As we can see here, it's based on the AZ model which Bernth had been playing for a while. If you've seen promo clips of this guitar, one of the highlights was getting the control knob & selector switch out of the picking hand's way.

If that's the main selling point of the instrument then it's a little stale. Refer to the Rob Balducci custom Ibanez guitar depicted above, you can see that putting stuff out of the way so the picking hand won't be impeded when it's in action was an idea done before but not implemented widely. The reverse shark tooth inlay is also currently on the SFS727 so nothing too refreshing there as well. 

The BER10 is a deserving signature model for Bernth but it's nothing too innovative. Ibanez should accord him a Prestige version, I seriously think he deserves it for all the things that he'd done & preferring the Ibanez brand name above all else. 

Pics: Ibanez / Rob Balducci FB

Saying goodbye to September with a word of thanks to all who contributed to keep me lucid in so many ways. The QR code on the left shoulder had been removed as I've been given a short term employment contract (5 weeks) before another round of uncertainty kicks in; grateful nonetheless. Wishing everyone a good October ahead as we enter the final quarter of the year.

Bello-ed

One of metal's more eminent bassist, Frank Bello, is now in the Spector camp (Above: NC-4). Looks like it's retaining more of his previous ESP affair than moving away from it. In any case, the bass looks good but that headstock will be a hit / miss affair. This is due to Frank's preference for a 4-a side tuner lineup as opposed to Spector's traditional 2x2 version. All in all, Frank Bello deserves attention from any bass company for that matter.

Pic: Spector

8565

This is one of the new lineups this September - RG8565R. It's the RG565 given the J-Custom specs. Till I become a vine inlay & gold hardware fan, I can make do with the Genesis RG565.

Pic: Ibanez 

Shift

A new one by BOSS but not entirely new. We've come across various pitch-shifting pedals by BOSS & they were great, to say the least. I used to have the Pitch Shifter (PS-5) before moving on to the Harmonist (PS-6). All these because I decided to try a friend's PS-2 which he used for delay applications more than pitch shifting. The buy-in here is the absence of latency issues which should be the primary considerations before buying any pitch shifting pedals because these are not cheap. Also, forget about using batteries for these units, the power will last about 15min at best. 

The XS-1 appeals on grounds of simplicity. Just two knobs controlling how much shifted notes are in the mix (BALANCE) & what type of shifting takes place - upwards / downwards displacement (SHIFT). Also, for those of us who are quickly dazed by terminologies, the XS-1 keeps references in the average Joe territory; how much shifting do you want - a semitone / two semitones / three semitones? Unlike key references of the previous iterations. 

Pic: BOSS

Assassins

A simple affair by SOLAR; single humbucking (active), non-whammy bridge & a single control knob. These specifications mean the Assassin models are appealing to a niche market but there's a strong following for such instruments. As for me, I wish there's a non-Evertune iteration. Loving the black-red theme. 

Pics: SOLAR

Earth GO

Cort now has a smart acoustic - Eath GO. If you've come across brands like Enya & LAVA, this one is akin to those. Unlike other brand names that utilize non-wood materials for the body, Cort uses a solid spruce top & mahogany sides & back. Please be informed that it's a 3/4 dreadnought with a 22.8" scale length. It's aimed at the travelling / busking individuals who are after a little more sonic edge without pedal references so they are a little lighter on the go. Some chorus & reverb go a long way for small-bodied instruments lacking in depth when it comes to tone.

Pic: Cort