Nobody touches my guitar!

Nobody touches my guitar unless you don't mind getting whacked with corn.

To be continued...

Kitty '24 (2)

The Hello Kitty episode this time round also saw a Fuzz unit being released to complement your guitar-slinging moments. Remember, only the Hello Kitty fuzz works best for your Hello Kitty guitar. Everything else is a compromise.

While you're at it, why not add a guitar bag, strap & polish cloth to complete the purchase, yes?

Pics: Fender Japan

Personality highlight (3): Bro Ijau

In this episode of giving due highlight to music-oriented individuals, we traverse the South China Sea to Bintulu, Sarawak (Malaysia). This is Mr. Razali but in the virtual domain, he is Mr. Ijau D. Koceng. He is a guitarist in the band Metuk Ulau Project consisting of close buddies & definite gear geeks. He is one of the rare individuals out there who still documents stuff through a blogging platform. Despite being music-oriented, Mr. Ijau is also a boxing devotee. I admire individuals who keep themselves active in sports in their later years as this contributes very much to self-discipline & staying healthy.

Here's Mr. Ijau's gear picks:

• Charvel So-Cal Style 1 HH. As a green enthusiast, this is his preferred guitar. It's also the one for live performances in view of its inherent colour mojo. Pickups on board are DiMarzio Tone Zone (b) / Evolution (n). By the way, this is the guitar depicted above (left).
• Epiphone 1957 Les Paul gold top. His main axe (depicted above, right) before the arrival of the afore-mentioned Charvel. Lately Mr. Ijau is spending more time with singlecut designs as opposed to S-types.
• Ibanez SR300. The tried & tested formula for lasting throughout live performances; if you are performing standing up, the Ibanez Soundgear bass design is a life-saver.

Mr. Ijau's message to the music-inclined: It's never too late to start learning something new as Mr. Ijau himself kicked off this interest in his late 20s. There's much to learn from the sound production / management aspect of music as well as instrument maintenance / up keep which is essential for performing individuals. Mr. Ijau also benefitted from picking up soldering skills & electronics know-how along the way.

Closing notes - this is Mr. Ijau's latest acquisition, a Grassroots Horizon III which looks gorgeous. Good ol' GAS manifesting itself. 

Pics: Ijau D Koceng FB / blogspot

MOMM (54)

Say it: Marcin Patrzalek. Bet you can only get half the name correct. That aside, I have been listening to this the entire week as an effort to address ear fatigue. We've seen Marcin's guitar exploits online; his ridiculously technical playing can only be inferred to by the guitar playing purists at best. However, Dragon in Harmony showcases very listenable tunes, much laid back as opposed to his hyperactive demeanour. Cover tunes like Smooth Operator & Heart-Shaped Box underscore his strength for melody amidst those chaotic & percussive playing. Perhaps many of us overlooked this as we preoccupy ourselves with chastising excessive non-musical sounds in Marcin's playing approach. If you are that kind of listener, you came to music with a very preconceived idea of what acceptability should be. Shame on you.

Indoor Saturday, laying low

Indoor Saturday as unemployment looms once more. 5 more days to feeling useless & vulnerable. In this country, if you have no money, it's like precipitating cataclysm. 

Anyway, spent time with the Ibanez ADX120. I dislike the default pickups, they sound fuzzy with high gain / intense distortion settings. In view of that pickup cavity limitations, majority of the replacement pickups won't fit in there.  The reason I don't play this much these days but the sustain coming from this beast... it's one of the best.

Surprisingly, these two sound good together. The MXR Malmsteen is hyped to deliver a certain distortion voicing but it is capable of churning out other pleasant tones as well. A deserving appraisal soon.

SOLAR: Windstein & extended

Another signature model in the SOLAR camp - EFR1.6KW. It's the signature model for Kirk Windstein (Crowbar / Down), spec'd out for a very heavy metal application: EMG 81 / 85 pickups. That 'reverse' headstock might not sit well with some of us. 

In similar territory, there's the E1.6AAN-27. The 27 there refers to the extended scale length. This one's equipped with an Evertune bridge & a pain of Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers.

Pics: SOLAR