G-jerseys

We know what's going on in that part of the world now & Gibson is cashing in by churning out football related merchandize. 

Goodbye, mid-year...

Pic: Gibson

K-Gold

Kramer had released a lineup of 50th Anniversary guitars which are actually current production models finished in gold. Why gold? Because the 50th Anniversary is also known as the golden anniversary. My favourite is the Night Swan depicted above; I actually like seeing this model in it brighter / lighter colours. 

Pic: Kramer

Jourdan

Prior to this, I had no idea who Jon Jourdan is. I'm currently not following Wolfgang Van Halen's musical developments so the name was simply unfamiliar. This here is Jourdan's signature model which I really fancy; single pickup, single knob, no fretboard markers. Downright simply & to the point. Already, many people are looking forward to seeing this manifested as the SE version along the way. Really hope it would happen. This grey finish is rather wicked. Not so good news in the mean time - this is limited to 200 pieces & PRS is not hinting at further production.

Pic: PRS

Liar

There's a video going round. It shows the new Fender CEO, Edward 'Bud' Cole talking to Fender dealers about the recent antagonism between Fender & other brand names who are allegedly copying the Stratocaster body shape. For the most part, it's rather obvious that he's fire-fighting, trying to sedate the hostility. He's also using this opportunity to explain why Fender's actions in the mean time are legit moves to protect the Stratocaster heritage. 

But one thing's for sure, he's lying about Fender not telling the targetted manufacturers to destroy inventory & compensate Fender monetarily for the damages done. These instructions were documented in black & white & shared (online by podcasters / influencers) for all to see. So there; you did something but you are now telling the world you didn't. We are not dumb. It's not gonna go down well for sure. If this is an attempt to Make Fender Great Again, there's an incompetent driver at the helm.

Tokai bag

 This is what you get when you purchase a Japanese Tokai guitar. This bag looks well-designed. 

Ample padding all round (strap included) to make it a very comfortable bag to handle. If you have handled a Kohlman bag before, this is an iteration of that bag with additional trimmings to make it feel / look exquisite.

Neck cradle & ample side cushioning. Notice the black layered areas - these are the spots where the instrument's hardware comes into contact with the fabric. This layer prevents lining adhesive from bleeding onto the hardware over time & causing some nasty reactions, namely that sticky feel.

I'm giving this bag plus points for this design - can you see the zipper material here? Of course not. It's been covered by fabric.

If you undo the zipper & flip it over like this, then you could see the actual zipper material. Why is this important? It means that on rainy days, that fabric 'blanket' protects the zipper from water & prevents rust.

Victory FR

Gibson wants you to know that its Victory model is now available with a Floyd Rose bridge (& locking nut). Will this iteration be able to compete against the super-shredder type guitars by Jackson, ESP, Ibanez et al? The way I see it, it's still rooting for the Gibson heritage - glossed neck, heavy, absence of single coils... Other brands won't be intimidated, to say the least.

Pic: GMusic