Ibanez April 2026: AZ47P1

As it is, this new AZ47P1 is the only 7-string in the Premium lineup in the mean time. Not aware of any 7-string resurgence or the need for the AZ Series to manifest a 7-string; there are currently no ambassadors propelling a 7-string AZ Premium. In any case, it's the first AZ 7-string to feature a pickguard. Available now at Swee Lee: $2,099. The previous non-pickguard iteration was $1,899.

Pic: Ibanez

MoMM (64): Reality check

I pretty much bought this album because of a personal doom metal resurgence of sorts. I'm still not an Ozzy fan, I bought this for the music. Master of Reality is perhaps one of the pioneers of doom but music journalists deem it as stoner / sludge rock. Until a definitive music theory separates these genre comprehensively, I am happy to treat is as doom. The tempo & arrangement pretty much defines doom as we know it today. Mind you, doom itself was a term coined retrospectively; someone said it's doom then did a throwback trawl & realized Black Sabbath sounded like they pretty much started the movement.

In any case, I'm embracing how down-tempo plays a very big part in doom. In my metal domain, speed is essential so when speed plays a lesser part in this sub-genre, it doesn't sit well with me. Then again, doom has a heavy emphasis, not speed. Iommi's work here pivots on his magnificent riffing more than his solos; they sounded very bluesy but that's what you get if your ideas are rooted in the pentatonic scheme of things. Master of Reality is enjoyable. It could have been a blast if the fuzz was properly generated but hey, it's done in 1971.

Ibanez April 2026: S721

There is this series in the Ibanez lineup that supposedly caters to all things metal - the Iron Label Series. This new S721 is a new member in this Series of instruments & as you can see, it's blacked out. I totally understand the inevitable association of black with doom & gloom but there are some things in a guitar that should facilitate playing, not merely visual dominance. I believe such colour scheme does not help the beginners out there in terms of visual reference. The ebony fretboard has no position indicators & the dark colour scheme facilitates being lost more than being elegant. Black pickups against a black body - you'd be hitting the pickups while playing instead of being aware they are there in that particular playing space where you should avoid playing over to avoid hitting them. 

It's quite the opposite for seasoned players. Fretboard reference is second nature after years of playing. All this compounded by the dark stage presence; visual reference is nothing anymore. The instrument had become too familiar for you to mess up your playing fundamentals. Anyway, this blacker than black S721 is now available at Swee Lee ($1,299) & it sports my favourite DiMarzios in there - the D Activator.

Pic: Swee Lee

Price watch (104)

I do not know who these people / entity are but they are selling stuff at super inflated prices. This Ibanez RG421 could be had for less than $550 at Swee Lee.

Look at this very unreasonable pickup price; there is a whopping $118 difference. Please be careful when dealing with such people / entity, they might have received favourable reviews pertaining to buying / selling but it doesn't exclude them from being daylight robbers.

Futura RD

Epiphone just launched its Futura line of guitars & this made the defunct RD design (still available in Gibson's Custom lineup, though) more accessible for us lay people. The mere outline might not sit well with many of us, it looks like a failed high school design project more than anything else. Despite this peculiarity, mind you, there is a cult following.

The implication of this launch is rather obvious. Epiphone wants a bite in the lower midrange price pie & they need to offer instruments that reflect this price range. 

For the record, the original Futura is actually the name of a model (debut 2001) as depicted above. It looked like a deformed Explorer. The Futura re-surfaced in 2008 as part of the Prophecy collection before disappearing for good.

 Pics: Epiphone

Zen

Screen grab from Swee Lee's web store. It's sold out in the mean time. Didn't even know it made it here... Once something ascends onto mythical / legendary levels, the obsession is real.