Coconut

Was talking to someone yesterday about fretboard maintenance. He was asking if organic oil was the way to go for hydrating purposes. I told him I prefer this as opposed to other synthetic fluids which feels oily but dries up real fast. Implication - oil content might be lesser than marketed. He then asked if I have tried using cooking oil & told him heck, no. Cooking oil is formulated for cooking & geared towards temperature tolerance & taste, certainly not for instrument maintenance. On that note, Dunlop now has coconut oil for us gear geek if we are really picky with the organic content. I just bought myself a small bottle to try. Of course, please do not spray this onto your hair & think it's just coconut oil anyway.

EHB600

Would like to thank Ibanez for making the EHB basses more affordable this year with the introduction of the the 600 Series. Catch - the fretboard is now jatoba instead of roasted maple. In stock at Swee Lee now.

Pics: Ibanez

8620

Nothing really refreshing at the Ibanez front for March. The RG8620 is now available in the new finishes depicted above - Anvil gray burst flat (top) & Ghost fleet blue burst (bottom). Both are now available at Swee Lee ($3,999)

Pics: Ibanez

TJAMC @ Esplanade

If your music revolved round the alternative genre back in the mid-'80s or so, The Jesus & Mary Chain would be a familiar name. Notable others in this era include Sonic Youth & Cocteau Twins, among others. TJAMC will be performing here in April for those interested.

Pic: Esplanade

Price vision

This IV1RG you see here is a member of the Visions Series comprising of two guitars & a bass. It was initially launched sometime in the Summer of 2025. This represents Ibanez's pinnacle in guitar craftsmanship. It's now available at Swee Lee for $10,999. 

I'm just not a fan of the tree-of-life inlay & gold hardware. For that kind of money, Ibanez should be making me something to my specs. Just my opinion.

Pic: Ibanez USA

Conceptually

If you love the A527 but cannot live with the excessive neck dive (because you play sitting down most of the time & find the strap annoying), the RGD71 might be a good alternative. 

As you can see above, the guitars are conceptually similar. The blueprint for features & playability was in the RGD71 all along. For innovation's sake, the Alpha's neck profile was given the asymmetrical treatment which, in my opinion, gave a very different & somewhat addictive appeal (yes, despite the quirks). The body moved entirely away from the RG outline to facilitate those of us who strap the guitar higher. The retarded Alpha headstock is compensating the overall neck weight in what might be an attempt to make it less heavy but there's already a significant addition due to the asymmetrical design.

Also, A527 ($2,399) vs RGD71 ($1,549) might be a significant consideration for many of us. 

 Pics: Ibanez