Laney minis

These debuted at the recently concluded Winter NAMM 2018- the Laney minis. Comes in two versions; the Mini & Mini-ST. Since the success of Blackstar's FLY3 desktop unit, I've been anticipating a rival offering. BOSS' Katana Mini offers a serious challenge & perhaps these Laney offerings might be another. Good to know they will be available at Davis GMC. 

Chrome & Ice

In addition to Martin Miller, Tom Quayle & Nita Straus getting themselves onto the Ibanez endorsers roster, Ibanez has 2 commemorative signature models this 2018. The highly reflective model you see here is the JS1CR30, celebrating the 30th anniversary of the Chrome Boy. The chrome plating was a nightmare to produce with the previous versions (eventual flaking was the bane) but they got it right this time & we know a certain Mr. Satriani is currently very happy with the end product.

Paul Stanley's Iceman is seeing a 40th anniversary incarnation with the PS1DM here- behold the bling. I don't mean to be the party pooper but Mr. Stanley parted ways with the manufacturer along the way so I question the legitimacy of this commemoration (unlike Satch who stayed true to form in terms of endorsement). 

By the time you read this, NAMM 2018 is over & we know that whatever commemorative models Ibanez churned out this year, they were over-shadow by the AZ series debut, backed by the Quayle & Miller show. Heads up, people, it's already Tuesday. 

Bonsai

Still in pedal territory, new for 2018, JHS' Bonsai. 😁

As the colour suggests, it's a trove of Tube Screamer goodness. The manufacturer reminds potential antagonists of its true reference; it's not emulating but replicating the TSes. Whatever this means to you, there is a need to hear the modules in action personally & not be taken in by any commercial slants. What you get is an investment of 40 decade's worth of the TS manifestations plus two re-interpretations of the voicing made famous by other brand names- Keeley & JHS. 

I currently own a few JHS pedals & they are pragmatic in terms of tonal considerations. Many of us just can't come to terms with the prices. This one's listing for USD229 so by the time it reaches our shores, you can easily get a starter level guitar for that kind of price. But let's appreciate it for what it is, a bona fide best-of pedal that easily solves the issue of choice. 

Fender stomps

New for 2018, a sextet of Fender stomp boxes. Let's see now, we have reverb, compressor, distortion, delay, buffer & drive. We know Fender isn't known for effects pedals but these may be the manufacturer's break into the market. 

I like how presentable they look & that drawer-type battery access is awesome (but it screams DOD all over) & the knobs' pointers are futuristic (OK you might see them in vehicle dashboards somewhere out there). These are mid-priced units but we know how 'mid' can easily cross over into boutique territory & with the 'Fender' name there, they won't hesitate to do it.

Kiesel joy

Re-string Saturday. 😊

The previous string set in my Kiesel DC was the Elixir with whatever celebrated coating preferred by the masses but not me. I was just enduring them & they felt wrong under my finger tips. This is not a performance appraisal so there's nothing to say about Elixir's durability quotient which is rather renowned by now. 

The substitute strings- a set of 9s by Stringjoy. You won't get this off the shelf, it's strictly an online purchase. It's critical how your preferred string set influence the way you play, regardless of the touted technology surrounding the hype. I'm not putting Elixir down for what they do but they definitely do not address my preference. We have our personal preferences & we are free to choose. 

Sweet driving

Here's a new one from MXR, the Sugar Drive. Yes, it's in a smaller footprint type, I do not wish to call it a mini pedal because there are others out there smaller than this. 

I'm not aware there's an acclaimed 90s drive circuit pedal being used by the manufacturer in their pedals but it's here, in this one. Also, the drive control  blends your clean signals with the processed ones so it's not just a typical drive type of pedal out there. If you've come across Voodoo Lab's Sparkle Drive, you'd understand the concept here. Anyway, let's just ask ourselves how much our ears can discern a standard drive response & a 'blended' version without knowing it's one to begin with.

The wonderful thing, I believe, is the pedal's 'underdrive' capacity from the clips I've come across. It's not that over zealous drive that you activate for obnoxious solos- no. It's something for those of us who wish for subtle clippings. OK, MXR let's you choose between true or buffered bypass with this one. On my list 😁

Kiko's new green

It's a new one for Kiko this 2018 & a departure from the SA design (you'd argue it's an S, not SA so it's really your fault for not noticing its non-arched back which is an SA design, not S) & into the RGA outline. New KIKO DiMarzios in there as well. Coil tap flick-switch & a first fret inlay- nice touch. The Ibanez KIKO200 will only be available in Summer 2018.

Nita's call

Congrats to Nita Strauss- first female Ibanez endorser. Reserving comments on the guitar till further details are made available. 

Bass star

The Blackstar name is now accommodating bass tones. Seen here- the Unity Pro models ranging from 30W - 500W performance so this pretty much signals the manufacturer's intent. Please, let's not approach this from the guitar amp perspective just because we know where Blackstar is in terms of guitar tones- up there among the best. I like that simple logo that features a, you guessed it, black star. However, these will only be available at the quarter's end; spring time goodness for some of us.

Satch's new voice

It's a new one for Satch by DiMarzio- the Satchur8 but you know it's been around for a while prior to its official release. The Satchur8 is currently paired with a Sustainiac pickup in the Ibanez JS2480. It's an Alnico 8 pickup & Satch backed it up as being smooth with lots of clarity. Sounds inviting. Do note that it's only offered as an F-spaced model. 😁

Looping elite

I'm never this excited about a looper unit especially when it's an over-sized one which does more good on the table top than being on the floor. EHX's new 95000 is one heck of a looping unit with commanding details; 375 minutes of recording time coupled with 100 loops (subject to storage card capacity) is a serious proposal for many guitar introverts. Individual loop faders, speed adjustments &  expression pedal volume control are just other enticements worth checking out. On my list, this one.

Ibanez 2018 (11): Keeping goodness in check

Yet another Ibanez entry but I noticed stuff this time round. I believe that guitar manufacturing is taking a positive turn in terms of costs & Ibanez is one brand name to manifest this goodness, so to speak. We now have a through body construction in the Standard range, this used to be a higher tier privilege. (RGRT421)

We also note the inclusion of branded pickups in the Standard range as well. This is the RGEW521Z featuring a pair of DiMarzio humbuckers- Tone Zone (B) & Air Norton (N). There are some other note-worthy details in the acoustic category as well which we've noted before.

These instruments are not manufactured in Japan so the message is, we can be assured of good craftsmanship from Chinese & Indonesian sources as well. It boosts confidence among buyers & it's good money on the sales front as well because these are the money-making models. The higher tier models (Premium/ Prestige/ J-Custom) don't bring in the revenue figures. They are desirable but not staple. 

Hard tails

Spent the Sunday playing my PRSes, the Mira in the morning...

... the SC250 to close the day. Both guitars were given a fresh set of strings before playing.

I'm not too fond of finished necks so the real reason why I played them today was because I like to hear the Seymour Duncan pickups in action:

• Mira: JB/ P-Rails
• SC250: Pegasus/ P-Rails

Mira's partial hollow body dampened some brightness from the JB so it has a strong bottom end response for heavy music, no problems there. The P-Rails in its full humbucking mode sound very wooly in the neck but unlike a Gibson humbucker, there's still clarity in the mix. 

The SC250 on the other hand was pretty much dictated by the Pegasus. On a personal note, it's a prog-esque pickup for that rock-hippie type of tone very prevalent in the 70s but with a strong distortion presence. Technical geeks would love this pickup for its ability to manifest individual notes very well.

After a re-set up following the re-string & thorough cleaning I came to the realization that I could not get a super low, super shredding action simply due to the bridge type of both instruments Yes, a low action was possible but nothing Ibanez-like. It's a different playing experience but nothing hopeless & struggling when fast playing is concerned. Even for Gibson guitars, hard tail bridges are just not cut out for low action settings. They have this fixed height which was compounded by the top mount nature. We can only go so deep/ low & that's it. But I'm rather sick of this sunburst-type finish- no more for me.

Here's wishing you a good week ahead. Remember to embrace difference but ditch it once it makes you feel stupid. 😁

Gibson: Prices (domestic)

Selected Gibson 2018 models are beginning to be available here. One of them, the Firebird Studio, is seen above with its 2018 list price. The 2017 T version (middle) was $200 lesser. The 2017 'HP' version (blue) is there for comparison's sake- that's how much more you have to fork out. Back to the 2018 version, I have no idea if P-90 pickups cost more than humbuckers these days but that's how prices are to date.

PS: Gibson do not manufacture T & HP versions of the Firebird Studio any more.

Fender 2018: The New Mutants (2)

Returning to where we left off (CLICK for Part 1)- the limited run of these hybrid models by Fender is referred to as the Parallel Universe series; taking bits from existing/historic references & mishmashing them into unique servings. OK, quirky comes into the perspective as well. This instalment features the models that, in my opinion, are worthy considerations in terms of features & overall aesthetics. The Strat Tele is every bit a good 50s Strat as it looks (ash body- thumbs up) less the body, of course. This isn't 'bad' in any way, of course, it's a matter of acceptance/rejection- do you mind if your Strat looks like this. Or for that matter, your Tele looks like that. 

This is the Troublemaker Tele & it reminds us of that mystical Tele-Gib model owned by Seymour Duncan, yes? There are essentially three elements at work here; Tele/ Strat/ Gibson. The initial reference for this model pre-empts us on the neck profile, something that sits a little better with the Gibson camp in terms of carve type. The twin volume/tone control embraces the Gibson aspect as well.

I believe Tele fans love the thinline version of the instrument. I've tried a Japanese version before & feel that the guitar isn't about a complete re-interpretation of the Telecaster per se but a clever take on variation. It's not in the 335 territory, mind you. They call this the Tele Thinline Super Deluxe & it screams Cabronita all over. This is perhaps the least tampered model in this series in terms of features as Fender has a Thinline already going. 

Last, but certainly not least, we have the Jazz Tele which is perhaps the most enticing one for me. One more time, we have this discourse of the instrument being referred to as a Tele by virtue of the body outline while the rest of the attributes are clearly non-Tele. The Jaguar/ JM tones are some of my favourite this side of the single coil offering but they can only be discovered, that's right, only through a proper Jaguar/ JM guitar. As flagship as these models were meant to be, some of us find the offset body a little in the way in terms of extensions but we lived with that to embrace the tone. No idea where the Parallel Universe models are going in terms of regular production but I feel & if I have my way, make this one a fix entry into the Fender catalog. 

That's all for now, folks. We await further details from NAMM 2018 & our dealers for availability. 😁

Enemy @ SG

This should get people excited. Happy weekend, everyone ☺

PRS 2018: Studio experience

Another alluring PRS S2 for 2018- the Studio. It's good to see an HSS pickup configuration this time but those are not new. The Starla humbucker had been around for some time & the Type-D singlecoil was there in the Vela. I'm for the latter but the former isn't my cup of tea strictly on grounds of distortion. It's a fine performer in clean mode, though. 

Despite the initial skeptic appraisal (which is unnecessary, I feel) the S2's non-American electronics didn't kill the instrument's reputation & since its introduction in 2013, there is a steady following from the pros & novices alike. This is what strict QC & distinguished goodwill do to performance standards. Looking forward to this model being here. 

Fender 2018 (2): American Original series

Here's another page in Fender's 2018 offering; the American Original series. The American Original replaces the American Vintage range entirely. Unlike the latter, the new AO series are not period-specific models, they feature 'best of' details from the 50s/ 60s. Fender is looking back to look ahead. 

Ibanez 2018 (10): Multi-(in)fluence

The new Ibanez RGDIM6 is not quite about the multi-scale feature (which had been an explored detail the last time round). This is the debut model featuring Fishman's Fluence Modern Humbucker. So I'm gonna sound like a broken record saying that these Fluence active pickups are the current flavour of the technical prog geeks out there. They may/ may not deliver what you want to hear but it's good to see options. Be reminded that the standard RGD features a 26.5" scale length while the  the IM6 is 26.7" at the bass end. 

Lollar's aggression

Thank you, Lollar for the heavy addition. That's right, Lollar now offers something for the aggressive among us, also known as the distortion inclined. The new dB model seen here is offered in both bridge & neck positions, 2 or 4 conductors. We know this isn't a Lollar forte but thank you for giving us options. 👍

Gibson 2018 (5): Semi-double cut

Following their no-show decision at NAMM 2018, Gibson had announced the Semi-hollow Modern Double Cut as being a new model this year at CES 2018. This model was not included in the manufacturer's 2018 announcement done late Fall (2017). No, this is not flak for Gibson for not gathering round the universal guitar watering hole, just a highlight. We should not build walls round those going things their way, yes? There's also a new Flying V to highlight. Soon. Bye.

Ibanez 2018 (9): AEW revisions

There are now four AEWs left in the Ibanez catalog & this is one of them, a new member for 2018 (AEWC400). The thing with the AEW is that Ibanez got carried away with some exotic tops that added much to price without much tonal appeal. In the acoustic realm, players are still after solid tops as a rule of thumb in getting good fundamental tones. That's a really fine serving of flame maple on show there but it's still not a solid top. Yes, it's flamed all round. 

But the surprise package this year is this AEWC300 which features a solid spruce top so maybe Ibanez became a little wiser this year. That same wisdom bestowed both these guitars with revised features: 1) Tail end string inserts so gone are the bridge pins. Not entirely innovative, Takamine (among others) was ahead in this aspect. 2) Elbow rest &...

... 3) Rear cut away bevel. It's these little considerations that propels the Ibanez brand the recognition it deserves. Anyway, enjoy the following teaser:

Pongal greetings to those celebrating today 👍

Indoor cramp

It's an indoors Saturday. It had been raining since morning, the weather's just too cold to be out & about. Managed to play for an hour or so just before dinner. I chose my Schecter VE-TE here because I was in the mood for some raunchy single coils.

My fingers cramped out on me, this rarely happened. In fact, it's only my second bout with dysfunctional fingers. It's all about the weather with a hint of laziness. Dear friends, please take some time to warm up those digits before you play. Getting a muscle strain simply because you were too inept to care about your hand for the sake of what you love doing, is unforgivable. It need not be a strict fretboard warm up, just get your fingers going in some ways before you play will do. I literally had to straighten those cramped fingers with the other hand & gave it a good massage before continuing play. 

Fender 2018: The new mutants (Part 1)

Let's not talk too much about this one because we've already seen/ known it- the Offset Tele. It's Fender's brilliant attempt at market testing. That's right, they were looking at us, looking at how resistant/accommodating we were when it comes to accepting a mis-match which was officially declared as legit by the manufacturer. By now, we are sensitized & would probably want one. At the very least, our reason is- it's a Fender. 

So this year when they release models bordering on being spastic, they know it won't be too shocking for the Fender Benders out there because they let their scapegoat run free before, into welcoming arms it seems. Anyway, Fender did what they thought they should do & released a few cross breeds & the initial 'limited edition' status could very well signal them being spot models. Let's take a look at some of them, starting with this one- the Jaguar Strat. As Strat as its outline suggests, you won't get too stratty when it comes to tones. I own both a Strat & Jaguar, these are not direct substitutes. They minimized complications by including the American Pro circuitry. 

Still on planet Strat, we have the Whiteguard Strat. That's downright perplexing isn't it? It's clearly a Tele headstock & electronics but the Strat body dictates the name. This one comes loaded with a pair of '51 Nocaster pickups which would make it sound like, you guessed it, a Tele. But heck no, it's called a Strat. 

To be continued...

Ibanez 2018 (8): Straight ahead

I anticipated a complete removal of the Ibanez SA Series this 2018 but on the contrary, the series underwent a re-vamp this year. 

Firstly, all models now feature a non-angled headstock (seen here: SA260 & SA560). Secondly, the Premium models are no more, the highest in the series is this blue version here featuring high end specs, namely binding & DiMarzio (Blue Purple Silver Teal Black Velvet in all positions) pickups. Thirdly, bridges are now the T102, 2-point model. Lastly, the lower tier version no longer feature a pine fretboard but jatoba instead.

Clip-free

This looks like a winner by D'Addario (new 2018)- a clip-free tuner that hosts onto an existing machine head screw. Discrete & out of the way, definitely thumbs up to this. However, it might impede neck placement during re-string, case storage, etc. (therefore need to own one to get the first hand account) but will definitely give it a go. 

Signatures (LTD - Ibanez)

So we have non-Japanese models from two Japanese manufacturers which might prove to be a little weak in terms of appeal & intention. The first one you see here is the George Lynch Kamikaze variation (LTD GL-KAMI4) for the year. Variation because it's nothing new, just a twisted headstock which is downright hideous. Lynch is an ESP veteran & the manufacturer is perpetuating his embrace of the brand name quite obviously. Staunch Lynch fans might be interested, curious onlookers might bite. 

Moving on to the Ibanez camp, we have another Paul Gilbert Fireman (FRM200) variation with no revisions in outline. I see this being more respectable & less desperate in terms of appeal but having a current flavour in a lower tier offering speaks a lot about intentions; selling looks to be more imperative. 

Having said that, in case you missed it, both models are propelling new signature pickups (Seymour Duncan's Hunter, DiMarzio's PG-13) so that's putting things in perspective.

Fender 2018: Meteora

This is a little difficult to appreciate let alone understand. Some would applaud Fender for being bold but others would deem this an abomination. Whatever the case may be, this is the Fender Meteora, new for 2018 but remains to be a limited edition offering. We thought the Offset Tele was the limit to all things hybrid but it seems the Telecaster theme is brought over here with a dash of Jazzmaster. The ash body remains to be 'fresh' in terms of design  but I wager this one would be on the 'one that got away' list. 

BOSS 2018: Embrace air

This will be a NAMM release by BOSS; a wireless amp, the Katana Air, they call it. If you wish to go wireless before the Katana Air happened, chances are, you needed to invest in a separate wireless relay system which has no guitar/ amp affiliations. BOSS now gives you its acclaimed Katana servings plus wireless feasibility. 

How things look like from the top. The Katana Air has battery capabilities as well- 8 x AA batteries for a 20W output (otherwise, plug it into the wall socket for a 30W output). We're looking at a $600 price bracket here which isn't quite everyone's cup of tea when it comes to desk top units like this. Fans of the Katana tone might give this a chance. Fans of the wireless relay system might give this a chance as well. So we see where the Katana Air is heading for in terms of market appeal; tone & feasibility. Chances are, this amp will debut here so let's give it more opinion after hearing it in action.

Kiesel 2018: Zeus

No idea if these guys will be at NAMM this year but this is worth highlighting- the Zeus (bolt-on) model. I used to find headless guitars weird & out of place but the Kiesel chaps make headlessness very desirable. All the best to them in 2018! 

Ibanez 2018 (7): Decent

I've chosen two models from Ibanez's 2018 line up which I think are decent, value-for-money models which I'd recommend to players on a tight budget. The first one is the AX120 you see above. It's a no-frills unit, ergonomically designed & does not look desperate to impress.

The RG421AH (forgive the non-matching headstock) is the other strong recommendation. It's actually the close sibling of 2017's RG370AH. Some of you might contest the fact that the RG421 was released late last year & you're right. But so were many models in the 2018 range. They were released late last year to selected regions but this 2018, if there's an official dealer in your country, it should be made available to you. 

Word is, come NAMM 2018, there will be no Gibson participation. Gibson prefers to showcase their products in consumer electronics show (eg: Consumer Electronics Show by CTA) which has no guitar limitations. This is in tandem with the manufacturer's move to embrace music technology as opposed to just a focus on instruments.

This is strictly my take on what's taking place, I might be wrong on grounds of insufficient first hand information but I will say what I have to say. Gibson is embracing music technology, evident in its brand name product acquisition/ termination. They have to make this move because when it comes to innovation, do you really think the Les Pauls, SGs, Explorers & gang will manifest revision without rejection? Think of those robot tuners for a start but let's not go deeper into that topic, it's a deserving rot that deserves to disappear but it's not up to us for sure. They need an avenue for innovation that works & it's not likely to be the musical instruments but it has to be a very close associate so that's where softwares, monitors, etc. come into the picture. 

Is the brand name formidable enough to enter a different market? Not in the mean time considering what they have to offer & the marketing presence hence the leave of absence from one niche product conference into another. They have to make this move to buffer their self-renewal. It trickles unto issues of survival, so to speak.

In doing so Gibson leaves its instrument legacy vulnerable. Many of us (yours truly included) still look up to the brand name as the industry standard, liking what's offered is another chapter altogether.  Due to a shift in focus, we'd seen the fester along the way; sinking QC, negligent personnels (that broken neck & dented body in the product catalog, lest you forget)... we need these to be checked. You can dive into the toilet bowl & garden manure market for all we care but you have a legacy to uphold. If you forgo an aspect of what makes your company tick to embrace another, it shows a lot about your dedication to goodwill. 

Ibanez 2018 (6): Fixed Genesis

Pardon me but the Ibanez 2018 Genesis series include the guitars you see here- RG521. It's a fixed bridge alternative for those of us who still believe the locking, dual action whammy bridges in any manifestations, are more cumbersome than delightful. Good for us. 👍

ESP/LTD 2018 (3): Set

What I like about the LTD camp is the fact that they won't hold back when it comes to considerations for the lower tier models. The EX-200 is now a set-neck construction.

Ditto the H-200.