At SL

These brand names are now being officially distributed at Swee Lee & it happened within a spate of less than 3 months. There is an increasing number of effects brand names calling it home there. While we are glad to see more options available, we hope Swee Lee spruces up its lineup of the seasoned brand names like:

• Way Huge- missing some newer models, the Overrated Special would be a good addition
• Fender- the manufacturer added a significant few in January 2018 which garnered critical acclaim but none are available here. Summer NAMM 2018 saw three more joined the range but the only Fender effects unit which is relatively current in store is the Malmsteen OD which won't excite that many here
• TC Electronic- the newer budget models still not seen (Choka trem/ Crescendo auto swell/ Eyemaster distortion/ etc.)

In Prizm

Not a firm advocate of Epiphone but this one's worth considering judging by the specs (a new Summer NAMM release this one)- the LP Tribute Prizm Plus. That stunning finish aside, it features American pickups & quality parts by Switchcraft & Mallory. 👍

Mini bug

Guitar dweebs- Summer NAMM 2018 is upon us. The Vox camp believes it's time to rev things up with a scaled down version of what the Beatles equipped themselves with in their heyday- a Vox stack. Seen here the aforementioned amp- the Mini Superbeetle MSB25 they call it- in its stacked glory featuring Korg's Nutube technology so you get tubes in there but not the standard affair. 

The amp features an open back cab sporting a 10" driver & a DEEP/ FLAT rear switch for a wee bit more EQ refinement. This might get the nostalgic among us going but a Vox affair of this nature shouldn't stir the drive inclined among us into real interest. Unless of course, you are the nostalgic type living in denial while going round in that heavy metal outfit. 😬

Berry boost

I guess I'm in the mood for another booster unit, this time it's the Raspberry Booster by One Control. Dimensions-wise, it's definitely in the mini pedal league without being feeble in terms of weight & construction. I love the fact that the pedal in question features both level (Master) & gain control. These are the details that add to drive differently in terms of definition but keep in mind that it's a booster unit. Any high expectations in terms of drive responses should be kept in check. That Z knob is simply a presence control & affects your tone quite markedly if you're the type who keeps varying your guitar's volume control every now & then. For high gain dweebs like me, it adds hair to tone, simply put, you'd hear a touch more top end in the mix. 

Fake impressions

This was in the news some days ago. I'm moved to give an opinion on the topic because I do product appraisals here (& elsewhere). Rest assured, I'm in no way sponsored or paid by any commercial entities in furthering their commercial interests. I'm the guy who represent the other guys at the receiving end. Most of the time, our opinions tend to be personal but we return to being objective at the end of the day because we have no vested interests in any products out there. Our opinions are for the common good. 

The article just signalled a whole other level of desperation in the open market because in this cyber age, producers are dealing with a different set of vantage points as opposed to the past. It is called appeal. Who better to trust than the people with a personal take on the products when it comes to appeal. But we now know that behind the veiled enterprises lies desperation & companies are willing to stoop this low to get their numbers crunching. If reputation is of importance to these people, they would've thought twice about such engagements.

As for me, I'd like to be friends with fellow gear geeks out there, more importantly, I wish to manifest a fair representation in the midst of it all. There's no point being too inclined to a certain brand name or commercial entities for that matter (stores, distributors, etc.) because we are dealing with differentiation- we are all different, we have our own preferences, your honey might be my turd, vice versa. 

New screamer

Greetings, gear geeks & Tube Screamer fans alike. The following is my personal take on the Ibanez NTS which debuted this year. I have always held the Tube Screamer as the standard in that slight drive in kicking an already driven amp into finer definition (whatever that means to you). I also own some TS-alike pedals/ variations to keep things in perspective.  

Be informed that this version of the TS is devoid of the iconic JRC4558D that gave the pedal its individual flavour. In lieu of this goodness, Ibanez had teamed up with Korg to create a tube equipped PCB-based substitute seen here, dubbed the Nutube technology. 

Despite the tube technology on board, the NTS is still accommodating battery power in addition to PSU applications. The implication here is that the current draw for this technology is small & not power sapping as many of us would've expected. I've been playing mine with a 9V battery in there to keep track of possible tonal changes if the pedal is running on a draining dry cell unit.

This isn't exactly the best visual representation of the pedal in use but that's the amount of light given off by the on-board tubes once the pedal is put to use. The tubes also double as a clipping device so the brightness corresponds to the guitar's string vibrations which trigger the magnetic/ electrical inputs accordingly. The other major difference is the pedal's MIX knob which allows the player to balance the level of NTS drive performance against the instrument's unaffected signals.

In use, the Nutube technology kerbs the pedal's peculiar midrange hump by making the overall tone a little warmer & less prickly with all controls set at noon. This is more obvious if you turn your amp's volume up. Be informed that there's no extra drive to be heard just because there are tubes in there. If you wish for a more commanding Tube Screamer in this aspect, the Turbo version or even the TS7 in its boosted mode would be a more practical consideration. 

Moving on to single coil equipped guitars, this is where the MIX feature proved its exclusive worth. The usual approach in cleaning up driven voicings with any given overdrive unit in use is to - you guessed it - lower its drive level. As such, we have players who eliminate the drive entirely & dimed the level knob to retain the twang from their single coils. The MIX knob here allows the player to retain whatever drive saturation they prefer but reducing its dominance by allowing more unaffected signals through. I must say I enjoy this application with clean-esque tones coming from single coils, definitely. 

In conclusion, the NTS is not a fresh take on the TS tone but a differentiated one. It might be a preferred pedal for a certain camp of players with a certain tone take but the NTS is definitely a proven drive booster regardless of the incarnation. That white-based colour scheme is not ideal for a device designated to be stepped on, yes? 

City Music: G&L

By the time you read this, City Music are well into the launch of their G&L range. Thanks for the invitation, apologies for the absence. My utmost thanks to the team for showing me stuff while I was there Friday evening. Basses are available as well, just not seen here in this display. Price info for G&L instruments are available here: CLICK 😎

Some mojo (2)

Was at Beez's on Tuesday to get these done. The pair of Mojo Tone pickups featured here are the Knockout model. The default Japanese Jaguar single coils were above average clean but in driven mode, they just sounded thin. I was expecting at least an on par performance against a Strat single coil but that proved to be a let down in this aspect.

These pickups are higher output sporting ceramic magnets but with a healthy dose of sustain. The slotted pole pieces were a clever touch to maintain a balanced output/ volume across strings. They are awesome clean as well so these are worthy replacements in deed.

Before heading home, we managed to chill out 😎

Jr re-string

Had some playing time yesterday but chose to attend to this Ibanez AW54JR.

The default action was high. After rectifying the neck bow, the bridge was filed down to make sure I don't struggle during play.

Also, some choking at the nut, they might have equipped the guitar with a set of 11s but did not address the slots.

Finally, a set of 10 - 47 for this one. No idea why I still have Elixirs in the house but this is gonna be my final time using them as they don't sound good despite feeling new. Was never a fan to begin with, trying for variety's sake.

My take on the AW54JR

This is Ibanez's take on the mid-way size factor; it's neither too big nor too travel-sized (PF2MH) to bother a certain playing camp. In all honesty, Ibanez was trying to fit into the down-sized dreadnought market for less money & they did it easily with that classy elbow relief & a deserving solid top feature to boot. The instrument has a healthy volume projection unlike some other brand names in this category which are usually glossed over (satin finish for this AW54JR) & does not feature a solid top. I've played many acoustics & find that the default action are too high for playing comfort, even for the boutique range. Despite the string choke at the nut slots (not all, mind you) & a pair of tuners being scratchy (was rectified  by loosening the tension), I still think this one is good value for money & recommended for those of us in need of a no-frills, scaled down body acoustic we can easily manage while on the move. It's also the perfect answer for players struggling to handle a full-sized acoustic guitar without having to compromise on an instrument that doesn't inspire tone-wise. 

Some price comparisons for your considerations 😁

Ibanez AW54JR: $379

Martin Dreadnought Jr: $744

Taylor Big Baby: $599

At the gates

Ibanez S420- gave it a re-string.

One of my fav guitars in terms of clarity & I have the Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates Plus to thank for that. These humbuckers are touted to be twangy (especially in split coil mode) & country-esque so putting them into the S420 was a real risk. Guitars with a heavy dual-action bridge like the ZR seen here, robs it of a good low end response, we do not wish for a bright sounding pickup to be there as it complements nothing. Surprisingly, the PG does well here because the S420 in its entirety is rather heavy. This wasn't the case with the S-Series of the '90s; those guitars were some of the lightest Ibanez had ever manufactured (I still own one). 

New player

This was supposed to be a Summer NAMM (2018) revelation but was leaked along the way. The official announcement was made yesterday. With immediate effect, the Standard series is now effectively discontinued, replaced by the Player Series here, still made in Mexico like their predecessors. 

Yay or nay? The immediate nay factor would be the revised prices (upwards) so get ready to pay about $200+/- more for a Mexican Fender. From a commercial perspective, this is the definite opportunity to bring prices up by featuring 'revisions' in various models which we will look into in another blog episode. The strategy wasn't new as we noted this occurrence when the American Professional replaced the American Standard Series. The list price for a Mexican Strat/ Tele here is $899 so with the new Player prices kicking in soon, you'd be paying close to $1K for one. So is it time to grab whatever's left of the the current Standard models? Hmm...

Selling: Marshall 50th Ann JVM 1W combo (SOLD)

Investing in some clean tones, letting this go:

• Marshall JVM 50th Anniversary 1W all tube combo (power cord included)
• Condition: 8/10, please NOTE- the clean channel indicator is NOT working
• Self-collect @ CCK mrt stn, no testing
• No trades/ reservations
• Queries/ confirmation: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Price: $449 (final)

Item SOLD 😀 

Gen white

On the final day of May, when everyone had been bewitched by my absence, I went to fetch this home. Nothing special, just an Ibanez Genesis RG550 in white. It's something I've played before, accustomed with, yet enchanted once more.

The first wave headstock without the 'RG Series' label on it had always been my preferred design- less cluttered, more elegant.

I'm now oblivious to the the block neck-body joint. If you frequent the upper frets & feel that this feature gets in the way, it might be just you. I'm OK with no extra trimmings inviting me to the higher  fret registers because I can deal with it.

By the way, these default pickups have to go- I already have something for it even before its presence here.

That blue Ibanez guitar bag with a ripped handle- that one was used to bring this guitar home. 👍

Genesis, south

Good news for lefties- Ibanez is offering the Genesis RG550 for left-handers as a spot model. Wonder if these will make it here at all.

Wireless like a boss

Now that BOSS has officially released this wireless wizardry, I'm VERY sure everyone wants one. The wisdom behind this marketing is that it offers three versions to appeal to the three major player groups out there. Here's more:

Snapped

And this happened. After 7 years of use, in & out of the house, under wet & dry conditions, the strap gave way but the bag's still functional. To be continued. 

Some mojo

This was scheduled for a Monday delivery but at 5pm just now, the courier chap was at the door asking for my signature. Read up, heard clips, inclined to try. So here goes 👌

Citrus

Aw, man! GAS!! 😓

Eid 2018

Taking it easy this year, no extended preparations, no compulsive purchases either. Here's wishing all Muslim blog readers & friends a blessed Eid. Enjoy the long weekend, everyone.

More controls

Holiday eve & still gear hunting... 😙

Single cutting it

Ah... making good use of my days off to attend to my guitars (what else?!) 😎

Managed to do a 'mileage' check on my Ibanez FR420:

• re-string, please!
• neck was flex-bowed, required truss rod adjustments
• action was too low, choked notes when bending strings, action required revision

I took a big risk of rectifying the anomalies listed above based on the old set of strings in the guitar. Pro techs would advise doing so based on a fresh set of strings so the guitar could adapt to the quirks manifested by the newer string set. I was half way through when I realized this so it was done till everything was addressed & then the fresh set of strings came into the picture. A set of John Pearse 9 - 42 this time.

This is one of those Ibanez guitars of mine with a deserving set of Seymour Duncans in there to manifest the tones that I want to hear; menacing top end when it comes to solos in the neck (Distortion) & deep, roaring riffs in the bridge without sounding bass excessive (Screamin' Demon). 

My thoughts on the FR

It's one of those familiar body outlines we relate to a specific non-Ibanez guitar, we know too well what that guitar is. The Standard FR models have already been phased out from the Ibanez catalog, you need to spend good money on either an Iron Label or Prestige version which many of us would not do considering the after-market value of this guitar. For that amount, we'd rather spend on something else with a stronger re-sale worth. Why is this the case? This single cut design does not sit well with the Ibanez name, which is more known for the RG, S, Jem & Satriani models (among others). In fact, the more radical designs propelled the Ibanez name further than this traditional take. Examples would be the Iceman & Destroyer outlines which we are more compelled to spend on than the FR. Compounding this bleak outlook would be the fact that the FR feels like an RG with a different body design. 

Good core

It's already midweek... 😔

Had some playing time, re-visited this Ibanez RC320M & realizing that the rounded, more traditional neck profile could see my best efforts in terms of playing discipline. Also, the Duncan Distortion pair in there are deserving pickups complementing the weight-tone response of the instrument. Despite being a tune-o-matic type bridge, the strings spacing is a Trembucking affair. The neck carve of this instrument is very similar to my Kiesel DC 👍

The clean end

Had some playing time in the evening so ended the day with some great cleans. That's right- clean. Coming from someone who doesn't give a hoot about driveless tone, it means a lot. The formula: Single coils + chorus + boost. The chorus you see here is One Control's Little Copper Chorus & I have good things to say about it in the next instalment. 😁

DC

If you had been buying guitar magazines in the 90s, this would have been a familiar ad. I had been GASing for that Carvin ever since I came across this image + I'm a Tafolla fan.

Along the way, Tafolla did a non-Floyd/ reverse headstock model for himself which raised my GAS levels but I know the Carvin brand name was hard to come by here. City Music had some higher tier models in their showrooms which were mostly single cut away designs not to my liking. Subsequently, Music Ark became the Carvin dealer before Kiesel took over- still no DC model of this spec.

Late last year, Kiesel had this in stock going for an unbelievable price & it's about the closest I could get to the Tafolla version without spending a bomb. So now you know the background of this acquisition. Anyway, gave this guitar a wee bit more set up tinkering & I believe it's now according to my preference details & it played better than before. Late night Sunday shredding- done. 👌

Selling: UNO Warzone 2 (SOLD)

Letting go of the UNO...

• UNO Warzone 2, bag included
• Condition: 8.5/10
• Self-collect @ CCK mrt stn
• No trades/ reservations
• Queries/ confirmation: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Price: $390 (final)

Selling: Schecter Omen 8 (SOLD)

It's the only member in the family left, letting it go too:

• Schecter Omen 8 (8-string guitar)
• All original specs, 9/10 condition, bag included
• Self-collect @ CCK mrt station (will nego if I'm free on deal day)
• Queries/ confirmation: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• No reservations/ trades

Item SOLD 😁

• Price: $390 (final)

Screaming trio

This happened yesterday. I was testing the Ibanez NTS & thought why not give the other two screamer-like units a go as well since they are recent acquisitions anyway. L-R: Ibanez NTS/ JRockett Touch/ JHS Bonsai. More insights to come 😁

NTS in the house

Unboxing soon... 😑

Lex Paul

Recent team up between Gibson & Lexus- an LP outline with an ES construction. 

Is this necessary at all? 😐

PIC: Gibson CS FB

Re-string Saturday: Orange

Wanted to hear some DiMarzios in action this morning so the Ibanez RG331M was it.

Slight make-over- orange strips...

But before the playing happened, a fresh set of strings- Dean Markley's coated set. Actually, I dislike the coated strings feel after my Elixir experience. So I thought, it might be the brand name, so giving this set a try.