New kid

So we got a new kitty in the house- Mona the cat. This was an injured stray at my wife's work place. She decided to bring it to the vet last Friday night & currently putting up with us until it heals. I believe in providence & having another feline in the house is certainly a blessing. OK so someone couldn't stay put while posing with the pedal...

Happy end of March, people. The first quarter has passed us by. 👍

Selling: BOSS CH-1

I have decided to let this go. Well-taken care of, box included 😎

• Selling: BOSS CH-1 Super Chorus, box included
• Condition: 8.5/10
• No trades/ testing
• Self-collect: CCK mrt stn
• Queries/ confirmation: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Price: $89 (FINAL)

Yellow Saturday

Taking it easy with my yellow LP. It's an LP Jr Special, bought it online for cheap as it was on clearance. The catch- shipping cost was nearly half the price of the instrument namely due to third party handling. Still it's cheaper than the domestic listing. Personally, worth the trouble.

Solar 8

The inevitable- Solar guitars released an 8-string model (A1.8C). 👍

Hola!

Look what's in the mail 😀

Powering

I think we should be given the choice to power our pedals. This is definitely an option:

Perry's single

Was trawling cyberspace recently looking for more Les Pauls with a single pickup. It seems that Joe Perry did a subsequent singlecut model with Gibson. The gold top finish is bliss but that whammy bridge... 🙈

Red AZ

And so, they have a new finish for the Ibanez AZ2204. Considering that one other new finish has yet to be featured here, we are being practical by reducing our expectations of this feisty one making it here any time soon.

Why am I not buying an AZ yet? 😕

5-way death

For some unknown reasons, this 5-way selector stopped working today- no sound coming from the guitar + it didn't notch in any position.

Bought this along the way to Beez's...

... and my Ibanez RG550 was up & running again by dinner time. The Ernie Ball selector is a trusted unit, recommended for those of us looking for durability & a smooth operation.

Return of the yellow fellow

This was extremely bad. I was terribly upset upon seeing this. The corrosion/ rust was extensive & the parts affected were beyond salvation. Everything you see here was disposed.

The guitar in question is my Jackson DKMGT. To think that this guitar was kept in a hard case, well away from moisture exposure, for all that corrosion to happen still baffles me. It's the ultimate betrayal- to rely on a hard case for protection but it was secretly condoning an unbecoming activity. Anyway, all those parts were replaced. Replacement here refers to a complete makeover: Pickups, pots, 3-way selector, capacitor & screws. There was a default gain booster here which I had foregone. Instead, I opted for a 2x volume & 1x tone control configuration. The Tesla pickups were also replaced with a pair of DiMarzio D'Activator humbuckers which I like (a rare feat considering I'm not a DiMarzio fan). Well, all this- it's nothing Beez could not handle & the makeover was done in about 15min time.

D'Addario 9s in there.

My trusted, oversized DAW Shredline pick for days when only angry music is all I play. Happy weekend, everyone. 😁

M & Q @ SG- confirmed

Here it is, folks- confirmed. 😁

Selling: RGDIX7MPB [SOLD]

Alright, next to clear on my list is this Ibanez Iron Label RGD7. That's right, it's an extended scale guitar (26.5"), do take note. This model had been discontinued & it sports an ash body, not mahogany.

• Ibanez RGDIX7MPB (Iron Label, 26.5") 
• Condition: 8.5/10
• Mod: Coil split switch
• No reservations/ testing/ trades
• Self-collect: CCK mrt stn
• Confirmation/ queries: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Price: $800 (final)

The good seed

A relatively new one by Joyo, a digital delay unit called the D-Seed II. So it has a loop function for all you song-writing people to mess with. More importantly, after conversion (sans shipping charges), it's less than SGD100. That's a serious proposition right there, based on price alone. Can't convince you much on performance but this video clip can: 

M & Q @ SG

Stay tuned, folks. 😀

Pinky & the Grey

Greetings, folks. There is actually a cult following for the above guitar here which I found out recently.

Here's the pink version. The guitar- Charvel's Pro-Mod DK24 2PT.

I stumbled upon this one at Swee Lee's Katong Branch. There was a personal interest back then when Charvel was clearing at awesome prices. I was hoping that more Charvels would make their way here but things went quiet. It's only in 2015/ 2016 that Swee Lee began bringing in new Charvels but not the entire selection was available. Understandably so, the features & prices would be competing with other brand names & for a small market segment here, it's just not worth it.

OK so these are Mexican made but with custom shop-like attributes & treatment worth their asking price. I had a go & noticed that the caramelized maple neck is the attraction. Pickups on board are Seymour Duncans (Full Shred/ 2x Custom Flat). Frets are well dressed & complement the overall neck feel which was kinda addictive. The default action could have been a little lower but that's nothing the user cannot handle post-purchase. The Full Shred humbucker is adept to smooth OD responses, in prog territory if you will. It's also a menacing unit for heavy stuff. I spent the most time in the bridge & neck, testing the middle pickup only for functionality but the single coils here can give you that blues mojo, no issues at all. 

At time of writing, Swee Lee had not updated their online store for availability but they are indeed in stock (limited quantities, mind you). 

Offset re-string

Had the sudden urge to play this. Endured the 10s that came as default. Time for change.

But before that, a quick re-conditioning of the fretboard. Three months on & the drying became rather obvious (before the 12th fret- unconditioned).

D'Addario 9s for a no nonsense performance. This guitar has a near baseball bat neck profile. something I'm averse to but find a joy to play lately. After playing this one, a quick switch to any Ibanez & I could feel some 'improvements' in terms of efficiency & effectiveness. 

A night across

I was across the Causeway last Monday night meeting brother Yus to hand over his purchases. Brother Yus is this blog's regular reader & a capable tech back in his home town, Selangor, Malaysia. He had bought some equipment for his workshop & I acted as his agent in the payment & collection of items to prevent shipping exigencies. More importantly, the tech equipment are fragile & there's no telling what harm could befall them in transit; we've read far too many horror stories pertaining to freight handling.

The meeting was a post-dinner gathering but all five of us (I had relatives & friends helping me with this matter- very thankful to them) had yet to consume dinner owing to busy schedules. We proceeded to lepak at one of the food night markets in the Tampoi vicinity. As seen in the pic above, the atmosphere was laid back & there was much talk over food- life, politics, work, culture, perception, anything goes to forge the new camaraderie. Food-wise, the food trucks operating here specialize in what's known back home in Singapore as Yong Tau Fu, a hotchpotch of vegetables, seafood & faux tempura food items dipped in succulent, tangy, creamy sauce. We had a serving of rojak & lime syrup juice as well over more than an hour's worth of heartfelt conversation. It was slightly before midnight before we parted company owing to the consideration that Bro Yus had four hour's worth of driving home ahead of him. 

I seldom venture into JB during post-sunset hours. There were no incentives to do so. This prime time is reserved for me to appraise my gear at home or sip coffee over another blog entry. This time, the friendship through this blog necessitated a meeting & it was worth every moment. JB at night is a town that refuses to sleep. Despite the weariness in everyone's demeanour, there was this sublime acknowledgement that we need to sit back & let everything go over good company. This lifestyle is much absent back in the Lion City. Every night, everyone's in a hurry to retire to re-charge for work ahead. Work that never ends & threatens to drown society in material living. 

Maybe it's time to call elsewhere home. 

Davis @ 30

Davis GMC will be celebrating their 30th Anniversary in the business & the above poster are the events lined up for 16th/ 17th June. If you are interested, tickets are available for purchase here: CLICK

Surf's Out

The King of Surf guitar had left us on 16th March 2019. RIP, Dick Dale.

PIC: COS

Ironed

Re-string adventure continues- Ibanez SIR70FD. Pickups on board are DiMarzios: Tone Zone (b)/ True Velvet (m)/ Air Norton (n).

I'm somehow thankful that Ibanez has the Iron Label range albeit my gripe with it in terms of purpose. The guitars in this range were given the alternative treatment without ending up as costly proto-customs. I was particularly drawn to this model due to its blank fretboard. That's my quirk- I have more confidence playing an unmarked fretboard. The SIR70FD is part of the pioneer Iron Label releases. The RGs at this point in time, featured EMG pickups while the S-Series were given the passive, gain friendly DiMarzios instead. 

The S-Series in this range had evolved to feature a reverse headstock & some fancy body caps but the DiMarzio & fixed bridge features stay put. I sincerely hope the Iron Label series won't go out of hand because as it is, it's a little fuzzy when it comes to being identified as a definite tier in terms of offering. Then again, this year the Axion Label became the branch-off which threatens to push the Iron Label into extinction.

Cezares- Ormsby

I've been meaning to update this- Fear Factory's Dino Cezares had parted ways with Ibanez. That's right folks, he's now with Ormsby guitars. His final Ibanez model was modelled after the RGD & sports a single pickup which is a little difficult to clear compounded by the fact that it's listing for $3.5K 😒

Unlocking

Got my Ibanez S-Series out early in the morning: S420 (t) & SIR70FD.

The S420 is equipped with a pair of Seymour Duncan Pearly Gates while the SIR70FD has a default set of DiMarzio Tone Zone/ True Velvet/ Air Norton. 

The S420 is so much heavier due to the ZR bridge in there but the overall tone is crunchy without excessive treble. I'm saying this because the PG is associated with raunchy Texan sizzle but if you could manage your set up well, it'll give you that modern heavy metal tone which is suitable for prog as well.

The SIR on the other hand is a light guitar with that smooth top end response, instant Dream Theater tone on call here thanks to the DiMarzios on board. I'm not a fan of this pickup brand but there are some models that I fancy. The Tone Zone is not one of them but previously mentioned, it's something that's appealing once you figure out your set up in its entirety and not just banking on pickup performance for your tone ideals. 

Anyway, I like both guitars for their blank fretboards; ironically, I make less mistakes when dealing with chromatics & legato.

As you can see here, this episode was conceived at CBTL in the late morning as I was waiting for my daughter to finish her morning supplementary class. Despite its early operations, the air-conditioning here will only function at 10.00am, so it's sauna mode offset by a serving of sparkling ice tea. 

Have a great weekend, everyone. ☮

Performers... assemble!

Heck, yeah! Fender's 2019 Performer Series are now in stock at Swee Lee. Thank you for keeping prices realistic, the new range is $150+/- (for various models) more than the discontinued American Special models. Thumbs up to that.

Jake Curran

Ladies & gents, this is Jake Curran. He is one of the blog readers here who is a pro musician. Dig a little deeper & you'll know who he's playing for in the mean time. More importantly, check out his current instrumental single (available for purchase, of course):

PIC: Earthquaker devices

Through space

Folks, the pedal formerly known as the VCR is now re-named as the Space Commander, shipping by end of March. FYI, please.

JTC pick

Recently, Ibanez teamed up with JTC for this pick. It goes to show that a harder pick material coupled with a certain fundamental thickness would enhance playing efficiency, effectiveness & precision. The thing is, this formula/ approach is not new. Jim Dunlop dedicated the Stubby series in acknowledgement of this progressive design. We also have manufacturers like Gravity & V-Pick , among others, upholding this philosophy so Ibanez is a little late coming into the game. Maybe better late than never. 

Ball End-lele

If you are sick & tired of having to tie your ukulele strings at the bridge end & wish for a ball end convenience instead (as above)...

... then be informed that Ernie Ball has ball end ukulele strings for you. In the mean time, only soprano & concert gauges are offered.

Selling: LTD TE-212 (SOLD)

Clearing some guitars, beginning with this one. Note that this model is a discontinued version.

The current version features the Snapper-type headstock.

• LTD TE-212 (bag included)
• Condition: 8/10
• Some mods: Seymour Duncan 59 (both positions). Black cover is removable.
• Self-collect: CCK mrt stn
• Non-nego/ No trades/ No trying
• Queries/ Confirmation: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Price: $399

Item SOLD, thank you. 😁

Nearing the end

Getting old. Simple releases like this one- featuring '90s rockers- makes me excited. The End Machine, essentially a Dokken/ Lynch Mob mash up, will be releasing their debut album on March 22. So I'm a fan of George Lynch in quiet ways & had been tracking his post-Dokken outfits. Naturally, this will be on my to-get list. More importantly, George Lynch is still on top of his game after all these years. 

The End Machine: Robert Mason (v)/ Mick Brown (d)/ Jeff Pilson (b), George Lynch (g)

PIC: GW

Unsoiled

It had come to my attention that the person who petitioned the authorities to stop Watain from playing here was also responsible in the attempt to halt Soilwork. If this doesn't speak of paranoia, then it's definitely fashionable. Please be wary of attention seeking individuals who ride on minimum intellect to stir insecurity among the masses. Just because you did one, you'd want to do another.

Screw you.

By the way, we know who you are. 

Ice-kelele

This is why you would be the first rocker in your ukulele circle: Ibanez UICT10.

PIC: Ibanez

Motivated righteousness

Was in the news. Righteous bullshit, obviously. Reason being- Dark Funeral (2002), Mayhem (2006) & Marduk (2010) performed here with no issues. Are these aforementioned bands manifesting the preferred extreme perversions, particularly the ones endorsed by the authority here? If there is an official recognition for such qualifications, it's best made known for consistency's sake. The chap who triggered this decision was probably still swimming in his dad's family jewel sack before the local black metal ethical performance code came into being. 

Screw you. 

DCSGJ

Had been cutting it with my SG for the last few days or so. Really enjoying how the shorter scale length coupled with slight de-tuning (Eb) opened up heavy riffing ideas with ease. Sometimes, we need to get into the right frame of mind to trigger ideas & a different tuning helps.

The DC was out to offer a different feel/ tension. A wee bit more reach compared to the SG in terms of scale length but the neck profiles are somewhat similar- both rounded with substantial chunkiness without going overboard. Strangely, my legato was more efficient here compared to the SG so the sure take-away here is that a shorter scale length does not translate into playing efficiency for sure.

Old Glory

This was quite the talk of NAMM recently. After reading stuff & checking the specs out, Jared James Nichols won my respect for coming out with this one. I have a thing for single pickup guitars so the simplicity of this Old Glory Les Paul is downright attractive. 

The thing about any signature guitar is its price. Seeing how simple this one is, the price is about having that artist association to push things through in terms of sales. It's USD100 lesser than a simple, bare bones Gibson featuring similar specs albeit the double cut away design- the LP Jr Tribute DC. Then again, coming back to the artist lure, this video might have you bent on getting the Epiphone Old Glory instead (that tone!): CLICK

Solar Vadim

So the Morbid Angel dude got his signature Solar guitars. I'm still waiting for the A2.6LN to be back n stock. Damn.

Seen above: Dan Vadim's signature V1.6 DVV (red) & A1.7DVV

PIC: Solar Guitars

Jackson 2019

Didn't really look at the Jackson camp after the Jeff Loomis revelation but here are two among the 2019 releases I really dig. Seen above, a simple mahogany bodied model with a fixed bridge & Duncan Distortion pair- what's there not to like? OK that burl top was done before by Ibanez but that matching headstock is ace.

This is as close as we get to the original Rhoads without breaking the bank. Note the shorter protrusion & a non-locking whammy bridge. Unseen here is the set-neck feature on the flip side.  However, it's a black only offering. Bummer. (This model: CDX22)

No return

Paul Gilbert recently returned to thin picks. Sub-1mm to be precise. The reason- for a more authentic feel. I had been with 3mm picks (or thicker) so in view of this philosophy, I was game to try.

To adverse effects. I simply couldn't return to anything thinner than 2mm because it just feels 'wrong' in so many ways pertaining to my playing style. Psychologically, I need a thicker feel to exert less picking pressure. If it's too thin, my brain tells my to grip harder because the force of strings during play might throw the pick out of control.

I somehow could make do with 1.5mm as seen above but the pick material matters. But after a few minutes of play, that 'wrong' feeling would kick in once more. Moral of the story- others' playing philosophy might just not be yours. 

XL

This is one of the 2019 models in the Ibanez catalog- the RG2077XL. Just another 7-string RG with an extended scale length (27"). 

If that looks a little familiar to some of us, it's because there was an XL model not too long ago; the RG1077XL. 

We note that Ibanez is playing it rather dangerously in terms of design iteration because there's already the RGD in the catalog with a slightly shorter scale length of 26.5" but we know too well that the RG outline is one of the most commercially viable for the manufacturer. It's like the Les Paul to Gibson & Strat to Fender. One could argue that the RG version is an extension of what had been working all along but the RGD is a variation that won't revive an nostalgic attachments. Looks like the 2077 aims to re-create the 1077 magic with current specs but I won't spend any more money on Dual Fusions in any guitar.