XT

I'm still fanatical when it comes to strings. D'Addario has the new XT range to offer & this was recently launched at Summer NAMM. The key highlights are physical durability & extended lifespan. I've been through treated strings & noted that string chemistry contributes poorly to tone. In an attempt to make strings last, there's this tonal compromise which isn't on par with the product's physical longevity. The case in point would be Elixir. If you feel these are superb for your needs, then please do not let any opinions here waver your belief. The best-of-both-worlds offering in my books is still Cleartone, with D'Addario's NYXL coming in close but let's see what the XT has to offer. These will be in stores only in 'Fall (September or later). 

Goodbye July. 👏

Pau

Ibanez is firmly in the acoustic camp & keeping up with the times. It's just that the Ibanez name isn't an imposing label in this circle. Anyway, the AVD15PFR here features a pau ferro fretboard, body side & back. The top is a tested & proven formula; solid sitka spruce. Folks, pau ferro is an in-between offering when it comes to wood pores; not as airy as rosewood but not as compact as ebony. So you get the rosewood warmth & the firm attack of ebony; a good chemistry of both. 

Little CJ

We're still in acoustic land. I am perhaps one of the very few players who actually advocates for scaled-down guitars. Those of us who find playing a standard size acoustic a struggle or feeling a little uncomfortable having to hunch over & manage a good playing posture, sometimes our pride is getting in the way of objectivity. Cort has officially announced the arrival of their Little CJ models offering a jumbo type body in a trimmed dimension. Good news is, they are now available at Swee Lee (List: $379).

Judging by the looks & specs, this one's aimed squarely at the Taylor GS Mini for about half the price. We also have the fantastic Veelah Mini Camper models with comparable features. Bottom line- it's good to have options. 😎

New JRs

Martin cut down on their Junior models recently only to introduce new iterations this Summer NAMM. Seen here is the first Junior model to feature a cutaway- 000CJR-10E.

The other new Junior features an auditorium body style- 000JR-10 & this would be on my watch list. I'm looking for something close to the Taylor GS Mini with an all solid body & this is it. Maybe. Till it gets here, no further comments.

S71AL

There is now the 7-string version of this- seen here S71AL.

I'm attracted to the panga panga/ walnut neck. It's a different kind of smoothness coming from the darker wood types. After trying the 6-string version, it got kinda addictive but the Fishman Fluence Modern pickups are not my thing. 

Selling: Modtone Dallas Overdrive

Selling. Narrowing my OD needs to a certain tonal spectrum, this one does not fit my needs.

• Modtone: Dallas Overdrive (box included)
• 8/10 condition, will insert battery upon request
• Self-collect: CCK mrt station
• Query/ confirmation: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• No reservations/ trades
• Price: $50 (final)

Special dirt

This was a come-back offering at the recent Summer NAMM. As we weren't there when it was thriving in the 70s, we would be in a daze as to what this was about, especially when it's 100% transistorized & has no tube offering whatsoever. Well, some things are better off heard than read:

Mini appeal

Another interesting addition from Summer NAMM- Vox had shrunken the SDC into this SDC-1 Mini. An ideal size to tuck away under the office work space or a tag-along instrument when you are out & about. My concern here is that pickup; looks like Vox made it a propriety design & after-market replacements will not be readily available. However, if there's enough cavity depth underneath the pickguard, the tinkerers among us will manage a gap expansion. 

Selling: EHX C9

The C9 Organ Machine is on the clearance list as well...

• EHX C9 Organ Machine
• Box & adaptor included
• 9/10 condition, velcro-free, under-used
• Strictly self-collect : CCK mrt station
• No reservations/ trades
• Queries/ confirmation: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Price: $250 (Final)

Tone Master (Gen 2)

Folks, this is the real Fender Tone Master amp, one of the very few to be manifested in a stack format. It used to be available at Swee Lee & I got to play it a few times in contemplation of a purchase. Back then, I was looking at a formidable Fender that could churn out modern, high gain tones this side of Peavey & Marshall. Unfortunately, the amp had some volume-related issues & it was the only one left in the store. At about the same time, Richie Sambora got into a spat with Fender over the Tone Master amp because the manufacturer had associated the aforementioned guitarist name to the amp without prior consent. What a waste. The amp could have otherwise gotten a formidable ambassador & would live in the production lines till this day. Yes, the Tone Master was discontinued.

This Summer, the Tone Master monicker is now hosting a pair of digital amps by Fender. The manufacturer has a digital version of the Twin & Deluxe Reverb in this series. We know how digital & Fender are- not the best of pairing & short-lived (recall the Cyber Twin- I was there when Swee Lee got Gary Hoey down to promote this one). This year though, they had no plans to re-live that digital experience, the current approach to this is Fender doing a digital modelling of their flagship amps with some plus points tucked away at the rear so the front looks deceivingly non-digital in an attempt to not repel the purists. Here are some details:

Ugly ducklings

Quite a buzz in the Fender camp this Summer NAMM but here's something from its subsidiary Squier sector; the Starcaster. That's right folks, this model had been revived in the Squier range after leaving Fender's Modern Player series as once mentioned here: CLICK This is the most affordable take coming from the Affinity range.

Next in  line, in terms of price-to-feature considerations, the Classic Vibe version. 

Last but not least, the Contemporary Active version, still a semi but without the F-holes. With reference to the active pickups on board, this might be a swing at the high gainers among us but with that outline & a very psychedelic overall vibe, it's unclear which segment of the metal heads would embrace this.

I still can't get along with the Starcaster headstock outline, maybe it's just me. It took me a long time to come to terms with Fender's fat, 70s-style headstock & that was after telling myself it looks awesome when the instrument is in playing position. Tilt it upright & it screams spastic. We shouldn't dismiss these instruments for the looks, playability & tone count more than anything else when it comes to delivery. 

Selling: JHS Prestige boost (SOLD)

This one to go as well 😎

• JHS Prestige clean boost
• Box included as seen above
• Self-collect: CCK mrt station
• No reservations/ no trades
• Queries/ confirmation: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Price: $99 (FINAL)

Item SOLD 👌

Flattening Sunday

So I had this stashed away in a bag pocket somewhere. It had been there since late 2018. It's past mid-2019 & the DRs are still good to go. Some manufacturers make it a point for their products to last while others ride on their reputation & gave the durability factor a sub-standard treatment. 

Flatwounds aren't bright & crunchy, they are mellow-sounding, lots of warmth & the winning reference for jazz dweebs. I'm not a jazzer by any means but I enjoy that fast, slippery feeling on some days. They also make tapping a more enjoyable experience as all strings across the neck feel the same; no grooves under your finger tips for scratchy noises to happen. They last longer too, a definite plus for many of us.

Selling: EHX Bass Soul Food

Cutting down on EHX, beginning with this one. Under-used, power adapter is still sealed in plastic.

• Bass Soul Food (box & adapter included)
• Used less than 10 times
• Velcro-free
• No reservations/ trades
• Strictly collect at CCK mrt station
• Queries/ confirmation: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Price: $99 (FINAL price, non-nego)

I'm being too nice

This just happened; I have the above guitar selling as-is, listed in the after-market, going for a sub-$100 deal. An interested party responded asking if I still have the parts not included here (pickups/ pickguard/ pots/ etc.). The item was clearly listed as-is, so my answer to this query was the negative. However, I do have loose ones not from this guitar which might fit. OK, I was asked to fit these parts into the guitar- fine, no big deal. Finally, can I please sell this off for a lower price.

So now, you can imagine how pissed I am. But I still chose to be nice. 

G & H

Goodbye.

Hello.

5150- refreshed

This was least expected (at least in my books)- EVH coming out with a new guitar design for Summer NAMM 2019. It would have been a big deal if these appeared at Winter NAMM instead.

Regardless, if you had to re-look at them (like yours truly) & maybe squinted a little to make sure it doesn't read Kramer at the headstock, then you are not alone. Seen here: 5150 Deluxe (fancy top, ebony board) & 5150 Standard (plain top, maple board). Be informed that these are made in Mexico & sport a Fender 'F' stamp on the neck bolt plate. 

Gibson re-string

So this Summer, Gibson decided to do something about their strings. I don't hear much praise when it comes to Gibson strings except from the manufacturer themselves who once claimed that the metal in their strings were formulated to react specifically to their pickups' magnetic pull. There's some secret sauce in there that somehow makes their strings magical & it escaped me entirely all these years. My main beef with them is that their durability factor sucks, almost as atrocious as Ernie Ball. 

This new generation of strings are supposedly more inviting when it comes to feel & tone. Whatever the case, Gibson isn't a force to be reckoned with when it comes to string chemistry. The string specialist brand names out there would probably have surpassed Gibson's current standards in string manufacture but folks, more sauce added to the mix doesn't equal an outright appeal. Maybe, just maybe, Gibson added that wee little bit of magic to really conjure some incredible outcome; we just have to try them when they are made available here. At the rate things are going under the new management, we can expect some upward shift in performance goodness as the very least. I'm gonna  try a pack. 

Screaming 40

There's no other pedal that I'm a cult fan of, I'm in the firm Ibanez Tube Screamer camp. My first TS was the TS-7 (Tone-Lok series) & that one's hard to beat. The 808 was simply good- it's a simple OD unit that is good-sounding. The 40th commemorative unit seen above is based on the 808 so it should have a firm following because nothing different was done to the tone, just the looks. Bought this for collection's sake. Tested it with the EVH 5150 in the store & it sounded killer- most probably because I've not heard this combo being paired up before. At home, I prefer hearing the TS-7 in action (the switching is beginning to become dodgy) or the Nu-Tube Screamer. 

In the mean time, the TSV808 is now available here (from non-official distributors) & it's listing for a few whiskers shy of $600. That's more than 2X the price of the 40th.

New little

We've seen the little Martins before & this summer, it gets a little upgrade for the better. The LX1R they call it, now sports a solid spruce top & a pickguard. That's right, expect an upward price revision as well (get ready for about +$100 more).

Nippon Antigua

Adding to the Monday blues- Fender Japan models in Antigua finish. Damn.

The Strat version ever appeared here at Davis GMC, it was less than $1K. I wasn't in a position to buy back then, totally regrettable move. These won't make it here unless there's a special arrangement for them. Seeing how some Japanese models have crept in through legit means, hope it's not too much for Swee Lee to consider. 

Synth lord

So this is a Summer NAMM release & it's not in the stores yet. However, I am confidently rooting for it to be the 1-stop synth pedal for your guitar needs. Here's a clip by Thomas McRocklin (you know who he is, yes?) which is a little shred-inclined but I believe it'll serve the soundscape-ist amongst us.

Godspeed recovery, Dave

A little late but better than never- wishing Dave Mustaine a speedy recovery from his throat cancer treatment. 

Pic: Loudwire

D vs G (4)

The next instalment of the saga sees Dean doing two things: 1) Asking the courts to cancel Gibson's trademark infringement claims 2) Damages for commercial interference.

The case for 1) might be clear cut for some instances. Time is of the essence; the fact that Gibson laid this to wait might go against them. This will be buffered by the fact that they lost the trademark case in European Courts. The ruling might be influential but not binding. In any case, it's a blow to the Gibson camp. As for 2), there are currently no statistics shown anywhere to carve a strong case for damages. Dean needs to show that Gibson's interference here affects Dean's accounts. However, the case for interference per se is a strong one, especially when there is black & white to show that such unwarranted actions indeed took place. If Gibson did this with the backing of a successful trademark infringement case is another story. It's an open market, players shouldn't feel threatened when they go about their commercial dealings.

Pic: Musicradar

Pretty in pink

Don't you deny it- you love pink! Come on! (Above: Ibanez AZ2402 in pink flat)

Storia

Yamaha has these new acoustics- the Storia series. It's visually more pleasant than the typical Yamaha FG that looks like another dreadnought unit out there. It's down to the rounder outlines, very concert-ish & less boxy. They are offered in either solid sitka spruce or mahogany top, with or without binding. I'm kinda attracted to them, really.

However, dear Yamaha. We don't buy guitars to elevate our decor, right folks?

PMM re-visited

I re-purchased this not because I'm supporting the brand name or any commercial establishments in particular. In fact, I'm about to offload EHX pedals & only keep the essentials. They don't need my support. 

I foresee having a small pedal board-esque set up for some coarse-sounding, metal type tone. Something in the black metal domain but not an exclusive application. After spending some time listening to the slower but heavy stuff lately, the key ingredient to achieving this type of tone would be adding a dash of fuzz to it all. Me- I'm not the fuzz type but I admire some fuzz units because they are bona fide good pedals to begin with. Having a fuzz cascaded into hard distortion is something I'm trying to avoid but experience tells me that if there's a slightly fuzzy pedal without being a fuzz unit primarily, it would be something from the EHX family. The Metal Muff is an easy reference. 

Before you conclude (especially after reading all this) that the MM is a metal type of fuzz exclusively, it is essentially not. It's a distortion with a pronounced top end poke even when no top end enhancements are activated. When the top end is dialled in, that's when the MM manifests its fuzzy side of things. The Pocket MM is especially pronounced in this aspect & I couldn't really hear this extreme response in the original version. We should not brush aside the possibility that its smaller footprint means a smaller circuit board is in use & it excludes the contents of its bigger siblings, hence the differentiated performance despite having the same MM label. 

Lacing

Got these because they were clearing for a good price. Let's see which guitar these would go into. Hope to do it by this weekend.

Exploring

Greetings, guitardom. Amidst all the Gibson thrashing in the mean time, I've decided to invest in this guitar- the 2016 Gibson Explorer T. The T there stands for Traditional. Recall that 2016 saw the Gibson models dichotomised into two camps, the T (traditional) & HP (high performance). The latter model was spec'd with an adjustable metal nut & a set of (heinous) robot tuners. I'm not a fan of desecration so I went with the T. It's a fresh purchase, from Swee Lee.

I'm not an Explorer fan in any way, but this is a good time to own one seeing that Gibson prices are not coming down any time soon. The primary reason for disliking the Explorer is the body outline; it features a very excessive upper bout protrusion which is unnecessary & reflects poor ergonomics. There is a very high tendency for the user to knock this part of the instrument onto nearby structures & makes movement in standing position very awkward, not to mention clumsy. However, we cannot deny the fact that this extension is the reason why Gibson Explorers are the go-to instruments when sustain is the order of the day. 

Three main reasons why I'm happy with this instrument:  1) The default pickups. The 500T & 496R are my type of Gibson pickups- absolutely brutal when it comes to distortion & manifest individual notes clarity. I won't be swapping them out. 2) Slim taper neck. OK not that slim in the industry but speed-inducing with lots of grip potential. Again, my type of Gibson neck.

3) Headstock. The 6-in-line tuners are, in my opinion, the most stable amongst the Gibson designs. This model comes with a bag but the width of it makes bringing it around in public transport a little challenging. 

Big thanks to Mr. Faizal at Swee Lee I12 Katong for making this happen.

Generations

They saved this for an official Summer NAMM release & to people like me, it's worth the wait. I was thinking, Gibson makes some of the more iconic acoustic tones out there- Hummingbird, J-45, L-00, etc.- but they are beyond reach to the average working Joe & Jane. This G-Series, albeit only two introductory models, look promising. The 'senior' model you see above is the G-45 Standard.

The 'junior' model, is this G-45 Studio, junior only in terms of price reference. If you wish for a slightly deeper voicing, the Standard should be it; the gloss top & richlite bridge/ fretboard add to the instrument's density but not that significantly as both models are in the lighter side of things. Be informed that the utile neck material for both guitars are of mahogany pedigree & should be a familiar reference for the traditionalists amongst us. 

By virtue of the appointments, we know that these Generation models are not detailed enough to outclass the Hummingbirds & Co. They are strictly introductory in the tier but won't wimp out in terms of details & performance- definitely deserving for those of us looking for an above average player without resorting to subordinate brand names. Waiting for these to be available here.

Price reference: USD999 (Studio)/ USD1,299 (Standard)

Inspired

Flu, bad weather & very little indoor engagements so I watched some live Dissection clips online. This pic here is from their Live Legacy album, one of the few live albums I really enjoyed listening to. Both guitarists in the band played Gibsons; Nodveidt here with his Flying V & Norman (not seen but at left) with an Explorer. Their guitars were downright no frills & they managed to drive things through with maximum aggression. Find this very inspiring. I noticed there were many moments when Nodtveidt just focused on pressing heavy riffs to underscore the composition, his left fingers hardly moved.

So out came the RGD321 to help me live some heavy moments, not necessarily fast, just heavy crushing moments. I'm glad that I have a guitar dedicated for detuned ideas & one that sports a slightly longer scale length to minimize string tension issues. Note- longer scale length, not a longer guitar. I started out thinking that the longer scale length impedes speed but being me, I had to try one & be open to the fact that I might be wrong. I was definitely wrong. A guitar of this nature requires  adaptation & once your fingers are good after some playing moments, it's like playing another guitar. 

I ended up owning 5 longer scale guitars but currently, only 3 are residents here. 2 went to more deserving owners. I might just get one more once the right Solar model ships in & that won't be any time soon. 

Triple delight

Many of us, myself included, tend to get carried away with drive-type effects. OK, some are obsessed with delay. We forget that there are stuff out there that virtually do nothing but let us deploy our pedals in combo. Sometimes this is the simple key to greatness that we overlook. Either that or we just don't see the benefit of dong so until we try one in person. The Tri-Parallel mixer here (EHX) is simply just that. It lets you connect your pedals in series, parallel & even does an A/B job while at it. There's something extra in the A/B option which you will understand here:

Robot- slashed

Finally, someone's trying to make sense of the robot tuners (aka G-Force) Gibson models, price-wise. I consider them as trashy (battery operated + adds substantially to weight- unforgivable neck dive) however well-made they had been. The fact that it's the 2015 batch of instruments, well-made is a consideration very far from the Gibson reality. Looking at the figures, even a 30% cut in prices isn't attractive enough. Keep in mind that the 2015 batch of robot tuners were very prone to break down. I'm not trying to injure any distributor's salvage operations, in any case, it's a good move considering the fact that the Curleigh era models are purging the Gibson line up, this is the least that should be done. 

More importantly, to my fellow consumers out there, if you are into Gibson, we have other worthy models to choose from sporting a more worthy price tag.

Jett 339

Joan Jett's new signature Gibson is ES-339-based. I'm featuring this guitar in today's entry because it's one of the rare occasion that the smaller bodied ES type guitar is favoured over the esteemed ES-335. The implication here is, a solid body guitar is sometimes unnecessary to deliver rock tones & semis are not exclusive to jazz. This is a cool one, Gibson.

PIC: Gibson

G vs D (3)

Here's an interesting turn of events in the spin of things thusfar; a statement by Gibson that implies apology without downright admission. OK, there's no Dean coverage here, just what Gibson had to say.

If you read the statement in its entirety (available at their homepage), we note the strangled voice of the new management. Strangled because there seems to be an over-riding entity that prodded this lawsuit to happen. The new team is somehow yielding to inherited coercion but they are standing by their new commercial direction. All this us-suing-you is putting the company in bad stead. In the long run, it will affect goodwill which will undermine product potential. If people stop believing in your stuff because they associate your brand name to negative undertones, that's when your company folds. 

You wanna talk about collaboration, Gibson? Two commercial entities joining forces to empower their direction isn't a new thing, the above two pedals are proof. If you do not propel yourself from an elitist stance, things could only be good when it comes to working with others. If things go down, Gibson is likely to be the severe casualty in terms of reputation & recovery is certainly not gonna be easy. Just my take on this & a happy midweek to all.