Thursday, December 31, 2020
A-muse-ing
Wednesday, December 30, 2020
LTD 2021
Tuesday, December 29, 2020
Mustaine - Dean: Parting ways
Dave Mustaine is leaving Dean. This is his final week with the manufacturer & he managed to confirm this in a reply to someone in cyberspace. Rumour has it that he will be in the Gibson camp come 2021. There's a pic going round of the prototype, purportedly by a Gibson employee & he nearly got fired for it. I think Mustaine will be happy with whichever company that entertains his quirks.
PIC: Grammy
Heavy resurrection
Monday, December 28, 2020
Gen 565
This is easily the key highlight at the close of 2020 - Ibanez reintroduces the RG565 as a Genesis model. This means you get a Japanese made instrument at its most affordable. However, since the J-line series aren't here yet, those might just be the most affordable of the no-frills Japanese offerings.
Sunday, December 27, 2020
Home
Home after 52 days. Thank you for all your prayers & keeping me in your thoughts. Despite the discharge, I am required to undergo chemo for at least a quarter of the year as an outpatient. This will be costly & I would be clearing some gear to fund the therapy. One thing's for sure - I cannot afford to be trigger happy when it comes to gear acquisition now. Things have turned for me so it's embrace-&-move-on mode from now on.
Please be patient with me if the entries are less frequent but I'm looking forward to make up for lost time. ✌🏽
Sunday, November 15, 2020
Down
Friday, November 6, 2020
Price watch (13)
After-market item, seller is asking for $2,200. It's a Gibson Les Paul Deluxe 2015. We know that 2015 is a very difficult year for Gibson with that altered Les Paul script at the headstock & the Tronical auto-tune device that plagues the credibility of the instrument's brand name. Nut material is metal.
Owning a 2015 Gibson is equally very difficult for sellers, there are no fortifying features in the instrument to leverage attraction. The Tronical is the ultimate bane in the instrument. Buyers will stay well away from a 2015 unless there's substantial price reductions with the instrument in very good condition. Can this particular model sell for that asking price?
- Checking at headstock. These might look like chipped edges but they are definitely checking marks. 'Bubbles' would develop underneath the finish causing these to happen. Over time, these will weaken the top coat resulting in minor cracks. Chipping off will follow suit.
- Tuners installation. So you decided to do away with the abominable Tronical contraption & equip this guitar with Gibson's Deluxe, Kluson type set. Look at how these were installed; only one screw is used to hold each peg in place & the alignment is all messed up. Tuner-related, re-look at Pic 1, see how long the head shafts are? Do you think these were the suitable ones to begin with?
- Chips. More of what you do not wish to see / pay for. Also look at that strap button - original? Hmm...
Thursday, November 5, 2020
Price watch (12)
Wednesday, November 4, 2020
JJR
I think many of us would be aware by now that the Jiva model has another iteration that is devoid of DiMarzio pickups making it the most affordable in the lineup. I am personally unaware if there is a strong demand for the Jiva but the fact that this version entered the range implies something. Like the JEM Jr. & all other 'entry level' signature models, it offers an affordable connection between the fans & their idols but as time goes by, one would feel the missing links.
Tuesday, November 3, 2020
E-LPC
So I bought this. It's the Edwards E-LPC. It's not an attempt to embrace make believe; it's not a Gibson by any means. The feel is different, especially the neck. I also did not retain the default pickups. Gave it a Duncan JB/ Jazz treatment because that's what I want to hear, I do not wish for an LP Custom voicing. OK so it's another black guitar for me, it's forgivable because it's a good one.
Monday, November 2, 2020
The estranged Mini B
Greetings, folks. How's the Monday going so far? I think I'm the very few people out there who likes Monday because I feel good seeing others trying to pick themselves up & limping to work. He, he... Anyway, I've decided to document this here as an attempt to understand the Mini Humbucker (MH) better having heard it in action personally.
Contrary to popular belief, the MH is not as fat-sounding as the standard humbucker. People tend to make this assumption conveniently because the pickup is fundamentally like its bigger brother. When the MH began life in the mid-1950s, we note the popularity of Filter Trons back then. This was the standard & Gibson's Epiphone division was happy to keep things status quo in terms of dimensions for commercial reasons. The MH differ from the 'Tron because it features only a single row of pole pieces, the other, a blade row which is obscured by the metal cover. The other thing to note is the fewer windings round the bobbin resulting in that signature, bright, under-wound tone. Signature because the tone manifested is in between a P90 & the standard Humbucker. Bottom line - it sounds different. It is also the brightest in this line up so if you think it would push some meat just because it's conceptually a humbucker, it's not like that at all.
After putting the MH through many settings, I am of the opinion that it is the best pickup for extreme fuzz tones. It maintains clarity & definition, something the standard humbucker is very poor at doing. The HM in my LP Deluxe sounds more like an SG than an LP. It's just very bright sounding & in need of more bottom end for many musical applications. However, I embrace this very trebly, piercing tone for black metal. It just screams Dark Throne & Burzum - that angry wasp buzz totally devoid of soulful embrace, damn! OK folks, I'm leaving you here with the live version of Thin Lizzy's Jailbreak where you can hear both the standard humbucker (Brian Robertson, left channel) & mini humbucker (Scott Gorham, right channel), note the sharper tone of the latter:
Sunday, November 1, 2020
Shorty
This is what's inside the box shown a few days ago (box). It's an unnecessary acquisition but I'm giving myself early consolations whenever possible, before the year ends because I know there's nothing to look forward to. I've been meaning to get this Hofner Shorty since it was available at Davis GMC some time back & that was years ago. I didn't because it was black. Someone ordered this in bulk & re-selling them in the after-market. I tried to ask for a slight discount but the seller didn't budge citing cost of importing to be his limitations. In my opinion, such guitars are novelty purchases, if any buyer expresses the slightest interest, the seller should consider.
So I decided to trawl the cyber space to understand how much this goes for & the supplementary costs to bring it in. It was a lucky strike as the guitar was on sale; not even $100 plus free shipping. The guy who's selling this online is trying to push for substantial profits but that's his prerogative, I shall not comment too much on that. I ordered a light green version & the one depicted above has next to no semblance of green. The default action was rubbish. It was padded with styrofoam in the box but everything was crushed. The box itself was a cannibalized item meant for something else. Someone trimmed the excess & folded it into flaps before taping it up for export.
To be continued...
Hello, November 😎
Saturday, October 31, 2020
Hyper
Friday, October 30, 2020
Les Jones
Thursday, October 29, 2020
Wednesday, October 28, 2020
Esquire!
This was a difficult decision but it happened. I got obsessed with the anniversary Esquire after trying it & decided to bring it home (after paying, of course...). I was never a big fan of any anniversary re-intro of anything (em... maybe one other guitar) but this one is a good one per se. It appealed to me in every way & it's a must have. I've been a fan of single pickup guitars to begin with so having only one pickup in there is no big deal at all. OK, more to come & in case you missed the full appraisal: CLICK
Tuesday, October 27, 2020
Michiya
Monday, October 26, 2020
Clearance @ TYMC
Some stuff are clearing for a good deal @ TYMC. The Carvin LB20 you see here is definitely one of them. Modern tones with a good thump. When I tried this out sometime ago, I managed to hear it in action with some OD & it's one of the more pleasant ones I have ever come across.
PIC: TYMC FB
59 lure
Sunday, October 25, 2020
Tele galore (not)
J Line: RG6
Saturday, October 24, 2020
Core!
Solar B
Friday, October 23, 2020
Review: Fender 70th Anniversary Esquire
Fender 70thAnniversary Esquire
Aw, dang! This Tele here is a celebration of 70 worthy years. A precise, more respectable reference to this particular model would be an Esquire instead of Telecaster because that’s what Leo called it back then. I’m appraising this model on two accounts: 1) Is it worth the nostalgia? 2) Is it an over-priced novelty? So here goes…
Construction/ fit/ finish
After some extended personal time with this guitar, I must say that it’s the true definition of an NOS. This is what you would get if you travel back in time to buy a fresh Esquire from the store. Everything here is true to form, I couldn’t find anything to nitpick so it’s a worthy time-traveler. However, be informed that the body is a roasted pine version, the original would have been an uncured pine. This explains why it’s a super light guitar & we know that pine per se isn’t a hefty wood to begin with. The entire instrument is nitro finished, neck & fretboard included. Look forward to some gracious ageing with this one; that relic look would be at your disposal over time. You can now avoid feeling duped paying for an abused guitar. How it’s aged, it’s your call. Oh, those slot head screws are a fine touch & a deserving throw-back - top marks, Fender! One fine rehash with some extras to boot.
Playability/ tone
This isn’t a modern Fender, it’s a repro of a historical landmark so the neck carve departed from that contemporary, shallow profile. It’s a beefy U-type but it’s not as bulky as the Japanese Offset Telecaster. If you are an ardent grabber of necks, this one would please you. As the neck is all glossed out, be assured that it is not an overwhelming overcoat so handling this guitar over prolonged period of play is a pleasant experience indeed. If it could appease a gloss neck heretic like me, then Fender did it right. As mentioned in the preceding paragraph, the roasted pine body is a light darling. The unplugged resonance here is, to say the least, above average. Thank you, Fender for keeping the action adjustment screws in check, no palm-stabbing experience here either, it’s a very comfortable guitar to play.
I’m still overwhelmed by the goodness of a lone pickup coupled with a three way switching / selector option. To begin with, this is a Tim Shaw designed pickup so nothing detestable could be heard from any of the selections. If you wish for a normal tone experience, notch the selector in its middle position, the volume & tone knob works like any other ordinary Tele. Flick it towards the bridge, the tone knob is bypassed & one could hear a very raw, in-your-face Tele tone; the best I’ve come across thusfar. In this option, the pickup is at its brightest. Flick the selector neck-wards, the circuit now employs another capacitor wired especially to the volume pot & you have a very rounded top end; fat but not muddy. I actually enjoyed all three variations as these open up the tonal palette from spanky cleans to crunchy blues to - dare I say it – metal-esque lead voicings. If you think this is a one trick pony, then you are dismissive of what that 3-way selector does for the instrument even before hearing it in action.
Conclusion
As promised, on accounts of both queries: 1) This is one heck of a re-intro by Fender. I was skeptical at first but after hearing it in action, it’s a beast! The guitar remains objective & thankfully, it wasn’t revised to reflect the times. Ok, the roasted spruce is as contemporary as it gets but it didn’t get in the way of good nostalgia 2) Value-for-money considerations – it’s worth every cent. The price is definitely befitting of its class. Some would argue that it doesn’t feel like a $2.9K guitar & that’s because we often link a hefty price tag to present day luxury; double locking whammy bridges, active circuitry, multi-ply bindings, exotic tops, etc. This guitar should be valued for its goodness, the QC & tone are enough considerations for the money - yes, it’s that worthy. If there is any aversion for this instrument, then from a personal perspective & I’m really nitpicking here, the slot head screws inclusion were excessive. If you’ve dealt enough with them, the screwdriver has a tendency to slip because slot heads do not promote grip. Then again, this Esquire is so good, no screw drivers should come near it. So that concludes my very happy encounter parting with this much hard earned money for an OTT Esquire. No regrets.
Overall rating: 95%
Likes
· Simplicity
· Weight
· Three-way tone selector
· Neck profile
· Designer pickup
· Overall QC
Dislike
Too many slot head screws in a single guitar
Fender: 50th Anniversary Esquire
List: $2,899 (hard case included)
Availability: Swee Lee Co.
PIC: Fender
Thursday, October 22, 2020
HP 2
Wednesday, October 21, 2020
V-good
Tuesday, October 20, 2020
Belle
A new one by Wampler - the Belle OD. You might think it's another TS-like, mild OD unit just because it's green but the Wampler camp paid tribute to another low profile but just as good green pedal; the Nobels ODR-1. Mr. Brian himself with the demo:
PIC: Wampler
Monday, October 19, 2020
Fatigue Sunday
Sunday, October 18, 2020
Review: Edwards E-LPC
In the Les Paul domain, only a Gibson matters. Even if a particular model succeeded in outdoing the Gibson in every way, the Gibson will hold true to value & appeal. The Edwards brand name is ESP’s sister label which deals domestically (Japan market). If any of these instruments make their way out of Japan, it means that favoured dealers are bringing these in on private terms. As such, we don’t see any advertisements or outright promos pertaining to the Edwards products. Everything is done exclusively; you either commit your following to the brand name’s limited cyber presence or you are the type who embrace Gibson dearly & its sister company, Epiphone.
Construction/ fit/ finish
The E-LPC here is obviously a Les Paul Custom copy. I dare say it’s a copy because Edwards made no attempts to differentiate its physical attributes from the Gibson version less that brand name & the absence of a split diamond inlay at the headstock. Everything else screams Les Paul Custom from one end of the instrument to the other. As the QC is overseen by the ESP hands, production standards are above average. In fact, it’s so good, being in this price range, it seems unreal. A couple of demerits here, firstly, it’s that excessive lacquer build up at the neck-body joint, particularly obvious on the bass side of the strings. Secondly, the glue for the upper fret inlays are also excessive. In fact, you would see more glue than inlay here but the pearloid finish masks things up fairly well. It would take an extended observation to notice this imperfection & on that note, both issues are really forgettable flaws. You wouldn’t notice them unless you get into sleuth mode in the name of fine observations. Top marks here, definitely.
Playability/ tone
My first impression of this guitar has to be its weight – a hefty 3.8kg. If you are a Les Paul purist & believe in the magical weight category, this will have some mojo going. The guitar sounds jangly unplugged without being excessively bright. The neck width is a good 2mm wider (at the nut) than the Gibson spec. Also, the rear carve is more of a Fender C-type albeit a lot thicker but not as thick as the Japanese offset Telecaster. So it’s fair warning to you if you think you can get away with a Custom-esque feel for way less money – not quite. It’s good to know the fretboard here is ebony, in line with what Gibson started with historically. As such, the feel is simply smooth with a deserving hardneess without being synthetic.
Tone-wise, I think I expected a little too much from the in-house EH-1G humbuckers. These sound very rounded & lacking definition in some settings, especially under extreme distortion. In clean mode, things remain fat & creamy. That neck pickup can definitely pull off some good jazz tones & I like it a lot more than the bridge counterpart. On hindsight, the humbuckers are very 57-ish, vintage in spirit with a good potential for hard rock & a very rounded top end. I’m still trying to get used to that top hat type control knobs, especially their looks from a playing angle. However, the in house ESP pots work well & are not scratchy.
Conclusion
Is the Edwards E-LPC the definite alternative to a Les Paul Custom? My frank & direct answer – no. Is it then a worthy investment when it comes to emulating the Les Paul Custom? Again, my frank & direct answer – heck, yes! Do not commit yourself to believe that it’s a Les Paul Custom by another name just by how close (very close indeed!) it looks like to the actual guitar. In the true spirit of the Les Paul Custom, the neck carve could have been more accurate. The tone on offer here is also a love / hate affair & it wouldn’t win over fans of modern high gain tones. The E-LPC shows the world that Edwards has good standards in production & listing for good money but people tend to take issue with the fact that they are downright copy cats. Be informed that copy models are not the only thing Edwards does.
Overall rating: 85%
Edwards: E-LPC
Availability: Davis GMC
List: $1,150
Likes
- impressive Japanese QC
- smooth tuners/ pots
- quality ebony fretboard
- price + bag included
- weight
- vintage type pickups, limited dynamics
Saturday, October 17, 2020
Maple Sky
Friday, October 16, 2020
Thursday, October 15, 2020
45th M-II
Wednesday, October 14, 2020
Good roast
This is simply awesome & worth every cent. It's a Bacchus BST-2-RSM & available at Davis GMC. Got to handle one last weekend & the appeal is way beyond its asking price - $325. For many of us, anything Strat-ish has to be, at the very least, Fender associated. This is the reason players gravitate towards Squier. Now remove the Squier association & replace it with awesome feel. Awesome because it sport a roasted maple neck (mind boggling at this price point). It will be an uphill task trying to convince people to embrace this brand name for its sheer goodness. With regards to the price tag, we would be bent on catagorizing it as an entry-level unit but if you handle one in person, it's way beyond that performance.
Tuesday, October 13, 2020
Undeserving
Monday, October 12, 2020
Hype
Fender teamed up with fashion giant Hypebeast for this Strat you see here. It's called - you guessed it - Hypebeast Stratocaster & made in the fine facilities in Japan. No surprises here as they did a Supreme Strat before (CLICK). I personally see this as unnecessary but we do realize that Fender's global sales went up this year despite the pandemic so they won't hesitate to perk sales up further with this one which is arguably appealling to a different market sector. Whatever, Fender.
Sunday, October 11, 2020
JB/J
The Seymour Duncan JB/Jazz pair, seen here in gold covers, are simply... the JB & Jazz goodness. If you wish for clarity & some tasteful brashness, the JB has those. The jazz is the proverbial neck pickup that does cleans & drive well despite its name. Yes you can do jazz along the way as well, no surprises there. I don't fancy gold covers but it fits into the vibe of this guitar. Another good tone day for me.
Saturday, October 10, 2020
GT
Friday, October 9, 2020
New @ stores