Review quickie: EVH '78 Series Striped Eruption

Managed to finally try this one, which ranked highly on my GAS list. It's a simple guitar spec'd out to my liking; single pickup, maple 'board, single volume, non-gloss body - ace!

Likes

• simple features
• super smooth volume control
• responsive tuners
• substantial brass block
• playability

Dislikes

• tone
• overall finish
• bridge set up
• price

This is a rather hefty guitar despite the simple bridge & single humbucker in the body. The neck is a top draw if you value playability, especially when you embrace a wide music genre; from blues to high octane rock, this neck is it. Also, the flat compound radius would be a hit for those of us who play fast. I'm very happy the tuners are responsive & the nut slots don't choke the strings. Ditto the volume knob, it virtually moves with any finger contact so that might be a good / bad thing for some of us. 

Despite being a Van Halen oriented instrument, the tone here is rather underwhelming. I have no idea if this was meant to be as such but I hear a more appealing performance from Seymour Duncan's '78 humbucker which ironically is an intended slant towards Van Halen's tone. The bridge was set to float but I believe it could have been done better as it went out of tune with every bend & any meddling with the tuners; it just doesn't work well. Not faulty but in need of a good set up. I also feel that the overall finish was half-baked. So there was an attempt at relic'ing the looks but in this price range, LTD does it better for the money. Speaking of money, the price is really undeserving for a Mexican instrument but we all understand the EVH factor is largely to blame for this. 

Final rating: 70%

Availability: Swee Lee

Price: $2,749

PS: If you wish to get that super smooth volume pot separately, look for the EVH Custom Low Friction pot by Seymour Duncan 😎

Pic: EVH

The other Mustaines

The Epiphone version of Daove Mustaine's V is finally released. Would be a hit with the fanboys, definitely as this costs way lesser than the Gibson counterpart. Good thing - Seymour Duncans are retianed.

If you wish for a sharper set of body horns, then the Kramer version might be your thing. Seymour Duncans also retained here. To me, the Kramer version is unnecessary, Mustaine did it for Gibson, Kramer is virtually riding the hype. Then again, they are all in the same brand family. 

Pics: Epiphone / Kramer

New PGMs

That's right folks, Ibanez decided to exclude these guitars from the NAMM group, opting for a late May announcement instead. This is the new Paul Gilbert PGM1000T (Japan). 

It's a through-neck design with ash body wings. Also, the neck's is a glossed out affair. The guitar features a pair of covered DiMarzio Air Classic humbuckers which I had personally tried: CLICK Ebony fretboard for this one & if you missed it - 22 frets - but the scale length remains unaffected (25.5"). Do note that this guitar is equipped with a set of 8 - 38 strings. 

The other new Paul Gilbert guitar is the PGM50 (Indonesia). It's a bolt-on model with a trio of DiMarzios (Air Classic humbuckers) but the middle single coil is a PGM model. Also - 22 frets, 'board is rosewood & the body, basswood. I would have more respect for this guitar if the 'Premium' label was omitted from the headstock; that's obvious insecurity right there. 

I'm not into signature models so these guitars mean nothing to me. They might be your thing though but 22 frets would be the deal breaker for many fans. I'm into 22 frets in the mean time but I still won't buy these 😅

Pics: Ibanez

Being picky

 

These days, when I play, I do not stick to a particular pick. I will have a few on standby & go with the one that I click with for the rest of the session. 

For instance, I will start with that glittery one (above: Northern Ghost Planchette, glitter edition) as this is my current preference. This will make me play with the least mistakes, it's the most comfortable. 

Then I will switch to the black one (Dunlop Flow 3mm) which is the trickiest to deal with. It's also downright slippery & will glide from string to string rather effortlessly & made me fumble. I will drop the pick the most times when I am dealing with this dark menace. 

Lastly, this clear wonder pick (V-Picks Mummy) is a cheat pick. It's my most enduring reference when all else fail but it's not the one I play the most. It's almost too precious to be played. So between these 3, one will make it till the end while the other two would return to the storage box to rest.

TZ: Like

 

My DiMarzio love / hate adventure continues & it's the Tone Zone this time. Perhaps the TZ is the DiMarzio I have tried in many of my guitars over the years with various results. I will avoid the TZ if there are other considerations but in this case, the price for the TZ / Air Norton pair was too good to pass. Also, it's in near-mint condition.

Yes, it's one of those occasions when the TZ sounds good. Maybe it might be due to the shorter scale length of this guitar. It doesn't sound excessively mid-range dominant like the one in my SEW761. It sounds just right. I have no idea why this happened, really. Still couldn't pin-point to any particular contributor which would be a hit with the TZ; wood type / instrument weight / bridge type / pickup height / etc. Most of the time it's a hit / miss. Two hits thusfar - this guitar & an Ibanez S-Series which features the TZ as a default pickup. The rest was a wasted affair.

TKL @ Davis

TKL cases are now available at Davis GMC. Big names like Fender & Gibson, among others, had their stuff made by TKL along the way so if quality is your thing, this is it.

Pic: DGMC FB

Taylor - XS

With immediate effect, all American Taylor guitars will be equipped with D'Addario's XS coated Phospor Bronxe strings. Not a coated strings fan but in this domain, I prefer D'Addario to Elixir. Mexican models will get the XS come Summer.

Pic: Taylor

Fish(man) pedals

Fishman pedals are also available at Swee Lee now. Was expecting more but these don't cost as much as their Fluence pickups 😜

Pic: Swee Lee webstore

Ghost

The latest Fender John 5 Telecaster is called Ghost; pale complexion with a tinge of blood. Perfect. It has a pair of DiMarzio D Activators on board so it means business when it comes to distortion. Not my thing but I like the blank fretboard.

Pic: Fender

Gold (Foil) @ Swee Lee

Fender Gold Foil models are in at Swee Lee but it's the Tele ($1,799) & Jazz bass ($1,899) in the mean time. That JB is interesting isn't it? A single pickup guitar when traditionally, it features two pickups.

Pics: Fender

Emi 6

Abasi Guitars had the Tele-esque Larada going back in 2019. Now, they have the Strat-esque Emi 6 for triple single coil lovers. I find this design more palatable due to the double cutaway design but personally, that headstock outline is a deal-breaker. You might like it, of course.

Pic: Abasi Concepts

Some DODs

These re-issue DOD pedals (now under Cort) are in stock @ Swee Lee. Prices look good. In any case, these are not boutique items.

Pic: Swee Lee web store

CM: Re-Opening SALE

Following its soft re-launch recently, City Music is holding its official re-opening at its new premises (LHK Building, Sims Drive) with the above-mentioned sale. *Checks wallet*

Pic: CM

Price watch (57)

How much is the most affordable American Fender Stratocaster today: Answer: $2,149. Its previous listing was $1.7K +/- This had to happen because the Mexican prices went up a few notches & getting pretty close to the American mark. The price psychology is such that the Mexican stuff must be made to look affordable & being close to the American price is not gonna make it look as such. Why can't they just keep the Mexican prices down? If you've been keeping up with Fender lately, you'll see the Mexican models were progressively revved up in terms of specs, colours, etc & this gives the manufacturer a reason to hike prices. Yes, it also gives the manufacturer a reason to push the American Performer prices up as well. In this case, I personally feel that the American Performer revised prices were unjustified; these instruments did not get any major revisions in features so why should prices change?

How much is the PRS Silver Sky today? Answer: $3,399. Its last listed price was a sub-$2K figure & it's now marginally more affordable than the Fiore with the latter observing a more stable listing over the same period of time. 

This is a Jackson DK2XHT, listing for $929. Its higher tier sibling (from the same X-Series), DK3XR, lists for $859. Price anomaly? Nope. The DK3 was from a previous shipment when prices were lower. Implication - don't expect the DK3 to list for as much come the subsequent shipment.

Prices are getting crazier & there's not gonna be a downward revision any time soon. This is especially more pronounced in the Fender camp, together with its other umbrella brands (Jackson / Charvel / EVH). Very soon, players will only consider buying during SALE season & trawling the after-market would also be preferred.

Pics: Muga Music

Mirage

A new pair for Jack Bowen - DiMarzio Mirage. The output suggests a very aggressive performance with a ceramic magnet on board. The bridge humbucker sports a cover which means it might not fit a ring mounted instrument. Even Jake's Ibanez is a direct mount version so just keep this in mind before considering get one.

MT-ESP

Not quite breaking news considering pics & coverages went round even before NAMM. This is the official announcement by the manufacturer so we take note - Mick Thomson is now in the ESP camp. 

Pic: ESP 

B-Ash

Absolutely nice ash-bodied Bacchus models are now available @ Davis GMC.

It's actually roasted ash, so you get a double roasted deal with the neck being roasted maple as well. Do note - these models sport a 25" scale length so it's nearer to the PRS vibe as opposed to Fender.

Pics: Bacchus HG

The good Rev

This was sent to me last night - Yamaha Revstar RSS20. Was impressed with the overall QC less some tooling marks on the fretboard. I believe this should not have happened, wonder what took place along the way. Action was re-set based on a set of 9.5s & it was easily / quickly done due to the very straight neck. Also, not much re-conditioning fluid was applied to the 'board as well; it still looks good. Will give this one a quick review shortly, do not wish to say too much.

Singular objective

Today's decision to stay indoors was an easy one; it's crazy hot outside & I hardly have any money to buy stuff. So there.

I'm still in single coil mode & enjoyed some great moments with this Melody Maker. I think I really need to hear this guitar with a humbucker on board. That pick guard slot there can only accommodate uncovered single coil size units. There's hardly any single coil size humbucker that are uncovered in the market right now so I'm still looking out for one. 

Melt

This is the latest angry stomp box by EHX. It's in fact EHX's fresh take on intense distortion after the Metal Muff. It has a 3-band EQ section, supplementary boost plus an on board gate so it gets my vote for being a self-sufficient unit. The fact that it has 2 channels - NORMAL / BURN - means this is serious business when it comes to intensity. Add the boost & it's gonna be HELL-ish. However, videos & sound clips show that the HM is treading too close to BOSS' HM-2 in terms of voicing. So I'll be checking this out once it gets here because it looks too promising to just be a clone of a famous competitor.

Pic: EHX

He needs to ...

I basically don't give a 💩 about this guy & his band any more but I still acknowledge his songwriting prowess based on the older materials. He needs to, frankly speaking, go on a solo project. Move away from the probable liability of his craft - his bandmates. Enough.

Pic: MR

Obviously

Once again, I have contested the authenticity of this 'Ibanez'. On two previous occasions, the platform admin chose to believe the seller, let's see what entails after this episode. It would be interesting to know who they referred to, with regards to product authentication, in deciding what unfolds next.

If you are an Ibanez enthusiast, the RG7XXX is a 7-string reference, it's clear the listed instrument is not one. Also, an RG7320EX is clearly listed at the manufacturer's webpage & for ease of reference, I've included it here. 

Pic: Ibanez

Gibson @ Malaysia

There's a new Gibson distributor in Malaysia & it's not Swee Lee. WEF 8 May, Music Bliss is the go-to place if you wish for a Gibson.

The announcement was further fortified by this video. Implication? The next Gibson distributor in Singapore would highly likely not be Swee Lee. Owing to the recent legal debacle, there's no commercial incentive to further ally oneself with an ex-litigant. The matter had been settled out of court & it's time to move on. We await further developments.

Pics: Music Bliss

May's single Sunday

I can very well conclude that my tone inclinations are cyclical. In the mean time, my ears fancy single coil tones & nothing else. Ironically, the single coil tones I fancy don't come from American Fenders but these two you see above.

The orange guy is a Japanese Fender, nothing extravagant, just a 70s-esque iteration. These are in-house Japanese pickups but they are some of the most polished, Fender twang I've come across. Despite its 70s attributes, the best description I would offer here is that of Thomas Blug's 60s Strat twang; very defined but polished at the top end. You can say it sounds like a relic single coil with a time honed treble response & having those warm midrange taking over instead - very likeable to me.

The navy blue guy is an Ibanez AZ2203N with a trio of Seymour Duncan Fortuna single coils. These are the exact opposite of what the Fender has to offer; very vigourous top end, almost lacking in any warmth but wait till you mess with the tone knob & the magic kicks in. My set up for these would be a saturated over drive tone with the top end rolled off quite significantly. I have no idea if the rosewood 'board plays a significant part but that's where I suspect the warmth comes from. These single coils are no good with distortion, quite frankly, they sound over-cooked. Drive is where it's at & I recommend nothing harsh in this aspect but a good saturation helps. 

This is my Sunday in a nut shell, I'm an indoor person, I have my limits when it comes to festive merry-making. So there.

Select-ed debut

There is a fair amount of hype going on here with regards to the Archer Select but it's something acceptable in terms of application. If you are interested, it's available now at Davis GMC. List: $399. Price is steep owing to its boutique pedigree & the fact that it features a selectable clipping mode, something new to the JRAD line. 

Pic: JRAD

Delonge Starcaster

A little late to the scene but hats off to Tom Delonge for boldly changing the Starcaster headstock to something a whole lot more palatable in design. I have always disliked the Starcaster for its atrocious outline & then this happened. OK so it's gonna be a signature model which is most probably something I do not fancy. But it's a single pickup design which is absolutely my thing. Yes, it's been a single pickup affair for TD for a while already.

Pic: GW

Lari Basilio @ SG

Took some time away from the usual evening routine to attend this clinic. Post-chemo, I'm not used to bright lights & strobe effects, most of the time, I'm trying not to look at the performance spot but being there in person to watch Lari play was time well spent.

Besides the usual gear talk, Lari highlighted the fact that she was in the legal sector prior to the 100% music immersion. One of the attendees asked for advice pertaining to embracing music as a career & the reply was kinda expected - go with your dreams, everything else will fall in place. However, doing so in this country requires tremendous re-thinking. There is no real dedication for sports & the Arts here. Everything you see thrust upon you is a clever facade of hope & liveliness, making ends meet & keeping up with costs are the essence of life in this country. Ironically, sports & the Arts were made to serve the escapist avenue from the rat race as full time athletes & artists continue to struggle. The ones who made it big are perhaps 5% of those who tread this path. 

A big thanks to Davis GMC for making this event happen. I enjoy clinics as opposed to concerts or live performances as I value artist - fans interaction; there's always good take aways & knowledge exchanges. 

New CEO

That's right, Cesar Gueikian, the former brand president (2021), is now the new Gibson CEO. If you are a close follower of the brand name, he is the one pushing new products to the fore over at Gibson's IG page. Hope this guy mends his company's international relationship quickly so that Gibson products, along with its other umbrella brands, would be made available in stores again.

Pic: Gearnews

New SDs

Pic: UG

 Some new Seymour Duncans at Davis - First up, the Lari Basilio set: $475 (chrome) / $485 (gold)

Pic: GW
Cory Wong's Clean Machine trio - $425. I hardly play clean, so these might not be my thing. Would wanna hear them in action, definitely.

Pic: TGS

Last but not least - Holcomb's Scarlet & Scourge: $425. These, I am interested in. 😎

Labour-ing

It's the day to recognize the blood & sweat that perpetuate the economy - the working people. In the mean time, labour is struggling to keep afloat in the midst of suffocating inflation. Prices are largely unchecked let alone mediated. There is this fear of intervention, instead, letting laissez faire maintain status quo. In this country, there is a plastic relationship between the union & politicians. There is this overwhelming concern that the union should be on good terms with the government, effectively killing the checking mechanism of the authority. In this economy where labour contributes significantly to the economy (we are being made to pay & pay, yes?) there is this fear of revolt. A crippled economy means, people at the top would be hit the hardest. White is not the colour of our national pride.

To all the labour labouring this laboured life, God bless. The struggle is real.