Ascent+

I'm looking forward to these Heritage Ascent+ (Ascent plus) guitars which will be released soon. Yes, the Ascent Series are the budget counterparts of the H-150 line. The current Ascent models are all bolt-on guitars.

The Ascent+ features a set-neck construction with an all access trimming. Interesting? Definitely. More importantly, It would mean those who are not keen with what Epiphone has to offer (similar price bracket) can look forward to these guitars as a deserving alternative. Looking forward to try one when they get here.

Pic: Swee Lee 

Busker @ KL

Was at KL a couple of weeks ago, this brother was busking in front of the chicken rice shop where we had our lunch. A simple Squier Tele into a pedal board & a battery powered amp. The thing about KL street musicians, they are super friendly & would engage you in a conversation readily. Despite the scorching afternoon sun, he played & sang his heart out so we pooled some money & made a deserving contribution. To all the street musicians in KL - respect!

MOMM (55)

I really thought Blake Judd would have ceased his Nachmystium act following the scandalous merchandise episode but giving up the passion for music is downright difficult. We accept Mr. Judd for who he is first & foremost; a rather imposing figure in (US) black metal. Blight Privilege contains materials which are rather doom / stoner induced but in a positive take, of course. Mr. Judd also revisited his psychedelic meddling on some instances but not as dedicated as Assassin (Part 1). Mid-tempo adventure for the most part, folks, be informed but a credible return to form.

Depeche Mode - I'm revisiting albums by my favourite bands which are less popular or well received by the laypeople. Delta Machine contains virtually no stalwart hits, I purchased this pre-owned copy just listen to the broader appeal from the trio.

Re-fret, let's go!

I had been self-taught all along. Come to think of it, since Day 1. It's time for me to venture into re-fretting. Regardless of the outcome, I will document this here. Nothing to be ashamed of, if there's a plus point to all this it's that we could learn something from this (mis)adventure. I deem this feasible after watching many tutorials involving simple tools. There's no major drilling or chunking of wood involved so after some pertinent risk assessment, I'm ready to go.

To be continued...

Rei

Another late release, this time by Fender Japan - the Rei Stratocaster. That's right, I've not heard of this name either since I'm not into the Japanese pop music scene but she can play guitar well. Anything special about this Strat? Maybe the 24 frets, everything else seems standard. OK maybe those default Graph Tech saddles is a 'different' Strat offering.

Pic: Fender Japan

Monday's S

Lots of things on my mind, bills, health, extended unemployment... But there's always time to just leave everything aside & play guitar. Today, the S570B is the guitar of choice. That's right; strong urge to hear the Seymour Duncan in action. Was on the bridge position mostly & just enjoyed hearing what the TB-5 could do with lots of distortion on tap. Hope your Monday had started well. Have a good week ahead, everyone.

Price watch (89): Gibson @ SG

First & foremost, I have nothing against 35 Guitar Avenue. In fact, they are one of the most welcoming guitar stores here & I can attest to this personally, especially the Peninsula outlet (now permanently closed). Since they are currently the recognised Gibson distributor here, I would like to highlight the prices of some of the models in store against a popular guitar store in the USA. Prices at both ends are regular listings & not subjected to seasonal / blowout discounts. Starting off, the Gibson LP Studio Smokehouse Satin model depicted above is more than SGD3K here, State side, it's USD1,999 (SGD2,695). Here are others:

• SG Standard '61 (vintage cherry): SGD3,090 / USD1,999 (SGD2,695)
• LP Standard '50s (gold top): SGD4,590 / USD2,799 (SGD3,774)
• LP Standard '69s (bourbon burst): SGD4,590 / USD2,799 (SGD3,774)
• Slash LP Standard (november burst): SGD4,890 / USD2,999 (SGD4,044)

Note: SGD prices are in red, USA prices are in blue

We note prices are not on par with the listings in the USA. You can visit the official Gibson webpage & note that the US store is listing Gibsons according to the manufacturer's recommended figures. Are all Gibson distributors obliged to comply? It depends if the distributor has a good business plan to cut  profits & offer them on parity. While we applaud the return of Gibson to our shores, does this equal to letting stores here screw us up with prices? You & I know the answer. We are not privy to the business formula of product pricing. Whatever prices stores wish to list their guitars for, they know better. We can always choose to not buy from them.

Pic: Sweetwater

50th 250

This is definitely a cool edition of the DOD OD/PRE 250. To commemorate the manufacturer's 50th Anniversary, it's given a 3-mode make over. This way, if you like what the pedal already offers - no frill OD with a very smooth response - the variation here means you can also sound a little edgier & conjure harmonics fairly easily. Sadly, only 1,974 units are made available to the world & if your local authorised dealer isn't enthusiastic about it, it won't be made available where you are at. 

Pic: Yahoo

 

Pink Friday

Despite being smaller than its standard counterparts, the Jackson Minion RR is still very protrusive in its outline. In fact, the last time I played it, that extended tail end knocked onto boxes & I barely moved save for some bending down to turn on / off the amp. That V outline somehow allows a complete rest of the picking arm so it's less tiring for the picking hand but it has to be strapped on. 

This guitar has a pair of LACE humbuckers onboard which are passive models. I'm beginning to like covered pickups more as my pick does not get caught between pickup pole pieces. 

Year End discounts @ Swee Lee

If you are still shopping for gear, Swee Lee is offering tiered discounts once again this year end. Details as stated above.

Pic: Swee Lee

Fender: Bassman effects

New from Fender, a line of effects for the bass guys. I have nothing against the bass (I own basses myself) but effects for bass is, in my opinion, a niche appeal. I can say that there are definitely some effects that proved to be essential for bass, the compressor & chorus to name a couple. Fender effect units in this 3-knob format are not new, the Hello Kitty fuzz & its predecessors were there before. The guitar pedals didn't really move much off the shelves, these bass counterparts, I believe, won't fare any better. Reason being - Fender is not a name we all look up to in the effects pedal realm.

Pic: No treble

Charvel Super S

I featured this guitar here back in July. It's my kind of guitar; a no frills single humbucking super Strat type. It's now available but at a deal-breaker price (to me): $2,399. There are somethings that I won't buy for more than $2K, this Mexican Charvel is certainly one of them. Same goes for Indonesian Ibanez. 

Pic: Charvel

Bag

Was at JB last week, dropped by C&M Music in search of a basic, utilitarian bag. This one's a no-frills model, minimum padding but the zipper looks like it will last. Just happy to see a headstock / neck strap to prevent the instrument from excessive movements while on the go. MYR40, which in my opinion, is value for money.

SC Sunday

Early start to guitar-ing. Feels like playing a singlecut today. Every time this happens, I will always have a PRS in mind, not a Gibson. So today's guitar of choice - the SC250.

Re-visiting the pick that kick-started my custom order itch; the DAW MAN guitar pick. I'm sticking to the ones with rough / unpolished edges for aggressive music. This one does not disappoint every time.

Review quickie: Ibanez Q52PE

The Q52PE is the first Q model to feature an ebony 'board. The body also features a pale moon ebony top. There are no other additional features here, it is just showcasing a wood variation of the existing Q52. 

Likes

• weight
• overall construction
• neck profile / playability

Dislikes

• neck fitting
• pickups

Those of us who have tried any Q-Series model can attest to the guitar's playing comfort both sitting down & strapped on. The ebony in this guitar does not contribute to weight issues at all, in fact the fretboard feels smooth, lending top marks to playability. The overall construction here is also top notch. The only contention is the neck tilt angle, making the frets past the 14th mark rather challenging to play. Of course, it's nothing a little pocket shimming could not cure. Despite being ceramic, the in-house Q58 pickups are rather bland. The lower frequencies coming from the bridge humbucker sound very laboured at high distortion settings. Glaring conclusion - the ebony fanfare here adds nothing to tone but does well for visual demeanour. If you already own a Q52, there is no plausible reason to switch allegiance. 

Pic: Ibanez

Final rating: 80%

Ibanez Q52PE (bag included)

• Availability: Swee Lee
• Price: $1,749

Schaller

Was asked to try these Schaller humbuckers which I believe are defunct. Someone told me these were called Hot Stuff pickups & they simply polarize opinions in terms of distortion applications. From what I hear, having spent a week with them:

• the bridge pickup has a strong midrange response like the Seymour Duncan JB, lots of clarity but sounds bland in clean settings
• the neck pickup has excessive bass, not too appealing when it comes to solo applications, note separation could have been better. Apparently, the boomy overall tone sounds good for clean, jazz-type playing. 

In session

In the mean time, Gibson has a new Les Paul Studio called the Session. In my opinion, this is a good release but nothing ground breaking: chambered body, ebony 'board, 57 pickups, stuff like that. The controls allow you to tap each pickup to give that pseudo-single coil experience. There's a phase switch & a tone bypass switch for the bridge humbucker. Countoured heel feature here means you get more upper fret access.

Pic: Gibson

Gibson moving to...

Many people are awaiting the confirmation of this announcement. The source of this article had already taken it down just hours ago. I reserve further comments till more details are made available.

Pic: MSN news

Ibanez December '24

In a strange move this December, Ibanez decided to put out something new. It's a 7-string J-Custom RG8527 in this sunburst-esque finish, they call it brownish spharelite. Be informed that the black version is already available at Swee Lee ($4,799). 

 

Pic: Ibanez

CHUG Tuner +

This is a really neat tuner by SOLAR Guitars, the CHUG Tuner +. It has a boost function on board so if you want more gain, it's there. That big knob is also a good consideration for those of us in need of a quick reach. A sturdy overall construction as well. Tempting.

Pic: SOLAR

'84 HH

So the Kramer camp decided the '84 deserves a neck pickup & it happened. In addition to this detail, the guitar also features two mini switches for split coil applications. This ebony fretboard version comes with a maple veneer.

You can also get the maple fretboard alternative but these come in  non-veneered tops featuring solid colours instead. Giving the '84 a neck pickup is good for tone variation but this feature, together with the mini toggle switches simply killed the inherent '84 vibe - simplicity & focus. 

We already know the new Gibson & Epiphone distributors, waiting for a certain commercial music establishment here to announce their dealership for Kramer but it looks like another case of sheer disinterest. 

 Pics: Kramer

Ibanez TS808 hand wound

We end November in the knowledge that the Ibanez Tube Screamer is not going away any time soon. This November, the manufacturer revised its hand wired version to feature a smaller footprint, something the pedal board dweebs would appreciate. A hand wired TS was done in 2016, this is simply a Version 2.

Pic: Ibanez

ONPA guitars

This is my made in SG guitar by the good people at ONPA guitars. Is it new? No. Was conceived at the tail end of COVID. Wanted to abandon the order due to the lack of funds (unemployment + huge medical bill) but managed to sell off some stuff to see this project through which I'm glad I did. Everything was spec'd out by me. Having gone through a good number of guitars, I went with something very simple. 

ONPA did everything less the pickup. I got this double cream, F-Spaced DiMarzio Norton BNIB. The seller said he custom ordered a PAF, but received a Norton instead, so it was my lucky day. Be informed that the double cream colour combo is patented by DiMarzio so anything in this finish would cost a little more than everything else. 

The most outlandish feature of this guitar is the neck. It's flamed all over, headstock included. I didn't ask for this flame grade but it happened. If you know me by now, I'm not one who embraces eye candy, I'm basically a boring person who like simple stuff. I'd rather go for quality than flash. I specified the body to be finished in brown but a creamy shade to avoid a sunburst-esque hue which I dislike. It turned out to be flushed with the neck which was a surprise more than anything else. 

I was skeptical with the order because I have never engaged with a local commercial entity to make a guitar from scratch. The communication leading to the manifestation of this guitar was very good. Details & payment advice were documented for scrutiny before the final decision was made. A 50% deposit was required prior to build commencement. We met up when the body & neck was done  (pre-electronics & hardware) for an initial assessment. Some fine tunings were permitted subject to feasibility. Do check them out: ONPA guitars

Solar: X2.6FR / Dismember

This body outline reminds us of the fact that Ola Englund (SOLAR Guitars owner) is a huge Dimebag fan. I see this design as inevitable. This new one has that very attractive orange finish with a matching colour for the 12th fret inlay. If you are interested, be informed that the bridge here is  Floyd Rose Special.

Here's another new one - a signature model for Dismember guitarist, Robert Sennebeck. The bridge here is an FR 1000 with a thicker-than-usual whammy block. 

Pics: SOLAR Guitars

Selling: Montreux Knebworth

This used to be my favourite pedal back in the day when I still embraced the amp's clean channel. It has a booster feature so it's like 2 pedals in 1 & it did good for my solos. The tones on offer here are basically tube-esque Marshall voicings with an option to scream (boost). It's not even the modern Marshall tone, somewhere in the Bernie Marsden drive territory.

In view of my unemployment in a few days' time, I'm letting this go to, hopefully, tide things through the year end. Box included. As you can see from these pics, it's been well taken care of.

• Selling: Montreux Knebworth distortion / drive (box included)
• Condition: 8.5/10
• Self-collect: Yew Tee / CCK mrt station
• No reservations / trades
• Email for queries / confirmation: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• Price: $180 (final)

Thanks for reading, my friends. Have a good midweek.

Black Friday @ Swee Lee: Fender Tom Delonge

A little late but saw these guitars on sale at Swee Lee (Black Friday deals). These are the Fender Tom Delonge signature models, both the Starcaster & Strat versions are discounted but for the Strat, it only applies to the yellow version. I have no idea why this is the case. Guitar prices these days are unfriendly. After a good 20% off, the respective guitars are now sporting the discounted prices. These new figures, whether they are friendlier post-discount is really your call. These days, people are more willing to spend this much money on year-end holidays rather than buying a new musical instrument, unlike COVID times. Guitars sporting a single pickup is a niche appeal but now that these are on discounts, it might just be a good time to buy.

Pics: Fender

CW Sale @ Davisguitar

Cyber Week sale is now on @ Davis GMC. Some recommendations...

This one will never revert to this price in time to come. Never. Ironically, players tend to gravitate to the over-priced Epiphones, claiming it to be a close repro of a Gibson. Wait... what? But I'm not here to assert brand superiority. I feel that the Edwards are darn value-for-money when it comes to this pedigree of guitar & having owned a few myself, I prefer the Edwards brand name in this price bracket. (E-LP STD CHS)

Same observation; people rather go for the over-priced Mexican Strat. No issues with those per se but this is a very good opportunity to own a very fine Strat-type guitar at an incredible price. Come on... ditch that ego & do the right thing. (Edwards E-ST90ALR 3ST)

You want something affordable but nothing too shabby - this EC-200DX is an underrated monster.

Pics: ESP Japan / USA / Davis GMC FB

Nobody touches my guitar! (2)

There is an overlooked QC issue at the Indonesian plant because this S621QM (2015) proves just that. Its predecessor, the S521 (2014) had a slanted string travel from the nut to the machine head. I avoided those as soon as I saw them. The S521 are still sold at Swee Lee (left overs). There are no such issues with the S621.

I'm not a fan of the default Quantum pickups. Once upon a time, the Quantums were manufactured by DiMarzio & equipped in the S-Series of the past. The in-house Quantums today are a far cry from those. They might be acceptable for some of us but for me personally, they had to go. Replacement pickups - DiMarzio Air Classic (DP191). The name sounds so demure but it's capable of manifesting some of the best distorted tones. The magnet on board is an Alnico 5 but the overall technology ensures a reduced string pull & lots of bottom end girth. Speaking of bottom end, the bass output here is kept low so if you employ a boosted bass response at the amp end, it sounds very commanding.

My embrace of the lesser string brand continues, a set of Olympia 9s are in this one. It's not about the brand name but the actual quality & performance that counts.

Tribute saviours

As guitar prices head toward absurdity, Epiphone is rescuing itself by reminding others who they once were; the champion of affordable alternatives. The new Tribute Series feature a Les Paul & an SG depicted above, listing for USD279. When these eventually get here, expect a sub-$500 price bracket.

A good move but...

• we know how dot inlays don't sit well with LPs but the Tribute feature just that. Maybe - just maybe - this concern limits itself in the Gibson domain & not its sub-brand counterpart. We shall see.
• why is the SG version not reflecting a true SG - 2 knobs only? Goodness. I see this as a commitment compromise, or just plain laziness.

As it is, things are not in full swing yet at the new Epiphone dealer, City Music. We hope CM brings in the lesser models for those of us who are struggling with our gear budget but would not want to compromise too much on quality & performance.

Pics: Epiphone

Mini X

In this age where portability is synonymous with plug-ins, BOSS decided they would wanna keep this aspect analog & spruce up its Katana Mini into the Katana Mini-X (above). Folks, this is a strict practice grade amp devoid of any plugin access via phone / computer. It also runs on an internal battery so charging is a must before use. This time, all controls are located in front as opposed to the previous iteration where these were on top.

I would leave you to check out the other specs at your own time but the 3 channels + variation feature is by far my favourite revision. This means, in any channel, you can activate the VARIATION switch to get a differentiated tone for various applications. Here's the official promo clip: 

Pics: BOSS

70th discounts

 These two 70th Anniversary Strats are on discount at Swee Lee:

• American Pro II (20% off): This was released slightly before Summer. Reality check - Strat fans are not into fancy tops, the flame maple top depicted here is an example. Strat fans are into solid body colours, if there's any hint of favouring a fancy finish then the sunburst might be the limit. This guitar used to list for more than $3K so the price - finish combo is making this one a non-mover
• Vintera II Antigua Strat (20% off): This is another quirky finish that would be appealing to a niche sector which is not a ready pool of buyers anywhere. You either know the history behind this one & appreciate it for what it is or you look away. Another hard seller that listed for $2.4K initially, sports a fixed bridge & not an American (at this price). A very difficult proposition as well.

Pics: Fender

Nobody touches my guitar!

Nobody touches my guitar unless you don't mind getting whacked with corn.

To be continued...

Kitty '24 (2)

The Hello Kitty episode this time round also saw a Fuzz unit being released to complement your guitar-slinging moments. Remember, only the Hello Kitty fuzz works best for your Hello Kitty guitar. Everything else is a compromise.

While you're at it, why not add a guitar bag, strap & polish cloth to complete the purchase, yes?

EDIT: The HK bag is the default bag that comes with the guitar purchase.

Pics: Fender Japan

Personality highlight (3): Bro Ijau

In this episode of giving due highlight to music-oriented individuals, we traverse the South China Sea to Bintulu, Sarawak (Malaysia). This is Mr. Razali but in the virtual domain, he is Mr. Ijau D. Koceng. He is a guitarist in the band Metuk Ulau Project consisting of close buddies & definite gear geeks. He is one of the rare individuals out there who still documents stuff through a blogging platform. Despite being music-oriented, Mr. Ijau is also a boxing devotee. I admire individuals who keep themselves active in sports in their later years as this contributes very much to self-discipline & staying healthy.

Here's Mr. Ijau's gear picks:

• Charvel So-Cal Style 1 HH. As a green enthusiast, this is his preferred guitar. It's also the one for live performances in view of its inherent colour mojo. Pickups on board are DiMarzio Tone Zone (b) / Evolution (n). By the way, this is the guitar depicted above (left).
• Epiphone 1957 Les Paul gold top. His main axe (depicted above, right) before the arrival of the afore-mentioned Charvel. Lately Mr. Ijau is spending more time with singlecut designs as opposed to S-types.
• Ibanez SR300. The tried & tested formula for lasting throughout live performances; if you are performing standing up, the Ibanez Soundgear bass design is a life-saver.

Mr. Ijau's message to the music-inclined: It's never too late to start learning something new as Mr. Ijau himself kicked off this interest in his late 20s. There's much to learn from the sound production / management aspect of music as well as instrument maintenance / up keep which is essential for performing individuals. Mr. Ijau also benefitted from picking up soldering skills & electronics know-how along the way.

Closing notes - this is Mr. Ijau's latest acquisition, a Grassroots Horizon III which looks gorgeous. Good ol' GAS manifesting itself. 

Pics: Ijau D Koceng FB / blogspot

MOMM (54)

Say it: Marcin Patrzalek. Bet you can only get half the name correct. That aside, I have been listening to this the entire week as an effort to address ear fatigue. We've seen Marcin's guitar exploits online; his ridiculously technical playing can only be inferred to by the guitar playing purists at best. However, Dragon in Harmony showcases very listenable tunes, much laid back as opposed to his hyperactive demeanour. Cover tunes like Smooth Operator & Heart-Shaped Box underscore his strength for melody amidst those chaotic & percussive playing. Perhaps many of us overlooked this as we preoccupy ourselves with chastising excessive non-musical sounds in Marcin's playing approach. If you are that kind of listener, you came to music with a very preconceived idea of what acceptability should be. Shame on you.