Special single (3)

Someone asked me if the pickguard was custom-designed. Answer: No. It's a DIY thing starting with a blank pickguard for a lone humbucker. 

Then came the stickers - $3 for 50 pieces. I like these stickers as they are waterproof so the top layer won't peel off easily when it comes into contact with moisture. In this case it's sweat from the hand.

A lot of patience went into trimming the pickguard edges. A very sharp blade is required otherwise the edges would fray. 

To be continued...

Previous entry: CLICK

MOMM (52)

Today's Music of My Moment episode is a gentle reminder to manage expectations when you listen to the latest Mr. Big album, Ten. We all know the Addicted to that Rush / Green Tinted Sixties Mind / Colorado Bulldog Mr. Big has left us for good. There is absolutely zero shred-tastic moments in Ten. Guitars sound fuzzy for the most part with no attempts to perpetuate the good 'ol intense rock servings we know this band for. It might be a little harsh but the music is as such due to Paul Gilbert shedding skin to become a born-again guitarist free from his shred notoriety. We respect musicians for taking a turn in their career to embrace a fresh lease of life but fans reserve the right to dislike the newer manifestations while still respecting the musicians for who they are. 

Take heed folks, Eric Martin is still that force to be reckoned with when it comes to vocals. This is perhaps the saving grace of this release. Come to think of it, Eric Martin can pull this off without the Mr. Big monicker. I had the intention to purchase this album but something told me to just listen to it for free instead & it's the right thing to do. 

Double R

I didn't know Jackson has the V version called the Double Rhoads. It is not a standard production model though, something from the custom shop / master built selection. It's a simple design formula; the longer side of the RR is reflected over to the other side, hence the name Double Rhoads. This is different from the King V as the dimensions are longer / more extensive.

In any case a V body design with extended protrusions was quite the staple for ESP guitars not too long ago. Seen above: LTD V-401.

 Pics: Jackson / Reverb / Amazon

Final sale @ SLBB

If you are linked to Swee Lee via social media, you would have gotten news of this on Friday evening (26 July). The retail activities at Swee Lee's Bras Basah branch will cease soon. Items in the showroom would be on sale, as this ad implies - up to 80% off.

After dropping by the sale event, here's the discount code list. People were looking out for stickers on the price tags. Having seen none on many instruments, they thought the particular item was not on sale & left empty-handed. If you read carefully, the sticker-less items (first line) are actually on 10% discount. 

I dropped by the sale event for throwback's sake. I have absolutely no budget to buy anything. My first ever Swee Lee sale event happened here at Bras Basah Complex. Back in the day, the venue wasn't as extensive as the current floorspace. The queue was crazy, it snaked round the escalator to the (former) bookshop there. In fact, some very enthusiastic buyers camped overnight on site. Those were the days. 

Pics: Swee Lee Co.

Roman's body

This is a Jackson baritone guitar. It is a signature model, belongs to Roman Ibramkhalilov from the band, Jinjer. Nothing amiss here, it looks cool.

According to Jackson, the body is unique; you won't find anything like it. I find this insulting because the design is clearly a double cutway, super Strat type which is rather generic across many guitar brands out there. 

If Jackson wish to lay claim to those chamfering in the body design, Gibson & PRS, among others, were way ahead in this aspect. Wondering which mould they broke, maybe the boredom mould.

Pics: Jackson / MFriend

Special single (2)

I have this habit of inserting a gasket under the guitar's bolt plate. This had been the case after seeing the after effect of the plate having the body paint fused to it. For hard, lacquer overcoat, the after effects might not be as severe. For those organic / satin finishes, having patches of paint removed from the body this way, is undeserving, especially after you have been taking good care of your instrument. Of course, if you are the relic lover, this is unnecessary.

This is how it looks after installation. Against that 'burst finish, it's almost invisible.

To be continued...

Previous entry: CLICK

Ibanez: July '24 (2)

Also new this month, from the Ibanez camp, is the RG470PB. The immediate impact here is of course the poplar burl top. To some of us the burl top just looks messy & unattractive but given this finish, it looks aggressive & attractive. Nothing is too special about this guitar, even the pickups are the in-house Q models & that EZ II bridge is just a utilitarian affair. Body is a meranti. Coming form Indonesia, this is a convenient acquisition more than an attempt to be unique. 

Pic: Ibanez

Selling: Squier Esquire CV 60s Custom

Good day, folks. Will be unemployed (again) in a few days, letting this go to tide things through.

• Squier: Esquire CV 60s Custom
• Unpadded bag included
• Condition: 9/10
• Pickups replaced with: DiMarzio Twang King
• Queries / confirmation: subversion.sg@gmail.com
• No trades / reservations
• Self-collect: Yew Tee / CCK mrt station
• Price: $500 (final)

Special single

When you don't have funds for new gear, you butcher what you own to make it 'new'. 

Jokes aside, I have planned for this to happen for a while really, just lacking the motivation. I get turned off by the sunburst finish so turning it into a single pickup guitar - which is absolutely my thing - makes it more likeable. Just sharing something interesting here - this guitar is an American Special Stratocaster but it is using a Highway 1 neck. The next time you acquire an American Special guitar / bass & discovers a Highway 1 neck in use, be informed that it's a legit instrument. The American Special is basically a Highway 1 with a glossed over body. 

To be continued... 

Cost of cleaning

Folks, we have always encountered dirty contacts, yes? It's that crackling sound when our cable end got wiggled / rotated while it's still in the input jack. That's the sound of dirt interfering with connectivity. The people at Stedman have the above-depicted cleaning kits for you to use. By the looks of it, things are self-explanatory, you have disposable inserts to reach those inaccessible parts of the input jack, much like inserting cotton buds into the ears to dig out all those nasty ear wax. 

 

Do you believe in this approach to contact cleaning? How many of us make it a conscious effort to actually clean the input jack's contact points? 

After talking to the people around me (immediate feedback), nobody makes it a point to sit down after playing time to probe their instrument's input jacks with cleaning implements. They do spray those nasty areas with contact cleaning fluid every now & then to make sure things are in a playable condition. If the situation requires a dire need of input jack replacement, we would all agree that spending good money to get this done is a wise investment. In any case, the input jack is an expendable component of the instrument.

We would also agree that replacing dead input jacks is a preferred discourse as opposed to buying cleaner refills, yes?

Pics: Stedman

P II: Prices

Fender's Player II instruments are now available at Swee Lee, do note the prices above. As expected, prices are not reflective of the corresponding US listings. This anxiety (of sorts) was mentioned some days ago: CLICK 

Why am I uptight with this? 

• prices are going up, it's a cause for concern. Fender is looking for a reason to justify price hikes, launching a new series of instruments with 'different' features prove to be a good one. We all fall for this.
• price disparity - US vs SG. Need some insights to understand why prices are as such; could a single / dominant factor be it? Can that be curbed so that it's a win-win outcome for both retailers & buyers? If it continues to favour the seller, why should we even support this when there are other instruments out there?
• priced out - beginning players / students continue to be marginalized in this aspect. 

Pic: Fender

Clipped

Thank you & goodbye. I've been using this for a good while; at least 6 years. Purchased from City Music while they were still at Peace Center offering Charvel Desolation models. I find clip on tuners handy especially at the workplace where constant ukulele tuning is required. I've never dropped this tuner & handled it with TLC at all times. Just a couple of days ago, it refused to work despite a new battery in there. 

IR

Being an amp person, this BOSS IR-2 is an unnecessary acquisition. I need a new phone more than a new pedal but the funds went to the latter. I intend to bring this along for external use - 1) In the office where the current amp is a solid state Roland meant for keyboards 2) When trying out guitars in the store, so that my tone would be less wimpy. 

By the way, someone is not too pleased with the pre-breakfast photo shoot session. 

NF3 ... Cyclone

The PRS SE NF3 is now available at Davis GMC: $1,050. Absolutely liking the price, not being too far off the SE Silver Sky.

The Japanese Fender Cyclone is also available at Swee Lee: $1,599. 

Pics: PRS / Fender Japan

Service

Doing my part for a cause in education. Looking into some ukuleles that require due attention so that kids would get to play them once more. My stand - all instruments requiring attention should be attended to & not left to rot in some cupboards somewhere in school.

Debut @ SL

Folks, if you are interested in the Squier Debut Series Strat / Tele, you need not trawl Amazon for one. These are now available at Swee Lee, list price stated above.

Pic: Amazon UK

Fernandes: No more

The Fernandes Co. Ltd (Toda City, Japan) has ceased operations WEF 11 July. It is currently undergoing bankruptcy procedures, handling debts up to USD2,7mil. Sale slump was attributed to a robust second hand market & intense competition. Monday blues fodder indeed.

Pic: WCommons

Japanese + wenge

Another newbie in the Charvel lineup - the MJ DK24 HSH 2PT. It's Japanese.

The neck is wenge. I've tried a wenge neck (Ibanez) before & it's one of the smoothest so it hits home for all the shred dweebs. It's also a very comfy material so your hand won't feel lethargic if you stay at one end of the neck most of the time (all ye riff meisters). One more time, the price seems to be a deal breaker: USD2,199. 

Pic: Charvel

Tom D: Price

If you've been GASing for one, the Tom Delonge Starcaster is now available at Swee Lee: $1,899. I see this as rather steep for a non-American Fender made in the Squier facility. That's the price to pay for that signature.

Pic: SM Store

 

P II

Fender has 'improved' its Player Series instruments to become the Player II models. Major changes:

• Three body wood types: Alder, chambered ash, chambered mahogany
• Rosewood fretboard option (previously pau ferro)

That rosewood fretboard, well, it started with rosewood then Fender replaced it with pau ferro & it's now gone full circle. Chambered mahogany & ash bodies are interesting for Strats. The P-bass has no such options, body is alder with maple 'board. The Player II guitars were listed for USD799 on release day. This is about SGD1,072. Will be interesting to see how much these will go for once they reach here knowing that the current domestic prices for the Player Series guitars do not reflect the corresponding  US prices (USD699 / SGD938).

Pic: Fender

D

I have no idea if any of you here could relate to a bout with depression. It's that sinking feeling coupled with a real need to stop existing so that everything would seemingly be solved. Of course not.

I'm in no way asking you to indulge in depression but be informed that we need to be mindful of people in such a mental condition. I have been depressed since having to stop work & offload some gear just to get by. This country is putting up a front to champion re-employment for those seeking work past their retirement age. However, those in need of re-employment before that retirement age due to compelling circumstances (eg. health, lucidity, parent care, etc.) - who is lobbying for such individuals? Employers continue to scrutinize potential employee background to fit their organizational goals. Age & medical condition are outstanding considerations to prevent unnecessary turnovers & preserve continuity. If these are messed up, it's a costly affair especially for profit maximizing entities. All these promises of employment / re-employment are politics at its best because these politicians are not the employers.

Yesterday was a down time for me & it was an arduous episode. But I'm thankful for the gear in my possession that helps displace bleak moments. A quick acoustic + chorus moment did it for me. Folks, it's important to have that something to help you recover your senses. It could be music, alone time, a short vacation, an ice-cream moment - anything. In short - don't lose your grip. More importantly, if it's beyond control, please get help. 

Leaving this here. Hope it reaches you in good time whenever that may be.

Pic: SOS S'pore

Timber

Fender has these models (American Performer) with body woods which are not from the usual wood selection. Seen above from L-R (above): Sassafras, Spruce & Pine. The manufacturer wants us to believe these are perfectly OK substitutes in terms of tonal preferences, whatever that means. I see it as an exercise in economy. These obviously less common wood types are arguably more economical to acquire compared to the usual, more in demand, alder. Even if prices remain the same, they will make a good cut in terms of earnings. Whatever the case might be, if these work for you, then there's nothing to denounce.

Pic: Fender

Bass pedals

Fender has pedals for bass. These pedals were conceived for bass applications but they can very well serve the guitarist needs. I believe instrument related pedals are inter-changeable for guitars & basses. Take the Ibanez Tube Screamer for instance; if you use it for your bass, will it ruin your amp or render your bass tones useless? We all know the answer. However, we cannot deny the fact that some pedals were conceived with the bass in mind more than anything else. 

Pic: Fender

200DX

This was a rather recent launch by LTD for the Summer, the 200DX models. 

These are essentially souped up 200 models so expect them to list for more than the regular 200s but looking at the catalog in the mean time, there are indeed no more regular 200s. The DX here refers to a bolt-on construction. The models now feature covered pickups, quilted / maple veneer & a roasted maple neck. The 200s are LTD's most affordable guitars in the catalog but these upgrades might just push prices up a bit to reflect the enhancements.

Pics: ESP

Pointy returns

I'm liking what I see; Charvel has returned the pointy headstock to its fold. This was released a couple of days ago - SD1H 2PT M. This is definitely my thing; single pickup (Duncan Distortion), maple 'board, 22 frets & a non-locking bridge. It is currently listing for USD1,499 & to some of us, this might be the deal breaker since it's not American.

Pic: Charvel

Reverse the reverse

This got me cracking a little; SOLAR calls this its 'reverse' headstock. The default headstock is a reverse design so flipping it this way makes it a 'reverse'. Get it? This aside, the 'reverse' headstock design is now available for three models  in the mean time.

Pic: SOLAR

Foundary lions

When it comes to amps, tube technology always wins. Win here refers to the easy preference by players over non-tube references. Laney amps have recently released the non-tube version of the Lionheart models under the Foundary series. These are now available at Davis GMC:

• LF60 - 112: $450
• LFSUPER60 - 112: $525
• LFSUPER60 - 212: $680

That's right, the LF-60 112 lists for lesser than the Tom Quayle Lionheart Foundary pedal ($550). We note Laney pushing non-tube tech rather aggressively this time round to move away from whatever tube amp related competition out there. The bottom line here is sounding good regardless of the tech basis; tube or otherwise. 

Pic: Laney UK

Offset & TM

More goodies from the Squier camp. The Offset Telecaster is now available in a single-JM pickup configuration. Also, this comes with block inlays.

And Squier now offers the Troublemaker; push-pull coil split feature included.

Pics: Fender 

New affinities

Squier has new Affinity models for us players who are on a strict gear budget. Maybe hardly any for that matter. Nothing too refreshing, a re-hash of familiar outlines but I'm fascinated by the following two models.

I kinda saw this coming - the Starcaster Deluxe. For those of us who are averse to the Tom Delonge Starcaster due to its solitary pickup, this dual humbucking version is it. Don't give me that it doesn't say FENDER on the headstock rubbish because the Tome Delonge model is manufactured at the Squier facility. 

The Stratocaster Jr isn't exactly a scaled down guitar for kids because it's featuring a 24" scale length. This is the Jaguar scale length & they didn't make those for kids. The compressed body might help younger players deal with form struggle. I do not wish to take the sting out of this novelty but Fender Japan did an entire range of Junior models (2022) & those did not get the deserving fanfare so why should these Squier counterparts be any different. 

The list prices for these instruments should be in the $500 +/- bracket judging by the USD references.

Pics: Fender

Ibanez: July 24

Ibanez's new July 2004 releases include the lefty TOD10N seen above. Only this black finish is available. The FRH10N is currently offered in a lefty version so it's interesting the manufacturer made an effort to include the TOD version as a lefty as well. In any case, the manufacturer does better in sales when it comes to the TOD as opposed to the FRH; it's the power of artiste affiliation.

Pic: Ibanez Asia

Monday (laser) blues

Monday with nothing much to do. Brought this out to play. I have very few Ibanez guitars with original pickups in tact, this is one of them - RG565 in laser blue finish. 

I seldom buy coated strings, I must have bought this one some time back. It was in one of my guitar bags. A quick re-string.

I'm back to using a slightly smaller pick in an attempt to change my picking ergonomics. Seems to work on days when I'm not angry. Anyway, this is the Mini Coffin pick, custom made by Northern Ghost guitar picks (Canada).