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.

Indoor Saturday, laying low

Indoor Saturday as unemployment looms once more. 5 more days to feeling useless & vulnerable. In this country, if you have no money, it's like precipitating cataclysm. 

Anyway, spent time with the Ibanez ADX120. I dislike the default pickups, they sound fuzzy with high gain / intense distortion settings. In view of that pickup cavity limitations, majority of the replacement pickups won't fit in there.  The reason I don't play this much these days but the sustain coming from this beast... it's one of the best.

Surprisingly, these two sound good together. The MXR Malmsteen is hyped to deliver a certain distortion voicing but it is capable of churning out other pleasant tones as well. A deserving appraisal soon.

SOLAR: Windstein & extended

Another signature model in the SOLAR camp - EFR1.6KW. It's the signature model for Kirk Windstein (Crowbar / Down), spec'd out for a very heavy metal application: EMG 81 / 85 pickups. That 'reverse' headstock might not sit well with some of us. 

In similar territory, there's the E1.6AAN-27. The 27 there refers to the extended scale length. This one's equipped with an Evertune bridge & a pain of Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers.

Pics: SOLAR

Price watch (88)

The list price for an Ibanez Mikro bass is $299. We can agree that adding branded replacement pickups & selling it for this price is a difficult proposition considering this amount of money can get us a, new bass.

The RG1527 was in the Prestige line up replacing the RG7620 in the early 2000s. It was a respectable guitar but it was listed for $1.7K +/- so the price you see here reflects the custom paint finish + Fishman pickups. Worth the extra $$$? That's your call.

According to the seller, the cracks there is a factory defect. By the looks of it, since it went round the heel, it might be the result of a fall causing stress cracks on that area. It's gonna be a costly repair...

ROSS era ends

August 2023 - the new era of ROSS pedals began under the JHS revival. They sold over 4,000 pedals back then (which wasn't too far away). This year, till August, only 300+ pedals were sold & the company decided to end production owing to this sale performance. Come Friday, 15 November, each ROSS pedal will clear for USD79.90 each (SGD107). Currently, Swee Lee listed each ROSS unit for $269 & B-models are clearing for $236.72. If you decide to purchase a ROSS pedal direct from JHS & pay for shipment, it will be less than whatever it's listing for here. Let's see what happens over the next few days.

Pic: GNews

Kitty '24

That's right, the proverbial feline is back. This is the Squier Hello Kitty ver. 2024. Note the matching headstock - body finish for this iteration. Available now at Swee Lee: $799. It's now about twice the price when it first debuted here.

This is the more palatable Fender (Japan) version with an MSRP of $2,850. 

Pics: GNews / Fender Japan

Wade @ SOLAR

We all knew Dallas Wade from his days in Nile. OK so that episode was overshadowed by Karl Sanders at the forefront of Nile but that chapter was closed. Dallas is now making ears bleed in Narcotic Wasteland. More importantly, he's now in the SOLAR camp.

Pic: SOLAR guitars

Fitrah: Manifestasi

 

I met brother Firdaus (vocalist / guitarist) twice at the guitar stores here. The second time was at Davis GMC & he was contemplating buying an Orange amp which I assured him was a good consideration. So he ended up buying it. He's also one of the easiest / nicest guy to talk to when it comes to gear-lust. Manifestasi is his band's (Fitrah) latest single & I'm obliged to share it here because brother Firdaus requested it to be shared. How can I refuse such a nice guy. (PS: Manifestasi features guitarist Addy Rasidi).

PPS: Brother Firdaus is also known as Ferdows in the music inner circle.

Hot deals: BOSS FZ-1w

Folks, some of us are already in the market for good deals at this year end. Swee Lee's Hot Deals section has some stuff for your consideration. The pedal depicted above is one of them & I recommend it to players who are in search of a good fuzz unit (with a Japanese pedigree) without the obligations to embrace the Electro Harmonix name. Then again, EH is the standard to beat when it comes to all things fuzz. 😅

Ibanez: November 2024

As predicted, nothing really refreshing for the November slot, a couple of lefty RGs - this one here is the RG5120.

And the fixed bridge counterpart - RG5121. Save your money for Black Friday deals instead, folks.

Pics: Ibanez

Heritage starter pack promo

Swee Lee is having a Heritage starter pack promo in the mean time. Year end is here, it's a good deal for young learners to pick up guitar playing & the fact that some of us might be itching to get these ourselves for whatever reason(s). 😅

 

Fragmented

When I read the model reference of this Fender (Japan) guitar - Fragment Telecaster - I thought it was made from bits & pieces of discarded wood or rejected production parts at the factory. It turned out that Fragment here refers to a design establishment, a brand name if you will, just like Supreme, led by Hiroshi Fujiwara. That body top there is rosewood (alder base) but everything else looks like a standard Tele affair.

Oh, for variety's sake, there's the black pickguard version less the annoying brand decal across the body.

Pics: Fender Japan

Violet

So this was the tease a few days back - Lari Basilio has a new signature pedal which is essentially a distortion unit. It's based on the Morning Glory in essence but the EQ section made the difference. The midrange is wired to be pre-amp, while the treble & bass come after. Very interesting.

In the mean time, Violet is offered in purple & black. Can't quite decide? Get both. In the mean time, take a listen:

Pics: JHS

SD Rails @ Davis

The Seymour Duncan rails series are now available at Davis GMC:

• Hot Rodded Rails set (JB / Jazz): $345 ($180 ea)
• Nazgul / Sentient Rails set: $345 ($185 ea)

These are just rails version of existing models so nothing really ground-breaking in terms of expected performances. However, there are slight variations in details. Take the JB for example, the rails version features an Alnico 8 magnet & the EQ is tweaked to boost midrange instead of treble (standard SH-4). Do visit the manufacturer's webpage to discover other variations of the models mentioned above.

Pic: SD

MOMM (53)

I'll be brief with this; it's below expectations. I was expecting a grand return to form but no. The intensity is about the only element that I consider worthy. The music in its entirety is let down by the drums; it reeks of cut & paste, very little human dynamics. Perhaps it's due to the fact that Daemon is the only surviving member here & drums might not be his thing. Have a good week ahead, folks.

The call

It's the call of Cthulhu once again. I refer to this guitar fondly as Cthulhu for obvious reasons. It's currently one of my most played Ibanez. I'm somehow more at home with 22 frets, will always lookout for used 22-fretted S-Series.

Managed to re-string this over the holiday (Deepavali) & I am quickly settling down with the Olympia brand of strings for many guitars. The price factor is an obvious enticement but the fact that the quality on offer is good for the money made me switch over with limited resistance. Guitar in question is an S370, reduced to a pair of humbuckers & excessive stickers to mask up finish flaws.

Taylored

This is my Taylor Academy 12. Not new, bought before COVID set in. The action here is nothing like my electric guitars but it sounds awesome when finger-picked. As such, I do not attempt to lower this any further. I don't need to play any proper songs on this one, just listening to any notes is simply time well spent. 

My employment contract will run out in a fortnight's time so weekends or days off are spent indoors to curb unnecessary spending. Spent yesterday (holiday) re-stringing the Academy 12. The sound of fresh strings on any acoustic guitar, to me, has that up-lifting feeling. Semi-therapeutical on some days. Yes, I keep the gauge on all my acoustics to 10 - 47. I don't benefit from 11s or anything thicker due to my playing style / quirks. 

The Academy Series of acoustic guitars by Taylor are value-for-money instruments, definitely. Of late, this value-for-money consideration is quickly being betrayed by rising prices. The Academy models were all sub-$1K instruments when they debuted around 2018 if memory serves me right. The pre-ampless version you see here was $850. If you wish to purchase one today, the Academy Series are all listing in excess of $1K:

• Academy 10 / 12: $1,099
• Academy 10e / 12e: $1,299

That's how things are today with guitar prices, not just acoustics, mind you. Prices are going up. Blink & you regret not buying stuff. Wishing everyone a good weekend in advance.

Hello, November...