Exclusive kiss

Looks like Ibanez made a pact with Sweetwater for an RG565R in a vampire kiss (VK) finish. The VK finish is offered for the maple 'board RG565. Let's see if this goes into regular production.

Pic: SW

Pyro Azul

This is downright attractive - AB1.6 in this blue-ish pyro azul finish. Apparently, it's not that new. It had been in the catalog but with a different bridge (FR1000). This time, a GOTOH bridge supersedes the previous iteration. It costs a little more as well as it's finished in Spain.

Pic: SOLAR guitars

Rails details

I'm installing this into one of my Ibanez guitars. The pickup in question is a Seymour Duncan  JB Rails model. Just sharing some details here... Firstly, the mounting screw flaps are now rounded as depicted above. Duncan fans are aware that majority of the flaps are the square type so it requires a good rounding off if the pickup is to be fitted into Ibanez guitars. Of course, not all Ibanez guitars were manufactured to accommodate the rounded flaps exclusively but majority are as such. Secondly, the brand name had been blackened out to appeal to those who dislike the screened label in white.

Thirdly, there are no brand engravings on the baseplate. Makes the pickup look cheap but that's blatant cost cutting right there. 

Re-shimmed

This guitar is currently tuned to fourths. I'm getting used to this arrangement & liking the fact that not much positional shifts are involved to move quickly across the neck. However, the action past the 14th fret or so is horrible. So it left me with no choice...

... but to re-shim the pocket. Just a reminder to us all, we sometimes need to re-visit the tinkering done to our instruments. Things might not work at the first instance. This isn't a failure indicator, it simply means that if a certain tinkering works for one guitar, it doesn't mean it will work for another. Don't give up, ok? (Guitar: Ibanez GS121)

Krisiun @ SG

If you like your death metal fast & furious, do check Krisiun out. Also, the riffs & solos are a little technical so there's something in store for everyone. Happening in about 2 month's time.

Pic: Street Noise SG

Keepin' it alive

Just very happy to see the younger generation being interested in music & keeping the passion alive. In this day & age, youths out there are too immersed into social media & thinking that's the benchmark of personal ability. If you stop to take pics of performing individuals out there, please offer some contributions, even if it means giving up loose change; it means a lot to them. 

E Arrow

The Arrow model is now offered as an Edwards iteration. This E-Arrow-1H as the name implies, is a single humbucker vesion. Specifically, it's a Fishman Fluence Modern to handle all sorts of distortion antics.

Pic: ESP Japan

Mid-year promo @ SL

Swee Lee is having a mid-year promo on selected items. No idea how many of us out there are still in the market for the Ibanez AZ but be informed that it's on 20% off (AZ2203, AZ2204, AZS2209 included). I find this enticing considering the list price of an AZ is a whisker away from $3K.

For a more utilitarian option, the RG470DX / RG450DX are also on sale - $559 after discount.

Pics: Ibanez

Mc 56

This is the new PRS McCarty SC56, a 40th Anniversary commemorative unit & the company's recognition & respect for Ted McCarty. It's a limited edition piece so it may / may not be available here & it's gonna cost a premium.

Do note that the body is chambered at selected spots to address the weight issue.

Pics: PRS

Eidul Adha

Eid greetings to all Muslim readers. Another sombre holiday at my end. Obligatory visit to the parents' & chilling out with my gear at home. Wishing everyone a good break & an equally good week ahead.

Ibanez: June (2)

A Japan only release in the mean time - the Ibanez RG8571. Hoping to see more fixed bridge units in the upper tier range. 

That bridge there looks like a Hipshot but it's an Ibanez Gibraltar Elite model. I still see it as a Hipshot variation, nothing too different.

Pics: Ibanez Japan

Volante (2)

I don't know why I missed this out the last time - Kramer's new Volante model is also offered in a single-action whammy bridge. The neck single coil there is an in-house Triton model which is hum cancelling. Once again, I'm calling out the local Kramer dealer here for the lack of enthusiasm & deserving goodwill. It's good that we have a local Kramer dealer here but things are just not happening in terms of availability.

Pic: Kramer

Snapper 20th

ESP is commemorating the 20th anniversary of its Snapper design. Looks awesome, yes? The ESP at the headstock there means you'd be paying a premium for one.

There's the Edwards version if you're interested. Equally appealing (Japanese) but at a lower price point. The fact that these are anniversary models means they are limited in production & has a 50/50 chance of making it to the local distributor. 

Pics: ESP

Ibanez: June 2025

The only new model this June from the Ibanez camp: RG8520. Understandably so because come Summer, all the outstanding NAMM models would be released. This is a J-Custom so all the elite appointments are in there. I still can't come to terms with the TOL inlay, it messes up my fretboard navigation. 

Pic: Ibanez

White start

I love this guitar despite not playing it often. It's all about the weight - heavy. I can't really handle it after about 20min of play as it would numb my right leg severely. Due to the intensive chemo not too long ago, there were some nerve damages here so lapping this heavy guitar would compound the discomfort. 

I love the deep, heavy tones I could manifest with this guitar. The weight per se & the pickups (Seymour Duncan JB / '59) play an important part in this. It works better with riffs as opposed to solos. I don't need to play fast with this one, & I completely understand why those doom inclined prefer a guitar of this make to fulfil their sonic assault. You won't see this in the stores here these days as ESP has scaled down on its copy designs due to obvious legalities. 

Of course, the obligatory re-string before play - Darco 10s.

Used, May '25

Starting June positively. Sending this over to the recycling bin. That's how many strings I've used since September 2024. You now understand why I find it necessary to see things through with budget strings that are, at the very least, not repulsive. Wishing everyone a good start to the mid-year.

Meow-niversary

Taking this time to commemorate meow's 11th anniversary with us. That's right, she wasn't born here, we took her in years ago as she was dumped at our workplace. Unfortunately, the workplace building was gonna be closed down & we were moving out so meow came home with us. This is her typical pose everyday, she would fall asleep on her favourite / preferred plastic bag, leaning against the plushie TS. We are still hazy as to when she actually came in to live with us but we could all agree it was May. We love you, Lisa the cat.

Kyber

The Kiesel Kyber is the latest offering by the manufacturer & according to them, it's their sleekest to date. The body is thin & light but still fulfilling in terms of playability. That bottom end there facilitates playing in the 'classical' position while sitting down. Those forearms look rather thin & susceptible to snapping but I trust the Kiesel camp knows what it's doing.

If you find that headstock disturbingly familiar, I'm leaving this Parker headstock here for your understanding.

Pics: Kiesel / flyclone

EC2025

The commemorative 25th Anniversary LTD Eclipse is now available at Davis GMC. I was actually looking forward to this as the ESP company has a special consideration in my guitar adventure. It's listing for $2,150 (hard case included) which is a deal breaker for me... just not meant to be.

Pic: ESP Eclipse FB

Standard presence

The EVH Standard TOM is now available at Swee Lee ($949) if you are interested. A sub-$1K price tag to entice the enthusiasts who prefer the non-whammy feature. 

Back in its Peavey days, the Wolfgang was indeed given the no-whammy treatment; the Wolfgang Standard Hardtail. So this EVH version is nothing outstanding.

Pics: EVH / PG 

C1 Standard

This is how the C1 looks like today. I used to own one but it was in a natural, non-gloss finish. The good thing about Schecter is that, along the way, they would refine their current models to acclimatize to the contemporary looks based on the developments of their other models in the catalog. Faded finish, covered pickups & that hardtail bridge are ready enticements for beginners & pros alike. The list price here is also an enticement itself: $680

Pic: Schecter

Metro express

Good stuff from the Sadowsky camp, the affordable Metro Express (China) basses. This J-type lists for $999 (Swee Lee).

Also available, the PJ variation listing for as much. In this price range, it's good to look at non-Fender stuff out there for some value-for-money considerations unless the F name is a pre-requisite of your bass desires.

Pics: Star Music

Indoor Sunday

It's one of those days when playing some guitars don't work. Was playing singlecuts before settling down with this one. Was working on some doom-type riffs; lots of bottom end & slightly fuzzy overall voicing. On other days, those singlecuts worked fine, especially the heavier ones but not today. This one saved me the frustration of trying to figure out what went wrong. So the next time something doesn't work for you, try switching guitars. 

Departed

Taking a break from gear updates today as I bid farewell to an old friend. He was my ex-school mate. We kept in touch along the way. He managed to send over some food when I was on chemo & stayed indoors due to the COVID outbreak. His mum was one of the school canteen vendors back then so I jokingly said I missed his mum's cooking & the food arrived a couple of days later. It was a sudden death on the early Friday morning, he did not make it to the office. 

Reminds me of how fragile life is especially for individuals like myself; immuno-deficient & a high likelihood of a recurring cancer. It was a blazing hot day & my knees barely made it at the end of it all. 

Sphalerite

Not new. The RG8870 had been in the catalog since October 2024. Just wanna announce its presence here (Swee Lee, $4,899). It took seven months. Some people give birth after seven months, yes? One more time - this finish is called brown sphalerite.

Pic: Ibanez

Mother

This is a trio of single coils designed for Philip Sayce. They are affectionately referred to as the Mother single coils. Apparently, these are on a limited run of 500 units but high demand necessitated the production of more units to come but expect a back-order queue if you are interested in these. Have yet to see them at Davis GMC & not expecting to see them any time soon.

Pic: Seymour Duncan

PRS SE Studio Standard

Have not been keeping up with the PRS SE releases / development. PRS SE joins Fender (Mex) & LTD in manifesting excessive asking prices that betrayed their initial affordable pedigree. We notice that top tier features (or variation of these features) are being cascaded unto these models to justify higher prices. The Studio Standard you see above is listing for $1,149. Basically, this is an SE CE given the gloss treatment & a more celebrated set of pickups. Price is nearly double that of the SE CE's. 

Based on price alone, it's unfair to speculate the instrument's worthiness. Individual discretion is required. If you think it's worth parting money for this type of guitar, by all means, please do so. As it is, just by the sheer visual reference, I deem this price to be agreeable. It's already available at Swee Lee if you are interested.

Pic: PRS

Volante

Kramer has the new Volante model flying its shred-friendly flag. 

It has a quilt top variant to entice you in equal parts. Pickups are Kramer's own Neptune humbuckers & the bridge is an FR1000 unit. Still trying to figure out why the Volante is a necessary release in view of the numerous shred-tastic models Kramer has in its catalogue. On a personal note, I associate Kramer with the pointy / banana-esque headstock, this headstock design is a no go for me.

Pics: Kramer

Gibson Singapore ...

This is taken off the Gibson Singapore FB wall. Apparently, there is a unifying banner in cyberdom to fortify the Gibson name in this country. What used to be a simple distributorship under Swee Lee is now a band of commercial entities distributing the various Gibson brands. Sad to say that none of the stores listed here has a full or near catalog-worthy line up of guitars on offer so certain segments of the guitar community are not being attended to. I'm calling out Cristofori as being the worst on this list in terms of product availability. I would reserve further comments in the hope that the good people at Cristofori might be suffering from delayed shipment & other unforeseen circumstances that are threatening their distributorship goodwill. Hopefully.

Stick 'em up!

Some people said I've desecrated my guitars with undeserving stickers...

• These are my guitars so exercizing some creative liberties are within my discretion
• If I feel better with external implements on my guitar, then everything else does not matter
• These stickers were done on pickguards which are replaceable when the need arises
• I have some guitars to spare when it comes to manifesting artistic considerations, so why not

Bottom line - others need not go with your flow. Whatever makes you happy.

Compact Iconic

The good people at EVH had released a bedroom-friendly (size-wise) 5150 tone for the common folks - the 5150 Iconic 1x10 combo. Despite being accommodating to many indoor guitar players in search of a good tube tone without spending excessively, the driver here is a 10" unit. 

After years of playing real amps (not a plug-in fan), I'm of the opinion that 10" drivers are more appealing for cleans & bass tones. I guess driven tones thrive on something slightly bigger to supplement that driven / distorted signals. Then again, I might be tempted to invest in one if the price is right. Right might be wrong for some of us.

Pic: EVH

H&K to Thomann

The Hughes & Kettner brand had been acquired by Thomann. The German store now has an amp brand & in-house guitar brand (Harley Benton) to expand its reaches into the music community. Do you recall which store here brought in the H&K brand of amps? Clue: Store has ceased operations.

Pic: H&K

Tactics

Finally, we get to feel the Bacchus Japan quality here at Davis GMC. This Tactics24 ($1,350) model is from the Tune-up Series. Good appointments here but the pickups are in-house. Please take time to hear them in action before being dismissive. In my opinion, they are above expectations. Also, there's something about Japanese craftsmanship, regardless of the brand name, that makes them feel exclusive.

Pic: Deviser

Criss (2)

My effort to re-discover Criss Oliva. Took a while but very happy with these two initial purchases. More to come, of course.

 

Starmast

As anticipated, the Starmaster (Japan) is available here (Swee Lee: $2,199). It's a limited run affair so... there.

Pic: Fender

 

Vesak

A day of rest. A day to recuperate. A day to reflect on why life had been like this lately.

 

JW

I've seen this discussed elsewhere. Those extensive features should make this guitar very desirable, but it just doesn't appeal to me. It's like an excessively upgraded Tele, so excessive that it ceased to be desirable. The Jack White Tele is yours for $5,499 (Swee Lee).

Pic: Fender

Price watch (94): Internal conflict

We could all agree that at the end of it all, price matters. Look at these Jacksons, the standard size JS12 is listing for just $20 more than the Minion. There is already a very niche appeal for the shorter-scaled Minion models & its further pressured by that slight price difference. The standard size JS will definitely be more appealing in the after-market. Both these guitars do not come with bags. The Minion requires a smaller bag, the Minion Series bag to be precise so that's $75 more before you bring it home. The Koda EGB ONE bag can fit the JS12, no issue, it's only $15. You do the Math, it's clear which one is more appealing for those of us with a limited shopping budget.

The American Performer P-bass is $250 more than the Japanese Heritage Series 60s P-bass. The Performer is Fender's most affordable American, while the Heritage is currently Fender Japan's top tier range. We all know how the Japanese make their Fenders - absolute respect for QC. Folks, that marginal difference, which one would you choose?

A Premium Ibanez (Indonesia) lists for more than $2K while the demure but irresistible Genesis (Japan) is about $500 lesser. Tough call, yes?

Disclaimers:

• decision-making is more than just looking at listed prices, other factors come into play (product appeal e.g. limited edition, discontinuity, playability, etc.)
• the figures above are domestic retail prices, many of us tend to veer into the dark side of the after-market more often than not
• buying anything, not just musical instruments, is a personal choice, regardless of the external influential decision-making politics involved

Pics: Fender / Ibanez