Destroy

Ibanez DTX120, manufactured in Y2K, Korea. More of a novelty model because players prefer the standard size Destroyer, not this petite version. Not a fan of such irregular body outline but since it's smaller than the usual Destroyer, why not.

The default AH pickups were below expectations, to put it nicely. These are used Schaller pickups I got for cheap. Nothing outstanding, they serve my needs & certainly not for those of us in search of immaculate clean tones.

Destroying Sunday

Sudden urge to hear this one in action. This doesn't get played too often due to how heavy it is. Anyway, the push-pull tone pot stopped working & the volume knob crackled despite repeatedly being blasted by contact spray. That means... 

... it's off to Beez's to get things looked into. 30min worth of servicing & it's all good to go. Beez advised me to get all three pots replaced instead of just the dysfunctional pair. Wise words indeed.

Of course, a quick re-string before action started. 

While travelling with this guitar (using a bag, not that hard case), I could feel the weight of it pushing down my knees. I took time to stop, re-generate of sorts, before moving on. Folks, it's been a few years of my chemo meds & it's affecting me / my body more than I realized. Would not exclude the possibility of needing a walking aid in time to come.

 Wishing you a good week ahead & free from cancer & its side effects.

--------------------------------------------

PS: Thank you, Lee Eng Kim Muhd Hakim, for your kind contributions.

Destruction

Back in its heyday, Ibanez was known as a clone manufacturer; whatever the big two had in their catalogs, Ibanez would offer an interpretation at a fraction of the cost. The Destroyer here is a mutant of a certain Gibson, the initial design was legally taken to task so this version perpetuated the manufacturer's knack for following others. However, we know how the Destroyer played its part in history (Van Halen/ Def Leppard, among others) so to date, there is still a Destroyer lurking somewhere in the Ibanez catalogs (they disappeared entirely along the way, but come backs happened every now & then). To date, the DT425GB is the perpetuating Ibanez to note.

For discussion's sake, here's how Phil Collen's Ibanez Destroyer looks like. These still go for a good price at evil bay. 

pic: jackson.com

In a recent resurgence, Phil Collen collaborated with Jackson for this X-stroyer model. Hmm...

I'm glad I got mine when it was on clearance :-) (DTT700)

Destroyer re-visited

This is an interesting development- the Ibanez DT520 Destroyer is offered in Europe only following the recent Musikmesse show. We hope this would make it here because this version bears a closer resemblance to the discontinued Rocket Roll models circa 1980s.

PRS SE: Korina One

This is a simple beauty- simply wonderful, simply well-made, simply attractive in every way. For those of us who thrive on limitations (because it pushes us to our limits & give our best, not relying on detailed provisions) we'd love PRS' SE Korina One. The other sweet factor here is the instrument's body wood: Korina.

The documented goodness of Korina is of course backed by the venerable Van Halen who used to own an Ibanez Destroyer made from this wood (circa Women & Children First). The subsequent hacking of this guitar's body which rendered the instrument irrecoverable is the stuff of legends. Recently, Paul Gilbert's Fireman 1 Ibanez guitar featured this wood for the body as well. But more importantly, the instrument's tonal goodness speaks for itself upon hearing it in action. The SE Korina One is now available at Davis GMC for you to hear just that, its list price is pending release, ladies & gentlemen.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The PRS SE Korina was previously mentioned here: CLICK

Van Halen's Ibanez Destroyer was previously mentioned here: CLICK

PS: Thanks Janet/ Chris for letting me plug this guitar into the PRS SE amp.

Ibanez: GDTM21

On the topic of a shorter-scaled guitars, Ibanez has this GIO Destroyer in the MIKRO series; it's only 22" from nut to bridge. The interesting guitars are everywhere but here. BUMMER.

Anew

The mouldy Ibanez Destroyer guitar case- remember that one? After a wipe down with damp cloth & letting it dry, I applied this Fender vinyl cleaner fluid. It's a little excessive to be treating it this way but has that restored look I like. Makes it look newer than it should be.

Domestic destruction (3)

Yes, the DTT700 suffered from a dry fret condition, I think you can tell which fret areas were re-moisturized & which ones were not.

A fresh set of strings, GHS .009s. Other rectifications/ adjustments done:

• Neck was straightened. Not that it was severely warped but I needed that bit of leeway to complement a lower action
• Action was lowered, not the lowest I could achieve but it facilitated my quirks, that's more important
• Pickup heights were lowered 

The Destroyer, finally up to scratch & removed from its previous neglect. I love this guitar for the tone & playability, not quite the outline. The excessive tail end has no elbow relief feature, I find this annoying but all in all, the DiMarzios in there interacted well with the overall weight of the instrument to give that fantastic low end rumble. As the D'Activators were conceived to be pseudo-active units, it means that your neck pickup tones won't go limp on you in times of need. More on this in subsequent episodes...

Oh, this is the current alliteration after the DTT700's acquisition: Destroyer's DiMarzio D'Activators.

Domestic destruction (2)

This was the showroom condition of the DTT700; very dusty. You can see my fingerprints on the truss rod cover. Back there, the guitar was hung up on the higher tier so it was subject to less handling, the weight per se would put many potential buyer off.

You'd wonder why the strings & the fretboard are of uniform colour; well, that's the colour of rust... I have a feeling this guitar was played many times when it was a fresh addition to the showroom & it was ignored thereafter. More dust at the lower cutaway- saw that?

Domestic destruction (1)

This was the scene when Swee Lee opened their doors this morning at 10.00A.M. sharp. Fortunately, there was no limited entrance, everyone was allowed to step into the store.

It was a grab-&-pay affair for me, I'd made my mind up yesterday so there was no waiting. This was the hard case for the instrument & it was incredibly mouldy as indicated by the arrows, not quite visible here. 

The guitar in question is Ibanez's Destroyer DTT700, a very hefty instrument. In fact, it nearly destroyed my arms while carrying it home. I was fighting both the weight & the case's slippery, mouldy handle. This guitar is in dire need of a make-over... Will update later, heading for a wedding lunch now. Adios, everyone.

Wish it was back: Ibanez DTX-120

This is not the classic Ibanez Destroyer that so irked a certain manufacturer back in the 1970s, it's a rather recent discontinuation; the DTX-120 (OK... not so recent, maybe 4-5 years ago...). I remember there were 2 others in this series, the ADD & ICX, both featured a scaled-down body & hailed from the X-series of Ibanez offerings which were quirky looking & appealed to the leftist design fanatics among us. Wish they reissue this one because the current Destroyer (DTT-00) offered today features a big body but you'd argue it looks more authentic, closer to the classic Destroyer of the past.

Ibanez 2009: Touchdown! (Part 1)

The above 2009 Ibanez (Indonesian) guitars are now available @ Swee Lee (thanks Adam @ BB showroom for the heads-up!):

• RGA32: List- $856
• DTT700: List- $1,920
• XP300: List- $735 (bag included- wise move, Ibanez...)
  

The weekend crowd prevented me from trying them all, I just managed to try the RGA32 & it sounds very commanding in the midrange partly attributable to its light nature, unlike its Destroyer sibling which makes the average Les Paul easy handling. One of the above guitars would be following me home tomorrow (Monday 12th Jan)...

Ibanez: 2009 anticipations (Part 3)

This 2009, the Destroyer makes a come back...

People are asking me when these guitars would ship in here; I have no idea. If they do make it here at all (some are regional exclusives), it would be well after NAMM's '09 winter event.