Black cat

Well, look what just happened; it's a black kitty now. This will retail for more than $600 if it debuts here. Worth your precious money? Up to you, it's your money.

Pic: Fender

BG / WG

Not new, definitely, but given the gold hardware treatment. We all know the proverbial guitar that sports this black finish - gold hardware combo. Here it is...

Nothing, new indeed. The black - gold finish just exudes class & the Les Paul Custom had been an enduring image in this light.

The Fender Japan camp also offer the white - gold combo if black is not your thing. 

Pics: Fender Japan

Ibanez: August '24

We begin August in the knowledge that Ibanez had decided to perpetuate the Genesis RG550 by adding a couple of new colours to the fold - black & electric blue.

Pic: Ibanez

SG Stealth

The Gibson SG Standard is perhaps a guitar to be left as it is. Any mods & the re-sale value would dip. Because this guitar is mine, it will manifest a form suitable for my needs & aesthetic pleasure regardless of what lies ahead in terms of  value. I do not buy instruments to be shackled by such expectations & the general conjecture of what an SG Standard should be. As you can see from the initial details above, it's now in stealth mode.

The original full face pickguard had been blacked out. It's not a replacement pickguard, it's the original with the side's 3-ply given a paint job; one of the easiest thing to do in this case. Also, the pickups are now Seymour Duncan JB / Jazz pairing. It's the custom floor black cover version. Screws were given the noir touch as well.

One more time - the hard case is supposed to protect the instrument against the elements but it's another disheartening episode of distrust; metal reacting with the interior lining resulting in pitting & corrosion. This hardware made way for a worthy replacement; the Faber ABR-1 style tune-o-matic bridge. If you are interested, Faber parts are available at TYMC.

In line with the stealth theme, reflector knobs & cream toggle switch cap were removed & replaced with black ones. I've grown too accustomed to the knobs' function & moved away from having them labelled volume & tone. Over time, we should be conditioned to know what these do instead of resorting to visual reliance. 

Finally, the obligatory black truss rod cover & a fresh set of GHS 10.5s to propel doomed thoughts. This guitar is detuned half a step & will not be a reference for nice songs for a long time to come.

E-LPC

 

So I bought this. It's the Edwards E-LPC. It's not an attempt to embrace make believe; it's not a Gibson by any means. The feel is different, especially the neck. I also did not retain the default pickups. Gave it a Duncan JB/ Jazz treatment because that's what I want to hear, I do not wish for an LP Custom voicing. OK so it's another black guitar for me, it's forgivable because it's a good one.

Ibanez 2020 (6)

We're back to the Ibanez front & I must say that the Pia entry just days ago didn't sit too well with some of us here. Don't get me wrong, I'm a big Ibanez fan; almost half of what I own in the mean time are Ibanez stuff. I see the Pia making some false turns in terms of refinements & I will confidently say it won't live up to the JEM legacy. I'm sure it's a good instrument in every way & will please the fans. Moving on, lots of things happening in the AZ camp & it's definitely good news that a lefty model joins the ranks this year. Well, done, Ibanez.

This next one has what I want in terms of variation. It's an ash bodied take with covered pickups & 22 frets. Some of us might think that 22 frets is an inferior take but 22 is ideal for people who seldom venture up high & I must say I'm definitely one of them. What I don't want is an exclusive burst finish & in the mean time, that's the only finish available. 

This AZ2204B is the buzz. People are liking the finish & overall colour combo as it makes the instrument very Gilmour-ish. If you've noticed, Ibanez only introduced black for the AZ this year & guess what? Nobody talks about not having black previously so it proves that a black finish, despite having the ability to sell truckloads, isn't entirely a dominant selling factor. 

On that note, another black finish is available for the AZ2402. Discontinued this year are the sea foam green & pink so making them highly collectable. Be wary of those who are trying to clear them away in the after-market & citing them as rare. 

Black deals

Damn! Selected  offer for black SOLAR Guitars. Hope it's not too late for you if you're interested. I've got too many black ones here, wish it's extended to other colours.

Black. Duh.

Latest from the Fender camp- a trio of black Mex models (Noir Special Edition). All black, satin finish with red edge pickguards- these are the highlights, everything else is a typical Mex spec. It's releases like this that screams desperation but in this industry, variation of a theme is a norm. Buyers are somehow hooked on colour play, the industry cashing in on personal preferences. Anyway, this series of instruments are priced below the current generation of Mex models, seeing the initial figures, they should list below the $1K mark.

Ibanez: FR420

The Ibanez FR series are not new this year but they were only available here in January 2013. This was definitely on my to-get list, it's a simple guitar, testing the player for his abilities more than a testimony of having locking hardware in an instrument & making the owner feel good. I held back because the FR420 was introduced this year so I was really hoping it's gonna make it to these shores, otherwise, I have to make arrangements for special purchases which I know will not make me happy (extra costs involved- GRRR...). 

But thanks to the forces that be, the FR420 was in stock in the second quarter of 2013 & here it is now. I'm not a sucker for the sunburst finish which was not the reason I held back but the FR420 sports an ash body while the FR320, mahogany. It's not about any superiority issues- no. I just prefer mine to be a little brighter because of the pickups I am gonna put in there. 

One more thing, my friends. The FR320 is also offered in white but this is a regional exclusive finish (meaning: offered in some countries only, it's not offered in the USA) & it's discontinued so if you like it white, grab one while it's still available. Also, the FR420 is not offered in the USA, the FR320 is not offered in Japan. This means, we are one of the fortunate people to have both models in the stores here. Here are some prices (NETT) for your reference:

• FR320 (black): SGD549
• FR320 (white): SGD630
• FR420 (sunburst): SGD639

Thank you, brother FAIZAL (Swee Lee BB), for the assistance, as always :-)

Over the horizon...

A glimpse of my new darling. It's unforgivably black; that's my ONLY gripe.

The un-blackening... (1)

This is one of my Ibanez S-series which was originally black...

... but after this morning, it sports a gold finish. The hue isn't obvious in this pic, would update one taken in broad daylight. I'm waiting for some spares before showing the complete make-over. Stay tuned...