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

Selling: Claren Guitars 2M.st

Tough times ahead. Employment contract will terminate in a few weeks. Selling. Thanks for reading.

• Claren Guitars: 2M Standard (hard case included)
• Full solid (mahogany) construction, rosewood fretboard, okoume neck
• Electro-acoustic
• Scale length: 24.8"
• Self-collect @ CCK / Yew Tee mrt station
• Contact: email at left shoulder of this page
• No reservations / trades
• Price is final: $550

With 2m

An instrument with a certain brand name in a certain price bracket would be duly scrutinized before an acquisition takes place. The scrutiny becomes a wee bit more intense when the brand name is a little offbeat with a touch of local craftsmanship to taste. Folks, the guitar you see here is the Claren 2M.st flying the domestic flag in its manifestation. 

So here you go; a statement of introduction as well as clear intent of what the brand name is all about. When it comes to all things acoustic, I would be overwhelmed with indifference in most occasions, unless that guitar is worth my considerations regardless of its being. 

All Claren guitars are full solid instruments. Looking at the list price of the 2M.st, you'd be thinking if the instrument underwent multiple corner cuttings in order to be existing in this price bracket. I'm telling you up front, the hard case, tuners & electronics featured here are unmarked accessories to keep the price in check. To many of us, brandless items equal poor quality-performance but you'd be surprised how many well known instrument out there are equipped with semi-pathetic, nameless accessories & we fell for these brand names. The ones featured in all Claren guitars are downright respectable & take away nothing in terms of goodwill in every aspect.

How do I rate the 2M.st? I find the overall construction very impressive, especially the neck-body joint areas; all contact surfaces are sealed & we don't see this from the bigger brand names out there. The neck profile here is absolutely addictive & the neck per se is robust with imposing playability. Coming from a predominantly electric guitar player, I've to say it's simply addictive. The other splendid feature here is the instrument's scale length - 24.8". I deem this important for those of us who are not strum-inclined & are technical in our playing. Of course, again being up front, me being me, I don't find the body dimensions appealing to smaller framed players who wish to spend more time with the acoustic guitar but are unwilling to compromise tone. In this light, I'm forgiving in the embrace of overall playability & tone; I'm still in love with mahogany when it comes to acoustics. 

OK, not turning this into a personal gripe episode, the Claren instruments are definitely worth checking out especially for those who are desensitized with brand name supremacy (whatever this means) & prioritize playability / tone. With that said, buying a Claren means you have a firm intention of keeping the instrument, making it a personal embrace & not worrying about anything else. 

Visit Claren Guitars here: CLICK

Baby boom

 

I wasn't aware there's a mahogany top version of the Baby Taylor. I'm pretty much done with travel-sized acoustics as these sound boxy especially after trying the Martin LX1s. I'm definitely a fan of the playability but the tone could be more appealing. Even the Ed Sheeren version of the LX is wrong when it comes to the price-to-performance consideration. 

And then this BT2 came in for a re-string. The owner bought this guitar during the lockdown period, thinking she could pick up some playing skills but the interest died along the way. The guitar was left unplayed for more than a year. She wanted to put this up for sale & I thought I could give it some TLC before it finds a new owner. The tone from this one is just impressive. Yes, it still sounds a little wanting but more defined & organic than the LX1 I tried. The other more notable difference - volume. This is another non-braced back Taylor model that sounds huge & impressive in this aspect. The clarity that goes with it is definitely a plus. 

Ibanez LACS 50th Ann

So, after the dust had settled on the 2022 Ibanez releases, they pulled some surprises from the LACS commemorating the manufacturer's 50th Anniversary which I am unaware of. I will mention three in this episode which are fundamentally the AZs, given the LACS treatment. The flame maple top version here is called Sly.

If you prefer a quilted version instead, then meet Roscoe.

These are just costly, super hyped AZ models, you say? It's the first to feature a through-neck design. Most probably, this will not be cascaded onto the other interpretations, making these models unique.

But you are an HH kinda guy / gal then the Golden Eagle might be it.

Unlike Sly & Roscoe, the Golden Eagle has a completely finished rear body so you can't see the through-neck construction. Also, it has a pau ferro fretboard & a swamp ash body. Its other two siblings sport a mahogany body & rosewood fretboard. All three guitars sport a generic black headstock finish which IMO make the instruments look less exquisite at this end. Oh well, it doesn't matter anyway because these won't be available here. The official Ibanez distributor said these are American models which they can't acquire. That's strange isn't it? Considering the EBMM & some exquisite Fender Custom Shop models in store are from the USA as well. 😶

Pics: Ibanez CS

Twang Tuesday

One for Tele Tuesday. Have no obligations to play this on a Tuesday, really, just a coincidence. Anyway, purists are still putting this down for not being a Tele. There is a sizeable following that says it is. As the dichotomy continues, we sometime failed to see the culprit - Fender. That's right folks, the manufacturer named it as such so don't blame people for calling it as such. 

Ibanez: AW54JR (owner's take)

Howdy, folks! If you've been hanging out here, you know I'm not much of an acoustic person but I deem owning an acoustic guitar as necessary for serious guitar engagements because the unplugged nature engages the player in a different way as opposed to the drive-centric, amplified responses of a solid body guitar. Here's my take on the Ibanez AW54JR, a 2018 release by Ibanez with simplicity & delivery in mind.

Followers are leaders

It took a while for Ibanez to finally offer a scaled down version of a popular dreadnought without delineating it into a beginner's reference devoid of serious appointments & affordability in mind. The AW54JR here is a mahogany unit (solid top) less the fretboard & bridge which are ovankol. I was fortunate enough to be getting an out-of-the-box unit so it pretty much reflected the factory philosophy of a pre-set up guitar. Nothing bad to say here, every detail was spot on & the nut slot creak I expected wasn't even there to begin with. Tuning was smooth but a little unstable due to the freshness of things; strings look very new & not set in so a little stretching was due & done with. Unlike a travel unit, the AW54JR is devoid of that small frame, it's in fact about 80% of a standard size dreadnought reference & getting accustomed to it was rather immediate (especially for a small-built person like yours truly). 

Let's not kid ourselves by believing Ibanez is at the forefront of this technology with reference to this model but in terms of QC & that forearm relief inclusion, they are indeed one of the leading names when it comes to quality-cost ratio. 

Playability/ tone

We should not measure the AW54JR's performance against a standard dreadnought reference simply because it's conceived to be a different instrument in this aspect. The satin open pore finish is a chief contributor to pleasant playability. In fact, I'd rate this playing experience as excellent but may not appeal to those with larger hands & accustomed to gloss-neck finishes. This was further accentuated by the large frets on board (forgive the pun) so fretting was easy peasy as kids in school would say. Those with shred inclinations would also appreciate the bigger frets for accuracy & light touches. 

One thing that got me the most was volume- this guitar was way louder than expected & manifested a balanced tone not treble-inclined as one would expect from smaller-bodied acoustics. The mahogany is responsible for this impression so all you acoustic-philes who rate spruce top highly, this would be an alternative tonal experience that would not throw you off. Mahogany is also a finger picker's wood  of choice but the AW54JR is one heck of a strummer as well- thumbs up!

Parting words

The AW54JR is not the epitome of acoustic ear candy but it's a top notch offering by Ibanez for players who are not critical when it comes to features. It lists for more than $350 so there are plenty of worthy competitors out there in terms of price but playability & tone are the AW54JR's forte. A scaled down instrument was never designed for ladies or kids exclusively & shouldn't be relegated to such an understanding. The AW54JR is a worthy guitar with lots of inspirational moments waiting to be unlocked by the discerning players. Recommended. 👍

Model: Ibanez AW54JR (bag included)

Availability: Swee Lee Co.

Rating: 90%

Worthy competitors:

• Martin: Dreadnought Jr
• Taylor: Big Baby
• Sigma: TT-12E
• Yamaha: CSF3M
• Veelah: Mini Camper M

AE goodness

The Ibanez AE series have come a long way in terms of quality. These were offered mostly as starter packs for those of us treading the path of despair when it comes to gear financing. The ones higher up the tier make good electric acoustic models but they are largely non-solid top models with acceptable tones. 

The AE245 model seen here is a solid mahogany top model in the $600 price bracket. This is one of the later inclusions that pay homage to details & tone, effectively shifting away from affordability focus per se. It plays darn well for a cut away model & has some great warmth to the ring, thanks to the mahogany attributes, of course. You'd be hard pressed to find a similar offering from the Big 3 names here (Martin/ Taylor/ Takamine) as they skimp in areas which could have made the instrument more befitting when it comes to unplugged goodness. Some tones in action:

Shrunken-nought

This is another addition to Ibanez's increasing line up of smaller acoustics. The AW54MINIGB is a simple, shrunken dreadnought with a cool body binding. If you are familiar with Martin's Dreadnought Jr or Taylor's Big Baby, this should be a familiar embrace. Solid mahogany top- please note.

List: $349 (Swee Lee Co.)

The mini gift

This Takamine GX11ME (cheekily labelled as Taka mini in the sound hole) won't be a hit with the crowd for 2 main reasons: 1) It's a 3/4 size guitar 2) It's not a solid top model. I personally don't mind these unglamorous attributes because I prioritize QC, tone & playability above all else. The rest are, to me, bonus considerations (especially for acoustic guitars). I spent quite some time at the store trying it out before parting with cash. For a G-Series Takamine, the QC on show is respectable. The tone is a little bland when it comes to chords but I'm not a chord fan, I'm playing this for its warm & lush single notes, especially when finger picked. It's a winner with me, nothing else is more important. So happy birthday to me!

Then again, today is not my birthday :-)

PRS: SEA10E

We know that the SE range by PRS is the manufacturer's more affordable take on its USA range. We may adore the PRS guitars out there but ownership will be a hindrance to many of us & it's all about the price. We also know that the SE standard of production is not a compromise by any means. It's not about putting that 'PRS' tag at stake & that's the quality assurance we get which is why getting a PRS SE is a pleasant experience for many of us. The SE range had just seen a mahogany addition, a gorgeous solid top instrument to say the least. We do not quite look up to PRS for a distinguished acoustic experience unlike some Martin, Taylor or Takamine instruments with tremendous history backing them up but I've played some SE acoustics & I must say that the accounts are as intriguing as the solid body counterparts. PRS has joined the mahogany camp so it gives variety to the range & it's a wise move.

Perpetual burning Ibanez

Greetings, guitars folks. This one had been probably done to death- me covering how Duncans sound like in an Ibanez guitar. I'm at it again simply because I am a fan of both brand names. They are awesome together (for me) & I'd do well to retain this combination to prevent any tone adversities (for me at least).

As related before, the Duncan Perpetual Burn (PB) is an Alnico V pickup, it wasn't conceived to do an all-out metal manifestation but it has the potential. As seen above, it's in my Ibanez S771 bridge position & the guitar sports a mahogany body as well as a fixed bridge. Despite being a fixed bridge unit, the spacing here is that of an F-spaced bridge so the Trembucker PB is in use. The complementary pickups are the Quarter pounder single coil in the middle & the Jazz in the neck.

The PB is a good clean performer namely due to its Alnico pedigree despite sporting a stronger V core. That's the likable characteristic with alnicos; there's a higher probability of them sounding good, clean. The PB was conceived to be a medium output humbucker & that's the reason it doesn't muck up at higher distortion settings. I set my EVH 5150 III to stun during test time & the clarity was impressive at any volume settings. I heard a spiked top end coming from the PB with an acceptable response from the midrange. However, the bottom end need a little jerk from the amp's EQ section to get a convincing metal-type chugging. This is a Jason Becker specified humbucker, it's not meant to appease those treading the metal turf exclusively. Nevertheless, the application is there for the taking. To put it straight, the black metal guys would be more at home with this pickup as opposed to the scooped-EQ type players. Jason Becker fans would highlight the fact that (most of) his guitars were alder bodied but rest assured, the PB is a great pickup to have in a mahogany guitar.

Mahogany brothers

Friday morning with the mahogany twins- Ibanez PF58 (L) & Sigma TM15 (R).

They sport similar specs- an all mahogany affair with rosewood fretboards but there are detailed differences that made me separate them in term of preferences:

1. The Ibanez is a little heavier than the Sigma so when it comes to a more convincing bottom end, the Ibanez is it. This deeper voicing is the reason why I always pick up the Ibanez first then proceed with the Sigma should I get bored or in need of a change along the way.
2. The sigma has a solid top construction & this would invite the notion that it's a 'better' instrument than the Ibanez- that's subjective. The solid top feature here indeed adds more projection focus, but the Ibanez isn't worse-off because of this exclusion; they both appeal in their own individual ways.
3. The Ibanez has a soft V-profile at the lower frets of the neck end, while the Sigma, I'd say, has a grip-friendly D-profile. You'd expect a more rounded specs from the Sigma but that's not the case. So in addition to introverted chording frenzy, the Sigma would induce some shred at times. Awesome!

 I have Gallistrings 010s in both guitars; yes, I prefer a lighter gauge for my acoustics. If they sound inviting with 009s in there, I'd have stuck to that formula but acoustics were not meant for that kind of string gauge. Oh, the Sigma is $100 more than the Ibanez :-)

Ibanez PF-58: Swee Lee Co

Sigma TM-15: Davis GMC

Ibanez: RG2717

New from Ibanez for this fall- RG2717. My kinda guitar: single humbucker/ non-locking hardware/ mahogany body. In the mean time, it's a Japan-only model but we know how these things can be acquired. It seems that all the good stuff are elsewhere but here. Hmm...

Variety!

Quit whining- we now have a good range of mid-priced Ibanez models with different body wood to choose from. Above pic: (From top to bottom): RG370 (basswood)/ RG470MHZ (mahogany)/ RG470AHZ (ash). They feature the same hardware & bridge type (EZ-II thumbs-up!) so these pretty much give you a fair comparison across models. Price-wise, they are also in the same bracket. The RG470 models are pending price listing but inferring from the tier they're from & the features on board, they shouldn't exceed $800.

I'm expecting this comment: Basswood so there's more bass in there, right? :-/

Ibanez 2012: RG470 mahogany

Have I no interest in any whammy bridge equipped model this year? Yes I do; the RG470MHZ is on my watch list as it sports a mahogany body. If there is a fixed bridge version, that would be priority.

New pickup- Ibanez SA1260

So this is the latest pickup trio in my Ibanez SA1260:

• Neck: DiMarzio True Velvet
• Middle: DiMarzio Area 67
• Bridge: D'Activator X

Initially, the neck Area 67 stayed put but after some time, I feel I can do better with a more twangy pickup in the neck, especially with lots of distortion so the 67 migrated to the middle position. I have a non-stacked unit in the neck, the True Velvet, which is the best for this guitar. It's frustrating hunting for the right preferred DiMarzio for the SA1260 due to its heaviness. Also, I'm not a DiMarzio fan, the selections I made are less fruitful, I'm more familiar with the Duncan selections but I would want to keep the pickups here an all DiMarzio affair.

Wood talk: Mahogany

Mahogany enjoys a pronounced popularity largely due to Gibson's preference; the Les Paul guitar is synonymous to a mahogany highlight. It is a fairly dense wood but differences in mass do occur depending on the pedigree. Mahogany gives off a tight, bottom end response (that Les Paul low end is unmistakable, yes?) & its high frequencies are unpronounced. As such, the wood is prized for its deep resonance & sustain inducing properties- 'my Les Paul vibrates till tomorrow' is a good account of this capacity.

The situation today is that mahogany is the standard to beat when it comes to tonal depth which is largely a celebrated association with the Gibson brand name. For a deep sounding acoustic resonance, the more massive ash & maple would beat mahogany to it. In this light, what you hear from mahogany is actually lower midrange; some clarity is still present.

Mahogany which ends up as a musical instrument is actually wood put to good use as opposed to furniture where the industry takes into lesser account the wood's sonic properties & overall value.