QM top

This is the limited run Fender Japan Hybrid II Strat featuring a QM top. Nice. It's now available at Swee Lee (List: $1,699) & the Tele version is also available for your considerations. With the most affordable American Fender in excess of $2K & the Mexican models asking for more than it's worth, we could agree that the Japanese Fenders are always there for those in search of value-for-money instruments, yes?

Pic: Fender Japan

PRS 2019

Good things to come in 2019 from the PRS camp. First up- new acoustics. OK, not that new but new wood combo for next year. We have quilted maple back/ sides for both the A55e (above) & T55e.

Stunning, to say the least. 👍

PIC: PRS homepage

Ibanez: Iron Label +

 

Much was said about these Ibanez Iron Label series when their debut was leaked just before fall. Ibanez already had the Iron Label models going so a second generation of Iron Labels should manifest more than their predecessors otherwise, why add any more to a selection that is already reputable. So here they are, the much talked about change was the inclusion of an ebony fretboard instead of the standard rosewood units. The rest of the add-ons are cosmetics, namely the gold hardware as well as the quilted maple tops (headstock veneer included). I have not handled one personally so I won't know if the added quilted caps do add to the overall weight significantly to influence tone. In case of the models featuring active pickups, this won't matter much.

Edwards: E-MA-100SD (Part 1)

The new darling is an Edwards E-MA-100SD quilted maple top version. When I was at Davis to test them, I chose the blue version, I thought they were both identical save for the finish- I went with the blue version, I didn't handle the red darling. It was definitely an above-average guitar but it didn't 'speak' to me so I went home empty handed. Days later, I told Janet I wish to try the E-MA-110 as it features a pair of Duncan Blackouts. I was at Davis after work & tested the aforementioned guitar & was rather surprised with the lighter being, the blue E-MA-100SD I tried previously was more massive than the 110. My gut feeling told me to check the red 100SD to see if there are any weight variation & true enough, it was the lightest & the most 'singing' among them- the reason it went home with me :-)

My thanks to:

• Janet (@ Davis GMC) for letting me try the guitars with a simple Marshall amp to hear the true worth of the Edwards in terms of tone
• Edmund for setting up the simple Marshall amp despite attending to another customer- thumbs up, bro!!