The classic SA

Ironically, Tech 21's new pedal is a classic- Sansamp Classic. At some point in time, we tone tinkerers came across this pedal & would be hooked on the simplicity it offered. It's not one of those truly original pedal but the emulation manifested are convincing & useful, something many of us gigging dweebs would appreciate- we need voicing variety. Look carefully at the pedal above, it allows for 3 applications- Lead/ Normal/ Bass, now, isn't that wonderful?

Naglfar: Teras

Naglfar has Teras for us after 5 years since their last emergence. No let-down here, just business as usual for this BM band. This is one of my go-to bands, the music stood firm since the band's beginning, even after the departure of notable vocalist Jens Ryden. In this release, they are without a permanent drum, all skin beatings were laid down by Dirk Verbeuren, maybe he should consider settling down with the band... Fans of Sheol will miss much of the relentless pace in the songs, they are indeed heard in Teras but we hear the band playing in a resolved atmosphere this time round.

A little side-tracking here, guitarist Andreas Nilsson is endorsed by Salmath guitars...

... & Marcus Norman is endorsed by Manne guitars. You thought you've heard them all, no?

On that note, here's a Manne 10-string model.

Meshuggah: Koloss

I get nauseated by 'djent'... people actually believe it's a legit genre categorization (they fell for 'nu-metal' didn't they?). But we can't deny that Meshuggah triggered this understanding. The chaps simply lay waste to proper timing & traditional phrasing to invoke a catchy groove, something memorable beyond the confines of establishment. Koloss here is Meshuggah's 8th full length release (including the Nothing ver 2006 release) & it still manifests the band's propulsion of technical arrangements. You will appreciate Meshuggah's brand of heavy music once you sit down & attempt to figure out what they play & how they play it. 

Koloss is a direct delivery of all things heavy & thought provoking, the scary thing is, Meshuggah's execution of it all seems to hinge upon very little effort. Every time I listen to Meshuggah I can't really make out the ending of certain phrases, let alone figuring out why certain riffs are played only once throughout the song but music is art. The artists bend & twist forms to suit his creation, it's nothing too different with music. Koloss' overall tempo is that of deliberation, nothing is hurried because that's not a sure formula for heavy music. The only tempestuous song in Koloss is The Demon's Name is Surveillance beyond that, we get to hear some fine interpretation of contemporary heaviness. Please bear with the final track, The Last Vigil, which is an instrumental, it's not the shred type, mind you, just a celestial conclusion to this album, executed by Marten Hagstrom. If you purchase the deluxe pack, you'd get to see the making of Koloss in the DVD included (also comes with complentary Koloss T-shirt) & the band debating where The Last Vigil should fit into. You'd also get to catch a glimpse of the guitars in the studio, including a passing show of an 8-string Ibanez Iceman. Great release, this one. Remember, there's no djent, just Meshuggah & the music thereafter.

SGR by Schecter

SGR guitars by Schecter are now available at Davis GMC. These are very much what the Ibanez GIO & LTD have to offer for their respective sister brands. I see good workmanship & an overall value for money in this price bracket. The models you see here are the C-1 (black) & Solo 6 (red), $280 each. If you aren't too fussy with budget pickups (you shouldn't be, otherwise you'd be considering other models up the tier) this one's a great player. Do not expect great sounding cleans, of course but it's nothing atrocious.

Selling: LTD H-351 (SOLD)

Yes, I'm saying goodbye to my LTD H-351, it's barely half a year since I bought it. I have other plans still in the LTD selection but not a set-neck/ neck through make. Please note the original price of this guitar: $850

• Selling: LTD H-351 (bag included)
• Condition: 9/10 (5mth ownership/ no mods)
• No reservations/ No trades
• Self-collect @ CCK mrt stn
• Queries/ confirmation: dark1349@hotmail.com
• Asking price: $599

 Thanks for reading :-)

8-string guitars: Scale differences

Everytime I hear or come across someone who wants to invest in an 8-string guitar, I'd ask him for his preferred scale length (distance from nut to bridge NOT how long the guitar is, mind you). Why is this crucial? Assuming you are employing standard tuning, the tension would be different. For an 8-string model, the thicker strings would manifest quite the difference if you A-B test it with another brand name guitar with a different scale length. The above is a summary of 3 popular models sporting the differences; Ibanez's RGA8 has the longest scale length of 27" which is 0.5" longer than their RGD make. The Ibanez would manifest the tightest feel in this line-up. Schecter's Hellraiser 8 sports a 26.5" version, making it an in-between offering, followed by LTD's H-338 25.5"; this one is the 'normal' member here. 

The different scale lengths would necessitate string gauge consideration, fitting a .65 8th string in the Ibanez would manifest an acceptable tension but try that in those 2 other guitars- it'll bee too floppy & affects note definition. In terms of feel, I note the Ibanez has its bridge moved back a tad (this is after my RG2228 experience) to accommodate the longer scale length. This would mean a picking hand adaptation, that's the reason why you feel a little more lethargic playing the Ibanez especially if you chug notes by palming your picking hand at the bridge. This is the reason why I make it a point to own a Schecter 8-string, to feel the difference & very recently, I enjoy playing the LTD 8s. 

The unschooled/noobs among us would then equate the shortest scale length with the most playing ease- that shouldn't be the case. It's all about preference, if we return to the 6-string domain, we know that there is an arguably equal appeal when it comes to the Les Paul (24.75" scale length) and Strat (25.5" scale length); the Strat can't produce that dense bottom end & the Les Paul can't pull off (no pun intended) that tight snap. So all in all, it's a matter of knowing what your tool has to offer & using it in a learned context.