Gear News 2004

[metallibeast]

oh yea....juz got it last weekend...damn...cool....

I thought SL would have already brought it in....when I wentlast week end, they had very few Dimarzio pickups in stock....waiting for next shipment maybe? Interested to find out the price of EJ's Pickup and PAF Joe...

-Beast

 

[subversion]

Next shipment probably September…

 

[marshall_law]

Davis guitar is selling gibson smartwood studio for around $2000. More and more shops are selling gibsons, look like swee lee monopoly of gibson will be threaten. Woohoo! Davisguitar appears to be improving their service. But the old man still has the same old attitude.

 

[subversion]

The people at Davis have been nice to me so I got no complaints, really.

 

[subversion]

Dear friends, the following Ibanez guitars are new at Swee Lee:

SA320X

SA260FM

SA120CN

It seems that the assault of quality Korean guitars continues with these units in store. I’ve tried them all & was overwhelmed by GAS instantly, but have to postpone any instrument purchase to mid-year, as domestic authority dictates the practice of a recuperation period since my last equipment purchase, which was just 3 weeks ago. In other word-, it’s my wife shouting violent objections into my ear as I flip the ibanez catalogue…

I have endless praise for the above-listed models as they illustrate sheer quality on a budget. If there should be any after market spares swap, then priorities go to the pickups. I think everyone knows by now how entry level ibanez pickups are- a far cry from their upper end siblings. However, I’d vouch for the full tone of the models above, provided they are plugged into the correct amp to help kerb overwhelming upper frequency.

The fit & finish are beyond my expectations- flawless, ditto the hardware less the SA120’s volume knob which was difficult to turn. I suspect the pot shaft to be bent as a closer inspection revealed an unlevelled knob position (not parallel to body).

What pleased me the most were the SA necks- thumbs up! RG fans would dislike the fat feel but I manage to shred all 3 models the same so it’s a matter of personal adaptation at the end of the day. The profile sits between the RG & the SZ models.After trying these out, I can relate to what Andy Timmons said about them- grabable but still acceleration friendly. FYI, the Andy Timmons signature model is an adaptation of the SA series.

So how many more days til mid-year?

 

[marshall_law]

Woah! Looks like PRS guitars. How come the top red model have two guitar jacks?

 

[brundisium]

Cud be a piezo input or a stereo setup for that model

 

[subversion]

that one has a piezo pickup & i think it's the most affordable piezo-equipped unit around... unless someone can highlight another in the market 8)

 

[marshall_law]

So that's a piezo. I thought piezo only available on ernie ball's guitar? What does it do huh?

 

[subversion]

Everyone else came later than Parker Fly guitars when it comes to piezo pickups. These are embedded in the bridge saddles & they emulate accoustic tone. I’m not a big fan though but IMO they sound way ahead than any accoustic emulation patch in a multi FX unit or an amp modeller software.

There were issues with the Parker Fly units namely the popping out of the frets from the fretboard that suppressed its big explosion in the guitar market… otherwise, the piezo in the Fly rules.

 

[brundisium]

piezo PU. Make electric sounds like plugged in acoustic guitar.

Ernieball/musicman instrument has it, some hi end ibanez has it, parker fly too.

There are also after market piezo pickup/piezo equipped floyd rose/t.o.m bridge avaliable for electric guitar

There is also another gadget available from bill lawrence, that is called the q-filter, which can be soldered to the tone pot of your electric guitar. On rolling back the tone pot, you can get a piezo sounding tone too.

 

[subversion]

Friends, the following Squiers are new @ Swee Lee:

· Tele Custom II
· Tele Special
· Chrome & Black tele
· Chrome & Black Strat
· Bullet strat

http://www.fender.com/misc/winternamm2004/squier/index.html

I’ve tried them all & must say that they feel & sound very much improved than its predecessors. Prices are unreleased as yet.

My personal fav is the P-90 equipped Tele Custom II. This sounds fat & crunchy, witout losing the fender twang. However if you are a hum intolerant, steer clear, please. The tele special also sounds fat sans hum of course, courtesy of the bridge humbucker. It also sounds warmer than the Custom II due to its rosewood fretboard. The black/ chrome version of the squiers are cosmetic gimmicks IMO. Nothing special tone-wise, it just looks killer. If you fancy a single humbucking strat then the Bullet might just be your thing. However it’s terribly light & lacking in bass, otherwise it’ll make a good spare guitar.

All the guitars I tried have warped (slight) necks. The action is a little too high to my liking & the bridge string saddle screws protrude to jab your palm. I’d have these repleced if I ever own any of these guitars. my prioroties still go to the previously mentioned Ibanez SA…
8)

 

[Ragus]

Wow the chrome and black looks blow me aaway. How much does it cost? A chrome pickguard already costs US$60, so I'm guessing the chrome and black Squier will cost almost as much as a Am Std....

The piezo Ibanez with 2 outputs seems a good idea, so you can send the piezo output to an acoustic amp and the normal out to a electric amp. It's much better than those systems where the piezo and magnetic pickups are blended and both have to go into the same amp.

 

[subversion]

Prices are not released as yet but I was told they would cost about $500+/-

I’d like to add a word about these Squiers, notably the frets. These are no more small, they’ve upgraded them to the jumbo version so playing a squier wouldn’t feel like you picked up just another entry level. I’d invest in one if they have the dual humbucking tele but for some strange reason, they didn’t make it this shipment… hmm…

Of course I’m not a Swee Lee employee, before anyone starts asking…

 

[BF109E]

I saw the chrome and black Squiers at Swee Lee and the pickgaurds are not chrome. Just plastic with a chrome finish. The net price is about $450.

8)

 

[subversion]

Yes, the black & chrome models actually sport plastic pickguards (when I played it, I managed to tap the thing to convince myself… he he). If it’s real chrome material, then it won’t be at that kinda price…

 

[metallibeast]

Was at Davis's website...

They got the DR Red Coated Strings in Stock and the OLP Petrucci model coming soon Mode 4 in Stock (Wonder who's gonna buy it?) Sub?


-Beast

 

[subversion]

Hello 'beast, been a while... 8)

i already bought the DR red coated strings- superb!! i was gonna put up a review here after i've tried these on my tele, thusfar only my Ibanez RG1550 sports these. i was already a fan of the black coated, so this red set is a must-try for me...

i wouldn't give a hoot if the red coating is merely a gimmick, but i've seen a set installed in one of Davis' in store guitars, they let me scrutinize the set & i was impressed. unlike the black set, the colour coating here is embedded in the string material so it won't flake off easily. i'm a fan because the coating gives a smooth touch when playing (maybe this made me shred faster :wink: ) + it'll last for weeks! i was informed that the blue version would debut sometime in May...

**YOU WANT A SET, 'BEAST? PM your address to me, i'm mail you a set, my compliments

as for the Petrucci OLP, count me out... i have this thing against buying a compromised signature model, for a simple reason- it's not the real thing, save your $$$ & get something better... then again i'll have to audition one because the Tremonti SE was quite a player...

 

[metallibeast]

Already got my friend to get me 2 sets Thanks anyway!!!!

I've been thinking....the Mode 4 is 350 Watts.....probably the only place to use this beast is at the indoor and outdoor stadium.....so who's gonna be buying it?

 

[subversion]

i can't think of a sound (no puns intended) chap who would've bought it for home use, really... maybe some jamming studio would acquire it? hmm...

If anyone desires to own the SUB1 guitars by Ernie Ball, these will be available in the later quarter of the year. 8)