Organization

I ordered this a week or so ago.

A guitar? Apparently, I am not rich enough yet to buy a new guitar. Plus, what I have right now is enough for the time being. 

It's simply a guitar stand. Rockstand (by Warwick) 5-guitar stand. 

So what's so special about this guitar stand? Well, nothing except that it's a guitar stand in a hardcase. It includes a few bars of Velcro-able Styrofoam to prevent your guitars from slipping sideways. And of course, you have a key to lock the box.

I guess it would be more useful for travelling guitarists who have more than 2-3 guitars and need to switch between them on the same night. In that case, taking the guitar out from the hardcase/softcase, putting the other one back and again would prove to be too much of a hassle. So this road-ready guitar stand would be useful! Simply open the hardcase and unfold the stand. Just two effortless steps. It isn't that heavy as well!

Don't like the hardcase? Fret not! They have the foldable version without the hardcase.

Sadly, from what I know, these products have been discontinued at least for the ones with the hardcase. So if you are looking for this, you have to get it before it's gone. 

I like Rockstand and Rockbag by Warwick because it is affordable and whatever you get from them is a value for money. For a bag that costs $25, you get a nicely (but not heavily) padded bag to protect your instrument. If you want more protection, you are free to buy those that are over a hundred... that is if you deem that a necessity.

The Ultimate Finger-pick?

This may be a good news for flamenco guitarists and classical guitarists as well. I think we all ought to check this out:

The Ultimate finger pick

CLICK HERE FOR THE VIDEO!

From the video, what I understand from it is that this Ultimate Fingerpick is an alternative for finger picks and the standard flat plectrum. I don't really know how it replaces the standard plectrum but it is definitely a good alternative to acrylic nails. Some people are born with really soft nails (like me). And we often have to rely on acrylic nails. The common problem of gluing acrylic nails is the fungus growing under them. For musicians who play other instruments like piano aren't supposed to keep their fingernails long. So when they switch between their guitar and piano, it could be a problem. This ultimate finger picks definitely solves that. 

As for my doubt regarding it being able to replace the flat picks, it is more because many people may already be used to holding the pick and play. The grip of the pick also provides the strength you need for fast alternate picking. 

Yet, again I have never try and thus, I don't know how it feels like. 

Noise canceling

There are many solution for noise canceling. Single coils will always have some noises unless it is a single-coiled sized humbuckers or if it is a stacked pickup. But they may no longer have the feature of a single coil anymore. Using noise gates is also a solution for hums but not everyone prefer to use noise gates. Some may feel that it deteriorate the tone. (maybe? maybe not? well anyway...)

One way to retain the single coil tone and yet eliminate the noise is this.

These look like normal backplates but they are not. They are noise canceling back plate by Ilitch Electronics (they dubbed this BPNCS - back plate noise canceling system). This may not be entirely new. Suhr has similar product in its list but it is originally designed by Ilitch Electronics. Installing is pretty simple since it only requires a few soldering but that is if the pickups are all in the same polarity. In most cases, the middle pickup in a SSS-configuration is a reverse wound...

You may check with TY Music Center for this product. Do note that this is not cheap at all. However, if you see this as a necessary upgrade, then by all means.

2 in 1: Guitar stand, seat or both?

Everybody loves 2 in 1 stuff (let it be coffee-mix, tea-mix or whatsoever) all for a common reason: they are convenient. If we guitarists can have a guitar stand that can also be converted into a comfortable chair, wouldn't it be nice?

The above shows a AxSys 1.0. The number '1.0' implies that this is the 1st edition of this product. As the picture suggests, it can be used as a seat as well as a guitar stand.

This isn't some great discovery or invention. Iconic Metal (the producer) simply thought of something simple which others haven't thought of. I agree that this is indeed convenient but... would you pay $195 for one? 

Marshall Major @ Stereo

I had a few friends asking me where to buy Marshall Major. Well, I am not sure if Davis has them (but they should since they are the distributor of Marshall products).

If you are looking for one, look no further. Stereo sells them at $120 for the Major. Now that is $80 lower than the price that was predicted by many before it was released. So I gave it a try. If you are to ask me for my opinion, I would say it isn't what I am really looking for if I am to listen to my music. But I bet it will work well as a gear for silent guitar practicing. It is kinda focused on its mid-range and a bit more bassy. For listening to music, I like my headphones to be less bassy and more of mids and highs. That's how I find that I can hear the guitar parts better. And yes, another important thing is the clarity of the tone. For the price, Major does give clarity. What I mean by clarity is that the tone isn't muffled like you get from those $10 headphones. A headphone that is too treble-ish is very jarring to the ears for guitar playing. 

The crate of rock.

Sometimes, listening to our amplifier screaming on the floor isn't what we want. The sound is not directed at you. I have a few friends who would keep their amps on a stool/table so that they can hear what they are playing much clearer. Maybe they might be interested in the Rock Cr8. 

Rock Cr8 is basically a crate which serves 3 different purposes, as a pedalboard, as a store place for your cables and pedals and also as a riser for your combo amps. You can call it as a guitar accessory organiser. They have a power strip inside so that you can power up your pedals with your Godlyke power supply, etc... The pedalboard is about the size of PT-2 (or slightly longer). You do have quite a lot of choices for the Tolex of the crate.

I have to admit that it is indeed cool. However, do I really need it? For me, I don't think so. I think I am quite organised when it comes to keeping my guitar stuffs. And this is not available here. 

Go wireless

AKG wireless transmitters are now available at SV guitars

These are just a few items which they had updated on their web. Anyone who have any experience with AKG headphones would probably know that AKG stuffs are quality stuffs. Their headphones can buy you are Rally GL300.

2 in 1: A pedal case, guitar stand or both?

If you are looking for a guitar stand for multiple guitars and a pedal board at the same time, take a look at what Gator has to offer.

This is what I would call 'killing two birds with one stone'.

Homecoming

I am supposed to update this 3-4 days (or even 5) ago but I just couldn't find the time. Well, anyway I've got my Squier back, safe and sound.

I may have mentioned this before but mounted on my Squier is a set of Tesla Plasma-1. They are not a high-output pickups. It is not very twangy (as some single coils does), which is a factor I like about it.

Action is set to low as you can see from the picture below. The setup is made for gauge-9. The set of strings used is an Ernie Ball coated Slinky. It is a nice set of strings which I would say is 'bend-friendly'.

Previously, I mentioned about fret buzz. It is due to the unleveled 12th fret. It was higher than the rest so it needed to be re-leveled. Mike did a great job on that.

Lastly, you can now find a Tesla Vibration Damper between the tuners and the nut on the headstock. Did I buy it? No. Tesla Vibration Damper is FREE whenever you purchase Tesla Pickups (regardless of humbuckers or single coils). If you can't find one in your box of Tesla, it is probably the old batch of Tesla.

Many in One

I've got this multi-purpose toolkit from a hardware shop. 

This little box has almost every single thing you need to open up your guitar, effects pedals and other guitar related stuffs! Do note that opening up the pedals and stuffs may void the warranty of the product.

Dissembling

I changed my Squier's bridge to Wilkinson WVCSB when I broke my tremolo inside the bridge (I know that sounds stupid). That was 3 weeks after I got my first electric guitar, which is the Squier. It used to be white like this (in case you are interested).

I found the old bridge in the dustbin today. Apparently, my mom thought it was some junk and she stepped onto some screws. So she dumped them in the dustbin. I retrieve it and try to scrape as much useful pieces as possible. After all, only the bridge block would be the one which I won't be using.

Just when I need to change my saddles (the old ones are rusting), it saves my day.. and my $30 dollars. And a few other parts will save $4 to $5 I guess.

FREE Velcro Loops

I have a set of Velcro Loops here. Industrial grade. It is just a half a metre long. It is useless for me but doesn't mean it may not be useful for all. I am not selling. It's for free. Anyone who are thinking of making their own custom pedal board or have a pedal train, this might come in handy. =) It is 2 inches in width.

Please contact me at 84050766. And please refrain from sending advertisements to this number. I give my contact number so that communication would be easier. I don't care whether there is any ghost at anywhere. And I also don't need any tution of any sort. 

Update: IT'S ALREADY TAKEN! THANKS FOR THE OVERWHELMING RESPONSES.

Is there tremolo for bass?

A friend of mine was saying: "Why there is no tremolo for basses?" Who says bass guitars do not have a tremolo? Well, Kahler has tremolo bridges for basses, you see.

Kahler is not something new. It is well-established since 1979. My dear friend just need to check up more on the Internet before coming to a conclusion. =)

Sticky pick holder?

Here is a traditional pick holder.

Here is a new type of pick holder, a cooler version. 

They are simply double-sided stickers. Of course it is not like a double-sided tape. The adhesive for holding the pick last much longer and is waterproof; it won't lose its stickiness due to moisture. 

More pictures:

Seymour Duncan

These are the few new stuffs for Seymour Duncan in 2011. It is already near mid-year of 2011. I wonder why it takes so long for Seymour Duncan to post this up.

1. YJM High-Speed Volume Pot
2. Blackouts Modular Preamp << this is intriguing.
3. Antiquity Gold Humbuckers
4. Seymour Duncan Zephyr Silver Pickups

5. Custom Shop JB/Jazz Concept Set

6. Liberator™

7. 35th Anniversary Commemorative JB/Jazz™ Set

8. '53 Tapped Tele^® Model T "Guitar Shop" Set

Click on the links to learn more about them!

Wallets SPECIALLY MADE for guitarists?

Believe it or not, there are wallets that are specially made for guitarists by Whipping Post Leather.

• 3 Credit Card Slots 
• Cash compartment
• Pocket for guitar pick
• Driver's license compartment
• 100% Full Grain Leather.

Price: $30. (I have no idea which currency though. However, it is usually in US$. In SGD? I'm afraid you may have to do the math yourself)

Personally, I won't buy this wallet. 

Reasons, I got more than 6 cards (EZ-link, Popular card, Borders, etc...). 3 card compartments is not-at-all enough and I'm used to the usual fold-able wallets like my current Converse. xD

Shopping again & again!

Shopping is what girls always do.

I'm not a girl but I also love to shop - on guitar stuffs~

As I walked pass TY music, I saw that Davis renovation sale is still on. Many stuffs, especially basses are sold out but it doesn't really matter. I still got my S$19 worth FAB Overdrive. Not an very bad overdrive but its tone is very limited. Well, you can't expect Fulltone OCD standard for $19 right. My main purpose of buying this is: it is cheap and I can at least play around with it for relaxation. 

I also got myself a new padded bag for my Fernandes to bring back Myanmar, too. 

This is Rockbag by Warwick, a well-known bag to many guitarists. These bags are going for $35 at SV guitar in Peninsula.
It is very well padded and has more padding at the headstock and neck area of the guitar, to protect the neck of the guitar. As you all may know, this area is the most fragile part of the neck and there are incidents of broken headstocks from falls.

There is also a strap to hold the neck of the guitar at the neck padding as well. The purpose of this strap is to keep the guitar headstock in place and prevent knocking onto the sides and thus keeping the guitar more in tune.

Well, that's all I'd bought. 

Ivan had ordered this Digitech Grunge from themusicden at eBay for S$78.40. It is new, comes with everything it should come with. The effect is installed with a 9V battery as well.

The manual provides quite a lot of useful information, too. Such as how to join the pedals in correct order and so on. It also introduces its other products as well.

Padded Bags

I was looking for some padded bags for my Fernandes as the stock gig bag is not padded well. It is too thin that it fails to give any protection to the guitar. Then, I came across Crossrock bags. Here is the product catalogue for Crossrock products. Some of its bags aren't really that expensive. They are affordable. So far, I only see them in Ranking as Bras Basah and Music Theme at Peninsula.