New Year, New look!

 Well, what do you think? A change for the better or for the worse? I want your feedback! Oh, and by the way, there will be no reviews today. I deserve a new year's break, I should believe. :D

Review: Ibanez Artcore AS73

   Here's another semi hollow guitar. The Ibanez Artcore AS73. Copypasted as usual. Enjoy!  

Features: Made in 05' in Japan this guitar is the Ibanez as73. It has a Standard 22 fret neck, and two humbuckers. I currently bought D'addario electric guitar strings which give it a warm crunch. The way the sunburst finish looks can only be accurately judged in person, and the slightly off white trim makes it look even better. With a glossy finish the colors of the guitar are enhanced and don't look bland or dull like in photos. When I bought it I got a case and a strap for it as well. The strap is a Planet Waves silvery dragon design (that doesn't look cheesy like many other straps). this strap is very comfortable and I would buy from the same company for all my straps. the case looks nice but the outer material can be scraped off if bumped into walls or other hard objects. // 8

Sound: The sound is really good and cam be comparable to many Gibsons I know of. But it is probably a game of luck since this doesn't have the quality of the Gibson brand, and are not made out of the better woods. A little annoyance is some string buzz that can only be heard when playing without an amp. Going through a Marshall amp the sound can be described as a classic tone that will work for alt rock, classic rock, and milder metal songs.// 8

Action, Fit & Finish: Since I bought it used I can't say the action was like this new, but it has a relatively low action that works well for my style of play. I've never done any pick-up work so the locations seem to capture the right sound from the strings. the guitar was slightly worked on, the guitar shop had adjusted the neck and refretted it and so when I bought it it was perfect with no flaws. // 9

Reliability & Durability: This guitar should last a long time with the proper treatment and the sound will only get better. the hardware is a very durable metal that i haven't encountered any problems with yet so it seems like it will last for quite a while. My strap has securely held the guitar and has never fallen off since i bought it. Although back-ups are preferred by many professionals, this guitar doesn't need a back up because of how dependable it is. And finally the finish is very well made that it should last the life of the guitar or for a long time of playing gigs. // 10

Impression: This is a great intermediate guitar that will last a very long time of playing. It is way better than my starter guitar. If it were stolen or lost I would probably get another one. I love the finish and the sound of the guitar. I can't really compare it to other guitars but it is worth the purchase price. It has everything in it that I would like especially for the price. // 9

Review: LTD Viper 100FM

  Ok, here's a guitar which i have actually tried on before. As the review states, its mainly for metal. It didn't really appeal to me. It had a less than satisfactory sound when in clean. However, the sustain was flippin good. So, here's a proper review from someone who actually owns one.

Features: in 2005 LTD introduced the Viper 100FM, a hard hitting sleek guitar that takes after a Gibson SG. This guitar is great for playing Metal as well as most other ESP/LTD guitars. It's only available in trasparent black but this thing sounds pretty damn good. It's not the best guitar you can buy, but it's worth a try. // 8

Sound: This Guitar is best suited for Metal or hard rock. It's kinda thick so you get pretty good sustain.So if you play a little on the heaveir side this guitar should make you happy (especially at the price). Right now I'm using the Viper 100fm with a Krank Krankensien (head and cab) on mostly the Dime channel, unless I'm using my DigiTech Death MetalDitortion. I'm using mostly the bridge pickup on a high gain and low sound (H:3 M:3 L:7 Gain:10). It's got a real nice fit for that Pantera sound, or even BLS or Metallica styles. It's not that noisy, only a tad bit of feedback because of the high gain. The guitar doesn't have very much variety but the hard rock metal sound kicks ass! // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: The guitar came ready to f--kin' rock right outa the factory. Everything was aligned perfectly, the action on the neck was great for solo or rythm, the pickups were straight and the finish was amazing. Everything was already alighned perfect, all I had to do was go home and plug it in. // 10

Reliability & Durability: I think overall this guitar is pretty durable. You could probably play for quite some time without serious repair. Although it's no Gibson as far a durability, it should do quite well on stage. I've used it at a couple of gigs, and I was quite reliable. It will last a while. // 8

Impression: Iv'e been playing for only 2 years but, iv'e played Gibson, Fender, Dean, all the big ones. Yeah they're better, but for the price, it's a must. 300 bucks and you got a damn good guitar. I have a Gibson Les Paul Studio, a Charvel Randy Roahds V, an Epiphone SG, and a Dean ML as well as this and lately iv'e been stickin' with the LTD for metal puposes. If it were stolen I would gete it again, it's pretty cool, and it's only 300 bucks versus Gibsons 2000 bucks. So overall, if you're into heavier music, the LTD Viper 100FM is a good beginner guitar worth checking out. // 8

Review: Paul Reed Smith SE Custom Semi-Hollow Body

 Well in the previous post, Zack said that he wants a hollow or semi hollow body guitar. So, to help him out, the next few posts would probably be what i consider great value for money semi hollows. Todays post will be a slightly more expensive one, a Paul Reed Smith, but still within the affordable range I should think. Enjoy!

Features: The SE Semi-Hollow boasts a 22-fret wide fat neck with a scale length of 25". The modern f-hole sets the guitar up with natural reverb and a great clean sound, while taking the guitar's weight down significantly. It features a maple top with a flame maple veneer and mahogany back wood, and Standard pickguard. The guitar is comprised of a rosewood fretboard coupled with a mahogany neck with moon inlays. The stock bridge is a PRS-designed stoptail, which goes along with the default PRS-designed tuners; both made of nickel. Both humbuckers are PRS-designed stock humbuckers, which provide more than acceptable sound quality. The SE-Semi Hollow Custom has 2 control knobs - volume, and tone; and a 3-way blade pickup selector. The simplicity here does not at all take from the vast array of sounds that can be produced from the guitar. The only problems with the guitar physically are some scratches on the back wood, which may have been prevented with a protective finish; and visible wear on the bridge from the palm of my hand rubbing against it frequently. Included with the guitar was a quite nice soft but durable case, one cable, an Allen wrench, and a Tool used to adjust the action of the strings. // 9

Sound: This guitar has an astonishing variety of sounds, from blues to British rock, to hardcore metal. I play all kinds of music: classic rock, blues, metal, country, reggae, alternative, etc. The amp I am putting the guitar through now is a 65w Crate Amplifier. It provides a nice subtle clean channel which does justice to the guitar's natural sound. The distortion created by the stock pickups and guitar can range from a crunchy punk to a low, deep blues or even metal. Just by adjusting the tone knob, you can greatly change the type of sound, be it twangy or deep and full. Lack of variety is not an issue with this guitar. Also, by increasing the volume of the amp and turning down the volume knob on the guitar to about 4, you can achieve a beautiful Acoustic sound. // 9

Action, Fit & Finish: When I obtained the guitar, it came in the package tuned, with fresh new strings, and properly adjusted pickups. The action of the strings was near perfect, and only after about a year of play did the neck begin to warp slightly. This was fixed by adjusting the neck with the Tool that came with the guitar. The hardware came completely unharmed or flawed. Problems I have encountered are: neck pickup keeps becoming loose, wear on the bridge, and the strap holders are somewhat loose every now and then. The main problem is the fact that I have to constantly raise the neck pickup if I want the original sound, for it keeps sliding down into the body of the guitar. // 7

Reliability & Durability: The guitar is fairly durable for being a semi hollow weighing around 5 pounds. The tuners, frets, pickguard, and wiring seem to be in very good shape after a year of playing. The bridge is beginning to wear and tarnish, because I rest my hand on it when I play, the strap buttons have become a bit shaky (they may one day fail me during a Live show, which makes me nervous), and the neck pickup is loose. Other than those few problems, the guitar is dependable, and can withstand the action and abuse of a very energetic live show. I have used it many times on stage without a backup, and without fear of failure. The finish on the back has a good number of scratches on it, most likely from a belt buckle or something of the sort, and the area exposed to the pick have taken a beating, but I'm sure that it is from lots and lots of play. // 7

Impression: I played the guitar before I purchased it, so it living up to my expectations was not a worry. I have been playing it for over a year now, and it seems to have much better tone and playability than most guitars out there. If I were to lose this guitar, I might begin a search for something else after I finished crying over the loss of it. But odds are, I would get the same guitar, but maybe in a different color than black; although it is quite beautiful. My favorite feature would have to be, oh, the smoothness of the neck and fretboard. It's like playing butter, and coupled with Ernie Ball Hybrid Slinkies...well, in my opinion it IS the most comfortable guitar I have ever played and I'm proud to say I own it. If I were to make another decision, the Strat would be it, because as many know, there's just nothing else that sounds like a Strat. The only modifications I would make to the guitar would be to add a tremolo bar, and to add new pickups, rather than the PRS-designed stock ones, which do the guitar justice all on their own. All in all, this guitar was certainly worth the money, and I hope it lasts me until I grow up and become an old man. Even then, I wish to continue to play it. // 9

Review: Ibanez GRG270DX

Here's a review of a guitar that my friend had. It wasnt really fr me but he really enjoyed it. This review is once again, copypasted for your convenience. 

Features: First, let it be known that I do not own this guitar. I have never bought one (and thus perhaps that may lend me credibility, I am not a disappointed buyer or over-the-moon new owner). I am reviewing from nearly a years worth of experience playing around with one that a friend of mine owns, through various amps by Marshall, Vox, Peavey and Line 6. That out of the way, on with the review. I could not tell you when this guitar was made, but it was made in Indonesia. It features a 24 fret, dot inlay neck with a rosewood fingerboard in the typical Ibanez style, flat and slim. Designed for playing high speed lead guitar on, basically. Or would be, but the factory setup was horrendous and it took a great deal of truss rod and action adjustment before it was wrestled into a comfortable state. If new, you will need to get this properly set up before taking it near an amp. The body is, to my knowledge, made out of basswood. It's very soft and dents easily, but is surprisingly resonant for a low end instrument. The finish is a very glossy blue, feels very thick. It's scratch resistant but not so tough when you knock it and it shows fingerprints up exceptionally well, I've never seen a guitar quite as adept at this one for turning the briefest touch of the cleanest hand into a print so clear it would give the entire cast of CSI a heart attack. The cutaways are very deep, and would allow very easy access to the highest frets if it wasn't for the rather unweildy neck joint, which is very obstructive to this. The bridge is modelled off a Floyd Rose, but not very well. The tremolo system loses it's tuning extremely easily, despite the locking nut. And as with all Floyd Rose systems, it can be a royal pain in the behind to get it back into tune if you slip out in any major way. And that is without any major tremolo work, I never use big divebombs or anything in my playing, just gentle vibrato-esque embellishments, and it struggles even with this. The electronics are all passive, and feature a master volume, master tone and a five-way pickup selector. The guitar is loaded with a H/S/H setup, humbucker in the neck position, a single coil in the middle and a bridge position humbucker. It's tuners are presumably no-name Ibanez stock. As far as guitars go, from looking at what it comes with, it should have all the features to make it a solid, adaptable guitar. Thus I give it a seven despite the tremolo system, you can circumvent that by not using it. But read on. // 7

Sound: First off, the volume difference between the pickups is extreme, noticeable and very, very bad. The neck humbucker is practically a nonentity compared to the massively overpowered and tinny bridge humbucker, and the single coil, while pleasant sounding, just does not have enough output to compete with the bridge pickup. No amount of raising or lowering helped much with this massive imbalance and it still seriously detracts from the overall sound and adaptability of the guitar. I play a variety of styles, and the Ibanez does not cope well with many of them. In hard rock and metal situations, when you can get away with using only the neck humbucker, it is okay. Still very tinny, but it doesdn't sound out of place. For anything else, completely inappropriate. As I have mentioned, it is a very, very treble-heavy guitar. It produces little in the way of midrange and the lower frequencies are only present when you're playing on the neck humbucker, which is utterly pointless thanks to it's volume deficit. While this means that you're unlikely to fight for space with the bassist or rhythm guitarist, it means that it sounds very harsh on the ears, and not in a good way. The cleans are sterile sounding, far too bright on the bridge pickup and far too "quacky" and dead sounding on the neck/middle positions. As with most Ibanez, it takes well to distortion, but you have to be careful with the equaliser, it is all to easy to make it sound like a wasp in a tin can and it is murder to dial in too much treble. // 4

Action, Fit & Finish: As noted earlier, the factory setup was bad. Very bad. The pickups were terribly adjusted and feel/sound low quality despite numerous adjustments. If you want to use this for anything other than bedroom practice, you will want to change the pickups and get a proper setup. However, when peoperly setup it feels very pleasant to play, all that lets it down is the horrendous quality of the electronics. And that is a big, big letdown. // 6

Reliability & Durability: Despite numerous dings, it is fairly reliable it continues to put out it's tinny sound regardless of what happens to it. It would withstand Live playing, but I'm not sure the crowd listening to it would. For this reason, I would not use it live if I had the choice. It has kept it's finish well (dings excluded). No colour wear or scratching. // 6

Impression: Overall, I am not very impressed with this guitar. When you pick up an Ibanez, you usually know what to expect, a guitar built for rock and metal music (though usually capable of plenty more) and with the power and feel to suit. On many other lower end guitars, Ibanez have delivered this. On the GRG, they have not. I love little about it, thanks to the sound it produces due to the shoddy pickups, it's very unstable tuning despite the locking tremolo system I really do not enjoy playing this guitar. Final thoughts about this particular GRG? Buy something else. I have honestly given this guitar more than it's fair chance, many professional reviewers spend a few hours, at best a few days, testing an instrument before drawing their conclusions. This is speaking from months upon months of patient experimentation and regular playing in a band situation, just buy something else. Ibanez do many guitars of a similar price that are vastly superior, and in a wider market outside of Ibanez, you don't have to go far to find a better guitar. I have played Squiers and no-name knockoffs that sound better than this. This guitar reeks of one that is designed to entice the unwary new guitarist with nothing more than it's low price and well known name. For shame, Ibanez. // 4

AWWWWYEAAAAA

   Last week, I found out that my blog (along with the whole freaking google account) was blockd by google. Damn. After all my hard blogging (well okay, they're all copypasted but you get my point). I almost gave up hope on setting a proper blog. But goddamnit I was furious.  Why the flipping heck would google do this to me? And with Christmas around the corner too. So I sent repetitious messages to google and finally today I got this: 

  Well, now that my accounts back, I can finally get back to proper blogging. I'll put a REAL post tomorrow.

Album Review: Metallica - Beyond Magnetic

Well here's a treat: a new Metallica album. An EP actually but I really dont know how to react. not after the disc-shaped feces they have been churning out recently. St. Anger was too crappy. Death magnetic was okay I guess but they flopped it again with the whole "lulu" project. So here's a review i plagarised for your enjoyment!

Sound: This month, heavy metal giants Metallica celebrated their 30 year anniversary as a band. To commemorate the occasion, the band played four shows at the historic Fillmore Auditorium in San Francisco. The shows were littered with special appearances, such as former members Dave Mustaine and Jason Newsted, as well as King Diamond andMarianne Faithfull. Lucky fans got to hear some never-before-played-live songs, like their 1988 instrumental "To Live Is To Die". But not only were these shows filled with old fan favourites. Every night, Metallica played a song recorded for "Death Magnetic" that didn't quite make it on to the 2008 album. The following day, MetClub members were given a download code to receive the studio recording of the song. The result is the 4-song digital EP known as "Beyond Magnetic".

Obviously, seeing as these tracks are taken from the same recording sessions as "Death Magnetic", the instruments and vocals sound just like they do on their 2008 release. Fans of Robert Trujillo will be disappointed once again, as his bass is barely audible on most tracks, while fans of James Hetfield's guitar tone should be pleased. However, while these songs sound the same as "Death Magnetic", some of the styles explored are certainly not. Given that this EP consists of only four tracks, a song-by-song review seems appropriate:

01. "Hate Train": The song starts off with a bit of an awkward intro before James comes in with a simple, very "Metallica" riff. For those who remember watching the "Mission Metallica" videos back in '08, the little solo beginning every video kicks in soon after. The song continues just as you'd expect before a nice, clean tone breakdown. More riffage, and cue the solo. Kirk Hammett's fingers dance across the fretboard with what sounds like little wah pedal before another riff that "Mission Metallica" fans will remember. More soloing before a VERY heavy riff that would make Pantera proud. The track soon returns to the intro riff before Hetfield hits his high note, ending the track.

02. "Just A Bullet Away": Most fans will recognize this one as the song "Shine", from the "Death Magnetic" sessions. The song starts with a D-standard riff with an almost Opeth-like quality before going into a galloping rhythm. While the intro features some catchy riffs, it does come across as a little repetitive, but soon the song launches into what fans will recognize as the "Shine-riff". The song goes back and forth between the intro and verse riffs before abruptly hitting a haunting clean riff, complete with harmonizing guitars. Next up, Kirk begins a great solo before the song returns to the main riff and wrapping up. The song may be a tad repetitive for some fans, though it is undeniably one catchy riff. Some transitions, mainly the riff to clean bridge, are a bit awkward, but the largest complaint for this song is, unfortunately, Lars Ulrich's mediocre drumming throughout. It seems he didn't really know what to do with the song. But still, that riff...

03. "Hell And Back": The EP's third track starts with a nice clean riff while Lars and Robadd strange, though interesting accents. Another catchy main riff that will make you bob your head follows, before returning to the clean riff which becomes the verse of the song. About 4 minutes in, the guitars fade, leaving the drums to pound out a rhythm similar to "One" or "The Day That Never Comes". Soon, the guitars enter with a simple E power chord riff. In typical Metallica fashion, the song turns into riff central before Hetfield yells "YEAH!" and Kirk's barrage of notes help the main riff finish the song. While the song isn't exactly the band's most original, the energy of the song is simply astounding.

04. "Rebel Of Babylon": Another clean riff starts the final track. It doesn't last long, however, before a chromatic riff comes crashing through. Next thing you know, the song enters thrash metal heaven, tremolo picking and power chords fast enough to rivalWhiplash. The song soon enters a mid-tempo beat before returning to the fast-paced riff and repeating the cycle. Kirk's solo in this one begins as just noise over another very catchy riff, and soon, James and Kirk are duelling again. Lars gets a mini solo before he and Trujillo enter an oddly-timed breakdown and yet another heavy riff. Soon, the song returns to the trash riff before finishing. The song features so many riffs and tempo changes, it sounds almost like a Megadeth song. The key point is, this is the most "old-school" the band have sounded since "...And Justice For All".

(For those of you who are not MetClub members, all four songs can be found on YouTube.)// 7

Lyrics and Singing: It should be stated at this point that these tracks are demos, not final recordings that would have appeared on the album. That being said, the vocals are not perfect, nor are the lyrics. James Hetfield's voice stays in his regular gutteral growl for most of the EP, though in songs like "Hate Train" he does hit some high notes. His delivery, however, is not always perfect. Some of the lyrics themselves aren't great either: the "suck on the barrel, suck until it's gone dry" lyric from "Just A Bullet Away" is sure to cause laughter amongst the people who believe James Hetfield is a table. However, some of the more memorable lyrics include "You took away tomorrow / Still I stand" from "Hate Train" and (this reviewer's personal favourite section from the EP) "I become two / We become one / Unbridled... unequaled... unholy... undone" from "Hell And Back". The EP's vocals leave something to be desired, but contain some memorable moments, for sure. Not bad for unfinished products. // 7

Impression: The "Beyond Magnetic" EP, to some, will simply be a "please forgive us" from the band after the entire "Lulu" debacle. For those who watched Mission Metallica, it acts as a cool flashback to some catchy riffs and allows fans to finally hear where those riffs ended up. In some ways, it acts as a celebration of the many styles Metallica have gone through: If you want a more modern, "Death Magnetic" tune, pop on "Hate Train". If it's heavy you're after, go for "Just A Bullet Away". "Black Album" energy? Try "Hell And Back". Or, if you want thrash, Rebel of Babylon is the obvious choice. "Beyond Magnetic" is simply a band having fun, and while the arguing over which song from the EP should replace which song from "Death Magnetic", there really only remains one thing left to say: Happy Birthday, Metallica. // 8

Review: Squier Affinity Strat

 Well here's another review about the Squier Affinity Strat, another classic cheap guitar. I havent been posting lately cause ive been out of town. ill be back on the 20th, so this'll be my last post till then. enjoy! 

Features: The Squier Affinity Strat, made in China, has an alder body, 3 single coil pickups, a maple neck and rosewood fingerboard, 2 tone knobs and 1 volume knob and non-locking tuners, 21 medium jumbo frets and a tremolo. // 8

Sound: I play a wide variety of styles, from Clapton to Iron Maiden, the guitar has a lot of variety but overall the pickups aren't great, they hum A LOT. The pickups are good for bright clean tones, but, being single coils, they aren't that good when using high gain/overdrive, I'm going to put some Seymour Duncans in it soon though, that should improve the sound by far. // 5

Action, Fit & Finish: Out of the box, the guitar was set up well and I have had no problems with it so far and it has a nice low action. However it doesn't stay in tune too well, especially when using the tremolo, but with a little adjusting of the springs in the back it is good for the price, it's only a £180 guitar, not a £1000 guitar with a floyd rose and locking tuners hehe. // 8

Reliability & Durability: The guitar is indestructible, I have dropped it several times (the strap buttons suck), and it still works like new, the finish (sunburst... Sexy) will last a long time also, but I don't think it is gig worthy (I only play it in my bedroom and around the house anyway). // 9

Impression: If you are a beginner looking to buy your first electric guitar, I would recommend this, it is very versatile, cheap, and easy to mod... Put some new pickups in it and some new tuners and it could be the equivalent of a Mexican Fender Strat. If it were stolen I would find and beat the person who took it from me as I love this guitar, being my first electric. // 7

Metal X Guitar Review

okay, heres your POS guitar review (copypasted as usual) DWei was asking for. its the absolute worst i could find for now but im sure i can dig up more in the future. in the meantime, this review gave me plenty of lulz and i hope u guys enjoy it as well. based on it i guess its pretty much just eye candy.

Features: I don't know what year mine was made, but i'm fairly sure it's Korean. It's got 24 frets and I think a Rosewood fingerboard. The body is basswood, mine has a Lisenced Floyd Rose tremolo, and it's s**t. I'm not sure if thats the guitar's fault, but yano. It has the usual controls; tone and volume, and a pickup selector. I got this guitar as a started pack at Christmas 2009 and at the time I thought it was amazing. But now i'm more experienced, I can see what a load of c**p this guitar really is. // 5

Sound: The sound this guitar makes when played through the 15 watt amp I with it is really s**t. It sounds really muddy when you drop-tune it (I'm in drop D most of the time) I bought a DigiTech Death Metal distortion pedal, it sounds slighty better, but I'm going to upgrade very soon. When your not playing, but have it plugged in and switched on, it buzzes like hell. // 3

Action, Fit & Finish: It makes me laugh that Gear4Music call their instruments 'quality'. Alot of the stuff on it has broken, and i have to get my guitar teacher to tune it for me because it's so hard to tune and keep it tuned. The guitar itself is really heavy, and the straps it came with are really c**p, and it hurts your shoulder after a few minutes. I think the control knobs are hard to reach from the playing position, and the body isn't contured so its a little bit hard to reach the strings. // 4

Reliability & Durability: Live? On a Gear4Music guitar? This peice of s**t will get you laughed off the stage before you even start playing. And it will sound really muddy, and it will probably break because of the sh**y build quality. And if you are playing live, you won't have a Gear4Music in the first place. I would bring a back-up guitar, and use that instead if I was playing a gig. // 2

Impression: I mainly play metal, and it needs to sound less muddy to be a proper metal guitar. I have been playing around 7-8 months and I own everything that came in the starter pack for this guitar. If it was stolen, I would be happy because I would have another reason to buy a better guitar; I currently have my eyes on an Ibanez GRG170DX. I love this guitar, dispite all its flaws and shortcomings, but only because I've owned it and learnt on it. Basically, its a nice guitar if your only going to have it for a few months as your first guitar. // 5

g-400 key chain

Well heres something different to break the monotony of my posts. i recently posted a review of the epiphone
g-400. i fell so in love with the damn thing that i actually carved a key chain model of it. i haven't attached the ring yet though. here are some pictures. enjoy!

As you guys could see, i was actually studying at the time. i should really stop dreaming around and stay focused.

Review: Epiphone Les Paul Standard

Well guys, Natural One said he liked sunburst Les Pauls, so here a review on Epiphones Les Paul standard in sunburst for you guys to enjoy. I would have done a Gibson model but i thought i should do reviews on more affordable models first. Of course this review was found on UG but i picked what i felt was the most helpful of the lot.

Features: My Epiphone Les Paul was made in Japan, it has a nice rosewood neck with 22 frets. I think it was made in 2005. It has a awesome sunburst finish, that looks even better when the scratch plate is taken off. It's got a Tune-O-Matic bridge, two volume, two tone controls, 3-way pick-up selector and some nice alinco humbuckers. It has a good size neck and I think almost anyone could pick up a les paul and play with no problems. // 7

Sound: Now the sound of a les paul is the reason everyone wants to buy one! The humbuckers on this bad boy are fantastic, they give a lovely creamy rich tone when on the 'rhythm' pickup they scream out bends and has the sort of sound you might expect to come out of Slash's Marshall (which is the sound I wanted to achieve). But the Les Paul is also very versitle and can handle soft blues, to punk rock, to heavy metal, to anything! I use my Les Paul through a Marshall 30MGDFX, which I recently bought to, it sounds amazing, it also sounds cool through a Fender amp or a Vox. I also have a Jim Dunlop Cry Baby which sounds absolutely awesome with the LP. The Les Paul suits my style of music because I play a variety of punk and classic rock but I reccomend if you only play punk music do not buy a Les Paul Standard go for a junior! // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: I'm proud to say, that this guitar is very well built and has no flaws really, it doesn't make any weird sounds or doesn't come apart. The pickups were well adjusted too although I decided to higher them up a bit for a touch more output. The woods also descent so no complaints here! // 9

Reliability & Durability: I haven't played with my Les Paul (live) yet. So I'l tell you what it is like to just play! At first when I got my Les Paul I really wasn't used to all that weight tugging on my shoulders cos I play a Tele, but after a few days you get used to it and you feel like it's a guitar you can really rock out with and it feels like you have a lot of control over it. There are no problems with the finish or anything as of yet but I might see things happening to it in a few years time. I probably wouldn't take it to a gig without a backup but that's just me. // 8

Impression: My overall impression of this guitar is a very good one. I have a Fender Mex Tele and a Les Paul so I can create a wide range of sounds now I was looking for a classic rock sound to match the likes of Slash, Angus Young etc. And I definately found it. If you're thinking of buying a Gibson, don't! Unless you really have a lot of money to spend the Epiphone is a better alternative and the Gibson Les Pauls don't offer much more for the extra grand. Although I've only been playing for the better part of a year and a half I think I really know my stuff, I've played a lot of guitars and searched every where for a classic rock sound and the Les Paul provides it. The only thing I'd change to this guitar is perhaps put some Seymour Duncans in but that's my opinion. If I got it stolen or lost it I would probably experiment with something else but that is only because I feel I want a bit more scratch to the tone of my next guitar. The only thing I could compare this too soundwise would be a PRS but they tend to be a little pricier! // 7

Cort x-6

Here's another sweet guitar. a Cort x-6. hope you guys enjoy the review!

Features: The features on this guitar arent great they include volume and tone controls plus a 3-way selector. The pickups are just two humbuckers and it has non-locking tuners. I like the shape of the body, it's sort of Strat style with a bit of edge to it. There are 22 pretty big frets on it with not much space between strings as the neck is pretty thin so it can be tricky for stubby paws. It is finished well with sparkley red and hard lacquer paint on top.// 6

Sound: The type of music I play is punk and this guitar works well in that aspect although I think it is more metal, it has ok sustain and distortion isnt bad either although I think it lacks that rich deep sound of a les paul but, but not eveyone can get their hands on them. I am using this guitar on a 20watt Alesis Digital amp it sounds well when quite low but the quality fades on high volume. // 7

Action, Fit & Finish: This guitar was in perfect condition when I got it (not a scratch), everything was done to perfection altough the pickups had a very slight bit of rust on them. Pickups were adjusted quite well although I've messed about with them since. Tuning pegs could have done with a tiny bit of tightning but thats not a problem you can do that yourself. // 9

Reliability & Durability: I don't think this guitar was made to be played on stage as it cannot handle high volume and afterall its only a starter guitar, but it would do for small pub gigs. The hardware is very sturdy and durable and is quite reliable and seems like it will last a while yet. // 6

Impression: Overall I think this is a good start off guitar and is worth the money although I think I will go with a Gibson Les Paul next time. As I said before if your into metal, it's your man, but if your into punk get a Les Paul Copy or something. I've been playing about three years now and I also have an SG so the Cort has a lot to live up to but if your planning on getting this guitar I would wait until next as I heard they are making a newer version of this guitar. // 6

Review: Epiphone g-400

I REALLY WANT THIS BABY. too bad im a poorfag with no dough. well heres the staple copypasted review for you guys to enjoy.

















Features: I bought this guitar from a seller advertising on Ebay about 4 months ago now, not one of the Brand New models as it was built in 2000/2001 as far as I know, presumably in Korea. Now lets get the basics out of the way- Standard 22-fret rosewood fretboard, two humbucking pickups, chrome hardware, mahogany body with a very beautiful cherry red finish. The general style and shape of the body is the most accurate match to the Gibson SG in my view, and looks a hell of a lot better than other guitars in it's price range. Epiphone humbucker pickups as standard, but were made by Gibson specifically for Epiphone, before the more recent models where the pickups are made by Epiphone theselves. Standard Epiphone tuners. 2 volume and 2 tone controls, and a 3-way selector. I have yet to start modifying this guitar, and I am considering a Seymour Duncan SH-6 Distortion pickup to add a little more oomph to the guitar, as well as some Grover tuners as I have had a bit of trouble with the g-string coming out of tune recently. // 7


Sound: I play quite a lot of modern rock and alternative music, some punk and a little metal, and find that this guitar can cope quite well with the expectations set. I use two different amplifiers, a 15W with distortion and a 60W which can only output clean tones without any major effects. I find myself using the 15W most often with this guitar, it produces a full, solid tone on heavy distortion, and can manage a reasonably satisfactory clean tone on this small amplifier. However on the larger 60W amp, the bridge pickup can create a much nicer clean tone, however not as well as it can produce distorted ones. The accessibility to the higher frets is very good, one of the best I have played so far. The higher fret notes sound just as clear and full as the lower ones, making this guitar near perfect for fast solo work, however I found that the action of the guitar when purchased was un-naturally high, possibly the previous owner's preference, but I had to lower the action by quite a long way to achieve a comfortable setup. Overall, the standard humbucking pickups are good, and produce rich, full tones that can cope well with most music styles, from heavy rock to blues. However, if you are looking for a guitar with a very fat, powerful output, it would be worth spending a little extra time and expense on upgrading the pickups to something a little more expensive. The sound created from the pickups are very good compared to some other guitars in competition with the G400. // 7


Action, Fit & Finish: When I bought this guitar from the seller, second hand, there were no major flaws considering the guitar is now 5 years old. I am unable to comment on the factory setup of the guitar for the above reason, but the action as I stated above was very high possibly the owner's preference. The action can be lowered reasonably far without creating fret-buzz, and the pickups seem to be adjusted well. It is overall a very quiet guitar when adjusting/selecting pickups, and all the hardware is still perfect. The guitar is reasonably light, and doesn't strain my shoulders too badly when standing, compared to my ancient 30 year old Encore Coaster which is unbearably heavy even after 15 minutes of playing standing up. As for the body of the guitar the wood is still of very good quality, and shows no signs of cracking or weakness. I love the finish of the G-400, the glossy, rich cherry red colour compliments the deep wood grain visible underneath, creating a multi-toned finish and one of the most beautiful reds I have ever seen, especially in sunlight. The only flaw with this guitar is the jack plug- which seems to have been repaired. The actual jack must have become very loose (I think that because the jack lead enters the guitar at 90 degrees to the body, the lead must have been pulled, putting more pressure on the wood holding the jack plug in place). The jack is now being held in place by a square piece of black plastic, screwed into the wood of the body, and holding the plug with a nut. This has created a small weakness and slight chipping of the wood, but I managed to repair it using a mixture of wood filler applied from inside the back panel of the guitar, where the jack is now screwed in place. I was going to get this professionally repaired but hasn't been a big issue with the guitar as yet. Overall very good quality finish and fit, and has good action to play when set up according to your playing preference. // 8

Reliability & Durability: The electronics and hardware of the guitar seem very durable, however the 3-way selector is quite flimsy and probably wouldn't withstand heavy handling. The G400 is very neck-heavy, so a lot of care has to be taken when playing standing up- it's best to make sure you always have a hold on the neck. I realised today that investing in good quality strap locks is a great idea as I witnessed my guitar headstock divebomb to the floor with a rather loud smash, when the strap at the neck end decided it wanted to break free. The result of this not much. The finish is still perfect on the headstock and everything is still intact, suprisingly, as my first impressions of the finish durability were quite inexpectant, there seemed to be lots of scratches over the body when I purchased it, and one small ding where the glossy varnish/lacquer has a dent like a small ripple on the fron of the body, not too noticeable. The main flaw with the finish is near the strap button on the back of the body next to the neck a semicircular set of many scratches about 2 inches in diameter is visible from the guitar strap that the previous owner used, constantly being ground against the body of the guitar. At least it isn't noticeable when playing. Overall, the guitar still looks beautiful with no major flaws, and the scratches are only visible on close inspection. // 9


Impression: I have been playing for around one year now, and find that this guitar is almost perfect for me. Playing mostly modern rock and punk music, I feel that the neck rythm pickup can manage to create heavier, distorted sounds that suit this music. I can imagine that with a larger amplifier that supports distortion, the guitar would be perfectly suited. I own two other guitars that are cheaper and made by Encore, the G400 is definately leagues ahead of the other two. If it were to be used for gigging, it would definately be my first choice, however not up to performance with the more expensive Gibson models which I would suggest for more experienced players than myself. If I were to have my money back and buy another guitar, I would probably choose the same model again, and definately the earlier models from around 200/2001 due to the Gibson made pickups. If you are a new beginner, I wouldn't suggest getting this as your very first guitar, as I find that I progress much more quickly on my £13 Encore guitar, (yes, £13 only) as I find it much more relaxed and comfortable for playing. I feel that the guitar would be suitable for people that are moving onto a higher level guitar, and people playing a few local gigs etc. but not professional players requiring an instrument that meets the high standards they would expect, and that the Gibson would be a better choice. // 8

BACK TO BUSINESS

well, after a LOOOOOONG leave of absence, ive finally had the time to start on my get-cash-for-axe project. i need my ex followers back. i know it wont be easy but heck, im gonna try anyways. im counting on you guys.