guilty pleasure!

That's not my name,That's not my name,That's not my name,Thats NOT ....... MY NAME!
Argggggh, damn you ting tings.
I just couldn't get the song out of me head.

Shredder

Now there is so many shredders out there its unbelievable, compare during the 90's, the time when I first learned the guitar. Guitar solos are definetely back. It's exiting times now. I have a few new favourites now such as John 5 (On top of my list), Buckethead ( I love that he plays melody too) and Bumblefoot ( at first I was very sceptic, but he is so great, checkout youtube to see him shred). Both John 5 and Buckethead inspired me to try learn country licks, and make me realise you don't need the tremolo or whammy bar to do divebombs and make those weird bends.
Suddenly country is cool, even Hetfield love country.
Another turn over point for me is seeing Jim Root and John 5 playing Telecaster. Who would play metal on a Tele.Wow,that made me look back at it, and even bought it one, but not their signature models. Tele definetely kicks ass, I love the shape more now and it sounds great too.
Great stuff!

Distortion Pedals etc

I collect guitar pedals, they are my passion. I've went the digital/multi effects road few years back, but now i'm back to stompboxes. I've sold all my multi effects. I've always like to try new toys at guitar stores, I remember once I tested a DOD ring modulator me and the tech at the store look at each other laughing at the sound. It is very very weird. I could buy it , but where could I put the effect, it is so strange like R2D2 or something.
But one of my main aim is to find the most sweet sounding overdrive/distortion/treble booster /booster pedal. I've bought around 5 of them, i've sold 3 (the DS1, Turbo Distortion and DOD supra distortion) and now waiting for my tube screamer. I don't know if I have an ear problem, but after a while purchasing the pedals, I don't like the sound, some frequencies are not gelling.
If the Tube screamer isn't working I will have to purchased the RAT.
I am a Metal Player, but I don't like to push the gain too much, because the tone will have no definition and in some instances become thin instead of bigger. I know that if I have a great tube amp (read Mesa-Boogie), I can throw out my distortion pedals, but for now they are my only hope.
One thing for sure, the quest for tone will never cease to stop.


p/s- check out satriani and vai signature doistortion pedals, great stuff!!

Scales and Modes etc

I love guitar to death, but my skills are somewhat limited.
I don't know that many modes or scale. I do know pentatonic,blues, major,minor,dorian and harmonic minor,( maybe a lil' bit of phrygian dominant).
I cannot sweep pick.I cannot play super super fast. I cannot sing and play heavy,fast riff the same time like Hetfield or Mustaine. That to me is the ultimate shit. Bass players that can sing (eg sting,tom araya,lemmy etc) is much much more cooler to me. Damn thats very hard.
Mainly I am a rhythm guitarist. Thats what I do best. Playing riffs is my ultimate satisfaction. Thats why I admire guys like Hetfield,Gossard,Mustaine,Izzy Stradlin,The Edge and bands like soungarden,audioslave,VR bands that are riff oriented. I've also notice many of my favourite players like Jack White (white stripes), Chris Cornell (soundgarden.audioslave) and even Dick Dale started out as drummers. They have time and rhythm, hence are great guitar players.
Flash is great, but feel and melody is always the best.
But I do love guitar solos, I've always love Satriani,Friedman,Vai,Hendrix,Kenny Wayne,Slash,Dimebag and my favourite Kirk Hammett. I love solos that are meaningful and played tastefully. Something hooky, with great phrasing, note choices and dynamics. Not just speed all the way, like Yngwie's playing now.
Melody is another thing that is great. Players like Slash can pack full emotion in his solos.
The bottom line is if your solos is remembered and crowd can even sing them, you've made it!

Valve Amplifier

What is a valve/tube amp?

from wikipeda :A valve amplifier or tube amplifier is a type of electronic amplifier that make use of vacuum tubes instead of solid-state semiconductor devices (such as transistors). As any other electronic amplifier, they serve to increase the power and/or amplitude of a signal.

Which is best, Solid-state or Tube?

Here the traditional thinking is that solid state circuitry can produce superior clean power at a much more affordable price, while the scarcity of vacuum tube manufacturers today tends to make tube-based amps more expensive in a comparably powered amplifier. This has led to some interesting hybrids in which the basic tone is produced by a tube-driven preamp, while the power amp is solid state. Still, the majority of "serious" players will almost always lean towards a tube amp

Should I get a combo amp or a head and cabinet?

This one is actually pretty simple, as it really depends on just how big a venue you are planning to play in. For club dates and even small halls, today's combos are well-equipped to deliver plenty of power to deliver powerful sonics that will be heard all the way in the back. If your goal is to have enough sonic firepower to fill a giant auditorium or even an open arena, there's no question that you'll want a high-powered stack with at least a 4 x 12 cabinet, like the Marshall DSL100 with a 1960A cabinet. As a caveat to that, some players still prefer a smaller amp - such as a Vox AC30 Custom Classic - for its specific tone, and then simply mic the amp and run it into the PA system (provided the PA will handle it, of course).

Malaysia has its own tube amp manufacturer , www.ceriatone.com. You could buy a full spec amp or if you are a DIY fanatic you could purchase the tube kit. It's quite good from what i've heard and read at harmony central. and very cheap compare to other company.

All my favourite players use tube amp, even Dimebag uses krank tube amp during the last years of his career. Among favourites are the Marshall JCM 2203,2204 and my personal love the Mesa Boogie Mark II C+.

OUIJA Guitar

James of METALLICA Iron Cross Guitar

• Set-Neck
• 24.75” Scale
• Mahogany Body
• Maple Top
• Mahogany Neck
• Ebony Fingerboard
• 42mm Bone Nut
• Thin U Neck Contour
• 22 XJ EVO Frets (Gold) Ni-Free Alloy
• Distressed Gold Hardware
• Sperzel Locking Tuners
• Schaller Straplocks
• Tonepros Locking TOM & Tail
• EMG 81 (B) / 60 (N) Active p.u.
  w/Distressed Gold Covers
• Finish: Distressed BLK
  
  NOTE: Toggle in Upper Position Inactive

The guitar is based on his customised 1973 ‘Iron Cross’ Gibson Les Paul. It will be officially unveiled at Winter NAMM 2009. I wish Gibson would replicate this great piece of guitar. But rumours was Gibson was unwilling to make a signature model for Hetfield. What a bad move if thats true, cause they could also make a replica of his old V's and Explorer signature.
I love to grab one if i could. Go to esp.com for more info.

My Favourite Guitar

The Epiphone Les Paul Special II.This is my first electric. I bought way in 1997 with my University tuition money!! Whoa was my parents piss. It cost me RM 550.oo back then.
I have bought and sold Ibanez, Gibson Explorers, Fender Strats but this will always be in my collection I think. It sounds and plays really great. I love the skinny necks. The only thing that irritates me is the guitar cannot stay in tune, especially the G string!
I made a mod in it, so I have 2 volume knobs- no tone control. Now the bridge pick up is dead. I've yet search a new pick up maybe i'll install a Seymour Duncan JB or something like that. Now I just play the neck pick up, but its great because the sound is bright not muddy.
I don't know if i'll ever gonna afford a Gibson Les Paul, I sure hope so!

My New Tremolo Pedal

My new tremolo pedal, made by Mr Jimmy Ko. Nice effect, I can dial in all those 60's and surf music that I love. Also the audioslave and Radiohead tremolo sound. It is actually based on the Demeter Tremolo. It is also a true bypass pedal, which doesn't suck your tone and can be used as a buffer to stabilise the signal in your effects chain.
It sounds different if you hook it before/after the overdrive so i hook it after my Boss Metal Zone and before my Marshall JackHammer.

Fun Guitar Question

Tom from pedalboards.com answers :

Burger king or McDonalds, starbucks or dunkin dounuts, Bud or coors light, hell, Ginger or Maryann. It all comes down to personal preference. Larry Carlton can plug into a pignose and still sound like Larry Carlton.

Fun Guitar Questions

This answers are from Mr Jimmy Ko of pcb4diyeffects.blog.com, my pedal guru friend.

1) Analog or Digital?

Analog

2) Rosewood fretboard or maple?

Maple

3) Tube or solid state?

Solid, but dying for a tube amp.

4) Single coils or Humbuckers?Why?

Single coil ...flexibility. Aiming to add a Les Paul in future.

5) Multieffects or pedal/stompboxes ?

stompboxes. (well of course, he is the pedal guru-guitaril)

What is your holy grail of guitar equipments ?
vox ac15 + gretch dual jet

Fun Guitar Questions

This is my answer,

1) Analog or Digital?

Analog for effects, Digital for recording.

2) Rosewood fretboard or maple?

Rosewood ,I love warm the warm tone from using it. All my heroes uses them, except Jimi Hx

3) Tube or solid state?

I never tried a Tube amp, but i believe I will love it. (i am still gathering fund for a ceriatone, do wait for me Nik)

4) Single coils or Humbuckers?Why?

Humbuckers, I am a metal player. All my guitars are humbuckers except for my ibanez middle pickup, which i never use!

5) Multieffects or pedal/stompboxes ?

I've use them all, I will say pedals- for the easy tweaking on the spot and reliability and sturdiness. It's simple,and looks a hell a lot cooler.

What is your holy grail of guitar equipments ?

Mine is the mesa boogie mark II C+) Metallica Killer Old School Tone.

For Palestine - Boycott US goods

Everybody knows, the US are close allies with Israel.
Boycott the Israel and the US.

That's the least we could do.

My new toy

customize guitar

Schecter C-1 FR















I am in a process to get my own signature guitar , customize by a luthier who should be anonymous for now. We see a lot of artist's signature guitar among others that i like such as
John5 telecaster,Jim Root tele, Kirk Hammett's ESP and EVH among others.
But the 1 guitar i really thing suits me, and the 1 i am modelling after is the soul power guitar, mr tom morello's guitar.
Except that i substitute the pick ups with 2 humbuckers,maple neck and i want a thin white finish.

The specs are as below:
Mahagony Body Strat style ( thin white finish)
Maple neck and fretboard ( No finish, bare neck, neck V profile)
Medium frets (maybe stainless steel)
Grover tuning machine
Floyd rose
Seymour Duncan pickups
2 Volime knobs, 1 tone control for the neck pick up only
3 way toggle switch ( for the on-off stuttering sound)


I'll post more about this later.

Great Acts

I suggest you to go here,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3XSJjzheHs8
here,http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JrxZtzXtg6w
and here, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEAtk6moKtw