NB- if you’re family and reading this, I have everything on the list so click here to make me a happy man! :P

1. Planet Waves Pro-Winder string winder & cutter:  An inexpensive yet invaluable tool for any guitarist that’ll make them wonder how they managed without one.  There’s a bass version available too.  $7.95 / £6.50.

2. Guitar Tuner: All-instrument headstock tuners are becoming popular as their tuning accuracy improves, and it’s pretty handy as they work well with acoustics and electrics.  Check out the Planet Waves NS Mini Headstock Tuner and Snark SN-8 Clip-On Tuner.  The Snark is my favorite because it’s quick and has a built-in metronome. PW is $20 / £16 and Snark $15 / £13.

3. Strap Lock System: The majority of players don’t use or believe they need strap locks but think of strap locks as insurance, especially if you gig.  It basically locks your strap in and ensures the guitar never slips off while playing, even if you love doing crazy guitar spins à la Malmsteen.  I personally prefer Ernie Ball Super Locks ($20 / £16) but the Dunlop StrapLok System ($15 / £18) and Schaller Security Locks ($25 / £15) are also good.  A popular alternative for strap locks is the DiMarzio ClipLock strap ($22 / £20).

4. Guitar straps boil down to personal taste as there are numerous brands and types, but after trying many I settled on Planet Waves Joe Satriani woven guitar straps a few years ago.  Excellent quality, very comfortable, and they look cool.  If the JS designs don’t do it for you head over to Planet Waves and check out their strap collection.  Woven straps average $25 / £20.

5. FretWraps: A great accessory for muting and dampening strings to reduce unwanted noise.  I use it primarily as a string-dampener at the neck replacing packing foam.  Hair ties are just as effective but you’ve got to find the right size and elasticity while FretWraps are purpose-made and never wear out.  Available directly from GRUV Gear for $30 + shipping (worldwide).

6. Guitar stand: A compact, sturdy and lacquer-safe stand for guitar or bass (GS401B for acoustics).  It also comes in a nice bag so you can fold and stash it in the back of your amp or with other accessories.  Hercules GS402B mini Electric guitar stand ($35 / £20).  Hercules GS401B mini Acoustic guitar stand ($35 / £23).  Don’t miss Hercules’ multi-guitar rack stands if you’d rather have all guitars on a single stand.
 

7. Instrument cable: After I switched to Bullet Cable a few years ago I haven’t looked back.  Brilliant quality and durability, fun cable + plug designs, and a friendly team behind the brand always willing to help.  For your sonic pleasure I highly recommend the Bullet Vintage/Retro Coil 10′ or 25′ cable ($35-$45 / £25-£35) and Silver Bullet instrument cable ($35 / £35).

8. Vox amPlug Headphone Guitar Amp: These headphone amps have been around for a few years and Vox have done good by continually expanding the range, so no matter what genre of music you play there’s one for you.  Priced at $40 / £35.  If you’re willing to drop more coin, Vox have one-upped the amPlug recently with the release of their amPhones Guitar Headphones which is definitely worth a look.

9. Patch cables: If you’re putting a pedalboard together or would like to upgrade patch cables on your existing board, you can’t go wrong with either the Bullet Cable SLUG Connector Kit ($80 / £69) or Lava Cable Mini ELC Pedalboard Kit ($70 / £70).  I find both equally good and use them in 2 different rigs but Slugs are easier to make, by far.

10. Buffer pedal: Last on the list is another invaluable tool to help retain the integrity of your guitar signal (read- prevent high frequency loss).  An absolute requirement for long cable runs but equally effective when you plug straight into an amp, you cannot discount the value of adding a high-quality buffer in your signal chain.  The RJM Tone Saver and Radial PB1 are the most transparent and natural buffers I’ve come across with one differentiating feature (isolated output vs. clean boost), so read up to determine which one is better suited for your rig.  RJM Tone Saver Audio Buffer/Isolated Splitter ($149 / £129), Radial BigShot PB1 Class-A Power Booster ($140 / £139).

Signal chain: Boss TU-3 tuner » Ernie Ball VP Jr volume » Radial PB1 power booster » Boss NS-2 noise suppressor (NS-2 FX loop: Maxon CP101 optical compressor » Maxon VOP9 vintage overdrive pro » Suhr Riot distortion) » BBE Sonic Stomp » TC Electronic Corona chorus » Eventide TimeFactor twin delay w/Digitech FS3X footswitch.

Other good stuff: Diago Showman pedalboard, Voodoo Labs Pedal Power 2 Plus, Lava patch cables, CAT boots.

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Holy cow, didn’t see this coming!  Vox announced a new Ice9 Overdrive pedal created in collaboration with Joe Satriani.  I was expecting an Octave or Modulation pedal next but this is a sweet surprise.

Love the name and colour, I’m sure it sounds as great as it looks.  Need to create some space on ye olde pedalboard I guess.

Thank you Joe!!

Press release: http://www.satriani.com/gear/2010-03-24-ice9.shtml

Vox product page: http://www.voxamps.com/us/pedals/ice9/

Promo video:

The VOP-9 is basically an OD-820 in a nine-series chassis with the same JEC NJM4558D op-amp and negative feedback loop clipping diode.  I am not a fan of tubescreamer pedals (stock, modded or clones) and the VOP-9 is nothing like a tubescreamer, which is what got me excited when I heard Dave Weiner review it here.  In fact, I was sold on the pedal based on a few of Dave’s Riff Of The Week videos.  Since no retailer in England stocks the VOP9, I could not try it before I plonked the money down for one, so a big thanks to Dave for doing a brilliant job of demoing the VOP9.  I’m completely blown away at the warmth, headroom and clarity of the VOP9.  I’ve owned an Xotic BB and Fulltone OCD before and while they were high quality boutique pedals with amp-like characteristics, they didn’t really bowl me over or inspire.

The CP101 is an optical compressor unlike any compressor I’ve owned or tried, with it’s optical circuit for low-noise operation.  When turned on, you notice this really smooth and transparent compression.  Without the hiss of normal compressors it’s hard to tell, just by listening, whether it’s turned on or not but it does an excellent job of keeping those levels in check.  It was either the CP101 or the Barber TonePress but as I was looking for a compressor with a subtle effect on tone, the CP101 made sense.

Detailed reviews with audio samples to follow, meanwhile you can check out Dave Weiner’s review of these pedals here.

All Maxon pedals feature heavy duty die-cast chassis, high-quality components and mechanical, true-bypass switching.  Based on the quality and tone of these two pedals I own, I’m looking forward to testing other Maxon pedals

A little history on Maxon for those interested/not aware:

Maxon is the name used by the Nisshin Onpa company of Japan for its line of effects pedals designed for guitar and bass.

During the 1970s Ibanez became one of the company’s main OEM customers. Nisshin Onpa designed and manufactured the now legendary TS-808 and TS-9 Tube Screamers for Ibanez, and many other models, including the FL-9 Flanger, CS-9 Chorus, and AD-9 Analog Delay. Nisshin Onpa also marketed its pedals under its own Maxon name during this time. When Nisshin Onpa and Ibanez parted ways in 2002, Nisshin Onpa began to more aggressively market its own line of Maxon pedals. Repositioning itself as a manufacturer of high-end mass-produced effects, Maxon expanded its line of analog pedals, using rare NOS components and classic circuit designs that are to this day highly respected and sought after.

Maxon continues to expand its product line. Although they produced digital delays and reverbs during the 1980s and ’90s, they now concentrate mostly on “hard-to-find elsewhere” vintage type effects such as analog delays, analog choruses and flangers, and classic overdrive and distortion units. Most of the old Ibanez Nine Series is available in Maxon form these days, but the Maxon pedals now include true-bypass switching and circuitry equal to or in many cases superior to the Ibanez originals. The company prides itself on a reputation of quality over quantity.

Pics after restoration & setup:

Specs:
1-piece original Wizard neck (quartersawn maple), square heel joint
17mm 1st fret – 19mm 12th fret
430mm radius rosewood fretboard
43mm nut width
Jumbo frets
Light-weight basswood body
Edge tremolo with die-cast saddles

It’s unbelievable how well this 22+ year old guitar was maintained before I bought it off a Jemsite member in September 2008.  The price wasn’t wallet-friendly but when you come across an original RG550 in good condition, you don’t negotiate! :)  No cracks in the neck pocket or behind the nut which is pretty common with old RG’s.  The only signs of age are a few paint cracks.

I’ve owned several Ibanez Prestige guitars before this ’87 RG550, and have since bought a J Custom, but the RG550 remains my main 6-string.  It’s unbelievable how the original wizard neck makes the Ibanez Prestige and Jackson Pro necks seem beefier than they really are.  And while you may think the slim neck is prone to damage/warping over 22 years, it is as straight as an arrow, and with care it could stay that way for years to come.

One thing I wasn’t sure about before trying this RG550 was the square heel neck joint as I’ve grown to love the AANJ on newer RG’s, but both are comfortable and winners in my book.

The Edge bridge:  Hmm… I probably spoiled myself with low-profile bridges over the years as it could take time getting used to the original Edge, but overall it feels ‘solid’ and there’s no doubt why it’s still a favorite among Ibanez artists.

Pickups: It came fitted with a set of DiMarzio Evolutions but I swapped them out for Tone Zone + Air Norton, and upgrading to the OTAX VLX91 switch so I could coil-tap the humbuckers.  I’m in love with the parallel neck position for it’s transparency, especially for cleans and mildly overdriven tones.  While the Tone Zone is usually my safe pickup choice I did experiment with a D-Sonic since then and it definitely sounds good in this RG550 for the tones I’m after.

Finally, the question you may have if you’re reading this: are the old RG’s better than anything Ibanez makes today?  To me, it’s an emphatic YES!!  The long answer is it really depends on your taste.  The RG2550E I heavily customized, played like a dream and sounded great, but I sold it shortly after getting this ’87 RG550.  There’s something magical about the guitar, where it sounds and feels superior and I’m inspired to play better. That could just be me though, but don’t stop looking and trying new guitars until you’ve found ‘the one’.

If you see an 87/88 RG550 on Craigslist, eBay, Gumtree or a gear forum, don’t hesitate to buy one if you love Ibanez guitars and want an absolute shredder. I think they’re some of the best guitars Ibanez built!  This is coming from a J Custom and Musicman JP6 owner.

Enough of the past: Enter the Eventide TimeFactor.  I’ve only had it a few days so this is not a review, just a list of reasons why I like and bought this unit:

– Two independent 3-second delays in one stompbox
– Studio quality effects (Digital, Vintage, Tape, Modulated, Band & MultiTap delays sound authentic)
– Flexibility: Mono/stereo operation, instrument or line-level inputs/outputs, expression pedal out, aux out for single or 3-button footswitches and full MIDI support
– True or buffered bypass selectable based on your setup
– 100 presets (2 per bank) onboard: I don’t need more than 10 but it’s nice to have
– Global Tap Tempo (optional) so it’s easy to call up presets and retain the same tempo, or dial in a new tempo
– Delay trails when changing presets or going into bypass
– I don’t use much modulation, reverb or filters in my music but if I need some, the TimeFactor can pull it off
– Regular software updates from Eventide with bug fixes and improvements
– Eventide support forum/staff are very helpful

This pretty much sums up why I chose the TimeFactor over the Empress Superdelay which costs the same, £299.  A more detailed review with samples coming up in a few weeks or months :)

RG8470F pics:

RG8470F specs:
Mahogany body with AAA flamed maple top and natural binding
5 piece maple/walnut neck with matching headstock and flamed maple binding
430mm radius rosewood fretboard with abalone and mirror J Custom vine inlay
Jumbo frets finished to the highest standard
Cosmo black hardware and Edge Pro bridge with locking studs
Recessed volume & tone controls
Direct mount pickups: Dimarzio Air Norton neck, DiMarzio Blue Velvet mid, DiMarzio D-Sonic bridge
FE – Fire Agate finish

It’s hardly been a week since I scored this beauty and I can’t wait to swap out the D-Sonic for a Tone Zone, string some 10’s on and wail away!  This is the first guitar I’ve owned that is “perfect” straight out of the case, thanks to the flawless fretwork, awesome setup and brilliant craftmanship.  I’ve played many high end guitars before and never felt the urge to buy one because there was nothing special that made them play better than my modded Jackson/Ibanez super strats.  This JCRG is easily on par with my ’87 RG550 in terms of playability, even though the necks and neck joints are different.

The previous owner kept this guitar in excellent condition (thanks Andras), there were only 2 small nicks in the body that is visible at a specific angle.

A detailed review will follow in a month or less so Merry Christmas and I hope 2010 holds another J Custom for me…

Now I’m planning to start repairing and setting up guitars part-time and know that I will need a very accurate tuner for intonating guitars, so I ended up selling the CT-04 and TU-2 and turned my attention to the Peterson StroboStomp 2 which is regarded as one of the best tuners – fast, accurate and easy to use. I could not justify the £150 price tag, however, so I looked for alternatives and remember reading good reviews about the Korg Pitchblack series and DT-10 last year, which are reasonably priced. Their accuracy is pretty good (+/-1 cent) but the Pitchblack+ was more tempting for it’s accuracy that was on par with the StroboStomp and it’s price that was a small step up from the Pitchblack and DT-10.

Korg Pitchblack+ Tuner
If you’ve always want a high precision tuner like the Peterson Strobostomp without spending that kind of money, I would recommend getting your hands on a Pitchblack+ for £95. The price is lower in the U.S. (as is the case always) but it would cost the same after shipping and duty had I imported one.

Right out of the box I was impressed by how Korg thoughtfully included a 4-way daisy chain to power other pedals with the Pitchblack+. A 9V DC output is common on pedal tuners but none of the manufacturers bundle a daisy chain so buyers can use this feature right out of the box.

What I love about the Pitchblack+:

» really intuitive and easy to use
» tuning accuracy of at least +/-0.1 cents, as good as the Strobostomp
» brilliant dual LED meters making it so easy to tune
» true bypass that doesn’t color your tone
» dual inputs to connect 2 guitars simultaneously, each with their own tuning profile
» muted tuning

Check out Korg’s product page for detailed specs and information on the Pitchblack+.

You will notice the Pitchblack+ is larger than other tuners but that is a small price to pay for a professional tuner that has some very cool features. If and when I do find time, I shall follow up this brief review with a video of the Pitchblack+ in action because seeing is believing.

Finally, while conducting research for a new tuner, I did come across the Turbo Tuner from Sonic Research which is the most accurate tuner to date – someday I might buy that, but the Pitchblack+ is perfect for my needs at this time.

Later!