New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1(n),As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

[Phantasmagoria]

My friend cakire82 suggested I post this here so....here goes..

..just got a set of 3 Blackouts (AHB-1n, AS-1, AHB-2b) as replacements for the stock pups in my Ibanez S-540 Ltd Saber but Ive decided not to install them after all because:

a) The stock pups sound fine.
b)Hardly any place for a battery in there...
c)The push-pull pot (for the ahb-2 'boost' mode) won't fit in the tone knob position. If I put it where the volume knob is it'll get in the way of the trem arm.



So I decided to get a new (cheap) guitar for them instead. I prefer superstrats/pointy headstocks to the classic/vintage stuff... obvious choice is a(nother) Cort X-6 which is an incredible guitar for it's price. I've really been enjoying playing my Cort X-6 SA with Lace Alumitone Deathbuckers/Duncan Hot Rails...it plays like a dream!



Anyway, I'm torn between these two models (same specs):





and...





Not sure which one I'll end up buying (suggestions welcome..lol). I guess the snakeskin finish is the more obvious choice. But I have a weakness for Metal cover-art, graphics and the like...so it's a tough choice :scratchch

Anyway...I aim to have those blackouts working in a week or so....might need some help with that again :1:

 

[cakire82]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

+1 Snakeskin looks killer!

 

[SrDeMaFp]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

+1 Snakeskin looks killer!

****in' A, man. I dig it.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

Yeah...snakeskin it's going to be. Just placed my order

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

All I need to do now is drop the blackouts in it

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

With the blackouts....

 

[SrDeMaFp]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

That guitar is so awesome. How does it sound and play?

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

It sounds great...very similar to my brother's RG 550. Build quality/finish is pretty much up to that standard as well. The neck is AMAZING. The LFR works fine, stays in perfect tune and is made of steel not pot metal with a black chrome finish.


Here's a couple more pics...

 

[cakire82]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

Inlays look sick !!! Great plus for budget guitar IMO. Neck joint also seems very comfortable. And now with BOs, it will sound great I believe. Sound clips please

 

[MikeS]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

Ha... "I have these pickups and I need a guitar to put them in." You are going to fit in here very well.

Nice guitar, BTW. The inlay is neat, and I'm digging the flat black finish on the back.

 

[SrDeMaFp]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

After looking at the pics again - is the snake skin finish textured/raised?

 

[cakire82]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

I would dye those fingerboards with some ebonizer dye and make them look darker, almost black. Maaan, even thinking about it gets me excited.

 

[Bass_Medic_05]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

Yeah the snake skin is cool!

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

Ha... "I have these pickups and I need a guitar to put them in." You are going to fit in here very well.

Nice guitar, BTW. The inlay is neat, and I'm digging the flat black finish on the back.

Thanks, yeah..it's a great looking guitar & it plays really well too. Technically, I did actually buy those pickups for my Ibanez though haha..

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

After looking at the pics again - is the snake skin finish textured/raised?

idk, it's some kind of of synthetic fibre/resin hybrid with a 'no-skid' kinda surface...hard to describe. It's got some silvery specks too ...like a metallic finish. The ad says it has the look & feel of real snake skin and I suppose that's what it's like...

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

I would dye those fingerboards with some ebonizer dye and make them look darker, almost black. Maaan, even thinking about it gets me excited.

Wow...I was just thinking the exact same thing! I might try and do something like that pretty soon.


Is it permanent? Will the inlays be stained? Does it come off on your hands afterwards...lol?


@bass_medic...thanks man!

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

okay...I just finished the demo/video for the blackouts. Had a blast with some over indulgent shredding ...& the cheesy visual effects lol, but anyway ..here it is

 

[cakire82]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

Wow...I was just thinking the exact same thing! I might try and do something like that pretty soon.


Is it permanent? Will the inlays be stained? Does it come off on your hands afterwards...lol?


@bass_medic...thanks man!

It is permanent. You need to wear latex gloves and tape off the inlays. Rest of it you can simple wipe it of.

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Frettin...rboard_Stain.html?actn=100101&xst=3&xsr=12404

Stewmac has instructions also.

Btw, thanks again for the demo!

 

[Funkfingers]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

At the risk of pointing out the very obvious, many of Ibanez' more affordable models are manufactured for them in Cort's Indonesian factory.

IMO, the snakeskin graphics look great but I would have preferred the simple dot fingerboard inlays of the X-6 WS.

Don't take any notice of my opinion but, please, DO post some more sound clips some day soon.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Re: New guitar for Blackouts Ahb-1,As-1(m),Ahb-2(b)

Yeah, from what I've read they also manufacture entry/mid level guitars for Fender, PRS, Schecter, Jackson, Ltd and others in their Korean & Indonesian factories..in fact, someone said on another board that they produce about 30% of all guitars manufactured every year ...so they obviously know how to go about things lol.

Definately GREAT value for money...the best bang for the buck out there.

Personally, I really like the shark tooth inlays, very METAL haha...but the dot ones would've been cool too...like a more 'southern-rock' sort of look...


@ cakire82: Thanks for the heads up, I might just try that stuff out in a little while