Fender Powercaster has a secret weapon
The Powercaster does have a secret weapon, but it's unknown at this point whether this will get people to actually buy it.
Before I say what that secret weapon is, yeah, the Powercaster is a mishmash of a bunch of different Fender designs. Jazzmaster, Jaguar and Stratocaster for the most part - but the body is totally new, or at least appears to be.
I do like the fact the neck is roasted maple. This actually works really nicely with the pau ferro fingerboard, gives this guitar a nice overall appearance that separates it from other models, and gives Powercaster its own true identity in the Fender lineup.
Okay, on to that secret weapon.
The Powercaster has a 24.75" scale length. Yes, like a Gibson. That's the secret weapon for this guitar that nobody is talking about, but should. That shorter scale length makes a huge impact on how the guitar feels in the positive direction. However, there are two things working against this guitar even with that oh-so nice shorter scale length.
First is price. The price is dangerously close to American models yet does not come with a hardshell case. Only a gig bag. And it's not made in the USA either. Mexico build.
Second is the Fender Atomic Humbucking bridge pickup. This is well known to be a "rock" pickup, meaning you're not going to get any traditional Fender tones out of the Powercaster whatsoever. The MP-90 neck pickup is good, this I know. But that bridge pickup is only good for rock and basically nothing else.
What would I change?
I would swap out that Atomic for a Fender Wide Range Humbucker, and ditch those crappy Jazz Bass knobs for Telecaster metal knobs with knurled sides.
The Wide Range does two things. It's much more civilized than the Atomic, and the chrome cover with Fender logo on it just looks cool.
The Telecaster metal knobs are far superior to the Jazz Bass knobs in every way. They feel better, are much nicer to the touch and very easy to adjust. And they would match up better with the Powercaster's bridge and tailpiece besides that.
Will the Powercaster be a hit?
It's nice that Fender released something truly new and different.
It's also nice that yes, there is something in a shorter 24.75" scale version that a lot of players will very much like.
Ultimately, what will make or break this guitar will be the Atomic pickup. Having that shorter 24.75" scale is great on a Fender, but the sound is what matters first.
Hopefully, the Atomic is voiced right for the Powercaster. I've only heard a few quick demos of this guitar since it's so new at the time of this writing. Said honestly, what I have heard did not sound that great. But maybe in the hands of the right players it can sound really good. Time will tell.
On switching back to D'Addario strings
My change of guitars also marks a return to D'Addario strings.
Over the years, I've tried many different brands of electric guitar strings. Everything from Fender to DR to Dunlop to GHS to Rotosound to Dean Markley to Darco to Ernie Ball and more. Heck, I even tried Alice brand once.
However, the string that has always been around ever since I started playing guitar was the D'Addario XL. After not using them in a really long time, I've gone back to it being my main string.
Why did I switch back after not using them for so long?
My #1 complaint about D'Addario strings was that they always felt too tight at standard pitch. The wound strings have a hex core which does add in string tension, and the plain strings always had a more taut feeling to them.
GHS Guitar Boomers, which use a round core on the wound strings and not hex, did have a slightly looser feel to them, and that's why it was my string of choice...
...but then I started playing Ibanez guitars.
On the Telecaster with its 25.5" scale length, the Boomers were great. No complaints whatsoever. But when I installed a set on my Ibanez with its 24.7" scale, it wasn't the same. Both the feel and tone were different to the point where it bothered me.
I figured I'd try a 9-42 set of D'Addario XL strings again, did so, and for the first time ever, they finally felt and sounded right. Going from a 25.5" to 24.7" scale length guitar loosened up the string tension at standard pitch enough to where I could now use them.
Was the scale length the key to everything?
Mostly.
The looser tension helped out a lot. But what also helped out are two other things. Fretboard radius and going back to a top-loader guitar.
The fretboard radius on my Ibanez AX guitars is 12-inch. This does not affect string tension but does affect how much I can lower the strings to the fretboard. The flatter 12-inch radius does allow me to set strings closer to the board compared to the 9.5-inch. This means I don't have to press as much on the strings to fret notes and chords.
When it comes to top-loader vs. string-thru, this is where things get weird.
In my experience, top-loader guitars have less string tension compared to string-thru-body, even on guitars of the same scale length. They shouldn't, but my fingers tell me otherwise. I may and probably will write a full article on this later, as it is worth talking about.
Try everything, even if that means trying different guitars
If you experience wrist strain or the strings you use just don't feel right, try different strings. Use whatever is available and accessible to you. If that means going through $50 worth of strings to find that one string set that really works well for you, do it. It is money well spent.
And if after that you still don't get the right feel, switch guitars. But don't think that buying an expensive guitar gets you something better. That rarely works. Pay more attention to things like scale length and guitar body style first. Once you find something that works for you in cheap form, then you can go for a more expensive model and know you'll enjoy it.
For example, the Ibanez AR725 is basically a very ritzy edition of the AX120 I own. It is good to know that since I get along so well with the AX120, the AR725 would be an enjoyable instrument to play and the money wouldn't be wasted.
Yes, Ibanez can surf
It seems that whenever I get a new guitar (or two in this case), I just have to do a surf song as a rite of passage to properly break it in, so I made a video.
Hurricane is a song I wrote back when I lived in Florida. At that time, I was in 100% Jazzmaster mode since that was my main axe, and it was that guitar which originally compelled me to learn surf rock. But even though I'm now Jazzmaster-less, the surf bug never left me. I still very much enjoy playing it.
I wanted to put together something that showcased both the GAX30 and AX120 guitars I own at the same time, and was happy to learn that yes, the Ibanez can surf.
Which is the better guitar for surf?
In the video, you'll notice I used the AX120 (the blue one) for the lower notes and chords and the GAX30 (the white one) for the higher notes. That was intentional. The GAX30 rings out the higher notes better with its Ibanez Infinity series pickups. The AX120 with its Classic Elite pickups rings out the lower notes better because it has a lower output and greater treble response.
If I absolutely had to choose between the two, the AX120 would be the better guitar for surf rock just because the vast majority of surf is played at the first 5 frets. This is not to say the GAX30 can't surf (it obviously can), but were I forced to pick just one, the AX120 would be it.
Processing
This time around I used my Line 6 Spider V 60 for all guitar sounds. I used a custom preset since the Spider does not come with a surf sound out-of-the-box that I'm aware of.
Was the preset difficult to create? No, it was fairly easy. I created it back when I still had Telecasters, but did have to modify it to be voiced properly for my Ibanez guitars.
Whether using multi-effects amp modeling like the Spider V 60 or traditional pedals, it is true that you have to shape your tone to the guitar that is plugged in at the time. I went from a low-output, trebly Telecaster with single-coil pickups to a not-as-trebly higher output Ibanez with humbuckers. I had to change almost every one of my custom presets to suit the AX120 sound as it is distinctively different from the Telecaster.
Is the humbucker pickup output too high on the Ibanez AX?
I can happily report that the pickup output isn't overblown on the Ibanez AX. This was a worry for me originally, because I wasn't sure whether or not Ibanez decided to voice the guitar "for metal". Thankfully, they didn't. Instead, they smartly went for a more civilized approach and voiced it more like a Gibson SG - and that's not a bad thing. Not at all...
...and that above all else is why the Ibanez can surf. Ultimately, getting surf tone all depends on how the pickups are voiced. A low-to-moderate output is needed with decent treble response, and the Ibanez has it - especially on the AX120.
2019 Squier Classic Vibe '70s Jaguar - still good?
New '70s Classic Vibe model guitars for 2019 from Squier across three models...
...but is the build quality still there? That remains to be seen. More on that in a moment.
For now I'm concentrating on the Jaguar since this one has the most obvious changes compared to the Vintage Modified version.
Changes to the '70s Squier Jag compared to Vintage Modified version
- Headstock logo treatment changed to '70s styling
- Body material is poplar instead of basswood
- Body finish is gloss polyurethane instead of gloss polyester
- Cream binding on the neck added
- Pearloid block inlays instead of parchment dots
- Fret size changed from medium jumbo to narrow/tall
- Nut material changed from PPS to bone
- Neck finishing now has tint
- Pickups changed from Duncan Designed to Fender Designed AlNiCo
- Saddles changed to Mustang style
Changed things that might have been mistakes
Most of the changes to the Jag are good ones. The switch from basswood to poplar should mean that screws will not strip the wood as easily, as basswood is soft by nature. Neck binding is always cool on a Jag, no complaints there. The switch of nut material is also welcome as the old plastic nut gummed up fairly easily. Neck tinting also looks great.
However, four things stick out that concern me.
Narrow/tall frets may not work so great on a Jag. The Jag is already a buzzy guitar by nature, and putting narrow/tall frets on it may cause even more fret buzz.
The old Duncan Designed JG-101 pickups on the Vintage Modified Jaguar really sounded good, and had a nice full sound to them. The change to AlNiCo may have not been the best move, but time will tell on that one.
The saddle change from traditional Jaguar to Mustang was just plain stupid, but there they are. This is Fender/Squier capitulating to dumb players who play their guitars caveman-style and constantly knock the strings out of the saddle grooves.
Lastly, manufacturing origin.
This one scares me.
Ever since Classic Vibe was introduced, all the guitars were made in China, or "Crafted in China", as it were. And it was done in a way where some high quality work went into production of CV guitars. The CVs made in China are great and always have been.
However, the '70s CV guitars are now made in Indonesia.
Why does this matter? It's because the Vintage Modified series has always been made in Indonesia, and from my experience, Crafted-in-Indonesia Vintage Modified Squiers are a notable step down in build quality compared to Crafted-in-China Classic Vibe Squiers.
What this ultimately means is that now you're paying Classic Vibe prices for a Vintage Modified level of build quality.
But maybe I'm wrong. Maybe these '70s Classic Vibe models have the same build quality as the China CV guitars.
I hope I am wrong, because otherwise, guitar players who buy this Jag are going to scream really loudly that they paid $400 for crap.
I really want this guitar to not be crap. Hopefully, it won't be.
Ibanez AX120 vs. GAX30
These two guitars look very similar but have some major differences in the tone department.
I own both the GAX30 and the AX120. As I've come to find out, these guitars actually do have literal model names. The GAX30 is known as the Ibanez AX Gio, and the AX120 the AX Standard.
The Standard is more expensive than the Gio, but not by too much.
Things that are the same
- Overall dimensions are the same
- Body shape
- Body material is basswood (Ibanez used to say the Gio had a poplar body but now say it is basswood like the Standard)
- Neck material is maple
- Fretboard material is jatoba (again, Ibanez used to say the Gio had a New Zealand Pine fretboard but now say it is jatoba like the Standard)
- Neck profile
- Neck binding
- Bridge
- Tailpiece
- Tuners
- Pickup spacing
- Number of frets (22)
- Fret size
- Pick guard shape and location
- Tuner buttons
- Control knob appearance
Things that are different
Electronic controls
Gio: One master volume controls, one master tone control.
Standard: Two volume controls, two tone controls.
Pickup selector switch location
The Standard has the switch placed slightly further forward than the Gio does.
Pick guard appearance
Gio has a flat color, Standard has tortoise shell appearance.
Headstock logo appearance
Gio has a "Gio" above the Ibanez logo. Standard has only Ibanez.
Overall weight
Gio is lighter in weight than the Standard is by a small amount. Probably about 0.5 pounds or maybe 0.75 pounds. I can feel this when I pick up the guitar.
Pickups
This is the biggest difference between the two guitars.
The Gio has Ibanez Infinity series humbuckers. They are open coil with flat, fixed-position pole pieces. The output would be said by most people to be "hot" with a pronounced midrange. These pickups are very good for rock and solo tones.
The Standard has Ibanez Classic Elite humbuckers. These are covered coils with one coil having fixed-position pole pieces and the other with adjustable pole pieces. You can see the screws on the outer coil of each pickup, and yes, they can in fact be adjusted manually with a flathead screwdriver, just like a Gibson Les Paul Standard. The output is not as "hot" as the Infinity pickups are, but have better treble response. This makes for better sounds for chording over soloing. This is not to say it's "better". Just different.
Each guitar has a distinct tonal character. Deciding which guitar to get depends on your priorities. If you want something "hotter" that rings out power chords better, you want the Gio. If you'd rather have something with a lower output and better treble response, you want the Standard.
What is jatoba?
Jatoba is mainly used for flooring. It's a hard and dense wood that actually works well as fretboard material. This is basically a rosewood alternative that Ibanez decided to go with. Its appearance is best described as a chocolate brown with some red in it, which works well on both the Gio and Standard. Jatoba does have texture you can feel on the fingers. This texture is not as pronounced as traditional rosewood is, but again, it works just fine for use as a fretboard.
Simply put, most players would see no difference between jatoba and rosewood. You have to really look hard at the board to know it's not rosewood.
I'm honestly surprised more guitar makers don't use jatoba fretboards, as it really works nicely.
What are you paying more for with a Standard?
- Pickups where the outer coils can be adjusted
- Additional electronics for more tone shaping options
- Metallic paint finish
- Tortoise shell pick guard appearance
Is it worth it?
Before answering this question, bear in mind that both these guitars are really affordable. So affordable that I just got both of them.
But let's say for the moment you're not interested in both and just want one. Is it worth the little extra to get the Standard?
For those Classic Elite humbuckers with the extra treble on top, yes it is. I find the Elites to be more suited to what I play.
If you examine other guitars priced similar to the AX Standard, you'll notice something immediately. The Standard is literally the only guitar with adjustable outer coil pole pieces. Nobody else has them at the Standard's price point. Everything else with humbuckers will be open coil with fixed-position pole pieces.
After the Ibanez AX Standard, the next guitar that has the chrome cover humbuckers with adjustable outer coils is the ESP LTD Eclipse EC-256FM, then the Epiphone G-400. The Squier Contemporary Telecaster HH may possibly have adjustable outer coil pole pieces, but Squier is sometimes known to use screws simply for appearance that aren't actually adjustable, so I can't confirm that. But even if the adjustability was there, the AX Standard is still the best deal.
Now to note, open coil pickups are not "bad". Not at all. You'll even see them on some ridiculously expensive Gibson and PRS guitars. There's nothing wrong with open coil humbuckers whatsoever.
And on that note, the AX Gio with its open coil pickups is also really good for what it is. It easily looks, sounds and feels like a guitar more than double for what it sells for.
For those that care about pickup magnets...
Both the Gio and Standard have ceramic magnet pickups. Some players scoff at that. I don't, because if I did I would have missed out on these two great guitars.
Ibanez did voice both guitars correctly. The pickups aren't noisy and deliver excellent sound for a small price.
And for all you ceramic magnet bashers out there, ever hear of the DiMarzio Super Distortion, as in the DP100 model? Yeah, the pickup that's been heard on some of the best rock guitar recordings of all time? Ceramic magnet. Deal with it.
I'm keeping both
While I prefer the sound of the AX Standard over the AX Gio, I'm keeping both guitars. I know if I parted with either, I would regret it immediately. These two axes get so many things right.