What is a true military style watch?
There was something I should have talked about more in my last article about what makes for a true military style pilot watch...
...and that's a thing called a sterile dial.
You will notice that when shopping for Laco "Type B" watches that one in particular is way more expensive than the others. There are a few reasons for this. The upper-tier model has blue-outline hands (as in the kind forged to be blue and not painted), a Swiss movement and something else. Absolutely no company logo on the dial at all.
A true military spec watch has absolutely no logos on it because the timepiece is built for purpose and not to advertise the company who made it. As such, the dial will not only have no logo but also no other text either. Not even a "made in [country of origin]" will be there. All you get are indices and nothing else.
The funny thing about sterile dials is that there are basically only two types. Really cheap and really expensive.
If you want a really cheap watch that has a sterile dial, just go to Walmart and look at the analog watches on the bargain rack that sell for under $15. Very easy to find.
If you want something better, see Parnis, Bliger and Sea-Gull.
When you want top drawer stuff, Laco is basically the highest possible tier for a military spec sterile dial timepiece.
Why bother with a sterile dial?
There are some who are very anti-logo where watches are concerned and have no interest in seeing a brand when checking the time.
Personally, I don't mind brand logos on watches as long as said logo is subtle and not an in-your-face thing.
An example of a logo I hate is the Invicta brand. And I mean any Invicta watch. It just looks stupid.
Another logo I hate is the old Armitron logo because it looks like bad 1970s kitsch. The new Armitron logo however looks much better. When browsing Armitron watches, the old logo starts with a capital A and then small letters after that, all overly rounded and stupid looking. The new logo is all capital letters, all same height and looks a million times better. It really does.
Something that Casio does that really annoys me is not the Casio logo itself but all the garbage text all over so many of their timepieces, such as "5 ALARMS", "ILLUMINATOR", "10 YEAR BATTERY", "WORLD TIME", "ALARM", "CHRONO" and so on. I'm not talking about the text next to the pushers but rather just all this extraneous crapola all over both the dial and the case.
What companies do brand logos totally right? Omega, Orient, Seiko, Skagen and Timex (but only for analog non-Expedition models).
And of those 5, which are the top 3? In no particular order: Omega, Seiko, Orient. Each of those 3 have several models that really show what a proper logo should look like, both in appearance and size.
In the end, I don't mind watch logos. But it has to be the right design and right size for the dial.
The easiest-to-read analog watch is a pilot Type B
The more I research watches, the more I get interested in particular designs concerning readability. And I do believe the absolute easiest-to-read and fastest-to-read timepiece is the pilot's "Type B".
Type A: Sterile or sterile-like high contrast dial, 3-hand configuration (hour, minute, second), hour numbers going around the dial, lumed. Nothing you haven't seen before. Example: Laco Type A.
This is really easy-to-read, but the Type B is even easier.
Type B: Sterile or sterile-like high contrast dial, 3-hand configuration, minutes in 5-minute increments going around the dial, inner track with hour numbers, lumed. Example: Laco Type B.
Out of every style dial that exists, the Type B is by far the easiest and fastest to read. When you want a dial that you can literally tell the time on in less than 2 seconds, you want a Type B.
Traditionally, watches of this style are called Flieger watches. The original design was introduced in 1941 for German pilots. The case was a huge 55mm size and had a very long strap so it could be worn around the outside of the pilot's jacket.
It is possible to buy an old ginormous 55mm size if you really want it, but fortunately there are others that are of much more reasonable sizes.
I'll list a few below, but before I do, here are a few things to know.
True Flieger style watches do not have applied markers and no date complications at all on the dial. The originals were built for purpose, and as far as I'm aware, Laco has Type A and Type B designs that are what Flieger watches are supposed to be. While true they're not 55mm in size (they're 42mm to 44mm), it is the closest thing you can get to the real deal as far as style is concerned.
One more note on Laco: Some models are quartz, some use the Japanese Miyota movement, and some use a Swiss movement (which I'm assuming is ETA).
What I'll be listing below are Type B-like styles. You will see date complications, applied markers and other things.
This is the smallest Type B style with a 37mm size. The case is bead blasted so it's not super-shiny, but neither are true Type B pieces. The advantage to that is that this Seiko can really take a beating.
While the movement isn't hackable, you actually can see it as it does have an exhibition window in the back of the case. It also features a day-date complication.
This one has a date complication, 100m water resistance, a 42mm case size and one of the easiest-reading dials you'll ever see (arguably even easier than a Laco). You can go for a swim and take showers with this one and not worry about it.
This offering from Hamilton is the one most guys would want. It has a day-date complication, but its two big sells is that it has a Swiss movement and 200m water resistance. Yes, that means you could technically dive with this watch.
The best design feature on this watch is that the hour hand tip is just a frame that allows you to easily read the hour marker right through it. That's a nice touch.
While the Khaki King Pilot looks huge, it's not. It's a 42mm just like the Orient, but the crown guards make it look bigger than it is.
Is the Type B the best analog dial design ever?
For style, no. A Type B would look ridiculous if worn with a suit, unless you actually work in the aviation industry in which case it would be acceptable.
For readability and efficiency however, yes it is. The dial of a Type B can be easily read from a distance or in bright or low light. The Type B dial can even be read while moving (such as taking a quick glance at it while driving).
Where easy, efficient reading is concerned on an analog dial, the Type B is the best you can get no matter who it's made by.
Guitar of the week #86 - Hagstrom Condor
Those crazy Swedes are at it again.
Take the Hagstrom Condor. Three pickups, one knob and six toggle switches. Yes, six.
Yikes.
Your eye is immediately drawn to the array of switches, of course.
Are they all functional? In fact, yes they are, and here's what they do, in order (front-to-back):
- Neck pickup on/off
- Middle pickup on/off
- Bridge pickup on/off
- Tone toggle (treble cut)
- Rhythm/Lead toggle (changes output level as far as I know)
- "Top" (more or less a bass cut)
So yes, this means that tone controls are handled by toggle switches only as the knob is a volume control.
What does it sound like?
I can best describe the Condor is sounding like a cross between a Fender Stratocaster and a Rickenbacker 360.
In other words, this guitar totally has the "sound of the '60s". As in the early '60s before everything got distorted later on.
Pickups on their own is where you get the Ric sound, and pickups together is where you get Strat-like tones (with hum canceling). Also, if you use a bridge + neck pickup combo, you get Telecaster-like tones out of it.
Confusing to use?
Not really. The 6 toggles at first look intimidating, but when you realize the first 3 are just pickup on/off switches and after that you have "tone", "boost" and "top", it's actually easy to figure out.
"Versatile?"
I honestly don't like using this word to describe a guitar because there are so many idiots that toss this word out to describe an instrument when they don't know what it means.
However, I know what the word means, and versatile does describe the Hagstrom Condor well. It can sound like a Ric, a Strat or a Tele. It has the electronics to boost and/or cut frequencies to wrangle just about any tone you'd want to get out of it.
The Condor is a borderline weird guitar but in the end isn't because everything it offers does actually make sense. There isn't anything on the guitar "just for the sake of being there". Everything on it is functional and serves a legitimate purpose.
I dig it. It's different, but in a way where you can actually get more out of it. The Condor is definitely not just a one-trick pony.
On a final note, the 2-pickup version of this is called the Impala, but even though I champion 2-pickup electrics, this is one of the rare instances where I say go for the 3-pickup because you get the most tonal options.
Time for the Cyber Monday guitars
Before 2005, Cyber Monday didn't exist, so it's a term that while not new certainly isn't really that old either. It's basically the "last chance" to get the best deals. Last Friday starts the sale; today ends it.
Yes, this means it is a possibility that all of the guitars I list here may be gone real fast.
I found 4 more guitars that are online exclusives like last Friday's guitars. And they are:
Kala Learn To Play Ukulele Starter Kit
This uke starter kit comes with everything and has a 4.5 out of 5 review rating. People really, really like this. And not only is it cheap but Kala is well known to make very good ukes. The uke may be small, but it's certainly built right.
Dirt cheap Schecter. It's priced lower than most Squier Bullet Strats, which is amazing considering it has an arched top, black chrome hardware (nice!), a hard maple neck with rosewood fingerboard and thru-body strings. Also comes with a gig bag, which is something Squier doesn't even offer.
This M2 is arguably the most collectible just based on color alone. Yes, it's a loud color, and that pretty much automatically will make it a rare bird real fast, especially considering it's an online-only exclusive.
Gibson USA SG Fusion in Lavender Fog
Last but certainly not least is another Gibson USA, this time a SG in a color that I guarantee you will never see in a guitar store. This, like the Citron Green M2 above, is an instant collectible. Gibson is really nailing it with different cool colors in 2016, so this would totally be worth getting. I can imagine this one doubling in value very quickly.
The 5 best Black Friday Gibson guitar buys for 2016
The day I post this is the biggest shopping day of the year for 2016. Some of you will be going to guitar stores to buy guitars. If you intend on doing that and are going for a Gibson this year, see these first because you're about to see 5 Gibsons that are not available in guitar stores at all, but you can get them here.
The M2 is lean-and-mean with a SlimTaper neck, nitro gloss on the body and nitro satin on the neck. Very smooth player, USA-made (as are all the guitars on this list) and most importantly, less than half the price of a USA-made Fender Stratocaster.
Gibson USA Les Paul Custom Studio
This is a simplified Les Paul (note that it only has 2 knobs) with a more subdued look. Has a swamp ash body and alnico 5 magnet "double slugs" pickups.
Gibson USA 2017 Firebird Studio
The Firebird is a guitar I intend to own someday personally and if I had the cash I'd seriously consider this one. This one has the 496R/500T pickup combo. If you're familiar with "SG scream" where tone is concerned, this Firebird has that.
I really dig the design of this particular SG because it has that early-early Gibson design influence to it. Gold top hat knobs, keystone tuners, and so on create a very cool look all around. The pickups in this one are a '57 Classic in the bridge and a '57 Classic Plus in the neck.
This "Classic" Les Paul is basically a Standard without the asymmetrical neck or any robot tuner junk on it. Like the SG mentioned above, this one has a pair of '57 pickups in it as well. Does the Classic cost less than the Standard? Yes. You save about $500 going with this one, and yes it will still retain good resale value if you plan on selling it later on.