Guitar of the week #85 - DiVill by Italia F100
This guitar is weird yet not weird at the same time.
The DiVill by Italia F100 has an appearance that on the surface looks like a wild, wacky shape. But the more you look at it, the more you realize the design is quite normal.
The first thing to note is that this guitar has 3 pickups and not 1. There are 2 black single-coil pickups after the chrome covered humbucker. I actually like this because it easily fools someone into thinking this is a guitar with 1 pickup when it's not.
As far as the rest of the guitar is concerned, I can basically describe it as a cross between a Strat, a Les Paul and a Jazzmaster. The 25.5-inch scale (fingerboard radius unknown) and tuners are Strat-like, the bridge is Les Paul-like, the body and vibrato system are Jazzmaster-like. The electronics are your typical HSS style with 5-way blade selector.
I actually like this guitar's design, but there are two things I don't like about it, both of which are at the headstock.
First, the wood (and presumably the back of the neck) has no tint to it at all. It's just plain wood with sealant.
Second, the end of the headstock has this cut that just looks odd. It's not horrible, but I don't like it.
Other than those two things, this guitar actually looks pretty cool.
What does it sound like? Not a clue. I could not find any videos on YouTube demonstrating the sound of it. Were I to just outright guess, I'd say this guitar probably sounds like a mid-grade Epiphone guitar, which is not a bad thing, but it is a guess.
The best thing I can say about this guitar is that it's not your typical Strat, Tele or Les Paul. This is something different, but tastefully done without looking like a total freak show.
The pick punch pack is a cool and affordable Christmas gift for guitar players
If you've run out of ideas for what to buy as a gift for someone that loves the guitar and want something affordable and available right now, this is it.
A pick punch is literally a stapler-shaped thing that makes picks out of anything it can cut. Old credit cards, old greeting card stock, and so on. While it doesn't make the best picks in the world, any guitar player who uses one of these already knows this. However, any guitar player is happy to have one of these because when he or she runs out of picks (which does happen), the pick punch makes usable picks quick-and-easy.
Most pick punches come with strips, and that's what makes for a good gift.
There is also the "pick-a-palooza" that comes with the punch, sheets and a leather keychain pick holder.
The easiest of the easy is the pick-a-palooza gift pack. Why? Because it's made to be given as a gift. It doesn't get any easier than that.
My weird, wacky wristwatch requirements
There will be a Seiko in my future.
Regular readers of my site know I got walloped with some expenses this year. However, I do want to get myself a little something for Christmas - unless someone is generous enough to gift it to me. More on that in a moment.
The only watch in the world that suits my requirements where an analog timepiece is concerned is the Seiko SNK803. The requirements may be a bit weird and wacky, but valid nonetheless.
I very recently started wearing an analog watch again, and out of the ones I own, I've been wearing the Timex Weekender the most. Love the white dial, love the contrast of the dark numbers and markings, love it all...
...except the fact the 38mm version does not have a day-date complication on it. That is the one thing missing that would otherwise make it just about perfect.
Yes, it is true that Timex makes a timepiece very close to the look of the Weekender that is in fact a day-date, model T2N065, but it's a 36mm which is just 1mm too small for me. The Weekender is a 38mm and my Orient Three Star is a 37mm.
Speaking of which, while I really like my Orient and it operates just fine, I find that a dial with numbers on it is something I can read much faster and easier. It really shouldn't make a difference, but to me it does. The Orient I have hasn't any numbers on its dial at all.
In addition, I find that I greatly prefer an off-white dial over a dark dial be it black, blue, brown, green or whatever. The Weekender has that just-right dial color to it where it's not stark in color.
I've gone through both Amazon and eBay, again and again, over and over, looking through many listings trying to find something that has an off-white dial, numbers on dial, has minute markers, is light in weight, has a day-date complication and a 37mm or 38mm case size.
The Seiko SNK803 is the only timepiece on the planet that satisfies all these requirements. I've found no other timepiece that fits the bill. And believe me, I've looked.
Why am I being so selective about this? I can explain that best by citing two examples.
I'm in the supermarket buying groceries. There is one item in particular where I wanted to compare the expiration date to today (I didn't want to buy it if it expired in less than a week). Instinctively, I look at my watch, and... uh-oh. I'm wearing the Weekender. It has no date function. I can't check the expiration date against what the watch says because the watch doesn't show the date.
Numerous instances have happened where I glance at the watch to tell me what weekday it is. But again, the Weekender doesn't have that function and doesn't display that information.
True, I could just put on my Casio A158WEA which does display day and weekday on the face in addition to the time. But I noticed something else about the Weekender the more I wore it.
I can actually read the Weekender's dial more easily than the Casio. There is more contrast to the Weekender's face compared to an A158.
This is not to say the A158 isn't readable as it is very readable, but the Weekender is even easier. And I like that. A lot.
The Seiko SNK803 has that contrast just like the Weekender does with the addition of a day-date complication, which is exactly what I'm looking for.
There is one other watch that satisfies the requirements besides the Seiko. The Pulsar PJ6007. Why don't I get that one? I already have. I returned it because it was just too darned heavy, and the style of it wouldn't agree with a leather strap at all. That, and it's actually more expensive than the Seiko is.
It's like I said, the Seiko SNK803 is the only one that fits the bill.
I'm not saying the SNK803 is the perfect watch. I'm saying it's the perfect watch for me. Most other guys would prefer a larger timepiece.
If my wrist were just a half-inch larger, guess what? I could go buy the Casio MRW200H-7BV today. That meets all my requirements, save for one problem. Too big for my wrist. Another option is the Lucien Piccard LP-13017-02 "Expeditor". That also meets all my requirements, but has the same problem. Too frickin' big.
The SNK803 is, much like my Orient, an old-school Japanese style watch both in look and function. A bit of a holdover from how watches used to be made, but it is absolutely the right size for my wrist.
Guitar of the week #84 - Squier Vintage Modified '70s Jazz Bass (Natural Finish)
This is a model that might not be around for very much longer.
Arguably, the Fender Jazz Bass is the best bass a guitar player could own for basically one reason. It has the skinniest neck. Note that I didn't say thinnest neck. I said skinniest. As in a skinny nut width of 1.5 inches (compared to the Precision Bass which has a 1.625-inch nut width). This makes for a ridiculously easy-to-play bass.
There is also a second reason guitar players like the Jazz Bass. It has a "lean" in the body like the Jazzmaster does, so not only is the neck very easy on the fingers, but it's also a bass that plays very nicely in the seated or standing position. Chances are if you read my site, you're a guitar player, and when when you play bass, you do it sitting down, so the Jazz Bass would be the right choice.
The '70s Jazz Bass model from Squier may not make it much longer. I sincerely hope it does, but it might not.
This particular model is one of the best Jazz Basses Squier makes. Right weight, right tone, right everything. It is better than the Affinity version, no question about that.
If you record your own music at home (and you probably do), you need a real bass. Tuning down your guitar for a bass tone sounds awful. Using a pitch shift effect on your guitar for a bass tone also sounds awful. Using a keyboard sounds too fake. You need the real thing. I found this out myself and that's why I also own a bass.
The Jazz Bass will be the easiest on your fingers, easiest to play and yes, it has "that sound" with its two skinny single-coil pickups. You really can't go wrong with one.
Why do I recommend this particular model? Other than the fact it's a Jazz Bass, it's because of the maple fretboard. That's a sealed wood, meaning it's far easier to clean compared to rosewood. This means if you go a few months without playing it, no problem. Just detune, lift the strings, wipe down the board, retune and you're good to go.
Leather watch straps vs. everything else
I've been bitten by the analog watch bug again, and for the first time I've actually come to appreciate leather watch straps.
There are two analog watches I own, the Timex Weekender and Orient Tri Star. The Weekender has a quartz movement and the Tri Star an all-mechanical automatic movement.
Both of these watches now have leather straps on them. The Weekender has a light brown leather strap with deployment clasp on it, and the Tri Star a standard black strap with regular buckle.
I do own the "four biggies" in watch straps from the various timepieces I own, that being resin, metal bracelet, fabric and leather. The Weekender originally came with a fabric strap and the Tri Star a metal bracelet. Over time, I've been experimenting with different straps/bands/bracelets to see which agreed with me best.
Here's what I've come to know about each material.
Resin
The best application of a resin strap is when used on a sport watch. The Casio F-91W for example (which I do own) is a sport watch that is very inexpensive, works and it's light as a feather...
...but there's no way to make its strap look upscale. Resin is functional, but that's about it because it will never win points for style.
Other than its light weight, a big selling point of resin is that it is the easiest to clean. Wash with water and mild dish soap, dry with paper towel and that's it.
The worst part about resin is that out of all strap materials, it's the first to fail as it will literally crumble apart.
Fabric
The most common fabric straps are NATO style or Zulu style. They come in every possible color and color combo you can think of and are ridiculously easy to swap out as no tools are required.
Fabric straps are very durable, but there are some things about them I find very annoying.
First, they develop frayed edges real fast. True, they don't break, but they start looking bad in less than 3 months.
Second, they lose their fit real fast unless you specifically buy one that has eyelets in the strap holes. They vast majority of fabric straps have open holes with no eyelets that stretch and that's what causes the strap to lose its fit.
Some Bertucci straps do have the eyelets, as in a "ring" in each strap hole. That's an eyelet.
Some of you out there may be saying, "No, that's a grommet." Trust me, it's an eyelet. The grommet uses a washer and is not suitable for a fabric watch strap because it has no flex to it. The eyelet uses no washer and allows more movement with the fabric; that's the difference.
The only fabric watch straps worth owning have eyelets installed in the holes. But if you shop around, you'll quickly notice almost none of the fabric straps have them.
What to do? The only solution is to install the eyelets yourself (there are plenty of YouTube video tutorials on it).
Installing eyelets in fabric straps isn't totally annoying, but it is inconvenient that you have to do it just to make a fabric strap last.
If you are a fan of the fabric watch strap, I strongly suggest buying some eyelets and eyelet pliers. You will be giving any fabric watch strap you own an instant upgrade by installing eyelets in them.
What size eyelet should you use? I don't know. You may have to visit a craft or hobby store to see what sizes are available and just take your best guess. You should also be willing to destroy at least 1 fabric watch strap while learning to install eyelets. Given that fabric watch straps are so cheap, that shouldn't be a problem.
Metal bracelet
I will admit the metal bracelet looks good. It's shiny, people notice it even on cheap timepieces like the Casio A158, it is the most durable, fairly easy to clean and lasts for years...
...but there are certain things about metal bracelets that are just terrible.
First, the noise. There is no such thing as a 100% silent metal bracelet. They jingle, they jangle, they sometimes click, they sometimes creak... all of which is annoying.
Second, the sliding. Whether the bracelet is thick or thin, sliding happens. Up and down the wrist it goes throughout the day. Most of the time I can deal with it, but other times it just really bothers me.
Third, a metal bracelet sometimes gets in the way, such as when typing on a laptop or washing dishes.
Enter the leather
The best part about leather is that it's the only watch strap material you actually have to break in, and it's that above all else that makes it so attractive to the wearer.
For most leather straps, it will be stiff and slightly uncomfortable at first. But after a short period of time with regular wear, the material shapes itself to your wrist. Once the fit is made, it pretty much feels better than any other watch strap you could wear.
There are however a few drawbacks with leather.
The holes do stretch. Not as bad a fabric would, but stretching still happens. Stitching does come apart over time. It is not a hot-weather-friendly material. It doesn't handle sweat well. It's not recommended to get it wet (don't go swimming with it). Cleaning it can be a bit of a chore.
There is however a second best part to leather. Out of all the strap materials, it looks the best when worn down. Patina, if you will. Worn leather has a very cool look to it. It's such a cool look that people readily pay for "distressed" leather.
A simple stainless steel analog with a brown leather strap is a great look
As of this writing I have a cheap brown leather strap for my Orient Tri Star on order. The black one works fine but the brown really looks good on the Timex and I want to match that on my Orient.
Stainless steel + brown leather is in fact a very classic pilot watch look. If you search for type b pilot watch you will see several examples of this.
Now of course, to be a true type b, there has to be an outer ring showing minutes and an inner ring showing hours, but I don't follow those rules. My Weekender is a white dial and it rocks the leather just fine, as does my Tri Star which has nothing but blocks for indices.
The point is that stainless steel + brown leather really works nicely. It's classy while not being ostentatious.
Dare I say, it's a "can't go wrong" look where men's timepieces are concerned.
Maybe Timex has it totally right with their T20041 and T2P133 models?