Cort X-5LTD Shitwork - Do check yours today.

Sooner or later they all end up on my bench.Especially the shitty ones.

Shit seems to come when you're in your most troubled time.In my case,its at my most busiest.This Cort X-5LTD is a new offering from the great luthiers and investors at Cort Guitars.In fact its so new that it has not appear  in their website yet.I'm guessing its a 2014 early surprise?Maybe..Who knows.At the time this post is written the only clue about it is only found in a Russian website - Here

This guitar was brought to me hours after it was purchased.The owner wanted to let his local tech not luthier have a go at it.You know how it is."Hey bro,I just bought a new guitar.Wanna try?" Personally for the money its built quiet well.The fretwork were clean,the factory setup is good that I don't have to ever resort to the allen key like I normally do.

As I was hooking the jack and playing with the volume,I noticed there's something not right with the two.The insertion was single click and the volume response wasn't responsive.Of course I didn't disclose that to my client.I kept playing the guitar and inspect the guitar just to kill some time while throwing in some ice breakers to get a conversation going.After 10min,as soon as the client felt comfy I immediately ask "Can I inspect your guitar?". "Yes you can Abang Yustech,go right ahead" was the reply.

As soon as I open the control cavity,there lies a 500k pot.What the F***.What idiot QC Supervisor did Cort luthiers and investors hired to work in your factory....Calm down now Yustech,you don't need more stress than you're already in now....Alright,since there's nothing more to look at lets check the output jack.Sure enough my hunch was right!Their using mono jack with EMG?The former was bad enough but this?Come on now,we're not dumb as you.We tech know about EMG pickups because we READ the installation guide.

Dear Cort Guitars,perhaps you people should do the same too?.Because of your lack of responsibility and highest degree of ignorance my client has to buy an EMG 25k pot and a Switchcraft #12B(from me of course.hehe).You don't need an idiot to figure out whose paying for those now.Do you?

Looking forward for this weekend when this client returned with the appropriate parts.

This might be an isolated case but to those that have bought the Cort X-5LTD here or in Russia,its best to check out yours too.Just in case.

Joyo Power Supply

So you've nailed 99% of the most greatest/toughest solo created so far.So you're rich that you've bought all the guitars,amps,pedals and acc. ever made by mankind.So you're so rich with plenty of time to kill.So lets kill some time by killing some/all of your EHX pedals so you have a good reason to buy new ones.So there you go.If it doesn't kill it the first time,it will soon.What!?Not enough?Alright,.. plug all of the 100VAC/110VAC guitar/bass amps that you'd bought in Japan and America straight to the wall outlet.

Avoid this Joyo if you're none of the above.

Related post - Here

Cort Effector Explorer

 

I thought I've seen it all.Perhaps not.So unlike a luthier I took upon myself to open up the back plate and checked the electronics.The last pot seem to have jammed up.I dismantled it and give it a lube.It work again.I'm sure a luthier would do it differently for he will build a potentiometer from ground up.

I spotted a nail used to secure the PCB.I may say this is a work of a Luthier because he believes it adds uniqueness.A guitar tech like me would resort to the lame wood screw.

I notice what could've been a botched battery connection so I replace it with two 9V battery connectors.From my understanding the batteries is wired parallel to fulfill the on board electronics effects.I'm sure a luthier would do it differently.He would've taken an airplane to Cort Korea just to have them build one then and there.Its what's call good service.A much more experience Luthier would ask a Toyol to fetch the schematic because it can move in a speed of light to get it.

Looking at the age the PCB does require some new soldering here and there,off course a Luthier would use a Factory Flow Soldering Machine.

The fretwork is in fact horrible but owner didn't want a fretwork.If it has been a Luthier he would've have joined the to short nip end using his metallurgy know how.

The guitar work alright though there's a slight noise probably due to the old leaky caps but the owner was fine with it.He just wanted the guitar to work again for now.A Luthier would of course disprove this.

Lastly to clear the air.I never visited Cort Factory and please keep all records of the guitars you ever built.Cort Guitars,you are a Luthier.Aren't you?


Thank you and enjoy.
Self learn Guitar Tech not Luthier from KD.

ESP LTD M53

Q - Where its made?
A - Indonesia.

Q - Built Quality againts fakes? 
A - This M53 eats them for breakfast.Clean fretwork and routing.

Q - Tuners and bridge? 
A - Average.

Q - What about the electronics compared to fakes? 
A - Average and working as it supposed to.

Q - What about the pickups tone?
A - No issues.Its good enough through my amps cause my amps is good.Hehe.,upgrades is quiet a personal matter if you want to experiment.

Q - Price against fake?
A - Very Good,you won't complain. RM7XX New.This made them RM890 fakes look  like RM250.

Q - Are all sub RM1k guitars this good?
A - If all were made consistent like this then its good.

Q - Why is it here in my blog? 
A - Setup and mandatory Switchcraft of course.

T-Rex Engineering The Fuel Tank Chameleon

As far as I can remember I never receive nor have a chance to have a close look at any of T-Rex's product.I do recall once upon a time in the beginning their pedal did has the resemblance with TC Electronics.Perhaps some of the TC engineers left and started T-Rex Engineering? I don't know.I didn't pursue the matter,it was only from visual comparison.

Coming from a company that initially centered within the effector realm,I was unsure about the power supply market that they're trying to get into.My old school thought is "buy your pedals from pedal maker but buy your power supply from good and safe power supply maker"

My judge by the book by its cover was quickly shoot down as soon as I open the Chameleon.The Made in China could put some dent to it for the mass but if someone were to show me the inside and told me its made in Sweden Denmark before,I would've believed it right away.Honestly!

Thumbs up TC Oppsss,I mean T-Rex Engineering

Charvel USA So-Cal Style 1

In the 80's every joker(almost) owned or have once played a Charvel.Then it suddenly went off the radar at least for the American made series.Later in the 90's they made a short return with the San Dimas.I remember trying 2 of those unsold while working in a music shop.The San Dimas Standard and a quiet unique looking Australian Lacewood body.Soon after the flagship models went to sleep for second time.There's also been discussion about how the Japanese Charvel out performs the USA model.Base on my experience I'm incline to agree with that provided its on a case by case evaluation.So far its nothing short of the truth.
Now,under a strong parent company they're making a firm comeback and I hope it stays that way for generations to come.

This Charvel was sent in to have a Tremol-No fitted in it.Upon opening the back plate I found 5 spring attach to the Trem block.The pulling power of the springs are quiet an overkill and lead the Floyd Rose bridge to lay flat hence leaving a slight dent on the body.If left unchecked it'll definitely damage the paint itself.Unless you want that of course?

There's nothing much to see for a plain looking RM5000 quality made guitar other than to scrutinize and noddle around the neck.It's not as fast as a Jackson neck like any shredder would think but it felt exactly like the short lived San Dimas necks and I believe its how the early original ones was built and played by the heroes of the 80's.Keeping its true and correct.Oh ya,did I mention quality?