Free Lessons Programme.

September's jovial bunch!

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To start off, I would like bring to your awareness that we are conducting free guitar lessons.
Some of you might already know, or have already signed up. But this is for those who are still in the dark to this great offer.

Maestro Pluck & Play Academy is offering 4 free guitar lessons at our Maestro Living Room outlet at Parklane.

WHEN:
Every Saturday for 4 Weeks. First lesson will begin the first Saturday of June. (Programme repeats monthly)

DURATION:
11:00 AM to 12:00 PM.

CLASS SIZE:
20 Pax.

CLASS AGE:
Above 16 Years Old.

REGISTRATION:
One time $15 per pax registration fee for course materials and administrative charges.

COURSE FEE:
FREE!
Note: Guitars not provided

COURSE OUTLINE:
The course is aimed at beginners and will cover:
- Introduction to the instrument
- Tuning basics
- Introduction to strumming patterns
- 5 basic chords
- At least 2 songs
- Basic finger exercises
- Basic music theory
- Notes on the fretboard
- Introduction to tablature

Drop by any of our Maestro outlets to sign up. Each class is limited to 20 pax, so please do yourselves a favour and sign up soon!

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Alright,

Now that we have gotten the 'official' bit over and done with, I would like to tell you why you should really consider signing up for our programme.

Firstly, it is economical. You cannot deny it.
The $15 registration fee is not even enough to cover our base-cost. We do not earn a single cent from this, quite the contrary, really.
Yet, we continue on with this programme because we wish to ease the process for newcomers to pick up this wonderful instrument that is the guitar.
And also it serves as a way for us to give back to the local music community that has been so supportive of us for all this time.

Simply put, you will never find a better deal.
And for a class of 20, we have two instructors. One being the very talented and able Stephen aka Botak, and the other being yours truly.
We have conducted quite a number of classes already so far, and I can personally guarantee that you will complete the course equipped with at least a strong foundation of the basics.
We are able to give each and every student tailored tutoring to ensure that everyone grasps the lesson. And from personal experience, I really cannot say the same for the guitar-lessons conducted by the Community Centers.

Not only will we teach you how to play the guitar, we will also teach you about the guitar.
So if you have always wanted to learn why some guitars sound better than others, and related questions, we are here to help you discover the subtleties and nuances of the guitar and enable you become a more discriminating player/buyer.

And frankly, each class is a just a joy to conduct.
I really enjoy every lesson, because it simply is so much fun.
So here is another thing that I can surely say, you will have fun learning the guitar.

Some people frown upon group lessons, quantifying them as being inferior to one-on-one tutelage.

Well, I beg to differ. And this is why;

Firstly, one-on-on is expensive.
It can range anywhere from $30-$75 per hour.
If I were a beginner starting from ground-zero, I would really not want to pay that kind of money for somebody to teach me simple things like tuning, and basic cowboy chords.

Secondly, it is intimidating. Especially if the teacher is somebody new to you.

Thirdly, it can get pretty dull. You are after all seeing the same fellow all the time.

My personal take is that one-one-one lessons are more suitable for people with either;

1.) deep pockets
2.) very inflexible schedules
3.) intermediate to advanced grasp of the guitar

One-on-one tutelage is good for people who already have a good understanding of the guitar and want to further their understanding. So the teacher is teaching you more advanced stuff, and one-on-one allows him to cater to your advanced and diverse needs specifically. So you are getting your money's worth.

Also, group lessons are just so much fun. Yes, I have repeated this phrase many times. But it just is true!
Our students help each other out and offer encouragement. They play and sing together and enjoy the learning process. And they always end up being friends beyond the classroom. Now, the friendships forged and camaraderie developed is just something that you cannot put a price on.

And we are also offering an extension programme for student graduating from our free beginner's course.

So, to conclude. Our lessons are something out of the ordinary. Come join us to experience it for yourself!

Maestro Guitars feature on Channel News Asia Prime Time Morning 23 Oct 09

GHS Burnished Pure Nickel Roundwound Review!

We are back with another string review / recommendation. This time we are dealing with the GHS Burnished Pure Nickel Roundwound Strings for the electric guitar.





GHS touts that this set of strings will bring you that "Vintage Tone and More"

From the packaging:

"... GHS is happy to bring back these great "old" strings for electric guitar..."

"... pure nickel roundwound for that special, warm, bright tone of the fifties and sixties..."

"... We burnish (polish) it ever so slightly in the winding process"

Specifically we're reviewing a .009" set (Set BNR-XL 009-042) string guages: 009, 011, 016, BNR32, BNR32, BNR42

So what's 'BNR'? I guess anyone could infer that BNR is GHS's abbreviation for 'burnished'!

What exactly does 'burnished' mean?
Burnish means to polish and make shiny by rubbing (innuendo entirely intended).
According to the website and packaging, the strings are lightly polished during the winding process for a smoother-feeling, brighter-looking string, without compromising the profile of the string and thus continue to be roundwounds!

As I removed the strings from the standard strings-in-paper-envelope-in-plastic-sleeve packaging, I was immediately drawn to the initial tactile feel of the wound strings.
Neither did they have that slick oily feeling, nor did the strings feel like a coiled up mass of lead. The re-stringing process was simple and painless and I could not wait to go into some familiar chords and runs once the guitar was tuned up.
My fingers were already in eager anticipation of chugging out some power chords when i\I strung up the low E.

I ran these strings on my alder bodied, rosewood/maple neck strat copy, with 3 single coil alnico 5s. I used an old Roland Jazz Chorus as the test amplifier (EQ set to 12 o'clock across the board).
I then went through neck, 2nd, 4th and bridge pup positions (not a fan of middle pup) across the pickup settings, next the tone knobs were varied from Full, to Half, and to Nothing) while I ran through my favorite licks and chords.

So how do they sound? Vintage!
Putting the strings through some basic blues licks and bends they sound more Mississippi then Chicago. These strings would definitely give you that vintage vibe and help you rock around the clock.
I still cannot quite believe how warm these strings are. Playing some faux-jazz runs on the neck pup with the tone rolled back, I swear that each b7, maj9 and sus5 sounded silky.

How do they feel? These strings aren't exactly very slinky, but they sure are not as tough as the Blue Steels. Chording is an absolutely breeze, bending and sliding is like a hot knife through butter.
One interesting thing to note is that pure-nickle strings are always 'slinker' and slight;y easier to handle than say, their steel counterparts.
In a nutshell, it means if you are used to .09s, you might want to actually try the .10s for pure-nickle.
And if you are used to .10s, you might want to try .11s for pure-nickles; relatively similar feel but a much bigger tone.
I used to play d'Addario XLs, but after this test run, I will be sticking to the BNRs for a while longer. These burnished strings are really quick and at times even feel almost like flatwounds!

To sum it up,

For those of you who are keen to inject a little 'old school' into your tone, and a little warmth to your playing, I highly recommend that you give these strings a try.

These strings also come in Light (.010) and Medium (.011) sets!

Tung-Oil Available.

Hi guys,

we currently have some premium tung-oil that we imported from the UK in stock.





They are sold in small 30ml bottles for only $8.

Perfect for those who just need a small amount to coat a single neck or body.
No longer will you need to purchase a huge (read: expensive) bottle of tung-oil, only to end up using just a little bit of it and putting away the rest of the bottle, desperately trying to convince yourself that you might use it again someday.

Anyway, for the uninitiated, tung oil is made from the pressed seed from the nut of the tung tree. Tung oil is considered a drying oil much as linseed, safflower, poppy and soybean oil. When applied it provides a tough, highly water resistant finish.
Our tung-oil requires a curing duration of 6-hours.

To digress slightly, a few months back I sanded down the back of my neck to remove the slow and sticky finish. That resulted in the stripping of the paint and the revealing of the bare wood.
Tung-oil was used to coat the back of the neck, so as to prevent any moisture from our humid surroundings from seeping into the neck.


regards,
Phil

We Love Evidence Audio!

For those who are unaware, we are an official distributor of Evidence Audio's range of excellent cables.

EVIDENCE AUDIO

As fellow musicians and guitarists, we too are constantly on the prowl for the best gear to achieve that elusive 'tone' in our heads.
And when it comes to cables, we simply swear by Evidence Audio.
And frankly, we are just glad that guitar luminaries such as David Gilmour, John Mayer, John Petrucci and Scott Henderson, among others, share similiar sentiments.


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DO CABLES MATTER THAT MUCH?

Yes, they do.
Your cables constitute a significant portion of your rig.
Even bedroom guitarists have at least a 10ft instrument cable, at least 5ft of patch cables and another 5ft/10ft cable to connect the pedalboard to the amp. Modestly speaking, that is at least 20ft of cable.
Gigging musicians' cable tally can easily double or triple that amount.

Your signal chain is only as good as its weakest link.
You can have a boutique guitar, boutique pedals and amp; but once you run them through 20ft of low-quality, poorly-made cables, you will find that your eventual tone will be much less than satisfactory. In fact, downright crass and uninspiring.
And you wonder what went wrong.

Low-quality, poorly-made cables not only colour your tone, they also muffle and strangle all the dynamics, punch, clarity and character out of your signal.

And it goes without saying that you will encounter all sorts of problems with microphonics, durability and reliability. Most of them are simply not gig-worthy.


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And this where Evidence Audio's cables come into the picture.

For guitar instrument cables, we recommend the best that they have to offer; the LYRIC HG.



The Lyric HG uses IGL™ solid core 20 awg copper conductors and also features a symmetrical design.
What this means is that the clarity, harmonic detail and focus of your signal is preserved. Your tone also retains significant punch and authority, yet still being able to convey a sense or air, articulation and openess.

The Lyric HG also has conductive skins applied to positive and negative runs, so that microphonics are greatly reduced, especially with high-gain amps.
Maybe some of you have encountered problems with microphonics, whereby when you tap your cable, you will heard an irritating 'thud' sound.
Well, no such nonsense with the Lyric HG.

Also, the Lyric HG is directional, and on the sleeve it is stated which end goes to the amp. In fact, all cables are directional, the charges are like little chevrons. Naturally, going with the flow provides best results. The reason why you do not see other cable manufacturers indicating which side is which is because they simply do not care, or are unaware of this little glaring fact.
Simply put, this is testament to Evidence Audio's expertise and dedication to bringing you the best cables possible.

And to top it off, they also comes with high density copper braid shields so that nothing but signal gets to your amp, and the woven nylon jackets increase flexibility and protection for extended stage use.


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For patch cables, we recommend the MONORAIL.



Like the Lyric HG, the Monorail has a solid core, 20 awg IGL™ copper conductor. 98% shield coverage for outstanding noise rejection and a spiral shield with parallel conductor geometry to minimise strand interaction.
The Monorail also has a very low capacitance, so that you can use them in long runs without experiencing any treble roll-off.

Another good thing about the Monorail is how compact and they are, so you can fit them into tight spaces on your board to maximise the real-estate.
The Monorail can work solderless, meaning you can use your George L heads with them.
Some favour the flat-heads from Switchcraft, however, we recommend having them soldered with Amphenols heads for best results in terms of tone and durability.

We also carry the MELODY, and the new FORTE is coming soon too.


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Personally, I have been using the Lyics HG and Monorail in my setup for more than a year already, and I cannot see myself doing without them.
I have always been very impressed with Evidence Audio due to their sheer conviction and enthusiasm about music and guitars.
To sum it up, Evidence Audio is a winning combination of ingenuity, innovation, high-quality parts and impeccable workmanship. You can rest assured that you are in safe hands.




regards,
Phil

New Gotoh Shipment

Hello,

We have just received our latest shipment of gotoh parts. They are available at ZenGuitarWerkz. Please feel free to drop by and take a look. Thank you for your continued support.

Regards,
Isaiah

No repairs till 19th Oct 2009.

Hey friends.

We regret to inform that we will not be taking in any repairs till 19th October as KC is away. As always, we will not be accepting any request of holding on to your guitars to avoid any complications.

We apologize for any inconvenience caused.

esp sale guitars.

Hello,

The Remainder of the Esplanade Sale guitars (Old stock and Defective pieces) have been shifted to ZenGuitarWerkz. Please keep in mind that these are old stock and have no warranty. Thank you for your continued support.

Best Regards,
Isaiah

Guitar Of The Month: October

Hello,

As always our guitar of the month comes with a 10% discount( further 10% of the discounted price for maestro members.)




SD-2 Retail Price: $259

Inspired by the Gibson J-45 slope shoulder shape dreadnought, the
SD-2 was designed for enhanced mid range tones; making this guitar well suited to country and blues. The exotic zebrawood back and sides also gives the SD-2 a distinctive look.

Detailed Specifications

Top: Sitka Spruce Laminated
Back: Zebra Wood
Sides: Zebra Wood
Neck: Nato
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Nut: Cow Bone
Saddle: Cow Bone
Machine Head: Die-Cast Chrome
Finishing: Natural, Matt
Truss Rod: Double Action
Body-Neck Joint: Bolt-on
String Length: 650mm
Fret Board Marker: 4mm Pearl
Fret Board Side: 2mm marker
Body Shape: 41" Dreadnought
Bracing: X-Bracing
Pickguard: NIL
Bridge: Rosewood
Strings: D'addario Strings EXP16

Headway Shire King Amps.

If you are looking for a good acoustic guitar amplifier, look no further than the Headway Shire Kings.

Warm, and robust, the Headway Shire Kings offer unparalleled tone, dynamics and transparency that you will never find in another other amps.
Clean yet without any signs of sterility, it truly is the leader among acoustic guitar-amps.

We carry two models, the SK60 and the higher wattage SK120. Come and try them out for yourself and prepare to be amazed.





SK60
-Sparkling clarity, solid lows and superb facilities from compact Cabinet
-Highly efficient: 8" speaker with oversized magnet, plus wedge shaped, ported cabinet of Birch Ply
-Sweet, soft highs: Moving diaphram tweeter with optimal angling
-Class A and Next generation IC pre-amps designed for warmth, high gain and low noise
-True Impedance Pickup matching inputs for Passive Piezo cable/Film pickups, Passive -Ceramic Piezo Pickups, Active pickups
-EQ: 3 Band Interactive on each channel, with shelving and centre detents
-Alesis 16 Channel Digital Multi FX and Dual Channel Reverb+Delay, Chorus and Combinations
-Ultra low noise performance at high volumes
-Tuneable notch filter EQ facility, switchable with adjustable band width
-Mike XLR input with Phantom Power
-Stereo input jack allows dual pickup system to both channels via single cable
Alexis Digital Multi FX.


regards,
Phil