Nitro Arc 6

I went to Beez's to get my (Tesla) VR-Nitro installed in my Spector Arc 6 Pro yesterday. Rico & Faizal were there as well & we talked for at least an hour... The former pickups in this guitar were the VR-60s; nothing wrong with them, they absolutely thrill when it comes to vintage crunch but I'm in need of distortion overkill.

I hear a balanced output from the Nitros, that's one of the reasons I like this pickup model (have it in 2 other guitars) & a closer look revealed the above- staggered pole pieces.

I've included the Orange Drop cap & a push-pull coil split switch in this guitar as well.

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TESLA's VR-Nitro humbuckers are also in these other guitars of mine:

• Schecter: Omen 6
• Brian Moore: i91

Thanks, Billy...

Billy the bug gave my new set of Tesla pickups a thumbs-up (but I couldn't see his thumbs, though...) before heading home. So my Kramer Striker S-424 now sports the following pickups:

• Neck: Plasma 7
• Mid: Plasma 1
• Bridge: Plasma 7

Also thanks to Beez for the superb workmanship, as always.

Spector-cular Arc6 Pro!

I've acquired myself a Spector ARC6 Pro after being much attracted to Stuart Spector's basses.

As documented on the headstock, the manufacturer's name & brand emblem. The design in whole is devoid of any sharp edges/ protrusions, the headstock included.

The ARC6 Pro is a reflection of its bass siblings, sporting a curved top...

... & rear. In my opinion, this is the signature Spector feature making it less ordinary & very attractive.

6 bolts to secure the neck to the body, a little overkill but these add much to sustain.

A pair of Tesla VR-60s; these give off a mixture of vintage growl but they are not averse to high drive/ distortion settings.

Please visit Musicark @ Parklane shopping mall to check out Spector basses & guitars. Thank you Mr. Lance for all the considerations in acquiring this instrument. Not forgetting brother Firdaus (aka SicBarney) for the stellar customer service. Kudos!

Schecter: Omen 6... mine

This is a reiteration that I don't dismiss the budget guitars out there. I own a few of them, I will continue to keep a look out for these gems.

As clearly stated on the truss rod cover; it's an OMEN 6, one of the most affordable model offered by the manufacturer.

This is how it is at the rear, one of the reasons why the OMEN 6 goes for a very affordable asking price is that it's a bolt-on make. The heel there is angled to promote upper fret reaches but the bulk is just a put-off if you wish to rest your thumb there. Not saying this guitar has poor upper fret access but it's a fair offering, definitely.

The body's top surface features sumptuous beveling to such an extent it manifests a curved-top feel.

I don't fancy the default humbuckers so they were replaced by the above Tesla pickups:

• Neck: Opus 2
• Bridge: VR-Nitro

These darlings brought much life to tone. Due to the lacquer-free body, the Omen 6 gives off a bright default acoustic tones. This, in my opinion, would provide the perfect snap for a single coil pickup so the Opus 2 option was rather clear. I require a crisp sounding Tesla in the bridge which has a tamed midrange emphasis- just a little bit, not a grand truncation- so I chose the covered version of the VR-Nitro. This is a happy combo for me. I bought this guitar more than a week ago, still fiddling with the pickups height.

The Warzone beckons

Here's good news: The UNO Warzone is back in stock @ SV. Adding to the GAS factor, both Warzone versions are now available, so you can choose what you want to hear; a pair of passive TESLA pickups or actives for an all-out distortion affair. No price differences here, both retail for $790 (each).Do keep this in mind- for this amount of money, you get:

• Above-average QC- I looked & re-looked but the faults were not there for scrutiny. Maybe they are hidden elsewhere. Either way, it's a thumbs-up affair.
• Great playability- very fast neck but not excessively thin. Great upper fret reaches (set neck feature)
• Impressive pickups- The TESLAs are largely overlooked pickups but they deliver likable tones.
• Floyd Rose! Yes, it's not a copy or a licensed reproduction, it's the genuine, impregnable, article. I know what you're whining about- for the same amount of money, you couldn't quite get a guitar equipped with a reputable double locking whammy bridge but here's the Warzone for your considerations.

I gave the WZII another audition yesterday & it was an instant hit for me (again). It's a matter of time...

PS: The other Warzone entry: CLICK HERE