It Bites

[TigerMothTales]

Well, I just felt like talking about my guitar because I love it. I have an Ibanez RG470. In itself a lovely guitar, and though for the big spender it's a budget moddle, for the average Joe its a great bit of kit. I love the Ibanez sound, and the trem is kick ayers! But, here's the beauty, (or the barstardisation however you see it) I've had a sustainiac fitted. Yes, I got someone to gouge a hole in it and shove a sustainiac in there. As an aside, if you're thinking of doing this, make doubly or trebly sure you have the best modle of sustainer for your guitar and that you get someone who know how to do it to fit the thing, or else you'll waste an awefull amount of time and money and what idiot would do that? (Erm, me)
But that's by the by. So what I have is the awesome action and sound of the bridge and middle Ibanez pickups, and the neck pickup and hugeness of the Sustainiac.
Now if you know anything about the sustainiac you'll probably be thinking "Well we already know its awesome Tigermoth! We need look no further than Mr Hackett and Phill Colin for evidence of that!". If you don't know about it however, I can tell you that it basically will sustain a note in theory for as long as you like or until the battery runs out, or until your band mates bend your guitar around your neck. My particular modle has three modes, fundamental (Route note sustain), Harmonic (Screamy harmonic sustain) and a blend of the two.
As a guitarist I would describe myself as fair to middling depending how I feel on the night and how often I've practiced. I rely fairly heavily on trem which all my mates tell me is perhaps not the best thing, and I frequently try to shred and then wish I hadn't. However, with the sustainiac on board, I can't help but feel like a king among men. I can do lovely slow passages letting the notes linger on whith just a little trem for vibrato. And if I'm shredding and I get tired or don't know what to do next I can do lovely reliably screaming dive bombs or just jiggle the trem arm for that bouncy vib thing that Steve vai does. Well, if you're stil reading, heres a video of my beast:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdPDPYa-fPA
I'd call this amiddling day. I'd even left my wammy bar at home. What a numb scull! But here you can hear just how easy it is to sustain. No amplification required. You can even do it on a clean setting. However, it is a beast, and requires taiming. As I accidentally demonstrate its easy to let the wrong string sustain. But with practice and mastery of the controls, you can get great results. The purists out there may dislike this in the same way they dislike the Variax (Which I also have one of) but for me its a huge plus. Unlike the EBow, you have the freedom of both hands. Unlike the ebow of course, you have to have it fitted to one guitar alone, and this is more costly, but if you really want it, it's worth it.
I mentioned Variax. Now what i've really like is a guitar with a floid rose trem, Variax technology, and sustainiac. That would be my dream. But until Mr Belew decides to have some more made and I win the lottery and buy one I guess i'll have to dream. Or maybe there's a guitar wizard out there who can custom make one? Who knows.
Well, hope you enjoy the vid, and if anyone has Sustainiac stories, please do post. Cheers, and good day all.
_________________
I would be more apathetic if I weren't so lethargic

[John Gillham]

I've just heard your rendition of Parisienne Walkways. Your guitar playing is tremendous, you're too modest. You should get some good tips from Andy Lat. too now you've joined the band.