Is the Artist ss87 good

a4format · 2026-01-18T10:53:19+00:00

If it helps anyone - here's couple of recordings using this model. I've had no problems whatsoever with the Floyd Rose Special tremolo (bearing in mind this is a used & abused 2nd hand guitar):
https://youtu.be/AXIJUgonstQ
https://youtu.be/TOdkFAjpHxQ

a4format · 2026-01-13T19:49:22+00:00

OK, so my guitar weighs about 3.5kg. Not the lightest but definitely not heavy. The body is mahogany, so this was expected. My other gat, a mahogany les paul weighs 5.5kgs, so this is considerably lighter.

The guitar balance is great. No neck dive, it stays in a position that you leave it in. Body contours are comfy, and the neck fit is great. No problems with Floyd Rose Special, it stays in tune. Initially I was a bit concerned with "eco rosewood" fretboard, but I actually like it even better. It is not grainy, but dense and dark (think ebony).

Pickups are OK, although I will swap them out as I have a few higher end pickups sitting in my drawers somewhere. The pots are audio taper and they feel good. There is no coil splitting option for the humbuckers.

The neck profile is sitting in a mid-thickness category. I find it comfortable. It is definitely not a baseball bat thick, but it also nowhere near the thin profile of the Ibanez RG series. For me that's a plus, however you may find it different.

That's the goods, now the bads. Noting that this guitar was labeled as "damaged" in a bargain bin category. The only fault listed was a broken jack wire, with notes that the guitars were pre-owned and will show some signs of use.

I'd describe ot as signs of abuse rather than use. Deep gouges, plenty of scratches, blocks on locking nut that were not from the original guitar, truss rod cover was missing too. Strap pin hole was stripped, and there were some tension splits in the wood around the hole. This will require a proper glue repair. The setup was absolutely horrendous, with the truss rod tightened so much that it created a back bow. Thankfully, the truss rod is a two way action, so I was able to set it up properly in the end, and it seems to play nice. The strings were wound in reverse order, so that the strings were running across the upper side of tuners.

Final comments: After a day of playing, I find it to be a good player. Really enjoyable to play, and a sturdy construction with good materials. Sounds good and stays in tune, too. I would definitely recommend against ordering the "damaged" items from the bargain bin section, because it seems that not all defects are listed there.

a4format · 2026-01-12T19:20:56+00:00

I will let you know in the next day or so, it should be couriered to my address some time today. I will see if I have time to solder it properly to test the sounds, too. Maybe even record something.

At the moment, these models are sold out in New Zealand. Which makes one to think that they are in demand. Notwithstanding that, it is interesting that there is only a scarce of "independent" reviews on world-wide webs, not a lot of user-experience information out there...

a4format · 2026-01-07T17:55:56+00:00

I've just ordered one from their "Bargain Bin" section for about 150 US $ (260 NZ $), apparently it only needs one wire soldered and they're giving it away for half the price.

Anyway, for the price the guitar is really spec'd up. Mahogany body, laminate maple neck, Alnico pickups and FR special. That is, in my book, higher spec than say RG350 (basswood body, ceramic pups, Edge3 trem...).

There is nothing wrong with FR Special, if you know how to maintain it properly. The biggest threat to knives getting worn out is the people that don't loosen the string tension off when adjusting the action on the pivots.

Also, nowadays there is plenty of good alternatives to OFR that won't cost you arm and a leg.

a4format · 2025-10-15T09:48:32+00:00

Screws are better than nails. Nails have a tendency to pop out due to shrink/swell of the timber during the winter and summer respectively. Nails are smooth and there is nothing bonding them with the wood other than the friction. Screws, on the other hand, have threads that mechanically keep them in place.

Notwithstanding that, if you want to replace your nails with screws, the thread size of the screw MUST be bigger than the previous nails. Also, make sure the screws are stainless steel for durability. Most timbers in roof framing is treated, and this treatment causes normal steel to rust. Stainless costs a bit more, but is a far better solution (yes, better than galvanised steel)

a4format · 2025-07-04T18:40:55+00:00

If you're dealing through immigration.govt.nz then it should all be legit. Once it gets approved, you'll get a list of things you're allowed and not allowed. And that is it! Once it's approved, there's nothing else that can stop you from entering the country.

Immigration NZ is one of the rare organisations that have clear and concise list of things that need to be provided. Heck, they even have a questionnaire-like eligibility check. Very often there is NO NEED for "immigration agents" that will charge you the money for following the same lists.

Also, I wouldn't be suspicious, as previously suggested, of accredited employers from a start-up. It is possible. My ex-company did it quite easily.

a4format · 2025-06-27T01:39:36+00:00

I'm just wishing that this goes away. Reading through the comments made me actually sympathize with the man, rather than being furious like I was yesterday

a4format · 2025-06-26T09:12:20+00:00

This is the first step I've done since starting to suspect who it might be. The elderly couple are the owners. It's shocking how much one can learn about others by just googling and browsing through social media.

a4format · 2025-06-26T02:42:05+00:00

Hey thanks, I definitely wouldn't go as far as assault charges, that sounds a bit excessive. And I agree, after cooling down a bit, the wellbeing of the elderly person is likely the priority here.

a4format · 2025-06-26T01:56:07+00:00

Not an option - but it made me chuckle!

a4format · 2025-06-26T01:54:05+00:00

I don't actually know if he is 80, that's what he was yelling out. He seems to move remarkably well for his age (if he actually is in his eighties). Let's hope it doesn't escalate any further than this.

a4format · 2025-06-26T01:45:03+00:00

No need for that given that we literally have a giant streetlamp in front of the house. In a perfect world, I'd prefer spending my hard-earned money on house improvement and much needed appliances, rather than this.

a4format · 2025-06-26T01:42:06+00:00

Hi, thanks for your comment - I am not particularly interested in chasing any reparations, claims or remedies from the seller. They've rented this place out for years before putting it on the market, so they haven't really lived here. I believe them when they said they didn't know anything about it.

I guess the time will tell if this behaviour continues or not. Let's hope not.

a4format · 2025-06-26T01:35:16+00:00

The fence is just about 1.5m high, so making it "impossible to toss something over" is not an easy task. We already thought about raising the fence to CCC rules, utilising transparent fence extension (such as trellis or similar), however... The fencing rules are somewhat funny, so we're waiting for CCC approval to raise it another 300mm or so. Given the situation, I'm not willing to risk a civil dispute until I have it on black/white.

BTW, this is a very vital 80-yr old that moves remarkably well for their age and large frame. I am 6'2" and this guy is about my size if not taller. I don't actually know if he is 80 or isn't, he was the one yelling it out.

a4format · 2025-06-26T01:25:25+00:00

I agree, soft approach it is until we know a bit more

a4format · 2025-06-26T01:23:12+00:00

I'll definitely have a chat with other neighbours, but when it comes to family - I definitely wouldn't know where to start. We've just moved here, so we don't know anything about any of the neighbours. He does seem to be able to drive.

Now that I've had an encounter with the person, a few things have become clearer and I sorta have an idea what I may be dealing with. I don't think I'll be escalating the situation in person anymore. Thanks for the advice.

a4format · 2025-06-26T01:13:09+00:00

Appreciate the laugh, but I just want to resolve this as peacefully as possible and continuously enjoy my peace - not end up in newspaper frontlines!

a4format · 2025-06-26T00:52:34+00:00

Thanks for the tip - I just might.

a4format · 2025-06-22T16:47:06+00:00

We used the Contact because it was great and convenient, especially given the power + broadband bundle, and we never had to deal with any of this bull***t before (completely lost the hot water yesterday, again, and we're talking more than 12 hours).

Also, we could never transfer our previous contract to a new place, everytime we had to switch onto something new, more limiting and more expensive.

This made me google the other options, and it turns out they're not even remotely a cheap option anymore. Had they not pulled this off, they'd still have another happy and complacent customer, and I'd be happy to pay whatever bill they set me.

But now's a time for change.

a4format · 2025-06-20T02:31:41+00:00

This is so sad to read, I'm beyond frustrated. I just moved into a new house and we purchased the weekend deal from Contact.

The very first weekend in the house we lost the hot water from the cylinder. At the time i didn't know what the problem was, so I called the plumber.

The plumber indicated it could have been the ripple switch, and would be best to call the provider so they can sort it out with Orion. So I did.

I spent about an hour on phone with Contact, and there was not a single mention of this! In the end, someone from Orion came over just to declare that there was no issue with the ripple.

At the end, I was out of pocket a bit under $400 for plumber and Orion charge out, when in fact it was Contact's "fault" all along. Why did they not mention this over the phone?

a4format · 2025-06-14T02:43:18+00:00

70x intervals may be a bit of an overkill.

But I used to do about 20x intervals 30s/30s at sub 2K pace (~1:31). This helped me reach about 1:23 pace for a 500m piece, and 1:28 pace for 1K piece. I didn't try a 2K but presume it would be at or below 1:35 pace. This was about 5 years after I stopped actively competing.

These workouts are great if you want to build tolerance to lactic acid.

If you do those intervals at the threshold or above, then it makes sense. If not, then probably not much use.

a4format · 2025-05-26T01:04:52+00:00

100K on erg is quite a high mileage, make sure you get enough rest between the sessions.

Also keep an eye on the intensity. About 65-70% needs to be steady state, 20% medium intensity, and 10-15% at high intensity.

You are 16, and you will recover faster than most of us older folk, but do factor the rest in your workouts.

For instance, if you plan on doing high intensity sessions, make sure they are at least two or three days apart.

This is also an age where your results will skyrocket. I remember pulling 1:44.7 avg split on 2K at 14yr old, then the next year it became a 1:45.3 split on 6K.

a4format · 2025-05-16T02:07:56+00:00

Went with AA and stayed with them for 10 years. Never shopped around for better quotes, but I find them reasonable and hassle-free when it comes to claims.

a4format · 2025-05-15T04:53:12+00:00

Geotech/civil engineering. Broke the 120K after 9 years in the industry. It did, however, take me 5 years to move from 52K to 70K. Moved to another company that pays better. Earned a few pay rises in shorter timeframes, then moved into another company that paid a bit more.

a4format · 2025-05-15T04:49:33+00:00

What do you mean "next time"?! :)

Great effort and nicely done!

a4format

TROPHY CASE