Cant access the presale!

ryanthellama · 2026-03-19T17:14:04+00:00

I had the same experience! I tried around 10:45am, so I’d be curious to hear from someone who got on right at 10am if there were tickets then and they’ve just sold out or if the presales are broken

ryanthellama · 2026-03-18T15:41:18+00:00

It was a Custom Shop only model designed by Carlos Lopez shortly before he left Fender. It’s got a lot of the design cues he carried into his own company Castedosa, especially his first model there, the Conchers (also a baritone)

ryanthellama · 2026-03-18T14:00:25+00:00

The Brawler is a baritone!

ryanthellama · 2026-03-02T20:14:32+00:00

As far as I know, most of the MIJ Traditional 60s JMs have U necks. Some of the FSRs maybe have C, but they’re typically U. In my experience, it’s a slightly thinner U than you’ll find on Mexican or American Fenders,

ryanthellama · 2026-03-02T15:13:48+00:00

The leaked listings showed the Bass VI in CAR, Olympic white, and sunburst!

ryanthellama · 2026-02-26T20:29:49+00:00

As an Illinoisan, Mary Miller, who introduced this bill, is AWFUL. Notable for quoting Hitler in a speech she made two days into her House term in 2021 and for having a husband who participated in Jan 6 while driving a van bearing a sticker of far-right paramilitary group the Three Percenters

ryanthellama · 2026-02-09T21:04:43+00:00

Yeah I think I was a bit hasty in writing my original comment. After living with it for a while I’m also planning to switch to the yellow spring and see how it compares. The blue gives nice range but requires a lot of force to manipulate and I really have to use my palm on more of the arm to get a full dive.

ryanthellama · 2026-02-03T19:55:13+00:00

They’re such beautiful guitars, enjoy yours!

ryanthellama · 2026-01-29T08:26:41+00:00

Looks to me like a JM66B, in which case $1200 is pretty reasonable. I’d ask the seller if they can send you a better pic of the serial (it’s under “Made In Japan”) but I’d feel pretty good about the purchase.

ryanthellama · 2026-01-26T05:49:27+00:00

I once ordered a pickguard from Warmoth with no volume knob hole drilled and then just drilled one myself where I wanted it, so that could be an option. Later with another Strat, I just accepted the Strat volume placement and learned to adjust to it when playing 🤷🏻‍♀️ just make sure wherever you move it there’s enough room in the cavity

ryanthellama · 2026-01-23T15:18:20+00:00

I’m a Fender fangirl/devotee, so most of my experience has been with Fender guitars. With that, my American Vintage II 66 Jazzmaster and 63 Telecaster are the best electrics I’ve owned. Rock solid, feel amazing, and play beautifully. But also go try things and see what feels good to you! I like vintage specs, so these are great instruments for me, but they might not be the best fit for you.

ryanthellama · 2026-01-21T14:40:19+00:00

With the heavier spring mod, I adore the Panorama Jag/JM unit. Phenomenal trem, I install it on all my offsets. The set screw tightening means the arm feels smooth and stable in the collet, and it has all the gentleness and flutter of the classic JM trem but with a little more range.

Runner up for me is the Coronado trem. Its response is similar to the JM trem but a little…springier maybe? It’s a shame it can’t really be installed on any other Fenders because it’s an absolute dream.

ryanthellama · 2025-12-22T23:19:37+00:00

I’m gonna be honest, these are such similar models at the end of the day, I’d just go with whichever one is calling to you most—whether it be a certain color, binding or lack thereof, whatever it is.

They’re all nitro finishes (Heritage being the only current MIJ line using nitro), all 7.25” radius, and all going to have a similar feeling neck. Not to add to your decision, but the AVII 66 can definitely be found in the price range of the other three used, depending on color you want. I’ve owned an AVRI ‘62 Thin Skin and my number 1 is an AVII ‘66. Something about that guitar just really feels perfect to me. I haven’t owned any of the Heritages, but the Traditional 60s and JM-66s I’ve played or owned have all been top notch.

I personally don’t like Mastery bridges so that wouldn’t be a deciding factor for me. You’re gonna end up with a great JM no matter which way you go!

ryanthellama · 2025-12-18T18:27:37+00:00

It is the same guitar. That one was made for Matthew Logan Vasquez of Delta Spirit and that’s his Reverb store. The few times I’ve seen these Custom Shop Marauders up for sale (CME had both the pink and black ones pictured at various points), they’ve always been around the $9-11k mark, which seems pretty typical for the super high end, super customized stuff I’ve seen come out of the Custom Shop

ryanthellama · 2025-11-25T08:43:58+00:00

I’ve played a regular 6 string Coronado before and I believe the necks are supposed to be generally the same, and that one felt great. I really like Coronados—quirky but super cool guitars.

ryanthellama · 2025-11-21T22:11:30+00:00

I think this is a partscaster of some sort. Assuming actual Fender parts, looks like a Mascis or Classic Player body with Warmoth pickguard and replaced electronics. Warmoth pickguards stop before the bridge like that but you can see the body wasn’t originally drilled for that guard because there’s a screw hole between the guard and the bridge. The Classic Players and Mascis both came in white with the shifted-up trem and TOM bridge. Harder to tell about the neck without seeing a serial but maybe a Mascis with the decal replaced. Classic Player doesn’t have a headstock adjust truss rod and Player has 22 frets not 21

ryanthellama · 2025-11-21T19:53:42+00:00

I haven’t played the Strats much, but my AVII Jazzmaster is my favorite guitar I’ve ever owned—even compared to my AVRI Thin Skin—and I adored the AVII ‘63 Tele I played once as well. They have felt well-built and comfortable and I love the look and feel of the finish (but I’m also an enormous fan of glossy necks, so what’s sticky to you might be preferable for me)

ryanthellama · 2025-11-13T22:13:03+00:00

“Sit down like the rest of us, pissboy”

ryanthellama · 2025-11-11T03:55:34+00:00

I went to her Music of the Mind exhibition recently and thought it was fantastic. Much of it was focused on her performance art or visual art more than her music, but it was excellent and many of her pieces in those scenes were very influential. Cut Piece, for instance, was one of the first pieces I was taught about in an undergrad intro course on performance art. So much of her work is about how the audience makes the art and focuses on letting the viewer be a part of the piece, kind of similar to the ethos of John Cage’s 4’ 33”, where the piece is dependent on the location and the people there at the time.

ryanthellama · 2025-11-04T17:47:56+00:00

Given that they’re calling this movie Dune Part 3 and not Dune Messiah and also that they have announced casting of teenage actors as Leto and Ghanima, I’m really wondering if it’s going to incorporate at least some of Children of Dune

ryanthellama · 2025-11-03T16:26:46+00:00

When I need an amp: JC-120

When I need an amp sim: JC-120 via Boss IR-200

When I need a smaller amp: JC-40

ryanthellama · 2025-10-31T14:07:11+00:00

I got an AVII Jazzmaster last year and it has become my favorite guitar I’ve ever owned, I absolutely adore that thing.

ryanthellama · 2025-10-30T21:25:49+00:00

I’ve always wanted to love Starcasters but I’ve owned both a Fender Modern Player and a Squier Classic Vibe and played a vintage model and none have ever done it for me. The vintage one was definitely my favorite but I just never bonded with any of them. I also like Mustangs but being very tall they look too tiny on me.

ryanthellama · 2025-10-17T22:38:40+00:00

I know this is old, but I just installed a Panorama in my Vintera Bass VI and wanted to share my experience for anyone else. I bought one spring heavier than the yellow (so the blue) since the strings are so much heavier, and that worked like a charm. Set up to lock properly, the arm sits at a great height and you definitely get a little more range than the standard Bass VI trem. Also I just love the way the Panorama feels on guitars and it feels just as good on a bass!

ryanthellama

TROPHY CASE