Sounds of SIN: AXIS Clones

by John Kindred
Staff Writer

Continuing to explore pickups produced by Sounds of SINS, we turn to Chris Carter’s latest creation, the AXIS Clones Custom Humbucker. Packaged as a matched set (bridge and neck pickup), again, the quality of each pickup is flawless. The AXIS Clones Custom Humbuckers feature expert craftsmanship and as always only the best parts available.

The Sound of Sin AXIS Clones Custom humbucker aims is to recreate a close representation of the late ‘70s early ‘80s Van Halen sound. To create this reproduction, Carter winds each coil to resemble a Gibson ES 335 PAF pickup. He then overwinds each coil to fill the bobbin as it would have been done by the master himself, Eddie Van Halen. Due to this technique, each pickup varies in resistance. Ultimately, this asymmetrical coil configuration produces tones that are powerful with plenty of warmth and mid-range punch. Read more

KMAG Custom Bengal Tiger Guitar

by John Kindred
Staff Writer

The second evaluation of KMAG guitars comes in the form of a George Lynch-inspired Bengal Tiger custom paint scheme. Under the hood, the guitar is exactly the same as the previous “flat black custom finish” strat guitar previously reviewed (sans a neck pickup). It features an Alder body, double-locking licensed Floyd Rose tremolo, maple neck and Bengal Tiger finish on the body and headstock. The guitar also sports a custom Sounds of SIN bridge pickup.

After playing the “flat black custom finish” strat guitar during a live performance and in the studio, switching over to the custom Bengal Tiger guitar is a smooth transition. It has a similar feel, which maintains a level of comfort, while also offering a different sounding shred machine. The alder body produces a broader spectrum of tones, giving more definition to the highs and lows produced when striking the strings.

This guitar also features a licensed Floyd Rose double-locking tremolo. Obviously, it’s not the real deal, but this keeps the overall cost of the guitar down. On this guitar model, KMAG has replaced the stock block with a brass block. This addition on a Floyd Rose guitar tremolo (real or licensed) generates increased sustain and resonant tones. Overall, this helps the sound of your guitar. Read more

Sounds of Sin: the SINBUCKER

by John Kindred
Staff Writer

Guitar players face a world of confusion, now more than ever, when trying to find their “sound.” With many brands of guitars and electronics, most musicians know of the big name pickup manufacturers; EMG, DiMarzio and Seymour Duncan. Yet today’s market includes boutique pickup manufacturers selling their wares on the Internet via their own website or eBay. It’s confusing to sort through the mess of products and guess at which one might give you your unique “sound.” Read more

KMAG Custom Strat Electric Guitar

by John Kindred
Staff Writer

If you are looking for an axe in the stylings of the great guitarists that ruled the late ’70s and ’80s, then KMAG guitars offers several affordably price choice of instruments. Their latest offering is a Strat-style guitar that features an Alder body, double-locking licensed Floyd Rose tremolo, screaming “hot” pickups, maple neck and a slick, flat black finish on the body.

Out of the box, the guitar appears very stylish and slick. The flat black finish has a dark, menacing appearance and screams “metal.” The black hardware adds to the unity of the overall look. And the maple neck is a reminder of Van Halen and Lynch tearing up the fret-board live. The humbuckers and mounting rings also are black, and the volume pot has a classic Fender Strat-style knob. A three-way selector switch gives you straight-ahead selections to altering your sound.

The neck profile is similar to a Squier Strat. The profile is thin, not Ibanez Wizard thin, but not overly chunky or bulky. The finish allows for smooth traversing up and down the fret board. The frets on this model are leveled and polished, which definitely is an added bonus. Finger tapping is a breeze, and low action helps with those fast riffs. The headstock appearance seems to fall between the classic Fender CBS and traditional Fender headstock.

Overall, the sound of the stock pickups is a shock. They have enough meaty crunch for hard rock and metal. Ultimately, the weak link of this guitar is the hardware. But what first catches your attention is not the tremolo (it’s a licensed Floyd Rose) or nut, but the tuners. They look great, but the feel of them is nothing to write home about. Read more