COLIN'S CORNER

Combat Mega Bass

2010-01-06T19:07:00.000-08:00

Check out the Combat Guitars official YouTube Channel to see the latest video upload.

We uploaded another vid of Hirose demoing a 5-string Combat Mega Bass.

I'll embed the vid here below as well, but be sure to also visit our YouTube Channel to see the other uploads we have there and, if you are a YouTuber yourself, feel free to hit the subscribe button!

The Combat Mega Bass is one of Combat's original line of models, though still fully customizable. We have made them with many different body and neck material variations. Some of the most popular top laminates recently have been walnut, spalted maple, and rosewood.

In the video below, Hirose is playing a 5-string Mega Bass with Honduras mahogany body, and a walnut & padouk laminated top. The neck is 5-Piece maple/walnut, with maple/ebony fingerboard, and Haeussel Pickups.

Thanks for watching!

I hope we can get more video done soon, and get that YouTube channel flooded with loads more guitar and bass demos. Maybe some interviews? Let me know what you would want to see, and I'll make it happen!

Cheers.

- Combat Colin.

Happy New Year

2010-01-05T18:07:00.000-08:00

Hey friends,

Here's another quick update!

We are now officially back in the office for the new year! Got a lot of Emails, etc, to catch up so just be a little more patient if I still haven't gotten back to you just yet! :D

I am just as bummed as many of you are about the new Estimate Form still not being up online, and I really apologize for that. I thought that would have been taken care of by now, so that will be the first thing I focus on getting done! I am on it! It's first on my priority list before Friday!

Thanks for your patience guys.

Well, again I just wanna say thanks to all of you for 2009. It was a rockin' year! We built a lot of bitchin' guitars, made a lot of new friends, and received so much great feedback and encouragement from so many of you. It was an amazing year.

I can't wait to see what 2010 is gonna bring!

We all look forward to making more great guitars and basses, and making more and more friends! Bear with us as we get through the returning-curve till the week's end, work out the little bugs, and then get right back in full swing for another great year!

Cheers guys!

Looking forward to hearing from all of you again,

- Combat Colin.

Happy Holidays

2009-12-22T00:16:00.000-08:00

Hey friends,

What a year.

Can't believe how fast this year has flown by, and I really am taken back at how much cool stuff has happened as I reflect on this year coming to a close.

The amount of projects we undertook, and pulled off, and all those amazing guitars and basses we built that I hated to see go! It is truly amazing.

This little post will be my last of the year.

It is just a quick THANK-YOU to everyone who we have been in contact with this year, everyone who has showed interest in our company, everyone who chose Combat to build their custom guitar or bass, and everyone who has sent us encouraging messages through Email, MySpace, etc, with all the great comments and compliments.

Thanks guys. We truly, and sincerely, appreciate all of the tremendous support and encouragement we have been receiving by so many of you from all over the world.

I would also like to remind everyone that tomorrow marks the start of our holiday away from the office and work! We will be spending the next 2 weeks at home with family & friends, resting up from a year well done. Our holiday schedule is from Wednesday, December 23rd until Wednesday, January 6th. During this time we will, again, be out of the office and unable to respond to any Email messages, inquiries, etc.

We look forward to being back in the new year for a fresh start in 2010!

Until then guys, have a great holiday season, and a safe New Years.

Big cheers and thanks from Tokyo Japan, and all of us at Combat Guitars!

10 String / 31 Fret Guitar & Bass!

2009-11-27T00:53:00.000-08:00

Hey friends,

Things around the Combat office have been so crazy, but I really wanted to make a point to get on here before the weekend to show off the two very unusual instruments we recently got asked to build for one particular customer.

It was quite exciting when I heard that we were going to build a, never before attempted, 10-String, 31-Fret guitar. But when I heard that the same customer also placed an order at the same time for 10-String, 31-Fret bass I was blown away!

More than thinking about how these things were gonna sound, I kept thinking about how that bass would look, and how one would actually be able to play it!!

Well, we turned our designs into a reality and the proof is below. Check out the pics of these crazy looking monsters! I have also included some of the main specs for each one.

First off, the GUITAR.

With both the guitar, and bass, the main set-up is definetly that HUGE neck-through.

The guitar's neck is seven piece Maple and Bubinga, 28" inch scale with 31 frets, held sturdy by two individual truss rods. Ebony fingerboard, with a maple accent, and Pearl inlays. The wings on both sides which make up the rest of the body are Ash, as well as an Ash laminated head top.

The top four strings are set-up on a mounted thin line bridge, while the bottom six strings run through a standard synchronized tremolo. You can find standard tuning on the guitar on the 7th string down to the 2nd, E/A/D/G/B/E. The top three strings are at C#, F#, and B, while the 1st string is at G. The unusual single pickup was provided by the customer as his own unique creation of a customized steel guitar pickup! One Vol control, and direct input jack.

Now, The BASS!

Again, neck-through construction- this time NINE piece Maple and Walnut, 34" inch scale with 31 frets, and two individual truss rods. Ebony fingerboard, with Maple accents with Abalone & Pearl inlays. The body is Ash, with a very nice BuckEye Maple laminated top, back and head.

The ten strings are set-up on two individual Gotoh 5-string bass bridges. You can find standard tuning on the bass from the 8th string down at E/A/D/G. The top two strings are at a F# and B, the bottom four strings are at a C, F, A, and D. Powered by 4 Villex pickups with an Aguilar pre-amp. The hand-made ebony controls are; 1Vol, 1Balancer, Treble, Mid and Bass.

Alright, it has been a long time in the making, but finally we finished making them, (I made sure to get pics this time!) and we got them up here on the Blog for a little show'n'tell.

Look forward to hearing the feedback and comments! So let me know what you think!

Cheers,

- Combat Colin.

New site and some CRAZY new guitars!!

2009-11-18T18:46:00.000-08:00

Hey friends,

We ran into some unexpected technical server difficulties recently, as well as a few other assorted nuisances, and so we had to pull the plug on our new website and start from scratch.

Right now it is bare basic, but the layout is looking pretty damn slick, I think.

Go ahead over to the website now, check out what we have going on there so far (remember, it's all still in the making) and please feel free to let me know what you think!

Any comments, creative input, is appreciated.. but be nice!

http://www.combat-guitars.com/english/top.html

In other Combat News, word is spreading fast about the two new absolutely mind-blowing projects we recently got commissioned to build.

They are; a 10 String / 31 Fret guitar, complimented with a 10- String / 31 Fret bass.

The wood work is all done, paint & finish was completed at the start of the week, and now it is just a matter of getting these things assembled properly with their custom built bridges, pickups and so forth. These were truly unique projects, and a TON of fun to build. I can't believe how amazing they LOOK, and we are all looking forward to how they will SOUND.

I also can't help be curious as to how one will actually PLAY them!

Look forward to these ones friends.. they are truly AMAZING instruments that definitely push the envelope.

As with my last post, I will post a few pics of some recently built guitars to hold you off until the official unveiling of the 10 String monsters.

But in keeping with the "pair" theme, I thought I would share a pair of twin Combat G-Series guitars that were custom ordered for a local band's two guitarists.

G-Series with Custom Inlay

G-Series with Inverted Head

Don't forget to check out the new website, and let me know what you think! And look for updates coming on the blog very shortly about the two new 10-Stringer 31-Fretters!

Cheers,

-Combat Colin.

Playing a little catch-up!

2009-10-13T20:12:00.000-07:00

Wow, It has been a while since I have been able to jump on the blog and type up a few things.

So much has been going on, so I am gonna try to remember some of the cool new happenings that I would like to share for the moment. Sorry if this post comes off a little sporadic, I am gonna bring things up to speed as they come to memory in no particular order!

First off, we will have a brand new official homepage up and running by the end of the month! The URL will remain the same, as http://www.combat-guitars.com, but the entire layout will be completely different. We have always done all that sort of stuff by ourselves in the past, but as things in the past few months have become so incredibly busy, we just have not had a spare moment to do all the small things we managed to be able to do before. (Including get on the blog and post something!) A good friend and associate of ours has recommended someone to us that keeps himself busy building websites for people, so let's see how this turns out! Though the new layout will be up and running in the next couple of weeks, it will be far from perfect (as if our current one is!). Since we now have someone on our side looking after the website for us, things will be regularly updated on there.

As the weeks and months progress from the official launch, we should have all ares of the website full of good stuff, including updated pictures and news, as well as photos/specs/and price lists for all the Combat lineup of Guitars and Basses!

Please keep an eye out on the site from time to time. In any case, I will be blogging about the big updates on there, and as always you can can catch up to the moment updates by simply following us on our Twitter.. if you are the Tweeting type.

http://twitter.com/combatguitars

Ok, next is some cool stuff regarding Ohta Katsu.

Coming up very soon Katsu will be hosting a Guitar Clinic, right here on site at the Combat Guitars office in Tokyo on October 24th, and again the next day at our smaller Sendai outlet location.

Fans of Katsu will surely not want to miss out on this extra special event and sit down with the man himself, to not only see his amazing virtuosic ability, but to have the opportunity to learn a few new tricks and licks. It's also a good way to get a glimpse of Katsu's Combat Signature ST put to the test and in action!

A while ago we had two Guitar Clinics hosted by Duel Jewel guitarist Shun, and these went down really successfully, so we are super stoked at what the Ohta Katsu Guitar Clinic will be like.

Though I never thought of it for either of Shun's Clinics, maybe if opportunity arises I will remember to get some photos of the Ohta Katsu Clinic, and maybe post a little blog report.

(*photos left/right: Ohta Katsu Signature Combat ST)

We have made so much cool stuff lately, it really has been one project after another, so it has been hard to get photos of everything! I keep thinking I will have a chance to get a photo of something and the next thing I know it is out the door already!

Really is a shame that I can't share every guitar that gets built but I do have some photos of some nice looking ST Warms and G-Series guitars we have made very recently, as well as some other cool custom stuff. I will have to dig into my pc here and see what new stuff I have and just throw a collage of stuff up on here on my next post.

So before this post gets too long, just check this brand-new bitchin' ST Warm!

Gotta love that super nice quilted maple hand carved top! All natural body binding, and hand-made ebony pick-up rings as well.

Alright!

It's good to be back on here.. man I could spend all day on here talking about stuff but I will hold off so I can unload a little more tomorrow, with some more pics!

I hope this pic of the custom ST Warm was a teaser enough to urge you back here soon to check out what else we have been up to at Combat.

See ya back here!

- Combat Colin.

Yet Another Holiday!

2009-09-18T02:05:00.001-07:00

Hey friends,

Sorry I haven't been around much for the past while. I have been spending so much more time in the work shop, and much less time near a computer. We have made tons of new beautiful looking ST Warms, as well as some awesome looking custom stuff lately. There have been some pictures taken, and I will be sure to return to the Blog soon to update you on all the latest creations with pictures!

And BASSES! Where are the basses??! Man, I KNOW we are way overdue to show off some new bass stuff, so that will be coming as well.

Don't forget though, you can always check out our official MySpace page to see all sorts of custom Guitars AND Basses in the pics section!

http://www.myspace.com/combatguitars

Anyway, this is just quick note, as I am on my way out the door to embark on YET ANOTHER week long forced national holiday. I will be back in the office on Thursday and Friday, before taking the weekend off again, so during those two days I will be sure to update the blog with some cool pics, as well as answer emails, and get back to all who are waiting for their Estimates! Be patient till Thurs/Fri guys!

Alright, time to get my holiday on, yet AGAIN!

See ya Thursday!

- Combat Colin.

Creating Duplicates

2009-08-17T20:33:00.000-07:00

Our long "Obon" holiday is now over, and we are back in the swing of things here at the office.

One of the things we get common requests for is "creating duplicates". This includes everything from exact replicas of various artist's signature models to the Les Paul that Jimmy Page used on a particular piece of footage.

Though we have made various "replicas" of other company's models in the past, things around our industry have changed quite significantly as of very recently.

A lot of the major companies in our industry have become increasingly noting of the amount of smaller companies out there making replicas of their models, and making a good living that way- while they themselves seem to be not selling as many guitars as they used to. This has everything to do from the possible price of certain instruments right down to a difference in quality. Whatever each individual company's reasons may be- the outcome is the same; they have made it clear that they will no longer stand aside and allow copies of their instruments to be made by other companies.

The only way around this is to pay a particular company, we'll call a "guarantee", to allow us to build a copy of one of their instruments. As a very small business, personally, we simply can in no way accomplish this.

Getting to the signature model issue; this is just not even up for argument. For obvious legal reasons, both on the part of the said manufacturer, as well as the artist in question, creating a copy of an artist's signature model is in no way possible, whatsoever.

Believe me, it has nothing to do with pride. It's not like we are just trying to force our own models on our customers. If we could get away with building anything we wanted, our orders for guitars would more than triple, and thus so would our income!

We are extremely flattered that we get so much positive feedback on the quality of our instruments, and as a business the last thing you want to do is turn a potential customer away; but the reality is that we really cannot build replicas of another company's instrument any longer.

We have always, from the inception of the company, prided ourselves on (as well as having the strict company policy as) being a CUSTOM ORDER MADE guitar and bass manufacturer. We love building instruments hand-made. We love being able to deliver exactly what our customers want. This is the most cherished core of Combat Guitars, and it will never change. We will always build each and every instrument custom order made. Though we can no longer create duplicates of another company's patented model, we can still take your ideas and turn them into something fantastic. Something original. Something of superior quality, and superior sound.

Combat also has a few original models that we are very proud of. The 4 most popular I have blogged about in the past, as well as posted galleries of on our MySpace page.

They are; the ST-Warm Series, the TL-Warm Series, the Type-G Series and the LT-Series.

Check out my blog post on them HERE.

CLICK HERE to see photo galleries of all of our original models as well as an array of custom guitars and basses we have built in the past.

I hope that helped to clear up the "creating duplicates" issue.

Thanks for your understanding!

-Combat Colin.

Out of the Office For "Obon"

2009-08-10T22:59:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow begins yet another week long forced holiday here in Japan.

Last time was in May, when we celebrated the week long string of individual holidays collectively called "Golden Week".

This time it is for the "Obon Festivals."

The calender isn't marked at all by Obon, yet everyone seems to understand when it is. Not sure why we need to take so much time off work, but alas I am defeated by the iron grips of tradition.

Thus, we will be out of the office from August 12th until the 17th.

If you remember my extremely cynical blog post back in May about "Golden Week" and it's individual holidays, and subsequent reasons for the holiday's, I did give a brief description about what it's all about. I find the reasons for Obon to be much more respectable.

Obon stems from India, and the Buddhist beliefs of the Ullambana Sutra. The Japanese people believe that during the period of Obon that the Spirit's of their ancestors return home. So naturally, during this time all Japanese families re-unite together to celebrate the communion of the family. To reflect on their departed loved ones and express thankfulness for how the remaining impact of what they have done for us still effects our lives, and to honor them with remembrance.

I can definitely see value in a tradition like this, and so will check my usual cynicism at the reasons behind some national holidays at the door.

Though I do support a tradition like Obon, and respect it entirely, believe me when I say that I am always the last guy who wants to take time off work. Again, really sorry but, because of Obon we will be out of the office until Monday August 17th. So, let me apologize that you will have to wait for any responses regarding anything until after then.

Instead of stressing about your guitar, in the spirit of Obon- take a few days to do some nice things for your mom instead.

See ya Monday!

- Combat Colin.

Combat Guitars Original Models!

2009-08-03T00:31:00.000-07:00

Things may seem to have slowed down a bit in regards to the blog, and I apologize for that, but nothing could be busier or more exciting than what is happening behind the scenes these days here at the Combat office.

I really do need to start capturing more moments on film, video and the digi-cam, so I can get them up here on the blog and share them all with you! Again, I apologize for the recent absence, things have just been a bit nutty! I will kick back in gear with the blog though, so please be patient, and as always a HUGE thank-you to everyone who continues to support us here at our small business, Combat Guitars.

We've recently made a couple one-off customs that were just SICK, and unfortunately they got picked up by their owners before I could even think about getting some photos! There are enough photos floating around on our official MySpace, and Website anyway, for you to get the idea of what I mean by some pretty sweet looking custom one-offs.

In any case, what I would really like to start focusing in on much more intensely and exclusively are the four Combat Original Models. Don't get me wrong, one-offs are great! They are exciting to build, and a pleasure to see finished. However, I think I have focused in on the one-off stuff a little too much and would really like to take things in a new direction. Of course we will always be a custom maker, that is our strict company policy! But, we would also like to establish ourselves amongst our fellow guitar companies with our own line-up of seriously great looking, and awesome sounding line-up of original guitar models.

Another area I have neglected is showing-off our basses! Combat Guitars is just as serious about our hand-made basses as we are about all our custom guitars. Our one-off basses, as well as our line up of original basses; the Combat Mega Bass and the Combat MSB Bass.

I promise I will get more in depth, and more active about the bass stuff, starting very very soon. But for now, in regards to this post, I do want to remind you of, our maybe even introduce you to, the four models in Combat's original line-up!

COMBAT GUITARS ORIGINAL MODELS

The design of all four models in Combat's line-up have been carefully thought-out, in every aspect. Not just aesthetically, but how the guitars feel, how they are shaped, and how tonal out put is effected. When coupled with any number of Combat's original head designs (which can be chosen by YOU), the guitars are set-up to be superior in every way. String-tension, tuning stability, and again- maximum tonal out-put are all things which have been carefully noted of.

Though these are a standard line-up of guitar models, the customization aspect of Combat Guitars still remains. Choose your model, then choose your head-shape, choose your preferred neck-joint, neck grip, hardware, pickups, color, bindings, etc etc etc.

This is Combat's original line-up of guitar models. All completely customizable by YOU.

1. The Combat ST-Warm Series

This model takes a classic, and standard ST-type body design and turns it into something spectacular. The ST-Warm adds a unique arched body top to this timeless design, and is available as a hollow-body or solid-body (ST Solid-Warm).

Combat ST-Warm Series

2. The Combat TL-Warm Series

Like the ST-Warm, the TL-Warm is based on a classic TL body shape, but with a unique arched body top. The TL-Warm is also available as a hollow-body, or solid-body (TL Solid-Warm)

Combat TL-Warm Series

3. The Combat G-Series

The G-Series guitar is your all-around guitar! With simple customization this amazingly versatile guitar can be perfectly suited to nearly any type of playing style, with a shape that is simple and subtle, yet sleek and stunning. Though we think this guitar looks and sounds best as an arched top, we will accept orders for flat tops as well.

Combat G-Series

4. The Combat LT-Series

The LT-Series is the newest addition to the Combat original line-up of models. The LT-Series guitar is a gorgeous contemporary shaped instrument that combines classic characteristics of an LP type guitar with modern curves, and an arched-top that's hand-carved, topping out at over 20mm.

Combat LT-Series

To see more pics of the Combat original line-up of models; the LT-Series, the TL-Warm, the ST-Warm, and the G-Series CLICK HERE!

If you are interested in creating your own custom Combat Guitar or bass, simply fill out our FREE Estimate Form to as far as you can with all your ideas and specs, etc, and I will get back to you, usually within the next day, with advice and a FREE estimate!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE!

CLICK HERE to read more about why hand-made is better.

CLICK HERE to read about all the steps involved in making a custom guitar

Thanks again for all your awesome support! Be sure to keep checking back here on the blog, as I do promise to keep profiling all the newest guitars and basses we make, as well as to get more in depth on the bass side of things! We are also still working on a few video projects we hope will see fruition soon.

- Combat Colin.

Shun / Duel Jewel Signature Model

2009-07-20T20:17:00.000-07:00

Introducing the Combat Guitars Shun Signature Model Guitar!

Shun, the guitar player for Duel Jewel, has been a familiar face around the Combat family circle for quite some time now, and we are proud to finally announce the official launch of his Combat Signature Model Guitar.

*Shun's Signature Model Guitar is available in two variations.

COMBAT SJG-1

Body: Alder

Top: Flamed Maple

Neck: Maple/Walnut 5P

(Flamed Maple head top)

Fret Board: Ebony

Inlays: Pear Blocks

Frets: JD 6105 Medium Jumbo High

Pickups:

-Front / Dimarzio PAF Classic

-Center / Dimarzio Virtual Solo

-Rear / Dimarzio D-Sonic

Bridge: Gotoh 510T

Controls:

-Rotary Switch

-Master Vol

-Master Tone

COMBAT SJG-2

Body: Alder
Top: Quilted Maple
Neck: Maple/Walnut 5P
(Quilted Maple head top)
Fret Board: Rosewood
Inlays: Pear Blocks
Frets: JD 6105 Medium Jumbo High
Pickups:
-Front / Dimarzio Virtual Solo
-Center / Dimarzio Virtual Solo
-Rear / Dimarzio D-Sonic
Bridge: Synchronized Tremolo
Controls:
-Rotary Switch
-Master Vol
-Master Tone

* The price for both the SJG-1 / SJG-2 is ￥300,000 (Japanese Yen).

For more info on Shun and his band Duel Jewel please check out the following websites:

Duel Jewel Official Website:

http://www.dueljewel.jp/

Duel Jewel Unofficial MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/duel_jewel_forever

As always, if you have any questions about the Shun Model Guitar, please feel free to contact us anytime at: international(at)combat-guitars(dot)com

- Combat Colin.

Ushirokara-Maekawa.

2009-06-24T20:44:00.000-07:00

Hey friends,

Check out our Official YouTube Channel to see the latest uploaded vid!

The video is another slap-bass demo, this time featuring the one and only Ushirokara-Maekawa.

Combat Guitars Official YouTube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CombatGuitars

Ushirokara-Maekawa

As I have stated in a previous post, Maekawa is quite a familiar face around the Combat Guitars family circle. He is a renowned professional session musician who collaborates his amazing bass ability on many different projects. He has been featured in numerous magazines, and has also been welcomed further inside the Combat camp as an instructor in the newly established Combat Guitar School.

Maekawa exclusively, and proudly, plays Combat Basses.

Here are but a few regularly used weapons in his ever growing arsenal of custom Combat Basses:

Maekawa's Combat Custom 4-String Bass

This bass's main specs include:

A solid Ash body, bolt on Hard Maple neck on a Purple Heart fingerboard.

Custom frog inlays. (Maekawa has a thing for frogs).

All gold hardware. Two Haussel pick-ups, Kahler bass tremolo bridge and an Aguilar obp3 pre-amp. The controls are 1 vol, 1 tone, 1 mid and a treb-bass stack pot.

Maekawa's main bass. Custom Combat AYA Series 7-string Bass

Here we go again with another awesome instrument in our ever growing array of AYA Series guitars and basses. This one is Maekawa's main bass, and it is truly a gorgeous instrument.

Here we have an Alder body, laminated and weaved with layers of Bubinga, RoseWood, Flamed Maple, Hard Maple, Ebony and Purple Heart.

The bolt on neck is constructed of Hard Maple, Walnut and RoseWood, with a RoseWood fingerboard.

Four Villex pick-ups, with two Aguilar obp2 pre-amps.

All gold hardware. Hipshot 7-string bridge, 4 stack pots; vol, treb, mid & bass, and 2 balancers.

Maekawa; slappin' the AYA Series LIVE!

Check out my other blog posts for profiles on various other AYA Series guitars and basses! You can also see more pics on our official web site, and official MySpace page!

And don't forget to check out our official YouTube channel to see Maekawa slappin' it silly on his Combat Custom 4-string!

Combat Guitars Official Website:

http://www.combat-guitars.com

Combat Guitars Official MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/combatguitars

Combat Guitars Official YouTube Channel:

http://www.youtube.com/user/CombatGuitars

- Combat Colin.

Ohta Katsu!

2009-06-18T19:39:00.000-07:00

Head on over to our Official MySpace page, and check out a cool addition!

We just uploaded an awesome song into the music player, an original song recorded by golden boy Ohta Katsu.

Combat Guitars Official MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/combatguitars

Ohta Katsu

Yesterday, Katsu came by our office with a very nice surprise. It seems he recorded an original song to donate to us for promo on the MySpace. This is an awesome way, not only for you to hear a Combat Guitar being shredded like nobody's business, but for you to also hear Katsu's amazing guitar playing.

For those who don't yet know the name Ohta Katsu, he is one of Japan's golden-boy Guitar heroes. His popularity continues to rise every year and is being featured in an increasing amount of magazine coverage, guitar books, DVD's and other media forms of guitar instruction and adoration, not just in Japan but in many other Countries and websites/ magazines, etc from abroad.

Ohta Katsu stumbled upon Combat Guitars a few years ago and has not looked back since. He continues to play and stand behind Combat, using Combat Guitars for all of his studio and live work.

Katsu's weapon of choice is the Combat ST Series. His are custom made a smaller size than a usual ST style guitar. Made with an Alder body, one-piece bolt on Maple neck and Dimarzio Virtual Solo pickups in all 3 positions. A standard set-up of 3-way toggle switch, one Master Vol and two Tone controls. He changes the head shape on different guitars, all of which are Combat original designs. The jumbo scalloped frets are also an important feature Katsu demands for his guitars.

Ohta Katsu Custom ST

For more info on Ohta Katsu-

Ark Storm Official MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/arkstorm

Ark Storm Official English HomePage:

http://www.jc-i.jp/j-crave/ark.htm

For more on the Combat ST-Series Guitars, check out my April 12th Blog Post here:

http://combat-guitars.blogspot.com/2009/04/st-series-profile.html

- Combat Colin.

AYA Series Custom ST.

2009-06-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

Here's another newly built guitar I just HAD TO show off.
It's a beautiful custom ST based on our AYA series. In case you are not yet familiar with our AYA themed series of guitars and basses, at the end of this blog post I will provide a link to one of my previous posts on the AYA Series.

Just to tell you a little bit right now though, AYA guitars and basses are not a series of instruments based on a specific "shape", but rather an aesthetic design. We have built AYA Series guitars with the ST shapes (like the one I will show you below), AYA TL's, AYA G-Series, and a whole slew of AYA themed basses.

The AYA themed guitar series are Asian influenced aesthetic designs infused into the highest quality hand-made guitars and basses out there.

Check out this custom AYA ST:

AYA Series Custom ST by Combat Guitars

Here we have an Alder body with a pretty stunning top and back. Both top and back are laminated with Purple Heart, Buckeye Maple, Flamed Maple and Ebony. The top is further complimented with a matching hand-made pick guard of the same materials. Awesome sounding Lindy Fralin pickups, with custom made Purple Heart pickup covers.

One-piece Maple neck with a laminated Honduras Rosewood fingerboard. The fingerboard is also weaved with Padouk, Flamed Maple, Ebony and Purple Heart. The inlays are real Abalone weaved with Ebony.

Inverted Combat original head. Stamped with the AYA Series logo.

For more info on the AYA Series Guitars & Basses, check out my April 6th blog post on the AYA Series: HERE

To see more pics of AYA-Series guitars & Basses, as well as the other original line-up of Combat Guitars; the Tele-Warm Series, the ST-Warm, the G-Series, and the LT-Series CLICK HERE!

If you would like to build a hand-made AYA Series guitar or bass, send us an email and tell us your ideas! Visit our official Web Site for our contact details!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE!

CLICK HERE to read more about why hand-made is better.

CLICK HERE to read about all the steps involved in making a custom guitar:

Thanks!

- Combat Colin.

Combat LT-Series Guitar.

2009-06-03T21:37:00.000-07:00

This time, I want to get up close with another Combat original body design. The LT-Series guitar! This model is a relatively new design, but it is gaining quite a lot of interest rapidly. The orders for the LT Series are becoming much more frequent, and they are now even finding their way into the hands of many popular musicians, and onto those big stages where they belong!

COMBAT ORIGINAL LT-SERIES GUITAR

Like our other Original line-up of guitars (the Tele-Warm Series, ST-Warm Series, and G-Series) the LT-Series is an arched-top model guitar. (Though we do build all these in flat-tops as per request!) What makes the LT-Series so unique is the actual height of the top. Most, if not all arched-top guitars have a laminated arch of usually around the 15mm mark. The Combat LT-Series has an arched top of 20mm. For those who like the tone characteristcs that arched-tops provide, you will flip over the look and the sound of the LT-Series guitar.

Instead of just flashing a bunch of pics of different LT-Series guitars, like I did in my post about the Combat original G-Series, I thought I would simply focus in on one custom LT we just finished making yesterday. Besides, by looking at some of my previous blog posts (again like the G-Series, the ST-Series, and the TL-Series) I am sure you get the picture by now that, YES, these guitars are all Order-Made and the possibilities for customizable options is virtually limitless.

For example, check this one out!

As I said, we just finished this one yesterday, and it is smokin'!

The main specs on this custom LT-Series include a Maple neck-through-body design, 2-piece

Honduras Mahogany body, Honduras Rosewood finger board, and a beautiful Quilted Maple top

and matching Quilted Maple laminated head. The guitar also has a very nice looking natural wood binding on both body and head.

24 frets, complimented by real Abalone inlays, gold Grover type Combat tuners, gold Gotoh

Tune-O-Matic bridge, and matching gold end pins and controls. The controls are; one master Vol, 1 master Tone. 3-way pickup selector switch above the neck, and a mini tap switch behind the bridge.

The pickups are EMG 89's. These are pretty cool because these active pickups are exactly like having two pickups in one. The tap switch allows the player to either have the tonal qualities of a humbucker (modeled after the EMG 85), flip the switch, and then have the tonal characteristics of a single coil (modeled after the EMG SA).

Takeshi from SUPE. Custom LT-Series Guitar

As I mentioned at the beginning of this post, the LT-Series guitar is rapidly gaining quite a bit of interest, and many professional musicians are choosing to add the LT-Series guitar to their arsenal. One such artist is Takeshi from the band SUPE.

As you can see once again, the LT-Series can be order-made to your exact specs. The differences between Takeshi's guitar and the one I profiled above are countless. Not just color, but neck grip, hardware, pickups, inlays, the list goes on and on. Combat even has a few original head shapes to choose from, and both of these LT-Series guitars feature totally different head designs.

Takeshi rockin' the LT Live!!

For more info on Supe:

Supe Official Web Site:

http://www.supe-web.com

Supe Official MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/supejp

To see more pics of the Combat LT-Series, as well as the other original line-up of Combat Guitars; the Tele-Warm Series, the ST-Warm, and the G-Series CLICK HERE!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE!

CLICK HERE to read more about why hand-made is better.

CLICK HERE to read about all the steps involved in making a custom guitar:

We look forward to hearing from you soon!

Thanks for reading!

- Combat Colin.

You-tubin'!

2009-05-28T22:45:00.000-07:00

As promised, various video projects are in the works!

As just a quick set-up for all the big plans we have for various video projects, we have now created the Combat Guitars YouTube profile page, and uploaded a quick video!

Check it out!

Combat Guitars Official YouTube Page:

http://www.youtube.com/user/combatguitars

The video we uploaded features Hirose, who is one of the new instructors at the Combat Guitars Guitar School, here on location in Tokyo Japan.

Hirose teaches one of the Slap-Bass courses, and this quick video is of him hanging out in the multi-purpose room of the Combat Building, which is also the location where we hold all the various classes in the school.

We really do have SO MUCH in the works right now for video. So keep a close eye here on the blog for the latest updates, and don't forget to subscribe to our YouTube page to catch all the cool videos coming up that we will be posting!

For now, check out Hirose messing around on a 6-String Combat Custom Bass!

-Combat Colin.

Keeping it HARD, with a little Top 5.

2009-05-25T20:54:00.000-07:00

Alright, I know I am a little late with a 2008 Re-cap, as we are already WELL into 2009. But, by keeping with the spirit of my last Blog post on my hard-core punk rock project "U.K.L", I thought it might be kinda cool to further expose some of you to some good hard-core music by rating (not ranting), in my personal opinion, what I thought were the Top 5 hard-core albums of 2008.

*(It needs to be said that hard-core is NOT the only type of music I listen to or enjoy. I have been exposed to all kinds of music, and involved within it deeply since I was a very young boy. Also, Combat Guitars makes guitars for all walks of players and musicians- from Jazz to Rock, Blues, etc etc.)*

Usually, I do like to stick with the number 10, however for this one I will keep it as a Top 5. For simplicity's sake, and for the fact that the time put into a Top 10 might make my boss think I have a little too much spare time!

To keep it biased, I have automatically disqualified any album that I may have had any part in creating or appearing on. I have also automatically disqualified any band that might use Combat Guitars.

Try not to take it too seriously, ok folks.

I, by no means, declare myself an authority in music reviewing nor am I a recognized critic in this area by any stretch. I am just doing this because I thought it would be kinda fun. Remember? FUN? (The OTHER "F-Word") And hey, it may even turn some of you on to music you might not have had the chance to know or hear about!

So here we go!

Top 5 Hard-Core Albums Of 2008

*Number 05

WolfBrigade - "Comalive"

-Deranged Records

Even if I have never heard of a band before, when I see the "Deranged" logo on a record, I can usually trust that it's all the info I need to be sure that I won't be disappointed. I am already a huge fan of Wolfbrigade. I am also a huge fan of most D-Beat. "Comalive" is a little bit more versatile than the standard D-Beat formula, and it reminds me a lot of the Crust infused punk chargings of American outfit "World Burns To Death", making this my favorite Wolfbrigade effort to date. I heard a lot of good D-Beat in 2008, but with the growth that Wolfbrigade displays on "Comalive", it gets them on this list. However, the number 5 slot is allotted solely due to the recording production. The rhythm guitar kind of overpowers everything else on the record a little bit. The lead and melody guitar sections, the vocals, and the drums are barely audible over that rhythm guitar strumming, while the bass is practically non-existent. I really think this album could have sounded so much better, because it REALLY IS an album of finely written D-beat.

Don't send the wolfpack to my door Brigade-dudes! I love you guys!

But the production on "Comalive" is not what we should know to expect from you.

Still, AWESOME record. Strong, quality song-writing, and misanthropic lyrics similar to fellow

D-Beating Swedes, "Disfear".

*Number 04

Extreme Noise Terror - "The Law Of Retaliation"

-Deep Six Records

Though I wanted to keep the list diverse, I had to put another D-Beat influenced record on the list. The new ENT record, "The Law of Retaliation", could not be left out! This one is blistering grind-core at it's finest. England's ENT sort of wandered off my radar for a few years and though I have always, and still do, enjoy their earlier recordings, it had been a while since I took any notice of what they were doing. They came way out of left field with this new album and it knocked the wind out of me. Back with the original twin vocals, and a resurgence of their glory day, "The Law Of Retaliation" is as refreshing as it is brutal. This is definitely how ENT should be represented.

If you have never heard of a band before, it is almost always best to start at the beginning- but this record sticks so close to their roots, and it sounds so gosh-darn amazing, that a newcomer to ENT could start right here. This is a crossover album of grinding hard-core punk that even Napalm Death would give a nod of approval to.

*Number 03

Ceremony - "Still Nothing Moves You"

-Bridge Nine Records

I normally do not listen to any of the "tough-guy hardcore" or straight-edge stuff that "Bridge Nine" tends to put out, so I consider the label lucky to have landed a band to break up the monotony in their roster, especially a band like California's CEREMONY. My first listen of Ceremony was the 2006 full length release "Violence Violence", which I acquired from a young guy I met at the airport in Tokyo. I have been following the band's steps ever since. "Still Nothing Moves You" picks up right where "Violence Violence" left off. Post-punk Indie on crystal-meth, hard-core in the old-school sense. I love that California sound. It seems that the mark "Black Flag" has left, not just in music, but in the very area where they dwelled so many years ago has branded an irremovable influence on that entire scene forever. The songs on "SNMY" are a bit more thought out than their previous stuff, and a bit lengthier. But keep in mind, this still means everything is still pretty much around the 1 minute mark. Ceremony are keeping the true, original spirit of old-school American hard-core alive- and this new release is a testament to the damn good job they are doing at it.

*Number 02

Fucked Up - "The Chemistry Of Common Life"

-Matador Records

If you took the guys from Boston's "Negative Approach", added a female bass player to their ranks, blasted them 20 odd years into the future and landed them in the streets of Toronto- they would reform and call themselves "Fucked Up". Everything this band does impresses me in volumes. "The Chemistry Of Common Life" is a tad more experimental than their previous efforts of straight-forward old-school hardcore. But their progression and growth as recording artists does not take much away from the same intensity and purity felt on everything this band stamps their name on. The experimental and instrumental pieces of "TCOCL" occur a tad more frequently and at longer lengths than their previous stuff, which might disturb the flow of the album when listening to it as a whole, but the true magic of this band has always been the ability to capture their live performance into their recordings.

Another beautifully written and executed performance from Fucked Up.

*Number 01

Victims - "Killer"

-DeathWish Records

The title says it all! KILLER! This is fast, raucous, biting, hard-core punk rock as it should be! "Killer" is by far the Victims most impressive release to date. Victims touch on a lot of various influences on this release, ranging from their trademark, almost metal edge, to crust, and straight-out punk rock. It's a tad on the short side, but that just gives me incentive to hit "repeat", as this album has been on rotation around my ears for a while now and still has not lost it's flavor. Great anthemic choruses and breakdowns, and well produced vocals with an almost "Sick Of It All" approach. This one was a pretty easy choice for the Number 1 spot here, as it truly is THAT friggin' good.

-----*-----

Hey, that WAS kinda fun! Maybe next time I attempt to do something like this I will review some cool things in Japan for you guys out there. Maybe the Top 5 Sushi Shops in Tokyo, or the Top 5 Train Stations to avoid at all costs.. or maybe the Top 5 ways to make your boss think you are actually working on something constructive.

hmmm.....

Hopefully soon I will have collected enough customer feedback/ reviews, etc, so I can post some stuff like, the Top 5 Combat Custom Guitars of 2009, as chosen BY YOU! (Or something like that)

Anyway, that was enough sporadic mess for now.

Next time, I will get back to posting some more cool Combat stuff! A lot is in the works! Got a few cool video projects coming up, some new sweet looking custom guitars, and a few artist Signature models to show off!

So keep checking back!

See ya back here soon!

- Combat Colin.

Electric Classical Guitar.

2009-05-20T20:03:00.000-07:00

Here's a little close-up profile on another Custom Tele-Warm we just finished. Since my little blurb a week ago about Combat building a "pick-up-less" electric guitar, I have been getting tons of messages about this thing. The guitar has been finished for a few days, I just haven't had the time to get pics of it until now. So, finally, here it is! Hope you think it is as cool as I do!

COMBAT Custom TL Warm

Electric Classical Guitar

Some of the main specs on this Combat Custom TL Warm are:

Honduras Mahogany set-neck joint on an Ebony finger board, and Honduras Mahogany hollow body on an arched Spruce top. Laminated Maple head top, and Ivory (cream) binding on body, neck and head.

The guitar also has Pearl dot inlays as both finger board and side position markers, as well as a custom hand-made Ebony saddle, Ebony tone controls, and matching Ebony truss-rod cover.

Cow bone oil nut, gold Grover type Combat tuners and matching Gold locking end pins.

Nylon classical guitar strings, one Volume, and one Tone control. The guitar is amplified by a single, internal, Highlander active circuit Piezo located under the custom made Ebony saddle.

This thing sounds beautiful. Hopefully we will get video going in the very near future because I really wanna start letting you guys HEAR these guitars, as I know how much you all love looking at them!

CLICK HERE to see more pics of the Combat Tele-Warm Series, as well as the other original line-up of Combat Guitars; the ST-Warm Series, G-Series and LT-Series.

If you are interested in creating your own custom Combat Guitar or bass, simply fill out ourFREE Estimate Form to as far as you can with all your ideas and specs, etc, and I will get back to you, usually within the next day, with advice and a FREE estimate!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE!

CLICK HERE to read more about why hand-made is better.

CLICK HERE to read about all the steps involved in making a custom guitar:

Thanks again, as always, for your awesome messages and kind support of Combat Guitars!

- Combat Colin.

How do Snakes compare to Guitars???

2009-05-19T18:55:00.000-07:00

Thought I would throw out a little bit of an unusual plug for my new friend Brian Barczyk and his reptile business BHB Enterprises.

Two reasons for really wanting to make this post; not only am I also a proud snake owner myself, but Brian's enthusiasm and passion for his craft really makes a comparison to the vibe Combat has, as a custom hand-made guitar maker.

Read on.

Brian owns and runs BHB, which he built from the ground up, and it is now one of the largest Snake Breeding facilities in the world. He is also the host of a weekly Web-Show, which he posts on YouTube, called SnakeBytes TV. Their YouTube channel is here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/SnakeBytesTV

Because of the increasing popularity of SnakeBytes TV, BHB Enterprises has now also caught the interest of a certain major TV Network. I hear they are now in the filming stages of pilot episodes that, we all hope for Brian and BHB, will turn out to be one hell of an informative and entertaining TV Series.

I have also recently discovered from my new friend that he actually used to play bass in, the Detroit based Alternative Rock act, SPONGE. (As well as a few others, he notably adds.)

If you want to keep a reptile, like a snake as a pet, you don't really need much of an explanation as to why a captive bred animal is a much better choice than a wild caught animal. Not only are these snakes healthy, parasite and disease free, but are also well on the way already in the taming process. I say this, not just to help my new friend out with a friendly plug, but because it also makes a very relative comparison to why a Hand-Made guitar is so much better than a factory-made, or "ready-made" instrument. The quality of the final product is superior because ALL THAT GOES INTO IT FROM THE VERY BEGINNING, (the care, the skill, the passion, the professionalism), is also superior.

(To learn more about why Hand-Made is better, please read my May 7 and May 10 Blog posts)

The passion that Brian and his team have for their business, their industry, and their craft is really inspiring to me here at Combat. It really reminds me of how much time, care, and professionalism we put into each and every individual project we undertake.

Brian started out in his bedroom as a kid, breeding his snakes and built himself quite an impressive Empire. This goes to show all of us not to despise the days of small beginnings. With a contagious amount of passion, motivation, and determination, we too here at Combat strive to be the best at what we do TODAY. All this mixed with time can only make our small business grow even further into the future.

Since my previous blog post was, coincidentally, about Slayer, isn't it fitting that I show you pic of Brian with the man himself, Kerry F***kin' King! (Who is, coincidentally again, also well known to be quite a snake breeder himself!)

This one is of me and my baby ball Python, "Caramel". I gotta tell ya, a snake tonguing your ear tickles a lot more than that beard! (Just ask Kerry!)

Just like Brian, Combat started out as "hobbyists". In our industry though, we were regarded as "a garage maker". It was just two or three aspiring Luthiers making copy guitars of various existing models. We had no exposure, no accountability, and no one knew who we were.

Combat has since grown to a team of over 20 people. We are now recognized in the industry by the big companies as a serious and competitive guitar maker. We still hand-make each and every instrument, custom ordered, though the number has multiplied drastically. We are a regular and respected name here in Japan, though we now also find ourselves selling our instruments to people all over the world. We are featured monthly in all the major distributed Guitar Magazines, and a wide range of major artists, both here in Japan and world-wide, are increasingly choosing to add a Combat Guitar to their arsenal as we continue to meet -and exceed- the demands of even the most serious and professional musician.

Our company continues to grow, as we gratefully find more and more people taking a serious note of this small, yet serious threat, called COMBAT. Though, our growth will never equate to compromise. Just like BHB, we strive, not be the largest, but the BEST at what we do. Our reputable past is a testament to how we conduct our business on a DAILY basis. Always striving to create the highest quality instruments, putting in the same amount of care and professionalism into each and every individual under-taking. This is what made us get to where we are today, and I look forward to seeing where it will take us into tomorrow.

Cheers guys,

and cheers Brian!

-Combat Colin.

BHB Enterprises Official Website:

http://www.bhbreptiles.com

Psychopathy Red.

2009-05-18T22:16:00.000-07:00

Anyone heard the new Slayer single?

This sh*t is Rippin'!

Now, I have been hearing all sorts of rumours surrounding Slayer these days, and you'll have to forgive me If I seem to be a little bit outta the loop, but there is all sorts of things floating around. Like, this is Slayer's last studio album, Tom is quitting for various spiritual reasons, etc etc.

I guess we'll have to wait and see what happens and if there is an official statement anywhere out there from the Slayer camp, it would be interesting to read.

For now, concerning this new single, all I gotta say is THIS is Slayer. It really brings me back to the old-school Reign In Blood days. If this really is the final Slayer recordings, then in my opinion, they are going out RIGHT. What a way to take a bow. It truly is better to burn out than to fade away. Nothing makes us sadder than to see a band we all love and hold dear, continue on and on and on making music that is mere shadows of what we know they were once capable of creating.

Good one on Slayer I say!

Pushing 50 and sticking to what they do best!

SLAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYEEEEERRRRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!

- Combat Colin.

The Custom Order Made Process

2009-05-10T21:12:00.000-07:00

This Blog post is a continuation of my previous post, "What's Custom Order Made"?

In my previous post I described a bit more about Combat's company policy to custom order make each guitar, and briefly went into why "Hand Made" is better. In this post I would like to expand more on my explanation of what makes a Hand Made instrument better by breaking down every step in Combat's order made procedure.

Below are the 10 Steps in this Custom Order Made process, with explanations of what happens at each step along the way. Starting with your initial contact with us, right down to the completion and shipping of your custom order made guitar or bass.

-Step 1: The Free Estimate Form

First and foremost; Contact us! Please start by visiting our Official WebSite and check out the FREE Estimate Form. Filling out the Estimate form is very easy. Just simply select items which closely reflect the image you have for your custom guitar from each drop down menu, add any special remarks in the space provided, and you're done! We will get back to you with your FREE estimate and of course, our professional advice is always free as well.

The form is set up in 3 easy steps. You can choose to fill out Step 1 for a bare basic quote and simple advice. Filling out Step 1 and 2 will provide us with more info so we will be able to give you more detailed advice and a more accurate quote. Filling out all 3 Steps will give you a complete quote.

At the time of contact we will do our best to provide as accurate an estimate as possible. Of course, the more detailed information you provide, the more accurate the estimate will be.

That in mind, don't be discouraged if you are not sure about any details! By filling out the form even just as far as just Step 1 can help us get the ball rolling towards your own custom guitar or bass. Something so vague as telling us your favorite artists, or favorite sounds, what shapes you like or what style of playing you are most interested in can help us generate an idea and advice to suit your exact and specific tastes and needs.

That said, your first contact with is not exclusive to just the Estimate form. Feel free to just send us a simple Email with your questions. Either method of contact is entirely up to you.

As I stated in my previous post;

"We love what we do, and we appreciate all our customers, so we are more than happy and willing to answer all your questions and help you along every step of the estimation process, with your needs and desires in mind, to ensure your complete satisfaction."

But, getting back to the Estimate form, let's assume you can't make it past Step 1.

You know that you want a quality and hand-made instrument, but you don't know much beyond that. Again, this first step on the Estimate form can help us immensely in getting an idea of what kind of image it is you have in mind. After a simple correspondence and we have established what the playing characteristic it is you want for your guitar, we can start by choosing the building materials.

-Step 2: The Building Materials

Though seasonal year-round temperature and humidity is a factor which is sometimes considered, we have a wide array of stock available at all times to be chosen from. Each material has it's own distinct sound, tonal, and even aesthetic characteristics, and sometimes a combination of materials is needed in obtaining the precise sound you are after. We can help you choose the best materials for the image you have created for your guitar.

This basic step of establishing what we will construct the base of the guitar from really is the birthing process, as it truly is the stage where the total balance and sound characteristic of the instrument is decided!

Continuing, we consider again the image you have in mind for the guitar, along with the wood materials we will be building on, and decide on the hardware.

-Step 3: The Hardware

Just like the timber used for your guitar's body and neck, our stock of hardware is virtually limitless! Even the most rarest of parts or specialty pickups, etc, can be ordered. Again, if you are unsure of what it is you want specifically, we can help you decide on the best possible options for outfitting your guitar, as many things can effect change at this step. We will keep in mind factors such as the hardness of the materials, the sound characteristics of the body and neck, overall tension, and things that effect sound directly, such as the pickups.

When simply looking at the specs of various hardware items in a catalogue, it is extremely difficult to know how these things will actually perform when combined with your guitar's material. Other factors, like tuning stability and various other advantages/ disadvantages are sometimes difficult to understand. These are all things we are able to help with as we begin to design your guitar with you.

This completes the main specifications of your guitar, and we are able to give you an official quote. After the main specs and official calculation have been agreed upon, we will move onto the official order and begin the construction of your guitar!

CONSTRUCTION BEGINS

-Step 4: Construction Of The Neck

The first thing we will do is actually the most important and delicate step in the entire building process. This is the laying of the neck's truss rod. What we will do here is basically "neck training".

By carefully inserting the truss rod into the neck, the first step of this process lays down the neck securely and trains the neck so the wood will in-turn conform naturally to the truss rod. This is extremely important for neck stability, strength and correctness. If this is not done carefully and properly, future problems can occur.

We spend long and meticulous hours working on this extremely important step to ensure your guitar brings you continued enjoyment and satisfaction for a long, long time.

-Step 5: Construction Of The Body

Prior to the completion of the "neck training" we will begin work on your guitar's body. We want both components to be ready for paint and finish at the same time. Not so much for convenience sake, but for a much more important reason. If there is too long a time-lag between neck and body completion, a natural wood problem will occur.

Simply put, if the wood sits too long before finish preservation, moisture can absorb into the grains causing it to flex or change form and, in bolt-on neck types for example, resulting in a possible gap in the neck pocket.

Even the tiniest gap can be detrimental to the preservation of the guitar's natural vibration of sound. Gaps do not transmit vibration, and it is important that we make the neck pocket as tight as possible. Thus, the moment both components are ready to be bonded together, wood work is completed promptly, yet carefully, and are immediately presented to paint and finish.

-Step 6: The Frets

While completing the body work, we then apply the frets to the neck and create the neck's grip. We meticulously steady and lock each fret in, one at a time, giving the same care and effort to each one.

The mistake of many guitar builders is to do this seemingly simple step quickly, carelessly and haphazardly. If not done correctly and precisely, the frets will eventually float, become at an uneven height, or come loose, resulting in expensive re-fretting.

We take pride in our work, so we therefore welcome all customer's visits to our company to check-in on the process of their guitar's construction. (Obviously, most of these visits are by our local customers) Whether to verify and approve the grip of the neck or just to satisfy simple curiosity!

-Step 7: Polishing Of The Wood Work

After all wood-working has been completed, we prepare the guitar for paint and finish by first polishing the entire framework of the instrument. This is an important and delicate step that needs to be done thoroughly and skillfully.

If not done properly, when the instrument is introduced to paint and finish even the smallest blemishes will be quite noticeable, particularly in the outer edges of the body. The blemishes will be completely noticeable through-out when the instrument is coated with very thin layers of paint.

This is the reason why so many ready-made instruments are coated with such thick layers of paint. Simply, so that much time is not needed to be spent on the construction. A thick coat of paint will hide everything without a trace.

But this method hides much more than just blemishes, it covers up more of that precious natural vibration. Detrimental again, to the SOUND of the instrument. The thicker the paint is applied to the wood, the more muffled the sound will be. Therefore, paint influences much more than simple aesthetic qualities, it can also have a direct influence on the sound of your instrument.

So, in order for paint to be applied as thinly as possible, without visible blemish, we take care in ensuring the entire instrument is polished carefully and thoroughly.

-Step 8: Paint & Finish

Finally, after all wood-work and polishing has been completed on the entire instrument, neck and body, it is now ready to be introduced to paint and finish.

There are numerous variations of paint and finish we can do to satisfy the exact image you have for your guitar. But basically, there are 3 main types. They are;

Urethane paint plus top coat. Lacquer paint with top coat/ light sanding and buffing. Ultra-thin lacquer paint with light top coat/ no sanding or undercoat. (Creating the rough effect so all the wood's natural grain can be visible and felt.)

As previously mentioned, how thick paint is applied to the instrument does influence the sound of the instrument. A thick coat of paint will indeed act as a "coating" to your guitar's natural sound and vibration.

A thin layer is all that is needed. This not only looks so much better, especially in see-through or burst-type finishes, but also the thinner the paint is; the more we preserve that natural vibration of sound.

-Step 9: Introducing The Hardware

After paint and finish has been completed, the final stage of the instrument construction begins. The setting of the hardware.

What is very important here is; the final setting/ adjusting of the neck and truss rod, installation/ adjustment of the bridge and the final fret work.

The way the frets lay on the finger-board not only influence performance characteristics, but also the way the guitar sounds. Harmonic overtones, highs and lows, the way sound is carried by the pickups to the output, etc etc. All aspects of sound

Positioning of the bridge is also important. Even the way screws and bolts are placed can influence sound.

We take great pride in ensuring that all aspects of the guitar building process are handled with skill, care, and professionalism.

-Step 10: Completion And Shipping Preparation

After all hardware has been properly set, pickups have been installed and all electronic wiring has been carefully and securely fastened, your guitar is complete, right!

Almost!

We will leave the instrument to sit and settle for a few days with strings attached. The reason for this is because the neck may still not have yet settled into form. The tension on a newly built guitar can change dramatically once the strings are applied. We check daily on the newly set-up guitar. Re-adjusting the neck and truss rod when needed, as the neck will take some time to settle into it's final and proper position.

When the neck has finally settled, we do a thorough and final tune-up of the guitar. Ensuring there is no fret-buzz, all harmonics are heard naturally, the bridge is properly intonated and that the tuning remains true.

Your new, hand-made, and completely original guitar is now ready to be sent to you! Your Guitar will be placed in a Combat Hard Case, securely and thoughtfully packed with care and prepared for a safe and reliable delivery service of your choice.

In a nut-shell, that is the basics of guitar making here at Combat Guitars.

Hand-made, truley is better than ready-made. Not only can you see the difference, and feel the difference. But you will surely, and much more importantly, HEAR the difference!

As always, we look forward to hearing from you and helping you build your own Custom Ordered guitar or bass!

Combat Colin.

What's "Custom Order Made"?

2009-05-07T22:40:00.000-07:00

In this post I wanna get into what exactly a "hand-made" guitar really is, and what that means. As well as underline a further explanation of the fact that Combat Guitars is a "Custom Order Made" guitar company.

Building our instruments "Order Made" means that each individual customer's exact needs and desires are 100% completely met. Everything from the type of building materials, to the preferred sounds, shapes, colors, set-up, etc/etc, are all decided by the customer. Not the other way around. We provide our customer's with the highest quality instruments, made with the best materials available, to ensure your standards are met. Something that is impossible to obtain with a ready-made guitar.

In addition, because all our instruments are completely hand-made, there is a huge and unmistakable difference in sound, quality, and feel between our instruments when compared to ready-made or factory-made guitars. Even if the models are similar looking or the basic building materials are similar, there is one important difference to be aware of:

A hand-made instrument, constructed with care and precision compared with a cookie-cutter guitar bolted together in a factory, is undeniably a BETTER instrument. In all aspects. From sound to feel, from playability to overall quality. That is FACT.

*Why is "Hand-Made" better?

The single biggest contributing factor that decides if an instrument is good or not is, quite obviously, the SOUND. The distinct sound and tone a particular species of wood will produce is unique from material to material. Skillfully marrying the neck to the body properly, using top quality materials, will ensure the maximum output of sound performance from each material's distinct characteristic ability.

When a chord is strummed out on an un-plugged guitar, the vibration produced by the wood should allow that chord to ring out loud, long and true. Not being plugged in has nothing whatsoever to do with the fact that a quality instrument constructed with professional skill WILL create a very clear and recognizable vibration.

When plugged in, the instrument's natural vibration will thus bring out the maximum performance of the hardware. The bridge, nut and tuners contributing to string tension and mildly to tonal output.

But where did the sound originate to begin with?

The pickups allow this vibration of sound to be amplified, thus the difference in sound of a quality hand-made guitar can be much more clearly recognized. Why does one guitar sound better than another? Over everything else, it is the construction of the instrument that decides the quality of sound and the capture of natural vibration.

So, how do you reduce the loss of this precious vibration?

That's impossible, except for hand-made.

*What sets Combat apart from all the other guitar companies?

With Combat Guitars, it really cannot get any easier to build you own Custom Ordered, Hand-Made guitar or bass. You can rely on us to give you total advice on all aspects of your guitar. From the material for the body or neck, to paint and finish, right down to the smallest piece of electronics. As all procedures in your guitar building process are done completely on sight, by our team of professional craftsmen.

We truly love what we do, and we appreciate all our customers, so we are more than happy and willing to answer all your questions and help you along every step of the estimation process, with your needs and desires in mind, to ensure your complete satisfaction.

CLICK HERE to see an outline of all the steps of the Order-Made process: from your initial contact with us, to the deciding of the building materials, from the shaping of the wood, all the way to the final set-up and completion of a hand-made, custom-ordered guitar!

These steps explain in detail, why a "hand-made" instrument really is a better instrument.

See you back here soon!

Combat Colin.

Golden Week!

2009-05-01T01:25:00.000-07:00

Hey friends,

Starting tomorrow, (Saturday) is a nice long Holiday for yours truly, as well as many of us here in Japan. Because of this, we will be out of the office until May 7th, and away ...far far away from telephones and computers.

This long break we have here is a string of National Holidays bunched together, collectively known as "Golden Week".

Or, as I sometimes like to call it, Goddamn Week.

Because as if Tokyo was not crowded enough as it is already, we will have people from all over Japan flocking here to take in all the lights, sights, frights and delights.

Restaurants, bars, train stations, and so on, and so on, will be CHAOS.

I feel so bad for those poor souls who work at the Airports here. Imagine all the people who are gonna take this opportunity to do a little travel.. yikes!

Be sure to raise a toast sometime to all them poor folks working at the Airport who will NOT be enjoying their Goddamn Week.

I am considering what I will do with myself.

Everyone is always asking "So, what are YOUR plans for Golden Week"?

My first instinction is to not "get out there and do something" but how to avoid "getting out there" at all!

Sometimes the reasons for National Holidays are kinda silly. Let's examine a few Japanese Holiday's which occur during Golden Week, shall we?

Like, the one that falls on May 4th for instance.

This holiday is called "Midori No Hi" (translated as "Green Day").

The reason for this holiday: A day to appreciate plants and growing things.

Sure, I'll take a day off for all the plants. And I'll be sure to appreciate them all for it.

May 3rd is an interesting one.

"Constitution Day". The reason: To commemorate Japan's post WWII Constitution.

Thank you Roosevelt Administration.

This next one borders on creepy.

May 5th. "Kodomo No Hi" (translated as Kid's Day).

That's a good one though, nothing wrong there right? We have Mother's Day, Father's Day. So why not a Kid's Day too?

But let's examine the official reason for this National Holiday: Though it IS called KID'S Day, this day is to "Celebrate" ..little.. boys..?

This is the day, though you see them all week, where the Japanese people fly large Carp shaped kites/flags (they kinda look like wind socks you see at the airport) to signify all the little boys swimming upstream in life. To march Japan onto Victory. And Glory!

..er.. sorry, got a little carried away there.

For some reason "Showa Day" is also included in Golden Week, though it falls a little further back on April 29th. This is to celebrate the former Emperor's Birthday.

So here's to the Emperor! Happy Birthday.... what was his name again?

There is one more holiday, on May 6th. But I can't quite remember what it is called or why we celebrate it. I just hope it isn't another National Holiday, set aside, to "appreciate" little boys.

So there you have it.

My week long forced vacation is officially about to start on this warm Friday evening.

The reason for this post: To let you know I will be out of the office till May 7th, hiding in my comfortable flat, playing my guitar, feeding my snake and... geez, what AM I gonna do?!

Happy Goddamn Week!

Combat Colin.

F.A.Q

2009-04-27T18:22:00.000-07:00

Here are some FAQ we get on a daily basis. I rounded it down to 10, because 10 seems to be a nice clean easy number. And just maybe someone might read it!

So here we go, in no particular order:

1. Does Combat Guitars Endorse bands?

- PLEASE READ THIS

2. You don't know me, and we have never been in contact before. And, in all likeliness, you have never heard of my band. Can I have a guitar for free?

- It is very surprising how many people contact us on a daily basis with no other inquiry or questions at all about the company other than to simply ask us to just "give away" our products. This approach would be a turn-off to anyone. If you have read our blog post on the "Endorsement Policy" it will help you to know a little bit more about us. In any case, we choose to stand behind artists, big or small, who we know genuinely love our guitars. Are you really interested in our company? You want us to be interested in your band? A good way to start would be to ask genuine questions. Fill out the Estimate form. At the very least, inquire as to what an artist price might be on a particular instrument. By simply just asking us to "hand over" some gear to you, I'm sorry but unless your band's name sounds like "KlipSnot" or "DegaMeth", the answer will probably be NO. Our company is still quite small unfortunately, and we just cant' support artists the way other big companies can. We simply do not have the overhead to give away instruments to even all the bands we would like to. There is a lot of great bands out there who are interested in us, and we are grateful, but we are just not in the caliber to provide such vast support to so many artists. How about actually BUYING a guitar? I know, we have a lot of nerve as a business asking people to buy our products, but what a great way to start a relationship with a company! This might prove to us you are actually interested in us (and not just a free guitar) and later down the road we might even consider doing YOU a favor.

3. I really love the "(insert famous guy's name here)" Signature Model. Will you build me a copy of this guitar?

- Think about what the word "Signature" means. These instruments are patented designs constructed by another guitar maker bearing the name of a player that is obviously not endorsed by Combat. The player in question has a legal deal worked out with these makers to use their name. By creating a duplicate of this model we would not only be in legal trouble with the maker, but the player (who gets royalties from the sale of these instruments) also has free reign to rake us over the coals. We are very sorry but we cannot create duplicates of Signature model guitars. No exceptions.

*Side note: Many people forget that the Les Paul model is also a signature guitar. We can make a guitar BASED on this design, but creating an exact duplication of this shape is not possible.

4. Does Combat Guitars take orders from outside Japan?

- We sure do! We accept orders from all over the world. Simply fill out the Free Estimate Form conveniently on our Official Website! Select your country from the drop down menu. We apologize if your country is not listed in the menu. Select "Other" and specify where you live in the space provided. We ship all internationally ordered instruments in a Combat Hard Case. The case is our gift to you and is absolutely free. The price I quote you however is for the guitar ONLY and does not include the shipping charges. When you have placed your order with us, we will inquire to the shipping company and method of your choice and add the cost of shipping onto the guitar later.

5. I'm really interested in Combat, will you send me a guitar to try out?

- We are sorry, but we cannot just simply send away instruments for you to "try".

6. I live in "(insert your country here)", where can I try one of your guitars?

- Though Combat does have a few standard designs, the ST Series, Tele Series & G Series for example, we make all of our instruments completely custom. Which means, no guitar or bass gets made until it is ordered. That said, we do have a few sample models which we have constructed of our standard series instruments that we have distributed to various Guitar Shops locally here in Japan. But because we are still a very small company, we do not have any distribution deals with anyone outside of Japan. So, we are very sorry but unless you are in Japan there really is no place you can "try out" one of our guitars.

7. How much for a 7 String, Floating Tremolo, Pumpkin Shaped 27 Fretter?

- Now yer talkin'! We take pride in our Standard Series instruments, and are always well flattered and grateful when we get orders for them. But as a custom maker, nothing gets us more pumped than these crazy orders for original shapes and and wild set-ups. Whether you are placing an order for a standard ST Series, or a completely original shape and set-up, we ask that you please go to our Official Website and fill out the Free Estimate Order Form as far as you can. The more info you fill out the easier and quicker it will be to give you as accurate a quote as possible.

8. Who is endorsed by Combat? Who plays Combat, and where can I hear this music?

- Visit our official MySpace page! Our top friend list is always floating with people who use Combat. Also, on the left-hand side of the page there is a list of more artists who love our instruments. By clicking on any of the artist's names you will be linked to either their official MySpace or Home Page.

9. I am planning a trip to Japan, where can I go to try out one of your guitars?

- Great! Welcome! Just send us an email and tell us when you will be in town! We will then direct you to the closest Guitar Shops to you that have some guitars in their store for show! If there is any live shows happening during your stay we will also let you know where you can go to see some live Combat action as well!

10. I filled out the Estimate form, and was surprised to hear how much my guitar will cost. What's with the price?

- Whether you are a buying a cheaply priced & cheaply made, assembly line factory guitar or a high quality, hand-made completely custom instrument- the old saying applies: "You get what you pay for". We try our hardest to keep the cost as low as possible for our customers, while still delivering a hand-made instrument built with the highest quality materials available. You will see that the price of our instruments are still quite a bit lower than most so- called "high quality" factory made guitars and Signature models.

If you walk into a Porsche dealership and expect to get one for the price of a Honda Civic.....

It's ALIVE!

2009-04-23T21:44:00.000-07:00

Hey friends,

Just a quick post here to let you know to keep checking back on our Official MySpace profile, as we will now be regularily updating the LIVE dates of all our Japan sponsored artists.

If you are gonna be planning a trip to Japan, be sure and take a look to see who is playing where!

We hope you'll be able to see a little Live Combat Action!

Combat Guitars Official MySpace Profile:

http://www.myspce.com/combatguitars

Toru of "SUPE" with Combat Camo Custom Bass

Keep your stick on the ice,

Combat Colin.

Combat G-Series.

2009-04-16T21:58:00.000-07:00

Time once again to introduce another line of commonly ordered guitars! This time around I would like to profile the Combat original G-Series.

The G-Series body is most commonly ordered as an arched top, though we do sometimes get requests for flat tops as well. We have also made a few nice custom semi-hollow body versions. We prototyped this model with a custom heel cut bolt-on neck, though the guitar is most commonly ordered as a set-neck type. There are also various Combat original head shape designs which suit the G-Series guitar quite nicely.

As with all Combat guitars, the G-Series guitar is (though a standard shape) completely customizable. Neck joint, neck grip, head shape, fret size, all variations of body cuts, wood material, hardware, pickup positions, paint and finish- all are customizable and available to be chosen by YOU.

I will show here again various guitars (featuring different finishes, control set-ups/ positions, and various Combat original head-shape designs) we have built for a few regular customers as well as for major artists who love the Combat original G-Series!

See-Through Flamed Maple Top

Body Close-up

Matching Flamed Maple Head Top and natural Binding

Solid White Finish

Body Close-up

Matching Solid White Heap Top and Binding

Nice Blue Finish on Quilted Maple Top

Matching Binding and See-Through Blue Finish on Head Top

Another Nice Quilted Maple Top on this Semi-Hollow version

Red Flamed Maple Top

Custom Binding and Inlays on a Custom Imaged Top. AWESOME!

Combat AYA Series Type G.

(*see April 6th post on AYA Series)

Close-up on the AYA G

Another AYA G Close-up

Shinpei (Breakerz) Custom G Series. Custom Camo paint

Close-up on Shinpei's custom Inlays

Shinpei Rockin' the G Series LIVE!

For more info on Shinpei and his band BREAKERZ, please see my April 15th post on Combat's Japan Sponsored Artists.

CLICK HERE to see more pics of the Combat G-Series, as well as the other original line-up Combat Guitars; the Tele-Warm Series, the ST-Warm Series, and LT Series.

Again, as you can see, with a little customization you can turn a simple looking guitar into something beautifully original!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE!

CLICK HERE to read more about why hand-made is better.

CLICK HERE to read about all the steps involved in making a custom guitar:

As always, we look forward to hearing from you!

- Combat Colin.

Combat Sponsored Japan Artists.

2009-04-15T20:35:00.000-07:00

I thought I would quickly throw out a few plugs for some Japanese artists that are proudly endorsed by Combat Guitars!

This list is not exhaustive, as there are many bands in Japan we have great friendships with. These bands are also not exclusive, as some of the band's members may use other guitars/ basses. This is just a taste of a few, selected by me this fine warm morning, as there has been an increasing amount of unexpected visits to our office lately.

I would like to introduce you to a few of the bands who we consider part of our, ever growing, extended family! I'll spice it up a bit and fill you in on a few bands who fall into different genre categories.

COMBAT JAPAN ARTISTS

BREAKERZ.

Breakerz is fronted by the hugely popular television talent and movie actor known as Daigo. They draw heavily on the authentic Japanese arena rock style. Guitarist Shinpei has numerous original Combat guitars in his arsenal and support bassist Matsu also exclusively plays a number of original custom Combat basses. There are numerous promotional videos posted on YouTube including their single, backdropped by Hollywood hit movie WANTED, titled "Shakunetsu".

Official HomePage:

http://breakerz-web.net/

SUPE.

Supe are a 5-piece hard rock, alternative outfit that does extensive amounts of touring not only Japan but in many countries abroad, including numerous slots on the Vans Warped Tour. Now based in L.A they continue to rise in popularity and stature with solid release after solid release. Guitarist Takeshi exclusively plays custom Combat Type G series guitars, while bassist Toru plays a custom Combat bass.

Official HomePage:

http://www.supe-web.com/

Official MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/supejp

CRAZY KEN BAND.

The Crazy Ken Band is lead by front man and vocalist Ken Yokoyama. He is backed by an 11 piece, musical embodiment of a decadent Show Cabaret, in the golden era of the Japanese music boom of the 50's and 60's. Polyester suits, top hots, leopard skin, lounge swagger, with musical stylings fusing elements of Rock, Japanese Pop, Funk, Bossa Nova and Soul.

And they are TIGHT.

Guitarist Toraji uses a Custom Combat ST Series guitar, while 2nd guitarist Masao uses an original AYA Series ST.

Official HomePage:

http://www.crazykenband.com/

DUEL JEWEL.

Duel Jewel are, what is widely known in Gothic circles world-wide, the Japanese phenomenon known as Visual-Kei. Again, drawing heavily on Gothic and visual imagery as their shtick, the closer these band's members look like girls, the cooler they are. The visual and musical aspects of Visual-kei is distinctly Japanese, and Duel Jewel are no exception. Their videos get regular air play on numerous music stations and there isn't a Karaoke box in Japan that doesn't feature an extensive catalogue of Duel Jewel tunes. Bassist Natsuki plays a custom original Combat bass, and guitarist Shun has a line of original custom combat guitars- with a signature series on the way.

Official HomePage:

http://www.dueljewel.jp/

Unofficial MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/duel_jewel_forever

PAY MONEY TO MY PAIN.

Commonly known just as P.T.P, and much like fellow peers and scene-mates Supe, the band is hugely popular within the hard rock and alternative crowds. Now on major label VAP, with regular touring and an increasing amount of festival appearances PTP's popularity continues to rise each year. Bassist Tsuyoshi plays a unique and original, custom Combat 3-string bass.

Official HomePage:

http://www.paymoneytomypain.com/

Official MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/paymoneytomypain

Two more artists I would like to include here were already mentioned in previous posts so keeping it brief, I would still like to mention:

PLASTIC TREE.

Plastic Tree are a major band quite big on the Japanese Rock and Visual circuit. Bassist Tadashi uses a series of custom Combat Basses.

Official HomePage:

http://www.plastic-tree.com/

Official MySpace:

www.myspace.com/plastictreeweb

OHTA KATSU. (Ark Storm)

Ohta Katsu uses a number of custom Combat ST series guitars. His band Ark Storm features

bassist Isamu, support bassist for the band Gran Rodeo, who uses custom Combat AYA Series basses.

Check out more about Ohta Katsu on my Blog Post HERE.

Official English HomePage:

http://www.jc-i.jp/j-crave/ark.htm

Official MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/arkstorm

Gran Rodeo Official Website:

http://www.granrodeo.net/

SHIRO TANIGAWA

One more dude who deserves recognition, not just in relevance of this particular blog post, but within any topic relating to Japanese music, is Shiro Tanigawa. For over 30 years, Shiro has been making his mark felt, with a thunderous impact, as a renowned session musician for Japanese rock and blues. For years, and still now, Shiro has been featured in literally thousands of publishings, videos, and DVD's for guitar instruction, as well as making countless appearances as a regualar in many widely published guitar magazines. Not just for lessons and instruction, but his opinion on every aspect of guitar playing is so respected, he also makes constant appearances for regular advice coloms and guitar reviews.

So we are honored that Shiro thinks so well of Combat that he has placed more than a few orders from us for custom guitars. Shiro's weapon of choice? The aforementioned, April 8th blog post, Combat Tele Series.

Yesterday, Shiro-san made a surprise visit to our office to do a little further customization on one of his custom Combat Teles. After we finished with the business end of Shiro's visit I had the rare and privilidged opportunity to sit down and chat with this living legend. We chatted nothing but guitar. Everything from opinions on different hardware, set-ups, materials, etc, to playing styles. Picking styles, scale techniques, progressions, etc. It was then only natural that we found ourselves plugged in, guitars in hand for a little impromptu jam session! And the honor was all mine!

Shiro usues this unique little device made by Sperzel USA they title, on their website as only, The "D" Thing. It's a simple piece of mechanism you can easily attach to the low E peg of your Sperzel locking tuners. (which, coincidently like Shiro-san, Sperzel Tuners are what are on all of my recent guitars) Basically, how it works is you tune to standard tuning, flip a lock on the device and it holds the key in E. You then drop the low E to a D, hit the lock again and it holds that position in the key of D. Then, with a simple flick you can switch back and forth from standard tuning to "drop D". Shiro claims to have had no major problems with this device Live. I suppose that nothing is ever perfect, and though it does have certain minor flaws, it seems to do the job quite well.

From Left to Right: Combat Guitars Owner Honda-san, Shiro Tanigawa, Combat Colin.

(Shiro with his green Custom Combat Tele, Me with the Combat Colin Model.)

My impromptu session with Shiro-san reminds me of the post I did, on April 5th, about staying inspired. Wouldn't you know it, when I got home that evening it was no dinner for me. I played my guitar till 2a.m. Racking my brain over how incredible Shiro Tanigawa is. His effortlessness and casual approach to improvised guitar playing is truly inspiring.

Shiro Tanigawa Official Website:

http://www9.ocn.ne.jp/~shirosan/

Combat Colin.

Combat Guitars Endorsment Policy.

2009-04-14T19:07:00.000-07:00

When it comes to the topic of artist endorsement, we don't usually discriminate between a major band and a small independent band too much. What is important to us, more than a band's record sales, is a genuine friendship with those we welcome into our family.

That said, this IS a business, and when a major artist shows interest in our guitars we, of course, are more than willing to do all we can for them as they choose to show up on those huge stages proudly bearing their Combat guitar.

However, our policy is not limited to just supporting major bands. We have a handfull of independent domestic talent which we proudly stand beside.

But, as I said, this IS a business- and we would be bankrupt if we simply gave away guitars to half of the people who contact us on a daily basis with simply no other inquiry other than getting something for free.

We get asked a lot about "endorsement requirements". Our "requirements" are not limited to just being a famous guy. We value the friendships with have with our artists and customers, and so I suppose that, strangely as it may sound, is the biggest requirement.

It is also not uncommon for us to receive messages from all walks of players who we have had no previous contact with and (no disrespect intended) have never heard of who simply say something to the effect of "my band rips, give us some guitars!". Obviously this is not the way to start off a relationship.

So I think I will address the whole "endorsement/ sponsorship issue" here.

No matter what approach is taken by any artist, our responses to all endorsement inquiries is:

Combat Guitars values relationships. We are still a very small company, however, we ARE looking for musicians to build genuine friendships and relationships with. We have very good relationships with all our customers and sponsored artists. Though, unlike other big companies, we are unfortunately unable to pay artists to use our guitars.

Basically, we are looking for artists who want to play our guitars because they love them and stand by our company. We think that genuine friendships are more important than just attaching a famous face to our products. We believe in the instruments we make as the best and highest quality HAND MADE guitars available.

So we value the quality of our instruments and the quality of our relationships with players much more than to just pay someone to play any old guitar simply because they are famous. If an artist can support us by choosing to play one of our instruments, simply based on the fact that they think it is the best guitar in their arsenal, then we owe it to them to make the best quality guitar we possibly can.

Though we do have a few bands at the moment that we endorse, most of the bands we choose to support buy our guitars at an artist price. However, many of the artists who use Combat will buy their instruments out-right. They choose to use our instruments because they believe they are among the highest quality available and that a hand-made guitar will beat any factory made instrument hands-down in both quality and (most importantly) SOUND.

Before we choose to endorse any artist many things are considered. Over anything else our strict company policy is to have a solid and established relationship with an artist FIRST, before we take steps towards endorsement or an artist price.

Though there are always exceptions (if your name sounds like Hirk Kammet or Hames Jetfield, for exampe), usually what happens is an artist will buy their custom hand-made instrument because they are looking for the best they can have. More times than not these artists will stay in touch and thus a relationship is established. These artists who stand behind our company and choose to play our instruments are the ones who eventually get discounts or even guitar endorsements.

We sincerely appreciate any and all interest shown to us. Our goal is to keep on building relationships with customers and artists abroad.

We are always happy when someone inquires in our company, and we hope to keep on making friends with as many of you as we can!

Thanks for reading!

Combat Colin.

Planning A Trip To Tokyo?

2009-04-13T02:07:00.000-07:00

Be sure to let us know if you are planning a trip to Tokyo!

We can direct you to various Guitar Shops which showcase Combat Guitars for you to try out!

We can also fill you in on the Live schedules of various Combat artist's bands so you can see some live Combat action as well!

If your nice enough I may even let you buy me a beer while your in town!

(Just kidding)

But seriously, don't be afraid to let us know you are in town!

We would love to help you out in any way we can to make sure your trip to Tokyo is filled with guitar happiness!

Cheers!

Combat Colin.

ST Series Profile.

2009-04-12T19:57:00.001-07:00

Assuming you have read my previous blog post profiling the Combat Guitars Tele Series, I

would now like to continue along profiling another Standard Line of guitars we get frequent orders for.

The popular and classic looking ST Series!

Combat has, like the Tele Series, a few options here when considering your body shape/ design. There is a flat top, arched top (St Warm) and Solid body/ Semi-hollow versions of either or. These standard body shapes can get quite customizable. For example, rounded edges like a classic vintage ST, sharper and flatter edges like a Metal influenced Dinky style, and all forms of customizable options regarding the heel cut, elbow cut, waist cut, etc.

I will show some examples with pictures here again depicting the various degrees of customization we have done on recent and past orders of the ST. I'll show some standard St shapes, some flat tops, different waist and elbow cuts, Dinky type shapes, etc. All which have been completely customized as per customer requests and built to their exact desired specs.

The ST Type body shape is a classic and time tested popular design. However, with Combat (as always) when it comes to other options; body cuts, bindings, head shapes, building materials, colors, etc etc- the customizable options are virtually limitless!

BASIC SEMI-CUSTOM LINE

Before getting into the full custom pictures and specs of the Combat ST Series, I think it is relevant to those interested in ST style guitars to, once again, mention our new Basic Semi-Custom Line.

We came up with this option because we wanted to offer our customers, who want a basic ST design guitar, a more affordable option.

The Basic Semi-Custom name comes from the fact that we have created a Combat original ST/Dinky type body shape with two Combat original type head shapes to choose from.

Though we call this line Basic Semi-Custom, there is nothing basic about the amount of customizable options available.

You can take this standard selected body shape, choose from two head designs, and then just simply choose which other options you want for your guitar from our nicely stocked menu list of available options for the Basic Semi-Custom.

Check out the Basic Semi-Custom info on our official homepage for pricing and specs: HERE

There are also two examples of recent orders that have been placed for a Basic Semi-Custom. Here you can see the photos and a spec/price breakdown.

Example 1: HERE

Example 2: HERE

Alright, let's take a look at some ST Series Guitars! I'll mix it up though, though I am temepted to mainly focaus on our original Combat ST-Warm Series (our arched-top ST), I will also include some "Dinky" type shapes, and some nice standard St type guitars.

This, like the profile I have done on the Tele-Series and G-Series, will give you a very clear idea on how far you can take a simple and standard type body design and make it completely original.

COMBAT GUITARS ST-SERIES

Custom ST. Nice Neck Binding, 3-Piece Body (Bubinga and Indian Rose)

Custom ST. One Vol. One Tone.

Custom Lefty ST.

ST Series, Primer Finish, Custom PickGuard

Combat St Warm. Semi-Hollow, Custom Binding

Combat St Warm. Semi-Hollow, Custom Inlays

Custom Dinky Type, Maple Top, 24 Frets

Custom St. Old School!

Custom Dinky Type. Custom Flame Job on Flame Maple Top

Combat Basic Semi-Custom Series

Awesome Quilted Maple Finish on this Custom Dinky Type.

Dinky Type, Custom Binding, Nice Clean looking Guitar.

Combat AYA Series ST Warm

CLICK HERE to see more pics of the Combat ST-Warm Series, as well as the other original line-up of Combat Guitars; the Tele-Warm Series, G-Series, and LT-Series.

At the risk of sounding completely redundant, I really can't stress it enough that all these examples are just a small taste of what can be done to turn your basic ideas into something spectacular!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE!

CLICK HERE to read more about why hand-made is better.

CLICK HERE to read about all the steps involved in making a custom guitar:

We look forward to hearing from you!!

-Combat Colin.

A Little Who's Who.

2009-04-09T20:41:00.000-07:00

One of the many exciting things about this job is that on any given day you never know who is just gonna pop in for a surprise visit.

In Japan there are many well established bands who stand behind Combat Guitars and the relationship we have with our artists is rooted much deeper than the business side of things. We believe in having genuine friendships with all our customers, whether they happen to be famous figuers or not.

It's always a buzz when a handfull of people show up at our office unnanounced, all at the same time. Yesterday was one of those fun days.

We had about 12 customers pop in for a guitar lesson, a quick repair, to discuss a new guitar project, or just a simple hello. We love it when people come in to hang out.

A few of the faces that came by yesterday are quite familiar in the Japanese music circuit, and they love their Combat guitar.

From left to right: Combat Colin, Tadashi (Plastic Tree), Murase (DrugStore CowBoy), Maekawa-San, Kyanako (Back Drop Cinderella) All with their Custom Combat Models! (Execept me, I was working on the Tele at the time!)

About Tadashi and his band Plastic Tree. They are a major band, quite big on the Japanese Rock and Visual circuit. Check out their:

Official HomePage:

http://www.plastic-tree.com/

Official MySpace:

www.myspace.com/plastictreeweb

Murase's old band DrugStore Cowboy(rip) were a driving force in the Japanese Indy scene, quickly rising to popularity with sold-out shows of 1,500 becoming the norm. They have since disbanded in 2004 with Murase colaborating on various projects, and now rumour has it he is in the works on a new project.

DSC's Official HomePage:

http://www.dsc.ne.jp/

UnOfficial MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/dscdrugstorecowboy

Maekawa-San is a familiar face around the Combat family circle. He colloborates his amazing bass ability on many different projects and does quite a bit of session work. He is currently teaching a slap-bass course at the newly established Combat Guitar School.

When Kyanako isn't working as a club hostess her band BackDrop Cinderella is playing frequent sold out shows in the tiny club circuit. They are a unique blend of experimental prog rock with the trade-mark Japanese execution.

BDC's Official HomePage:

http://backdropc.com

Official MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/backdropcinderella

As for me, I am but the lowly only bilingual staff member in the Combat Guitars team. Musicly, I continue to make secret guest appearances on different projects, small and large, as well as creating my own side projects along the way.

Most recently was a hardcore punk project I affectionatly dubbed The United Khaos League (U.K.L).

U.K.L's Official MySpace:

http://www.myspace.com/uxkxlx

U.K.L has since disbanded but a new project, as always, is in the works!

Expect a shameless plug when that has been officially announced.

I wonder who will show up at our office next time!

Combat Colin.

Tele Me Again, About Those Combat Custom Guitars.

2009-04-08T00:02:00.000-07:00

I thought I'd get into detail with just one of the models we get frequent orders for, to show you all how far this Custom guitar thing can actually go.
Literally, anything is possible.

I will post other similar blogs in the future on different models etc, to show different examples. But today I thought I would start it off with one of my favorites, the Combat Tele Series.

Basically, there are a few options here when considering the body.
A Flat Top, an Arched Top (we like to call this the "warm") and solid or hollow versions of either or.

Let me give you some specs on two different nice looking Tele's we have made recently. I'll follow it up by showing a host of pics of different Tele's we have made in the past to hopefully inspire you to consider different options when planning your own custom guitar. Whether it happens to be a Tele or not, the options remain the same, virtually limitless.

The first Tele I'll show you is a classy looking guitar. An extra thin, customized semi-hollow, Honduras Mahogany Body with a beautiful flamed Maple top, complimented by a nice see-through natural orange finish.

Other Specs for this Custom Tele include a bolt on solid Maple neck on a Honduras Rose Wood 22 fret fingerboard. A 3-way selector to change between two Dimarzio Virtual Solo single coil pickups in the front and center positions and a Dimarzio Air Classic in the rear position. One center Vol control, one master Vol control, and one master Tone.

Check out that natural color binding.

The next Custom Tele I'll show you will create quite a contrast from the first one. The same guitar, but totaly different. Check this out:

This Black Tele has a solid Honduras Mahogany body, bolt on solid Maple neck on a Honduras Rose Wood fingerboard. Other specs include a 3-way selector switch to activate either one of the Seymour Duncan humbuckers, or both. That's an SH-1 model in the front position and an SH-4 JB in the rear. A much simpler set-up with one master Vol and one master Tone.

Close up on the Tele's nice cell binding and classic looking Tortoise Shell PickGuard.

Both of these Custom Tele's have been crafted with two of the many different original Combat Head designs. But when looking at the whole package, these are just two small examples showing the different contrasts between the many possibilites that are open for you to choose from. The sky is the limit, and it should be, when it comes to buying YOUR instrument. Combat allows YOU to choose exactly how YOUR guitar will look, feel, perform and (most importantly) SOUND.

I can't just show two. Let me refer you to a few other pics of Tele's we have made on the past.

A nice simple set-up. Clean looking Sem-Hollow Tele.

Check out that finish! AWESOME!

Custom Tele-Warm Series (arched top). Solid body with Abalone binding, inverted head, and a fantastic finish.

Another Custom Tele-Warm. Semi-Hollow, with stunning body, neck, and head binding.

Custom Semi-Hollow, all natural finish, Tele-Warm.

Another simple looking Tele. Solid body with flawless see-through wine finish.

Gerry McGee (The Ventures) Signature Model Custom Tele.

Gerry McGee's custom order made *AYA Series Tele!

Read on for description!!

I had to save this one for last. We get asked a lot about this awesome, tricked-out Custom beauty. Some basic specs on her include: an Ash body with flamed Padouk top and back, abalone body & neck binding, custom star inlays and a hand-carved leather & snake-skin pick guard.

CLICK HERE to see more pics of the Combat Tele-Warm Series, as well as the other original line-up of Combat Guitars; the ST-Warm Series, G-Series and LT-Series.

I can't stress it enough that all these examples are just a small taste of what can be done to turn your basic ideas into something spectacular! Whatever it is you have in mind, be it the most imaginative of color schemes and designs, the exact specs of the neck grip, body thickness, solid/hollow body, neck/body wood, custom inlays, bindings, the hardware, pickups, etc, etc, etc (the list goes on and on and on), it is ALL possible.

From the most simple and standard, to the wild and flashy, we welcome all requests.

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE!

CLICK HERE to read more about why hand-made is better.

CLICK HERE to read about all the steps involved in making a custom guitar:

As always, we look forward to hearing from you!

- Combat Colin.

Aya Custom Series.

2009-04-06T00:13:00.000-07:00

At Combat Guitars we pride ourselves on our new series of original guitars and basses known as the AYA Series.

We take all kinds of requests for different types of original guitars. One of the most exciting things about being a custom maker is that everyday we are doing something different.

Our office gets buzzing sometimes at some of the orders we receive. The outcome is always a stunning instrument.

Though we this a "Series", and the basic overall design and look of the AYA instruments remain the same, no two instruments are alike. As we build them per individual order following our customer's exact specifications and requests.

Many people know how meticulous and attentive to detail the Japanese are when it comes to the presentation of things. This includes everything from room interior, all forms of art, rock garden sculpting, flower arranging, even food presentation.

As a Japanese company we wanted to present an Asian influenced design in a Guitar/ Bass line up.

We have called this the AYA Series. A mixture of old and contemporary Asian flare in Guitar form. We blend different wood materials together to create some of the most stunning looking instruments around. Weaving maple and padouk bark together in different forms to create the body, laying an ebony finger board weaved with maple, padouk, and purple heart on a hard maple neck. This is just one example.

The end results are pieces of hand made, high quality, playable works of art. They are as enjoyable to look at as they are to play.

Though we most commonly get orders for the AYA Series as basses, we have built quite a few stunning AYA Series guitars as well. AYA Teles, G-Series AYA's, and quite a few AYA ST's.

CLICK HERE to check out the full profile of one of our most recently built custom AYA ST's

If you are interested in creating a Bass or a Guitar based on our AYA series design, please send us an email with all of your questions and we will fill you in on the details.

To see more pics of AYA-Series guitars & Basses, as well as the other original line-up of Combat Guitars; the Tele-Warm Series, the ST-Warm, the G-Series, and the LT-Series CLICK HERE!

CLICK HERE FOR YOUR FREE ESTIMATE!

CLICK HERE to read more about why hand-made is better.

CLICK HERE to read about all the steps involved in making a custom guitar:

We look forward to hearing from you!

-Combat Colin.

Staying Inspired.

2009-04-05T08:29:00.000-07:00

Sometimes you just get the urge to play LOUD.

One of the many, many great and rewarding things about playing the guitar is that you are always LEARNING. There is no limit to how far you can take it. Even the greatest guitar Gods and prodigies like Eddie Van Halen, Steve Vai, etc, still PRACTICE their instrument.
Playing the guitar never "gets old" or boring. This is what inspires me most about playing, besides the instant satisfaction and pleasure playing the guitar provides. It's the simple fact that there is always more.
Playing the guitar is addictive. Music is addictive. It is very much like a drug. Plugging in and cranking up to 11 gives you that fix of pleasure you long for when you are away from it too long, and when you are done it isn't long before you are wanting it again.

But sometimes we plateau in our playing. Meaning we get to a certain level where we think we have learned all there is that we will ever be able to do. This is especially present in those who have been playing for many years.
I am not talking about writer's block (for those who compose their own music), or as some like to call it; "loosing their Mojo".
I am talking about our physical level of guitar playing ability.
When we hit those "plateaus" it sometimes becomes easy to, not loose interest in playing, but to become content at where we are in our ability.
Thinking this way, content at where we are, is a major contributor that will hold us back even further from progressing.

So I guess with that said, it means in order to progress we have to stay hungry. So how do we do that?

Obviously everyone is different. Methods are different. What works for some won't necessarily work for others. Let me share what works for me.
What I love the most is jamming with other people.

Of course another one of the great things about playing is that you can do it by yourself. That's how most of us as kids learned to play. Locked away in our rooms for hours on end with eager hunger and dreams of rock n' roll splendor.
And it stays with us even now. There is nothing like coming home from a long day, picking up your axe and hammering away for what can sometimes turn into hours. We can loose ourselves in it. And I think that this solo time is very important. This is where we hone our skills and sharpen our blades. This is where we practice those scales, etc, over and over, or hammer out certain riffs to get them just right. This "alone time" is, after all, the setting where we all did most of our learning. It's what gave us our confidence to come out of our rooms and play in front of other people.

But when it comes to feeding the hunger, staying inspired, and keeping those fires lit hot, it is jamming with other players I enjoy the most. I have played in bands with other guitarists and I have played in bands where I was the only axeman.
I gotta say, I get pushed harder and driven more when I am in a setting when another guitarist is in the equation. I love coming home from a jam or a band practice in a studio someplace completely WIRED. Even though I was just playing for a few hours and I am tired, sweaty and my ears are ringing; I am so wired, excited and inspired that I sometimes can't help but go immediately into that alone time, and PRACTICE.

Playing with other guitarists is what provides me with the fuel I need to keep the passion burning. It keeps me on my toes and pushes me to progress. It's not unhealthy competition where I feel like I have to out-do the other guy, it's an honest feeling of genuine inspiration I get when I am in a room with another player as we engage in a little friendly session of guitar battle.

Last night I had one of those magical nights. Jamming with a friend and we laughed out loud as we both heard one another pull crazy stuff out of thin air. I heard him play stuff I know I wouldn't have come up with, and I heard myself playing things I know I could never have come up with if I was just playing there alone.

Yes, music is addictive. It is magical, it is mysterious. It is powerful.

This is what keeps me inspired. This is what helps me to not be content when I plateau. This is what keeps me excited about music and about playing the guitar.

Happy Jamming!

Combat Colin.

Hanami A-Go-Go!

2009-04-03T23:46:00.000-07:00

Hey friends,

It's been a long Winter here in Tokyo, and now it's starting to look like Spring is finally here!
The sporadic warm days amidst the cold ones are become more frequent, however there is another obvious visual sign about the new Spring arrival.

If anyone has visited Japan around this time of year, they just might be lucky enough to know exactly what I am talking about.
Between late March and mid April we are blessed to witness the blossoming of the Sakura trees!
Sakura (or "Cherry Blossoms", as they are frequently referred to in the West) blossom only during this short time period in the whole year. The other 11 and a half months their limbs hang naked and seemingly lifeless.

During this time of year the people of Japan take advantage of not only the warm break from the long cold winter, but also to seize the only opportunity during the whole year to gaze upon and enjoy this native tree's beautiful and spectacular foliage.

This what the Japanese people refer to as "Hanami". A short word with a big meaning, in my opinion. Like many cultures in the world, the Japanese will use any and every excuse to kick back and lift a glass. To describe a Hanami quite simply; gather your family or closest friends together, throw out a blanket under the Sakura trees, take of your shoes, stetch out, cook up whatever you like on a portable BBQ, crack open a cold one, and enjoy that scenery boy. That is Hanami in a nut-shell. And I take to this kind of thing like a fish to water.

If anyone has been lucky enough to have done any extensive world travel, one thing can be agreed on by all. You get an enormous amount of respect for other people and cultures as you learn about them first hand. Especially as you personaly experience the sometimes drastic and even shocking differences in culture from your own.

So, one has to laugh to themselves as they discover one similar pattern occuring in EVERY country and culture. EVERYONE loves to party. Sure, there are different words in different languages when we raise a cup of bevy and unanimously exclaim a "Cheers"! ..but they all mean the same thing don't they.

Well, over here in Japan they like to say "Kanapai" when raising a cheerful toast, and I said a Kanpai or two (or seven) myself today.

Spring is probably my favorite season. It's a sign of new beginings as the many trees and flowers get their new pedals and leaves, the voices and faces of many young birds and animals can once again be seen and heard, and we start to open the windows in our houses to once again be reminded of how good that breezes feels when it gently brushes in.

But I think in Japan, the reason why many of us love this Season so much has a great deal to do with this mysterious tree, with it's extremely delicate pedals that only expose themselves for 10 days out of the entire year.

The Sakura tree is not only a stuningly beautiful tree to behold in itself, but it also provides us with one more reason to gather together. This "Hanami" is an excellent way to commune with each other, and with the outdoors. To nurture old relationships, strengthen new ones and enjoy each other's company. After all it's relationships that matter most in life.

This has great signifcance even around our small business.
The change in season has not only brought a noticeable change in weather, but also more personaly, within Combat Guitars. As we are making new steps to shorten that bridge between us and our friends and customers overseas.
This truly is a new begining for us, and we hope to share that enthusiasm we have as far as we can possibly reach.

So from myself and all of us at Combat, we want to thank you all sincerely for the growing interest and support we are recieving from many of you. We hope this new year will bring many many new beginings in all aspects of our growing company, and growing relationships.

Kanpai!

Combat Colin.

Bringing things up to speed.

2009-04-03T00:24:00.000-07:00

So if you are following us on our MySpace page you might have read the following info perhaps on our myspace blog area.

If not, let me just quickly fill you in on a few new additions the English Web Site.

- The FULL CUSTOM ORDER Free Estimate Form.

Had an idea floating in your head for a while now about your own custom guitar? Look no further! Use this extremely easy and convenient form to fill in relevent basic information on a guitar you'd like to create, hit the send button and we'll do the rest!

I'll get back to you, usualy by the next day, with specific advice on your request and an estimated price quote!

Check out our official website and click on the Free Estimate Form!

- The SEMI-CUSTOM COMBAT Guitar Line.

This is a MAJORLY affordable option for those with limited budgets but who still demand the best when it comes from their guitar or bass. Nowhere else can you get a completely HAND-MADE customizable guitar at such a low price!

Check out our official website and click on the Semi-Custom Line Sample Page!

- A New PICS Section.

Most recently updated on the website is a PICS area. We uploaded hundreds of pics of guitars we have built as well as various shots from our woodshop etc.

Check out our official website and click on the Photo Gallery Link!

Well, as far as new additions to the English page of our website, I guess that brings us up to date for now. Remember to keep checking back here to the blog, as I will be posting daily with all kinds of tidbits of various importance! :D

Thanks for reading!

Combat Colin.

Wecome To Colin's Corner!

2009-04-02T21:37:00.000-07:00

Hello friends of Combat Guitars!

Finally, I can use my bad Canadian native English to bring you all deeper into the Combat Guitars camp!

I will use this blog to address frequently asked questions, bring you updates on what's happening around Combat and Japan, and whatever else I feel like at the time!

I hope I can use this method to expose Combat Guitars better and make us a more familiar name in the deep sea of Guitar Manufacturers.

As always, feel free to contact me anytime regarding any of your questions about Combat Guitars!

I look forward to hearing from you!

My E-mail is: international (at) combat-guitars (dot) com

Our Official MySpace profile is: http://www.myspace.com/combatguitars

Combat Colin.