Hey everyone! I am happy to report that the folks from which I purchased the guitar worked with me to resolve the loose tone control. I ended up wrapping the knob in a towel and pulling on it with a pair of pliers (yikes!). The knob came off after using more force than I would have believed possible without damage to the guitar. I was then able to tighten the nut of the tone control and replace the knob. All is well now. But still...
This could be remedied by using a knob with set screw. I think it would be one okay solution. Cause a tone knob can easily get bonked in shipping if packaged poorly.
..are you kidding?!...🤯,..also in regards the multiscale issue-again🤯,..do you know anything about intonation?,..yes, I am this insensitive in real life.
Get a cheaper 7 string and switch out pickups. You can get an Ibanez Gio cheap and modify that. Or you can do like I did and get an Ibanez 7620 for around $400 and modify that. The 7620 is a very good guitar on the cheap. It's basically what is now a Prestige made in the 90s. Gotoh machine heads, Edge Pro 7 bridge, and DiMarzio pickups(which you would change). Mine is in Vampire Kiss color and it is friggin' awesome.
An HSS 7 string that doesn't have a Floyd and was affordable would be a dream. But as you say they cost $2k. I have an HSS 6 string tuned to drop A and Neck + Middle pickup sounds so cool with high gain. I've spec'd out custom guitars and I wish I had the money to buy one.
@@DoNotLookDown Yeah. I've been jonesing for a 7 string tele but custom is the only way. For my money (which isn't currently enough), the AZ24047 is the sickest thing out right now.
@@DoNotLookDown Right. I'd take a light green or blue burst. Where you getting custom sevens for two grand? From Kiesel? You can't buy those pickups in that AZ yet.
Pro tip: Leave a bit of excess string at the headstock for you to cut the string without marking the finish, then loosen the clamp, pull the string back through towards the bridge until it's flush with the locking mechanism, and lock it down
You could also put some tape over the tiny part of the headstock, but honestly…who cares if it gets marked up a bit? Shows that you’re actually playing it…and it’s not like this is some master built $10,000 museum piece… Strandberg had the same problem though on their older models, they fixed it with the ‘22 hardware I think. There’s a slanted metal piece that extends and protects the wood now so that you can cut the strings more easily.
I just recently purchased the QX in black (dual humbuckers) and it's absolutely amazing. Mine is mint fortunately without any blemishes. The neck is phenomenal and the fret work is amazing. I did change the strings to 9s and made some adjustments to the trust rod and intonation (super easy on this guitar). The weight and craftsmanship is definitely legit and the slanted frets are actually wonderful as I do prefer playing with a high neck (classical) but the big thing I'm most impressed with is the pickups. WOW!!! Tonal options are crazy but I am mostly a Metal Head and these pickups under heavy gain just scream. Super tight and articulate sound that IMO keep up or surpass my Fishmans, Duncans, EMGs, or Gibsons. This is truly am amazing instrument and definitely a "catch all" guitar.
I've had a Q54 for about a month now, and I really love it. Besides all the things you pointed out, the size and weight are a huge pro, for me, easy to play anywhere in the apartment. I don't mind the headstock, and mine was assembled really well, no loose knobs or anything. Plain black finish, so no complex detail to find flaws in. The guitar is particularly resonant. I don't like the stock nut at all, the string slots wrap around the strings and the relief angle for the slots is wrong, so I'll be replacing that. I think it should be price $200 cheaper than what it is because the quality feels like a Fender Player series guitar, but in terms of features, it's competing with Strandberg Boden which is twice the price.
Great review. I have the Q52 version and i completely agree with the Quality Control issues. Mine had a large sanding flatspot on the back of the neck about 1.5 inches long. The Barrel jack would not keep my Line 6 wireless dongle in place. The online retailer did swap it out and the replacement is fault free. (Still would recommend you use the 90 degree angle adapter Line 6 provides with their wireless system) With that being said i love this guitar. I am at the age where playing comfort is my number one priority and this guitar i can play for hours with out neck and shoulder fatigue. The stock pick ups sound great to me without being overly bright or too muddled on the low end. Thank you for doing the video and i love your put timestamps in ! Subbbed. Look forward to future videos
quality control: I ordered a Charvel DK24 pro in March, got the first one in August - and sent it back. Frets were uneven (same note on different frets) and glue spots on the fretboard. Second one arrived in Novembre. The springs of trem fell out when I opened the box, the Bridge was bent forward like it was in a dive bomb. There was a minor problem with the bridge, which was why they hadn't attached the trem springs. And I couldn't plug the cable in without unscrewing and turning the input jack. For a 1000 Euro guitar, that is poor. I could fix all those things myself and having waited so long, I didn't send it back. But I won't recommend a Charvel to anyone.
I have the Q54, absolutely love playing it, but mine had a high Fret I had to have my local shop fix, so also quality control issues. Love the ergonomics now t that it’s fixed.
I'm saving up for the Q54, the normal frets version. I've tried the AZ and loved it, but it's way out of my price point (weak currency where I'm from), but the Q series have almost everything I wanted from the AZ series (except the stainless frets), so I've decided that I want to get the Q54. I love my RG (currently my only playable guitar), which I've been playing almost daily ever since I got it in May 2020*, but it's a little heavy for me. As for the model names, it's pretty much a meme by now for a lot guitarists, but it's more for internal use for Ibanez (based on one of Henning Pauly's video). The Q stands for the model (pretty obvious), the X is a new suffix code and probably have something to do with the slanted frets. The 5 stands for the class of the model series (higher the numbers, higher the quality), the 4 stands for the Single/Single/Hum configuration with pickguard, and the QM stands for Quilted Maple. The 3 letters after the dash are the finish. Being an Ibanez fan, I can usually tell what guitars they are and in what configuration they are in by just lookin at the model name and I think that's the reason why Ibanez stick with that naming convention for their solid body guitars for decades. The code are mostly universal throughout the solid body range with the exception of the Prestige line, the AZ models and signature models. Edit: Year correction
I have the Q54 and love it. The punchiness, clarity, resonance and versatility are amazing. Biggest gripe is that the volume knob is a bit too close to the bridge for how I mute treble strings. While it's fine to want a better solution than the fine gig bag they include, a $50-better gig bag adds $50 to the price. A $100-better case adds $100 to the price. If these continue to sell, more solutions can be made with economy of scale. And the California warning isn't funny, it's shameful their laws are so delusional that we're told guitars cause illness. With the possible exception of Cat Scratch Fever.
i'm kind of happy that all of your personal gripes with the guitar are things i couldn't care less about for under $1k. I'm more than likely going to replace the knobs and it's going to be a bedroom guitar primarily, so the gig bag is a big ol' nothing burger. buying secondhand, so finish quirks and players wear is expected. veneer versus capped top wood is also next to meaningless with tone wood on electric guitars being verifiably placebo (even though a quarter inch cap is REALLY nice to look at). really excited to get this one.
I'd love to see Ibanez do one of these guitars in an HSH configuration with a trem system. I also think they need to remove the "headstock" nub to make a truly headless guitar like a Steinberger or Kiesel. It would make these instruments smaller and even lighter. A more rounded contoured body like the Ibanez JS series Joe Satriani guitars seems like the perfect match for an instrument built for ideal ergonomics.
I'm curious what you mean by 'true headless'? I'm looking at the Keisel and Strandberg site and I'm not seeing a huge different in head stock approaches. I have a Legator headless and it seems the same as the rest of them.
BSM Blue Sphere Maple! I have this on order. Glad to see they are starting to deliver them. Cutting the strings at the nut is the same on any headless guitar. There’s a pair of wire cutters you can buy that are like nail clippers, problem solved. Thanks for posting
Bill - thanks for your contributions. Your reviews are passionate/dispassionate in a way that is informative and interesting and I really dig your music 🎶 D.M.
Absolute sick riffs. Dont really agree with the qc gripe though, its a thousand dollar guitar, its of course not cheap but you cant really expect custom quality out of it. Im just grateful that they made something half the price of a strandberg.
Thank you for the review! the guitar looks and plays cool, I guess. Actually, for the name, I believe, that Q stands for Quest series (as a name it sounds cool enough). Bill, these guitars come with "regular" frets, and as you have slanted frets. Just curious, how did you feel at first playing these slanted frets? Getting used quickly? Thanks again!
Hey Andres! Yes - I did notice that some of the models in the series have standard frets, however I wanted to try out the slanted frets. I have found them easy to adjust to. But - if you like to wear your guitar low, then it could be a problem as the angle is different.
That kind of finish flaws on a guitar of this price range is definitely enough of a reason to return it. If you pay $1000 for a guitar the finish should be more or less perfect. If not, it should be marketed as a B-stock.
@zach kelly True. The only Indonesian ones I've played that have been flawed are a couple of older GIO's and a cheap 7-string RG, but it's true that you don't get the same QC with the Indonesian made ones. Regardless of that; if you pay $1000 for a name brand guitar it shouldn't have any obvious finish or construction flaws.
Re gripe #3 - I had the same issue with the volume pot on my Q54SFM, it became loose after a few days of playing and it was almost impossible to pull the knob off to access the screw-nut. I can confirm that quality control is an issue, the soldering on the "Alter Switch" in my Q54 was faulty, one pin of the switch had a huge solder blob but no connection to the adapter PCB - so the "Alter Switch" acted as a "Kill Switch" in one particular position of the pickup selector.
For the "It Sucks 4" section, a little trick I learned back in the day with my normal tuners is just to take the excess string and bend it back and forth. After a few times, the string will naturally break off, leaving you with a nice, neat headstock - or lack thereof in this case.
Thank you for amazing and fun review. I have Ibanez Q52 and want to say that is a most convenient to play guitar would i ever have. But quality control could be a bit better. If someone interested in my opinion i did short review on sweetwater.
The issues that arise with Ibanez QC is mostly due to retailers/sellers being negligent of their instruments. I usually go to places that I know have high QC and have never found an Iba or any guitar with issues in their stores. If the retailer/shipping company treats the instruments like shit it's going to have issues.
Still waiting for my Ibanez Q52 to ship. Given the versatility of the pickup settings (10 variations), I plan to add a Roland GK to it for use with my SY-1000 rig. I think (hope) this will become my #1 guitar for my SY-1000. Meanwhile, my Fender Vintera '60s Jaguar (Ocean Turquoise) finally arrived after a few months of waiting. Supply chain complexities continue, and prices continue to rise.
Thank you so much for your honest and complete review. I take into account the things that suck that you shared. I notice some of them myself, when I tested that guitar. Anyway, I immediately fell in love with it!!!! I ordered to my trusted shop (NOT on line!!!!) a Q52 before Christmas and I will be lucky if I will receive it in March. But I'am patient person and I very well understand how much hard are these times...
I have the Ibanez Iron Label RGAIX6MQM in Surreal Blue Burst. Love the guitar despite the name seemingly derived from headbutting a keyboard several times.
Thanks for the review! I've always thought these headless guitars looked atrocious but this one is kind of growing on me! It's got a slight 80s Sci Fi vibe but it also looks fun to play...like you want to grab it (which is a good thing). I can see this being great for recording, the pickup combinations are interesting. Thanks!
It's not multiscale. You need to measure from the nut to the 12th fret, then double that to find the scale length. Measuring from the nut to the bridge will yield different results for different strings even with regular guitars.
@@chordsoforion To add, if frets are parallel, it can't be multiscale, no matter what angle they're set at. There's no need to measure from the nut to the 12th. Also, you may well have been pushing fretted notes out of tune, but you had open strings out of tune to each other.
Lovely guitar playing - I thought at the beginning you were going to break out into some Frippertronics, but the long delay never kicked in. The sterile sound from the clean single coils had a kind of character all its own.
Nice review. I have the Ibanez Les Paul clone I bought in 1971 that Ibanez got sued over. I’m getting the electronics redone. I think I’ll stick with this. 😉
Yes, Ibanez guitar model numbers sound like rocket and jet engine names. The Kiesel Holdsworth Headless HH2X is solid but requires a similar string change procedure. It comes zipped up in a sturdy high quality case.
I actually like the naming scheme, it's very utilitarian and functional. I am not entirely sure but Ibanez may have the most number of guitar models out of all the brands, so their naming scheme might be necessary. I find it rather easy to get a rough idea of what the model is if you just learn a few things about the designations.
If you're happy with the tones, then does it really matter if it's a maple "cap" that is contributing versus a veneer for appearance? As a part-time luthier, I know that a 3/8" figured maple cap would add to the weight and add substantially to the cost of the guitar. A veneer gives you the beauty without the cost.
I’m really interested in this guitar as I have three herniated discs in my back so the light weight and comfort are very attractive for me. I’ve also come to really like the looks too. Definitely one to try a few times before I buy though maybe? Thanks for the excellent review.
I bought and sold this guitar (I also ordered a NITO10 witch I returned. Its not a bad guitar but it not very well built. It feels overpriced. Generally I think Ibanez build quality is fine, but these guitar sticks out in a bad way. I may have been unlucky but just so you are aware :-) I would recommend Strandberg guitars and their lowest priced guitars is as god as the higher priced. They are much more expensive but absolutly worth it.......
I'm 70 and started on guitar in about the 8th grade. I noticed my left hand was starting to get more fatigued and painful some years ago so I got a Fender with a scalloped neck and I love it. I was intrigued by the unusual features of Strandbergs and found that you can get one with zero interest payments and 30 day guarantee at SweetWater. The Strandberg has the Endur neck which is shaped uniquely and allows your left hand to move effortlessly in any position and to play for hours with minimal pain or fatigue. Strandbergs only weigh about 5 lbs, which is probably the lightest around. You might like it. No cheap but imo worth it. I still love my YJM Strat and my Steinberger but they are both heavy so I rarely pick up the Steinberger, (headless) and I play my Strandberg's more than the Strat .
Thank you for this review,- this guitar was on my radar for a million reasons and i needed more information. you made that possible without the added flashy ridiculousness of 99% of youtube vids. be well and if at all possible , keep 'em coming ;)
Nice review, thanks. I don't really like the design at all. In some ways it looks like a bad copy of a Strandberg. Strandbergs are great guitars, I can recommend them, also the cheaper Indonesian ones are very nice and the design is more in balance then on this Ibanez.
I think any headless strat-shaped guitar would end up looking similar to a Strandberg. However I think this design is nice and has enough differences to separate them, the lower bout on this model seems smoother, without the angle-like curves. Also the Strandberg body is a lot more offset. My money would still be on a Strandberg though, for sure.
Thank you for this vid. I really dig the look and the sound of the Q-series, but I start to get a little bit tired with all the cost-cutting issues, like guitars not getting shipped with a case or even a proper gigbag. Same with QC-issues, for $1100 I'd like the guitar to be if not set up correctly, but with no issues, so there's no need to go and tighten the knobs for example. If I'd wanna dig into the maintenance/repair I'd buy a beat up used Fender. Or a new Harley Benton or smth, for $200.
I have the sss special artist version. It does not suck. It is super light, plays beautifully, tuner action is wonderful, sounds beautiful. Only thing I'd change is the satin body finish although it does look great.
The health warning on the guitar is on pretty much all guitars. It's to do with the finish being toxic when drying. So it's not an issue because the finish is obviously already cured but they still need to include it.
CoO, you have got to try the new Boss HM-2w. Yeah it has a rep as "the Swedish Chainsaw" but it does a lot more than that. I've heard people use it for shoegaze, surf music, its great for leads. I bet you could do some cool stuff with it. The new version's custom mode is voiced for baritone guitar, which I know you like.
Interesting guitar, but I am very tired of veneers being passed off as tops. It's a baloney gimmick and it's got to be stopped, so good on you for calling it out.
All of the issues and gripes seem manageable to me…except the price 😳 I was thinking it would be mid market $500-750 maybe, and I could live with minor issues in that bracket.
I have found a gently used one of these at a local shop for 799. Im a lot more amenable to that price, especially with the cheap gig bag, especially since this wont fit in a standard case. Maybe a mandolin case or something or a Bari Uke case or something would be an alternative.
My question about these modern guitars is that if you can really get those vintage tones out of them. Everything is very compressed with these guitars.
Love the vid and channel! And I hear ya on quality control. I pre-ordered and got mine in Oct. Happily playing then lost all sound. Really sucks b/c have to ship to get it fixed. 🤬
I got a mint GOC custom built master craft headless 8 string for Christmas. Being new to headless guitars, I wasn't careful enough and seriously nicked the headstock when cutting off my very first string (like you predicted). It hurts my soul!
As for the name, Q actually stands for Quest. Thats the actual name of the guitar, but in typical Ibanez fashion, theyd rather have it sound like the name of a 90's Panasonic DVD player
Great review - thank you. I noticed you seem to use this guitar quite a lot in your recent vids - does this mean it's grown on you? I got the QX52 btw (2 humbucker version) - really like it. Mine came with perfect finish and good setup too. Sounds like you got unlucky with the finish dings and tone knob
Love the review. I was actually looking at this guitar a couple days ago and decided to do some research on it, that’s when I stumbled across your channel. Over the past couple days I’ve binged a bunch of your videos, and I think it’s great how unbiased and informative your videos are. I have to say, I’ve learned a lot from watching your channel!
Don't know why they put the jack where it is -- must get in the way while playing seated, no? Steinberger and Strandberg solved that problem. I wish they had a tremolo model. I've seen some other reports of poor quality setup out of the box - seems unacceptable for a guitar at this price point.
Thanks for the demo, great and honest review. I am almost in, but I think I will wait for Ibanez to release a made in japan Prestige version of this one...I am not so found of the difference of colors between the blue top and the wooden back, but It works fine for the Qx527PB however .... The flame mapple top COULD be better looking too....
My gosh I loved the swell sound... would you be so kind to tell what you were using there and the configs for each pedal, please? I appreciate it a lot! Thank you!
I don't have the exact settings anymore, but I looked in the video description to refresh my memory: Strymon Compadre Compressor: sweetwater.sjv.io/LXP9dM Strymon Iridium: sweetwater.sjv.io/5gb402 Morley Volume Pedal: sweetwater.sjv.io/LXXXx0 Strymon DIG Dual Digital Delay: sweetwater.sjv.io/4PPPr3 The key is having the Iridium amp modeler in front of the volume pedal and the DIG delay for that clean studio knd of delay.
Good for you. Only Strandberg has the Endur neck and that's an amazing difference if you want to play for hours with less effort, little or no pain, or fatigue for the rest of your life. They are expensive but worth it. You can get them with no interest and 30 day guarantee from Sweetwater.
@@jessehampton1872 So after owning it for a few months I decided to get rid of it. The neck was really nice for cords and stuff but I do heavy legato work and anything past the 8th or 9th fret weekend my legato strength compared to my Ibanez guitars. My fingertips couldn't bite down on the notes as well hard to explain but the endure neck actually hindered my speed and clarity of notes. I think I've come to realize I don't need training wheels I've practiced extremely hard for years and my technique works for me. I still want a strandberg but I wish they made one with a reduced endure neck or one without the neck profile on the back at all.
@@rokku87 Interesting. I've only been playing a little over 50 years, most styles. Allan Holdsworth is my favorite legato player so I play a bit of legato too, no problem on any guitar. I'm sure we would all be bored if everyone played the same guitars. I like to switch between my YJM Strat with and my Strandbergs for differents sets at gigs. Roxk on!
I'm sorry but... in the US you can buy a headless Kiesel for 300 $ more. And the quality is completely different. This is a standard Ibanez that costs almost as a Prestige... for a half of the price I would consider it.
well...all the listed cons aren't even that bad. I own an ICHI10 guitar from this Q series and it's my current favorite guitar and it's very inspiring. I would say that these guitars are not really intended for high-gain sounds, so I changed the pickups on my ICHI signature. I mounted Seymour Duncan hotrails on the bridge, put an Area 67 in the middle and an Air Norton on the neck (both Dimarzio) and I'm very satisfied :) The guitar works very well on my Mesa MkIV, which is very unforgiving of bad guitars with bad pickups.. It also sounds phenomenal on the Kemper... The mini switch is used for splitting the two humbuckers. I just love this guitar, even though it's neither a Fender, nor a Gibson, nor a Jem7...but that's why it's unique :) What fascinates me the most is the phenomenal neck. You made a wonderful presentation.
Reading a description of this guitar from a local dealer, it shows as being made in Indonesia, where quality control standards are not what they are in other markets. Some will take exception with this comment, but this has been my experience.
I've seen much better reviews, by much better players, with more information. And none of them said it sucks. I think this guy just really doesn't know what he's talking about. I've been playing for over 40 years, and he sure seems awfully noobie to me.
@@normbarrows I think it's just a case of pure clickbaity nonsense. " this guitar SUCKS " " Well the bag isn't great and the finish has a couple little nicks... " give me a break.
Id have to see if he did a update but I saw a guy talk about the sss model and he said he's gonna change out the pickups for regular strat pickups but keep the alter switch circuit in it. Would probably be a similar route I'd go cause im not really into effects right now.
Thanks for the review Bill. I'm still not convinced about headless guitars, I think Carvin struck a great balance with the 2x4 headstock on the Holdsworth model. This guitar sounded pretty good (maybe it was the player :) ) but 1100 seems a little steep. Happy 2022!
I got mine not long ago. Was really interested in trying it out, but ended up returning it. Mine also had some flaws with the finish. The setup was really bad - strings rattled horribly. But ultimately, while I thought the guitar was really nice and innovative, I guess I’m old school and still prefer to play on my Les Paul. My advise is try it out in a store, if possible, before ordering. This guitar isn’t for everyone. As for the price, it’s understandable given how many unique parts the guitar has, but you can get a much better traditional guitar for the same amount.
I have an Ibanez EHB1506MS headless 6-string bass, and I have some similar complaints. Everything about it works great. But an $1800 bass with plastic knobs and a really crappy included gig bag is annoying. I have the same problem with the head on that bass. There's not much room to maneuver, and I've taken to putting down a couple of layers of masking tape on the black painted wood of the head before I change the strings to protect the paint from the strings and the cutters. There are no decent instructions included, but fortunately Ibanez has a good video here on youtube of how to change the strings.
I have that issue of sounding out of tune with all my Ibanez guitars, I can’t stand it! They look so cool but just do not sound right even when tuned perfectly
That''s probably an intonation issue. Usually easily fixed. I'm not familiar with this bridge, but I assume it's probably as easy to intone as a Floyd Rose or ZR bridge which is pretty easy.
It is interesting to see that the big companies take risks with more conceptual designs, to be a first Ibanez model; From my point of view, it works, but it doesn't stand out, for that price you have better proposals, an example of Goc guitars (a review of one of these headless would be great), your work, as always, well done, greetings!
Really good review and the last part was genuinely hilarious. I have an Ibanez bass and acoustic baritone (funny that it's kind of the opposite of what they're famous for i.e. shreddy guitars) and have had similar impressions, they make good, very practical and very pretty guitars but are prone to some minor QC issues.
I would have like a version of the Q54 with slanted frets, because I don't care about the maple top and I especially don't like the colors of that one, would have bought it if they would have had a design with black/greyish blended with red/orange
I do not like headless guitar. Until I tried one, I never realized that the head is an important cue for my position on the fretboard. And if my tuning is off, I always go to the wrong end!
i am confused because its clearly stated that it isn't a multiscale guitar, and that they aren't "fanned frets" but just slanted frets meant to give slightly better ergonomics
Excellent review! I've always struggled to get into headless instruments from a visual standpoint, but more and more options are becoming available lately, so their popularity seems on the rise. $1100 and such a crummy bag is almost shameful XD $1100 in 2014 dollars didn't even get me a gig bag on my 8-string Ibanez... I had a knob on my SRC6 that wouldn't come off, and then I noticed it had a set screw >_> Some day I will have to try a headless instrument, I bet the weight savings is incredible on a bass :D
The whole gig bag pisses me off! When I was younger all guitars came with cases. I understand companies have to make cuts to to stay competitive but I feel any guitar 1k or more should come with a proper case!
12:04 model name is QUEST, and i see nothing funny about QX54QM... Q is for QUEST - name of series, X - slanted frets 54 - HSS pickup config, QM - quilted maple top
Hey everyone! I am happy to report that the folks from which I purchased the guitar worked with me to resolve the loose tone control. I ended up wrapping the knob in a towel and pulling on it with a pair of pliers (yikes!). The knob came off after using more force than I would have believed possible without damage to the guitar. I was then able to tighten the nut of the tone control and replace the knob. All is well now. But still...
This could be remedied by using a knob with set screw. I think it would be one okay solution. Cause a tone knob can easily get bonked in shipping if packaged poorly.
..are you kidding?!...🤯,..also in regards the multiscale issue-again🤯,..do you know anything about intonation?,..yes, I am this insensitive in real life.
@@ericsanders5357 I said in the video that Ibanez is not marketing it as such, nor did I say it was. It merely has slanted frets.
Ibanez nah… Been there done that!
Ibanez is shameless to take competitive against Strandberg!
@@DJCD92162095 who took from Steinberger
Sometimes I feel like I'm the only one who wants a seven string with single coils that doesn't cost $2K.
Get a cheaper 7 string and switch out pickups. You can get an Ibanez Gio cheap and modify that. Or you can do like I did and get an Ibanez 7620 for around $400 and modify that. The 7620 is a very good guitar on the cheap. It's basically what is now a Prestige made in the 90s. Gotoh machine heads, Edge Pro 7 bridge, and DiMarzio pickups(which you would change). Mine is in Vampire Kiss color and it is friggin' awesome.
An HSS 7 string that doesn't have a Floyd and was affordable would be a dream. But as you say they cost $2k. I have an HSS 6 string tuned to drop A and Neck + Middle pickup sounds so cool with high gain. I've spec'd out custom guitars and I wish I had the money to buy one.
@@DoNotLookDown Yeah. I've been jonesing for a 7 string tele but custom is the only way. For my money (which isn't currently enough), the AZ24047 is the sickest thing out right now.
@@Hexspa That AZ is so sick. I just wish it was in a different color and not 2 grand. But at that price you could just get a custom guitar.
@@DoNotLookDown Right. I'd take a light green or blue burst. Where you getting custom sevens for two grand? From Kiesel? You can't buy those pickups in that AZ yet.
Pro tip: Leave a bit of excess string at the headstock for you to cut the string without marking the finish, then loosen the clamp, pull the string back through towards the bridge until it's flush with the locking mechanism, and lock it down
Excellent tip man! Thanks and Best Regards!
@@blessedheavyelements8544 No problem at all!
You could also put some tape over the tiny part of the headstock, but honestly…who cares if it gets marked up a bit? Shows that you’re actually playing it…and it’s not like this is some master built $10,000 museum piece… Strandberg had the same problem though on their older models, they fixed it with the ‘22 hardware I think. There’s a slanted metal piece that extends and protects the wood now so that you can cut the strings more easily.
Pro tip???? Pro trip???? Seriously?!?!?!
Or use a neat little pair of side-cutters.
I just recently purchased the QX in black (dual humbuckers) and it's absolutely amazing. Mine is mint fortunately without any blemishes. The neck is phenomenal and the fret work is amazing. I did change the strings to 9s and made some adjustments to the trust rod and intonation (super easy on this guitar). The weight and craftsmanship is definitely legit and the slanted frets are actually wonderful as I do prefer playing with a high neck (classical) but the big thing I'm most impressed with is the pickups. WOW!!! Tonal options are crazy but I am mostly a Metal Head and these pickups under heavy gain just scream. Super tight and articulate sound that IMO keep up or surpass my Fishmans, Duncans, EMGs, or Gibsons. This is truly am amazing instrument and definitely a "catch all" guitar.
I've had a Q54 for about a month now, and I really love it. Besides all the things you pointed out, the size and weight are a huge pro, for me, easy to play anywhere in the apartment. I don't mind the headstock, and mine was assembled really well, no loose knobs or anything. Plain black finish, so no complex detail to find flaws in. The guitar is particularly resonant. I don't like the stock nut at all, the string slots wrap around the strings and the relief angle for the slots is wrong, so I'll be replacing that. I think it should be price $200 cheaper than what it is because the quality feels like a Fender Player series guitar, but in terms of features, it's competing with Strandberg Boden which is twice the price.
Is the Fender Player is a MIA or MIM?
@@ymelfilm Made in Mexico
Also after 5 months I still love it.
The stranderg boden is a sterile POS
Great review. I have the Q52 version and i completely agree with the Quality Control issues. Mine had a large sanding flatspot on the back of the neck about 1.5 inches long. The Barrel jack would not keep my Line 6 wireless dongle in place. The online retailer did swap it out and the replacement is fault free. (Still would recommend you use the 90 degree angle adapter Line 6 provides with their wireless system) With that being said i love this guitar. I am at the age where playing comfort is my number one priority and this guitar i can play for hours with out neck and shoulder fatigue. The stock pick ups sound great to me without being overly bright or too muddled on the low end. Thank you for doing the video and i love your put timestamps in ! Subbbed. Look forward to future videos
"The Rings of Saturn" as played by Chords of Orion. Perfect.
quality control: I ordered a Charvel DK24 pro in March, got the first one in August - and sent it back. Frets were uneven (same note on different frets) and glue spots on the fretboard. Second one arrived in Novembre. The springs of trem fell out when I opened the box, the Bridge was bent forward like it was in a dive bomb. There was a minor problem with the bridge, which was why they hadn't attached the trem springs. And I couldn't plug the cable in without unscrewing and turning the input jack. For a 1000 Euro guitar, that is poor. I could fix all those things myself and having waited so long, I didn't send it back. But I won't recommend a Charvel to anyone.
useful info, Dear Fella, tks.
I have the Q54, absolutely love playing it, but mine had a high Fret I had to have my local shop fix, so also quality control issues. Love the ergonomics now t that it’s fixed.
I'm saving up for the Q54, the normal frets version. I've tried the AZ and loved it, but it's way out of my price point (weak currency where I'm from), but the Q series have almost everything I wanted from the AZ series (except the stainless frets), so I've decided that I want to get the Q54. I love my RG (currently my only playable guitar), which I've been playing almost daily ever since I got it in May 2020*, but it's a little heavy for me.
As for the model names, it's pretty much a meme by now for a lot guitarists, but it's more for internal use for Ibanez (based on one of Henning Pauly's video).
The Q stands for the model (pretty obvious), the X is a new suffix code and probably have something to do with the slanted frets. The 5 stands for the class of the model series (higher the numbers, higher the quality), the 4 stands for the Single/Single/Hum configuration with pickguard, and the QM stands for Quilted Maple. The 3 letters after the dash are the finish.
Being an Ibanez fan, I can usually tell what guitars they are and in what configuration they are in by just lookin at the model name and I think that's the reason why Ibanez stick with that naming convention for their solid body guitars for decades. The code are mostly universal throughout the solid body range with the exception of the Prestige line, the AZ models and signature models.
Edit: Year correction
I have the Q54 and love it. The punchiness, clarity, resonance and versatility are amazing. Biggest gripe is that the volume knob is a bit too close to the bridge for how I mute treble strings. While it's fine to want a better solution than the fine gig bag they include, a $50-better gig bag adds $50 to the price. A $100-better case adds $100 to the price. If these continue to sell, more solutions can be made with economy of scale. And the California warning isn't funny, it's shameful their laws are so delusional that we're told guitars cause illness. With the possible exception of Cat Scratch Fever.
they can make you comfortably numb as well
And how much would a 200$ case add to the price? Jk ;)
@@aintnopity About three fiddy
i'm kind of happy that all of your personal gripes with the guitar are things i couldn't care less about for under $1k. I'm more than likely going to replace the knobs and it's going to be a bedroom guitar primarily, so the gig bag is a big ol' nothing burger. buying secondhand, so finish quirks and players wear is expected. veneer versus capped top wood is also next to meaningless with tone wood on electric guitars being verifiably placebo (even though a quarter inch cap is REALLY nice to look at). really excited to get this one.
Good to hear you are getting one. My gripes certainly don't stop me from using mine a lot. One of the great things about it is the playability.
@@chordsoforion glad to hear you've still got yours and play it! really reassuring.
I'd love to see Ibanez do one of these guitars in an HSH configuration with a trem system. I also think they need to remove the "headstock" nub to make a truly headless guitar like a Steinberger or Kiesel. It would make these instruments smaller and even lighter. A more rounded contoured body like the Ibanez JS series Joe Satriani guitars seems like the perfect match for an instrument built for ideal ergonomics.
I'm curious what you mean by 'true headless'? I'm looking at the Keisel and Strandberg site and I'm not seeing a huge different in head stock approaches. I have a Legator headless and it seems the same as the rest of them.
BSM Blue Sphere Maple! I have this on order. Glad to see they are starting to deliver them. Cutting the strings at the nut is the same on any headless guitar. There’s a pair of wire cutters you can buy that are like nail clippers, problem solved. Thanks for posting
Bill - thanks for your contributions. Your reviews are passionate/dispassionate in a way that is informative and interesting and I really dig your music 🎶 D.M.
Absolute sick riffs. Dont really agree with the qc gripe though, its a thousand dollar guitar, its of course not cheap but you cant really expect custom quality out of it. Im just grateful that they made something half the price of a strandberg.
Best review on this guitar I’ve seen so far.
Thank you for the review! the guitar looks and plays cool, I guess. Actually, for the name, I believe, that Q stands for Quest series (as a name it sounds cool enough). Bill, these guitars come with "regular" frets, and as you have slanted frets. Just curious, how did you feel at first playing these slanted frets? Getting used quickly? Thanks again!
Hey Andres! Yes - I did notice that some of the models in the series have standard frets, however I wanted to try out the slanted frets. I have found them easy to adjust to. But - if you like to wear your guitar low, then it could be a problem as the angle is different.
@@chordsoforion Oh, Thanks, Bill... that what I exactly was wondering about!
That kind of finish flaws on a guitar of this price range is definitely enough of a reason to return it. If you pay $1000 for a guitar the finish should be more or less perfect. If not, it should be marketed as a B-stock.
@zach kelly True. The only Indonesian ones I've played that have been flawed are a couple of older GIO's and a cheap 7-string RG, but it's true that you don't get the same QC with the Indonesian made ones. Regardless of that; if you pay $1000 for a name brand guitar it shouldn't have any obvious finish or construction flaws.
I haven't found one other review that says it will sound great through fx and VSTs (exactly what I'm looking for) thank you sir.....
Wanted to quickly say that I really appreciate your music and playing. The guitar probably isn’t for me, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching!
Re gripe #3 - I had the same issue with the volume pot on my Q54SFM, it became loose after a few days of playing and it was almost impossible to pull the knob off to access the screw-nut. I can confirm that quality control is an issue, the soldering on the "Alter Switch" in my Q54 was faulty, one pin of the switch had a huge solder blob but no connection to the adapter PCB - so the "Alter Switch" acted as a "Kill Switch" in one particular position of the pickup selector.
For the "It Sucks 4" section, a little trick I learned back in the day with my normal tuners is just to take the excess string and bend it back and forth. After a few times, the string will naturally break off, leaving you with a nice, neat headstock - or lack thereof in this case.
Thank you for amazing and fun review. I have Ibanez Q52 and want to say that is a most convenient to play guitar would i ever have. But quality control could be a bit better. If someone interested in my opinion i did short review on sweetwater.
I love my Strandberg fusion. Pure bliss.
The maple veneer is contributing to the tone about as much as any maple cap does. :)
Shhh. Let's not start a "wood war"... :-)
Why not? It's great for the algorithm. ;)
The issues that arise with Ibanez QC is mostly due to retailers/sellers being negligent of their instruments. I usually go to places that I know have high QC and have never found an Iba or any guitar with issues in their stores. If the retailer/shipping company treats the instruments like shit it's going to have issues.
Still waiting for my Ibanez Q52 to ship. Given the versatility of the pickup settings (10 variations), I plan to add a Roland GK to it for use with my SY-1000 rig. I think (hope) this will become my #1 guitar for my SY-1000.
Meanwhile, my Fender Vintera '60s Jaguar (Ocean Turquoise) finally arrived after a few months of waiting.
Supply chain complexities continue, and prices continue to rise.
Honestly it’s the first headless guitar that I said maybe about, it reminds me of my friends S Series and that was very comfortable. Cool video.
Thank you so much for your honest and complete review.
I take into account the things that suck that you shared. I notice some of them myself, when I tested that guitar. Anyway, I immediately fell in love with it!!!!
I ordered to my trusted shop (NOT on line!!!!) a Q52 before Christmas and I will be lucky if I will receive it in March. But I'am patient person and I very well understand how much hard are these times...
I have the Ibanez Iron Label RGAIX6MQM in Surreal Blue Burst. Love the guitar despite the name seemingly derived from headbutting a keyboard several times.
Thanks for the review! I've always thought these headless guitars looked atrocious but this one is kind of growing on me! It's got a slight 80s Sci Fi vibe but it also looks fun to play...like you want to grab it (which is a good thing). I can see this being great for recording, the pickup combinations are interesting. Thanks!
"but this one is kind of growing in me! " Be careful as that sounds like it could cause reproductive harm.
@@dreammachine5014 half guitar, half man. Guitarman.
It's not multiscale. You need to measure from the nut to the 12th fret, then double that to find the scale length. Measuring from the nut to the bridge will yield different results for different strings even with regular guitars.
Agreed that it is not multi-scale. As I mentioned in the video, Ibanez is not marketing it as such.
@@chordsoforion To add, if frets are parallel, it can't be multiscale, no matter what angle they're set at. There's no need to measure from the nut to the 12th.
Also, you may well have been pushing fretted notes out of tune, but you had open strings out of tune to each other.
Lovely guitar playing - I thought at the beginning you were going to break out into some Frippertronics, but the long delay never kicked in. The sterile sound from the clean single coils had a kind of character all its own.
I hardly even play guitar but your voice and playing is mesmerizing
Nice review. I have the Ibanez Les Paul clone I bought in 1971 that Ibanez got sued over. I’m getting the electronics redone. I think I’ll stick with this. 😉
Love that "TOOL" sounding guitar medley you had going, really highlights the potential of this guitar!
Thanks for the overview!!
Yes, Ibanez guitar model numbers sound like rocket and jet engine names. The Kiesel Holdsworth Headless HH2X is solid but requires a similar string change procedure. It comes zipped up in a sturdy high quality case.
I actually like the naming scheme, it's very utilitarian and functional. I am not entirely sure but Ibanez may have the most number of guitar models out of all the brands, so their naming scheme might be necessary. I find it rather easy to get a rough idea of what the model is if you just learn a few things about the designations.
It's a very Japanese naming scheme, and the number of guitar models every year essentially prevents using conventional words as name.
I love Ibanez's naming scheme, it seems logical to me. Maybe because I grew up with Ibanez guitars.
If you're happy with the tones, then does it really matter if it's a maple "cap" that is contributing versus a veneer for appearance? As a part-time luthier, I know that a 3/8" figured maple cap would add to the weight and add substantially to the cost of the guitar. A veneer gives you the beauty without the cost.
I’m really interested in this guitar as I have three herniated discs in my back so the light weight and comfort are very attractive for me. I’ve also come to really like the looks too.
Definitely one to try a few times before I buy though maybe? Thanks for the excellent review.
Agreed that if you have access to try before buying, it would be good. But I would say that about any guitar...
I bought and sold this guitar (I also ordered a NITO10 witch I returned. Its not a bad guitar but it not very well built. It feels overpriced. Generally I think Ibanez build quality is fine, but these guitar sticks out in a bad way. I may have been unlucky but just so you are aware :-) I would recommend Strandberg guitars and their lowest priced guitars is as god as the higher priced. They are much more expensive but absolutly worth it.......
@@thematsc that’s very interesting thanks as I tried a Strandberg today and was super impressed. Incredible comfort and playability too.
I'm 70 and started on guitar in about the 8th grade. I noticed my left hand was starting to get more fatigued and painful some years ago so I got a Fender with a scalloped neck and I love it. I was intrigued by the unusual features of Strandbergs and found that you can get one with zero interest payments and 30 day guarantee at SweetWater. The Strandberg has the Endur neck which is shaped uniquely and allows your left hand to move effortlessly in any position and to play for hours with minimal pain or fatigue. Strandbergs only weigh about 5 lbs, which is probably the lightest around. You might like it. No cheap but imo worth it. I still love my YJM Strat and my Steinberger but they are both heavy so I rarely pick up the Steinberger, (headless) and I play my Strandberg's more than the Strat .
Thank you for this review,- this guitar was on my radar for a million reasons and i needed more information. you made that possible without the added flashy ridiculousness of 99% of youtube vids. be well and if at all possible , keep 'em coming ;)
Nice review, thanks. I don't really like the design at all. In some ways it looks like a bad copy of a Strandberg. Strandbergs are great guitars, I can recommend them, also the cheaper Indonesian ones are very nice and the design is more in balance then on this Ibanez.
I think any headless strat-shaped guitar would end up looking similar to a Strandberg. However I think this design is nice and has enough differences to separate them, the lower bout on this model seems smoother, without the angle-like curves. Also the Strandberg body is a lot more offset.
My money would still be on a Strandberg though, for sure.
Thank you for this vid.
I really dig the look and the sound of the Q-series, but I start to get a little bit tired with all the cost-cutting issues, like guitars not getting shipped with a case or even a proper gigbag.
Same with QC-issues, for $1100 I'd like the guitar to be if not set up correctly, but with no issues, so there's no need to go and tighten the knobs for example. If I'd wanna dig into the maintenance/repair I'd buy a beat up used Fender. Or a new Harley Benton or smth, for $200.
I hear you and agree!
I have the sss special artist version. It does not suck. It is super light, plays beautifully, tuner action is wonderful, sounds beautiful. Only thing I'd change is the satin body finish although it does look great.
like your playing! not boring as 99% on youtube :)
The health warning on the guitar is on pretty much all guitars. It's to do with the finish being toxic when drying. So it's not an issue because the finish is obviously already cured but they still need to include it.
Great review, Bill! That is a very interesting guitar, I like the way it inspired you to play.
CoO, you have got to try the new Boss HM-2w. Yeah it has a rep as "the Swedish Chainsaw" but it does a lot more than that. I've heard people use it for shoegaze, surf music, its great for leads. I bet you could do some cool stuff with it. The new version's custom mode is voiced for baritone guitar, which I know you like.
I used to have an original HM, and used it in a prog band, so I could see using the new version for sure.
So cool seeing you play a blue Ibanez!
Interesting guitar, but I am very tired of veneers being passed off as tops. It's a baloney gimmick and it's got to be stopped, so good on you for calling it out.
All of the issues and gripes seem manageable to me…except the price 😳 I was thinking it would be mid market $500-750 maybe, and I could live with minor issues in that bracket.
I have found a gently used one of these at a local shop for 799. Im a lot more amenable to that price, especially with the cheap gig bag, especially since this wont fit in a standard case. Maybe a mandolin case or something or a Bari Uke case or something would be an alternative.
My question about these modern guitars is that if you can really get those vintage tones out of them. Everything is very compressed with these guitars.
And anaemic.
Great review! I truly hope Ibanez makes a prestige version of this ones.
Ibanez numbers are just a description of the product. QX54QM is just the
Quest series Q
Deluxe X
Number 54
Quilted maple QM
Thanks for reviewing this guitar. Clean it sounds very Alex Lifeson-y or Belew/Fripp from the Discipline era.
I'm not a big fan of Headless Guitars but in Your Hands any Guitar can sound like a Dream! I always enjoy listening to You play.....Period!
Love the vid and channel! And I hear ya on quality control. I pre-ordered and got mine in Oct. Happily playing then lost all sound. Really sucks b/c have to ship to get it fixed. 🤬
I ordered my ICHI10 and its been 3 months now, Hopefully it comes by the end of this month
Hope so!
I got a mint GOC custom built master craft headless 8 string for Christmas. Being new to headless guitars, I wasn't careful enough and seriously nicked the headstock when cutting off my very first string (like you predicted).
It hurts my soul!
As for the name, Q actually stands for Quest. Thats the actual name of the guitar, but in typical Ibanez fashion, theyd rather have it sound like the name of a 90's Panasonic DVD player
Great review - thank you. I noticed you seem to use this guitar quite a lot in your recent vids - does this mean it's grown on you?
I got the QX52 btw (2 humbucker version) - really like it. Mine came with perfect finish and good setup too. Sounds like you got unlucky with the finish dings and tone knob
Love the review. I was actually looking at this guitar a couple days ago and decided to do some research on it, that’s when I stumbled across your channel. Over the past couple days I’ve binged a bunch of your videos, and I think it’s great how unbiased and informative your videos are. I have to say, I’ve learned a lot from watching your channel!
Beautiful guitar playing and good sound. Sounds like it does! 👍🎸😀
Maybe try some painters tape on the headstock when you change the strings
That's an idea!
So sweetwater sent that to you with the tone knob loose and that chip in the top?
awesome ^
found a new channel to binge. The neck PU almost sounds like a piezo/transducer to my ear. Like strangely compressed or something
sub'd
My guess is that this is your first ibanez, their naming schemes for their guitars are wild
Thanks for a great review
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks for honest review. Nice guitar for the money.
I didn't think these were coming out until August 2022. You bought one through someone? Really leaning towards getting their 7 string - QX527PB
I purchased mine from Sweetwater. Ordered it on 7/10/2021 and it finally shipped on 12/29/2021.
Don't know why they put the jack where it is -- must get in the way while playing seated, no? Steinberger and Strandberg solved that problem. I wish they had a tremolo model. I've seen some other reports of poor quality setup out of the box - seems unacceptable for a guitar at this price point.
Thanks for the demo, great and honest review. I am almost in, but I think I will wait for Ibanez to release a made in japan Prestige version of this one...I am not so found of the difference of colors between the blue top and the wooden back, but It works fine for the Qx527PB however .... The flame mapple top COULD be better looking too....
My gosh I loved the swell sound... would you be so kind to tell what you were using there and the configs for each pedal, please?
I appreciate it a lot! Thank you!
I don't have the exact settings anymore, but I looked in the video description to refresh my memory:
Strymon Compadre Compressor: sweetwater.sjv.io/LXP9dM
Strymon Iridium: sweetwater.sjv.io/5gb402
Morley Volume Pedal: sweetwater.sjv.io/LXXXx0
Strymon DIG Dual Digital Delay: sweetwater.sjv.io/4PPPr3
The key is having the Iridium amp modeler in front of the volume pedal and the DIG delay for that clean studio knd of delay.
@@chordsoforion Thank you, sir :) That's pretty helpful, I'll play around with my setup to see where it takes me 🙏
I was really thinking of this guitar. Decided to just get a strandberg classic 6 used. Found a killer deal on reverb 1150+ shipping and tax.
Good for you. Only Strandberg has the Endur neck and that's an amazing difference if you want to play for hours with less effort, little or no pain, or fatigue for the rest of your life. They are expensive but worth it. You can get them with no interest and 30 day guarantee from Sweetwater.
@@jessehampton1872 So after owning it for a few months I decided to get rid of it. The neck was really nice for cords and stuff but I do heavy legato work and anything past the 8th or 9th fret weekend my legato strength compared to my Ibanez guitars. My fingertips couldn't bite down on the notes as well hard to explain but the endure neck actually hindered my speed and clarity of notes. I think I've come to realize I don't need training wheels I've practiced extremely hard for years and my technique works for me. I still want a strandberg but I wish they made one with a reduced endure neck or one without the neck profile on the back at all.
@@rokku87 Interesting. I've only been playing a little over 50 years, most styles. Allan Holdsworth is my favorite legato player so I play a bit of legato too, no problem on any guitar. I'm sure we would all be bored if everyone played the same guitars. I like to switch between my YJM Strat with and my Strandbergs for differents sets at gigs. Roxk on!
I'm sorry but... in the US you can buy a headless Kiesel for 300 $ more. And the quality is completely different.
This is a standard Ibanez that costs almost as a Prestige... for a half of the price I would consider it.
well...all the listed cons aren't even that bad. I own an ICHI10 guitar from this Q series and it's my current favorite guitar and it's very inspiring. I would say that these guitars are not really intended for high-gain sounds, so I changed the pickups on my ICHI signature. I mounted Seymour Duncan hotrails on the bridge, put an Area 67 in the middle and an Air Norton on the neck (both Dimarzio) and I'm very satisfied :) The guitar works very well on my Mesa MkIV, which is very unforgiving of bad guitars with bad pickups.. It also sounds phenomenal on the Kemper... The mini switch is used for splitting the two humbuckers. I just love this guitar, even though it's neither a Fender, nor a Gibson, nor a Jem7...but that's why it's unique :) What fascinates me the most is the phenomenal neck. You made a wonderful presentation.
Reading a description of this guitar from a local dealer, it shows as being made in Indonesia, where quality control standards are not what they are in other markets. Some will take exception with this comment, but this has been my experience.
Glad your title is just clickbait because none of those tiny little nitpick flaws bother me and I still really want this guitar!
I've seen much better reviews, by much better players, with more information. And none of them said it sucks. I think this guy just really doesn't know what he's talking about. I've been playing for over 40 years, and he sure seems awfully noobie to me.
@@normbarrows I think it's just a case of pure clickbaity nonsense.
" this guitar SUCKS "
" Well the bag isn't great and the finish has a couple little nicks... " give me a break.
Thanks for the review. I think I might get the new Strandberg instead lol. This guitar seems to have a headless price tax.
It's out of tuneness would drive me nuts; despite the intonation issues, the tones are quite nice.
I was able to correct the intonation and it plays quite well now!
Id have to see if he did a update but I saw a guy talk about the sss model and he said he's gonna change out the pickups for regular strat pickups but keep the alter switch circuit in it. Would probably be a similar route I'd go cause im not really into effects right now.
Thanks for the review Bill. I'm still not convinced about headless guitars, I think Carvin struck a great balance with the 2x4 headstock on the Holdsworth model. This guitar sounded pretty good (maybe it was the player :) ) but 1100 seems a little steep. Happy 2022!
Bill, are you planning to try out the TC Electronic Infinite Sample Sustainer? Happy New Year, btw!
Definitely looking at that one. Reached out to my TC contact to see if they have any demo units available.
I got mine not long ago. Was really interested in trying it out, but ended up returning it. Mine also had some flaws with the finish. The setup was really bad - strings rattled horribly. But ultimately, while I thought the guitar was really nice and innovative, I guess I’m old school and still prefer to play on my Les Paul. My advise is try it out in a store, if possible, before ordering. This guitar isn’t for everyone.
As for the price, it’s understandable given how many unique parts the guitar has, but you can get a much better traditional guitar for the same amount.
That review was worth it for the sound demos alone, well done. How is the sustain with a light body like this?
Sustain is great, actually. And thanks!!!
I have an Ibanez EHB1506MS headless 6-string bass, and I have some similar complaints. Everything about it works great. But an $1800 bass with plastic knobs and a really crappy included gig bag is annoying. I have the same problem with the head on that bass. There's not much room to maneuver, and I've taken to putting down a couple of layers of masking tape on the black painted wood of the head before I change the strings to protect the paint from the strings and the cutters. There are no decent instructions included, but fortunately Ibanez has a good video here on youtube of how to change the strings.
I have that issue of sounding out of tune with all my Ibanez guitars, I can’t stand it! They look so cool but just do not sound right even when tuned perfectly
That''s probably an intonation issue. Usually easily fixed. I'm not familiar with this bridge, but I assume it's probably as easy to intone as a Floyd Rose or ZR bridge which is pretty easy.
The name of the guitar sounds like a British post code lol
It is interesting to see that the big companies take risks with more conceptual designs, to be a first Ibanez model; From my point of view, it works, but it doesn't stand out, for that price you have better proposals, an example of Goc guitars (a review of one of these headless would be great), your work, as always, well done, greetings!
Really good review and the last part was genuinely hilarious. I have an Ibanez bass and acoustic baritone (funny that it's kind of the opposite of what they're famous for i.e. shreddy guitars) and have had similar impressions, they make good, very practical and very pretty guitars but are prone to some minor QC issues.
I would have like a version of the Q54 with slanted frets, because I don't care about the maple top and I especially don't like the colors of that one, would have bought it if they would have had a design with black/greyish blended with red/orange
The EVO Gold fretwire is the bomb. Got it on a baritone neck from Warmoth (turned out better than great) and put it on another couple necks.
I do not like headless guitar. Until I tried one, I never realized that the head is an important cue for my position on the fretboard. And if my tuning is off, I always go to the wrong end!
i am confused because its clearly stated that it isn't a multiscale guitar, and that they aren't "fanned frets" but just slanted frets meant to give slightly better ergonomics
Exactly. That's what I mentioned in the video. It is not being marketed as a multi scale guitar - just slanted frets.
Excellent review! I've always struggled to get into headless instruments from a visual standpoint, but more and more options are becoming available lately, so their popularity seems on the rise. $1100 and such a crummy bag is almost shameful XD $1100 in 2014 dollars didn't even get me a gig bag on my 8-string Ibanez... I had a knob on my SRC6 that wouldn't come off, and then I noticed it had a set screw >_> Some day I will have to try a headless instrument, I bet the weight savings is incredible on a bass :D
I always prefer cost savings on the bag if it means the overall price can come down. I only need one good case, not one for every guitar i own.
GOC is a great option for a high quality instrument. They have 6 to 8 strings, and 3 main models at the moment. Vajra, Materia, and Satya
I own one gig with it as it came from the factory with no issues
The whole gig bag pisses me off! When I was younger all guitars came with cases. I understand companies have to make cuts to to stay competitive but I feel any guitar 1k or more should come with a proper case!
I love your playing style!
12:04 model name is QUEST, and i see nothing funny about QX54QM... Q is for QUEST - name of series, X - slanted frets 54 - HSS pickup config, QM - quilted maple top
Holy shit I didn’t know the Ibanez names encoded actually information