Ibanez 2021 models (Headless!)

[ixlramp]

The string clamp design of the EHB is excellent, having a non-rotating metal dowel clamping upwards from below. I was hoping they would use that design for their headless guitar, disappointing. A rotating grub screw has multiple problems used as a string clamp.

Intonation could be a big problem. They've slanted the frets so they have had to slant the bridge but a bridge is already at a slant when intonated correctly. So you will need a lot more room on that low string to get it intonated to B. It depends how much you can push those saddles back.

That is not a problem, the fret slant has been added to the bridge positioning intonation slant. Would have been an extremely careless design mistake to not do that =)
To see this, open up 2 browser tabs with the Q52 and QX52 and switch between the tabs. The guitars will be aligned on your monitor. Look at the bridge slant change.

Even though fanned frets and headless guitar designs have been around for the better part of 50 years, there has never been an in depth enough, peer reviewed scientific study that confirms that either design embellishment makes playing the guitar objectively safer.

I agree in the case of fanned frets.
But for headless guitars there does not need to be a scientific study, it is obvious that a guitar with improved balance is less stressful for the body in multiple ways.

 

[A-Branger]

say that angled the other way round is ergonomic without any evidence

it is depending on how you play it.

doing a F barr chord on the 1st fret (the msot extreme angle), your wrist have less break angle than if you do the same chord on a regular fret guitar.

mind you, to acomplish this your elbow needs to be closer to your body (on a multiscale), rather than having your elbow a bit away from your body on a normal guitar. If that position is more comfortable or not, is a differnt debate and it would depends on each person. You could argue that having your elbow clsoer to your body would mean less fatigue in your arm over time, but some poeple might ifnd it restrictive.

also, if your index finder does follows the fret (as it should), then your other fingers positions would be "further appart" from the index finger, so it would feel like a bigger stretch. Yes, you ahve less wrist break angle, but your index finger would need to "reach out" further (in comparison to the middle and ring finger). This if you actually twist your hand to follow the fan of the frets, rather than keep playing it like a regular scale guitar like Ive seen many people do including a video of Ola reviewing an Abasi and complaining that he touches the bottom of the nut (when his hand was still in a perpendicular position to the neck, rather than following the fan)

Ive been playing multiscale for a couple of years and got no pain or ever feel uncomfortable

mind you I only play sitting down

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note how his wrist has less break angle on the regular fret vs the Ibanez angled one. Also notice the position of his elbow and how it has to "come out" of the body to be able to play the Ibanez fan. Now add angled frets the otehr way around (like a normal multiscale) and you would see less break angle at the wrist and elbow closer to your body

thats one of the benefits (or "ergonomics" ) of multiscale. Other being your picking hand angle matches better the bridge angle. But multiscales are about the extra tension and tone. I wouldnt call them "ergonomics", it would help, but its not a "comfortable" thing like a big scoop/bevel/body shape than snugs into your body

same thing that "headless" does NOT equal "ergonomics".... and no, the enduro neck is not ergonomic, IMO is faaaaar from it, but im on the fence that cant stand it, both in guitar and in bass as my thumb alwys lands on the edge of the trapezoid rather than the flat section. Other people mind find it great tho


I do get the point of slanting the frets that way, as your hand seems to point that way naturaly.. Its like your fingers point back at you when you grab the neck. Only problem is that for chords this means a more break in your wrist

this as in sittig down

now take this picture

(this is an exttreme example).... but notice how the frets are "slanted" if your point of reference is him.... MEaning, when you play standing up your guitar neck is on an angle (unless you are extreme jazz boi with guitar on your neck), so the frets are always naturaly "slanted" in relation to lets say the floor, you dont play with your guitar neck horizontal.

so this new ibanez slant seems to mimic such fret angle, but when the guitr is on your leg (when the neck is horizontal)... to be more specific your right leg, as when you play on classical possition your enck goes up on an angle

now thats jsut my pov of this feature. I feel it might work if you play on your right leg, but have no idea how "ergonomic" this would be whiel standing up with your guitar at mid/low height as the angle of the neck (like the photo) plus angle of the frets might give an extreme angle to them.

so I believe that guitar can be comfortable in the right setting, but I dont think it would be comfortable in all settings(like standing up), more like one trick pony

 

[bigcupholder]

The reason that the fan is supposedly comfortable on multiscale guitars is that it follows the natural angle of your hand up and down the neck. At the low frets your hand is further away from your body than your elbow, so your fingers tend to tilt out more. The opposite is true on higher frets obviously.

So you'd need to really keep your elbow out to play those low frets comfortably.

based on my 100 scientific testing.

In classical position

For barring near the nut. Straight frets are definitely the most comfortable

Regular multi scale second.

this Ibanez thingy. No workie guys.

However, for big non-barred open chords and jazz chords it's a little bit better

Big However -if playing like Ichika, given how small the guitar seems to be. It actually works

It didn't take a picture that position because I'm uggo and partially nekkid.

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This is what I was trying to explain earlier about keeping your elbow out to get that angle on the low frets. Look at the angle of his upper arm. It's almost parallel to the floor. I can't see anyone maintaining that position for a full gig because it would be extremely fatiguing on your shoulder.

The alternative is some combination of this with having the neck more parallel to the floor instead of angled up, and/or pulling the guitar more to the right when playing - basically it looks like it was designed to play sitting on your right leg, not standing and definitely not classical.

 

[diagrammatiks]

This is actually some designers genius 10 year plan.

first release the multi scale rg's with terrible parallel fret placement and super exaggerated string fan at the nut.

then release this and everyone is like this is so much better.

get raise.

become president of Ibanez.

 

[Lorcan Ward]

That is not a problem, the fret slant has been added to the bridge positioning intonation slant. Would have been an extremely careless design mistake to not do that =)
To see this, open up 2 browser tabs with the Q52 and QX52 and switch between the tabs. The guitars will be aligned on your monitor. Look at the bridge slant change.

yes that’s what I said in my post. I was pointing out that you need to over slant a bridge on a multiscale otherwise you can run into intonation problems on the lower strings from not having enough saddle room.

 

[tian]

a playthrough with one of the slanted fret models. The blue model looks much better here than in official photos.



and some screengrabs of the other possible configs mocked up by Ibanez. Some of them look rather wide, 8s? Maybe a sign of what's to come?

Ibanez_ii

• tian
• Jul 4, 2021

Ibanez

• tian
• Jul 4, 2021

 

[Supernaut]

a playthrough with one of the slanted fret models. The blue model looks much better here than in official photos.



and some screengrabs of the other possible configs mocked up by Ibanez. Some of them look rather wide, 8s? Maybe a sign of what's to come?

Ibanez_ii

• tian
• Jul 4, 2021

Ibanez

• tian
• Jul 4, 2021

Can that guy play 30 seconds of a song without doing the annoying chuka chuka thing at least seventeen times.

 

[narad]

Can that guy play 30 seconds of a song without doing the annoying chuka chuka thing at least seventeen times.

In 2021 guitar technique is defined as being able to make your guitar sound glitchy without postprocessing.

 

[adrianb]

That Q54 in matte black is quickly becoming my obsession. Damn that looks awesome.

 

[Demiurge]

There gonna be any demos of these things that don't sound like a shitty piezo?

 

[Randy]

There gonna be any demos of these things that don't sound like a shitty piezo?

My expectation for the stock pickups aren't especially high for metal anyway considering the branding, but it would be nice if they threw us a bone. It would be kinda silly to release a totally new line and have it targetted only at dainty harmonic tapping bros.

 

[USMarine75]

Is it weird that he never talks and noodles?

He plays. Edit. He talks.

#conspiracy
#ibanezcollusion

 

[lurè]

That demo sound like every instagram bedroom neo-seoul guitarist.

 

[USMarine75]

That demo sound like every instagram bedroom neo-seoul guitarist.

Neo-Seoul?

But...

Ichika is Japanese.

 

[Albake21]

a playthrough with one of the slanted fret models. The blue model looks much better here than in official photos.

So is this just the new guitar player's music? Basically super thin tones, tapping, chicka chicka, and trap like drums and bass? In other words, Polyphia? Guess I'm just getting old when I say, I find it all sounds the same. Very unique, talented, and cool, just not my thing.

 

[josh1]

I preordered the Ichika sig. I have never been this excited for a guitar!

 

[Marv Attaxx]

Is it weird that he never talks and noodles?

He plays. Edit. He talks.

#conspiracy
#ibanezcollusion

He does during live streams
Talking and playing his stuff almost as clean as the not-live-stream stuff. I've been following him for quite some time on insta (and I also like his band), he likes to do live-sessions sometimes there, too

 

[nickgray]

So is this just the new guitar player's music? Basically super thin tones, tapping, chicka chicka, and trap like drums and bass?

Yeah, it's a bit weird. Kinda like all those weird "special effects" kind of sounds in brostep. But on guitar. On clean (ish) sound. With an obnoxious trap-inspired beat.

I don't understand it either (I like electronic music too, I just like stuff like Aphex Twin or µ-Ziq, the modern popular stuff is a big wtf to me).

 

[USMarine75]

 

[Lorcan Ward]

It would be kinda silly to release a totally new line and have it targetted only at dainty harmonic tapping bros.

Well they do specifically claim the ergonomic slanted frets help technical players tap better.......somehow

So is this just the new guitar player's music? Basically super thin tones, tapping, chicka chicka, and trap like drums and bass? In other words, Polyphia? Guess I'm just getting old when I say, I find it all sounds the same. Very unique, talented, and cool, just not my thing.

Yep. Something finally replaced djent! This style seems to be what new guitarists are emulating now on Insta and FB. Not sure who started it, maybe polyphia? but Manuel was one of the first guys to get popular doing the 30 second insta clips of it. People seem to love it but I’m not sure how well it would do without the visual element.