Ibanez NAMM 2020

[Zado]

I would have thought so too, however before Holcomb got his sig with PRS the idea of a modern metal guitarist being associated with that brand was laughable, now the Holcomb sigs are considered fantastic metal guitars and PRS has huge kudos in the metal community. PRS definitely have their target audience however they don't seem to be shy about looking at other niches as well.

I'm not familiar with this Holcomb guy, but I've always associated Herman Li with hyper shredding, and personally I've never played a PRS that inspired me playing fast. I guess we'll see!

Dude owns a couple of PRS guitars, one made to the same specs of the EGEN. And he's also apparently friends with Paul himself so he has connections.

Does his PRS have the bite on the upper horn as well?

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

The PRS SE SVN I briefly owned had a PRETTY fucking thin neck. I'm also guessing if he worked with PRS he'd PROBABLY have his own custom neck profile.

Dude seems versatile enough, though. As said above, he owns Music Mans, Kiesels... Several different guitars besides Ibanez.

Does his PRS have the bite on the upper horn as well?

God I hope not.

 

[xzacx]

I would have thought so too, however before Holcomb got his sig with PRS the idea of a modern metal guitarist being associated with that brand was laughable, now the Holcomb sigs are considered fantastic metal guitars and PRS has huge kudos in the metal community. PRS definitely have their target audience however they don't seem to be shy about looking at other niches as well.

I don’t know where you got that info but PRS has had a metal association for a pretty long time. Those Paul Allender and Mikael Akerfeldt models were around way before the Holcomb came along—those aren’t the only ones either, not to mention tons of nu metal bands. Even the Waring PRS came before the Holcomb.

 

[Albake21]

I keep seeing suggestions on where he will go next, but no one has yet to give the scenario where he doesn't go anywhere. I mean, he doesn't need to go anywhere. He's a famous guitar player and he clearly loves all kinds of guitars. Maybe he doesn't want to go to any specific company and just wants to play whatever.

Or screw it, maybe he'll go Abasi

 

[Vyn]

I don’t know where you got that info but PRS has had a metal association for a pretty long time. Those Paul Allender and Mikael Akerfeldt models were around way before the Holcomb came along—those aren’t the only ones either, not to mention tons of nu metal bands.

Didn't even know Allander and Akerfeldt played PRS. I've been under a rock apparently on that one, I stand corrected

 

[xzacx]

Didn't even know Allander and Akerfeldt played PRS. I've been under a rock apparently on that one, I stand corrected

If you ever wanted a PRS with bat inlays, the Allender model is the one you’re gonna want to look for hahah.

 

[HeHasTheJazzHands]

Didn't even know Allander and Akerfeldt played PRS. I've been under a rock apparently on that one, I stand corrected

Paul Allender had a sig model back in 2007. akerfeldt had a sig model as well.

And yes Mikael used PRS before they went prog.

 

[yan12]

Sucks to deal with elitist idiots...when people say crap like that you just have to laugh. We are in the golden age of luthiers and machines. I have done well enough to be able to afford very nice things and I can tell you Fender and Gibson guitars made in the 50's and 60's are collectable and pricey due to RARITY only. They play like firewood compared to today's guitar. I have held vintage guitars in my very own hands that approach insane $$$$$ that make me cry. The fret tangs, the bridges, the necks themselves...all junk by today's standards. Yet they command a price.

I play some very nice gear these days but all my younger years were on pawnshop fixers, and I learned so much about the construction of guitars it was invaluable. Yes, Fender custom has turned an innovative corner with Thorn being there, but they always made nice guitars. But it will take some major, major convincing to tell me a $10k Fender is better than a $5k Schecter, Esp, Suhr, Anderson level custom. I have had both and Fender has nothing on those builders or many others. Gibson is an absolute joke of a custom shop compared to those brands. They have not had an original thought in well over 60yrs. I never buy the name brand hype of anything as anyone with a brain and some experience knows quality when they see and feel it.

 

[aesthyrian]

Ah well I just kinda assumed. When you drop off Ibanez site and split your time between twitch streaming kiesels, playing prs live, and throwing your actual sig guitars in the shower, you’re probably not gonna be on the roster long.

He only played that PRS live for one song during twitch con. I can't comment on the Kiesel use during streams, but I have seen him play other brands.. but a lot of guys do that, Matt Heafy comes to mind.

And the guitars in the water... he's did that a few years ago on 70,000 tons of metal 2015. If anything, it's a testament to the quality of that decade old EGEN prototype as he played it after that as well.

And he actually is still on the Ibanez website https://www.ibanez.com/asia/artists/detail/115.html

So really, none of that is a huge giveaway that he has left Ibanez. And he has still not said a damn thing himself. Of course, I have no doubts that he is in fact leaving Ibanez. Two weeks ago on his instagram he said "I have been designing a brand new guitar which will be a major upgrade!" on a photo of him playing the PRS. https://www.instagram.com/p/B68j1Y3HIsR/

 

[Vyn]

He only played that PRS live for one song during twitch con. I can't comment on the Kiesel use during streams, but I have seen him play other brands.. but a lot of guys do that, Matt Heafy comes to mind.

And the guitars in the water... he's did that a few years ago on 70,000 tons of metal 2015. If anything, it's a testament to the quality of that decade old EGEN prototype as he played it after that as well.

And he actually is still on the Ibanez website https://www.ibanez.com/asia/artists/detail/115.html

So really, none of that is a huge giveaway that he has left Ibanez. And he has still not said a damn thing himself. Of course, I have no doubts that he is in fact leaving Ibanez. Two weeks ago on his instagram he said "I have been designing a brand new guitar which will be a major upgrade!" on a photo of him playing the PRS. https://www.instagram.com/p/B68j1Y3HIsR/

Worth noting that Heafy himself is possibly leaving Epiphone as there was an Instagram post a while back saying grab an MKH sig while you can as they are being discontinued.

 

[BillCosby]

Worth noting that Heafy himself is possibly leaving Epiphone as there was an Instagram post a while back saying grab an MKH sig while you can as they are being discontinued.

I had the feeling he'd leave eventually once he got that first Aristides.

 

[cip 123]

He only played that PRS live for one song during twitch con. I can't comment on the Kiesel use during streams, but I have seen him play other brands.. but a lot of guys do that, Matt Heafy comes to mind.

And the guitars in the water... he's did that a few years ago on 70,000 tons of metal 2015. If anything, it's a testament to the quality of that decade old EGEN prototype as he played it after that as well.

And he actually is still on the Ibanez website https://www.ibanez.com/asia/artists/detail/115.html

So really, none of that is a huge giveaway that he has left Ibanez. And he has still not said a damn thing himself. Of course, I have no doubts that he is in fact leaving Ibanez. Two weeks ago on his instagram he said "I have been designing a brand new guitar which will be a major upgrade!" on a photo of him playing the PRS. https://www.instagram.com/p/B68j1Y3HIsR/

https://www.instagram.com/p/B67lpp3nkV5/

This is what I meant by the shower. Not exactly the politest thing to do with you guitars when the company most likely gave them to you for free.

Using a PRS live, doesn't really matter for how many songs, he still plasters it over his social media with promotion.

Companies can generally have contracts that encourage you to play only their brand I believe Schecter had a contract with Loomis which was similar and led to him leaving (though they were willing to work something out and he just up and left). I don't know what Hermans was like though.

As far as being on the site, his sig has been pulled which is enough to say Ibanez are pulling back from him.

So yea I'd say it kind of is a give away actually, a guy who has always had the best things to say about Ibanez and his models, now off the site, treating his guitars like crap and promoting other companies. Maybe Ibanez got tired of him going "Lol hey guys can I have a new one this one got all wet again crazy!"

Or maybe I'm reading too much in to it because I think treating a guitar like that is just f*cking stupid.

 

[aesthyrian]

Or maybe I'm reading too much in to it because I think treating a guitar like that is just f*cking stupid.

What do you mean? He taped the control cavity!

 

[cip 123]

What do you mean? He taped the control cavity!

Ah yes the age old tape trick, don’t worry about your guitar neck you’ve taped the control cavity, it’s waterproof now

 

[Skullet]

Worth noting that Heafy himself is possibly leaving Epiphone as there was an Instagram post a while back saying grab an MKH sig while you can as they are being discontinued.

You mean the post where he says they’re making a whole new Epiphone MKH line lol?

 

[Vyn]

You mean the post where he says they’re making a whole new Epiphone MKH line lol?

The one I saw was an instagram story without mentioning the new line, only that there were x number of units left and that they would be discontinued.

 

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

Accepting bets for the next endorsement. I say Jackson, but could be some unknown brand, like MAB did.


Hype for him making his own brand of WMI guitars.

Lol or he will go through multiple builders and eventually start delivering guitars 4 years later

 

[ramses]

Would anyone with good historical knowledge of Ibanez care to speculate about when would a Pia 7-string can be expected?

I want to pre-order the pink one, but not being a 7-stringer is an issue.

 

[aesthyrian]

I wouldn't hold my breathe, personally.

 

[xzacx]

Would anyone with good historical knowledge of Ibanez care to speculate about when would a Pia 7-string can be expected?

I want to pre-order the pink one, but not being a 7-stringer is an issue.

Considering the 7V7 didn't come out until 2013—roughly 25 years after the Jem was introduced—I wouldn't expect one for a long time, if ever.