I bought one of these last week from a local music dealer. I absolutely love it! It’s extremely light and small, easy to play, and between the electronics and construction the sounds are very versatile and balanced compared to my other guitars (which are not cheap guitars by any means). Ibanez nailed the headless thing in my opinion
@@valebliz it's just smaller, easier for travel. I tried the 2 humbucker version of this guitar and it felt like a ukulele and unless you play with the guitar way up on your chest the slanted frets are not very comfortable imo. I didn't really care for it the neck was VERY small so if you have man size hands you might find it a little uncomfortable
@@valebliz 40 to 1 tuning ratio vs 16 or 18 standard. I've come back to my Spirits both small and large bodies after months and they don't need to be tuned. B T W I had small body Spirits back in the '90s when they were all Maple except for the Rose fingerboard. I bought a new one which is Maple neck, dyed Rose or Ebony fingerboard, Linden (Basswood) body and it sounds much, much better; as good as a normal guitar. And EMG Selects has upped its game, alto obviously ceramic, they sound fantastic.
@@valebliz They balance well because there are no tuners at the headstock to cause neck dive. They're extremely light, about 5 to 6 lbs (2.3 to 2.7 kg). They keep a full scale length while shortening the overall length of the guitar. Also, if the quality of the hardware is good, they'll have somewhat better tuning stability since the strings clamp at the nut similar to a floyd rose guitar.
@@valebliz most companies offering headless pass them off as ergonomic guitars, creating the ideal session experience. a lot of them are extremely lightweight (my strandberg boden 7 weighs in at 5lbs), making long performances a bit more tolerable. took me a while to get into it but now im obsessed! i understand it might not be everyone’s thing aesthetically, but i would encourage at the very least having one for practicing or tracking/demos in studio sessions
I think Ibanez has been talking to a lot of people who don’t buy Ibanez, and one of the things they’re hearing a lot is that those potential customers don’t like the looks that are associated with Ibanez. So they’re actively trying to add lines that don’t immediately look like Ibanez.
yeah i love my rg but it looks stupid as hell. their guitars would look perfectly fine with their 80s colors if they weren't always using those disgusting colored pickups
Ibanez makes all sorts of guitars so i'm not sure the look associated with ibanez means much. There might be a certain superstrat aestetic but really if you look at their catalog they have a guitarfor everyone.
@@Soldano999 they do, but they haven't heavily pushed solidbodies that werent an RG until very recently, that is to say, an integrated marketing campaign with signature artists, multiple price points, demos, reviews, publicity, etc. - in the early 2000s, i didnt even know about the S series until i started digging into their catalogue. Whereas in previous iterations of the jetstream/talman/etc., it was more of an "alternative" to the pointy shred guitars rather than a multi-model release thats a clearer attempt at establishing a new brand direction.
That slanted fret for less wrist wrenching but same scale length works for the fret hand too. In fact, that’s pretty ingenious, without the tapping. I’d love that on all my guitars. Wow!
Henning, you do the best reviews, by a very long stretch. I hope they pay you more than everyone else! Bravo, thank you, and very best wishes for 2022.
Correct me if I am wrong, but are great ergonomics not one of the main things about Ibanez guitars? Because this really sounds to me like a great little guitar from the ergonomics perspective. And the tone is really nice too. Guess I need a new guitar.
Dude I have the H H model in flat black un fricken believable guitar..... The H H model has more bell like tones than some of my s s s. I traded my strandberg after buying the ibanez the running mechanism was far superior also the pickups and the locking mechanism far superior the tone just un real !
I’ve been on the verge of pulling the trigger on a standberg but now I definitely need to check this out. I’ve terrible back problems but I can’t Bring myself to giving up playing and from the sounds of your review this looks like it will make life a little easier for me. Thanks for another great review.
I enjoy the neck on the strandberg a bit more, it's super ergonomic and I'd even warrant that for the extra 300 difference between this and the strandberg boden classic (if you can get a used/refurb), the strandberg neck is definitely worth it. Otherwise, I demoed the Ichika version of this model and it is super nice, I do feel like the Quest series is a great bang for your buck option. Also, birds eye maple neck is really cool, although I love the roasted maple on my strandy. GL on the decision though!
I played a strandberg and then immediately a ibanez after and the difference was pretty extreme. I didn't like the ibanez quest or the other newer ibanez headless guitar, and this is coming from an ibeanez fanboi. I have 4 ibanez prestige guitars and 2 Ibanez basses all japanese made.
@@A-Wa The tuners, the pickups, and the neck profile are the first things that I could immediately notice, the components felt kind of cheap in comparison. I bought a 7 string Strandberg NSX and it's the best guitar I've ever played, the tonal options with the fishman fluence pickups are really impressive also. Still maybe in the future the ibanez built quality will improve, like maybe there will be a Prestige custom shop headless guitar soon from ibanez, that would have better components.
I suffer from nerve damage in my left arm and hand. I had to learn to play again but found my old Les Pauls and Fenders unplayable due to weight and neck . I picked up an S Series last year and recently got a Q52. At 5 pounds total body weight, it is awesome and the necks are great.
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I bought the Ichi-10 a couple of months ago. Very interesting guitar, and insanely light!
Mind me asking how you like it after a month or so? I'm tempted to go with that one out of all the headless Ibbys
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@@AlmostLakai94 It's exceedingly light and well crafted. Materials are excellent. The pickups are sparkly, but it can be used like a regular Strat would. Tuners are smooth and work nicely. The combination switch is interesting in some positions, but the "humbucker" mode with the middle and bridge pickups is quite muddy in comparison with the other sounds. I'm happy with the purchase!
@ sounds like I'd enjoy it a lot. I've never used a headless before and these seem to be priced great compared to build quality. And as far as sound go I think I'd prefer the bridge single coil over the humbuckers the other models come with so I can live with the combo switch not being perfect lol. I appreciate this 🙏🏽
Evo Gold is a hard fret material somewhere between the hardness of regular nickel silver frets and the hard grade of stainles steel (not to be confused with the soft grade of stainless steel on cheap Chinese guitars).
A small feature but clever is they included a partial head stock flair. It will give a reassuring feel and reference for those who don't play headless normally and it won't be orphaned from your guitar stand.
I bought a Kramer Duke 6-string in 1982. Yeah, it was weird playing without a "head stock flair". It took me about 20 minutes to get over that weird nothing beyond the nut. I realized that any problems I had with the lack of headstock were actually indicators of poor technique on my part.
Love, love, love the lightness and ergonomics of the guitar. Brilliant. Of course it doesn’t look like “a Ibanez”, it looks like an Ibanez headless guitar. On my short list
A super light headless guitar in an HSS configuration from Ibanez? Seems like something I'd be down to check out. Also that noodle track in the beginning was absolutely killer.
Impressive axe, I was guessing the price would be €1800, so I was shocked when I opened the link. It would perfectly fit my I Lost My Head > Gentle Giant sweatshirt. But first I have to get rid of two Vintage guitars, I have too many! Also impressive is the Jamtrack, very rich and wide bass synth sound, for the first time noticable with my new over head earphones, thank you Rolf Stone for sharpening my Focus!
The rear circular cut reminds me the Reb Beach 1991 guitar model (player from Winger) and -for me at least- the both horns came from the S line guitars, so I can see the Ibanez legacy on that Q series.
I still wonder why they stick with the pickguards when obviously very few people need them. You want a modern looking guitar? Get rid of that silly plastic plate which ruins everything.
I prefer headless. They never go outta tune and I don't really get off on the look of head stocks like most people. However, non straight across frets are another solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Edit: So its not multiple scale, just for tappers. Sure.
@@smorrow No. I bend like crazy and its always fine. The string is clamped down at the nut and pulled by a 40 to one ratio machine screw for tuning thats stressed 90° from its travel vs a normal tuner which is stressed in it's direction of movement.
The slanted frets are damn near unnoticeable, and help out in maybe 3 or 4 extreme chord shapes, mostly unused anyway, so not necessarily pointless but also not in the way in any way. Also I think it is the best guitar I have for tapping clarity although it's not MEGA noticeable 🤷
I suppose it's cool that Ibanez are experimenting with different designs & ideas.... but c'mon Ibanez! I want more X series and Flying V choices... stick of Super Strats.
Scale length and radius aren't important? I think you'll find they are to the kind of player who will be looking at one of these. The ignorant and proud of it schtick is getting old Henning.
I have to ask; Are you in your basement or music store?, that room is beautiful, i imagine the patio leads outside and the left side leads upstairs or is a storage room? this view makes us wonder.
I recently put in an order for the cheapest S series at my local shop. If i had seen this video I would have been so tempted to spend more on this, looks so comfortable.
Nice review, really deep in details, I love that. I have the Q52PB and I love it, really lightweight, I think is 5,5 pounds, I love frets that are Jumbo Stainless Steel frets, the feels is really nice and smooth, I also really like the bridge, really confortable, without any screws that are touching my hand like so many other kind of bridges, I like the ugly nob, kind of have a nice grip for an easier switch imo, for me, the volume nob is too close, but I really like the guitar ! As soon as Ibanez releases a shredding version of it, with more space for the hand at high fret, neck through and a floydRose, this guitar will be mine FOR SURE !! 🤟🏻🤟🏻🤟🏻 GOOD JOB IBANEZ !
For that money I think GOC Guitar are better headless guitar, the only problem on those is the availability. These are a solid option to enter in the headless world without spending 2K and above for a Strandberg, a Mayones or a Druzkowski. GOC and Ibanez have created a perfect enter line for headless, because Harley Benton still has a lot of work to do with the Dullahan, tho I think they will get there eventually. Until that I'll be saving up some money hahahahaha
GOC smokes the ibanez. Visually and specs wise and they also have stainless steel frets while the more expensive ibanez has nickel frets. That’s kind of insane.
I've been playing guitar since 82 and have owned a couple hundred guitars over the years and can honestly say I couldn't tell the difference between a $300 guitar and a $3000 guitar through a good rig.
EVO gold frets to my understanding are an alloy that is harder than nickel but softer than stainless steel. Idea is that you don’t get the notorious acoustic ping stainless gives you but harder than nickel to avoid re-leveling or re-fretting.
They were created as a hypoallergenic alternative for people with nickle allergies. In my opinion they are just as durable and corrosion resistant (thanks to the added silicon and titanium) as stainless but much easier to work with. EVO frets are by all accounts a true Goldilocks and lie almost directly between Nickle Silver frets and Stainless Steel frets on the Vickers hardness scale. Hell of a spec on a guitar at this price range and i hope to see more makers following suit
I will wait for a Prestige version of the Q guitar to be released. I have read bad reviews about the craftmanship and electronics about those ones .... But I love the shape, far more familiar and beautiful than Strandberg... but those Q guitars lacks the roasted mapple and the carbon fiber reinforcement.... ARGH !!!!
Good video, even with the bland sweater. The 1st and 2nd positions are so country, I am expecting Brad Paisley to be sporting one soon. As soon as you started talking about the angled frets, I immediately thought that the pickups should be similarly angled. Then you said the same thing, only proving that I am starting to think like you. Good? Bad? Only time will tell.
As an Ibanez fan for over 20 years ... the quest is the prius of headless guitars.... They could have brought back the Reb Beach bridge cutaway to make it look cooler.
i would like to have one of these ibanez guitars, but not with these fanned frets, instead frets like the ones Tolgahan Çoğulu built in, to play some eastern scales oriented stuff^^. i think microtonal was the term for it.
5:33 My first thought was that Ibanez took a page from Strandberg, though that Mayones Hydra (later in the video) reminded me that several guitar makers could be an influence. Thanks for the thoughtful review: really useful...
How does it compare to a Vola OZ? Both are kind of a modern takes on the strat thingy (yes, the OZ is more traditional), but those seem to be a real bargain considering where they are produced.
Apples and oranges. The Vola is not headless, and it's not designed to be ultra-ergonomic and lighweight like the Quest. The Vola doesn't have the same pickup switching system. That said, they're gorgeous instruments, made in Japan. I've been lusting over their single coil 7 strings for some time.
I really wish Ibanes,would release a left handed version of these headless guitars, they seem really good That noodle track at the beginning was exquisite!
Just goes to show you what they'd been saying for years...The wood of a solid body guitar is there for structure and esthetics. It probably has little to do with the overall sound. To my mind, this particular guitar is gorgeous and sounds even better! On that note...you're the guy I always dream of being when I walk into my local guitar center. I'm deeply impressed with this little guitar.
It's nyatoh. That's mahogany like. And it sounds good...but not big, like a Les Paul. Because it is not big, like a Les Paul. You tone wood deniers are like flat eartherss, I swear.
@@lueyteledeluxe7457or maybe it doesn't sound like a les paul because it doesn't have the pickups, scale length or pickup position comparable to a les paul.
@@lueyteledeluxe7457 The string vibrates, and the pickup transmits that to the amp. What does the 'tone wood' behind the pickups do in that situation? Nothing.
I like the guitar, but don't dig the pickups at all. Very flat frequency range to my ears. I could always swap out the pickups though. What is the weight of the guitar? You may have mentioned it and I missed. Thanks.
Sieht cool aus, aber das Design sieht do fast genau so aus wie die alten Steinberger Headless Gitarren? Und wie sind die Gitarren im Vergleich zu Strandberg Gitarren, die ein klein wenig mehr kosten, aber ein Tremolo haben, wenn man eins will?
Looking at 6 strings. The Standard 6 with trem is €1700 at Thomann. The most expensive Quest is €1200. €500 at this price point is quite a bit. Although you'll probably get your Strandberg a lot quicker. I have a Strandberg Prog 6 myself. Fantastic guitar but certainly not perfect. As far as the body shape goes, if you don't play in classical position you don't really notice much difference. Also, the upper strap button is on the back of the body, poking your chest which is a tad annoying. The neck heel is slimmer on newer, higher end models. Not sure if the Standard have those already. The older neck heel is thicker than you'd expect on something this modern. Last big difference is the frets. On the Ibanez they're slanted, equal angle along the neck. Strandberg uses fanned frets. On the 6 strings the 0 fret is parallel with the angle becoming steeper further down. Combined with the 20" fretboard radius, bigger chords can get rather awkward the higher you go.
The first headless I really wanted to try, mostly because it's the first to not cost 1600 bucks Kantai Collection 艦隊これギター KanColle Guitar th-cam.com/video/NBz7ed2Lglo/w-d-xo.html Cowboy Bebop Ending Theme guitar th-cam.com/video/f6M-oWsRE9Q/w-d-xo.html King of Fighters XV Krizalid's boss stage theme th-cam.com/video/Hp7THmIQiXk/w-d-xo.html
Crooked frets? Well slanted inwards. Rickenbacker made those way back in 1972. Custom option from 1969 and on really. Didn't caught on. Nothing new here. Fanned frets was on an instrument from 17th century. Headless - successfully - was made by Steinberger in 1980. Did caught on. Les Paul did have headless first though, on a metal Les Paul, didn't caught on. Went out of tune in broad daylight... it IS a multiscale as fast as the total scale length differs between the high e-string and low e-string period. And it does on these guitars. I've read the specifications on Ibanez site, and they're full of it, stating 25.5 all over. It sure isn't, I've made measurements on a real one. "Slanted to facilitate four finger tapping". Oh, how niched can we get...If you put any other guitar down on your lap like a lap steel guitar, it facilitates and simplifies tapping to a considerably larger degree than this one. Even Trevor Gunn who is a major heavyweight in tapping his touch Warr guitar, has started to play with his Warr guitar on his lap/knees. You should not tap while having it hanging around your neck... it should reside like a pedal steel guitar on a stand, or on your lap. You have more control and visibility of all the neck if viewed from above. Why the pickups aren't slanted accordingly beats me though...or special made for this instruments beats me. However, the pickups different combinations with that switch makes it very versatile instrument, a swiss army knife, but there's hardly any problem incorporate this on any other instrument too. And today, these days, in 2022, no, I don't want any hum any more on any single coil pickups, neither passive, nor actives. It's been ages ago since that one was solved without interfering the vintage tone, or single coil tone. It's not rocket science, or price increasing manufacturing.
If all else fails blame Alex? MVP sounds like the input gain is to cold. The guitar would be good for my back, yes... but then I'd still be lugging around my Mesa/Boogie 50/50 and cabs.... and fx flightcase... So same difference I'd say... ;P The weight of my guitar is usually not the issue ;P So Dan is kinda like Midas.. except for he has to drop stuff for it to turn to gold? (Which, come to think of it, that'd actually be more practical)
Ibanez Has always not done just Ibanez! They do it all, and always have, and that all the way back in the 70's! Their artist series took points from alembic and other hand makers, then they Copied Gibsons and Fenders, just better, and followed Tobias, Hamer, Jackson... you name it! They have been doing what lesser known luthiers and smaller innovators have been doing for umpteen decades, they just always get it out some 5 to 10 years later than the ones who come up with the stuff. The one you are reviewing basically their take on a Strandberg without the "Endur" Neck design, as is the Mayonnaise (Pun intended) and others that are not illegally copied copies!!
Ich hab sowohl Strandberg als auch HB Dullahan Headless Gitarren probiert. Irgendwie hab ich immer das Gefühl von "Spielzeuggitarren" in meinen Händen, ergonomisch + leicht ja, aber irgendwie fehlt da so das Gefühl, was "vernünftiges" zwischen den Fingern zu haben. Irgendwie ist auch die Ansprache von Headless Gitarren ziemlich anders als von "normalen". Irgendwie nichts für mich (trotz meiner enormen Rückenprobleme). Bevorzuge eindeutig PRS, Les Pauliges, Strat, JEMs etc. Ich bin alt.....................................
Mr Henning here plays his soul out as often he does, great. And if opportunity arises with Ibanez please try the two seven strings Quest (as you pointed out in the video) you views are cherished 🤟 👍
Nonchalantly mentions fret material... which turns out to be Jescar EVO... probably the best spec on the guitar! I'm waiting for him to say "it apparently comes with a free Hoffee case... whatever that is"
Your tapping sounded like an 80's video game at first LOL. Definitely do not like all that hardware hanging off the back of the body. Peace brother you n yours be safe.
Almost disliked the video because of the absence of a cool sweater :') Anyway, waiting for some other color schemes since I hope there will be more models in 2022. Thank's for the honnest review as always :)
Owned one for a day - felt like B stock so I returned it... pots felt loose, a washer was missing from one of the tuning pegs, and the bridge felt like it's made from very cheap metals. The pickups were extremely boomy as well. Not a fan tbh
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I bought one of these last week from a local music dealer. I absolutely love it! It’s extremely light and small, easy to play, and between the electronics and construction the sounds are very versatile and balanced compared to my other guitars (which are not cheap guitars by any means). Ibanez nailed the headless thing in my opinion
I never even tried a headless. My main question is, why? There's any advantage you feel playing it other then the cool looks?
@@valebliz it's just smaller, easier for travel. I tried the 2 humbucker version of this guitar and it felt like a ukulele and unless you play with the guitar way up on your chest the slanted frets are not very comfortable imo. I didn't really care for it the neck was VERY small so if you have man size hands you might find it a little uncomfortable
@@valebliz 40 to 1 tuning ratio vs 16 or 18 standard. I've come back to my Spirits both small and large bodies after months and they don't need to be tuned. B T W I had small body Spirits back in the '90s when they were all Maple except for the Rose fingerboard. I bought a new one which is Maple neck, dyed Rose or Ebony fingerboard, Linden (Basswood) body and it sounds much, much better; as good as a normal guitar. And EMG Selects has upped its game, alto obviously ceramic, they sound fantastic.
@@valebliz They balance well because there are no tuners at the headstock to cause neck dive. They're extremely light, about 5 to 6 lbs (2.3 to 2.7 kg). They keep a full scale length while shortening the overall length of the guitar. Also, if the quality of the hardware is good, they'll have somewhat better tuning stability since the strings clamp at the nut similar to a floyd rose guitar.
@@valebliz most companies offering headless pass them off as ergonomic guitars, creating the ideal session experience. a lot of them are extremely lightweight (my strandberg boden 7 weighs in at 5lbs), making long performances a bit more tolerable. took me a while to get into it but now im obsessed! i understand it might not be everyone’s thing aesthetically, but i would encourage at the very least having one for practicing or tracking/demos in studio sessions
Played one today extensively.
Takes to high gain *very* well.
Great neck.
Angled frets oddly didn't take me long to adjust to.
I think Ibanez has been talking to a lot of people who don’t buy Ibanez, and one of the things they’re hearing a lot is that those potential customers don’t like the looks that are associated with Ibanez. So they’re actively trying to add lines that don’t immediately look like Ibanez.
This quest series looks just like the S series tho
yeah i love my rg but it looks stupid as hell. their guitars would look perfectly fine with their 80s colors if they weren't always using those disgusting colored pickups
Ibanez makes all sorts of guitars so i'm not sure the look associated with ibanez means much. There might be a certain superstrat aestetic but really if you look at their catalog they have a guitarfor everyone.
@@Soldano999 they do, but they haven't heavily pushed solidbodies that werent an RG until very recently, that is to say, an integrated marketing campaign with signature artists, multiple price points, demos, reviews, publicity, etc. - in the early 2000s, i didnt even know about the S series until i started digging into their catalogue. Whereas in previous iterations of the jetstream/talman/etc., it was more of an "alternative" to the pointy shred guitars rather than a multi-model release thats a clearer attempt at establishing a new brand direction.
hmm, this is VERY Ibanez though right?
That slanted fret for less wrist wrenching but same scale length works for the fret hand too. In fact, that’s pretty ingenious, without the tapping. I’d love that on all my guitars. Wow!
I like it. Wish Ibanez had more color options. Almost every model comes in one color...sometimes two.
Its so cool watching a review by a player who has the skill to put an instrument through its paces.
What?
Dude I have never heard you play so from yer heart just amazing awesome guitar passages u say noodling I say fantastic improvising love it ❤😮
Henning, you do the best reviews, by a very long stretch. I hope they pay you more than everyone else! Bravo, thank you, and very best wishes for 2022.
Correct me if I am wrong, but are great ergonomics not one of the main things about Ibanez guitars?
Because this really sounds to me like a great little guitar from the ergonomics perspective. And the tone is really nice too.
Guess I need a new guitar.
Dude I have the H H model in flat black un fricken believable guitar..... The H H model has more bell like tones than some of my s s s. I traded my strandberg after buying the ibanez the running mechanism was far superior also the pickups and the locking mechanism far superior the tone just un real !
I have been waiting (and hoping) for your review, excellent detail as always, thank you.
I have the Q54 in sea foam green, and I love it.
I’ve been on the verge of pulling the trigger on a standberg but now I definitely need to check this out. I’ve terrible back problems but I can’t Bring myself to giving up playing and from the sounds of your review this looks like it will make life a little easier for me. Thanks for another great review.
Definitely try going headless if you have back problems. Super light...even my 8 string is lighter than my standard 6.
I enjoy the neck on the strandberg a bit more, it's super ergonomic and I'd even warrant that for the extra 300 difference between this and the strandberg boden classic (if you can get a used/refurb), the strandberg neck is definitely worth it. Otherwise, I demoed the Ichika version of this model and it is super nice, I do feel like the Quest series is a great bang for your buck option. Also, birds eye maple neck is really cool, although I love the roasted maple on my strandy. GL on the decision though!
I played a strandberg and then immediately a ibanez after and the difference was pretty extreme. I didn't like the ibanez quest or the other newer ibanez headless guitar, and this is coming from an ibeanez fanboi. I have 4 ibanez prestige guitars and 2 Ibanez basses all japanese made.
what was the difference?
@@A-Wa The tuners, the pickups, and the neck profile are the first things that I could immediately notice, the components felt kind of cheap in comparison. I bought a 7 string Strandberg NSX and it's the best guitar I've ever played, the tonal options with the fishman fluence pickups are really impressive also. Still maybe in the future the ibanez built quality will improve, like maybe there will be a Prestige custom shop headless guitar soon from ibanez, that would have better components.
I don't get why this guitar has slanted frets when it's not a multiscale... Stupid "ergonomic" bullshit
I suffer from nerve damage in my left arm and hand. I had to learn to play again but found my old Les Pauls and Fenders unplayable due to weight and neck . I picked up an S Series last year and recently got a Q52. At 5 pounds total body weight, it is awesome and the necks are great.
I bought the Ichi-10 a couple of months ago. Very interesting guitar, and insanely light!
Mind me asking how you like it after a month or so? I'm tempted to go with that one out of all the headless Ibbys
@@AlmostLakai94 It's exceedingly light and well crafted. Materials are excellent. The pickups are sparkly, but it can be used like a regular Strat would.
Tuners are smooth and work nicely.
The combination switch is interesting in some positions, but the "humbucker" mode with the middle and bridge pickups is quite muddy in comparison with the other sounds.
I'm happy with the purchase!
@ sounds like I'd enjoy it a lot. I've never used a headless before and these seem to be priced great compared to build quality. And as far as sound go I think I'd prefer the bridge single coil over the humbuckers the other models come with so I can live with the combo switch not being perfect lol. I appreciate this 🙏🏽
@@AlmostLakai94 Enjoy! We only live so much ;)
Evo Gold is a hard fret material somewhere between the hardness of regular nickel silver frets and the hard grade of stainles steel (not to be confused with the soft grade of stainless steel on cheap Chinese guitars).
A small feature but clever is they included a partial head stock flair.
It will give a reassuring feel and reference for those who don't play headless normally and it won't be orphaned from your guitar stand.
I bought a Kramer Duke 6-string in 1982. Yeah, it was weird playing without a "head stock flair". It took me about 20 minutes to get over that weird nothing beyond the nut. I realized that any problems I had with the lack of headstock were actually indicators of poor technique on my part.
That cutout REALLY drives home the 'axe' look of electric guitars.
that was one of the best solos i've ever heard... so much emotion, technical expression, dynamics, tension building, and released. bravo sir.
Love, love, love the lightness and ergonomics of the guitar. Brilliant. Of course it doesn’t look like “a Ibanez”, it looks like an Ibanez headless guitar. On my short list
A super light headless guitar in an HSS configuration from Ibanez? Seems like something I'd be down to check out.
Also that noodle track in the beginning was absolutely killer.
If you angled just 1 or half inch, you don't need to angle pickups
Impressive axe, I was guessing the price would be €1800, so I was shocked when I opened the link.
It would perfectly fit my I Lost My Head > Gentle Giant sweatshirt. But first I have to get rid of two Vintage guitars, I have too many!
Also impressive is the Jamtrack, very rich and wide bass synth sound, for the first time noticable with my new over head earphones, thank you Rolf Stone for sharpening my Focus!
The rear circular cut reminds me the Reb Beach 1991 guitar model (player from Winger) and -for me at least- the both horns came from the S line guitars, so I can see the Ibanez legacy on that Q series.
Wow looks very versatile and nice. Thank god I'm not in the market for an electric guitar right now. Great video as always.
I still wonder why they stick with the pickguards when obviously very few people need them. You want a modern looking guitar? Get rid of that silly plastic plate which ruins everything.
I like Ibanez for their flawless guitars.
...hi Dan...
Riiiiiight
who is Dan ?
Apparently his bedside manner is a bit rough ? Maybe laser blue or flat black with a touch up pen is a better choice for the good Dr. ?
I prefer headless. They never go outta tune and I don't really get off on the look of head stocks like most people. However, non straight across frets are another solution to a problem that doesn't exist. Edit: So its not multiple scale, just for tappers. Sure.
Then you prefer ridiculously shit guitars!
You can't bend them out of tune?
@@smorrow No. I bend like crazy and its always fine. The string is clamped down at the nut and pulled by a 40 to one ratio machine screw for tuning thats stressed 90° from its travel vs a normal tuner which is stressed in it's direction of movement.
The slanted frets are damn near unnoticeable, and help out in maybe 3 or 4 extreme chord shapes, mostly unused anyway, so not necessarily pointless but also not in the way in any way. Also I think it is the best guitar I have for tapping clarity although it's not MEGA noticeable 🤷
I suppose it's cool that Ibanez are experimenting with different designs & ideas.... but c'mon Ibanez! I want more X series and Flying V choices... stick of Super Strats.
Scale length and radius aren't important? I think you'll find they are to the kind of player who will be looking at one of these. The ignorant and proud of it schtick is getting old Henning.
Love the look. It makes so much more sense than having a useless headstock.
True but not the first thing u said. This guitar is ugly af lolz
I have to ask; Are you in your basement or music store?, that room is beautiful, i imagine the patio leads outside and the left side leads upstairs or is a storage room? this view makes us wonder.
Ibanezezezezez review! That's how you start the week right 🤪
I recently put in an order for the cheapest S series at my local shop. If i had seen this video I would have been so tempted to spend more on this, looks so comfortable.
I have been a headless guitar player since 1982.
Kramer Duke, Steinberger, and a Cort bass.
11:04 Yes, THAT knob, WTF? i swapped mine for a nice ebony one from Harley Benton
Nice review, really deep in details, I love that.
I have the Q52PB and I love it, really lightweight, I think is 5,5 pounds, I love frets that are Jumbo Stainless Steel frets, the feels is really nice and smooth, I also really like the bridge, really confortable, without any screws that are touching my hand like so many other kind of bridges, I like the ugly nob, kind of have a nice grip for an easier switch imo, for me, the volume nob is too close, but I really like the guitar !
As soon as Ibanez releases a shredding version of it, with more space for the hand at high fret, neck through and a floydRose, this guitar will be mine FOR SURE !! 🤟🏻🤟🏻🤟🏻
GOOD JOB IBANEZ !
I'd like to hear your opinion on the seven string version. It looks gorgeous.
For that money I think GOC Guitar are better headless guitar, the only problem on those is the availability. These are a solid option to enter in the headless world without spending 2K and above for a Strandberg, a Mayones or a Druzkowski. GOC and Ibanez have created a perfect enter line for headless, because Harley Benton still has a lot of work to do with the Dullahan, tho I think they will get there eventually. Until that I'll be saving up some money hahahahaha
GOC smokes the ibanez. Visually and specs wise and they also have stainless steel frets while the more expensive ibanez has nickel frets. That’s kind of insane.
I've been playing guitar since 82 and have owned a couple hundred guitars over the years and can honestly say I couldn't tell the difference between a $300 guitar and a $3000 guitar through a good rig.
EVO gold frets to my understanding are an alloy that is harder than nickel but softer than stainless steel. Idea is that you don’t get the notorious acoustic ping stainless gives you but harder than nickel to avoid re-leveling or re-fretting.
They were created as a hypoallergenic alternative for people with nickle allergies. In my opinion they are just as durable and corrosion resistant (thanks to the added silicon and titanium) as stainless but much easier to work with. EVO frets are by all accounts a true Goldilocks and lie almost directly between Nickle Silver frets and Stainless Steel frets on the Vickers hardness scale. Hell of a spec on a guitar at this price range and i hope to see more makers following suit
@@michaeltyler1834 Not to mention that nickel is a known carcinogen
Thanks for the information.... 🙏
@@vubear So is everything else in a guitar. Don't eat it and you're fine.
The pickguard is weird.
I will wait for a Prestige version of the Q guitar to be released. I have read bad reviews about the craftmanship and electronics about those ones .... But I love the shape, far more familiar and beautiful than Strandberg... but those Q guitars lacks the roasted mapple and the carbon fiber reinforcement.... ARGH !!!!
I changed its neck pickup. I think the original is too dull. th-cam.com/video/cSZRdmT_Xzo/w-d-xo.html
Literally every headless guitar from behind reminds me Thanksgiving.
Thanks.
Good video, even with the bland sweater. The 1st and 2nd positions are so country, I am expecting Brad Paisley to be sporting one soon.
As soon as you started talking about the angled frets, I immediately thought that the pickups should be similarly angled. Then you said the same thing, only proving that I am starting to think like you. Good? Bad? Only time will tell.
Whats with the boring outfit it looks soooo sensible? . You make this range look 😎 kewl maybe In The future if I get headless it WILL be this one
As an Ibanez fan for over 20 years ... the quest is the prius of headless guitars....
They could have brought back the Reb Beach bridge cutaway to make it look cooler.
i would like to have one of these ibanez guitars, but not with these fanned frets, instead frets like the ones Tolgahan Çoğulu built in, to play some eastern scales oriented stuff^^. i think microtonal was the term for it.
I’ll never buy a Indonesia Ibanez again. Terrible finish and flaws. Korea guitars are very good, or Japan of course.
If the neck feels right… I’d be into playing/owning one.
Seems to have more S dna than RG. But that S vibe is very much Ibanez to me. I like it.
5:33 My first thought was that Ibanez took a page from Strandberg, though that Mayones Hydra (later in the video) reminded me that several guitar makers could be an influence. Thanks for the thoughtful review: really useful...
27:40 - "Not a lot of gain on there....CRUNCH CRUNCH CRUNCH!!!! CRUNCH." lol
Damn bro, that's an ugly axe. Looks like someone lost a foot in a rocking chair accident.
None of the sounds catched me however... should I say it sounds liveless?
Ichika Nito's signature one actually doesn't have the slanted frets 🤣
You said "super honky" at position 4. Sounds so weird coming from a German.
How does it compare to a Vola OZ? Both are kind of a modern takes on the strat thingy (yes, the OZ is more traditional), but those seem to be a real bargain considering where they are produced.
Apples and oranges. The Vola is not headless, and it's not designed to be ultra-ergonomic and lighweight like the Quest. The Vola doesn't have the same pickup switching system. That said, they're gorgeous instruments, made in Japan. I've been lusting over their single coil 7 strings for some time.
I can see the band DEVO using it. Whip it! Whip it good!
I really wish Ibanes,would release a left handed version of these headless guitars, they seem really good
That noodle track at the beginning was exquisite!
All headless guitars suck!
Stop that nonsense... And yeah, "weird look" is a bad thing now
Just goes to show you what they'd been saying for years...The wood of a solid body guitar is there for structure and esthetics. It probably has little to do with the overall sound. To my mind, this particular guitar is gorgeous and sounds even better!
On that note...you're the guy I always dream of being when I walk into my local guitar center. I'm deeply impressed with this little guitar.
It's nyatoh. That's mahogany like. And it sounds good...but not big, like a Les Paul. Because it is not big, like a Les Paul.
You tone wood deniers are like flat eartherss, I swear.
@@lueyteledeluxe7457or maybe it doesn't sound like a les paul because it doesn't have the pickups, scale length or pickup position comparable to a les paul.
@@lueyteledeluxe7457 The string vibrates, and the pickup transmits that to the amp. What does the 'tone wood' behind the pickups do in that situation? Nothing.
Honestly it's natural acoustics are really good , playing unplugged feels nice.
best review
I like the guitar, but don't dig the pickups at all. Very flat frequency range to my ears. I could always swap out the pickups though. What is the weight of the guitar? You may have mentioned it and I missed. Thanks.
They are right around 5 lbs.
@@56brever nice, thanks!
I don't like the Ibanez brand but this guitar is amazing
Sieht cool aus, aber das Design sieht do fast genau so aus wie die alten Steinberger Headless Gitarren? Und wie sind die Gitarren im Vergleich zu Strandberg Gitarren, die ein klein wenig mehr kosten, aber ein Tremolo haben, wenn man eins will?
Looking at 6 strings. The Standard 6 with trem is €1700 at Thomann. The most expensive Quest is €1200. €500 at this price point is quite a bit. Although you'll probably get your Strandberg a lot quicker.
I have a Strandberg Prog 6 myself. Fantastic guitar but certainly not perfect. As far as the body shape goes, if you don't play in classical position you don't really notice much difference. Also, the upper strap button is on the back of the body, poking your chest which is a tad annoying.
The neck heel is slimmer on newer, higher end models. Not sure if the Standard have those already. The older neck heel is thicker than you'd expect on something this modern.
Last big difference is the frets. On the Ibanez they're slanted, equal angle along the neck. Strandberg uses fanned frets. On the 6 strings the 0 fret is parallel with the angle becoming steeper further down. Combined with the 20" fretboard radius, bigger chords can get rather awkward the higher you go.
Looks great except that black pick guard.
I think it’s a good call on the redesign.
Tempting. Will wait for the pickguard to fall though, an ebony fretboard and some decent colors 😜
The first headless I really wanted to try, mostly because it's the first to not cost 1600 bucks
Kantai Collection 艦隊これギター KanColle Guitar th-cam.com/video/NBz7ed2Lglo/w-d-xo.html
Cowboy Bebop Ending Theme guitar th-cam.com/video/f6M-oWsRE9Q/w-d-xo.html
King of Fighters XV Krizalid's boss stage theme th-cam.com/video/Hp7THmIQiXk/w-d-xo.html
this guitar needs a trem ASAP!!
That sweater is stupid! Nice man tho.
Ummmmm, who are you and what did you do to Henning? A plain beige sweater?....!!!!!!!!!! What the.......WHAT!!!!!!!!!
JApanise name haha lol
you look like austrian ghandi
This demo at 3:00, are the pick up‘s crappy or is that sound / amp a problem? For me it sounds horrible. Sin and edgy…
I'm 5ft" 3, and 180 pounds that guitar might be perfect for me
you did not mention how its neck profile feels like, or did not emphasize it
I still contend that I am watching Uncle Fester play really good guitar without wearing his fur coat!
And apparently needing glasses!
Oh wow the shot where he holds the tail end and it just…….. levitates? What the actual lol.
Crooked frets? Well slanted inwards. Rickenbacker made those way back in 1972. Custom option from 1969 and on really. Didn't caught on. Nothing new here. Fanned frets was on an instrument from 17th century. Headless - successfully - was made by Steinberger in 1980. Did caught on. Les Paul did have headless first though, on a metal Les Paul, didn't caught on. Went out of tune in broad daylight...
it IS a multiscale as fast as the total scale length differs between the high e-string and low e-string period. And it does on these guitars. I've read the specifications on Ibanez site, and they're full of it, stating 25.5 all over. It sure isn't, I've made measurements on a real one. "Slanted to facilitate four finger tapping". Oh, how niched can we get...If you put any other guitar down on your lap like a lap steel guitar, it facilitates and simplifies tapping to a considerably larger degree than this one. Even Trevor Gunn who is a major heavyweight in tapping his touch Warr guitar, has started to play with his Warr guitar on his lap/knees. You should not tap while having it hanging around your neck... it should reside like a pedal steel guitar on a stand, or on your lap. You have more control and visibility of all the neck if viewed from above.
Why the pickups aren't slanted accordingly beats me though...or special made for this instruments beats me. However, the pickups different combinations with that switch makes it very versatile instrument, a swiss army knife, but there's hardly any problem incorporate this on any other instrument too. And today, these days, in 2022, no, I don't want any hum any more on any single coil pickups, neither passive, nor actives. It's been ages ago since that one was solved without interfering the vintage tone, or single coil tone. It's not rocket science, or price increasing manufacturing.
The gold EVO frets are harder than regular nickel-silver(?) frets, but not as hard as Stainless steel.
If all else fails blame Alex?
MVP sounds like the input gain is to cold.
The guitar would be good for my back, yes... but then I'd still be lugging around my Mesa/Boogie 50/50 and cabs.... and fx flightcase... So same difference I'd say... ;P The weight of my guitar is usually not the issue ;P
So Dan is kinda like Midas.. except for he has to drop stuff for it to turn to gold? (Which, come to think of it, that'd actually be more practical)
Ibanez Has always not done just Ibanez! They do it all, and always have, and that all the way back in the 70's! Their artist series took points from alembic and other hand makers, then they Copied Gibsons and Fenders, just better, and followed Tobias, Hamer, Jackson... you name it! They have been doing what lesser known luthiers and smaller innovators have been doing for umpteen decades, they just always get it out some 5 to 10 years later than the ones who come up with the stuff. The one you are reviewing basically their take on a Strandberg without the "Endur" Neck design, as is the Mayonnaise (Pun intended) and others that are not illegally copied copies!!
Hi there...Do you like the 2 humbucker Ibanez headless.....Thanks
Ich hab sowohl Strandberg als auch HB Dullahan Headless Gitarren probiert. Irgendwie hab ich immer das Gefühl von "Spielzeuggitarren" in meinen Händen, ergonomisch + leicht ja, aber irgendwie fehlt da so das Gefühl, was "vernünftiges" zwischen den Fingern zu haben. Irgendwie ist auch die Ansprache von Headless Gitarren ziemlich anders als von "normalen". Irgendwie nichts für mich (trotz meiner enormen Rückenprobleme). Bevorzuge eindeutig PRS, Les Pauliges, Strat, JEMs etc. Ich bin alt.....................................
Looks like a Kiesel ripoff
Man im so happy my dumbass kid-self stuck with the ol geetar...but these days iv been sticken with G.A.S. its been tough.
Mr Henning here plays his soul out as often he does, great. And if opportunity arises with Ibanez please try the two seven strings Quest (as you pointed out in the video) you views are cherished 🤟 👍
No pickguard, neck-through with ebony fingerboard with a different color and sold… it’s kinda neat but I’ll pass for now…
I won't buy a guitar if I don't like the way it looks. And i really don't like how this looks. A headless RGA would have been perfect.
For my money, the best (in Hennings own words) shit guitarist on youtube! To be clear, You make me feel like I've wasted 35 years, Henning.
Nonchalantly mentions fret material... which turns out to be Jescar EVO... probably the best spec on the guitar! I'm waiting for him to say "it apparently comes with a free Hoffee case... whatever that is"
Your tapping sounded like an 80's video game at first LOL. Definitely do not like all that hardware hanging off the back of the body. Peace brother you n yours be safe.
Almost disliked the video because of the absence of a cool sweater :')
Anyway, waiting for some other color schemes since I hope there will be more models in 2022. Thank's for the honnest review as always :)
Hi Henning... Did you know the Ortega Horse Kick have a looper? Would love to see you review it. Troy from Alantic City 🌆
I beg to disagree about the visual design, tbh. It seems cut from the same cloth as the S series for sure.
Owned one for a day - felt like B stock so I returned it... pots felt loose, a washer was missing from one of the tuning pegs, and the bridge felt like it's made from very cheap metals. The pickups were extremely boomy as well. Not a fan tbh
Nice review, except skipping through the nerd. I like to hear the nut size. I like the bigger necks, and find the skinny necks are harder to play.