Ibanez Product Announcements

Ibanez have made a flurry of announcements at the Summer NAMM show in Nashville, including limited edition guitars, new amps and a whole lot of bass products.  Thanks to Harmony Central – here are brief descriptions and links to the headlines:

• Ibanez Introduces Additional Xiphos Series Model – the XPT700FX metal guitar with fixed-bridge simplicity and sustain to six string shredders
• Ibanez Announces Alternate Finish for Ultimate S Guitars – now come in fiery Viking Red!
• Ibanez Releases Limited Production RG770DX – the 2008 RG770DX has all the goods that made the originals such coveted collectors items, except for the Wizard neck
• Ibanez Announces 30W MIMX Amp – 30W combo, most affordable modeling amp in its class
• Ibanez Introduces 20th Anniversary Joe Satriani Guitars – JS20TH and JS20S with Silver Surfer artwork to commemorate the 20th anniversary of his Surfing With The Alien album
• Ibanez Celebrates Thirtieth Anniversary of The Classic George Benson Jazz Guitar – limited collectible small-bodied jazz guitar, only 30 available
• Ibanez Introduces SWX Bass Amp Series – compact, lightweight 20-watts, 35-watts, 65-watts, and 100-watts models
• Ibanez Announces Limited Edition Soundgear Basses with Walnut Tops – 4-string and a 5-string with mahogany bodies and walnut tops
• Ibanez Releases the BTB780BP Bass – Boutique Bass Project bass guitar, with custom Bartolini pickup and a piezo pickup the individually isolated Mono-Rail bridge  
• Ibanez Unveils Exotic Wood Acoustics – first 12-string and first left-handed models in the acoustic electric exotic wood range

In particular, the Ibanez MIMX 30 amp looks quite interesting. This 30 watter is supposed to be the most affordable in its class, yet offers a 11 amp models, 18 effects and an onboard rhythm machine.  If you want to tweak your own sound, in the “manual” mode the MIMX 30 can be operated like a standard amp with rotary pots as well.

My pick of the bunch, based on plain coolness alone, is the 20th Anniversary Joe Satriani guitars – the JS20TH and JS20S models commemorate the 20th Anniversary of his groundbreaking “Surfing with the Alien” album and his 20th year with Ibanez Guitars, and feature a Silver Surfer graphic.  The JS20TH is a limited edition, with a special “3D” version of the graphic, with only 150 copies produced – only $7999.99 each.