Back in 2021, Ibanez launched its Quest range of electric guitars, and in doing so branched out into the headless guitar market for the first time.
The drop – headlined by Ichika Nito’s first-ever signature model – pitted the Japanese firm in a completely new arena and saw them square up to the likes of Strandberg, who are considered to be the market’s leading headless manufacturer.
It was a savvy move from Ibanez, which clearly set its sights on capitalizing on the growing popularity of headless models. That trend has continued to grow in 2024 (Synyster Gates is due a headless Kiesel any time now) and that's not exclusive to progressive rock circles – just look at Jacob Collier’s wild Strandberg signature guitar.
As such, Ibanez has decided to double down on its quest to dominate the headless guitar market with a revamped Q Series expansion pack, some of which has been helpfully demoed by Ichika Nito himself.
Four models have been unveiled in Ibanez’s latest wave of headless guitars, and all of them stand up to be the lineup’s best-looking models to date.
The most accessible model, the HSS-configured Q54W six-string, arrives with a Copper Metallic Matte finish, and looks to be a new-look take on the flagship Q54.
Its specs – aside from the white pickguard – are all the same, meaning there’s a nyatoh body, three-piece roasted maple/bubinga Wizard C neck and a 24-fret roasted maple fingerboard. Q58 and R1 pickups are in charge of tones, with the guitar also offering an Ibanez Mono-Tune bridge.
Ibanez has also dropped a seven-string version of that model, which has the added bonus of a Cosmic Blue Low Gloss finish that sits atop a poplar burl top. It is, notably, the first time poplar burl has been used for this particular model, which otherwise follows the spec sheet of the Q54W.
Elsewhere, two updated dual-humbucker Quest guitars have been added. The first, the Q52PB, also introduces that new Cosmic Blue Low Gloss poplar burl top finish to the regular variant, while the QX52-MGM adds a Metallic Gray Matte colorway to the multi-scale six-string (that's what the 'X' is for).
Like the HSS models, the two humbucker builds boast nyatoh bodies, three-piece necks and an assortment of other top-tier appointments, including 24 stainless steel frets and proprietary Q pickups.
We considered the original Q54 to be one of the best headless guitars currently available, giving the flagship model a five-star rating and failing to find any faults with it. By adding some flashy new tops and finishes to the range, Ibanez has made its Quest family even more appealing.
Now, we see only one direction Ibanez can take its Q Series in next: tremolos…
Visit Ibanez to find out more about its updated Q models.
