New Xiphos

[Neon_Knight_]

I like the xiphoses, xiphi, what is pleural of xiphos?

If you're taking them through airport security, it's "guitars". 😅

⚔️

 

[Sleazy_D]

Small update for those who might buy one. Had to send both guitars back to Sweetwater for a further look into why when you bend the high E and the note dies, on both Xiphos. The determined that the frets were slightly not level in some spots. Of course, Sweetwater is the shit, and they will PLEK it at no cost. I’m not saying I got a lemon, but that’s two Indo Ibanez that cost more than 1K USD that needed further work to be playable.

 

[KnightBrolaire]

Small update for those who might buy one. Had to send both guitars back to Sweetwater for a further look into why when you bend the high E and the note dies, on both Xiphos. The determined that the frets were slightly not level in some spots. Of course, Sweetwater is the shit, and they will PLEK it at no cost. I’m not saying I got a lemon, but that’s two Indo Ibanez that cost more than 1K USD that needed further work to be playable.

nick at axe palace has said that ibanez fretwork has been pretty terrible as of late. His techs have had to do a lot of fret work over the last year on low-mid tier ibanez apparently.

 

[Grindspine]

Small update for those who might buy one. Had to send both guitars back to Sweetwater for a further look into why when you bend the high E and the note dies, on both Xiphos. The determined that the frets were slightly not level in some spots. Of course, Sweetwater is the shit, and they will PLEK it at no cost. I’m not saying I got a lemon, but that’s two Indo Ibanez that cost more than 1K USD that needed further work to be playable.

As nice as some mid-tier Ibanez guitars look, I have a hard time trusting anything below Prestige level. But that is also vs the PRS guitars that I have and two Korean imports that were in that same PLEK machine.

 

[Matt08642]

As nice as some mid-tier Ibanez guitars look, I have a hard time trusting anything below Prestige level. But that is also vs the PRS guitars that I have and two Korean imports that were in that same PLEK machine.

I'd only buy Ibanez stuff at this point from IbanezRules, since I know Rich will actually make sure things work as they should before sending it out the door to you. This includes random premiums/Indonesian stuff he'll get in sometimes.

I love Ibanez, most of my stuff is Ibanez, but they can really crap out some shitty shit sometimes

 

[Sleazy_D]

it’s like a different guitar. Sweetwater rules. Indo Ibanez does not.

 

[Northfall]

I've been GASing for a Xiphos six-shooter lately. For disclaimer, I actually bought a Xiphos 7 last year, and returned it to the vendor shortly after. Aside from the fit/finish issues I returned it for, the guitar didn't sound great - but I think the strings may have just been dead af by that point also. How do you like the D-Activators that came loaded? Your Sweetwater recommendation actually makes a lot of sense, and now I'm re-interested in getting one of these, because they're extremely comfortable sitters.

 

[Neon_Knight_]

I've been GASing for a Xiphos six-shooter lately. For disclaimer, I actually bought a Xiphos 7 last year, and returned it to the vendor shortly after. Aside from the fit/finish issues I returned it for, the guitar didn't sound great - but I think the strings may have just been dead af by that point also. How do you like the D-Activators that came loaded? Your Sweetwater recommendation actually makes a lot of sense, and now I'm re-interested in getting one of these, because they're extremely comfortable sitters.

They really are "extremely comfortable sitters".

I love the D Activators in my XPT700 (2007 Xiphos, with maple neck-thru & mahogany wings)...so much that I'm sometimes tempted to install D Activators in all 9 of my Ibanez guitars. The only thing stopping me is that it would be "boring" to have the same pickups in every guitar.
I'd say D Activators are ideal for the styles most people would associate with a black pointy "metal" guitar shape, but are more versatile and less modern than most people expect from the name.