Alex, Just checked out 280507. Beautiful piece of work there - love the colors. I figured that incredible body color had to be from a stain but was amazed when I noticed the note that said there was no stain used on the guitar. Guess you expecting that! Great close up shots of the paduak surface. Anyway, I'm sure it plays just as good as it looks - a 26" scale?? Awesome........!! Based on the quality of the hardware on Roy B I know those knobs are smooth as silk but built to last...... Nice job.   Mark

HI Alex, Re:280507....Very nice work yet again, love the colors!! You know I love the one piece bodies, and very nice touch with the no switch cover. Can't hide anything there!! Nacked and beautiful, just the way I like them. Cheers, Orlando (AU)

Another beauty! Simple clean lines - love the wood grain - Pure Zachary.
Your photography is superb also, the uncut grass is the perfect background for this guitar, looks right at home with nature.   Eagle

Just seen the new Ibanez Jem (aka 280507). I'd call it "Perfection" - except you have a habit of making ever-better ones! But this must represent the pinnacle of the Z3 design, from the sublime choice of woods (paduak has such a rich natural colour ) and the black hardware which complements it perfectly, right down to knurled control knobs and the minimalistic cavities for the electrics. Ludwik (UK)

Hey Alex, 280507 looks like a fine woman. That is some chunk of wood you got there! The color is spectacular; looks like blood and fire at the same time. And the shape of the weapon looks like a stealthy, brutal killing machine - if she wanted to be. The Z trem is the razor's edge, the knife in this lady's hand. The Zach Attacks are, of course, my personal favorite. I love the side shot you have of the upper bout of the body. It shows the ergonomically correct lines that will hug a player like a fine woman should. This lady is dangerous - if she wanted to be. She's got this great shape, great curves, great lines - and she's physically fit from top to bottom. She looks like blood and fire flying through outer space. She looks like a Firestar. Congrats!!!!!!!    Ted Noiz

She arrived this morning. According to UPS tracking, she's been through about 3 airports in the US and two more in the UK. And she was in perfect tune on arrival ! Unbelievable.

I played her for about an hour unplugged, then for another couple of hours plugged in. And then what we call "band practice" for another three hours. My fingers are sore!

What an amazing guitar. The paduak looks better in real life - the grain is more pronounced when the light catches and moves over it and the colour is a touch darker than the photos suggested. I love the way the yellowheart position markers catch the light on the fretboard. The yellowheart feels slicker than the maple of Gaia (010902) and the neck is slightly thinner. The compound radius enhances the playability. It's subtle, but it makes a very real difference. And of course the ebony board is a joy under the fingers. I though Gaia was the ultimate shred axe - but the Z3T is even better. That neck is soooo fast. This guitar is a sheer delight to play.

Acoustically, the tone is very bright and resonant - there's more edge than the darker warmer tone of Gaia. Plugged in confirms the impression. Definitely more mid-top, but a touch less warmth. The harder, more aggressive tone cuts through the mix better than Gaia, though. The p/ups don't seem to have quite as much output as Gaia's, but the "quack position" is more pronounced and has more sparkle. This makes it easier to go from clean by rolling back on the volume to full-on searing overdrive.

I would have expected the trem to rob a bit of sustain. It doesn't. I thought Gaia was exceptional in this regard - this is better, from cello-like on the lower strings to outright scream on the high frets. Going to the front p/up and rolling back on the tone produces Clapton's "woman tone" and near-infinite sustain. It's wonderful the way notes can be picked softly and made to bloom with a touch of vibrato.

I've only scratched the surface of the guitar's depths, of course. It always takes me a while to learn to get the best out of an instrument. I know Gaia inside out and back to front, so I know exactly how she responds. The Z3T is different and with something as sensitive as this, it's going to take me a while to learn to get the best out of her.

The trem is superb - both for sensitivity and outrageous stability. The longer arm makes it much easier to control, too. But I'm going to have to change the way I use the volume knob as the trem arm gets in the way of my pinky!

Was it worth the 3 year wait - you bet! Every minute of it. "Thank you" is such an inadequate expression.

Enough raving for now.      Best,  Ludwik (UK)