NAMM 2017: Ibanez 30th Anniversary JEM
The iconic Ibanez gets a celebratory model for 2017.
Ibanez have announced a brand new JEM model to celebrate 30 years of the iconic axe.
Originally announced at the summer NAMM show of 1987, the JEM has evolved into one of the few iconic superstrat-style electric guitars. Steve Vai's signature model has become so legendary, that it is has become an icon for the Japanese brand.
Now, Ibanez is celebrating the 30th Anniversary of their relationship with Steve Vai, and the creation of the legendary JEM guitar, with the release of the new JEM777. The JEM777 is crafted with a basswood body, for a fat, well-balanced tone, and is fitted with a slim, 5pc JEM maple/walnut neck. It also includes Prestige fret edge treatment for a smooth, professional feel, traditional Disappearing Pyramid inlays, jumbo frets (scalloped from the 21st – 24th) and Vai’s signature DiMarzio Evolution pickups.
Features:
- JEM 5pc maple/walnut neck
- Basswood body
- Maple fretboard w/ Disappearing Pyramid inlay
- W/6105 frets w/ Prestige fret edge treatment
- Edge tremolo bridge
- Back Stop equipped
- DiMarzio Evolution (H) neck pickup
- DiMarzio Evolution (S) middle pickup
- DiMarzio Evolution (H) bridge pickup
- Cosmo black hardware
- Ultralite Tremolo Arm™ included
- Certificate of Authenticity (Tour Pass) included
- Special picks included
- Hardshell case included
- Finishes: Desert Sun Yellow (DY), Loch Ness Green (LG), Shocking Pink (SK)
Ibanez doing 'mini' properly
This year Ibanez have expanded their mini pedal range from the simple, but brilliant Tube Screamer Mini to now include a Chorus, Metal and gloriously a Delay.
Parent and child
Based on the Ibanez AD-9 the Analog Delay Mini offers you all the qualities of an incredibly high spec delay in a tiny package. Still made in Japan the Mini Delay is a great example of tiny pedals done well. The market has become flooded with cheap mini pedals that offer space saving at the expense of tone, this is no such pedal. Heavy weight and high quality, when put side by side against its older sibling there is little difference, which is astounding! The AD-9 is nearly £200 and with good reason, for years the AD-9 has been the bench mark for Analog delays...the mini by comparison is £70!?! A remarkable price!
so what is everyone waiting for? We've all got a tiny bit of room on our board that we could fill up, and what better way to do it than with a tiny, brilliant, legendary analog delay.
The Pedal Papers #1 - Ibanez Tone Lok LF-7 Lo Fi
In the first of a new feature series, we look at the Ibanez Tone Lok LF-7 Lo Fi filter pedal.
In this semi-regular feature, the Guitar Nerds give you the lowdown some of weird and wonderful stompboxes from the past.
THE PEDAL PAPERS #1 - IBANEZ TONE LOK LF-7 LO FI
Cast your mind back to 2001. Nu-metal was in full swing, red baseball caps were all the rage and making your guitar sound like a payphone was something that people desperately wanted to do. Step forward, the Ibanez LF-7 Lo Fi...
Released as part of the Tone-Lok series, the LF-7 was essentially a glorified EQ pedal that allowed the user to cut high or low frequencies to simulate telephone effects. Two EQ filters were paired with drive and volume controls on push-push knobs that could be pressed in and recessed inside of the pedal. This unique "Tone-Lok" design was implemented to stop the player from moving the controls with their feet mid-gig.
Not only designed for use with guitar, the LF-7 also featured drum and microphone modes, and Ibanez themselves even described it as being useful in "any mixdown context". Three early adopters of the LF-7 were Dino Cazares of Fear Factory and Head and Munkey of Korn.
While it may not be the most useful pedal in the World, I still think that the LF-7 would be a great addition for a player with a pedal board that already features an EQ for tone shaping and needs the occasional filter effect. If you can find one, they are usually reasonably priced at around £40-60.
To hear the LF-7 in action, check out this demo from Youtuber Tim Diederich: