Wednesday, January 22, 2020

Re-string: Ibanez SZR520


So I had some playing time last weekend despite being busy. No point dwelling into something that doesn't have a definite end, engage in your indulgences instead, it helps to keep you sane. I simply love this one, more than the standard SZ models. The SZR, folks, were the final iteration of the SZ series before Ibanez killed everything off. A little sad considering the SZ model was the stronghold when it comes to sales. They decided to get a little quirky before ending things & you have the SZR here which looks like a botched design of the SZ. Actually, Ibanez already have a similar design in its archives; the Ghost Rider but this one is not one of those. 


The headstock design was the major departure from the SZ & it closely resembles the aforementioned Ghost Rider. If they expand the width of this outline, you'd get a PRS Silver Sky headstock 😆


These are my absolute favourite when it comes to in-house Ibanez pickups. Only for this year of manufacture, the SZR was equipped with the NDR-1 humbuckers. The magnets used are neodymium & showcase some OTT drive reaction. I have to say it's one of the meanest I've come across before we enter into active territory. Come to think of it, a speaker magnet was used instead of the ceramic & alnico selections preferred by countless manufacturers. Now you understand why I keep them in tact. 


I have a set of 9.5s in there as it sports a 25.1" scale length. Please do not believe whatever Ibanez encyclopaedia out there stating a 24.75" scale length as I've measured this one personally. 

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