Ibanez: SA960QM

The Ibanez SA model received the Premium treatment in Fall 2013. This SA960QM guitar is finally here for our consideration but don't blame us players if it has lost its appeal after only appearing about a year later, we have other distractions along the way.

Quality/ fit/ finish

The SA960 has no issues in this department. The manufacturer's 'Premium' stamp there established it as a tier above the standard offerings & it lived up to its tag in every way. That provocative quilted maple top is an elaborate laminate because it's a little thicker than what manifested in the S870 for instance. Top marks for the stunning looks, definitely. However, I was a little upset by the loose volume & tone knobs; it's like some factory hands had forgotten to lock them in place before they left the factory. It's nothing an allen wrench could not handle so all's good here.

Playability/ tone

Warning: The SA series isn't in the same league as the RG in terms of neck profile. I wouldn't offer any adjectives alluding to slim manifestations, in fact, it's quite the opposite. The carve is substantially thicker & rounder, a very substantial C-profile. If you are a Fender fan, there would be some appeal. Despite replicating the S-Series top, the SA body profile sports a flat back & the edges only taper at the top. As such, there is no profound slimness & the body's treble-side edges sit comfortably on your lap in a sitting playing position.

The DiMarzio IBZ pickups on board are manufactured by DiMarzio in the USA. Some years back, when these pickups debuted in the Ibanez RG2XXX series, players thought they were OEM models manufactured in Asian shores but that was not the case (here's proof: CLICK). We can hear them to be of substantial tonal character in both driven & clean settings but those single coils there, they are a little under-powered & couldn't keep up with the hotter humbucker in clean applications (yes, I did raise the single coils up to procure more volume but that failed to address the circumstances). The humbucker per se excels in heavy, prog-esque tones but dialing in a wicked black metal voicing was tough. The single coils make excellent contemporary quack but if you are after an SRV-type fatness, these won't please you. Reality check- this is an Ibanez, it's not a Strat.

Conclusion

I've played many Premium models by Ibanez (currently own 2) & this SA960QM proved to be the least engaging in terms of presence despite not manifesting any visible flaws. As they say, it's lacking mojo despite being a looker. Tone wise, this SA manifest lots of smooth driven voicings typical of a DiMarzio supplemented instrument so if you are this type of player, you'd be flippin' happy. Also, if you are after that RG playability, the SA model is an alternative to that feel so be warned.

Rating: 75%

Ibanez: SA960QM

Availability: Swee Lee Co.

Price: $1,299