Ibanez Hoshino certainly know how to commemorate an anniversary. For example, to celebrate Steve Vai’s 25th year of endorsement with them the Japanese company put together a limited number of replicas of his number-one guitar, EVO, that were identical down to the last nick and chip.
Now it’s guitarist Joe Satriani’s turn and, typically of a man who’s renowned for his left-field creativity, he has personally hand-decorated just 50 guitars to form the JS25ART series. He transformed bodies that had already been sprayed black with a unique design applied with a kaleidoscope of coloured marker pens. His natty drawings and set of unique characters have long adorned his signature picks and straps, but these guitars raise the quality stakes.
The contrast of the eye-popping colours with the black background ensures they’re genuinely stunning up close, and the Ibanez website provides exhaustive details on each and every one.
The remainder of the spec includes Satriani’s personal choice of DiMarzio pickups, a Mo’ Joe and single coil-sized Satch Track, as well as the sturdy Edge double-locking whammy, and a maple neck trumpeted by Ibanez as the thinnest JS ever.
It’s a little unnerving to actually strap one on in anger, but it plays wonderfully. Satriani gets a massive sound, and this guitar has no trouble getting you to a similar tonal ball park. In short, with one of these you’ll sound as good as you look.
This is an inspirational concept, and we’re pretty sure the 50 guitars, with only a tiny number available in Europe, will fly out of the door. The price tag is almost immaterial – if you’re a Satriani fan, you need one of these.
£4,599. For more information contact Headstock Distribution on 0121 508 6666.
