You've never seen one like this, I promise...

[Masta' C]

Just as I was about to give into my urges and order an Iceman in lime green metal flake, much to my wife's dismay, I found a body builder who was willing to work with me on an idea that I've had for a LONG time...a less "X" shaped, slightly more Explorer-ish take on the original Ibanez "Xiphos" concept!

I love the Xiphos look in general, but I hate how the stock shape balances and I've always thought the wings were a bit too e"X"treme. So, I drew up this simple shape modification about 8 years ago and now it's finally going to become a real guitar!

I've always imagined doing a satin black finish with either satin lime green metallic OR gloss lime green metal flake on the bevels for maximum contrast (slightly gawdy, but edgy...kind of my thing!)

Here's a rough mock-up of what it might look like once finished...what do you guys think?

I know this shape isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, but for a confident, classy, hyper-modern style, is that sick or what!?!? :headbang:

Ibanez should pay me, ha ha!

I have the builder making both a hardtail and a Floyded version of the body for me, which I will mate to a pair of Ibanez necks I already have on hand (one being the blacked-out, reverse headstock, ebony board model shown above!).

I'm through-the-roof excited about this!

 

[80's_Thrash_Metal]

That's hawt! I'd call that a Deth-Xplorer

 

[Mincer]

It isn't my thing, but I will say I like it a lot better than an Iceman. And the color is pretty cool, too.

 

[ICTGoober]

Ibanez should sue me, ha ha!

Fixed it for ya!

 

[Artie]

Nice. Love the green. I'm not crazy about the reverse headstock. I've got one on a Warlock. But I see you're using a neck you already have, so that makes sense.

What pups are you thinking of using?

 

[Masta' C]

Fixed it for ya!

Ha ha! Thanks!

:lmao:

 

[eclecticsynergy]

Very slick looking. The green flake & black is super cool.
Maybe call it the Exterminator!

 

[Masta' C]

What pups are you thinking of using?

I'm thinking of putting a set of Custom Shop JB/Jazz "Rail" humbuckers in one and a set of DiMarzio/IBZ humbuckers from an older Prestige model in the other.

Problem is, I'm not sure which (trem vs hard tail) to use for each

Also, I have a set of "Blackened" JB/'59 I've been holding onto and even a second set of the JB/Jazz "Rail" pickups I mentioned above...SO many cool options!

 

[Artie]

I'm thinking of putting a set of Custom Shop JB/Jazz "Rail" humbuckers in one . . .

If you're thinking of "rails", the El Diablo / Ric "bass" pair would be cool.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Looks super cool!

 

[zionstrat]

Love the look, but I've never understood reverse tuners and have pretty much fumbled around anytime I've tried them.

What is it that you like about them and how do they help this build?

 

[Mincer]

Reversed tuners were always an ergonomic mess for me, but hey, I have an issue with standard tuners anyway!

 

[solspirit]

Just as I was about to give into my urges and order an Iceman in lime green metal flake, much to my wife's dismay, I found a body builder who was willing to work with me on an idea that I've had for a LONG time...a less "X" shaped, slightly more Explorer-ish take on the original Ibanez "Xiphos" concept!

I love the Xiphos look in general, but I hate how the stock shape balances and I've always thought the wings were a bit too e"X"treme. So, I drew up this simple shape modification about 8 years ago and now it's finally going to become a real guitar!

I've always imagined doing a satin black finish with either satin lime green metallic OR gloss lime green metal flake on the bevels for maximum contrast (slightly gawdy, but edgy...kind of my thing!)

Here's a rough mock-up of what it might look like once finished...what do you guys think?

I know this shape isn't going to be everyone's cup of tea, but for a confident, classy, hyper-modern style, is that sick or what!?!? :headbang:

Ibanez should pay me, ha ha!

I have the builder making both a hardtail and a Floyded version of the body for me, which I will mate to a pair of Ibanez necks I already have on hand (one being the blacked-out, reverse headstock, ebony board model shown above!).

I'm through-the-roof excited about this!

I'm not really a polnty guitar guy but that is cool.

 

[GuitarDoc]

I like the concept and love the color of the body. Kinda a similar idea to my latest build (I'll post pics when it's finished in a few months).
I'm really not into pointies nor do I like reverse headstocks, but I get it.

 

[Masta' C]

Thank you!

I've never had an issue adapting to a reverse headstock, but I agree that the standard orientation looks a bit nicer

The trem body will definitely get paired with a reverse headstock simply because that's the only Ibanez neck I have with a locking nut. Plus, it's already satin black from the factory and it has an ebony board, which is pretty rare for an Ibanez.

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I've never had an issue adapting to a reverse headstock, but I agree that the standard orientation looks a bit nicer

I disagree. The Ibanez headstock in particular looks amazing when reverse.

I think it has to do more with the design of the rest of the guitar itself. For example, to me, an explorer or a Rhoads with a reversed headstock looks so off and unbalanced. But a superstrat just looks mean. JMO.

 

[Chistopher]

Very nice. What's the idea behind the strap button placement?

 

[Masta' C]

Very nice. What's the idea behind the strap button placement?

The strap button you see in the pic under the top horn is just where Ibanez put it from the factory (I photoshopped a stock image to share this shape).

I'll most likely put the top strap button on the back of the guitar.

 

[Masta' C]

I disagree. The Ibanez headstock in particular looks amazing when reverse.

I think it has to do more with the design of the rest of the guitar itself. For example, to me, an explorer or a Rhoads with a reversed headstock looks so off and unbalanced. But a superstrat just looks mean. JMO.

I don't think the Ibanez headstock looks "bad" in reverse at all. In fact, I think it works well both ways with this particular shape.

Funny you should mention the Rhoads, though...I used to feel a reversed Jackson headstock looked really bad on any guitar, but after owning a Matt Tuck signature for a while, the oddness of that combo really grew on me! Visually, it's just "different"...

Jackson even brought it back for the new Christian Andreu (Gojira) signature, which I think looks pretty slick:

 

[DankStar]

like a kelly from hell. a Helly!