Tuesday, June 30, 2009

Ibanez Darkstone

Posted by Jon in • Guitar News,

Ibanez Darkstone
The Ibanez Darkstone is currently being advertised on the Ibanez UK site and aside from the name which is a little to close to Gibson’s Dark Fire for my liking it is quite a departure from their usual pointy headstocked shred machines we know and love, well I do. The Darkstone is better known as the DN500 and shares some of the styling of the FR1620, a Telecaster inspired guitar featuring Ibanez’s Tight-End bridge. The DN500 however features a Tight-Tune Bridge and Tailpiece designed to lock down securely and prevent any kind of wobble or movement. Each saddle is locked into the base plate, and the bridge is anchored by stud bolts into the body of the guitar. Furthermore, the studs are also locked onto the base plate so that the maximum vibration from the string is transferred to the body. Ibanez say that the guitar features a solid, rich and resonant heavy tone due to the Sapele body and set neck. The tone pot doubles as a coil split switch when pulled into the up position to increase the tonal variations from the 3 way selector.

Personally I prefer the FR1620 to the DN500, it has a much classier body shape and, having played it, and incredibly thick and powerful tone and a great Wizard Maple neck with a Walnut fingerboard. The DN500 has a strange cutout where the rear strap button is situated which makes it look a bit BC Rich or something and I don’t really like the inlays so much, but that is just my opinion.

For more information and images check out the Ibanez Darkstone microsite

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