Ibanez 440P Hybrid

Ibanez Vintage/Purists...turn back now...still w/me? Okay...this is an amalgamation of parts that started life as a gift of an SRV Pickguard from the love of my life...MISHA. Thank you my Darling Misha. The part of this guitar that is IBANEZ is the sweetheart of a neck I procured by accident as I perused eBay. This neck is a bit of a mystery. I've only found one 440P on the internet, owned and for sale by some guy in Australia. He stated the same as to it's mystery/rarity..."rare as hen's teeth". I also ran across some info that says it may have been a "prototype" for the 540P which was a 1987 Production Model. The neck has the most popular pointy RG type Ibanez Headstock, still in use today, although it has a Roadstar Series logo in small print below the Ibanez Logo...it has a 1987 Made in Japan Serial Number in the low 5000s and a RG440 Designation sticker on the back of the headstock, and, a G 440P heel stamp. So what is it??? It is apparently a 1987 Japanese Prototype 440P (Power) Neck. These were integral in making a mark on the US Market and Players world wide as Ibanez entered the market. The neck has a Rosewood Fretboard, 22 Jumbo Frets and a contour similar to an Ultra or JS type neck. It's not the thin Wizard or even thinner Wizard II , but more of a Standard Strat type contour. 12" Radius. Cosmo Black Tuners, Ibanez Trimlock nut and string retainer bar. Whatever it is...it's one comfortable and sweet playing quality neck.

I already had the SRV Pickguard, which I cut to accept a Floyd Rose Original Bridge, in black of course. Loaded the pickguard w/Seymour Duncan Hot Rails in the neck and bridge and a Jackson J100 USA Single Coil in the middle position. Hooked up to 500k Volume, TBX Tone for neck and bridge and 250K Tone for Jackson SC. 5 way switch w/standard wiring for 5 way and HSH set up. Positions 2 & 4 tap and combine coils.

This got mounted to a beautiful new solid maple Strat Body from Allparts that is finished in a truly incredible REDBURST Finish . Mounted w/a Fender Jimi Hendrix Neckplate...yeah, it's chrome and doesn't match...but I dig the Jimi vibe.

Original Floyd is top mounted, not recessed, ala Eddie Van Halen, and interestingly enough, ala the actual Ibanez 440P that I found pictures of on the web. Set up w/10-48 strings. Black hardware and compliments all around, w/the exception of the Jimi Neckplate.

Features...I'd give it a 9...I picked them all myself, but it's in no way maxed out...may add an active mid boost (Chandler Tone X) or Black Ice circuit in the future or even change the Pickguard and install a Super Distortion or Evolution in the bridge and a PAF Pro or Air Norton in the neck.

It's a rip roaring versatile and powerful Iba-strat! Maple neck makes it sustain and brightens the sound, rosewood neck and floyd thin it out but it sustains quite fine and sounds great for either rhythm or leads through a 1980 Marshall JMP 50W Combo. I run it dry through either a Boss Metal Zone pedal for heavy music, an Ibanez TS9 Turbo for vintage and alternative stuff. Overdrives the amp fine when plugged straight in. Clean sounds are excellent in position 3 w/the Jackson J100, positions 2 & 5 have are good clean as well w/a bit more power and drive.

Sound....I'll rate a 9 as you can always change the sounds.

Excellent. No gaps, routes are clean, all the parts were new w/the exception of the neck, which fit the pocket like a glove, and had a wonderful assembly by Ibanez way back when and by whoever worked on it since it left the building. Had a local tech put it all together and he did a hell of a job. It's a bit of a clash between the SRV Strat look of the body and the Floyd Rose and Ibanez Neck...but it does look impressive...after all...it's one of a kind.

Yes. Quality components, assembled to last and will be well taken care of. As a "hobbiest", I only play w/a few friends or own my own. Only performances are for my kids and family. Installed a black Dimarzio Leather Straplok so this baby's not flying off anywhere. Dependable, but common sense should tell anyone that you always need a backup if you're a performing w/a Floyd equipped instrument...simply due to string breakage/change issues.

Ibanez responds to calls/e-mail. That's a bonus to me. Fender sucks...period. Seymour Duncan...excellent service and response.

Playing since 1989. Own one handmade acoustic 6 string, 4 Electric, a vintage Marshall tube amp, couple of pedals.

If it were stolen or lost...easy...I'd build it again...although I'd probably go w/a Warmoth Maple/Maple Neck as I wouldn't be able to replace the 440P Neck.

Love the neck, the body, the pickguard, pickups, bridge...obviously...I assembled the specific parts and had this built to the sum of all the components guitars that I have absolutely loved on some of the guitars that I have owned through the years...but found in one guitar at a reasonable "price to quality ratio".

This guitar is hard to compare to others as it is basically a Super Strat inbreeding of an Ibanez RG type shred guitar w/a classic Fender Strat. I had looked at buying used...Ibanez RG550 or RG565, Charvel Spectrum, Fender HM Strat, BC Rich Gunslinger but the prices were kind of ridiculous and they were all...well...used. Looked at new Fender, Ibanez, Schecter...each had some great models to offer, especially Schecter, but I had most of the parts sitting in my house waiting to be put together on a body and neck! Decision made. I'd rather have one guitar that is exactly what I want than 3 or 4 that are sort of what I want...you too (?)...so go build your own!!!