GEAR 2021: Ibanez has unveiled its much-anticipated Lari Basilio signature guitar, the LB1. A quite exquisite T-style, the LB1 has a Violet finish, gold hardware and roasted birdseye maple neck and fingerboard.
- • NAMM 2021 is cancelled, but we'll be covering all the big January gear announcements right here on MusicRadar.
The LB1 features a number of signature flourishes, most significantly Basilio's signature Seymour Duncan pickups. Arranged in an HSS configuration and fitted with gold covers, these were wound with the LB1 in mind.
Basilio likes to get involved in all kinds of styles so it is no surprise to see that the LB1's switching options are particularly interesting.
Here Ibanez and Basilio have deployed a dyna-MIX9 switching system, which sees a mini-switch join forces with the five-way pickup selector for a total of nine sound variations from the pickups, including running both single-coils in series for a humbucker effect.
The LB1 has an ash body with a deep belly cut and a contoured heel to ease passage up to the upper frets. The birdseye maple on the neck and compound radius fingerboard has received S-TECH special roasted treatment for enhanced stability no matter the conditions. The neck has been oil-finished for a lived-in feel.
Top to bottom, the LB1 is premium. There are Luminlay glow-in-the-dark side markers down the fingerboard, jumbo stainless steel frets with Prestige fret edge treatment and MOP dot inlays.
Ibanez has beautifully brought to life my dream guitar. I am so in love with this guitar
Lari Basilio
Elsewhere, the LB1 is equipped with a Gotoh T1702B vibrato unit and Gotoh Magnum Lock tuners with a height-adjustable post (H.A.P.) system so you can fine-tune the tension of each string.
“Ibanez has beautifully brought to life my dream guitar,“ says Basilio. “I am so in love with this guitar. The playability is fantastic. I love the modern feel that it has.“
Ibanez has also revealed the long-awaited signature for English acoustic fingerstyle virtuoso Jon Gomm. Developed in close collaboration with Gomm, the JGM10 is arguably the first production line acoustic guitar to be designed for progressive acoustic players.
Gomm says he hopes that the guitar it does for modern fingerstyle acoustic guitar playing what Ibanez did for shredders in the 80s. You can read more about Gomm's JGM10 acoustic here.
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