Ibanez RG2011SC 30-Fret 2011 LTD | Black

This is one of the coolest "because we can" guitars Ibanez has ever built. Most companies stop at 24 frets. Ibanez looked at that and said, "Yeah... but what if we made it 30?" Somehow, they made it work without turning it into a gimmick. This was a limited-edition Prestige Showcase model built by FujiGen in Japan, and it feels every bit like the engineering exercise it was meant to be.

The party trick is obviously those 30 frets. To make room, the neck pickup had to go, so Ibanez did something brilliantly nerdy: they created an onboard preamp that simulates a neck pickup using the bridge pickup's signal. It runs on a 9V battery, keeps the familiar 5-way switching intact, and somehow gives you the best of both worlds. It's the kind of solution that makes you smile because someone clearly refused to accept "that's impossible" as an answer.

The rest of the guitar is exactly what you'd hope for from a Japanese Prestige. A lightweight alder body, 5-piece maple/walnut neck, silky All Access Neck Joint, Edge Zero tremolo with the ZPS3 stabilizer, and a DiMarzio Tone Zone/True Velvet pairing that covers everything from articulate cleans to full-blown shred.

If you've already got a collection of great superstrats, this is the one that people stop and ask about. Limited production, genuinely innovative, and unmistakably Ibanez. I have a soft spot for guitars that take a big swing instead of playing it safe, and this one absolutely belongs in that category.

Weight: 7lbs 15oz
Model: RG2011SC Prestige
Years Offered: 2011
Made In: Japan
Finish: Black
Body: Alder
Binding: White Pearloid
Neck Joint: AANJ (All Access Neck Joint)
Neck: 5-Piece Maple/Walnut
Neck Profile: RG2011SC Prestige
Fingerboard: Rosewood
Inlays: Pearl Dot
Frets: 30 Jumbo Nickel Silver
Scale Length: 25.5" (648 mm)
Nut: 43 mm Barless Top-Lok
Bridge Pickup: DiMarzio The Tone Zone (H)
Middle Pickup: DiMarzio True Velvet (S)
Pickup Configuration: HS
Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone, 5-Way Selector
Battery: 9V
Output Jack: ¼" Angled Side-Mounted Stereo Jack
Bridge: Edge Zero Tremolo with ZPS3 Stabilizer (10.8 mm String Spacing)
Tuners: Gotoh SG381
Hardware: Cosmo Black
Pickguard: 3-Ply White Pearloid/Black/White
Knobs: White Plastic Top Hat
Notes: Excellent condition with only minor signs of use, including a few light scuffs. Includes the original Ibanez hard case and original accessories.