A Boundary-shattering Headless Axe from Ibanez
This article wasWritten By
Our Product Research Team
Get to know them!
Part of Ibanez's boundary-pushing Quest series, the QX54QM vaunts a headless design built from the ground up to maximize tone, performance, and playing comfort. This electric guitar's lightweight nyatoh body resonates with rich, woody tones, while its quilted maple top brings a subtle snap and eye-grabbing visuals into the fray. Technically minded players will be blown away by the zero-drag feel of the QX54QM's Parallel Wizard neck, and its slanted frets make intricate fretboard maneuvers like tapping, fingerstyle, and slapping feel effortless. This headless guitar's made-to-measure pickups exude amazing levels of articulation and definition that are bolstered by Ibanez's acclaimed dyna-MIX9 switching system. Rock-solid hardware, including a custom string lock and innovative Mono Tune bridge, ensures easy string changes and ultra-reliable, stage-worthy performance. Stainless steel frets round out the QX54QM's generous features. If you've been hunting for the perfect headless electric guitar — or even if you're considering your first headless instrument — the Ibanez QX54QM is guaranteed to unlock unlimited creative possibilities.
Related Videos: QX54QM - Blue Sphere Burst Flat
NOW PLAYING:Ibanez QX54QM featuring Manuel Gardner Fernandes
Ibanez Q guitar string replacement
Parallel Wizard neck makes complex playing techniques easier
The QX54QM was built for high-level, technical playing styles, evidenced by its Parallel Wizard neck. Crafted from maple and bubinga, this ultra-stable 3-piece neck is 0.75 inches thick throughout its entire length, offering amazing playability for players who prefer a higher playing position. The QX54QM's heat-treated bird's-eye maple fingerboard not only turns heads, but its frets are also equally slanted at an 8-degree angle for easy execution of tapping, fingerstyle, bass-inspired slapping, and other intricate fretboard maneuvers. This headless electric guitar also includes stainless steel frets, which ensure long-lasting durability and effortless note bending. The guitarists here at Sweetwater have found the QX54QM to be incredibly versatile — it offers a zero-drag playing experience for technical metal, jazz-rock fusion, and any experimental genre you throw at it. If your personal style involves complex playing techniques, the QX54QM will permit you to play cleaner and faster than you ever thought possible.
Made-to-measure pickups yield an endless array of tones
Designed especially for headless guitars, the Ibanez QX54QM's Q58 humbucker and R1 single-coil pickups churn out divine sonic textures with astonishing levels of articulation and definition — a must-have for elaborate riffing and intricate, rapid-fire leads. The tonal balance of these pickups is unprecedented throughout the instrument's entire range. Plug into your favorite amp, and you'll experience muscular lows that are completely devoid of muddiness and mix-piercing highs that eschew harshness for a sublime-sounding clarity that enables every note within a chord structure to be heard. These pickups exhibit little self-noise, even in high-gain applications, and they play nice with both digital and analog effects. The QX54QM incudes dyna-MIX9 switching, which provides nine different pickup combinations via an Alter Switch and 5-way lever switch. No matter the genre, the QX54QM can achieve the sound you're hearing in your head.
State-of-the-art hardware that can withstand aggressive playing styles
The QX54QM is teeming with cutting-edge, near-bulletproof hardware. Its custom string lock boast a straightforward one-piece design that's not only highly durable, but it also requires little maintenance. String changes are a breeze, and because the QX54QM doesn't require a proprietary set of strings, you can use whatever time-tested gauge and brand you'd like. You'll also appreciate the Mono Tune bridge. This expertly crafted bridge facilitates a wide intonation range, which makes down tuning a piece of cake. This headless guitar's Mono Tune bridge is also a cinch to adjust, and its streamlined saddle design lends a natural, organic character to every note you play.
Ibanez QX54QM Features:
- Headless design built from the ground up to maximize tone, performance, and playing comfort
- Compact, ergonomic nyatoh body resonates with rich, woody tones
- Quilted maple top brings a subtle snap and eye-grabbing visuals into the fray
- Ultra-stable 3-piece maple/bubinga neck with heat-treated bird's-eye maple fingerboard
- Parallel Wizard neck profile is perfect for high-level, technical playing styles
- Slanted frets facilitate easy execution of tapping, fingerstyle, bass-inspired slapping, and other intricate maneuvers
- Stainless steel frets ensure long-lasting durability and effortless note bending
- Q58/R1 pickups in a flexible HSS configuration yield astonishing levels of articulation and definition
- dyna-MIX9 switching system provides 9 different pickup combinations
- Custom string lock's straightforward 1-piece design is durable and requires little maintenance
- No proprietary strings required — continue using your favorite gauge and brand
- Mono Tune bridge provides easy adjustment and lends a natural, organic character to every note you play