Description
The Ibanez Alpha A528 is built for players who live in the technical side of modern metal and progressive music. If you're chasing clean sweep picking, complex chord voicings, or need a guitar that can handle both brutal low-end riffs and crystal-clear lead work, this eight-string delivers. The ergonomic body contours and asymmetric neck profile make extended playing sessions more comfortable, while the unique elbow scoop actually stabilizes your picking hand-something we've found makes a real difference during long practice or recording sessions.
The Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers are the standout feature here. These active pickups give you two distinct voices: a high-output modern tone that cuts through dense mixes, and a cleaner, more fluid sound that works surprisingly well for jazz fusion or prog passages. The basswood body keeps the tone balanced and natural, while the ebony fretboard and jumbo stainless steel frets make fast runs and complex chord work feel effortless. The Mono-rail G2 bridge provides excellent string separation-crucial when you're working with eight strings and need each note to ring clearly.
Build quality is solid throughout. The five-piece maple and walnut neck construction adds stability and clarity, and we've found the Parallel Wizard AS profile genuinely comfortable for both rhythm and lead playing. The Gotoh locking tuners are a nice touch that saves time during string changes and keeps tuning rock-solid. The luminescent side dots are practical for stage work, and the included gig bag fits the unique body shape perfectly. We've had good experience with Ibanez's recent builds, and this Alpha series represents some of their most thoughtful design work for extended-range players.
Specifications:
- Body: American Basswood with ergonomic elbow contour
- Neck: 5-piece Maple/Walnut Parallel Wizard AS (asymmetric)
- Fretboard: Ebony
- Frets: Jumbo Stainless Steel
- Pickups: Fishman Fluence Modern Humbucker Alnico (neck), Fishman Fluence Modern Humbucker Ceramic (bridge)
- Bridge: Mono-rail G2 (string-through-body or top-loading)
- Tuners: Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads
- Electronics: Fishman Fluence Voicing switch
- Inlays: Luminescent side dots
- Includes: Ibanez gig bag
Sku: A528IPT
The Fishman Fluence Modern humbuckers are the standout feature here. These active pickups give you two distinct voices: a high-output modern tone that cuts through dense mixes, and a cleaner, more fluid sound that works surprisingly well for jazz fusion or prog passages. The basswood body keeps the tone balanced and natural, while the ebony fretboard and jumbo stainless steel frets make fast runs and complex chord work feel effortless. The Mono-rail G2 bridge provides excellent string separation-crucial when you're working with eight strings and need each note to ring clearly.
Build quality is solid throughout. The five-piece maple and walnut neck construction adds stability and clarity, and we've found the Parallel Wizard AS profile genuinely comfortable for both rhythm and lead playing. The Gotoh locking tuners are a nice touch that saves time during string changes and keeps tuning rock-solid. The luminescent side dots are practical for stage work, and the included gig bag fits the unique body shape perfectly. We've had good experience with Ibanez's recent builds, and this Alpha series represents some of their most thoughtful design work for extended-range players.
Specifications:
- Body: American Basswood with ergonomic elbow contour
- Neck: 5-piece Maple/Walnut Parallel Wizard AS (asymmetric)
- Fretboard: Ebony
- Frets: Jumbo Stainless Steel
- Pickups: Fishman Fluence Modern Humbucker Alnico (neck), Fishman Fluence Modern Humbucker Ceramic (bridge)
- Bridge: Mono-rail G2 (string-through-body or top-loading)
- Tuners: Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads
- Electronics: Fishman Fluence Voicing switch
- Inlays: Luminescent side dots
- Includes: Ibanez gig bag
Sku: A528IPT
