Good news and bad news, depending on where you live! The good news is that Ibanez just unveiled Adagio and solo artist Stéphan Forté’s signature 7-string model, the SFS727. The bad news is that it’s not available in the United States.
The SFS727 features an S-shaped Basswood body with a Flamed Maple top, a Lo-Pro Edge 7 bridge, Gotoh machine heads tuners, and a Bound Rosewood fretboard with Reversed Sharktooth inlays and 27 frets. On the 27 frets and why there are so damn many, Forté said it’s simply a choice that affords you some extra options.
“One of the very exciting features on this guitar is something I’ve been using for quite some time now: the 27th fret,” said Forté. “Even though you might not need to reach the 27th fret every day, it gives you full access to the 24th, and it’s way more comfortable when trying to reach the higher notes.
“I wanted the SFS727 to be the perfect fusion of an absolute shred machine—engineered for precision and speed—and the refined elegance of a high-end dark art luxury instrument.”
The SFS727 comes loaded with a Seymour Duncan Hot Rail 7 String pickup in the neck, and a Seymour Duncan NAZGÛL in the bridge. You can check it out here, but again – if you’re outside Europe, you’re kinda screwed for the time being. Here’s hoping this makes it over the United States at some point.
