Through a rigorous R&D process spanning several years, Ibanez has reimagined the Dreadnought from the ground up, pursuing the height of rich sound, robust low end, and rich tone. This brand new body shape is called the Grand Dreadnought. Proportionally, the Grand Dreadnought body is 5% larger than a standard dreadnought, allowing for more volume, richer tone, and more powerful low end response. It's also extremely comfortable to play thanks to the extensive consideration given to its ergonomics.
After spending years of trial-and-error, Ibanez realized the out-of-the-box X-M Bracing to generate the ultimate sound standing out on the stage. The carefully designed scalloped X-bracing, the allocation of tone braces, and finger braces transmit the string vibration efficiently through the bridge to the body. The X-M Bracing creates the clear bottom and crispy treble sound with trimmed warm mid-range, yet provides a wide dynamic range and high response.
The Low Oval neck grip is designed for easy chord strumming and the Rounded Fretboard Edges provides superior playability. Thermo Aged, a special drying process, makes the neck light and hard and provides stability and better resonance.
The newly designed headstock shape is the result of thorough research and investigation. Its tapered shape provides lighter weight, as well as a straight string alignment which enhances tuning stability and reduces any neck twisting effect.
The AP11 pickup is small, lightweight and positioned so it won't inhibit the natural vibrations of the top wood. The pickup generates a highly responsive sound with minimal feedback and delivers a lively response throughout the entire frequency range. The sound is transparent and reflects the guitar's natural acoustic tone while preserving presence and mid-range. The AP11 also works well with effects such as reverb, chorus and many others.
The lightweight, scalloped bridge improves vibration efficiency for better resonance, as well as providing more flexibility in adjusting the action than usual bridge.
The Ovangkol fretboard provides greater playing comfort.
The Okoume back and sides generate a woody, warm tone when the guitar is played softly or finger-picked and provide punchy high-mids with a clear projection when strummed.
These pins really are an advantage over old-fashioned pins. Advantage™ pins are easier to take out and easier to put in than standard pins. A special bulb-shaped end makes the pin easy to grip and also prevents the pin from being pushed in too far. Best of all, with Advantage™ the pin and string stay put.
