Ember! - Ibanez SA160QM - Amber Burst

Meet Ember

She’s lived a life being young and reckless, and now she’s had time to rest and recuperate, she’s looking to get back on it! Could you be her new party partner?

Ibanez SA160QM

Finished in a gorgeous Amber Burst over a beautifully figured quilted maple top, she’s one of those guitars that quietly steals the room. Every time the light catches her top, another pattern seems to appear. For a Korean-built Ibanez from the late 90s, she’s aged remarkably well.

Built by World Musical Instruments in Korea during what many players consider one of Ibanez’s strongest eras, this SA160QM is a reminder that some of the finest instruments the company produced weren’t always the headline models.

The SA Series occupies a sweet spot in the Ibanez family. It carries the speed and effortless playability the brand is famous for, but with a little more substance than the ultra-thin S Series. The sculpted mahogany body feels wonderfully balanced, while the quilted maple top gives her an appearance far beyond her original price point.

Her versatile HSS pickup configuration means she’s equally happy delivering sparkling cleans, warm blues, classic rock crunch or modern high-gain tones. Whether you’re learning your first songs, gigging every weekend or adding another colour to your collection, Ember has plenty to offer.

She has lived a life before arriving with us, and bears a handful of honest cosmetic marks to prove it. Rather than trying to hide her story, we’ve simply helped her look her very best again. Sarah carefully carried out two colour-matched cosmetic repairs before giving the entire guitar a thorough machine polish, bringing the finish back to life while keeping the character that makes a well-loved instrument feel genuine.

Mechanically, Jordan has worked his usual magic. The frets have been levelled, crowned and polished, every fret end rounded, and the fretboard edges gently rolled for that comfortable, played-in feel. The rosewood fretboard was cleaned and conditioned before Ember received a full setup, fresh strings, intonation adjustment and electronics check. She’s now playing every bit as well as a quality Korean Ibanez should.

She isn’t perfect, she’s better than that.

She’s honest, and she’s ready for her next adventure.