E-Gen (Herman Li) - My headstock theory.

[Pursuit]

Hi all.

I've been looking at the Ibanez EGEN18 (Herman Li's signature model), and for a while I've been wondering about the logo on the headstock.


Take a look at it:


Is it just me, or does the Ibanez decal on the headstock look smaller in comparison to the tick shape than usual? And it's at an odd angle too.


This had me thinking, so I took a look at the standard S series guitars to confirm.



Sure enough, the logo was definitely larger, as it was supposed to be.

Then I remembered that, although most signature models had the tick-style logo, they were all actually Prestige instruments. I also remembered that before the EGEN, Herman Li always played the S Prestige guitars.

So I took a look at the Prestige S...



And there it was... the small logo.

So my theory is that Herman Li modified the standard tick logo that is found on signature models, so that it would have an element of the prestige instruments inside it, as a tribute to all the S Prestiges he has played.

However, I have yet to come up with a theory as to why the angle of the logo is so strange. Maybe it just looks that way because it's smaller than usual?

Can anyone confirm if my theory about the EGEN Ibanez decal is true or false?

[mi2tom]

The tick is larger not the headstock is smaller, maybe Li ask to put larger tick cos it looks cool. Just like vai's older flo headstock.

[nuno]

i think it wasn't Herman himself tinkering with the logo style or dimensions. he probably just asked Ibanez to put a MOP logo (or pearloid, whatever), à la J-Custom, and they did the rest. and i think the tick is due to the fact that all the signatures have the tick logo, instead of the lame and boring non-tick logo of the Prestiges.

[Pursuit]

Originally Posted by mi2tom

The tick is larger not the headstock is smaller, maybe Li ask to put larger tick cos it looks cool. Just like vai's older flo headstock.

Sorry, I meant the headstock LOGO, not the headstock itself lol.

So I mean that the Ibanez logo itself is smaller next to the Ibanez tick than usual.

[corey j grieve]

I too am VERY fussy about logo position! IMO, i believe that because they left off the truss rod cover they may have thought there was too much open space and have pulled back the logo to balance the area. This is the same position on JS models,however i think also it looks wrong for an S. Maybe this has been felt by many as the 2nd batch built seem to have it in the right spot,the 'I' 2mm slightly left of third tuner peg.2nd batch look much better and is the version i would want.
See below,1st then 2nd batch.And yes both are still mother of pearl 'Ibanez' inlay with screen printed tick.

[mi2tom]

Originally Posted by Pursuit

Sorry, I meant the headstock LOGO, not the headstock itself lol.

So I mean that the Ibanez logo itself is smaller next to the Ibanez tick than usual.

My bad

[nuno]

i can see forward when someone will try to sell his first batch E-Gen like "hey guys, this is the almighty and ultra rare "wrong-logo" version, don't miss it!"

[Pursuit]

Originally Posted by nuno

i can see forward when someone will try to sell his first batch E-Gen like "hey guys, this is the almighty and ultra rare "wrong-logo" version, don't miss it!"

Haha, yeah sounds about right.


I wonder what it would look like if they put one of those metal mirrored gold logos under the laquer like they did on the JEM7V, with a white/grey tick? The gold mirror logo would look good with the other gold hardware wouldn't it?

EDIT: Another question... Who agrees that the pictures taken by Ibanez on their website do the EGEN absolutely no justice? I reckon photos by owners bring out the looks much better.

[nuno]

Originally Posted by Pursuit

EDIT: Another question... Who agrees that the pictures taken by Ibanez on their website do the EGEN absolutely no justice? I reckon photos by owners bring out the looks much better.

totally agree. they never do justice. there are many models i didn't like on the catalogs, but when saw them live i fell in love with instantly.

btw, i'd like they stop using two-colors logo. the monochrome logo looks way better and can be immediately recognized from miles distance, especially when in contrast with the headstock color (white on black, black on white, white on red, gold on purple etc).