After some thought, I was really thinking this might be a hoax to throw us all off...But if Rich is corroborating the PIA, that's crazy!

My bank account loves these.

I dont know about that... I dont think there are enough girl players out there would would pay that amount for one of these. His core fan base is male and to alienate all the males fans to accommodate a handful of females fans who probably wont even buy one of these things, even if they were cheap would be ridiculous...

I think he just wanted to try something new and its just not going to work.

They look like cheap Chinese copies of cheap Chinese copies...

TL;DR, but DM me your connect's number...

void if posted...

Maybe, maybe not, but there are a comparatively huge number of female shredders out there when looking back over the last decade. I could easily be wrong, but then I've been right a good number of times over the years when it came to predicting some various products we now take for granted.

Me too, not when playing, and not because I need to, but because there's that cool handle built in there. Then, just as easily, I pick up my S-5570 by the upper horn, and feel no compromise at all.
Looking at the pics of these, they'll easily allow a two-finger pickup with no discomfort either.

I don't necessarily think there are either, but let's just wait and see what the future brings. If both of us were right, then maybe it would be a huge mistake, but one of the things I've always supported my friends on was their right to make their own mistakes, if that's what they really wanted to do.

It could be, but until the future arrives, everything is conjecture.

Usually when they make such a dramatic change, it accompanies something else. Like back in the day, Steve was on top of the guitar world coming of Dave Roth, Whitesnake, releasing Passion & Warfare, multiple video's on MTV etc. Right now, is he doing anything new?
I've read he is going to record again with a classical orchestra, and maybe after that start working on a new album, but we've heard that before. It would have helped I think if he released a new (succesful) project to coincide with this big move.

People can complain, but I bet that they are almost soldout.

Bet they're not. They cant be bought buy anyone until NAMM starts...

well, I believe it really depends on whether Steve will actually play these guitars... Many Jems have been released through the years but Steve kept using the same guitars...( EVO, FLO, FLOIII, BO...)
And probably he needs a new album to promote the new guitar.

To be honest though, the difference between the JEM and PIA is only the look.... nothing has really changed.

From other forum:

"Guys, saying whether you would buy one or not is somewhat academic at this point. I just talked with XXXX from the XXXX, and he sold out of his already. Apparently there aren’t too many being made, and a lot of fans/collectors already bought these sight unseen. I still want the the pink one though, so I guess I’ll just lurk on reverb."

Not for me. Yeah, the general JEM outline is there (that I like), but that's about it.

Don't like the cutouts, don't like the pickup covers, don't like the (I think) multi-colored inlays. No worries about me spending a dime on a PIA.

At least there are still the Premium JEMs.

In 2017 the first leak on Jemsite was a Jemsiter that bought a 777LG (don’t remember where exactly, GC New York I believe), and posted a pic of his axe in december. He said in the shop all the three colors were available on stock. Thus some dealers received them before the NAMM. When I went to my dealer for placing an order on one the next monday after the NAMM show, they were already sold and dealer told me Ibanez wanted orders to be placed before january the 20th. How we can order something that we don’t know is being released before its officially released?

It's easy enough to ask.

@ Rich - Are these for sale already, or are places being taken on the line or something similar?

People, please, have a look at the pictures again. Despite what people are writing, this is is so fugly, it can't be real.
I am still hoping for the opposite, like the vantablack prototype with a sustainer.