When two iconic brands come together with a shared vision, magic happens. The collaboration between Ibanez and Seymour Duncan represents exactly that kind of magic: a meeting of minds dedicated to serving the modern guitarist who demands both versatility and uncompromising quality.

Identifying the Modern Player

Both Ibanez and Seymour Duncan recognized an evolution in the guitar world: the “player’s player” This guitarist’s style runs the complete spectrum from pristine cleans to crushing high-gain tones, all while demanding an extremely responsive, articulate, yet organic sound. Crucially, these players need exceptional clarity even during complex chord work with extreme gain (a tall order by any standard).

The challenge was clear: create pickups that would elevate all these qualities to even higher levels.

The Development Process

Creating a matched pickup set where the bridge humbucker works harmoniously with neck and middle single coils without overpowering them requires careful calibration. The Seymour Duncan Custom Shop approached this challenge with meticulous attention to detail. After months of collaborative prototyping with Ibanez, Seymour Duncan delivered the perfect formula.

The Hyperion Sound

The resulting Hyperion pickups represent a careful balance of seemingly contradictory qualities. The single coils deliver rich, thick tones that highlight the natural woodiness of the guitar. The humbucker echoes that warmth while maintaining the ability to shift into screaming, brutal territory without falling apart or becoming muddy (a particularly difficult feat with a two-point floating tremolo system where bridge-to-body contact is minimal).

Fortunately, the AZ guitars are so well-constructed that the pickup design didn’t need to compensate for any structural shortcomings, allowing the focus to remain purely on tonal excellence.

Excellence in Every Detail

In today’s crowded guitar market, the AZ series distinguishes itself in ways that matter to discerning players seeking higher performance and detailed sound. The thoughtful approach is evident throughout, from highly specific designs for specialists to versatile instruments for working musicians who need to cover diverse musical ground with a single guitar.

Working closely with Ibanez gave the Seymour Duncan team deep insight into the brand’s passion, philosophy, and dedication to delivering consistent excellence in every guitar. That shared commitment inspired Seymour Duncan to ensure they matched those standards in every single Hyperion pickup wound for the AZ series.

The partnership represents a collaboration built on mutual respect, shared values, and an unwavering commitment to serving the needs of today’s most demanding guitarists: the players who refuse to compromise and need one instrument that can truly do it all.