Paul Gilbert is not only an extraordinary musician, but a creative tinkerer as well. Always looking to build a better mousetrap, or at least a more versatile one, Paul endlessly searches for ways to improve his instrument as a vehicle for his musical ideas. The creatively restless guitarist has re-tooled the Fireman several times through the years, and the FRM200 represents the latest version of his iconic axe.
"When I pick up my Ibanez Fireman, I know that everything is going to be all right. It is truly a pleasure to be able to express my anger, explore my melodic imagination, and simply play good rock and roll, with such a world-class instrument."
As with previous Fireman models, the FRM200 features a bigger-than-average set-in neck joint that Gilbert maintains is the secret to his endless sustain. Conjoined to a Okoume body, the neck is a Okoume/ Maple 3-piece with a Ebony fingerboard and narrow/ tall frets to facilitate more extreme string bending. The Tight-Tune bridge/ tailpiece is the perfect hard tail combination of adjustability and dependable tuning stability.
The DiMarzio, PG-13, mini-humbuckers are designed to produce more output with increase in harmonics yet still maintaining the dynamics and clarity of a traditional minibucker.
Though Gilbert's fans will be the first to gravitate toward the new version, Paul is quick to point out that this Fireman lends itself to bold exploration in a variety of musical genres.
Ebony fretboard - Ebony produces tight lows and mid range with a strong attack in the high end and features a quick response and rich sustain.
DiMarzio® PG-13™ H-S-H pickups - DiMarzio® PG-13™ pickups, specially wound for Paul Gilbert, offer extra clarity without losing the bite. These mini humbuckers have unique characteristics of both normal humbuckers and single coils.
Gibraltar Performer bridge - The Gibraltar Performer bridge provides rich sustain and tuning stability. The low-positioned saddles promise comfortable playability.
