With just a couple of weeks until the Winter NAMM Show, Ibanez has released its 2026 lineup and it signals a clear push toward modern, performance-driven instruments while still drawing on its long design history. The headline release is the new Alpha Series, a futuristic extended-range platform aimed squarely at progressive and metal players, featuring 7 and 8 string multi-scale models with aggressive ergonomic body shaping, ultra thin Wizard style necks, mono rail bridges and Fishman Fluence electronics designed to cover everything from tight, high-gain precision to cleaner, more articulate tones.
Alongside this, Ibanez has expanded its bass offerings with the introduction of the Mode Series, a new family of basses that blend traditional body woods and classic pickup voicings with modern construction touches such as roasted maple necks and advanced onboard preamps, positioning them as versatile workhorses for contemporary players. The company has also revisited its back catalogue by reviving the Iceman bass shape, updating the iconic design with modern hardware, premium pickups and bold finishes that nod to Ibanez’s hard rock and metal heritage.
Beyond these marquee launches, the 2026 range includes a broad refresh across established series such as RG, AZ, S and Prestige, with new finishes, updated electronics and incremental refinements rather than radical redesigns.
AMG in collaboration with internationally renowned guitarist Ichika Nito presents the Ibanez 2026 Release video. Ibanez was lucky enough to work with Ichika and some of the finest Australian musicians performing today. See below
Artists left to right:
Guitar: Jake Howsam Lowe (Plini)
Bass: Simon Neil Grove (Plini)
Guitar: Ichika Nito
Drums: Nic Pettersen (Northlane)
Guitar: Mitch Clews (Composer & Session player)
Ibanez Guitars distributed in Australia by Australis Music Group