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Ibanez Marty Friedman Signature Model MFM1
List: $1,700
Marty Friedman is no stranger to shred guitar fanatics. His partnership with the great Jason Becker (Cacophony) arguably launched his authority in this guitar inclined music genre. His tenure in Megadeth further bolstered his status as a fantastic & very capable guitar player. Marty started out with a relatively unknown guitar brand- Hurricane. Over the years, Carvin managed to entice both Jason Becker & himself to their camp. Following his employment in Megadeth, the Jackson affiliation was inevitable, thanks to a certain Mr. Mustaine. His current search for guitar versatility ended in a partnership with Ibanez & 2006 saw the release of the MFM1, based on Marty’s preference for the manufacturer’s SZ model.
The MFM1 is a mahogany whole; capping the curved body top is a quilted maple veneer & a bolster maple layer to substantiate the top’s depth. Despite a triple layer of wood, the body remains substantially manageable, mass-wise. In fact, this guitar is slightly lighter than the production SZ520, despite featuring a thicker depth. An initial handling of the guitar suggests certain intent in midrange attack; however, the guitar remains a balanced extension together with the 3-piece neck, played strapped on & lapped. The very people responsible in the incarnation of the MFM1 are also responsible for the Prestige Korean range, there is therefore no issues with fitting & finishing, almost too good to be true. The visual highlight here is of course the star fretboard markers which also adorns the guitar at the body’s tail end & the solitary volume knob.
In use
As with other SZ guitars, the MFM1 is a breeze to play, there are no issues with upper fret access particularly because the wonderful set neck feature allows maximum reach. Tuning stability here is commendable as the guitar features a set of Sperzel locking tuners which this reviewer believes should be a standard feature for all the SZ models.
The worthy return here is undisputedly the MFM1’s tone. The default humbuckers are the American Seymour Duncan IBZ units. According to the good Duncan people, there were no special models made for the MFM1, by virtue of the inherent tone & the physical peculiarities (note the darkened pole pieces on the neck/ bridge units), these could be the very set which are standard in the current Prestige SZ4020, based on Duncan’s popular Distortion (bridge) & ’59 (neck) models. What you get is a superb manifestation of driven tones in both humbuckers, nevertheless, the bridge counterpart excels in saturated gain settings & the neck has potent transparency for Les Paul grade warmth, without a loss in single note definition. In split model, the combination of single coils from each humbucker has praise-worthy twang that’ll rival a PRS. With suitable guitar volume restraint, you’ll here some of the best blues crunch tone, this side of Gibson.
Last say
You would be attracted to the MFM1 because it offers top class playability & tone; the endorser association is a forgivable, secondary consideration. The stars you see here are indeed excessive & repulsive to a certain extent, in fact, they demerit the guitar in terms of visual appeal. Marty’s insistence on a single volume control would repel tone purists because this guitar has a healthy midrange presence, the only discourse in trimming it would be to adjust your amp’s EQ accordingly. The MFM1 has a pleasant tonal appeal which adequately discerns itself from the regular SZ models, coupled with an impressive playability, this guitar is highly recommended. It is also evident how appealing Ibanez’s SZ model is in general, Marty had chosen to retain its original incarnation, only adding subtle differences to make it his own.
Rating: 9/10
Likes:
• Articulate pickups
• Overall make, fit & finish
• Locking tuners
Dislikes:
• Those stars…
• Lacks tone control
• Out-of-the-way volume pot location
• Small/ stiff pickup switch
