Japan gets all the cool guitar toys once again. Ibanez has just unveiled the HZK1, a seven-string RG signature for Nemophila and Koiai metal guitarist Hazuki – and yes, it’s a Japan-only release.
Visually, the HZK1 is an absolute stunner. The HZK1 pairs a turquoise stone-inspired spalted maple top with an alder body, creating a guitar that’s equally striking on stage as it is on display.
Under the hood, the HZK1 is all about shredding comfort. The ultra-thin Wizard-7 neck is made from a five-piece maple/wenge laminate, while the bound rosewood fingerboard boasts Luminlay side dots, stainless steel frets, and Ibanez’s signature fret edge treatment. Offset mother-of-pearl inlays add a subtle touch of elegance amid the metal mayhem.
Tonally, the HZK1 is just as formidable. Two Fishman Fluence Modern active humbuckers in chrome cover everything from searing leads to chunky riffs, while the Lo-Pro Edge 7 bridge delivers Floyd Rose-style dive-bombs without compromising your tuning.
Notably, the HZK1 also comes without a tone knob, a tweak Hazuki requested after repeatedly hitting it with her strumming hand. Coupled with its lightweight design, this change lets her tackle hours-long sets with far less fatigue.
“The RG was my sidekick when I was a music student; I have a lot of memories with it,” says Hazuki. “I have played many guitars, but the RG sounds exactly the way I want a guitar to sound… This guitar has changed my playing on stage so much.”
At ￥440,000, the HZK1 is priced for serious collectors – and heartbreakingly, only available in Japan. For everyone else, it’s a bittersweet reminder that some of the coolest Ibanez signatures seem destined to stay an island affair.
Check out the HZK1 in action below.
Learn more at Ibanez.
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