The Ibanez PGM50 Paul Gilbert Signature in Black is a performance-focused electric guitar that combines the instantly recognisable PGM aesthetic with a surprisingly versatile fixed-bridge HSH specification.

Its American basswood body is paired with a five-piece maple/walnut neck and rosewood fingerboard, while a pair of DiMarzio Air Classic humbuckers flank a dedicated DiMarzio PGM single-coil. Five-way switching expands the tonal range beyond a conventional two-humbucker guitar, while the F106 hardtail bridge and Gotoh MG-T locking tuners provide a straightforward, stable platform for fast playing, accurate rhythm work and regular live use.

This Pre-Owned example is finished in Black, is offered in Excellent condition and includes a non-branded hardcase.

At A Glance

Pre-Owned Condition Report

Excellent Condition

This Ibanez PGM50 Paul Gilbert Signature is offered in Excellent condition.

Excellent condition reflects a carefully owned Pre-Owned guitar showing only very light evidence of previous use while remaining particularly well presented and ready for regular playing, recording and live performance.

No faults, repairs or modifications have been supplied for this listing.

What’s Included?

✔ Ibanez PGM50 Paul Gilbert Signature Black
✔ Non-Branded Hardcase

✘ No Additional Accessories Included

Condition Notes

This PGM50 has been graded Excellent, making it a strong choice for players looking for a clean Pre-Owned example of Paul Gilbert’s distinctive full-size Ibanez signature guitar.

Fair Deal Quality Control Assessment

This Pre-Owned Ibanez PGM50 has been inspected and assessed by the Fair Deal Music team before sale.

Our checks include:

• All three pickups tested
• Five-way pickup selector checked
• Volume control tested
• Output socket checked
• Frets inspected
• Rosewood fingerboard assessed
• Neck condition checked
• Gotoh locking tuners inspected
• F106 bridge checked
• Hardware assessed
• Tuning stability checked
• General playability assessed
• Non-branded hardcase checked for basic usability

Service / Setup Work

All Pre-Owned electric guitars at Fair Deal Music are set up and checked before leaving the shop.

Our assessment includes:

• Action checked
• Neck relief checked
• Frets inspected
• Intonation checked
• Tuning stability checked
• Electronics tested
• Pickup output checked
• Bridge setup assessed
• Hardware checked
• General playability assessed

Please note that guitar setup can shift slightly during delivery because changes in temperature and humidity can naturally affect wooden instruments in transit.

Why Choose The Ibanez PGM50?

Paul Gilbert Signature Design

The PGM50 retains the bold visual identity associated with Paul Gilbert’s Ibanez guitars, pairing a gloss Black finish with contrasting gold hardware and the signature painted f-hole graphics that have become synonymous with the PGM family.

DiMarzio HSH Pickup System

DiMarzio Air Classic humbuckers at the neck and bridge combine with a dedicated PGM middle single-coil, giving the guitar everything from fuller rock tones to brighter split-style combinations through its five-way selector.

Five-Piece Maple/Walnut Neck

The five-piece maple and walnut neck provides a solid, responsive playing platform, while the 25.5" scale and relatively flat 400mm-radius rosewood fingerboard suit accurate picking, bends and technically demanding lead work.

Fixed F106 Bridge

Unlike many high-performance Ibanez guitars, the PGM50 uses an F106 fixed bridge rather than a locking tremolo, making it particularly practical for straightforward restringing, alternate tunings and players who prefer hardtail stability.

Gotoh Locking Tuners

Gotoh MG-T locking tuners simplify string changes and provide a dependable tuning platform, complementing the fixed bridge particularly well.

Comparison Against Popular Alternatives

Ibanez PGM50 vs Ibanez PGM1000T

The PGM1000T targets players who want the more elaborate tremolo-equipped side of the PGM concept, while the PGM50 is the stronger choice for anyone prioritising fixed-bridge simplicity, tuning stability and easy maintenance.

Ibanez PGM50 vs Ibanez RG

A standard RG offers a wide choice of pickup and bridge configurations, whereas the PGM50 adds Paul Gilbert-specific styling, DiMarzio electronics and a deliberately simplified single-volume control layout.

Ibanez PGM50 vs Ibanez AZ

The AZ range offers a more contemporary all-round design with different neck ergonomics and switching options, while the PGM50 is better suited to players drawn to the sharper PGM/RG-style format and Paul Gilbert's stripped-back approach.

Ibanez PGM50 vs Charvel Pro-Mod

Both suit technically demanding rock playing, but the Charvel typically follows a more conventional hot-rodded guitar formula, while the PGM50 offers its own HSH switching, signature graphics and fixed-bridge Ibanez feel.

Who Is It For?

Rock And Hard Rock Guitarists

The Air Classic humbuckers provide enough body and sustain for driven rhythm parts and expressive lead playing without making the instrument feel restricted to extreme high-gain sounds.

Technical And Shred Players

The flat-radius fingerboard, 25.5" scale and streamlined controls make the PGM50 particularly comfortable for players concentrating on picking accuracy, legato and fast fretboard movement.

Blues Rock And Fusion Players

The Air Classics are more vintage-inspired than many high-output shred pickups, giving the guitar enough dynamic range for lower-gain playing and touch-sensitive lead work.

Studio Guitarists

Five pickup combinations and a stable hardtail platform make the PGM50 useful for layering contrasting rhythm and lead sounds without complicated controls.

Paul Gilbert Fans

This is a genuine full-size Gilbert signature model rather than simply a cosmetic tribute, incorporating his recognisable design language and deliberately practical control philosophy.

Suitable Genres And Uses

• Rock
• Hard rock
• Blues rock
• Fusion
• Progressive rock
• Instrumental guitar
• Pop rock
• Shred
• Lead guitar
• Rhythm guitar
• Studio recording
• Rehearsals
• Live performance
• Pedal and modelling rigs

Why Choose A Fixed-Bridge HSH Guitar?

An HSH configuration gives you the weight and sustain of humbuckers at the two main positions while adding brighter single-coil character through the middle pickup and combined selector positions. It is a practical format for players who need several useful sounds without adding multiple switches or active electronics.

Pairing that versatility with a fixed bridge keeps the mechanical side of the guitar straightforward. Alternate tunings, string changes and setup adjustments are generally simpler than on a double-locking tremolo guitar, making the PGM50 especially attractive to players who want high-performance ergonomics without a floating bridge.

Looking for advice on choosing the right Ibanez Paul Gilbert signature guitar, HSH electric guitar or Pre-Owned Ibanez? Our experienced team of musicians can help by phone, online or in-store.

Story & Context: Ibanez PGM50 Paul Gilbert Signature

Paul Gilbert’s relationship with Ibanez stretches back decades. In 2019, Ibanez celebrated 30 years of Gilbert as an endorsing artist, highlighting a partnership that has produced numerous PGM models alongside his later Fireman designs. The painted f-hole motif became one of the PGM family’s most recognisable visual signatures.

The PGM50 arrived in 2023, reviving the full-size PGM concept with a new Black-and-gold specification. Ibanez paired the familiar PGM body treatment with a fixed F106 bridge, Gotoh locking tuners and a three-pickup DiMarzio layout, creating a model that referenced Gilbert’s long signature-guitar history without simply recreating an older PGM.

The pickup choice is particularly interesting. Rather than using ultra-high-output humbuckers, Ibanez selected DiMarzio Air Classics, pickups designed around a more vintage-influenced response, with the dedicated PGM middle pickup broadening the available sounds. That reflects Gilbert’s evolution from being known primarily for extreme technical playing into a guitarist whose catalogue spans hard rock, pop, blues, instrumental music and more.

The result is a Paul Gilbert signature model that remains unmistakable visually but is far more versatile than the word “shred guitar” might suggest.

Technical Specifications

The current PGM50 specification above is documented directly by Ibanez.

Power Requirements

No battery or external power supply is required for the PGM50's passive electronics.

Connect the guitar to a suitable amplifier, pedalboard, modeller or audio interface using a standard 1/4" instrument cable.

Why Buy Pre-Owned From Fair Deal Music?

Buying Pre-Owned is an excellent way to access high-specification signature guitars while potentially making your budget go further.

The PGM50 is particularly appealing for players who want something visually distinctive but still practical enough to serve as a regular stage, studio or rehearsal instrument.

At Fair Deal Music, our Pre-Owned guitars are individually checked and assessed before sale, helping customers buy with greater confidence.

Fair Deal Music Verdict

★★★★★ 5/5

The Ibanez PGM50 Paul Gilbert Signature Black is an excellent choice for players who want fast Ibanez playability without committing to a floating tremolo or an ultra-high-output pickup setup. Its DiMarzio HSH electronics, fixed F106 bridge, Gotoh locking tuners and unmistakable black-and-gold PGM styling give it a strong balance of personality and everyday usefulness.

Best suited for: Rock, hard rock, fusion and technically focused players who want a stable fixed-bridge signature guitar.

Customers usually upgrade from: Ibanez RG Standard models, entry-to-mid-level superstrats and more basic HSH electric guitars.

Most commonly paired with: High-gain or modelling amplifiers, overdrive, distortion, compressor, delay and modulation effects.

Our tip: Don't overlook the lower-gain side of the Air Classic pickups—the PGM50 is capable of far more than saturated shred tones.

Showroom feedback: The fixed bridge and simple single-volume control make this a refreshingly direct performance guitar, while the five-way HSH electronics provide enough tonal variety to keep it useful beyond Paul Gilbert-style playing.

Why Buy From Fair Deal Music?

When you buy from Fair Deal Music, you're choosing one of the UK's most established, independent family run music retailers since 1987.

From our Birmingham showroom, our knowledgeable musician-led team helps players find the right equipment whether they're buying their first serious guitar, upgrading an existing setup or searching for something distinctive within the Pre-Owned market.

When you shop with Fair Deal Music, you can buy with confidence thanks to:

• Expert advice from knowledgeable musicians
• Carefully checked new and Pre-Owned musical equipment
• Decades of experience buying and selling guitars
• Large Birmingham showroom
• Secure online ordering
• UK delivery
• Friendly support before and after purchase
• Extensive experience with used and Pre-Owned instruments

For a specialist signature model such as the PGM50, our team can also help with questions about neck feel, pickup versatility and whether its fixed-bridge design is right for your playing style.

Trade In. Trade Up. Save More.

Thinking about upgrading? Your next piece of gear could cost less than you think.

We're always happy to consider part exchanges and trade-ins on a wide range of musical instruments and equipment. Whether you're looking to upgrade your guitar, amplifier, keyboard, drum kit or studio gear, your existing equipment could help reduce the cost of your next purchase.

Simply get in touch with our team for a no-obligation valuation, and we'll be happy to discuss the options available.

It's an easy way to unlock the value of gear you no longer use while making your next instrument more affordable.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is the PGM50 only suitable for shred guitar?

No. The Air Classic humbuckers are designed around a more vintage-influenced response than many high-output pickups, while the HSH switching makes the guitar useful for blues rock, fusion, clean work and conventional rock as well as technical lead playing.

Does the PGM50 have a tremolo?

No. The PGM50 uses an F106 fixed bridge, making it a good choice for players who prefer hardtail stability and straightforward setup adjustments.

What string gauge suits the PGM50?

Ibanez specifies .010–.046 strings from the factory, which is a strong general-purpose choice for the 25.5" scale.

Are the locking tuners useful on a fixed-bridge guitar?

Yes. Gotoh MG-T locking tuners speed up string changes and minimise the amount of string wrapped around each post, even when no tremolo is fitted.

Can the PGM50 work with modern modelling equipment?

Yes. Its passive output is suitable for traditional amplifiers, pedalboards, multi-effects processors, amp modellers and compatible recording interfaces.

Can I request a closer look before purchasing?

Yes. For an individual Pre-Owned instrument such as this, our Request a Video Demo option is useful if you'd like to see and hear the guitar in greater detail before making your decision.