Paul Gilbert's Signature, Built for Serious Playing
Paul Gilbert has been one of guitar's most technically demanding players for decades — the kind of player who actually specs out exactly what he needs rather than just slapping his name on something. The PGM50BK is the result: a solid body electric built around his long-running Ibanez PGM lineage, complete with those now-iconic painted-on gold f-holes that make it immediately recognizable on any stage.
This is a full-featured, professionally equipped guitar in gloss black with gold hardware — an instrument designed to keep up with whatever you throw at it. Whether you're working through fast single-note runs, dialing in clean tones, or pushing into high-gain territory, the PGM50BK is built to respond.
Produced in Indonesia as part of Ibanez's mid-tier Premium series, the PGM50BK hits a sweet spot of professional-grade components at a price point that's genuinely accessible for a signature instrument of this caliber.
This item is a B-Stock guitar sourced directly from the manufacturer. It is new and has never been previously owned. The photos shown are of the exact instrument you will receive. Before shipment, our licensed technician will inspect and professionally set up the guitar to ensure it is playing its best. During our inspection, we noticed Flaw at f-hole above bridge. (see pictures) Please note, these may not be the only cosmetic imperfections. As a B-Stock instrument, there may be additional minor blemishes that are small in nature and do not affect playability or performance.
Body and Construction
The PGM50BK is built on an American Basswood body with a gloss polyurethane finish. Basswood is a practical, player-oriented choice — lightweight, resonant, and tonally neutral in a way that lets the pickups do their job without coloring the signal too heavily. The body shape follows Ibanez's PGM profile, which shares the fast, ergonomic contours of the RG family.
The neck is a 5-piece Maple/Walnut construction with a satin polyurethane finish and Ibanez's PGM profile — a fast, slim shape that suits technically demanding playing. The bolt-on joint keeps the connection solid and the upper-fret access clean. The 22-fret Rosewood fingerboard has a 400mm (15.75") radius — flatter than most vintage-style guitars — with white dot inlays and Ibanez's Premium fret edge treatment for smooth, snag-free playability across the entire neck. Scale length is 25.5" with a 43mm nut width.
Pickups and Electronics
The PGM50BK runs an HSH pickup configuration loaded with DiMarzio hardware throughout. The neck and bridge positions each carry a DiMarzio Air Classic humbucker — an Alnico, passive design that blends vintage voicing with a touch-sensitive response. The middle single-coil is a DiMarzio PGM, the same signature pickup developed specifically with Gilbert, also Alnico and passive.
Controls are intentionally minimal: one volume knob and a 5-way blade selector. No tone knob to fiddle with — your picking dynamics and pickup selection do the heavy lifting. String spacing at the bridge is 10.5mm, and the guitar ships strung with D'Addario EXL110s (.010–.046) in standard E tuning.
Bridge and Hardware
The F106 fixed bridge provides six individually adjustable saddles for precise intonation and action setup. It's a hardtail configuration — no floating tremolo to contend with, which many players find improves tuning stability and sustain. All hardware is finished in gold, matching the painted f-holes for a cohesive look.
Tuning duties are handled by Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads. Lock the strings at the nut side of the tuner post, and you dramatically reduce the string length that can slip or stretch — a practical benefit whether you're playing live or just not interested in constant retuning between takes.
Product Features:
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Body: American Basswood, gloss polyurethane finish
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Neck: 5-piece Maple/Walnut, PGM profile, satin polyurethane finish, bolt-on joint
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Fretboard: Rosewood, 400mm (15.75") radius, white dot inlays, 22 medium frets with Premium fret edge treatment
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Scale Length: 25.5" (648mm) with 43mm plastic nut
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Pickups: DiMarzio Air Classic humbucker (neck), DiMarzio PGM single-coil (middle), DiMarzio Air Classic humbucker (bridge) — all Alnico/Passive
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Controls: 1 volume, 5-way blade pickup selector
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Bridge: F106 fixed bridge, 10.5mm string spacing
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Tuners: Gotoh MG-T locking machine heads
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Hardware Color: Gold
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Signature Feature: Painted-on gold f-holes, Paul Gilbert PGM aesthetic
Brand: Ibanez
Model: PGM50BK Paul Gilbert Signature
SKU: PGM50BK-2ND|I250303854
Condition: B-Stock
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