Picked up this guitar from Guitar Center - again - labeled as a “540S.” This is certainly an interesting combination and one I’m still trying to figure out - it’s a 1989 Carribean Blue 540S body, complete with the Bensalem PA neck plate (blank serial number), but the neck has a serial number dating it to 1996. Even more interesting, the neck has the “S series” badging, and abalone inlays - but they are dots instead of ovals. Also, it is not an all-access neck joint… from my digging, any S series guitar with a Fujigen made neck after about 1993 should have this neck joint type. I can’t find any stock 1996 S series guitar - even in Japan or European catalogs - that has abalone ovals and a traditional neck joint.
I also took some measurements, it is Wizard dimensions as well - and a very high quality build with the flat 17” fretboard just like my others. I’m not sure what to make of this neck, but strange features and history aside, it is an amazing player like any of my other Ibanez guitars. It’s not hard to imagine why Ibanez was able to weather the storm during the 90s while many of their competitors struggled, got bought out, or went overseas during the same period.