This Xiphos has a thin, flat neck with a fretboard that is extended to 27 frets for extra high-end sweep-picking and furious riffage. The DiMarzio Air Norton humbucker in the neck position is warm-sounding, very well balanced, and has the same unique tonal characteristics as the original. Its combination of medium output and harmonic bite are very effective for single-note soloing as well as chords. The DiMarzio D Activator bridge humbucker is loud yet clean, with rich harmonics. It responds instantly to hard or light pick attack. The Double-locking Edge III allows radical effects and sonic chaos with total tuning stability. The new Edge III is similar in construction and feel to the original Edge locking trem; however, it also has lower profile fine-tuners inspired by the Lo-PRO Edge and massive new-design saddles.