Guitarists anywhere can enter by posting a video played over his backing track, with the winner named on 24 August.
Sydney guitarist James Norbert Ivanyi has a new album on the way, and he’s marking it by giving one player worldwide a shot at his Suhr signature guitar.
The Phantasm Cozenage lands on 19 August, the latest full-length from a composer who has spent more than a decade building a highly respected catalogue in Australian instrumental music. Across ten tracks, the record moves between progressive metal, psych-rock and cinematic textures, pulling back in ideas he first explored on 2022’s acoustic ‘Sigil’ and the keyboard-led ‘The Sine Intimation’. Gear Gods once called him “an Aussie, proggier Steve Vai”, which isn’t far off.
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The record arrives during a busy stretch for Ivanyi. As of January, he has three signature models with Suhr Guitars and JST Technologies, deepening his tie to the California builder after years of players clocking his tone and phrasing.
To mark the release, Suhr and Ivanyi are giving one entrant a Suhr James Norbert Ivanyi signature model, open to guitarists worldwide.
How to enter
- Download James’ official backing track from the contest page: https://jamesnorbertivanyi.wixsite.com/suhrivanyicontest
- Record yourself playing over it. The track must be used exactly as provided, with no edits.
- Post your video on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X or Threads with #SUHRIVANYICONTEST.
- Get your entry in by 11:59pm PST on 19 August 2026. One entry per person.
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Ivanyi will watch every qualifying entry himself and announce the winner on 24 August across Suhr’s social channels. The prize is a 2026 build: alder body in Vintage Yellow or Russet Brown, roasted maple neck, ebony fingerboard, Suhr SSH and SSV pickups, a preset blower switch, stainless steel jumbo frets and black hardware, packed in a Suhr Travel Pro Premium case.
Ivanyi has put all of this together on his own terms – annual NAMM appearances, educational releases through Jam Track Central and stages shared with Haken, Katatonia, Soilwork, Caligula’s Horse and I Built The Sky. He’s played Progfest, UK Tech-Fest and The Melbourne Guitar Show, and stayed independent throughout.
Pre-orders for The Phantasm Cozenage arrive soon.
