Are Ibanez guitars really that good !!!

As good as the newer Ibbys are, they just don't do it for me (talking JEMs and the like here). Amazing instruments, just not my style.

But the early 80s IBZs really work for me. I've got two.



My '80 Artist is such a great guitar. I've told my wife that this is the one I'm taking with me when I go, so I'm gonna need a bigger casket.



I just got this '83 Roadstar a couple of weeks back. It does Strat tones better than my Strat, and the build and design are excellent.

- D

 

I often wondered how the Ibanez brand name about. In one account I read the company was originally a book shop that also stocked a few instruments circa 1890s. Demand for instruments, particularly guitars, grew to become main part of business. However, all quality guitars at that time were made in Spain and it was difficult to secure regular supply. So apparently some time in the 1930s the company bought a Spanish guitar making company called Ibanez with the view of exporting the entire production from from Spain to Japan. Over time production gradually moved to Japan, and then elsewhere in Asia.

 

Wikipedia has a tone of info about Ibanez history, guitar evolution and current models. It was all interesting to me: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ibanez

 

Love their semis and these are a lot of fun.

I like the maple neck in particular, which you don’t see a lot on Ibanez.

 

YES! BINGO! love the attitude. nice guitars too.

 

I've been infatuated by the iceman since it first came out . imho the only competition that holds a candle to the flying V and the Explorer.

 

Those hollowbody Ibanez looking really cool, i think they used to have tele line too

 

I have a few

Excuse the Cort on the left but it's my favorite

 

I love those '80s Artists, had one for about 25 years before I passed it along. I chose it over four different Les Pauls at the store that day... it was clearly the better guitar. I especially love the simpler ones like that silver(?) dot neck you showed. It's a great shape and doesn't really need all the filigree they (tend to) pile on. Very sweet.

 

Lots of different models across all price points, but pretty great value for money at all levels, and depending on your style, fantastic pro-level models as well. Among the people I know, there's no prejudice either for Fender and Gibson over Ibanez, or vice-versa. Most of us love the range of really fine guitars available today, though it's hard to imagine all these companies moving enough product to survive in the coming decades.

 

The quilted is an S 5xx or 6xx QM. I can’t remember the exact number and I am away from it at the moment

The stock pickups were actually OK but it now has a SD Jazz in the neck, an 80’s Kent Armstrong rail in the middle and a Bare Knuckle Holydiver in the bridge that I put in from my stock of spares.

 

So many great Ibanez guitars I have owned and played.

I loved them all, and still own one or two.
I sold one, and gave a few away to beloved friends and acquaintances.

I have stories to tell, but all this discussion seems to boil down to the relative merits of 'pups'.

All my Ibanez guitars had pickups.
Great ones.

So I'll refrain from commenting.

 

The pickups on Ibanez have been good but more important is he playability and attention to detail of the guitars. The ones I’ve played have been the Artist series and they’ve always been exceptional. It’s the balance, neck shape and joint where the body and neck meets as well as the finish and aesthetics.

The other guitar player and bass player in my band were so impressed, they too went the Ibanez route. The other guitarist picked up one of the small body semi-hollows with a floating bridge and locking nut. The bass player picked up an Ibanez the felt a little like a P-bass.

 

Re. Pickups

The IBZ ceramics in their cheaper ‘shredder’ guitars are a bit bland/average to my ears but the Ibanez Super 58’s in the older semis have to be among the best humbucking pickups ever made by anyone... makes the sounds people might associate with a late 50’s PAF but in a guitar mere mortals can hope to own. Clear, bright, detailed, little to no muddiness.

I have half a dozen Ibanez ceramics that are supposed to sound stellar with an Alnico magnet swap. On my job list for one day.

 

That was my experience as well. Super 58s ruined me for most other HBs, and I wish they sold them separately. I'd replace a lot of other humbuckers with them, especially Ibby's 'ACH' pickups.