btoth76 Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 Hello! I have just found this: http://www.guitarguitar.co.uk/electric_guitars_detail.asp?stock=151218291630002 Made in China. But, includes hardcase, made of mahogany and maple. It has Ebony fingerboard. I find it very nice. For £619.00... Bence.
kidblast Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 hey Bence, that pickguard,, oy vhey,, what were they thinking? I wonder how these stack up to the original ones, (from the late 70s) those were great! I had an MC400 that I got in 78 or 79? played that thing for 22 years. I have regrets on that one. Installed a kahler, big mistake.. should have left it alone.
btoth76 Posted February 1, 2016 Author Posted February 1, 2016 Hello Ray! I guess, these aren't that good as the vintage ones. It is an entry-level instrument of the Artist range. There are Japanese-made Artists as well that cost three times more. This one seems to be a very strong alternative to Epi Les Pauls - especially with ebony fingerboard. The pickguard...well, I kind of like it. The whole theme of the guitar reminds me of the Les Paul Artisan. Cheers... Bence
kelly campbell Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 I know in articles I have read over the past couple years Ibanez always ranks high in "value" ..what you get for the amount spent. I am with you as well on the pick guard..
kidblast Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 the mid/late 70s Ibanez electrics are all they are cracked up to be. if you can find one, and it's not crazy money, and or beat to snot it's worth it. Same goes for the same era Yahama SG2000s. Fantastic! as a matter of fact, anything that was Made in Japan in that time frame, is not something to pass on. I had a 79/80 Japanese Strat in Fiesta red with a rosewood board, I still kick myself square in the buttocks for offing it. I Also have a 1978 Avlarez Yari (Dreadnought Acoustic: Snowflake Dy74) I've had it for eons now, it's Tremendous.
J.4knee Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 I have a modern Artist AR 325. I have trouble bonding with this guitar. There is nothing wrong with it, although I went through 2 including sending the second one back to Ibanez for rework . That guitar is the one I have. They are good value instruments but you get what you pay for. The MIJ AR 2619 looks the be a very nice guitar but they run $2K + for one. Aesthetically these new AR's are flawlesss. They all have 3 piece necks and 12" radius fretboards. If you are looking for that serious alternative to a Les Paul or similar I would say these are not it. They are pretty bright sounding and sound closer to a mix of SG and ES to my ears. Like I said they are not bad guitars but not great either IMO.
pippy Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 I see what you mean about the Artisan air. I'm not crazy about the inlays beind the stop-tail and although I'm a fan of that shade of 'burst I'd really like to see one in ebony finish... the mid/late 70s Ibanez electrics are all they are cracked up to be.......if you can find one, and it's not crazy money, and or beat to snot it's worth it. Same goes for the same era Yahama SG2000s. Fantastic!... As it happens my brother bought an Ibanez Artist brand-new back in around 1979-ish. Apparently this is one of the early versions which had a two-octave neck. Later versions had a 22-fret neck which meant that they, because of the re-siting of the neck, are less prone to neck-dive. Great guitar. Heavy as hell and 'dive' is a massive (pun) problem but still; great guitar. He still has it, BTW. ...and....a mate's Yamaha SG something-or-other back in around 1982 (the two in the middle of the Yamaha Sandwich are my pair as is the amp). Similar to the Ibanez but less neck-dive.... Pip.
'Scales Posted February 1, 2016 Posted February 1, 2016 Heavy as hell... I've played 2 from around the 78-82 era (a Bob Weir natural and one red/purple similar to the photo) and that sums up my perspective to a tee. So damned heavy I wouldn't consider one. Well made though it must be said.
Brytam Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 I owned an '85 Ibanez Super Artist (AR 350 Super Edition) I bought new in the mid '80s. It was an amazing guitar with quality construction. Only issue was, it was soooo heavy! It also had a tremolo that locked the strings at the nut, which was cool but a pain to tune (Down at the bridge) + change the strings. I ended up selling it at a local guitar show, but sure wish I still had that guitar. Aside from the 2 mentioned issues, it was fun to play! Interesting side note: About a year ago I found a guitar just like the one I had, for sale online. It had a pic of the headstock on the back where the serial number is...& I went back to some old pics I had of mine...& it is the SAME guitar: My guitar that I sold at the guitar show years ago! How odd is that!! Good to know it is still around! Take a look: My guitar for sale online years after I sold it
kidblast Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 those vintage artists are awesome things! Pip, yours looks to be in incredible condition. I love the "reunited" story! very cool!
pippy Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 Well, the Artist in my pic is my brothers but yes, Brytam's story is V. Cool! One nice detail about the older Artists (as can be seen in the pics) is that the p'ups have three o/a height-adjustment screws instead of the more usual two. This allows for adjustment of the p'up angle. Simple idea but it didn't become widespread in practice. I wonder why not? One pair of extra screws etc. wouldn't exactly send the manufacturing costs through the roof! Pip.
capmaster Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 Well, the Artist in my pic is my brothers but yes, Brytam's story is V. Cool! One nice detail about the older Artists (as can be seen in the pics) is that the p'ups have three o/a height-adjustment screws instead of the more usual two. This allows for adjustment of the p'up angle. Simple idea but it didn't become widespread in practice. I wonder why not? One pair of extra screws etc. wouldn't exactly send the manufacturing costs through the roof! Pip. I'm completely with you on that. Some Fenders came that way, too, like the four of my MIM Floyd Rose HSS Strats made in 2011, 2012 and 2013. However, they all are Fender SSS Noiseless modded now as planned from the start, and two of them include piezo bridges. So the four HSS pickguards with a three-screw mounted Fender bridge humbucker each are on the shelf. Badbluesplayer sanded a pickup ring to fit the neck pickup angle of his ES-335. For my Alex Lifeson Les Paul Axcess I did the same. They still make them this way after their 50% price hike to 5.5k€. OK, "only" 30% more in the US.
capmaster Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 My 2014 Ibanez Artist AR720 made in PRC is 4.3 kgs or circa 9 lbs 8 oz like three of my Gibson Les Paul guitars. Unfortunately she is noticeably neck-heavy. I would have wanted the AR2619 Prestige model made in Japan with deeper neck set, less elaborate bindings and purflings, less neck-heavy, but she was three times the price
fretplay Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 I have a 1984 made in Japan Ibanez AM 205. It's like a Les Paul in size but bur mahogany and hollow. Just a great guitar to play and a wonderful warm sound.
american cheez Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 i just bought an ar325 about a month ago. i wish i could take it back. it's a wonderful guitar except for the neck dive, and the fact that it will not sustain at all above the 12th fret, on the unwound strings. i've tried everything but a fret level, so far nothing has worked.
capmaster Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 i just bought an ar325 about a month ago. i wish i could take it back. it's a wonderful guitar except for the neck dive, and the fact that it will not sustain at all above the 12th fret, on the unwound strings. i've tried everything but a fret level, so far nothing has worked. Bridge and tailpiece height adjustments are a bit tricky. It is important that the strings clear the intonation adjustment screw heads. When strung with a plain G3rd, in most cases the D4th is most critical. I had to raise the tailpiece significantly to make my AR720 sound as she should. Tightening the lock nuts is easier with the strings under tension. Unfortunately Ibanez didn't supply a thin-walled 8mm wrench with my AR720, but the one that came in 1987 (!) with my Ibanez RG430 is unnecessary there and now goes along with my AR720.
merciful-evans Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 Bence, I'd be most interested to hear how you rate this for sound quality. I have always admired the look of the Artist series, and the ebony fingerboard too! Love that ebony. It can take any amount of punishment and abuse & still look good & behave perfectly. I dont often get carried away with appearances but that is proper pretty
btoth76 Posted February 2, 2016 Author Posted February 2, 2016 Hello! If one makes to Hungary, I'll try it. But I won't buy one. I have six solids already. My next one will be a semi-hollow. Would be nice to catch one of those ES-Les Paul Studios... But, first I need to get a keyboard, as my instructor told me, we will start with harmony theory soon. Guitar is not the best instrument for learning chord structures, as mostly weird inverted voicings are only possible to fret. Cheers... Bence
stein Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 I had a Scofield model a few years back. Basically a ASM-200 or something. It was 1500 bucks new, which seemed like a lot for a Japanese poly-finished guitar, but I couldn't resist, it played and sounded that good. I guess more specifically, the "Japanese" part was beautiful and very well done. I don't have anything against poly, but it IS a cheaper finish. My "opinion" or whatever is/was that it was worth every bit of the 1500, just a bit surprised that was a "sale" price. I'd like to have another, but really, for more than what I paid the first time, it isn't as good as a 335 or the like, so I ain't opposed to trying out the Chinese ones for what's less money/quality, or Gibson 335/345/355 stuff. But I wouldn't do another Ibanez Artist at Gibson money.
'Scales Posted February 2, 2016 Posted February 2, 2016 Any time I see a photo of Scofield playing that Ibanez it grabs my attention - imo just a very eye-catching, right-looking guitar.
surfpup Posted February 3, 2016 Posted February 3, 2016 Man, I remember when those Artists were all over the place for $200 max. I just checked and most in nice shape are $1200-1500. Guess I shoulda bought some in the 80s!
fretplay Posted February 5, 2016 Posted February 5, 2016 Hm! just realized as you guys are saying theses guitars are heavy, the reason my AS205 is not is because it's hollow. It's sort of Les Paul size but ES335 construction. So Artists come in solid body as well as hollow!
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