Badapple
I am interested in buying one of these guitars and am wondering which is the best..?
singemonkey
I don't know about the specific artist models, but the 1970s ones were, I believe, all well made, set neck guitars - with their big vice being that, along with the Gibson Les Pauls and the Yamaha SGs of the era, they were very heavy.
The Ibanez LPs are, however, not by any means the best examples of the Japanese clones of Gibson guitars. They are pretty much all bolt-on neck guitars, with quite odd construction, and some have humbucker covers over single coil pickups. Not really a good example of a Les Paul. A modern Epiphone or a made-in-China Tokai would be better for probably around the same money.
So I'd definitely say go with the artist if it's a reasonable deal and it's not a complete back-breaker weight-wise.
Psean
singemonkey wrote:
The Ibanez LPs are, however, not by any means the best examples of the Japanese clones of Gibson guitars. They are pretty much all bolt-on neck guitars, with quite odd construction, and some have humbucker covers over single coil pickups. Not really a good example of a Les Paul. A modern Epiphone or a made-in-China Tokai would be better for probably around the same money.
So I'd definitely say go with the artist if it's a reasonable deal and it's not a complete back-breaker weight-wise.
Did those LP's not also semi-hollow/chambered type bodies? I opened up an Ibanez LP of a friend's once to give it a clean and seem to remember it having hollow sections. Not sure what year it was though. They seem to be more lookalikes than faithful clones.
singemonkey
Psean wrote:
Did those LP's not also semi-hollow/chambered type bodies? I opened up an Ibanez LP of a friend's once to give it a clean and seem to remember it having hollow sections. Not sure what year it was though. They seem to be more lookalikes than faithful clones.
Yeah that's the story. Cheaply made. Not solid wood construction like most well-known Japanese Les Pauls from the late '70s.
Psean
Cool. Thanks Singe.
All my friends who've played that that guitar dislike the tone. One HATES so much that if the guitarist in their band uses it at practice he's in a foul mood for the whole evening :roflmao: I think that's a bit extreme. But anyway those artists always seem to be much better regarded than the LP copies.
AlanRatcliffe
No competition. The Artist 2619 (later called the AR300) is a great guitar by any standards, high quality parts and materials and really well made. The earlier Custom copies were only copies - and bad ones at that. I'd love to add a 2619 to my stable of guitars some day.
costafonix
I'd go with the Artist too, those were damn well made guitars :yup:
AlanRatcliffe
BTW - it's not the Artist on Gumtree is it? That one has dot markers, while AFAIK, the 2619's all had the gorgeous 3-piece block inlays. Still a good deal though...
jt
Still a good deal though... Indefinatly! If i saw another one out their with dot markers and someone confirmed they some had them, id buy that guitar, instantaneously!
Bob-Dubery
The Artist.
That was the guitar that Ibanez launched to show that they were serious about making guitars that were good on their own terms, rather than just look like something special. If it's what came to be known as the 300 then it'll be well built and have the splitters on each pickup - giving you more tone options.
Badapple
Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
BTW - it's not the Artist on Gumtree is it? That one has dot markers, while AFAIK, the 2619's all had the gorgeous 3-piece block inlays. Still a good deal though...
No it isn't. I haven't actually viewed the guitars yet. So what difference will those inlays mean?
AlanRatcliffe
Badapple wrote:
So what difference will those inlays mean?
If it's dots, it's a 2618, not a 2619 - one model down in the range.
singemonkey
Interesting that the top of the line models would be less desirable by today's standards - suffering from '70s switch-o-mania.
Badapple
Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
Badapple wrote:
So what difference will those inlays mean?
If it's dots, it's a 2618, not a 2619 - one model down in the range.
Thanks
Badapple
What should I look out for and identify on the guitar? Serial number, pickups, ect?
el-guapo
singemonkey wrote:
Interesting that the top of the line models would be less desirable by today's standards - suffering from '70s switch-o-mania.
Odd but not unprecedented: late 50s Gibsons being the prime example. Prices for customs are at least still within this portion of the universe, whereas "standards"... You know.
AlanRatcliffe
singemonkey wrote:
Interesting that the top of the line models would be less desirable by today's standards - suffering from '70s switch-o-mania.
Par for the course when a manufacturer follows fashion trends. I don't know why everyone was making Alembic inspired guitars in the late '70s and early '80s - they were never that popular to begin with (unlike their basses).
se7ent7
That was my '77 2618 in Gumtree ?
And for the record, once again, at the last moment, I decided to hang on to her ?
They are very heavy, but very very solid and toneful.
These ones especially are cool - they're (easy accessed) 24 fret necks and therefore the neck pickup is nearer the bridge (like 24 fret PRS guitars).
This inherently gives the neck tone a cooler, bright and less woolly sound. I use it much more on it's own and middle position than my LPs and other double buckers axes.
I think they were only 24 fretted in '77 and '78. I've got an '82 too (oh yes, but needs a refret ?) and it's a 22 fretter, different feel and vibe. More traditional, more like a typical LP double cut.
Since I'm not selling anymore, you might believe me if I say: These are better guitars than most vintage Ibanez LP copies - especially, of course the bolt-on ones, which are unfortunately the ones you're most likely to find.
