your opinions on the Ibanez artist(vintage)

[chief ten beers]

There is one for sale in my neck of the woods that I am considering buying because i've heard quite a few good things about the axe.For those in the know what are your views on these and what is a fair price to pay for a curly mapled top example from1982?I also noticed that this model has dots on the fretboard as oppossed to the mother of pearl inlay on some of the models.thanks

 

[Improviser]

The Ibanez Artists of the era you speak were of several different styles eg. double cutaway Les Paul-style; ES-335-style; etc. There were higher-end models across each style as well. In general they are very well built, sound good, and often can be bought for very reasonable prices.

I have an '81 AS-100 (ES-335 style) in cherry read which is a great guitar.

Perhaps a pic or a model number of the guitar you're interested would help more.

Geoff

 

[GuitslingerTim]

The Japanese Artists with setnecks from the 70's and 80's are outstanding instruments.

Based on what the collectors on Ebay are willing to pay, an Artist model made in '82 in mint condition with an exceptional top could go as high as $800, maybe for a little more depending on the rarity of the model and the interest generated with some of the nutty Ibanez collectors. I call them nutty because they're like dogs fighting over a bone when an exceptional axe appears for auction.

If you're buying from an individual, make an initial offer in the $200-$300 range if the guitar is really nice. If you go as high as $500 during negotiations, the offer will be a little less than what the Artist cost when it was new, which is reasonable given its collectibility. If the guitar has much external wear and damage, or fret wear, I wouldn't pay over $250.

The Artist models with dot inlays are of less interest to the collectors than models with block inlay. An Artist model with dot inlay will have to a real looker with exceptional features to go for more than $500.

 

[randall g]

I have a 1977 24 fret Artist and I love it - nice thick sound - slightly less low end than a Paul I compared it to.

Played it live for years. I looked around at quite a few, and the early ones seemed nicer - more attention to detail. The early 80's models (the black ones) all seemed cheap to me - in feel and workmanship.

 

[Member 1963]

Be aware.....many of them have maple necks,(more than not) which isn't necassarily bad, but it is to me and may be to you. So before you buy you should consider that. Those with opaque paint on the neck won't be obvious so you'd have to llok up the specs for that model if you can find them.

And yes, i AM talking about the original artist series, not the recent ones.

 

[mitch]

I have a 78 Artist, heavy as hell, but I get some great sounds out of her. It is a great deal like a musician model with a neck through, and a two tone body. I got her about 2 and a 1/2 years ago for 300 from a local shop. He said it was an 82... It isn't.

 

[FrankW]

My first "good" guitar was a Ibanez Artist 1505 from 1984. It was top-of-the line then, with a "custom made" inlay in the neck, featuring a Brazilian rosewood fretboard, spruce(!) top and one piece mahagony neck and solid mahagony body. It is the fattest sounding guitar I've ever heard! Also very well built. This model must be kind of rare, since I have never seen another one.

 

[BigDoug1053]

I think those Ibanez Artists are usually very nice guitars - and used to be way underpriced - or undervalued, IMO. My ex had one - a smallish sunburst semi-hollow with beautiful whorled figuring and wonderful abalone inlay. A great little guitar she got for minimal shekels.

 

[aeolian]

I had a semi-hollow Artist with a burled mahogany top. Great playing guitar. The pickups used three height adjusting screws so regular humbuckers weren't a direct replacement. That particular instrument needed the truss rod adjusted constantly. The neck was always moving around with the least little environmental change. YMMV

 

[Hamer95USA]

Hey guys,

I almost pulled the trigger on buying one last year. I went with buying the Hamer USA Studio and a Gibson Les Paul Custom guitar instead. Cool guitars whose value is going up.

Guitar George