[attachment=0]web-guitar.jpg[/attachment] Just thought this might be interesting who all have played in the 60’s up
Old rockers and their axes
Here is the head stock and can any one tell what model this one is ?[attachment=0]web-headstock.gif[/attachment]
I like the paint on the body. I always wanted to get some of that super glittery red bass boat paint for an electric. That one has that kind of vibe going on. I think I know what year it was made (unless Fender did something goofy), but I’ll leave it out there for further conversation.
I’m not so good with getting the exact year of guitars, however that one looks like a late 1980s to early 1990s Strat “Plus”.
It was an interesting time for Fender as Ibanez was making ridiculously high quality Strat copies in the early-mid 1980s (made in Japan models). The Ibanez Strats were mostly bass or alder with occasional ash models. I was a Les Paul fan at the time but could not turn down the quality and feel of these instruments. Even the cheap models had graphite nuts, Ibanez strap “locks”, roller string trees, single/double coil switching, and high quality pivot whammy bridges with die cast, fully adjustable saddles. Here is one that I have held on to for a few years, it was built in 1984. This one has the original speed knobs and a phase switch for the single coil pickups:
Actually, I am not a big fan of colorful electric guitars (I usually own either black or tobacco sunbursts), but some years ago we were in the middle of a particularly dark and dismal winter when I spotted this on eBay and it looked so bright and sunny, I needed it to pull me out of a funk. Less than $200 later and it was at my door.
By the way, I have owned at least 20 of these mid-80s Ibanez Roadstar II electrics over the years and everyone has played so nicely that my students beg me to sell it to them. So I sell it them replace it with another. In fact, I have a black one that another student has begged me to sell so it will be going next week. In case you are interested, only purchase the MIJ (rounded headstock) Ibanez Roadstar II guitars that are of the 100 or 200 series. The higher series models had lousy locking whammy systems on them which (in my eyes) made them not nearly as nice as their cheaper brethren.
That is a happy looking Roadstar! I like the color. Around 1984 or 85 I was in a rock band. A really solid guitarist that I played with bought a new hot pink Ibanez guitar that was a “super-strat” type (similar to a Jackson Dinky). It had a Floyd Rose and was not that expensive for what it was, but man… it was a great guitar. It played great right out the box, it had great sounding humbuckers, and if crazy divebombing on the whammy was your thing, it would happily do it and come back to perfect pitch over and over. Just a great guitar and it happened to be a great (relative) value. After your post I went looking to see what model it was and I couldn’t find it, but I did find a catalog. Here’s a link in case it would be interesting reading:
ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1984/
Re: Old rockers and their axes
Unread postby drguitar » Wed Jul 30, 2014 2:45 pm
I’m not so good with getting the exact year of guitars, however that one looks like a late 1980s to early 1990s Strat “Plus”.
1989 Strat plus I traded a Ephiphone Sheraton II and deluxe Gibson case with combination lock . and 689.00 dollars. I purchased it in 1989 and have had it ever since and except for a couple of small dings it is pretty much new condition. I got what I paid for the other guitar and case on trade . I have enjoyed that guitar it is so easy to play and the tone is killer . it has three gold lace sensors . I recommended an Ibanez to a friend and he was well pleased price wise playablity and sound. I have owned an artist series bought back in the 80’s made by Ibanez never had a complaint myself and all that played it liked the guitar . The Strat plus has an Alder body and made in the USA . You pretty much nailed it Dr.
I had the wrong purchase date I bought it new in 1989 oops!
My (undisclosed) thoughts on the year came from the following. The serial starts with E (for eighties) and 9 year code followed by the 5 digit serial number. E + 9 = 1989. That code is basically what they did since the 70s. I mentioned some caveats about “as long as Fender didn’t do anything goofy.” I am not a huge Fender knowledge guy, but some of their re-issues or vintage models didn’t follow that exactly. I couldn’t tell you how they deviated, but I am sure it is well documented somewhere in google-ville.
Here is the old catalog pic I was looking for:
http://rs575.pbsrc.com/albums/ss196/primered_2009/2006-07-02_212936_RS135_Comets.jpg~320x480
They came in plain Jane colors, but the matching pickup covers was kind of cool.