'93 Ibanez GB10 neck heel issue

[SOLR]

Hi, I'm looking into this instrument , other than the price ($2500US) I'm concerned with the hell crack , looks like a repair was already attempted and the crack looks deeper than lacquer, any opinions?

Thx


S

[jads57]

When in Doubt? Lay Out! In other words pass on it!

[Sigmund451]

Nope, Id walk away.
Thats not an especially favorable price either.
Im no maker or expert but that definitely looks beyond cosmetic.
They arent in short supply. You dont need to pay for a problem.

[John A.]

That looks just plain broken, not “repaired” to me. I would definitely not buy that.

[Gitfiddler]

There are MANY fine examples of GB10's available on the market, most without the issues of the '93 model under consideration.

I've owned many Ibanez (semi-hollow and hollowbody) guitars over the years. Early production Ibanez models from the 1970's had serious binding and heel cap deterioration issues, as well as pickguard off-gassing. By the mid-80's Ibanez resolved those QC issues.

Unless the GB10 under consideration has encountered abuse, break or other trauma, it should not have the pictured neck heel damage.

Be patient and expand your search.

[Cunamara]

Hard pass. The price is high even without that damage, way high with what the photo shows. It needs a neck reset at least.

You'd be better off with one like Skip's GB10:

2022 Ibanez MIJ GB10 Sunburst

[Jimmy blue note]

I worked for Ibanez. At any point in the life of a guitar if you see something like this, express your condolences and walk away. This one's a has-been.
This would not have even sent to the seconds room, it's stripped for parts and the body reduced to chips and splinters. Yup.

[SOLR]

I worked for Ibanez. At any point in the life of a guitar if you see something like this, express your condolences and walk away. This one's a has-been.
This would not have even sent to the seconds room, it's stripped for parts and the body reduced to chips and splinters. Yup.

Kinda feel sorry for the seller....

Thx everyone for your replies , really appreciate it.

Solr

[Cunamara]

A lot of sellers are naïve and don't really understand these issues; some sellers are unscrupulous. It is always caveat emptor- true in buying a guitar/car/house, getting married or voting for a politician.

[SOLR]

A lot of sellers are naïve and don't really understand these issues; some sellers are unscrupulous. It is always caveat emptor- true in buying a guitar/car/house, getting married or voting for a politician.

I can relate to that , but wether this seller was naive as you said or deceitful I don't know. He told me a renowned local luthier had diagnosed a simple innocuous lacquer crack . He only had a single full on pic of the instrument posted on Marketplace I wanted to see more. After I saw that neck heel , I immediately posted the pic to this forum's more knowledgable members.

S

[Cunamara]

I try to hew to not "attributing to maleficence that which can be explained by ignorance." I rarely succeed... the seller may be trying to hoodwink the buyer or may not understand what they are looking at, but any luthier worth the name would take a glance at that and say "whoa, dude, that's bad" (unless it has worsened since it was examined). In any event. I'd walk away from that one.

I think a GB10 is a wonderful and versatile guitar. It can nail the Benson tone but can also do a lot more. You can (a) find a much better GB10 and (b) find it much cheaper in excellent condition. I've had my 1981 GB10NT for about 43 years, the heel doesn't look anything like that. I used it today at rehearsal and will play a gig with it tomorrow. I have said for years that it is the last guitar I will relinquish and I am still of that thought. Unless you're set on a natural, I think Skip's GB10SB in the for sale section of the forum is a good bet. I've done business with Skip a couple of times, he's a good 'un IME. I've always liked the SB versions.