Ibanez FG100 versus Ibanez GB 10

Dutchbopper · 07-08-2014, 02:17 PM

New Blog entry about one of the least known vintage Ibanez archtops. With video clip comparing its sound to the best known one, the GB 10.

Dutchbopper's Jazz Guitar Blog: Ibanez FG 100 versus GB 10

Regards,

DB

**docbop** · 07-08-2014, 05:17 PM

I wish I had bought one of those back in the day. I do have a 79 GB20 I picked up used a long time ago it was my first archtop it plays and sounds good. Back in 70's there was another Japanese L5 copy called Ventura was popular around where I lived, my teacher had one and swore by them. I wonder if they were same guitar with different name?

**GoergeBenson** · 07-08-2014, 06:18 PM

The Fg always struck me as a bit of an outlier.

The body was quite thin and the shoulders narrow, just like the Greco Fa series. I thought the feel of the guar was a little cheap in places and the sound quite thin. Sort of like a (well damn close to) the JP20 but a little more rounded on the attack and over all note.

The bodies however where nice, with a good finish, especially in the dark burst but I wish they had gone for ebony on the fretboard.

All in all not a bad guitar but I felt it was definitely on the budget side of Japanese manufacturing.

There is also another model which is even rarer (unless Im on drugs, oh wait a minute) The FB-100. Essentially the same guar but made of birch not the burly, curly laminate of the FG.

Nice blog Dutch and nice find. A very pic up and playable guitar for sure but at the prices they are going for nowadays, they're starting to get a little too expensive for my taste.

A really good Swedish Jazz player uses one and plays claw hammer style bop.

**Falling_leaves** · 07-08-2014, 06:38 PM

Hey DB,

I saw you have a Tal Farlow. How does this FG100 compare to Tal Farlow?

**2bornot2bop** · 07-08-2014, 06:48 PM

a pair of FG 100's currently on feebay - $1900 and $1k respectively:

Ibanez FG100 | eBay

1982 Ibanez FG 100 FG100 Natural Archtop Electric ES175 Byrdland Mint GRLC1376 | eBay

**GoergeBenson** · 07-08-2014, 07:36 PM

Originally Posted by 2bornot2bop

a pair of FG 100's currently on feebay - $1900 and $1k respectively:

Ibanez FG100 | eBay

1982 Ibanez FG 100 FG100 Natural Archtop Electric ES175 Byrdland Mint GRLC1376 | eBay

Yeh thats my point about the prices.

Certainly Mr GB's endorsement (by using the model live for a while) has added desirablity to the instrument, that I'm not sure would otherwise, be there.

I would have said $1,000 was a good price for one in fair condition. $1,300 for a mint one although I'm sure that was probably the price new.

Actually Dutch, the Ibanez Af-120 (artstar) is also very similar to the FG-100 at a fraction of the price but fair to say, not as nice to hold or look at. It also has a laminate spruce top but Im sure both guitars where designed from the same blue print and plugged in sound pretty much the same and both with very fast necks.

**Falling_leaves** · 07-08-2014, 07:49 PM

Hi GB,

Do they have different pickup between FG100 and AF120? Pickup can make a huge sound difference.

**GoergeBenson** · 07-08-2014, 07:57 PM

Actually I don't know. The Af-120 has the Classic 58's or 57's. off the top of my head I can't remember exactly.

Your right about pickups but with the guitars being as small as they are (not really acoustic instruments per say) at gigging level, i doubt there would be much difference.

The Artstar can sound very good but it has to be in good hands with the right strings. I would say the same for the Fg-100

The Ibanez Jp-20, FG-100 and AF-120 are essentially the same guitar and all sound in and around the same ball park from my personal experience. Although oddly, the JP-20 coming in last IMO

**Falling_leaves** · 07-08-2014, 08:17 PM

Thanks for your information again.

**fritz jones** · 07-09-2014, 12:36 AM

One of them came up on my local craigslist last winter, for about $800.
The only issue was with the frets being very badly in need of a fret dress and probably a leveling.
This guitar is surprisingly heavily built, with a small block under the bridge, in between the parallel braces.
The block is thinner than the bracing, at 1/4" which may qualify it as a bridge "patch".

heavy and dead sounding acoustically, but great plugged in with a thin neck.
the poly finish has some slight "orange peel" texture but not very noticeable.

Dutchbopper · 07-10-2014, 05:36 AM

Originally Posted by GoergeBenson

Yeh thats my point about the prices.

Certainly Mr GB's endorsement (by using the model live for a while) has added desirablity to the instrument, that I'm not sure would otherwise, be there.

I would have said $1,000 was a good price for one in fair condition. $1,300 for a mint one although I'm sure that was probably the price new.

Actually Dutch, the Ibanez Af-120 (artstar) is also very similar to the FG-100 at a fraction of the price but fair to say, not as nice to hold or look at. It also has a laminate spruce top but Im sure both guitars where designed from the same blue print and plugged in sound pretty much the same and both with very fast necks.

I read you compared the FG 100 to a JP 20 and you thought they sounded similar. Well, they don't. I hate the JP 20, the pick-up placement on that one is wrong and even Joe disliked the instrument himself. Very tinny sounding. The FG 100 does not have that problem at all. It's of a lighter build than my Gibson 175 or Tal Farlow but it definitely has a sound that is in the same ball park. A bit different, slightly less dark but not tinny, like the JP 20. It sounds better than a GB 10 even to my ears. But I dislike the sound of floating pups on laminates, so that is not surprising.

I used to own a 1977 Ibanez Johnny Smith for years. You know, from the "better than the original lawsuit golden era Ibanez guitars" (bullshit). The FG 100 blows it away completely. The JS was a tinny sounding guitar. Beautiful looking, but sound wise not to my taste.

Though the FG 100 is much cheaper than my Gibsons I would not hesitate to use it for a recording session, important gig or what have you.

Bruce Foreman played one too. A guy like that would not play en entry level guitar. Like me. Why would I? I own a few nice Gibsons. Maybe the FG 100 was a bit of a budget model at the time, but so what? I have played guitars 3 times its price that sounded a lot worse. Tinny? Nope.

The FG 100 was the mould many other guitars were derived from, the JP 20 and later even some PM models. And the Af series yes.

My point was, with the prices of most vintage Ibanez topping 2000 dollars (euro over here) this one kicks ass for a lot less. For now, for I have seen them going up to well over 1500. Just a matter of time.

Regards,

DB

Dutchbopper · 07-10-2014, 05:49 AM

The Tal sounds darker and fatter. Very classic "Gibson." The FG 100's sound is a bit lighter. Here's a few clips. The second one is a lofi metronome practise through a cheap amp. There's a lot more clips on my Youtube page.

Regards,

DB

Dutchbopper · 07-10-2014, 05:53 AM

Originally Posted by Falling_leaves

Hi GB,

Do they have different pickup between FG100 and AF120? Pickup can make a huge sound difference.

No idea. Sorry.

DB

**GoergeBenson** · 07-10-2014, 06:40 AM

Hey Dutch

Yes I certainly wouldn't say the JP sounds the same plugged in due to the pick up placement. I was stating that they sound quite similar due to the body size/design but the JP would be a little brighter/thinner due to the spruce top. The AF would fall somewhere in between the both.

I also have no issues with it being a 'budget' japanese guitar. Certainly nothing wrong with that considering I have an AF-120, which I love the sound of and it has the fastest Ibanez neck you will ever lay your hands on.

Although it never stays in tune lol

Yes I remember the "Faithful Copy" days ;-)

**BigMikeinNJ** · 07-10-2014, 07:29 AM

Pickups in the JP and FG are Super 58's.Pickups in the AFs are Super 58 CUSTOM, which in this case does not mean deluxe, it's a lesser pickup in sound quality. They're nice, but not Super 58s...

**vejesse** · 07-10-2014, 01:16 PM

I had an 85 Fg 100 with Super 58's. I never could get into it although it played well after a refret. Very thin Ibanez style neck and somewhat lightly constructed. To my ears the sound with Thomastik Swing series 12's was not bad but sort of transparent and hi fi compared to my 78 GB 10, but maybe it would have sounded better to the audience. Never played it on the stand. The Gb 10 has some serious beef, just a really fat sound if somewhat one dimensional. Round wounds help tame the darkness. The pickups have something like 12.5 k resistance. Perfectly shaped neck.

**BigMikeinNJ** · 07-10-2014, 05:32 PM

Just found this performance "slumming" on YouTube for a live version of GONNA LOVE YOU MORE, found this on the list on the side. Note it's a GB-10 but with set in body hum buckers. All bow down to how tight this band is. GB has kept the same bass player around for a long time, since the mid 70s. Got a copy of Mr. Benson's biography coming in the mail tomorrow (pre release soft cover copy). Can't wait to see if he talks at length about the guitars he uses on stage and what his favorites are (many I am sure).

Enjoy this sweet version of DOWN AT THE MAMBO INN

**gb10** · 05-08-2015, 05:20 AM

little late for a reply but i own both guitars so here is my take..
Apple and oranges, fg is a classic 16 archtop , gb10 is much smaller and has a piece of wood glued to the top plate like a semihollow, but its not reach the back plate, its a hybrid guitar.
My fg100 is from 1982, neck profile is like gibson 59,way beefer than my 1986 gb10, newer fg100 has slimer necks.
Fg100 has dry tone, strong fundamental with little overtones, better dynamic range, bass notes can thunk
gb10 has more low mids , more sustain, rich overtones, a creamy sound

I have play a 1986 fg100 and it was sweeter, mine has agressive tone..

Fg100 is more vintage sounding, gb10 more modern.

I prefer....both!!
when i hear the benson tone in the take five from 1986 with the fg100, and compare it when plays the gb10, i can hear these differences even from pc. speakers

**Ronstuff** · 05-09-2015, 11:09 AM

I have an '86 Fg100 and agree on the sweet sound, almost like a solid top guitar. Bright. Slim neck.

**icheme** · 06-10-2015, 10:27 AM

late reply for me too, a friend of mine has a FG100, I got the GB10, I played his guitar, I really liked it, but the playability of the GB10 is unbeatable.

I find that the sound of the FG has more body, which is obvious considering the size of the body of both guitars.
But I'm a GB 10 man, Ilike the tone, it has a lot of punch with a nice tone, and as a travelling musician, I like the the size!

**jzucker** · 06-10-2015, 01:35 PM

Originally Posted by vejesse

I had an 85 Fg 100 with Super 58's. I never could get into it although it played well after a refret. Very thin Ibanez style neck and somewhat lightly constructed. To my ears the sound with Thomastik Swing series 12's was not bad but sort of transparent and hi fi compared to my 78 GB 10, but maybe it would have sounded better to the audience. Never played it on the stand. The Gb 10 has some serious beef, just a really fat sound if somewhat one dimensional. Round wounds help tame the darkness. The pickups have something like 12.5 k resistance. Perfectly shaped neck.

what year is your benson? The earlier ones have 7k pickups. Dimarzio later put ceramic magnets in them . I know for a fact that benson gets his newer gb pickups rewound and rebuilt to vintage spec

**gianluca** · 09-19-2015, 10:15 AM

hi
at the end I've bought an FG100: arrived yesterdays night.
I didn't sleep: is just fantastic.

@dutchbopper: great review and great playing on youtube: it has been determinant for my choice, thank you.
just a question: the bruce forman's one looks a little different: ok, the tail piece might has been a mod; but the pickup seems to be much closer to the neck than in my fg; and the headstock has a white binding: mine hasn't it!

**Ronstuff** · 09-19-2015, 06:36 PM

I wish I had known that the earlier FG100's had a different neck. My '86 does not sound like Bruce Forman's and also not like the demos I've heard. Thin neck seems to make the sound more 'transparent' and bright.

**Cunamara** · 09-20-2015, 07:31 PM

Bruce's is a custom built for him as an endorser, not a stiock guitar. BTW, that guitar was used as the model for the Epiphone Joe Pass according to info from Bruce out there on the intwebs.

Dutchbopper · 09-21-2015, 03:36 PM

Originally Posted by Ronstuff

I wish I had know that the earlier FG100's had a different neck. My '86 does not sound like Bruce Forman's and also not like the demos I've heard. Thin neck seems to make the sound more 'transparent' and bright.

I have a 83 FG 100 that sounds like Bruce's. It does not sound like my 175, 350 or Tal Farlow but has a great sound on its own nonetheless. I take it to gigs. It's a pro grade instrument.

It's not really fair to compare it to a GB 10 because that one is twice the price of an FG 100. It should not sound so good. But it actually does

A vintage Ibanez FG 100 hoffers great value for money and the playabilty is super. It's the best Japanese guitar I have ever owned. Better than those "golden age of Ibanez 70s Gibson copies IMHO."

Regards,

DB