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Can anyone tell me anything about this Ibanez and when it might be available in the UK? Many thanks
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10-21-2014 04:11 PM
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I can't wait to try that guitar. I was looking at the specs, but didn't see any dimensions... Any chance this has the same body size as the smaller George Benson models? Thanks.
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According to what I've been able to find it has a 15" lower bout and a solid spruce top.
Last edited by Jim Soloway; 10-21-2014 at 09:23 PM.
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there was an ss500 too, maybe discontinued.
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SS300s are priced at $1300 in the US, although there is one on ebay.com with an opening price of $599.
I saw quite a few in the shops in Japan recently, but wasn't in the mood for trying one as I didn't trust myself not to fall to the temptation of taking it through the green channel at customs - and then getting caught
This could be the cheapest Ibanez archtop with Super 58 pickups, as opposed to the MIC Super 58 Customs. I assume it is a pressed solid top, not a carved one.
I would strongly consider one as an upgrade to my AFJ91 if they were available in the UK, or possibly an SJ300 which I believe is 1" bigger in the lower bout, but sells for the same price and to my eyes is aesthetically more a more balanced shape.
These guys ought to be able to answer the OP's question: Headstock Distribution Ltd : Empowering music
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I wonder if this is really the case, considering the engraved pickup designations, which I thought were typical of the Custom 58s (at least I don't see them on the Super 58s of the Artstar Prestige series).
Originally Posted by newsense
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Those are Super 58 customs, Super 58's have clear covers with no engraving, at that price point I would have thought it would be made in China, normally only the Artstar Prestige and the top signature models are Japanese. I'm surprised it has a solid spruce top. There is some information on Sweetwater and ZZsounds.
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Just spoke to a guy at Ibanez and it seems there are no plans to introduce the SS300 in the UK. Am looking into having it special ordered from Japan...
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There is something not right about the pictures of it, the binding in the cutaway continues down the side of the neck which is only done on laminated bodies, also the binding is the same thickness all round the cutaway, on solid tops carved or pressed the binding gets thicker in the cutaway.
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... on the Ibanez website, it also states "solid select Spruce top", where "select" normally implies "laminated". Of course, solid-laminated is a contradiction, so perhaps solid pressed?
N.
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Para - yes - you are correct. The Ibanez site seems to be schizoid on the pickups, in the text description it says they are Customs, whilst the Specification list conveniently leaves out the word custom. We have seen this sort of mistake before from Ibanez - they seem confused by their own range of pickups ! However, they are less confused about it being a solid top, but it's almost certainly pressed - if it were carved they would certainly make more of a song and dance about it. Originally Posted by Para
To the OP: Ollie - you may find it very expensive to import an SS300 to the UK. My guess is that you will end up spending 25% on top of the US price i.e. at least £1000, including VAT, import duty and delivery. You can get an AF-155 for £632 from Thomann with free delivery and my guess is that it may not sound very different from the SS300 and will play just as sweetly. Given the probable price differential, I would be making every effort to go and try an AF model somewhere. There are plenty in stock in the UK, its just a question of finding the nearest one to you.
I have the older AFJ91 (sunset red) with the spruce laminate top, which only cost me £430 new. I spent another £100 upgrading it, including a Gibson 57 Classic pickup (which wasn't really necessary !). I am extremely satisfied with it - but that of course doesn't stop me lusting after more expensive models. The more expensive Artstar models (e.g. AF151) don't really play or sound any better than the Expressionist series. The main differences in price are in the fret end finish and some cosmetics. This opinion is based on also having an Artstar AS153 which, whilst great, doesn't play or sound £250 better than the AFJ91 !
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Hi I won't be importing it myself, it will be a special order through a UK guitar dealer. The Headstock Distribution guy said it wouldn't cost me any more but might take 3 - 6 months. I bought the Ibanez AKJ95 6 months ago and had to send it back as the tail piece had spray paint on it and the grooves were uneven on the wooden bridge. That scared me off the Expressionist range. I love the look of the SJ and SS300 but I'm not 100% sure I can be bothered with the special order. I may plump for the LGB30 still.
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You can grab them off ebay.com for about $600 I've seen two now. Originally Posted by Ollie Flanagan
They are a solid arched top and I suspect they will have a reasonably bright crisp sound. I would prefer the Sj as its a bit bigger.
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Hi I'm in the UK
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I know :-) Originally Posted by Ollie Flanagan
So am I
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Oh I see well if I bought on eBay I'd definitely have to pay customs charges
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Ah do you know it's very frustrating choosing a guitar at this price point
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Originally Posted by Ollie Flanagan
Yeh its a long process.
Just go to a shop near you, that has a good range of archtops. Play all of them, the cheap and expensive. Get a feel for each one.
Then you can make a more informed decision.
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Yeah thanks I think I'll get up to Ivor Mairants at the end of the month and see what's what
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If you buy used, you may also want to look into the Artcore Custom series, which was the predecessor to the current Artstar line. They are very good and can be found cheap. Originally Posted by Ollie Flanagan
They differ from the current models in that they feature rosewood fingerboards and 22 frets.
Model designations: AF100, AF105, AF125, AK100, AK105, PM35
For unknown reasons (well, I guess I like them) I have three of these, including a killer PM35 that arrived yesterday (a 2012 demo model sold as "new"; cost me 450 euros but feels and sounds fantastic).
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I saw a pm35 go for £250 on eBay a few days ago. If I can I want to get a spruce top. I prefer using my thumb and I want those octaves to sound great!
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I haven't played one but I hear they are quite bright. If you want that Wes sound, then you might want to think of moving up in body size. Problem is then you get feedback. Originally Posted by Ollie Flanagan
Ahh the journey begins
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Just some examples of the £300 range on ebay currently. Each has their own drawback but all are decently playing archtops.
Crafter Archtop electric guitar including Johnson Hard Case | eBay
Samick Greg Bennett Design Electric Guitar Arch Top Full Set Up Like Emperor | eBay
Guild Starfire IV Reissue (335) | eBay
Guild Starfire III Guitar | eBay
Cort Yorktown Electric Guitar with Hardcase. | eBay
Epiphone Emperor Regent, Peerless Korea made, 1996 | eBay
Archtop Jazz Guitar - Samick La Salle JZ4 Spruce & Quilted Maple - Excellent | eBay
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Originally Posted by Ollie Flanagan
I've had a great PM-35 for a couple of years now, both great playing and sounding (excellent build quality, too). Not at all what I'd consider bright. Not too warm either but rather just right. IMO. Originally Posted by ArchtopHeaven
FWIW, a year previous to my acquiring this one (on eBay for a great price), I had played six or seven assorted Ibanez archtops in a store some hours away while on a trip; most were very nice, but the PM-35 they had was wonderful there, too, easily their best Ibanez (and also not bright). For various reasons, I reluctantly decided to leave it there that day, but apparently still thought about getting one sometime, and so I eventually did. Highly recommended.
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I was considering the pm35 a while ago, why did they replace it with the pm2 do you think? I wish the less expensive pms had that nice space between the fretboard and pickup like a 175. For me the ultimate guitar that brings the wes sound into the 21st century is the gb10. There are guys on YouTube who make an l5 sound lousy and then you've got joe pass doing his blue side video on an epiphone so it really shouldn't matter.
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