What is the Best Ibanez Jazz Guitar?

[Jazz_175]

I never use the bridge pick up

Do you think the bridge pickup would work fine for some funky rhythms, maybe combined with the neck pickup,
and also with some overdrive?

I am near to acquiring a GB10 as a result of a trade with someone who likes one of my guitars that I don't play anymore.

[yebdox]

Do you think the bridge pickup would work fine for some funky rhythms, maybe combined with the neck pickup, and also with some overdrive?

I wouldn't hope for any Ford/Carlton/Holdsworth fusion tones with the thing, but then, I've never tried. I always have it strung with 12s or 13s, as it just plays so well with those. I think you could squeak something useful out of it, but then it wouldn't sound so good for straight ahead stuff.

One thing I like is that it responds so well to pick changes - Fender medium for Benson, 1.0 (Ultex) for most things and 1.5 (ProPlec) for warm, Wes Montgomery, or Peter Bernstein tones (or at least in the ball park - Bernstein is so hard to cop.)

I wouldn't make it my ONLY guitar, but I could get by with a decent Tele and the GB10, if I really had to pare down.

Sure glad I don't have to, though

[jzucker]

Also, due to the bridge pickup being attached to the pickguard, it's nearly impossible to get the bridge and neck pickups to balance correctly.

When you get the pickup close enough the pickguard is up too high and the pickup is angled so the bass side is higher than the treble side.

[Greentone]

For my money, it has to be the 2460 (L-5CES copy from the lawsuit era), and the FA-800 carved acoustic (from the early 80s).

If I didn't already have a Matsumoku version of the L-5CES lawsuit guitar, I would probably own an Ibanez 2460, at this point.

They are excellent, gigable replicas of the L-5.

I have long wanted one of the beautiful FA-800s. To my eye, they are the pinnacle of Ibanez archtop guitar making.

Hey, Archtop Heaven, do you still have your 800? How do you rate it?

[wintermoon]

The 2460 is very nice, I've had several, but I prefer the long scale Aria PE-180

[yebdox]

also due to the bridge pickup being attached to the pickguard, it's nearly impossible to get the bridge and neck pickups to balance correctly. When you get the pickup close enough the pickguard is up too high and the pickup is angled so the bass side is higher than the treble side.

If I didn't like mine so much, I would probably look into a red GB15 and get the hardware replaced with the gold plated stuff. That would be a beautiful guitar!

[Archie]

Best all rounder for me would be the Ibanez FG-100 or AF-200

I could never get on with the GB-10 or 200. I tried a GB300 the other day and didn't like that either. Something about the GB range doesn't do it for me but I'd love a GB-20. They are good guitars don't get me wrong, just not my cup of tea, for two, errr...

[Jazz_175]

also due to the bridge pickup being attached to the pickguard, it's nearly impossible to get the bridge and neck pickups to balance correctly. When you get the pickup close enough the pickguard is up too high and the pickup is angled so the bass side is higher than the treble side.

I've got this GB10 by trading one of my other guitars.

The one thing that puzzles me is that the pickguard is actually very close to the high E string, so it gets in the way a bit when playing an upstroke or fingerstyle. But I see there are a couple of screws so I think it can be moved downward.

Also as far as I understand there is no way to adjust the neck pickup height because it is directly attached to the neck.

[Greentone]

Say, the Ibanez 2460 (the L-5CES copy) has a 25-1/2" scale, just like the Aria Pro II PE 180.

Although I play the Aria, I think the Ibanez lawsuit guitar is also excellent.

[wintermoon]

Say, the Ibanez 2460 (the L-5CES copy) _has_ a 25-1/2" scale, just like the Aria Pro II PE 180. Although I play the Aria, I think the Ibanez lawsuit guitar is also excellent.

All those I've owned and seen were 24.75 scale

[Greentone]

Wintermoon,

Hmm? And this one? 1977 Ibanez L-5CESN

[wintermoon]

Wintermoon,

Hmm? And this one? 1977 Ibanez L-5CESN

Likely a mistake by him, G.T.

I've had several and seen a whole bunch more, all 24 3/4"

[Archie]

For my money, it has to be the 2460 (L-5CES copy from the lawsuit era), and the FA-800 carved acoustic (from the early 80s). If I didn't already have a Matsumoku version of the L-5CES lawsuit guitar, I would probably own an Ibanez 2460, at this point. They are excellent, giggable replicas of the L-5. I have long wanted one of the beautiful FA-800s. To my eye, they are the pinnacle of Ibanez archtop guitar making.

Hey, Archtop Heaven, do you still have your 800? How do you rate it?

I sold it GT.

I like you had coveted the guitar for some years being a fan of Japanese archtops and Ibanez, so when I finally got one I was over the moon but it wasn't what I was expecting at all. I was expecting it to sound like an L5 but it sounds more like what I think a heritage Eagle would.

Very snappy, delicate thinner sound that although perfect for acoustic playing, is not what i'm looking for in an archtop.

The 2460 is great but I think they are getting over priced, although I noticed the price coming down somewhat recently from the discing heights of $3,000 (bare in mind a couple years ago you could have snagged one for $1500)

The one I'm really waiting on next from Ibanez are is the 2470/2471 and GB20.

I think the ultimate Ibanez would be the 2471 with a RC1100.

[MacFever]

Excuse my ignorance but what is an RC1100 ?

[Archie]

Excuse my ignorance but what is a RC1100 ?

Rhythm Chief 1100 :-)

A pickup by Dearmond.

[Greentone]

Yeah, the 2471 is a beauty.

It's like an L-5C with a floater. Body depth is deeper than a Johnny Smith, as I recall.

I'm wondering now, given Wintermoon's data, if the '71, too, is a 24-3/4" scale guitar? (Solid top, though)

[Archie]

I'm surprised about that too but if Wintermoon says its true, I cant see why not to believe him especially since he's had a couple.

The 2471 was the top of the line, then on to the FA800 but they are different.

I have a friend who's just about to put up an Ibanez 2470. Kind of wish I hadn't told him it might be worth about £500 more than he thought

Doooh!

[wintermoon]

the 2471 was also a 24.75 scale.

I'm pretty sure all the vintage Ibanez archtops had this scale length.

[2bornot2bop]

the 2460 is very nice, I've had several, but I prefer the long scale Aria PE-180

Hey, don't forget the Aria PE-190... Just sayin

[Greentone]

The Aria Pro II PE-190 is on my bucket list. Both of them, actually. The '77 catalog shows that it came in two versions: the one above and a natural version with a Charlie Christian pickup set into the top. Oh, man!

Those guitars are finished so beautifully and the necks are great.

Peter, how does yours sound?

[Greentone]

When the Matsumoku fire occurred in the early 80s, I believe, the guitar world lost an important source of great guitars.

I was playing my PE-180, "Super-V" copy today...hadn't had it out in a few months. The construction of the guitar is essentially a copy of a Gibson ES-350CES, with a L-5 tailpiece and a Super-400 neck/headstock.

I almost forgot how thoroughly enjoyable it is to play this guitar. This is probably the most effortless guitar to play that I own--maybe with the exception of my Stratocaster, which is set up _perfectly_. The tone of the 180 is profoundly good. The "thunk" that people describe in other threads, and that my ES-175 had in spades, is quite present in the 180. Even with a thick pick you get a bunch of thunk, although it is pronounced with a thinner pick.

For almost ten years, or so, Matsumoku was putting out some very, very good instruments.

[2bornot2bop]

That PE-180 of yours is gorgeous GT. I'd love to find one in that same shade.

I've already owned the Ibanez 2460 and found those Super 70's to be the cats meow.

How are the humbuckers on your guitar? I couldn't agree more about playability.

In fact, I love the neck so much I wish I had that neck profile on my SE's...it suits my hand better than the thinner necks on the SE's.

3 days ago I had a pro setup on the PE-190, that included some pro bridge work by my luthier. It included adding some ebony beneath the original saddle, which was very thin on the guitar.

I assumed the saddle was original, but I've no way of knowing.

Anyway it's remarkable how my luthier sanded down the original string slots to the bridge, and after reslotting the bridge this guitar just sings for a laminate.

If one didn't know it they'd swear they were playing a carved top. I've got my usual TI 14 Bebop rounds on it...they're a match made in heaven.

[Jazz_175]

If I didn't like mine so much, I would probably look into a red GB15 and get the hardware replaced with the gold plated stuff. That would be a beautiful guitar!

As for the GB10 I'm experiencing some of the problems jzucker was talking about, namely the bridge pickup tilted so that the bass side is down and the treble side is up. Other than that, the neck pickup is wonderful.

I am not using the bridge pickup at all, although I tried a combination of both to give a bit more clarity to the sound.

If I completely remove the bridge pickup I'd transform the guitar into a GB15.

[pingu]

The Aria Pro II PE-190 is on my bucket list. Both of them, actually. The '77 catalog shows that it came in two versions: the one above and a natural version with a Charlie Christian pickup set into the top. Oh, man!

Those guitars are finished so beautifully and the necks are great.

Peter, how does yours sound?

I guess these 180's are kinda like a laminate L5?

Has anyone laid hands on a PE190 with a CC pickup?

Does it sound like Barney Kessel's Guitar at all ?

[MacFever]

I finally bought an Ibanez 2471 from 1977.

Now all I have to do is wait to get the guitar shipped to my home