Ibanez GB40THII

**austin** · 05-08-2017, 01:53 AM

I haven't posted much although I've had an account for a while. But I figure it was worth doing for the acquisition of my very first archtop!

I have played rock for decades, and jazz has been a recent interest as my ears have developed in my 40’s. In particular I’ve developed a bit of an obsession with George Benson particularly his CTI years and pre-Quincy Jones. My cherished LP custom can conceivably get into jazz territory but to do the job right I would have to put flatwounds on it. So for about the last year or so I have been keeping my eyes open for a proper instrument to explore my burgeoning jazz interest with. The budget I felt comfortable with was AUD$2000 which has been about US$1500 not considering shipping costs and the general lack of availability of brands here.

The local stores have a small handful of Godin and Eastman guitars within my budget that I found generally uninspiring. A couple of months ago I saw the Ibanez GB 40th anniversary guitars mentioned on Twitter and my interest was piqued. In the last few weeks they have started appearing in Australian stores, I did my research and found the GB10SE was also stocked locally and these models were just at the edge of my price range. I started fishing with the local Ibanez stockists to see if or when they might get them in inventory and was disappointed. So last week I took a chance on ringing the distributor and found them really helpful, they offered to send out a GB10SE and a GB40THII to the store for me to try out with absolutely no pressure to buy.

A couple of days later I got the phone call the guitars had arrived and went down to check them out. I had no pre-judgements about them, if I didn’t think they were worth the extra $300 over the AR605CE I had played recently that would have been it. But straight out of the case these instruments look stunning, they both played very well with great setups. The difference between the two was the sound, the GB40THII has this big plummy tone that wowed me. Having compared the specs on the two my guess was the difference the solid spruce top makes. Or maybe it was just these two instruments. I also compared the size of the two, there are some contradicting specs on the GB40THII but it appears to be the same depth as the GB10SE.

So anyway, of course I bought it, and I am peaking out just thinking about getting home from work to spend time with it, I am scheming to find more time, I don’t think I have been this excited about a new guitar in ages. The harmonics and intonation are gorgeous, it just begs for tasty chord work, primary triads just sound so… BORING! This guitar is going to change me as a player, that I can already tell. Just one thing needs changing on it, it shipped with .011s which feel too light and I figure with a set of .012s even more tone will leap out of it.

Ibanez GB40THII-ibanez_gb40thiiaa-jpg

**TedBPhx** · 05-08-2017, 02:22 AM

Gorgeous! Enjoy!

**dtunson** · 05-08-2017, 02:53 AM

Congratulations...splendid instrument!

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**austin** · 05-08-2017, 03:28 AM

Originally Posted by TedBPhx

Gorgeous! Enjoy!

Thanks! I see you have a GB10SE... did you ever attach the 2nd strap pin? I'm not sure I can bring myself to do it! Not yet in any case.

**rio** · 05-08-2017, 03:28 AM

Nice - I have had my eye on those too. Enjoy and congrats!

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**citizenk74** · 05-08-2017, 09:04 AM

Congratulations on a beautiful guitar, and play it in good health!

**TedBPhx** · 05-08-2017, 09:53 AM

I put the strap button in the back, not the heel cap. Did take a couple of days to work up the nerve to take a drill to my new baby.

**BigMikeinNJ** · 05-08-2017, 11:36 AM

I grabbed up one of these when they first came out, right during NAMM, a dealer had one on eBay and I contacted them and bought it direct to save a few shekels. I think it is a fantastic design, using a solid (I believe pressed) spruce top. The cosmetics, fret work and all are amazing. My only complaint, and it is minor, is I wish the finish was a tad less yellow. But plugged in it is breathy and alive, unplugged loud enough to play at night without bothering anyone.

Congratulations on your score !!

Big

Ibanez GB40THII-img_9482-jpg

**Max405** · 05-08-2017, 02:32 PM

Thanks for showing us your Beautiful new guitar!
I love the fact that Ibanez makes a Signature model for George at price points that everyone can afford. AND, most importantly, they are all QUALITY guitars.
Enjoy yours. And I can see that you are already reaping the most important benefit of buying a new guitar. You play the heck out of it and because of that, you get better.
That is awesome.
Lots of luck with it and thanks for sharing.
Joe D.

**Smooth Jazz 64** · 05-10-2017, 12:42 AM

Just speechless.... Absolutely great choice of Guitars. I can't wait for the the arrival of my LGB 30 NT.

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**miguelnight** · 05-10-2017, 03:52 PM

This is a beautiful guitar! Tempted to get one myself.

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**miguelnight** · 05-19-2017, 02:27 PM

Just got the LGB-30 and it is awesome! Sounds tight and looks beautiful! I absolutely love this guitar!

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**Smooth Jazz 64** · 05-19-2017, 05:59 PM

Gorgeous... Just made the last payment on mine today. Now waiting on the delivery date for my beauty to arrive 6/28/17. One day after my 53rd birthday. Talking about great gift to myself. Man looking forward to wrapping my hands around the neck of the this Gorgeous Instrument.

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**BigMikeinNJ** · 05-19-2017, 06:16 PM

?Congratulations on the GB's - I think the Made In China models really are great values and are so well executed by the factories Ibanez chose to build them, remember also they make that last stop at Chesbro where techs here in the States really test and work them over as needed. My GB40th II is great. Really swell guitar.

Kudos !!

Big

**miguelnight** · 05-25-2017, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by BigMikeinNJ

I grabbed up one of these when they first came out, right during NAMM, a dealer had one on eBay and I contacted them and bought it direct to save a few shekels. I think it is a fantastic design, using a solid (I believe pressed) spruce top. The cosmetics, fret work and all are amazing. My only complaint, and it is minor, is I wish the finish was a tad less yellow. But plugged in it is breathy and alive, unplugged loud enough to play at night without bothering anyone.

Congratulations on your score !!

Big

Ibanez GB40THII-img_9482-jpg

Nice BM! Did you have to adjust the bridge/action on either GB-10 or GB-40? Or were they both good out of the box? Default height settings for Ibanez seem a little higher than Gibson--to me anyway.

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**BigMikeinNJ** · 05-25-2017, 12:24 PM

The GB10 is from '79 and it was a road weary guitar used by the guitar player for Doctor John, toured with him 17 years. So it came perfectly setup. The GB40th II was great right out of the case. I am doubly impressed by the spec they gave the Chinese factories... Fantastic value.

**Greentone** · 05-25-2017, 02:07 PM

Very nice!

**jazzbow** · 05-26-2017, 04:39 AM

Originally Posted by austin

I haven't posted much although I've had an account for a while. But I figure it was worth doing for the acquisition of my very first archtop!

So anyway, of course I bought it, and I am peaking out just thinking about getting home from work to spend time with it, I am scheming to find more time, I don’t think I have been this excited about a new guitar in ages. The harmonics and intonation are gorgeous, it just begs for tasty chord work, primary triads just sound so… BORING! This guitar is going to change me as a player, that I can already tell.

Ibanez GB40THII-ibanez_gb40thiiaa-jpg

There's the proof that a well made musical instrument can improve your playing and enjoyment of music irrespective of it's place of manufacture and materials used.

Mate, I am so very pleased you have found 'The One'.

Now I'll have to try one.

**h1pst3r88** · 06-11-2017, 05:44 PM

I played one today at GC in Boston. I was very impressed, primarily with the neck, it was fantastic!

It was also very light and has those Benson svelte lines that just make you want to play it. I am very, very tempted.

Great score, enjoy!

-Chris

**rio** · 06-12-2017, 12:28 AM

Question for anyone who has played one - is the logo on the pickguard easily removed?

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**h1pst3r88** · 06-12-2017, 06:34 AM

It wasn't a sticker, if that's what you mean. It was kind of printed on to the plastic. Oddly, the plastic-y pickguard was the only thing I didn't love about the guitar. I would probably take it off and put it in the case and then have another one made using a pair of vintage Super 70s floaters I have.

That said, I thought the pickups sounded really nice as I played through a Fender Princeton.

-C

**Derek Domino** · 06-24-2018, 01:42 PM

This is for owners of the guitar. I'm thinking about buying the GB40 and I was wondering what is under the "wood tailpiece" cover? Is it the regular GB10 bridge? Thanks!

**Pierrot** · 06-24-2018, 02:36 PM

Congratulations! Japanese GB Ibanez are excellent jazz guitars. Ibanez GB40THII-img_20171128_143437_hht-jpg

**D.G.** · 06-24-2018, 02:44 PM

Originally Posted by Derek Domino

This is for owners of the guitar. I'm thinking about buying the GB40 and I was wondering what is under the "wood tailpiece" cover? Is it the regular GB10 bridge? Thanks!

It's a standard tailpiece under the plastic as far as I can tell without ripping it apart. Nice guitar. though I'm still hemming and hawing about replacing the neck pup. Something less overwound if possible.

**Derek Domino** · 06-24-2018, 04:32 PM

Interesting that they would make a cover for the tailpiece, rather than design a new tailpiece. Has anyone here owned both guitars and A/B compared them? I'm wondering how much difference the solid top versus laminate top matters in terms of tone, feedback, etc. I may just get the GB10SE if it's not that different.