John Abercrombie's Ibanez Artist guitar?

[Fred Archtop]

Hello jazzers,

Does someone know which exact model from the Ibanez artist series John used along the 80's? I've always thought it was an AR100 model but I came across the AR 1505 model in a French forum.

Maybe he had several models over the years.

Thanks and regards.

[Jimmy blue note]

It was an AR300. They were popular in the day, both he and Mick Goodrick (they were best friends and at Berklee together) had them. They were prized because they were real deluxe Japanese solid body guitars and they cost less than a Gibson Les Paul.

[floatingpickup]

I owned one of those in the 1980’s. It was a really nice guitar.
Keith

[Fred Archtop]

It was an AR300. They were popular in the day, both he and Mick Goodrick (they were best friends and at Berklee together) had them. They were prized because they were real deluxe Japanese solid body guitars and they cost less than a Gibson Les Paul.

Thanks Jimmy. At some point I thought he also used an AM200 but I was wrong obviously.
Best.

[blue_lu]

He also used a schottmüller, I think.

[Jimmy blue note]

Thanks Jimmy. At some point I thought he also used an AM200 but I was wrong obviously.
Best.

You may be correct, they were similar but for appointments. Mick describes it as "The nice Ibanez 'version of the Les Paul' with the fancy bridge plate" and John, well, rest in peace. Both are long gone so your guess is as good than mine (or Mick's). I was going on Mick's description and what I knew from my time working for Ibanez, but his descriptors of his own instruments are always along the lines of "That $90 Hohner that fit in the overhead" rather than the detailed records kept in the archives of fandom.
Sorry for any confusion caused.

[BickertRules]

AR300, I always thought these looked cool and I love Abercrombie’s playing. If you live in Austin you can pick one up at a good price.

Ibanez Artist AR300 Honey Sunburst | Individual | Reverb

[Jimmy blue note]

AR300, I always thought these looked cool and I love Abercrombie’s playing. If you live in Austin you can pick one up at a good price.

Ibanez Artist AR300 Honey Sunburst | Individual | Reverb

THAT'S IT!! Thanks for setting that straight once and for all. Yeah those were the workhorses that created the early days of John and Mick. Very sweet guitars. Actually can be worth a pretty penny if they drift into the right circles of collectors. Their build quality was in a class of their own back then and they still stand as a high point in Ibanez history.

[Doctor Jeff]

AR300, I always thought these looked cool and I love Abercrombie’s playing. If you live in Austin you can pick one up at a good price.

Ibanez Artist AR300 Honey Sunburst | Individual | Reverb

Nice pic and nice guitar, but “Greatful Dead”??

[Cunamara]

Yep. Bob Weir worked closely on guitar development with Ibanez USA' Jeff Hasselberger. Lots of prototypes culminating in "the full cowboy fancy" and the more workmanlike 2680/fancier 2681. Bob also has one of George Benson's prototype GB10s; in interviews Bob has said that they let him try it out of the shop and he was so taken with it that he refused to give it back to them.

Ibanez BWM1 Bob Weir Cowboy Fancy | Vintage Guitar(R) magazine

Bob is now a major endorser for D'Angelico guitars and has his own signature model.

[RobbieAG]

I was thinking it was an AS200. I had an AS100 at the time and it was basically the same guitar with fancier inlays and gold plated hardware.

[dalko]

Hello,

I just saw the question about John 's ibanez guitars.

He has an AR300 on the photo already shown above, the one with 2 Tri-Sound switches.

But, he had also an AR1505 "Custom Made" guitar. We can see "Custom Made" inlay on the 21 fret.

The gutar is different fome AR 300, and was made for JAZZ.

Why? Because, she has a solid SPRUCE Top, BRAZILIAN fingerboard, 1 Piece mahagony neck, 1 piece mahogany Body and rares SUPER 58 JAZZ pickups! It's a totally different guitar.

Remember - Ar 300 has 2 pieces mahogany back, 3 pieces Maple neck, Ebony fingerboard, Maple Top and normal Super 58 pickups ... It's completely diferent ...

So, he had BOTH guitars.

A video with his AR300 (2 Tri-Sound switches, on the 21 fret just a normal inlay)

After, two videos with his AR1505 (No Tris-Sound swiitches, "Custom Made" inlay on the 21 fret)

Pictures of John's Ibanez Artist AR1505 from his luthier: Guitar Specialist - Guitar repair and restoration services - John Abercrombie Guitar Repairs


Ibanez AR1505 specifications:



If you want to know more about Ibanez Vintage guitars, i started a thread in local guitar forum in France.
You will see there John with an Ibanez AM205 ... https://www.guitariste.com/forums/gu...ub,491049.html


Enjoy!

[citizenk74]

Hello,

I just saw the question about John 's ibanez guitars.

He has an AR300 on the photo already shown above, the one with 2 Tri-Sound switches.

But, he had also an AR1505 "Custom Made" guitar. We can see "Custom Made" inlay on the 21 fret.

The gutar is different fome AR 300, and was made for JAZZ.

Why? Because, she has a solid SPRUCE Top, BRAZILIAN fingerboard, 1 Piece mahagony neck, 1 piece mahogany Body and rares SUPER 58 JAZZ pickups! It's a totally different guitar.

Remember - Ar 300 has 2 pieces mahogany back, 3 pieces Maple neck, Ebony fingerboard, Maple Top and normal Super 58 pickups ... It's completely diferent ...

So, he had BOTH guitars.

A video with his AR300 (2 Tri-Sound switches, on the 21 fret just a normal inlay)

After, two videos with his AR1505 (No Tris-Sound swiitches, "Custom Made" inlay on the 21 fret)

Pictures of John's Ibanez Artist AR1505 from his luthier: Guitar Specialist - Guitar repair and restoration services - John Abercrombie Guitar Repairs


Ibanez AR1505 specifications:



If you want to know more about Ibanez Vintage guitars, i started a thread in local guitar forum in France.
You will see there John with an Ibanez AM205 ... https://www.guitariste.com/forums/gu...ub,491049.html


Enjoy!

[Doctor Jeff]

Yep. Bob Weir worked closely on guitar development with Ibanez USA' Jeff Hasselberger. Lots of prototypes culminating in "the full cowboy fancy" and the more workmanlike 2680/fancier 2681. Bob also has one of George Benson's prototype GB10s; in interviews Bob has said that they let him try it out of the shop and he was so taken with it that he refused to give it back to them.

Ibanez BWM1 Bob Weir Cowboy Fancy | Vintage Guitar(R) magazine

Bob is now a major endorser for D'Angelico guitars and has his own signature model.

OK but Bob was a member of the Grateful Dead, not the Greatful Dead. That's what copy editors are for.

I like Bob's D'Angelico guitar and the GD Rose guitar as well--nice instruments.

[Cunamara]

Hah, Jeff, I totally missed that! No doubt why I am not a proofreader!

[Ray175]

The AR300's are great instruments and the early super58's pickups that they carry are very close to a PAF in sound (I have them on my 1980 AS200). I almost bought one 5 years ago, and instead bought a brand new Artist AR2619 Prestige, which is visually almost identical to the AR300 but carries super 80 pickups which are marginally brighter but still great with the trisound switching. Out of my 11 instruments the 2619 gets the most play, my 1961 ES-175D coming a close second and the 2008 CS sonic blue 1961 strat a close third.
An early AR300 in good condition can be found for1300-1500USD so they are excellent value for money

[Fred Archtop]

Hello,

I just saw the question about John 's ibanez guitars.

He has an AR300 on the photo already shown above, the one with 2 Tri-Sound switches.

But, he had also an AR1505 "Custom Made" guitar. We can see "Custom Made" inlay on the 21 fret.

The gutar is different fome AR 300, and was made for JAZZ.

Why? Because, she has a solid SPRUCE Top, BRAZILIAN fingerboard, 1 Piece mahagony neck, 1 piece mahogany Body and rares SUPER 58 JAZZ pickups! It's a totally different guitar.

Remember - Ar 300 has 2 pieces mahogany back, 3 pieces Maple neck, Ebony fingerboard, Maple Top and normal Super 58 pickups ... It's completely diferent ...

So, he had BOTH guitars.

A video with his AR300 (2 Tri-Sound switches, on the 21 fret just a normal inlay)

After, two videos with his AR1505 (No Tris-Sound swiitches, "Custom Made" inlay on the 21 fret)

Pictures of John's Ibanez Artist AR1505 from his luthier: Guitar Specialist - Guitar repair and restoration services - John Abercrombie Guitar Repairs


Ibanez AR1505 specifications:



If you want to know more about Ibanez Vintage guitars, i started a thread in local guitar forum in France.
You will see there John with an Ibanez AM205 ... https://www.guitariste.com/forums/gu...ub,491049.html


Enjoy!

Merci ! Très documenté !