Ibanez Ragtime R640s?

[Jx30510]

Hi to all!
Any experience with this rare Ibanez acoustic, Ragtime R640s ?
In my quest of a gypsy style guitar I found this Ibanez built only from 1980 to 1981 if I understand.

There were a few versions, going from the R400 (all laminate) to the high end of the Ragtime series, the R460s (solid spruce top, maple back and sides, not sure if solid)

The real special thing about the R460s is that there is a resonator in the sound hole, like the early Maccaferris gypsy guitars.

For the other specs, it's got a 15 inch lower bout, 4 inches deep, 24 frets, oval style soundhole, 25.5 scale, rosewood fingerboard.
It seems the neck is maple (there are conflicting informations about this on the net, in pure MIJ 70/80's catalogs).

The deal is pretty interesting, 450€. I saw ones selling more from 800€ to as high as 1300€ here and there.

The seller must send me a few more pictures today.

I'm not sure what this guitar sounds like for "manouche" style playing, or jazz.

I knew a guy that was an excellent jazz gypsy player that had one fitted with a Gibson 57 pickup, and talked to about it quite fondly.
Never heard or saw it at the time.

I read comments saying jazz guitarists love this guitar, but haven't found any information over here, which I feel a little suspicious regarding that comment.

Any info or experience on this instrument?
Thanks

[Jx30510]

I must add that I've read that Ibanez hired Maccaferri himself to design the Ragtime, with the resonnator thingy..
Here's the 1981 catalog.
The bracing is also very unique.

[christianm77]

I’ve googled this guitar a little but it’s all fingerpicking stuff. I think I’d have to hear it in the room.

I’m thinking gypsy jazz on bronze strings will always sound a bit different. Can totally do it, but you lose some of that specific tone.

But it would be interesting to hear the guitar with Argentines (which I think you can get in ball end sets.)

Personally I’m quite interested in a hybrid steel string that’s halfway between flattop and gypsy guitar. I’d like to learn more about this model.

[Jx30510]

Thanks for the input.
Yes I'm also really interested.
The hybrid aspect gets my interest, maybe more versatile than the plain gypsy guitar.. It seems that the designs goal was to enhance greatly the projection, with the arched back and resonator + bean oval sound hole. The bracing is also quite strange, I'm not a specialist, but it 's a bit like a jazz archtop, parallel from what the brochure shows?

[Guitfidle]

Hi guys, I know this thread is a couple years old, but just came across it and had to weigh in. I own the 620s, had it for close to 20 years. It is an absolutely amazing instrument, one of the best flat tops I've played. A couple people who played it asked to buy it frome me.

It's definitely not your standard flat top acoustic, it does have the soundhole resonator and D shape hole of a jazz type. The neck is more like my other Ibanez, a 77 model 2453, the Howard Roberts copy (phenomenal jazz guitar BTW). It sounds great for "regular" flat top duties like chord strumming. I've heard it's great for fingerpicking, but I don't really play like that. I can confirm it both plays and sounds great for lead lines, single notes and double stops ring out quite well. The deep cutaway, body shape, and overall size make it really comfortable to play seated (it's smaller than my acoustic archtop, substantially smaller and more comfy than a dreadnought).

Hope this helps