1978 Ibanez 2630

[ARGewirtz]

Attachment 92947Attachment 92948Attachment 92949Attachment 92950Attachment 92951Attachment 92952As I mentioned in my previous post re a website to browse vintage MIJ guitars, here are a few pics of the 1978 Ibanez 2630 that I bought and it arrived yesterday.

As you can see, it’s in really clean shape except for a somewhat obscure part that’s missing. The original guitar would have had 2 Ibanez Super 80 pickups with a Super 80 Tri-sound pickup in the bridge and a Tri-sound selector switch just above the bridge pickup volume knob. Somewhere along the way the original pickups were replaced and the Tri-sound selector switch was removed, leaving a small hole in the top. I’m looking for a similar switch that would be just for show to fill the space.

As for the current pickups, I don’t know much about them and I will decide whether to keep or change them, but if I decide to change I’m NOT going to bother to chase after the original Super 80s. Any suggestions on other pickups to consider? Over the past 20-months I’ve focused exclusively on learning standards and basic jazz playing, and I have a couple of nice old archtops for that purpose. I understand that with the right PUPs I can use this guitar for those same tunes (although clearly with a different sound) but this guitar gives me the added flexibility to wander into some blues when I'm ready.

The only other item is that sometime over the guitar’s 44-year history, the pickguard was removed. This model was made for only 3 years, 1977-1979. The 1977 model did not have a pickguard; a tortoise pickguard was added for the 1978 model. I kinda like the look without the guard and likely any original pickups that are still around would have gassed-off by now, so if I decide to add a pickguard, I’ll have a new one made to fit.

Here's the guitar with its new pickups and pickup rings, which gives it a look more reminiscent of the original as it appears in the 1978 Ibanez catalog. The pups are Jimmy Wallace PAFs, which I acquired for a very reasonable price from a luthier in Austin, Texas, who by chance recently completed a beautiful restoration of the same model guitar and suggested that I try these pups. Turns out that the pups I replaced are mid '60s - mid '70s Gibson T-tops, so I guess the pup police will question my judgement to pull them out but I'm happy with the result.

The pickguard is next. Obviously not something that's easily available so I'll have to create my own template from available pictures and find someone with the right style tortoise shell and sense of style to make the guard.

It's a good thing I'm retired; how else could I find this much time to putter around with my toys .

[JohanAbrandt]

Here's the guitar with its new pickups and pickup rings, which gives it a look more reminiscent of the original as it appears in the 1978 Ibanez catalog. The pups are Jimmy Wallace PAFs, which I acquired for a very reasonable price from a luthier in Austin, Texas, who by chance recently completed a beautiful restoration of the same model guitar and suggested that I try these pups. Turns out that the pups I replaced are mid '60s - mid '70s Gibson T-tops, so I guess the pup police will question my judgement to pull them out but I'm happy with the result.

The pickguard is next. Obviously not something that's easily available so I'll have to create my own template from available pictures and find someone with the right style tortoise shell and sense of style to make the guard.

It's a good thing I'm retired; how else could I find this much time to putter around with my toys .

You could check if as 200 or as 2000 pickguards fit, still made so parts from ibanez should be available

[ARGewirtz]

You could check if as 200 or as 2000 pickguards fit, still made so parts from ibanez should be available

Thanks, I appreciate the suggestion. I don't know about the AS 2000 but I believe the AS 200 was purposely designed to be a bit smaller in scale than the 2630 so not sure that the pickguard would fit but I will look into it. Since the 2630 is a lawsuit era guitar designed to replicate the ES 335, I was hoping that the ES 335 long pickguard would fit or at least give me a starting point to draw a template. PDF versions of an ES 335 pickguard are easy to find online so that will be on today's to-do list.

[JohanAbrandt]

Thanks, I appreciate the suggestion. I don't know about the AS 2000 but I believe the AS 200 was purposely designed to be a bit smaller in scale than the 2630 so not sure that the pickguard would fit but I will look into it. Since the 2630 is a lawsuit era guitar designed to replicate the ES 335, I was hoping that the ES 335 long pickguard would fit or at least give me a starting point to draw a template. PDF versions of an ES 335 pickguard are easy to find online so that will be on today's to-do list.

I stumbled up on a thread in ibby collectors, and there is a picture of a tracing there if it helps:

Ibanez Collectors World: 2630 replacement pickguards

[Gitfiddler]

Thanks, I appreciate the suggestion. I don't know about the AS 2000 but I believe the AS 200 was purposely designed to be a bit smaller in scale than the 2630 so not sure that the pickguard would fit but I will look into it. Since the 2630 is a lawsuit era guitar designed to replicate the ES 335, I was hoping that the ES 335 long pickguard would fit or at least give me a starting point to draw a template. PDF versions of an ES 335 pickguard are easy to find online so that will be on today's to-do list.

The 2630 pickguard/scratch plate is specific to this model.

In addition to the great info from the Ibanez Collectors World thread, hear are images and measurements from my '78 2630's replacement guard. Hopefully this will help you replicate your missing guard. Pickguardian is one vendor, but there are others. Good luck.

Length: 17 1/4mm...or 7 inches

Width: 9mm...or 3" 9/16th inches


Top view:

Underside:

[ARGewirtz]

The 2630 pickguard/scratch plate is specific to this model.

In addition to the great info from the Ibanez Collectors World thread, hear are images and measurements from my '78 2630's replacement guard. Hopefully this will help you replicate your missing guard. Pickguardian is one vendor, but there are others. Good luck.

Length: 17 1/4mm...or 7 inches

Width: 9mm...or 3" 9/16th inches


Top view:

Underside:

This is great, thank you so much!

[ARGewirtz]

I stumbled up on a thread in ibby collectors, and there is a picture of a tracing there if it helps:

Ibanez Collectors World: 2630 replacement pickguards

Thank you, I will check it out.

[ARGewirtz]

There are lots of providers who will make a simple, plastic tortoise shell pickguard for me but it has taken a lot more time and effort to find someone who will create what I’m looking for: a true vintage style, bound tortoise shell pickguard to replicate the original. But, finally, after much searching, I located these two shops that appear to have the experience and materials for the job. One shop is in the U.S., the other in the UK:

archtop.com: Fine Vintage Instruments Online located in Seattle, WA

Home - TinyTone located in Manchester, UK

I reached out to both and both replied quickly to my email inquiry to confirm that they can create the pickguard that I’m looking. Working with archtop.com here in the U.S. would have been easier and less expensive but I decided to go with Tiny Tone even though they are across the pond and it will cost me quite a bit more. Tiny Tone won the day after I viewed the section on their website where they demo their process to create a bound and polished pickguard: Bound Pickguards - TinyTone.

Using the info that you have provided in previous replies I was able to draw the outline of a pickguard to fit the guitar and create a working template that I have shipped off to Tiny Tone. Turnaround time is about 4-weeks +/- . At the moment all I have is high hopes and a lighter bank account, so we’ll see how it turns out.

[ARGewirtz]

Attachment 92947Attachment 92948Attachment 92949Attachment 92950Attachment 92951Attachment 92952As I mentioned in my previous post re a website to browse vintage MIJ guitars, here are a few pics of the 1978 Ibanez 2630 that I bought and it arrived yesterday.

As you can see, it’s in really clean shape except for a somewhat obscure part that’s missing. The original guitar would have had 2 Ibanez Super 80 pickups with a Super 80 Tri-sound pickup in the bridge and a Tri-sound selector switch just above the bridge pickup volume knob. Somewhere along the way the original pickups were replaced and the Tri-sound selector switch was removed, leaving a small hole in the top. I’m looking for a similar switch that would be just for show to fill the space.

As for the current pickups, I don’t know much about them and I will decide whether to keep or change them, but if I decide to change I’m NOT going to bother to chase after the original Super 80s. Any suggestions on other pickups to consider? Over the past 20-months I’ve focused exclusively on learning standards and basic jazz playing, and I have a couple of nice old archtops for that purpose. I understand that with the right PUPs I can use this guitar for those same tunes (although clearly with a different sound) but this guitar gives me the added flexibility to wander into some blues when I'm ready.

The only other item is that sometime over the guitar’s 44-year history, the pickguard was removed. This model was made for only 3 years, 1977-1979. The 1977 model did not have a pickguard; a tortoise pickguard was added for the 1978 model. I kinda like the look without the guard and likely any original pickups that are still around would have gassed-off by now, so if I decide to add a pickguard, I’ll have a new one made to fit.

New pups and pup rings and, thanks to Tiny Tone in Manchester, UK, a new vintage-style, bound tortoiseshell pickguard. Looks as good as it did in 1978 when it left the FujiGen factory; oh yea, and sounds great too .

[ChazFromCali]

NIce. That new pickguard looks fantastic.

My only experience with a Yamaha guitar was my brothers late 70's / early 80's SG-2000. It had the deadest sounding (factory) humbucker's in it that I've ever heard in my life.

[Gitfiddler]

Bravo! The new pickguard looks great on your 2630.