Ibanez guitars

[jalabert]

I want to start learning jazz guitar having messed around with straight blues and rock for a good few years. I been looking at getting a jazz guitar and am considering either the Ibanez GB10SE or the LGB30 after watching various u-tube reviews. Anyone have any thoughts or insight about these (or any other similar guitars)?. I have been trying to find out where these guitars are made but seem to get conflicting info, I would be grateful if someone can confirm where they are made. I am reluctant to buy Chinese made guitars for various reasons.

[Donnd]

I believe both models you mentioned are currently made in Indonesia. I have owned Japanese made Ibanez models (2616 and 2355) as well as a Chinese made Ibanez AS103 semihollowbody that is very well made. I did try the LGB30 and based on 10 minutes of playing through a Fender Princeton, it sounded very nice. I also own a Yamaha b434 bass (Indonesia) that is excellent. Build quality throughout Asia is now pretty darn good so I would only pass on a Chinese made guitar solely for political reasons.

[deacon Mark]

I would pick out a nice Eastman guitar. They will not cost as much and be fine. More options for different things and less money.

[Cunamara]

I would pick out a nice Eastman guitar. They will not cost as much and be fine. More options for different things and less money.

Although Chinese in origin, which the OP said he wanted to avoid.

[dconeill]

I ... am considering either the Ibanez GB10SE or the LGB30 ... I have been trying to find out where these guitars are made ... [can] someone can confirm where they are made. ...

The Ibanez fan website Ibanez Wiki | Fandom has this information. See:
LGB30 | Ibanez Wiki | Fandom
GB10SE | Ibanez Wiki | Fandom

For the LGB30, the site says it was made in China (2013–2018) or Indonesia (2019–2024).
The GB10SE is said to have been made in China (2016–2018) or Indonesia (2018–2024).

[jalabert]

Many thanks for your reply. I am now looking for a local stockist to try them out

[jalabert]

Many thanks for your reply. I will visit site you mention. Made in Indonesia makes me more interested. If I can find a reasonably local stockist I will try them both of them out.

[nyc chaz]

I would go to your guitar store,play a bunch of guitars and buy the one that sounds and feels best to you and fits your budget.Don't look at the name on the headstock or where it's made.

[Jx30510]

Does anyone know if quality whise it's better a chinese vs indonisian LGB30? Did anything change in the process or are they strictly equal in quality ?

[lammie200]

I want to start learning jazz guitar having messed around with straight blues and rock for a good few years. I been looking at getting a jazz guitar and am considering either the Ibanez GB10SE or the LGB30 after watching various u-tube reviews. Anyone have any thoughts or insight about these (or any other similar guitars)?. I have been trying to find out where these guitars are made but seem to get conflicting info, I would be grateful if someone can confirm where they are made. I am reluctant to buy Chinese made guitars for various reasons.

I am not sure where they are made, but I suggest trying to play one before you buy anyway. Personally, I have never been able to connect with Ibanez guitars. There is something about the neck carve that I can't deal with. But, of course, I haven't played every single model. All I know is that I had an Ibanez acoustic a long time ago and didn't connect with it. Now every time I pick an Ibanez I get the same feeling. It's like driving a Honda car to me. I know its a Honda just by the way it sounds and drives.

[Gitterbug]

I'm in the opposite camp (vs. lammie200). I've had more Ibanezes than I recall, and the necks have been consistently perfect. Currently, I have two Gibson archtops and a Benedetto, but my go-to axe is an Ibanez Afj-91 from 2014. (It's blue and hasn't turned Envy Green.)

[Jx30510]

Ibanez are consistently greatly made. Never seen a sloppy Ibanez.
They may be a bit lifeless sometimes, but if you upgrade the pickups and hardware (bridge and tuners), bone nut, fret dress by a good luthier (all this if needed), and you get excellent guitars hands down.

[lammie200]

I'm in the opposite camp (vs. lammie200). I've had more Ibanezes than I recall, and the necks have been consistently perfect. Currently, I have two Gibson archtops and a Benedetto, but my go-to axe is an Ibanez Afj-91 from 2014. (It's blue and hasn't turned Envy Green.)

I hear you. They just don't work for me. Very consistent though.

[Gitterbug]

I hear you. They just don't work for me. Very consistent though.

Maybe you're put off by the brand identity. It's squeaky clean and projects no glorious history, pioneering achievements or an element of risk/reward. Vintage Ibanez just doesn't exist in people's minds, although the brand has been around for decades. Nor does Ibanez Custom, while the quality is on consistently high level all the time. Mind you, the Ibanez artist roster spans from Steve Vai to George Benson. Yamaha, one of the world's oldest and most respected musical instrument brands, suffers even more from its "classroom" image among guitarists.

[lammie200]

Maybe you're put off by the brand identity...

That's a thought but probably not it for me. They just have felt awkward for me. And I could envision that others wouldn't find that to be the case. Not sure how a feel about brand identity in general. I have a half a dozen of Fender-like guitars. Not one has the word "Fender" anywhere on them. In fact, none of them have any words on them except for "Volume" and "Tone."

[buduranus2]

I'm in the opposite camp (vs. lammie200). I've had more Ibanezes than I recall, and the necks have been consistently perfect. Currently, I have two Gibson archtops and a Benedetto, but my go-to axe is an Ibanez Afj-91 from 2014. (It's blue and hasn't turned Envy Green.)

I'm about $900 into my AFJ-91. Upgrades include a Seymour Duncan "Seth Lover" pickup, bone nut, TI Bensons, Gotoh 21:1 tuners, compensated bridge with base conformed to the top, replacement tailpiece, and an upgraded case. It has a very unique tone, especially with the volume at about 4. Also, it's extremely light, maybe a little over 5 pounds. I think I'll have it refretted with Jescar wire. Then I'll be completely upside-down with it. Who cares? I like the sound, it's comfortable to play, and I like the looks.

[Gitterbug]

Here's mine, together with a pre-series Metro cab from 2019. The pickguard is mother-of-pearl but the photo is too overexposed on the spot to bring that out. The tailpieces of these broke, a rare Ibanez glitch.

[nevershouldhavesoldit]

The tailpieces of these broke, a rare Ibanez glitch.

Broken Ibanez tailpieces are rare, but not that rare.



This was the original TP on my ‘97 AF207 (bought new). It’s the only Ibanez failure of any kind that I’ve had in 8 or 10 of them since 1975. When I posted about it a few months ago trying to find a replacement, I got a lot of responses from others who’ve had the problem on a variety of models. I suspect that a light knock (eg against a chair or stand) may be all it takes to start a crack in the brittle pot metal they use. Over years, that stress crack spreads from vibration until it’s big enough to let string tension pull a piece off (which you can see in mine).

The only direct blow to it that I can recall is that I’ve whacked the TP with the dangling end of the cable a few times after unplugging it while putting the guitar in the case or laying it on a flat surface. I broke the pickup surround ring a few years ago but there was no evident damage to anything else.

This does nothing to dampen my enthusiasm for Ibanez. Both my gigging laminated 16” archtop and my flat top are Ibanez - and they are outstanding guitars. From my first one in ‘75 (a really fancy 335 style with trim to shame a 355), they’ve been top quality with great sound and playability. If you don’t like them, there are many alternatives. But there are so many IBanez models to love! Sadly, they haven’t made a high end 7 string archtop since the AF207 died of loneliness. The only subsequent effort was the AFJ957, a lower end archtop 7 that's a decent guitar but nowhere close to the quality, sound, and feel of the Fujijen-built 207. I should have bought one as a beater when they were $500 new....but I didn't

Mine is 28 years old. Until I bought my first Eastman during Covid, it was my only 7 string archtop and I gigged with it at least once or twice a week for about 23 years. It’s had 2 fret L/C/Ps and I replaced the DiMarzio Blaze (!) that came in it with a Benedetto B7. The beautiful Steve Holst tailpiece is a beautiful (and entirely unexpected) addition that is not out of place on this guitar. For my money, there’s no better value than Ibanez.

[Peter C]

If qualms about the current politics of certain countries are an issue when buying, you'd probably be restricted to a Godin strung with Thomastiks. Lol. Or maybe a Hagstrom + Rotosounds. I feel a bit sorry for companies like D'Addario, actually. Ibanez Artcores are a steal, btw.

[buduranus2]

Here's mine, together with a pre-series Metro cab from 2019. The pickguard is mother-of-pearl but the photo is too overexposed on the spot to bring that out. The tailpieces of these broke, a rare Ibanez glitch.

I'd like to see it in natural light.

[Gitterbug]

I'd like to see it in natural light.

Not much natural light here on the dark side of the Earth this time of the year. The plate is whiter than the somewhat yellowish fret markers but close enough. To me, the original looks Mother-of-countertop, so I felt Mother-of-toilet seat is a better fit. Used the original as template.

[buduranus2]

Not much natural light here on the dark side of the Earth this time of the year. The plate is whiter than the somewhat yellowish fret markers but close enough. To me, the original looks Mother-of-countertop, so I felt Mother-of-toilet seat is a better fit. Used the original as template.

Nice. Plastic is difficult to cut. BTW just today got the timbre on mine ironed out. It had that "Stratocaster at the twelfth fret" hollowness that was driving me crazy. A combination of neck relief and bridge height adjustments seemed to take care of most of it. Best to you.

[Gitterbug]

Thanks! I'm an old aeromodeller and have plenty of tools. This was done a long time ago, with a fine-toothed coping saw IIRC.

[buduranus2]

Thanks! I'm an old aeromodeller and have plenty of tools. This was done a long time ago, with a fine-toothed coping saw IIRC.

By hand?!?!?!?!?! Looks like a laser cut.

[Gitterbug]

Sandpaper and elbow grease...