Description
What makes this guitar special: This is the first “S” model issued by Ibanez, marking a notable change in desirable specs at the time, and would later garner a cult following for good reason. It features an ultra slim maple neck that moves nearly effortlessly throughout its length. The IBZ single-coils in the neck and middle are warm and smooth with a bit of pop and extra character in the mid-range, giving them aspects of both humbuckers and single-coils alike. The DiMarzio in the bridge is hot and bright, yet can also be tamed thanks to the push-push tone control that coil-taps it, or by adding in the middle and neck pickups to balance the overall response a bit better. The Blue Burst finish is absolutely killer, and even though its aesthetic nuances are a bit subtle from head on, looking nearly black with blue highlights, catching it in the right light expresses the true depth of its color and overall appearance. Plus, for nearly 30 years old, this guitar is still in pretty good shape and surely plays and sounds just as good as it did over 25 years ago.
Condition: This guitar is in very good condition overall, especially considering its age. It does show various nicks, dings, dents, scuffs, chips, and scratches, but largely remains clean for a guitar that’s nearly 30 years old. There are other small signs of wear like chips in the corners of the humbucker pickup ring and hardware oxidation, but do not affect playability. The frets show only light wear and still have a considerable amount of playing time left in them. The neck is comfortable and the truss rod functions as it should.
Body: Offset double cutaway mahogany body in Blue Burst finish. Black Floyd Rose licensed tremolo bridge. Black knurled control knobs.
Neck: Bolt-on slim D shape maple neck and rosewood fingerboard with small dot inlays. 1 5/8” locking nut. Black sealed tuning machines. 25.5” scale.
Electronics: IBZ/USA C2 single-coil pickups in the neck and middle. Unoriginal DiMarzio humbucker in the bridge. 1 x volume control, 1 x tone control. 3 x mini-toggle on/off pickup selectors.
Weight: 7 lbs 15.1 oz
Playability/Sound: The slim neck on this guitar plays effortlessly from the nut up into the cutaway. The IBZ single-coils are warm and smooth with a bit of mid-range character that gives them unique definition. The DiMarzio in the bridge is nice and hot but gets tamed as the middle and neck are added in.
Case: Includes original hardshell case.
