Ibanez USA Custom Shop History & Guitar Specs - trip down me

[jemsite]

This will be announced on the jemsite homepage soon but in the meantime you can view the sneak preview here.

Should make for good reading. Enjoy... glen

[bduersch]

Glen--

Most excellent! Being a lover of USA Customs (and J-customs, too, of course) I really appreciate this. The story is great, and the spec sheet is most comprehensive.

I didn't realize there was so much possibility for variation in the USA Custom line. E.g., my UCEW1LC has EMG pickups & cosmo black hardware--I always assumed that this was the standard for that model, but after checking the specs it appears that PAF's & black hardware were standard. Learn something new every day...

Anyway, thanks again! I know how much effort it is to collect all the info and post it, and I (we) really do appreciate it.

--Brent

[Doink]

I'll wait till all the info is up before I start asking my questions. Some of the info still seems a bit sketchy.

[Christopher Chen]

Hey Glen thanks for that! I really liked reading it, very interesting stuff, I still have a little Ad from Hosono Guitar Works...Funny how I always thought they had some connection with Ibanez, I guess it was just my ESP :biggrin:

Well anyway how's that photo tour of Hoshino? I really do hope it surfaces, if you don't mind me asking what kind of security reasons are holding back it's release? I wanna see all those stacks of drums LOL

Thanks again Glen!
Chris.

[Jimi D]

Great work Glen! A good read and very informative. I've tried to "research" the history of some Ibanez and other guitars from time to time (just for fun :-) and know how damned near impossible it can be to get good info. A very good overview of a rather obscure part of Ibanez lore.

In the Things That Make You Go Hmmm... department: regarding the early years, when you mention the 540 series guitars, does that mean that the 540 guitars with the "USA" neck plate were actually assembled here? What about other guitars with USA neck plates? (I've seen an RG750FM, for instance)...

[jemsite]

Thanks the Photo Tour is basically not happening. Nothing i can do there. I have to comb thru the old mags for Hosono ads now myself.

There was some conflicting info on the RG770 series. If it had the USA plate on it, it very much could have been assembled or setup here... more than the traditional JEM/RG pickup installation. Especially if dated pre-90 when the Custom Shop would have been in Bensalem, PA still.

If anyone has information to add please post. Obtaining info is tricky. The history area must remain vague in certain spots to protect sources who must remain anonymous. I am aware some areas need followup, but this is a good start nonetheless ... glen

[kirk]

Bunker Guitars? *Anyone go to the site and notice the first guitar model? *The headstock has a striking resemblance to the Ibanez reverse headstock. *Price doesn't seem to bad either. *I am not crazy about the bridge, but it may be something worth checking out!

Thanks for the info Glen!

[Doink]

Jimi, those were my biggest questions too. I thought all S and R series guitars were made in Japan. How do we tell the difference between a USA made S and a Japanese made S? Just the ones who's serial numbers DON'T begin with an F? The USA neckplate? I thought they just shipped a bunch of them over to Japan?
So the 7XX's had the pickups installed in the US, but were mostly made in Japan? I have a 91 760, how much of it was made in the US? It has a Hollywood neckplate, and bar in the middle of it (the plate) that looks like a serial number should be stamped there, but the number is on the headstock (F1XXXXXX).

[toshiro]

I'm with Doink on this one.. How many RG7xx's were 'assembled' over here? What's the way to tell?

I currently have an '88 RG750, with the '1726 Winchester Rd. Bensalem PA 19020 U.S.A.' neck plate, serial number on it '883252', nothing on the back of the heastock.. Inside the neck-joint '550' is stamped on the body with two red 'U's, and 'WALRJ-T24' is on the neck along with a red 'J' and a black 'U'...

This is all very interesting..

[Jimi D]

btw Glen, I was just looking at the spec sheet, and I think that the Exotic Wood series were probably available with a choice of the Ultra or the Wizard neck - though I didn't actually measure it, the neck on the Lacewood USA Custom Kirk picked up from me is almost certainly a Wizard neck profile... wouldn't you agree Kirk?

follow *up - oops, never mind... I just read the full spec sheet down to the bottom where you discuss the custom options. My bad :lame:

(Edited by Jimi D at 9:04 am on Jan. 16, 2001)

[Doink]

So no one knows? Or are you still trying to dig up that info, Glen?

BTW, I had an old 96 buyers guide, and the USRG 10 and 20 were both listed in it.
I'm 95% sure the prices for the USRG's were $1499, $1599, and $1699. I'm not sure if that included the case though.
I wish I could find that 96 buyers guide to be sure.

[jemsite]

Quote: from Doink on 8:55 pm on Jan. 19, 2001
So no one knows? Or are you still trying to dig up that info, Glen? BTW, I had an old 96 buyers guide, and the USRG 10 and 20 were both listed in it. I'm 95% sure the prices for the USRG's were $1499, $1599, and $1699. I'm not sure if that included the case though. I wish I could find that 96 buyers guide to be sure.

Yes, and I now that you mention it, I *have some old buyers guide to look thru myself. Anyone have a full collection from the 90s? *I'd like a confirmed price off a dealer price list if possible ...glen

[ken]

Given Glen's *ahem* affinity for humor, did anyone else wince when they clicked the link?

:silly: