JS-guitar mystery... - weird js-description

[stevevai]

Hi!

I have seen an ad in norway for a Js-guitar. The problem is I cant understand which js-model he is talking about. This is what he wrote in the mail i recieved:

"I have an Ibanez Joe Satriani model. It is 8-9 years old, color brown sunburst. It has 2 humbuckers and 1 single coil. The single coil is made by Fender and the humbucker is dimarzio. The second humbucker is the orginal one from when the guitar was new. I dont know which model the guitar is, but it is as good as new"


I havent got a clue which model he is talking about. Anyone have a clue? As far as I know there is no js-model with sunburst or h-s-h that was made 8-9 years ago. Hope you guys can help me!

Oeyvind B. Lie

[JESTER700]

The only H-S-H possibilities I know of are a JS1 from 93-94, or a R540LTD (Radius model, not a JS, although very similar). *But neither of those came in brown sunburst, IIRC.

[JESTER700]

...whoops, that's 92-93 for the JS1. *And the R540LTD would've been from 90, I think...

Anyway, sounds like a refin.

[jono]

There was, back in 93, a guitar called an "R355GFBS". This is another candidate for the mysterious JS described.

It's a standard Radius body shape made from Alder rather than Basswood.
It sported the TZ-6 traditional strat style bridge rather than a floyd, which was gold like the rest of it's hardware.
The GF in it's name stood for "Gravure Flame" the photoprint thing, and yes the BS stood for "Brown Sunburst".
It has an H-S-H pickup configuration and the AANJ. It aslo had a clear pickguard on it's rear routed body which is very unusual for an "R" series guitar.

Could be one of these perhaps.

[stevevai]

Jono, it seems you are right!

But was it a Js-model? Why havent I heard anything about it before? If anyone knows more about this model, please tell me! It would be great to know a little more about it. Anyone got a pic? What is a reasonable price for it?

[JESTER700]

Wow... that sounds kinda cool. *By AANJ, you mean a REAL AANJ? *The kind they DON'T put on JS models?

By "photo flame", do you mean the standard veneer or a true fender-style photo (UGH!).

[jono]

The R355 has a real AANJ the kind without a neckplate And yep photoflame, real genuine AAA Photograph

(The 93 year R470 also had one to go with it's Edge trem and HSH config)

[JESTER700]

OK, so 2 questions...

1) WHY didn't Joe like the AANJ so that we radius fans are stuck without it. *I swear...worst thing ever happened to that guitar was that HE LIKED IT!

2) Anyone have a catalog scan of the R355 and/or R470? *Pleeze?

[jono]

I'll try to get them scanned by this time tomorrow

[JESTER700]

U DA MAN

[darren wilson]

Wow... a brown sunburst photo-flame Radius with a PICKGUARD?

What kind of weird drugs were Ibanez smoking THAT day?

[Rich]

stevevai on 12:45 pm on Jan. 8, 2002
Jono, it seems you are right!

But was it a Js-model? Why havent I heard anything about it before?

To go back and answer this question, everything from Sabres to Radiuses, to Powers are all claimed to be JS models most of the time. If it don't say JS on the headstock, it aint

[jono]

HERE is the picture of the 93 R355 and R470 I scanned from my catalogue.

[matt king]

That is a nice lookin guitar...but I woner how it played? *Wish I could get my hands on one! *I have played many radius models and they are nice...but not quite as nice as the JS series for some reason? *Ahh well *Later...

[JESTER700]

THANKS, Jono! *You rock!

OK, so I'm assuming they used photo instead of veneer for ease of application on that oh-so-sensuously curvy body. *Don't ask me why the clear pickguard, other than the fact that it looks like their attempt at a "classic strat thingy" and decided that required a pickguard but still wanted "flame" showin'.

Now, then. *The 470. *I LIKE that. * So, what's the diff between a 470 and a 540? *I'm wondering why they didn't CALL it a 540 - looks like a R540LTD with ultra neck instead of wizard.

Was it Korean, with an Edge trem?