Ibanez 540p-tc Triple Coil guitars. Do they even exist?

[Gizzy]

I say this tongue in cheek; I had a chance to play one that belonged to a friend of mine who's a somewhat well known guitarist, figured I'd just hit the internet and pick one up for my own work (because everything is for sale on the internet ), apparently, I must've been having a strange dream when I played his because according to what I'm seeing, they don't exist for sale anywhere on earth. The bastard won't sell the one he has

How many of these damn things were made?
My loose research says they were a one year only thing in 1988, is this correct?
Does anyone have a line on one?
I'll pay whatever they're going for, I'm a player not a collector/hoarder so I don't care about 'condition' so long as it's playable and has the original DiMarzios in it.

Thanks for any help.

[AlaskaBat]

Is this what you're looking for?

http://www.ibanez.co.jp/anniversary/...t_id=156&now=1

[Gizzy]

Originally Posted by AlaskaBat

Is this what you're looking for?

I think so, the one that says "P-TC"

I can't post links but his was reddish orange.

[AlaskaBat]

Five Alarm Red from 1988.

[psychoshredder]

it does exist. My friend had one in green ( army green look a like) finish.
Before the internet era, we absolutely had no idea what model was that.
he ended up selling it for a very low price and quit playing guitar at the same time.

[satchmo72]

Yep, I had one of the five alarm red ones. Cool guitar. Should have kept it. It is a 540 Power

The triple coil is interesting.

[khaas]

I just sold one here last year. I really liked it but had to thin the herd...Found it on the 'bay.

[frankfalbo]

Someone had chiseled a neck area P90 into this one. So I filled it and turned it into this:

[Gizzy]

Originally Posted by khaas

I just sold one here last year. I really liked it but had to thin the herd...Found it on the 'bay.

Just out of curiosity, might I ask what it went for? If you don't want to post here, you can PM me. Per google searches, I've bumped into a few random forum sale threads for them over the past decade for prices that are a good bit less than what I'm willing to pay for decent one. You read the forum chatter about them, it seems like the same few instruments making the buy-sell-buy-sell rounds between a small handful of forum denizens.

Guess they're just one of those totally oddball things that the stars have to align in order to lay hands on one, you have to be the lucky guy reading the forum whenever an owner finally gets bored with one. All I can say is that when I finally do get one, if its anything like the one I played, it's getting a slot in the permanent rotation and will not be resold. That's for sure.

[ironfistx]

Originally Posted by frankfalbo

Someone had chiseled a neck area P90 into this one. So I filled it and turned it into this:

Is that 5 switches for the 5 pickups, so you just turn on/off whichever ones you want to use?

[khaas]

Originally Posted by Gizzy

Just out of curiosity, might I ask what it went for? If you don't want to post here, you can PM me. Per google searches, I've bumped into a few random forum sale threads for them over the past decade for prices that are a good bit less than what I'm willing to pay for decent one. You read the forum chatter about them, it seems like the same few instruments making the buy-sell-buy-sell rounds between a small handful of forum denizens.

Guess they're just one of those totally oddball things that the stars have to align in order to lay hands on one, you have to be the lucky guy reading the forum whenever an owner finally gets bored with one. All I can say is that when I finally do get one, if its anything like the one I played, it's getting a slot in the permanent rotation and will not be resold. That's for sure.

You can find the listing by searching the classifieds. The links should still work. I think I ended up taking $600 or $650 for her... RFR w/ original chainsaw case, neck pocket crack on one side, couple of chips on back edge.. Of course, I wish I'd have kept it, but... but... why the hell did I sell it?

[Gizzy]

Originally Posted by khaas

Of course, I wish I'd have kept it, but... but... why the hell did I sell it?

Haha, I think we all have those.
I traded a disassembled but complete 66 Fender Tele for a Charvel 275 back in the late 80s or early 90s.
Oops

[Gizzy]

Well, I tracked one down.
$1750 freaking dollars later (patience is not a virtue of mine) and a negotiation process that you would've thought was for an acre of Manhattan real estate, its on the way.

I'll post pics when it gets here. It looks nice in the pics.

I know what happens next; next week somebody finds one in their closet and posts it for sale at $600

[LNG#16]

I remember one of these on the rack new at Big Dude's Music City here in KC. It was the reddish orange with the triple coil. I haven't seen one in person since. My friend bought his 540R that day and still has it.