Hi!
I own an Iceman that I have had for years, and while playing it the other day, I got to wondering- is it actually an early Ibanez Iceman? Or is it a fake?
It seems thinner than every othe rguitar i have owned, including an Iceman II I also own. Very light, and it has obviously been repainted. It is black now, but could have been natural wood (mahogany?) or something before. I cannot find a serial number, but the people I bought it from years and years ago said it was: L176380. I think I found the remains of an "L" where the serial should be on the back of the headstock (imprint, albeit a very light one).
The only reason I never questioned it before was because everything else points ot it being a veru early Iceman...once they had the body style in cement. It is set neck, two tone, two volume. Jack was originally on the face, someone moved it to the edge (ugh). Inlays are trapezoid, and binding is exactly like every other Iceman. Set-neck, which I have not seen any of the imposter Iceman have.
It has seen TONS of playing, very easy to see that..the fretboard has been cleaned wrong, nicks and dings here and there, and the neck was stripped to wood at one point, then repainted to match the current ebony paint. Oddly enough, someone had a nice pro refret done. Really well done too- level, set great, and...they kept the nibs!!! I have seen
Les Paul refrets that the nibs were gone, but someone cared enough to have someone treat this guy special...which wouldnt make sense for a copy...well, maybe..
So- if anyone knows someone who is a mega-Iceman expert, especially the very early years...or, if you know any sure fire ways to spot a real/fake one, would really appreciate it. The thickness of the body is the biggest thing I want to know- anyone have a mid-to-late 70's set neck Iceman they could measure please?
Thx!
nikki
