Trying to Identiy my Ibanez

CalledToArms · #1 07-14-2007, 01:40 PM

I've been with my metal band for about 5 years, when we started i had an SG and our other guitarist had this ibanez. Soon after we started he got a custom S series and I took his old ibanez off of his hands because i didnt like the tone of my sg for the sound we were going for. I've used it for 4 years now and love it even tho its not a high end model...but i've never actually known what model or year it was.

I have replaced the tuning knobs (were chrome color originally, now black) as well as installed EMGs but other than that its the original guitar. I dont have batteries for my digital camera at the moment, but if i need to go get some I will. The best pics I could find of it on my computer are:

It is a Roadstar II series guitar with serial J830248. My guess is late 80's something but I'm not really sure.

I appreciate any help you can provide.

screamndemon69 · #2 07-14-2007, 01:42 PM

Maybe an '83 Roadstar? I need to check my Untold Story book to be sure.

CalledToArms · #3 07-14-2007, 01:45 PM

cool, ill be checking this thread later to see what some people come up with.

sorry for the unclear shots of the guitar, if people are having trouble i can try and take other pictures of it myself.

thanks again.

Ibateur · #4 07-14-2007, 02:12 PM

In the catalogs it comes closest to an RS320, but yours doesn't have a matching headstock and painted neck.

CalledToArms · #5 07-14-2007, 09:25 PM

thanks.

and yea i couldn't ever find a match in any catalog or anything before.

Rodney James · #6 07-14-2007, 10:04 PM

Take it in for a DNA test.

CalledToArms · #7 07-14-2007, 10:28 PM

haha.

Phil M · #8 08-01-2007, 12:44 PM

Have you ever determined exactly what this is? I have the opportunity to buy one on another site and it looks exactly like that guitar except that it has a blade single coil in the neck. How is the neck on yours? I'm wondering if it's a thin or fat kind of neck.

Since it would be off the internet I wouldn't get a chance to play it first. Would $250 with the OHSC be a good deal?

And face the audience--there are girls out there!

Minimum Bob · #9 08-01-2007, 01:40 PM

RS1300?

Check the guitar Stanley Jordan is playing on p128 of The Untold Story and note that it has a modified neck.

Slap a regular RS neck on it and there's yer plank.

Phil M · #10 08-02-2007, 09:41 AM

It must be some model, I wonder which. The seller of the one I'm looking at calls it an '83 Roadstar II but doesn't give any further number designation. Like I said, I found one exactly like CalledToArms' guitar (black bound body, maple neck with rosewood board). The only difference I can see is the pickup config. He's got two humbuckers and the one I'm looking at has one humbucker and a single coil blade in the neck.

How is this style trem? Did you block it off?

What would be a fair price on this guitar?

Thanks.

gpenguins · #11 08-02-2007, 10:49 AM

The HS one is an RS 335, I can't find the HH one.

http://ibanezregister.com/images/ima...rs335bk-83.jpg

Phil M · #12 08-02-2007, 11:10 AM

Thanks! I took your lead and did some more research: the guitar I'm looking at is definitely a Roadstar II RS335.

For you guys that play these, how would you describe the necks (fat or thin) and the quality of the trem?

Also, what would be a fair price for the one with the case?

gpenguins · #13 08-02-2007, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil M

Thanks! I took your lead and did some more research: the guitar I'm looking at is definitely a Roadstar II RS335.

For you guys that play these, how would you describe the necks (fat or thin) and the quality of the trem?

Also, what would be a fair price for the one with the case?

If it's like the Roadstars I have, it's not real thick. It's certainly not Wizard thin, but not too bad. Medium thickness is pretty much how I'd descibe it, but that's just from my reference point, too.

As for the price, it depends on how much you like the guitar. I don't think I'd personally go over $150 for that guitar - I've gotten my Roadstars all for under $180 on the auction site that we dare not mention, and they were Japanese with locking trems (Edge, Kahler) and in great shape. That being said, it's still probably "worth" $200 to $250 (looks like it has upgraded pickups), especially if you like it. It's a quality instrument, and well worth that kind of money. You might check the bay of e for recent prices, too.

Phil M · #14 08-02-2007, 02:00 PM

Thanks, Mr. Penguin. I definitely think it's a classy looking guitar, but I wouldn't be able to try it first. I play Historic Les Pauls (giant necks) so I wanted to make sure it wasn't going to be a pencil.

I would need the RS335 to be stageworthy for 7 or 8 songs where I tune to drop C. Getting that trem system set up to be stable is crucial too. I don't care if I can't use the whammy bar, but it can't cause tuning issues. Are there readily available drop-in replacement bridges for this style?

gpenguins · #15 08-03-2007, 10:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phil M

Thanks, Mr. Penguin. I definitely think it's a classy looking guitar, but I wouldn't be able to try it first. I play Historic Les Pauls (giant necks) so I wanted to make sure it wasn't going to be a pencil.

I would need the RS335 to be stageworthy for 7 or 8 songs where I tune to drop C. Getting that trem system set up to be stable is crucial too. I don't care if I can't use the whammy bar, but it can't cause tuning issues. Are there readily available drop-in replacement bridges for this style?

I'm just guessing, but I'd say it's thinner than a classic LP, but I've always thought they are a nice comfortable size.

I can't honestly tell you much about those trems, I've avoided them because I don't care for the feel when using them, but that's just my opinion. I do know that a Floyd type will NOT just drop in there, a friend of mine did major surgery on one of his Roadstars so it would take a Lo Pro Edge. I would say that if you don't need to use the trem, then blocking it should be easy enough and shouldn't give you any problems. I don't ever really use anything other than standard tuning with at most a dropped D, maybe tune everything down a 1/2 step (sorry, boring I know...), so I'd be no help there either.