| Author | Message | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1291 Registered: 6-2002 |
No Alembic content, but I'm hoping someone can help me see why the price on this one is going through the roof... here | ||
| pierreyves
Senior Member Username: pierreyves Post Number: 987 Registered: 11-2006 |
this is a normal price for an exeptional vintage guitar. One of my friend had the same at this time, great series by Ibanez. | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1292 Registered: 6-2002 |
Most I see end up around 8-900 in good condition, the Koa versions must be really sought after. | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1765 Registered: 9-2002 |
1) Vintage MIJ Japanese guitars from the 80's (including several different Ibanez model lines, SG Yamahas, the Matsumoku PE Arias, much less the 'lawsuit' Tokais, Burnys, etc.) are finally being realized by a growing subset of the vintage market for the great guitars they were. Finally some open-minded guys are realizing there are OTHER really nice vintage guitars out there that aren't Fenders or Gibsons and cost less than a new car. 2) This is a very close antecedent to a limited, 100-piece reissue run of the Ibanez Bob Weir that Ibanez rolled out last year for five grand each. 3) Most of the 'Japanese' guitars available in the US today are RARELY Made in Japan. Like most manufacturers, the Japanese either have their own factories across the lower-cost manufacturing areas of Asia. Yamaha recently closed their own factory in Taiwan (originally established to lower costs vs. Japanese production) to gain even-lower production costs in their new factory in Mainland China. A glance through Ibanez's price list quickly shows that for instance, the George Bensons and very few others are still built in Japan: You can tell by the few guitars that are WAY more expensive than the bulk of their line. 4) And it's been long enough now that guys who were new to this in the 80's are now thirty years older, and nostalgic for these axes. Remember, in the 80's, Fender and Gibson were both at low points, and guitarists were a lot more open-minded in the face of nice axes like these. Even though I'm not sure what you needed 3-band active EQ on a guitar for . . . . Ibanez Artists were excellent. Lots of metal guys were digging Destroyers and the Icemans. At their height, Neal Schon sold lots of PE Arias in Journey's salad days. Carlos was wailing on Yamaha SG's. And really smart West Coast guys were quietly snapping up the SA Yamahas (amazingly still available today), surely the best 335-style guitars ever built. This trend is also happening in MIJ basses. Several years back, you buy Aria SB's all day long in great shape for less than a grand. Those days are over ! J o e y | ||
| jbybj
Advanced Member Username: jbybj Post Number: 336 Registered: 6-2006 |
"but I'm hoping someone can help me see why the price on this one is going through the roof... " Actually, the price of that guitar went nowhere. It didn't sell for it's asking price of $3495, or even get an opening bid at .99. People probable assumed the reserve was gonna be high. Remember, when researching prices on ebay, always check the completed listings. What people ask and what they sell for are often worlds apart. | ||
| eligilam
Advanced Member Username: eligilam Post Number: 335 Registered: 2-2006 |
Agreeing with J o e y here...Yep, there was an '80's Aria Pro SB II that sold on ebay last week for around $1500. I'm always on the lookout for the ole Aria Black 'n Gold series and would probably pay more than that for one in good condition. Also my 1980 Ibanez Artist is the best six-string I own...followed closely by my '81 Daion. | ||
| elwoodblue
Senior Member Username: elwoodblue Post Number: 1293 Registered: 6-2002 |
jbybj, The bids were above 2000 after a day of bidding, I don't recall seeing the BIN price. ...looks like the seller didn't want to see if the last 10 seconds would bring his desired price. Thanks Joey for the detailed explanation.I see the value, especially compared to the more common ash bodied Musicians (unless they have a "Fancy Western" theme. ; ) I still regret selling my B&G LP, and my black custom agent ...but the '78 series I guitar will stay with me a loooong time . Elwood | ||
| pace
Senior Member Username: pace Post Number: 771 Registered: 4-2004 |
This one looks exactly like one my friend Scott had. We were in MA at the time, and even though he's in FL now, its possible he sold it before he moved. As for the price, I could never justify it, but I'm sure there are people out there who could. From what I remember, that guitar sounded AWESOME!!!.... | ||
| afrobeat_fool
Advanced Member Username: afrobeat_fool Post Number: 367 Registered: 7-2009 |
It's not quite the same but a good guitar none the less. Lots less expensive too! http://portland.craigslist.org/mlt/msg/2589390444.html | ||
| mc500
Junior Username: mc500 Post Number: 23 Registered: 11-2009 |
Hi Guys, I just saw this thread and thought I'd chime in. I am told, on very good authority, that the 1981 MC550 that started this thread sold (away from eBay) for the original BIN price of $3500. IMO- It was a very good price for a very fine guitar. While it was not as minty as other I've seen it is a pretty rare guitar. The 1982 MC550 is extremely rare and sought after by vintage Ibanez collectors. I think I've only seen 2 in the past 10 years or so. A nice example of a 1978 MC500 sold the other day for $2,250 (eBay item# 260848726455). While they come up for sale a bit more often, they are still very sought after guitars. | ||
| mc500
Junior Username: mc500 Post Number: 24 Registered: 11-2009 |
J o e y, Believe it or not the Bob Weir Cowboy Fancy was released in 2005 (time flys!). If my memory is correct there were 15 pieces made for the USA and 15 for the rest of the world. A total of 30 guitars.  | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1769 Registered: 9-2002 |
John, it WAS a 2005 issue. I did a little research after my post, but had not yet found a link, Thanks. I did find this, though . . . http://www.ibanez.com/BassGuitars/model-MC30TH J o e y | ||
| bigredbass
Senior Member Username: bigredbass Post Number: 1770 Registered: 9-2002 |
I always think of these days for the flock of interesting Japanese basses that came to market at that time. The Yamaha BB's (designed in America, prototyped at John Carruthers' shop in LA; Leleand Sklar had a red prototype of what became the BB1200 for a long time). The Aria SB's (with the decal on the headstock saying 'Designed by H Noble', the Anglicized version of H Nobayashi who went on his own to his own shop, the out-of -this-world Atlansia). The Ibanez Musicians, the bass counterparts of the Artist guitars. My favorite of this bunch, the TUNE Bass Maniacs. The original 'hey, why do these have to be so big' bass. Streamlined, bespoke bridges and pickups, to my mind the progenitor of the Ibanez SoundGear basses, whether Ibanez wants to talk about that or not. And TUNE's WoodBass fretless is fabulous. And the completely unheralded Daion Mark XX: The Original Sushi sandwich, saucer body, cutaway / hidden jack, just an amazing little bass. All were Alembic influenced in their own way. But these were a burst of creativity WITHOUT going down that Fender-clone road and always interesting to me. J o e y (Message edited by bigredbass on September 12, 2011) | ||
| lbpesq
Senior Member Username: lbpesq Post Number: 4939 Registered: 7-2004 |
Great to see Daion get some love! The Power Mark XX guitar is the finest production line guitar I've come across to date. And the Headhunter HH-555 is right up there among the best 335 types ever made. I had a Musician MC300 (passive electronic version). Looked real pretty, but it was heavy with a chunky neck. After lusting after these for years, I was very disappointed when I finally got one. I wound up trading it. IMHO, the Aria Pro II Rev Sound and the Fernandes Masterhand were far better Alembic-type instruments than the Ibanez. Bill, tgo |
