Ibanez Artist Series

[Guilderland21]

Just saw an 1982 Ibanez Artist Series AR-100 on Craigslist and I'm thinking of going to check it out. Anyone have experience with this or a similar model and want to share your opinions? Looking around online, I see some positive reviews and also some comments that it weighs a ton. The cherry burst on this one looks nice, at any rate.

Also, any advice on what to check when buying a used electric guitar? Not something I've done "at arm's length" before and I imagine the considerations are a little different than for an acoustic.

 

[7GuildsandanSG]

Share the link?

 

[Guilderland21]

Edit 5/5/22: I don't think this CL post was legitimate, see below:

Sure, here: https://boston.craigslist.org/gbs/msg/d/south-boston-ibanez-guitar-1982s/7478687744.html

 

[7GuildsandanSG]

Thanks! It's gorgeous! I can't help you but just looking at it, knowing their reputation, it's made in Japan, and the price it seems like a great deal! My first impression is that it must be stolen!
Other more helpful folks will come along.

 

[Cougar]

Just saw an 1982 Ibanez Artist Series AR-100 on Craigslist and I'm thinking of going to check it out. Anyone have experience with this or a similar model and want to share your opinions? Looking around online, I see some positive reviews and also some comments that it weighs a ton. The cherry burst on this one looks nice, at any rate.

That does look nice, and for that price, with case, hard to beat!

[As an aside, I looked into Ibanez electrics at some point (can't remember why, lol). As I recall, the model I thought had the best reviews was the AS-80 Artstar with the Mickey Mouse ears and Super 58 pickups. Never got one, though..... ]

 

[Cougar]

Also, any advice on what to check when buying a used electric guitar?

I guess most of the usual stuff, plus, plug it in, see how it sounds.

 

[walrus]

I guess most of the usual stuff, plus, plug it in, see how it sounds.

Agreed. Bring a little amp if you have one, to be sure. If all is well, buy it!

walrus

 

[Guilderland21]

Thanks everyone! I messaged the seller and we'll see if they get back to me.

[As an aside, I looked into Ibanez electrics at some point (can't remember why, lol). As I recall, the model I thought had the best reviews was the AS-80 Artstar with the Mickey Mouse ears and Super 58 pickups. Never got one, though..... ]

This model/year should have had Super 58s originally, and from the photos it looks like this one still does, so hopefully that's a good sign, though of course it's a totally different model in other respects. (One thing that I'm not sure about, parts-wise, is the pair of switches between the tone and volume knobs - I don't see those on any of the other pictures of the AR100.)

 

[GAD]

Late to the party, but those guitars are very highly rated. I knew a guy who had one who constantly claimed that it could do everything a good Les Paul could do. That might have been since he didn't want to pay the money for a good Les Paul, but he was a damn fine player that new tone so I believed him. Great vintage vibe from them, too.

 

[HeyMikey]

Go check it out asap. Great price. I played a mid 70’s Ibanez LP and had a friend with an Artist that was just killer.

 

[shihan]

They are great guitars. The PU’s are excellent. The drawback is probably the weight; i. The late ‘70’s-early ‘80’s weight=tone. I’d grab it in a heartbeat at that price.

 

[ruedi]

...

Also, any advice on what to check when buying a used electric guitar? ...

I find these helpful as a guideline. LP specific, but most of it is transferable.





Happy NGD?

 

[Guilderland21]

Thanks for the checklist! Don't congratulate me yet, though - I got as far as discussing a time and place to buy it, and the seller gave me an address in New York City, though the listing (linked above) pretty clearly shows the location as South Boston. Trying to clear up whether there's been a misunderstanding, but I'm a little suspicious now.

 

[Guilderland21]

Yeah, bad news, I think the Craigslist post was probably a scam. Seller acknowledged they aren't in Boston and suggested they'd ship it if I'd pay on PayPal, I said no thanks. Too good to be true, alas - I've flagged the post on CL which I think is all I can do in terms of reporting it. Sorry not to deliver on the NGD.

But now I kind of want one of these, though maybe not enough to spend the $800 or so that they actually seem to go for

 

[HeyMikey]

Tell them since they are willing to ship and use paypal that you’ll cover the (5%) listing fee if they put it on Reverb or ebay for you. That way at least you have some level of protection.

 

[Guilderland21]

I appreciate the suggestion, and if I was mostly-but-not-completely confident that this was the real deal I'd try it. In this case, I'm not quite that confident, but maybe I'm too pessimistic - if someone else is interested in the guitar and wants to try that (or happens to be in New York), I hope it goes well and I'd be curious to hear the outcome.

 

[7GuildsandanSG]

That is weird. That price feels too good to be true to me.

 

[chazmo]

Late '70s / early '80s was definitely (IMO) Ibanez's heyday. Good luck in the hunt.

 

[bobouz]

10:1 it’s a scam. I’ve seen some like this & in one case verified 100% that it was a scam because a friend of mine had already bought the guitar in the pics & had it in-hand!

 

[KeithKeb]

Just saw an 1982 Ibanez Artist Series AR-100 on Craigslist and I'm thinking of going to check it out. Anyone have experience with this or a similar model and want to share your opinions? Looking around online, I see some positive reviews and also some comments that it weighs a ton. The cherry burst on this one looks nice, at any rate.

Also, any advice on what to check when buying a used electric guitar? Not something I've done "at arm's length" before and I imagine the considerations are a little different than for an acoustic.

I have a lawsuit era AS - 80, which is patterned after the 335. Well builtguitar and the Super 58 pickups are good.