Zelja
Senior Member
I have 3 early 80s Ibanez guitars - a top of the line Blazer bought new in 1981 & and two Artists - an '80 AS200 & an '81 AR300. The AS200 is my favourite. Great quality builds, especially on the Artists.
I'm curious about the neck profile on the AM205. Is it like the older Ibanezes or thick like the newer Artcores and Artstars?
I have 3 early 80s Ibanez guitars - a top of the line Blazer bought new in 1981 & and two Artists - an '80 AS200 & an '81 AR300. The AS200 is my favourite. Great quality builds, especially on the Artists.
Good to know. Thanks for the assessment.The neck is typical early '80s Ibanez: slim, not unlike a '60s Fender neck, but not skinny. I like it! This guitar is even louder and janglier acoustically than the AM50. It's a little heavier too. Plugged in it's one of the most alive electric guitars I've ever played. A keeper for sure.
-Dave-
Yow, that's a sharp looker, Ray! Just gorgeous figuring. Visually I think the late '70s Ibanez designs are their best: they were pulling out all the stops to get a foothold in the market. Do you get on with the electronics? I love lotsa knobs & switches but at the same time I know I can get too easily pulled down the rabbit hole by 'em.
-Dave-
Broke turner and replaced the originals with grovers broke one of them lol so if you look there's an odd ball original tuner on it . Still looking for those parts .
Wish they still made the tuners as they were kick butt and locking .
She's a Japanese build to , not sure if or when they might have out sourced.
Yeah, the Ibanez tuners are just fine. I like the Velve-Tune version a lot. Both my AM guitars have had theirs replaced, one with Grovers and the other with locking Sperzels. Now the Sperzels are really nice but the Grovers are the usual "they work fine but feel kinda spongy" meh. Unless this was necessary for mechanical reasons I don't get it. The "star" tuners I've found on early/mid-'70s Ibanezes (and Grecos) aren't so great, though. They turn smooth and hold tuning fine, but the posts are shaped such that the string wants to travel up as you wind it on rather than down. Design fail!
These Gotohs should fit your guitar: https://www.allparts.com/TK-7740-002-Gotoh-3x3-Gold-Keys_p_3939.html
The first Korean-made Ibanezes date to the late '80s, I think.
As for active electronics, I'm fine with 'em so long as I can completely bypass 'em when desired.
-Dave-