Ibanez Destroyer II Bass

appears to be a 1984 model, made in Japan. 21 frets, solid body, no clue as to what the wood is. 3 position toggle switch in the lower bout, with a phase switch over 3 knobs. It gets interesting from here...3 pickups:

bridge: humbucker

middle: soapbar style single coil

neck: well, it's a big block, but clearly a p-style pickup

the 3 knobs control volume, tone, and appear to blend pick ups...less sure about that than I am that you can manipulate any kind of tone out this thing that you can think of.

the finish is a kludge job, I intend to refinish it, got it off ebay(don't remember for how much, but it was cheap). All gold hardware that is a little less than stable in the tuning dept...still it IS OLD..

Oh, and it's got these really cool retro metal shark's tooth inlays in the fretboard...I'm going w/ a 9 b/c staying tuned isn't it's strong point...but it's the most versatile bass I've ever played.

Ok...it will suit ANY musical style...just figure the player you wish to emulate, twiddle the little gold knob, adjust your style and you're there. The great sounding great white, or queensryche bass?? It excels at this...slap funk?? Get used to that mid pickup being there, twiddle and knock yourself out...mellow it by using the mid position on the 3 way selector, and rolling off tone and the little gold knob...the posibilities are endless with this thing. It ALWAYS has a really heavy bottom end...if you like to stand on the stage and feel your bass hit you in the back you'll love it. Never recorded with it, but I imagine it would "speak" well on tape. A knockout on stage...I have no qualms with the sound of this at all. 3 pickups and a phase switch offer yet more possibilities...get one and experiment...

since it was bought used can't say about the factory...got it in 2 pieces which had to be realigned and tweaked to get it to tune at all...has become more stable with tweaking...it does have a very nice action though, long scale, low, no buzz, good choice to play quick licks on

other than items mentioned the thing is a brick...yeah I'd use it w/o a backup. The hardware is first rate, even after all these years...not as heavy as the stuff on my victory standard, but the stuff on humvee isn't either...the gold strap buttons are those v-shaped things that hold the strap from either side...it's not going anywhere...

never dealt with them

I've been playing off & on for about 20 years...if it were stolen, I'd be screwed if I didn't find & beat the sucker who stole it sensless with it b/c I've never seen another one like it. It compares favorably to anything you'd care to match it up with for sound quality and playability, will SMOKE most of them for versatility. Definately a metal machine. Summed up...I wanted a destroyer waaaay back in the 80's, along with a gibson victory standard and a ric 4001, and like those other 2, this one did NOT disappoint...

1983 Japanese Destroyer II Bass. 21 fret 4 string solid top. Bought for 75$ (25$ extra for the original case!). Had horrible 'custom' paint job, which was subsequently stripped and refinished in Viper Red. Origianlly appeared to be a candy apple red. Modifications at time of purchase boil down to an Alembic P-style pickup w/ preamp, and a Kahler Bass Whammy tremolo system with absolutely no wear. Everything else is stock (rosewood neck, ibanez sealed tuners)

After correcting the appearance and painting the instrument to resemble a former soviet union flag, It has the correct look for me. Performance-wise, this bass is packed. The pickup tone control has a wah-pedal sweep, and puts out enough signal that it can be comfortably heard through headphones plugged into the input jack. All that combined with the tremolo make this thing almost too versatile to use on a regular basis

Because this instrument was heavily modified when I found it, I don't htink I can judge a stock one by it. It's one of a kind in this respect.

Indestrucible, just like my other three japanese ibanezes

I submitted the serial number to Ibanez, and promptly received a return email detailing the history of the instrument as far as their records indicated. Basically year, and place of manufacture. But again, I have several other Ibanez products, and quality-wise, You can't tell the new from the old. Wonderful consistency.

Been playing bass 8 years or so. Have two Ibanez 5 strings, The aforementioned Destroyer II Bass, A 1981 Destroyer II guitar (my baby), A 2000 Ibanez 7string guitar, and a BC Rich warlock. I also have a Yamaha acoustic guitar and a Yamaha keyboard, and various effects and gadgets.

got it second hand.
manufactured Aug 84
21 fret 4stringer
aftermarket jazzbuckers
volumke, blend, tone
passive
awesome red sparkle finish
destroyer body style (Destrroyer II in fact)
original everything (cept pickups of course)
34" comfortable neck
awesome simlicity, i give the 10 not because it has every bell and whistle, but because it is a dead ahead rocker

Dual humbuckers (with 3mode toggles) make for an amazing range of sound, specially for a passive. kinda noisy but hey, its and unsheilded passive. most any sound you want you can pull from it. Death mush, you got it. Flea style slap-frog, SHWING (its a fave of mine), makes my Crate BX-15 cube sound like a stack. cant tell you if its better stage or studio, havent tried yet

finish is imaculate, less the normal wear and scrathes, the nut is a perfect slapnut(hehehe), Low profile and solid.
big honkin ding in the lower arm

a rock

N/A

Id kill the person who woudl steal it.