Product: Ibanez 2602 Artist
Price Paid: US $200
Submitted
02/11/2004
at
01:40pm
by
Roger D Cranford
Email: rcranford1<at>sc dot rr dot com
Features
:
6
Artist 2602 is a 12-string Dreadnaught with satin finished Sitka Spruce top, selected Queen Mahogany sides and two piece back with D-28 style backstrip, Mahogany neck, Rosewood fret board with 8 mother of pearl squares with inner star inlays. Adjustable Rosewood bridge. Sperzel tuners. Sound hole trimmed with black and white purflings. Abalone "Ibanez Tree of Life" inlay on the headstock. Lots of extra ornamentation. Told by the Ibanez experts that is was made in 1974 (pre serial number edition) and was Ibanez's top of the line 12-string guitar at that time. Saw in old 1974 Ibanez catalogue that it listed new for about $290. Bought it in pawnshop in Charleston, SC in about 1994 for $200 since it had some major dinks on the top. At the time, didn't know anything about Ibanez guitars (was a Martin man). But if you could have heard the sound that came out of (and still does) the 2602 you wouldn't have hesitated to buy it either.
Sound
:
10
Has a huge bright chiming sound. The biggest I've ever heard on a guitar. And remember, I'm a Martin man who plays in a bluegrass and a contemporary Christian band. I use this guitar in the Christian band in church. One of the other guys in the band who was a professional musician told me he owned one exactly like it and used it on stage during performances. Said he sold it and wishes to this day that he hadn't.
Action, Fit, & Finish
:
6
This is NOT and easy guitar to play. Neck is wide and it takes quite and effort to press the strings to the frets. And bare cording is a totally different story. Would not recommend it for the beginner. But if you want that big bright chiming sound, nothing even comes close to touching this guitar. As far as how this guitar is built. First rate all the way. The dings in the top were as a result of someone not taking care of the guitar or having an accident with it. But what the hey, I care about sound not esthetics. Even thought about having the top refinished, but just never seem to get around to it. I rate the playability 4 and quality of craftsmanship 10.
Reliability/Durability
:
9
What can I say, it's already 30 years old and going strong. I don't abuse it but I also don't baby it either. Let's put it this way, it's in better shap than my 33 year old Martin was in. Already had to have some bracing re-glued on the Martin.
Customer Support
:
No Opinion
Don't know.
Overall Rating
:
10
Would I replace it? Just not sure it could be easily done. What I love about this guitar? The sound, it's all about the sound. I've compared it to every 12-string I've ever run across since about 1994. Nothing touches it. Not even close. Even sat at Gruhn Guitars in Nashville for several hours one day and played lots of guitars. Nothing. Well, maybe a Martin that they wanted over $12,000 for. To me it was a no brainer $200 versus $12,000. I've been playing longer than I'd care to admitt - at least 33+ years. To this day I wonder who had this guitar and what in the heck did they do to ding up the top?
