Ibanez Les Paul Copy

i don't know exactly what year this particular guitar was made as i cannot find an exact match in any catalog. i think it is 72-74ish. japanese, bolt on neck, all maple wood as far as i can tell, gold hardware, originally super 70's pickups but replaced with seymour duncan full shreds.

possibly the weirdest set up ever i play through an assortment of toys, peavy rage and bandit on the left channel (very tinny sound) and a fender acoustasonic on the right channel (thick and warm and chunky). i love the sound of this guitar even when i play it straight up through the fender amp. even with the original pickups i did not find any real problems with the sound although it is slightly thinner than my gibson les paul. i assume this is due to the hollow body versus solid body.

i cannot tell you how it was from the factory as i purchased it used in 1992. currently i like that it has the thinner neck as i have small fingers. the finish is super smooth making any movement up or down the neck easy. some of the hardware is slightly oxidized but hey it's over thirty years old! everything good here.

this thing is a tank. over thirty years old and nothing wrong with it except the former owner had burned the headstock with a cigarette. all the hardware is still in good condition, most of the finish is good except the gold plating wearing off-but not any more so than my 14 year old gibson. i would definitely not have a problem using this guitar without a back-up. it has been dropped, kicked, and generally tossed around and the thing is still ticking.

i assume the warranty is out on this one.

i have been playing for 20 years now and this guitar has been around for almost the whole haul. it is the guitar i learned on and i still love to play it. it definitely holds up against my gibson les paul studio custom and even holds up against my godin lgxt. i would certainly spend the time to find another if this were lost or stolen, in fact i almost bought a matching flying v knock off a few years ago.

pre-lawsuit les paul custom copy with original pickups, sunburst with some flaming, thin neck, standard issue controls

pickups are ok, but tone is not as clear as i would like. i have a guild bluesbird which sounds a lot clearer than this ibanez. it is my biggest critique of this guitar.

action is awesome. nice skinny neck. i got it used it is setup fine. guitar is very good lookin, like the gibson model it imitates. some cool flaming on the maple top. not too shabby.

its a trooper for sure, built in '75 or so and still as solid as a rock.

never dealt with ibanez company, just play their guitar

i'm a closet player. first picked up a guitar around 20 years ago. if it were lost or stolen i would be bummed cuz it is a joy to play, might get the pickups changed out in which case this axe would be a "10" in every way. i love the action and the look. doesnt scream as well as my guild bluesbird, but it still screams a bit. cant beat the quality for the price, imho. overall a thumbs up on this one.

1973 black custom l. p. copy ibanez, japan.22frets
chambered top but its heavy and its a gibson lawsuit headstock
a dimarizio paf in the bridge pos. original picup in the
neck pos.bolt on neck and 25 1/2 in. scale which is like a fender ?
neck is wide and fat..

i bought this new and after i put the dimarizio paf on it, it sings
like peter greens guitar on "the supernatural",`nuf said...

it was set up good, i reset the action to my likes...

it`s 35 yrs. old the rose wood fretboard is scalloped from so much note bending and this guitar could last centurys if cared for.
the tuners are getting a little loose.the finish is beautiful and the white binding is now creamy yellowed.

n/a

i`v been playing 38 yrs.and i have a strat,b c rich st3,and a fender lead2.they all sound good but this ibanez lp sings like a gospel singer.i`d be sad if it ever got stolen.i paid $250 for it and i got my moneys worth 1000 times.i think i lucked out and happened to fall into a well made guitar,because the all arn`t this good..
i rememmber friends saying why are you buying a japan made guitar
man,and i said watch out this ibanez co. will be right up there with
gibson &fender !

This one HAD the cream colored ash body, maple fingerboard, white pickguard and pickup covers,(no black trim) schaller Super 70's tuners, white control knobs, black shaped case with orangey-yellow liner - the serial number was something like 7022477... I pawned it when I was in the service in the DC area circa 1985 and never got back to get it... one of the biggest regrets of my life....

This was my first real electric guitar. I won every high school talent show with this guitar and my silverface Twin Reverb - cranked to 10!!! Now that I'm older, I would love to find this guitar or one very similar. E-mail me if you have the white trim version - maybe we could make a deal!

I believe these were the precursor to just how good MIJ was going to be. Ibanez was one of the first Japanese company's to get it right in the QC dept.

I played out with it for years without backup - as I could never afford a second guitar back then.

I don't know about support on this model but they're quite collectable! E-mail me if you have a white one for sale!

mine is a walnut or mahaogany type finish, dark brown with some grain.Nice cream binding, and gold hardware offsets it.Standard electronics with a bolt on neck. Nice fingerboard and fret condition.

This baby screams. SOunds a lot like my early 70's Les Paul deluxe. The pickups are a bit thinner in tone than a gibson but still nice and warm. It will easily feedback if cranked, but has good control.I play a Gibson ES also, and that has more tonal range, but also cost five times as much!

Very nice for a 30 yr old instrument. Mine has some minor finish problems but nothing too noticeable.It has held up very well over its lifetime.

you can beat this boy to death it will stay with you

no opinion

playing 40 plus years, owned all sorts of guitars. This one is a keeper. Good investment and a great working guitar.

1970's - Sunburst - Bolt on neck

A little thin but quiet- play through a 65 Twin.

Low action and truely a "fretless wonder"

can withstand any playing environment

NA

Just bought it because it was there and cheap. I'm a 70's strat guy so what do I know about Les Paul type guitars.

76 Ibanez les paul black with gold hardware. it has a pearl or mother of pearl inlay on the head stock of both the Ibanez logo and a chalice. 3 way selector switch. all 4 original nobs seem to have been replaced by speed nob. have original pick ups but not set in they have been replaced by 2 seymour duncan one a superdistortion and the other a custom. not sure what the neck or body are made of. has a new gold tune-o-matic bridge but also have the original that is missing a saddle the neck is a little fat but i have large hands so it tends to work better for me. 22 frets. tripple cream binding on headstock neck and body

the wireing was done by a previous owner on the pick ups which makes th bridge pickup extreme quiet but the neck pickup has both a warm yet hard hitting feel.

i have the action set as low as it will go with out touching the pickup with im playing

i use this every day and have done a few gig with it. it i keep up it matenance it may never go bad

never dealt with ibanez

ive have been playing for close to 4 year and in my room i have a ibanez gsa60, a kent acuostic and a jackson with a floyd rose. it was hard to get off my cousin because he had put about $250 into it already but during ozzfest 05 he ran out of money and the only way he could get a suvinere he to me if i bought it for him he the guitar would be mine. i love this guitar

'77 Ibanez LP Custom copy, black w/ gold hardware, bolt-on neck. Guild-type headstock, fancy leaf-type tailpiece. Star tuners, the Super 80 pick-ups have been swapped out for Zakk Wylde EMG set (I still have the all original parts). I also removed the pick-guard, pick-up selector ring and put gibson speed knobs on it, and some Dunlop strap-locks. I am the original owner, my dad took me to Roselle Music (Roselle, IL USA) for my 14th birthday and let me buy a new guitar. This was in his price range and a big improvement from the Global SG copy I was taking lessons on (at Roselle Music). Coincidentally my uncle bought me a Peavey Classic 212 combo amp at the same time (replacing a Global 5watt with 1 8" w/tremolo unit), so it was a big jump in equipment for me.

The guitar has a nice feel and tone and it's still my favorite. I also currently have a Tele (American), LTD/ESP (EC w/ set neck), and an Ibanez RG570 (for extreme trem stuff).

Current amps are a Line-6 Spider 212 and a Kustom WAV 210.

I lowered the action a little and reintonated it when I went to heavier strings (52-10). It plays very nicely, much better than some of those early Nashville Gibsons I've tried.

I have only gigged with it a few times...I'm afraid of losing it. The gold finish is worn of the top of the bridge (from 28+ years of my hand rubbin' on it), but other than that...she looks great!

Never had to deal with support with either of my Ibanez's.

This was my first "real" guitar and I will never part with it willingly. I've owned numerous Gibsons and Fenders over the years but none hold a spot to me like this one does. I'm going on my 30th year playing and I'd be very pissed off if it was lost or stolen.

My Ibanez Les Paul Standard copy was purchased by me at Dallas music store in Evansville, IN in 1981. I traded a wine red Hondo II Les Paul Custom copy and 125 dollars for the Ibanez and it's hardcase. This guitar was a very early model that was known as the 59er. It had a bolton neck, and sported an excellent sunburst on a sorta curly 2 piece top. I loved it at first sight because it looked EXACTLY like Jimmy Page's guitar!It had the Gibson shape head and the old style cursive Ibanez logo in pearl. It was bound like a Std LP and had pearl trapezoid inlays on it's rosewood board. Unlike later Ibanez LP copies, this one had a real mahogany neck and body with a maple cap. The tuners were good,but worn, so I put on Grovers;The rhythm pickup was great but the lead one was weird. It looked like the old Electra ones-a humbucker in a metal cover that was made to look like open coils. I replaced it with the then obligatory Dimarzio Super Distorto p/up. Sounded way cool thru my Crate amp! This guitar sounded and looked incredible and me and all my little long hair bell bottom pothead buddies thought it was wicked!

After installing the Dimarzio, it was awesome! I used it thru a 60 watt Crate amp(the old one that looked like a wooden Crate) and had a small stone phaser, a screaming tree treble booster, a Shobud wah,and a Marestro fuzz.I had a white Cortez Start for backup,and later traded it for a refinished Guild SG type guitar. It was quiet and ripped for all those Judas Priest, Sabbath, Zepplin, Cooper riffs I loved back then. Later on it kicked butt when I went "punk" nailing Ramones, Pistols, Clash, and Iggy Pop tones. It really played and sounded like an excellent Les Paul(except for the bolt on neck). I liked the fact that it looked like my dream guitar( a 50's burst) and played so good. The only dislike I had at the time was that it was a tad thinner and less heavy than a real Les Paul. I equated that weight and thickness to Gibson quality. Back then we were screwing brass onto guitars and making them heavy as possible, believing that was the key to sustain.

It was always set up well: It had been played a lot,but well cared for when I got it. I changed pickup and tuners out of preference, not need. The finish was laquer, as this was a very early Ibanez copy( I was told 73-75) This guitar was very high quality, and all things considered, I can see why Gibson got mad-Guitars this good were killing their market.By the time I was 21 and traded it, I was using all my effects, but had traded the Crate for an Ampeg VT-22 and had also gotten a Guild SG style guitar for backup. The Ibanez was so good it inspired me to play more and also upgrade to pro type gear.I really bought the guild to be my main axe, but the 59er was so good it relagated the Guild to backup status.

I bought it at 15, and traded it in for a real Les Paul Deluxe at 21(terrible mistake!) I played it constantly and gigged anywhere I could-lots of college keggers and frat parties-and honestly, it held up great considering. That said, I never have been abusive to my guitars and have always maintained them well. Nothing ever failed and it looked as good when I traded it as the day I bought it! In fact, it's price was 225.00 when I got it, and the trade value at the same store 6 years later was 300.00 against the crap Deluxe I traded it for. I depended on it as my main guitar, but always had a backup of some sort in case a string broke.

Ibanez was very helpful when I enquired in a letter as to what this model of guitar was back then.They also sent me a free catalog and thanked me for using their product.

Been playing almost 30 years and own a roomful of fabulous gear that I dreamed about as a kid. The Ibanez 59er took me from guitar student to competent pro. It was never lost or stolen, and I'm glad as I've never to this day seen another one exactly the same as it.All I hate is that at 21 I got a case of the stupids and traded it for a crappy, ugly, heavy 76 LP Deluxe that I eventually replaced everything on to get to a usable point. I got this guitar as soon as I saw it, I knew it was for me. I never even compared it, just left my Hondo and my money on the counter and split! I wish I had it today, and if I ever found one just like it, I'd pay dear to get it!

Custom copy "Eve Mae" was born in Japan, September 1, 1977, as its' K770901 serial number brass plate suggests! Its' cream colour has mellow-yellowed over the past 26 years! Tone-n-volume controls have been bypassed, with the fingerboard Dimarzio P.A.F. & bridge P.A.F. Pro directly stereo wired(they replaced the stock Super 80 pickups back in 1990, along with stock plastic nut replaced by half bone-half brass variety for better sustain-n-tone)! Bridge is stock Ibanez Tune-O-Matic! Tuners are classic stock Ibanez, with rear star logos! Rosewood fingerboard with jumbo frets-n-abalone(?)fret markers! Stock strap holder replaced with golden-tinged locking Schallers, for colour-coordinated efficient functionality! Neck is bolt-on! Headstock has cursive "Ibanez" & mother-of-pearl tulip design!

Harmonic heaven for open chord blues-n-rock! Was searching for that mid-70s Santana L-6S tone, & wound up replicatin' Clapton's Cream-era womanly moan-tone instead! Bummaire extrordinaire! 'Twas the tech who replaced the stock nut who said I'd be happy with that Dimarzio P.A.F./P.A.F. Pro combo, which Joe Satriani(& possibly Steve Vai as well, on his Ibanez JEMs)was usin' @ that time! Those stock Super 80s were fine! Nay! Refine! Which meant they didn't have that nasty, rocky bite when volume increased(if you're a jazzer lookin' for clean-yet-efficient projection, though, Ibanez Super 80 pickups are undiscovered jems)! Mission accomplished, though, via those Dimarzios! Playin' along to cds or taped analog KSAN Live Shows, Eve Mae envelopes da earz with her tasty retro vibe! Especially through that Sherwood 7100A powering Celestion Vintage 30s & Celestion G10T-75SE overdrive speaker! Only outboard effect is a modded 80s-era Ratio Shaq f.e.t. mixer, for nice faux-valvesque overdrive from those warm 17 watts-per-channel Sherwood's 7100A effortlessly provides! Several speed metalers have begged to buy Eve Mae, as they liked the rosewood fingerboard's tight playability, & the fact that "it doesn't sound like other Ibanezes"! So who sez ya can't elicit killer metal mania from auld-skool blues-rockin' planks?

Eve Mae was fantastic right off Sunrise Music's rack! Lowered the action, though, to suit personal taste! Overall quality of construction & playability is OUTSTANDING! In speed metaler's hands, however, the high-e string sticks above the 5th fret! After 26 years, however, that's a minimal complaint & testament to how well crafted Ibanez' lawsuit copies really are! Eve Mae rarely goes out of tune; another accolade to her stock star tuners! Bet there aint as many passionate Norlin-era Les Paul collectors as there are Ibanez lawsuit-era Les Paul fanatics!

Being studio bound for 26 years, Eve Mae has survived quite nicely! If she can survive speed metalers' aural onslaughts, she'll handle another 26 years of playability without any harmonic hiccups! When initially purchased, heavy-handed playing knocked the stock pick-up selector outta position easily! Stereo-phase wiring each pick-up remedied that situation! Want an individual pickup, position the amp's balance control! With both pick-ups, though, combined with that out-of-phase Celestion, you get stack-city sonics worthy of any legendary amp/speaker combo of one's choice!

Never had to find out! That in itself should verify Ibanez' lawsuit-era Les Paul Custom copy's quality of construction!!!

Have been playing open-chord blues as therapy for over a quarter-century! Also have a '64 Fender Jaguar as studio stablemate, along with a 50th-anniversary Squire Strat! This Les Paul Custom copy replaced a wood-grained Ibanez S.G. copy, which was ripped off whilst @ work(oddly enuff, it never showed up @ any local gigs; imagine that)! Love Eve Mae's feel-n-tone-n-vibe! Were Eve Mae stolen, that sorry sucker would get two Ibanez's worth of whoop ass!

no serial number , pre 75 made in japan
22 fret bolt on neck
solid top 2 vol 2 tone pots
3 humbuckers super 70s
tune o matic bridge
black finish with gold hardware although worn away
law suit headstock with pearl inlays

great rock guitar . playing thru a TSL602 combo (clean channel only) with boss overdrive/stereo chorus and marshall guvnor . sounds great clean and overdriven , loads of controlled feedback when you want it , no squealing , even at high volume . great for blues , some jazz stuff and your rock to heavy rock riffs

very lown action (fretless wonder?)
some pick up adjustment required but overall in excellent condition
set up was fine although i suspect this guitar had`nt been played much

i have been playing this guitar solid now for 4 months (my tele hasnt seen the light of day)2 gigs a week . seems very well made and reliable , no back up required.

overall playability of this guitar is outstanding . purchased from second owner with history , i cannot fault it except for one of the tuners which plays up occasionally . seems the solid bodys are the way to go as i experience no feed back probs as mentioned with the models with the resonance chambers . if you can find one grab it .

1978 made (PF400?), still completely as new, in spite of heavy use. It has 2 pickups (don't even know what type it is because i don't like taking of the shells), a 3-way switch and volume/tone control per element.
There's still a nice discussion on Ibanez Collector's world about this discontinued series that made the grade as the Ultimate Les Paul copy.
The neck is glued to the body.

What a beasty! It is directly comparable with the original LP. This makes it suitable for any kind of music with a bit of a bite. Wouldn't do my jazz-sessions, of course, and the sound is a bit "too present" for accompaniing groupwise singing.
No effects (quirk of me, only a Leslie-box or a good Flanger is welcome).
There's a nice sound in the complete range of tonal settings, no flaws whatsoever.

It's easy to, what i call, "make the wood sound". That is, you can hear the wood resonate through the tones. To give an idea: listen to BB King on e.g. `Won't you help poor me`. On my Marshall 30W it's very well possible to recreate this sound.

Though the guitar was in nice shae from the store, i had it tuned right after i bought it. Piet in Arnhem, Holland did a great job, i did't have to look after it in 20-some years...

This guitar makes you wanna play and it's not standing in the way of taking off on the notes you have in mind.

After 23 years the volume of the lower pickup got stuck (might be because i use my pink on this to get a nice violin-like effect on single notes while playing solo's). Replacement was easy.

I don't like the highest part of the neck though (up from high-G, on the B and E-strings), it's unwilling to make the notes sound ok, but this may be because of the strings i use (Mostly plain Erny Ball .009).

The craftsmansip of Ibanez was obviously let loose on this model. There is not a single spot that's not handled very well. Fingerboard, frets, bridge, inlays (though simple), Finish and of course the woods used.

If 25 years of action means anything...
Use it without a backup? If the speakers last and the cables are allright, this thing never let me down.
There's not even a scratch on the finish, and the metal parts are hardly oxyded at all.

Huh?

I used it on a Fender Bronco amp for small gigs and rehearsal, the real playing is done through a Marshall 30W used as feed-back monitor. The leads to the table go straight from this amp ito the board.
Next to my Samick SAB for the more jazzy stuff and accompaniing, i do use an Epiphone all-acoustic for the backup-parts. I'm not much of a collector and quite picky on the guitars i actually buy.
If it would be stolen, i fear i cannot get my hand on one again. No-one who owns one seems to be willing to sell :-)

1977 Les Paul Custom Copy, Lefty, set neck, cherry sunburst, super 70's pu's, 22 fret, 2 vol, 2 tone, 3 way, from what i've researched, body is mahogany ( definitely not 1 piece, lol)with a maple top?, mine has some subtle flame going on.nice. tune-o-matic bridge, star klusen? tuners.

My other guitar was a semi-hollow body, and i needed a solid body for more chunky rock stuff. Found this on the net from Zane out at Legend guitars in Nova Scotia. Definitely fits with the music i play more. Had to swap out bridge pu with a SD JB since the super 70's bridge was too microphonic with the gain i was using. I'm running it into a mesa boogie v-twin to a '96 Fender blues deville 2x12 combo.
Now that there's no microphonic squeal, the guitar sounds nice and full, plays nicely, even though the neck scale kind of screwed me up from my other guitar (shorter). Don't think the neck is as fat as a real les paul (a fact i like), at least doesn't seem to be when i try my friends '80 lp. the super 70's were alot more bright than i expected and not as muddy as real lp pu's seem to be. the neck seems a little weak on clean, but I'm probably switching it to a SD '59 anyway, since it is going the microphonic way as well. I love those 59 pu's for clean. It is a nice, full sounding guitar though. Definitely does NOT sound like the real les paul IMO. It weighs nowhere near the weight of a real les paul either.?.

Well, when i bought this off the net, Zane described it as very good condition, and it was. Except for a couple of lacquer cracks and just a little corrosion on one bridge saddle, this guitar is in excellent shape. Tuners look brand new, neck was straight and rosewood looked unbelievable, frets in great shape, this guitar looked hardly played. There was a little scratchiness on the volume pots, but a little contact cleaner made that go away in a hurry. Only a two owner guitar, I can't complain at all about this purchase, especially considering this guitar is 27 years old!

It's doing great. It is my #1 axe now. Sure, there's many guitars out there better made, better sounding, but I'm on a budget, and I think i got a great deal. I always carry a backup, but this one hasn't let me down yet. Solidly built, just threw on some strap locks just to be safe. All the band mates love this guitar, and they're playing real Les Pauls, Strats, SG's, and tele deluxes.

like i said, 27 years old. don't think i'm getting any customer support.

Been playing (strictly rythmn, fingers too slow for lead) about 10 years. Also have a Epi Sheraton II with SD custom and '59 installed. Nice guitar as well, once the hardware is changed to better quality.
I would definitely track down another one of these LP's if mine was stolen, at least at the price and condition i got this one at. I love the sound now. I'm not a big cherry sunburst fan, but i can live with it. Why do so many manufacturers make cherry sunburst only in left handed anyways? irritating...anyways a great guitar for the price. Thanks again Zane.

It's a 1977 Ibanez Les Paul copy, cherry sunburst. Original hardware is still on it, but badly scratched. Finish is still pretty good, A large chip on the back from what would logically be a belt buckle, and another small one on the back of the neck behind the 2nd fret. One of the pickups was changed by the guy i got it from it is a dimarzio (not sure of the model though). The seller was the original owner, and he included the original case (it also had the warranty registration card, and the manual from the manufacturer). I'm not sure on the wood.

I love this guitar. It is my favorite guitar by far, I own an Epiphone les paul copy, a strat, an epiphone dot (es-335 style), a BC Rich Warlock, a few different acoustics, and I love this. It sounds really smooth and clean. I wish i had both original pickups so I could see what it sounded like from the factory.

It plays really well, the person I bought it from might have adjusted the bridge and stuff, and I know he changed one pickup, but it has always played really well. I get offers to buy it all the time, but I don't have the heart to let it go. The hardware was gold finished, and is very badly scratched, but I think it adds to the overall character of the guitar.

The guitar will withstand live playing (i've used it a few times) but i haven't performed in a while so I haven't played it live in a while. The hardware is pretty old, but I dont think it is having any trouble. Strap buttons are solid, it is very dependable.

Got it used, and haven't had any trouble.

I picked this up pretty randomly, and I have never regretted it. I have played many guitars, and bought and sold many also. Once i got this baby home for $50 bucks I couldnt put it down, and selling it NEVER crossed my mind.

I bought this baby in 95, and let me say that i had tears in my eyes when i first saw it. To say that it was in bad shape wld be seriously understating the beating it had taken in the hands of its previous owner. It is a '77 Ibanex Les Paul Custom copy (originally wood tone with a hendrix burn - if the past owner is to be believed), sprayed black with a can of spray paint at the hands of the previous owner(i'm not kidding). I was aghast - but drawn to its beauty - even under all that grit. I had no idea what i ws getting into...

It has been lovingly restored, purely because it was a wonderful sounding guitar - even though the frets had been destroyed to nearly flat, the neck was slightly warped, the parts were corroded to hell, and the electronics were screwed.

I spent US$150 equivalent buying it from the monster, and spent every extra cent i could scrape together to restore it to its (what i think must have been) former glory. It is now a tobacco sunburst with a double hum config. The body and neck are both bound, and the binding is yellow with age.... its really quite a sight.

The pickups (to my surprise beneath all the oxidation) revealed to be Super 70s. The neck pickup is OUT OF THIS WORLD. the bridge pickup is warm, with lots of low end and with a killer bite on the high mid range. I think a little more adjustment to the bridge pickup will solve the slight muddyness (which i personally LOVE enough to not want to lose it totally).

Played clean it is a WINNER - no feedback, no hum. It has 2 vol and 2 tone knobs (which i've replaced with clear amber which really sits well with the tobacco sunburst). the wood grain just calls to you and i spend many minutes each day just enjoying its beauty before i play. Overdriven - it really comes to life - it doesn't sound like a Les Paul at all - in fact its got more BITE, sings like an angel, sustains really well. 3 way switch like the its gibson namesake. OVERALL - this is a wonderful sounding guitar. The bridge and other parts have been replaced to nickle, so it looks a hell of a lot better too... i even got a friend to replace the bone piece at the top of the neck. The neck has the double trap design with Ibanez in cursive. Really nice!

22 frets, C-profile bolt on neck with trapz inlay is thinner than the standard Gibson D neck. Still reasonably easy to play, even for a stubby fingered guy like me... The frets were terribly worn down (with a rock i think to accommodate the shredding owner previously...) i've replaced them with standard frets, so playability is remarkable. The only thing i need to get used to is that on the two E's, the string slips off the neck when you bend either up or down... takes a bit of getting used to...

The guitar came with a hard case with blue velvet interior, and a really beat up 15W Fender amp Model 15XKR with reverb. Replacing some transistors in the amp has improved its vocal range - but its still pretty limited. Time to shop for a new amp. A friend has offered a loan of his JCM900, which i think will serve the purpose for now - much to the disdain of my neighbours... haha!

I can't for much more in terms of features - this has been my one and only guitar, and i don't see myself getting another one ever.

I play a pretty wide range - from funk to blues and even some classical/folk. This guitar works really well for blues and funk. It has a pretty muted neck that i think is alder - so could account for why some of its vocalization not as ringy - especially on the bridge pickup.

I use a AE2FX "Goojtone Brahdrive" which has designed by some dude we know and given to me by a couple of friends as a X'mas present. I also use a TS5 for when i want the guitar to come through more. My set-up leaves much to be desired - but it serves my purposes for now...

The guitar is not noisy, has bright high ends with BITE(much like a tele...) My only complaint, and this is not really a big deal because i've grown to love it, is that it has a muddy undertone. Good for the kind of music i like - namely blues/funk. But playing rythm on it is great, although its better driven slightly than totally clean in a band format.

For a 25 year old guitar, i think its a real trooper. I've dropped it once, and nothing happened. The action is pretty low, but i've raised it slightly to suit my taste. The hardware WAS oxidized badly - BUT NO LONGER!! In general i would say that this guitar is going to be around for a long while more - and i hope to leave it to my nephew!

Finish - i really don't know what to say expect that it was in such bad shape (MISHANDLED!!) by its previous owner, it really looks SUPER now.

I've replaced everything that needed replacing - again a gift from my friends who paid for the who thing as a surprise. I have great friends - and they are even more special than this guitar is to me. If you're reading this guys - THANKS FOR MAKING THIS A REALLY SPECIAL HINDU CHRISTMAS ;)

This guitar has no problems in a live gig environment. Everything is now ROCK SOLID. I would not need a backup in a gig, except maybe a 12 string ...

I suppose this would be a moot question? I get all the support i need from the local techs who have been great - have taken the time to explain what needs to be done, and offer creative alternatives to get what i want.

They have also been a great influence in curbing my crazy urges with a modicum of sanity and rationality. So this rating goes to Mark, my friend who happens to be a real gem of a guy with a flair for guitar tech and ampwork.

I've been playing for abt 15 years - but mostly classical. I have been recently introduced to the electric guitar and given that so much time has been spent on it to finally make it the guitar it is today, i am proud to say that this guitar serves all my needs at this time, and probably will for the rest of my life. If it was lost or stolen - i'd be mortified. I'd hunt down the party involved and really make them PAY!!!

I can't ask for much more from this guitar. If i were to compare it to another Les paul Custom, it would be on par in my book, although a Les paul Custom does sound as sweet as hell. Its just that it does things (that BITE, that SWEET crying) that gives this guitar a character all its own. It can hold its head high in the company of most any other guitar -a nd i've heard many. Played thru my friends musicman amp - it was astounding. I can't wait to improve on the rest of my gear over the next year.

I love this guitar - if you have one or have heard one you will know what i mean!

Before I start this review I must acknowledge that I've played several Ibanez Les Paul copy's that were very good quality...However, this wasn't one of them...This guitar was a cream colored Les Paul Custom copy (a la Randy Rhoads), bought used in 1982 (when I was short on money and short on brains) with a bolt on neck. The body was basswood. I had a Carvin M22SD put in the bridge. The neck was thin, and I had the fret planed and dressed but the neck never felt quite right.

This was probably the worst sounding electric that I ever owned. It didn't sound warm, it didn't sound clear...it just sounded gross!! the tone was unique...I mean uniquely horrible!!! I used it during the '80's for punk, new wave, and heavy metal. Used it primarily with a Fender Bassman, Acoustic 160, and a Marshall Super Lead 100. Actually, with the Marshall and a Boss DS-1 it sounded great! But something tells me that had something to do with the amp more than the guitar. What kind of sounds did the guitar make?...It made bad ones!!

The action was below average. Like I said, with the frets planed and dressed, and the neck adjusted for super low action it just didn't feel right to me. Since the body was a whole lot lighter than a Gibson it was more comfortable in that sense. One positive thing I will say though is that I did like the cream color finish (at least I could pretend I was Randy Rhoads!!)

I had no problems with the guitars reliability

Never had to deal with them

I have been playing over 30 years. I've owned a Gibson SG,Les Paul Standard, Peavey Impact, Kramer Striker, Fender Strat, and an Epi Les Paul. As I've already said, my Ibanez Les Paul was the worst guitar I've ever owned. I gigged with it for 3 years in college and hated every minute of using it. I want to emphasize I think Ibanez makes great guitars, and I've played several of their very good quality Les Paul copies. So to those of you who've owned good Ibanez Les Pauls...Boy would I have envied you in the '80's!

I was told this was a 73 vintage, although my tech who offered to buy it thought it was older. It is a cream colored (originally white aged) LP Custom copy with black appointments and double binding. It has pearl block inlays and gold hardware. It is stunningly beautiful although not mint and has a few surface cracks in the finish. The headstock is identical to the Gibson Custom with the double diamond insignia but says Ibanez in cursive not print as the newer ones. Two volume two tone one toggle all work outstandingly well, bolt-on neck, tone chambers.

This thing sounds nothing like any Gibson I have ever played, but I would'nt trade it for one either. I don't buy guitars as an investment or a business, but rather as a music lover and this thing does the things I want better than the Gibson. How you might ask can you prefer a bolt-on copy to the original? For one thing the LP sound is too generic, almost every humbucker guitar made has had its sound modeled after the Gibson LP. For another, I'm from the old school that doesn't measure a guitar by weather it can drive a Marshall Stack. I play mine through a Peavey Delta Blues or a Line 6 Spyder and measure any guitar by how it sounds clean. By that standard you will not find a humbucker guitar that is more precise than this one. It's as clear as any of my single coil guitars including my fender Tele, but with an electro-accoustic ring. I've seen other reviews compare this to a thinline Tele, I say it's got its own distinct vibe (maybe a cross between an accoustic Tele and a LP), mine reminds me of a harpsichord. This thing sustains as well or at least almost as well as my 2 set-necks (Hamer archtop, Ibanez AF 120) and delivers that bolt-on bite to boot.

I bought it in a Pawn shop and the neck was straight as a string (just the way I like it) and not a buzz to be found. Nut width and Neck is slightly thinner than the Gibsons but not a problem for me or anyone with normal to thin digits.

30 years and counting.

N/A

It makes me laugh when I see a review like one I read here by someone who had sold his, thought these were over-rated and judged it a good guitar for a beginner. Mine was played professionally most of its life by the lead guitar player in the Inkspots who paid 350.00 for it new in 1973 (according to Craig at Bargainpawn). Granted there is alot of diversity in quality owing to the fact that Ibanez (like many other Japanese cos of the period) was a distributor not a manufacturer. I believe that the really good ones are not necessarily the set-necks but rather the early bolt-ons with chambered bodies. These are still a steal at going rates.

My Ibanez Les is about a 1972 model, with 22 frets and made in japan. It has a mmk45 pickup in the bridge (i think an old aria pro 2 pickup from the mid 80s), this pickup has a great sound and can really scream. It has a stock humbucker in the neck that is fairly thin sounding pickup, i plan on replacing it with a DiMarzio air norton.
It has badly been repainted black, but where there are chips you can see it was a gold top. It has the original Tune-O-Matic bridge, with after market schaller machine heads. It has a really nice thin neck, and since iv had her setup the action is really good and low.

I play all sorts of stuff from heavy metal to funk and this guitar holds its own, with a new neck pickup it will get even better though.
I usually play through a 50 watt epiphone regent bass amp, which gives a nice rich tone, and even breaks into a nice overdrive. On the stage i play through a 100 watt marshall combo, which works just aswell.

I purchased the guitar second hand, it was nearly 30 years old at the time so it needed some tlc, with a fret dress and setup it played really nicely. The finish is in pretty bad shape due to the bodgy backyard paint, but this doesnt worry me as i just love the way she plays.

This guitar is solid, and is my no 1 stage weapon. I have replaced the strap buttons with a DiMarzio locking strap, because i always have problems with strap buttons, and since have had no problems. I generally take a second guitar on the stage, my 82 Ibanez Blazer, with 3 single coils, but not as a back up only because they complemant each other on the stage both being bullet proof, and covering all the sounds i need.

Iv had no contact with ibanez

I have been playing guitar and bass for about 5 or 6 yeasrs. I own an 82 Ibanez Blazer, an 85 Ibanez Roadstar 2 Bass with humbuckers, a Danelectro longhorn bass, 50 watt epiphone regent bass amp and a bunch of boss effects (Flanger, distortion, metal zone, heavy metal). If it was lost or stolen i would try to replace it with another one, but generally there pretty expensive. I dont like the finnish, but it doesnt worry me because it plays so well, once i have a fuller pickup in the neck it will be perfect.

Mine's a 1976 Les Paul Standard copy made in Japan, which i bought off e-bay this year(2003). Someone, at some point in the past has taken all the laquer off the top(who spreads these rumours that guitars sound better with a natural finish? Sorry but you'd be hard pressed to tell the difference). It was also in need of a good clean up and electrics needed re-tinning, set of strings and a few of the fixings needed replacing.
Everything seems to be standard, although the knobs don't look like the originals... and at least with the natural finish i can say that it is unique!!

I've only been playin' for less than a year and i run it through a digitech GSP 21Pro and SW 100W Amp and it is very versatile, but i have to agree with others that it doesn't mimic a Gibson Les Paul in sound. It is pretty unique.
For the money and the fact they will never go any lower in value = BARGAIN.

Very, very low action and i just hope i can get to a standard where it sings without people putting their fingers in there ears.
The only thing i find hard about playing it are the ultra fine strings, any slight movement and it's bend-city, but thats me and not the guitars fault.

In desperate need of TLC and a caring owner when i got my baby, but now i think she's pretty indestructable.

Not used and i dont think they have a 27 year warranty.

Great guitar!!
Buy carefully and it will out last any of these modern day cheapo Les Pauls, plus it won't lose money.

Serial number indicates that my copy of a Black Beauty was made in '77. It was new when I bought it and I am playing it permanently since then. The 22 frets of the set-in neck are still in excellent shape, same as all other features. The gold plate of the bridge and the stoptail rubbed off during the years. Don't ask me what wood was used, maybe birch, it is dammed heavy. However, the black paint is of excellent quality, no severe damages up to now, still glossy appearance.

Blues and rock are my favorites, and with its Super 70 Pickups it sounded a little bit weak, and it suffered from severe feedback problems. I changed the pickups to Gibson Classic 57 and Classic 57 Plus, but still it sounded a little bit muddy, maybe because it has no maple top. Now I found the dream pickups for this guitar: Gibson P94!! With the single coils it became an awful and absolutely amazing guitar. The sound can be controlled by the volume pots from sparkling clean to screaming overdrive. With the genuine Super 70 I rate the sound only 3, with the P94 it is really a 10!

From factory it came with a very low action, and during all the 25 years of use I had no reason to modify the neck tension or the action at all. Perfect.

After 25 years of permanent use on stage, during rehearsals and at home I had no problems yet. Of course, I use a second guitar, a Gibson Les Paul Studio Plus in Lemon Burst with the Classic 57 Pickups. As someone said before: shit happens.

I had no reason to deal with the Customer Support of Ibanez, thus I don't know at all. If the support is as good as the quality and durability of the guitar, it should be ok.

I have some US-Strat, Epi 335, this Ibanez and the Gibson Les Paul. For amplification I use a Marshall JTM-30 combo for playing at home. For rehearsal and stage I use a rack with a Mesa Boogie Formula Pre Amp, a TC G-Major followed by a Peavey Classic 50/50, then into a Marshall 1960 4x12.
Amazing tones can be realized. I love the Ibanez, however when it was stolen I would look for an original Gibson as replacement (because I see more chances to get a Gibson than such a marvel of vintage guitar!). Anyway, it's a great guitar.

A couple years ago,I purchased an Ibanez "Deluxe 59er" from a local
guitar shop.I believe it is a '74 as there is no serial # to be found.It was made in Japan.A most attractive flame-top,tobacco sunburst.A really beautiful guitar.

This guitar suits me. I can play pretty much any style I choose,the guitar sounds great in any application.I have put Dimarzio PAF's in and with a little tweaking on my Marshall Valvestate 80,I can have FAT,thin,sweet,grungy,..whatever.

I am an intonation freak,and when I first got this guitar,it WAS intonated well,but of course,it being a new and interesting guitar,I had to tear it apart piece by piece and put it back together again.I can't complain about much.Yes,there is some rust on the saddle,but it's 28 years old! It's beginning to split on the neck.The fingerboard is seperating from the neck,but it hasn't caused me any grief,and I'm sure it's easily repairable.Last but not least,I must compliment the finish on this guitar.It's just beautiful.After I've polished it,I swear,it must look as it did the day it came out of the factory.

I have gigged with this guitar alot.It has never let me down.It's actually pretty cool how a guitar this old,with original starback tuners staysin tune after my solos.Once I've finished the solo,I'll hit the first chord coming back in,and Yep!I'm still there.Cool.
Besides bringing an extra set of strings,yes,I wouldn't think twice about using this guitar at a gig without back-up.

I wonder if Ibanez supports guitars this old?

I have been playing for 23 years now.I've been in more than a few bands and have owned many,many guitars.I went through a Gibson craze for a while,and then,through circumstance,I was forced to sell the Les Paul (no job)and could'nt afford another.One day,I found my Ibanez,and I've never looked back.As I said,I've owned more than one Les Paul,and this guitar is no less a guitar than my Gibson's.I guess you don't have to rob the bank to own a really great piece of wood.

After many years as a guitar rapairman, I had many of those LP copies on my work bench for repairs and modifies. In that way I have kind of a relationship to them, but never owned one myself. Well, that have changed today. Finally I have my own, and I beleive it is a mod. 2350 from early 70's, maby -74. Nice figured flame top, and body of laminated mahogny with routed resonance chambers. Typical "law-suite" headstock and bolt-on neck. Set up with 2 super 70 pickups. The mahogny neck has standard short scale and fits my style great. I always liked those necks. Very fast. The tuners has been replaced (the orginal never last long) with gotoh tuners. seems like the angle between the neck and body is more straight than an orginal LP, wich makes it not so easy to set up for low action. But still I feel that the action is as fast and low as I like it on those type guitars.

When you first look at it, you see a pearl og a instrument cause the finish is great. When you lift it up it feels cheap. I guess that is because you expect it to be heavy as an orginal LP, but it is not. This one has low weight and feels more like an semi acoustic. But hey!! A 335 aint heavy, but still not cheap :o) When I was comfortable with the weight, I plugged it into my amp. A carvin XS 112. The pick ups gives me a warm tone and seems pretty hot for their age. I get this typical humbucker tone, but still not complete LP PAF. It have a very rich tone that makes you able to get an almost perfect sound in all combinations. Not to thick and not to thin. I instantly falled in love with the sound. All from clean tones to midle overdrive. It sounded great and sometimes better than a les paul. The problem took place when I tried distortion.........what can I say....FEEDBACK!!!. Maby those pick up's just need some wax...I look into it. The sound was good but the feedback was such a problem that I gave up.

For a 30 year old guitar it is impossible to tell about the factory set-up. But when I got it it wasn't perfect at all. I beleive the earlier owners is to blame for that. It had a brass nut wich I replaced with a standard LP bone-nut, and was set up with 009 strings wich fit's my needs bad. After making my own corrections the guitar felt just fine. The frets are almost worn out, and I will change them. It feels vintage, and it looks vintage. And it must be quality to stay in this shape for 30 years. And beleive me this guitar has been used.

I wont have any doubts using it on live playing. As I wrote, this seems to be a quality instrument. Only thing I will do before using it is waxing the pickups and refret it.

No need

I been playing for 25 years now. different styles from heavy metal to texas blues and even some classical stuff too. I built guitars myself, and have therefore hugh standards for my instruments. I like this guitar for it's sound, action playability and history. It gives me things that no other guitars can, but that doesn'y mean it is perfest. I will still use my other axes :o) I also plays a US st strat, and a warmoth custom tele with Bill lawrence L-500 and Joe Barden hot rod s.coil. If it was stolen I would replace it at once, cause it really is worth it. My upinion is that this LP copy is better than most of the orginals from the -70.

See my other review on this guitar (number 11 from the bottom) but this is about his twin brother. Yes, I found another flame top Les Paul copy with set neck! Almost in mint condition, at least 9 out of 10.
So, all specs are still the same and it is in original condition, only the original scratch plate is missing. Well, I don't care, I've got some matching spare plates....

Sounds great, this one has had a good first owner. Real clear humbucking sound from the Super70 Zebra pickups....

Great finish, just a few minor scratches. This bookmatched flamed top does even look better than my other one.

Since it was built in 1976 and today still in such a good shape it must be very durable

Never needed.

Over 23 years and so on....

you all know what features it has. however, it has no neck through body and therefore sounds different than the gibson les paul. it also different wood and obviously made in japan or korea.
anyway, it is a nice guitar and is definatlely worth it's money. i mean hey, who can afford a proper gibson?

i played the guitar on a pod with the emulation of a mesa boggie amp. i also tried it with a marshall amp.
the style of music you use it on depends on the pickups you use. i got the guitar broken and had to fix it myself (which included adding a new pickup (duncan jb)).

i want to emphasie that it DOES NOT sound like a gibson les paul! that is impossible for that price!!!

the set up is great. my first guitar was a copy of a strat. the electronic sucked! in the les paul everything can be done from the back. that's what i like about les pauls.
however, as i got it used i don't know what it looked like when the guy bought it...

the reliability depends on amp and pickups and only a small part comes from the guitar... however, it looks great. the guy before me played it for ages and i just took it from europe to the states and back...
i think live playing should be possible with it. but i never tried it out with that guitar...
i threrefore don't want to give an oppinion.

never tried it.
apparently good though!

i played for a couple of years now and love this guitar which is because of the design. i played on a gibson les paul which i enjoyed more.
however, gibsons are too expensive and the ibanez is definately worth it's $600 or how much it is...

My Ibanez Les Pauls: '76 Custom (Lawsuit headstock, black with all the bindings, gold parts) &'77 Standard Gold Top (Tulip headstock, nickel parts), both with bolt-on-neck, each with 2 original PAF-like pickups (Super 70's for the Gold Top). Made in Japan, of course.

Picture the corresponding Gibson Les Paul models, and you know pretty exactly what they look like (well, except the bolt-on-necks and the Guild-type 'tulip' headstock on one).

Construction, though, is very different from a Gibson LP: body (could be some sort of mohagony, but with a lot less weight, sandwiched from two parts plus thin layers) and, instead of the maple top a sort-of-archtop made from plywood (birch, I was told). So, there is a cavity under the pickups, and this makes it sort of a hollowbody-guitar. Do not mistake a Bolt-on-Ibanez-LP for a solid body! It is none, and it will never sound like one. Also, the neck is at a flatter angle to the body (more like the 1953 Les Pauls), and the body top is flatter than a Gibson's.

Necks are 3-piece maple with rosewood fretboard. Neck on the 'Custom' is rather flat, with flat frets, fast to play, as you'd expect on a guitar with it's looks. Neck on the Gold Top is more like 50's style Gibson-type (round and rather fat, suits my hands very well) with (what appears to be original) jumbo frets, very nice for bendings. So, these two guitars fell and play very different, while their tone is very close (see that heading).

Well, this is actually why I'm writing all this. A lot of people including the reviewers here on this site are stating that their Ibanez Les Paul Bolt-on-neck-model would sound like (or be close to)a Gibson Les Paul. Owning and playing two of them, and having played 'real' Gibson Les Pauls, I can only state that they DO NOT SOUND AT ALL LIKE A GIBSON LES PAUL (or any other solidbody Les Paul copy made to the original specs). And that's quite understandable, since we are dealing here with two types of guitar which are totally different in their principles of construction (though not in their looks).

It helps to think of the Ibanez Les Paul Bolt-on-neck-model as a small archtop electric guitar with sustain block and very little acoustic resonance, rather comparable to a miniature 'ES-335', but with a bolt-on neck (wich makes it more percussive); or compare it to a Telecaster Thinline with RW-fretboard, good sustain and the looks of a LP-guitar.

Anyway, it has an 'acoustic-electric' feel to it, and that makes it an interesting model of its own right, IMHO. The pickups sound good, not mushy like many humbuckers do, and the overall sound is great.
You can try and get a B.B. King-like sound and feel out of one of those guitars, ...

Anyway, I would really like to use them for my blues-inspired music, but there'S ONE BIG PROBLEM with it, - and I'm very surprised that hardly anyone (including the contributors so far) mentioned it (second reason for my posting this). The problem with these guitars is that they tend to be very microphonic, especially when you use plenty of gain (not necessarily distortion) to overdrive your tube amp. Talking about a TS9 at full 'level' with 'drive' low into a fully turned up 70's Fender. You "just can't do that on stage" with this guitar, you'll get any kind of microphonic feedback.
And that's probably due to the hollowed-out construction of these guitars. So maybe that's why noone makes a similar guitar these days, although it seems otherwise to be well-sounding and economic. First I thought it was just the pickups, so I considered giving them a pot-waxing procedure. But I'm afraid that doesn't resolve the problem. Maybe you'd have to stuff the body cavities with some resonance-dampening material. But would it still sound acoustic-electric after that?
Anyone with an idea how to handle that problem, please write back to me: <montyburns@web.de> Thanks a lot!!!

I believe they are still close to factory setup. Action is great though different on both guitars: low and fast on the Custom, rather high yet smooth on the gold Top, owing to the jumbo frets - which is excellent for bluesy lead guitar, especially with medium gauge strings (.11 or more).
I recommend to adjust the neck pickup very low (away from the strings) to compensate the amount of bass you get in that position, and the bridge pickup in a rather normal distance (much closer to the strings) to help compensate the difference in volume (make it as loud as the neck pickup) and get a tone that is not all too different (more middle tone). You may also want to try the tone pot on this pickup (on the neck pickup, leave it at ten!).

The finish on the 'Custom' is very well executed, while the gold on the 'Gold Top' isn't really quite convincing, compared to its Gibson reference model. The Finish on my 'Gold Top' is quite a bit chipped (i got it that way), while the 'Custom' is still a beauty. Overall quality of materials and workmanship is good, tuners could be better.

Live playing - yes, I see no problem... IF you can handle the microphonic sound (see that heading). I'd like to try them live more often, but I can't really handle that problem at higher volumes!
Otherwise, I see no problem. Tuning stability is OK, may improve with new tuners. Finish will last. Strap buttons are OK. Yes, these are very stable guitars that won't easily fall apart or break (like Gibsons will, if ever you let one fall on its headstock).
Having a backup guitar is always a good idea, but with the soundproblem resolved, I could use one of them without a backup.

These guitars were over 20 years old when I bought them, so I never tried to get in contact with Ibanez. I'd rather recommend 'vintage Ibanez pages' or discussion forum like this one, if you needed information, or just your local guitar repairman, if you needed support.

I've been playing guitar for over 20 years, I own a couple of Strat-type guitars (copies) and one Les Paul (real) copy.

These Ibanez guitars are very affordable, look cool, play very well, are wellcrafted and reliable, and they have a good and unique sound (though not at all Les-Paul-like!), that suits my style of blues-inspired playing. If only I could cope with the microphonic sound problem... For me, it's not a must-have (like a Strat), but a very interesting alternative! Check it out, bluesplayer.
If you have an advice concerning the microphonic problem, please write to me: <montyburns@web.de>!