Ibanez Roadstar 2

My 1985 Ibanez Roadstar was made in Japan. I think it has 22 frets, but I don't have it with me right now. It has three single coil pickups, volume and tone controls. I know nothing about the electronics, only that I just had it rewired. Solid maple neck. Solid black finish on the body, black on the top of the head. Strat style body, but I like it way more than any strat I've played. Floyd Rose Bridge. Ibanez Easy Tuners? I think that's what they're called. This guitar spanks any Strat with a braided belt.

I don't know what kind of music my band plays. Not heavy, but not soft. Just a rock band, I guess. I have a Peavey 112 amp with Black Widow suspension and I just use the distortion on the amp with the footswitch. Just straight up guitar through an amp and I just mic the amp at shows because the pre-amp out sounds like sh*t. I just had the guitar rewired, so there is no noise on any channel. Beautiful. Some strange feedback on heavier overdrive when I'm not playing, but it sounds kind of cool. We cover RITFW by Neil Young, but we do it like Pearl Jam does it, so that feedback at the beginning is pretty cool. I hated the buzzing on clean channels until I got it rewired. Just an old guitar. I got it a few weeks ago. I love the sound.

I don't know how well the guitar was set up originally, but I love it now. Someone's had some fun changing everything on it. I got it at a pawn shop and am fixing it up now. It's almost there. The back pick up cover is missing. The finish was sh*t when I bought it, but some Gibson polish has it looking like a million bucks. The guitar plays and sounds like new because I put money into it, but only 30 bucks. Don't give up on these guitars!!!!! Put a little cash into them and they blow away Strats.

This guitar is the Iron Man. If there was Nuclear war, roaches and my Ibanez guitars would still live. I use this guitar and my 92 Ibanez Talman in our shows, but I would trust it without a back up. Dependable: Like a rock.

Too old for warranty. Ibanez are good people, though. A Fender tech rewired it for me in a matter of hours, so it's easily repaired.

I've been playing for 4 years, so I'm not the wise sage-like player, but I do know one thing: Ibanez makes (or made, I guess) a few great guitars. The Roadstar is one of them. Again, my other guitar is the 92 Talman. I have all the faith in the world in Ibanez. When I bought my Roadstar, I was thinking about a Strat for 650 new. Not a bad deal. I was in a pawn shop looking for a foot switch when I saw the Roadstar. Played just as well as a Strat, if not better. Don't get me wrong. Strat's are a great traditional guitar, but they're like the Gap and Abercrombie's of guitars. I like to be a little different, and I like paying 400 dollars less for a guitar that's twice as cool.

I think it's a 1985. Humbucker at bridge two single coils, push switch on volume pot. Strat Style body. Maple Neck.

Great out of phase sounds, hot on the bridge PU. Suitable for any style music. I used it exclusively for about a year playing rock and country.

I bought it in 1999 used. It was cosmetically beat but rock solid and the neck was dead straight.

I would recommend this guitar to anyone for most applications except excessive whammy bar wanking.

Never contacted them.

I've been playing for over 30 years. This guitar caught my eye during a lunchtime shopping trip and as soon as I held it I knew I wanted it. I've since given it to a young aspiring guitarist but I played it consistently for about a year and half. I wouldn't mind having another one at all. I have 4 Fenders I use presently and just didn't need it.

I purchased my Roadstar 2 in 1985 new from a local music store. It is a Japanese made guitar with 22 frets, 3 single coil pickups and a Ibanez tremolo bridge. It is basically a Strat clone (one of the best ones I have ever seen). The body is made from Poplar with a solid blue epoxy finish. It has the same controls that are on a Strat. The neck is maple and is extremely fast with low action. I replaced the nut with a aluminum one and it brightened up the sound. Even with the stock Ibanez whammy bar (non-locking) and the stock Ibanez tuners (probably Gotoh's) it stays in tune without a problem. A number of years ago while at a jam session some bozo tripped over the guitar stand sending my guitar smacking face down on the floor. Outside of a broken pickup select switch and a couple of chips from the finish it didn't even go out of tune!!!! It is built like a S#!*T Brickhouse.

At the time I purchased this guitar, I was playing a Gibson Les Paul Custom. I instantly gravitated to the Ibanez because it had the growl I was looking for. It also had a good weight factor as well (try wearing a Les Paul for 4-6 hours....shoulder bursitis or Les Paul hunch for sure). I have been playing this guitar since I bought it in 1985 and I currently play it in conjuction with a Alesis Quadraverb GT, a Digitech IPS-33B and a IVL Pitchrider 7000. When I first got the guitar I was not that impressed with the pickups. I felt that they were a little wimpy. I replaced them with 2 Seymour Duncan Hot Rails and a JB JR. humbucking pickups. Nice and crunchy, hot signal. Because I had to change the pickups I rate this at a 7.

I believe that no matter what you pay for a guitar you will still have to do some sort of setup on it. It was no different with my Roadstar. (each player has their own preferences) The interesting thing is I have a friend who purchased a Roadstar at the same time I did (from the same store too!) and his is a piece of Crap (doesn't stay in tune, sounds thin and weak, and his action is yuck, he never set it up either). My hardware and finish (with the exception of the dings) has held up remarkably well for a guitar of 16 years.

This guitar has been on many gigs and jams. Outside of breaking strings occasionally it has been one solid piece o' hardware. I have played this guitar everyday for the past 16 years and nary had a problem with it (except for the broken switch, which I replaced). This is a 10 all the way! I would by another one if mine were destroyed or stolen in a heartbeat.

Never tried.

I own 27 other guitars and after 16 years this is still my favorite. Like I said I would definately replace this guitar with another Roadstar in a heartbeat!.

This a a 1983 model made in Japan. The body is a solid piece of maple with a transparent finish, and is cut in the classic stratocaster shape. Controls include volume and tone, a 5 way switch and a phase shifter. The pickguard is black, as are the 3 single coil pickups. The neck is also maple and features 21 frets. It's a thinner design and very comfortable to play. Everything on this instrument is factory, as I bought it in '83 and haven't changed a thing.

Sounds great run through a Fender Stage 185. I used to play it dirty with an Ibenez distortion pedal. It sound pretty decent clean now. Sound is not a full as it could be, perhaps with different pickups but I don't want to change it now. Only difficulty with noise comes every once in awhile with the 5 way switch ... can be noisy during switching.

The reason I bought the guitar was because the action is terrific. Very low to the neck but no vibrating on the frets. 18 years later, everything still works like day one.

Playing 18 years, albeit the last few very seldom. I also own a strat and a Fender acoustic, peavy sidekick amp, Fender Stage 185 amp. I would be hearbroken to lose this guitar since it is the one I learned on. It looks great, sounds great and guys who have played lots more than me think its a super guitar. The guy I bought it from has told me many times that he wishes he'd kept it for himself.

22 frets, Volume, tone, 5-way selector, 3 single coils, Strat style body, only complaint is the neck is a little thick for my tastes.

The sound is great. I wish I had a humbucker in it, though. I mostly play grunge. I am using it with distortion and chorus mostly. The feedback I get from this guitar is awesome.

I bought it used, so it was pretty banged up when I got it. But it should last for a long time.. Made in 84

This guitar would get through any gig.

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In my opinion, the mid-1980's Roadstar II is one of the most underrated electric guitars ever made. I've owned plenty of Strats and Les Pauls but dumped them all and started buying-up Roadstars. They're VERY easy to play, sound AMAZING through a tube amp and absolutely refuse to go out of tune (assuming you get the locking nut/fine tuner bridge version). I currently own 12 of them and have bids out on several more on ebay. If you have one to sell or parts (epecially the factory whammy bar) please email turnkey@tir.com

By looking at the serial number you can tell when your Ibanez-guitar was manufactured. The first two numbers indicates the year, the letter after those numbers indicate the month. The rest of the numbers are just random numbers.
On my guitar the serial number start with 85E. Thereby it was built in May, 1985.
I guess the features are similar to other RSII-series guitars.
The bridge is called rock'n'roller (as I recall it). Splitable humbucker, with so called hot rails in bridge position. Single coil in neck- and middle position. 1 volume pot. 1 tone pot with which you also split the humbucker.
Standard hardcase.

This guitar sounds quite good. I've had plans on replacing the pickups, though.
I play mostly with a distorted sound. Heavy/Rock-style.
I mainly use the humbucker. I use the neck-pickup occasionly for softer, mellow solos.
Soundwise it's a rather versatile guitar. The fact that the humbucker can be splitted adds to its versatility.

I bought it used. There is some scratches and other stuff that really doesn't bother me.
The main thing that does bother me is the bridge. I bend a lot of strings in my style of playing. The bridge moves way too much when I do that. As I bend one string, all the other strings get out of tune.
I also have to be very careful with the tremolo bar in order to keep the guitar in tune.
Otherwise it has a great neck. The frets really allow me to bend strings. Tonality is also great.

This guitar has already lasted for a very long time. I've had very few problems with it. I see no reason for why it wouldn't last for another 15 years. Note that I have not always treated the guitar very kindly.
Sure, I would call it a quality guitar.

only spare part I've ever bought was a tremolo bar, a couple of years ago. It was available...

I've played the guitar for 6-7 years. Bought my IbanezRSII about 5 years ago.
You can tell that my guitar has been well used just by looking at it.
I bought it from a friend of mine for a cheap penny(1000SEK, approx. 80-90USD). For that kind of money: The best guitar I'll ever buy.
If it was stolen, I'd want it back. I have played on other Roadstars but none of them has matched up with mine. It seems that the quality varies from one guitar to another.
I will keep this guitar for as long as it lasts.
It won't be my main instument, but it certainly will stick around.

Mine was made in approx. 1984, which was 2 years before i was born, and i have no clue where it was made. It has 22 frets with 1 vol. and 2 tone and 5-way selector. The pickup configuration is S/S/H whichc suits me pretty well. It has a solid top, basswood body, and rosewood fingerboard. It has a black finish, with a somewhat strat finish. The bridge is an Ibanez make, which is somewhat like a Floyd-Rose, but not. the tuners are lock, but i have no clue what kind. It came with a brown case.

I play heavy-metal and hard rock, mainly some Metallica-type stuff, so this guitar suits me well. I use a Marshall MG-30RCD with it as well as a Danelectro Black Coffee pedal with it and it gives it a sound that kicks ass. It is noisy whenever it goes past halfway on the volume settings on my amp. It has a very rich full sound, that has a tremendous range. I can make it(with a vintage pedal) can make it sound like a 50's strat to a death-metal Slayer sound. I love it.

There is nothing wrong with the Action, Fit, or finish of my guitar, even though i bought it from a Frickin pawn Shop.

My guitar will withstand any live play that I feed it. The finish is as good as it was in 1984, although i wasnt alive. The strap buttons are perfect, and it is my most dependable guitar i own. I would use it in a gig w/o backup on any day.

The pawn shop guy was really nice and friendly the whole time I was there. I have never gone to get it repaired b/c it doesnt need it.

I have been playing for about 2 or three years now and along with my Roadstar, I have a B.C. Rich Bronze series Warlock, Martin Sigma acoustic, an Ibanez acoustic guitar, and a Takamine G-230 acoustic, and my roadstar is the best one. If it were stolen, I swear to God, I would kill the person that stole it. I love everything about it, and i hate nothing about it.

I think it's from the early 80's (some guy told me), but I don't know where its from. 22 frets; it's got a volume knob and and a tone knob; a toggle switch for pickups; S/S/H and a five-way selector. Solid top. Black and white.

It sounds great for any style. I play anything on this baby, from punk to classic rock to metal to ska to blues and all the way back. I'm using it with a cheap matrix amp, which sounds like crap on my Marlin guitar, but I love it with my Ibanez (and with my synth, but that's a different thing altogether). It sounds great, and I like the sound better when I turn up the gain on my amp, than when I use my distortion pedal, because I get a low metallish sound (I find my dist. pedal WAY too high pitch). I don't know about the variety of sound really, because I got it used, and whoever owned it before me did something to it (I have no idea what they did but they totally @$#!ed it up), but it sounds the same with the 5-way selector in any place, and the pickup doesn't make a difference either. I love this guitar.

The guitar was set up beautifully, and I have no complaints here except that some guy messed it up before I owned it. It still looks beautiful, though.

This guitar has been used live, and I've had no problems there. Sometimes the selector is touchy and will turn the whole thing right off, but that's because the previous owner sucked. I've banged this thing around for almost three years now, and it has no problems here, because it's perfect. I'd definately use it on a gig with no backup. The guy who owned it before put a crack on the case of it, but it's almost invisible, plus I covered it in stickers.

I don't know because I've never hadto get in touch with the company and I got it used (no warranty).

This is my favorite guitar above my other two (Marlin - which is a peice of.. male cattle excrement, and my acoustic Degas.) I like everything about this and I'd recommend it for anyone, beginner or pro. I've been playing for just over three years, and I love this thing now as much as when I got it.

Made in Japan. Purchased new at Music World in Spokane, Washington on January 6, 1984. Model# RS335BK. Serial #H830248. This axe has a 22 fret rosewood board on a maple neck and Ibanez Smooth Tuner II tuners. The black 'Strat' style solid body with white beading supports S/H pickups with a 3-way selector, one volume and one tone control. The finish is near prestine for its age.

I play blues and the single coil is perfect with a Peavey 400 Series amp. Full reverb and depth is where I like it. I alternate a heavy base line with full bar chords - rough but it works.

The finish is still in great condition, the neck very good and the fret board a bit worn but well taken care of. This was a good guitar right out of the box. It is not a Stratocaster but I'm not Clapton.

This guitar thrives on abuse. I've smashed the guts out of it for 15+ years and it has never failed.

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I've played off and on and on and on for the past 25+ years. I have two other guitars, one hollow body electric and an acoustic, but the Roadstar is my favorite. If it were stolen, I would buy a 'Strat'. If you steal it, 'you betta run'.