Ibanez S470

NA

The most versitile guitar on the planet! The pickups sound fine, but I did replace my neck and bridge pu. I put a Dimarzio PAF PRO in the neck and a Dimarzio Tone Zone in the bridge. GOOD GOLLY MISS MOLLY!! Hold on to your damn guitar boyz, because with this pickup configuration, it's totally amazing. OH MY GOD, THE TONE!!!!!!!!!! With an all mahagany body, in the neck it's as good as ANY Les Paul, and in the bridge, it's a brutal force of shred-city!!! Of course my Marshall helps!

Flawless

Perfect! This guitar is rock solid!

Everyone know that customer support at Ibanez sucks shit! I have played Ibanez now since the mid 80's, and I have never had any luck with their support. Their guitars rule the world, but their support blows! I have tried to call, left messages, and i have NEVER had a call back. Of course, it was questions about their other guitars, and not about ones I had. If the support was there, Ibanez may just sell more guitars, and they'd be the best out there, IMO of course.

I own this S470, and a slew of RGs. It is a great guitar. If it were stolen, I'd go buy two. One to play and the other to dig the theif a grave with!

Umm.. well.. A lot of people have already said what is to be said about the S470s features, but id like to point out the ZR locking trem and the supersleek body.. Neat.

I play progressive metal and so far ive been all about gibsons. And when i decided to check out a superstrat kind of axe i dodnt want to spend to much money or buy some cheapass crapguitar (Squier and such) so the S470 stood out as a very good compromise. The first thing that came to my attention was the fizziness of the bridge pickup. Now remember that my main axes so far have been gibsons and I got no real experience with anything but Les Pauls and SGs... But like i said. Through my Marshall DSL100 it sounded a bit fizzy. Not bad, but not so meaty as i would like to. The cleansound on the other hand with the middle and or the upper p.up was really suprising! Still not exactly "great" but more than enough omph an nuance for anything live! It is very versatile and for its price id say that it really keeps its promises, but ill still change the p.ups for DiMarzios. Id this was any other guitar but an Ibanez id go for Gibson or Seymoure Duncan P.ups but i feel that the DiMarzios are more "correct"... I know its dumb but.. you know.. um.. no you dont, right? well nevermind.. Ill get DiMarzios.

So far ive never used any other effect but wahwah. But when playing this i feel its ok to just try anything! Im going buckethead-vai-batshit-insane with it. Never had som much fun in my life although its quite a strain on the rest of my band when i never stop widdling about in all the exotic modes i know as fast as i can when i use so much effects that nodbody can hear what im playing anyway... But hey... Verses and chorus are just wasted time between solos!

I though Les Pauls and SGs had good action. And i still do. But ill never think of any gibson as "fast" again... Goddammit i can really blast out notes at a million miles per hour on this muckerfother! The gibsons definetly have a lot more sustain, but i dont really feel like doing gary moore on this anyway.. The factory set up was OK, but i cant help but tweaking my guitars ever so slightly no matter how close to perfect they might be when i get them. Im glad nobody saw me when i tried to work out how everything on the trem worked and so on. I was mostly poking the guitar at ramdon with a screwdriver for fifteen minutes before i took it to a tech and got him to show me what all this tech-nuh-logye works. Ill crap my pants when i try to change the pickups. The guitar is not that hi-tekkurumashi, but my brain is set at lo-tech..

Cant really say anything about the durability or the reliability of the wiring, but its not noisy or loose so far... and if it happens it does not really bother me much. It always feels good when you buy some really cool or really high quality replacement-stuff for your guitar!

Finish?

Cool flat, flaked orange, but not by far as beautiful as my LP honeyburst grade AAA flametop. But cool. just cool. I dont think it will last for ages, but for this price i dont care... I recon ill get an S1620 soon anyway...

Otherwise there is nothing worth mentioning.. Great shit for low cash.

No clue...

But ill have a backup since its a locking trem and if i break a string ill need a backup since its impossible to change and tune a new string during a gig. but i like to show off my collection anyway...

No clue

I own A Marshall DSL100 with a 1960 4x12 cab. A crybaby wah and thats it. My other guitars are LPs and SGs and some acoustics.

If it was lost id definetly get a new one. Maybe a top of the range since i now know that its such great value.

I Love it. You should go get one.

I bought it new, so probably made in 2003, Where I don't know, probably Korea. 22 frets, rosewood fretboard, maple neck (i think) body wood, don't know. Finish is nice, kinda a purpleish/blue color. Has 3 p/u's, HSH config. 5 way switch, which works like this, first position; bridge hb, second position; inside half of hb and middle single coil, 3rd position; single coil, 4th position; inside half of neck hb and single coil, 5th position; neck hb. These pickups are what Ib. calls "Powersound" (Not bad, but not great.)I have read some of the reviews below, and it seems this guitar has come in many different configurations over the years, so if you buy an older one it may not be anything like this one. The tremelo system on this guitar is what they call"Z-something or other" I can find no information at the Ib. site explaining this thing. Altho not to hard to figure out, I guess it is so new they have not updated site yet. It is a locking system on the order of FR type. It works great, keeps the guitar in tune after some serious trem action.

My style is a little bit of everything and a whole lot of nothing. Position 1 is very mid rangey HB sounding (good) Pos 2 is sorta strat sounding (good) Pos 3 is Single coil sounding (good, but not as good as my strat, in that it hasn't that bellish ringing quality) pos 3 nice thin sorta stratie sounding of the same position, Pos 4 bassy necky sounding (good) A lot of variety here, but I bet it would sound better with a pickup upgrade, and give even more variety.

Pickups were a little low, but everything was right for my taste, no flaws, no scratches in finish. I love the neck feel. Everything on this guitar is very good quality, even the pickups, for the price I paid for this guitar

Very solid guitar should last a lifetime. I took it to the job last week. It was wonderful to play live.

Been playing music since 1959. I am not a guitar player per se, but a musician. I play a little bit of a lot of instruments, as opposed to a lot of one instrument. Played professionally for 25 years then I got too old, so now I just play in Church on sundays, and in my studio. I am more into producing and recording these day. My overall impression of this guitar, comparing it to the ones I own and have played (Strat, Tele, SG, Omen 06, lp copy, G3, double fat strat)
A very nice solid guitar for the price. It has a good variety of sounds altho none really great, they are usefull. It is light on the shoulder, nice to hold and easy to play. With an upgrade in pickups this guitar would be a great one. I would recommend this guitar to anyone wanting a medium priced versital guitar. My personal favorite sound on this guitar is the first position, bridge hb, a great midrangey, honkey, clear, bright hb sound.

year unknown looks like new,bought used at gc.made in japan at ibanez custom shop.nothing like of the rack stuff..although very expensive.has a very very thin laminate of flamed maple on mahogany body,with drk aqua blue/greenburst finnish,custom made inlay at 21 fret[22 fret model]bound rosewood wizzard neck hi med wde fret wire blk chrome lo profile floyd rose,5 way p.u switch,real abalone cats eye inlays,some kind of Q TYPE P.U S .

the set up was good off the get-go but i still tweaked it to my taste.guitar doesnt seem to like heavy strings it seems best with 09-46 set.stock p.u sounded a bit mid heavy and very powerful but not to muddy.still I put in reissue gibson paf plus pickups in sounds amazing!for anything from texas blues to satch to ej to eddie I cant ask for more. havent hhad any problems with the black chrome and as for the plastic covers on the back not being countersunk,it would haave looked nice but if you look carfully,if they were they would not clear the tremblock or switch/pot assemblie.

guitar is flawless ,finnish is great hardware great there is nothing I don"t like about this guitar.,fully shielded internals,best neck Ive had.I have been playing for around 37 years and have had more than 150 guitars ,this is in the top 10 and the best for shred stuff made.

only possible danger point is sharply pitched joint at point where neck joins headstock .treat it like a set neck gibson and it shoud be fine [no gig bags,hardshell only]I have a simular customshop model allmost like this that hopefully i can get before someone else snags it up also only used it through marshalls so cant comment on its tone through other amp brands clean or dirty it sounds great .

have not needed it yet......

SEE ABOVE. UNFORTUNATELY I DON"T THINK IT WILL BE EASY TO REPLACE.I LOVE IT AND WISH I HAD MORE WITH SOME DIFFERENT PU CONFIGERATIONS 3SINGLE COILS 2 HUMBUCKERS ETC ETC... KOREAN MADE ARE NOTHING LIKE IT.ALL THE JAPANESE ONES SEEM PRETTY GOOD.

korea, HSH, black

the bridge was a floyd rose, very not good at all trem system, so i replaced it. I filled the void with zebra wood and implemented a schaller bridge. this bridge is awesome and is hundreds times better then the floyd rose.

the neck is awesome

with the new bridge i got a better sound, but i could have been the fact that it says in tune now. I mainly play on the neck pu. i play doom melodic rock (ie: kyuss, neurosis, isis, yob)
im buying new humbucker for this guitar soon, probably replacing the bridge pickup

there is a buzz on E A D G strings and its pissing me off, im getting a new nut, and a tune up, it will go away.

never had this happen befor everything else is great i love the shape and feel of the guitar, it would be awesome if ibanez did a cream inlay around the entire body.

no problums with reliability or durability

i like this guitar but it defenity needs some work if you want it to be "great", i definitly suggest replacing the bride with a schaller soild bridge you will not be dissapointed.

2003 Made in Japan. 22 Jumbo frets. solid mahgany body. 5 way selector switch. one volume one tone. HSH pickup configuration. maple neck. flat blue metalic "lava" finish. ZR trem bridge. 25 1/2 scale neck with rosewoood fingerboard.

I'm not one for trying to describe what a guitar sounds like(bright, lots of tone, whatever) i just know this axe sounds great playing rock, heavy metal or anything with loud massive distortion, haven't had this guitar very long so i haven't done much but run it through my zoom 9050. i can't give a really extensive review yet on sound quality.

i've never bought a guitar that was set up well at the factory but i like my action low and fast and always readjust from what the factory has it set to. the pickups were set up fine but i lower the middle pickup as low as it can go as it's right in my picking path(personal thing). i did not expect the finish to be what i thought when i ordered this guitar from musician's friend i had played the same model at the music store but with a different finish, and when it first came i wasn't all that impressed with the look of the finish but realized that after handling this thing for awhile that there were no obvious finger prints that you get with a high gloss polished finish and i decided that i really liked that alot. everything seems to be built and put together really well on this axe.

I haven't had this guitar very long so i really can't rate this area yet but it seems pretty solid even though it kinda looks small and light. the finish on the body of this thing seems like you could take a jackhammer to it before it would come off. it's an ibanez they seem to have a pretty good rep for well built guitars, and if it's good enough for the Satch-miester(Joe Satriani)then what else is there?

Haven't delt with Ibanez customer support but i here it's not really great. i got this through musicians friend i think with a 1 year warranty.

Overall i can honestly say this is the best guitar I've ever owned so far and i've played and owned just about ever different kind of guitar you can imagine from the cheap knock off crap to Gibsons & Fenders. I've been playing about 15 years or so mostly rythm and just now finally getting into lead stuff. when i first picked up this axe at the music store and played it i knew this was the axe i've always wanted, it could have few changes to fit my personal taste but this is the one that gave me instant wood and that's only happend with one other guitar i've ever played. i think my favorite feature on this guitar is the Zero Return bridge i never liked the floyd rose or any of the "floating" style tremelo's but this thing absoulutely kicks ass. it's still a pain in the ass to string up and more parts to it but it's finally worth the trouble because when you get this thing set up and the strings broke in and lock it down... you can whammy the crap out of it and it will stay in tune! i know some guys won't like the feel of this trem as it works a little different from the standard floyd rose stuff. the neck is also great on this thing it fits my hand perfect. if i could change something about this guitar i would have this same model except the bridge pickup would be a single coil instead of a humbucker but as far as i know ibanez doesn't offer this guitar with a SSH pickup configuration with the ZR Bridge

2003, 22 Frets, Solid Top, Volume and tone controls, H/S/H Pickup config, Grey Pewter (amazing!), Floyd Rose, Locks, Jumbo Frets.

I play anything from Heavy metal to Pink Floyd solos on this guitar, It preforms amazingly. I use an Ibanez TB100R 100 Watt Amp, and Boss Effects. Anything from a rich full, low-end sound, to crisp sound. It's extremely versitile. I dislike nothing about this guitar!!!

Factory setup was great, everything was adjusted fine when i got it, i just tuned it, and played! EXCELLENT FINISH!!! It's virtually impossible to notice any finger prints of andything on the body, this is one of the best finishes they make. Nothing wrong with the guitar at all.

This guitar plays like a dream live, It has a flat fretboard, superfast, and the finish will last FOREVER!. I would definitly use this without a backup, it's amazing! It kicks Ass!!

I havent had to deal with them for problems with this guitar, but they are great, Easy to talk to, and they know what there talking about.

I've been playing guitar for about 3 years now, I also own an Epiphone Les Paul, a Fender Strat, a Ibanez GRX200 Bass, and Kramer Forum II Bass, Ibanez Artcore Acoustic/electric, and Ovation Acoustic/Electric. I would definitly buy the same exact guitar if it was stolen or anything happened to it. I compared it to the Epiphone Les Paul after i bought it, i lked the Epiphone, but not as much as the Ibanez. (i bought the Epiphone anyways). Next purchase for me will be a Gibson Les Paul (my wallet: Ouch!!!)

Mine's a 2001, the last year they made em' in Black with the "seagull" inlays before they went to Red Rock Flat, The Purple color, and the dark Grey. The 2003's will feature a Black model with a new kind of Trem System( which is good because the Lo-Trs isn't very good ).
It's a 22-fret guit. with a super-thin Mahogany Body, Maple neck, and Rosewood fretboard. The pickups are arranged in a H-S-H configuration with a 5-way switch. It has One Volume and One Tone Control; simple and just the way I like it! The electronics are passive. The body style is a Double Cutaway, similar to a Strat, but WAY more comfortable. In terms of ergonomics, this Guitar is State-of-the Art. The neck-joint is Ibanez's "All Access" model which is probably the best you will ever find for a bolt-on.
The construction is tight throughout. The frets are set and dressed nicely, and the neck-joint is super-tight. The paint job is rich and glossy with no visible "dimples". Even though it is a Korean Ibanez( the Japanese versions are more highly sought by Ibanez fans ), the construction is just as good if not better than any production model guitar on the market today.

As far as I'm concerned, if you want to play heavy rock, you need a Guitar made from Mahogany or Basswood. These two woods produce very warm tones which stand up great under Hi-Gain conditions. This guitar even manages to make the Ibanez pickups sound bearable, and that is no small feat.
Speaking of pickups...let's just say that it is NO secret that Ibanez isn't known for making the best pups. It's not that they are terrible, it's just that they don't really bring out the best qualities of the instruments that they are installed in. But to be fair, what stock pickups in production-model guitars by any other company do?
Bottom line: Acoustically, the S is a very resonant and rich-sounding guitar considering it's slim body. Just upgrade the pickups to models of your particular liking, and you'll make a great guitar even better!

Setups are a breeze on this guitar. You raise or lower the strings by adjusting the Trem using an allen wrench. Pickups are adjusted like any other guitar with pickup rings; no big deal. The tuning keys are solid and adjustable for tightness as well. Ibanez has been accused of crappy wiring, but my pickup selector and volume/tone pots are as quiet as any guitar I've ever heard.
I use heavy strings( 11's ), and I have NO PROBLEM sliding up and down the neck on this baby. The Ibanez Neck is a gift from the Guitar Gods to us mere mortals; not even a Jackson Soloist is faster.
My only gripe in this Department is the Trem. The LO-TRS should never have seen the light of day. It feels stiff and un-natural. Ibanez is known the world-over by guitarists for the EDGE Trem, and they should put one on EVERY locking-nut Guitar they sell, PERIOD.
Luckily, the routing cavity and posts will support the EDGE, and I have already retrofitted one in there! You can find them on Ebay, or order one from an Ibanez Dealer; no problem. With the EDGE TREM, this guitar is an easy "10". But this review is for the stock instrument, so therefore...

It's a thin-bodied Guitar, so avoid doing the "Neck Bend Wrestling"-thing, and you should be O.K. A hardshell case is always a good investment as well if you plan to travel with this Axe.
Also, invest in some Strap-locks. These are a MUST for any guitar that is going to see the stage.
This guitar is tougher than it looks, and I have no qualms about depending on it to get the job done. Just remember; when you use a locking-nut Trem-system, ALWAYS have a backup on standby! That's common knowledge, but who knows; maybe some youngin' is reading this.

Never dealt with em', but my Ibanez Dealer is the tops! I can get any part I might need through them, and they take care of repairs in-house.

I've been around the bend with guitars, searching for what works best for me, and I've found that what works best for me is an Ibanez Guitar with a Wizard neck. My quest is over. I guess I'm lucky that way, and I can just get on with PLAYING. The only thing that has changed is that I've decided that the RG-550 is the right Ibanez for me. It's the only pro-line Ibanez that has a Maple fretboard, and I love the "Vintage Look" of a pickguard.
The S470 is a great value, and with the proper pups and an EDGE trem, you'll be good to go! My S470 currently serves as my Backup Axe.

Judging from the serial #, I would guess mine to be made sometime in 1998. It was one of the last years they made BLACK S470's with the new, "seagull" inlays( The BEST inlays ever used on production-line S-series ). It's got a Mahogany Body, Maple neck, and Rosewood fingerboard w/ 22 frets. Ibanez uses GREAT frets IMHO; they're somewhat thick and rounded, but not too tall, and they make sliding up and down that SMOOOOOTH-backed Maple neck ever-so-easy! :)
The neck profile is a "Wizard 2", and I don't know how it compares to a regular Wizard neck, but it works just fine for me! People listen up; I've owned and played on just about EVERY brand of guitar in existence, and I can tell you for a FACT that no production guitar company makes a better-feeling, faster-playing neck than Ibanez, PERIOD!
The S-470 is configured in an H-S-H setup with a 5-WAY switch, allowing you to blend or select pickups to taste. The tilt-back headstock sports 6 In-line tuners with a Locking-Nut below the 1st Fret. The Bridge is the Ibanez "LO-PRO TRS 2" which is similar to a Floyd Rose.
I bought mine used, but in very good condition off of E-BAY with an Ibanez Hardshell Case.

The S470 is CAPABLE of many good sounds, and a couple of great sounds. Depending upon what kind and brand of pickups you use, this is a great sounding guitar that excels at crunchy rhythm, hot leads, and warm cleans. The mahogany body helps bring the warmth and chunk factor, while the maple neck helps give good string-attack.
I wish Ibanez would take the hint from the many guitarists who write reviews here, and leave the pickup-making to someone ELSE! The stock pickups are rather noisy for humbuckers, and the single coil lacks tonality as well as sufficient output. They aren't horrid per-se;just bland. The neck pickup has this bad habit of turning every distortion sound in my Rocktron into "Cinnamon Girl" by Neil Young.
In short; replace the pups, and you'll have an excellent-sounding guitar. My "10" rating is for the guitar with replacement Pups. It would be more like a "7" with the stock pups.

The action is my favorite part of this guitar; it just feels like an extension of my hands and fingers! This is a common feeling with me in regards to most Ibanez guitars though, and it is due primarily to those righteous Ibanez necks! Nothing feels or plays better as far as I'm concerned. Ibanez should also be commended for their ability to be CONSISTENT from guitar to guitar. Even their lower-priced models are generally set up well, and the frets are nicely dressed.
One place the S470 suffers is the electronicsThey don't use the best wiring and pots, and when you combine that with the aforementioned stock pickups, you should plan on new pups and wiring as a "must-have" upgrade.
The other bad apple on this guitar is the Trem. Ibanez should just put the Edge Pro Trem on EVERY locking-nut Guitar they make! The Lo Pro isn't as bad as SOME Floyd knockoffs I've tried, but the arm-attachment system tends to create unwanted "play" in the action. Those who know what I'm talking about can relate. You go to create a subtle bend in your note or chord, and the arm "moves forward" before catching the trem and moving IT forward; a total pain in the ass! The Ibanez EDGE Trem does NOT do that, and it is EASILY the best locking-nut Trem in production today.
The neck joint is tight, and the cutaways offer easy access to the upper registers. The finish is glossy and applied evenly. With an EDGE trem and better pups/wiring, this guitar would be an easy "10".

Even though the S470 has a very thin body compared to other electrics, it still feels and plays like a solid guitar. The "S" has been in the Ibanez line for almost 20 years now, so obviously they are great, well-built guitars that players love. Just make sure you have a hardshell case for storage and touring, and you should be alright. And of course; ALWAYS have a backup when playing with a double-locking trem system!!!
If you're playing live without some sort of straplock system, then expect your guitar to hit the floor at some point, regardless of WHAT brand it is!

I've never dealt with Ibanez directly, but my dealer can get whatever parts I might need, and perform any services I might require. Ibanez offers a decent 1-year warranty.

As much as I love the S470, I've decided that the RG-550 is the guitar for me. The RG has the EDGE trem, a pickguard( which I LOVE ), and it is the only high-end Ibanez with a MAPLE fretboard( which I also love and prefer ).
If I can retrofit the S470 with an EDGE trem, I will keep it as my backup axe. If not, then I will have TWO RG-550's! MWUHAHAHAHAAAA!
Still, for what the S470 is, it is a very good guitar that plays like buttah'! Replace those pups and wiring, and you're good to go!
It's also one of the BEST-LOOKIN' guitars out there too! :)

Before I go, I'd like to share my TREM-TIP with everyone:
Okay, one thing I absolutely HATE about locking trems is having to trust those allen wrench-tightened slots that are supposed to secure your strings inside the trem! Where does the majority of "string-breakage" take place on a locking-trem guitar? That's RIGHT; down there in those damn slots, because the string popped-out! Well here's the cure:
Next time you change strings, remove the trem from the cavity and,
1) Use the allen wrench to UNSCREW completely those "nuts" that lock the string(s) into place on the inside of the trem. Once they're unscrewed all the way, you can use the tip of a pocket knife to pull out the little square-shaped pieces that clamp down on the string.
2) Once those are out, put the trem back in the cavity and re-attach the springs.
3) You should now have Six( or seven if you play a 7-string ) eyelets on the trem that you can PULL A FRESH STRING THROUGH. On a new string, go to the top of the string and BEND IT UP a little bit. You should now be able to run it through the empty hole you just created by removing those "Allen Wrenched String-Locks". Pull the string all the way through, until the "EYE" of the string locks in place, where the Allen Wrench Screws USED TO BE.

This little trick makes your Trem WAY more stable, and will help reduce string breakage. If anyone has any questions about the procedure, please get in touch with me!

It's the standard S470. H-S-H pickups. Low profile Floyd rose, etc.

First of all, I must say that I haven't had a locking trem guitar in many moons. I had bad experiences with them in the eighties. (My main axe is an Ibanez AS80 semi-hollow body). I am currently playing in a funk/reggae/soul band and i wanted something more versatile sounding. I use it through a danelectro compressor, Boss V wah, Digitech Tone Driver and Hot Rod through a Peavey Transtube 212RFX amp. I am growing to like this guitar through my rig. I suspect a person who likes to plug directly into an amp without effects might not like it so much.

I bought it used and had 0.010s put on it. I actually play better with this guitar due to it's neck and feel.