Ibanez S470

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.

Lo-TRS II Floyd Rose Trem, 22 frets, H/S/H pickups, 5 way pickup selector, Volume and Tone pots, locking nut, black chrome hardware

I play HEAVY metal!! I have 5 springs on the bridge because I use .13-.65 strings (custom set, some are bass strings). My band tunes on drop A (A E A D F# B) And this guitar delivers!! The pickups are incredible. I used to think that the single coil was quite unresponsive, but I've since learned the whole point of the pickup. It's really only there to enhance some tones when combined with either of the humbuckers. I only use the bridge humbucker, and the setting right next to it which uses half the bridge humbucker and the single coil (BEAUTIFUL for clean effects) The neck pickup has SOOO much bass, it's not even funny. If I was tuned standard, I would surely use it. I play through a Peavey Bandit 112 combo that's pushing a crate 412 cab, and using either of them humbuckers on a clean effect, I SMOKE my bass player. The pickups have an amazing range. A 10 isn't high enough as far as I'm concerned.

staright from the factory (when I played on E and D) it was dead on. I adjusted the action and the truss rod to my liking, though it really wasn't needed. After converting to the heavey gauge string set, I had to rework everything on the guitar, but it still holds the tuning EXTREMELY well. I thought I'd hafta get a baritone guitar, but this guitar does what I need. The finish simply glows. It's beautiful. After playing out with this guitar and beating the $hit out of it, it still looks beautiful and holds up to all my abuse well.

I gig with this guitar, and I play HARD. It still perfroms like it did when I bought it. The Black Chrome hardware kinda pissed me off, because it seems like when you touch it, the black fades, but that's all I can really complain about. The strap buttons were small as hell, but I swapped them out for strap-locks, and they seem to hold pretty well. I tighten them up like every other week, just to keep them snug, but that's about it.

I don't think I'll ever need to use it, this thing is SOLID!!

I've been playing for about 8 years, and this is the best thing I've bought to date. I play out frequently and it's my only electric, so you can see I trust it. (I sold my other guitar when I bought this one because I simply didn't need it anymore). If it were stolen or lost, I'd die, because I don't have the funds to get another one. The ONLY thing I wash it had that it doesn't is active electronics, but with the versatility of the OE pickups, it almost seems unnecessary. I HIGHLY recommend this guitar to anyone and everyone looking to get bang for their buck, because this guitar delivers1500 dollar quality for a third of the cost.

Quite a bit of features. 2 H, 1 SC pickups, mahogany body, floyd rose tremolo.

Sounds better than other Ibanez guitars in same price range, such as RG. But that's not saying much. You can buy many other guitars in this price range that are better sound-wise and in other ways.

Bad, bad, bad. Pickups too low, strings too high, I can't get some frets to stop buzzing no matter what. Horrible bridge.

Bridge is made of weak metal that breaks easily. I have broken off the screw that clamps down on the string just by tightening it, without turning it very hard. It is like it is made of rubber. Very awful choice by Ibanez. Very awful. This has happened twice on this same guitar. I sold the guitar to some poor fool on eBay.

Take forever to send the new part, and charge too much for it. Nothing on their website to help anyone. They charge for catalogs - what a bunch of crap. Never responded to some e-mails.

I've been playing over 6 years. This guitar bites very bad. I'm glad I got most of my money back selling it on eBay, and now have a much better guitar that doesn't break all the time. Stupid Ibanez.

1999 S470, Left handed, manufactured in Korea. 22 fret, H/S/H pickup configuration re-fitted with DiMarzio pick ups. Mahogony body, shiny jet black finish. Floyd Rose type bridge. Gotah tuners. Maple neck with rosewood fingerboard.

I prefer an EVH, Hendrikx type sound, but this guitar does not deliver in that catagory. The S470 has a very modern, metal type sound to my ear and is be great for todays' heavy overdriven/rectified sounds. I really dislike the middle single coil pickup as it sounds awfully thin. I'm rating the sounds verse my 75 Les Paul, G&L Legacy and G&L ASAT Deluxe and in my opinion it doesn't come close to the "woody", "rich" tones those instruments produce.

Here is where this guitar really excells. My fretwork is excellent and the neck is very fast. The action is perfect and I've had no problems with the Floyd Rose type bridge since I've owned the guitar.
The finish is very nice although the pick scratches are noticable on the shiny black finish. The S470 is a great looking guitar in my opinion.

I play this guitar 3-4 times per week and it is holding up very well.
The strap buttons are solid, but I've only had the guitar less than 2 years so I can't comment on the finish from a durability standpoint.
I would never use without a backup, especially due to the Floyd Rose type bridge and the potential for a string change.

I have not dealt with the company for any reason.

I have been playing for 28 years and own a 75 LP, a fantastic G&L Legacy, and an equally superb G&L ASAT Deluxe. (G&L manufactures absolutely fantastic instruments both in workmanship and sound).
I have also owned a Fender Strat (75) and a Gibson SG (76). My amps consist of a Soldano Astroverb 16 2x12, a Fender Deluxe Reverb, a Fender Hot Rod Deluxe and a Marshall DSL 401 which I play though a Marshall 1936 2x12 cab. I believe the S470 to be a great guitar for the newer metal sounds but it is not right for my style, this is my problem and I should have done a better job researching the instrument before I made the purchase. If you're into major overdriven sounds this guitar both looks good and will do a great job in that arena.

the h-s-h configuration with the 5 way switching provide tons of flexibility. i avoid double locking trems at all cost, so i tracked down 2 used older s470's with the stoptail bridge... a mistake ibanez made by dropping this feature.

the tone is pretty good for anything. the mahogany body gives it a sound much fuller than its thin size would imply. the bridge pickup is great. my blue s470 has an inf-1 pickup in the neck position, which gives it a snappier, slightly crisper tone than the original, which sounds a little muddy but cool.

the only real complaint i have in the sound department is the single coil. the humbuckers have such high output that the meager output of the single coil renders it virtually unusable without tweaking the amp volume.

my red s470, which was purchased new the last year it was offered with the stop tail bridge, was perfect from the factory. i may have played with the pickup height, but i do that with every guitar. the important thing was the action... to die for!!! both the translucent blue and vampire kiss red finishes are absolutely beautiful.

although i've heard of the black hardware turning chrome, i've never had this problem. my blue s, which is one of the first years (and has a slightly thicker neck) still has brand new looking hardware. the screws in the strap buttons back out constantly on both guitars. no big E, but worth noting.

for their apparent daintiness, they seem to be really solid guitars, surviving several hard falls from the stand (five cats are worse on a guitar than gigging).

never had a problem

i owned a vampire kiss s470, which i stupidly parted with years ago. since then, it has been a search for another without the stupid tremelo. when i found the jewel blue one on ebay, i was willing to pay any price for it. that's how great these guitars are. i later found another vampire kiss one in a local music shop for $350. i was broke and unemployed... well now i've got an extra $350 in credit card debt! if i ever run into a black or green w/gold hardware with the fixed bridge, i'll be even deeper in debt. best guitar i've ever played!!

I bought a brand new ibanez s470 from a store called washington music center in maryland. 22 fret, solid mahagony body, jewel blue monster.

This guitar is great. it provides a wide range of overtones from blues to death metal. the only complaint is all the damn adjusting you have to do to the damn bridge. i still like it though.

DONT BUY BLACK!!! your fingerprints show quickly and it scratches fast. go with blue. besides that this guitars a winner

great

IBANEZ EMPLOYS THE LAZIEST PEOPLE OUT THERE. tHEYRE NOT VERY HELPFUL.

stop reading and go buy

I have to say that I will review this guitar comparing it to others in the same price range.
I think it was made in 2001, in Korea. 22 frets, volume tone 5-way selector for the H/S/H configuration for the ah1, as1 and ah2 pickups wich I think are roland, ofcourse they are not dimarzio but I think that for the price they are not far away from a good ones. The body is mahogany for which why should I pay 1500 dollars as a minimum to get a les paul or a decent strat? Believe me I have played a les paul in the same configuration that I use now and there is no difference.The neck is basswood with rosewood. The s body style that amazes every individual who sees it. Bridge is ibanez lo trs which did not come in a perfect setup, the springs needed more tension and the action was a little bit high. The neck has jumbo frets and is the wizard II.

It suits my style in perfection, and my style is a mixture of almost everything, starting from jazz and ending on metal, going thru progressive rock. I was using a digitech RP14d, but now I am using a GNX2 that is an awesome unit (read my review). It is not noisy at all. It has a rich full sound with both humbuckers, specially with neck, but ofcourse you have to spend a while tuning your amp/guitar processor, I mean you cannot expect that the factory specifications or the former specifications that you had with other guitar will suit a different guitar. Each guitar has different dynamics and you have to setup all your equipment for that specific guitar. This guitar goes from a lespaul to the crispy sounds from a stratocaster, but again you have to get the righ tune.

The guitar was set up I think in the taste of the manufacturer, but i differ, so I had to make some minor adjustments which I had mentioned.
The pickups are well adjusted. For the rest the guitar was excellent.

It has withstood live playing for now and it will unless I go ape and try to break it against the drums or the audience. The hardware will last forever. I am depending on it, but I will never use it without a backup, and it has nothing to do with the guitar, it has to do with the strings, I can not afford to loose a minute or two while I change a string. When the break comes then I will change the string and go back to the s.

I have been playing for 12 years now, I own also a washburn MG44, a ibanez ex series and a Montana electric acoustic. If it were stolen, I would go again with Ibanez, but I will try to improve getting a better axe. I comared this guitar with a PRS swamp ash in the store and the sound was really close, but the action, the ease to play were for the S 470 without a doubt. I also compared it with some guitars in the same price range, and none had anything to do with it. I wish it had a coil tap, but I can live without it.

Features have already been mentioned. The 5 way pickup switch is a plus, there is only 1 volume and 1 tone knob, simple and easier to deal with. You can't fiddle with your tone as much as you can with a Les Paul or strat. The neck is very thin which is better for smaller hands(which I have).

This guitar has a very crystal clean sound. The humbuckers are good but the single coil seems very lifeless compared to others. The humbucker tone is very bassy and three dimensional. The lead is crispy, great for leads. I give it a nine because I took one off for the bad single coil sound.

This guitar is beautiful, from the sleek shape to the finish. I have the transparent red version and I want to play it every time I see it. The main problem of this guitar is the bridge. It's hard to tune, it goes out of tune everytime you touch it so I blocked it off. Don't plan on buying this guitar, if you actually want to use the bridge.

This seems like a solid guitar but the chrome on the knobs and bridge seem to tarnish quickly, it's annoying but isn't a big concern.

Ibanez doesn't seem to have good customer support. They have a do it yourself section on their page, but other than that you'll have to go to one of their certified repairshops and there's only about 12 of them. I give it a five because they have at least something but only if you happen to live close to one of the repair stores.

I give it an 8 overal because it's playable, attractive and has a good tone. The 2 take off is for the worthless bridge and the poor customer service. I would recommend that you get the S520 since it comes with better pickups, one of the best bridges around and generaly better quality(it's made in Japan).

the S470 comes equipped with two humbuckers, one single coil in the middle, fast playing WizardII neck and a double locking LoTRSII(floydrose style). One tone knob and one volume. Not an overwhelming ammount of features, but is very versatile tone wise without making playing difficult.

This is my third guitar, and it's the only one that has satisfied me at any price range. I've tried everything from strats to PRS models, to LP's. The best way to describe this guitar is to say that it's humbucker tone has all of the vintage warmth you could ask for without sounding vintage. If you're looking for a guitar to produce Satriani-style leads, this is the guitar. I'm also a session guitarist, and this is my choice for sessions. This guitar pulls off any style. I did however replace the mid pu with a dimarzio Virtual2 middle to give a humless strat(SRV) sound, and I replaced both humbuckers to give more definition in the neck (Dimarzio AirNorton) and the bridge (Dimarzio Air Zone) to give more warmth. This guitar (mated to the right amp) can sound like SRV in the middle, Hendrix(wind cried mary) in the 2postion(Neck/Mid) funk in the 4 position, and Satriani/Eric Johnson in the bridge.

I ordered my guitar through AMS, and it arrived perfect, no fretboard buzzes, and the action was perfect. The only negatives are that the black crome on the hardware discolors to crome when you touch it. No ammount of cleaning will prevent this. This guitar plays fast, and stays in tune perfectly thanks to the Floyd style bridge. I've owned a strat with a Khaler locking trem, and this bridge stays in tune much better than the Khaler. The pickups did need a little adjusting to get the sound I desired, but that's to be expected with any guitar.

Ive had this guitar for almost two years now, and its very dependable. I play this guitar an average of 3 hours a day, and the wear on the guitar is minimal. also, the frets have surprisingly wan very very little in the two years(my strat needed a redressing by this point). The only things that have been problems are: the screw in arm became fused to the socket, and one of the bridge saddles became defective. Both of these seemed in my opinion to be major flukes, and both were easily and inexpensively replaced. I haven't known this to happen on this guitar.

If you can get Ibanez on the phone, they are eager to try to avoid replacing anything under warranty. If you have to replace a part out of warranty(as I did) They charge outrageauosly high prices, and take atleast three weeks to get the parts to you. Not good. I had to replace my defective tremelo arm with an AllParts arm because of this.

Regardless of the lousy service, I've got to rate this guitar highly because of the beautiful tone, versatility and Ferrari-like play of the instrument.

mid 90s i believe, not sure, got it used, mediterranean green finish, axis H-S-H configuration, 5 way toggle, one volume, one tone, ibanez double-locker, 22 frets. korean made i believe, etc etc. look downwards, they're all the same :)

after coming from a no-name strat copy and then an RG270, i was quite impressed with the sound of these pickups. the bridge pickup seemed a little weak, so i raised it a bit closer to the strings for a little more gain. i don't know if the previous owner had lowered it, or if that was the original position. the single coil is fairly weak but has a nice tone. i'm contemplating replacing either/or the bridge or single middle. also the floyd kills a bit of sustain with the bar and bends.
i'm using it with a crate gx-130C and either a korg ax-30g direct into the effects return, or a metal zone into amp input.

my guitar was used, so i really can't comment on factory specs, but the action was nice as was the finish. however the shop i bought it from had 10s on it when it was obviously not setup for them, as it was tight and the bridge was seriously raised. once replaced and setup it played like a dream. also my neck was very loose (almost movable with barely any strength), once again from the previous owner, but some wood putty and some re-tightening fit it up just fine. :)

this guitar has sustained fine live, and feels like a solid piece of equipment (much unlike the rg270). i replaced the strap buttons with straplocks, but they seemed large and nice (i never trust 'em). i wouldnt go without a backup because of the floyd, but who does. ;)

never dealt

I do enjoy the guitar, it feels nice to play and has a nice tone. i love the thinness of the body, i would definitely purchase a new one (probably an s470qs tr) if this was stolen.

Korean made,24 frets, solid top transparent black(laminated)mahogany super-strat body, volume-tone-5way selector, H/S/H stock pickups, Floyd Rose bridge w/ locking nut, thin neck w/ jumbo frets.

Versitile guitar good for many sounds. Solid distortion but clean tone is a little too weak.

Action was perfect. Bridge pickup didnt work and was not properly adjusted.Otherwise perfect condition.

Durable in all aspects especially finish although smoked chrome around pickup trim rubs off easily leaving regular chrome.

Havent tried to repair pickup yet.

Overall good guitar-very comfortable and easy to play producing many sounds.

its a 2k korea made s470bk
22 frets
it now has a 3 way selector and 2 emg 85R 81L (zakk wylde)
and floyd rose

sounds bad ass best pickups you can buy go out and get some.
runing it in to a Triple Rectifier in to a wah, boss oct,boss mt3,boss rv3

action is low.

nice

dont know so i will give them a 10

been playing for 15 years have bunch of fenders if it was stolen i would go get another i did some work on it with the pickups and new Floyd Rose and Action. over all its a good guitar

This is a 2000 Ibanez S470BK made in Korea. It has a Wizard neck, nice and flat. This uses the pain in the ass floyd rose double locking mechanism (not recommended for beginners). Nice flat shiny body. Light as hell. Scratches easy if you look at your git in the light.

This is a very flexible guitar. Whatever you want. Except I found it didn't play very well when your amp is set on clean. I found the sound is too metallic. Also, the thin body kills the sound of the guitar a bit.

When I bought my Ibanez. The bridge was already discolored. I was kinda pissed at the guys at steve's for selling this to me. The plated metal thingies around the pickups tarnish fast. Clean, clean and clean.

Everything is reliable about this guitar, however it is a pain in the ass to modify tuning configurations. Do not buy this guitar if you drop D your guitar every day and like changing tuning configurations often. Not for the everyday newbie either. You have to know how to change the tension of the tremolo and adjust the neck. It's hard stuff.

Yeah, pick this baby up if you have some experience and don't mind the floyd rose.

I bought this guitar new from Guitar Center in 2000. It was my second guitar after a crappy fender squire tele. It has a solid mohagany body with a gloss black finish (pretty, but it gets greasy really fast). It has a wizard II neck, an axis single coil between two axis humbuckers, a TRS II bridge, jumbo frets, locking nut. The bridge was fun at first but quickly got annoying from all the recalibration and crap, so my friend and i blocked off the bridge and it works way better now (except without the bar)

I will play anything from fusion metal/alternative (ala creed), to pure rock (ala zeppelin), to 90's grunge/alternative (bush, nirvana).
I use the S470 >Ibanez chorus/flanger >Ibanez digi delay >Danelectro Trem >Rogue Compressor >Ibanez 25r amp. Its rather noisy on the single coil setting, and has a slight hiss on the bridge (but it is really high up and high output), but no noise on the neck. The bridge is very midrangey and edgey, great for solo's and power chords. The single coil gives a great transparent sound, and the neck gives a VERY full sound that is really moody sounding. The in-between settings really suck though. It has a great variety, but does not truly excel in any one area. It sounds way better than my frind's guitar w/ an active EMG, though

The action was great, low and with minimal buzz. I put some 10's on it and the buzz was all but eliminated. The bridge pickup is noticably higher than the rest, but i like it because it gives it a fatter, edgier sound. The body is nicely contoured, but the finish is kinda thin, it cracked once and i dont even know how. Kindof a bummer. the hardware looked kinda old, but it gives it a nice look, i think. My biggest complaint is that the finish gets gunked up pretty easily because its gloss and not matte or satin. After it gets cleaned up it looks great though. The fretwire is weird, on the nineteenth fret of the high e string, the sound is choked and out of tune, but everywhere else it's fine. I'm sure it was just a fluke.

It would certainly withstand live playing, and since i blocked off the whammy bar, that wont prove to be a problem. I would be dumb to gig without a backup, but im too cheap to get one. :D. Personally, finish is not that big of an issue, as long as it's reasonably nice looking and doesn't chip badly I'm cool. The hardware is great, but because the body is angled, the knobs kinda lean a little bit, just be gentle. The strap buttons are solid as can be, if a little small. But they work great

I haven't dealt with them. I hope I won't ever have to

I know you guys are gonna think I'm a stupid kid, but I'll say so anyway: I've only been playing for about a year. But, I;m enough of a gear fanatic to give you a good opinion and this is a great guitar. IF i lost it or it got stolen, I would probably get a guitar without a floyd rose, but would love to get something equivalent to this. I love the versatility that i can get from it. I tried out lots of american strats, and some other ibanezes and even a couple jacksons. This one took the cake. It sounded as good or better than an american strat and was a whole lot lighter. And unlike the RG, which is crappy basswood, this guitar is true mohagany (very nice). I wish that it wasnt a floyd guitar, but oh well :D

Korean model, made by Cort (All Serial Numbers begining with C are by Cort, by the way). Solid Mahogany (I believe), with Maple Wizard II style neck and Rosewood Fretboard. 22 Jumbo Frets. 5 way pickup switch with H, S, H Ibanez pickups (AH1, AS1, AH2). Floyd Rose style Ibanez Lo-TRS-2 Tremelo bridge, with locking nut. I believe mine was a '93 or '94.

Used it with a Fender Princeton Chorus amp. Didn't go well with DOD Overdrive, or Fuzz pedals. Gets nice and loud, or very pretty if you want it to be. 5 selections with the spliting up of the humbuckers is very great. It can be very full or thin and sparkly, depends on what you want. I felt that the distortion was kinda less full as I'd like it to be sometimes, and almost late 80s sounding through this guitar.

The single coil pickup in the middle is adjustable based on a piece of foam behind it, so when it wears out, you have to put some more in there or it won't move up for ya. Action was beautiful. Switch sorta was iffy, and I'd have to smack it once and a while for all the sound to come through. Knobs and bridge had a worn look to them when I got it, and the fine tuners were all different; some were more effective than others.

It never cut up on me while playing live. The finish was as solid as could be. Pitch black. The guitar looked so "electric" as my friend called it. It's a flashy guitar, but not too flashy, and sounds just that way. It had strap lock buttons on it, but I didn't have straplocks.... so my strap fell off a lot easier. I'd want to have a backup with mine because of the iffy wiring I had, but I usually didn't worry about it.

I never tried to get it repaired, or have dealt with Ibanez.

This was my second guitar, and I bought it because I fell in love with the S series when I learned from somebody who had one. They're sound is great, no matter what variety you buy. The 470 is for real rockers though, because of it's nature. I got sick of the Floyd Rose though, because it's not my style and just got fed up restringing and tuning it. So, I got the S420 and sold this one.

I'm not sure about the year of fabrication, probably 1998, Japanese, but it's a used guitar that belonged to other people.It has 22 frets with a WizardII neck, a solid mohagany body and is Jewel Blue colored. It has one volume knob and one tone knob (both metallic, really strong and nice looking) and a H/S/H pickup setup with a V1 at the neck and a V2 at the bridge with a S2 in the middle. The body style is thinner than the RGs or other models, reaaly different, but very cool. The bridge has a Floyd Rose tremolo with Ibanez Lo-TRS design and locking tuners.

I play mainly prog rock, hard rock and metal, so I wanted a guitar with a different sound from my others (a Yamaha RGX421D and a Jackson Performer). I use a Peavey StudioPro 112 amp with a Boss VF-1 effects processor, besides some other pedals.
The guitar sounds really different from other guitars I've heard, specially considering it's weight: warm tone, great sustain, good clean sound and good distorted sound (even with the stock pickups). I just felt that the sound wasn't that good when I tried arpeggios and other similar technics with heavier distortion (with the same patches that work fine with my other guitars) and the tone was too high for me, so I have to play with the tone knob almost down to zero. Although, it's very good for rythm parts and the neck pickup has a surprisingly high output, that doesn't make the sound fade when you change from the bridge to the neck. The single coil, like any other, is quite noisy... no problem, because I mostly use only the humbuckers.
In conclusion, I wanted a good and different sound from a guitar and I definitively found it in the S470.

I can't evaluate this very much, because I bought it already used. It had recently come from a luthier and was well regulated. I noticed a little oxidation on the bridge and on the metal parts around the humbuckers, not that serious. I opened the back of the body and I have no complains about the electric parts.

I intend to use it on the stage, but only for some songs, because of its different tone(doesn't fit to everything I play). In fact it's not my main guitar, but its could be a nice backup.
The metal parts seem a bit sensitive to oxidation, but that depends more of the owner's care, I know. The volume and tone knobs are very solid, very reliable.
The wooden parts seem solid and I trust they will last a long time.

Never used the Ibanez customer support.

I actually bought the guitar both because I was looking for a different tone and because it was very cheap (a new one would cost me about 1400 reais... what a difference!)
The things I love must are its body style, thin and light, the very playable neck (Wizard II... what to say?) and the tone itself. I don't like the color very much (Jewel Blue... I'd prefer the wood natural color) and the number of frets... 22... wish it had 24...
If it were stolen or lost I would surely save money to buy another one or a Joe Satriani model, which seems the "upgrade" of the S series...

I bought this guitar brand new from Sam Ash in February of 2000. So I have owned it for about 1 year. It has 22 frets, 2 Axis humbuckers and an Axis single coil, Floy Rose Lo trs II tremolo, etc. Mine has a dark green finish, which I have never seen on another s470.

The pickups are good but not great. The guitar is thin, which is one of the main reasons I bought the guitar--for comfort. This does not make the guitar sound thin, as I have heard some people say. Overall this is a very good sounding guitar, although not an incredible sounding guitar.

For some reason, almost every Ibanez guitar I have picked up at a music store is set up horribly. I had to completely readjust everything on my guitar, plus I can't stand using 9's for strings, I use 12's and down-tune a step and a half. The guitar is well-built, except that I now don't like the Floyd Rose floating bridge (see reliability/durability).

I have to give this a low rating--I originally thought a Floyd Rose bridge would be cool. I hadn't owned one before, and thought it would be fun to use a whammy bar and not go out of tune. Well, the guitar still goes out of tune, even with the locking nut. One good dive-bomb can make you have to loosen the locking nut and retune your guitar, then lock it down again. Very stupid. Because of this I thought that perhaps I was not tightening the screws at the bridge that clamp down the strings--and twice now I have broken the screw off and had to order the part from Ibanez through Guitar Center. I don't want a guitar with a Floyd Rose tremolo--I am now anti-whammy bar and am going to sell this guitar.

They didn't respond to an email I sent them, and took over a month to send the first saddle unit that I broke, and I am currently waiting for the second one to come in. They charge $5 if you want a catalog. How dumb is that?

What's good about this guitar--sounds good for the price, comfortable to play.

What sucks--stupid bridge.

I give it a 6 which may be a little generous. I'm going to get a guitar that doesn't have a damn whammy bar (which I found that I never used in any of my songs--worthless).

This is a 2000 model made in Japan with 24 frets and a Mahogany body. It comes equipped with a volume and tone knob and a 5-way pickup selector. The pickup configuration is humbucker/single coil/humbucker and has Axis pickups(made by Dimarzio for ibanez). It has a very slim maple neck and rosewood fingerboard which makes it very comfortable to play. The color i got it in was a Jewel Blue finish(keep it clean because smudges stick out like a sore thumb!) It has an ultra slim body making the guitar weigh literally nothing compared to my Les Paul. It comes with a LO-Pro TRS II Floyd Rose tremolo system and a locking nut which can/will discolor if you dont keep it clean(mine was already partly discolored when i got it from the shop). The tuners are all metal and seem to be of decent quality. The neck is pretty small compared to a Fender or a 7-string neck but for those of you that have Ibanez's or Les Pauls you might feel right at home after a week of playing it. I wasnt given a case or any allen keys for the tremolo when i bought it because i bought the guitar straight off the rack but i have tools that suffice for now.

I bought this guitar for the purpose of having an extra 6-string that i didnt have to worry about and also to have a good guitar for lead guitar. I play mostly Metal/Hard Rock with my band and this guitar sounds great for all types of rock but when i look for a guitar that will handle my heavy downtuned rhythm playing I turn to my EMG-81 equipped Les Paul. For leads the ibanez is fun to play and sounds decent with the stock pickups. I might change the bridge pickup to a Dimarzio FRED humbucker but I need to play around with the guitar more. The sound overall is pretty trebly and lacks the usual warmth of better pickups or guitars. Regardless it sounds good for rhythm and lead and i would feel more comfortable playing this guitar out somewhere than my 1500 dollar Gibson. I am not rich and i like to protect my valuable assets.

The guitar came set up with a comfortable low action and a very well tuned floyd rose. The bridge pickup seems to be to far away from the strings and that could indicate some lack in fullness of the bridge pickup sound. one of the plastic plates on the back of the guitar looks crudely cut and is bent a bit out of shape. The floyd rose and the nut both discolor if not cleaned very easily and the rosewood on the fingerboard isnt that high of a quality. regardless, most of this stuff doesnt affect the sound except for the pickup-to-string height.

This guitar could withstand live playing but i will always keep a second guitar on hand just in case i break a string or whatever. The guitar will last if i take care of it and dont abuse it.

Never dealt with 'em

Overall good guitar for the price but ibanez needs to rethink some of the features. If it broke at any point and i had money i would buy it again. If it could have any extras it would have to be REAL dimarzio or seymour duncan pickups. That would greatly add to the appeal of the guitar.

Standard 200 model features. Double humbuckers and siungle, double tremolo, lock nut bridge.....

It sound GREAT, and its versatile. I love this guitar, it almost even makes me sound good!

I never found a single problem, except one mildy loose screw when i first got it, and that was no problem at all, 5 seconds of work.

This is a dependable guitar, id bring a backup with me, cause I'm paranoid, but this guitar is very durable and i RARELY have problems with it, and if i do its usually my fault. The lightness made me nervous but it holds up great.

I never had to use it, the guitar held up fine, one small problem that was my fault i got fixed at the local shop for like eight dollars.

I like girls.

THIS IS A '99 MODEL S470 IT WAS MADE IN KOREA IT HAS TWO HUMBUCKERS AND A SINGLE COIL(THEY ALL SOUND GOOD. IT HAS A FLOYD ROSE BRIDGE(CONFUSSING BUT I LIKE IT SO FAR. IT HAS LOCK-NUT SYSTEM THAT WORKS GREAT AND MINE CAME WITH A CUSTOM FIT CASE.

THIS GUITAR SOUNDS GREAT! THE VOLUME CONTROL ISN'T THE BEST IT HAS ABOUT THREE SETTINGS; OFF, MEDIUM, LOUD(AND THE LOUD ISN'T THAT LOUD). PLUGGED INTO MY AMP IT SOUNDS GREAT.

AS LONG AS YOU HAVE ABOUT 30MIN. TO CHANGE STRINGS, YOU DON'T PUT ON 10 GAUGE OR HIGHER STRINGS AND YOU MESS WITH THE BRIDGE AT ALL(LET ME SAY THIS AGAIN DO NOT MESS WITH THE BRIDGE YOU WILL NEVER BE ABLE TO GET IT PERFECT AFTER THAT!!!!!)IT WORKS GREAT. THE ACTION ON THIS GUITAR IS PROBALY ONE OF THE BEST YOU'LL GET. THE PICK UPS ARE GREAT. THE FRETS ARE NICE AND EASY TO PLAY(NECK IS GREAT). I'VE HAD THIS GUITAR FOR OVER A YEAR AND HAVE FOUND NO FACTORY FLAWS. THE ONLY PROBLEM THAT I THINK IS WRONG IS THAT THE CHROME AROUND THE PICK UPS DISCOLORES EASY AND IF YOU DONT KEEP THE BRIDGE CLEAN IT WILL DISCOLOR TOO.

EXCELLENT!!! I'VE BROKEN STRINGS ABOVE THE LOCK NUT AND THE LOCK NUT HELD IT IN TUNE FOR ABOUT A MONTH. IT HAS A QUICK TUNE ADJUST ON THE BRIDGE I WOULD DEPEND ON THIS GUITAR 110% I THINK YOU COULD TAKE THIS ON TOUR AND NOT BRING A BACK UP. I HAVE DROPPED THIS GUITAR AND IT STAYED IN PERFECT TUNE AND THERE WASN'T A SCATCH OR MARK ON IT.

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I PLAYED LOTS OF GUITARS BEFORE I BOUGHT THIS ONE THIS WAS BY FAR THE BEST DEAL IT IS AN ULTRA LIGHT/THIN GUITAR IT PLAYS EXCELLENT. IF I COULD CHANGE SOMETHING ON IT I WOULD MAKE THE BRIDGE BLACK, THE TUNNING KEYS AND THE PIECES AROUND THE PICK UPS. THIS GUITAR HAS BECOME A PART OF ME I COULD NOT LIVE WITHOUT THIS GUITAR!!!!!!!!

It's a 2000. It's got 22 frets, volume control, tone control, 5 way pickup selector. It's a humbucker in the neck and bridge positions and a single in the middle. Great sound, came with .09's and a locking neck that took a little getting used to. The sound is unparrelled. The guitar didn't have enough information on the locking neck system and I almost stipped the nuts in the first week.

It sounds great, everything from Korn to Steely Dan. It can bring ratty, reverby reggae sounds that I love and two seconds be set to play heavy, bass filled echoing melodies. The cut-away makes higher regester playing a joy.

The set up is perfect. I bought it like it was, straight off the wall. Set up strings, tuning and hardware. It sounds great and hasn't let me down. Anything bad sound from this guitar is my fault.

This guitar is great but I don't trust the locking neck. I tend to get lazy and bend the high e and a and mess the whole tuning. Everything seems to be solid, except the switcher knob comes off.

Never delt with them....

I'm in love with it, it is the dream that I wanted when I first started and I know feel it was worth the wait. I love it and recommend it to every who needs a new guitar.