Ibanez SV470

Made in '93, Japan.
For 355 Euros used, this guitar was the bargain of the century.
Transparent red finish. Body is mahogany, typical S shape, sleek, sexy and comfortable.
Tremolo is a TZ II, vintage style, 2point trem with knife edge pivot points - buzzes, warbles nicely!
Thanks to the locking tuners, it stays in tune wonderfully. The tuners are a pain in the ass when it comes to string changing though. All hardware is gold (well used to be).
Neck is 25,5", maple, with mahogany stripe, it's somewhere between a wizard and a strat neck, very comfortable and fast. 22 large/jumbo frets.
It has a volume, a tone and a 5way pu selector. In pos 2 and 4 it splits the hummies and combines them with the middle single. I bought this baby used, and all the pickups were changed to Bartolinis. After a few months, I changed the bridge pu to a Dimarzio Megadrive... oh man...

I give 9, because the tuners are clumsy for string changing.

The whole sound section here will only apply to MY specific guitar, as it doesn't have any of the stock pickups...

Played unplugged the whole body resonates and wibes - excellent acoustic qualities!
Based on the pu configuration it's clear, that the original design was all about versatility. This hasn't changed with the new pickups!

1, Bridge - Dimarzio Megadrive: Just classic. Makes the guitar sound like the best ones out there, you could possibly get. Clean sound is edgy, fast, punchy, bright maybe a bit raw but really usable. Deals with any kind of distortion, and thats where it's greatness shines through. Tons of harmonics, tight, controlled bottom end, screaming highs and enough midrange to be heard anywhere. Has some traditional feel to it, but can pack realy modern blows. It's just... classic!

2, Splitted bridge + Bartolini single: quite stratish sounding, but would'nt be mistaken for Clapton's "Blackie"... still perfectly usable, no serious complaints here.

3, Middle single Bartolini: The funk tone. Nice, maybe a bit weak all by itself, but has an importasnt role anyway, when aiding the splitted humbuckers. This one is noisy, but the others are dead silent.

4, Splitted neck Bartolini + mid single: again stratish tone, really nice mild, highly usable for cleans and oldie overdrive.

5, Bartolini humbucker at neck: another bullseye of pickup manufacturing. Intimidatingly huge sound, gigantic bass, and sweet-sweet highs, round mids, its like... I don't know, they should call it honeybucker! The solo will spill right out of your guitar and just flow continously with it's distinct and sophisticated tone. It's a blast.

I'm satisfied with the current set up, still it requires some fine tuning... I'll take it to a pro some time now. Neck is rock stable though and the trem works perfectly.

The finish is still immaculate, after 14 years. The mahogany has beautiful granis, the body is carved flawlessly. Neck fits accurately, it has a plain satin finish, has a bit aged amber tone now, just beautiful. The rosewood fingerboard is smooth and flawless. Gold hardware has faded a bit, but I don't really care about that.

Overall I don't have any problems with it, this guitar was built to last... well...
There was a small accident with one of the tuning pegs. It basicly broke in half all by itself, while the guitar was just sitting... might be a common problem with this series, for others have also experienced a similar problem, as I've read below in one of the articles. I ran a few rounds trying to find replacement, but it's mission impossible. Now I plan to replace all of the tuners with brand new ones, this baby deserves it.
Also, knobs now make a bit of a noise, they should be replaced sometime.

Other than that no problems. I trust her completely.

Been playing for 2 years, this was my first electric, and it will stay with me till the end of all time! I love the looks, I love the feel, I love the sound. My dream guitar is a PRS custom 24, but even if I had one I wouldnt be able to decide which one to love more!

Mine is the transparent finish variety, now with the fading gold hardware. As you've read its a H-S-H config. with a simple fender style trem. bridge.

This guitar has been my baby for more than a decade, and while I no longer gig, or get to play as much as I used to she is still a joy every time I pick her up. I play hard rock to a fusion style with a little funk thrown in for good measure. This guitar executes all of that well, and with the non floating bridge I'm able to drop tune and go back easily. I've never used the whammy, and haven't seen the bar in years.

Overall, I'd describe my guitar as being really warm and smooth. I strive for that velvety smooth overdriven sound in both the bridge and neck postitions and my baby doesn't dissapoint! Beatiful crisp warm clean sounds are also possible, and the single-hum pickup positions provide some unique color as well.

You can't beat that mahogany tone, and with the S body style the weight to tone compromize is a good one. To me the neck is a bit of at strat/shredder combo, and has one of the best feels I've ever experienced. Mine played well right from the store, but like any guitar you have to do the regular maintenance. I'm seeking out another one of these guitars right now on eBay so I have a back up while the one is in the shop. ( since the tech I have has 1 month turn arounds) They are hard to come by.

If this guitar falls a bit short any where it's here. My gold is fading just like others here have posted. It's purely cosmetic, and it think it ads a bit of character to the already good looks of the natural wood finished in satin. But some would see this as a negative.

The other issue I've had is on of my tuners breaking. I wasn't able to locate a spec replacement so I found the closest match I could find (unfortuantely without the same locking feature) If you know where to get a replacement part anyone, please let me know!!!

N/A

I've been playing for about 18 years, and this guitar has been my main guitar since I bought it. Like I said I'm looking for another, and if I had a real need I'd get a couple three more of em.

made in japan
mahogany body
maple neck with skunk strip
rosewood fingerboard
gold plate hardware
locking tuners
thin neck/body
red finish showing the natural grain
hybrid pick up selection

This Guitar was bought in 95, it has been and still is my main guitar and I currently have 9.

The sound of this guitar is not the best sound in the world there are better, my PRS for example sounds better, but it is not the guitar I would choose as my main guitar.... Why....?

Well, what ever amp I put this guitar through in any situation it will sound great my PRS does not. The SV470 is the most versatile guitar I have ever played as it splits the pick ups to seperate the personality of the sound. The prs does do this, but just not as well, I find the sounds on the guitar instantly accessable, easy to locate and it cuts extremily well through the loudest drummers and frontmen. It can funk, rock, blues with a lovely clean sound at the same time, You may well be saying that it is a sacrifice for having a guitar that is a jack of all trades master of none but this is unfair to the guitar as it really should be a classic.

I can't remember, i bought it in 95, never had a problem though, just take it to my local tech for a set up once a year and tell him what I want... Sorted

this guitar is bullet proof. It is awesome. It holds its tune no matter what tunings you de-tune to, it needs attention every now and again but all guitars should be well maintained... It has never let me down in the 11 years I have owned it or the 5 years I have been gigging it.

Never used it

This guitar is awesome but discontinued. I know the SV470 is quite sought after as I have had people e mailing me to buy it off me.
I rate it highly because of its versatility, ease of use (especially with live performance), reliability and hence would not ever sell it.

If you like your vintage guitars then steer clear but if you are more open minded then try one if you can find one, you should not be dissapointed especially if your music requires versatility.

Made in Japan in '95 in the Fuji Gen plant.
Finish: TR (Transparent Red) w/ gold hardware
Body: Mahogany
Neck: 1 piece 'viper', maple w/ skunk stripe. straight headstock
nut: graphite, 42mm
scale: 25 1/2"
frets: medium
fretboard: 22 fret rosewood w/ pearl dot inlays
Tuners: Gotoh locking mini
Bridge: TZ100 - non-locking 2 point knife edge tremolo.
Neck Pickup: AH1 Humbucker
Middle Pickup: AHS1 single coil
Bridge Pickup: AH2 Humbucker
Switching: 5-way
controls: 1 vol, 1 tone
Years made: 93-95

This guitar was part of the popular Sabre line, But it is quite a bit different in many ways. First off, it does not have a locking tremolo system, like the S variants. Most Sabres have the 'Wizard' profile neck, the almost impossibly thin neck that made Ibanez popular with the shredders. The SV470 has a much more traditional neck profile. It is narrower, and deeper than a wizard, the peghead does not angle back. It is wider and flatter than a typical 1 5/8" strat neck, but a little narrower than a 1 11/16" wizard neck. The radius is fairly flat. The strings seem to be set in further from the edges too.

This guitar has a great feel to me. I really like the neck. I like the thinner wizard necks too, but this one is more comfortable and faster for me! It's versatile enough to work for different styles. If you like the beefier Artist style necks, you may like this one better. The TZ100 bridge, in conjunction with the graphite nut and locking tuners works remarkably well for subtile tremolo work - it's smooth and solid, and really stays in tune well. It's a good setup. You cannot pull up as far as with a countersunk floyd, nor can you dive bomb until the strings go limp, and expect it to go back in tune. But for economical vibrato, it's perfect. It has minimal warble when set up correctly.

I play fusion, with detours into classic rock and funk. I play jazz but not on this guitar, although you could in a pinch, but you'd get some funny looks.

In typical Ibanez style, the pickups are transparent. They are voiced like a traditional PAF, but they really let the sound of the guitar come through, without imparting too much of their own character. Versatile and well matched to the guitar and each other. They are pretty tame by todays standards. Smooth, middy, and maybe a little plain sounding. The single coil is buzzy and edgy on it's own, but mixes well, and cancels hum when combined with the other pickups. It has the typical Ibanez 5-way switch, which splits coils and combines them with the middle PU in positions 2 and 5 - very useful. It does not get as nice of a strat style 'in-between' tone in positions 2 and 4 as Some of the newer sabres, which seem to be voiced a little brighter and hotter. My 2003 S1520 gets more twang in position 2, and it only has 2 humbuckers! Go figure. The newer S470s are more harmonically rich, and the SA models are very bright and bell like in comparison. To me, it is really nice to be able to get that twangy 'reelin' in the years' tone as an alternative to smooth humbuckers. On this guitar, the middle positions are just kind of 'there', not as inspiring as on my newer sabres. The bridge PU really sings in a LP or PRS kind of way though. Of course all of this is easily changed by swapping pickups, but many of the older Sabres seem to be warmer sounding, perhaps because lighter, better grade mahogany was used back in the day.

Very well finished and setup in typical MIJ Ibanez fashion. The finish is deep smooth, and flawless. The neck was satin finished at one point, but is now glossy from being played. Some steel wool will fix that. The neck has a nice vintage amber shade to it. I particularly like the way Ibanez did their fret work on the Japanese models. The edges of the fret board, and the ends of the frets are rounded, making it very comfortable, like your favorite jeans. It needed some adjustment, but it was easily whipped into shape, unlike the Strat I just got. The nut is well cut. Neck fits perfectly in pocket. This guitar has a thoroughbred feeling to me. I'll be keeping this one.

Let's just say that this guitar suffered unspeakable cruelties during transit, and survived unscathed. A couple other posters complain about cheap hardware. I think this is misleading. Ibanez has always speced high quality hardware on its higher end instruments since the '70s, and even the lower end models have remarkably good hardware. It is all solid, and should withstand plenty of abuse, and they always used the right hardware for superior tone. The Gotoh tuners are reliable and high quality. These tuners cost $70 new, and are on equal ground with schallers or sperzels. This guitar feels light and thin, so it may lead you to believe that it is flimsy, but if you treat it right, it will treat you right. This hardware is a lot better than you'll find on many $1000+++ american made instruments.

Most Ibanez employees don't know too much about their discontinued models, but they will return your calls, and are friendly.

You have to ignore the guy who says: "Get this guitar! You'll love it!" BS! Get the guitar that is right for you. If you like the unique features that this guitar provides, than it may be right for you, but be honest about what you want.

I really like this guitar. It takes the things I love about the Sabre, and looses the more shreddy aspects that I don't need. The simple non-locking tremolo system works so well - this is really what I've been looking for. Double locking systems seem to be overkill for my subtile whammy work, they are way too sensitive and warbaly. There's a reason so many pro players are switching over to these simpler systems. The neck is also just about perfect in my book. As far as finding one, you won't have to search for 10 years, and travel by camel to the Ukraine as one reviewer suggested, just keep an eye out on eBay. They come up every few months or so, and can be pretty inexpensive. I like the quality of these 'older' Ibanezes. The new Prestige models are very nice, but I like these older ones in a different way.

Manufactured: ?93-94
Origin: Japan
Neck: Flame Maple and Rosewood 22 Frets, locking nuts + Gotoh Trem
Body: Its either Mahogany or Koa
Finish: Oiled, just amazing!!!
Hardwear: Gold, 5-way + tone and volume
Pick ups: H-S-H, factory standard
Body Style: Strat, heavily shaved!! Balanced well and light with good resonance due to the body density
Strap: DiMarzio Quick Release

This guitar found me!! Its owner ran out of money and offered it to me and considering how much he spent on it it was a bargin!! I picked it up in September 94. I've seen one other in 10 years! it was the Floyd rose varient with black hardwear and to be honest it was the cheapest piece of crap I'd played in my life! but in fairness it had not been set up well! My musical tastes are diverse and the Sv will do everyting from Pantera to Santana, Eric Johnson and more. I'd originally intended to replace the H's with EMG SA89's but to be honest it kicked ass so I didn't bother! The hardwear is shit but its functional, I guess thats all that matters!

I've tweaked the set-up so many times. When I was using 12's I had the truss adjusted and five springs in the trem, the tone was just sick! Over 10 years I've done every set-up bar modification and it has never complained. The PU selection is quite slick but could be notchier its not prone to earth so its totally silent.

The finish is just amazing and is complimented well with the gold hardwear but it needs looking after. Exposure to temp' variations, no matter how small and dust will bugger these guitars plus if they are not set up really really well then they'll sound bollocks. Locking nuts are good but will loose tune really quickly if you are thrashing it, break a string and you are dead! Do I trust it....yes, but only after 10 years of playing it!

10 years of abuse and its never even crackled!

I've been playing for 15 years, I have a reissue Strat and a bunch of other stuff. I bought it because I licked it, simple as that! I cant replace it and if it got pinched I'd go f****** mental! One of the things I really like about it other than the shape and weight is its dry tone and also its range through digital effects! Holly shit!! I'd used Jacksons for a while and a custom shop Ibanez but they just didn't feel right. The only other guitar I would play is a Floral Jem 77. In terms of issues tuning is the biggest!!

WOW this kick ass! One of the best I have tryed, if u play rock, punk or metal this is the guitar for u! bought it new in 1995 NO REGRETS!
Body: mahogany
Pickups: 2 humbuck 1 singel coile
thin body and neck.

I use Marshall (100W from 1977) and 4 x 12" behringer 400W
sound perfeckt

I had to adjust it all, if this guitar isnt well adjust it sound like shit!!!

played lived since 1995, hardware good as new, strap buttons good as new! no need for a backup if the guitar is right adjust!

I dont know! had no need for any customer support!

wouldnt trade it for a Gibson SG even if u pay me 1000$

This guitar kicks ass!!! I played one about 6 or 7 years ago, couldn't afford it and never thought twice it would be discontinued. So I searched EVERYWHERE, even in japan and poland over a year until finally I found one on ebay. (You wouldn't believe what I had to go through with language translation and I found most foreign pages were ABOUT the guitar not selling it) I actually offered a guy $1000 for one and he wouldn't take it. Lucky I got mine which is better for about half that.

Anyway, I can not say the exact model but I believe it to be a sv470, 22 frets clear mahogany body. This guitar plays like a dream, easily one of the best I've ever had. Thin neck, thin body, BIG, FAT solid body sound. The pickups are great, the tuners are great the trem rocks and the craftsmanship is just superb. This model has the ibanez has the v1 neck and v2 bridge hums, and the s2 single coil. Black hardware, the usual black ibanez neck and black floyd rose. (Not the usual gorl fixed bridge with viper neck)

I run it through a crate blue voodoo 100 watt x4 12 cab, through a sonic maximizer and a digitech rp7 pedalboard and the 2nd neck toggle switch position gives AWSOME clarity for clean tones, but leaves a little less to be desired for sictortion, I use the bridge pick up alone and I get some decent crunch from it. I tune it to dropped D (Db
ab db bb eb) and I play stuff like disturbed, linkin park, rage.

It needed to be set up as I bought it used, had some fret buzz. But once it was set up all was good. WOW, the first time I opened the case, the guitar was more beautiful than I imagined!

Seems fine to me, although I haven't body slammed this one like I've done to previous, cheaper models. Those ones hold up, but this ones my baby, and could never get frusterated with it, ever.

Never dealt with ibanez for a problem, but their customer service is a bit whacked. (As I suppose with all big name companies) I had a hard time locating the name as I couldn't remember the exact name when I played one 7 years ago.

I've been playing 10 years, and have owned 5 guitars in my time, and this one is everything I ever needed in a guitar. I hear the new ones are crap though, the qs 470's so I'd stay away from those. Personal opinion. But if anyone stole this one, I would go ape shit!I'd take the biggest, baddest explorer or bc rich and beat the guy with it, then i'd spend a lifetime trying to replace it. Gotta give it a 10 man, nothing comes close.
Oh, and if anyones interested, I have the body of an sv470 if someone is interested in restoring this badboy. peace

I believe this is a 93'. Solid Mahogany body, Single Volume, Tone, 5 way switch, H-S-H pickup configuration. No clue about the pickup origins... they look original. Neck is maple with a skunk stripe, Rosewood fingerboard, bolt on. Finish is transparent red and looks really nice with the gold hardware. Body is offset Strat styling but very very thin at the heal and outer edges, no binding. Hardware is gold, has a simple looking vibrato bridge (doesn't look like a Floyd)which is part of the reason I bought it. The whammy bar doesn't stay in as I think the plastic cam that surrounds the inside of this is cracked. (If anyone knows where I can get this part, please email me) The tuners are interesting as they are locking (reminds me a lot of my PRS tuners only cheaper). You must unscrew the peg with a screwdriver, insert the string through the peg, retighten the peg and then tune the guitar. It took me almost half an hour to tune this correctly. Not cohesive to stage work if a string breaks. Neck is 22 fat frets, came with an honest to goodness Ibanez case.

I plugged this in last night and it sounded like crap when it came to the standard settings I use on my amp with my Deans and my Strat. This guitar sounds best when you do the all highs and lows, no mids EQ-ing. I would call it the Kim Thayal sound. I ran it straight but I think it would sound nice and fat with my Dimension C. Guitar is quiet and gives a nice thick sound when EQ-ed correctly. Has a really cool tone when it's in the single coil anbd bridge humbucker mode. It seems to have a wide variety of useful tones. I used to play a lot with this type of tone but have in recent years yearned for more of the guitar sound than distortion laden heaviness.

Has nice action, previous owner has it set up nicely but my tech will make it perfect. When I got it, the bridge pickup was pulled way down on the low strings so I raised it and it seemed to help a lot. The top is a deep cherry red and the wood grain is showing nicely. It looks really cool with the red and the gold hardware. Guitar has a mean dent in the upper part of the body on the back of the guitar but again, I think my tech can fix that or at least cosmetically repair it. It's really not noticable as it's on the back.

I don't plan to use this live. My Deans are much more reliable. Hardware seems sturdy and like it will last, although I'm going to try to go easy on the tuners... they seem a tad flimsey. Nice oversized strap locks, as I said, I would probably not use this live because of the tuning complications.

Ibanez is a great company and has been around for a long time. I'm also well known at the company that actually showed them the correct way to build a guitar in the early 70's in Bryn Mawr PA and these people are the greatest too. I have owned a number of Ibanez's through the year and they have always been good to me. This is actually my third Ibanez right now. I also own an old PF300 TS and an AES-10 A/E. Warranty? We don't need no stinking warranty when you have the best guitar tech this side of Eric Schulte.

Been playing 30+ years now at the moment I own more gear than I can list (although I will say that I have a Korean Dean Cadillac, a black Korean Dean 79 V, a 70's Strat, Yamaha APX12-5 acoustic/electric 12 string, Alvarez Yairi Canyon Creek and an Ibanez AES10. I got what I expected and paid for and if it was lost, I would not be all that upset, I'd just buy something else. I'd like to grab an Iceman at some point. I like the fast neck and thin body, the tone leaves a bit to be desired though. I think it needs a little more meat.