Ibanez TC420

gloss black w/pearloid pickguard. interesting old jazzmaster style body. nice 22 fret neck. single volume and tone controls and a 3 way switch that looks like an old Fender 5 way. I got this guitar several years ago. switched the pickups out for an old set of Gibsons (500t and 496r) to make it scream better. not a fan of tremelos, so I had to adjust the bridge to sit against the body.

I play mostly heavy music and this guitar gets it done. had it set up and stobe tuned for C standard tuning. combine that with a Mesa DC-5, and you've got one monstrous sound.

factory set up was okay, but the strings were WAY too light. replaced 'em with a set of Zakk Wylde GHS boomers (11-70). guitar was new old stock, so it was in perfect shape when I got it.

the tuners aren't the greatest in the world, but they serve their purpose. I've had it for 7 years and it's been beaten up a bit, but still tickin'.

never deal with the manufacturer because I rarely ever get new gear. this one is long out of warranty, so I'd just fix it myself if it needs work.

been playin' about 12 years now, and this is my favorite of all the axes I've had. it's got the look, feel and sound that I need. if it ever got stolen, well...let's not think about that.

tc 420 black maple neck rosewood fingerboard, two weak humbuckers ,

will change out the pickups should sound a lot better, in stock set up
sounds ok a little muddy

got action down much lower than it was , intonation set up dead on
nice frets all at the same level no high ones, pots are crap as is
the 3 way switch

seems like it will stand up well with time

saw this sitting in someones room with missing strings dirty and neglected, asked them if i could take it home and put new strings
and set it up for them, after doing so found out i liked the guitar
will offer them 100.00 for it i am sure they will take it , nice little
guitar will change the bridge pickup and pots should sound good then
plays real nice now , dont think i would pay some of the prices i have
seen in the other reviews but for 100.00 to 200.00 very nice guitar
ps have gotten a lot of guitars telling people i will string and set
up there guitar for free and then make them an offer , try it you will
only be out a 4.00 for the strings and you will get a lot of nice guitars

I own a TC630 and wanted something with humbuckers so I bought this on eBay for $200 delivered. My 630 is an MIJ, this is an MIK, and this is still my main guitar. Yes it doesn't have tuners as nice as the 630 (yet I don't have severe tuning problems), yes it doesn't have as pretty a neck (still feels just as good), but it's still my number one. My MIJ is prettier but my MIK does EVERYTHING I need (well... except that).

I like the chrome knobs, the pearloid pickguard (white over a black body), I love the solid feeling neck and the beautiful sounds I get out of this guitar. I've used it for jazz, rock and celtic music. Even the sound engineer at the last recording session said "man, that's a really nice sounding guitar" with more than a hint of surprise in his voice.

Read above, I love this guitar

Read above, I love this guitar

Read above, I frikkin' love this guitar

Never needed it. Have I mentioned that I love this guitar?

I just realized that myself and every other glowing reviewer are probably shooting ourselves in the foot. If everyone finds out how great these guitars are, we won't be able to find them on eBay any more for the steals we've been getting them for! I bought an orange creamsicle TC630 one once on eBay for under $200 then sold it to make a little extra dough back in 1999. I'm kicking myself in the a@* for that stupid move.

Anyone want to sell a creamsicle Talman?

Korean built, 2 h/b model. Strat style non-locking trem bridge, 3 way switch, volume, single tone knob. The way the tone knob and output jack are both seated on tht big chunk of chrome is VERY cool. I wouldn't have thought that anything aesthetic could have been done with an output jack, but Ibanez have done it. Pearloid scratchplate, basswood=light. Weird kind of half Jaguar, half-everything-else shape- very cool. 3-a-side cheap but ok tuners.

1 thing- the shape of the headstock- begins to go out in shape at the first fret, whereas most guitars it happens above the nut. So if I go to play chords where a couple of strings needs to be pressed at the first fret (which fortnuately there are very few of) I have difficulty moving my hand to the first fret, because the headstock has started to get wider. But that's the only blemish in the design.

I have NEVER seen such a wide stock pick-ups vs after-market pick-ups gap in my life. The original pick-ups are muddy, noisy and no definition. Just horrible. I put a couple of Japanese Gotoh pick-ups in it (that I got for $10 for the pair! gotta love ebay!) and now it's a tone machine. In particular the bridge Gotoh has a huge sound, very wide in response and no noise. It beats me why Ibanez built such a great guitar and, for the sake of probably $20, put cheap pick-ups (ie. the thing that actually creates the sound!!!) in it.

I'm using the Talman/Fender Cyclone/Fender Lead 1/G&L tele into a stack of Boss, Carl Martin and Mxr pedals into a Roland Jazz Chorus 120 or a Fender Super 210 tube amp.

Rating is for stock pick-ups.

This is my second Talman- I did own a Japanese 520. As far as I can see there is no difference in production quality between them. Mine is probably 10 years old- the solder joins, the fret work, paint etc is all perfect. Got it 2nd hand so can't say what it was like out of the factory. Korean Ibanez are fantastic. All of my Fenders have scratchy pots or jacks etc.

So far, I don't think I've played it live once- there's always 1 guitar that just wins before the gig. But in reality, a practice in a sweaty band room for 4 hours, is a better judge anyway. I don't think anything is going to give me any trouble. Haven't had a single problem with it.

Ibanez are another faceless multi-national but the website and their service (and most of all their pricing!) are far superior to Fender, Gibson et al. The perenial problem of neglecting any info about discontinued stuff on their website exists. I've probably owned 10 Ibanez over the years and never needed customer support anyway.

It's a travesty that Ibanez put such shocking pick-ups in these. After the pick-up change, it's one of my favourites. It can definitely cut it next to my other USA and Japanese guitars and is so easy to play. I so badly want to give it a 10 but just can't with those stock pick-ups in it. But a great guitar.

Ibanez Talman, I don't know the year. Late '90s I'm guessing. Anyways, TC420 = dual humbucker model. Strat-like chrome bridge, Korean-made guitar (don't let that dissuade you). Basswood body, warmer than alder, brighter than mahogany. H/H, passive chrome-covered humbuckers. Probably Ibanez Axis HBs or some other of their brand. Neck is a smooooooooth satin-finished maple with rosewood fingerboard, tuners are crappy foreign no-names. 25.5" scale. 3 way switch, 5-way would've been better, but I'm a picky asshole. Bought used, so it came with nothing. A STEAL DAMMIT, A STEAL!!!! Best $150 I ever spent. Great, comfortable body style...light but solid. My favorite guitar probably that I own.

I bought it stock, but already had mods in mind. Seymour Duncan JB humbucker in the bridge, Schaller tuner replacements, and a push/pull coil split on the volume knob. Great ideas, if I say so myself.

It has not many bells & whistles, but is good at what it is...simple, solid guitar. I give it a 7 because of this.

I play a lot of music. I like ambient soundscapes, and brutal noise. I play a lot of experimental/hardcore/noise/ambient/classical/indie music. Like if Glenn Branca, Efrim from GYBE!, Sonic Youth, Modest Mouse, Arab on Radar, Greg Ginn from Black Flag, and their ilk had children, and each grabbed a guitar. You get the idea.

Anyways, stock: the guitar is noisy under distortion. Nice cleans and a nice sound overall, but expect it to be a little noisy. Warm, nice slightly overdriven fuzzy tone and such. Good stock pups, not great, and for players like me, NOT usable.

I play with volume through a Mesa Mark IV Short Head>>>Marshall 1960B 4x12 Cabinet, so I installed a JB in the bridge. Smart move, made the guitar wonderful. Thick and warm, diverse with the coil-split. I would recommend it. I really dig the neck pup, so it's staying. Great cleans in any position.

Stock: 6, Modded: 9...just what I wanted.

Bought used, set up wonderfully. Pickups fine, neck straight. No sharp edges, good workmanship. Great for a Korean guitar. No problems. Tuners NEEDED replacement, as I just can't stand retuning every four chords. Schallers solved my problem.

Finish pretty on body and neck. I like it a lot...good good stuff.

My main guitar. Will withstand a lot, has already. Banged it around, held up, no nicks/dings/scratches or anything even. I think the finish is fairly mediocre, nothing special, may flake, may not. Basswood is a very soft wood, so if you want cosmetic beauty (you weirdo, just play the fucking thing :)) you'll have to be careful.

I would depend on it, but I wouldn't gig with no backup, because shit happens.

Never dealt with Ibanez, but they have a bad rep. Whatever.

I've been playing a few years. I also own an Ibanez SF420, a Jasmine Takamine acoustic (with 5-strings, tuned D-G-D-G-G), and a soon-to-arrive Conrad Dan Armstrong copy. I dealt with Dipinto to get this guitar, and he was extremely helpful and knowledgable. Recommended, buy his stuff. Support Dipinto damn you!!! Anyways, I love the guitar. It's my baby. My down-low, noisy indie rocker. If it were stolen, I'd be pissed, but of course I'd mellow out and look for another one. They frequently pop up on EBay cheap, I often ponder dropping another hundred or so to get another Talman model. I don't hate anything about it. It's simple, yet great. I love the way the neck feels. Along with my SF...best two necks I've ever played. EVER. Chunky, yet thinner than a fat-ass boat neck. Anyways, I bought it because I dug the look (previously owned a Fender Jaguar, sold it because I didn't want to bang around a $600 guitar I bought to keep stock. Sold it to a dude in Germany) and I thought it was original...hadn't seen many before. And that's important to me.

So get one if you want one, I did. And I still adore it.

Email me with any questions about the guitar, or my other guitars/gear. If my knowledge (hah) will help you in making a decision, then I'll be glad to offer some insight.

Korean made, 22 frets, same as everyone elses I guess....

Sounds absolutely brilliant now - I replaced the bridge pickup with a Seymour Duncan SH-55 Duncun custom and its absolutely come alive! I've never trusted Ibanez's stock pickups - great guitars, crap pickups. I've owned several Ibanez's and the first thing I've always done is replace them. Now my Talman has a nice bitey classic rock/blues sound - kind of like a Les Paul except with more bottom end, clean or distorted. I play a variety of music, mainly classic rock covers and a bit of Jazz. Actually the stock neck pickup's quite good (did I just say that??) for a warm, clean, booming jazz sound....

I think the star of the show here has to be the neck - nice and fast with a satin finish. I hate glossy over-lacquered necks. I brought my Talman second hand from a local guitar tech so it was really well set up. The trem unit has four springs in it so it sits flush against the body, the action is nice, intonation excellent, and I don't seem to have the same tuning problems everyone else experiences. I've also had the body refinished in black with a purple metallic pearl underneath. Very nice...

I've had it a year and no problems thus far. Time will tell I suppose...... I never gig without a backup!

Never dealt with them personally but I find the techical pages on their website very helpful indeed.

I've been playing for about 20 years now and my current lineup includes this guitar, Fender Strat US std, and a Takamine EF-341SC acoustic. All this (apart from the acoustic) goes into a Peavey Classic 50 2/12 amp with minimal effects used. I brought this guitar as an alternative to the strat sound and I'd say its one of the best value guitars you can get your hands on. If it were lost or stolen, I'd buy another one if it came up at the right price, otherwise I'd buy another of Ibanez's many models second hand. You can't really go wrong with Ibanez's - good solid workhorse guitars at a great price and they're really playable too! Just change the damn pickups!!

My Talman was made in Korea. It looks like a sparkly yellow green color, so I named him Sprinkles. Sprinkles has 22 jumbo frets, solid top. He has two humbucker pickups, a three way selector switch, plus a volume and a tone knob. I'm pretty sure he has passive electronics but with his ego, you'd swear it was active. His body style is similar to a jaguar, but different. He has a tremolo bridge, but no nut locking. I don't use the tremolo bridge anyway.

I like to play a lot of punk. Offspring, Lunachicks, the Crowd, Agent Orange, etc. Noodles from the offspring plays a Talman, and thats one reason why I bought Sprinkles. I switched to Sprinkles from a Samick SG clone, and the first thing I noticed was how much deeper the sound was. There is a major constrast between the two pickups and I like that. I use a Zoom505II pedal and a peavey bandit 112. Everything sounds really great together.

I bought Srpinkles used, but his neck is in top condition. The action is perfect. It feels really low, but there's no fret buzzing or anything. The neck didn't need any adjusting at all. The intonation was a bit off, but thats only because I adjusted the bridge for better use without the tremolo arm.

Like I said, this guitar was used. It does show a bit of wear, but it doesn't feel like its going to fall apart or anything. The hardware and strap buttons are solid, although parts of the hardware are a bit rusty. I always bring a backup when playing gigs, but thats only becasue of occasional string breakage. It's a lot easier to just switch guitars then to try and replace a string during a show.

I've been playing Sprinkles for a few months now, and it's been great. I would definately look for another Talman if it got stolen. It might be cool if it had a single coil pickup in between the two humbuckers. Well, actually. . . I wouldn't want to be too much like Noodles.

see other reviews. its all the same.. made in korea. bla bla....

i play old school punk rock, and experimental rock. Im using a Tech 21 XXL and Boss HyperMetal plugged into a peavy classic chorus 212. The sound of the guitar is flat, dull, and did suit my learning times.. but now its over. after using it for 5 yrs, i gotta to change my guitar cause i find it to be really dull. i hate the hang of it. the look is cool, but dont get fooled by it. the pickups sound awfull. the bridge is crappy, it always needs retuning, and all the screws are loose because the wood of the body is cheap. i have tried other guitars, and this one is good for a beginner ONLY. never buy one if you seek a rich sound cause you will be strongly deceived. BUT if you only have a few bucks and are looking to learn the guitar, then its a good choice, ibanez still makes good guitars. only you will hate this one after a while. believe me. i wouldnt dare changing the pickups cause its the whole guitar i find to be dull. all parts are shitty.

poor quality wood!!! the set up at the factory may be good, but the parts used are bad. pickups. bridge, frets, tuning keys, the plastic thingy that holds the strings at the top of the fretboard. everything is shitty about it. oh! and the pickups keep unscrewing!!! they fall inside the guitar.. always need to remove pickguard to place them back, TOTALLY SUCKS

i wouldnt dare taking it on stage. im afraid it would fall apart. and i already had to redo the wiring inside once cause the electronics are badly done. thought the finish is really good, it wont wear off easily.. but who cares.. looks isnt important. the strap buttons have fell off too. i hade to stick them with duct tape! lol i would only use it on a gig as a third backup.

no idea.

i have played for 8 yrs. and i would never buy another TC420 again!! i like the shape. i hate everything else about it. compared to a fender telecaster, the talman is a piece of rotted shit. Who wants to buy? im selling it lol

Im not sure of the year on this, 22 frets, made in Korea. bah, every review above this has the exact same specs.. everything seems pretty decent in the features dept. not decked out with great stuff, but it seems solid. No reason for a fishman pickup, coil splitting, etc. anyways.

I use this guitar mostly for playing overdriven sounds and it has a decent jazz sound as well. I use a Laney gh150c head with a 4x12 80w celestion cabinet. At first the thing would not stop feeding back with even the slightest bit of distortion.. it was absolutely awful, If anyone else is having this problem.. and by the looks of it.. many of you are... Pot your pickups or take em to the shop and have them potted, its definetly worth it. Took me about 2 hours and a few dollars in wax. It sounds great now. If the pickups were potted at the factory this would be an easy 10, but considering most people arent gonna unsolder their pickups and dip em in hot wax for a couple hours to make em sound good it gets a 6

The paintjob is great. solid clearcoat, everything lines up well. no buzz, great action. Damn thing wont stay in tune, but new tuners are in order for this thing.. I would have to say that if you're looking for a great playing, cheap guitar that you actually want sink an extra 100 bucks into, you'll definetly come out on top of the deal.

I would feel comfortable playing this live, mainly because of the good sound it produces, but I would bring along a backup incase of a string breaking, Its absolutely a bitch to restring any guitar with a floating bridge. My samick artist series would be sitting beside it. built like a brick shit house, and can suprisingly reproduce about any sound you'd like with 3 lipstick pickups.. although not as cost efficient as the ibanez.

N/A

If it were stolen I'd definetly look into another one.. but I wouldn't look forward to potting the pickups and replacing the tuners. These are my only 2 gripes. Everything else is great.

Mine is gloss black with white pickguard--Basswood body-rosewood/maple neck---2 humbuckers--whammy bar. Neck is extremely smooth and fast-

Mainly play metal/classic rock--Bon Jovi-Rhoads--AC/DC. Play it thru a Fender Frontman 15G. Sound is excellent- Dark and full.Quiet humbuckers. For some reason finger tapping really sounds good on this guitar.

Guitar was recommended and set-up by an area pro. This guitar is a dream to play. Finish is excellent-frets beautiful.

Guitar is tough--it fell a couple times and no problem--Heavy whammy bar action will knock it out of tune somewhat.

Have not had to deal with Ibanez but nothing has gone wrong.

It's playability-tone and classic looks will make this guitar a classic. I have already seen a lot of people looking for these on the web. I don't know why Ibanez stopped making them- It won an award for the most innovative guitar of 1995!!