JB Player Artist Series

I have not clue of the year or model number, nor do I know where these are made. It is an interesting guitar. It is about the size of an old Ibanez AS series small-bodied semi-hollow guitar. Double cutaway with bolt-on neck. But the body is chambered with one f-hole. The back of the body had been rounded. There is a creme binding on the body and neck (not the headstock), with a light tobacco sunburs color. Mahogany body with a maple top with nice grain. The electronics are Les Paul/335 style. The bridge tail-piece set is the tunomatic type. Hardware is gold with the gold wearing away gradually. The neck is mahogany with a rosewood fingerboard. Frets are medium jumbo, very nice for bending notes. Very light guitar.

The guitar plays nicely and suits a particular aspect of my playing that I don't get in my other guitars. The pickups do not have the output of my Hamer and Ibanez (both humbucking guitars), but have a clarity and definition I have been missing without having to comprimise and go to non-P90 single coils. It is suited well for jazz, blues, and the praise and worship with lush reverbs and chorus. It is a quiet guitar. I don't like the bolt-on neck, but that is a comprimise I can live with. If feels so light I'm afraid I'll break it.

I don't know about the factory set-up. It is set-up the way I like it. I strum hard and use heavier strings than most, so I had to adjust the pickup heights and it needs intonation adjustment.

Depending on what I am playing, I would go without a backup, but in some situations, I am not too sure it would meet my total needs, or hold up to hard playing. I feel this way because of its weight and the bolt-on option. I guess I'll find out. the finish however seems heavy enough to do the trick and the hardware seems to be well done. The construction is what I fear.

I don't know. I haven't been able to find the JB Player website and I don't know of any dealers.

i've been playing since 1974 and have played hundreds of guitars. Compared to the high-end guitars it is lacking a lot, but compared to others in its quality range, it is above par. I don't think it is as solid as my Ibanez Les Paul or Hamer SATF. I play it through a Digitech RP2000 and a Vox amp. If it were lost or stolen,I suppose I wouldn't try to replace it for a couple of reasons. 1) I've never seen or heard of another like it. 2) I bought it on a wim in the first place and enjoyed trying it out.

This late 90's SG copy was made in Korea. It features 2 no name humbuckers, tune-o-matic bridge, stop bar, cheapo vintage tuners. The bound rosewood fret board is completely flat, and contains 21 frets, and block inlays. The controls are basic: 3-way selecter, 2 volumes, 2 tones. I know nothing about the wood, but have been told that it's maple. The finish is a deep heritage cherry. Very sweet. The pick-guard is the 61' (half) type.
This guitar smacks of character. It certainly is an attention grabber.

This could be the only category that the guitar suffers in. While the sound is better than many copies, it's awfully weak. It lacks the growl and sustain of Gibsons. The neck pickup is fairly muddy sounding, while the bridge pickup doesn't have enough bite. I play metal (Metallica, Black Sabbath) a little blues, and just about anything from the 70's. This guitar sounds a little tame for metal, but it's perfect for 70's rock.

The finish on the guitar is a deep, rich heritage cherry. No flaws in the finish at all. The action and pickups were adjusted very nicely at the factory. I had to adjust the bridge a little for 10-49 strings, but thats the only adjustment I've needed to make.
The only flaw in the workmanship is a piece of th fretboard looks like it had fallen out and been super-glued back in. It was probably a knot in the wood. Feels fine though.

The hardware seems solid enough. The finish on the back of the neck is a little thin, so lean it on it's strings and frets. I'm sure it could withstand a gig. I don't gig, but it's sturdy enough to gig without a backup. By the way, no strap locks needed. The buttons on this baby are wide enough for any strap.

Never needed them. Can't even find a website.

I've been playing for a year and a half, and I love this guitar. I've owned a Squier Strat and a BC Rich Platinum Warlock. This guitars range of tones surpasses them both. I'm currently playing it through a Crate Envoy 110 and a Squier Champ 15.
I love the thin, narrow neck. Great for smaller hands.
I hate the way the fretboard collects grime. It's a dirt magnet.
It's an ideal guitar for newer players that can appreciate the different tones a guitar can offer.
If it were stolen? I'd probably get a Gibson SG. This guitar has hooked me on the SG shape for life.