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paul
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:03 am:   

a friend has recently aquired an 1970's ibanez
moderne copy. any info on this model. is it
common? anyone know how many were produce
JohnS
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:03 am:   

Paul:

Compared to the other 2 "korina" copies (explorer and flying V), it's a lot less common. However, there are probably more Ibanez "copies" of the Moderne than there are "original" Gibsons.

Can't tell you how many were produced. Hoshino/Ibanez is a very quiet company regarding production facts and figures. So, it would be a useless guess. In fact, many stories about models where "only a few were ever produced" have been debunked.

BTW, it's not real korina wood. All I've seen are ash. All in all, it's a very a cool guitar.
JohnS
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:03 am:   

Paul:

I just came across one on GuitarBase.com. Here's the URL:

http://www.gbase.com/guitar_picture.asp?guitar=144284

I think $1500 is high, tho.
Mark Munchenberg
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:03 am:   

John,

You'd be right in guessing there are more Moderne replicas out there than bona fide Gibson Modernes. The reason is because Gibson never ever put the Moderne into production. Some prototypes were made but were considered too far out to be commercially viable. There are unsubstantiated rumours that a small number were sold in 1958 but most found have been proved to be fakes.

I think that Ibanez was pretty courageous to commercialise the Moderne, but of course they did it in the '70's, not the '50's.

Mark
spiro
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:03 am:   

Gibson actually produced a limited run of the moderne in 1983.. There are maybe a couple of 1958 protoypes but thats it
JohnS
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:03 am:   

Spiro:

Is it difficult to tell an '83 from a '58?

BTW, have you been getting my replies to your emails?

JohnS
Mark Munchenberg
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:03 am:   

Spiro and John,

I didn't know about the '83 production run. None of the books I have mention it.

Mark
Harry
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:03 am:   

Hi Spiro, John, Mark
I noticed your discussion on the Gibson Moderne. This is what I know about it: Gibson never seems to have produced the original Moderne, but maybe some prototypes were made. Nobody seems to know if they actualy left the factory and under what name. In '83 Gibson made 500 Modernes, but they were slightly different from the original design; the pickguard was much smaller. The Ibanez version of the Moderne comes much closer to the original, because it has a big pickguard,similar to the '58 Gibson design. But on the other hand is the Ibanez headstock's shape not faitful to the original. Ibanez Modernes have the regular "open book"-shape, while the original Gibson design showed a kind of a-symmetrical tri-angeled shape that is also used on the '83 Gibson re-issue. You might get the best possible replica from the original '58 design by joining a '83 Gibson Moderne neck and a '76 Ibanez Moderne body.
Greetings, Harry
spiro
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:03 am:   

here is a photo of the 1983 Gibson moderne...

Still think they are quite ugly guitars...:
gibson moderne
Mark Munchenberg
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:03 am:   

Spiro,

You got that right. Modernes are HORRIBLE. Just look at that headstock. It makes a Dean headstock look elegant. Imagine how hard it would be to tune up with those 4 "string guides".

I think Ibanez did the right thing in putting the Les Paul headstock on it. I'm sure they just couldn't bring themselves to put that poo shovel on there.

Mark
Mark Munchenberg (Munch)
Posted on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 12:02 am:   

John,

Just how rare and valuable are these Ibanez Modernes??

I came across one in a pawn broker's shop today for $649 - about $330 USD. However it has had a hard life. Here's a summary:

- Original gold tuners
- lawsuit headstock with some dings in it
- slight twist in the neck
- very badly corroded gold hardware
- bridge pickup replaced with a Seymour Duncan
- jack plate mangled
- numerous dings and chips in body
- relocated strap buttons with old holes left bare
- set neck
- 2 piece laminate body
- scratchplate correct and in good condition

This guitar does not meet my minimum standards for condition by a long shot, however, It jumped of the wall at me because I've never seen one in the flesh before.

If I were to buy it, and I wouldn't pay more that $400 ($204USD) for it, would you advise to leave it in its present state or restore it??

Personally I'd like to restore it but this could negatively affect its value. I guess I'm wondering if its worth much in its present state anyway, if not, I might as well restore it.

Thanks for any help you may be able to give me.

Cheers,

Mark
JohnS
Posted on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 2:04 pm:   

Mark:

I have no production numbers to go by. Just the frequency of sightings compared to the other 2 members of the "Korina Trinity".

I'll guess the following ratios:
Vees to Destroyers: 2 to 1
Destroyers to Modernes: 4 to 1
So Vees to Modernes would be: 8 to 1

The more I think about it, 8 to 1 might be conservative. 10 to 1, maybe?

The way I see it, any guitar that can be salvaged and is cheap enough, is a candidate for restoration. It is a shame that this rare item was abused.
Mark Munchenberg (Munch)
Posted on Friday, March 09, 2001 - 10:13 pm:   

John,

Thanks for the feedback. You right, it is a shame it was abused. I think that it is a worthy candidate for restoration. Even though a rest'n may negatively impact value, I would have the double satisfaction of bringing something back from the dead and owning something very rare.

I've been thinking about this guitar most of the night, and I've decided to go for it. I'll take some before pics and post them on the board.

I still think it's an ugly guitar - but what the hey!!!

Cheers,

Mark
Steve Kellett
Posted on Saturday, March 10, 2001 - 7:28 am:   

The description of the one you found sounds like my own Futura. It has an excuse, it's been played since '78 when I bought it! The gold disappeared from the pickups & hardware by the mid 80's. I got a set of NOS pickups from a store here in Kuala Lumpur, but can't bring myself to replace all the gold plated components 'cos it wouldn't look like "my" guitar any more! I used to gig it with a Rock band in the (very) early 90's and it's get a cheer every time I straped it on. People associated me with it (we're talking a few tens of individuals, and Lancastrian headbangers at that, but "people" is still the closest collective noun I can think of :) ). Anyhow, how I found the the replacement pickups is a strange tale: There's an old Chinese-run Music store here in KL called Woh Fatt and they've been in business forever. Apparantly some time ago they picked up some bankrupt stock from a store somewhere, and it incuded a lot of boxes of mid-70's Ibanez hardware. Jaguar control plates, Super 70 pickups, LP Recording pickups, mini humbuckers. I couldn't believe it, and have already supplied some of the min-buckers to friends in the States! I would really love to go and search through their warehouse, God alone knows what might be lurking there!
Mark Munchenberg (Munch)
Posted on Monday, March 12, 2001 - 12:05 am:   

John,

I went back to buy the Moderne on the weekend and found myself caught between desire and rationality.

Firstly, the shop would not negotiate lower than $500 - I wouldn't pay more than $400. Secondly, I found that it had been refretted with the biggest frets on a guitar I have seen. Thirdly, the refret wasn't a super clean job and the nut was in need of replacement too.

In the end I walked and left it sitting there. The guitar needed a complete ground up restoration, frets and all. To me it just was not worth the money. It would have been a great project, but not worth the eventual cost. If I could have bought it for around $200, things might be different.

Oh well, another rare guitar is left to die a slow and painful death.

Regards,

Mark
JohnS
Posted on Monday, March 12, 2001 - 1:25 pm:   

Mark:

Tis a shame.

We shall run the flag at half master, here at ICW.
PS10 (Spiro)
Posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2001 - 6:11 pm:   

give me details I may pick it up....
Mark Munchenberg (Munch)
Posted on Tuesday, March 13, 2001 - 11:43 pm:   

Spiro,

Sorry but the guitar is gone. I went to look at it today for you and it was sold yesterday. The guy says he got $535 for it.

Seems like there must be some other collector out there!

Mark
Steve Kellett
Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 - 3:53 am:   

I only ever saw one other. That was about eight years ago in the UK. Seemed "OK" condition, apart from a home-made black scratchplate. At £175, I passed. I wonder what happened to it?

Cheers - Steve K
Shane P
Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 - 8:01 am:   

Can't help but through my 2 cents in here, that's officially 1 US cent after the flogging our Aussie dollar has copped.I know a bargain is in the eye of the beholder, but I think that $535 for that guitar in that condition is way too much,
even with a set neck.

I regularly see older Ibanez's that appeal to me a lot more than a beat up moderne, and for less dough than that. I, like Mark would have pulled up at $200 tops and wouldn't be losing sleep.It does surprise me that it went that quickly in Perth.Definitely a rare guitar, but if the appeal factor is not there, why bother, just because it's collectible? There are plenty better out there.I recently turned up my nose at a Silver series 70's strat, in very good condition purely because the pawnbroker wanted $700 US$350, just a bit too high.
JohnS
Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 - 5:17 pm:   

Shane:

Many Ibanez prices have been shooting up. So, $350 for Silver Series and Challenger Strats is a pretty good price these days. I won't tell you what I paid for my near mint '77 Challenger. J I'm in the US, btw.
PS10 (Spiro)
Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 - 5:41 pm:   

I saw a sacreligious guitar about a year ago...

It was a Korina Rocket Roll but was painted

METALLIC PINK!!!!

all hardware and everything else was in great condition....

the shop owner wanted $700 AUD for it though....

It hurts......
Shane P
Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 - 6:45 pm:   

Spiro:
that really is a travesty to do that to a beautiful wood like Korina.Is it possible to refinish that back to natural, or does the paint leach into the grain of the wood and it is too hard.

Also I have a question for you, I recently bought an '81 Ar500 which is in very good condition except on the carved top a chip of the lacquer has come out, about 2x3mm and it is the only blemish on the guitar(front anyway) and kind of bugs me.What type of finish did Ibanez use on these guitars,I know it's not nitro cellulose, it seems kind of like a polyurethane type finish.
Is it possible to somehow fill this, as it hasn;t affected the wood underneath.It's like it has just popped out cleanly.
Blues
Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 - 6:52 pm:   

Shane,

May I suggest you try filling the chipped area using "SUPER GLUE"
Super Glue can be applied in a thick manner and blends in very well.

Harold
Blues
Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 - 6:56 pm:   

Shane,

May I suggest you try filling the chipped area using "SUPER GLUE"

Super Glue can be applied in layers until it builds up to blend in with the rest of the guitars finish.

Harold
Steve (Gitfiddle1)
Posted on Wednesday, March 14, 2001 - 7:21 pm:   

Shane,

I've had good results using clear (and colored) nail polish for small spot repairs. Make sure the area is clean first. I use rubbing alcohol followed by nail polish remover. Use the "non-acetone" type to avoid damaging the finish.
Wait at least 30 minutes between coats as you build up the thickness. When the spot is level with or slightly higher than the surounding clear coat, let it sit overnight. You can use a fine polishing compound to blend the spot. I use Wax Shop automotive products. Their "Safe Cut" product is great!
Keep in mind that nail polish is softer than the original finish.

Good luck!
Steve
PS10 (Spiro)
Posted on Thursday, March 15, 2001 - 4:42 pm:   

i do agree with the super glue idea... I have used it on many a guitar and have pretty much had a flawless repair... fill it slowly (many drop fills) dont worry about it going white around the edges as when you sand it back and buff it they will disappear...

I dont think it would be a problem refinishing the Korina.. But I think he wanted to much for it....
Shane P
Posted on Thursday, March 15, 2001 - 6:41 pm:   

Thanks for the advice all. I will go with th super glue idea.i will even post some photos of the repair if I can.

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