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Bobby E. Day Jr.
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:04 am:   

So I buy a 540S that I found in a pawnshop for $75 which was a basket case. One tremolo mount hole was not even round anymore and the trem sat crooked in it's slot. Besides a lot of battle scares, a nice size 1/2 inch piece that was gouged out of the face, and someone had painted it primer black.
Anyway, after a long process of thinking about the color it should become, and how much it will cost me, I bought a can of this Krylon flexstone splatter paint that come with it's own finish in the box. A little J B Weld in the pivot hole to make it straight, a lot of sanding, and a few days later it's back with a new life. The color is called Onyx White, and it looks sweet with my Fred Dimarzio I put in the bridge position. I had it up and running though a small Silverton tube amp I have last night and it sound great. Tonight is the big run, thought the Marshall JCM 900 SLX and Digitech RP3. This will be the final set-up. So if you got an old Ibanez that needs some new colors, don't pay the price that their getting for a refinish. With the stoneflex, it maybe a little rough, but you'll never have to polish again!
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The Tone Zone
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:04 am:   

ive had some experience with that flextone before and have found that after time it does wear off so plan on buying a few more cans. something that does work MUCH better and is exactly what the flextone was based on is called ZOLOTONE, it is an industrial finish often used in truck beds, i sprayed it myself for years. so i just thought i'd drop a line to tell you that if and when the finish rubs off dont waste the cash on the expensive flextone, for just about 2ce the price you can buy a quart at your local automotive paint retailer and that should do a much better job and about 7-10 guitars providing you can find someone with a cheap spraygun and air compressor. should you be interested in totally refinishing the guitar someday, i wrote a piece on step by step using auto paints. you can contact me at my email addy

mike TheToneZone@hotmail.com
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Bobby E. Day Jr.
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:04 am:   

Thanks for the response Mike. I'm sure you're right about the stoneflex wearing off after awhile, but since I'm the only one handling my axe, it sould last me for a couple years. Next time I will take your advice and maybe even put gloss finish on it. But for now, this guitar plays like a dream. It "is" a USA model, and I just can't put it down! The body seems like a real quality piece of wood. I've owned a JS 1000 before for a brief amount off time, and this axe sounds just as cool. If you've seem the original cover from "Not of this Earth", you've seen my guitar. Long live Ibanez!
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mainframe
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:04 am:   

Bobby,
USA model? The only Ibanez made in the USA were the USA Custom models, and they were RG type guitars, so I'm not sure what you mean by that. Maybe it's because it has the Bensalem address on the neckplate. That doesn't mean anything, chances are it is Japanese made...

I had a guitarist that put flextone on his guitar and it did nothing but eat the tone. But to each his own...
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The Tone Zone
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:04 am:   

that isn't a S series ibanez, it's a P series, i used to own one back in the day.

as for flextone eating tone, well, you bought it for 75 bucks, slap a dimarzio evolution in it and it will be louder than hell and tone won't matter that much, just turn it into a shredder.

mike
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mainframe
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:04 am:   

That's true about the Flextone. If it's a shred monster, it won't matter.

My guitarist put it on his stripped down Carvin V-220 and then wanted to play clean stuff. Not the smartest guy I've known. It looked really cool though, just didn't sound good clean. But now that I really think about it, it didn't sound that good when it had the factory Pearl White finish on it....

Humm.... Disregard that comment...
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Bobby E. Day Jr.
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:04 am:   

Oh well, even if it's not a USA, that's cool. The reason I buy Ibanez anyway is because of the outstanding value! I just was wondering why Ibanez would put U.S. all over their guitars and have them really be imports? Go figure. I compared the guitar with my RG570 last night, (it has and EVO) and was totally shocked. The 540 has a FRED, and sounds much more like a "lead" guitar. The RG sounded almost like a mahogony bodied guitar. A lot more depth and bass. I think it's great that I've got to totally different sounding Ibanez's, for a total price with pickups of about $600. Thanks for the info. though. It's really great to see that their are others as interested in Ibanez electrics like I am. My girlfriend thinks that it's not healthy. Wrong! Like the song says, "For those about to Rock...."
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mainframe
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:04 am:   

Bobby,
I never understood why they put the Bensalem address on thier neckplates. Jackson does it too with their old Professionals. They had a Texas address on the plate when it came from Japan. It is strange....

Glad you like your Ibanez. They are one of the best values on the used guitar market today. I've loved everyone I've owned. I only have one now. A UV7, the black and green UV, I love that guitar! Nevermind what your girlfriend says, a love of Ibanez is totally healthy! Maybe not too your checkbook but healthy none the less!!!
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The Tone Zone
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:04 am:   

WHEN I FIRST MET MY GIRLFRIEND SHE ASKED ME WHAT A VAN HALEN WAS, WHEN WILL THEY EVER LEARN?
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mainframe
Posted on Friday, October 08, 2004 - 11:04 am:   

My wife didn't know Ozzy sang for Black Sabbath when we first met. She did know Van Halen though, she was and still is totally in love with David Lee Roth... What can you do?

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