| Author |
Message |
Harvee
Username: Harvee
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 8:40 pm: | |
Can someone out there tell me if there is such a thing as an Ibanez "john Scofield" signature guitar?
Are they just the AS-200 series, sold in 1986 being promoted by him? Or, is there a specific way to tell the difference, between the signature series and an AR-200, this may be obvious but I've yet to physically see one so I don't know.
Love to get some help on this one from the dedicated Ibanez fans |
Johns
Username: Johns
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 10:17 pm: | |
Harvee:
Yes, there is an actual John Scofield model. It's called the JSM100 and it debuted in 2001. It's not the same as the AS200, but is based on John's favorite '81 model. BTW, the AS200 debuted in 1979.
I was told by an Ibanez employee that the neck profile is based on measurements from Sco's own guitar. Differences from the AS200 include: a compound radius fretboard, Gotoh 510 tuners, no Tri-sound switch, output jack on the side, brass truss rod cover with bug insignia and gibraltar II bridge. Also, the pickguard is black/white rather than the tortoise shell with separate binding. |
Johns
Username: Johns
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Tuesday, February 21, 2006 - 10:53 pm: | |
Harvee:
I forgot that the shape of the JSM100 f-holes are the "modern" style. |
Harvee
Username: Harvee
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 1:08 am: | |
Thanks for the info Johns, the reason for my post is that I've bought what is supposed to be a 1986 AS-200 John Scofield guitar.
I was wondering if what I bought is a 1986 AS-200 or a 1986 John Scofield modelled on the AS-200. It appears it's going to be a AS-200!!! According the above at least. Maybe I should have done some more research, but I hope I'm going to satisfied with what comes anyway! |
Johns
Username: Johns
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 9:05 am: | |
Harvee:
Except for the bridge (his '81 has the ST, the '86 has the Gibraltar II), tuners (his are Velve Tune, yours should be Velve Tune II) and the flame maple direction ('81 most likely horizontal, '86 on an angle), they should be identical.
Up until the JSM100 was introduced, the AS200 was the unofficial "John Scofield" model. This was an honor bestowed by the fans and not Ibanez. I'll bet that John now gets a financial remuneration for every JSM100 model sold because it bears his name.
If your guitar is anything like my 2 AS200s, you should be very happy. The AS200 has an excellent reputation that is well-deserved. |
Harvee
Username: Harvee
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, February 22, 2006 - 5:03 pm: | |
Again thankyou for the information mate, it's appreciated.
Where would you suggest I try,(site/s)to get a look at the hardware you mentioned above, so I can do a comparison? |
Johns
Username: Johns
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Thursday, February 23, 2006 - 2:57 pm: | |
Harvee:
You can go to http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/index.htm and look at catalog pages for the years 1978 thru 2002.
To look at the current parts catalog for JSM100, try here:
https://cs.hoshinogakki.co.jp/i-public/faces/Login00.jsp |
Harvee
Username: Harvee
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Saturday, February 25, 2006 - 6:47 pm: | |
Checked out the 1986 catalogue and the guitar I'm getting is the same as this with the selector switch, I presume is for coil tapping?
While the catalogue shows John leading into the semi acoustic section, I guess it's only highlighting he plays one of these and not endorsing these as a signature guitar!
I'm hoping this is a good one I've bought even though it now seems certain this is not a signature guitar.
Thanks for taking the time to set me straight on this mate, appreciated the assistance. |
Johns
Username: Johns
Registered: 02-2001
| | Posted on Sunday, February 26, 2006 - 11:38 am: | |
Harvee:
The switch is a Tri-sound for standard humbucking, single coil and parallel.
Let us know what you think of it when you get it.
I jammed with my '79 AS200 last night for about 5 hours. I brought my S3040, too, but never picked it up. |
Harvee
Username: Harvee
Registered: 11-2005
| | Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 10:01 pm: | |
Well it's arrived and while it's nice to play I'm a bit disappointed with it. It has several really bad finish cracks that really spoil the looks of the guitar. (And I might add weren't mentioned in the description - funny about that!)
I guess that's the chance you take on eBay, I just knew someone was going to stiff me one day and they did - big time!!
It's been a while since I played a 335 but I recall the neck was a bit chuncker that the AR200.
Thanks a lot for your feedback Johns, it was appreciated, I'm sure in time I'll get over this and the guitar's qualities will allow me to overlook it's appearance. |
Mandocaster
Username: Mandocaster
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Sunday, March 05, 2006 - 10:30 pm: | |
I haven't seen your guitar, but I think finish checks are noble mojo on a 20 year old guitar. of course there are limits to everything...
like if it was advertised as mint. |
Phatphred
Username: Phatphred
Registered: 03-2006
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 1:40 pm: | |
So, big deal that Ibanez finally made it official that there is such a thing as a John Scofield guitar. If Sco can pick and choose, why does he still use his '81 one? The answer, my friends, is in the build quality and materials, and these can't be recreated at today's prices. The Japanese craftsmen of old are now locked into living a post-economic miracle dream and have priced themselves out of their own market. Would you prefer a Prestige neck or one that was hand-finished by one of those guys? Artstar are made in Korea and Artcore in China, where the Japanese find cheaper labour, but it still only makes economic sense to use these production centres if the process is streamlined and automated as far as possible. Semi-acoustics are the hardest guitars to build and just need lots of personal attention. It's not that they don't build 'em like they used to, it's that they can't afford to.
I found a 1980 As200, with the Artist headstock and real F holes on eBay and I'm loving it. I used to have a 1995/6 Artstar AS200 and whilst it was awesome, it just doesn't compete. This guitar uses the Super 70's pickups, which are sweet, warm, growl, percussive, anything.
That tri-sound switch is, in my humble opinion a big asset for headroom when comping in a lot of real-life playing and recording situations and, when mixed with the bridge pickup adds colours that you can cheekily use effectively in soloing. So a big minus for it not to be on the JSM 100.
I was told last February by my local big guitar store that they couldn't get hold of them right now, but a JSM 100 would be available next May for me to try out.
Now I've found the real thing, I've now told them not to bother. |
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