NAMM 2006 Report

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Author Message Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Friday, January 20, 2006 - 11:39 pm:    Guys: I'm very, very tired. Too tired to report anything substantial. I'll try to get that tomorrow. Here a picture of a special treat, courtesy of Ibanez: Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 11:08 am:    Everybody got to play the new GB15: First, Harold Wherry, Next, me Finally, endorser David Manley. He was real cool to talk to and an excellent jazz player! Ibanezfreak1960 Username: Ibanezfreak1960 Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 3:20 pm:    Nice John! Why so tired? Having too much fun? Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 6:57 pm:    Nice photo of you and George. Damn, he has a great voice as well as A1 chops. six Guitartim Username: Guitartim Registered: 04-2001 Posted on Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 10:36 pm:    Johns, thanks for the great photos! Keep em coming. Did you ask GB about the new GB15? Did he have anything to do with it's design? I'm kinda liking that 15. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 10:23 am:    I didn't get much time to talk with George. I stood in line for quite a while to see him. I did give him an ICW biz card and told him we would love to have him come by and talk about himself and his guitars. I did ask about the rumour that he personally signed the GB10 labels. He said he thought he signed the first 50, but wasn't positive on that number. I missed that he played with Carol Kaye after the autograph session ended. I was told that someone has a digicam and the footage might make it to Ibanez's site. Harold told me that he saw him at D'Angelico's booth playing with Dave Manley. We'll have to have Harold fill in the details of that encounter. George also stopped by the Ibanez booth on Sat. I happened to walked up behind him while he was getting his picture taken with someone. I wasn't able to catch his eye to say hi again. He was very gracious to sign autographs and have pictures taken with the fans that recognized and then mobbed him on the convention floor. He had to have a friend in his group pull him away after a bit. Otherwise, he'd never make it more than a few steps. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 10:43 am:    Here's Jeff Hasselberger and Tom Tanaka. I got to talk to Jeff some. He said he was very happy and proud that the Cowboy got reintroduced. Maybe we'll see him pop in the forum, but he's still very busy. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 10:48 am:    While we were standing there, Joe Satriani walked up. Of course my camera screwed up the focus. So, here's a really bad photo of Joe: Joe was 10 minutes late for his signing session, so they rushed him on. I didn't get a picture with him, but the guys from Hoshino got him to signed an autograph for me. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 11:28 am:    This young lady is Vikki. She was waiting to talk to Joe after the signing session. She knows Joe thru Steve Vai, she's a friend of Steve's son. While she was waiting (the session would last an hour) she sat down and started to play this new Ibanez model. She needed a pick, I offered her one and we got a chance to talk. She told me that she was backstage for G3 with Yngwie Malmsteen. She's pretty serious about guitar and music. She got one lesson from Steve Vai. We talked about the difference in Malmsteen's style and Joe's. She liked the Ibanez guitars, but she's a Fender girl at heart. Her dad is a jazz drummer, although he doesn't do it professionally anymore. I gave her an ICW biz card and asked her to give it to Joe. I saw her a couple hours later and she said that she gave him the card. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 1:11 pm:    Ever wonder what an Ibanez 8-string guitar might look like? Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 1:23 pm:    This is Matt, a guitar specialist with Hoshino in Bensalem. He worked for Hoshino in Japan before coming to the US. He gave me a guided tour of the complete line and answered any questions I had. He said that the switch on the GB15 is simply a coil tap, no special circuitry. He also said all S series Prestiges are made in Korea. Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 6:43 pm:    Johns, may I ask how you managed to get into NAMM? I thought it was limited to dealers and industry people. I'd love to find a way to go to NAMM. BTW, did you find out where the GB15 and other signature models are being made? Anything still coming from Japan? -Sven Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 7:52 pm:    John, I think you've fallen in love I'd love to visit NAMM one day. I'm real jealous six Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Sunday, January 22, 2006 - 10:54 pm:    Six: I went as the guest of Hoshino. All the GB models, JSM100 and Metheny models are still made in Japan. Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 12:52 am:    I'm still jealous six Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Monday, January 23, 2006 - 11:49 am:    Six: OK, you should be. Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 1:13 am:    six Ibanezfreak1960 Username: Ibanezfreak1960 Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 8:50 am:    John whats the story on that guitar Vicky is playing what is it? Jeffsailor Username: Jeffsailor Registered: 01-2004 Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 9:18 am:    Freak, its an ARC100: http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=ARC100&color=1 js Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 11:36 am:    Jeff is correct. It's made in China, the neck profile is very similar to the regular line of SZs. The ARC300DVS has a flamed maple top and those big abalone rectangular blocks with small white border. It looks VERY nice. One unique feature not mentioned in the website specs is the new Quik Change Ultra tailpiece: "for easier string changes and more accurate fine-tuning". Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2006 - 12:24 pm:    So Ibanez has made the move to Chine with solid bodies now. I'd buy a Prestige version of that ARC in a heartbeat. -Sven Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 3:06 pm:    Here's a group shot of the ARX and ARC line (minus the ARC100 you've already seen). Something retro on the ARX line is the one-piece cloud tail. Unlike the original 1976/1977 version, this one has slots in the front, like a Quik-change tailpiece. This new version is not as beefy as the original. Let's hope the metal doesn't warp like some of the early Quik-Change II tailpieces. The MSRP on the ARX300 and ARC300 is $533.33 with the ARX100 and ARC100 coming in at $399.99. Ibanezfreak1960 Username: Ibanezfreak1960 Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 3:46 pm:    i'm glad to see the old cloud coming back. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 4:25 pm:    Here's the lineup for the Artcore "Custom" series. First welcome back the "old" AF105FNT: And introducing the AS103NT, with the new Quik Change Ultra tailpiece: Here's something cool being done to both of these Chinese made instruments; check out the fret ends. They are rounded so, no more sharp corners! MSRP on both is $973.32 Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 8:17 pm:    "Here's something cool being done to both of these Chinese made instruments; check out the fret ends. They are rounded so, no more sharp corners!" Cool! They'll be up there with Fuji Gen in no time Is this on all models, or only the Customs? -Sven Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 8:19 pm:    BTW John, you look particularly white next to Mr. Benson Brentm Username: Brentm Registered: 03-2005 Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 9:06 pm:    And Vikki looks like Julia Roberts. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 10:27 pm:    Sven: I believe it's only on the Artcore Customs. Definitely a Chinese factory only treatment. But it makes sense to carry the practice to other factories. Yeah, the camera was not cooperating that day. The guy standing behind me took two shots. In both only I am overexposed. Gramatica Username: Gramatica Registered: 07-2005 Posted on Thursday, January 26, 2006 - 10:40 pm:    I thought Vikki has more of a Sandra Bullock look, besides... Julia looks like my ex. *shudder* Peter Captainibanez Username: Captainibanez Registered: 01-2004 Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 3:51 am:    If you want to know the hot goss on Artcore Customs...the gang in China is being tought "how to build guitars" by a selected crew of "masters" from Fujigen. The motto is " if you make a mistake,disassemble and please start again" ! This will answer the question as to why those out there have had to wait so long for their AF105NT orders to come in. Ya Ol Cappy just loves "Old School Japan Guitar Building". It's just so great to see a wonderful legacey being passed on towards the future! Captain Ibanez Ibanezfreak1960 Username: Ibanezfreak1960 Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 7:02 am:    Amen Cappy! Ibanezfreak1960 Username: Ibanezfreak1960 Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 8:51 am:    John did you get to meet up with JD as planned? Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 9:21 am:    Brian: Yes, I spent close to an hour with him. Man is he a busy guy! Which explains why he doesn't get a lot of time to hang out here. We talked about the counterfeit Ibanez problem (apparently it's been around for a while) and the difficulty of identifying some of the really good fakes. Also talked about exchange rates and the problems this creates for factories in one country buying parts from another country. This leads to new parts being developed to satisfy each country's factories. For instance, the Lo-TRS trem = Japanese design used on Japanese made guitars, but the Korean made guitars used the Korean manufactured Lo-TRS II tremolo. An hour was way too short, for sure! Guitartim Username: Guitartim Registered: 04-2001 Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 10:00 am:    John~Your annual NAMM coverage is one of the highlights of this cool site! Keep up the good work. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 12:43 pm:    Tim: Thanks! And I'm not done yet! Here's a group shot of the SA line. Except for the SA2120FM Prestige, these all have the SA set-in neck, SAT Pro bridge, IBZ AHS single coils and IBZ True-Duo bucker in the bridge position. Here's a better shot of the SA2120FM Prestige. It's a flame maple top (not a thin veneer) with mahogany body, 5-piece set-in Prestige neck, jumbo frets, SAT Pro bridge (same as the rest of the SAs) and DiMarzio IBZ humbuckers. Here's the scoop on the new (Pat. Pending) True Duo pickups: Looks like a HB, but is made of 3 coils, two are stacked with 6 Alnico #5 magnets penetrating both coils and are connected in series. The other coil sits on top of a Ferrite magnet. In Full HB mode you get a combo of the Ferrite magnet coil and the top coil of the stacked pair. In True Single Coil mode (pull up on the volume pot), you get just the two stacked coils. Now throw in the 5 position switch to get 7 different combinations (pos. #1: neck SC only, pos. #2: neck & middle SC, and pos. #3: mid SC only, are common to both Full HB and True Single Coil modes). Whew that's a mouthful. Sorry, I didn't get to play any of these, nor hear them. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 12:59 pm:    Here's a really interesting newcomer, the AGS83B. It's an Artcore semi-acoustic out of China, about the size of a GB model with the neck joint at the 17th fret (usual is 14th or so). Has flame maple top/back/sides, width at lower bout is 15-3/4", thickness is 2-5/8", 3 piece Artcore DX set-in neck, large frets, ART1 bridge, ACH1 & 2 pups. Comes in two flat (matte) finishes: ATF, Antigue Burst Flat and TKF, Transparent Black Flat. List price: $599.99. Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Friday, January 27, 2006 - 3:44 pm:    John, so all the SAs have set necks now? and SAT pro bridges? The GB looks really nice too, but I'm not wild about the flat finish, they only look worse over time. Nice direction. I look forward to the day that I pick up Chinese or Korean Ibanez that has the feel of a Japanese one. I almost think the Chinese will get there first. Sixvsix Username: Sixvsix Registered: 03-2002 Posted on Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 2:28 am:    Gotta say I like the single cut ARC series. I think Vikki has sold it to me. Would love to see one with... yep you guessed it, VINES! six Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 1:09 pm:    Here's a closeup of the ARX's Quick Change Classic tailpiece and Gibraltar III bridge. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Saturday, January 28, 2006 - 1:32 pm:    Funkle: Not all the SAs have setnecks. Here's the run-down of necks and bridges: SA2120 = 5 piece SA Prestige set neck, SAT Pro bidge SAS36 = 3 piece SA set neck, SAT Pro bidge SA260 = 3 piece SA bolt neck, SAT Pro bidge SA120 = 3 piece SA bolt neck, SAT Pro bidge GSA60 = GSA bolt neck, SAT 10 bidge Here's a closeup of the SAT Pro bridge/trem: Mr_roadstar Username: Mr_roadstar Registered: 06-2002 Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 12:19 am:    Hey John, Your photo above of the "Old" AF105NT is actually an AF105FNT. Was that a typo? Steve Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Sunday, January 29, 2006 - 10:36 am:    Steve: Yes, that was a typo (I fixed it). Thanks for your diligent proofreading. Just to clarify, both the AF105FNT and AF105NT Customs are back this year. Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 2:20 am:    I did a little research on the new SA2120. It lists at $1733, and has a street price of around $1300, vs. last year's SA2020 which sold for $1000/$750. It is made in Korea, just like the 2020. The only differences I can see are: maple/bubinga neck vs. maple/walnut; white pearl tuning machines, cosmo hardware, and a nicer looking top. Why it is $700 more I don't know. SA Prestige (set-in) neck 5pc. Maple/ Bubinga Neck Material African Mahogany w/Flamed Maple top Body 22/Jumbo frets Bound Rosewood Finger Board SAT Pro bridge DiMarzio IBZ (H) Neck PU DiMarzio IBZ (H) Bridge PU Prestige on 12th Fret Inlay CK : Hardware Color Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 2:20 am:    Here's one John missed. The SZ4020 is a neck-trhough version of the SZ. Prices look to be the same as the SA. SZ Prestige (neck-thru) 5pc. Maple/ Walnut Neck Material Mahogany/ Flamed Maple top Body 22/Medium frets Bound Rosewood Finger Board Gibraltar Custom bridge Seymour Duncan IBZ (H) Neck PU Seymour Duncan IBZ (H) Bridge PU Prestige on 12th Fret Inlay CK : Hardware Color Ibanezfreak1960 Username: Ibanezfreak1960 Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 6:42 am:    Drool! I love the SZ line and these are a sweet addition. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 9:40 am:    Funkle: OK, now you that you've let the cat out of the bag. The SZ4020 is basically the older SZ2020 with a neck-thru design. List price is $1733.32. I can attest to how well constructed these instruments are. At NAMM, the SZ4020 model was sitting on the display about 4.5 - 5 ft. high. Somebody took it down to look at it, went to put it back, but BAM, it fell to the floor! Ouuuchhh! There was a truly awkward moment that seemed to last 30 seconds (but was probably only 5). Everybody was just staring at the guitar, then the guy, then the guitar, then the guy. A salesman (trying to make a deal with a client) finally said: "just put it back". After doing so, the guy slunk off. Later, I went over and inspected the guitar. I couldn't find any sign of damage. The rest of the SZ line stays the same. Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 11:42 am:    John, Sorry if I ruined your finale. The SZ4020 is now up on the Ibanez site, and for sale all over the internet along with the SA2120. I'm impressed with both guitars. Very droolworthy indeed. It's great that Ibanez is finally speccing some nice wood for these Korean models. They obviously have a lot of faith in these guitars to be able to justify this almost double price increase. Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Monday, January 30, 2006 - 1:50 pm:    Funkle: Just ribbing ya! There's so much stuff that's new or cool that I'll never get it all up, now. I'll get some more up, but if anyone has something in particular they want to see, let me know and I'll get to that first. BTW, did I say that all SC, SA and SZ production, including Prestige models are coming from Korea? I can't remember if that holds true for the regular "S" models, but I want to say it does. Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Saturday, February 04, 2006 - 1:46 pm:    John, There are no longer any SC models, are there? Johns Username: Johns Registered: 02-2001 Posted on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 - 3:47 pm:    Here's a video of something that I heard had occurred at the Ibanez booth, but had never seen. Check out 2 Ibanez endorsers jamming: http://www.carolkaye.com/clips/george_carrol_final.wmv Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 - 4:05 pm:    Wow, that Calol Kaye is pretty impressive considering she's officially a bass player. Ibanezfreak1960 Username: Ibanezfreak1960 Registered: 03-2004 Posted on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 - 6:35 pm:    she's jammin on a what looks like an SZ320? Jchester Username: Jchester Registered: 05-2006 Posted on Wednesday, June 28, 2006 - 8:08 pm:    Oh yeah, she's like THE bass player! I don't know exactly what the guitar is, but it sure looks strange to see a great-grandmotherly jazz player, tearin' it up on something like that. BUT... whadaya think's goin' thru the BASS player's mind? Funkle Username: Funkle Registered: 12-2001 Posted on Thursday, June 29, 2006 - 2:00 am:    "BUT... whadaya think's goin' thru the BASS player's mind?" I think it said on Carol's site that he was one of her students

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