Artcore United AS193,AG195,AF195

[toms_korber]

Now that our dear Cappy has finally answered the question of how few Artcore United AS193, AG195 and AF195 actually exist (in this thread: http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/index.php?topic=12060.0) I think these models deserve an ICW thread of their own!
So welcome to

Artcore United Collector's World! 

Maybe we can make this thread a one-stop reference point (I'll try and put in links to all other relevant posts on ICW in the next couple of days).

So, tell us all about your Artcore United - where you found her, how much you paid, what you like (and maybe dislike) about her, post a pic or let us know whether you want to buy one or (don't you dare! ) sell one!


OK - here's the thread where I posted about my lucky find last summer:
http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/index.php?topic=6036.msg65599#msg65599

[wildfield]

Whoa, did not know there were so few made.  Thanks for asking the question and posting a link to the answer.

I purchased an AG195 new from an e-tailer (Guitar Trader) in June of 2005.  I ended up selling it a few months later; felt guilty that I had so many guitars.  A few months after selling it, I had seller’s remorse so I started to search for another.  Unfortunately, no retailers seemed to have them anymore.  I ended up finding another AG195 on e-Bay.  Fortunately the BIN price was $750 which seemed like a fair price at the time.  When I received it, the guitar had problems…here’s a link to a thread I started to document my saga:  http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/index.php?topic=5781.0

I guess I have owned this AG195 for about 2 years now.  This guitar was supposed to be a temporary guitar until I received my custom Holst but it has become my every day work horse.  The finish is very durable and I do not have to worry much about dings and scratches.  I had the frets leveled by a local repairman a while back and it plays like butter.  I replaced the pickups with Seymour Duncan 59’s (w/gold covers), replaced the tuners with gold grovers with ebony buttons and I replaced the tailpiece with one from an AF105.

To know that only 75 were ever made/sold makes this special guitar seem even more special.  Thanks again for the information.

[acetan]

I think this is the thread that started it all.

http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/forum/index.php?topic=4361.0

[toms_korber]

Two thoughts:

1. I hope the rarity of the Artcore United doesn't make them 'collector's items' (preferably as a 3-set like the Destroyer/Rocket-Roll/Moderne) that end up locked away in some vault instead of being played!

2. Does anyone know anything about the genesis of them? Maybe it was rather accidental, like: 'hey, we've got these surplus Prestige necks lying about - why don't we just slap them onto some cheap chinese bodies?' 

[acetan]

Take a look at this: http://namm.harmony-central.com/WNAMM04/Content/Ibanez/PR/Artcore-United.html

[toms_korber]

Yeah, I know - that's the 'official' story. But maybe it was just like I described it. Or the other way round: 'Let's first see if these Chinese workers can built some decent jazz box bodies before we trust them to make whole guitars for us!' Just conspiracy theory, you know... 

[wildfield]

I hope the rarity of the Artcore United doesn't make them 'collector's items' (preferably as a 3-set like the Destroyer/Rocket-Roll/Moderne) that end up locked away in some vault instead of being played!

I guess it is possible but mine is getting some pretty rigorous play time.  That means at least 1.3% of the AG195's sold is seeing some action.

[ChuckE99]

Here's a nice AS193 on eBay:

Ebay Item Number #320239359294

[toms_korber]

I'm really anxios to see how high this one will go - now that the cat is out of the bag...

Good thing he won't ship outside Canada & US - so I won't even think of buying her. Besides, that would be enormously unfair to those of you guys who don't have one... 

Chuck - forget about those Chinese Artcores - THIS is the one you want! Sell some other guitars if you have to - I promise, you won't regret it!

[ChuckE99]

Actually, this is the one I want, but I can't afford it right now:

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/msg/635926161.html

It's a 1978 2629:

[toms_korber]

$900?!?! - hey, that's only 600 Euros these days! Sounds like a bargain to me!
I guess this craiglsist thing isn't working outside the US...

(Since the 2629 can be regarded as the grandmother of the AS193 I won't accuse you of hijacking this thread...  )

[daveh]

Here's a nice AS193 on eBay:

Ebay Item Number #320239359294

A while back there was one on ebay that was one number before or after mine. I'll have to check to see how close this one is, but considering the production numbers, it shouldn't be too far away!

[toms_korber]

Sold for ONLY $980 
Seems like people on eBay aren't readig ICW... 
Maybe he would have got more if he'd been willing to ship to Europe, given the bad exchange rate (or good, if seen from this side of the pond)...

This one has an F-serial nr. (= June). Mine's got an F, too. Maybe, if we get some more we can limit the time frame in which they were built. It could have been as little as 2 or 3 months!

So, please Gentlemen (and Ladies, if there are any), let us know the serial nr. of YOUR Artcore United!
(feel free to leave out the last few digits, because they certainly weren't numbered continiously)

[Juha T]

It is more likely that "F" means Fujigen in this case - Fujigen assembled these - Chinese body + Japanese neck (or was it vice versa). "04" is year (2004) and "08" is month (August), etc, in the serial number of the AS193 on eBay.

 

Juha

[gemberbier]

It is more likely that "F" means Fujigen in this case - Fujigen assembled these - Chinese body + Japanese neck (or was it vice versa). "04" is year (2004) and "08" is month (August), etc, in the serial number of the AS193 on eBay.

 

Juha

You're right, Juha.


Ginger