2700 series Artist

[Dave_G (Dave_G)]

I am looking for any Info on this series of neck thru guitars.production numbers models etc, especially if there are any catalog scans..  

Any fans of these guitars ? (other than me)

[Johns (Johns)]

 Dave:

Wow, that's some collection of neck-thrus! I never realized there were 2 Artist models. It looks like one has Tri-sounds and the other has an EQ, correct? Is that an MC500 on the right?

What are the serial numbers on these? Most of the time I've seen them in aluminum flight cases. Is that your experience, too?

Come on guys, let's hear more about these beauties.

[Orval (Orval)]

 search the archives, i researched this model a  
couple of years ago

[Johns (Johns)]

 OK, here's one message thread about it: Vintage & Custom Electrics: Artist/Musician??

Orval, care to share any of the specs from the literature with us? Do you know what year(s) they were available?

[Dave_G (Dave_G)]

 John..you are correct-these are real nice guitars, all 1977 vintage, with tow of them within 12 units on the production line !-the pickups are a bit thin, but all-in-all these are real FINE.  There is not much information out there about these. I think that this version "became" the Musician MC500-Like the one in the picture.  I have always wondered wy Ibanez didn't make a fancier version of this neck thru with position marker inlays-a la a 2619-would have looked Awesome !
All four of the Artists came with the Aluminum Flight case and I imangine these were fairly expensive in 1977..
Thats all the info I have

[Orval (Orval)]

 These two, the eq model 2700, and the standard
model 2710 were called Artist Custom Series, only
offered in 1977 Artist Mini Catalog and not in the full
size Artist catalog. They were seen in one 1978 pricelist
at $855 and $1065 w/c. (Of course, we know that the
musician was introduced in 1978. The musician had both
super 77 and 88 pickups that were adaptations of the
super 70 and super 80.)

The artist custom guitars were equipped with the new
super 88 pickups, and a hand made artist brass truss rod cover
that would not be seen again for a few years until the
brass beauty was introduced. the neck was made of
seven pieces of rock maple and walnut and ran completely
through the body. also to note is that the body has no
bindings which was a striking variation from any artist offered
to date and would not be repeated until the entry level
artists were offered a couple of years later. Would this
make it the only artist with the neck through design?

     i remember when i found my 2710, i thought it
might be a frankenstein guitar that someone made
out of a musician. The brass trussrod said artist and the body
shape was artist, but the lack of bindings and the super 88
pickups were puzzling. I was very cautious about buying it
from the store where it hung, leaving it there for over a year
before paying out a paltry $140 usd, they had been asking $300
but because they had it so long, and were offering a sale price.
I later found the catalog and learned the whole story. Interesting
to note that the EQ model has a lower catalog number than the  
Standard verson. And so goes the story of the first artist custom.

[Dave_G (Dave_G)]

 Oval..Thanks for the info...

[Maniac (Maniac)]

 Dave,

VERY impressive lineup of those !
Where did you get the 12 made info ?

I have one also that came with the aluminum case and it is in excellent condition.

I only wish I had found it at a price like Orval (Orval, you were hesitant at $300.00? must have been years ago..)

Mine came from a Canadian fellow and has been sitting in the case for most of the time I've owned it.

This is one of the guitars that I had hoped the "Ibanez Anniversary Book" would have shed some light on....

Good stuff !
Maniac

[Dave_G (Dave_G)]

 Mike-I din't mean that only 12 were made, what i ment to say is that by sheer conincidence two of these guitars have serial numbers that are only 12 digits apart indicating they were made ON THE SAME DAY, most likely AT THE SAME TIME ! I purchased those two nearly TWO YEARS apart -one from your pal in Lamberville and one from Oregon !

[Munch (Munch)]

 Mike,

Am I to infer from your comments that the "Ibanez Book" has finally been published?

Thanks,

Mark

[Meranti (Meranti)]

 I have two price lists (Summer Sales) from a music shop in London dated July 1978 and July 1979. The models were listed (in pounds sterling)as follows:

2700-P = 520.25 (1978)(not on list in 1979)
2700 with EQ = 470.50 (1978), 553.00 (1979)
2710 one piece neck & body = 442.50 (1978)   520.00 (1979)

For comparison, the Musician MC-500 was listed at 482.00 Pounds Sterling RRP in 1979.  

Anyone has any idea what the 2700-P stands for?  

May I say, these are heavy guitars.


Regards,
Meranti

[Orval (Orval)]

 wasnt the uk distribution Summerfield?

[Maniac (Maniac)]

 Hi Dave,
Sorry for my misunderstanding ! That is very cool to find guitars on opposite coasts that were made so close together and getting them into your stable.
Great collection of these you have !
Bob from Lambertville is a very nice guy and has some very nice guitars.

Munch, I was making the book comment because it HASN'T shown up yet ! I dying to see this @!## book.

Maniac

[Meranti (Meranti)]

 Orval, I think you are right that the distributor is Summerfield. However, the price list I have was from a dealer called Chappell's located at Bond Street. They used to have these summer sales and I have the 78 and 79 catalogues. Still remember the time when the lawsuit models were last sold there and there were lots of them on display. I remember the sales guys saying that these were the last as Ibanez were not making them anymore.  

However, as the catalogue was introducing the new Ibanez models, (Artists, Musicians etc) on the same page they were advertising the "CSL" brand of copies which I beleive were made in the same factories for around 100 pounds sterling. It would therefore indicate that Ibanez did stop producing the copies but not the other brands yet.

I am still curious as to what the 2700-P stands for and hopefully the Ibanez book will shed some light. It appears that there has been a lot of re-checking the facts and I heard from JD that it is in the final stages now.


Regards,
Meranti

[Mr_Roadstar (Mr_Roadstar)]

 Perhaps the "P" stands for "passive" to differentiate it from the EQ model?

Cheers
Steve