Ibanez

Ibanez is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki was one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass-produce the seven-string guitar and eight-string guitar. Created a little over sixty years ago Ibanez has achieved a lot already in their span and currently has left more than 130 acoustic models, 300 + electric and around 160 bass models in their legacy.

They are one of Japanese companies which significantly shaped the instrument import industry. They began making Spanish-style acoustic guitars under the Ibanez Salvador name their modern era guitars came in the late '50s. They soon came into their own with their Iceman and Roadstar series and were flourishing by the time the '70s ended. The company had close ties with Steve Vai which also helped considerably.

They offer 2 main solid body styles the RG (24 fret standard, thicker body) and the S (22 frets, thinner. ) Other styles incorporate arched tops. The majority of their guitars are floating tremolo but there are some fixed bridge options. They have a range of pickup combinations. They also produce many signature series lines Joe Satriani JS series, JEM and Universe with Steve Vai, the K7 with Head and Munky to name a few. The Ibanez brand is subdivided into Custom, Prestige, Premium, and Gio their budget series line.

The Ibanez John Scofield models (the JSM100, JSM10 and JSM20) are a great choice if looking for a versatile semi-hollow body guitar capable of switching easily between different genres, but still possessing a classic warm jazz tone. In terms of price, the JSM100 certainly isn’t an entry-level instrument, but the JSM10 and JSM20 models come in at a lower price point

Ibanez’s best-selling arch-top guitar of all time is their George Benson GB10 model, designed to Benson’s exacting specifications. The floating GB special pickups sit on top of the body of the guitar, producing a superb warm jazz tone, and the instruments ebony neck was chosen to deliver rich sustain. It’s a beautifully made instrument, crafted from high-quality woods, and this versatile laminate-top guitar whose size sits somewhere between a semi-hollow and large arch-top guitar.

Positive:

• Epic range of stock.
• Solid/hollow bodied.
• Their high-end guitars are absolutely unbelievable.
• Great craftsmanship.
• They have a range of low priced entry-level instruments.

Negative:

• Better models will set you back.
• Some people feel the signature models are gimmicky.

Brand origin: Japan

Website: https://www.ibanez.com/asia/