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Author Message   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 1-2005 Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 9:57 pm:    ...that NO ONE talks about the AR300 out here. You wanna talk about an absolute monster axe...let's just say I'm VERY glad D_g slappped me around a bit as I was gonna sell mine just cuz I don't look good in red...dumass. I'm playing it thru my new amp and it just flat-out SMOKES!!! Here's one well worth takin'...go get it ;   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 1-2005 Posted on Thursday, July 12, 2007 - 9:58 pm:    Ebay Item #180137057656   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 2-2001 Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 8:29 am:    Strings: I agree. The early '80s AR300s are killers. I love my '82 Cherryburst. The tiger flame is mesmerizing. BTW, I'll be moving this thread to the Cool Contemporary section, soon.   Allears Username: Allears Registered: 6-2007 Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 4:29 pm:    Hi Strings: Some Serious Comparisons…(but I may be preaching to the Choir.) The AR-300 is a monster and a very underrated guitar for all you players who like double-coil guitars. (Same thing with Vintage Gibson SGs.) I have 3 early 80’s AR-300s. A beat up '82 that I bought just to try my 1st one out; a gorgeous brown collectible, too too gorgeous to play; and a dark brown coffee burst with swirls that is beautiful but has some little nicks in it here and there enough to ‘downgrade’ it to be an exceptional playing guitar. (I also have an incredible yet subtle ‘coffee’ tiger burst AR-500, my favorite finish of all time.) Comparisons: For any of you players out there who have had the great fortune to be familiar with the very rare Fender Custom Shop Robben Ford Ultras (1994-2001) of which allegedly only 420 were made, you know how unique those instruments truly are. There was a time once in the early 60’s when only ‘insiders’ knew about Les Pauls: Michael Bloomfield, Danny Kalb (The Blues Project, 1965), Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Peter Green, Mick Taylor. (New York or London.) I can remember back then the magic and mystique of their respective sounds. This was when distortion and sustain 1st hit the scene about 2 B.H. (Before Hendrix). In contrast, 40 years later, it’s interesting to witness that the general-guitar-playing-world has no idea about, nor has yet discovered the Robben Ford Ultra Guitars or the quality, versatility and intensity of the Ibanez AR-300. Incidentally the Ford Ultra also has dual Humbuckers, a coil tap switch, sound chambers and a set neck (unlike most Fenders). If you want to hear how hot the Robben Ford Ultra is, listen to Ford’s solos and outro on ‘Help the Poor’ on the CD ‘Talk to Your Daughter.’ (Either solo or listening to his vibrato for study on the outro is worth the price of the CD.) The intensity of his Ultra on that track alone was enough for me to buy TWO . (No exaggeration, I’ve been able to get my Ultra to sound just like – -- Clapton’s and Green’s Les Pauls on their respective Mayall albums...a sound in it’s own category -- this without a Marshall or a Dumble. I bought an Ultra in 1994 as a collectible and the second one as a player and it is amazing except for the frets – but, to be fair, I was spoiled for 30 years by none other than the world-renowned late Jimmy D’Aquisto’s frets. (see my Ed Clark profile below) ... And the reason you never see a Robben Ford for sale is because there ain’t many of them and who ever has one knows what they have; I’ve seen two for sale 2nd hand since 1997.) So in the meantime, do yourself a favor and get a 300; it’s the next best thing to an Ultra though a bit heavier. That’s why I didn’t mind paying top dollar for my 300s (or my 500). In contrast, as a player and not as a collector, I’d pay $10,000 for another Ultra. Another really hot guitar is made by Ed Clark (an unassuming and humble gentleman and relatively ’unknown’ regional New York guitar builder, and a Guru to me) – and that is, his Nouveau Classique. But I’ll (assertively) try to change history and just call it the Ed Clark. Get this -- he calls it a hybrid of a Les Paul, Gibson 335, and Robben Ford Ultra. (Now that’s quite a vision Ed has (almost sane), but somewhere built into the Ed Clark there tacitly is the soul of an Ibanez AR-300.) Ed really knows the deal because he owned and played a ’59 Les Paul…and he’s worked on one of my Robben Ford Ultras. For you ICW members in New York, Ed is quite a guitar builder, deserves much wider recognition, is a heck of a nice guy who doesn't charge enough money (and I told him so) and is not into self-promo. He's been re-fretting my guitars for years and -- as I said above -- Well, Ed’s frets, ridiculously low action, and neck ‘feel’ are the next best thing to D’Aquisto, just like the AR-300 is the next best thing to an Ultra. I just saw Ed this week when I commissioned Ed to restore my ‘64 SG and build me an Ed Clark. I told Ed that “You don’t have to be God to do a D’Aquisto fret job…. Just Ed Clark.” Next time you need frets, go see Ed; his work’ll blow you away. Anyway, just like the Robben Ford Ultra is inside information to a small coterie of players, so is the AR-300 to the members of ICW who know how to play them. (And it’s all in the right hand.) The Ed Clark is another secret waiting to be discovered; get yours now, or get an Ibanez AR-300 in the meantime…but Ed’s prices are going up (I think he gets about $3600 for his Ed Clark, and he’s only made about ten so far). When the ‘larger guitar world’ discovers the Robben Ford Ultra, soon after it’ll discover the Ibanez AR-300 and then the Ed Clark. At the expense of overemphasis, in my estimation both the AR-300 and the Ed Clark Nouveau Classique are next in line to the Robben Ford Ultra or the Old Gibson solid bodies; That’s saying something and there is no hyperbole here. One of the things I stress with my many students is that – unless you’re into the ‘snob thing’ -- Don’t waste your money on a New Gibson -- and you don’t need to have an Old Gibson – Get an Old AR-300. So, from a very opinionated 57 year ‘young’ player that’s seen lot of horrible and superlative instruments, for all you ICW members that have an AR-300, learn how to work that thang because there’s a heck of a lot of gold in there – both literally and figuratively. (It’s our little secret.) Strings….you’re right on the money. Best, Allears   Allears Username: Allears Registered: 6-2007 Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 4:58 pm:    Strings: You still sure you don't want to sell? (just kidding.)   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 1-2005 Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 10:15 pm:    I dunno John, after Ears' dissertation, ya might have to stick it in Misc ;O). It's nice to see a rich bit of text on this axe. And while it has some similarities to my '81 AR500, it has real bark of it's own - way stronger than that 500. Thanks AE! This will be a yawn fpr most as I've constantly pontificated on this point: Still, the best neck I've ever traversed on a mahogany "fatty" (and an absolute unique tone spectrum) (> 9.5 lbs) is my '79 AR500 (there, now you can leave the thread hear JohnS! - these ain't pointy anyway) AE...your "swirly" is a 305 maybe... Best, Strings   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 1-2005 Posted on Friday, July 13, 2007 - 11:02 pm:    oops, she moved! Ebay Item #180139200401   Allears Username: Allears Registered: 6-2007 Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 6:06 am:    Yes it is a 305. Thanks for reminding me Strings. (That's one of the things I like about this site.) Best, Allears   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 2-2001 Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 8:12 am:    Allears: You do love them Robben Ford Ultras! I believe they were also made in the Fugi Gen Gakki factory, alongside the Ibanez AR series. I have an '82 AR300 and '85 AR305. I think they sound very different. Have you ever seen Robben Ford play live? I saw him in Central Park a few years back. Awesome player! The headliners were delayed at the airport, so he had to play extra long to take up some time. That was a nice treat.   Strings Username: Strings Registered: 1-2005 Posted on Saturday, July 14, 2007 - 11:14 pm:    MK you've got mail...I'm out all day and night tomorrow.   Jimmys Username: Jimmys Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Sunday, July 15, 2007 - 5:06 am:    I always wanted one of those Robben Ford Fenders. I have never seen one for sale. I remember seeing the catalogue years ago. I was a huge Robben Ford fan from the mid 80's when I first started playing. My teacher was into his music. The "Help the Poor" solo is probably my favourite Ford solo - great tone. "Talk to Your Daughter" is such a brilliant album. My brother saw him play in Sydney (Australia) within the last few years. I think I will do my best to get to the next gig if he ever comes back down here. I have an 81 AR300CS which I bought new in 83. I have kind of retired it to stop it getting damaged and worn out. It has a pretty meaty tone. I was originally looking for a beaten up Artist to relace it and ended up with an AR305. I think that the 2 guitars sound a bit different (as per Johns' comments). I am waiting on an AR500 to arrive also - can't wait to see what that one is like. These guitars are such good value for money. I wonder how many years it'll be before they start to get really expensive and out of reach of most people, like the early Fenders and Gibsons. The Artists seem to have stabalised a bit recently.   Bluesmeister Username: Bluesmeister Registered: 5-2004 Posted on Monday, July 16, 2007 - 12:59 am:    James, you could start a Robben Ford thread in the Artist Appreciation forum if you wish. For me, the album Robben Ford & The Blue Line is waay better than TTYD. Listen to the tone he gets on the opening track The Brother. Absolutely sublime.   Jimmys Username: Jimmys Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Monday, July 16, 2007 - 6:43 am:    I'll have to get that album. I don't think I've heard it.   Allears Username: Allears Registered: 6-2007 Posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - 6:59 pm:    Two Replies: to JohnS and JimmyS: Yes John, I do love the Robben Ford Ultra and I can believe some were made at the Fugi Gen Gakki factory. In comparison the craftsmanship on my AR-300s, 305, and 500 seems just as good as, or better than my Ford Ultras – even though the Fords are supposed to have come from the Fender “Custom Shop”. And it doesn’t surprise me; I’ve always been unimpressed with Fender quality control – even on their vintage guitars. When I received the 1st Ultra that I'd custom ordered in '94, on receipt (as per a specific sales order ‘contract’ stipulation precisely because of their substandard quality control) I immediately sent it back for exchange because the frets and fretboard were defective. I’ve seen Robben Ford play four times in various band configurations. The 1st and 4th time I saw him in a small really cool venue that I often frequent called Stephen Talkhouse in Amagansett, one town east of Easthampton. The 1st performance I saw back in 1989-90(?) was the only one that was inspiring; on the other 3 he had had bad nights, but that happens to everybody - not a big deal -- one was at the famous Bottom Line in Manhattan when Sting sat in with him and acoustic Maestro Tommy Emmanual opened. John, you said you’d seen him in Central Park: Are you a fellow New Yorker by any chance?(!) To both John and Jimmy the 300 v. 305: I haven't 'AB'd the two 300s, the 305 or the 500 but you both have me curious. With the exception of the 1st AR-300 (a very beat up ’82) I acquired for a measly 600 bucks and which I've played and 'pushed' considerably, I checked the others briefly to see that they were merely functional; just been too busy. I recall though that they all were brighter but had considerably less output than the Ford Ultra. I also recall not being too thrilled with the functional assignment of the three non-active knobs on the AR-500 (vol, vol, tone?); that’s how little time I’ve had to spend with it. To be continued… To Jimmy: Unfortunately, I don't know if we’ll see much of any Ford Ultras around for sale if at all; if so there’ll be a hefty price tag. One of my former students (a 16 year old high-school All-State guitarist in Pennsylvania) purchased on my recommendation a 'coffee burst' Pre-Robben Ford signature for $1600 about four years ago. He loves it....and a Killer! (He also uses a ‘61 SG reissue because he loved my ‘64.) Please keep in mind guys that I buy these guitars as a player, not as a collector... so I don’t really deserve to belong to your cool site (though I do have 12 Ibanezes). If I really want a guitar, I’ll pay a price well-above market value -- and suggest same to my students -- that may raise the eyebrows of a collector at ICW. (A player outbidding a collector?) Sometimes I’ll have an intuition about a guitar that another may not; I even went into a dumpster almost 30 years ago to examine a mangled Egmond that had an improvised-collapsed plastic bridge (that ‘bridge’ is still there) – the guitar was a one-of-kind-FREAK: super-low action and great authentic sound for playing acoustic Blues! (Re. the price thing I mentioned above, several weeks ago, that really gorgeous AR-500 that Michael Kaufmann received $2500 for on eBay was purchased by one of my students on my recommendation – and for which Michael kindly thanked me. I told my (adult) student “Buy-It-Now. Don’t take the chance on losing that guitar over $500 or $1000. You’ll never regret it and you'll have it the rest of your life.” He purchased it instantly and loves it.) Back to JimmyS: For the price the ARs can not be touched. Same with the AS-200s. New guitars of their respective quality?...I'd say $3- to $5k. As far as your query about the price stabilizing; I think that's a short term thing. The prices will rise slowly but it may take 15-30 years to get way up there – maybe not even in my lifetime. But I’m convinced it’ll happen – has to. The "I-got-to-have-a Fender/Gibson" mind-set syndrome (FGMSS or simply FGS) will take a long time to die – maybe never. (We all know that those names continue to thrive on the coat-tails of a reputation/mystique half a century old and whose raison d’etre died circa 1965.) So while new Gibson “Classic” Les Pauls are going for $1600, the ‘uninitiated’ yet general buyer will ask “Why buy an old used Ibanez for the same amount or more (!)when I can get a new GIBSON (or Fender) for the same amount? What are you crazy?” They just don’t get it. It’s like the guy in his 20’s who sold me the beat up ’82 300; The action is ridiculously low, the guitar plays/sounds incredibly. But, ironically, the kid thought he was getting the better deal… I just knew that 300 was going to be a superlative instrument even though I’d never played one. When I asked him why he was selling it, he said – AND I QUOTE -- “I’m not an Ibanez fan.” Too, too bad for him -- FGMSS. Back to JohnS: Again, yes I do love the Ford Ultra; I’ve been performing/recording with it seriously now for over 10 years. The only other guitars that I've played in my life that are as hot or hotter than that guitar are my Firebird III (original owner when I was 13 or 14), my '64 SG that Ed Clark is restoring (and has the original PAFs according to Ed), and my '64 345 that I bought from a close friend for $275. BUT my sweet “$600 Special“ Ibanez ‘82 AR-300 is right up there with ‘em…(no exaggeration.) I Love that guitar. Once again, as soon as I get some quality time this week I hope to 'AB' my ARs (’82 300, ‘83 300, ’83 305, and ’81 500) with each other and then with my Robben Ford. I’ll let you two know what I discover if you’re still interested; JohnS and JimmyS, you two have got me very intrigued. Best, Allears   Allears Username: Allears Registered: 6-2007 Posted on Tuesday, July 17, 2007 - 8:31 pm:    Bluesmeister: A Robben Ford thread is now in the Artist Appreciation Forum. Credit Bluesmeister. Best, Allears   Jimmys Username: Jimmys Registered: 5-2003 Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 - 8:47 am:    Hey Allears, I saw Tommy Emmanual in Sydney in about 1993 (or 4?). He was playing a Tele then as he had just released one or two albums featuring his blues type playing. He is an Aussie if you didn't know. Great acoustic and electric player. I think you are right about the prices of classic Ibanezes going up slowly over time. I am selling a few of mine off at the moment though - too many guitars! James   Allears Username: Allears Registered: 6-2007 Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 - 9:19 am:    What Inbanez guitars are you Selling Jimmy?   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 2-2001 Posted on Wednesday, July 18, 2007 - 9:48 am:    Allears: I saw two Fender Ultras at the NJ Guitar show this last weekend. Sorry, with so many other guitars around, I didn't really pay that much attention to them. Next, show (in Oct.) I will. I look forward to hearing your assessment of the sound difference between the AR300 and AR305. I'm in Central NJ. I get into NYC very seldom. But CD101.9's Jazz Fest motivates me to get over the river. That year it was held in Central Park. Al Dimeola, Stanley Clarke and Jean Luc Ponty were the headliners. It was a rainy dreary afternoon and the bad weather kept Al, Stan & Jean's flight delayed. So, Robben played extra long. It was very cool. (The audience didn't know any of this. I heard the story from Gil Parris months later while talking to him at the Philly Guitar show.) I kept thinking that Robben wasn't really "all that Jazz". But I loved it, just the same. People were moving around and on their feet. Not what you think of at a "cool Jazz" concert. I remember calling my wife during his set and letting her listen to the music over the cell phone. He alternated between a Tele and LP for the entire show. I love what you wrote about Robben in the "Artist Appreciation" section! Write some more...please!

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