Author |
Message |
Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu
Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 7:21 am: | |
Hello. Does anybody know of this guitar? http://arworld.poke1.jp/unknownibanez.jpg A friend of mine wrote me he found this pic a few month ago, and there is no information available in the site where it is originally shown. |
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960
Registered: 03-2004
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 8:02 am: | |
No but it looks sweet! |
Gramatica
Username: Gramatica
Registered: 07-2005
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 8:06 am: | |
Not sure, but look around that website! Does anyone here speak Japanese? *klunk* (sound of me fainting!) http://arworld.poke1.jp/ARgallery/jpg/ST01.jpg |
Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu
Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 8:41 am: | |
Gramatica, At least, I do speak Japanese; it's my native laguage. Oh, yes, that pic you cited (from my site) is absolutely breathtaking!! |
Dave_g
Username: Dave_g
Registered: 01-2002
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 8:44 am: | |
You must go thru a LOT of strings ! |
Bobzilla
Username: Bobzilla
Registered: 02-2005
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 9:07 am: | |
what is "pw"? Pearl White? The carving of the top seems more pronounced than the ar1200av. |
Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu
Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 9:32 am: | |
Bozilla, Nope, I meant "Polar White" as is AR550PW. But, as you mentioned, the carving is more clearly visible to the eye. In fact, however, it might be the same as that of the ordinary AR1200AV. |
Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu
Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 9:53 am: | |
Sorry!! Forgive me for the typo of your name, Bobzilla! |
Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu
Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 10:17 am: | |
Excuxe me for consecutive posting. I wish I could post pictures directly here, but backslash is unavailable on my PC.... The following are some of photoes I'd like to share with you guys out there. http://arworld.poke1.jp/AR300s.jpg http://arworld.poke1.jp/AR500550s.jpg I hope you enjoy them. |
Davejacobs
Username: Davejacobs
Registered: 11-2005
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 11:52 am: | |
Are these all yours??? *drool* |
Guitartim
Username: Guitartim
Registered: 04-2001
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 12:02 pm: | |
Hasenobu~WOW, what a gorgeous collection of AR's! And wonderful photography. Tim |
Davejacobs
Username: Davejacobs
Registered: 11-2005
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 12:54 pm: | |
Well I guess those are not ALL your guitars: http://arworld.poke1.jp/myARs.html That is one hell of a collection, Hasenobou! Congratulations! |
Bobzilla
Username: Bobzilla
Registered: 02-2005
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 4:09 pm: | |
Hasenobu... I have no prob. with the mis-spell of my name... but.... I do take "exception" to the ar1200av being described as "ordinary". The ar1200av actually is an axe to contend with. Aesthetically, it's beautiful. The playability is awesome... both necks. The sounds that come out of it are quite amazing. Thanx for the "pw" polar white info. The ar1200pw is a dandy. I happen to prefer the ar1200av, but that's just personal preference and I am just needling you a bit about the "ordinary" ar1200av. You've got a bunch of fine guitars there. I apologize for posting this photo again but if anyone wants to see the ar1200av.... here it is. Looks 100x better in person, believe me. Photos don't do it justice. |
Bobzilla
Username: Bobzilla
Registered: 02-2005
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 4:14 pm: | |
P.S. - I've been to your website before hasenobu... nice stuff. Those 2 new links you provided are awesome. Who owns all those ar500's? Well, they look like ar500's. I'm having a hard time finding one at a reasonable price. If you know of anyone willing to part with one.... lemme know please. |
Emilio
Username: Emilio
Registered: 09-2004
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 5:12 pm: | |
the AR site is just inmoral, too much.. that AR5000 sould be banned |
Michaelkaufman
Username: Michaelkaufman
Registered: 11-2002
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 7:54 pm: | |
I think I'm going to be sick... I think I'm moving to Japan! |
Gramatica
Username: Gramatica
Registered: 07-2005
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 8:25 pm: | |
Hey Bobzilla... I used to own that poster 20 years ago! The Boy with the Blue Guitar! A GF bought it for me because of this guitar: It is a Vantage with a PU in the bridge, but I did eventually buy a nice Ibanez acoustic (not selling that one!)} Peter |
Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu
Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Thursday, January 12, 2006 - 9:13 pm: | |
To All, Thank you for welcoming the pics. As Dave correctly guessed, they are not all mine: I'm an owener of, well, 10 or so AR guitars, including 1982 made AR1200AV. I used the word "ordinary" so as to describe the shape of carving (compared to the carving on the presumed "AR1200PW"). True the carving is more pronounced, but, have a look at the first pic again, and you'll notice that the carving is not so steep on the right side (maybe for better playability) than on the left side. I guess that's the same with much more familiar model AR1200AV. I do agree that AR1200AV is an excellent guitar, Bobzilla. Sometimes, I tell you, it's reffered to "The king of AR" by some Japanese collectors. Anyways, it's very hard for me to write English sentences. There are often times when I can't think of the right words at the right time!! Still, I'll keep trying, though. P.S. Oh, I almost forgot! Regarding the two group photos above. About two years ago, a book called "Japana Vintage Vol.3" was issued here. The book features AR guitars as its main topic, and more than 60 pages are devoted to AR guitars only. I was asked to participate in the book editting, and had a chance to be at the photo taking process. The third pic shows AR500s (in the front) and AR550s (standing in the back), which were brought to the place by their owners. BTW, AR500 is much harder to purchase even here in Japan. Nevertheless, you can find an AR550 much more readily, though I can't assure. |
Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960
Registered: 03-2004
| Posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 - 12:48 am: | |
There was a PW ar1200 on ebay a while back with the 12 string neck made into a 6 string fretless. Anyone remember it?
|
Strings
Username: Strings
Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 - 12:55 am: | |
Hasenobu! That's quite a list!! One model seems to be missing...the '79 AR 500. I do see: - One early '80 AR 400 (sorry Fox!) - One '85 AR 4000 (very interesting Pablo!) http://www.mars.dti.ne.jp/~masamasa/music/ar/ - One '81 AR 5000 (sorry again Fox ;-) But no '79 AR 500 ... any idea how rare the '79 AR 500 is? Thanks, Strings |
Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu
Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 - 1:46 am: | |
Strings, Thanks for the info! The list is composed of the guitars whose owners are kind enough to send me some photos and comments. I haven't included any from outside of Japan so far, but, in the future, I'd like to add any AR guitars regardless of the countries where they are now, if I had enough time to do so and only if I get cooperation from you guys. About '79 AR500: I think it's very rare. There IS an ad for that model in the catalogue issued in Sept. of 1979, but, no, I haven't seen any so far. http://arworld.poke1.jp/catalogues/1979_09/79_10.jpg |
Artfield
Username: Artfield
Registered: 04-2001
| Posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 - 9:34 am: | |
Wow guys.....what a collection.....and those AR 3005, 4000 and 5000 are just mindblowing... Hasenobu....incredible collection you have.... |
Strings
Username: Strings
Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 - 9:48 am: | |
Thanks Hasenobu! That has been my findings too...but there MUST be some as it was a very cool upgrade to the 2622 (as well as the 400...right Fox!). Same body/neck, Super80s, Perloid tuners, SmoothHeel I, 1.3" longer than the PAF type "Fatty"s. It could be that they had a limited amount of those bodys from the 2622 and the bulk went into the AR 300 for that year (also seems quite rare). I will post some detailed pics of mine soon. Here's long shots of front and back - she's at the far right.
|
Strings
Username: Strings
Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 - 9:49 am: | |
|
Jdd
Username: Jdd
Registered: 11-2004
| Posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 - 11:11 am: | |
Hasenobu - I'm weak in the knees! Thank you very much for such a wonderfully detailed webpage of all those models On a side note - what in the world is this guitar? http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~TH7K-MYGW/goar/goIIIar.jpg It is sheer beauty! |
Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu
Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Friday, January 13, 2006 - 12:51 pm: | |
Jdd, Sorry, I don't understand what you mean by the phrase "weak in the knees." Anyhow, about the guitar you mentioned. Some of you must have heard of the name "Greco," which was (and still is) one of the major guitar companies in Japan. This is hard to explain, but my understanding is that at least up to 1978, Greco and Ibanez guitars were manifactured at the same factory FUJIGEN. In other words, those exported were named "Ibanez" and those for domestic market (I mean, Japan) were laballed as "Greco." In this sense, Ibanez and Greaco are, as it were, siblings. This means that almost identical guitars had two different brand names. For example, the guitar shown below has a lot of similiarity with AR and MC models, doesn't it? http://hasenobu.hp.infoseek.co.jp/collection/collection47.html This model is not an Ibanez, but Greco. More specifically its name is Greco MX-800, one of my collection. Well, the guitar you mentioned is one of "GOIII" (that is, Greco Original Third series) models. I don't know much about Greco guitars, so please refer to, for example, following site: http://www.geocities.jp/studiogreco1/mokuji.html |
Fox
Username: Fox
Registered: 02-2003
| Posted on Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 5:38 am: | |
Oh well, Strings, there is no need to be sorry.. Hasenobu and Strings, I do not know what the Ibanez boys were doing in 1979.. It seems that they put up the "transition models" using bits and pieces eg. 2622 bodies for AR500 and AR400.. My 400 is from November 1979 and it is quite the same as 2622EQ, thin smooth heel-body, front pickup (Super80s of course) near the neck. |
Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu
Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 6:14 am: | |
Fox, Yes, I agree to your conception of "transition models." In fact, I imagine similar things happened in 1983 when they modified AR models. |
Strings
Username: Strings
Registered: 01-2005
| Posted on Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 11:59 am: | |
Hey Fox...one question...how does she (Miss 400) play/sound? We've been chompin' at the bit here. She's very rare and beautiful! A full review please! |
Michaelkaufman
Username: Michaelkaufman
Registered: 11-2002
| Posted on Saturday, January 14, 2006 - 4:54 pm: | |
Hasenobu: please check out the AR-500 & AR-500 links and tell us what they say: http://www.interq.or.jp/scorpio/hiro-i/akogare.htm Thanks, mk |
Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu
Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 1:21 am: | |
H Michael, I thought I posted a reply to you about 6 hours ago.... What happened to my article, I wonder.... Didn't anyone read my reply as the two guitars Michael cited? I have no more energy to write it again.... |
Hasenobu
Username: Hasenobu
Registered: 01-2006
| Posted on Sunday, January 15, 2006 - 2:18 am: | |
Well, on second thought, I try to keep my head and write the lost sentences. Michael, The site you cited belongs to a guy who once owned these two guitars for a short while. In the page, he writes about the following points: "How difficult it had been for him to find and get these guitars." "The condition of them when he first got them at his hands." "Some notes on them; i.e. his impressions on their specs, the kinds of repair he asked to do at a guitarshop, etc." Incidentally, he sold them soon after he got them (6 months or so), mainly because he had his 1987 AR300CS remodeled(?) into what he calls "AR525PW" which is shown in the page below: http://www.interq.or.jp/scorpio/hiro-i/GUITAR/AR525PW.htm He says this one is satisfactory enough to say good-bye to the AR500AV and AR550CS. Should I write more indetail? Or is this enough? Fox, Now you mentioned "transition models," one of my ARs occurred to me. It is 1979 made AR50BK, I believe, but strangely enough (at least, to me), it has 24 frets. In no catalogues have I seen an AR50 with 24 frets.... http://hasenobu.hp.infoseek.co.jp/collection/collection63.html Does anyone have any information about this guitar? Thanks in advance. |