1982 M310 flamed maple 6-string

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Author Message   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Tuesday, June 26, 2007 - 10:03 pm:    My new M310 arrived today. Seemingly barely played -- little fretwear, no nicks to speak of. Plays very nicely even though the strings need changing; I'm going to do that tomorrow and polish the frets. The top is a lovely solid spruce with nice inlays, and the sides and back are a truly eye-popping laminated flamed maple. Interesting, but I think the veneer lamination is on top of actual strips of unfinished flamed maple; i.e., it's the same kind of wood and it almost looks solid until you take a flashlight inside the soundhole. The soundhole label has a serial number of 82033161H and the neck is branded with 820222. Here are some pictures.   Johns Username: Johns Registered: 2-2001 Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 - 8:06 am:    Chasmo: Looks great. When you get a chance I'd love to see some close ups of the details. Chrome or gold tuners?   Jchester Username: Jchester Registered: 5-2006 Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 - 12:58 pm:    Congrats, Chaz! I still don't understand mahogany necks on maple guitars though.   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 - 1:05 pm:    Thanks, John. And absolutely!... I took those pix at night yesterday (UPS arrived at dusk). I wanna' clean her up good and do a good photo shoot for my ICW buddies. Chrome, covered tuning machines, rosewood fingerboard and bridge, multi-piece mahogany neck. Solid spruce top. There are some pieces of info that I don't have, such as what's the ivory-colored plastic that Ibanez used for the binding here (Ivoroid? Something else?). It looks perfect, by the way, unlike some of the '70s electrics that have had crumbling neck bindings. Also, are the inlays abalone? And, again, the lamination of the back and sides is fascinating because I'm 99% sure they used flamed maple as the base wood here (not some unrelated ash or whatever...). It's very cool, but it makes me wonder what manufacturing advantage lamination offered them here rather than going with solid...   Callawag Username: Callawag Registered: 6-2007 Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 - 1:26 pm:    Hey Chazmo, Looks Beautiful!!! I think I'll have to try to find me one of those!!! Bet it sounds great!?   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Wednesday, June 27, 2007 - 3:07 pm:    Jchester, Thanks man. I have to admit, it was pictures of your Concord 671/12 that got me interested in the maple bodies in the first place!!!! Yeah, the mahogany neck is different than the Concords, f'r'sure, but it's really nice and this baby has really excellent action. I think the transition to mahogany was a result of the lawsuit era, by the way (not sure about that). Callawag, I was trying to follow that auction that you were looking at on eBay for that other M310 with the protruding truss rod end, but it looks like it was pulled! At least I got the serial number information into that "test your knowledge" thread. The sound *is* great, and I still have old strings on it. Changing them out tomorrow, and I'll be she'll really sing. It's great to have this guitar and not to worry about it. That's one of the great things about Ibanez guitars. I can gig with this thing, install a pickup, screw with the hardware, whatever, and not hate myself in the morning. Best wishes, guys.   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 7:42 pm:    So, we did some nice tune-up work on my M310 today! First we used 0000 fine steel wool on the frets and cleaned off 25 years of oxidation and dirt. Then we rubbed in multiple squirts of bore oil on the rosewood fingerboard -- this puppy was THIRSTY! Then we polished the body and tuned 'er up with with a set of new Martin phosphor-bronze light-gauge strings. Oh my; she *does* sing! Hope you like these pictures. Anyone know a way to include higher-res versions here? The site seems to make me need to compress these down. Anyway, these are taken on a wood swing we have in the back yard with evening daylight. The stars-n-stripes is just a beach towel.   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Thursday, June 28, 2007 - 8:03 pm:    BTW, that second picture shows you how the base wood used for the laminated back is actually multiple strips of maple (see my earlier posts). I find this very interesting. If anyone wants higher rez, just let me know and I'll email them to you.   Spitfire Username: Spitfire Registered: 9-2007 Posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 - 10:32 pm:    Chazmo, Love your 310. It looks perfect. Mine is identical, but I think it's solid back and sides. Cannot see any seams inside and looks bookmatched in and out with same pattern. Wish mine still looked that good, but the tone is still there, I would say even better with age. Would be hard to find a better sounding Maple for less than a grand. Chris   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Tuesday, September 11, 2007 - 6:31 pm:    Thanks, Spitfire!!! She's a honey, isn't she!? Look carefully through the soundhole at the sides and the edges of the back. On my guitar, especially on the sides, you can definitely see where two different pieces of maple are used as the base wood where the laminate was added later. What year is yours? Mine's a 1982 model. I paid a little over $300 as buy-it-now on eBay. I agree with your comment. Worth every penny. These vintage Ibanez acoustics are wonderful values.   Brucifer Username: Brucifer Registered: 9-2007 Posted on Thursday, September 13, 2007 - 4:25 pm:    i simply must have an M310!!! if anyone has a lead please do share.. thanks Bruce   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Thursday, September 13, 2007 - 4:57 pm:    Someone's got the bug, Brucifer! Spitfire, FYI, look here: http://www.ibanezcollectors.com/discus/messages/11 /1801.html?1189580209 Your M310 was probably made within hours or days of mine. I'm sure they're the same.   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Tuesday, September 18, 2007 - 9:24 pm:    Bruce, I found one. This guy got it for $128.50 about a week ago and he's flipping it for $150 min. bid. Still, a good deal, I think, since he got it way cheap! There is some finish bubbling on the peg head... Ebay Item #260160728993   Brucifer Username: Brucifer Registered: 9-2007 Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 5:29 pm:    I saw that one the fact that he's flipping it scared me.   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Wednesday, September 19, 2007 - 6:21 pm:    I could understand that. Still, $150 seems like a good price (if there's no reserve on it too)... Hey, best of luck whatever you do.   Brucifer Username: Brucifer Registered: 9-2007 Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 12:15 am:    you're right Chaz.. but my wife has been quite grumpy with my ebay purchases as of late. I try to explain to her that i could be bidding on $2300.00 Gibsons instead of $150.00 Ibanez's but, she does not seem to agree with my logic..B   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Thursday, September 20, 2007 - 7:25 pm:    Hahah!!! I know what you mean. It's really a small guilty pleasure, don't you think. Point her at this one to give her some perspective, Bruce: Ebay Item #140098676056   Chazmo Username: Chazmo Registered: 3-2007 Posted on Thursday, October 04, 2007 - 7:41 pm:    Here's an M340 that looks pretty nice. I think the finish cracks are likely due to some rapid exposure to cold/warm, but really the guitar looks pretty good. Ebay Item #320166032044

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