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Jeetarist
Username: Jeetarist

Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 1:11 pm:   

Hi All. I just picked up an Ibanez 1989 540r with EMGS (HSS). It is an H&S guitar out of the HOSHINO USA factory. They built guitars from the Japanese parts. I paid $250 and it's in great shape. Anyways the only complaint I have is that it looks like the nut and maybe the trem are a little too narrow for the neck. There is a generous amount of space in between the high E string and the edge of the neck. There is a proper amount of space in between the low E string and the edge of the neck. Does anyone else have one of these that would care to comment? It looks like the nut might be a little too flat for the radius of the neck as well since I get some buzz on the middle strings when playing them open. I will shim the nut to see if that improves it. I'm considering a wider nut. What I'm wondering is... Did the H&S guys just throw parts together to make these guitars or are they any good? At the very least I think it is a collector's item. Anyone ever seen of these? Are H&S radius guitars rare?

Here are the specs:
Ibanez H&S 540r black body with HOSHINO Bensalem neck plate. Blank serial number on the plate.
Ibanez Ultra neck with Jumbo frets and dot inlays, Gotoh tuners. Serial 91xxxxxx
Emg HSS pickups, battery is loose in the control cavity. Had foam wrapped around it that was disintegrated from age. The battery was oxidized (original? :-)
Edge tremolo with recessed rout, no backstop.

This guitar has a very firm feel when bending. Takes more muscle to bend than my RGs. The trem stays in tune perfectly.

Thanks
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Ibanezfreak1960
Username: Ibanezfreak1960

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Friday, May 20, 2005 - 11:29 pm:   

What is an H&S guitar?
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Jeetarist
Username: Jeetarist

Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Sunday, May 22, 2005 - 8:05 pm:   

It was a division of Hoshino, USA that made customer Ibanez guitars.
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Scottop1972
Username: Scottop1972

Registered: 12-2004
Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 1:12 am:   

looks like someone put on a different lock nut. the 540 radius at the time was a top o the line model. i prefer the ibz usa pick ups that came stock on them.
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Jeetarist
Username: Jeetarist

Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 9:19 am:   

That is possible. If anyone has one of these can you measure the width of the lock nut for me? Thanks.
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Nuno
Username: Nuno

Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 12:34 pm:   

U-type neck is 42mm at the nut. that's what 1990 catalog says:
http://www.ibanez87.it/foto/cataloghi/1990/scan/cat90-09.jpg

i've got one, i'll measure it as soon as i come back home.

nuno
www.ibanez87.it
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Jeetarist
Username: Jeetarist

Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Monday, May 23, 2005 - 7:37 pm:   

My neck is 42mm, but the nut is 41mm. I shifted the nut as far as it will go to the treble side and I shifted the neck as much as I could. Now the difference is not nearly as bad as when I first picked it up. Don't get me wrong this is a great guitar. I guess I'm used to the strings being close to the edge of the fretboard like on my newer RGs.

My guitar doesn't have the conical knobs. I notice in the 89 catalong on www.jemsite.com that one picture of a 540r has the conical knobs and anothe picture has the normal knobs. Anyone know what the deal is with that? Thanks for all the help.
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Nuno
Username: Nuno

Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 3:00 am:   

where have you found R-series on Jemsite catalogs?
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Jeetarist
Username: Jeetarist

Registered: 02-2005
Posted on Tuesday, May 24, 2005 - 9:44 am:   

Sorry, I meant www.ibanezrules.com

http://www.ibanezrules.com/catalogs/us/1989/r.jpg

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