| Author |
Message |
Pitchpocket
Username: Pitchpocket
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 - 2:25 pm: | |
Check out this L5 copy on the bay. I asked him and he insists it is an Ibanez built, but quotes Matsumoko factory which I think is the plant that makes Aria. I can't find any reference to Memphis being an Ibanez made guitar. Does anyone have more info?
http://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/711-1751-2978-71/1?AID=5463217&PID=1802666&mpre=ht tp%3A//cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll%3FViewItem%26item%3D160053822761 |
Bigmike
Username: Bigmike
Registered: 10-2002
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 - 2:36 pm: | |
Pitchpocket,
It's more of a Super 400 copy - the headstock size, the split block inlays on the fingerboard... Sort of blurred features of BOTH at best. YOU GOING FOR IT ???
BIG |
Pitchpocket
Username: Pitchpocket
Registered: 12-2005
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 - 2:42 pm: | |
I don't know, quite a few nice guitars for sale around the holidays and I'm picking and choosing. I like it, but I'm trying to figure out the lineage of this one. I am skeptical about it being an Ibanez. |
Gemberbier
Username: Gemberbier
Registered: 05-2006
| | Posted on Wednesday, November 22, 2006 - 7:22 pm: | |
There are models that were made in the same factory as their Ibanez sisters. But there is NO such thing as THE IBANEZ FACTORY.
Ibanez is a trademark of Hoshino (a trading company). They contracted several production facilities over the years, of which Fuji Gen Gakki (Gakki just means "stringed instruments") is often considered to be the best. Their products were the ones that made IBANEZ BIG.
IBANEZ became such a BIG brand that they had to search for new production partners in 1987.
Two of these production partners were also very good: Terada, that made hollow and semi-hollow body (Artist) guitars, and Iida, that made the solid body Artists.
In that same year Fuji Gen Gakki's role in the Fender production had become more important. Their products lost the Squier brand and became FENDER JAPAN. So they focused on bolt on solid body guitars. (Strats for Fender, Superstrats for Ibanez).
So if Memphis wanted to add some replica to their programm, they went to one of the production facilities, asked for prices, and of course got the best price at the factory that was already producing that model for Ibanez. So they ordered the same guitar, but with another brand.
There were also several other trading companies who did this, but none of them became as successful as Hoshino with their brand Ibanez.
So, is this an Ibanez? No, never.
But is this the very same guitar? Yes, that's possible.
If you want a good replica of some Gibson guitar, a Memphis or Bradley or whatever they're called will be as good as an Ibanez that came out of the same factory. So the player's value is the same, but the collector's value is different, because of the brand.
Ginger |
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