Artfield

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Author Message Johnm (Johnm) Posted on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 5:20 pm:    Hi Captain, Can you share your knowledge on the Artfield range of guitars? Some unanswered questions: How many of them were made? For which market? Why did Ibanez stopproducing these great guitars? John M Johns (Johns) Posted on Saturday, January 31, 2004 - 8:35 pm:    Yeah Captain, I'd like to hear the answer to John's questions, too. I can't believe how beautiful those guitars were. They still put most of today's boutique guitars to shame. Captainibanez (Captainibanez) Posted on Sunday, February 01, 2004 - 6:32 am:    Ok, the first listing I have in my archives of the Artfield Series is the 1988 USA catalogue. There were 3 models available. AFD5CS:Quilted Maple top & Mahogany back, 5ply Mahogany and Maple neck with Rosewood fingerboard, HQ tremolo, with 2 x Ultra Sonic Humbucker pickups, 1 vol.,1 tone,3 way mini selector switch, 1 series / parrallel switch.This model had a slightly flattened appearence of a Artist. AFD25AM / TB : same details as above.But this one had a carved top and carved back, and the strap pin was located inside the low E cutaway which the low E cutaway was level 15th fret. AFD40BG : This was a solid Bubinga body with the same features as above but this one had a single coil SH Ultra Sonic pickup and a HH Ultra Sonic pickup in the bridge position.This model was only available in this natural Bubinga finish. All of these models had the Magnum Lock tuners and All Area Access neck joint. So 2 years later in 1990, the last of the Artfields appear. Now down to 2 models, the only difference being between the beautiful, Bubinga models the,AFD45BG with it's 5ply Bubinga neck and Ebony fingerboard & 3 x coil tap switches, 2 x vol., 1 tone and gold hardware.It also has a ebony coloured headstock. The AFD40BG and AFD40BG-Z were the Bubinga body / Mahogany/Maple necks and chrome hardware, but the BG-Z had Dimarzio made IBZ USA pickups... C1 neck F1 bridge and the BG model had Ultra Sonic SC / Humb pickups in it... To be certain on the build numbers , I will check with the factory, but my gut feeling with these is that they would be limited to around 100 units tops for each of the 2 years of production, but as we all know these Artfields were a very special breed indeed so stay tuned for more info soon. Captain Ibanez Johnm (Johnm) Posted on Tuesday, February 03, 2004 - 4:15 pm:    Thanks Captain, I'd love to hear more about the number of units produced. In the meantime here's a catalog scan: Johns (Johns) Posted on Tuesday, February 03, 2004 - 4:40 pm:    JohnM: Ahhh, you got me slobbering all over myself...gotta get one of those AFD5CTTB-Zs with the vine. One question, how is the tremolo on these? Johnm (Johnm) Posted on Wednesday, February 04, 2004 - 6:34 am:    JohnS, I'm looking for an AFD-5 myself as well... I think I go for the AFD5AM-Z I hardly use the tremelo on my AFD-25 and AFD-40 (the 25 is missing the tremelo arm but it's the same system so I can use the arm of the AFD-40) I think you can compare the trem to a fender strat trem. You can use it for subtile effects but don't expect Floyd Rose alike stunts. Spiro (Spiro) Posted on Wednesday, February 04, 2004 - 3:52 pm:    ahh still wanting wanting an AFD 25 myself... Johnm where are you based? I have never seen one in Australia.. Ahoy there captain!! were there any broght into Australia??? Johnm (Johnm) Posted on Friday, February 06, 2004 - 4:54 am:    @Spiro I'm in Amsterdam, The Netherlands. Captainibanez (Captainibanez) Posted on Friday, February 06, 2004 - 7:20 am:    Spiro, yes they were, but not all models and in limited quantities. I will check this out with a fellow work mate and see what I can come up with. Because of the time frame the records are no longer on the computer. Cameron Johnm (Johnm) Posted on Saturday, April 10, 2004 - 8:42 am:    Cameron, Any news on the numbers? John M Captainibanez (Captainibanez) Posted on Saturday, April 10, 2004 - 9:05 am:    No John, not yet. They are a bit busy over there at present. Soon as I hear anything I will let you know. Please understand . Captain Ibanez Johnm (Johnm) Posted on Monday, April 12, 2004 - 9:14 am:    Hi Captain, Thanks for keeping us posted! John Luke Posted on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 - 5:54 am:    Hello! Can anyone please tell me the scale length of the 30 fret Ibanez Artfields? Thank you! Captainibanez (Captainibanez) Posted on Saturday, September 25, 2004 - 3:30 am:    Luke, sorry to say there are no scale length figures for the AFD40BG 30 fret model, only the neck dimensions which are as follows: Width: Nut 43mm 24th Fret:57mm Thickness: 1st Fret 20.5mm : 12th Fret:22mm Maybe if one of our members has one of these rare birds they might be kind enough to measure it for you Captain Ibanez Johnm (Johnm) Posted on Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 3:35 am:    Hey Luke, I measured my AFD 40 for you: The scale length at the side of the lower E string is 475mm (24th fret). At the high E string it is 527 mm (30th fret). Hope this helps Spiro (Spiro) Posted on Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 3:42 am:    Nah, you need to measure from the nut to the bridge to get the scale length dude! Jeffsailor (Jeffsailor) Posted on Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 10:25 am:    Not to be a nerd, but he's given you enough information to extrapolate the scale length... A gold star goes to the first one on the board that can calculate it, but you have to show your work. Artfield (Artfield) Posted on Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 10:48 am:    My Artfield serial numbers 1900003 AFD5SPWR-Z Buginga 1900045 AFD5TB-Z 3 single coils 1900055 AFD5CTAM-Z Flowerpattern Neck still to my opinion the best solid body ibanez ever made... i got a email 3 years ago from a guy of the south of Holland (Zeeland) that he owns an AFD5CTAM-Z the same as my flowerpattern. Also my luthier told me that there is a guy in the city of Haarlem (Holland) who owns a TB version of this guitar. I sold 10 years ago my Blue AFD25TB because of some tax-problems.....very stupid..a former student of me bought the guitar and he still has it laying on the couch......but it is in good hands. i visited my friend Peter of the famous second hand guitar store De Plug http://www.deplug.nl Peter had a AFD5CS-Z in his shop , the condition was terrible...so didn't bought it ( was broke also during that period). For guys looking for Ibanez stuff he regulary has used Ibanez guitars for sale , i found my FA100 there...................but he will call me first ;-) hehehehehehe Few years ago i was touring with a latin-band in South of Germany , a guy came to me after the show and told me that he had a AFD5CS-Z....... My friends JohnM in Amsterdam, and MarcusR (http:/www.mindwaltz.de) own several Artfields Marcus had this idea to set up an Artfield owners page........maybe JohnS can do it overhere, a good way to finally check how much there where made till sofar thats all i know maybe we could start a petition to get them back in production..........i have a idea how to do that......but will tell you next year. hope this help,any more news about these guitars ? Patrick Johnm (Johnm) Posted on Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 3:00 pm:    Hey Spiro, I have never measured anything on a guitar before. I prefer to play them ;-). Anyway if nobody comes up with the calculation I will measure again. BTW, Setting up a Artfield Page has been on my to do list for ages. I'll see if I can get it done sometime. Mr_Roadstar (Mr_Roadstar) Posted on Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 4:27 pm:    475mm is 75% of the scale length (24th fret). The decimal equivelent of 75% is .75 The reciprocal of .75 is 1.3333 Find the scale length in mm: 475mm * 1.3333 = 633.3333mm Convert mm to inches 633.3333mm / 25.4 = 24.934 inches. Jeffsailor (Jeffsailor) Posted on Sunday, September 26, 2004 - 7:29 pm:    Very good Steve. You go to the head of the class

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