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PSA: Crazy expensive Ibanez


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That is THE guitar that marked the beginning of Ibby's shredder dominance. Saw one the first run, autographed pieces in LNG when the delivery truck driver brought it into AL&M in Raleigh. I think it was priced at around $1,500? Personally, I liked Vai's Mean Greenie much better.

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I really don't "get" the monkey grip thing. Oh well. I can't shred without a mandoline grater anyway, so I guess it's moot.

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I know there are people out there who think these are cool as hell and would kill to own one but.....................I can't get on board with any of the Vai model Ibanez guitars..............never could, never will. Having said that to each to their own as I'm sure there are people that would scratch their heads asking why would someone want to own a guitar[Well make that 2!] ;) model called a "Sunburst" thats opaque Black in finish color and made by a small guitar maker thats no longer even in business. :huh: Hell for 6K you would be close or could even buy a original Ibanez Artwood Twin Doubleneck [6&12] that would be way cooler and rarer........... be my choice anyway..............just sayin.

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Price is a bit high but in my very non-expert opinion a few things warrant it:

It seems to be a bigger problem on the pink and yellow ones but a lot of them look washed out by now, both the paint and the pickups. This one must not have seen much UV because it looks good and bright plus the paint looks to be pretty ding free - at least as much as you can tell from crappy CL pics.

Fretboard is clean

And most important of all it still has the trem hand rest plate.

BTW: I have lusted for a desert yellow JEM since I saw the first add. Another time when it's very frustrating to be left handed.

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I WON a Steve Vai autographed Ibanez back in the very early '90s as winner (or loser?!) of "the Worst Guitarist on Delmarva" Competition. I'm going to have to dig up that article as there is Hamer content...

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Wonder if Hamer would have ended up continuing its shredder guitars longer if Vai had gone with Hamer instead of Ibanez?

I think the most surprising Hamer prototype that used to sit at the factory was the Hamer with the "Monkey Grips" on it that was done for Vai.

If it wasn't for the Vai Floral JEM my guitarist bought back in '88 that SUCKED SO BAD that the store finally took it back, she wouldn't have ended up with her killer custom Snakeskin Hamer Chap from the trade credit. Found out years later Ibanez had a run of bad ones from using soft maple necks that bent and went out of tune when the trem was used.

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Ibanez not only provide free gear but also paid endorsers, neither of which Hamer did.

Yep. A key reason why "Headbangers Ball" looked like a two-hour TV commercial for Ibanez.

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this guitar?

attachicon.gifsteve-vai-177.jpg

That is interesting. I don't think that is the same one as I thought it was a different color.

I wonder if there are two?

Hamerica

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Jol has the Ferrari red one with the LED button in the monkey grip. He recently posted a pic of it in his blog too...

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The price is probably not that much out of line considering the number of Jem/Vai collectors out there compared to those who DON'T have an LNG, much less a clean one. I seem to recall there are only 777 out there and someone out there is willing to pay big $$$ for the right one. This one looks well taken care of, signature's still intact, case number matches, relatively unfaded neons (those pink Dimarzio pickups fade even on case queens), no neck joint finish cracks, intact and unpitted hand rest on the trem, etc.

I don't know if he'll get that price on a local CL ad, even in a market the size of Atlanta, but I'd bet an eBay listing with many detailed photographs and open to international bidders would yield some really serious money.

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I have owned several Jems and always found them incredibly playable. One downside was the shoddy paintjobs and another that they always felt cheap. I know that is subjective but just my own impression. Hamer shredders to me have always felt substantial and give the impression of being designed as one solid piece. The Jems by contrast felt like a box of parts put together.

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I believe there were 777 of the LNGs with the signature. The hand rest on the trem was only on some and is more sought after. The matching number case is a plus also. Stories are out there that some only had signed back plates and non numbered cases for various reasons. A similar one recently sold in that range...was described as being unplayed.

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Is it my vision, or are those pickups faded? I know that faded bobbins are very common for guitars from that era.

The humbuckers and single coils didn't always match shade even when new and they all seem to fade. These look a little faded but a lot of them are far worse.

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