# Ibanez relics?



## minorseventh (Sep 12, 2014)

I am far from an Ibanez expert, but I almost never see beat to crap, aged, and well worn Ibanezes. I hate shiny guitars, so lets see some ancient looking Ibanezes!


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## Altar (Sep 12, 2014)

I'd love to see this as well... If I ever get to design a guitar, I'm going thin lacquer in the hopes that it will wear down quickly.


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## Wolf 6 (Sep 13, 2014)

Well most RG550's are naturally relic'd through time... Through timeeeeee maaaaaaan.....


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## pushpull7 (Sep 13, 2014)

I love shiny guitars  

But I'd like to see relice'd ibbys myself.


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## snowblind56 (Sep 13, 2014)

You have obviously not looked hard enough. Most finishes on RG's are thin and brittle, so if you look at them too hard, the edges end up looking like your dog chewed on them.


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## DarthV (Sep 13, 2014)

The sharp body edges means paint will chip off very easily! All of my Ibanez guitars were bought used. Some were mint but others had a lot of edge chips. They all play great!


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## minorseventh (Sep 13, 2014)

snowblind56 said:


> You have obviously not looked hard enough. Most finishes on RG's are thin and brittle, so if you look at them too hard, the edges end up looking like your dog chewed on them.



I didnt say Ive never seen one. I was at a store yesterday and they had an RG with chipped edges and a dusty bridge, but thats not what I was referring to.

many strat and tele players take pride in their wear and tear. Fender sells fake relics straight from the factory and a whole mini industry has developed that simulates aging. I simply dont see allot of Ibanez guitars like that. They've been around long enough so they should be more common.


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## Pikka Bird (Sep 13, 2014)

snowblind56 said:


> You have obviously not looked hard enough. Most finishes on RG's are thin and brittle, so if you look at them too hard, the edges end up looking like your dog chewed on them.



The finishes on Ibanez guitar are actually notoriously thick, but it's true that the edges really often gets dings and chips. But true _wear_ where the colour has been rubbed through from aeons of touring isn't often seen in an Ibby, even Vai's.


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## Andromalia (Sep 13, 2014)

Most Innt finishes are thick poly, to get through that requires some meaningful effort and it will chip with shocks but not go away like oldschool nitro finishes do. I still have a few ibbies with dings, they look like chipped poly. I suppose the natural/satin finishes can get a more fender-y relic look. 
Also, add to that, that since Ibby finishes have no real value, lots of people I know do not hesitate to have them refinished.

I guess the best you can get are maple necked RG550s where wear on the neck is pretty noticeable.


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## yellowv (Sep 13, 2014)

Yep you see finishes worn through on Gibson's and old nitro'ed strats. Poly doesn't wear through like that.


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## NeubyWanKaneuby (Sep 13, 2014)

I had a beat up Jem 777DY. I'll have to find the pics.


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## pushpull7 (Sep 14, 2014)

EVO!!!!!!


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## Matt_D_ (Sep 14, 2014)

My RG565 is pretty beat up


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## NeubyWanKaneuby (Sep 16, 2014)

Here's a shot of the front and back. I'm kinda sad I sold that guitar, but I still have my 77FP, so I'll live.


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## BlackStar7 (Sep 17, 2014)

Does this count?


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## pushpull7 (Sep 18, 2014)

That makes kitteh sad


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## Pikka Bird (Sep 18, 2014)




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## Bigfan (Sep 18, 2014)




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## Nour Ayasso (Sep 18, 2014)

^ I was literally about to post that
That's really the only vintage Ibanez anyone wants to see, the rest are the old style ibanez that look like gibson rip offs


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## Pikka Bird (Sep 19, 2014)

^And there we see it- their finishes don't wear through, but simply chip off instead.


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## tmo (Sep 19, 2014)

Bigfan said:


>



This one is not EVO, it's a copy. One can read on the back "1 of 100", signed by Steve...


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## CaptainD00M (Sep 19, 2014)

Great that means it doesnt have the crack through the body thats slowly killing EVO!
It going to be a sad day for Steve when Evo dies. That guitars probably seen more action than a Korean war Veteran


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## HurrDurr (Sep 19, 2014)

Yeah, I'm pretty sure everyone knows of the EVO recreations Ibanez released about a year or so back. They're pretty faithful recreations though, so rest assured that's almost exactly what his looks like.


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## pushpull7 (Sep 19, 2014)

Pikka Bird said:


> ^And there we see it- their finishes don't wear through, but simply chip off instead.



I noticed that and was about to comment on it. Very strange, I'm sure there is so reason for this?


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## robare99 (Sep 20, 2014)

My #1. A 1987 SK Jem.


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## 7JxN7 (Sep 20, 2014)

Just to chime in on the Ibanez finish wear debate, I have both a late 80's RG550 and Rg560 from around the same time. The 550 seems to have a very thin finish on it, however it only seems to chip away...... BUT the RG560 had a huge wear mark on the forearm contour when I bought it, it had worn through the paint and was down to the sealer in some spots, and the 560's finish seemed a lot thicker than the 550 (560 has been refinished some years back now), but this has always confused me...... I will see if I still have any pics of it


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## Ordacleaphobia (Sep 19, 2017)

Check out the Meshuggah boys' guitars.
I'd post a picture but I can't recall the article, something about their guitar tech detailing their gear. Those original M8Ms are pretty worn down.


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## skewkus13 (Sep 19, 2017)

my 89 RG570, girlfriend bought it for my 30th birthday in its current condition. absolutely gorgeous in person, sorry about the lighting. night time here, anyway, had it refretted and set up. plays great

Anyone care to share how to rotate the embedded image? its the right way up on the hosting site.


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## boozeislove (Sep 20, 2017)

BlackStar7 said:


> Does this count?


God damn i twitched :///

https://imgur.com/a/RWspF i just cannot upload them properly,so heres is mine i got from an elderly folk who probably didnt love it enough


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## purpledc (Sep 20, 2017)

BlackStar7 said:


> Does this count?



Looks like that one could use a truss rod adjustment.


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## cip 123 (Sep 20, 2017)

minorseventh said:


> many strat and tele players take pride in their wear and tear. Fender sells fake relics straight from the factory and a whole mini industry has developed that simulates aging. I simply dont see allot of Ibanez guitars like that. They've been around long enough so they should be more common.



Ibby finishes don't wear, they chip. They could be around for 100 years and still look pretty much the same if they weren't chipped. I just sanded back an RGA. It took F*cking ages. Not only is there colour on it, there are layers and layers and layers of clear both on top and under the finish. They won't rub away with your arm or fingers, those finishes are there to stay.


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## couverdure (Sep 20, 2017)

Herman Li still plays the first EGEN that FujiGen built and gave it a lot of abuse, this is shown in this video at 7:45.


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## laxu (Sep 20, 2017)

cip 123 said:


> Ibby finishes don't wear, they chip. They could be around for 100 years and still look pretty much the same if they weren't chipped. I just sanded back an RGA. It took F*cking ages. Not only is there colour on it, there are layers and layers and layers of clear both on top and under the finish. They won't rub away with your arm or fingers, those finishes are there to stay.



Exactly. The basswood bodied ones are the most likely to chip due to basswood being pretty soft but the 1989 RG550 I had looked otherwise almost new when I sold it a few years ago after being in my possession about 15 years.

I have a nearly 40 year old Yamaha semihollowbody that also has barely any wear. The finish has lifted in places causing a cloudy haze in those areas and there are some dings in the headstock and a small area on the neck worn almost thru. Gold plating on the tuners has spots on it. Poly finishes just don't wear in a way that someone would find particularly pleasing.

If you want a "vintage" looking Ibanez, look at the new Artcore Vintage line. Those have a cool finish that looks kinda like an old table or something and will look like that for several decades. Or check out the Artstar Vintage which aims for a reliced look.


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## Drew (Sep 20, 2017)

It actually looks worse in pictures - there's a lot of pinhole puncture/impact marks abpve the pickguard (I suspect a prior owner gigged with a spiked bracelet) but this one has clearly seen some playtime:


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## Drew (Sep 20, 2017)

I mean in person, not in pictures.


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## Splenetic (Sep 20, 2017)

skewkus13 said:


> my 89 RG570, girlfriend bought it for my 30th birthday in its current condition. absolutely gorgeous in person, sorry about the lighting. night time here, anyway, had it refretted and set up. plays great
> 
> Anyone care to share how to rotate the embedded image? its the right way up on the hosting site.



That looks so sexy. Perfect finish colour for the worn look, and the maple fretboard with its own wear just ties it all together. I'd be all over dat haha, bet it's a beast.


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## skewkus13 (Sep 20, 2017)

Malevolent_Croatian said:


> That looks so sexy. Perfect finish colour for the worn look, and the maple fretboard with its own wear just ties it all together. I'd be all over dat haha, bet it's a beast.


Iv actually had the trem blocked since iv had it up until 3 days ago. Not sure if im hearing a change that isnt there, but to my ears it sounds better set up to float.


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## Splenetic (Sep 21, 2017)

Yeah, I recently realized the same thing with my Fernandes Revolver haha. Some guitars just need to be floating, it's like they're happier that way.


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## exo (Sep 21, 2017)

If y'all want "relic'" Ibby', maybe just wait a few years. The current satin/flat finishes on things like the current x52 Prestiges ought to wear thru like nobodies business.....


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