Sold - 1977 Ibanez Howard Roberts

RevMatt

SOLD

Confession... I'm really out of my comfort zone with this guitar, so this is kind of 1 post to rule them all!

I'll go into a bit more detail shortly, but this is a guitar my son sort of inherited, but he needs a car to is looking to either:

1. trade for a car (must be MOTd) - preferably local to Nottingham/Newark
2. sell for £1200, now £1000

BUT, given how little I know about this model, and also the background below, I'm also interested in some of your more experienced wisdom on the price - if we're way off, please let me know!

Here's what I know:

• the guitar is an Ibanez Howard Roberts
• it appears all original
• it includes a case which could well be original to the guitar (good fit and similar age)
• the serial number probably dates the guitar to October 1977
• prior to it coming to my son, the guitar had been left, potentially for a long time, in its case in a loft and that becomes relevant when I take you through the condition

My son passed the guitar on to me for a fettle, so I've spend a good few hours on it getting it up to scratch but before that, it was looking very neglected - there was lots of rust/corrosion marks, primarily on the treble side of the guitar (humbucker, frets, strings, tailpiece, pickguard screws and mount etc).

My first job was to clean everything - some of this had to be a little brutal so for example, you can see on the humbucker cover where I've polished away the rust and it's left tarnishing (patina ), same with lots of the gold coloured bits which have lost some of their plating. The frets, although well used, came up really well, and I decided against any kind of levelling or re-profiling, to retain as much metal as I could., Fretboard has been cleaned and given the 'Monty's' treatment. All electrics removed, and joints touched up and pots cleaned. The humbucker had suffered from the corrosion, so needed the cable re-connecting just beneath the pickup, this is not perfect and made need further attention. The body all cleaned, and fresh 10s fitted and the guitar set up with a medium to low action.

So, the good bits:

• IT'S GORGEOUS! An extremely well built and super cool guitar from Japan in the 70s!
• appears to be all original (except perhaps the upper strap button)
• structurally in really good condition - no breaks, cracks, repairs or significant dings. Just small marks, surface buckle rash etc.
• plays nicely, intonates well and frets cleanly
• sounds great plugged in with a nice tone and the controls all doing what they should

The less good bits:

• there is still evidence of the historic rust/corrosion where the metal has now tarnished (not the frets, they're super shiny!) - where screws looked corroded or tarnished, I cleaned them rather than replacing them
• gold plating has worn off quite a few areas
• the pickguard has some internal cracks in it - it's solid but you can sort of see fractures in it
• fretboard has some divots, most noticeably under frets 2 and 4
• the humbucker may need more attention - if you apply pressure or the pickguard pushes against it, it can cut out. I think it also may need re-soldering to the cover (I did this but clearly not well enough as it's moved a little). If it was my guitar, I'd probably just replace the pickup and it would then be awesome!

So, over to you... any advice on price, any trades for a car, or straight cash buyers?

Update: thanks for the great knowledge on this forum, I now know the source of the corrosion - the celluloid pickguard has degraded and is 'off-gassing' - this is a chemical reaction which causes the tarnishing and rust. The pickguard has now been removed, so see the first two pictures for how the guitar now looks. The pickguard will be supplied with the guitar but kept out of the case in a separate bag. EVERYDAY's A SCHOOL DAY! Thanks @danishbacon ;;;;;;

prudd

Very nice Matt, looks to be all original apart from the bridge base (and the strap button) the original bridge would have had some small embellishments on it. I think the model number for these was 2453 (could be 2543 )

I had one back in the 80's and stupidly sold it to a neighbor for very little money.

RevMatt

Thanks @Prudd - there is part of a bridge (although looks like baculite) in the case, so you could be right - the current one is a lovely looking bit of rosewood.

Post updated following advice regarding the pickguard and corrosion.

wizbit81

Ibanez made some corking guitars back then. I have a '78  2355 and '79 2635, then a slightly later '91 AS200. They are as good as anything else made around those dates. This will be the same. 

prudd

RevMatt said:

Thanks @Prudd - there is part of a bridge (although looks like baculite) in the case, so you could be right - the current one is a lovely looking bit of rosewood.

Post updated following advice regarding the pickguard and corrosion.

here is an original bridge

https://i.imgur.com/lXcQMPd.jpg

RevMatt

Thanks @prudd - looks the same design minus the inlay so as you say, probably a replacement 

RevMatt

Anyone got a car to trade or fancy this cool 70's Ibanez

RevMatt

Think my son would be willing to take £1000 for this