Ibanez Artist Series Electric Guitar – Japan – Includes Case – Used Very Good
The Ibanez Artist series occupies a singular place in electric guitar history — introduced in 1973 and quickly nicknamed the "LP Killer" for the way it went toe to toe with Gibson's Les Paul on craftsmanship and tone at a fraction of the price. Throughout the late 1970s and into the 1980s the Artist line was built at the FujiGen Gakki factory in Nagano, the same facility responsible for some of the finest Japanese-made guitars of the era, and the quality control coming out of that factory during this period remains highly respected among players and collectors today. This particular example was built in 1976 based on its F-prefix serial number, which confirms FujiGen Japan production. The body is constructed from sen — sometimes called Japanese ash — a tonewood that was commonly substituted for true ash on Japanese-built guitars of this era due to local availability, sharing much of ash's resonant character and open grain appearance while keeping the instrument comfortably light. The three-piece maple neck is set in with the stability and sustain that construction method is known for, and gold hardware throughout gives the instrument a dressy, premium appearance consistent with the higher end of the Artist lineup. Two humbucking pickups stamped with the Ibanez name sit in a straightforward control layout — individual volume and tone per pickup with a three-way toggle — giving you the classic two-humbucker tonal range from warm and round to punchy and articulate.
This one has great vibes and is a genuinely addictive player — effortless and smooth under the hand. It was just set up through our shop and is playing really well. The frets are somewhat flat with wear but play great with no issues. Beyond some finish wear and hardware tarnish consistent with the guitar's age, it presents in great shape overall. The bridge and tailpiece have been replaced with a standard Tune-o-matic and stopbar configuration, a thoughtful and reversible modification that keeps the guitar fully functional going forward. We were not able to identify a precise model number due to the replaced hardware, but the build quality, materials, and FujiGen provenance speak for themselves. The included case is in decent shape with some peeling tolex and a few good-sized dings, shown in the photos.
- Make: Ibanez
- Series: Artist
- Year: 1976 (FujiGen Japan, based on serial number)
- Serial number: F765928
- Country of origin: Japan (FujiGen Gakki)
- Body: Sen (Japanese ash)
- Neck: 3-piece maple, set-in
- Pickups: 2 Ibanez humbuckers (neck and bridge)
- Controls: Individual volume and tone per pickup, 3-way toggle switch
- Bridge: Tune-o-matic (replacement)
- Tailpiece: Stopbar (replacement)
- Hardware: Gold, with age-appropriate tarnish
- Frets: Somewhat flat with wear, plays well
- Modifications: Bridge and tailpiece replaced with standard Tune-o-matic and stopbar
- Condition: Used Very Good – finish wear and hardware tarnish consistent with age, frets show wear but play great, otherwise great shape
- Includes: Case (decent shape, some peeling tolex, a few good-sized dings)
Ships carefully packed and insured for full value. International buyers are welcome — please contact us for a shipping quote before purchasing.
About Mill River Music
Mill River Music is an independent, human-powered music shop located in downtown Northampton, MA, run by a team of players, enthusiasts, and certified repair technicians. Every piece of used gear we sell is personally inspected, tested, and set up before it ships — we don't list it until we'd be happy to play it ourselves.
As Martin and Taylor certified techs, we hold our guitar work to a high standard, and we're committed to full transparency about the condition of everything we sell. No surprises.
When you buy from Mill River, you're supporting an independent local business that genuinely cares — about gear, about players, and about doing things right. We're here every step of the way. Reach out anytime.
