Ibanez semi-hollow and hollow-body guitars
Although Ibanez is well-known for its solidbody electric guitars, they also make some incredible hollow and semi-hollow guitars in the Ibanez Artcore and Ibanez Artstar series. They’re perfect for anyone who wants to play jazz or fusion with warm, punchy tones and tons of sustain.
Artcore and Artstar series guitars come in a wide variety of shapes, configurations, and build materials. Whether you choose the AS, AF, AG, or AM series, you know you’ll get a quality hollow or semi-hollow guitar with incredible looks at an affordable price point.
And if you’re looking for one of the best of the best hollow-body guitars, check out the Ibanez George Benson signature model. This guitar is built on the jazz legend’s personal preferences, so you know it’s an instrument that really plays!
Ibanez basses
If Ibanez is known for their amazing electric guitars, they’re equally as known for their basses. Ibanez bass guitars are arguably some of the best in the industry today. Known for their blend of quality, performance, innovation, and affordability, they’re a go-to for bassists of all skill levels.
At the core of the bass lineup is the Ibanez SR series. These incredible instruments are the workhorses of the bass world and have been used on countless albums since they came about in 1987. They’re highly versatile with various wood, pickup, shape, and string configurations — coming in four-, five-, and six-string styles.
When you’re looking for a bass to stand out, the Ibanez BTB series should be at the top of your list. With unique wood combinations, neck-through design, and incredible styling, your friends (bassists or not) will be jealous when you step to the stage.
And for the truly unique bass player, check out the Ibanez Bass Workshop. These high quality and unique instruments are designed to take your low-end sound to the next level. With configurations like headless necks, multi-scale fretboards, and both fretted and fretless parts on the same neck (yes, that’s a thing!), there’s always something wild going on with the Ibanez Bass Workshop series. It’s like a private tour of a mad scientist’s bass workshop!
Ibanez acoustic guitars
From beginner to pro and everyone in between, Ibanez acoustic guitars come in a wide variety of shapes, finishes, styles, and price points to suit nearly any musical need.
By blending traditional build methods with modern guitar construction, Ibanez created the Artwood series of acoustic/electric guitars. Whether you’re looking for an affordable guitar for strumming or a high-quality acoustic designed for fingerpicking, the Ibanez Artwood series has something for you!
With its funky shape and double cutaway with high horns, the Ibanez Talman acoustic is designed to stand out — and sound good doing it. It adds an electric guitar look and feel to your acoustic setup for the best of both worlds.
And just like with their electric guitar models, there are several Ibanez signature series acoustic guitars based on the preferences of some of the best performers in rock and roll, including Steve Vai, Tim Henson, and Marcin Petrzalek.
Ibanez effects pedals
When you talk about the best overdrive guitar effects pedals on the market, it’s impossible to pass over the iconic Ibanez Tube Screamer. The little green box has been instrumental in countless setups around the world, professional and amateur alike!
Today, Ibanez makes several versions of the legendary Tube Screamer designed to fill just about any need a musician could have.
The Ibanez TS808 is the legend that started it all. It’s commonly hailed as the “Holy Grail of Tube Screamers” — and it has earned every accolade!
The Ibanez TS9 Tube Screamer is the modern iteration of the original, built for modern players with more functions. It’s technically a reproduction, but the TS9 is so good that it has earned a legendary reputation of its own as one of the greatest tube screamers ever built.
Pedalboards get crowded. To save space, grab the Ibanez TS-Mini. It’s the same amazing tube screamer, just smaller!
Want to add more kick to the already-great Tube Screamer? Take it up a notch with the Ibanez TS9DX Turbo Tube Screamer. You get all the goodies of the TS9 but also Plus Overdrive, Hot Overdrive, and Turbo Overdrive settings to really boost your tone.
Cases and gigbags
Take care of your new genuine Ibanez guitar with a genuine Ibanez hardshell case or gigbag. Ibanez makes both hard and soft (Powerpad Gig Bags) for all the models they make. Whether you rock an RS electric guitar or a Bass Workshop bass, there’s an Ibanez case for you!
History of Ibanez
The year was 1908. The Hoshino Shoten bookstore in Nagoya, Japan (owned by parent company Hoshino Gokki) decided they wanted to start selling guitars. They began importing Spanish guitars under the name Ibanez to stock their stores. By 1935, Ibanez started to manufacture their own Spanish-style acoustic guitars for sale in their stores.
Fast forward to 1957, which is considered the “Modern Era” for Ibanez guitars. Ibanez began manufacturing other guitar models, specifically electric guitars, that were based on Swedish styles. But as the electric guitar boom of the 1960s started taking over the United States by the likes of Gibson, Fender, and Rickenbacker, Ibanez had another idea. They began designing and manufacturing guitars that looked very similar (almost identical) to American guitars.
This copying wasn’t entirely a problem until 1972, when Ibanez started exporting to the United States. Seeing replications of their most popular models on their turf, the large American guitar manufacturers took legal action against Ibanez, beginning what’s known as the “Lawsuit Era” in Ibanez history.
During the Lawsuit Era, Ibanez shook up U.S. guitar production. They were offering nearly identical guitars to the big brands like Fender and Gibson but at much lower prices.
Despite the lawsuits, Ibanez never gave up. In fact, they took the lawsuits in stride and started to develop their own unique guitar models that were wildly different from anything on the market at the time, including the Iceman and Roadstar series which were huge successes.
By the late 1980s and early 1990s, Ibanez was quickly taking over the “shredder” scene. They began partnering with popular musicians like Steve Vai and George Benson to develop even more innovative designs to maximize speed and performance, like the Ibanez JEM and Universe models.
As the Nu-Metal era descended upon the music scene in the early 2000s, Ibanez started producing new seven-, eight-, and nine-string guitar models to keep up with the trends. They also became well-known in the music industry for their incredible high-quality basses and effects pedals, like the ever-popular Tube Screamer.
Today, Ibanez still reigns supreme as one of the best rock, jazz, and metal guitar brands for those looking to shred. It’s easy to find an Ibanez guitar that fits nearly any playing style or genre with tons of models and configurations available. Find your perfect Ibanez today!
