Ibanez: How a Japanese Copy Became a Legend
When we think of Ibanez today, clear images immediately come to mind: lightning-fast, ultra-thin necks, bright neon colors, floating tremolos, and virtuosos like Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, or modern exceptional talents like Tim Henson, who conjure seemingly impossible tones from their instruments. Ibanez stands for modern perfection, for the ultimate "Superstrat," for the sound of nu-metal, and for relentless innovation in guitar making.
But the truth is: One of today’s largest and most innovative guitar manufacturers did not start its rise with its own inventions. It began by copying the legendary designs of Gibson, Fender, and Rickenbacker – and with such precision that it eventually ended up in court.
Welcome to patsguitars.de! In this ultimate deep dive, we delve deeply into the fascinating history of Ibanez. We illuminate the path from a small bookstore department through the notorious "Lawsuit" era to the global market leader that forever changed guitar making. Grab a coffee; it’s going to be a wild journey through the history of the electric guitar.
The early years: Spanish roots and a Japanese bookstore
To understand the DNA of Ibanez, we have to travel far back in time – and surprisingly, not to Japan, but to Spain.
The name "Ibanez" comes from the highly respected Spanish guitar maker Salvador Ibáñez (1854–1920), whose excellent classical acoustic guitars were appreciated worldwide in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. His instruments were known for their flawless craftsmanship and singing tone. At the same time, there was a company in Japan called Hoshino Gakki, originally founded as a bookstore ("Hoshino Shoten") in 1908 by Matsujiro Hoshino.
The Hoshino family quickly realized that not only books but also musical instruments and sheet music were a lucrative business. In the 1920s, they began importing high-quality guitars from Salvador Ibáñez to Japan to meet the growing demand for Western instruments.
But the Spanish Civil War (1936–1939) and the subsequent global conflicts left the workshops in Spain in ruins. Deliveries from Europe stopped. Hoshino Gakki reacted pragmatically and visionary at the same time: instead of giving up the market, they simply bought the rights to the name "Ibanez Salvador" and began producing acoustic guitars in Japan themselves. Over time, "Ibanez Salvador" was simply shortened to: Ibanez.
The 50s and 60s: Bizarre shapes and the first electric guitar boom
After World War II, driven by the emerging rock 'n' roll, Ibanez began producing electric guitars. Anyone who finds an Ibanez from the late 50s or early 60s today will be surprised: these instruments had little in common with today’s high-performance machines. They were often wild, bizarre designs, with countless switches, strange pickups, and thick, bulky necks. They competed with brands like Teisco or Guyatone in the domestic and American markets. They were affordable, looked crazy, but in terms of playability and sound, they were still miles away from the American originals.
SEO fact & nerd knowledge: Hoshino Gakki still does not own any large factories for mass guitar production. At its core, it is a distribution and development company. They outsource production – a concept that later, in collaboration with the legendary Fujigen Gakki factory, would lead to worldwide fame and unrivaled quality.
The wild 70s: The "Lawsuit" era and the respect of the big players
Fast forward to the early 1970s. Pop and rock music exploded, bands filled stadiums, and the demand for high-quality electric guitars was enormous. The US giants Fender and Gibson dominated the market, but their instruments were unaffordable for many young musicians.
Additionally, both US brands suffered from massive quality fluctuations and cost-cutting measures in the 1970s. Fender is often disparagingly associated with the "CBS era" (when the TV network CBS bought the company and installed heavy ash bodies with thick layers of finish), while Gibson is known for the notorious "Norlin era" (characterized by multi-piece necks, pancake bodies, and often poor quality control).
This was the perfect window of opportunity for Ibanez. Hoshino Gakki gave the Fujigen factory a clear order: Copy the most popular American models – Les Pauls, Stratocasters, Telecasters, SGs, Explorers, and Flying Vs – and make them affordable.
The leap in quality and the secret weapon "Super 70"
At first, these copies were still cheaply constructed. Early Ibanez Les Paul copies (often referred to as the 23xx series) had, for example, bolt-on necks instead of the glued-in necks usual at Gibson, and the wood was often mahogany plywood instead of solid wood.
But the Japanese engineers at Fujigen learned incredibly fast. From around 1974/1975, the quality improved drastically. Ibanez began using solid woods, properly glued-in necks, and massively upgraded hardware.
A decisive factor for the success of these guitars was the pickups. Ibanez (in collaboration with Maxon) developed the "Super 70" Humbucker. These pickups with Alnico-VIII magnets sounded phenomenal – biting, articulate, and warm. Most famous example? Eddie Van Halen played large parts of the rhythm guitars on the first Van Halen album ("Van Halen I") not on his famous "Frankenstrat," but on an Ibanez Destroyer Model 2459 (an exact Gibson Explorer copy made of Korina wood), equipped with these very Super 70 pickups.
In the mid-70s, the Ibanez copies were of a quality that was not only equal to but sometimes even superior to the American originals of the Norlin or CBS era. Better fretting, clean finishes, and reliable electronics made these instruments insider tips among professionals.
The lawsuit (The Lawsuit)
Gibson could no longer stand by and watch. In 1977, Gibson's parent company, the Norlin Corporation, had enough. They filed a lawsuit against Elger Guitars (Hoshino's North American distribution subsidiary, based in Bensalem, Pennsylvania) in the Federal District Court in Philadelphia.
The myth: It is often claimed in forums and by sellers that Gibson sued Ibanez for completely copying the guitar shapes or the woods.
The truth: The lawsuit related exclusively to the trademark rights on the headstock design. Ibanez had exactly copied the distinctive "Open Book" (open book or also "Mustache") headstock of the Gibson Les Paul.
Ironically, the lawsuit actually came too late. Ibanez had already changed the headstock shape (the so-called "Guild-Style" or "Tulip" headstock) at the end of 1976 for the US market to avoid exactly such problems. The lawsuit was quickly settled out of court. But the term "Lawsuit Guitar" was born.
Today, these instruments (with the exact Gibson headstock, produced before 1977) are extremely sought-after collector's items that fetch top prices on the used market because they represent the golden age of Japanese copying craftsmanship.
From Copyist to Innovator: The Birth of a Unique Identity
The legal dispute was a loud wake-up call. Hoshino Gakki realized that in the long term, survival and growth could not be based solely on being the "copy world champion." They needed their own identity, original designs, and technical innovations to be perceived as a premium brand. What followed in the late 70s and early 80s was a creative explosion that laid the foundation for the Ibanez myth.
1. The Ibanez Iceman
One of the first truly radical, completely original shapes was the Ibanez Iceman (originally introduced in the mid-70s as the Artist 2663). With its asymmetrical, almost alien-looking body, it looked like it came from another dimension. The big breakthrough for this model came when Paul Stanley, frontman and rhythm guitarist of KISS, made the Iceman his main guitar. Ibanez built him the PS10 signature model – a luxurious version with binding and special mirror inlays. The Iceman proved to the world: Ibanez could create cool, original designs that worked on the biggest stages worldwide.
2. The Artist Series (AR)
While the Iceman catered to show rockers, Ibanez directly challenged the Gibson Les Paul with the Artist series (AR) – but no longer as a cheap copy, rather as a thoughtful evolution.
With a symmetrical double-cutaway design, glued-in necks, fantastic maple tops, and massive brass blocks under the bridge for seemingly endless sustain ("Sustain Block"), the Artist was an absolute luxury guitar. Added to this were the "Tri-Sound" switches, which allowed the newly developed Super 80 "Flying Finger" pickups to be split, wired in parallel, or in series. The AR models were tonal chameleons and offered a build quality that made even the most expensive custom-shop instruments from American competitors look outdated.
3. George Benson and the Archtop Revolution
Parallel to the rock world, Ibanez achieved something incredible: they won over the absolute superstar of jazz, George Benson. The Ibanez GB10 (introduced in 1977) was the very first official Ibanez signature model and has been in continuous production ever since.
Benson played this small, compact archtop not because Ibanez offered him the most money, but because it solved his problems. It was smaller, didn’t cut back as quickly on loud stages as the large traditional jazz boxes, and had "floating pickups" that let the top vibrate freely. Shortly after, jazz legends like John Scofield (JSM series) and Pat Metheny (PM series) followed. Ibanez had suddenly also arrived in the elite circle of jazz.
The 80s: Superstrats, shredders, and the decade of speed
If the 70s earned Ibanez respect, the 80s brought absolute world domination in the rock sector. It was the decade of heavy metal, glam rock, and countless notes per second. The "Guitar Heroes" were born.
Guitarists no longer wanted bulky vintage necks; they wanted flat, lightning-fast fingerboards, deep cutaways for effortless access to the 24th fret, and above all: tremolo systems that allowed the strings to be completely relaxed ("dive bombs") or pulled extremely high without the guitar going out of tune even a cent.
Traditional Stratocasters or Les Pauls suddenly seemed old-fashioned. Brands like Kramer, Charvel, and Jackson boomed, but Ibanez responded with incredible engineering skill from Japan.
The "Wizard" neck: Ergonomics reimagined
Ibanez revolutionized the neck profile. The legendary Wizard neck (introduced in the late 80s) was outrageously thin (often only 17 mm at the first fret and 19 mm at the 12th fret) and had an extremely flat fingerboard (e.g., 430 mm / 17 inch radius). This allowed an incredibly low string action without buzzing. Techniques like two-handed tapping, sweep picking, and lightning-fast legato playing were massively facilitated by this ergonomics. The Wizard neck became the industry standard for shredder guitars.
The Edge Tremolo: Floyd Rose perfected
While almost all manufacturers in the 80s relied on the licensed Floyd Rose tremolo, Ibanez took a step further and developed the system in-house. The Ibanez Edge Tremolo (later complemented by the even flatter Lo-Pro Edge) is still considered by many top guitar makers and professionals as the best double-locking tremolo in the world.
Why? Because the knife edges were more robust, the lever was pinned instead of screwed (which prevented annoying wobbling), and the finer mechanics offered unparalleled tuning stability.
The birth of the RG and S series
In 1987, Ibanez introduced the RG series. With its sharp, aggressive double-cutaway, 24-fret setup, H-S-H pickup configuration (humbucker-single coil-humbucker) for maximum tonal versatility, and slim body shape, the RG became the ultimate "Superstrat." It remains by far Ibanez's best-selling series to this day.
At the same time, the S series (Sabre) appeared. These guitars stood out with their extremely thin, streamlined mahogany body. They were incredibly light but still delivered a fat, powerful tone thanks to the heavy mahogany wood.
Guitar Heroes: The Era of Signature Instruments
No other brand has pushed collaboration with artists to such extremes and integrated it so closely into series production as Ibanez. They understood that the guitarist is not just an endorser but a co-developer.
Steve Vai and the colorful JEM
The ultimate accolade for Ibanez came in 1987. Steve Vai, the former guitarist for Frank Zappa and David Lee Roth, was the hottest, most technically skilled guitarist on the planet. Every manufacturer wanted him. Vai sent his extremely specific, almost absurd demands to various companies. Ibanez delivered the perfect prototype in record time, built by master builder Mace Bailey.
From this collaboration came the Ibanez JEM. With its striking "Monkey Grip" (the handle in the body), the "Lion's Claw" tremolo cavity (which allowed extreme tremolo pull-up), the colorful DiMarzio pickups, and the beautiful "Tree of Life" inlay, the JEM became an absolute icon. The JEM was revolutionary in price but a huge success. Even more important: the basic shape of the JEM became the blueprint for the affordable mass-market series, the Ibanez RG.
Joe Satriani and Paul Gilbert
Shortly after, Steve Vai's former guitar teacher followed: Joe Satriani. The Ibanez JS series took a completely different path than the angular JEM. Based on the Ibanez Radius series, the JS body is rounded, almost aerodynamic like a drop, equipped with special DiMarzio humbuckers and a high-pass filter.
Also Paul Gilbert (Racer X, Mr. Big) joined the Ibanez family. His PGM series was based on the RG but omitted the tremolo system (Gilbert preferred fixed bridges) and stood out with the iconic painted F-holes.
The 90s and 2000s: Nu-Metal, 7-String, and Djent
When grunge (Nirvana, Pearl Jam) took over the music world in the early 90s and guitar solos suddenly became "uncool," many superstrat manufacturers struggled. However, Ibanez once again proved its incredible adaptability.
The 7-string boom and Korn
As early as 1990, Ibanez, together with Steve Vai, released the first mass-produced 7-string electric guitar, the Universe. Initially, it was a niche product. But in the mid-90s, a young band from Bakersfield, California, discovered these guitars in pawn shops: Korn.
Munky and Head from Korn tuned the already low 7th string (B) a whole step down to A and created a massive, percussive sound that defined the nu-metal genre. Suddenly, every teenager wanted to play a 7-string Ibanez. Ibanez dominated this decade and equipped bands like Limp Bizkit, Slipknot, and Fear Factory.
The modern era: 8-string, multi-scale, and the AZ series
Ibanez never rested. When the progressive metal scene (Djent) demanded lower tones, they built the first mass-produced 8-string guitars for the Swedish band Meshuggah.
With the rise of technically incredible modern prog guitarists like Tosin Abasi (Animals as Leaders) and Tim Henson (Polyphia), Ibanez developed instruments with multi-scale fretting, headless guitars (Q series), and the AZ series. The AZ series was Ibanez's answer to the boutique Strat market (like Suhr or Tom Anderson) – with roasted maple necks, thicker C-profiles, and Seymour Duncan pickups. A guitar that masters everything from clean jazz to heavy metal and is extremely popular today.
Basses and acoustics: Much more than just electric guitars
Even though electric guitars are the flagship, the other segments should not be forgotten.
With the Soundgear (SR) Bass Series, Ibanez introduced basses in the late 80s that featured slim, fast necks and lightweight, ergonomic bodies. They were the exact opposite of the heavy Fender Precision basses and quickly became favorites among bassists in rock, pop, and metal.
In the acoustic and semi-acoustic range, the Artcore and Artwood series dominate the market for affordable yet high-quality instruments. If you're looking for a jazz guitar, you can hardly avoid the Artcore series without breaking the budget.
A historical excursus: The legendary green stompbox (Tube Screamer)
You can't write an epic article about the history of Ibanez without mentioning a small, inconspicuous green box. In the late 1970s, Ibanez (again produced in cooperation with Maxon) launched the TS808 Tube Screamer overdrive, later followed by the TS9.
Instead of completely distorting and destroying the sound like a fuzz pedal, the Tube Screamer boosted the mid frequencies, cut the bass, and made tube amps overdrive in a natural, creamy way. When blues giant Stevie Ray Vaughan strapped the TS808 (and later the TS9 and TS10) in front of his loud Fender amps to shape his massive Texas blues tone, the pedal became an absolute legend.
Today, the Tube Screamer is probably the most copied and cloned overdrive pedal in the world. A nice irony of history for a company that once started purely as a copier.
The Ibanez Line-up Guide for patsguitars.de: Which series suits you?
Ibanez today has an extremely broad, almost confusing portfolio. If you browse the used market or online shops, the sheer number of letter and number combinations can be confusing. Here is a detailed overview of the quality levels to shed some light:
| Series | Country of Origin | Target Group | Special Features & Characteristics |
| GIO | China / various | Beginners | Very good value for money. Solid entry-level instruments that adopt the look of the expensive models. |
| Standard | Indonesia | Amateurs & Advanced Players | The backbone of Ibanez. Solid hardware, huge model variety (RG, S, AZES), real "workhorses" for the stage. |
| Iron Label / Axion Label | Indonesia | Metal / Modern Prog | Dark look, often reduced electronics (no tone pot), equipped with expensive Fishman Fluence or Bare Knuckle pickups, often available as multi-scale (fanned frets). |
| Premium | Indonesia | Ambitious & Semi-Pros | Visually often at J.Custom level (burl wood tops, etc.). Noteworthy is the "Premium Fret Edge Treatment" (rounded fret edges) for a buttery smooth playing feel. |
| Prestige | Japan (Fujigen) | Professionals & Enthusiasts | The "Sweet Spot" of quality. Flawless Japanese craftsmanship from the Fujigen factory. Equipped with the best Gotoh hardware and finest woods. Once you've played a Prestige, you often want nothing else. |
| J.Custom | Japan | Collectors & Elite | The best of the best. Handpicked master woods, elaborate "Tree of Life" inlays, built in very limited runs in the Japanese Custom Shop. |
Pat's Vintage Tip: If you’re looking for the ultimate price-performance killer on the used market, keep an eye out for early "Made in Japan" (MIJ) models from the Fujigen factory between 1987 and around 2003. Especially models like the Ibanez RG550, RG570, or the early S540 often offer real prestige quality (with the original, indestructible Edge tremolos) for a fraction of today’s new price. The only downside with old models: watch out for hairline cracks at the neck joint (neck-pocket cracks) – these are almost standard for Ibanez from this era but usually only a cosmetic flaw in the finish!
Conclusion: The myth of Japanese perfection
The story of Ibanez is an unparalleled tale of adaptability, courage, and perfect engineering. Hoshino Gakki recognized early what guitarists needed – often before the musicians themselves knew it. They transformed from a small importer to a gifted copyist and finally to an absolute pioneer of technical innovations.
Ibanez has not only shaped modern guitar making, they have defined it for generations of musicians. Traditional brands like Fender and Gibson often rest (and rightly so given their history) on their vintage laurels from the 50s and 60s. Ibanez, on the other hand, constantly drives evolution forward. They are not afraid to design asymmetrical neck profiles, test new materials, or provide subcultures like the Djent scene exactly the tools they need.
An Ibanez is more than just a piece of wood with wires. It is a highly precise tool and a testament to how craftsmanship precision, bold unconventional design, and an open ear for musicians’ wishes can lead a brand from the shadows of giants all the way to the top.
Whether you play an old Lawsuit Les Paul, a worn RG550 from the 80s, or a modern, headless Q series: you always hold a piece of music history in your hands.
Are you ready to write your own chapter in Ibanez history? Discover our handpicked selection of Ibanez models in our shop now – from timeless classics to modern high-performance guitars.