This '79 Artist AR-50 (aka Artist Jr.) is about as original as you can get, and just about as clean too. Huge sound and a great player. I'll call it very good condition but I doubt there's many nicer left out there.
As far as I can tell only the switch ring isn't from the factory. It has been replaced with a proper ring from reproguitarparts.com. The guitar will come with and additional ring and proper switch tip from repro as well in case they become scarce at some point in the future.
There are a few dings and whatnot the worst being a small chip down to the wood on the bottom back edge of the guitar (pictured). There are some swirls in the finish and a few scratches but they are light and insignificant to the looks or playabilty of a 36 year old guitar. I've tried to show them best I can in the photos. There is minimal fretwear in the cowboy chord range, a really nice dark rosewood board (ebonized rosewood?) and all the dots a clean, present and accounted for.
The factory Super 70's pickups sound amazing, these are truly special pickups and the thick almost 50's style neck plays great. All electronics work with no fuss. There is very little tarnishing or oxidation on any of the parts. This guitar was well taken care of and lightly used from all indications. The original tuners still work as well as you could want. According to Ibanez the multi-piece body is mahogany with a carved maple cap. I am not 100% sure what wood the neck is I've read birch and/or maple.
As nice as the guitar is though the case is kind of rough. I am pretty sure it is an original Ibanez case for this model but I can't imagine with the guitar being so clean that this case is original to this actual guitar. It has all it's latches but the wood is separating in sections, likely it can be glued back together with some skill and patience. It holds together but I wouldn't use for anything other than storage and originality. If you would like the guitar and the case shipped separately I would be happy to do so but there will likely be an additional charge for that (but there is a partial pack of early 80's D'Addario strings in the case to help offset that ;).
All in all this guitar is a simple beauty and a blast to play.
Feel free to contact me with any questions you may have about the guitar and I'll do my best to answer them for you.
