Highly sought after and rare are the early 1980s Destroyers. Eddie Van Halen, Ace Frehley, Paul Stanley, Adrian Smith, Dave Murray, Phil Collen, Paul Gilbert, Chris Holmes, Jeff Dunn(Mantas) , Dave Mustaine all played a Japanese made Ibanez Destroyer in the early 1980s, and they performed live with and recorded with them too. These guitars are not only iconic, they have a very futuristic and anime type of design as looking closely is way cooler than an Explorer. Even if you don't play, this can be hung up on the wall as art and nostalgia of the 1980s Heavy Metal heydays.

This stunning guitar was born in 1984, and In the spirit if 80s Metal DEF LEPPARD, KISS, VAN HALEN, IRON MAIDEN, Born at The original and most significant Ibanez factory, especially for its legendary high-quality electric guitars in the 70s and 80s, was FujiGen (Fuji Gengakki Seizō) in Matsumoto, Japan, which continuously built Ibanez instruments for decades and produced many iconic models like Iceman for Paul Stanley, JEM (Stave Vai), Joe Satriani guitars, etc.

ACE FREHLEY inspired 3 pickups, KISS Destroyer Album Influenced Name, Phil Collen Def Leppard Guitar as Phil used the guitar in Girl with a standard trem like this one

****UPGRADED and WELL TAKEN CARE OF Ibanez DT155BK 1984 Def Leppard Phil Collen made in Japan, only played at my home**** More exciting than a Gibson Explorer, Les Pauls that cost much more -- why -- this is a symbol of the 1980s and a showpiece and rare super guitar with Looks that Kill. Seldom do you own an icon of the era, head turner that was a big part of 1980s Heavy Metal History era and the most exciting and sought after guitar on MTV. Well here is your chance to take her home.

note: This is the best production of the guitar, after the abomination 21 fret versions, and later cheaper production using thin headstocks, smaller dot inlays, and also the cheap clunky trem units that fail the magnet test. I upgraded the trem, bridge pickup, knobs, strap lock to match Phil Collen, took great care of it also.

(I have UPGRADED, the tremolo, strap locks, bridge pickup, grip knobs to match closer to Phil's which was an investment for parts and labor for these upgrades.)

I am the original owner of this rare made in Japan 22 fret version of the guitar — also this version headstock is thicker than the cheaper made versions of the same model # that came after from Ibanez— purchased from Manny's Music NYC in 1984. (2) Super 70 Pickups, (1) Duncan Distortion. Just playing it today, its sizzling 1980s MTV and Heavy Metal. It is also a head turner if you need that stage attention as it has been seen by some as a cross between a Gibson Les Paul/ Explorer, and Ibanez Iceman. I am selling as shaving off some guitars in my collection. Also I have a top star rating on Reverb and on Ebay. Rest assured with me as buyers beware that there are many fakes out there produced -- you are stumbling across someone who owned the guitar from the beginning and cared for it very well and also owns others like it. Everything about this guitar is great -- sounds great, feels great, looks great and it is such a sight to look at -- extremely beautiful and extreme at the same time. I also have the original Ibanez black knobs if you want them swapped out with these Ibanez gold ones.

I want to square flaws with not this DT155 design but the first ones and later ones

-The 21 fret versions are an abomination for metal players for lack of the 22 fret

-The thin cheap headstock versions that came later in mass production are atrocious, and have smaller dot inlays - cheaper production

-3 Super 70s pickups -- in the bridge position you definitely need a hotter pickup like a Duncan Distortion or Dimarzio Super Distortion for metal music as Phil did. Also Phil Collen disconnected the middle pickup wire which I have done also (you can easily solder it back). You want a hot pickup in the bridge and for the neck the Super 70s sound nice clean to make it a versatile guitar. Ibanez definitely fall short here as they did insert a hot pickup & Super 70 neck combination in other Destroyers, but I have rectified the issue on this one.

22 fret version of the guitar is a necessity for metal as too many solos use the 22 fret, and a larger headstock has advantages we all know such as sustain and strength -- that is why this model you see is the coveted one. 21 frets is an abomination for a metal guitar since so many metal solos use the full 22 frets. Also this has 2 Super 70s -- one in the middle and one in the neck -- these are also sought after pickups. Also finding this model seldom used at it is in this condition is rare. So this guitar is not going to be a cheap one. Guitar will ship in a Guitar Center big box with all the packing bubble wrapped professionally.

Ibanez DT155BK 1984 Def Leppard Phil Collen made in Japan, only played at my home.

Well taken care of but has 40 years of a few dings/scratches/wear here and there that were touched up from time to time, still much less wear than the other models of this I see for sale that seem to have the worst scratches from changing hands so much and winding up in pawn shops. etc.

I imagine a guitar collector or someone craving for their childhood nostslgia would be the buyer - genuine love for the 1980s metal and MTV days, or Def Leppard tribute band member . This guitar is an icon of Rock of Ages and 1980s Heavy Metal. Also rock cafe business have interests in decorating with axes like this as well.

upgraded/ added (all upgrades were trying to get the guitar closer to Phil Collen's):

- tremelo with Wilkinson/Gotoh VSVG Vintage Tremolo Nickel trem with grooves for strings better stay in tune and block adds richness to sound - closer to Phil Collen as this trem is superior to the one replaced

-Ibanez gold color knobs to closer match Phil Collen in Rock of Ages , Photograph, Foolin , Too Late for Love, videos

-dunlop strap locks added to closer match Phil Collen s per these MTV videos

-Ibanez Smooth Tuners are original, Ibanez string guides are original. upgraded items include : better tremelo, dunlop straplocks, hotter bridge pickup, and gold colored sure grip knobs.

I do have the original cream color backplate ) which I will include , if you want the original black knobs I will swap them with the gold Ibanez sure grip knobs. If you want a Super 70s in the bridge you can put the middle pickup in the bridge slot.

-Duncan distortion pickup to match Phil Collen's metal sound , to do this I also disconnected the middle pickup wire as the Duncan Distortion and Neck Super 70 pickup sound more metal together without the middle pickup connected. Phil Collen said he did this as well so following him except he did it with Dimarzio Super Distortions(the Duncan Distortion I find more modern sounding for Metallica type music than the SDs). There is an astounding better and tighter bottom with the Duncan Distortion as you can play Metallica/Megadeth type metal on it also with this pickup qualities. Perfectly working neck and bridge pickups together or by themselves via the toggle switch. You can take the Middle pickup and put it in the bridge if you really want that Super 70s sound instead of the Duncan Distortion sound. But for a metal guitar you need a hot pickup in the bridge and the Super 70s is great in the neck position for playing clean and also bluesy. I would disagree to put a Duncan Distortion also in the Neck for that reason.

(the old trem sell from time to time on Reverb, but the original trem does not have a good solid block since its hollow sounding with cheaper amalgamated metal as a magnet would not stay on the block as a test, and the saddles on the old trem do not have grooves to help tuning stability. You should not want the old trem at all if you like staying in tune longer, and like the richness/resonance in tone from a more expensive block. Also the trem arm on the Wilkinson/Gotoh VSVG is a pop in, so no more hassles with the original old trem screw in arm with the upgrade.)

-this is an investment also since anything from MTV and iconic Japanese craftsmanship can only go up in value. This is iconic of MTV, 1980s, Rock of Ages, Pyromania album. Very rare, beautiful, and sought after.

- Ibanez its a DT155BK Basswood Body, Birch Top, Cream Binding, Neck is 1 piece maple with a Rosewood fretboard, Japanese Original Guitar from 1984. 22 fret on this version and a thicker headstock before they started mass producing them with cheaper quality. 21 Fret versions were produced before the 22 fret ones, then after the 22 fret ones, they went cheap on manufacturing. So this one is the best!

-Also it was purchased at the iconic legendary Manny's Music where Hendrix, Beatles, shopped -- its coming from a legendary shop

-Also there is Nostalgia because Eddie Van Halen used an Ibanez Destroyer (Not this model) on Van Halen 1, and it is stated he used Super 70 pickups in various circles, so for that reason also this is not going to be a cheap price guitar. I installed a better trem, and a hot pickup in this one's bridge, and enjoy the versatility of the neck pickup being Super 70, I recommend a bolt on always because you can always replace the neck cheaply, set necks you cannot which makes this DT155BK guitar one you can have and treasure the rest of your life.

A side note is when Ibanez decided to call their version of the Gibson Explorer a name -- it seems to have been around the time of KISS Destroyer album -- Ibanez never came out and said it but I think looking at 3 Humbuckers, you think 2 guitar players Ace Frehley, and Phil Collen especially, So you can possibly use this in a Kiss tribute band as well is my suggestion and possibly use the middle pickup as a place to put the prop pickup and if you want the Super 70s sound, put the middle pickup in the bridge position in place of the Duncan Distortion. Adrian Smith and Dave Murray also played Ibanez Destroyers in the early 80s and toured with the guitars.

no returns

Best Regards to whoever takes this legend home.