1979 Ibanez AS100 Artist – The AS100 was introduced in late 1979. By this time, the “lawsuit era” was over, and like other high end semi-hollow bodies (like the SA100 and 2626, which share its DNA, it was made in the famed FujiGen Gakki factory in Matsumoto (Nagano), Japan.  These guitars are of high build quality and were intended (along with the fancier AS200 which John Scofield and Lee Ritenour played and advertised in catalogues starting 1980) to rival Gibson ES335’s of the times. Great neck, great pickups… and this one has unique rare, early features.

The Antique Violin Sunburst finish is nitrocellulose on the first ones, which changed to poly in 1980). It glows the characteristic “deep muddy green” with a black light).  This guitar is in amazingly fresh, like-new EX+ (9-9.5) condition. The back of neck, top, back, rims, and ivory binding are all very clean. The only real wear is a crack and corner chip on the neck pickup ring, and some light picking marks on the pickguard. Even the edge of headstock is clean. The truss rod cover says, “Artist”. The AS100 featured the original zinc-alloy “Quik Change II” slant-slotted tailpiece and Velve-Tune II machine heads (Gotoh) stamped “Ibanez smooth tuner II”. It has black Ibanez “Sure Grip” knobs are on it, but there is also a second set of Gibson speed knobs in case.  It also has a heavy tuneamatic “ST” bridge with metal saddles (similar to a Nashville Gibson and manufactured by Gotoh) that is anchored in a solid brass block embedded in center block. There is also a bone nut and a black 5-ply pickguard.  Another super-desirable feature of the earliest ones:  “Super 70” Alnico VIII pickups from Maxon (these were changed to the Super 58’s in ‘82).  With the coveted oversized Alnico magnets, these sound great and are considered “golden era”-- the same pickups as on Van Halen’s ’75 Destroyer.  I would characterize them as "under-wound, vintage-voiced". They are etched on back, including the large “A” for flagship production line, and are driven by a 3-way toggle switch. The wiring harness is original and all pots work fine. They are housed in original plastic dust caps and anti-status holders. Pickups read 7.88k and 8.15K ohms and are less aggressive than the Super 70's that were ceramic, hotter and cheaper that came out in 1980. 

The set-neck is 2-piece bookmatched solid mahogany that is tightly grained.  The catalogues all list a 3-piece neck for the model.  The 2629 and SA100 had maple necks-- the SA100 with an ebonized rosewood fingerboard but the 2629 solid ebony. So… this one features an awesome ebony fingerboard (this also changed to rosewood, subsequently) with 24.75 scale,  22 original “VelveTouch” frets and pearloid dots. The neck is extremely stable and solid and is in perfect condition with very little fret wear.  It honestly feels just like a Gibson 335 neck. The string height is very low at around 1.5mm (high E) and 2mm (low E). These are great necks with a very smooth feel. The guitar itself has good sustain, clarity, and “ring” when played acoustically, as well as with the pickups, the massive weight (in large part to the center block).

Another early feature: laminated, densely-pressed birch top, back and sides  (a great wood alternative to maple, perhaps a bit "softer' resonance). Ibanez switched to maple in 1980.  There is a massive hard-rock solid maple/mahogany center block, and heavy hardware— in fact, the guitar is heavy weighing 9.38 lbs—this is the heaviest one I’ve seen, ya gotta love it!  I refer to it as THE “rock and roll semi-hollow body".

The AS100 is collectable and was only made ’79 –’82, although Ibanez brought back a Korean/Indonesian-made model 1987-1990. Rare opportunity to own a near-50-year-old piece of Japan guitar history, and a great value… still. 

A bonus: the guitar comes with a period-correct Gibson 335 case in EX+ condition with dark maroon lining and black "Gibson" ghost logo.  Double-arched and Presto lock. This case alone is worth $450-500.

Bottom line: As a collectable, you are getting one of the earliest AS100’s off the assembly line, with unique desirable early features such as nitro finish, coveted Maxon Super 70’s, birch pressed woods, a 2-piece-bookmatched mahogany neck with an ebony fingerboard and a valuable clean original Gibson case.