Whitstable Guitars

1987 Ibanez Japan AS-80 Artist AV & Original Generic Hard Case

£869.00

JAPAN IMPORT

I was so pleased to find this guitar in Japan. Almost completely original (I believe the nut has been changed) and in lovely condition. Also, I really like the Antique Violin finish. There were a couple of small knocks on the guitar which you can see in the gallery and there is the odd scratch and small nick and some chips on the headstock but all in all this is a super guitar. It's essentially an ES-335 copy with a solid centre block. Equipped with a pair of Super '58 pickups it's good for everything from jazz to pop & rock.

I found some decent info online regarding this model. In short the AS-80 replaced the AS-100 and was made for just 5 years. The AS-80 returned later on but was made in Korea and had the larger "flared" headstock.

Ibanez AS-80 (1983–1987)

The AS80 is a hollow body electric guitar model introduced by Ibanez for 1983. It was made in Japan by FujiGen. It essentially replaced the similar AS100.

The AS-80 features a semi-hollow, double cutaway body design with a laminated maple top with ƒ holes and ivory multi-binding on maple back and sides with a hard rock maple center block mated to a set-in maple neck with a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with ivory binding and pearl dot position markers. Components include a pair of Ibanez Super 58 humbucking pickups with chrome covers and individual volume and tone controls, black pickup rings, a Tune-o-matic style Gibraltar II bridge, a Quik Change II tailpiece, a bone nut, a black pickguard, Sure Grip II knobs, and Smooth Tuner machine heads.

For 1985 the body material was changed from Maple to Birch.

This version of the AS-80 was discontinued in 1987. The similar AS-100 was introduced for 1989. The AS-80 model name was revived in 1994.

Specifications for AS80 (1983–1987)

Year(s) produced: 1983–1987

Made in: Japan

Finish: Antique Violin (AV

Body type: Hollow body

Dimensions:

Length: 480mm / 16½"[1]

Width: 406mm / 13⅞"[1]

Depth: 44mm / 1¾"

Top:

Material: 1985–1987: Birch (laminated)

Binding: Ivory

Back/sides:

Material: 1985–1987: Birch (laminated)

Neck joint: Set-in

Bridge: Gibraltar II

Tailpiece: Quick Change II

Pickguard: Black bakelite

Knob style: Sure Grip II (gold)

Hardware colour: Chrome

Neck type: Artstar AS

Neck material: 3-piece maple

Scale length: 628mm/ 24¾"

Fingerboard material: Rosewood w/ ivory binding

Fingerboard inlays: Pearl dot

Frets: 22 / medium

Nut: Bone (43mm) (Replaced)

Machine heads: GOTOH Smooth Tuner

Pickup configuration: HH

Bridge pickup: Ibanez Super 58 (H) passive/alnico

Neck pickup: Ibanez Super 58 (H) passive/alnico

Controls:

Two volumes / two tones / 3-way toggle pickup selector

Output jack: ¼" mono (face mounted)