Description
Vintage Ibanez EX: You couldn’t get a relic to look this mean… this is an early Korean (89) Ibanez with killer tone and wild looks.
It came to me from Japan as a rescue. Please understand this is not a “to-original” restoration. This is a rescue… the point being to make it playable and maintain its history and character.
The paint work was as is (see the work below). The main issue it had was that the posts had been removed and one of the post holes has been ‘hacked out’.
I plugged the post holes and drilled for the new 10mm posts. As these came with traditional saddled Trems (2 point) I sourced a genuine later-model Ibanez trem. It is in almost-new condition. I think it’s a Fat 10 but I am not an Ibanez expert.
The body was rubbed back where the paint was peeling and chipped – I smoothed out with 3000 grit and compound polis. This was to stop the paint coming off more and also to help make the body smoother to hold. The bog chips and peeling is how it arrived.
I am 99% sure that the paint on the body is original… but the headstock is colour matched. I don’t recall seeing colour matched headstocks on EX series when going through catalogues. As such I am unsure, but my gut tells me that the somewhere along the line it was given a headstock spray. It looks awesome regardless.
The Ibanez Logo is a decal I added. Originally there were random stickers over the headstock. The decal is slightly big (yes I know, please don’t point it out)… it’s also an RG decal, not an EX Series. This is a rescue guitar so modifications like this should be taken with a grain of salt.
The neck shows clear signs of lacquer damage (brown staining) and this could have been water damage, but I will never know its history.
I have thoroughly cleaned and conditioned the fretboard. The frets are about 70%. have leveled and crowned them
The neck is really nice to play. It’s smooth and feels just right.
Tuners have been serviced and cleaned- they are the originals and hold tone well.
The electronics are all original by the look of things. I have serviced them with contact cleaner and it’s working well. Occasionally gives a crackle from the pots and the switch. The new owner can modify to their pleasure.
Tone from the pickups is awesome. If you know the EX Series, the neck and 4 position give beautiful honky strat style tones, while the bridge has some great shreddiness.
Please hit me up with questions. More than happy for people to come and play this one. Please don’t low ball me… I am happy to keep this one and replace my personal strat with this. It’s a killer guitar.
On top of the rescue I have given this guitar a set up. Truss rod works well. The action is set to 2mm at the 12th. It’s playing beautifully.
1989 Vintage Ibanez EX 140
Body: Alder
Neck: Maple
FB: Rosewood
Frets: 22
Pickups: HSS
Bridge: Ibanez (Fat 10 I think)
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