1981 Ibanez Musician MC 550

[@PANTYCELYN]

Hey Laurent. Thanks for this very useful appraisal.

[@Pbalris]

I love that guitar - got one myself since 1981, also my first guitar.

[@creekhed697]

The rarest of the rare is the '82 MC350NT... total build quantity of that model is like 77 ever built! I searched for TWENTY YEARS and FINALLY found one last year. AMEN!

[@matic1203cc]

I had a 350NT back in "94". Sadly, I sold it. I think for $400. I believe there were only 81 produced. Miss that guitar alot!!

[@LGuitarB]

@Zemane; yes, there are many different configuration of the knobs on Musicians. The serial number of mine end on 80, which could be right. I bought it in 1983.

[@Marine475]

Oh yeah. Hell of a first pick. As far as quality goes I don't think it can get any better.

[@Marine475]

Oryginal design was by Fuji Gen Gakki plant it self I believe. All those guitars are generic products of Fuji Gen with some minor tweaks in electrics and logo stamped on headstock. I used to have japanese catalogues of the plant and there were hundreds of variants available.

[@LGuitarB]

Yes, it really has a very high build quality

[@Kemet09]

Hello Laurent. Thanks for the review... I have the MC300. You mentioned the Roland guitar. It is actually made by Ibanez. And yes it does seem very Alembic 'influenced'. I kinda still want a MC550, but its not in the budget as I am a Bassist.

[@LGuitarB]

Thanks for sharing my video! Oh, so the Roland was made by Ibanez? It is quite a confusing genealogy then :-)

[@Kemet09]

Yup! Its a great guitar! still kinda unappreciated IMHO. Thats good as it keeps the price down a bit so players like yourself can still get your hands on them although that Trey guy from Phish was seen playing one which kinda drove the prices up a bit...

[@LGuitarB]

Well, I got it in 1983 when they didn't have the reputation to begin with :-)

[@totalcontrolguitar]

I have posted a demo of the Ibanez Musician MC300. Cheers

[@LGuitarB]

You're right, Aria was another brand that made guitars like those. It actually does say ash in the brochure, but perhaps they used an asian version of it. Well, never mind, as long as it sounds good.

[@huskvarsm]

It sounds close to an active les paul custom “if Gibson made an active custom”.

[@Pbalris]

Yep. I guess we did. Just got a new bridge for it, but it won't fit in the sustain block. Need to bring it to my guitar guy :-)

[@LGuitarB]

@Pbairis: ha, so we bought one around the same time :-)

[@tihomir7]

I had a mc 300 model at the beginning of eightees and it was great. I sold it few years after and bought 550 for the same price. Yeah it was built like for king's family but I was not satisfied with sound. Maybe because active electronic that gave a bit plastic to sound. But wood polish and handcraft is better than most custom made guitars.

[@LGuitarB]

Did your 300 have the same pickups as the 550? Because the pickups were the one not-so-great thing about it, I thought.

[@tihomir7]

I don't remember. But pups on my 300 were great sounding. I had a chance to sell it and buy 550 for the same price and so I did it expecting that it will be even better. Handcraft was awsome like a million bucks, but not the sound. Maybe I got bad piece.

[@tchwiss]

Were you able to install the EMG pickups in without any modifications? Are the Ibanez pickups and mounting rings of a different size than standard size humbuckers? Thanks

[@LGuitarB]

I had them installed for me, but the luthier did put in some extra strips of plastic to fill the small gaps, yes.

[@LGuitarB]

They can be switched parallel en single coil as well though, like the original pickups

[@tchwiss]

Thanks

[@zemanel1231]

hey there one friend gave me an ibanez mc he was a musician the guitar its fucking brutal it looks old school but sound like a brand new i want to know the model its seems like yours but the knos are diferent in the serial it says G80

[@LGuitarB]

Mine is a MC 550

[@totalcontrolguitar]

Nice

[@monsieurhercule]

I had a musician for a few years, had to let it go - apparently the fretboard is "ebonised" rosewood.

[@LGuitarB]

The 300 had that yes (and nothing wrong with a rosewood fingerboard by the way), but the 400/500 series did have ebony: s93105080.onlinehome.us/Ibanez-Catalogs/catalog/1978/09.jpg

[@doctorkiriko9459]

作りが良いギターなんだけど、重すぎ！　飾って眺めるだけの工芸品なのだ...。

[@LGuitarB]

Ok, just put it in google translate :-) It IS heavy yes, but it's not only looks, it is a very good sounding and playing guitar as well.