Ibanez Iceman
Encyclopedia
The Iceman is an electric guitar model produced by Ibanez
.
guitar produced by Hoshino Gakki
. Hoshino Gakki exported copies of American electric and acoustic guitars in the 1950s, and by the mid 1970s the Ibanez guitars had reached a level of quality comparable to American guitars.
Lower labor rates at the time, plus efficient manufacturing meant that Ibanez guitars could be sold for almost half (or less) of the cost of a Gibson Les Paul
or Fender Stratocaster
.
In the mid 1970s Hoshino Gakki wanted to make a distinctly Japanese guitar and to start breaking away from the Ibanez replicas of Fender and Gibson models. The idea was to build a guitar with an appealing original design, like a Les Paul or Stratocaster. A meeting between Hoshino (Ibanez), Kanda Shokai (Greco
) and one of the main guitar factories in Japan (FujiGen
) resulted in the Iceman/Mirage design. Each distribution company had distribution rights to it in different global markets. Hoshino Gakki (Ibanez) had the rights outside of Japan and Kanda Shokai (Greco) had the rights for Japan.
The Ibanez model was originally named the Artist 2663. The name "Iceman" came later. The Greco model was named the Mirage and they are basically the same except for the pickup types that were used. Super 2000, Triple Coil and V2 pickups were used for the Ibanez Iceman, depending on the model number. Greco Dry and DiMarzio Super II pickups were used for the Greco Mirage. Body wood, pickups and neck joint construction varied with the Iceman/Mirage model price. The original Ibanez Artist/Iceman production was from 1975 to 1982/1983 with different models having set neck
and bolt-on necks.
Early models were called Ibanez Artist 2663 models and were changed to the Ibanez Iceman name in 1978. The Ibanez Iceman II that was released in 1982/1983 had a different headstock with 6 in line tuners instead of the 3 a side tuners the original Ibanez Iceman had.
Paul Stanley
of KISS
favored the Iceman from the 1977 to 1980 and again used it primarily from 1992 to 1997 until he started endorsing his own Washburn
guitars. Probably the most sought after by collectors is the PS-10, or Paul Stanley model. This came out in 1977 as the popularity of the rock band KISS skyrocketed. Ibanez approached Paul while KISS was on tour in Japan in 1976. They offered him a chance to develop his own signature model. He liked the shape of the Artist 2663 model and made changes to that model as his ideas came to fruition in the PS10 model. The PS10 first appeared in the 1978 Ibanez catalog, although it may have been available for purchase prior to catalog printing. Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar, vocals) played an Iceman for the next 4 years. Look inside the album cover of KISS ALIVE II for a live shot of him with the Iceman. This model retailed for about $695 in 1978, and was offered through 1981. In 1995 the PS-10 was re-issued as the PS10-II and in 1996 an additional PS model was unveiled - the PS10-LTD (or Limited). Sales must have been good because in 1997 yet another PS was offered in the catalog - this was sold as the PS10-CL (or Classic). The biggest difference between them is that the PS10-II was made in Korean factories and the LTD and Classic were Japanese made and also had all the same features of the original 1978 model (like the Gibraltar bridge and Quick Change tailpiece). Although the catalog shows the PS10-II with "Paul Stanley" inlaid at the 21 fret, most were not produced this way. Apparently there was a problem with the inserts at the Korean factory and it was decided not to use them.
Paul Stanley states;
"First of all, the Iceman and the PS10 have about as much in common as a Chevy and a Rolls Royce. The PS10 came about in the '70s, when we were on our first trip to Japan. Ibanez was interested in me doing a signature guitar with them. They wanted to me to design something new, and we did go through their catalog, I saw a picture of a guitar that was not terribly popular. I liked the asymmetrical shape to it; it reminded me of a Firebird or a Rickenbacker bass turned upside down. It had one pickup on it that looked like you took three bobbins from a humbucker and put them together somehow. It also had that wacky knob that looked like you were to change your television channels with it! I said, "You've got something here, but you don't know what to do with it." My feeling about Ibanez in the '70s, like many companies in Japan, was that they were excellent at copying but they didn't know why they were copying. We sat down, and by using that basic shape, I came up with a guitar: construction, frets, inlays, wiring, the type of tail block that has a sustain block built into it, the half-brass/half-bone nut, and so on. In other words, we took a shape and made a new guitar. Although there is still a guitar called an Iceman and some people use the name interchangeably with the PS10, they really have nothing in common except a silhouette".
Daron Malakian
of System of a Down
favoured this guitar from the early days of System of A Down up to the Mezmerize/Hypnotize era, when he switched to using Gibson SGs, although he has been recently seen playing Iceman guitars again with Scars on Broadway
. Daron had his own signature model, the Ibanez DMM1. It was a limited edition run based on the Ibanez Iceman ICX shape and features a special graphic design painted by Daron’s father, Vartan Malakian. Only 300 were made.
Currently, Mitch Mitchell of Guided by Voices
is using an Iceman for the group's "Classic Lineup" reunion tour. Chris Catalyst
has routinely played an Iceman onstage since joining The Sisters of Mercy
.
using Photoshop, by flipping the body of the Iceman over. Since the cutout was on the other side, they added another cutout that was a bit smaller than the trademark Iceman stalk. There were two designs; both of a natural wood finish, one with mahogany with a cherry fret-board and another with korina wood.
Paul Gilbert
's model was released at a 2009 Guitar show as the "Ibanez Fireman", with a set 3-piece korina/bubinga neck, 22 frets, and a 24-3/4" scale length. It also contained a fixed Gibaraltar II bridge, (with a Quick Charge tailpeice) and Dimarzio
Area 67 hum-cancelling single coil pickups. It comes with a hard Ibanez case,(authenticated by Paul Gilbert
) and additional accessories, limited edition. Paul Gilbert
also notes in interviews that a fan submitted the idea for the name:
"At first, I called it the “Reverse Iceman, but a fan wrote to me and suggested the “Ibanez Fireman,” and since fire is the opposite of ice, that’s what we ended up calling it.”
of DragonForce
. Essentially it is an Iceman with a 24-fret neck-through neck and Edge III
tremolo instead of a hardtail bridge. This is the first production Iceman since the 1990s to have a whammy bar.
Greco Mirage M900 (1978) from Greco catalogues
Ibanez Iceman ICT700 from Ibanez catalogues
FujiGen
Gakki used this format for the Ibanez guitars they made from the mid 1970s to 1987.
Ibanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
.
History
The Iceman is an IbanezIbanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
guitar produced by Hoshino Gakki
Hoshino Gakki
is the owner of the Ibanez guitar and Tama drums brand names.-History:The Hoshino company was founded in 1908 by Matsujiro Hoshino originally as the Hoshino Shoten bookstore which mostly sold books and sheet music and then gradually over the years also began to import musical instruments into...
. Hoshino Gakki exported copies of American electric and acoustic guitars in the 1950s, and by the mid 1970s the Ibanez guitars had reached a level of quality comparable to American guitars.
Lower labor rates at the time, plus efficient manufacturing meant that Ibanez guitars could be sold for almost half (or less) of the cost of a Gibson Les Paul
Gibson Les Paul
The Gibson Les Paul was the result of a design collaboration between Gibson Guitar Corporation and the late jazz guitarist and electronics inventor Les Paul. In 1950, with the introduction of the Fender Telecaster to the musical market, electric guitars became a public craze. In reaction, Gibson...
or Fender Stratocaster
Fender Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster, often referred to as "Strat", is a model of electric guitar designed by Leo Fender, George Fullerton, and Freddie Tavares in 1954, and manufactured continuously by the Fender Musical Instruments Corporation to the present. It is a double-cutaway guitar, with an extended top...
.
In the mid 1970s Hoshino Gakki wanted to make a distinctly Japanese guitar and to start breaking away from the Ibanez replicas of Fender and Gibson models. The idea was to build a guitar with an appealing original design, like a Les Paul or Stratocaster. A meeting between Hoshino (Ibanez), Kanda Shokai (Greco
Greco guitars
Greco are a brand of electric guitars produced by Kanda Shokai 神田商会. Kanda Shokai is a musical instrument wholesaler mostly known for being part of Fender Japan.-History:...
) and one of the main guitar factories in Japan (FujiGen
FujiGen
FujiGen Gakki フジゲン 楽器 is a musical instrument manufacturer based at Matsumoto in Japan and is named after the famous Mount Fuji. Gen means stringed instruments and Gakki means musical instrument - the name being literally translated as "Fuji Stringed Musical Instruments"...
) resulted in the Iceman/Mirage design. Each distribution company had distribution rights to it in different global markets. Hoshino Gakki (Ibanez) had the rights outside of Japan and Kanda Shokai (Greco) had the rights for Japan.
The Ibanez model was originally named the Artist 2663. The name "Iceman" came later. The Greco model was named the Mirage and they are basically the same except for the pickup types that were used. Super 2000, Triple Coil and V2 pickups were used for the Ibanez Iceman, depending on the model number. Greco Dry and DiMarzio Super II pickups were used for the Greco Mirage. Body wood, pickups and neck joint construction varied with the Iceman/Mirage model price. The original Ibanez Artist/Iceman production was from 1975 to 1982/1983 with different models having set neck
Set-in neck
Set-in neck is a method of guitar construction that involves joining guitar neck and body with a tightly fitted mortise-and-tenon or dovetail joint, secured using some sort of adhesive...
and bolt-on necks.
Early models were called Ibanez Artist 2663 models and were changed to the Ibanez Iceman name in 1978. The Ibanez Iceman II that was released in 1982/1983 had a different headstock with 6 in line tuners instead of the 3 a side tuners the original Ibanez Iceman had.
Paul Stanley
Paul Stanley
Stanley Harvey Eisen , better known by his stage name Paul Stanley, is an American hard rock guitarist, singer, musician, painter and songwriter best known for being the rhythm guitarist and primary lead vocalist of the rock band Kiss. He is the writer or co-writer of many of the band's...
of KISS
KISS (band)
Kiss is an American rock band formed in New York City in January 1973. Well-known for its members' face paint and flamboyant stage outfits, the group rose to prominence in the mid to late 1970s on the basis of their elaborate live performances, which featured fire breathing, blood spitting,...
favored the Iceman from the 1977 to 1980 and again used it primarily from 1992 to 1997 until he started endorsing his own Washburn
Washburn Guitars
Washburn Guitars is an American guitar manufacturer. It was established in 1883 in Chicago, Illinois. Washburn is a part of U.S. Music Corporation.- History :...
guitars. Probably the most sought after by collectors is the PS-10, or Paul Stanley model. This came out in 1977 as the popularity of the rock band KISS skyrocketed. Ibanez approached Paul while KISS was on tour in Japan in 1976. They offered him a chance to develop his own signature model. He liked the shape of the Artist 2663 model and made changes to that model as his ideas came to fruition in the PS10 model. The PS10 first appeared in the 1978 Ibanez catalog, although it may have been available for purchase prior to catalog printing. Paul Stanley (rhythm guitar, vocals) played an Iceman for the next 4 years. Look inside the album cover of KISS ALIVE II for a live shot of him with the Iceman. This model retailed for about $695 in 1978, and was offered through 1981. In 1995 the PS-10 was re-issued as the PS10-II and in 1996 an additional PS model was unveiled - the PS10-LTD (or Limited). Sales must have been good because in 1997 yet another PS was offered in the catalog - this was sold as the PS10-CL (or Classic). The biggest difference between them is that the PS10-II was made in Korean factories and the LTD and Classic were Japanese made and also had all the same features of the original 1978 model (like the Gibraltar bridge and Quick Change tailpiece). Although the catalog shows the PS10-II with "Paul Stanley" inlaid at the 21 fret, most were not produced this way. Apparently there was a problem with the inserts at the Korean factory and it was decided not to use them.
Paul Stanley states;
"First of all, the Iceman and the PS10 have about as much in common as a Chevy and a Rolls Royce. The PS10 came about in the '70s, when we were on our first trip to Japan. Ibanez was interested in me doing a signature guitar with them. They wanted to me to design something new, and we did go through their catalog, I saw a picture of a guitar that was not terribly popular. I liked the asymmetrical shape to it; it reminded me of a Firebird or a Rickenbacker bass turned upside down. It had one pickup on it that looked like you took three bobbins from a humbucker and put them together somehow. It also had that wacky knob that looked like you were to change your television channels with it! I said, "You've got something here, but you don't know what to do with it." My feeling about Ibanez in the '70s, like many companies in Japan, was that they were excellent at copying but they didn't know why they were copying. We sat down, and by using that basic shape, I came up with a guitar: construction, frets, inlays, wiring, the type of tail block that has a sustain block built into it, the half-brass/half-bone nut, and so on. In other words, we took a shape and made a new guitar. Although there is still a guitar called an Iceman and some people use the name interchangeably with the PS10, they really have nothing in common except a silhouette".
Daron Malakian
Daron Malakian
Daron Vartan Malakian is an Armenian-American singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is best known as the guitarist, songwriter, and occasional vocalist of the heavy metal band System of a Down and as the lead vocalist, lead guitarist, and songwriter of the alternative...
of System of a Down
System of a Down
System of a Down, also known by the acronym SOAD and often shortened to System, is a rock band from Southern California. The band was formed in 1994. It consists of Serj Tankian , Daron Malakian , Shavo Odadjian and John Dolmayan...
favoured this guitar from the early days of System of A Down up to the Mezmerize/Hypnotize era, when he switched to using Gibson SGs, although he has been recently seen playing Iceman guitars again with Scars on Broadway
Scars on Broadway
Scars on Broadway is an American-Armenian rock band, founded by System of a Down members Daron Malakian and John Dolmayan. The band's eponymous debut album was released on July 29, 2008....
. Daron had his own signature model, the Ibanez DMM1. It was a limited edition run based on the Ibanez Iceman ICX shape and features a special graphic design painted by Daron’s father, Vartan Malakian. Only 300 were made.
Currently, Mitch Mitchell of Guided by Voices
Guided by Voices
Guided by Voices is an American indie rock band originating from Dayton, Ohio. Beginning with the band's formation in 1983, it made frequent personnel changes but always maintained the presence of principal songwriter Robert Pollard...
is using an Iceman for the group's "Classic Lineup" reunion tour. Chris Catalyst
Chris Catalyst
Chris Catalyst is the guitarist from the rock bands Eureka Machines and The Sisters of Mercy. He was also known as Robochrist, a solo industrial comedy set with face paint and props which he used to perform, but which is now on hold for the time being.He was born in Beverley, East Riding of...
has routinely played an Iceman onstage since joining The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy
The Sisters of Mercy are an English rock band that formed in 1980. After achieving early underground fame in UK, the band had their commercial breakthrough in mid-1980s and sustained it until the early 1990s, when they stopped releasing new recorded output in protest against their record company...
.
Fireman
In 2009, the Iceman was remodeled by Paul GilbertPaul Gilbert
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
using Photoshop, by flipping the body of the Iceman over. Since the cutout was on the other side, they added another cutout that was a bit smaller than the trademark Iceman stalk. There were two designs; both of a natural wood finish, one with mahogany with a cherry fret-board and another with korina wood.
Paul Gilbert
Paul Gilbert
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
's model was released at a 2009 Guitar show as the "Ibanez Fireman", with a set 3-piece korina/bubinga neck, 22 frets, and a 24-3/4" scale length. It also contained a fixed Gibaraltar II bridge, (with a Quick Charge tailpeice) and Dimarzio
DiMarzio
DiMarzio, Inc. is an United States manufacturer best known for its revolutionary direct-replacement guitar pickups. The company also produces miscellaneous guitar accessories, such as cables, straps and hardware.DiMarzio became known for its Super Distortion model, which was the first after...
Area 67 hum-cancelling single coil pickups. It comes with a hard Ibanez case,(authenticated by Paul Gilbert
Paul Gilbert
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
) and additional accessories, limited edition. Paul Gilbert
Paul Gilbert
Paul Brandon Gilbert is an American guitarist. He is well known for his technical guitar work with Racer X and Mr...
also notes in interviews that a fan submitted the idea for the name:
"At first, I called it the “Reverse Iceman, but a fan wrote to me and suggested the “Ibanez Fireman,” and since fire is the opposite of ice, that’s what we ended up calling it.”
Ibanez STM
The STM is a special version of Iceman designed for Sam TotmanSam Totman
Ian Samuel "Sam" Totman is a guitarist and main songwriter for the power metal band DragonForce. Totman was born in England, but moved to New Zealand at an early age...
of DragonForce
DragonForce
DragonForce are an English power metal band from London. Formed in 1999, the group is known for its long and fast guitar solos, fantasy-based lyrics, and electronic sounds in their music to add to their retro video game-influenced sound. Guitarists Herman Li and Sam Totman are the only two...
. Essentially it is an Iceman with a 24-fret neck-through neck and Edge III
Ibanez Edge
The Ibanez Edge Tremolo is a double locking tremolo system for the electric guitar very similar in design to the original Floyd Rose. It first appeared in the Ibanez product line as of the 1986 model year, however, they have appeared on guitars with 1985 serial numbers...
tremolo instead of a hardtail bridge. This is the first production Iceman since the 1990s to have a whammy bar.
Specifications
Ibanez Iceman IC200 (1978) from Ibanez catalogues- BODY: Mahogany
- NECK: 3 piece Maple (Thru Neck)
- FINGERBOARD: Rosewood
- PICKUPS: Super 80 (Flying Finger)
- CONTROLS: 2 Volume & 2 Tone, 3 way switch
- TUNERS: Velvetune II
- BRIDGE & TAILPIECE: Gibraltar & Quik-Change (r)
- HARDWARE: Chrome
Greco Mirage M900 (1978) from Greco catalogues
- BODY: Mahogany
- NECK: 3 piece Maple (Set Neck)
- FINGERBOARD Rosewood
- PICKUPS: DiMarzio Super II
- CONTROLS: 2 Volume & 2 Tone, 3 way switch
- TUNERS: Greco MH-900C
- BRIDGE & TAILPIECE: Greco BR-GO & TP-GO
- HARDWARE: Chrome
Ibanez Iceman ICT700 from Ibanez catalogues
- BODY: Mahogany wing body
- NECK: 5pc Wizard III Maple/Walnut neck-thru w/KTS™ TITANIUM Reinforcement
- FRET: Jumbo frets
- PICKUPS: DiMarzio® D Activator™ (H) neck pu and DiMarzio® D Activator™ (H) bridge pu
- CONTROLS: 1 volume, 1 tone, 3 way switch
- BRIDGE: Gibraltar custom bridge
- HARDWARE: Black
Serial numbers
The serial number format is MYYPPPP.- M = production month (A=January B=February ... K=November L=December).
- YY = year (79=1979).
- PPPP = production number.
FujiGen
FujiGen
FujiGen Gakki フジゲン 楽器 is a musical instrument manufacturer based at Matsumoto in Japan and is named after the famous Mount Fuji. Gen means stringed instruments and Gakki means musical instrument - the name being literally translated as "Fuji Stringed Musical Instruments"...
Gakki used this format for the Ibanez guitars they made from the mid 1970s to 1987.