IBANEZ ICEMAN

1975-82, 1992-PRESENT CATEGORY: SOLIDBODY ELECTRIC GUITAR

- CHRIS GILL

JAPAN'S ELECTRIC GUITAR industry underwent some fascinating twists and turns in the Sixties and Seventies. Many Japanese guitar designs from the Sixties are highly original but with an emphasis on low cost and quirky, gimmicky features that weren't entirely ergonomic for most players. During the late Sixties/early Seventies, focus shifted to copies of classic American models (now known as "lawsuit models"), often with better playability and quality than American companies offered at the time. By the time American companies caught on and issued cease-and-desist orders, Japanese manufacturers were already one step ahead and building high-quality, original designs during the mid Seventies.