12″ Radius I know that for VH1 he used 2 guitars, the B/W guitar for trem stuff and then an Ibanez Destroyer for everything else...just wasn't sure if the Ibanez Destroyer was the shark yet! The information provided throughout this web site is intended for use by Ibanez Destroyer aficionados for any non-commercial, non-profit, non-gain purpose subject to the following caveats and exceptions: Ibanez offers electric guitars, bass guitars, acoustic guitars, effect and pedals, amps, plus guitar accessories like tuners, straps and picks. The way I see it, this guitar is largely catering to two camps: and it does a reasonably good job of servicing both. The guitar known as “The Shark” started life as a mid-70s Ibanez Destroyer, Ibanez’s answer to the Gibson Explorer. And no surprise that Eddie Van Halen built "The Shark" from his Destroyer. Destroyer  Profile 1-Piece Mahogany Neck Modern metal players looking for an intense shapes will be happy with a neck profile that is suitable for shred; as well as thick heavy tone that is definitely suited for hard rock and old school death metal, if not the best at extremely tight modern-metal downtuning. The Destroyer is an Ibanez brand electric guitar model manufactured at the FujiGen-Gakki musical instrument factory for the Hoshino-Gakki Company. Eddie got this guitar in 1977, right before recording sessions started for Van Halen’s debut album. Or you might just pick this one up, distinctively and naturally road-worn. Sorry Blackie, but no Chris Holmes = No W.A.S.P. But if you want something with bite, experience, and the scars to show for it, look no further. It is often overlooked and misunderstood about Eddie’s use of the Ibanez Destroyer, nicknamed “the Shark”. As he found when out on the road, losing a huge chunk of mahogany from the body didn’t do wonders for “the Shark’s” sound. This may seem an odd choice. TOM-style bridges aren’t for everyone (a large reason being groupthink, if we’re being honest), but this one definitely doesn’t get in my way at all. EVH Star With Van Halen releasing EVH Shark without a Floyd, releasing something like that with a Floyd Rose, more accurate … With a brass nut and industrial-grade strap locks, this is the guitar of an acrobatic axeman. The most recent issue of Guitar World mag included the pic at left, one of several images recently unearthed of the 1977 Van Halen. I find it to be well balanced for all playing styles. Check. : "The critical union between power and dirt". And no surprise that Eddie Van Halen built "The Shark" from his Destroyer. Including the machined knobs, strap buttons and pickups from December 1984. He loved it. Famously used by Eddie Van Halen (about half of their debut album is recorded using an Explorer, any of the parts that didn’t require a trem) and later beautifully butchered into becoming his Shark Guitar, the Destroyer has become legendary in … But I doubt I ever will go ahead The previous owner replaced the original Super 70s pick-ups with a Gibson Alnico T-Top at the neck and a high-output Dirty Fingers Ceramic PAF at the bridge. : Which happily identifies this one as one of those lawsuit guitars. Keep reading to see how the modern version holds up! The electronics also aren’t scratchy at all, which is something I usually hate/expect on sub-$1000 guitars. What we haven't done is refinished it. Search and Destroy. Ibanez Destroyer II Vintage Collector's Phil Collen Def Leppard This is an original Destroyer II DT 555 collection guitar. But just as important to Van Halen’s history is Eddie’s often-overlooked Ibanez Destroyer, which he later dubbed “the Shark.” The guitar historians here at Sweetwater find it puzzling that this guitar is so frequently disregarded, as it was all over Van Halen’s 1978 self-titled debut. The Ibanez Destroyer was originally Ibanez’s Gibson Explorer copy in their pre-lawsuit era, and has since undergone many design revisions to its current state. It has the hockey stick headstock on the quartersawn maple neck, carved in a modified C profile and glued to the body for extra sustain. First launched in 1958, Explorers were so far ahead of their time and market that Gibson built only a handful in the five years before they discontinued production in 1963. : Absolutely indebted to the fount of knowledge that is The Destroyer Guy for all the info about the 1976 Destroyer. . I'm still curious if he used this guitar or was it just a photo prop? From indie to full-on metal, it looks sharp, and cuts like a knife. It's in French, but the pictures tell the story. When you combine that with the short scale and TOM-style bridge, the ergonomics are definitely targeting a certain kind of player. The Dirty Fingers PAFs were introduced into Gibson's own Explorers at the start of the 80s, a direct response to the wave of demand from thrashers and shredders. This model is also known as the Korina Destroyer. As he used to play with this edition. When fans dive into the history of Eddie Van Halen’s guitars, they generally gravitate toward his iconic “Frankenstrat.” But just as important to Van Halen’s history is Eddie’s often-overlooked Ibanez Destroyer, which he later dubbed “the Shark.” The Tight-Tune bridge is very stable and easy to set up. The Shark started life as an Ibanez Destroyer with an ash body finished to look like korina, but Ed made several modifications such as painting it white before using it to record several songs on Van Halen’s debut album. Eddie Van Halen’s Ibanez “Shark” Destroyer November 4, 2014; The Early Van Halen Amp Setup October 30, 2014; The Van Halen I Frankenstrat October 22, 2014; Eddie Van Halen Guitar Techniques and Early Sound October 8, 2014; Gibson ES-335 September 22, 2014; The Fender Stratocaster September 9, 2014 All around, this is a pretty vintage guitar, with a couple modern specs to bring it up to date. Dimarzio Tone Zone Bridge & Air Norton Neck Pickups 22 Frets The Shark — a brief history. A guitar much in the vein of EVH Ibanez Shark Destroyer or no longer produced EVH Star (with much-hated Dano headstock). It's a road-worn guitar - and it's staying that way. From The Killers' debut Hot Fuss all the way through to Wonderful Wonderful, the 1976 Ibanez Destroyer was Dave Keuning's go-to guitar - in the studio, on video, and live. © 2021 Wired Guitarist, All rights reserved. From indie to full-on metal, it looks sharp, and cuts like a knife. It's beautifully rounded, but there's no refinish to make it look planned, so it's now a very unique feature. There aren’t any alignment or routing issues (something many “boutique” luthiers charging upwards of $2,000 struggle with), and the tuning is very stable. Check out our current stock here. Check. The Greatest Guitar Eddie Van Halen Played: The 1975 Ibanez Destroyer. Originally, the guitar had natural finish, but it appears that Eddie painted the whole guitar white at some point according to a couple of photos from around that time. I tend to be really critical of cheaper guitars, but the more of them I play from Ibanez, the more I realize…. A (or the) previous owner has gone to a lot of trouble to create the spec of early-80s Explorers. Even in clean mode, you can hear those Dirty Fingers growling for more. The Air technology increases sustain and leaves the highs very sweet. Features: working perfectly. ... and later beautifully butchered into becoming his Shark Guitar, the Destroyer has become legendary in its own right. It’s nice having two volume knobs as well, because it can really help you clean up the tone of the Air Norton a bit, or you can leave it off and use the 3-way as a killswitch! maybe the Ibanez Shark guitar needed a Fonz sticker on it: The radius is 12”, which is flatter than most vintage instruments, but still rather round. More structurally, that previous owner was not a fan of the sharp front edge on the lower bout and has sanded it down. 1970s Ibanez Destroyer 2459 – The Shark. So instead, he relied on a stock Ibanez Destroyer to create a slightly different sound when required on the album. From then on, it was high voltage rock and roll, always on the road. It was one of the first models in what would come to be the Destroyer series. Indeed, Eddie was not 100% satisfied with just one sound on the recording of the first Van Halen album. Rechristened “the Shark.” he loved the dramatic look. This article was written by Kyle Karich, our editor located in Florida. Pick up a Destroyer - or the Gibson Explorer on which it was originally based - and you're picking up a guitar that screams "Rock Of Ages". maybe the Ibanez Shark guitar needed a Fonz sticker on it: There was an alternative. It was made in Japan by FujiGen. 70's Ibanez Destroyer "The Shark Guitar" 1976 or 77 Red/White This guitar started out as an original 76 or 77 Ibanez "law suit era" Destroyer like Eddie's original shark guitar. “ Custom built Shark guitar true to the Ibanez Destroyer specs with a PARIAH DESTRUCTION 70 bridge pickup - relic'd paint work - comes with a hard shell case. There's no more iconic a guitar in Dave Keuning's hands than his 1976 Ibanez Destroyer. So, here it is. A "lawsuit" era Destroyer. was never really clear on that. …and loses its bite. Miranda, Culture Development Officer at the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea, hiring our 1997 Yamaha LA-8 for a seasonal community concert. Replica of Eddie Van Halen's "Shark" guitar,1976 Ibanez Destroyer. With which hard-rocking band, I don't know. The intent of this web site is the free exchange of information relating to the various models of the Ibanez Destroyer electric guitar. 1970s Ibanez Destroyer 2459 – “The Shark” Eddie got this guitar most likely sometime in 1977, prior to the recording of the first album. And, dare I say it, it really does make for the smoother playing experience the owner was after. Props to GW for devoting some space to it, but the accompanying text doesn’t accurately reflect Ed’s Ibanez Destroyer, later to be known as the Shark.. The Destroyer has since undergone several design and line changes and has been available in both 6-string and bass … The Shark started life as an Ibanez Destroyer with an ash body finished to look like korina, but Ed made several modifications such as painting it white before using it to record several songs on Van Halen’s debut album. The Ibanez Destroyer was originally Ibanez’s Gibson Explorer copy in their pre-lawsuit era, and has since undergone many design revisions to its current state. Notable Ibanez Destroyer players Eddie Van Halen (born 1955 -died 2020) guitarist and founder of the American hard rock band Van Halen , used a Model 2549 Korina Destroyer for the recording of its first album Van Halen , which is also featured (in heavily modified "Shark guitar" form) on the cover of their third album, Women and Children First . Mahogany? I know that for VH1 he used 2 guitars, the B/W guitar for trem stuff and then an Ibanez Destroyer for everything else...just wasn't sure if the Ibanez Destroyer was the shark yet! So, we've given it some love - replacement screws and knob position markers, a fret dress, a good clean inside and out. From the July 2011 edition of Guitar World:. The Edge bought his first Explorer when he was just 17, and Explorers have been in his hands ever since. Either way, it's a beautifully grained piece of wood, with a depth enhanced by the woodstain and heavy lacquer finish. This guitar created the brown sound that made Van Halen famous. For years this has been a Van Halen concert staple, usually performed as an encore. The 1976 Ibanez Destroyer went through three iterations: original natural, painted white, and then the heavily modified/painted "Shark". : Some lovely archive material from Ibanez themselves, featuring the 2459 Destroyer on Page 14. : And how he turned it into The Shark. Gold Ibanez tuners to make the “Destroyer “ a little more authentic ; ) I also added pics of Wolf with the real one to compare the tribute to eddies original one Only difference is the custom made cavity cover with VH etched with stripes and the Vin Paul truss Rod cover , non brass nut , and unfortunately no Harmonica Bridge but saves some money for the buyer they are rare and expensive Props to GW for devoting some space to it, but the accompanying text doesn’t accurately reflect Ed’s Ibanez Destroyer, later to be known as the Shark.. Tight-Tune Bridge w/ Stoptail And it shows. This guitar was used on many of the recordings of the first three albums. But I doubt I ever will go ahead. It was recorded on Ed's Ibanez Destroyer "Shark." Lost Photos Tell The Story Behind Eddie Van Halen’s Ibanez Destroyer. Problem is, they aren't cheap. Wonderful wonderful. Get the best deals for ibanez destroyer at eBay.com. Got this '77 Destroyer to make a EVH Shark as an Epiphone body / headstock are not the same. Block inlays? se habla espanol. 1970s Ibanez Destroyer 2459 – “The Shark” Eddie bought this guitar before the band recorded their first album. Gloss Black Finish Bound Rosewood Fretboard w/ Pearl & Abalone Block Inlays The Air Norton is one of my favorite neck pickups. The guitar went through the same process as Frankenstrat. Mr Brightside, The Killers, Lollapalooza (2017, The Destroyer Guy on the Ibanez 2459 Destroyer. He loved it. . Ibanez offers electric guitars, bass guitars, acoustic guitars, effect and pedals, amps, plus guitar accessories like tuners, straps and picks. Looking at it, I've a feeling this one saw more rock than indie action. You might pay a small stack of cash to get a relic'd Destroyer. U2 spawned and inspired a new generation of guitar gods. Wayne Charvel refined the design and those Charvel Stars 79-83 are among the most valued instruments of the brand. “ Custom built Shark guitar true to the Ibanez Destroyer specs with a PARIAH DESTRUCTION 70 bridge pickup - relic'd paint work - comes with a hard shell case. The Parts WOOD ~ EVH's original Shark guitar was actually a heavily modified 1970s korina wood Ibanez Destroyer.For me to track down an actual 1970s Ibanez Destroyer would be nearly impossible and very expensive. The guitar was originally an Ibanez Destroyer which was only made for a few years. The guitar was originally an Ibanez Destroyer It has all the original parts. Anytime you don’t hear a dive-bomb or tremolo, chances are that Eddie was using this guitar. Check. The Shark started life as an Ibanez Destroyer with an ash body finished to look like korina, but Ed made several modifications such as painting it white before using it … The frets aren’t sharp and they don’t lift, but they’re obviously not MIJ or MIA quality. Women & Children First "The Shark" click for more details. The Axstar guitars featured two distinct body shapes: the "shark fin" shape, which is basically a modified Explorer/ Destroyer shape and the "battle axe" style which was a take on the headless guitars popularized by Steinberger. All of which enhance rather than detract from the power and tone of this guitar. In its original case, but not entirely happy having been locked away for who knows how long. Quite literally, this is an axe! Any Destroyer from 1980 onwards is distinctively different to the 70s Destroyers. Ibanez has been showing a lot of their rarer shapes more love lately, and the Ibanez Destroyer is no different! And a must-read if ever you're offered a "lawsuit" guitar. This guitar was used on many of the recordings of the first three albums. Try and buy one of those today, and you're looking at 100s of 1000s of dollars. It was made in Japan by FujiGen.It was one of the first models in what would come to be the Destroyer series.This model is also known as the Korina Destroyer.It supplanted an earlier mahogany version.. He was very knowledgeable about the model, swift to respond to emails, and all around straight forward - we would definitely use God's Own Guitars again, and highly recommend to anyone looking to hire good quality instruments with both a professional and personal service.". text me at **contact number** location: el paso; price: $460 As you can tell from some of the photos, there are minor checking on some of the red parts. Ibanez Announce 2 New Tube Screamers for 2019, NAMM 2019 – Paul Gilbert 30th Anniversary Ibanez. We have a great online selection at the lowest prices with Fast & Free shipping on many items! A very well done replica true to the original. The 2459 is a solid body electric guitar model introduced by Ibanez in 1975. The Axstar series is a line of solid body electric guitars and basses produced for Hoshino Gakki and sold under the Ibanez brand. It’s definitely for someone that likes classic looks or unique shapes. And it's no stretch to imagine the young U2 fan, Dave Keuning, dreaming about the futuristic angular guitar that he saw in the hands of The Edge . The star-etched Smooth Tuners have gone, replaced by mini-Schallers; the Super-70s pick-ups have been pushed aside by a coupling of 1980 Gibson T-Top and high-power Gibson Dirty Fingers PAFs; and, even if not quite an Explorer spec, the original white plastic nut has been replaced with a brass nut - which, with those pick-ups, gives you sustain you can serve a prison sentence to. Bound Mahogany Body Replica of Eddie Van Halen's "Shark" guitar,1976 Ibanez Destroyer. The fat, ballsy Explorer tone that defined the first … . The only near-contemporary band I've found with that name is 70s German sugar-poppers Sunrise . 24.75” Inch Scale Check. The Ibanez Destroyer was originally Ibanez’s Gibson Explorer copy in their pre-lawsuit era, and has since undergone many design revisions to its current state. There's no more iconic a guitar in Dave Keuning's hands than his 1976 Ibanez Destroyer. Vintage fans will definitely love the feel, with slightly hotter tone that’s well suited to many genres. I'm still curious if he used this guitar or was it just a photo prop? This guitar exists in a bit of a middle ground for Ibanez. The build quality is definitely up to par for the price range, and I easily found myself living out my Van Halen fantasies on this guitar, while having a surprisingly pleasant drone metal and jazz experience as well. 24.75” scale? What didn’t hold up so well, however, was the tone. But by the 80s, it wasn't just rock and metal gods that saw the potential. As I touched on earlier, the tone is largely borrowed from Les Pauls due to the construction and wood choice: thick and meaty. First up, the wood. There’s really nothing wrong with them at all. 100% original parts. Perfectly set up and a joy to play, it's no wonder Dave Keuning kept coming back to this one. An almost perfect replica of the original Gibson Explorer. The shape is obviously a love or hate thing. Ernie Ball Announce 3 New BFR Models For June, Boss Reveal New 200 Series Effects Pedals, How To Set Up a Click and Backing Tracks For Your Show, ESP Release New 400 Series Metallic Fade Lineup, Avenged Sevenfold Auction Off Gear To Support Music Education. It became their first single, and put the band on the rock and roll map. With the Explorer centre-stage with behemoths like Lynyrd Skynyrd, Cheap Trick, ZZ Top, The Scorpions, Kiss, Metallica and Mastodon, and the Destroyer that Eddie Van Halen modified into "The Shark", this is hardly your retiring, indie shoe-gazer. It’s not part of their Iron Label line, but it has higher quality components and design appointments than their cheaper imports. It has the hockey stick headstock on the quartersawn maple neck, carved in a modified C profile and glued to the body for extra sustain. Keep reading to see how the modern version holds up! Since the Ibanez Destroyer was just a clone of the Epiphone and Gibson model Explorers, it made sense to go with the cheaper Epiphone. This is no perfect original. Anytime you don’t hear a dive-bomb or tremolo, chances are that Eddie was using this guitar. Being that these are humbuckers, you’re not going to get glassy strat tones, but it will excel at fat blues and jazz cleans. 2xVolume, 1xTone Controls I've posted the evolution of my 1975 Ibanez Destroyer build on ClassicVanHalen.com years ago. Check out our current stock here. Women & Children First "The Shark" click for more details. It was built 10/26/04 by Dion aka "Edge" (a custom shop employee at Gibson). However, the neck is a comfy medium C-Shape that is general interest for most players. Set Neck? It’s definitely built on the Les Paul archetype. The 2459 is a solid body electric guitar model introduced by Ibanez in 1975. Set Neck Construction It is often called the Phil Collen's Def Leppard Destroyer. If it's them, then they must have cut one hell of a deal with the devil in the late 70s. It's an icon, an absolute blast to play, with a staggeringly low action - and, finally, the perfect guitar to master that Mr Brightside riff that started The Killers off on the road to megastardom. And it's a beauty! By Chris Gill. The Destroyer model was first introduced by Hoshino-Gakki in 1975 and was based on the Gibson Musical Instruments' Explorer design. Or read more articles…. Roll forward to 2019 and a house-clearance in Germany, and this guitar turns up in a cupboard. Limited Exclusive Ibanez Hardtail Purple Doom Burst Run! Look around, though, and you'll find Ibanez launching the Destroyer in 1975 - with the no-hiding-it advertising slogan "Explore The Destroyer". and can set you up with the Ibanez you’re looking for at the best price possible. Chrome Black Hardware The case has a small screen-print with the name "Sunrise" on it. Yep, that's it. This Shark, part of the EVH Striped Series, was unveiled at NAMM 2019 and is an uncanny recreation of that guitar. But the body is actually made of Sen, a close relative to Japanese Ash. interested in other musical instruments, tools, electronics, small go kart or quad, small hauling trailer or just about anything else make me an offer the worst that can happen is i say no. Has been finished in White, looks like a rattle can job, pretty cured and solid.does look really nice in white with black modified pickguard. 1977 Ibanez Destroyer - EVH Shark Project - Read Description Montrose, DD10***, UNITED KINGDOM. However, the Dimarzios are on the hotter side, and well suited to metal genres as well. Soundfly Gives The Lowdown On the Lawsuit Era Guitars. Is it true that Chris Holmes lent his Ibanez Destroyer guitar to EVH, cuz EVH cut a chunk out of his own Destroyer when he made his “Shark” guitar and it lost tone, for the making of the first VH album? Eddie van Halen hacked his explorer-shaped Ibanez Destroyer to make it look like a shark around 1977, so he is credited as the inventor of the star-shaped guitar. The most recent issue of Guitar World mag included the pic at left, one of several images recently unearthed of the 1977 Van Halen. . It was also photographed for both sides of the band's 1980 album, Women And Children First (front & back). This Shark, part of the EVH Striped Series, was unveiled at NAMM 2019 and is an uncanny recreation of that guitar. I’d recommend trying one out for yourself, because while the guitar is comfortable enough, if you’ve been playing Strat shapes with generous arm carves, or even headless guitars, this may be a bit of a culture shock. 3-Way Toggle Switch So good, in fact, that it triggered Gibson to launch their own "Limited Edition" Explorer in 1976. I put on a Epiphone Bridge / Tailpiece and nut but the action cannot be lowered anymore as the original bridge it slightly different,modifiable though with a file. This one may have had its top edge sanded down, but it takes Eddie Van Halen to take a chainsaw to a guitar. We are authorized Ibanez dealers, and can set you up with the Ibanez you’re looking for at the best price possible. The Axstar series made its debut in 1985. 1976 Ibanez 2459 Destroyer, as made famous by Dave Keuning. "We needed an acoustic guitar at short notice for a community concert and found God's Own Guitars online; Iain was incredibly easy to liaise with to select a guitar, and to agree hire and collection dates/times. If you love completely clean vintage guitars, then this one isn't for you. A very well done replica true to the original. sale or trade vintage ibanez destroyer in excellent condition. Famously used by Eddie Van Halen (about half of their debut album is recorded using an Explorer, any of the parts that didn’t require a trem) and later beautifully butchered into becoming his Shark Guitar, the Destroyer has become legendary in its own right.