Had a weekend with family in London and a few instruments I was hoping to look at. Unfortunately due to distance and schedules I wasn't able to see a couple of them but as Mak's was within walking distance from where I was so managed to pop in.
I've always liked older Ibanez instruments, both Jerry Garcia and
Bobby Weir used them, helped design the Super 80 'Flying Fingers' and I just generally find them to be very well made. I did at one point own a late 70s Artist AR-100 that was a boat anchor and an AS-80 which was nice but also heavy. One day I might score an AS-200, Scofield or a Weir model, or both....
Mak used to be the manager at Ivor Maraints and the operation he's running now is a bit pared down, less option paralysis overload and everything hanging on the walls seems to be hand-picked. I ended up visiting three times during the weekend and playing this guitar and a Joe Pass JP-20 back to back. Mak was very attentive, low pressure, lovely to chat to, a keen player and Jazz learner, knows his stuff and made the whole experience worthwhile. I wouldn't hesitate to go back for an Eastman or a Comings or any one of the brilliant acoustics he's got in the flat-top room. I had my choice of amp, a closed door and plenty of time to consider them.
I ended up bringing this one home, only made between 1977 and 1978, the elusive
Jazz Artist 2635. Had promised myself no guitars for a long while but liked how it played and sounded so much that it had to come home with.
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Happy new guitar day!
https://www.maksguitars.co.uk/collections/archtops-semis/products/1978-ibanez-artist-series-2635-w-ohsc
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