LOT 20
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IBANEZ, NAGOYA, JAPAN, CIRCA 1980 A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, JEFF BECK SIGNATURE PROTOTYPE, JB-10
作品估价：GBP 3,000 - 5,000
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成交状态：待拍
买家佣金拍卖企业在落槌价的基础上收取买家佣金
26%
图录号：
20
拍品名称：
IBANEZ, NAGOYA, JAPAN, CIRCA 1980 A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, JEFF BECK SIGNATURE PROTOTYPE, JB-10
拍品描述：
IBANEZ, NAGOYA, JAPAN, CIRCA 1980
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, JEFF BECK SIGNATURE PROTOTYPE, JB-10
In gold pearl finish, bearing the logo Ibanez at the headstock and 0 8003 on the reverse, Jeff Beck inscribed to the truss rod cover, Built by the proud craftsmen of Ibanez / Japan engraved on the control cavity cover, fitted with two humbucking pickups, together with an Ibanez flight case
Length of body 15 ½ in. (39.5 cm.)THE IBANEZ JEFF BECK SIGNATURE SERIES PROTOTYPES
These eight exceptionally rare Ibanez guitars represent the largest known group from the unrealised Jeff Beck Signature Series project which Ibanez began to develop with Beck in the late 1970s and early 80s. Only coming to public attention in late 2023, through the publication of an article by Matt Owen for
Guitar World and the public sale of one prototype guitar, Ibanez' determined pursuit of the perfect endorsement model for Jeff Beck offers a fascinating glimpse into the lengths to which a major corporation would go to woo one of the world’s most revered guitarists.
Since his first visit to Japan with Beck, Bogert & Appice in 1973, Jeff Beck had enjoyed huge popularity amongst Japanese rock fans. He had returned in 1975 and 1978 and regularly featured in the top 10 of reader’s polls of the greatest rock guitarists, including
Young Mates Music Player. For his 1978 Japanese tour with Stanley Clarke, which took in 7 venues across 10 dates, Beck had brought over almost every guitar he owned at that time. John Dodds (Jeff’s guitar tech in the late '70s) told us that their tour carnet comprised Jeff's two Gibson Les Pauls (the Oxblood and Yardburst), a white-pickguard Fender Esquire (given to Jeff by a fan), two Strats (his ’54 Sunburst and a white bodied example) and a Roland synthesizer guitar – a GS-500 and its GR-500 synth module. Most of these guitars were captured on film by Japanese photographer Toshi Yajima, who had visited Beck at his Sussex home just before the tour for
Player magazine, and the photos reproduced shortly thereafter in Steve Rosen’s Japanese-language publication
The Beck Book. Yajima's photographs show Beck with a group of guitars and amplifiers, which Beck's former road manager Al Dutton remembers to represent ‘all the guitars Jeff owned’ at that time, with the exception of one white Strat, which was kept in the US and would be brought over by Stanley Clarke for rehearsals ahead of their joint tour. This 1960 white Strat, with its bespoke ‘Seymourized’ black pickguard and ‘quarter-pounder’ pickups, caused a huge stir in Japan on arrival and various local makers rushed to copy the distinctive monochrome look.
It was probably during or shortly after this tour that Ibanez, hoping to capitalise on Beck's huge appeal, first approached him with the idea of producing a guitar designed to his specifications which could be marketed as a Jeff Beck Signature instrument. Al Dutton told us that acquiring suitable guitars for Jeff was not always easy – he favoured vintage Strats from the ‘50s and ‘60s, which Al would usually source himself from Manny’s when in New York, or from the likes of Norm’s or Rainbow Guitars when on the West Coast. They had not been impressed with guitars produced by the CBS-owned Fender, which were not always up to Jeff's standard. As Jeff was still playing both the Les Paul and Fender guitars on stage, Ibanez proposed that they could produce a guitar which would encompass the best of both worlds, combining the power and punch of the Gibson pickups with the feel, look and, crucially, the tremolo bar of the Strat. It is possible that the Limited Edition guitar in this collection (lot 28) was the first Ibanez guitar to be presented to Jeff in the hope that he would like the feel and quality of their instruments.
Jeff Hasselberger, Ibanez Marketing Director, visited Beck at home with Hoshino President Tom Tanaka, where they admired his cars and brainstormed ideas for a new guitar design. Hasselberger recounted to Matt Owen that ‘Jeff spent more time telling me what he didn’t like about the guitars he was playing than what he was looking for. I got the sense that Jeff was looking for reasons to make a change.’ ‘His comments were more about the physical aspects than tone. His Les Paul was very heavy.’ ‘He seemed to want something that would give him more possibilities.’
The Rex Bogue-made custom guitar owned by Beck’s friend and collaborator John McLaughlin was the inspiration for the design, directly influencing the choice of finish and headstock. The end product was by no means fully formed, but Tanaka recalled that ‘Jeff had [provided] a sketch of what he wanted for his signature model from Ibanez’, which he had drawn in Hasselberger’s notebook. ‘The guitar that was built for him started with that sketch. I forwarded that sketch to Fritz Katoh in Japan and he took it from there.’
The project began in earnest in 1979, as confirmed by the two guitars whose serial numbers date their production to that year (lots 24 and 27), which demonstrates that things were already well under way before Jeff’s next tour to Japan the following year. Tanaka personally delivered these prototypes to Beck at his Sussex home: ‘During the process of contract negotiation for his model, we made several samples which I went with to show to his house in England twice.’ Al Dutton reported that Ibanez’s representatives would fly over from Japan to present Jeff with their latest creation, Jeff would comment on what might need changing here or there, they would depart and make the necessary adjustments, leaving their latest creation with him. John Dodds confirmed to us that ‘they were beautiful guitars, extremely well made’, but they never quite fit the bill and the Japanese representatives would go back to the drawing board with specifications for the next prototype.
When discussing his guitar collection with Jas Obrecht for
Guitar Player in October 1980, Jeff commented that, ‘
Ibanez designed one for me, and they keep sending me these experimental models. They don't take the same one away and modify it - they just build another one and send it.... the Japanese are fantastic. So I've got a lot of Ibanez guitars at home. I still collect a few Fenders.'
By the time Jeff embarked on his There and Back Tour in December 1980, he not only had several prototype models at home, but received even more when he reached Japan. John Dodds remembers that at each gig of the tour – 9 or 10 shows – Ibanez’s representative would arrive with a new guitar and ask whether Jeff would include it in his set: ‘He always wore a smart suit and he was terribly polite and amiable.’ The final guitar, delivered to Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo on 18 December, had a beautiful white pearl finish, which Jeff played towards the end of the show.
Ultimately, despite their concerted efforts encompassing four or five different prototype models and several guitars later, it became evident that the project was not to be. By late 1983 Grover Jackson had presented Jeff with the first of three new ‘Soloist’ guitars, a model which would enable Beck to achieve new sounds and techniques, with a bespoke colour designed to match one of his hot rods. Chris Kelly, Head of the Ibanez Custom Shop and A&R programme in the ‘80s reflected that the prototypes proved to be ‘a little bulky and heavy’ – something he was evidently trying to move away from – and subsequent models failed to modify this to Beck’s satisfaction.
IBANEZ GUITARS
Hoshino Gakki was founded in 1908 as a musical instrument merchandising arm of the Japanese bookstore chain, Hoshino Shoten. In 1935 the company launched a line of Japanese-manufactured classical guitars built in the Spanish style and sold under the brand name
Ibanez Salvador. The name paid homage to the late 19th century master luthier, Salvador Ibáñez from Valencia, Spain. With the popularity in guitar-driven pop music in the late 1950s Hoshino Gakki quickly recognised the growth in the electric guitar market and began having instruments of their own design manufactured for them by other Japanese factories like Suzuki, and Teisco Musical Instruments.
By the late 1960s, the majority of Ibanez guitars copied the designs and aesthetics of the major American makers like Gibson, and Fender. With cheaper labour costs, more modern production facilities, and a commitment to quality, Ibanez began having a serious effect on the market share of the big three American makers, Gibson, Rickenbacker, and Fender. Needless to say, this and the uncanny resemblance to American products drove the Norland Corporation (parent company of Gibson) to take legal action in 1977. With the suit settled privately, Ibanez quickly pivoted and began concentrating on upgrading their own original designs.
By the late 1980s, the inherent quality of Ibanez instruments was well established and began to be recognised by professional performers. What followed suit were artist endorsements and the launch of signature models linked to marquee names in guitar performance. Today, in addition to a wide product line, from budget prices to professional quality, Ibanez produces signature guitars for players like Pat Metheny, George Benson, Steve Vai, John Schofield and Joe Satriani to name but a few.
A SOLID-BODY ELECTRIC GUITAR, JEFF BECK SIGNATURE PROTOTYPE, JB-10
In gold pearl finish, bearing the logo Ibanez at the headstock and 0 8003 on the reverse, Jeff Beck inscribed to the truss rod cover, Built by the proud craftsmen of Ibanez / Japan engraved on the control cavity cover, fitted with two humbucking pickups, together with an Ibanez flight case
Length of body 15 ½ in. (39.5 cm.)THE IBANEZ JEFF BECK SIGNATURE SERIES PROTOTYPES
These eight exceptionally rare Ibanez guitars represent the largest known group from the unrealised Jeff Beck Signature Series project which Ibanez began to develop with Beck in the late 1970s and early 80s. Only coming to public attention in late 2023, through the publication of an article by Matt Owen for
Guitar World and the public sale of one prototype guitar, Ibanez' determined pursuit of the perfect endorsement model for Jeff Beck offers a fascinating glimpse into the lengths to which a major corporation would go to woo one of the world’s most revered guitarists.
Since his first visit to Japan with Beck, Bogert & Appice in 1973, Jeff Beck had enjoyed huge popularity amongst Japanese rock fans. He had returned in 1975 and 1978 and regularly featured in the top 10 of reader’s polls of the greatest rock guitarists, including
Young Mates Music Player. For his 1978 Japanese tour with Stanley Clarke, which took in 7 venues across 10 dates, Beck had brought over almost every guitar he owned at that time. John Dodds (Jeff’s guitar tech in the late '70s) told us that their tour carnet comprised Jeff's two Gibson Les Pauls (the Oxblood and Yardburst), a white-pickguard Fender Esquire (given to Jeff by a fan), two Strats (his ’54 Sunburst and a white bodied example) and a Roland synthesizer guitar – a GS-500 and its GR-500 synth module. Most of these guitars were captured on film by Japanese photographer Toshi Yajima, who had visited Beck at his Sussex home just before the tour for
Player magazine, and the photos reproduced shortly thereafter in Steve Rosen’s Japanese-language publication
The Beck Book. Yajima's photographs show Beck with a group of guitars and amplifiers, which Beck's former road manager Al Dutton remembers to represent ‘all the guitars Jeff owned’ at that time, with the exception of one white Strat, which was kept in the US and would be brought over by Stanley Clarke for rehearsals ahead of their joint tour. This 1960 white Strat, with its bespoke ‘Seymourized’ black pickguard and ‘quarter-pounder’ pickups, caused a huge stir in Japan on arrival and various local makers rushed to copy the distinctive monochrome look.
It was probably during or shortly after this tour that Ibanez, hoping to capitalise on Beck's huge appeal, first approached him with the idea of producing a guitar designed to his specifications which could be marketed as a Jeff Beck Signature instrument. Al Dutton told us that acquiring suitable guitars for Jeff was not always easy – he favoured vintage Strats from the ‘50s and ‘60s, which Al would usually source himself from Manny’s when in New York, or from the likes of Norm’s or Rainbow Guitars when on the West Coast. They had not been impressed with guitars produced by the CBS-owned Fender, which were not always up to Jeff's standard. As Jeff was still playing both the Les Paul and Fender guitars on stage, Ibanez proposed that they could produce a guitar which would encompass the best of both worlds, combining the power and punch of the Gibson pickups with the feel, look and, crucially, the tremolo bar of the Strat. It is possible that the Limited Edition guitar in this collection (lot 28) was the first Ibanez guitar to be presented to Jeff in the hope that he would like the feel and quality of their instruments.
Jeff Hasselberger, Ibanez Marketing Director, visited Beck at home with Hoshino President Tom Tanaka, where they admired his cars and brainstormed ideas for a new guitar design. Hasselberger recounted to Matt Owen that ‘Jeff spent more time telling me what he didn’t like about the guitars he was playing than what he was looking for. I got the sense that Jeff was looking for reasons to make a change.’ ‘His comments were more about the physical aspects than tone. His Les Paul was very heavy.’ ‘He seemed to want something that would give him more possibilities.’
The Rex Bogue-made custom guitar owned by Beck’s friend and collaborator John McLaughlin was the inspiration for the design, directly influencing the choice of finish and headstock. The end product was by no means fully formed, but Tanaka recalled that ‘Jeff had [provided] a sketch of what he wanted for his signature model from Ibanez’, which he had drawn in Hasselberger’s notebook. ‘The guitar that was built for him started with that sketch. I forwarded that sketch to Fritz Katoh in Japan and he took it from there.’
The project began in earnest in 1979, as confirmed by the two guitars whose serial numbers date their production to that year (lots 24 and 27), which demonstrates that things were already well under way before Jeff’s next tour to Japan the following year. Tanaka personally delivered these prototypes to Beck at his Sussex home: ‘During the process of contract negotiation for his model, we made several samples which I went with to show to his house in England twice.’ Al Dutton reported that Ibanez’s representatives would fly over from Japan to present Jeff with their latest creation, Jeff would comment on what might need changing here or there, they would depart and make the necessary adjustments, leaving their latest creation with him. John Dodds confirmed to us that ‘they were beautiful guitars, extremely well made’, but they never quite fit the bill and the Japanese representatives would go back to the drawing board with specifications for the next prototype.
When discussing his guitar collection with Jas Obrecht for
Guitar Player in October 1980, Jeff commented that, ‘
Ibanez designed one for me, and they keep sending me these experimental models. They don't take the same one away and modify it - they just build another one and send it.... the Japanese are fantastic. So I've got a lot of Ibanez guitars at home. I still collect a few Fenders.'
By the time Jeff embarked on his There and Back Tour in December 1980, he not only had several prototype models at home, but received even more when he reached Japan. John Dodds remembers that at each gig of the tour – 9 or 10 shows – Ibanez’s representative would arrive with a new guitar and ask whether Jeff would include it in his set: ‘He always wore a smart suit and he was terribly polite and amiable.’ The final guitar, delivered to Nippon Budokan Hall in Tokyo on 18 December, had a beautiful white pearl finish, which Jeff played towards the end of the show.
Ultimately, despite their concerted efforts encompassing four or five different prototype models and several guitars later, it became evident that the project was not to be. By late 1983 Grover Jackson had presented Jeff with the first of three new ‘Soloist’ guitars, a model which would enable Beck to achieve new sounds and techniques, with a bespoke colour designed to match one of his hot rods. Chris Kelly, Head of the Ibanez Custom Shop and A&R programme in the ‘80s reflected that the prototypes proved to be ‘a little bulky and heavy’ – something he was evidently trying to move away from – and subsequent models failed to modify this to Beck’s satisfaction.
IBANEZ GUITARS
Hoshino Gakki was founded in 1908 as a musical instrument merchandising arm of the Japanese bookstore chain, Hoshino Shoten. In 1935 the company launched a line of Japanese-manufactured classical guitars built in the Spanish style and sold under the brand name
Ibanez Salvador. The name paid homage to the late 19th century master luthier, Salvador Ibáñez from Valencia, Spain. With the popularity in guitar-driven pop music in the late 1950s Hoshino Gakki quickly recognised the growth in the electric guitar market and began having instruments of their own design manufactured for them by other Japanese factories like Suzuki, and Teisco Musical Instruments.
By the late 1960s, the majority of Ibanez guitars copied the designs and aesthetics of the major American makers like Gibson, and Fender. With cheaper labour costs, more modern production facilities, and a commitment to quality, Ibanez began having a serious effect on the market share of the big three American makers, Gibson, Rickenbacker, and Fender. Needless to say, this and the uncanny resemblance to American products drove the Norland Corporation (parent company of Gibson) to take legal action in 1977. With the suit settled privately, Ibanez quickly pivoted and began concentrating on upgrading their own original designs.
By the late 1980s, the inherent quality of Ibanez instruments was well established and began to be recognised by professional performers. What followed suit were artist endorsements and the launch of signature models linked to marquee names in guitar performance. Today, in addition to a wide product line, from budget prices to professional quality, Ibanez produces signature guitars for players like Pat Metheny, George Benson, Steve Vai, John Schofield and Joe Satriani to name but a few.