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Ibanez S470
List: $1,100
The Ibanez S-model began as the Sabre series (1987) but the manufacturer was instructed by Music Man to stop using the ‘Sabre’ monicker as their born-again production line then, had a Sabre bass on tow. As fate would have it, the Sabre distinction was reduced to the mere alphabet we know today but the alluring dual-carved body design is left undefiled- 19 years & counting…
Background/ fit/ finish
The S470 did no appear in the catalogues until 1994, its make is the very incarnation we see today, less the current ZR vibrato bridge, which was a major overhaul in terms of hardware relevance. The initial floating bridge which adorned the guitar was the dodgy Lo-TRS I, which was subsequently relieved by the ZR alternative, much to the relief of whammy junkies who are return-to-pitch reliant. Nevertheless, the crucial essence of the S470- HSH pickup combo/ Wizard (current neck on the S470 is a Wizard II) maple neck/ mahogany body/ 22 fretted rosewood fingerboard- are retained.
The Wizard II neck & ZR vibrato bridge appointements in the S470 are arguably disputable factors between purists & recent converts. The stubborn conservatives would contest the fatter Wizard II neck & massive ZR vibrato to be primary factors relegating this guitar to near-entry level. On hindsight, the heretics here welcome the slightly bulging neck profile & the superbly engineered ZR mechanism; otherwise, the Prestige S models would not have these exact attributes on them.
On matters pertaining to fit/ finish, the S470 continues to display fine craftsmanship despite its Korean pedigree. There will inevitably be skeptical buyers who would dismiss this guitar by virtue of its country of origin; do non-Japanese Ibanez suffer in the hands of commercial gremlins? Not this guitar. The post-Y2K far eastern guitars do contain sufficient ‘wow’ factors to woo practical investors. In addition to the Korean Ibanez selections, the Chinese Artcore models are proof enough that non-Japanese selections are surely not run-of-the-mill excess.
Playability/ Tone
If this is your maiden Ibanez experience, the Wizard II neck in the S470 isn’t the thinnest on offer. There is more bulk in the hands compared to the Wizard & Super Wizard (discontinued) models so if you are accustomed to the latter, this neck is a different experience, so to speak. Despite the excess, the overall playability remains to be one of the manufacturer’s best. Thanks to the well crowned jumbo frets & Ibanez’s all access neck joint which is plate-free & suitably extended for the ultimate in upper fret excess, as far as a bolt-on design is concerned.
The well carved top & rear body arch ensures maximum comfort for the picking hand; this my fellow guitar fanatics, is what the S-model is revered for- finesse & functionality.
Tone wise, the HSH pickup combo is arguably the super guitarist’s favoured pickup spec; this offers a healthy selection of both humbucking & single coil tones required by pop & extreme music proponents. The gall in this honey pot is definitely the pickups’ inherent voicing per se. Ibanez’s INF pickups are renowned for its arguably deficient bass response & such absence is well heard here. Nevertheless, this inadequacy isn’t too repulsive compared to tonal offerings of Ibanez’s entry-level Gio models. For the money, the INFs remain palatable but not fantastic (both clean & driven). However, after auditioning this guitar, you’d note Ibanez’s applaudable split coil tones (from the humbuckers per se/ in combination with the middle single coil).
Moving on to the ZR vibrato bridge, this is perhaps the forte of the S-series in whole. What you get here is a smooth pivot response in addition to return-to-pitch accuracy. If you whammy & your life depends on it, the ZR is where your money should be. This floating device is also equipped with an in-built trem setter, the very contraption that makes the guitar stay put in its centre notch even when the strings are removed; the most sensible precaution to string-snapping moments & the worthy solution to down-tunings.
Conclusion
Despite continuous revisions, the S470 remains to be the sleek 6-stringer we knew it for. The inherent tones from the guitar are indeed banal & rather uninspiring should it be plugged into an undeserving amplifier. How many of us are true Ibanez pickup fans other than the Dimarzio produced ones? This is why prospective buyers are planning to swap the default INFs for their dream alternatives even before they acquire the S470. It is hoped that, in time to come, Ibanez would be kind enough to include at least a bag for their mid-priced units; $1K & still no bag in the works is a little unreasonable, yes?
The S-series in general would appeal to Ibanez fans who find the RG type bodies too dreary in design. In addition to being eye candy, the dual arched body outline is the very refinement you would find too alluring to pass.
Rating: 8/10
Likes: Dual arched body design
Very playable neck
Overall fit/ finish
ZR vibrato bridge
Dislikes Uninspiring default pickups
No bags offered in the asking price
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