Ibanez Destroyer
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The Ibanez Destroyer is an Ibanez guitar model produced by Hoshino Gakki which was based on the Gibson Explorer design. The Ibanez Destroyer was introduced by Hoshino Gakki in the mid 1970s.
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[edit] History
In the mid 1970s Hoshino Gakki (Ibanez) and Kanda Shokai (Greco) cooperated with each other to produce shared Ibanez and Greco guitar models. The guitar models were the Ibanez Iceman or Greco Mirage and the Ibanez Destroyer or Greco Destroyer. Hoshino Gakki had the distribution rights outside of Japan and Kanda Shokai had the distribution rights for Japan.
The main difference between the Ibanez and Greco Destroyer was the type of pickups that were used. The Ibanez Destroyer had Ibanez Super 70 pickups and the Greco Destroyer had Greco U-2000 pickups. The Ibanez and Greco Destroyers were made by FujiGen Gakki in Japan and featured set necks and bolt-on necks.
According to Ibanez catalogues, the body wood that was used for the original Ibanez Destroyers was Ash which was finished with an African Korina wood colour. Notable guitarists such as Eddie Van Halen, Paul Gilbert, Phil Collen and Adrian Smith have used various Destroyer models. Eddie Van Halen used an Ibanez Destroyer on the Van Halen 1 album for the songs Runnin' With the Devil and You Really Got Me.
[edit] Destroyer II
The original Destroyer design was based on the Gibson Explorer model. In a similar way, the original Rocket Roll model design was based on the Gibson Flying V model and the Ibanez Futura design was based on the Gibson Moderne model. In 1980 Ibanez remodeled the designs and the new models were named the "Destroyer II" and "Rocket Roll II" and by 1984 the Ibanez Destroyer was part of Ibanez's X series range.
One of the first notable players to play the Destroyer II and endorse it in advertisements was Phil Collen, who is the lead guitar player of the band Def Leppard. Although he started playing the Destroyer II while he was a member of the band Girl, the Destroyer II didn't get notable attention until he played it in Def Leppard. Iron Maiden's Adrian Smith and Dave Murray can be seen playing Ibanez Destroyer II guitars on the DVD Iron Maiden 'The Early Days'.
[edit] Serial Numbers
The first Ibanez Destroyers had no serial numbers and shortly after their introduction in the mid 1970s, serial numbers were used.
The serial number format is MYYPPPP.
- M = production month (A=January B=February ... K=November L=December).
- YY = year (79=1979).
- PPPP = production number.
FujiGen Gakki used this format for the Ibanez guitars they made from the mid 1970s to 1987.
[edit] Specifications
Original Ibanez Destroyer specifications from Ibanez catalogues.
- Body Material: Ash
- Body Finish: African Korina
- Neck Material: Laminated Maple
- Neck Scale/Type: 24 3/4"/Set-In
- Number of Frets: 22
- Neck Pickup: Super 70
- Bridge Pickup: Super 70
- Controls: 2 volume, 1 tone
The most recent model of the Destroyer is the DT-200. The most common version is the DT200VA. It is also available with Black or Candy Apple finishes:
- BK - Black (3/2004-10/2004)
- CA - Candy Apple (3/2004-10/2005)
- VA - Vintage Amber (11/2003-10/2005)
Specifications of recent Ibanez Destroyer model DT200CA.
- Body Material: Mahogany
- Neck Material: Maple
- Neck Scale/Type: 24 3/4"/Bolt-on
- Number of Frets/Type: 22/Medium
- Fingerboard: Rosewood
- Inlay: Pearl/Abalone Block
- Bridge: BR-EG
- Hardware Color: Chrome
- Neck Pickup: Infinity 3 INF3 Humbucker
- Bridge Pickup: Infinity 4 INF4 Humbucker
- Controls: 2 volume, 1 tone, 3-way toggle
[edit] References
Ibanez, The Untold Story by Paul Specht (Michael Wright, Jim Donahue) ISBN 0-9764277-0-2
