Ibanez

Est. 1957 Website ↗

About

Ibanez is a Japanese guitar brand of Hoshino Gakki, known for fast-playing superstrat-style electrics, extended-range and 7/8-string instruments, and a deep signature-artist roster including Steve Vai and Joe Satriani. After starting out copying American designs, Ibanez shifted to original guitars in the late 1970s and is now one of the world's top-selling electric guitar and bass brands.

History

Ibanez traces its roots to Hoshino Gakki, a Japanese bookstore chain's musical instrument division established in 1908. In 1935 the company began building Spanish-style acoustic guitars under the 'Ibanez Salvador' name, a reference to Spanish luthier Salvador Ibáñez. The modern Ibanez guitar era began in earnest in 1957, with production initially handled through other Japanese factories before Hoshino's own Tama plant opened in 1962. Through the 1960s and early 1970s, Ibanez — like many Japanese manufacturers of the era — built close copies of American Gibson, Fender, and Rickenbacker designs; Gibson's parent company sued over headstock shape in 1977, Hoshino settled in early 1978, and the company pivoted decisively to original designs. The distinctive Iceman and Roadstar series established Ibanez's own identity, and the late-1980s Superstrat era brought the RG series and, through a landmark partnership with Steve Vai, the JEM — instruments built for speed, range, and heavy playing style that made Ibanez a defining brand of shred and metal guitar.