Ibanez "Artist" AR 300 CS Solidbody Electric

My first Jazzguitar was an Ibanez Artist ES-175 copy.

These guitars became quite popular because of the endorsement of

Steve Miller that used one. It was supposed to be the japanese answer

for the Gibson Les Paul. Do not mistake yourself: These guitars 
sound really great and have a very comfortable neck. Built 
around 1981 they had the same body construction as the

Les Paul: Maple on mahogany. Some earlier examples have some
problems with the outer end of the frets: The strings can catched
behind them. A quick solution is to put a slight amount of super
glue along the ends. The cappilary working will do the rest.

What differs from the Gibson Les Paul is the use of a

maple neck though some early Nashville Les Pauls are

also equipped with a maple neck. The specific brass

bridge construction gives them a kind of transparent

sound reminiscent of the way Robben Ford sounds.
D-profile neck. Width at the topnut 43 mm. Scale:
624 mm. Weight: 4250 gram. Super 58 pickups.

The well known headform but a brass metal truss

rod cover plate and a topnut entirely made of brass.

They also delivered this model with a partly plastic

partly brass top nut. The tuners have been changed 

into the small Schaller tuners.

On the back of the head we see a volute as has 

been done in the seventies by Gibson on the Les 

Paul guitars. As for the serial number: The first 

prefix D stands for the month (april) of production 

so A stands for january a.s.o. The following two 

digits gives the year of production: 1981 The next 

four digits are standing for the production number

during that month: 6023. (Source:  guitarinsite)

A clever find, this smooth shaved heelform.

"Built by the proud Craftsmen of Ibanez".