IBANEZ '97 BLAZER

My main guitars have always been G&L and Fenders. But I always look for and value several gems that other guitar companies make as a one off or even re-issues. But unfortunately more offend than not, they discontinue after a few years due to lack of sales, which is the nature of the business. Almost every shredder young and old has or has had an Ibanez RG-550 style models, which are great fast guitars, In fact I own three of them. But it just doesn't beat the versatility and the beefier tone of these Blazers reissues of '97. I own a Ibanez Blazer model BL1025 that's has a "Cayman Green" finish which really looks almost black. You can split the humbuckers into sounding like single coils. The neck is thicker than the wizard neck of an RG, and it also comes unfinished, which gives the guitar a freaking amazing worn and used feel. I believe these re-issue '97 Ibanez Blazers where in production for about three to four years. Not really sure but if you see one at a pawnshop or eBay they're definitely worth looking into. I ran into an old review at Harmony Central and thought I share it with you. The Ibanez Blazer shown at your left is not mine the picture came with the review. ~JCM

July 11, 1997 -- Ibanez recently unveiled two new guitars under the old Blazer name. "The original Blazer's were what players needed in the 80's as an alternative to the traditional single coil guitar," remarked Paul Specht of Ibanez. "But the new Blazer guitars are what players now and in the future-instruments that end the need for switching between traditional single coil and traditional humbucking pickup guitars." Thanks to a unique multi-radius design both the BL850 and the BL1025 feature a neck with the comfortable, rounded broken in feel of the best old guitars. "This is a neck that's as comfortable as a pair of old blue jeans," continued Specht. Additionally, the BL1025 neck gets six extra steps of hand finishing and oiling to give it a feel that Ibanez claims rivals or exceeds that of much more expensive all-handmade guitars.

BL1025: The deluxe model Blazer BL1025 features a Wilkinson VSV vintage tremolo bridge, specially designed Sperzel locking tuners with individually calibrated string heights (for even string tension and no string trees). The single coil section of the new Ibanez JL/Daisensei humbuckers have same construction as a regular single coil pickup so they offer genuine single coil tone. A unique switching system offers all the standard pickup configurations of both the classic single coil and classic humbucking guitar, plus configurations not available with either. The list price as of April 1, 1997 is $999.99. Available Finishes: Cayman Green, Vintage Burst

BL850: The Blazer standard model is fitted with a Gotoh 510AT tremolo, Sperzel locking tuners. Pickups include the IBZ V7 humbucker in the neck, IBZ S7 Single in the middle, and IBZ V8 humbucker in the bridge, all controlled by the Ibanez Split 5 switching system. The list price as of April 4, 1997 is $679.99. Available finishes: Black, Vintage Burst