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I am offering an Ibanez Artist 2616 from 1975, a handcrafted in Japan hollowbody archtop jazz guitar from the lawsuit era with a 16" body size including Florentine cutaway, impressively figured flamed maple top with two F-holes, back and sides also made of flamed maple, set-in maple neck with 43.5mm bone nut, bound rosewood fingerboard with elaborate Artist mother-of-pearl inlays and 20 frets, two legendary Super '70s humbucker pickups, high-quality Schaller M6 gold tuners and adjustable ebony bridge on an ebony base, including T-bar trapeze tailpiece in an authentically aged cherry sunburst high-gloss finish with numerous abalone body bindings in excellent condition, including black vintage hardshell case and professional setup with 10-46 Elixir Optiweb strings.
The Ibanez Artist 2616 is a handmade, original design from Japan, a hollowbody archtop jazz guitar from the Lawsuit era, the golden age of Japanese guitar production. Based on the ES-175, the Ibanez Artist 2616 features a voluminous 16" body size with a Florentine cutaway and an impressively figured flamed maple top with two traditionally designed F-holes. Together with the back and sides made of matching flamed maple laminate under the thin Cherry Sunburst finish not only gives it a high-quality look, but also a remarkably direct, balanced acoustic resonance. The set-in maple neck with a pleasantly slim “C” profile and 43.5mm wide bone nut ensures excellent playability, while the bound rosewood fingerboard with its elaborate Artist mother-of-pearl block inlays quickly reveals how much attention to detail has gone into this instrument.
Electronically, the 2616 features two legendary Ibanez Super 70's humbuckers, which have been prized for decades for their musical transparency, dynamic response, and finely nuanced warmth—a sound ideal that perfectly matches the jazzy, warm orientation of the instrument, but also offers plenty of tonal flexibility for blues or fusion players. The pickups offer a wide range of sound options: from clean, singing blues sounds or crystal-clear rhythm passages to slightly more dominant solo passages à la George Benson, they offer everything a jazz heart desires.
A sound sample of the model (with flatwound strings only) can be found above at the end of the photo gallery.
The attention to detail is also reflected in the features: the 2616 impresses with an adjustable ebony bridge, a T-bar trapeze tailpiece, and elegant gold hardware, while the professionally upgraded Schaller M6 tuners (originals included) ensure outstanding tuning stability. The numerous abalone body inlays make the guitar an absolute eye-catcher.
It is one of the most beautiful jazz guitars available in this price range today: highest quality workmanship, 120% vintage charm, top playability, and a gigantic sound!
Technical specifications:
The Ibanez Artist 2616 was only manufactured from 1973 to 1977 and is now highly sought after by collectors and players alike. The guitar has been professionally refretted and PLEK-treated. Furthermore, the tuners have been upgraded to Schaller M6 tuners (without re-drilling or changing the drill holes; the originals can therefore be changed back). The upgrades cost a total of €524.00.
This Artist 2616 is in very good condition, well maintained and technically flawless. Visually, there is only occasional aged-related wear, which blends in well with the vintage patina of the instrument (see pictures). The frets are like new.
The instrument has been professionally set up with 10-gauge Elixir Optiweb strings, and I (a long-time guitar teacher) will ship it fully insured with DHL for €29.99 within Germany or €79.99 within the EU. Worldwide shipping is possible—individual shipping costs available upon request.
All pictures shown are of the actual instrument for sale.
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