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NGD: guitar and amp from thrift store

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:30 am
by laurie
Picked these up yesterday.

Amp is an Ibanez IBZ10A from the 1990's. Very good shape. Has a great tone for a small amp. On-board analog chorus. Of all the small amps I've found in the last couple of years, this one is the keeper. USD$17

Guitar is a Samick YVRC-101 from the 1990's. Needs a truss-rod adjustment and a full setup, but otherwise looks like a nice guitar. USD$40.
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Re: NGD: guitar and amp from thrift store

Posted: Tue Nov 30, 2021 7:48 am
by Pepe
That Ibanez amp is really interesting. No built-in distortion. Very unusual!

Re: NGD: guitar and amp from thrift store

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2021 6:41 am
by bigtone23
Pepe wrote:
Tue Nov 30, 2021 7:48 am
That Ibanez amp is really interesting. No built-in distortion. Very unusual!
I believe that particular model is designed for acoustic guitar. There was also the IBZ 10G for electric and 10B for bass.

Re: NGD: guitar and amp from thrift store

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2021 8:53 am
by Pepe
I just see that there is written "Acoustic Guitar Amplifier" next to the IBZ10A label! :lol:

Re: NGD: guitar and amp from thrift store

Posted: Tue Dec 14, 2021 1:28 pm
by laurie
I've done a complete strip-down, clean, and adjustment of the Samick. Manufactured September 1989 according to the neck stamp.

It needed:
  • A new trem arm (original was lost).
  • Some rust cleaning off the bridge plate.
  • Cleaning and adjustment of the tension on the machines.
  • Replacement of the output jack.
  • Cleaning and lubrication of the volume pot. It was probably the dirtiest I've seen in a guitar.
  • Full adjustment - trem springs adjusted to "float" the bridge, truss-rod, string saddle height and profile (the saddle heights didn't follow the neck radius), intonation, pickup height, etc. It was completely unplayable when I got it.
The only thing left to do on it is to replace the bridge saddle height adjustment screws. The ones that came on it are 10mm long. To get the action where I wanted it (low and fast, even though I can't really play fast...) the saddles are quite low and the screws are sticking up and quite uncomfortable. I've ordered a bag of 6mm screws to replace them with.

It is a very nice instrument. The neck is superb - frets are good after a polish, binding is intact, rosewood in good shape. Plus super straight with just the right amount of relief without much tension on the truss-rod.

My research seems to indicate that Samick were making Epiphones for Gibson at the time. This guitar is much better than most Epiphones I've tried. The only thing that lets it down is the pickup, however, I have a vintage Dimarzio Super-Distortion humbucker that I'll swap in when I am doing the saddle screws.

I thought I was buying something for a quick clean-adjust-and flip. But it is a keeper, particularly for what it cost. If you ever see a Samick YVRC (they usually go for cheap), grab it.

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I'm also going to order a transformer with a multi-voltage primary for the little Ibanez. This will allow me to use it on the Canadian 110V supply then swap it to 220V when I eventually move back to Australia (it is a keeper).

Re: NGD: guitar and amp from thrift store

Posted: Sat Dec 18, 2021 5:48 pm
by Dirk
What a cool 80's guitar. Nice find!

Re: NGD: guitar and amp from thrift store

Posted: Sun Dec 26, 2021 9:58 pm
by laurie
Update on the Samick guitar. All done:
  • Swapped in the vintage Dimarzio Super-Distortion humbucker. Much fuller - low end is now present.
  • Saddle screws replaced. The 10mm screws replaced with 6MM screws for the outside strings (E, A, B, E) and 8mm screws for the inner two (D and G). No screw heads protruding. Saddles now follow the neck radius properly.
  • Intonation is done (using the downloaded TU-3 app).
  • Bought a solid vintage MIC hard-shell case (Made In Canada) for USD$35 at Cash Convertors.
It sounds very good and plays like butter. Far better than expected for a thrift-store find.

Re: NGD: guitar and amp from thrift store

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2021 6:59 am
by bigtone23
Samicks from the late 80s/very early 90s are really well done budget guitars. They (and Cort) were the OEM makers for all things MIK at the time.
I think Samick moved to Indonesia in the mid 90s, and Cort did the same around the same time.

The Super D is a smokin' bridge pickup. I like how it sounds in split and parallel modes, too!

Re: NGD: guitar and amp from thrift store

Posted: Mon Dec 27, 2021 1:32 pm
by laurie
bigtone23 wrote:
Mon Dec 27, 2021 6:59 am
Samicks from the late 80s/very early 90s are really well done budget guitars. They (and Cort) were the OEM makers for all things MIK at the time.
I think Samick moved to Indonesia in the mid 90s, and Cort did the same around the same time.

The Super D is a smokin' bridge pickup. I like how it sounds in split and parallel modes, too!
I considered adding a coil splitter switch, but opted to keep it simple. As Eddie Van Halen would say - just the one "tone" control...

I was surprised about the improvement in tone. The original Samick pickup is very thin.

I hadn't heard the Dimarzio for maybe 10 years. I swapped it out of my HM Strat (swapped in a PAF).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fender_HM_Strat