A Japanese reader, Makoto, has written in with pictures of his Blue Bell mandolin, model F-8 with serial number B788035. The Blue Bell brand was used by Ibanez for products released in the Japanese domestic market. Makoto’s mandolin is nearly identical to an Ibanez 523 model – the label is signed by Kosakabe, the Ibanez master builder, and features a serial number identical to the Ibanez format. Blue Bell mandolins are quite rare and said to be of very high quality.
UPDATE – Makoto has supplied a photo of the serial number showing it is stamped into the headstock the same way that Ibanez does.
Our study of Ibanez Mandolin serial numbers has begun to yield some interesting information. We can break down the production of Ibanez Mandolins into two main phases:
1) The Copy Era: Making of F-5, A-5, and A style mandolins to emulate Gibson models, started circa 1975 and ending some time in 1978.
2) The Original Era: The original design 528 and 529 mandolins were made from 1981 to 1983.
The submission of pictures of H784392 gives us the latest serial number for a copy mandolin (A-5 style, model 522) in the log so far, and suggests that August 1978 is the end of the copy era for Ibanez.
The Serial Number Database section of the web site is now updated with a large batch of the latest submissions. The photo gallery now features over 300 photos of Ibanez mandolins and a total of 50 instruments. Many thanks to all the generous readers who have taken the time to photograph and share their instruments with everyone.
If you haven’t already had the chance to visit Mandolin Moments, have a look at this new independent site dedicated to mandolin. The editor of the site, Reidar Falch, is the original owner of a 1982 Ibanez 529 mandolin.
Reidar is a mandolinist/web programmer/journalist who has played in the Oslo Mandolin Orchestra since 1970 and been the leader since 1999. Between 1999 and 2005, he edited Tremolo.no, a mandosite owned by The Norwegian Mandolin and Balalaika Association. Since then he’s been planning Mandolin Moments as a mandosite seeing the world from Europe and covering all genres of mandolin music.
The later version of the 529 model features a fancy fingerboard inlay, which you can see on the 1983 vintage example sent in by Tim and now added to the serial number database. B832837 has been modified at some point with a pickup bolted to the pickguard, and control knobs and output jack added by cutting into the wood. Although it is useful to amplify your mandolin, we recommend using a reversible modification so you can keep your mandolin as original as possible.
The pictures also show the unique case of the 528 and 529 models, which has a tan colored lining and is slightly longer than the other Ibanez cases.
The Serial Number Database of vintage Ibanez Mandolins continues to grow, thanks to submissions, from visitors around the globe. Ibanez mandolins are a truly global instrument, with musicians from New Zealand, Scotland, Canada, Norway, Portugal, and many other countries writing in to share pictures and information.
The database now features over 200 images in 35 albums, the largest collection of Ibanez mandolin pictures on the internet. There are many more to be added, so keep checking back as the galleries grow.
Thanks again to everyone who has taken the time to send in pictures and information, and for being patient with the time needed to process the images and add them to the site. Hopefully we can start to establish trends and batches by serial number and model as more mandolins are added.
The first draft of commentary has been added to the pages for each Ibanez mandolin model, to go along with the catalog image and published specs. All eleven models in the 52X series are now updated with details and insight into their origins and cosmetics. For example, the 524 page talks about the unique tortoise headstock overlay and relative abundance of this model.
David Grisman inspired the purchase of an Ibanez mandolin in Oregon in 1990? We’ll get to that…
Phil Johnson is the proud new owner of a well broken in 527 mandolin, which he plays in his bluegrass band Eight Dollar Mountain. Phil was kind enough to answer some detailed questions about his mandolin’s history and his music for ibanezmandolin.com in our latest exclusive feature aritcle. The interview is highly entertaining with all kinds of twists and turns, including a mention of David Grisman. You’ll have to read the rest to find out more!
What do you look for when evaluating the condition of an Ibanez mandolin? If you’re buying or taking a closer look at an instrument you already own, get some background information on common problems that affect vintage Ibanez mandolins in the latest article posted on ibanezmandolin.com. The article covers cracks, binding rot, plastic breakdown, pickguard problems, and also how to properly store your mandolin. Don’t keep it locked up in the case for months and years, let it out to breathe and to stabilize the common points of deterioration.
