- For the earlier mahogany version, see 2459 (mahogany).
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The 2459 is a solid body electric guitar model introduced by Ibanez in 1975. It was made in Japan by FujiGen. It was one of the first models in what would come to be the Destroyer series. This model is also known as the Korina Destroyer. It supplanted an earlier mahogany version.
The 2459 features a large, angular body modeled on the Gibson Explorer. It has a solid ash (or Japanese sen) body mated to a set-in 3-ply maple neck with a 22-fret rosewood fingerboard with pearloid dot position markers. Components include a Tune-o-matic style fixed bridge, stop tailpiece, a pair of Ibanez Super 70 humbucking pickups with chrome covers mounted in black pickup rings, a white pickguard, top hat style knobs, and Smooth Tuner "Star" machine heads. The output jack is mounted on the side of the guitar.
This guitar is part of the legendary Korina Trio along with the 2469 "Futura" and the 2387CT "Rocket Roll Sr."[1] which were copies of Gibson's trio of "modernistic" designs from the 1950s. While those earlier Gibson guitars were made of African limba wood (also known as korina), the exact species of wood used for the Ibanez trio has been much debated — the catalogs say "solid ash", some marketing materials claimed they were "African korina" and some experts insist they were made of Japanese sen, which has a grain structure similar to ash. In any event the translucent "African Korina" finish gave them a yellowish hue which was quite similar to Gibson's originals.[2]
The 2459B is a four-string bass version.
Edward Van Halen famously owned a Korina Destroyer, which he used extensively in recording his band's self-titled debut album.[3] He later modified the guitar extensively, first with a white paint job, then with numerous pickup swaps. He later remove a large chunk of the body with a chainsaw to create his "shark" guitar. This last modification, however, seriously hampered both the guitar's structural integrity and it's tone, due to the large amount of wood that was removed, leading Van Halen to retire the guitar shortly thereafter.[4]
The 2459 was discontinued in early 1978 as Ibanez was phasing out production of copies of guitars from other manufacturers in favor of original designs. The shape would reappear in mildly altered form as the Destroyer II in late 1980.
Specifications[]
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Sources[]
- ↑ Specht, Paul; Wright, Michael; Donahue, Jim (2005). Ibanez : the Untold Story. Bensalem, Penn.: Hoshino (U.S.A.), p. 73, ISBN 0976427702
- ↑ Mosely, Willie G.; Ibanez Destroyer: Odd Retro Nod; April 2007; Vintage Guitar; archived from the original September 2015
- ↑ Lost Photos Tell The Story Behind Eddie Van Halen's Ibanez Destroyer; Gill, Chris; July 2011; Guitar World; reprinted by Van Halen News Desk (enthusiast website), archived September 2017
- ↑ Guitar Stories: Eddie Van Halen’s Ibanez Destroyer; Thalia Capos blog; September 6, 2019; archived June 2020
- 1976 Golden Oldies electrics catalog (page 2)
- 1977 Ibanez-Tama guitar catalog (French) (page 3)
- 2459 (sen) description, The Destroyer Guy (enthusiast website), archived August 2018
