Ibanez Pro-line
Encyclopedia
The Ibanez Pro-Line is The First series of guitars designed and manufactured by Ibanez
to use their V-5 pickups. The Pro-line series also had a Pro Rock'R Bridge also manufactured by Ibanez and no longer in use by the company. They were only available for a few years due to lawsuits with Jackson
over the originality of the guitar.
The PR1440 and 1550 featured two Ibanez
S7FT single coil pickups and one Ibanez
humbucking double coil pickup by the bridge, a volume and tone/push knob and 3 separate switches in place of a 3-way pickup selector(tone/push knob split the humbucker).The PR1660 on the other hand had two Ibanez
V-5 pickups and were the first guitars to use these pickup.They also had one volume switch and one tone switch and a 3-way pickup selector as opposed to the separate switches used on the 1440 and 1550 models.The necks on all the models were made of maple and oil-finished.
In 1986 Ibanez took a step up with the Pro-Line series by making the bodies smaller, adding new Ibanez Edge Tremolo systems, jumbo frets, neck-through joints, preset switch systems, new colors, and adding a bass model to the line. The new models that were introduced were the PL1770, PL1880, PL2550, PL2660, and the PL5050 bass guitar. New colors that were on the market in 1986 were Black, Metallic Copper, Gold Pearl, and Silver Pearl for the PL1770; Natural Wood and Walnut Finishes For the PL1880; Black, Cherry Ice, Gold Pearl, and Silver Pearl Finishes for the PL2550; Black, Cherry Ice and Pearl finishes for the PL2660 and Gun Metal and Pearl finishes for the PL5050.
But the expansion would not last as they would have to go through a lawsuit that would lead to the demise of the series.In 1986 Ibanez had to go through a lawsuit with Jackson
guitars concerning the PL2660 guitar. The Guitar was a virtual copy of Jackson's Randy Rhoads Guitar. after 1986 no more Pro-Line guitars were produced. There was also other unclear reasons for its discontinuation.
Ibanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
to use their V-5 pickups. The Pro-line series also had a Pro Rock'R Bridge also manufactured by Ibanez and no longer in use by the company. They were only available for a few years due to lawsuits with Jackson
Jackson Guitars
__FORCETOC__Jackson is a renowned brand of electric guitar that bears the name of its founder, Grover Jackson.-Early years:Grover Jackson obtained ownership in Charvel's Guitar Repair of Glendora, California in the 1970s with a promise to bolster Charvel's business...
over the originality of the guitar.
History
The Pro-Line series of guitars first appeared on the market in 1985 as the PR1440, PR1550, and PR1660. The PR1440 was available in Red while the PR1550 was available in pure white finish. The PR1660 is now mainly a collector's item for many and was also available in pure white finish.All of these models had black hardware, pickups, and knobs.The PR1440 and 1550 featured two Ibanez
Ibanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
S7FT single coil pickups and one Ibanez
Ibanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
humbucking double coil pickup by the bridge, a volume and tone/push knob and 3 separate switches in place of a 3-way pickup selector(tone/push knob split the humbucker).The PR1660 on the other hand had two Ibanez
Ibanez
is a Japanese guitar brand owned by Hoshino Gakki. Based in Nagoya, Aichi, Japan, Hoshino Gakki were one of the first Japanese musical instrument companies to gain a significant foothold in import guitar sales in the United States and Europe, as well as the first brand of guitars to mass produce...
V-5 pickups and were the first guitars to use these pickup.They also had one volume switch and one tone switch and a 3-way pickup selector as opposed to the separate switches used on the 1440 and 1550 models.The necks on all the models were made of maple and oil-finished.
In 1986 Ibanez took a step up with the Pro-Line series by making the bodies smaller, adding new Ibanez Edge Tremolo systems, jumbo frets, neck-through joints, preset switch systems, new colors, and adding a bass model to the line. The new models that were introduced were the PL1770, PL1880, PL2550, PL2660, and the PL5050 bass guitar. New colors that were on the market in 1986 were Black, Metallic Copper, Gold Pearl, and Silver Pearl for the PL1770; Natural Wood and Walnut Finishes For the PL1880; Black, Cherry Ice, Gold Pearl, and Silver Pearl Finishes for the PL2550; Black, Cherry Ice and Pearl finishes for the PL2660 and Gun Metal and Pearl finishes for the PL5050.
But the expansion would not last as they would have to go through a lawsuit that would lead to the demise of the series.In 1986 Ibanez had to go through a lawsuit with Jackson
Jackson Guitars
__FORCETOC__Jackson is a renowned brand of electric guitar that bears the name of its founder, Grover Jackson.-Early years:Grover Jackson obtained ownership in Charvel's Guitar Repair of Glendora, California in the 1970s with a promise to bolster Charvel's business...
guitars concerning the PL2660 guitar. The Guitar was a virtual copy of Jackson's Randy Rhoads Guitar. after 1986 no more Pro-Line guitars were produced. There was also other unclear reasons for its discontinuation.
Product lineup
- 1985
- PR1440
- PR1550
- PR1660
- 1986
- PL1770
- PL1880
- PL2550
- PL2660
- PL5050
External links
- 1985 Pro Line at Ibanez Site
- 1985 Pro Line at Ibanez Site
- catalogue 1986 1986 Pro-Line At Ibanez Site
- catalogue 1986 1986 Pro-Line at Ibanez Site