reviewed by: pvdimens, on june 03, 2011

Purchased from: Guitar Center Used Items

Features: This Ibanez Destroyer star-shape was made in 1985 in Japan. It's basically aDestroyer with a triangle cut out from the butt-end. It's a bolt-on basswood solid body with black binding. The neck has 22 medium frets, and I suspect has the old X contour thatIbanez likes/liked to put on their DT/X series. I've seen the color in three varieties, dark green (the one I have), red, and black. It sports 2 humbuckers, 1 volume, 1 tone, and a 3-way toggle switch. The Bridge is an archaic Ibanez Pro Rokr that predates the Floyd Rose but tries to serve the same function, such as being a floating tremolo and having fine tuners. The nut is an archaic locking nut as well, a combination of a thin black (plastic?) nut followed by a sort of locking nut on the headstock that also serves as a string tree. // 7

Sound: Many players believe that more body mass conveys more tone, and I am such a player. The body is more resonant playing unplugged than strat-type bodies. But, you don't buy an electric guitar to play unplugged. When I bought this guitar, already 25 years old, it did not come with stock pickups. In fact, the pickups have no make or model on them, so I am hard-pressed to give you any specific details about them. The tone is like a PAF but with a but less output and a bit more twang. I won't get into the details of these pickups since they aren't stock. The pickups that should have come stock were Ibanez V-Blade pickups which I'm told are very hot. I'm sure there are plenty of online resources to look into those at your leisure. Personally, I intend to swap out my current configuration with aDuncan 59 and SH. The archaic Ibanez Rokr tremolo is a pain in the bum. The fine tuners are bulky thumb screws and I removed them so I can keep my palm on the Bridge unobstructed. Don't ever consider actually doing anything whammy related with the bridge. It's built like a tank, but it's as reliable as a drunk's judgement. Can't blame it though, it predates the Floyd Rose. Trial and error, ya know? The current Ibanez Edge 2 and 3 don't seem to get much public praise either. // 6

Action, Fit & Finish: I got the guitar in pretty great condition considering it survived the 80s. Few dings, whatever. The paint is still entirely intact, which I think says something about the quality of the finish. The neck was straight as an arrow too, and the frets are still completely playable at every position. The binding is also entirely intact and not peeling from any point. They just don't make Ibanez now like they used to! // 8

Reliability & Durability: I've gigged with this guitar. I love it like a sibling. It's made for gigging! It's a star shaped guitar- it's made to raise eyebrows and be a crowd pleaser! Would you expect any less from a guitar made in the 80s? The strap buttons are solid and I haven't had the electronics fail on me during any gigs. Like I mentioned above, 25 years and the finish is still in great shape with none of the scratches or dings penetrating the clearcoat. If I lost or broke this guitar, I would be profoundly distraught and try to get my hands on another one. I'm giving it a 10 because it's had 25 years to die or wear away and it promptly refused. // 10

Impression: I play mostly classic rock through heavy metal. This guitar is my jewel for those styles. Everything fits. I love the balance of the guitar, I like the gloss finish on the neck which remains slick during play (honestly can't explain that). I've played it through aBlackstar HT5, Marshall JCM2000, Marshall JCM800, Carvin X100B, Crate Voodoo 60, Marshall MG100, and Hughes & Kettner 30DFX and it sounds pretty good with the mysterious pickups the previous owner installed. I constantly Switch between the DT350and my Carvin Bolt T when I practice and I love coming back to the DT350. In fact, theDT350 is leagues better than the more recent DT200 that I also had for a while. I prefer it to strats, explorers, V's (yes, Gibson). It's just my kind of guitar, and I'm profoundly upset that Ibanez discontinued them after 2 years of production, and now in it's place is [what I consider to be] the silly-looking Xiphos. I've recently commissioned a luthier to build a replica of the DT350 with a fixed Bridge and a 24 fret AANJ neck. Those were my only two real issues with the guitar, and I hope to build my favorite axe with my preferred features. This guitar is my kind of guitar, and I suppose to each their own, right? // 8

review from ultimate-guitar