Ibanez Iceman 7

[guidedbyechoes]

I used to want one of these when I was first getting into 7 strings. It was between that and the PRS 7. I chose the PRS, because I thought they would stop making them before the ibanez went out of production. This was when there were only 3 colors for the PRS.

These days I can't find iceman 7s for sale anywhere. Are they so great that no one wants to sell them, or are they such garbage no one wanted to buy them? Was it just a case of limited quantity? I really wonder since I've been looking for 2 years and have only seen customs and poplar bodies on ebay and nothing for sale on here.

 

[TheStig1214]

The Iceman just isn't terribly popular. I know my local Guitar Center had 3 for like 2 years before even selling one. There were 2 IC500s, one white and one black, and an IC507. I think they still have the 507 after like 3 or 4 years now.

 

[AkiraSpectrum]

As stated above, the Iceman isn't a very popular shape to begin with, further compounded by the fact that it's a 7 string (limiting its audience even more). This combination usually means production will be small and limited. In terms of quality, I don't see them being of any better quality than your typical Ibanez Standard Series guitars. In other words, the quality is nothing to rave about.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

But you would think at least someone would be selling one. I searched every where I can think of and have never seen one for sale since they were discontinued.

 

[Chokey Chicken]

My friend sold his. I hated it, and I like the Iceman. Super fat neck and awful upper fret access, as well as pretty hefty neck dive. Unless you could get one for cheap, I'd avoid it anyway.

 

[Señor Voorhees]

Yeah, it was mine. It was an okay guitar but nothing great. Neck dive, weird neck profile, bad cut away, and the bridge pickup was a little too far from the bridge. All of the pickups I tried in it were muffled due to it. Probably not worth it unless you really really want an iceman 7.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

Cool. Yeah if I really want one I'll get a custom one made to my specs.

 

[Science_Penguin]

Yeah, it was mine. It was an okay guitar but nothing great. Neck dive, weird neck profile, bad cut away, and the bridge pickup was a little too far from the bridge. All of the pickups I tried in it were muffled due to it. Probably not worth it unless you really really want an iceman 7.

I actually kind of liked the neck profile. It wasn't perfect, but it almost kind of occupied that happy medium some Gibsons do- real thick and beefy, but the shorter scale (pretty sure the Iceman 7 had a shortish scale) compensated for it. It was one of the better grips I'd ever gotten around a 7 string neck.

Didn't really like anything else about it, though, so I couldn't ever justify buying it.

 

[MajorTom]

One of the guitar shops near me still has a few brand new seven string Iceman for sale, I think it's the IC507 that they have, I know they have at least 6 of them in the store room, and one on display, so they have a total of seven of them that they still have for sale, and I'm pretty sure that they are all black ones to.

I have to say, I would much rather buy a seven string Fireman, than a seven string Iceman, I think that the Fireman is just a lot more comfortable to play, plus it has a much nicer and thicker neck on it compared to the Iceman. In fact I would buy a seven string Fireman in a heartbeat.

 

[RCB]

I've had mine for about a year and a half and I still love mine. The others are correct in that the Iceman doesn't have the same sales numbers as the RG & other shapes which is why this model didn't go past a year in production.

I bought mine used so I'm more lenient with the few issues there are on this guitar.

• The neck dive can be alleviated with a strap placement change. The neck itself is on par with old Schecter 'baseball bat' shapes but it doesn't feel as slow as some of the Schecters I've played. I think the 25.24 scale may have something to do with that (...just a theory).
  
• The neck joint was a point of contention for me at first but now its one of my favorite neck joints in my whole collection. Keep in mind I'm no shredder so take that for what it's worth.
  
• As far as pickup placement making the tone muffled, my ears don't pick that up. The bridge pup is a tad farther from the bridge than most guitars, but the D-Activators are so bright I find I have to roll the tone knob down to 6 or so (a trick I learned from Tom G. Warrior).
  
• The one thing I wish was different are the medium frets. I prefer good ol' jumbos.

Well those are my thoughts on it. I was in the same position you are now ever since they released this model back in 2013. If you can find one to try out first & find one that isn't the full price ($799), then I suggest giving it some thought. Either that or just go full custom like you mentioned as long as you really like the shape.

 

[lewis]

I would be interested to see a Poll get done because I always see people say they just are not that popular a shape to get mass production, yet I also see more people say "I love the Icemans and I want one so bad"?. Its abit weird.

Being a Meshuggah fan, I would have one if they did a modern re release so the neck was better etc.

 

[Chokey Chicken]

I love the shape, and would kill for a custom one. Unfortunately I haven't played one outside of the 507 which I just didn't like. Personal preference of course, so others may feel different.

I may make my own at some point. Maybe just make a body and fit an Ibanez neck to it, since most Ibanez necks are nice, and most changes I'd want are on the body.

 

[ProtoTechDeath]

Besides the explorer, the Iceman was the first "weird" shape I ever gassed for. I'm surprised the shape didn't catch on more, what with Paul Stanly rocking one for so long.

 

[TruckstopChuckie]

Iceman is a cool shape, though a little to extreme in the long run. If I was ever going to get one it must have been a vintage one and not the newer black ones.

The sunburst ones are pretty cool...

(And when it comes to vintage Ibanez - pre superstrat - I think their late 70's original models, typically the Iceman, Artist, AS (Scofield) are the ones to check out - and not the replicas).

 

[VBCheeseGrater]

Yeah you just don't too many but they show here and there. I think one of the main deterrents from that era of Icemen is they were mostly if not all China guitars, which turns alot of people off, especially for a defining shape like an iceman. I've seen a few at guitar center and aside from the beatings they have taken sitting at GC, seemed decently put together.

I have to admit, as someone who tries to mainly ignore the "made in" and just look for good guitars that I like, i've let the MIC steer me away from these in the case of the Iceman. I have my Korea IC400 which is a great guitar now, and probably my favorite guitar, but when i first got it used it was not so hot.

 

[guidedbyechoes]

I've had mine for about a year and a half and I still love mine. The others are correct in that the Iceman doesn't have the same sales numbers as the RG & other shapes which is why this model didn't go past a year in production.

I bought mine used so I'm more lenient with the few issues there are on this guitar.

• The neck dive can be alleviated with a strap placement change. The neck itself is on par with old Schecter 'baseball bat' shapes but it doesn't feel as slow as some of the Schecters I've played. I think the 25.24 scale may have something to do with that (...just a theory).
  
• The neck joint was a point of contention for me at first but now its one of my favorite neck joints in my whole collection. Keep in mind I'm no shredder so take that for what it's worth.
  
• As far as pickup placement making the tone muffled, my ears don't pick that up. The bridge pup is a tad farther from the bridge than most guitars, but the D-Activators are so bright I find I have to roll the tone knob down to 6 or so (a trick I learned from Tom G. Warrior).
  
• The one thing I wish was different are the medium frets. I prefer good ol' jumbos.

Well those are my thoughts on it. I was in the same position you are now ever since they released this model back in 2013. If you can find one to try out first & find one that isn't the full price ($799), then I suggest giving it some thought. Either that or just go full custom like you mentioned as long as you really like the shape.

Is it thicker than the agile necks? I've only played the ic400 and I really liked it. But if I were to get a custom I would definitely lose the gaudy inlays and make sure the switch was near between the knobs.

 

[A-Branger]

I would be interested to see a Poll get done because I always see people say they just are not that popular a shape to get mass production, yet I also see more people say "I love the Icemans and I want one so bad"?. Its abit weird.

Being a Meshuggah fan, I would have one if they did a modern re release so the neck was better etc.

I think the main issue, same as with other special shape guitars, is to have the right set of colors/specs.

This one waas made only in the glossy "safe" black color, so it wasnt really much something to GAS about (at least IMO) but give it the right colors, woods, hardware, and it would sell like pancakes. But.....everyone has a different idea on what looks good


I recon the best option for the OP is to buy an Iceman body from Perle Guitars, or get one done. And fins a second hand neck to fit. Paint it as you like and be happy


I have the Iceman STM1 the sig from the guy of Dragonforce, the first model the white one. It does have a very bad case of neck dive and body twist. I had to play with the back end of the strap over the body to lock the guitar in place. But this was due to the poor choice of strap buttons which funny enough ws the "classical iceman" positions. Like seriously, no-one at Ibanez or the artist grab the guitar put a strap and say "hey, tha F is this?"

I changed the button from behind the neck to the top side of the boddy as the newer Icemans, that fixed the body roll and some of the neck dive. I havent changed the back pin yet, but I know if I do I would fix the neck dive for sure

 

[jwade]

In my opinion, the IC507 has a thick, bulky neck profile, and felt incredibly very cheaply made. I imagine it might work with a fair amount of tweaks/mods, but I had the chance to get one for dirt cheap (less than half the original price) and didn't think it was worth it.

 

[MrPfloyd]

In my opinion, the IC507 has a thick, bulky neck profile, and felt incredibly very cheaply made. I imagine it might work with a fair amount of tweaks/mods, but I had the chance to get one for dirt cheap (less than half the original price) and didn't think it was worth it.

That bad eh?
I always liked the shaped and considered getting one but all of these negative reviews are making me rethink my plan...

 

[RCB]

When Ibanez still had these listed on their site they listed the neck to be 20mm at the first fret and 22mm at the twelfth fret.