USCG 
Leather & Metal

Details & History

In 1991, this guitar listed for $1449.95 USD. It was available only for that model year and was custom airbrushed by Hollywood, California tattoo artist Pamelina for Ibanez. The number of UCGR4 guitars made is unknown but considering they were handcrafted and individually airbrushed, the number must be quite small. The guitar came with a premium Ibanez Professional Deluxe hardshell case (UM150C) that retailed for $129.95 USD.

Features include RG-style basswood body, 1-piece maple bolt-on Wizard neck, rosewood fretboard with sharktooth inlays, 24 jumbo frets, Gotoh tuners, black hardware, Original Ibanez Edge tremolo, Jem-style black plastic volume and tone knobs, 5-way pickup selector, black back and sides, deep panel output jack, and black DiMarzio-made IBZ USA pickups (F2 humbucker at the bridge, C3 single coil in the mid, and F4 humbucker at the neck).

All of the USA Custom Graphic series guitars had unfinished basswood bodies routed only for a bridge humbucker that were imported from Ibanez Japan. The rest of the parts were supplied by Hoshino USA and then finished, assembled, painted, airbrushed, etc. by skilled luthiers and artists at the Ibanez USA Custom Shop in California. However, the serial numbers of all the guitars in this series begins with the "F" designation, meaning Made in Japan.

This particular Leather & Metal belongs to Oz McGuire a.k.a. Wizard Oz, guitarist for Canadian metal band Snake Eyes. He says that this guitar shreds and has one of the best sounds of the Ibanez lineup. Oz is also a collector of Jems so that’s a real compliment for the UCGR4. The guitar was a birthday present from his girlfriend Lorraine who purchased it from a seller on Ebay.

- Jason Vaughn

{Make sure you all visit The Snake Eyes site soon.
Thanks again for great write up and photos Jason. Ed!!}

Details & History

Based on the 700 series, the USA Custom series was designed to be an affordable 'custom' range. More customized then custom, you were able to select from a number of finishes, necks, inlays, headstocks, and pick up's to create a guitar for yourself. So whilst not strictly a Luthier's one off, the USA Custom's still are very sort after and collectable. Numbers are very vague and (with the exception of the early very rare pre-production runs thought to number no more then 250 pieces), extremely hard to tie down. (its up to you lot out there that have them to give us details. Please Ed!). Points to notice are the Ibanez Edge trem system, (like the early Jem's) on the Graphic series, with the option for a hard tail on the Exotic woods, and a cutaway neck joint, again like the Jem's and again the exotic woods got the AANJ as a bonus. (Why just them? Ed!). And the rather 'handily' placed volume knob right under the bridge pick up.

The 'Leather & Metal' design is found in the 1991-2 catalogue and is believed to have been available only in this year. If you can help with further information on the guitar, please get in touch.