Ibanez Model 369 Classical - Any info?

[Cozmo]

Hey, everyone!

My dad recently gave me an Ibanez classical guitar. It's got some great patina, including a spot near the sound hole where a previous owner wore it down to the wood with their finger. I've been trying to find info on this guitar, but it appears that there's not much out there. It's a nice-sounding guitar. Really great for playing José Gonzalez songs, especially when you tune the lower strings down.

It's a model 369, but in all of the old catalog reprints I've seen, there is no model 369...the models all have 4-digit model numbers, so I'm guessing it's pre-1975. I can't find a serial number, but the braces appear to be hand-carved. They're quite nice-looking and I appreciate that they're carefully done even though it's a part that you wouldn't often see (and I'm sure there's some design reason for the hand carvings).

The only thing I haven't done, besides taking to these forums, is write Ibanez itself to see what I can dig up. Does anyone have any info?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BOKsJtZA...n-by=grahamely

[LSemmens]

I wish you well on your search, I can offer no assistance other than to say that is a nice looking guitar.

[dkstott]

Based upon my limited knowledge of Ibanez classical. The stripe on the headstock is definitely 1960's era. Ibanez stopped using the inlaid or label stripe on the headstock by the 70's.

FWIW... there is a model 370 for sale on reverb and the seller states his was made in 1967, which tends to support my above statement.

https://reverb.com/item/4297030-1967...1-nagoya-japan

[Cozmo]

Originally Posted by LSemmens

I wish you well on your search, I can offer no assistance other than to say that is a nice looking guitar.

Well thank you! Yeah, it is a beauty. Great sound, too.

[Cozmo]

Originally Posted by dkstott

Based upon my limited knowledge of Ibanez classical. The stripe on the headstock is definitely 1960's era. Ibanez stopped using the inlaid or label stripe on the headstock by the 70's.

FWIW... there is a model 370 for sale on reverb and the seller states his was made in 1967, which tends to support my above statement.

https://reverb.com/item/4297030-1967...1-nagoya-japan

Yep, I've seen that very one. I did find some info, though I'm not sure how solid or apocryphal it is, on the Ibanez Collectors World website. A guy said...

"Well, the label is certainly from before 1976, when the Andorra series started.
And also before 1975 when the York series started with the first 28xx model numbers

I have the same label in my modelo 62 from 1974.
So, I would say it's from 1974 or earlier.
The documentation on the acoustic guitars between 1965 and 1974 is very poor.
What we can see is rosewood on the inside.
It COULD be solid, but it often is NOT.
They used rosewood veneers for the inside, which can mislead us.
However solid back and sides models did exist.
You can look if the grain on the inside and outside is different. If totally inconsistent, it is laminated.
If not, it still could be a very good laminate job or solid...
My experience with my 3 Andorra models, is that they all sound very sweet, warm and round.
The solid cedar tops are of very high quality."

But it seems like the above opinion is almost solely based on the label, so I can appreciate your guess based on design as well. I have to say, it's kind of fun trying to date a guitar with this little information. Kind of an adventure in "guitar-cheology."