Jäämies tuli Helsinkiin

Ladies and gents,
I hereby proudly present:
The Ibanez Iceman IC 400! I´m very happy to finally own this guitar that I have tried to track down and buy for a considerably long time. Like mentioned before it hails from Germany, where I found it on Ebay for a reasonable price. The axe came already enhanced with two Rockfield Mafia humbuckers instead of the regular Ibanez pickups. Only a few minor alterations were required but now it´s ready to go. My weapon of choice was hard to come by because the production of the 400 series ceased about three years ago. The new 700 series that you´ll find easily nowadays looks way to modern for my taste. Although the body remains quite the same, the fretboard inlays and reversed headstock turn that thing into a nu-metal atrocity, as far as I´m concerned. But beauty lies in the eye of the beholder and I know that quite many people don´t like the shape of any Iceman model, come what may. For me it´s the perfect punk/metal hybrid that manages not to be too much of one or the other. Best of both worlds! Plus it´s oldschool, reminding a lot of the seventies and early eighties.

Talking about reminders: the thing about guitars is that most models or brands remind people of certain musicians, almost to a point where player and instrument become an undividable entity. You know the drill:

Angus Young/Tony Iommi = Gibson SG, Keith Richards = Fender Telecaster, Brian Setzer = Gretsch, Slash = Gibson Les Paul, Stevie Ray Vaughn = Fender Stratocaster, etc. etc...

When it comes to the Ibanez Iceman, many people think of the following players:

Paul Stanley, evolution´s missing link.

Doran Malakan of System of a Down

Well, I´m not one of those people. KISS is a phenomenon for me because it´s one of the very few bands that I really tried hard to like. I failed miserably. I don´t dislike them either but never got the magic. So many of my fave bands though name them as initial spark for their own humble beginnings. I thought that there must be something to it, and when I just try hard enough I will eventually understand it. Nope, didn´t happen and I have long given up. As for System Of A Down, I didn´t even try. I can´t stand this nu-metal stuff at all, although I think that they are better than the rest of that breed. Despite that they mean absolutely nothing to me. What made me want to play an Iceman was a totally different gang of string-rippers.

Doyle w/ Glenn Danzig of the Misfits

Andy Wendler of the Necros

Pig Champion (R.I.P.) of Poison Idea

That´s more like it, THAT is my world. You might add Tom Gabriel Fischer of Celtic Frost, although calling him a direct influence on me would be inaccurate. Always liked their stuff, though.

I´m not into aping any of the guys above (Stanley and Malakan included), the Iceman just reminds me of the music, style and attitude they bestowed upon the world (Stanley and Malakan excluded). Signature Series are absolutely laughable for me. When I only think about those nerds buying a guitar because it carries the name of their hero, and maybe, just maybe a tiny little bit of his genius will crawl into their fingers while playing it...pathetic! If there would be a Pig Champion Signature Series, I still wouldn´t buy it. And when I imagine some creative Ibanez folks, able to think outside the box, ringing his doorbell to offer him his own series, I can also imagine what would have been his reply: FUCK YOU!

SONG FOR TODAY:

The Lurkers - New Guitar In Town