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Originally a Japanese company called Hoshino, formed in 1908, Ibanez produced exact but inexpensive replica of the most famous guitars in the world and sold them primarily in the United States. Occasionally they would produce an original guitar for department stores, usually with a very distinct and different look. In the 1970’s they made a quick turn from copying the most famous guitars to producing the most famous guitars themselves. Bob Weir of The Grateful Dead played one and Steve Vai and Joe Satriani just blew people away with their Ibanez guitars, and George Benson signed on and immediately popularized their jazz guitars. Pros played Ibanez, and that continues today with Larry LaLonde of Primus, Mike Mushok of Staind and Wes Borland of Limp Biscuit.
Adam Clayton of U2 is just one bassist that uses an Ibanez. Ibanez revolutionized the instrument with the neck-thru Musician basses with active electronics. Their premium electric basses and versatile bass amps are great sellers. Any guitarist can get funky with the classic Ibanez overdrive and distortion pedals. Ibanez supports the folk music community with a full line of stringed instruments. You can fully outfit a good bluegrass band with an Ibanez, guitar, banjo, mandolin, ukulele, and resonator guitar.
