Ibanez Destroyer
The Destroyer is an Ibanez brand electric guitar model manufactured at the FujiGen-Gakki musical instrument factory for the Hoshino-Gakki Company. The Destroyer model was first introduced by Hoshino-Gakki in 1975 and was based on the Gibson Musical Instruments' Explorer design. The Destroyer has since undergone several design and line changes and has been available in both 6-string and bass versions.
The star-shape variant was one of the first eccentrically-shaped guitars at the time with a floating tremolo system, making it a popular choice for the heavy metal and shred musicians of the 80s.
Timeline
This is a timeline of the first appearance of each verifiable model in an Ibanez catalog.;1976
;1980
;1982
;1983
;1984
;1985
;1986
;1996
;2001
;2004
;2009
Models appearing in catalogs
Per Wikipedia policy, these tables have been updated to contain only those models and attributes whose existence can be independently verified via pre-published, authoritative works. Other known models whose existence and attributes cannot be independently verified via pre-published, authoritative works are no longer included here.6-String models
| 6-String Models | Line | Pickup Type by Position | Note |
| 2459 | N/A | Super-70 / x / Super-70 | |
| DG-350 | X-Series | V-5 / x / V-5 | Star shaped |
| DG-351 | X-Series | V-5 / x / V-5 | Star shaped |
| DG-555 | Destroyer-II | V-2 / V-2 / V-2 | |
| DT-50 | Destroyer-II | Super-70 / x / V-2 | |
| DT-100 | Destroyer-II | x / x / V-2 | |
| DT-150 | X-Series | x / x / V-2 | |
| DT-200 | Destroyer-II | unknown / x / V-2 | First incarnation |
| DT-200 | PowerSound1 / x / PowerSound2 Infinity3 / x / Infinity4 | Second incarnation | |
| DT-250 | X-Series | V-5 / x / V-5 | Star shaped |
| DT-300 | Destroyer-II | ||
| DT-330 | Destroyer-II | V-5 / x / V-5 | |
| DT-350 | X-Series | V-5 / x / V-5 | Star shaped |
| DT-355 | Destroyer-II | V-5 / x / V-5 | Star shaped |
| DT-380 | X-Series | V-5 / x / V-5 | |
| DT-400 | Destroyer-II | Super-58 / x / V-2 Super-70 / x / V-2 | First incarnation |
| DT-400 | Quantum1 / x / Quantum2 | Second incarnation | |
| DT-450 | Destroyer-II | V-5 / x / V-5 | |
| DT-4550 | Destroyer-II | V-5 / x / V-5 | Ibanez Art Graphic Series Fire Engine or Spider graphic |
| DT-500 | X-Series | Super-58 / x / V-2 | |
| DT-555 | Destroyer-II | V-2 / V-2 / V-2 | |
| DTT-700 | DiMarzio D Activator X / x / DiMarzio D Activator X | ||
| DTX-120 | Axis Humbucker 3-1 / x / Axis Humbucker 4-1 |
Bass models
| Bass Models | Line | Pickup Type by Position | Note |
| 2459B | N/A | unknown / x / unknown | |
| DB-700 | X-Series | x / Super-J6 / Super-J5S | Star shaped |
| DB-800 | X-Series | x / LO-B / LO-BS | Active 2 band EQ System Star shaped |
| DT-600 | X-Series | x / Super-P4 / x | |
| DT-670 | Destroyer-II | x / Super-J6 / Super-J6 | |
| DT-6750 | Destroyer-II | x / Super-J6 / Super-J6 | Ibanez Art Graphic Series Fire Engine graphic |
| DT-870 | Destroyer-II | Super-P5S / Super-J5S / Super-J6 |
Notable Ibanez Destroyer players
- Tom Angelripper bassist for Sodom used an Ibanez Destroyer Bass
- Eddie Van Halen guitarist and founder of the American hard rock band Van Halen, used a 1975 Korina Ibanez Destroyer for the recording of its first album Van Halen, which also features on the cover of their third album, Women and Children First.
- Adrian Smith guitarist of Iron Maiden played a Japanese version of the DT300 during the Number of the Beast tour in the early '80s and still owns it.
- Phil Collen leadguitarist of Def Leppard played a DT555 as his main guitar from 1981 untill the end of the Pyromania World Tour in 1984. He still has 3 more copies of this guitar.
- Conrad Lant also known by the stage name of Cronos, bass player of Venom played a Destroyer bass guitar. He ripped of the last freds as an extra effect in has play.
- Dave Mustaine played a Destroyer in his Metallica years