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The Ibanez Destroyer™

Pre-serial number Model 2459 (aka Korina Destroyer)
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Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery
- Charles Caleb Colton, 1780-1832

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery until the lawyers get involved
- some anonymous wit

The Ibanez Destroyer

The copy that became more (in)famous than the original.  The guitar that was spawned in the hard rock era of the 1970s and became the epitome of the 1980s big hair, heavy metal scene.  An axe with attitude to spare, the Destroyer made gods of geeks.  Anyone could pick up a Destroyer and immediately look like a juke box hero whether they could play a note or not.

The Destroyer has been one of Hoshino-Gakki's most enduring Ibanez models for over thirty (30) years.  It began life in 1975 as a copy of Gibson Musical Instruments' Explorer™ and has evolved over the decades through various design and line changes: the original Model 2459, the Destroyer-II line, the X-Series line, and the DT Series line.

There have been both 6-String and Bass versions of the Destroyer model, export models, German-only and Japanese-only domestic models.

There is a lot of outright confusion and false "truths" regarding the Ibanez Destroyer and there seems to be surprisingly little concrete, historical documentation regarding such a sought-after guitar.  Most of its history appears to come from current and past Hoshino-Gakki employees' memories and second hand, anecdotal evidence.

As I go through the task of building this section of the Wiki site, I will attempt to sort fact from fiction, urban legend from reality, and will document my references for others to verify my work.

- Destroyer POC (destroyer_poc@live.com)
  21 September 2008

Table of Contents Destroyer Model Index Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Destroyer Advertisements Miscellaneous Information Latest Blog Posts Title Author Date Posted Unknown Bass Destroyer POC Aug 03, 2010 Help - Mystery Destroyer Destroyer POC Aug 01, 2010 DT-4550 and DT-6750 Graphics Art Models Destroyer POC Jun 23, 2010 Model Number Reuse Destroyer POC Jun 22, 2010 DT-355 vs. DG-350 Destroyer POC Jun 19, 2010 EX Series Destroyer Destroyer POC Feb 27, 2009 German DT Series Destroyer Destroyer POC Feb 27, 2009 Mahogany Production Destroyers? Destroyer POC Dec 09, 2008 Marine Sunburst DT-155 Destroyer POC Oct 18, 2008 Posting Photos of Real Destroyers Destroyer POC Mar 09, 2008 Destroyer Point of Contact (POC) The administrator of this content space is: destroyer_poc@live.com

Recent Updates Recently Updated DT-50 updated by Destroyer POC (view change) Dec 12, 2011 DT-150 updated by Destroyer POC (view change) Nov 20, 2011 DT-155 updated by Destroyer POC (view change) Nov 20, 2011 DTT-700 updated by Destroyer POC (view change) May 07, 2011 DTT700.JPG attached by Destroyer POC May 07, 2011 DT-555 updated by Destroyer POC (view change) May 07, 2011 DT555.JPG attached by Destroyer POC May 07, 2011 DT-500 updated by Destroyer POC (view change) May 07, 2011 DT500.JPG attached by Destroyer POC May 07, 2011 DT-420 (second incarnation, 1996 DT-400 reissue) updated by Destroyer POC (view change) May 07, 2011 DT-420 (first incarnation) updated by Destroyer POC (view change) May 07, 2011 DT-400 (second incarnation) updated by Destroyer POC (view change) May 07, 2011 DG-350 updated by Destroyer POC (view change) May 07, 2011 DT355_small.JPG attached by Destroyer POC Oct 24, 2010 DT-355 updated by Destroyer POC (view change) Oct 24, 2010 More

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