What's the manufacturing date of my Ibanez S470?

[Fardeen]

Hi guys, I just bought an used Ibanez S470 and I'd like to know the year it was manufactured. It has regular dot inlays, an Ibanez Lo-TRS TremII and probably had a AH1-AS1-AH2 configuration, but when I got it the AH1 had been replaced. The serial number at the back of the neck says C8017167 and its made in Korea. Could someone kindly identify the manufacturing year and any other related info from all this?

[wingsdad]

Plugged your s/n into
Guitar Dater Project (http://www.guitardaterproject.org/)
According to this decoder:
Your guitar was made at the
Cort Plant, Korea
January 1998
Production Number: 7167

Ibanez's 'history' book, Ibanez: The Untold Story, published by Hoshino in 2005, lists every guitar made to that point. There've been a series of variations to the S470 model since its inception in 1992. Not all had the Lo TRS II vibrato. From '97-'98, one model was the S470FM. The book's listing shows specs as: flame maple top on a mahogany body, rosewood fingerboard, pearl dots, Ibanez h/s/h pickups and the Lo TRS II vibrato. Finish options were Buttersctoch Transparent, Transparent Turquoise, Transparent Blue and British Racing Green.

I replied to your post/query about the neck pup, saw the pic, but hard to tell what color the guitar actually is...or was it refinished?

[Fardeen]

Thank you so much mate! You've told me more about my guitar than I ever knew lol! All the specs match except for the finish - mine is satin black so it must have been refinished. This reminds me, I saw a Japanese made Ibanez S470 in the butterscotch finish but it cost slightly more and was without a hardcase, plus I didn't really dig the colour, so I didn't go for it. How much is the gulf in quality between Japanese and Korean made Ibanez guitars?

[wingsdad]

Thank you so much mate!
You're most welcome, amigo ;)

How much is the gulf in quality between Japanese and Korean made Ibanez guitars?
About $1,000 & up...to $6,000 vs. $300 - $700 or so.