Ibanez Iceman

Paul Stanley has been my favorite singer since I could hear. He is still going at the age of 58. I had the pleasure of meeting him last year and he was really nice. It was an odd situation: backstage before their concert in the catering room. I was with my son. More on the concert much later. Anyway, Paul has long been associated with the Ibanez Iceman guitar. He had his own model back in '78 when I was just a little nard. In 1992, Ibanez released a limited reissue of the Paul Stanley Iceman. I was living in Europe, at the time. I was on vacation in Florida and just for the hell of it, my wife and I swung by Brent's Music and there she was..... an Ibanez Iceman 1992 Limited Reissue Paul Stanley guitar. This model was released in 1992-1993 celebrating Kiss's 1973-1993 20th anniversary and they where the 1st reissuse since the original 1976-1982 models. They were produced as the IC1000BK. 512 made. 210 released in the U.S.A. I was staring at #75. I had to have it. I played it for about 10 minutes. WOW! What a sound! What a look! What a guitar!!! Paul signed every one on the backplate in silver sharpie. One problem though, $1400. I wanted it. Bad. I handed it back to the dude behind the counter and let him know it just wasn't in the cards. I walked out the door and he yelled out $900!!! I went back to Europe with my head hung low. A week later, secretly, my wife called Brent's and ordered the guitar for no reason. I kid you not. We ate potatoes for the next three months!!!! I still have that guitar (more to follow). It's my Holy Grail. The funny thing is, this photo of Paul and his Iceman is from the 1996 Ibanez catalog. He's actually holding one of the 1992 Icemans. Just like mine!