Hoshino Gakki (Ibanez) had the rights outside of Japan and Kanda Shokai (Greco) had the rights for Japan. Each distribution company had distribution rights to it in different global markets. A meeting between Hoshino (Ibanez), Kanda Shokai ( Greco) and one of the main guitar factories in Japan ( FujiGen) resulted in the Iceman/Mirage design. The idea was to build a guitar with an appealing original design, like a Les Paul or a Stratocaster. In the mid 1970s Hoshino Gakki wanted to make a distinctly Japanese guitar and to start breaking away from the Ibanez replicas of Fender and Gibson models. Lower labor rates at the time, plus efficient manufacturing meant that Ibanez guitars could be sold for almost half (or less) of the cost of a Gibson Les Paul or Fender Stratocaster. Hoshino Gakki exported copies of American electric and acoustic guitars in the 1970s, and by the mid 1970s the Ibanez guitars had reached a level of quality comparable to American guitars. The Iceman is an Ibanez guitar produced by Hoshino Gakki.
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