I got THE Ibanez Destroyer (DT300FR Adrian Smith early '80s) 

You are a true gentleman. As I said when you took her away, If this guitar has a soul, it is happy now.

Huge shout out to your wife, a great person, compassionate and supportive. You are a lucky dude. Take care, stay safe and more videos of that Beauty.

This was my first real legit guitar. My parents bought me a Hondo 2 to practice on and a year later in 1983 I was handed one of these, used. My grandmother was part owner of a music store, my mom taught piano and between the two of them came up with this. I love it to this day of course but there is no way they spent much on it. Nowhere close to what it takes now. I love the guitar but I pretty much stick to my Jackson or ESP in my old age. Back in 83 this was the coolest guitar ever, you could rest it on your leg unlike a V but it was a cool shape and obviously meant to rock. Turn the pots vs. a Fender or Gibson at the time? You can feel the difference in quality but the sound was right there.

Nice Destroyer! I owned the original back in the mid 80s. Adrian Smith sold/gave it to Mark Sutcliffe, the guitarist in a band called Trespass when they were on tour together (possibly on the Metal for Muthas circuit) in the early days. I worked for Trespass as a roady a few years later and was given the Destroyer by Mark in lieu of pay! By that time it had been badly spray painted in black and yellow stripes. I stripped it, resprayed it red (but not metallic) and then had to sell it to pay some college bills. Before selling it though, I pulled the bridge and tailstock off it and put them on one of my other guitars - still got that one!

man you have a piece of art and a pieace of heavy metal history, take care of her a lot, this guitar is a jewel

The still life solo at the end sounds like the album. Smooth as butter.

I had pics of the 3 cool shapes on my school ringbinders from an Ibanez catalog in 1987 and always wanted a Destroyer. In 1989 I was lucky enough to buy a a 1982 Rocket Roll II in New Zealand, maple sunburst with gold hardware and had a Kahler fitted. I still have it but the Destroyer was always the prize. New years day 2020, a DT50 pops up on my alert on ebay. I showed my lovely wife. She said "have you bought it yet?" . It was a big ticket item, we made it happen and the 35 year wait for the 40 year old guitar was over. I brought it home from the 6 hour drive and played The Trooper.

I’ve always wanted a Destroyer, a few months ago I was in a local pawn shop and there was an Epiphone destroyer. I have an Epiphone Les Paul and I love it. The assistant manager knocked off like $500, originally it was $1400. I was stoked.The next day I thought what have I done? I put 10% down and I didn’t tell my wife. Not a big deal. She gets my wants and needs. I already have the Les Paul and a Charvel Avenger, Rhodes style guitar among a few others. I let it go. It’s probably still at that shop.

In the 80ies, when you had a Destroyer...you were the KING......Hammer Guitar

I used to have one of these, but it was my second ever guitar so I didn’t really know what I had - aside from being similar to one Phil Collen used. I have vivid memories of just how big and heavy the flight case it came in was. Thanks for the memories!

Your wife is awesome. I had to sell my dream Strat just after the pandemic hit, and I was gutted! Little did I know, as of a week ago, my girlfriend has been looking for the same model and spec to surprise me with 👌😂

Hi, in the 80ies i bought my first Guitar an Ibanez Musician, all my friends were getting crazy and this was a trigger for me to see the same Volume and Toneknobs....at that time, Ibanez was the best guitar on the market. Mine had Super 58 Humbuckers......and there is an Artist Reissue on the market which have Super 58 Pickups , too.......crazy.....

Super rad!🔥 Thanks for the share! What an awesome gift, from someone who loves you that much, she tracked down a rare axe for you! Respect! That’s a Queen, right there!👍😎🤘

I bought one in this colour, when it came out, just because it looked so nice. Very easy to play. I still have it.

I used to watch Adrian play it in the 80s, such a cool guitar

My favourite guitars when I was first getting into guitar were Adrian's Destroyer and Phil Collen's 3 pickup black destroyer

That guitar has such a nice biting tone. The story behind you acquiring it is great too.

Killer guitar man! I’ve always wanted a sunburst one like Davey played in ‘82.

That is a awesome story and a awesome guitar. I have the DT50 made in Dec of 1981. I got it in 1983 and still have it with original case. We were all huge Maiden fans back in the early 80's as kids and that Destroyer Adrian played you just had to have it. And they were easy to get back then. I didn't know he played the DT300 maybe that wasn't easy to get. I'm just recently getting back into playing and started researching these guitars. They seem to have somewhat of a following now I see. Damn who would have guessed. I saw them live in Peoria, IL in the early 80"s Quiet Riot opened for them. From what I can remember they were awesome. It was the Piece of Mind tour but man when they played Hallowed Be Thy Name it was just amazing. I remember that and Sarzo playing his Bass upside down. Those days are over. You would have loved it seeing them live in there prime. Great video man and beautiful guitar. Good luck and God Bless!!

I came close to buying one of these real cheap around '87 at a local L.A. guitar shop. It was on the Used wall and only $200, came loaded with Super Distortions. It sounded and played great. The reason I didn't buy it was because I was into Scorpions at the time and I wanted a white Explorer like what Matthias Jabs played. That's what I bought. Good guitar but the Ibanez was a better fit for me. Always regretted it.

Wow, your wife is awesome. Happy for you, bro.

Cool story & great gift

Very jealous in a good way! My favorite guitar from one of my favorite guitar players!

He still plays on the old girl live. He whipped it out for run to the hills on the legacy tour I was at

Congrats on getting an absolutely awesome guitar!

The Master has found the holy grail

Congrats bro. Love my destroyers, DT555 and DT700.

I had a blue one in high school with a bolt on neck. That was 1982. It was my first real guitar. Back then wild colored guitars were just starting to become popular. Rock -n- Roll. Brings back a lot of memories.

Great story. So happy for you 👍

That's a great story 👍👩 I don't think I've ever seen those guitars under $2,000.00, they have a great name; from: Scranton, Pennsylvania

still life sounds wonderful on it

Love that guitar!! I found a destroyer bass in a pawn shop in early 2000 for $85 and I still have it. I have always wanted the destroyer guitar as a companion to my bass. My only complaint is it is neck heavy. It dives if you don't hold the neck all the time. But I still love it!!

This is such an iconic guitar!

I love destroyers, I've been after one for years, and I could never find one, so I had Crimson guitars make me one, and it's amazing! I saw Iron Maiden in 83, and I remember Adrian Smith using it.

That sounds truly incredible!

I love this guitar. I make a lot of electric guitars, from scratch, and you have just inspired me to make a replica of this model. Congratulations on owning an original. 🤘😜🤘🎸

The story is as beautiful as the guitar :-) !

Just came across this page from doing an Adrian Smith search, Really enjoyed your story on getting this guitar, I’ve been a huge maiden fan for years and this was a great watch, Enjoy!

Wow what an awesome instrument! Plus you have very good content. And delivery is precise and Well paced. 🤘🏻😎

Sara is amazing! Enjoy your gift! And looking forward to hear the beast!

Awesome story! Great guitar! I used to own one of those destroyer reissues with the abalone style inlay‘s. Wish I still had that one! Your wife is clearly awesome. Glad you have this one, it really adds to the videos like your lesson on the prisoner.

Great story! Bought mine new in Ottawa 1982. I’ll never sell it. Always on the look for others. Cheers.

Wow! very cool story, I'am a huge fan of Maiden and that guitar...Lucky man indeed. I know that Toronto Montreal drive well. Merry Christmas

Awesome Thank you for sharing. Killer Axe.

Beautyfull guitar. One of two guitars I associatie with Adrian before he turned to Jackson guitars. The other is his lado he played on the Powerslave tour. Awesome looking and sounding

Incredible guitar, and you have infinity talent!! Beautiful the image of Adrian behind your back!!

Hi from Toronto! Just discovered your channel and was surprised I haven’t seem your channel before. Amazing content and subscribed.

Damn that sounds really nice!

I had a aqua blue one it had two white humbuckers on it. I bought it brand new in 1983 my first good guitar. I tried to paint it it never sounded the same after that .I was 17 back then!

Thank you for your amazing videos! I really dig your channel and it is a must watch for every guitar playing Maiden maniac out there. The DT300 is an incredible heavy metal machine, I own a Ibanez Destroyer too, but it is a cherry sunburst one. Like the one Dave Murray played back in 1982 on the Beast on the Road Tour. Amazing guitars and amazing tones. Keep up the great work! Stay healthy and safe! You are a musical soulmate :-) Up the Irons from Germany! \m/

Wonderful axe! I actually have the same guitar. But i THINK its the dt200 model. Popped some dimarzio super ds into it a while after i got it to get as close to Adrian's tone as i could. Probably not worth nearly as much, but i have no intention of selling it. Its in a huge red case in my garage only cause it takes up a LOT of space in my house and my Les Paul studio is more space efficient. Need to change string gauges as i used it for some heavier downtuning a while back. Rock on, Nico!!!🤘🤘🤘🤘🤘

Nice pick up! Saw him play that live on the World Piece Tour! Hope you got your wife an equally awesome Christmas present! 😉🤘

What an awesome story! Great looking and sounding guitar!

The tone is pure heavy metal. It bites so wonderfully.

I've have that same Destroyer ll. I've owned it since 1995. This has one tiny teeny chip and original case, worn but still holding together. Never been gigged only played a few times. Excellent condition. Neck is still straight and electronics work perfectly. Anybody wants it I'm asking $3,000 because it's going to be hard to part with.

Love the story dude!

Beautiful!

Sounds like a dream

Wow, sounds phenomenal!

My dream guitar! Not to totally nitpick but there was an *extremely rare* DT-300RB, but I don't know if it was cataloged. I'm beyond jealous, the Beast Over Hammersmith videos are the reason I picked up guitar, that tone on The Prisoner is to die for to me. :D

Oh my God super jealous of you. I had an Ibanez destroyer back in high school, but they had three pick ups rows and just the two like how yours has but it also had a a satin Nick by the paint job wasn’t original. It was a black with the hollow flash on it so I don’t know what the original color was but I wound up selling it for about four or $500 maybe 1015 years ago. Worst thing I ever did but you are one lucky man

Destroyer is my dream guitar, that color too

Wow how cool is that........ Merry early Christmas to you Nico

I hear you, this guitar is a dream. just like you, i wanted one because of maiden. I found mine or Craigslist vancouvr, about 11 years ago, and i was overseas. i asked the guy to go to a service shop in langley, the guy took a look at it, said hed never seen one in such great shape and playability. my family got it for me and that was it. its a great guitar for live playing. just must be carefull, this finish is so gentle. BTW i also got its sister, the ibanez rocket roll flying v ii in red.

I first saw the Destroyer in 1981 when I saw Adrian using it on the Killers World Tour and I loved it then. Unfortunately, as a kid I couldn't really afford one. As I got older, I did have more money but by then, the guitar was very rare and ironically therefore, still too expensive! I also felt that at my age I'd look a bit silly playing a pointy guitar, especially as I'd be using it more for Blues Rock and Classic Rock than Metal. Nevertheless, yesterday I ordered an Epiphone Explorer as the closest I'm ever likely to get to a Destroyer. I figured that if I don't get one now, I never will. I've never even played the guitar before, it's more the fulfillment of a childhood dream. Here's hoping I like it :)

Excellent!

Nico, absolutely love the channel. Just discovered it last night, and you are a fantastic creator. Congrats on the guitar above. Great story. What gear were you playing through in this video? Thanks!

woah! Excellent!

Beautiful story, congrats and I'm really happy for you. Cheers.

Lucky you! I love my DT400 cherry sunburst, made in February '82. I bought 2005 reissue DT in candy red years back, but I sold it to fund my US Adrian Smith Jackson. Still regret selling it heavily to this date but hopefully I'll find a real vintage model some day...

That is killer and would love to have one. Closest I ever got was having an Iceman. One thing that both shared, at least to me is they had HUGE headstocks. I don't know about the destroyer but it made my Iceman nose dive if I let go of it.

Dream guitar ❤️

i'm absolutely fangirling over your guitar 😭🤘

Congratulations my friend 🎸 sweet AXE

great channel dude

Lucky boy! I thought I picked one up back in the 90's. Got it for $AU200 with the case. Watched the Trooper video (on vhs) to see where the white stripe Adrian painted on it was and then I noticed that his was a set neck and the one I bought was a bolt-on! Ahhhhhh!!! It was pretty beat up so I replaced the squealing bridge pickup with a Dimarzio Paf Pro and scalloped the entire fretboard. Lol

I had one in blue with a floyd rose fitted , I bought it second hand for £200 , had it a few months then sold it . Biggest regret in my life . Les Paul man these days but I miss that Ibanez .

It is a super cool axe that most rock players would enjoy.

Man... really waited for this video, hoping you don't just play it but also talk about specs and how did you get it. Once again, bravo! Unfortunately I can hit "like" just once... cheers for your wife, you're a lucky guy! Take care!

Absolutely love this guitar. Thanks for sharing this.

I am older than you . I have one of these. I have found out from playing this guitar that you have to bend the notes a little more to have this guitar sound in tune compared to an American Guitar . I was thinking of selling it. It is my only Japanese electric guitar

Wow gr8 story :D This guitar looks awesome. My friend wants to sell me an Ibanez Destroyer DTT700 for 350€, It only resembles this DT300FR in the shape everything else is different from this vintage masterpiece so I am probably not buying the 700. Gr8 Story made me happy! Did Adrian play with the original pickups or did he switch for his favorite Dimarzio ?

Awesome xmas present, awesome video, awesome playing. Awesome awesome awesome!!!!

I had a Destroyer a few years ago only for my love for best Maiden, as it happens to you. Sadly I am lefty and I had it hanging on my wall. Whenever a fellow guitarist came to my house and played iit was awesome as it sounded like a beast. I ended up selling it, and I tell you, it was not easy to find a buyer. I though that thing deserved to be played. No regrets. Mine was red too, but bolt-on and with neck binding, maybe you have found I few of them. What I nice story of yours, enjoy that beauty of a guitar and keep delivering some Maiden bits. It sounds super. Anyway, I think Adrian should purchase one himself for the sake of good times instead of that attempts of Jackson and Ibanez copies.

Nico, can you do a tutorial on Still Life? You played that into solo perfectly..... which is no suprise!

Well, your wife is the best! Congrats on getting your hands on that beast!

I like the one Phil Colen from Def Leppard played on Pyromania

This is great! So glad I found this. You have a new subscriber🤘

The wood doesn't affect the tone, if you put a pickup with good low end response on a bad low end response piece of wood, you'll gonna get a good low end response, the tone is in the pickups and the electronics

Nice guitar! Great video/info. Happy New Year!

Amazing Xmas gift !!!

Maaaaan!!! I found one years ago in a pawn shop here in Mexico, but it was from 79 with 3 pickups, and i couldn’t afford it at that time 😭😭 the shop closed and I have never found a destroyer again in Mexico

amazing and incredible guitar!!! beato te che la puoi suonare!!!!

Congratulations from Poland...sick guitar...⚡🔥⚡

You have every right to Fanboy over that guitar, and Tony.

still got my sunburst i bought in 81

You gotta post a full cover of 22 Acacia Avenue, NOTB and Hallowed Be Thy Name... using that guitar.

Kickas!

this is amazing, dude.

Damn this Axe is a Monster..?.i collapse