John Frusciante’s Ibanez RG750 (white)

Based on the photos and videos available, John was seen playing this guitar only on one occasion – at Shafer Court, Virginia Commonwealth University on April 14, 1989.

Possibly, the guitar was a backup for John’s main Ibanez, model RG760 (if he even had a main guitar at that point), and he used it for that purpose more than just once. Also, given that the photo below was taken around the same time that the band was working on Mother’s Milk, it is possible that the guitar was used in the studio as well.

Red Hot Chili Peppers performing at VCU. Photo credit: VCU Libraries Special Collections and Archives

Update

It has been confirmed in a video taken at George Mason University, on April 21, 1989, that this guitar was a rental. So it was indeed a backup guitar for John, but it wasn’t his.

In the same video, you can see John throw it down, which caused the tremolo arm to break. He is then urged to completely smash the guitar, to “sacrifice” it, by Flea and Anthony, at which point he exclaims “that isn’t mine”. Fortunately (or unfortunately, which ever way you want to see it) John’s guitar tech steps in and says that it’s a great guitar, not worth smashing, and Anthony and Flea eventually come to their senses, realizing they are too broke to be able to afford smashing someone else’s guitar.

You can watch this whole ordeal in the video below, it starts at around the 58:52 minute mark. Thanks to Adam for finding the video.

Model, Specs

Based on the photo above, the guitar was a late 1980s Ibanez RG750 which came equipped with humbuckers (IBZ/USA F2) in the neck and the bridge position, and a single-coil (IBZ/USA C2) in the middle.

The only confusing thing is that the pickups on John’s guitar appear to be pink in the photo, while all RG750s came with black-colored pickups. The only pink pickups on the market, it seems, were those fitted in Steve Vai signature models from Ibanez – DiMarzio PAF Pros. It is possible therefore that John’s guitar was custom fitted with these.

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Adam
Adam
1 year ago

At the bands April 21st 1989 Show you can see John using this as well. At one point he throws it down and tells the audience that it’s broken when he picks it back up, Anthony asks him to smash it but John’s tech says it’s a rental.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=NJiqpne8zyI