[Chris]

Slightly OT, but I was in Guitar Center over the weekend and picked up a couple Prestige RG's in the platinum room. I was blown the fuck away. They felt like they were built like tanks, flawless finish and fretwork. I've played dozens of MIJ JEM's and RG's over the years, but never felt one that felt as sturdy and finished as well as these were. I didn't pay attention to the model numbers, one had Fishman's and the other had Bareknuckle's.

I wish my JEM felt like one of those guitars. I had kind of given up on the idea of buying a newer Ibanez for quite some time, but after playing those two guitars, my opinion has certainly changed.

A quick way to get that feeling is to refret w/stainless and have it Plek'd. That process is 1000% worth the cost, I'm going to do it on the 20xx I just bought.

 

[bulletbass man]

Ibanez is doing a lot right these days. They fell off a bit for me over the past decade but there is a lot to like in that lineup. Also good to see more MIJ stuff coming to US at reasonable prices.

It's not in the cards at the moment but a MIJ Am has been at the top of my gas list for a long long time.

 

[Markus]

I dig this:

Yeah, I also like the look of that. Apparently it's an "Axion label"-model. Anyone have experience with them? Have to say the amount of different series Ibanez have is getting pretty ridiculous: there's now Gio, Standard, Iron Label, Axion Label, Premium, Genesis, Prestige, Uppercut and J-custom. Did I miss any?

 

[Rocka_Rollas]

Can't they just have a hundred series with one model per serie? They are already getting there

 

[Chris]

Yeah, I also like the look of that. Apparently it's an "Axion label"-model. Anyone have experience with them? Have to say the amount of different series Ibanez have is getting pretty ridiculous: there's now Gio, Standard, Iron Label, Axion Label, Premium, Genesis, Prestige, Uppercut and J-custom. Did I miss any?

I'm not sure what the difference between Axion Label and Iron Label is, but I ordered one of those Iron Label baritones about a year ago and didn't even bother making a thread about it before shoving it back in the box. I spent about 20 minutes with it and it was really, really shitty. One of these:

https://www.amazon.com/Ibanez-RGIB6-Baritone-Electric-Guitar/dp/B00I48ZVR2/

 

[Jeff]

Ibanez is doing a lot right these days. They fell off a bit for me over the past decade but there is a lot to like in that lineup. Also good to see more MIJ stuff coming to US at reasonable prices.

It's not in the cards at the moment but a MIJ Am has been at the top of my gas list for a long long time.

They're also doing a lot wrong, IMO. I'd say anything sub Premium (even some Premium models, for that matter) are really inconsistent, and feel and play like shit. If it's not Prestige, I wouldn't touch it. Amusingly, their semi-hollow line is WAY more consistently good.

 

[Rev Drucifer]

They're also doing a lot wrong, IMO. I'd say anything sub Premium (even some Premium models, for that matter) are really inconsistent, and feel and play like shit. If it's not Prestige, I wouldn't touch it. Amusingly, their semi-hollow line is WAY more consistently good.

I don't disagree a single bit. The first year the Premiums came out, I was fairly impressed by what I played. Right around the time they put out that UV7PWH Premium is around the time I started seeing a lot of issues with them. I've played 3-4 Premium UV's and they all felt like toys. IF someone told me they were plastic, I would have believed it. The frets weren't bad but the construction/fit, I dunno, something felt very, very cheap about them. Kinda like the JEM Jr's with better bridges. I was bummed because I was dead set on getting a UV7PWHP until I played 2 different ones and they felt like shit.

Around 2005 they were putting out some great mid-level guitars. I'll never stop raving about my SZ320.

 

[Rev Drucifer]

A quick way to get that feeling is to refret w/stainless and have it Plek'd. That process is 1000% worth the cost, I'm going to do it on the 20xx I just bought.

It'll be a while before that occurs. I just had my JEM re-fretted about 3 years ago and barely played it after due to the hack job the guy did. It wasn't until this past summer that I got a tech to get the neck straightened back out and the frets properly leveled. Alas, I still have quite a bit of wear to put on them and I'd rather not rip them out so soon as ebony takes a hit with each re-fret. We'll see down the road.

Also, just the overall feel of them was different. Maybe it's because my JEM is now 24 years old and is beat to shit, but I felt like I could bludgeon someone with those Prestige's and they wouldn't reflect any damage.

 

[Markus]

They're also doing a lot wrong, IMO. I'd say anything sub Premium (even some Premium models, for that matter) are really inconsistent, and feel and play like shit. If it's not Prestige, I wouldn't touch it. Amusingly, their semi-hollow line is WAY more consistently good.

Yeah, I remember reading about even the Chinese made semi-hollows being pretty good. :yesway:

 

[Connor]

I dig this:

My favorite of the bunch too. Love that color shift, although I'd probably prefer it without the neck binding.

Slightly OT, but I was in Guitar Center over the weekend and picked up a couple Prestige RG's in the platinum room. I was blown the fuck away. They felt like they were built like tanks, flawless finish and fretwork. I've played dozens of MIJ JEM's and RG's over the years, but never felt one that felt as sturdy and finished as well as these were. I didn't pay attention to the model numbers, one had Fishman's and the other had Bareknuckle's.

I wish my JEM felt like one of those guitars. I had kind of given up on the idea of buying a newer Ibanez for quite some time, but after playing those two guitars, my opinion has certainly changed.

I had a similar experience recently, although my intention was actually to play one with Fishman's since I've never tried them out (they didn't have one to my surprise), but the build quality was much better than I was expecting.

 

[Connor]

A quick way to get that feeling is to refret w/stainless and have it Plek'd. That process is 1000% worth the cost, I'm going to do it on the 20xx I just bought.

This is good to know; I had luthier try to sell me on it recently but I didn't know much about it and the cost to do so was about half of what I paid for the entire guitar so I didn't go for it. I might consider this for my Carvin from 2006 which doesn't have stainless steel frets.

 

[Jeff]

This is good to know; I had luthier try to sell me on it recently but I didn't know much about it and the cost to do so was about half of what I paid for the entire guitar so I didn't go for it. I might consider this for my Carvin from 2006 which doesn't have stainless steel frets.

Stainless is the only way to go. I love how it feels. Glassy.

 

[Vince]

Fuckin hell this thing looks great. First legit new ibanez GAS in ages.

You like guitars that look like coffee tables. Room Store coffee tables. Why.

 

[Dominic]

Because Nuno and Reb. (Speaking for myself, not for Chris.)

The "top" on that thing is an embarrassment. FFS. The real Beaches are fucking solid Koa. (Though he does use guitars made of other woods, too.)

 

[Chris]

You like guitars that look like coffee tables. Room Store coffee tables. Why.

Because Nuno and Reb. (Speaking for myself, not for Chris.)

:agreed:

 

[playstopause]

Why.

Because they look way better than burl tops?

 

[Jeff]

You like guitars that look like coffee tables. Room Store coffee tables. Why.

Because Nuno and Reb. (Speaking for myself, not for Chris.)

The "top" on that thing is an embarrassment. FFS. The real Beaches are fucking solid Koa. (Though he does use guitars made of other woods, too.)

Yup. Nuno is my all-time fav, and the dude has nearly always rocked a plain alder bodied super Strat. I keep hoping he'll switch to Ibanez or Charvel or something so I can get a Nuno sig again. I'll be damned if I'm giving any money to whatever mysterious entity Washburn is these days.

 

[Drew]

https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/detail/mm7_00_01.html

That's right up my ally, but considering I already have two Ibby 7s gathering dust behind my Suhr...

 

[Mike]

https://www.ibanez.com/usa/products/detail/mm7_00_01.html

That's right up my ally, but considering I already have two Ibby 7s gathering dust behind my Suhr...

I like this, too, but would have a hard time paying the premium price for it over the Angel Charvel when it's essentially the same guitar.

 

[Markus]

I like this, too, but would have a hard time paying the premium price for it over the Angel Charvel when it's essentially the same guitar.

Isn't the Charvel basswood, while this is mahogany? This one is also made in Japan, while the Charvel is apparently made in Korea, which definitely still has an effect on value. Not that I'd anyway pay new prices for any guitar basically.