Flavio CotM
Member
Ibanez freak!!!
own 3 ibanez, 2 ESP's (real ones), 4 Fender Stratocasters, 1 Kramer stagemaster(87 usa)
own 3 ibanez, 2 ESP's (real ones), 4 Fender Stratocasters, 1 Kramer stagemaster(87 usa)
Guitars?
- Thread starter Trusse
- Start date
Matt
Active Member
progmetaldan
Member
^ Quite a few top bass players use music man. My one of my cousins who plays in quite a few jazz bands really wants a 5 string music man...
progmetaldan
Member
If we're going into acoustics, I have a beautiful solid Cedar top, Rosewood b & s Admira Classical guitar. Handmade in Spain, it sounds stunning! I also have a Yaris Classical guitar which also sounds damn good for a backup guitar!
You've not actually played a Jackson made under Fender's ownership, and yet you have managed to form an opinion of them? Interesting...
Anyway, my favorite guitar that I own is my Ibanez Jem. Even at gunpoint i'd never be able to part with that thing. Right now I've got a couple of EBMMs lined up (a Silhouette special and an Axis Supersport) that I hope to have within the next year or so. As for acoustics, I like Breedlove quite a bit.
Excluding EBMM (because everything they put out is essentially the same quality if not higher than what you get from most custom shops), i think Ibanez would have to be my favorite overall brand.
J-Dubya 777
It NEVER ends
I've touched a lot of guitars over the years from a tech perspective, and yes, I said I haven't played one (yet) but I read a lot of reviews, and most are not good. The negatives included build quality & playability. I'm willing to wager I can tell the difference between a Made In USA (or even a mid to late 80's Japanese build) Jackson, and the Fender influenced product. That being said, I'm sure they are decent guitars, but they may very well be a shadow of what they used to be.
I can form an opinion because I can't think of ONE instance where a smaller instrument company was consumed by a an industry giant, and still produced the same quality goods. Even Ibanez is producing a lot of junk these days.
If Fender bought out Caparison, I'm sure I'd be saying the same thing.
The guy who started Caparison used to be a builder/designer for Jackson.
At one time, I owned 3 Jems. Nothing I've ever owned played like my DY. It was tweaked to perfectionfor me. I also had a 90th & LNG #239, which was in NOS condition. Those Jems, along with my 2 Taylors are, missed VERY much
I'd buy a new Breedlove before I'd buy a new Martin.
J-Dubya
progmetaldan
Member
I'd love an Ibanez Jem, but they're just too expensive 
Geez I hate guitar strings... I just finished restringing my guitar, and they all go everywhere and pierce my skin and just generally be difficult... My guitar (a cheap ibanez style japanese guitar) plays better now though, as it's been just less than a year without a change! Shocking eh! Oh well, just needs a set up and some time to get used to the lighter gauge strings (9/46 custom light) and we should be all good!
Geez I hate guitar strings... I just finished restringing my guitar, and they all go everywhere and pierce my skin and just generally be difficult... My guitar (a cheap ibanez style japanese guitar) plays better now though, as it's been just less than a year without a change! Shocking eh! Oh well, just needs a set up and some time to get used to the lighter gauge strings (9/46 custom light) and we should be all good!
scanner313
The EYE
I have a Paul Reed Smith Customs 24 that I freakin' love. I've had some of the cheap Ibanez guitars in the past and have to say that even the cheapies are pretty good.
J-Dubya 777
It NEVER ends
Older Jems, RG 560 & RG 570. 700 series becoming harder to find, and are starting to climb in value. These aren't made anymore, but are still available at a decent price used. If you want decent quality on a new Ibanez instrument, don't dip below the prestige line. If you can get a mid-late 90's
RG, you'll be able to get one with AANJ (all access neck joint) versus the bulkier tilted nexk joint.
J-Dubya
ABQShredHead
©1970
Overall, I would say don't take anybody's opinions as gospel for your selection. When choosing a guitar, go to as many music stores as you can and play as many guitars as available and then choose the one that is most comfortable to you as a player. Ask the shop's tech to look it over and do a set up for you for free if you purchase it from the store. Can't really go wrong with what you feel is right.
progmetaldan
Member
I agree completely! My classical guitar was like that, I wasn't even gonna get a new one, but I played it in the store, and it just played so well and was so comfortable that I just knew I had to buy it there and then!
J-Dubya 777
It NEVER ends
Definately! Same things go for amps too. Let your ears/fingers decide.
He asked for opinions, and I'm full of them!
There are some pitfalls to watch out for too, like the shitty trems on the lower 2/3rds of the newest Ibanez's.....
J-Dubya
progmetaldan
Member
Hey Everybody, check out Steve Vai's new 20th Anniversary Jem!!! 
How unbelievably sick is that!!! 
http://www.ibanez.com/eg/guitar.aspx?m=JEM20TH
Geez I would love to have one of those...
They also have a new 8 string which looks pretty damn awesome!!!
http://www.ibanez.com/eg/guitar.aspx?m=RG2228
How unbelievably sick is that!!! http://www.ibanez.com/eg/guitar.aspx?m=JEM20TH
Geez I would love to have one of those...
They also have a new 8 string which looks pretty damn awesome!!!
http://www.ibanez.com/eg/guitar.aspx?m=RG2228
Kenneth R.
Cináed
I'm with J-dub on the (fender) Jacksons. they've dropped the construction quality down a notch or 3.
J-Dubya 777
It NEVER ends
Hey Everybody, check out Steve Vai's new 20th Anniversary Jem!!!
Geez I would love to have one of those...
They also have a new 8 string which looks pretty damn awesome!!!
I love the swirls, wish I would have kept mine, bet it's going to be mondo expensive. Looking forward to seeing the new Caparisons as well.....
I have no vested interest in bashing Jacksons, I call it like I see (& read) it.
Thanks for the backup!
J-Dubya
Yngvai X
Dark Emperor
That new JEM is ridiculously overpriced...it retails for $6666 (clever, but still way too much money for what is essentially a plastic guitar...)
Fair enough. I've run into many folks who jumped on the anti-Jackson bandwagon as soon as fender bought them out and all the big name endorsees jumped ship. The USA/Custom models I've played since the buyout seem to be of similar quality as the older ones I've played. That being said, it's been a long time since Jackson's have appealed to me ( I still own an old DX10 that was my first guitar and a King V) so it isn't as though I've done extensive research/playing tests between the two.
That's awesome about the Jems though.....did you sell them or did the leave your posession against your will? I agree about the Breedloves 100%. The store I worked at back home was a Breedlove dealer and I couldn't keep my hands off of them when I worked night shifts and business was slow.
As far as the new Jem (or any Jem for that matter), I agree that they are way overpriced. I only have mine because I got a killer deal on mine following a major fuck-up at the guitar shop and something about it just sat perfectly with me, I could never part with it. Otherwise I would have saved a little extra and gotten my EBMM back then.
