Bare Knuckle Pickups Forum
Forum Ringside => Guitars, Amps and Effects => Topic started by: indysmith on December 01, 2006, 03:34:03 PM
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Don't you think Ibanez would shift a lot more guitars if they had maple-fretboard models? I know a lot of people for whom this has been the deciding factor against ibanez. The RG550 is probably their most famous non-signature axe, and was available with a maple neck, that they just don't do anymore. Now all that's left is the paul gilbert model... I don't know about you but i think of ibanez as an 80's brand who have got their target audience and marketting all wrong. They seem to be concentrating their sales on Nu-Metal fans ; a dead genre that a lot of people look back on in disgust. It's about time they got their act together.
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Jemsite guys have been wanting the Maple boards back on the 550's for a while.
I do prefer maple on 550's as the tones a bit brighter, plus 550's had maple fretboards for years and years, there was no reason to change them.
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I think you might have a nice surprise in January if you like maple 'board RG's and fancy a new guitar...
If you look at my avatar, you can probably guess what I voted for ;)
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Their bringing out a new 7 string too i think. The S series 7 string is back (from seeing picture on Ibanez UK). There's also talk of Ibanez releasing an 8 string production model at Winter Namm, but Ibanez are keeping anything new top secret it seems.
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The only way Ibanez would sell anything to me would be by bringing back the early-80s-spec Artist, Destroyer and Rocket Roll models.
And then only if they built them with nice fat Gibson-style necks.
Although to be fair, those models were before Ibanez' Jem-based glory years, so I suppose they prefer to concentrate on superstrats.
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The only way Ibanez would sell anything to me would be by bringing back the early-80s-spec Artist, Destroyer and Rocket Roll models.
Those Ibanez artists are going for silly money these days, thre cheapest I have seen was 800 quid for a pretty battered one
I'm convinced that a pair of artists I tried (a 6 & a 12 string) around 1982 where the best guitars I have ever had in my hands.
Rob...
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Maple fretboards for the win!!
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I'd love a reissue of the Maple Jems in Desert Yellow!
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couldn't hurt for a bit of variety...
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yes, they need more maple fretboard guitars!
and they need more guitars produced in japan!
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Don't you suspect that there's a reason that Fender is the only major manufacturer to make extensive use of maple for fretboards? The only reason THEY used it initially was for reasons of cost and availability.
I would personally prefer to see more guitars with ebony, bubinga and cocobolo fingerboards.
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The only way Ibanez would sell anything to me would be by bringing back the early-80s-spec Artist, Destroyer and Rocket Roll models.
And then only if they built them with nice fat Gibson-style necks.
Although to be fair, those models were before Ibanez' Jem-based glory years, so I suppose they prefer to concentrate on superstrats.
I'm kinda with you on that - but my love of the Iceman - originally called The Artist in the 1970s
(http://vintageibanez.tripod.com/iceman/images/three_original_icemen_1975_with_text.jpg)
http://vintageibanez.tripod.com/main.html
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I voted yes - not because I would want one myself (maple fretboards don't really appeal) but because there are plenty of people who do & some variety in the range can't hurt.
On the subject of Ibanez, I so wish I'd bought an S540 in the early/mid 90s - one of those ones with oval inlays, flame top, gold hardware. I covetted one for months that was in stock on Denmark St but never pulled the trigger :(
There's always ebay, but I have far too many guitars already...
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I voted yes - not because I would want one myself (maple fretboards don't really appeal) but because there are plenty of people who do & some variety in the range can't hurt.
On the subject of Ibanez, I so wish I'd bought an S540 in the early/mid 90s - one of those ones with oval inlays, flame top, gold hardware. I covetted one for months that was in stock on Denmark St but never pulled the trigger :(
There's always ebay, but I have far too many guitars already...
my guitar teacher has one of those. I got my s-series because i loved his pretty much. However, mine is different in that it has cosmo black hardware (less gaudy), a ZR trem (ball bearing pivot, d-tuner and trem-setter built in 8) ) and only one "wave" inlay at the 12th fret (wish it had the ovals - but this neck is too perfect to mess with)
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Are the current S series made somewhere different to the original ones? IIRC the S540 I was drooling over in the 90s cost ~£1100 but now the S2170s cost £850. Or is that just the effect of a favourable exchange rate?
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^ they're korean, I think- the older s series models were made in Japan.
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I'm kinda with you on that - but my love of the Iceman - originally called The Artist in the 1970s
Yeah, the Iceman was mighty cool too (no pun intended), but I can't quite get over the Paul Stanley association - although he always claims the PS models were completely different from the Iceman. :roll: :lol:
a ZR trem (ball bearing pivot, d-tuner and trem-setter built in)
It's off-topic (sorry), but what are those ZR trem units like? The design sort of appeals to me, not being a Floyd fan, but I've never tried one. Does it feel a bit more like a Kahler? And if it's as good as it sounds, why don't they (AFAIK) use it on the top-spec models?
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^ it feels different, I guess some people prefer the feel of a knife-edge trem.
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^ they're korean, I think- the older s series models were made in Japan.
no the prestige models are mostly all made in japan - all the prestige s-series are. ibanez lowered their prices significantly a few years back, although i'm not sure why or how. I think they are far better value for money nowadays - and i'm sure the quality hasn't dropped
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a ZR trem (ball bearing pivot, d-tuner and trem-setter built in)
It's off-topic (sorry), but what are those ZR trem units like? The design sort of appeals to me, not being a Floyd fan, but I've never tried one. Does it feel a bit more like a Kahler? And if it's as good as it sounds, why don't they (AFAIK) use it on the top-spec models?
I've never played a kahler, sorry. the zr trem is silky smooth up and down - feels very diffferent - hard to describe - not a negative point though. they hold tune FOREVER no matter how much crazy trem use yu get up to, and palm muting won't send them out either. They don't suck sustain as much as a floyd, however if yu want it to behave more like a floyd you can take the trem-setter out and switch to fully floating mode easily peasily. The only downside to it i've come across so far is that they are very technical - hence more to go wrong, and being a very new design few people know about how to set it up - although the manual that came with mine was very helpful -(aswell as my tech).
As for them not being used on the top-spec guitars...they are? only the S-Series have them, but they are on them right up to the top of the line.
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As for them not being used on the top-spec guitars...they are? only the S-Series have them, but they are on them right up to the top of the line.
Ah, that's my misunderstanding - I don't know much about the current Ibanez range. :oops:
It sounds like the ZR is a bit like a Kahler. The Kahler has a cam system which I guess is similar to the ZR's ball-bearing system, it feels completely smooth whether you're pushing down or pulling up. It doesn't "stick" at the zero/equilibrium point like a knife-edge system (sometimes) does. I think I'm going to put my old Kahler back on my Hamer Special next year and give it a complete overhaul.
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I'm kinda with you on that - but my love of the Iceman - originally called The Artist in the 1970s
Yeah, the Iceman was mighty cool too (no pun intended), but I can't quite get over the Paul Stanley association - although he always claims the PS models were completely different from the Iceman. :roll: :lol:
Funnily enough it was Stanley that got me obsessed with the Iceman.
The PS10 was nice and did differ from the other Icemans in terms of construction- built a bit more like a Les Paul and had a few other minor changes.
Here's one I made for a friend but with a more classic LP color scheme
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/felineguitars/CUSTOM%20BUILT/ns10-iceman-web.jpg)
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Now that I like! :twisted:
It's a bit of a classic shape, isn't it? I don't mean you could imagine jazzers or country players using it, but there's a nice flow about the lines. Obviously some thought went into it.
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^ they're korean, I think- the older s series models were made in Japan.
no the prestige models are mostly all made in japan - all the prestige s-series are. ibanez lowered their prices significantly a few years back, although i'm not sure why or how. I think they are far better value for money nowadays - and i'm sure the quality hasn't dropped
i thought s-series prestiges were shipped off to korea a few years back? and only the threat of a major backlash by ibanez fans prevented the same from happening to the RG's?
http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=50138&highlight=s-series+prestige+korean
just by way of example.
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oh it looks like your right - mine's relatively recent (2004 i think) and says made in japan on it... *shrugs* i don't know what the hell they're doing - why couldn't they have left it as prestige=mij and non prestige=mik... so much simpler. yet more $%&#ups by ibanez
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^ yeah. it was pretty recent that they switched, perhaps 2005. you were lucky, lol.
:drink:
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As I'm down to 1 1/2 guitars (and the good one isn't even a 6 string), I have been very interested in an Ibanez S series. As I find a lot of guitars are a bit fat (hence my weakness for SGs too)
I'm very interested in a S 2170FW, but to be honest I am a bit wary of spending so much on a Korean built instrument (heard there are some serious QC issues). But a mahogany guitar, with a nice neck & a pair of Rebel Yells sounds like a good idea (dunno about the single coil though)
Rob..
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As I'm down to 1 1/2 guitars (and the good one isn't even a 6 string), I have been very interested in an Ibanez S series. As I find a lot of guitars are a bit fat (hence my weakness for SGs too)
I'm very interested in a S 2170FW, but to be honest I am a bit wary of spending so much on a Korean built instrument (heard there are some serious QC issues). But a mahogany guitar, with a nice neck & a pair of Rebel Yells sounds like a good idea (dunno about the single coil though)
Rob..
s470? I'd look into that, just watch out for the quality control (I've heard of one guy who got one with the pickup selector in back to front :lol: )
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The Ibanez PGM (Paul Gilbert) has a 1 piece maple neck and fretboard.
My current dream guitar.
Mainly coz of the fake f-holes :D
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The Ibanez PGM (Paul Gilbert) has a 1 piece maple neck and fretboard.
My current dream guitar.
Mainly coz of the fake f-holes :D
The latest models don't have a one piece neck anymore, its a five piece made of 3 pieces of maple with thin walnut veneers between them, very niely done though.
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s470? I'd look into that, just watch out for the quality control (I've heard of one guy who got one with the pickup selector in back to front :lol: )
That was the wolfgang version ;) (for those who don't know Mad Eddie likes the pickup selector to be bass ackwards)
Iv'e a lot about about the frets not just being needing tidied up but actually needing to be inserted properly in the first place :(
I'm currently pricing Ibanez S series guitars ATM, and from what I have read so far I'm not prepared to buy online. Possibly I'd just be better off buying something more conventional (esp at my advanced years)
Rob...
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^ yeah, the problem with the (non-prestige at least) korean guitars is the quality control. I wouldn't be keen on buying one online either.
Matchetts normally have pretty good prices, comparable to internet (well, within £10-£20, and you'd end up paying at least that in postage from most UK sites anyway), i think they had an s470 last day I was in (though ring them to check), so that might be an idea.
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The reason i love the PGM guitar is because of its maple fretboard, i love black dot inlays, the only other ibanez's ive seen with maple fretboards have been custom made, and a few early swirl Jems. I would definately consider buying Ibanez a lot more if they offered a choice between maple and rosewood.
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Matchetts normally have pretty good prices, comparable to internet (well, within £10-£20, and you'd end up paying at least that in postage from most UK sites anyway), i think they had an s470 last day I was in (though ring them to check), so that might be an idea.
I hope to be back home next week (for a job interview) so I will call into Snatchetts and see what they have on offer (and possibly a wander down to Marcus or Bairds, though it's not really worth it most of the time)
Rob...
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^ yeah, it sucks that all the belfast guitar shops are about half a mile apart... :(
:drink:
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i played the 1550 w/ maple fretboard the other day..
i remember the old 550 feeling a LOT better than this one... even though it has a prestige neck.. felt weird all in all.
and the pgm has a 5 piece now? since when?
i heard some rumours they were going to discontinue the maple fretboard on that one too.. which i thought was beyond silly
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I dont think Paul Gilbert would allow that one.
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Maple fretboards are definetly an option which should at least be available in the Ibanez line, I remember a few being around, I guess they didn't sell well enough.
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Yeah, they should at least be offering it on SOME models. The lack of fretboard choices would be one of (possibly only) my complaints about Ibanez.
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Maple fretboards are definetly an option which should at least be available in the Ibanez line, I remember a few being around, I guess they didn't sell well enough.
I don't see that being true. The Ibanezes that have really gone down in history (the 550s) had maple fretboards, and it's clear that the majority people on here, a guitar-related forum, want maple fretboard ibanezes
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I voted for maple, although it looks shite on black guitars, therefore not totaly metal :twisted:
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I voted for maple, although it looks shitee on black guitars, therefore not totaly metal :twisted:
(http://www.ibanezregister.com/images/images-rg/550/rg550bk-1998.jpg)
WOT?!
Nothing says danger quite like Black'n'Yella
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I voted for maple, although it looks shitee on black guitars, therefore not totaly metal :twisted:
You must be on drugs!
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I dont think Paul Gilbert would allow that one.
Why not? Surely the origin of this rumour is the fact that Paul's been playing a lot of rosewood fingerboards lately :roll:
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Just a guess on Ibanez's apparent reticence with maple: I'm wondering if this would necessitate them builduin gtheir pups again from the ground up? I'm again thinking from the angle of Dims sounding (to my ear) fine in the woods they use, yet too tetchy and over-puckered(er, why have I chosen those words I wonder) in proximity to too much toppy-sounding wood.
They still(again) do an Artist AR300, which is as close as you get nowadays. Very nice I gather(nice pups too); even better with pot/cap upgrade. (I did have a S1540 in bubinga some time ago and I liked the Prestige neck and Quantum pups; flogged it as the trems do me 'ead in :oops:
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I voted for maple, although it looks shitee on black guitars, therefore not totaly metal :twisted:
(http://www.ibanezregister.com/images/images-rg/550/rg550bk-1998.jpg)
WOT?!
Nothing says danger quite like Black'n'Yella
Wasn't there a Christian metal bands in the 80s who wore black and yellow? :D
Just a guess on Ibanez's apparent reticence with maple: I'm wondering if this would necessitate them builduin gtheir pups again from the ground up? I'm again thinking from the angle of Dims sounding (to my ear) fine in the woods they use, yet too tetchy and over-puckered(er, why have I chosen those words I wonder) in proximity to too much toppy-sounding wood.
They still(again) do an Artist AR300, which is as close as you get nowadays. Very nice I gather(nice pups too); even better with pot/cap upgrade. (I did have a S1540 in bubinga some time ago and I liked the Prestige neck and Quantum pups; flogged it as the trems do me 'ead in :oops:
I love you.
Typing in a glouctershire accent. I think that's the coolest thing I've ever seen. And no - I'm honestly not being sarcastic.
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Yup, STRYPER...