Ibanez's Lack of Maple-Fretboard Guitars...

[indysmith]

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.

[maliciousteve]

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.

[Twinfan]

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  ;)

[maliciousteve]

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.

[Philly Q]

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.

[Kilby]

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...

[Crazy_Joe]

Maple fretboards for the win!!

[Afghan Dave]

I'd love a reissue of the Maple Jems in Desert Yellow!

[dave_mc]

couldn't hurt for a bit of variety...

[Davey]

yes, they need more maple fretboard guitars!

and they need more guitars produced in japan!

[Sifu Ben]

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.

[FELINEGUITARS]

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/main.html

[Antag]

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...

[indysmith]

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)

[Antag]

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?