2024 Ibanez S Premium = Instant GAS

[Phantasmagoria]

Holy ****! Just look at that :eyecrazy:

As everyone knows I'm a huge Ibanez Saber fan...but I have enough of them to keep me happy till the end of my days...

Or so I thought until this beauty came along :lmao:

It's a 2024 Ibanez S1070PBZ

I'm loving the way this dude who is obviously used to more cumbersome/traditional designs "can't get over" how well it plays and feels and it's overall design, playability, speed, tone etc (obviously compared to anything else he's hitherto been used to playing). Well personally, that comes as no surprise to me for one, cuz that's what I always say in any of my Saber threads ..these guitars are on a different level & plane of existence, when it comes to playability :bigthumb:

It's a Premium model which imo is Ibanez's best 'higher end' line for the money. I would take them over the Prestige's cuz they're made as well (in Indonesia) w/ comparable woods, pup's & hardware, are priced more reasonably & are usually more eye-catching...

 

[Mincer]

What is with Ibanez and their model names? Come on, give them proper, memorable names.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Eh, what's not memorable about S1070PBZ CBB??



And another cool finish - White Frost Burst (WFB)

 

[Mincer]

I do love those guitars, though.

 

[AdrianSD]

My Indo made RG470 is just as playable as the RG550 and it's much cheaper. But it has a weakness: the Edge Zero II trem is no match to the Japanese Edge, or the Gotoh, even the Korean made Floyd 1000 is better. Had to intonate it several times because the string would pull the saddle to the neck, the small head screws had to be tightened harder and I nearly stripped one. Didn't have this problem before, hopefully just user error. But don't know about the long term reliability tbh. I'm tempted to throw in a 1996t, but need a bit of routing on one side. Other than that, it's excellent.

 

[GuitarDoc]

It's really a gorgeous guitar (charcoal/black burst is my fav) with some great tones. I don't like the wide neck and near flat fretboard. I especially don't like the tone at position 4 (middle + neck inside coil). I think it would have been better with just the two buckers and Dave's do-it-all wiring, those tones are more useful imo.

But for $1400 it's a real deal for someone who likes that neck.

 

[GuitarDoc]

Eh, what's not memorable about S1070PBZ CBB??



And another cool finish - White Frost Burst (WFB)

I love the charcoal, but this white burst just doesn't work on the warm burl front. Actually, it's disgusting.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

I do love those guitars, though.

:bigthumb:

 

[Phantasmagoria]

My Indo made RG470 is just as playable as the RG550 and it's much cheaper. But it has a weakness: the Edge Zero II trem is no match to the Japanese Edge, or the Gotoh, even the Korean made Floyd 1000 is better. Had to intonate it several times because the string would pull the saddle to the neck, the small head screws had to be tightened harder and I nearly stripped one. Didn't have this problem before, hopefully just user error. But don't know about the long term reliability tbh. I'm tempted to throw in a 1996t, but need a bit of routing on one side. Other than that, it's excellent.

My favorite Ibanez tremolo (and trem in genral is the Lo-pro Edge) The stability is unreal & it's insanely comfortable to do absolutely any thing with...just the way it sits against the body makes taping especially effortless.

I have personally never had any issues with the Edge Zero II (have them on at least 5 guitars) and have always considered them rock solid. That's not to say you have'nt had a problem w/ your's it's just that I've never had an issue myself. In all honesty mine are as stable & hassle-free as any of my original Edges/ Lo-pro's. The 'Zps-e' ones are even better just for how easy and trouble free it is when you switch between tuning's..and I'm a big fan of the original Edge Zero's (roller-bearing one's) as well (got 3 of those).

Ibanez trems just generally are my fave trems...and I prefer them to anything else out there (cuz personal preference)

I am also a huge fan of Ibanez's Indo guitar's. Every one I have that's come out of that factory has been fantastic.. from my humble GIO up to my two "Premium" models..

 

[Phantasmagoria]

I love the charcoal, but this white burst just doesn't work on the warm burl front. Actually, it's disgusting.

Yeah the Charcoal would be be my pick too. I think this one is an odd enough finish for me to kinda dig it as well though :lmao:

I actually suspect it would look better in person than it does here in the pic...

EDIT: OK maybe not (see below). Looks like someone took the Charcoal burst one & spooged all over the edges :nono:

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Yeah, not great....

Still...you win some ..& lose some...

 

[Rex_Rocker]

I used to have a Premium and a Prestige, and I disagree. I don't think Premiums are made as well as Prestige. Not to say they're not fantastic, but Prestige is in a different league in playability compared to anything else I've tried. That, and I like Prestige neck profiles better, personally.

That being said, that does look pretty nice!

 

[EmiAba]

I used to have a Premium and a Prestige, and I disagree. I don't think Premiums are made as well as Prestige. Not to say they're not fantastic, but Prestige is in a different league in playability compared to anything else I've tried. That, and I like Prestige neck profiles better, personally.

That being said, that does look pretty nice!

I agree. I'm currently own an AZ224F that's a wonderful guitar but my prestige (rg2620) is better. This doesn't mean that the premium are not good. Especially the AZ series are really game changer along with the PRS SE series

 

[Rex_Rocker]

Maybe they've improved the Premiums over the years. I had one of the very plain-looking ones that came out when they were first introduced. It was plain black and it had a fixed bridge that was roughtly shaped like a trem.

The guitar was solid, but the only special thing about it was the fret ends were really rounded. The rest of the guitar felt solid, but really nothing about it was WOAH. The neck profile was nice, but at the same time, I had an RGA121, and it certainly felt more solid. The fret ends were as nice, and the fretboard was more rolled (don't remember if the Premium even had a rolled fretboard edge). The body was made of an arguably nicer (or at least more expensive) wood type and the neck profile was nicer (IMO).

I've also had a Japanese non-Prestige and I thought that was kinda half-way in between the Prestige and the Premium. Not quite as nice as the Prestige, but better than the Premium. It did have a nicer neck profile than either the Prestige or the Premium (it had the Super Wizard), but the fret ends weren't as nice as either.

JME.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Well guy's,to each their own, though I stand by what I said 100%.

If you have not seen/played a recent Premium model I urge you to do it.

Yes they have improved by leaps and bounds in recent years . In the past, if memory serves me correctly... they did not even have the top-tier Ibanez hardware & pups that they pretty much all do now. For instance my RGT is neck through w/ Air Norton/TZ pups & an original Edge trem. All of that would only have been available on Prestige's a few year's back..not Premium's. Ibanez has upped it's game w/ the Premiums...

As far as fit/finish/fretwork (both my Premium's have rolled edges..one, the RGT, has SS frets) workmanship/woods etc. I honestly see no difference whatsoever between my Prestige & 2 Premium's. None feel 'more solid' than the other's either..or sound play/better.

For me the Premium's are a no-brainer ..especially when you figure in price.

I mean just look at that Charcoal Black beauty up there. Don't know about you guys but I think it's absolutely & completely stunning & second to nothing I've ever seen from Ibanez, besides having the highest grade feature-set they have to offer (Ok maybe a Zero II instead of an Edge...which is no problem for me...but that's it) :bigthumb:

 

[Mincer]

I would like them better with 22 frets, though.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Well all the old Saber's had 22 frets. I honestly think that's what made RG's so much more popular....everyone wanted 24 frets.. in the 80's especially.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

This video has some pretty sweet visuals and close-ups. Of course nothing beats holding one in your hands, but from what I can tell the word "flawless" comes to mind when it comes to the finish/fretork etc . And that's the word he uses often in the video as well & so did the other guy in that first demo/video I posted up there. I honestly don't see how anything could be improved upon anywhere.

 

[Mincer]

Well all the old Saber's had 22 frets. I honestly think that's what made RG's so much more popular....everyone wanted 24 frets.. in the 80's especially.

Yeah, I like the Sabers because of that. 24 frets became popular right when people didn't use neck pickups much anymore.

 

[Phantasmagoria]

Well tbh I'm not a big neck pup user personally (Probably use them 10 - 20% of the time I'm playing/recording). But 22 frets has never been a deal breaker for me..

I know 22 fret necks are supposed to have better tone or harmonics or something for neck pups...but I personally have'nt noticed it :laugh2:

I will just keep coming up the neck till I run out of frets...be that 21/22/24....or even 30 :lmao:


Which reminds me I need to locate that 30 fret RG of mine & have some fun w/ it one of these days (my dogs will hate me for it ) :laugh2: