Does anyone have an Ibanez S570?
- Thread starter gtrgrl
- Start date
Re: Does anyone have an Ibanez S570?
The tolerances are so tight and the guitar so thin, that if you set up the neck without any relief, the trem may not have any pull back or may completely bottom. They need the ability to add a neck shim.
The tolerances are so tight and the guitar so thin, that if you set up the neck without any relief, the trem may not have any pull back or may completely bottom. They need the ability to add a neck shim.
youngthrasher9
New member
Re: Does anyone have an Ibanez S570?
I've seen a an ever so slightly thicker take on the Saber body style by Bernie Rico Jr. that was neck through.
I can see where the the luthiers at the Ibanez factory might have trouble but I know it can be done.
I've seen a an ever so slightly thicker take on the Saber body style by Bernie Rico Jr. that was neck through.
I can see where the the luthiers at the Ibanez factory might have trouble but I know it can be done.
Re: Does anyone have an Ibanez S570?
Yeah, it can be done, but the fret profile may change over the years and create problems. I had one with some mid neck fret wear, had it plekked and it changed the angle of the strings against the board and the trem bottomed.
I used to be a huge Ibanezz fan, but I realize now they are just asian factory guitars at various price points, probably overpriced because of their endorsers and success. They could introduce something like neck through construction to one of their guitars, but it would just cannibalize sales of their other lines. I think now they are just building to a price and its harder to get a really good low end guitar from them because they have to create distinction between their various price points. I think you have to spend at least $500 on an Ibanez to get a decent trem (Zero II). It wouldnt do them any good to build a great $300 guitar beause they wouldn't sell any $700 ones. I used to think they were great, but I don't like their business model.
And their pretige guitars, once made in Japan, they moved to Korea (bad), now I think back in Japan, selling for $1500. At that point, I would rather spend an extra $500 for something USA made, and I am hesitant to spend 1K on a Korean guitar.
Dean guitars have three tiers, Chinese(200-400), Korean (500-700), and USA (2K+) Its possible to get a great $300 guitar from them with decent hardware (Floyd Special), and their Korean ones have good hardware like the Korean OFR. In the blink of an eye, everything changes.
Yeah, it can be done, but the fret profile may change over the years and create problems. I had one with some mid neck fret wear, had it plekked and it changed the angle of the strings against the board and the trem bottomed.
I used to be a huge Ibanezz fan, but I realize now they are just asian factory guitars at various price points, probably overpriced because of their endorsers and success. They could introduce something like neck through construction to one of their guitars, but it would just cannibalize sales of their other lines. I think now they are just building to a price and its harder to get a really good low end guitar from them because they have to create distinction between their various price points. I think you have to spend at least $500 on an Ibanez to get a decent trem (Zero II). It wouldnt do them any good to build a great $300 guitar beause they wouldn't sell any $700 ones. I used to think they were great, but I don't like their business model.
And their pretige guitars, once made in Japan, they moved to Korea (bad), now I think back in Japan, selling for $1500. At that point, I would rather spend an extra $500 for something USA made, and I am hesitant to spend 1K on a Korean guitar.
Dean guitars have three tiers, Chinese(200-400), Korean (500-700), and USA (2K+) Its possible to get a great $300 guitar from them with decent hardware (Floyd Special), and their Korean ones have good hardware like the Korean OFR. In the blink of an eye, everything changes.
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Ashurbanipal
Well-known member
Re: Does anyone have an Ibanez S570?
^^ Prestige guitars were never MIK, nor are they at the moment. Perhaps you're thinking of the Premium models, which are Indonesian. Ibanez no longer makes guitars in Korea, things are either MIC (former MIK lines) or MII (Premium). The Premium guitars are intended to sit between MIC and MIJ/Prestige.
Pricing on Ibanez has been climbing, though this year they've remained steady. This is nothing new, back in the mid 80s, the exchange rate between the Yen and USD was such that the guitars were as or more expensive than US ones, needless to say, they tanked somewhat.
I wonder how the new Kiko Loureiro model is - looks like a thicker S with a slightly fatter neck and a thicker maple/alder body.
^^ Prestige guitars were never MIK, nor are they at the moment. Perhaps you're thinking of the Premium models, which are Indonesian. Ibanez no longer makes guitars in Korea, things are either MIC (former MIK lines) or MII (Premium). The Premium guitars are intended to sit between MIC and MIJ/Prestige.
Pricing on Ibanez has been climbing, though this year they've remained steady. This is nothing new, back in the mid 80s, the exchange rate between the Yen and USD was such that the guitars were as or more expensive than US ones, needless to say, they tanked somewhat.
I wonder how the new Kiko Loureiro model is - looks like a thicker S with a slightly fatter neck and a thicker maple/alder body.
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Re: Does anyone have an Ibanez S570?
I don't think this is common knowledge, but for a few years (03-05?), the S Prestige was made in Korea. I believe the last ones with Lo Pros (or maybe it was the first ones with ZRs), the ones that were that brown Bubbinga top with "yellowish/greenish" binding, were MIK. I know about the premium line, thought they were MIK but I guess they went another step down to Indonesia. Not saying its a bad guitar, but their profit margins are large.
My first Ibanez, a 91 Fugigen RG565 was only $600 w/ case. That guitar had the Lo Pro, and back through the early/mid 90s some of the mid-tier guitars had premier trems (edge, lo pro). When they came up with the Prestige moniker, they reserved the best trems for that line, and they stuck TRS and other garbage on even the mid level ones, so you were forced to spend $1300+ for a prestige or signature model.
I saw that new design based on the S -- looks cool.
I'm in a philosophical mood today. I just put a big brass block on my sub-$300 Dean w/ Floyd Special and the guitar tonally stands up to my collection of MIJ Sabres. The sabres have more sparkle on top, but the bottom is muddy in comparison. The construction and flame top on the Dean is at least as nice as that old RG565 I had.
The big brass block replaced the zinc one, got rid of the tinniness on the high-E string, and completely filled out the low end. It has a rich/darker sound now, and I realize that the trem is mostly responsible for the resonance of these things. The wood imparts character, but the bridge is as much responsible.
The point of all this is that the Ibanez models that don't have the edge or lo pro are not going to sounds as good. Those are reserved for the $1500 models now, and afaik, the proprietary lower-tier trems (ZR, zero II) can't swap the sustain block. The Zero II has a really piddly sustain block from what I have seen. Back in the day, when you could get an RG with loPro for $600, Ibanez was a leader. Today, not so much.
Edit: I have not played a zero II, it may sound just fine, but Ibanez is in the game of underengineering their lower models so they can justify prices of high end ones. I'm guessing the Zero II sounds thinner than a lo pro.
I don't think this is common knowledge, but for a few years (03-05?), the S Prestige was made in Korea. I believe the last ones with Lo Pros (or maybe it was the first ones with ZRs), the ones that were that brown Bubbinga top with "yellowish/greenish" binding, were MIK. I know about the premium line, thought they were MIK but I guess they went another step down to Indonesia. Not saying its a bad guitar, but their profit margins are large.
My first Ibanez, a 91 Fugigen RG565 was only $600 w/ case. That guitar had the Lo Pro, and back through the early/mid 90s some of the mid-tier guitars had premier trems (edge, lo pro). When they came up with the Prestige moniker, they reserved the best trems for that line, and they stuck TRS and other garbage on even the mid level ones, so you were forced to spend $1300+ for a prestige or signature model.
I saw that new design based on the S -- looks cool.
I'm in a philosophical mood today. I just put a big brass block on my sub-$300 Dean w/ Floyd Special and the guitar tonally stands up to my collection of MIJ Sabres. The sabres have more sparkle on top, but the bottom is muddy in comparison. The construction and flame top on the Dean is at least as nice as that old RG565 I had.
The big brass block replaced the zinc one, got rid of the tinniness on the high-E string, and completely filled out the low end. It has a rich/darker sound now, and I realize that the trem is mostly responsible for the resonance of these things. The wood imparts character, but the bridge is as much responsible.
The point of all this is that the Ibanez models that don't have the edge or lo pro are not going to sounds as good. Those are reserved for the $1500 models now, and afaik, the proprietary lower-tier trems (ZR, zero II) can't swap the sustain block. The Zero II has a really piddly sustain block from what I have seen. Back in the day, when you could get an RG with loPro for $600, Ibanez was a leader. Today, not so much.
Edit: I have not played a zero II, it may sound just fine, but Ibanez is in the game of underengineering their lower models so they can justify prices of high end ones. I'm guessing the Zero II sounds thinner than a lo pro.
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Ashurbanipal
Well-known member
Re: Does anyone have an Ibanez S570?
The only S I've played is a 90s 470QS. Not a bad guitar from what I recall, but the pups were those indifferent Infinity types and the TRS trem. Setup was poor.
From Ibanez's point of view, all this makes sense, that you should pay $$ if you want a brand new guitar with an Edge/Lo Pro - they have grown considerably since the 80s/early 90s. They always were and will be factory made guitars - in a situation of mass production there will always be some form of compromise, and price increases are a Western, late capitalist economic reality. Still, it's better now than in the last several years, where the only guitars that had an Edge/Lo Pro were essentially Jems, UVs, and JSs. Moreover, it's still possible to get a good, used MIJ guitar with the 'right' bridge for well under $1k.
I haven't played the newer bridges either, so can't comment, though knowing how much of an effect the block has on tone/sustain in general, I was somewhat skeptical when they came out. I don't know what metals they're made of either. The Edge/Lo Pro are made of some special recipe stuff Ibanez calls 'hard zinc', originally designed to give more warmth and sustain than a Floyd.
The only S I've played is a 90s 470QS. Not a bad guitar from what I recall, but the pups were those indifferent Infinity types and the TRS trem. Setup was poor.
From Ibanez's point of view, all this makes sense, that you should pay $$ if you want a brand new guitar with an Edge/Lo Pro - they have grown considerably since the 80s/early 90s. They always were and will be factory made guitars - in a situation of mass production there will always be some form of compromise, and price increases are a Western, late capitalist economic reality. Still, it's better now than in the last several years, where the only guitars that had an Edge/Lo Pro were essentially Jems, UVs, and JSs. Moreover, it's still possible to get a good, used MIJ guitar with the 'right' bridge for well under $1k.
I haven't played the newer bridges either, so can't comment, though knowing how much of an effect the block has on tone/sustain in general, I was somewhat skeptical when they came out. I don't know what metals they're made of either. The Edge/Lo Pro are made of some special recipe stuff Ibanez calls 'hard zinc', originally designed to give more warmth and sustain than a Floyd.
Re: Does anyone have an Ibanez S570?
Sure, they charge what they can get, but I don't think they are a good value anymore.
to the OP, Ibanez makes good guitars, I like the sabres. Get one, enjoy the F*** out of it!
Sure, they charge what they can get, but I don't think they are a good value anymore.
to the OP, Ibanez makes good guitars, I like the sabres. Get one, enjoy the F*** out of it!
Ashurbanipal
Well-known member
Re: Does anyone have an Ibanez S570?
^^ Yes, I agree that they're less value for $$ than they used to be, though a lot of people are pleased with the quality of the MIC/MII guitars, including some people here. I do get the impression that they've some a long way. I used to have a MIK RG and it was pretty blah.
Tends to happen around here
.
Main thing is to play them (if possible), new or old, and decide.
On the whole, I'm personally pretty confident in buying an older MIJ guitar unseen - haven't been disappointed so far. You can get an old MIJ S in the $400-$700 range easily.
^^ Yes, I agree that they're less value for $$ than they used to be, though a lot of people are pleased with the quality of the MIC/MII guitars, including some people here. I do get the impression that they've some a long way. I used to have a MIK RG and it was pretty blah.
Tends to happen around here
. Main thing is to play them (if possible), new or old, and decide.
On the whole, I'm personally pretty confident in buying an older MIJ guitar unseen - haven't been disappointed so far. You can get an old MIJ S in the $400-$700 range easily.
Re: Does anyone have an Ibanez S570?
Only problem with buying ebay guitars is that they usually need fretwork. The necks change over time, some develop backbow or a hump near the pocket that limits action. Others have just been played hard and worn down. I've had two ebay guitars plekked, they play well now, but this <$300 Dean has just as low and consistent an action. The thing with new is if you don't like it, just send it back. I wouldnt have said this ten years ago, but its just not worth the hassle trying to get an ebay special to 100%. Been there, done that.
I think the new marketplace, the online purchasing and ability to return things has forced the entry guitars to be much better.
^^ Yes, I agree that they're less value for $$ than they used to be, though a lot of people are pleased with the quality of the MIC/MII guitars, including some people here. I do get the impression that they've some a long way. I used to have a MIK RG and it was pretty blah.
Tends to happen around here
Main thing is to play them (if possible), new or old, and decide.
On the whole, I'm personally pretty confident in buying an older MIJ guitar unseen - haven't been disappointed so far. You can get an old MIJ S in the $400-$700 range easily.
Only problem with buying ebay guitars is that they usually need fretwork. The necks change over time, some develop backbow or a hump near the pocket that limits action. Others have just been played hard and worn down. I've had two ebay guitars plekked, they play well now, but this <$300 Dean has just as low and consistent an action. The thing with new is if you don't like it, just send it back. I wouldnt have said this ten years ago, but its just not worth the hassle trying to get an ebay special to 100%. Been there, done that.
I think the new marketplace, the online purchasing and ability to return things has forced the entry guitars to be much better.
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vinta9e
New member
Re: Does anyone have an Ibanez S570?
I could see myself opting for a set neck, but I would also redesign the whole guitar from scratch.
It would be a whole different guitar then.
Personally, I would pick a brass block for the S series.
There are neck through body Sabers. However, I don't think they are a particularly bright idea.
I could see myself opting for a set neck, but I would also redesign the whole guitar from scratch.
It would be a whole different guitar then.
Not really that much of a problem - the tremolo pull back route can be made deeper still, and/or the neck break angle can be increased. All is fine as long as the neck keeps its shape.
To me, that one looks like a great idea. It seems to have a flat back though, like the SA series.
Yep, whatever it is, I do like the way these trems sound... ...in a BC Rich :burnout:
Personally, I would pick a brass block for the S series.
