Jackson or Ibanez

[KiD CuDi]

Ok I'm basically torn between a Jackson USA Soloist(not opposed to other body styles though) and an Ibanez Prestige RG(most likely the rg3570z) if any of you out there have played or owned a Jackson USA guitr or an Ibanez Prestige RG please share your experience :approve:



:thanks:

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

I can't tell you which one is right for you, but I think they're both tremendously great guitars. I've played some recent Prestige Ibanez, and I own a USA Jackson.

Key differences I see:

The Ibanez is a basswood body with a bolt-on neck.
The Jackson is an alder body with a maple through-neck.

The Ibanez is a rosewood fretboard.
The Jackson is an ebony fretboard.

The Ibanez is H-S-H.
The Jackson USA will be an S-S-H or an H-H.

The Ibanez Edge trem has the best action and tuning stability of any trem I've tried.
The Original Floyd Rose on the Jackson SL1 or SL2H is the best-sounding trem I've tried.

The Ibanez neck is very thin and can be great for playing fast.
The Jackson Soloist neck is thicker, more comfortable (for some), and can also be great for playing fast.

Of the higher-end or Prestige RG's I've played, I think they have a more piercing tone than a neck-through Jackson. They sound a little more Strat-like, for those funky, spanky types of sounds.
The Jackson has more crunch, to my ears, and it's great for classic metal. It has tons of sustain and mids. You probably won't mistake it for the sound of a similarly-equipped Les Paul, but it will be closer than the RG.

I guess I like Jacksons more, because of the looks and because not as many people play them. Also, I'm a Yankee, so I feel a bit of a patriotic bond with some of our American guitar makers. But I still love my JEM and my 7-string Japanese RG.

 

[Lucid_Lunatic]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

I traded my Soloist off awhile back. I've tried a few of the Prestige series Ibanez guitars and I didn't like any of them near as much as the Jackson.

 

[80's_Metal]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

Jackson!

 

[KiD CuDi]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

I can't tell you which one is right for you, but I think they're both tremendously great guitars. I've played some recent Prestige Ibanez, and I own a USA Jackson.

Key differences I see:

The Ibanez is a basswood body with a bolt-on neck.
The Jackson is an alder body with a maple through-neck.

The Ibanez is a rosewood fretboard.
The Jackson is an ebony fretboard.

The Ibanez is H-S-H.
The Jackson USA will be an S-S-H or an H-H.

The Ibanez Edge trem has the best action and tuning stability of any trem I've tried.
The Original Floyd Rose on the Jackson SL1 or SL2H is the best-sounding trem I've tried.

The Ibanez neck is very thin and can be great for playing fast.
The Jackson Soloist neck is thicker, more comfortable (for some), and can also be great for playing fast.

Of the higher-end or Prestige RG's I've played, I think they have a more piercing tone than a neck-through Jackson. They sound a little more Strat-like, for those funky, spanky types of sounds.
The Jackson has more crunch, to my ears, and it's great for classic metal. It has tons of sustain and mids. You probably won't mistake it for the sound of a similarly-equipped Les Paul, but it will be closer than the RG.

I guess I like Jacksons more, because of the looks and because not as many people play them. Also, I'm a Yankee, so I feel a bit of a patriotic bond with some of our American guitar makers. But I still love my JEM and my 7-string Japanese RG.

Which one has the overall best feel for shredding let's say? I mean which one feels best for picking, legato, and bends(maybe blues type stuff).

I ask this because I know the jackson has a compound radius fretboard and the ibanez rg's usually have really flat fretboards and since my local guitar center doesn't carry these guitars stock I'm curious as to how they feel so this information would be greatly appreciated before I shell out around $2k(assuming the Lakers win the finals:scared And one last question... Does the neck-thru constructon make the Jackson resonate better than the Ibanez?

 

[timothycoyle]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

I would say the Jackson for me, the neck on the Jackson feels better to me. That being said ive played a few prestieges and they were really nice, I just cant seem to get past the flatness of the wizard neck.

As for which is better for shredding thats a tough question to answer. The single flat radius of on the Ibanez is good for shredding all around the neck. The compound radius on the Jackson makes it a little more comfy towards the nut for chording and a little easier to bend towards the bridge, but I dont think it would make it impossible to shred near the nut. One thing that might help a little is to look up your favorite shredders signature guitars and try to find the radius that they have. Heres some that I found just to give you an Idea.

Flat Radius
Guthrie Govan: 16"
Steve Vai: almost 17"
Joe Satriani: almost 10"
Paul Gilbert: almost 17"
Herman Li: almost 17"
Alexi Laiho: almost 14"
John Petrucci: 15"

Compound Radius
Reb Beach: 10"-14"
Eddie Van Halen(EVH SIG) 10"-16"
Mark Morton: 12"-16"

The RG3570Z: almost 17" Flat Radius
Nut Width: 43mm

The Soloist: 12” to 16” Compound Radius
Nut Width: 43mm


Now thats not to say a compound radius wont work but you can see it varies among the player. In my oppinion it has to be physically right for you and I dont think you can really figure that out without trying it first. I know its a crappy answer but its the best I could come up with

 

[JeffB]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

More of an Ibanez guy myself- just a "feel" thing. I've had some USA and MIJ Jacksons though, and they are well built nice playing guitars.

 

[Jessie Sammler]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

Which one has the overall best feel for shredding let's say? I mean which one feels best for picking, legato, and bends(maybe blues type stuff).

I think this depends entirely on you. When I first tried a Wizard neck, it was like a breath of fresh air. Finally I could move quickly around the upper octave of the fretboard and really develop some speed.

Fast-forward a few years, after I've had a few Gibson-type guitars with much thicker necks and slowed down a little as a player. Now I can't play a Wizard for long without my hand cramping up, I don't like the super-flat board anymore, and the Jackson neck feels much better to me.

Still, when I pick up my Japanese SL3 with a relatively low shredder action, I can play every bit as fast as I used to on the RG guitars -- when I want to.

And one last question... Does the neck-thru constructon make the Jackson resonate better than the Ibanez?

I think it does. I think it also helps to have the neck be a piece of quartersawn maple instead of a multipiece neck.

 

[cakire82]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

You will be spending $1500+ considering you will be buying new. I think you should definitely find a way to try these guitars. I know especially USA Jacksons are hard to come by in stores but you can check out the craiglist for someone selling it and go give it a try. Same idea applies to Ibanez also. Otherwise you will always have questions in your head.
Both of them are great guitars but they play different. No one here can tell you which one is better for you.
For me, my weapon of choice is Jackson. I would not feel more comfortable with nay other neck.

 

[H8Red442]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

Jackson USA. No two ways about it. Better built, sounding, playing and feeling guitar. Hands down.

You wanna put their econo lines up against each other, I'd go Ibanez. I've never been much a fan of lower end Jacksons. But at that point I'd go Schecter over either Jackson or Ibanez.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

No ESP love?

 

[H8Red442]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

Actual ESPs are great. Not a big fan of the LTD line thought they're not all terrible. Schecter would still beat the pants off an LTD.

 

[UberMetalDood]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

I would say go with the Jackson USA because of the build quality and feel of the neck but I have one and the one thing that bothers me about it is when I am playing it standing. The neck weighs down the guitar so that it keeps wanting to tilt. I have to use my forearm to hold the guitar in place which messes up my pick hand because I dont always anchor it to the guitar body.

The build quality is probably a moot point since the Ibanez Prestige guitars seem just as well made as any. I played a red one with a maple neck the other day and stayed at Guitar Center playing it for an hour.

I would hope that an Ibanez is easier to tune after changing strings than a Jackson. It takes me nearly 30 minutes to finally get my guitar in tune where I can tighten the locking nut with new strings on.

 

[KiD CuDi]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

No ESP love?

I have an ESP/LTD EC-1000 and actually it's the best feeling/sounding/looking/easy-to-set-up guitar I have right now and I also have a schecter c-1 hellraiser, dean dc-6, and an old cheap ass bc rich metal master warlock with the seymour duncan hot-rodded set.

 

[BrockSamson]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

Granted, I haven't played any high-end Schecters but all the ones I have played have really fat necks which I just could not dig.

 

[DrNewcenstein]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

If you're buying new and it's around $1500-$2000, I'd go USA Jackson.

However, don't scoff at the used market. You might be able to get a used USA Jackson for a decent price, and maybe the RG as well.

 

[mwalluk]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

Actual ESPs are great. Not a big fan of the LTD line thought they're not all terrible. Schecter would still beat the pants off an LTD.

I wouldn't go that far. ESP has better electronics than Schecter and majority of ESP come with better pickups.

 

[H8Red442]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

I wouldn't go that far. ESP has better electronics than Schecter and majority of ESP come with better pickups.

Do you have a reading comprehension problem? I said Schecters beat LTDs not actual ESPs. As far as electronics, they're both about the same. As far as build and feel? Schecter. I've owned both. It's my preference and my opinion. Don't like it, you'll get over it.

 

[dominus]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

I guess I like Jacksons more, because of the looks and because not as many people play them. Also, I'm a Yankee, so I feel a bit of a patriotic bond with some of our American guitar makers. But I still love my JEM and my 7-string Japanese RG.

Jackson, Yankee.... hmmm.

 

[FrankyBoy]

Re: Jackson or Ibanez

Jackson just feels right, especially the necks... Tho I never had the chance to play high end Ibanez, but to me Jackson guitars have everything you need in a metal machine : Look, Feel, Craftmanship, Sound...