Talk to me about Ibanez.

[tone4days]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

hi artie - i cant remember exactly which of the artcore models i played that sounded terrible and felt worse ... it was a hardtail ... others on here have played them and liked them, so i have to believe i just picked up a runt from the litter .. some of the least expensive solid bodies were strictly 'beginner' quality ...

i like the duckbucker alot .. if i had to do it over again, i'd probably try the vintage rails instead to try to avoid the 'drop out' problem when string bending ... but i played with it a little more this weekend and am starting to find the sweetspot where it isnt too noticeable ... it sounds GREAT otherwise with *really* nice clean tone, both alone and when combined with the neck and bridge splits ...

good luck
cheers,
t4d

 

[Cory_Dylan]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

hey i just realized there were 2 models of jetking, i guess its new... pretty freakin wierd looking, but i like it!!! http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=JTK2

what is it about ibanez guitars? if anyone else made a guitar like that, everyone would just laugh at them. but ibanez, no. it's cool when they do it... with the exception of some of their signiture models (like noodles, daron malakian.. who is that?) and the iceman

edit: forgot about the iceman, i hate that thing!!

 

[MDS]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

Don't miss the solidbody Artists too. One of Ibanez's best axe's in my opinion(My AM-50 is a semi-hollow version of these)...

 

[Cory_Dylan]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

Don't miss the solidbody Artists too. One of Ibanez's best axe's in my opinion(My AM-50 is a semi-hollow version of these)...

definetly, i LOVE!! my artist. soon after i bought mine (the 250) they quit making it and started making the 200 and 300. i don't like the 300, you can't see it in its pictures but it has this stupid looking binding around the body. it's like a black and white pattern. but it has Super 58 pickups and those are i hear are pretty good, and it has a block inlay. some other stuff too, i like my 250 better, especially after duncans. they over did the 300.
they try to compare it to a les paul, i read the description on the 1200 dollar one (i think thats how much it cost) and it talked about how it was better than the "other" 2 humbucker solidbody guitar.

 

[Artie]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

I like the Artist series, but I think the JTK2 is butt-ugly.
I commented on why over at the original JetKing thread.

 

[Nightburst]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

I've got a lower end RG (MIK) and it's amazingly a solid guitar. I have inspected it very closely and I couldn't find any flaw construction wise. Even the frets were ok.
However it did require new pickups and electronics, blocked trem and a setup to become the good sounding playable guitar it is now. The electronics were complete crap and the pickups sounded muffled.
The thing that got me hooked was (besides the price) that the instant second I held it in my hands and played a bit on it it felt 'right'. Nice neck, though I like it to be a bit thicker too (and the Wizard II is supposed to be fatter than the wizard).
I like to see Ibanez making more high end guitars with a 'normal' bridge instead of the tremolo.
If I were you Artie I'd check the guitar out very thouroughly before buying and get one that is made in Japan. (supposed better quality and better resale value)
Good luck!

 

[Artie]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

However it did require new pickups and electronics, blocked trem and a setup to become the good sounding playable guitar it is now. The electronics were complete crap and the pickups sounded muffled.

In a way, I'm glad the electronics are crap. That means I won't be spending much of the purchase price for stuff I'm gonna replace anyway. Whichever one I decide on will be "Duncanized" almost immediately.

The thing that got me hooked was (besides the price) that the instant second I held it in my hands and played a bit on it it felt 'right'.

Yup, thats what jumped out at me about the JetKing 1. It felt good in my hands.

I like to see Ibanez making more high end guitars with a 'normal' bridge instead of the tremolo.
If I were you Artie I'd check the guitar out very thouroughly before buying and get one that is made in Japan. (supposed better quality and better resale value)
Good luck!

Yup again. I have all the tremolo bars removed from all, (3), of my guitars. I'll only buy a hardtail this time. And I will look it over close. Everyone here has given me some great feedback.

 

[MDS]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

MIJs are DEFINITELY better. Unbelievable guitars. People talk about the golden age of Ibanez being the late 70s early 80s, but their current MIJ guitars are fantastic. I was playing the Scofield model the other day and it was just amazing. The Metheny is awesome too...I haven't played a Prestige in awhile, but I remember thinking very highly of them as well. There are MIJ models you can get through Japanese retailers that aren't available in the states. The AM200 comes to mind(I wanted this axe, but went with an '83 AM-50 for less than 1/2 the cash)....

Mike

 

[UCSDBoy]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

I think they can be nice guitars for the money. I have an MIM strat that got duncanized and many people consider that to be a great guitar for the value. I have a couple of MIK Ibanezes (an SZ and a 320?) and aside from the 320's cheap floyd I thought the quality was on par or better than what I got from my mexican strat. Gotta duncanize them though, the stock pickups/electronics suck! =)

 

[LesStrat]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

My experience has been that most of their solidbody guitars are designed for metalheads, with the obvious exception of the S series. The semi-hollowbody axes are SWEET. Overall, though, they produce high quality instruments at mid-range to the lower end of the the high range in prices. For around $1000, you can get a really nice axe that would cost much more if made by the American big dogs. IMHO.

 

[slash857]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

idk about the higher end ibanez, but i have a gax70, my dad had a thing for it so he bought it. i didnt liek it from the start. it was uncomfortable and the neck was way to small for me. time went on the bridge pickup broke. my dad comes home one day and got it with a gibson 500t. not a bad p'up, but for the price i would get duncan. so i still hate the thing. id NEVER buy an ibanez again solely from this experience.

 

[Bones]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

I hate to say this, but I think I scored the best Ibanez they made. S1220Mohagany

 

[bloodswords]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

Hi everyone… IMO ibanez has spruced up their non-Jap guitars to keep on par with the Jap models. My recent experience with the SZ model would account for this- it’s one of the best set neck, budget guitar around WRT tone & playability. I’m not saying everybody should ditch their guitars & go for ibanez but it’s only recently that they inject some sense into their mid/ lower end offerings…

 

[Rich_T]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

Their Artists absolutely rule. Especially a second hand early eighties one, which can be picked up on ebay pretty cheap still. You should definately check one out. A more managable les paul.

 

[Jono_L]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

idk about the higher end ibanez, but i have a gax70, my dad had a thing for it so he bought it. i didnt liek it from the start. it was uncomfortable and the neck was way to small for me. time went on the bridge pickup broke. my dad comes home one day and got it with a gibson 500t. not a bad p'up, but for the price i would get duncan. so i still hate the thing. id NEVER buy an ibanez again solely from this experience.

Judging all Ibanez axes with a GIO series axe, would be like judging the entire Fender line after playing a Squier

I'm very pleased with my MIJ 470 - its taken a fair share of abuse, a LOT of modding (to the point of where the parts cost more than my axe), but right now, I love it.

 

[UCSDBoy]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

Hi everyone… IMO ibanez has spruced up their non-Jap guitars to keep on par with the Jap models. My recent experience with the SZ model would account for this- it’s one of the best set neck, budget guitar around WRT tone & playability. I’m not saying everybody should ditch their guitars & go for ibanez but it’s only recently that they inject some sense into their mid/ lower end offerings…

I agree - it's also fun to be able to buy a relatively cheap, decent playing guitar just so you can mod the hell out of it. I wouldn't trust myself (at my level at any rate) to mod or set up a 1000+ dollar guitar... (Not that I don't want one badly! =))

CharlieC

 

[PerogyBoy]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

ok, this is my first post to the SD site.

I bought an Ibanez DT200 (Destroyer) last spring and I love it.
It feels great and has fantastic sustain. check out my bands website www.oldeschoolrocks.com for a pic of it.

HOWEVER, I have to adjust my amp (Marshall JCM900)
when I play it to get better highs than my other guitar, a 1979 start with a SD stacked humbucker in it. Since I want some better response (highs) from this Ibanez beauty, I am here at SD reading your posts. Sounds like the JB is a good choice.
I've downloaded all the sample MP3 sound clips, and made a CD from it. I will do some serious listening soon. All comments appreciated.

 

[matt99camero]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

I have a GAX70. I bought it because I loved the neck on that thing and the look isn't bad either. The action was set nice and low and the frets were pretty good. It had a little blimish in the wood under the paint on the back but no big deal. The stock pup's, well I think everyone would agree the Powersound pups leave something to be desired. After I threw a 59n/C-5b combo in there it sounded great(until my jacked up soldering job failed me). I also added some Gotch tuners cause the stock one's kinda suck. So I've got about $400 into it and I think it's well worth what I've put into it.

 

[Fiber-Optics]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

I like my friends SZ520, I love the neck and I love that quilt with the see thrue blue... oh man. It plays so nice, I like the neck joint it is pretty comfortable. If I didn't have a strat-style guitar already I would of bought one, but that explorer body got me good. Just 1 week till my Hamer Standard is in my hands!!

 

[Xeromus]

Re: Talk to me about Ibanez.

I owned a S-series similar to tone4day's axe. Made in the early 90's, prestige model, made in japan, not cheap at all. I remember it having the best action, fretwork, neck, overall sound, quality, and feel of ANY guitar I've ever played. Forget comparing it to an american strat, no comparison, beatiful finish, solid construction, everything about it was perfect.