hezochiah Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Hey, I need some input from all you Ibanez junkies. I'm thinking of selling my Floyd Rose Strat, but would want to get a cheaper guitar to replace it, but that would still be a good guitar. I know there are some real nice Ibanez guitars but was wondering if this was one of them. I might be able to get one for about $325. Just wondering what you guys thought. Thanks in advance... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the third eye Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 well it's korean made, 22 frets, lo trs2 trem or Zero rocker trem(2003 models) 22 frets- comes down to personal preferance, personally i love those extra 2 on the 24fret necks because even if you still only go to 22 you have much better, more comfortable access if you use the trem a lot you really don't want the lo trs as it's weaker cheaper and less stable i have no idea what the zero rocker is like the ibanez edge and lo pro edge are awesome and are standard on the (before 2003) higher model s series, jems and Universes and RG5xx and higher also ibanez pickups tend to be crap so you may want to consider changing them some(signature models and others) already have custom dimarzio...etc pickups anyway as for being korean made, made in japan is much better(quality and attention to detail and just feels nicer) but the korean guitars are still very good japan made guitars include RG5xx and higher, jems, universes and many others personally i'd look for something better for $325 you could get a nice RG5xx actually i'm in the process of buying an RG7620 for $300 at the moment and before i decided whose to buy i had about 5 people offering me RG7620s for between $300 and $400 incase you don't know the RG7620 is a japan made, Lo pro edge equipped 7 string hope it helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hezochiah Posted June 24, 2003 Author Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 I'm just kind of clueless when it comes to Ibanez guitars. I just know that my first electric was a cheap EX series that was a great first guitar. I kind of wish I still had it just to shred on and not worry about beating it up. I have someone who might buy my strat for about $750 so I was looking for something between $300 - $450 to replace it and leave me with at least $300 extra smackers. I might just buy some wood and a neck and start my first project since I keep telling myself I will. Anyway, thanks for the info... I appreciate it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the third eye Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 you should checkout www.jemsite.com the forum over there is host to the largest group of ibanez lovers.. probably in the world Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 Ibanez started moving production of it's 4xx series guitars to Japan in 1996-7, so the country of origin may very well be japan. Pickups are a personal preference deal. I know more than a couple of people who are really into the sound of Ibanez S series pickups, at least two gigging musicians (one of them an Ibanez endorsee) that I know. Also the last two Pitchshifter albums were made using those pickups. Personally the Ibanez pickups in my RG7421 sound worlds better than the DiMarzios in my RG7620. I'm almost positive that the S420 came with the Lo-TRS not the LO-TRS2 which is TRS's "entry level" low profile bridge. Either way the TRS is a fine bridge which will treat you as well as you treat it. For $325 you can find a higher-end model used on eBay if you're willing to look for it. I'm assuming you're talking USD and you're in the states. Quite frankly, if you're looking for a low-to-mid level guitar I would avoid Jemsite like the plague. While they often have good information about higher-end guitars, there's an incredible bias against guitars with a sub $1000 MSRP that leads to self-perpetuating misinformation (all 4xx series guitars are made in Korea is one of the most common and easily disproven of these. The other is "everybody says the TRS sucks" when only, maybe 4 people had played the TRS and they're evenly divided) on anything that's not at least an RG5xx. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 I forgot to say this, if you can play the guitar before you buy it, do it (this goes for every guitar). The biggest fault I have with Ibanez guitars is their tendency to have itty-bitty "shredder" necks which can be uncomfortable for those of us with bigger hands. The S series of guitars also has that uber-thin body which takes some getting used to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the third eye Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 yeah definitely play atleast something similar before buying, as for the TRS personally i have played many trs and many edge equipped guitars so it's not as if i don't know what i'm talking about i have definitely seen specs of the s470 that say it has the trs2 GEdwardJones, you said the s420 had a trs, did you mean the 470? pickups are definitely personal preference, my advice was simply based on what in my eyes has been in the majority the thing is because models tend to change over the years certain things can change like place of manufacture, bridges..etc PS: yes jemsite is biased toward high end guitars, but i've still learnt a lot of factual info about low end guitars as well and yes, korean made ibanez guitars are mostly disliked but it's not without some sort of justification the fact remains that the japan made guitars generally feel a hell of a lot better just my Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 It's good that you've played many a TRS. you'd be the exception, not the rule. Even then have you lived with one or played a poorly set-up guitar store model? 420 and 470 should come with the same level of equipment, the number refers to the pickup configuration, that is all. It's possible that some of them come with the TRS2. It's important to make the distinction, however. Generally speaking 4xx Ibanezes are loaded with the TRS, 3xx Ibanezes are loaded with the TRS2 Pickups are personal preference. Of the people I do know who play Ibanezes (myself included). Some people love IBZ pickups, some people don't care. Nobody really *HATES* them. I think part of this goes to a name-brand obsession by people "These have got to sound better because they say DiMarzio." Blindfolded I'd bet most people wouldn't care. The place of manufacture of Ibanez RG470s has been japan since 1996, it has not changed in *SEVEN* years and I guarantee you that if I went to Jemsite right now 90% of the people there would call it a "cheap Korean guitar." Since that place has a bias towards high-end guitars there isn't actually any reason for people to try to *NOT* be wrong about lower-end models because nobody cares about lower-end models. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the third eye Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 not many people really hate any pickups as the only reason to change your view of one is to compare it to something else but IMHO sometimes there can be big differences between pickups i've played a couple of trs trems in shops but mostly on friends guitars 5 or 6 different guitars probably to be precise i didn't know the 470 was made in japan I tend to wrongly assume(not because of jemsite but cos of ibanez trends) most ibanez guitars 4xx and under are korean made so thanks, ya learn something new everyday Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rokstr Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 I forgot to say this, if you can play the guitar before you buy it, do it (this goes for every guitar). The biggest fault I have with Ibanez guitars is their tendency to have itty-bitty "shredder" necks which can be uncomfortable for those of us with bigger hands. The S series of guitars also has that uber-thin body which takes some getting used to. I agree with this...I played an Ibanez for about 4 years (until it was stolen). After that I went to playing American Standard Strats and Les Pauls. The necks are much more comfortable for my large hands. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted June 24, 2003 Report Share Posted June 24, 2003 I was one of the first people on the Jemsite forum. That place never seems to change. Ibanez numbering convention (1-2-3-4-5) has held that the 4 series guitars have been produced in Japan for a while now, literally since before there was a Jemsite forum, but the people there still get it wrong. The funny thing about giving a judgement on a subjective thing such as "pickup sound" is that it IS subjective. For instance, I detest the sound of Ibanez S1/S2 pickups, however a buddy of mine (Ibanez endorsee even) loves them to death. I prefer the sound of the S7-7 and S7-8 pickups to the New Blaze pickups, which I think are trash, and the old IBZ USA pickups are my favorite pickups in the whole world. I had a TRS trem on my primary guitar for six years. Ironically enough that bridge has given me less problems than any of the Edge trems I own. My advice, whenever someone asks for advice about a guitar is "play it." Because, as you can see, no two people are going to agree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the third eye Posted June 25, 2003 Report Share Posted June 25, 2003 exactly Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott D. Posted July 11, 2003 Report Share Posted July 11, 2003 I have big hands, and I have an ibanez rg, its custom... but its got the wizard neck which is REALLY thin, but i like it. its easy to stand up and jam with... But I do like the fatter necks like on a PRS or a Gibson, but I really dont have a neck preference. - Scott PS.- If you get an ibanez... Get some EMG's Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Guitars Posted July 11, 2003 Report Share Posted July 11, 2003 Personally the Ibanez pickups in my RG7421 sound worlds better than the DiMarzios in my RG7620. This comment was a faux paux in the Ibanez catalogue's, the 7620 didn't have dimarzio blaze pickups in it, it has the standard Ibanez 7 pickups in it that the 7420 was supposed to have. there were a couple different versions of each, but a phone call with hoshino told me that the RG7's never came with dimarzio's in them. Just a little FYI based on what I was told. (which could still be wrong ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott Rosenberger Posted July 11, 2003 Report Share Posted July 11, 2003 Personally the Ibanez pickups in my RG7421 sound worlds better than the DiMarzios in my RG7620. This comment was a faux paux in the Ibanez catalogue's, the 7620 didn't have dimarzio blaze pickups in it, it has the standard Ibanez 7 pickups in it that the 7420 was supposed to have. there were a couple different versions of each, but a phone call with hoshino told me that the RG7's never came with dimarzio's in them. Just a little FYI based on what I was told. (which could still be wrong ) The pickups in my 7620 are Dimarzios, The say so on the bottom Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LGM Guitars Posted July 11, 2003 Report Share Posted July 11, 2003 Right, they are the made for Ibanez by dimarzio, like V7's and V8's etc, I worded it wrong, the Ibanez catalogue for a couple years said they came equipped with Blaze 7's, and that was never the case, my mistake in wording Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GEdwardJones Posted July 12, 2003 Report Share Posted July 12, 2003 Personally the Ibanez pickups in my RG7421 sound worlds better than the DiMarzios in my RG7620. This comment was a faux paux in the Ibanez catalogue's, the 7620 didn't have dimarzio blaze pickups in it, it has the standard Ibanez 7 pickups in it that the 7420 was supposed to have. there were a couple different versions of each, but a phone call with hoshino told me that the RG7's never came with dimarzio's in them. Just a little FYI based on what I was told. (which could still be wrong ) To clear this completely up. The Ibanez catalog for the first couple of years identified the pickups in the RG7620 as "Blaze 7", the same pickups that are in the Universe. The pickups in the RG are NOT that pickup, they are a similar, but quite different pickup that I've seen referred to as both "New Blaze" and "Blaze II" *I think the consensus is that "New Blaze" is their proper name). They *ARE* DiMarzio sourced and branded OEM pickups, tho. The 74 series guitars (7420 and 7421) both came with Ibanez branded (but I believe DiMarzio designed) V7-7/V7-8 pickups, which are 7-stringe versions of Ibanez's standard pickups. Trust me, if you play them side by side there's NO WAY you couldn't tell hte difference. Mostly because the DiMarzios sound like crap. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scott D. Posted July 13, 2003 Report Share Posted July 13, 2003 I would take a nice EMG over a DiMarzio anyday, but i could get 2 dimarzios for the price of 1 emg lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the third eye Posted July 13, 2003 Report Share Posted July 13, 2003 if it was me i'd actually prefer dimarzio, they seem to sound warmer to me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
canuckguitarist Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 All of the Ibanez S-Series come with either a 'Wizard' or 'Wizard II' neck, this tends to be a problem for people for people in your case, going from a 'C - Shaped' fender strat neck (i think thats what it comes with) to an ibanez Wizard super thin neck. The new ibanez will probably take quite a bit of getting used to (moreso than other guitars). My first guitar was an ibanez SA160qm (with an SA neck, fatter than wizard) and now, when i play most other guitars, the necks feel huge and bulky. Just something to keep in mind..... Aaron Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
the third eye Posted July 17, 2003 Report Share Posted July 17, 2003 hehe..my first ibanez was an sa160bk still got it but i'm hoping to offload it asap Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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