Almost bought a JEM today

[shramiac]

All the knock-offs have a dodgy Floyd on them. They've never really tried to make copies of the various versions of The Edge wangbar!

The newer made in Indonesia Premium range (including the sea foam green Jem) seem to be built to a very high quality.

My '89 Jem has the crappiest scallop job on it, so even the "top shop" can get it wrong! Still love it though...............reminds me, I gotta get that re-fretted!!!

[PowerTube]

I wouldn't mind a bit to have a JEM, as long as it's a real one. I like the vine inlays and I also sort of like some of the neon stuff on them.

[Chad]

Japanese Ibanez are good stuff. I haven't had a recent model non-Japan Ibanez, but did have a couple in the 90s. They were Korean and average.

JEMs are generally excellent guitars, but I agree they are overpriced for what they are IMO. A lot of the asking price must be going to Vai.

[PowerTube]

JEMs are generally excellent guitars, but I agree they are overpriced for what they are IMO.

That's my only real beef with them. After seeing this JEM on Saturday, it has me wanting one. But now I'm also worried about getting stuck with a fake if I go used and I'm definitely not spending close to $3000.00 for a new one.

[straycat]

I tried to buy an 87 JEM in LNG but the guy changed his mind.#400 of 777.
Found a desert Yellow JEM with the disappearing pyramid inlays and the guy wouldn't budge off $2500.
It was beat really hard and I offered $900 and he declined so I walked away.

[leftykingv2]

I tried to buy an 87 JEM in LNG but the guy changed his mind.#400 of 777.
Found a desert Yellow JEM with the disappearing pyramid inlays and the guy wouldn't budge off $2500.
It was beat really hard and I offered $900 and he declined so I walked away.

I don't blame you for walking....Those pyramid inlays were construction paper anyways! People probably think I am kidding but I'm not. I don't know about the disappearing ones but a buddy of mine had one with the pyramids and he refinished the whole neck refretted and sanded the whole thing. When he sanded the fret board down to get all of the dirt and oil out of the maple board and the clear coat came off the inlays were paper. I didn't believe him when he told me over the phone and the very next time I went to his place he showed them to me. I was honestly shocked that a guitar of this quality and price went so cheap on inlays.

[Chad]

I have a JEM7BRMR (the Bad Horsie mirrored one), but haven't played it for awhile. Need to dig it out and play it some.

[leftykingv2]

I have a JEM7BRMR (the Bad Horsie mirrored one), but haven't played it for awhile. Need to dig it out and play it some.

I'll bet it's a beast just like my Jems too isn't it?

[PowerTube]

I don't blame you for walking....Those pyramid inlays were construction paper anyways! People probably think I am kidding but I'm not. I don't know about the disappearing ones but a buddy of mine had one with the pyramids and he refinished the whole neck refretted and sanded the whole thing. When he sanded the fret board down to get all of the dirt and oil out of the maple board and the clear coat came off the inlays were paper. I didn't believe him when he told me over the phone and the very next time I went to his place he showed them to me. I was honestly shocked that a guitar of this quality and price went so cheap on inlays.

Holy cow!

[pianoguyy]

Many cheaper guitars use thin inlays.

[leftykingv2]

Holy cow!

It was a god awful looking guitar anyway bro. It was Juicy Fruit bubble gum pack yellow. I am including a pic of the exact model. Wait till you see it. My God it's bad!!!

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.ibanezjemguitar.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Ibanez-Jem-DY.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ibanezjemguitar.com/tag/ibanez-jem-dy/&h=355&w=1098&sz=27&tbnid=zv62JnRisBS9rM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=278&zoom=1&usg=__J2s3JiF0QZHInQpk9Mg8vgiGbJU=&docid=oefJJM7qkho1MM&sa=X&ei=_4ymUsCmD6TMsQTy2YLAAw&ved=0CE0Q9QEwAQ

[leftykingv2]

Many cheaper guitars use thin inlays.

It wasn't a cheap guitar by any means. It was somewhere around 2K back in 1990 IIRC when he got it.

[straycat]

The only JEM I have had was the BSB version and it played great and sounded huge.Just ugly as hell.
Seems they are very hard to find these days.

[shramiac]

I have two yellow with vine inlays Jems!!! :think:

[Big Al]

Can you go back to the pawn shop and take pictures and get the serial number? If it is not a knock off and is the model pictured...you want to get this JEM despite the issues. Resale value would be well worth your effort.

Concerning the stripped tremolo post, there is a small set/locking screw inside the tremolo post. It takes a small allen wrench to back it off. They are there to keep the post from rotating during use. May or may not be the reason the post feels like it is stripped.