Whats with the Ibanez JEM's?

[tmdiamond]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

I owned and played a Jem7VWH from probably '94 to last year. It had an alder body, ebony fretboard w/ the full vine of life, gold hardware, etc. I swore by that guitar the whole time I owned it. It could give you strat-like bell tones or scald your face off very easily. The neck was flat and thin and the fretboard was fast. The trem? Well, it never maintained it's tuning very well and I did a setup on it after every string change. Even had a pro do setups sometimes and it didn't help much. Other people told me their Jems were like that too so I figure it was a design flaw. When I bought my first Jackson, a DKMG, I thought it sounded as good for heavy stuff, played just as nicely if not faster, and was of equal quality. The Jem neck joint is excellent and the guitars look great. I always liked their take on the super-strat body shape. More pointy at the cutaways.
When I got a USA Soloist, the Jem was instantly retired. It has since been sold.
Ibanez Jem vs. USA Dinky or Soloist = no comparison IMO.

[slayer]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

It is true an Ibanex JEM is not even close to the value or quality of a USA Jackson anything. Jack.

[jjw]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

Jems are cool guitars with great necks.Is it as well made as a high priced Jackson?No way..lol

but you cant knock it for that,they play like a dream and the pyramid maple neck versions look amazing.There plastic inlays but does it matter?

If you want a great sounding and playing guitar then there are too many makers out there to choose from.Out of my guitars i would say they all play the same but the Jackson is built better

[edgar allan poe]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

"but you cant knock it for that,they play like a dream and the pyramid maple neck versions look amazing.There plastic inlays but does it matter?"

Yes...it matters when you pay $1700. Does it make the guitar sound bad? No. But where is the *value* in a JEM?

[fuel0707]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

Originally posted by edgar allan poe:
Yes...it matters when you pay $1700. Does it make the guitar sound bad? No. But where is the *value* in a JEM?

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">The JEM's perceived value by many is in the Vai connection. Those JEM fans are hardcore fanatics, though - they have a yearly JEM-fest convention and a dedicated website: JEM site and JEM Fest

I used to own a white Universe when they first came out. I was initially intrigued by the seven string concept. The guitar played well but I ended up selling it to get a PRS.

[quiksilver]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

I think JEMs look cool and have some smart features (e.g., output jack, contoured heel, etc.), and I'd love to own one someday (I love the DNA swirl above).

HOWEVER, I completely agree that the JEM does not compare, in terms of features or quality, with the USA Jackson Soloist, which offers better woods & inlay materials, neck-through construction, better parts (real Floyd Rose, SDs, metal covers) and Made in USA construction.

I think Ibanez cuts some corners with its top-load/pickguard electronics, bolt-on construction, cheaper plastic inlays and lesser qualilty woods, MIJ construction, etc. Jackson cuts NO corners with the USA Soloist, which offers far greater value for similar, or less, money.

You should really try both, though, because as someone above mentioned feeling more at home on a JEM, the opposite is true for me. I haven't been able to feel at home on a JEM, but most Jackson Soloists immediately feel great to me.

[Newc]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

I've played a few of the older JEMs (a Green signed by Vai and one or two Pink ones back in the day) and thought they played well. I don't mind the trem design and certainly don't mind having H-S-H, as it's a more versatile arrangement than H-S-S - what I didn't like was Ibanez' "Customer Service" (as they call it).
I wouldn't mind owning a used JEM, but it'd only be the early ones (Floral, Blue Floral, Green, Yellow, or Pink), with the maple board and vanishing pyramid inlays or rosewood and vines.

There's no way in hell I'd pay $1000 or close to it for a used one, and I certainly would not throw away money for a new one.

Vai's blood in the DNA paintjob: Where's the big deal in that? It doesn't make you a better player, or make the guitar sound better, ergo it's pointless.

And Basswood is inexpensive because it is plentiful, not because it can't be used for furniture and can't handle trans finishes.
Mahogany is used for furniture AND guitars, as is maple (saw some seriously nice flamed maple paneling in a house once - woulda kicked ass on a guitar), and those two are constantly going up in price for quality stock.

If Pine wasn't such a PAIN (and it never really dries out enough to use for a guitar) you'd find it in guitar bodies. You'd hafta use EMGs with it, though [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

Newc

[GiantBaba]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

Originally posted by Newc:
Vai's blood in the DNA paintjob: Where's the big deal in that? It doesn't make you a better player, or make the guitar sound better, ergo it's pointless.

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Well, by that logic, why have any paint at all? Why don't we all just play jazz boxes, with floating pickups('Cause, you know, pickups are magnetic, and that sucks tone, and having them affixed to that top sucks tone, blah blah blah)?

I was just pointing it out as interesting tidbit, not to make a "big deal", or even as the smallest selling point. I thought your comment was a teensy bit off-base. I'm not offended or angry in the slightest, I just wished to make my thoughts clearer...

[Chameleonfong]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

Originally posted by Newc:

Vai's blood in the DNA paintjob: Where's the big deal in that? It doesn't make you a better player, or make the guitar sound better, ergo it's pointless.

Newc

<font size="2" face="Verdana, Helvetica, sans-serif">Shhhhhh!!! A lot of people who bought the DNA will kill themselves if they found out that Vai's bloody didn't make them a guitar god.

So the story MUST GO ON!

YES, we love Vai and we are now blessed with his bloody in out DNA Jem and we'll be able to attain enlightenment and go to guitar heaven where all guitar god goes!


Bahahahahahaw [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]
Fong [img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[slayer]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

Rob, Holdsworths Carvins are Alder body with an Alder neck, it a big ass peice of Alder [img]images/icons/grin.gif[/img] I know nothing of Basswood, except I heard it isn`t nice in it`s natural form, better with solid or graphic colors? Wow, I din`t realize Basswood was expensive, it must not grow everywhere or in great quantities and I am not sure of it`s tone? Never owned a guitar with Basswood. Wow I think Ibanez JEMs are way overpriced, too each their own I guess. Jack.

[BTB007]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

[img]graemlins/laugh.gif[/img] at Fong!

About Vai's blood in the paint. For one thing, he will never do that again. And there were only 300 DNA's made. Hey, in 25 years when these things are selling for over $20,000, I'll be laughing all the way to the bank!

[edgar allan poe]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

Those prices are for bodies that are already cut. The raw material is cheaper than that. Warmouth is capitalizing on the popularity of Basswood as a tonewood for guitars. It would be the last place I would check for Basswood prices. Start here for a place to see raw wood prices...

http://www.gilmerwood.com/Default.htm

Gilmer is as good a wood place as you will find. Basswood is cheap because of its softness and visual aspects. Its too soft to be used in furniture, and it has ugly green mineral streaks in it...I have never seen a Basswood guitar finished in transparent colors. Again..that doesn't mean that it is a *bad* wood to use on a guitar. It *does* have an appealing tone...but I cannot justify spending $1700+ for Basswood.

[diablomozart]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

oh yeah...don't forget...the jems were based on a specific charvel...#3733 if i'm right? [img]images/icons/shocked.gif[/img] ...and the first year jems do play very much like charvels...d.m.

[skarhead]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

not all jems are b-asswood/rosewood
pre 2004 jem 7 wh (wvh ) - that white one , vine inlays all the way up the neck , gold hardware
had ebony fingerboard and alder body ( kinda like a bolt on soloist ? [img]images/icons/smile.gif[/img] )

[2Loud2Old]

Re: Whats with the Ibanez JEM\'s?

$20,000 dollars for a post-seventies, non Star-owned guitar?!? [img]graemlins/brow.gif[/img]

A USA Custom Shop Jackson double neck can't get $6000.00 on the open market..

How many 20 year old SD Charvels go for over $18,000????

But you think you'll get $25,000 in less than 30 years...

Tell me something, if Steve pissed in the paint, would it be worth more, or less?

What about if he jacked off????

I guess I don't understand the thrill of a butt-ugly paint job with someone's body fluids.

You got some high hopes there, dontcha [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Well, I suppose it might climb to $15,000... in about 500 years!

[ May 31, 2004, 02:27 AM: Message edited by: 2Loud2Old ]