Quality of Indonesian Jacksons vs. old school MIJ?

[DanzoStrife]

I want to know what the quality difference is between the newer Indonesian Jacksons vs the MIJ counterparts are. There's actually some things I like about the Indonesian ones that I can't get from the Japanese ones since only the USA models had them (Ergonomic neck heel, light weight Basswood etc) But, I haven't been too impressed by an Indo guitar yet.

*Fretwork, tolerances, scratchy knobs, stays in tune, alignment of items, quality of metals*

But I trust your guys comparisons.
Shoot away!

[Mudlark]

Simple fact is you'll need to judge them individually. It seems more duds are getting through these days at all price points.

A well made Indonesian guitar has the potential to be as good as anything in it's range.

[DanzoStrife]

I'm new to this forum so I must ask, do you think most people are satisfied with their RRXMGs? I'm gonna sift through some posts, but maybe u know offhand.

[Mudlark]

Yes, put RRXMG in the search bar at the top of the page.

I've seen a lot of them pass through on the facebook Jackson Forums. I'd have to say the majority are happy with the Indo Pros, but there have been haters...oftentimes with good reason. Some people are extremely picky, too. But, a $1000+ guitar shouldn't have playability issues.

Make sure there's a return option when you purchase. I wouldn't be too worried, but prepare for the worst and expect the best.
Like I say, some people have compared them to their USA's in build quality and playability.

edit: I was wrongly speaking of the Indonesian Pro series. The RRXMG is a MG series. Still, the same pretty much applies to the MG as the Pro series.

[TKEblue]

Kind of a rambling, so I apologize. But this is my opinion.

I'm turned off of them based on price. It just bothers me that they're so expensive yet made in Indonesia. More expensive than the MIJs, so I personally would expect as high, or even higher quality. That's just not how things work though.

At around $1k, there's also just so much competition. You've got all the WMI guitars with better specs and a famed build quality for one. Also for $1k, if you went used you can get an incredible instrument, could even find MIA (I've seen DK-1s go for as low as $800 and RR1s for not a whole lot more, and I don't pay a lot of attention). Or for $1k you could buy an original MIJ DK2M, a MIJ RG1570, and a used amp (my typical thought process lol).


I have played a few of them and I had no issues with them other than the neck feeling almost plasticized on some. I haven't come across any with bad fretwork, though I have read about some having the nut shelf too high, but that's about it. For me it just comes down to principal of it being MII. Not that I wouldn't own one, I just couldn't get myself to pay a new price for one. I think they're fine instruments, just nothing jumps out at me to pay that much for one. Also I'm cheap. Lol
I do like the more modern approaches being taken though.

This also makes me curious about resell value down the line. MIJ resale is already garbage..what will MII be like down the line. It's tough watching used mim fenders go for nearly double an MIJ dinky.

Not really part of it but I've also noticed that it seems like RRs and Dinkys get hit the hardest on the used market.

[DanzoStrife]

TKEblue: I'm totally with u man . I don't feel good about having MII guitars or anything. I mean i know if u mod a guitar to get it better than some higher end MIJ, the resale value will still be the same as an unmodified MII. Why not just buy the best version? the MII stamp is permanent.
The MIJ Dk2m looks pretty good, I don't own it, but I think i would really enjoy it. Or the RR5. I think I could land me a used near Mint condition RR5 Mij right $500? I might need a $200 plek/setup but now we have an outstanding guitar, but still have $300 to put into an Ibanez S470.

Yea, you're right the RR guitars are flooding the market. I can take my pick, and since there's so many, finding a good one might not be hard since they are trying to compete and sell low. It's too bad since MIJ has been superior quality. Their Licenced trem never went out of tune on me. For two weeks straight, I didn't need to tune the damn thing at all, even didn't need to touch the fine tuners. I had played that Kelly everyday up to my trip to leave to Korea. So essentially, it never got tuned!

About your quote at the bottom, did you quote that from BodyofWork video? And when I think of Lamborghini's of guitars, I think of the Randy Rhoads. Really fast and exotic looking. Fender Strat being the old 50s seafoam beach car haha.

[DanzoStrife]

my last post didn't even go through, why is it under moderation?

[DanzoStrife]

my last post didn't even go through, why is it under moderation?

[DanzoStrife]

This is weird, I can't delete my posts and my original post with a very nice well detailed opinion to TKEblue said it was under moderation.

But anyways, I basically said I agreed with him. I could very well get an MIJ RR5, tune it up and still get myself a nice Ibanez S540, and have much more money leftover.
With MII, even if u modify it to a level of Japan, it still has the MII sticker and the resale value is still the same as before it was modified.

[Mudlark]

Country of manufacture should mean nothing to anyone. There are enough beautifully made MII's out there to at least give them a chance.

[TKEblue]

The quote is from Micheal Angelo Batio's "Speed Kills" DVD.

[DanzoStrife]

Mudlark: well country of manufacture means consistency to me, or quality ratio. I know for sure the MIJ would have less bad apples. I know its quite possible to get a good MII that's why i'm still interested and haven't knocked it just yet.
But for sure, I wouldn't be able to just order online and get 9/10 good ones. It might be a 50/50 chance. I'd have to buy it directly from the store, it would be a risk.
I know from the Ibanez Indo guitars I've played were total junk. Lots of issues that were overlooked , bad quality control. I wouldn't recommend them at all.

TKEblue: I should have known that, i am a student Metal Method. I'm too noob to start the Speed Kills course though.

[Mudlark]

I summed up my feelings in my first post.

Indo's have the potential to be at least as good as a Japanese model, but more duds are getting through.

I say 'a least' because some models have better/more expensive specs during Indonesian production. The RR3 is an example of this.
Ebony offered in Indonesia
FRT 01000 Series Floyd over the MIJ JT580LP
Matching headstocks are far more prevalent on Indo models than MIJ

Same can be said about the upgraded specs offered on the Mexican DK2 over the MIJ version.

[DanzoStrife]

Mudlark: YEA, that's a good point. A lot of the MIJs were offered lower quality hardware. Tho, I really liked my licensed Floyd, never went out of tune. It's another thing to think about and I will look at the models individually. It all depends on what's available and what deals are out there. I'll take whatever feels better Thanks

[DanzoStrife]

Oh, wait the RRXMG is made in INDIA and also isn't $1000 mentioned above, but $700. This changes things a little. http://www.zzounds.com/item--JAC2916320?siid=110552