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Ibanez Jem, overpriced RG ?

Crunchtime

By Crunchtime
in Electric Guitars

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Sekator Newbie

Sekator

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It's that little hand grip in the body you're paying for. And probably the name-brand Dimarzio Evolution or Blaze pickups (whereas I presume Ibanez installs their stock ones in their other RGs).

 

My friend has an original 92 Jem777DY and I have to admit it plays and sounds great, but I have a gut feeling I could find an axe for half that price that would be comparable.

 

Ah, forgot...the higher frets on the Jem are scalloped, which is quite an expensive job, so I guess that accounts for part of the cost too (but it's just 6 or 8 frets, not the entire neck).

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JoeBoy Newbie

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Originally posted by Crunchtime

I suppose there needs to be some extra price attatched due to Vai's association. Afterall, someone has to pay for all his free gear.

 

Sorry can't get past how Vai's association with Zappa {censored}ed Zappa up. And that handle. And those sucked in cheeks.

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LaXu Newbie

LaXu

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Originally posted by marloni

the Ibanez JEM 7Vwh is way overpriced. and people think eric johnson's strat is overpriced. the JEM is hardly any different from an RG550 or 770. that's why i don't intend to ever buy a JEM brand new.

 

 

Alder body vs. basswood, ebony fretboard vs. rosewood, scalloped higher frets, DiMarzio pickups, gold hardware. I think that's quite a few differences already. The JEM7V would be the only JEM I'd even consider, the rest are basically fancy RGs.

 

I'd take a J-Custom over a JEM though. Unfortunately this year Ibanez has discontinued all the cool models and are in a downward spiral IMO.

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V-Type Newbie

V-Type

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Ive thought the same about the Jem also. The upper end RG,s feel very close to the Jem's. I just cant see spending $1700 new for a guitar like that even with the few upgrades that it has. Id rather have a custom one built for that amount or get a GMW and keep some cash.

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TopJimmy5150 Newbie

TopJimmy5150

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I've owned both a '92 77BFP and an '89 RG550.

 

The neck profiles are very different. The JEM had a 12" radius that felt very different from the RG. The JEM was much more difficult to bend strings between the 12" radius and the floating trem.

 

The Jem had Dimarzio PAF-Pro pickups, while the RG had the V7 and V8's ("IBZ" = Ibanez-Dimarzio designed). The PAF-Pros lack the muddiness that the IBZ's posess, but their voicings are very similar otherwise.

 

The Jem had the Lo-Pro Edge bridge while the RG had the Standard Edge system. The Lo-Pro is definitely a superior unit.

 

The Jem was finished much better than the RG. I liked them both but as my tastes moved towards blues and jazz, they became unplayed and I eventually sold them both.

 

-Jay

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Panther Newbie

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Originally posted by LaXu



Alder body vs. basswood, ebony fretboard vs. rosewood, scalloped higher frets, DiMarzio pickups, gold hardware. I think that's quite a few differences already. The JEM7V would be the only JEM I'd even consider, the rest are basically fancy RGs.


I'd take a J-Custom over a JEM though. Unfortunately this year Ibanez has discontinued all the cool models and are in a downward spiral IMO.

 

 

Nowadays JEMs have rosewood fretboards.

 

Yea, I prefer 8670 over white JEM (and I bought 8670).

 

YEa, Ibanez discontinued 8670 and replaced it with a more expensive guitar with nonmatching headstock and rosewood fretboard....why?

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Crunchtime Newbie

Crunchtime

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I'm suprised to learn the Jem has a rounder radius. Odd for a shredder type image guitar. Anyway, it does have some nice features but, put it in the hands of someone that does not know who Vai is. Then tell them it is $1700. Watch them laugh in your face.

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Crunchtime Newbie

Crunchtime

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Sorry but I don't consider alder bodies and plastic inlays high end features. Alder is a good tone wood but is hardly expensive. I'm sure I could get a bolt-on Carvin with a original Floyd, alder body, ebony board,and stainless steel frets for under a grand. And, I would suspect it may even play better than the Jem.

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JoeBoy Newbie

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Originally posted by Kevman

How did Vai's association with Zappa {censored} up Zappa?

I've never heard the tale.

 

 

Zappa drifted away from guitar, and got into Midi. Not Vai's fault. I saw Zappa live at Armadillo World Headquarters. He was one bad ass on guitar. Listen to the Bongo Furry Album.

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Armitage Newbie

Armitage

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I have two JEMs, a 777VDY and a 7VWH. Are they all dressed up RGs with a few bucks added to the price that goes to Steve Vai cause it's got hius name on it? Of course they are. The whole RG design was brought to Ibanez by Steve Vai, the top of the line RG has his little personal details/idiosyncracies added, (and they change as he fancies).

 

Duh. What else do you think it is? Made by nude Pixes?

 

What do you guys think a Sig guitar IS? They're either copies of famous guitarists famous guitar, or a personally all dressed up version.

 

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Toshiro Newbie

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The Jem neck doesn't have a rounder radius. It's the same 430mm that Wizard neck has.

 

http://www.ibanez.co.jp/japan/products/eg/page/JEM7V_WH.html Click on the "Neck Dimensions" link on that page for the specs of a JEM neck. :)

 

The JEM7V is the only model with an alder body, all the rest are basswood.

 

The only other differences between an RG and JEM are the grip, claw rout, vine/pyramid inlay, Dimarzios, and thicker neck profile.

 

The only playablity difference on the guitar is the neck profile, if you like a thicker profile the JEM will feel better to you than an upper-end RG. Some JEMs came with the Wizard profile though(JEM7DBK, PBK, VDY, etc) so don't take this as an absolute.

 

Very few models have had the top 4 frets scalloped since the All Access Neck Joint came out, Vai didn't feel the guitar needed it anymore. Scallopping those 4 frets is an easy ass job BTW, hardly worth any type of huge up-charge.

 

The only tone difference will be the Alder body, now that the ebony board is gone from the JEM line, and the Dimarzios. This is a personal preference, alder doesn't automatically sound better than basswood, and not everyone likes the Evolution/Breed pickups. Considering only one model has the Alder, and only one or two had ebony, most JEMs won't sound any different from an RG with Dimarzios popped in.

 

All the rest are purely cosmetic things.

 

They come off the exact same CNC machines at Fujigen either way, so don't try to tell me they're better made than any other Prestige Ibanez. :p

 

As to the origins of the RG/JEM. The JEM body was made first, with Steve's input. The RG-series was changed soon after(they used to have Roadstar bodies) to the same body shape to become a cheaper alternative to the JEM line.

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