|
home | jem/universe | ibanez | setup | forum | reviews | vendors | buy & sell | links | etcetera | search |
![]() - - - support jemsite - - - |
![]() - - - jemsite sponsor - - - |
![]() - - - jemsite sponsor - - - |
Quick Jump: Forum | Ibanez/Jemsite.com | JEM/UV Guitars
Related Links: Forum
YES. There are also some rules and regulations of the Jemsite Forum, being that this is a private and moderated board. Jemsite Forum is a friendly place to hang out, learn and exchange ideas & information. Just as your opinion will be respected, it is critical that you respect other members as well.
When you registered, you read and agreed to the basic Terms of Service of the forum. Click the REGISTER link at the forum to reread the basic Terms of Service.
The Forum Administrator & Moderators participate in the forum and assist members as needed. In short they make the forum a better place to participate. They are not to be argued with when enforcing forum rules and guidelines. Anyone arguing with an Administrator/Moderator against disciplinary measures will be banned from the forum. First for two weeks, then on second offense permanently.
Certain members will be tagged as a Endorsed , Sponsor or V.I.P.(Very Important Person). Here is an explanation.
Tagged Members - Certain forum members are distinguished with these tags. These members have enhanced credibility and for a variety of reasons. Due to their background, experience & knowledge. They offer their time to help better inform and enlighten other Jemsite Forum Members. Do not unnecessarily challenge these members or engage in needless debate. Please do not email asking to be a V.I.P.
Suspended Members: Violation of the Rules/FAQ, in spirit or verbatim, will result in an immediate 14-day suspension, WITHOUT WARNING. Any subsequent violations will result in your permanent ban and instruction to leave permanently. A record of Suspended members is visible here
ABBREVIATED VERSION OF THE FORUM RULES
PLEASE READ THESE BEFORE POSTING:
One member account per person with valid email (can be kept private).
The following is prohibited on the Jemsite Forum.
PROHIBITED TYPE OF CONTENT:
- Advertising, spam, referral links, free ipod/anything or other solicitations for sales (barring a prior prearranged agreement). This includes dealer/reseller ads in *any* forum area, as well as advertisement for personalized services. More Classified Rules here
- Advertisements or links to Live Auctions, except for charity auctions.
- Outside discussion, opinion and commentary in Classifieds / For Sale Topics.
- Multiple duplicate posts across several topic areas. Post ONCE in the correct forum area and please don't post the same thing five times.
- Wild, unsubstantiated rumors & speculations.
- Politics, race, religion, nationality, or similar type of discussion/debate.
- Terrorism discussion or other related topics.
- Using the public Forum to discuss private matters - take it to EMAIL please.
- Bootlegging, Piracy or discussion about other ILLEGAL activities.
- Using misleading or inappropriate topic titles.
PROHIBITED TYPE OF BEHAVIOUR/DECORUM:
- Taking the forum too seriously... keep it fun!
- Discussion about suspended, banned members and/or past & present disciplinary action.
- Insensitivity to other members
- Profanity or harsh language
- Incoherent messages, littered with spelling errors and formatting errors.
- Personal attacks or slanderous accusations of other members, moderators, companies or people.
- Public questioning or complaints about jemsite, forum software, word filters, the forum admin/moderators and/or their actions
- Posts and replies that say "e-mail me for info" instead of just posting info for others to share (except for private or other discussions best left off-line)
- Grandstanding & Exibitionism - making a controversial or absurd post to elicit replies and argument
- Drama and martyrdom. Some examples would include "me Vs the world" posts
- Complaning about, or attempting to humiliate a SPONSOR without first discussing the situation privately with JEMSITE.
- Spamming or inappropriate posting on OTHER forums based on links, conversations or threads on other forums discussing jemsite, discussion on jemsite, or jemsite members.
- Sharing usernames or multiple usernames. One person, one username.
Almost every "opinion" is welcome. Exchanging ideas and opinions in a respectful way is what makes jemsiteforum stand out. Notable exceptions would be commentary such as this (these are JUST A FEW EXAMPLES):
- Messages that are disrespectful to other members
- Anti-Korn (or other band) flamebait
- Anti-Fender (or other brand guitar) flamebait
- Posting strong opinion about gear which you are not familiar with. If you don't know... ASK... and you will surely get help!
- TRS outperforms the Edge/LoPro or Korean Ibanez guitars are better than Japanese made Ibanez guitars. This is simply *impossible* if both are setup properly and in good, working condition
- JEM/UVs suck donkey ballz or 555s rulez d00dz type of posts that are designed to incite replies and anger
- Other posts geared to creating havoc and disruptions
If someone has a problem with SOMEONE else, use private e-mail and CC the Jemsite Administrator. All cross-complaints to the PUBLIC forum will be promptly removed and your account "banned" for two-weeks minimum.
Do not debate the forum Administrator or Moderators about rules, guidelines & changes.
CLASSIFIED ADS: If you participate in the Classified Ads, please read and follow these additional GUIDELINES. All transactions are strictly at your own risk.
FORUM RULES & GUIDELINES
1. In order to use all the features of this Forum you must first register.
2. A valid email address is required so please be advised that if you do not provide a valid email address, and you violate any forum rules, your account will be deleted. Email is our only contact to you and can be kept "hidden" from the public by using the PROFILE link.
3. While we encourage lively discussion, we will not tolerate personal attacks. Any person attacking another forum member, will receive a warning and have their message removed. Any future incident thereafter, will result in that member being removed from the forum.
VERY IMPORTANT...
If you have a problem with another member's comments in a posted thread, DO NOT respond with any further comments that will aggravate the situation. Members have two options of recourse....
A. Email the moderators, directing them to the individual and thread that the problem occurs in.
B. Resolve the problem between both of you via email.
Reacting to a hostile post with more hostility puts YOU in jeopardy, and risks your account from being deleted.
If you have a complaint against one of the moderators or administrators handle this in private email not in the forum. Doing so will result in your membership being removed.
4. The discussion of politics, race or religion on this forum, except in relation to how they are portrayed in music/songs is not allowed on this forum.
5. Members are to respect the designated TOPIC AREAS when posting their message. Those who post messages that do not relate to the topic area, will have the threads closed or the posts deleted.
6. Please do not post any profanity (harsh or mild) on the forum. That goes for the TOPIC/SUBJECT or in the MESSAGE itself. Do not attempt to override the curse-filter, or to abbreviate curses.
7. Dealer advertising is prohibited in the posting area of the forum. The advertisers on this forum assume all responsibility for content and truth in advertising regarding their advertisement. Associates and agents may not advertise or use referral links to advertise for their respective e-commerce sites.
8. The opinions and comments made in the posts written by our members are the rights to and the responsibility of the individual member. Jemsite Forum assumes no responsibility of the content expressed or implied by its membership.
9. The inclusion of pictures within messages is allowed on this site. Referring to images on other sites should be done so sparingly if at all. This not only uses up bandwidth between sites but often the images are copyrighted and protected by that site. They are not to be included on our site without the express written permission of the owner of the copyrighted image(s).
10. Forum rules & guidelines are not up for debate. This is not a democracy, but rather a private forum. Anyone openly debating the rules we have set in place will be removed. Moderators/Admins & V.I.Ps of this forum are not to be argued with when enforcing forum rules and guidelines. Anyone arguing with a Moderator against disciplinary measures will be removed from the forum.
11. We reserve the right to delete memberships for any reason with or without prior warning. You agree, through your use of this service, that you will not use the Forum to post any material which is knowingly false and/or defamatory, inaccurate, abusive, vulgar, hateful, harassing, obscene, sexually oriented, threatening, invasive of a person's privacy, or otherwise violative of any law. You agree not to use the addresses of any member on the forum for any other purpose than personal communication with that member.
12. We reserve the right to delete any message for any or no reason whatsoever. You remain solely responsible for the content of your messages, and you agree to indemnify and hold harmless, Jemsite Forum and their agents with respect to any claim based upon transmission of your message(s). We reserve the right to revoke your membership to the forum or disable your posting ability for any or no reason whatsoever.
Click the "Edit" icon in the message and make your changes. The software will annotate the message with the "edit" time and date. You cannot edit messages in the Classified Forums for buyer/seller fraud protection.
To post to the forum you need to register. Here's how:
- Click the Register link in the forum
- Enter your name & email address and other optional information
- Press Submit and your password will be emailed to the email address you specified within 5 minutes. This ensures a valid password and email address. Without a valid email address you cannot post to the discussion board
When the email arrives you can use the "Profile" link to change the password.
If you have lost your password:
- Click the Lost Password link in the forum and fill out the forum
Note - your username is CaSe SenSitIve. Upper and lower case matters.- Your new password will be e-mailed to you within 5 minutes.
- Click the Profile link in the forum to set a new password
If you forgot your username or it's not working:
- Try a different variations in spelling and capitalization
- Email your "username" to a Moderator to see if your name can be searched.
- If this fails you must simply Register again as a new user.
What is the difference between Hoshino & Ibanez? I've heard the name "Chesbro" tossed around too... please explain.
Ibanez is the name brand of a large Japanese guitar company run by Hoshino of Japan. In the USA there are two guitar distributors for Ibanez brand guitars. The eastern & central USA is serviced by Hoshino USA out of Bensalem, PA. The western USA distributor for Ibanez guitars is Chesbro for reasons unknown. The two Ibanez distributors in the USA are by all reports out of synch and this explains much of the miscommunication, cross-talk and other Ibanez customer service anomalies.
The customer service phone support and Ibanez & Tama web sites are run by Hoshino USA in Pennsylvania.
Who really runs Jemsite.com? Is it sponsored by Ibanez or Steve Vai? Do you know Steve?
Jemsite is owned and "run" by Glen G. Cianciulli. Jemsite.com is not affiliated with Ibanez, Steve Vai or any jemsite.com advertisers, sponsors or vendors. Neither Ibanez or Steve Vai are sponsors of Jemsite.com. I do not know Steve Vai more than any other "fan" or jemsite.com visitor would. The discussion forum is graciously moderated by the fine individuals listed. Please be kind to them and thankful for their help.
Does Ibanez or Hoshino decision makers visit Jemsite.com? Does the discussion on Jemsite.com and the Jemsiteforum.com matter?
Officially they must deny it. Frankly, we are all aware of Ibanez' deficient web presence and absent web based support, feedback and customer service which should flourish via the internet.
In all reality however, Ibanez USA customer service does monitor Jemsite.com on a somewhat regular basis. The quality control rumors and reports are one area in particular that the internet and Jemsite.com has helped bring to a swell and I'm told that actions were taken as a result of these reported "problems". Keep in mind that just a few years ago there was no worldwide vehicle for shared ideas, opinions and pointing out of trouble spots. Kudos to Ibanez for at least keeping an open ear and open mind. Other gripes such as the "custom shop" or "why can't Ibanez build me a custom guitar" or "why is there no lefty Universe" are just beating a dead horse and will rightfully fall on deaf ears. It's smart to pick and choose the important battles.
Does Steve Vai visit Jemsite.com?
Steve posted a few times prior to vai.com's forum overhaul when his bandmate, Dave Weiner showed him the site. You can search his posts as username "HIMSELF"
I want to get my guitar (or other item) autographed by Steve Vai. Can you help?
Simply wait in line like the rest of use! In all honesty Steve is easy going and very accommodating to fans. Whenever Steve makes an appearance or at shows there is a great chance he will sign your item. In the past G3, Fire Garden & UltraZone tours www.vai.com has made available to members of Greasy Kid Stuff after show passes to meet Steve *when possible*. See vai.com for more info on GKS the official Steve Vai fan club.
Does Ibanez give you free guitars? How much $$$ does Jemsite.com bring in?
Yes. I have one of each model JEM & Universe ever made courtesy of Ibanez... in my dreams. If Ibanez had it's way they would probably charge it's own employees for toilet paper in their office. Free guitars... very funny... hahahaha. Jemsite.com pays so well that I work two real jobs! Financially speaking, Jemsite.com is a drain of time & money. Recently sponsors have been added to put a stop to the "money pit". Web hosts, www software, forum software, etc. that keep piling up. The rewards are the interaction with the wonderful community of great guests & visitors of Jemsite.com.
How long will I have to wait for a new JEM/UV that I ordered?
If your guitar is not in stock with your dealer or distributor then expect a long wa4it. Anywhere from 3-9 months is possible and likely. Ibanez ships many guitars at once from Japan to the USA in order to keep shipping cost low. Hence there usually is long waits on guitars that are out of stock or on backorder.
I just ordered a JEM or Universe. What comes in the box with the guitar?
Your new JEM/UV should come with a JEM/UV case (and instructions to use the combo lock on case) if you purchased one. Next up is the Tremolo arm, several allen wrenches and tool to adjust trussrod. These usually come in a small zip-lock baggie from Ibanez. Also included is the official Ibanez Warranty Card. Aside from the tools, there are no real accessories. Sometimes Ibanez will include a pamphlet for various Ibanez effects or whatever.
Can you explain the serial numbers on JEM/UV and other Ibanez guitars?
Original Heel JEM/UV neck plate serial numbers: six digit number. The first two digits designate the year the neck plate was produced and approximate production year of the guitar.
881234 is a 1988 model
90xxxx is a 1990 model
001234 is a 1990 model (don't ask!)
911234 is a 1991 model
253227 is a quirkly plate likely a 1995 model
26xxxx are the 2003 and later JEM77FP 15th reissue
AANJ serial numbers on back of headstock: The All-Access-Neck JEM/UV and Ibanez guitars feature serial numbers silkscreened on the back of the headstock. Under the number is the imprint "Japan" or "Made in Japan" F = Fugijen factory in Japan.
In 1997 a 2 digit model year designation after "F" was used. This makes sense to accommodate 2000 and eventual confusion with a one digit year identifier.
F312345 is a 1993 model
F512345 is a 1995 model
F9701234 is a 1997 model
F9812345 is a 1998 modelEven though the serial numbers tell you the approximate creation date or model year, Ibanez has no way of tracking models by serial number. They cannot tell that "F501234" is a JEM or a bass guitar. You cannot trace the JEM777LNG number of a guitar by it's serial number. For some reason that Ibanez cannot explain, many neck plate serial number are incorrect in respect to the model year. Often RBs have 87xxxx stampings when they are '88 models and PMCs have 91xxxx designation when they're a 1992 model. I believe JEM/UV guitars deserve a better serial numbering system that what Ibanez has implemented.
Note that certain non-AANJ JEM/UVs might have two serial numbers. One on the headstock and one on the neckplate. This is normal.
How are the JEM/UV models named. What is the "777" designation?
It is a shame that Ibanez didn't think this through better... as Ibanez let the naming get quite scattered. Except for the "77" models there can be little sense made of it.
Here's my interpretation:
777 - original JEM line series. "777" name was a no-brainer. Three models & Vai's favorite number... 777. Thought to be "maple fretboard" only but this is incorrect - now even with the new UV777BK. There is no current JEM777 so it will be interesting to see if Ibanez creates one.
77 - JEM & UV: Rear routed bodies w/ clear pickguard ala Florals & multicolors. Hopefully Ibanez won't screw this up with a front-routed 77 one day. IMHO the BSB could have been a cool rear routed 77 with clear pickguard :-)
7 - originally the "affordable" JEMs (7RB, 7PBK were lower priced than the 777 and 77FP). Now they're the high end -> 7VWH, 7VSBL & low end 7DBK.
Hindsight is always 20:20 but it would have been nice to keep 777's pyramid inlays only, 77's rear routed only and 7's vine or other inlays with front routed bodies.
What is the meaning of "JEM"... does it stand for anything?
JEM Custom Guitars was a small company in LI, NY owned and operated by Joe Despagni, a childhood friend of Steve Vai. Joe had some innovative ideas, even though his own personally constructed (non-Ibanez "JEM" guitars) were very hit-and-miss and often poor in quality. Including the one I owned personally. Some of the refinements of the SuperStrats by Vai & Despagni were used in the Ibanez JEM models introduced at Summer NAMM 1987. At that point Joe sold the "JEM" name and was no longer to use it, since it was exclusive to the "Ibanez JEM" line of guitars. It is unknown if "JEM" stands for anything.
I'm reading the site/forum and it's many criticisms of the JEM555. I never had a problem with mine and find this annoying. Why is there such an elitist attitude?
Personal preference. If you enjoy your guitar that is great. If you are reading the jemsite.com FAQ then something tells me you are a discriminating guitar player and will want something more than a 555 someday. The fatal flaws are widely believed to be the TRS tremolo and Korean construction of the 555. That and it sucks compared to a real 7 :-)
Forum topic of interest: Jem555 vs. Jem7VWH - Which is better?
Is there a source for used JEM, UV or other Ibanez necks ?
Officially you cannot get a replacement JEM neck from Ibanez unless you provide them with a defective, well-worn or broken one through an authorized Ibanez dealer. At that point and $375-400 later you can get a replacement neck, with the original returned. They will only give you the exact same neck, unless for some reason they have none available at the time. You can't return a green vine for example and request a neck from a PMC or 7PBK. I've discussed this with Ibanez on several occasions and their position is unwavering. They do not want a flood of Ibanez necks on the market for custom work. Please do not contact Hoshino on this as it will fall on deaf ears. Ibanez is said to have trademarked the shape of their headstock, making exact clones difficult or illegal. This surfaced after seeing my one-off custom neck (see Guitar Gallery - GC Custom). Due to this fact, you will not see Ibanez JEM/UV style necks mass made or marketed as such in the marketplace for legal reasons. Any copy necks must have an altered headstock
There is no law against building a custom made JEM neck for yourself however. See the Vendor Links to see who will offer non-Ibanez custom guitar parts made to order.
Why won't Ibanez make more of a variety of JEM/Universe or other Guitars?
Why does the DBK and new JEMs have a more "Wizardy" neck? Will they
make a JEM with a Piezo pickup?
The Ibanez JEM is a signature model controlled by Steve Vai. He has the FINAL SAY on every detail, specification, parts, features and ultimately which models are released to public. Voicing your opinions to Ibanez is non-productive, since they do not control these details. Ibanez obviously has some limitations in production which must be weighed, but Steve Vai has the FINAL SAY on his signature models, not Ibanez.
I want to buy a "Swirl" painted Ibanez guitar (Multicolor). Help!
Multicolors Ibanez JEMs (JEM77PMC and JEM77GMC) and Universes (UV77MC) are long out of production. Ibanez stopped producing multicolor guitars in 1993. You will have to find a used one from private seller.
I want to get a multicolor swirl paint job for my guitar. Who provides this service?
At this time getting a multicolor swirl paint job is a bit tricky. Herc Fede Custom Shop did many for a two year period but is currently on hiatus. Darren Michaels Inc (ATD) one of the original companies hired by Ibanez to do the multicolors might be offering guitar refinishes again soon. See the Vendor List and Web Links area of Jemsite for more information.
How many JEM guitars were made?
See the Guitar --> Spec Sheet on Jemsite.com for known production totals of Ibanez JEM & UVs. Production totals are not generally published, except for certain models listed.
Was the JEM77FP Floral Pattern available with All Access Neck?
No. All JEM77FPs have the original neck joint and original specs, including the finally sendoff ones sold in 2003 as the "15th Anniversary" models in the USA. Same goes for the JEM777DY Desert Sun Yellow which was made for several years and never changed.
Do only certain model year Floral Patterns (JEM77FP) have real fabric?
No. All JEM77FPs have real fabric on the body and headstock despite what you might have read elsewhere. There is/was a blurb at Vai.com about FPs that is a mistake (click here)... TOTALLY WRONG.
Which is better the Edge or LoPro Edge?
Which is better... vanilla or chocolate? It's a personal preference and in my book a draw. The tremolo would not be a deciding factor in which used JEM guitar to purchase (555s w/ TRS not withstanding). When buying used I would go for model, condition and price first. The Edge vs Lo-Pro would not even be a factor. Both tremolos have the same, identical feel and action. The Lo-Pro have in theory a few subtle "improvements" that probably go unnoticed by most. Most notably the Lo-Pro has the fine tuners further back and is more ergonomic for those who rest their wrist on the bridge. I find that irrelevant but do find the intonation setup easier on the LoPro since the EdgeAdjust tool fits easier. No biggie for a once every few years chore.
There are no sonic or structural "improvements" offered by the LoPro however. Since the mass of the LoPro is further forward (by removal of the fine tuner ramp) you will lose some of the "flutter" that the Edge can produce. Overall both tremolos are a huge improvement over the original Floyd Rose. I think of the Edge and Edge Lo-Pro as being one in the same. Satch likes the Edge, Steve likes both. Either one is great.
Technical differences courtesy of Rich Harris: The Edge has the saddle locking bolts that extend through to the back of the plate and are about 2" long, that's why the big 'hump' on the rear of it. The fine tuners press down on these locking bolts. The LoPro was redesigned to remove the 'hump', making it a Lo Profile DUH :) The locking bolts (that hold the strings to the saddle) are now on top of the unit and are only 1/2" long. The sadles were redesigned and have 'studs' extending from the bottom of the saddle that run under the fine tuners. By moving these 'studs' deeper, they eliminated the 'hump'.
Can I put an Edge or LoPro Edge on my 555? Help!
No. You will first have to reroute the tremolo cavity, including the face of the guitar. As a result this will leave areas without paint on the top of the guitar. By the time this is done you will have to then purchase an Edge tremolo. You're better off scrapping the 555 and buying a used JEM or even an RG. If you're still wanting to proceed with the conversion there are some vendors in the Links/Sponsors area who can provide the services. This has been discussed in detail in the Forum "Common Questions Area"
Please explain the differences between Ibanez cases?
The "UV1000C" case fits JEM & UVs (and RG7s). This is the current JEM/UV/7-string case. Black Tolex covered/Vinyl capped Hardshell. Burgundy lined interior (formerly Pink) with gold hardware and the 3-digit combo lock. Made in Canada, cases sold in the USA have an Ibanez logo on the outside.
Some of the early, original JEM cases ( pink lined and gold hardware) were actually a half inch shorter than the case of today. These would NOT fit a Universe guitar due to the longer headstock with that guitar. These shorter cases are rare and not sold today. Most of the pink lined cases JEM/UV were the same dimension as the current JEM/UV case (UV1000C) and will fit a UV fine.
Other Ibanez cases include:
M100C - Black Plastic Hardshell made by TKL for Ibanez that is "SKB-like" in appearance
RG140C - Black Tolex covered Hardshell with White Ibanez logo
My JEM/UV hardshell case is locked and I dont' know the combonation. How do I reset the combo so i can UNLOCK it and use the lock. Help Please!
The problem is you need the combination to open and set a new combination. You will have to manually spin through every possible combination in the lock to open it. Luckily, this can be done in under 15 minutes. Sit with the case in front of you. Holding pressure with your thumb on the lever (to the left of the combo wheels) pushing left, as if to open the case. Of course the latch will not open until you get the right combo.
Starting at 000 spin the right most wheel (00x) around and back to 0. Change to 010 and repeat. Change to 020 and repeat. Continue until you get the match. Faster than it sounds. You can take off the latch with a screwdriver in the meantime to open the case.
I have two Universes that play so differently it's hard to believe they are basically the "same" guitar. I've noticed that when lowering the bridge that far, too much capability of pulling back is lost. How many steps up is normal. One full step up seems like so little for such a complicated bridge design as a LoPro.
Set them both up with care and the difference should not be noticable. Typical setup of JEM/UVs to be able to pull up a 4th (5 frets) on the G-string. Thus the open G will be a "C" when pulled up fully. That is basically what Vai does. Depending on the exact setup you might have to adjust the tremolo angle a bit for sure. I have no trouble with setup like this with fairly new strings.
I'm lefty and want Ibanez to make me a JEM or UV. Why is Ibanez neglecting lefty guitarists.
Good question without an answer. You can't get a JEM or UV lefty aside from the JEM555LWH so that would be the closest to a real JEM7 lefty.
Where do i get replacement Green Knobs for my JEM/UV?
Unfortunately the green knobs needed for JEM/UVs are NOT available today new. Several years ago these were sold to match the green DiMarzio pickups on JEM/UVs. Currently there is no knob available to match the bright green pickups. Allparts and others make "mint green" ones that are the wrong hue of green whatever. Sorry
What is your opinion on Ed Roman's Worldclass Guitars? Between the Ibanez
bashing and Japanese-made hatred, there is some conflicting information.
Ed Roman is no friend of the Jemsite Community, or any other community that looks out for each other. You can read a few of his emails to Jemsite here and judge from yourself the reasons to avoid doing business with him. You can read more opinions of him on the forum by searching "Roman".
The 2002 Ibanez catalog and website shows the JEM models (and other Japanese-made
signature models) as being a
model with Prestige Neck. Is this better than previous models that were not
Prestige?
Ibanez has been the Prestige
designation since the late 90's with the USRG30s, expanding it to a small lineup of "Prestige" RG/S Guitars. The Prestige logo is now shown in the catalogs and website to distinguish higher-end models where more attention is given during the construction, especially the neck. This Prestige marketing designation might be new, but the process is unchanged. The extra steps featured in Prestige instruments has been done with the signature model guitars and necks since they were first made. With the various models now sold, and signature guitar pricing, labeling the Japanese-made signature model as "Prestige" makes absolute.
From Ibanez.com: Crafted by Ibanez' most experienced builders using the most sophisticated machinery and finest materials available and, every one of these limited production instruments is completely finished by hand. Many extra steps of hand finishing give Prestige guitars and bass necks the silky feel of instruments that have been rounded by years of dedicated playing. Ibanez Prestige instruments combine the refined beauty sought after by collectors with the roadworthy strength required by the discriminating professional guitarist.