Ibanez Prestige: special or just MIJ under a different label?

[RedTiger]

Greetings all!

Rather than typing it all again, I'm just going to link to my thread elsewhere on the board:

mij-non-prestige-models-96600.html?posted=1#post962880" target="_blank">http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f18/wh...d=1#post962880

And quote myself!

So...which is it? I have seen complaints on these boards about the quality of "Prestige", people going so far as to suggest that the term "Prestige" used to mean something special. As it is now, Prestige just means "MIJ" to me. So, by way of analogy, a "Prestige Fender" would mean made in the USA. A regular one, MIM. Some seem to suggest that "Prestige" does/used to mean closer to custom shop.

I want to know if there's a definite answer to this one.

I didn't buy a Prestige with any preconceived notion. I like to buy guitars that are made in their "indigenous" country. If I want a Fender, I buy US. I wanted an Ibanez, so I bought Japanese. I didn't associate "Prestige" with anything special, despite the name suggesting that I should.

So, what do you all think?

[newbieguitarmaker]

I think all Ibanezes now are from japan only if they are Prestige, Signature or J-custom. I hear some people think the old japanese quality was better, I dont know yet but I hope to get an older Ibanez sooner or later :P

[rob777vdy]

i think theres nothing prestige about ibanez prestige.its either jem or j custom for me.

[guitarnoize]

I think that anything made in the Japan factory is going to be good, but if you want something great J-Custom is probably the way to go.

[Spyder]

Think of how many assembly line CNC stock guitars have the word "custom" in the model name! I'm a little jaded that way.

[AxeHappy]

I've always simply associated Prestige with MIJ. Of course that's supposed to mean it is of much higher quality than the CNC korea/indo models.

I've never had the pleasure of playing an old Ibanez guitar so I can't compare them but I've always thought of the Prestige label as nothing more than making it easier for people to figure out the cheap guitars from the better guitars. I wish every guitar company would do something like it.

[jono]

marianozz is right with the posts in the other thread. The prestige logo used to be reserved for the very top of the line guitars that were available (back when j-custom guitars were limited run "collectable" instruments).

I think nowadays it's more like slapping - "this is not one of our budget guitars" on the headstock. To do that would require a really small font and it'd be really hard to read in the store!

So in truth I think when it was conceived it was the top answer, but these days it might just be a gimmick...

[IbanezDaemon]

Originally Posted by rob777vdy

i think theres nothing prestige about ibanez prestige.its either jem or j custom for me.

+1. And I'd rather have the old Rg Series guitars, '87-'92 than the current Prestige range.

[rob777vdy]

Originally Posted by IbanezDaemon

+1. And I'd rather have the old Rg Series guitars, '87-'92 than the current Prestige range.

ah sorry forgot about rg range.yep i love rg's

[RedTiger]

Originally Posted by jono

marianozz is right with the posts in the other thread. The prestige logo used to be reserved for the very top of the line guitars that were available (back when j-custom guitars were limited run "collectable" instruments).

I think nowadays it's more like slapping - "this is not one of our budget guitars" on the headstock. To do that would require a really small font and it'd be really hard to read in the store!

So in truth I think when it was conceived it was the top answer, but these days it might just be a gimmick...

Hmm...if its a gimmick, I wish they'd just go back to making regular productions MIJ guitars, hopefully keeping the quality up to the previous MIJ standards.

[michblanch]

The prestige line are great guitars. Quality builds. Remember a few years ago when everyone was after the 3120? That was a testament to what was coming.

Now I will say the J-CUSTOM'S are absolutely the top of the line and I have never owned a better Ibanez. The craftmaship is second to NONE. Fender and Gibson's best is no where near as good as a J Custom.

[brianxtr]

its bussiness,everybody can split the good and the budget guitars in a second.thats eazy.ofcourse is j custom something different.

[newbieguitarmaker]

I want a J-custom NAO, yes not now but NAO lol

[giannifive]

I own a 2003 Prestige RG, and and 1999 MIJ RG. From the look and feel, you can tell the neck on the Prestige had extra work done compared to the MIJ. Specifically, the fret ends were slightly rounded and polished, and the fretboard edges were rounded slightly.

Both are great guitars and play amazingly, though.

[prydogga]

I'm a little dissappointed at the number of votes against prestige meaning something. To me prestige defines the quality like no other word.

When someone says they have an Ibanez, and it is followed by the word "prestige" or "j custom" I immediately know the level of quality in their instrument. And sure if someone says they have a 550 or any other 80/90s RG (5XX or higher) I know they have something really special but you can't be in the past, there's too much mention of "the old ibanez days" being better, which is true, but they are gone, and so right NOW Prestige does mean something special.