Help! I'm a JEM n00b :)

[AllP0werToSlaves]

Hey all; I joined this site a couple of months ago because of the massive amount of content available for my favorite guitars. I'm an active musician who loves Ibanez, but I have so many damn questions regarding the JEM.

Please refrain from spamming/flamming me; I yearn for more knowledge on these guitars! My questions are:

1. How hard is it to gather all the parts to assemble a JEM from scratch? I really like some of the bodies available on **** at the moment, and would love to buy the neck separately.

2. How much can I expect to spend doing this? I'm def on a budget but owning a JEM is one of my dreams!

3. Is it hard to score an Edge Pro tremolo on its own?

Thanks for your help guys; these are probably really stupid questions but I don't know where else to turn! Also, other sites with good deals on JEM and other Ibanez parts are much appreciated!

[shreddersymphony]

Originally Posted by AllP0werToSlaves

Hey all; I joined this site a couple of months ago because of the massive amount of content available for my favorite guitars. I'm an active musician who loves Ibanez, but I have so many damn questions regarding the JEM.

Please refrain from spamming/flamming me; I yearn for more knowledge on these guitars! My questions are:

1. How hard is it to gather all the parts to assemble a JEM from scratch? I really like some of the bodies available on **** at the moment, and would love to buy the neck separately.

2. How much can I expect to spend doing this? I'm def on a budget but owning a JEM is one of my dreams!

3. Is it hard to score an Edge Pro tremolo on its own?

Thanks for your help guys; these are probably really stupid questions but I don't know where else to turn! Also, other sites with good deals on JEM and other Ibanez parts are much appreciated!

1. Not hard, it's just a matter of some e-bay work. The cool thing is anything you happen not to like about it (for instance gold hardware or pickguard or whatever) you can change since you're getting it together yourself. Any of the vendors on here can build you a great quality neck for a reasonable price. I've had a good experience with Legacy, and I know others have with Jaden and Ernie at ET Guitars.

2. Consider every part of this particular answer a result of my personal experience, prices obviously vary greatly with each decision you make. Usually custom projects like this assuming you want quality stuff (dimarzios, high quality trem and tuners, whatever) tend to run anywhere from $1000+. Figure 3 Dimarzios = 200, the body can be anywhere from 150 or so to 400+, neck from the vendors seems to fall in the 2-300 dollar range (assuming you want a vine or something of the sort), electronics and tuners and such about 80ish, and then miscellaneous crap like pickup rings, pickguard, etc.

3. It's not hard, but it's not cheap. Everyone's favorite/hated auction site seems to have em from 250-300 bucks a piece.

If you have any other questions feel free to PM me. Every single guitar I own is a custom in one sense or another, usually made by private builders, so I've had a good amount of experience in terms of this stuff.

[Factory5150]

I have 1000 into mine that I built from scratch. And that was on a budget looking for the cheapest pieces.





I did all of the work and it just needs paint. Its gonna be an off shoot of a BMC.

[shreddersymphony]

I used the neck I got from Legacy on a body i had handmade by a luthier friend of mine. Custom projects = my fave

[Vim Fuego]

My advice is get a second hand RG550 or RG570, the difference being the 550 has a scratchplate and is routed from the front, like most jems and the 570 has no plate and is routed from the back like the Jem77FP (although the FP has a scratchplate!).
That way you everything you need in one go, tuners, trem, hardware etc.
The RGs use the edge or lo pro trem like the jems and you'll have a body you can get repainted or routed for monkey grip/lion's claw if you want, Also you'll get a good neck which you can have the fingerboard replaced on if you want to change the inlay.
Even if you replace the neck and body, you still get the rest of the bits for less than you'd pay separately, and you can sell the spares.
The only bad thing is that you'll have the standard Ibanez pickups. Actually they aren't that bad but you'll probably want to replace them.
Jim

[Factory5150]

I agree, getting the 570 repainted and modified is the way to go actually. That is probably the cheapest way to get it done. Sell all the cosmo/silver hardware off the guitar and replace it with gold if that what your going for.

[seppe_sai]

Originally Posted by Vim Fuego

Also you'll get a good neck which you can have the fingerboard replaced on if you want to change the inlay.

actually the mai difference between a 550 and a jem (non 7VWH) is the wizard neck, cause only jem7vwh has an alder body, all the other jems are basswood made, so are 550 and 570.
regards,

i made my guitar from the scratch, it really worth it, you spend money monthly or so in your guitar, so in the end you wont notice how much you spended, and besides, the look will be nothin' but what you wanted.
your own signature almost.
:P

sorry for my writing mistakes.

[AllP0werToSlaves]

You guys are awesome; thanks for the advice!

What are some good sites (besides those in the banners above) worth checking out for JEM bodies/necks?

[seppe_sai]

this was my project.


the results


closeup to the bridge

i thought this pics might be useful for you as inspiration :P
rg570fm body
rg550r neck
Golden lo pro
evolutions

customized by me.

good luck

[AllP0werToSlaves]

Yeah that V-RG builder thing is sick!