Help! *Is this Jem a fake?

Zanu · #1 11-19-2001, 08:07 PM

Hey! *Help me out if you can, please!

I was at my local music store today, and found a Floral Print "Jem". *It was obviously used, it had a bunch of dings in it, but nothing too bad. *Anyways, I played it and put a hold on the guitar. *The headstock however, wasn't in a floral print, it was plain black, and didn't have the green vine inlays, it just had dot ones. *The 21-24 frets weren't scaloped. *It didn't have an all access neck joint, just a metal plate one. *It was priced at $725 (Canadian). *I don't know what year the guitar is, the body is definately a Floral Print Jem, but I have a feeling this "Jem" is BS! *The serial number on the guitar neck was F922230. *Here are my questions:

1) Does anyone know if it's a fake? *

2) Where can I type in the serial number to find out what guitar the neck came from? *

3) Did they ever make a Floral Print Jem that had a dot inlayed neck, and a black headstock ?

I think Jemsite just saved my ass about $800...

Thanks to all those that responded.

Rich · #2 11-19-2001, 08:14 PM

No no no and no. It's probably an RG neck or equivalent, but by 92' it would say on the head what series it was from. The proof will be the stamp on the neck heel but you'd have to pull the neck to read it. Still a decent price for the package if the body's still in good shape.

**jono** · #3 11-19-2001, 08:46 PM

I'm not sure that the 92 guitars did say what series it comes from on all of them. I thought that change came in late 93/94? At least the catalogues I have don't show RG guitars with "RG series" e on the headstock till 94.

And yes it's VERY likely an RG neck, unless it says JEM on it under the Ibanez swoosh then it could be a rootbeer neck?!?!?

Rich · #4 11-19-2001, 08:49 PM

You're probably right, since my knowledge is mostly sigs, which were changed in 91' to show the series on the head.

Zanu · #5 11-19-2001, 10:50 PM

Thanks Rich, Jono.

There was no Jem logo underneath the Ibanez logo, so I doubt that it came from a rootbeer neck. *Plus why would the owner take the neck off one Jem, place it on another, and wreck the value of both guitars. *It is most likely an RG neck, which is what I thought. *I just don't think it's worth blowing $800, as much as I'd like to. *I'll just wait till another nice guitar comes in, and I have more money to spend. *Thanks anyway. *

Zanu · #6 11-19-2001, 10:54 PM

I just checked out the gallery section, and the Rootbeer neck has frets 21-24 scaloped. *This neck didn't, so I guess it is an RG neck. *Damn.

*single tear rolls down eye*

nuno · #7 11-20-2001, 06:11 AM

Don't be sad, dude.
God Vai plays with a 555 neck on his EVO (or FLO, don't remember).
555 neck ain't better (to me) than a RG's.

nuno

Andy J Dampier · #8 11-20-2001, 08:42 AM

The 555 neck was on Flo-it has since been removed and now has a 7VWH neck....with those damn cheesey tuners.

iain · #9 11-20-2001, 08:53 AM

Quote:

Andy J Dampier on 7:42 am on Nov. 20, 2001
The 555 neck was on Flo-it has since been removed and now has a 7VWH neck....with those damn cheesey tuners.

I believe it's a custom vwh neck, as the board is rosewood. I think the current EVO has the same, as far as I remember.

ShredHead42 · #10 11-20-2001, 02:05 PM

My guess is that the previous owner wanted the RG neck because it's wizard - thinner. *

darren wilson · #11 11-20-2001, 02:57 PM

Zanu: Could that have been at Long & McQuade at Bloor & Ossington in Toronto?

I saw that FP as well, but once i saw it had dots on the neck and no "JEM" decal on the headstock, i guessed it was probably one of those "factory second" FP bodies that were floating around Asia about a year ago that somebody had obviously scooped up and slapped an RG neck on.

Either that or the original FP neck broke and was replaced with a more readily available RG neck.

Zanu · #12 11-20-2001, 08:37 PM

Darren: *Yep, that would be what I'm talking about. *L&M's on Ossington. *I was there today and told them to take the guitar off of hold. *Do you know where they sell Jem's in Toronto? *They are gonna let me know if another Jem comes in, but they said it might take quite a while.

Did you get to see the John Myung bass guitar by the way? *It was in the center piece section of the used gear, it looked like an incredible bass. *Already sold though. *

I took a second look at the guitar, no Jem logo underneath the Ibanez one. *And the neck would have been from an RG, since they have those at the store as well. *

Thanks to all those who responded to my question. *

yurich · #13 11-20-2001, 10:58 PM

there's a cool place here in Mississauga, a little east of Lakeshore & Hurontario, on Lakeshore. It's across the street from the Guitar Shop, don't know what it's called. Haven't been there in a while, but my friend told me they had 2 or 3 JEMs, including a 7D.

Then there's Steve's Music. Never been there (pretty far from here), but go to their website for exact address.

oh, and I know one more. It's in the Young & Dundas area. THey have lots of Ibanez, but i never asked if they had JEMs. Hope this helps.

Jimi D · #14 11-21-2001, 09:14 AM

Zanu ~ there's a Rootbeer Jem at Songbird in Ottawa - if you ask 'em to they'll ship it out to the TO store... It's $1495, which is pretty much what you can expect to pay for any Jem arount here. Great shape, some light wear but a recent refret (they did a great job)... I don't know how you can be surprised to find that the "Floral" was a parts-caster with a $795 price tag!

darren wilson · #15 11-21-2001, 10:58 PM

Songbird in Toronto quite frequently has one or two JEMs in stock. Back in the summer they had a UV777BK and a DY. A few weeks back they had a RB as well, but it was pretty beat up, and they wanted about a grand for it.

There's a place called Metro Sound & Music on the west side of Yonge just north of College that has good stock of some nice Ibanez guitars, including a blue sparkle RG570 and a green sparkle one.