hmm...333, 555

Jem#5150 · #1 03-22-2006, 12:03 AM

well, after weeks of wondering what this so called "jem 333" was, i finally got smart and looked on the chinese ibanez website(even though there was nothing chinses about it. everything was in english) and viola. There is was, the most run down, plain looking, nothing-special-about-it jem. Just looked like an rg 350 with a mondey grip. and they also had the 555, which i wish they were still offering here, cause im only 14 and can't exactly pull 2000+ dollars out of my bank account. I'm pretty sure many of you know this already, but just decided to mention it here, since no one else did. Oh, and on more thing, the 333 was actually called the Jem Jr, while the 555 whas just the 555,even though it still had Jem Jr. on the headstock.

kennydoe · #2 03-22-2006, 01:34 AM

There was very long thread about the 333 a couple of years back...Mr. Vai "himself" even posted there.

long story short...the asian market was putting out these cheap knockoff/fake Jems. Ibanez had no way to combat this practice, so they started making their own cheap knockoffs. Can't beat 'em, join 'em, right?

~K

kennydoe · #3 03-22-2006, 01:36 AM

Thread here http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showth...&highlight=333

Jem#5150 · #4 03-22-2006, 02:01 AM

yeah, i remember reading that a while ago. I was just itching to know what it would actually look like, how much it would resemble a real jem. And i keep seeing alot of those jem knockoffs on da bae.

gu1tar · #5 03-22-2006, 03:14 AM

Somebody should buy a 333 and one of those Chinese Jems for like $1 with $200 shipping on 8bay and do a head-to-head test to see which holds the quality trophy.

mi2tom · #6 03-22-2006, 07:30 AM

I've got a copy of that of chinese jem copy.... actually it's not really baad...It's got a lousy trem but so does the 333... It doesn't sound too good so does the 333... And this chinese jem copy is half the price of the 333 but with the looks of jem 7v... But the playability I've got to give it to the 333 but then it only wins by a small margin I find that the neck of the chinese jem copy is kinda good too.... I really think that they should drop down the price of a 333... Too damn expensive for it's standard, I would rather get any rg with that price...

Flobanez · #7 03-22-2006, 01:18 PM

I myself would not mind owning a 555 but I would never buy one of those Chinese knockoff Jems, they are hideous.

fettouhi · #8 03-22-2006, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Flobanez

I myself would not mind owning a 555 but I would never buy one of those Chinese knockoff Jems, they are hideous.

Well, if you need something to trash on stage

.

Regards

André

Juanozzy · #9 03-22-2006, 07:04 PM

the 333 is not made in china. most of 333 and 555 are made in Cort factory in korea. If you see in others countrys like Korea, Brasil, Argentina, etc... you will see where the guitar is already on sale. In countrys like USA, France, Spain, etc. you will find the best ones (even the 555 because this is the "economic" guitar on the Jem family in those countrys). The 333 is the guitar against "cheap-non ibanez" guitars (most from china). In the future maybe an ibanez factory will open on china (maybe one is already working) and make the economic class for ibanez. If you see others brands like epiphone, prs, etc. their economic guitars are made already in china. The top line (or somekind of top line) are made now in japan or even korea.

xklusivly4u · #10 03-23-2006, 01:13 AM

well...think of this way...555 and JEM Jr are designed to compete with ESP signature series such as KH and JH (JEFF HANNEMAN).

if you can compare KH2 with JEM 7V, KH602 will be 555 (approximate same price) and KH202 will be JEM Jr (approximate same price also) and same things go for JH series.

David McCarroll · #11 03-23-2006, 01:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Juanozzy

t In the future maybe an ibanez factory will open on china (maybe one is already working) .

Yep - all the Artcores come from China, as does, of all things, the Ibanez Euphoria acoustic. I've had a look at the Eastman guitars out of China, and they are to my shock and horror, absolutely superb for their price...... never thought I'd say that about anything from China......

mi2tom · #12 03-23-2006, 03:08 AM

^^^Yeap they make quite good duitar there in China... I've got my Gio still and never had any intention of selling it...

Jem#5150 · #13 03-26-2006, 12:28 AM

I have actually played the ep7, and, despte the fact that it was made in china, it played and sounded beautiful.

Jem#5150 · #14 03-26-2006, 12:30 AM

The thing i am wondering about the 333 is how much it is actually selling for in china. just as a comparison of the knockoffs and the actual thing, both quality wise, and how much you are paying for that quality.