Leaving Ibanez guitars - No more jems for me

jem7pbk · #1 06-05-2001, 03:38 AM

I know its sad

I have been collecting other Ibanez guitars and Jems for a few years now. I think I liked them because they were different, and people would go wow! when you pulled out that fp from its case or when the stage lights dimmed on my glow in the dark pbk. And I liked the looks of them and how utilitarian they were "real work horse" guitars. But I find that every time I turn on my recorder or get ready to leave town to sit in with a band I always grab my PRS custom 24. It sounds better the neck pickup is not too bassie and not too "quacky" sounding like my jems are and the bridge pickup has great harmonics its tight and crunchy perfect for my lead needs. The Trem always stays in tune and its not such a "beach" to restring. The set neck makes it sustain longer then my Ibanez guitars. I've had pgms jems uv's lots of rg's 350's 450's 550's 560's 570's 770's dx's and even a fx a pgm90th a usa custom, icemen, three rg7620's and a rg7621 sabers, S series, a proline, a 540r and none could compare to my prs none made me totally happy I was always looking to mod them but the only mod I put on my prs is a set of gold strings. Ibanez necks are great for shredding but if I play them for more then an hour I get hand cramps they are just to thin for me. Now I'm not saying that Ibanez guitars are bad and PRS guitars are good that's just the way it is for me. The variety of styles I play requires me to use a more versatile guitar. It's not possible for me to hang on to the 24 Ibanez guitars I had just lying around because I liked the way they looked. I have already sold off the Ibanez guitars I had in my guitar vault ( my mint jem7pbk, a few customized ibanez rg's *and my vintage ibanez collection) but the jem went to a close friend so at least I can see it now and then. and I will also start selling off the Ibanez guitars in my studio all but my customized rg7621 ( cause I still like to play the 7 string now and then) and the hardtail jem frank made me because its not done yet( needs paint ). I need to think more about making music then buying guitar and want project to start next. I know I will miss my Ibanez guitars but it will just be their looks. And One day when I'm all old I'll be hunting down a 89' jem7pbk on ebay just like the two I use to have hehe

I know allot of you will say "what jems sound great" well maybe with your rig but not with mine and I will not change my rig ( that's a whole nother story the search for the perfect sound ended for me with this rig) and if you only play rock and metal then I think Ibanez guitasr are the best. But Its time to move on for me. ( not from this site just from the guitars) no 19 year old kid needs *52 guitars in one year half of which were Ibanez guitars ( I'm not lying I have receipts and pics to prove it, I bought 52 guitars from mid 2000 till now) I spend more time buying and moding guitars then I do playing and I need to stop so I have to only keep guitars I play every day and that's my prs. Bye Bye Ibanez *

jay ratkowski · #2 06-05-2001, 03:44 AM

Good man. *Rock on.

Rich · #3 06-05-2001, 03:53 AM

All that matters is you found the right guitar for you. *At the rate of 1 a week I guess your odds were pretty good? :biggrin:

jem7pbk · #4 06-05-2001, 04:14 AM

yeah I spent over $15,000 out of my savings fund on guitars(and amps) this past year I sold allot too but I went threw Fender strats teles a jazzmaster mustangs gibson les Paul's *firebirds explorers schecter customs tons of Ibanez's a Tom Anderson ( *my 3rd fave guitar) washburns esp's horizons and a m I custom b.c. rich Rico's *a brian moore mc I *a Sulr and lots of others I would go to guitar shows and come home with 10 guitars at a time. Thats why I go to community collage rather then a university but I had fun

*

rickboot · #5 06-05-2001, 05:19 AM

Whew! 52 guitars in the last year. I feel much better about my GAS now. I can also understand your decision. I too find myself spending too much time on collecting and gear aquisition too and have recently started playing more. I realized I only need a few key guitars and that's it, therefore I have started thinning out the herd too.

Good luck with your music.

Rick

Eddie B · #6 06-05-2001, 10:08 AM

Wow! And I thought going through three amps and four different guitars was bad! If my parents thought I was "fickle", your folks must think you're nuts! No, seriously, kudos to you, man. If you found "the sound" then you're a step ahead of many of us. Good luck with your persuit of music. I'll cover for you on your persuit of gear.

vaijem777 · #7 06-05-2001, 10:25 AM

You're not alone-I'm right behind you! *Since August of '99, I'm at 50 guitars-the most recent a new PRS Singlecut. *I've been an Ibanez fan for a LONG time, but..The PRS' seen to get the job done a bit better. *With a lot less EQing needed. *I love my Custom 22 Artist, and that (along with the Singlecut and my Relic Strat) have replaced my Ibanez' for all live situations. *I still love my JEMS & JS models, but...the PRS just does it for me. *Although, I don't see any end/cure to my addiction, everything else will just be for fun. *I've got my live axes.

gkelm · #8 06-05-2001, 10:38 AM

Ohmygosh...what about that screen name?!? *Will we now see PRSc24? *

Can't imagine having $15k liquid for fun money. *You're on the right track...sell those guitars and go to a decent school.
Greg

rvj · #9 06-05-2001, 11:54 AM

It's good to see that you're not "locked" in to a particular guitar. Different styles of music require different sounding guitars. PRS are great guitars, I've had my eye on a few as well. Recently I purchased a new bridge & tailpiece for my Les Paul custom and threw on new strings. MAN! I almost forgot how nice this guitar really is. I'm starting to fall in love with it all over again. Enjoy your PRS, they are really sweet sounding guitars. Oh by the way, if you have any Jems you need to dispose of, please contact me. *--rvj

**jono** · #10 06-05-2001, 12:48 PM

I recently did a very similar thing. I went out searching for a new guitar, "the" guitar. I tried almost everything *I could get my hands on. ESP KH 2's (regular and a very nice playing relic) a couple of George Lynch models, Wolfgang and EB/MM EVH and Axis, a £4000 Blade superstrat, Parker Flys, Jacksons, Andersons, PRS.

All of them were great, great guitars especially the KH2 relic!!! In the end I decided to keep with the Ibanez guitars and particularly the old RG550 I've always used

In many ways I feel cheated that my ideal guitar isn't some through neck, pristine flame top, custom shop model but I'm glad, that like jem7pbk, I've found my perfect toy, even if mine had always been right under my nose

Gabe Nickelson · #11 06-05-2001, 12:52 PM

I find myself playing my Les Paul more than any guitar. *I like the tone and sustain. *However, I still like to have a Jem lying around to do some things I can't do on my LP. *I'd say I play my LP about 75% of the time and my Ibanez guitars 25% of the time.

It's cool that you found your guitar. *It takes a long time to do so.

Gabe

bob oakman · #12 06-05-2001, 01:11 PM

Gabe, your Les Paul is a real nice one. It almost made a believer out of me when I played it.

Jem7pbk, whatever works for you is good to do. Plus, the fewer Ibanez guitars you own, the more that are available for the rest of us. :biggrin:

It would be nice to hear some of your music.

jem7pbk · #13 06-05-2001, 01:48 PM

Thanks for the suport guys. ( I forgot to say I also had two Parker Delux flys and a classic fly but sold them because I hated that top horn that stabs you in the chest when you sit down to play) Luckly for me my Dad is a guitar collecter too but he's into all the aucstics, my mother about once a month threatons to have a huge "$1 a guitar" yard sale when we have guitars in every room and all over the place but we round them all up and put them away so that she stops that "crazy talk". I'm still mastering my second project but when its done I'll put up some mp3's *my fist cd with my old band was some hardcore metal stuff. I hope to pick up a another PRS a pre 95 maybe a standard and have it swirled and scoop the bottem frets hehe

I will also probly change my screen name *but only after my glow in the dark jem7pbk is sold. I got lucky when I bought my PRS custom 24 its has a 10 top its a 95' the pearl birds its green and has the gold hard ware and the zebra coils with the gold bobbiens like the santana guitars come with I got it about a year ago at the Dallas guitar show for $1300 and its in great shape. *

warmregards · #14 06-05-2001, 04:35 PM

although i havent had the benefit of owning ALL of those guitars...I understand what you mean...Im playing a VWH as my main guitar, an old Aria Pro ZZ explorer copy, and between these two guitars i cant find satisfactory tone for many styles. *The VWH has sufficed for my metal and soloing needs, but in jamming situations its hard for me to dial in something right away, or even play a certain way with these guitars. *Its just that damn neck on the Ibanez...great for a certain type of thing but thats it.

littlegreenman · #15 06-05-2001, 05:39 PM

I'm a firm believer in use what works best for you, I've got through many guitars (not 52, but quite a few) and it wasn't until last year I got a Jem, and now, everything else I've ever owned is just not for me. *I personally find the Jems (through my rig anyway) to be one of the most versatile guitars I've even seen, and they play amazingly for me, I had a PRS CE24 to use (it was dads) it sounded allright, but it felt like a fricking baseball bat to me, I rarely ever touched it, same with his EVH wolfgang. *The Ibanez guitars just feel like home to me, but as I say, you use what works for you, It's sad to see you sell of the Jems, but as long as you're always playing it's kewl.
Have fun!
Jeremy