Need help with choice!!

Fender868 · #1 10-13-2007, 12:17 PM

Dear Jemsite,

I just signed up late last night after a member at Ibanez Forums.com referred me here. I used some of the documents on this website before for research, but it had never occurred to me just to join the forums in the first place.

Il cut to the point to save your eyes some bleeding because i can type for hours

. I have a bit of a dilemma. I've been wanting a Jem since i first picked up guitar 6 years ago, but obviously the Jem 7vwh , which is the more "conventional one" in my opinion, was hard to come across being that it is pretty expensive. The times i did see one, i would never dare approach it because i had neither the money nor the skills to play one. It was foolish, but i knew if i touched it i would not sleep until i owned one. That day came sometime two months ago and i was struck. I tried a 7vwh. It was untuned and played through a crappy vox amp, but still i could sense it's potential and i liked the overall feel. More than anything, i liked the look. It's been waiting for me at the shop for two weeks now. I needed to come up with 3k, so il be getting it probably sometime next week. Now here's where the problem begins. I was doing some late night ad searching last night and saw a 1988 Jem777 SK for sale at 1400$ near where i live. I love the 777 of the colorful nature for many reasons, but more importantly the fretboards and the wild dissapearing pyramid inlays. First off, i love maple fret boards. I find they play and feel much better than rosewood. I know this guitar is worlds apart from the Jem 7vwh, but i have the oppertunity to get an older Jem which i always thought would be hard for me to find, at less than half what i am paying for the brand new 7vwh.

I need to hear all the opinions i can get here as i am really unsure. Keep in mind, i emailed the owner about trying it out soon, but i think i should like it too. I;ve verified the neck profile, and although a little different, it seems to be more or less close to that of the modern jems.

Also, i would like to know how the build quality compares to the Team J Craft Jem 7VWH. Is the Quality similar ? Superior or inferior ? Where were the 777's built ? Were they good guitars in their time ?

I know my questions seem inconcisive and i know some of these have already been asked, but i assumed it would be okay for me to post a new thread since some have not been asked (i searched) and most of these are in a different context.

Any opinions, advice or help would be GREATLY appreciated!

Thank you in advance!

Fender868

supermau · #2 10-13-2007, 01:21 PM

I've never played an old 777 but I'll bet the build quality it good. My best advice is play it, inspect it really good and make your call. The 7VWH isn't going anywhere. You can always find one. But the old 777's aren't as easy to come by. You just might love it. Then when the money kicks in again you could pick up a nice 7VWH.

jb4674 · #3 10-13-2007, 01:42 PM

One of the biggest issues some Jem owners are smacked in the face with and sometimes tend to regret and complain about is the neck joint issue. Some shredders who own newer Jems enjoy them very much because of the AANJ (All Access Neck Joint) feature, which allows the player to reach the higher registry of frets on the guitar (hence the all access). While this is nice, the old school Jems have the square heel and some people dislike them because they claim that the heel gets in the way of their playing (which is a very debatable argument depending upon whom you talk to).

The guitars in question are (IMO) two different beasts; yet they are related to each other.

Personally, I would get the old one and find a used 7VWH and you can have 2great guitars for a fraction of the price.

Good luck with your decision

Jimmy

Dee · #4 10-13-2007, 02:20 PM

Older JEM quality is great, there are no issues that I personally have ever found that couldn't be sorted out easily. The most they really needed was a decent set up, but this is the case with most mass produced guitars. I've seen and played plenty of old JEM's, but someone like Rich at IbanezRules.com will have seen various issues come up, having sold and set up many many JEM's over the years, but I think in general the quality is spot on.

Me, I don't like the VWH, I can't stand it, in fact! My choice would be an older JEM, most definitely. On the other hand, I really don't like JEM's much at all anymore. If I was looking to spend serious money (new VWH money and above) on a guitar, I'd go to Carvin for a custom 7-string built to my spec or maybe Suhr.

waylay00 · #5 10-13-2007, 02:46 PM

Go with the old JEM. IMO, I don't think the neck joint issue is that big of a deal. Paul Gilbert manages to shred on the upper registry with the old style square neck joint.

Out Of This Swirled · #6 10-13-2007, 02:58 PM

i was playing, strike that, attempting to play a PGM with wizard neck the other day and i forgot it was the AANJ when i tried playing up the thin E on 20 plus i was like wow that hard! untill i read this it never occured to me about the neck joint as i was just noddeling with my mates new purchase. the neck everywhere else has to be one of if not the best neck ive ever played. also regarding the above gents comment waylay00 gilbert is know for his Giant size hands, remember to take that into account. remember the collarado bulldog lick, i cant play it, mind ya most of the guys on here can i bet, but im just crap! HAGO

Fender868 · #7 10-13-2007, 03:34 PM

I like the response. Like you said, that 7VWH has been around for 10 years, i doubt they will discontinue it soon, and besides i think i'd rather get an older one because now the fretboards are made of rosewood as opposed to ebony.

When and if i get either of these, i shall post lots of thank yous and pictures, but i am really looking into that Shocking pink one. I'd rather a Lochness green, but they don't come cheap and i actually want to play my guitar as opposed to collect it. So Shocking pink or Desert Yellow it is!

As for the heel, well my love of guitars grew with fenders. I only have one guitar with an all access neck, it's a Fernandes strat copy with a sustainer, by far one of my fav's, but as far as neck heels go i don't really care - they don't stop me. Well so as long as they are not gibson style humps lol. The Ibanez i own is neck-thru so i am afraid i couldn't compare, but still i can't wait to try that neck out :O.

Please continue offering me advice or experiences with them!

By the way, how do the Paf pro's ( i think that's what the 777 have) compare to the Evolutions ? Would it be crazy to switch the paf pro's out for pink evo's ?

Thank you again!
Wow so much discussion already :O

Fender

**jim777** · #8 10-13-2007, 06:33 PM

The new Jems are very well built indeed; quality control is very high on them and they rule. Trhe early Jems can be a bit hit and miss, but the opriginal maple boarded guitars are sooooo nice I would take the chance. The necks on them are just wonderful, magical. I'd get the old one.

The sound is different on both; basswood bodies ans PAF Pros, vs the alder/Evos. I like PAF Pros, and I hate that icepick quality that Evos have, so again on stock sound I'd go with the old one. I have a 7VWH, but I swapped out the pickups on mine. Don't even consider putting Evo's in the SK

You'll love the PAF Pros through a decent tube amp.

I'd get the SK, no question, as long as it didn't have any neck cracks at the nut or other massive problems.

rob777vdy · #9 10-13-2007, 08:24 PM

ive got both of these guitars (777vbk..7vwh).there is a difference in sound i slightly favour the 7vwh.but theres not much between them both high quaility guitars you cant lose either way

ibz_SA · #10 10-13-2007, 11:08 PM

Play them both. We can go on for hours and tell you our opionons but urs is the only one that matters. Buy the one you feel more cumftuble with, but if i found a sk for $1400 id sell my kidney to buy it.

supermau · #11 10-13-2007, 11:58 PM

I don't think the neck joint difference is a huge issue either. While the AANJ is easier to work with I play Strat's too with typical squared neck joints and they're fine - just different. Although I must admit I prefer the AANJ but at the same time I love my Strats.

nikster · #12 10-14-2007, 08:23 AM

the 7vwh comes with Evo's and the 7vbk come with breeds. try both and if you prefer breeds see if they'll do you a deal on a 7vwh and a newset of repalcement breeds. i was gonna get a 7vw if the FP wasn't available (saving for one now

)

i've seen very good comments about Rich, so phone him and pick his brains.

Fender868 · #13 10-14-2007, 03:50 PM

Well i think my made is pretty much made up, but i will have to inspect it tomorrow. I am meeting the owner at 5. I will bring my camera and show you all it's condition. From the pictures he did post, however, i can tell that the finish is not severely worn. It's a paler pink than it was originally. I wouldn't call it shocking pink anymore anyways

. I am not too crazy about pink, as i would've preferred a desert yellow or better yet a lochness green, but il start with her and who knows maybe one day il get my hands on a FP or a swirly

.

Thanks again, and il try my best to score some pictures tomorrow

Btw , were the 88 models routed to fit Steve's palm rest device or was it strictly the 87's ?

Fender

Dee · #14 10-14-2007, 03:58 PM

No routing was required for the palm rest.

Fender868 · #15 10-14-2007, 04:14 PM

So then that means if i found one on **** i could use it on my edge ? By the way as a next jem would you recommend another 777 or 77 fp ? Cause i really like the other 777 with the vine inlays as well

. I think colored vine inlays on a maple board is a cool looking feature :O.

Anyone have any picture of their SK or 777's to show me :O. IF you have an sk, i'd be interested to see what it looks like after all these years.