Problems with ne Jem7VWH's

Turcotte · #1 12-20-2007, 04:00 AM

I have been trying to get a Jem7VWH since the end of summer. I have ordered a total of six of them. Each one that I get has either a warped neck or a twisted neck. Most of them had a hump around were the neck meets the body and this causes major fret buzz on the high E and B strings between frets 1 thru 14. I am no expert when it comes to guitar repair but have been playing for over 12 years and have kept my other guitars in great shape but non-the-less and I have brought each guitar to a well respected authorized Ibanez dealer where I live. They repair guy has told me that every one needed a heat set to be done to the neck where it has warped/twisted and that the cause could be a number of things from shipping to the extremely dry fret boards that are coming on the new jems (case in point, look up the three jems currently being sold at sweet_water and you will see how red and dry the necks appear to be). Each jem I have received has looked like that. That is the major problem that I am having but there are a lot of smaller problems. On every jem the back of the neck needed to be touched up as there were numerous spots of wood that were sticking up. Not a big deal but still something that can be avoided. On top of that, three of the jems had the neck set in crooked were there was hardly any room on the high e string. One of the jems had the edge pro sitting so low in the cavity that the back of the edge would hit the indention's on the side-walls of the cavity. Has any one else heard of or had these kind of problems with their new jems? By looking at these six jems I can say that the quality control is pretty low as each jem felt completely different. I know what some of you will say "Go find another guitar" but I have played some awesome jems and refuse to give up until I find one.

Martyr Machine · #2 12-20-2007, 04:28 AM

Are you sure they didn't just need a truss rod adjustment? It's pretty common for new guitars to need a full setup. As for the edge pro, raising the bridge height is a very simple procedure.

Rich · #3 12-20-2007, 04:40 AM

If you want an awesome JEM there's a very easy solution, buy from the right shop.

Otherwise most of this sounds like the boy who cried wolf. Six bad necks in a row in just perposterous. I just had 7 come in, I rejected one for the neck and another for a body blem, being extremely critical of course. There no such thing as wood coming up from the back of the neck but there will always be some degree of paint pimples that have to be razor shaved.

For_The_Love_Of_Jems · #4 12-20-2007, 01:56 PM

I bought a used 2006 7VWH that had the neck set in crooked in the pocket. Maybe caused during rough shipping? I managed to get it back to normal, but within a couple days after the infamous neck pocket crack appeared. Plays nice though, and I got a decent deal on it so I rolled with it... Good luck with your Jem Quest!

JJEMMER777 · #5 12-20-2007, 02:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by For_The_Love_Of_Jems

I managed to get it back to normal, but within a couple days after the infamous neck pocket crack appeared.

AANJ's aren't infamous for neck pocket cracks. In fact they are pretty rare

**jim777** · #6 12-20-2007, 03:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

If you want an awesome JEM there's a very easy solution, buy from the right shop.

Yep

Not for nothin Turcotte, but you should have looked to Rich 6 Jems ago dude

Luckily, it's still not too late!

Petie · #7 12-20-2007, 07:22 PM

Mine is fine - perfect really - apart from needing to replace the volume pot after less than a week when it seized up. Also the pickup selector needs to be replaced - it doesn't 'catch' on each setting, if ya know what I mean, moving almost like a slider with a few little bumps along the way, instead of a good sturdy toggle switch. But it still works so I won't bother changing it until I give her another setup. As I've previously ranted, I bought 3 new Ibanezes this year and had the same volume pot problem, but the VWH is the only one with a pickup switch doing this.

I've only ever played one other VWH at a store to compare it to (they're quite rare in Australia - it seems stores don't like to buy them for inventory very often, only as a special order for a customer) and it was set up too poorly to judge its structural quality in the brief time I had with it.

Playloud78 · #8 12-20-2007, 09:55 PM

i too have had to replace the volume switch on my 07 vwh that froze up its like someone just all the sudden spot welded it in place no movement at all after 3 months. however mine too came from sweewater and my neck is a dream to play the maple even has some flame to it so i can see the prestige neck dosnt skimp on materials with production guitars getting good flame maple as part of the necks. yes there was a little rubbing of the high e but a trem and truss rod adjustment fixed that

Turcotte · #9 12-20-2007, 10:15 PM

Thanks for all the chiming in guys. I have set up every guitar that came in. Granted I am no specialist but when you follow the setup from Ibanez Rules to a T and get sub par results I feel something is wrong. ***Rich I meant paint pimples but couldn't for the life of me remember what the correct term was for them so sorry for the confusion.***

I could only get one of these guitars into the medium action range. As far as the volume pots and selector switch, I had two of the guitars that the tip of the switch was way to high (the edge pro bar would hit the switch when you would swing it around into playing position and if you were not paying attention would flip the switch for you.) A few of you recommend that I raise the edge pro to stop the fret buzz or to bring it out of the cavity for proper pull up. This has been done, I am not a complete tool. The problem was that I would have to lower them so far into the body to get the action down under 3.0mm on the low E that the back of the edge was touching the back of the cavity.

As far as the necks go maybe I am inexperienced at sighting them. I sight from the headstock down and use the high E or low E as a straight edge to compare the relief/bow of the neck too. Every neck I have got has a slight hump down towards the neck joint and then it tapers of were the scalloped frets are. This causes most notes before the hump to have more that tolerable fret buzz.

I have one more coming to me and if this one doesn't do it I will probably go with Rich since every one hear has nothing but praise for him.

Darin · #10 12-20-2007, 10:29 PM

I went to GC, considering buying a Jem for my daughter. I've played amazing Jems before. But the one that they JUST PULLED OUT OF THE BOX when I got there was horrible. I don't know if anyone there knew how to set up a guitar or not. I'm guessing it was going to be sold like that, then the buyer would have to pay $$$ for a REAL set up, that should come freakin standard on a $2000 guitar!! You will not pull a PRS or even a PRS SE off the shelf and find it in 'that" condition. Same story with a JS they had. Could be the temp and humidity of the store I suppose. With guitars hangin at all heights on a 20foot high wall.....

I was so disappointed.

Turcotte · #11 12-20-2007, 10:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darin

You will not pull a PRS or even a PRS SE off the shelf and find it in 'that" condition.

Exactly. If Ibanez is going to keep raising the price then at least keep the quality level the same. I purchased one the the 20th anniversary RG's and the overall quality was better than any of the jems I got. Maybe I am being to overly critical but it is $2000.00. I could buy a great guitar from another manufacturer for that price and be happy. I understand going through a bunch of guitars to find "the one that spoke to me" but I don't understand going through a bunch just to find one that is simply setup right.

WMerkert · #12 12-21-2007, 03:22 AM

I have a 1994 VWH and had never any problems. Seems that quality standards were lowered.

Tank · #13 12-21-2007, 04:05 AM

I had no problem with my first 7vwh (got it only a few weeks ago) and it came with a perfect setup, of course I ordered from the right place

WMerkert · #14 12-21-2007, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tank

I had no problem with my first 7vwh (got it only a few weeks ago) and it came with a perfect setup, of course I ordered from the right place

I know, this place is a kind of quality control.

ibanezking · #15 12-21-2007, 04:25 AM

I have noticed that the level of set-up of out the box Ibanez' has gone downhill over the last few years.....
Usually a very dry neck and a high action/poor neck adjustment.

Anyway, i think people assume they can have a quick read of Rich's set up pages and instantly get a great playing guitar.
If you're pretty smart and your axe is only a smidge away from correct then you'll probably do it........ BUT the key thing to setups, is understanding how by adjusting one thing, changes another. Each aspect has to correctly interact with the others.......

It takes alot of experience, to set a guitar up properly

something that reading a few pages on the net won't give you (and this certainly ain't a knock at your site Rich!)
I get guys calling up saying they've bought a book on setups and been reading it all and they just can't quite get the action down..... when i actually see there guitar - They're a MILLION miles away

And i agree......... when you spend $2000 somewhere - i'd expect a bit of customer service..... like a Set-Up!.....NOT a new box thrown at me.

Happy Christmas

Max