So I just played a Jem7v

Brando Clean · #1 08-31-2007, 03:35 AM

God am I depressed. I was hoping it would compare to a cheaper RG series, but it just didn't. While I hated the strat knobs, the hate stopped there. The guitar had the best feel of any guitar II can remember. It made me wonder why people still buy strats. The trem was excellent and I didn't even have to tune it. The pickups were Evos which I already liked, but they just fit with this guitar.

Long story longer... I will not be asking if the Jems are worth the extra $$, because they are very nice. I don't get the scalloped fretboard or the handle, but am not really knocking it either.

Is there any possibility that I could get an RG that plays like a Jem? I don't need the gold hardware, handle, awesome inlay, scallops.

I just want an RG that plays like that Jem. Am I asking for too much? I want to stay under $1000.00 What do you recommend?

richard1973 · #2 08-31-2007, 03:50 AM

RG550 20ths play really good and have a great neck and the trem flutters just as well as my jem. And as your not keen on the handle or scalloped frets then problem solved

Rockappalla · #3 08-31-2007, 06:24 AM

Just buy an RG Prestige...you'll love the neck!
I bought a 1570 for 550 Euros new...you can add 150 more to swap the PU's if you need it...

Ki swordsman · #4 08-31-2007, 06:30 AM

what year was the one you played?

nuno · #5 08-31-2007, 07:01 AM

if you mean like the JEM you tried, then it's alder, while the most RGs are basswood. you should get one of those alder RGs from the '90s and put Evos in there. then you'll be pretty close to the JEM7V sound, i guess...

Kerem · #6 08-31-2007, 07:08 AM

I used evo bridge on my rg (basswood)
it sounds good but its definitely not like alder

Andelusion · #7 08-31-2007, 07:09 AM

Shop around for an RG Prestige, if you can try as many out as possible I'm sure you'll be able to find one which makes you feel the same as the Jem.

GTR-MAN · #8 08-31-2007, 08:21 AM

J Customs are awesome, better than Jem IMHO and no monkey grip or scallops. RG550's play awesome too.

heffergm · #9 08-31-2007, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GTR-MAN

J Customs are awesome, better than Jem IMHO and no monkey grip or scallops. RG550's play awesome too.

They also cost a fortune

But I have to say, the vine on the J-Customs is absolutely killer!

tt0511 · #10 08-31-2007, 09:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Andelusion

Shop around for an RG Prestige, if you can try as many out as possible I'm sure you'll be able to find one which makes you feel the same as the Jem.

I agree. As a previous owner (just sold recently) of a JEM 7vwh, a current owner of an RGT320Q (prestige) and a custom JEM swirl, ...I'd most definitely say to go with a Prestige RG if you can afford one. And, ...if you look around you can get one discounted. I paid 3-400 dollars less than the standard $1999 just because a local sam ash had discounted it. I asked why and the only reason they had was because it had been there a while, had been seen and hadn't found a home. They just wanted to move it out of their stock. So, ...I helped them, LOL. It is an insane guitar, and IMO plays better than the factory JEM, ...but everyone's hands and preferences are different.

Andelusion · #11 08-31-2007, 11:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tt0511

I agree. As a previous owner (just sold recently) of a JEM 7vwh, a current owner of an RGT320Q (prestige) and a custom JEM swirl, ...I'd most definitely say to go with a Prestige RG if you can afford one. And, ...if you look around you can get one discounted. I paid 3-400 dollars less than the standard $1999 just because a local sam ash had discounted it. I asked why and the only reason they had was because it had been there a while, had been seen and hadn't found a home. They just wanted to move it out of their stock. So, ...I helped them, LOL. It is an insane guitar, and IMO plays better than the factory JEM, ...but everyone's hands and preferences are different.

Exactly, I owned a 7vWH for about 1.5 years I think then sold it to a member on here because I bought an RGA (second hand) I could have bought about 5 RGAs for the price of the 7v but the fact is the RGA just feels better. It makes me sad when people want a 7v so much (like I did) and presume it'll be amazing for them. Any advice I'd give is just try as many guitars as possible from right across the price range because you never know what'll feel 'right'.

Dee · #12 08-31-2007, 12:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brando Clean

Is there any possibility that I could get an RG that plays like a Jem? I don't need the gold hardware, handle, awesome inlay, scallops.

I just want an RG that plays like that Jem. Am I asking for too much? I want to stay under $1000.00 What do you recommend?

New RG Prestige, older RG 5xx/6xx/7xx series, RG 20th Anniversary. With a good setup any of these will play as well as any JEM.

Quote:

Originally Posted by richard1973

RG550 20ths play really good and have a great neck and the trem flutters just as well as my jem. And as your not keen on the handle or scalloped frets then problem solved

^^^.

OLIE_ROCKS_THE_80'S · #13 08-31-2007, 01:35 PM

All the aforementioned guitars will play very well but they won't play "like the JEM" just be aware of that.

**jim777** · #14 08-31-2007, 01:45 PM

Yeah, a lot of these guitars will play very well indeed, but they won't really feel like a Jem. I'd try as many Ibanezes as you can, as there are a lot of really nice Prestige instruments for less than the price of a Jem. If you want 'just as nice' and the same feel, you're basically out of luck. If you want 'just as nice' but with a slighty different feel (not necessarily worse or better, just different) you've got a few nice options new and used.

jim