Why is the VWH so expensive?

[austintx05]

Is it just the royalty to Vai that makes it so expensive?

[brothersnowgone]

Simply because a lot of people are willing to pay what they ask, I'm sure Ibanez makes a far healthier profit off of each jem than Vai.

[Brosa]

It's the flagship of Ibanez jem's and a great looking, sounding and playing guitar!

Try the search button on jemsite. This topic has been under a lot of discussion already. Recently too, so you will find loads of information there.

Cheers, Sam

[ANT5150]

Go and play one and you'll know why.They are just excellent well made playable guitars and worth every penny! Steve Vai's main guitar for how long now? Nuff said!

[Lordiesel]

Originally Posted by ANT5150

Go and play one and you'll know why.They are just excellent well made playable guitars and worth every penny! Steve Vai's main guitar for how long now? Nuff said!

second that.... i was gonna say to the guy that started the thread... clearly you don't have 1. hehe

[Ayrton]

Originally Posted by austintx05

Is it just the royalty to Vai that makes it so expensive?

Expensive compared to what? Is it expensive compared to a 350DX or a Les Paul standard?

It cost what it cost, and only you can decide if it is worth it.

[TongueShredder]

Originally Posted by Ayrton

Expensive compared to what? Is it expensive compared to a 350DX or a Les Paul standard?

It cost what it cost, and only you can decide if it is worth it.

Theory Of Relativity..

[rzul]

keep in mind that many ppl in europe buy it for 4000$, so is US price 2000$ for VWH much?



definitely not.

[shreddersymphony]

I'm sure bread costs more in poor countries than it does in the US (I'm from Russia originally, I should know!) but that doesnt mean anything at all really, and its certainly not a reason to say that a guitar isnt overpriced. It just happens to be doubly overpriced there in Europe. I've played almost every single JEM available except the DNA and a few other super rare ones, and I can honestly say that quality to price wise, to me they're absolutely overpriced. I had an RG350EX with Evos a few years back...and honestly, there is not 1600 dollars of difference between my old RG and the jem, no matter what way you cut it. I played them side by side through the same amp on the same settings, and the JEM only slightly outperformed it because the neck was a little nicer to the touch and the fretjob was a little better. I'm sorry but a slightly nicer neck and a better fretjob are not worth 1600 dollars to me.

I had a thread like this and someone pointed out that its also a matter of compensating ibanez for all the advertising they do, plus they charge extra for the fact that Vai's name/image is attached to it. I think that's ridiculous but its totally understandable from a marketing/business perspective. So, while I think that it would be more true to the quality-price ratio to sell the Jem for around a grand or maybe a tiny bit more, I accept that Ibanez needs to break even with the marketing thing and therefore the price is what it is. But with that kinda money, I just go to a luthier buddy of mine and have him custom make my instruments .

[elcid]

You should just save time and see if Glen can let you change your screen name to "I get all my guitars custom made by a luthier friend of mine"

[shreddersymphony]

I tried at first, but it wouldnt fit. Said it was too long. But hey man, just statin' the facts where they apply.

[Brosa]

[kotornut]

It's expensive because it's cool.


People like Steve, people want to look cool like steve. They buy his guitar.

If it was too cheap then people would doubt/know that it isn't really what he plays. If it was too expensive then people wouldn't ever buy it.

They picked the price that satisfies these requirements and also that of making money and paying royalties and all.

Hey come on, it is a buisness they are trying to make money. Everyone tries to make money. Soem take it too far-like Gibson or PRS maybe-I don't really think Ibanez is a company like that. You can get steve's guitar for under $2000 and you can buy J-Customs for less than 2 grand. There aren't too many companies that make awesome top of the line guitars in that price range. Try to buy a top of the line PRS and see the price difference. And the best PRS is no better than the best Ibby IMO.


Also, if you look at the artist that play Ibanezes that are predominantly like the ones we play RGs, JEMs, JS and so on you can see that they are not only commited to ibanez for long periods of time they are also some of the best and most successful guitarist of all time.

Sure other companies have there super stars. But if you could throw down that Steve Vai and Joe Satriani and Paul Gilbert have played signature and regular model guitars that are all under $2000 for over 20 years, you would have a great company image wouldn't you. So if we really think about it, it's not "so expensive." No other company can claim that. Gibson and PRS sigs cost over $2000 for a cheap version (not counting Epiphone and Se models). Fender is the only company that can probably boast more than Ibby about affordable high end sig guitars.

[austintx05]

I owned a 2001 vwh for a short time with an ebony board. One of the best playing jems I had ever held and I bought it out the door for $1650. So to see a price tage of $2100 is much more expensive, seeing as they only come with rosewood boards.

[mozfan98]

Vai does get his royalties from each guitar sold, but trust me..it's not that much. Why the guitar costs 2000+? Have you looked closely into the guitars craftsmanship? A lot more work has been put to produce the Jem than the other lineups unless it's a J-Custom. Vine inlays, carved detailing, etc.. I don't believe Ibanez sets a price that high just because people are willing to pay for that, because Ibanez is not Gibson. They look into the costs, labor, profit margin, etc..and then set the price from there.