custom shop

[motogod927]

I was just looking through some of the old ibanez catalogs and it brought me back to my junior high days. I used to bring my ibanez cataLOGS TO SCHOOL AND DROOL AND DREAM OF SOMEDAY OWNING A EXOTIC WOOD OR CUSTOM GRAPHIC IBANEZ. NOW THAT I DO HAVE THE MONEY TO BUY THOSE GUITARS, I SO DREANED OF AS A KID THERE IS NO MORE CUSTOM SHOP.I WOULD BE IN HEAVEN IF IBANEZ BROUGHT BACK THE CUSTOM SHOP.i ACTUALLY THINK THAT THIS DREAM ISNT TO FAR FETCHED. IN THE PAST 2 GUITAR ONE ISSUES THEY KEEP SAYING THAT THE ALMIGHTY GUITAR SOLO IS COMING BACK.IF THIS IS THE CASE,THERE WILL BE MORE DEMAND FOR FLOYD EQUIPPED GUITARS.WE COULD ONLY HOPE THAT IBANEZ WILL GET SO HUGE LIKE IT WAS IN THE LATE BO'S AND EARLY 90'S AND THEY WILL BRING BACK THE CUSTOM SHOP. This will probably never happen but it doesnt hurt to dream.I would love to get my hands on one of those exotic woods.

[Rich]

Even in it's heyday the "custom shop" was never truely a "custom" shop. You could take your choice of stock off the shelf parts to be assembled as you wanted with the pickup configuration you wanted. That was about the extent of it, unless you're an endorcee.

[vaijem777]

Keep your eyes open...I've had half a dozen various Exotic Woods models, most of them in the last 2 years. They pop up once in awhile, and usually in waves of more than one at a time.

[Soloist]

I agree, I wish Ibanez would add some custom options to a new RG series or make some options available on a new prestige RG of some kind. I mean we have only one nice RG prestige, the RG3120 (well ok, also the RGT3120 if you like neck throughs), even then the RG3120's are not really that amazing, all they have going for them is a AAA flame top; if you even get one that can be considered AAA.

[Kevan]

Talk about beating a dead horse....
A search will yield you many results as to the "custom shop" issue.

Bottom Line: Bottom line. It's just plain not cost-effective to open a custom shop. Sure, you'd be first in line, and a dozen others, but what about after that? When costs aren't covered, things go bye-bye.

If you *really* want a custom Ibanez guitar, talk to any of the sponsors of this Forum, or check the Vendor list. There are a bunch of good folks with much talent.

For those quick to bitch about options not being available, take a look at the Gibs*n and Fend*r catalogs. If I remember correctly, the 2001 Gibs*n catalog offered EIGHT different guitars and two different basses. That's it. Last time I checked, Ibanez had over 20 different models coming to the US, many with at least 2 different paint or finish colors on them.

The options are there, you just have to take a step back and look at the broader picture.

[vaijem777]

Gibson may have had only ( models in their catalog, but...there are WAY more than that. The number of Gibson Custom Shop and Signature models is frightening! Actually, it kinda takes the fun out of it. One look at http://www.gibson.com/products/gibson will show that they'ev got (14) different Les Paul models alone- and those are just the stock production models. Granted, they're all technically the same "model", but they've got different woods, different pickups, different finishes, etc.

That's basically what the Ibanez Custom Shop offered: the RG body with different tops, finishes, electronics, necks, etc. I kinda miss it, but...I understand that Ibanez just couldn't justify keeping the USA Custom shop opened. It would please a minority, but most people probably couldn't care less. Of course...Jackson seems to be doing just fine with their custom shop...

[motogod927]

I dont understand how jackson and esp can do it but ibanez cant.

[motogod927]

Bot

[motogod927]

we

[Paul Secondino]

I don't mean to be out of line but you can have something like an exotic wood made fairly easily.You don't need Ibanez for it.This guitar is a warmoth and was posted in the gear section.It is a very exotic looking RG style guitar wiht floyd Rose http://www.paulsecondino.com/images/top.jpg