Has Ibanez Ever Done a Limited Run of Custom Guitars?

[Willin]

Could you imagine having that guitar? You'd be the envy of guitarists everywhere, hahaha. If there were only about 75 of those guitars made or something, it would be SO unique to have one! Man, if I manage to get backstage passes for the upcoming G3 tour I really might type something up explaining to Steve this crazy idea going on at these forums. I'd then hand it to him and ask him to consider this idea when he has a few free moments to read it! Haha, that'd be awesome! Man, i've been dying for them to make the Bad Horsie guitar. :P

[JEAPSON]

It makes no doubt that a custom jem for jemsiters would a a low priority on each parties. I just meant that it is not an impossible project but rather a project that can become alive even if of long run.

I would go a JEM : after all it's JEMsite !

[Jeroenn]

You should present Ibanez a complete idea, not just asking if this or that. Glen is right, they lack the time, and certainly won't spend any effort if there is nothing to gain. So we need an idea that is benefitial to them as well as unique and do-able for us. Here's my proposal:

Make use of current production model parts. That way, Ibanez doesn't have to invest in setting up costs for aditional production lines, or alterering current production lines that are busy making current guitars.

For example, Bad Horsie (the orrignial) is quite possible.
It's a 7V neck, with an unfinished or lightly stained body, black pickguard and 7V pickups and golden hardware. This stuff is readaly available. It doesn't matter much what type of wood is going into the CMC machines, so mahogany or swamp or whatever is ok.
To make it unique, let LGM lay in the body with something like www.jemsite.com or whatever, to make it the jemsite jem. Heck, he can even stain the body too, so complete body's can be delivered to Ibanez.
I'm sure Jeremy can do something very tasty to that body. All they have to do is make a few more 7v necks and slap the thing together for the finished product. Swirls are nice, but very expensive. It will limmit your audience, and provide Ibanez with a lot of production headaches.

You also need to convince them that they *will* be sold. That means basically, sell them before they are produced. Up to 25 people can write in on this Jem, and pay (a part) up front. It will be a legally binding contract. 27 will be made (one for Vai, one for Ibanez itself). Because you've allready sold 25, you can add the caveat to have an option for 25 more. If those won't sell all, you could do something with Vai & make a noise, ebay and auctions. If the first 25 won't all sell, then there will be no deal. No production is done, so nothing is lost.

In exchange, Ibanez can refer to Jemsite.com as proper advertising. I'm sure such an action will draw a lot of attention, so that is good.

In short, the benefits:

- Ibanez uses only current production materials (no extra stuff)
- Production costs won't be over the top (no swirls)
- Ibanez reveneus are guaranteed (sales up front)
- It won't take Steve Vai a lot of time to say "Yes, that's cool, do it and
save me one".
- LGM/Jeremy will get the attention of international market and Ibanez,
which will be good for his business. I'm sure he'll make a special price
for Ibanez in that respect.
- We take the responsability of selling them, and our own efforts decide
the go/no go mark. No time spend by Ibanez marketing and designing
this thing.
- If the axe is popular, it will be fairly easy to make a second batch, which
if negotiated correctly, should be an option.
- It leaves room for some charity work (this should appeal to Steve Vai)
- We would have our very own Jemsite Jem, and it will be an official and
unique one.

If this won't work, perhaps you could ask for a licence to have a bunch custom build by EKG/Jeremy/Whoever, and still have an Ibanez approved Jem.


Gosh, and that on a monday..

[gkelm]

Originally Posted by bduersch

What? No matching headstock? (heck, sign me up either way!)

--B

OK, Ok...twist my arm!

[Jeroenn]

By the way, the hardest part of this is to agree on how this Jem should look. Therefore, I suggest that if this idea ever gets into the real world, we should appoint someone (Hi, Glen... ) to judge design entries based upon the rules that Ibanez doesn't have to add anything or that customizing is done by 3rd party (ie: LGM etc). Low cost anyway.

[The Euphor]

Originally Posted by Jeroenn

By the way, the hardest part of this is to agree on how this Jem should look. Therefore, I suggest that if this idea ever gets into the real world, we should appoint someone (Hi, Glen... ) to judge design entries based upon the rules that Ibanez doesn't have to add anything or that customizing is done by 3rd party (ie: LGM etc). Low cost anyway.

This and Jeroenns previous post made sense.

Euph

[Jeroenn]

Since the topic shifted towards a custom jemsite jem, maybe this thread should be moved to the appropriate place, and see if more jem fans agree if this all makes sense.. ..

[Artist]

Jer your post made some very good points.
Sign me up for that JEM.

p.s what if Jeremy was to inlay the name of the buyer from the first batch into the headstock or body? sweeeet.

[mattsmusic]

Hey, cool! I didn't know you guys were still talking about this. I looked into this when I first posted the topic and although the answer wasn't "no", it sounded like the process was going to be fairly involved. If there is genuine interest, lets get an idea of how many people would be in a position to commit to a guitar like this. We'd probably need at least 75 and the bulk of them would need to have advance deposits on them. I have no idea what the price would be, or if this could really happen at all, but I suupose this is a good place to start. I'd be willing to offer Jemsiters special pricing if Ibanez and Steve would be willing to allow this limited run to happen.

Matt

[Ekim]

Still interested...

[jim777]

I'm also still interested, but Ibanez has announced new Gilbert, Satch, and Vai models since we started talking about this, and that clouds the whole mess. Seventy-five pieces is a lot of pieces any way you slice it, but if there's a new Jem right around the corner I don't know how we can do it. I think a lot of people with a bit of cash for a new guitar will want to go that way.
Again, I still think this is a good idea, but I don't think we'll be able to get those numbers until people have had a chance to vote on the new guitars with their wallets first.

jim

[The Euphor]

Hello!

I found out, today, that Dean has done something like this, created a customguitar for DOA members (Dean Owners club of America).

Dean forum

I know Dean is a smaller company located in the US, but it should be possible for Ibanez to do something similar.

DOA ordered 50 guitars and 25 basses, and they've done the same this year. The final result will be shown at DOA 2004 (Jemfest wannabe ).

They spent a few months voting for the final result, but no one was obliged to buy anything. They just voted for what they wanted. In the end it was up to the MAN at Dean HQ to decide what was possible and not.

Nobody outside the Dean factory saw the result before DOA 2003.

Euph

[Alain]

Has anyone contacted Ibanez for this yet?
Is there anybody who could do that? Rich??
Maybe place a poll section about it.
Since there are only 3 to 4 guitars that everyone would want.

[power freak]

come on we all know we want a Jemsite reissue of this http://www.vai.com/Machines/guitarpages/guitar020.html

In a seven string with custom jemsite inlays and alder/swamp ash body!!!!!

Freak
(but any custom jem would absolutely rule!!!)

[Dee]

Originally Posted by The Eristic

Personally, I'd like to see an RG-"1565"

That would truly make my day. Similar to the old 565 but with a bound neck and headstock, maybe a rosewood board, colour matched headstock and BRING BACK THE COLOURS, IBANEZ! What happened? The new guitars look dreary and "normal". It's been about 15 years since I bought an Ibanez (I've had an original version 1 RG550 in red and an RG750 in purple neon), and man I can't believe how much Ibanez have grown up. The new range seem to lack excitement though.

Ibanez 565 II / 1565, 2565, I dunno, I just wished they'd get more reverse headstock guitars with a H/S pickup config out there!