J-Custom & Prestige confusion - What makes a J-C a J-C? - Page 9

Darin · #**121** 09-15-2006, 08:31 PM

What is "quality"? It's kind of subjective I think. Quality might be an artsy guitar that's all custom, but well built. But it's also a consistalny well built guitar that's mass produced like the RG's. What can really make the RG's better. They function exactly like they are supposed to. Unless you get one with a factory flaw, which is unlikely, they are pretty much all perfect. Is a neck through higher "quality"? In a certain respects, perhaps. But if you want a bolt on, and there is nothing wrong with the guitar, then it's of the same quality I'd think. Perhaps I'm not getting the definition of quality right. If it's the term refers to the best possible way you 'could' make a guitar. Then Jem's would have to be rated lower than neckthrough RG's since NT's are considered higher quality. The JS's would also be lower quality than the NT RG's, even the chromes. I just bought a Prestige, used, 3 hours, so new really. I looked it over, played it a bunch. Nothing wrong with it in any respected. I consider it of very high quality. When you get into crazy custom guitars that cost an arm and a leg. I suppose some guy picking through a pallet of wood and spending hours hand sanding and whatever he does to it could be considered making it higher quality. But is it really higher "quality" than a flawless Prestige?

Rich · #**122** 09-15-2006, 08:38 PM

Quality is not subjective. It's in your face craftsmanship to a level higher than the next. Signature models and Prestige are built on the same lines by the same hands [some a hair better than others] but JC's are built in a seperate part of the factory with the best craftsmen doing the best work. There is nothing perceived or subjective about it. It may be hard for you to envision but those that own know exactly what I'm talking about.

Darin · #**123** 09-17-2006, 01:41 PM

I'm certainly not trying to argue a point. I'm just trying to get the point myself about quality. The pic posted of the guys frets that are finely finished int he edges would seem to fall into the category of higher quality. But other than just diggin the heck out of it. What does it do in the end. I'm thinking that quality is more an isssue for collectors. Once you get to the Prestige level of quality, isn't anything after that "extra"? What do you get if you spend 2 or 3 thousand dollars more? Obviously the JS100 is lower quality than the 1000. Cheaper materials for starters. But once you get to the JS1000, isn't pretty much everything on up from there just different levels of quality based on the amount of time spent on the guitars finish? But they'd all play and sound similar, other than the woods? Here's my point I guess. Don't at some dollar level you hit the quality level that's going to make the guitar sound as good and play as good as it's going to get, say at $1000. From there it's all finish details that are really only important to a collector. Once start climbing the dollar mountain, you get unique paint jobs, perhaps more carfully finished fretwork, more choice woods etc. My saying it's subjective is just saying that to one person, a JS1000 or Prestige is high quality, but to someone else with a Crome, they would see that as higher quality than the 1000. I don't know. That's the good thing about discussion. Debating and learning.

Rich · #**124** 09-17-2006, 01:59 PM

What does a collector care about how the guitar feels to a player? Which is why all the extra time and attention is paid. Until you go pick one up you're just spinning wheels......

Darin · #**125** 09-18-2006, 06:23 PM

I gave it some more thought today. When you talk about the quality of a guitar, you are really talking about 2 things. The craftsmanship/workmanship and the materials. Same guitar, same material, but higher level of quality going into the wormanship of the guitar, like crazy fret work and super careful attention to detail in the finish.

Rich · #**126** 09-18-2006, 06:28 PM

The materials are definitely also better, but yes, it's the craftsmanship that really defines "quality". If thematerials were crap you couldn't say that though. It takes more than just the craftsmanship alone.

eelblack2 · #**127** 09-26-2006, 08:55 PM

Just got my HRG4-BX today. Granted its my first J-Custom, but I can honestly say Ive never played a finer 7 string. The neck and fretwork are out of this world.

Phishphood42 · #**128** 09-26-2006, 09:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

Quality is not subjective. It's in your face craftsmanship to a level higher than the next. Signature models and Prestige are built on the same lines by the same hands [some a hair better than others] but JC's are built in a seperate part of the factory with the best craftsmen doing the best work. There is nothing perceived or subjective about it. It may be hard for you to envision but those that own know exactly what I'm talking about.

I thought that the sigs were made with the J Customs.

Als, yes I have noticed differences in fretwork quality between my J Custom and prestiges I've played.

Ke^in · #**129** 10-27-2006, 11:27 AM

Oh come on. After the abuse Jay13 has given me over at the Ibanez forums...

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/showthread.php?t=53843

But you are right, It was probably bad taste.

S-man · #**130** 10-27-2006, 02:16 PM

HAHAHA....sorry bud, I just have to laugh. He said ...."inappropriate".

Ke^in · #**131** 10-27-2006, 02:47 PM

Well what I said there was. I never said ANYTHING like that over at the Ibanez forums. You simply couldn't. It would have been edited out.

Rodney James · #**132** 11-07-2006, 05:51 PM

Welp!

Then it's settled, J-Custom is the best guitars on the planet, Prestige and signatures are the 2nd best on the planet.

Sooooooa. My friend Tillman Enlightened me that he, My Son Ben and I all need J-Customs!

Ibanez-Mag · #**133** 11-07-2006, 08:29 PM

Interesting discussion.
I have read most of it, but probably missed something here and there and maybe this has already been said.

I have never personally asked Ibanez about the difference between these guitars.
But I have played loads of both J-customs and Prestige guitars (own a few of them too).
I have never noticed any quality difference, more then the one there is among the same model of any good guitar. The best Ibanez guitars I have played are not J-Customs or signature series. I’m not saying that there are no quality difference, just that I haven’t noticed any.

But there are some differences, like the neck joint is carved differently on my J-custom then on my Prestige guitars (not sure if this is on all J-Customs, but on all the ones I remembered to look for it). Also that the tone and volume knobs are lowered into the body a bit on J-Customs, but not on a Prestige.

Here are pictures of what I mean.
I hope it is something that comes out in the pictures, I didn’t have the time to get good shots.

J-Custom neck joint.

Prestige neck joint.

J-Custom knobs.

Prestige knobs.

Could anyone take a look at there J-Customs to see if they are the same or if mine is special?

/Magnus

Moibanez · #**134** 11-07-2006, 09:22 PM

WOW !! I have other problems in life to deal with .......sorry guys.

Rich · #**135** 11-07-2006, 10:43 PM

You're saying that on a current JC you noticed no difference in the fret end and fretboard edge radiusing? If you don't then you got one bad JC [and I find that hard to believe].

All current JC's are inset knob, goes back a couple years, I think it started around 2000 or 2001. The JCAANJ has been there since at least 97' [going from memory, don't shoot me if I'm off by a year or 2].