USA Custom "Exotic Woods" Series - My new obsession!

vaijem777 · #1 11-07-2001, 01:07 PM

Well...a few weeks back, I purchased a UCEWBE1 (Birdseye Maple top) from the Jemsite forum. *I had no idea what to expect, but...I'm floored! *It's incredible! *Since then, I've also gotten a UCEWQM1 Quilted Maple and a UCEWLE1 (?) both from EBay. *The Quilted Maple is insane! *Love it almost more than the Birdseye. *Can't wait to get the Lacewood too. *I'm blown away by the tone quality and playability of these guitars. *I've always wanted one, and am thrilled to now have three of them! *The tops are obscenely thick (about 1/2 inch!!!) and the necks are incredible as well. *Overall quality blows away just about any other Ibanez I've owned (and I've owned a LOT of them). *The only one right now that comes close is the RG-ART1. *All I need now is the Flamed Maple UCEWFM1....anybody got one? *

*

Any other Exotic Wood owners out there? *Share your thoughts!

PS *I put cream DiMarzios in the Birdseye model-looks incredible with the natural finish top and cream neck binding.

rlintz · #2 11-07-2001, 01:11 PM

How about some pics? *I saw the lacewood USA Custom on ebay now and was impressed with the thickness of the top. *Very schweet!!

**jemsite** · #3 11-07-2001, 01:13 PM

Yup. Congrats on the nice axes. These are stunning and very well built guitars. Makes you wonder how ibanez can charge $3-5k for a DNA or a J-Custom when these go for $600-900 on ebay

Enjoy.... glen

**jemsite** · #4 11-07-2001, 01:14 PM

yes, hi-res pics for the gallery will be nice... glen

vaijem777 · #5 11-07-2001, 01:30 PM

Hey!

I'll gladly get some pics as soon as the Lacewood gets in-it should be here Friday, so I'll try to have some pics available this weekend. *I love my DNA, but...honestly, the build quality alone on the Exotic Woods puts just about any other Ibanez to shame. *They're solid, and are built like a tank. *I've definitely got a few new "main" guitars...at least for the time being. *

pri0531 · #6 11-07-2001, 01:32 PM

Glen:
This topic sounds familiar doesn't it? *The blue 1992 Ibanez RG1200 is so FINE!!!!
Out,
GP

**jemsite** · #7 11-07-2001, 01:35 PM

hehe... no surprises.... people love those axes

Rich · #8 11-07-2001, 02:09 PM

Nice guitars I will agree, but there's no magic "better build quality than anything else", they're up to par with, but certainly not better than.

**jemsite** · #9 11-07-2001, 02:16 PM

here's my take... they were not made in Hosh/Japan, so it's not a matter of being 'up to par' with other Ibanez models. It's really more along the lines of 'which ibanez guitars from japan matches their quality'.

This should be of no surprise given the fact they were made in a different environment/facility... glen

vaijem777 · #10 11-07-2001, 02:33 PM

Agreed...I guess I can't really say that they're "better" than the DNA for instance...the correct term would be "different". *To me, they just have a much more solid feel to them than the Japanese Ibanez. *The RG-ART1 shares that feeling-it's difficult to explain with words though. *For some reason, the UCEW's just feel more...rugged? *The second I picked the first one up and plugged it in, it just seemed to "click" with me, but of course...it's such a subjective thing that it's hard to substantiate. *As has been said repeatedly on the site..."it's all ice cream!"

Rich · #11 11-07-2001, 02:40 PM

Like the first time I picked up a 7VWH, I know exactly what you mean!

I would in all honesty say that all Jap Sigs, Prestige, and JC's are on the same quality level as the USAC's. There will be bad apples in both baskets, but overall quality levels are on equal ground.

**jemsite** · #12 11-07-2001, 02:42 PM

i don't know how you can compare a JS1000 or JEM777VBK with a UCEW myself... glen

vaijem777 · #13 11-07-2001, 02:56 PM

I'd agree with you both, in a way. *I do think that there are SOME Japanese production models that rival the UCEW in quality, but not all of them. *I get the same feeling from my CP, and the 7VWHs that I've owned were close too. *But...even the GMC, PMC, etc seem to lack the overall quality feeling that the UCEW's have. *Agreed though-no two guitars are created equal, and it's a certainty that there are hits and misses from both sides of the Ibanez ocean. *I'm sure that if you lined up 10 7VWH and 10 UCEW, there would be examples of each that wouldn't quite stack up to some of the others. * That's the beauty of the upper-end Ibanez models that have a little extra "human touch" in the finishing process-each guitar really does have it's own personality

bduersch · #14 11-08-2001, 09:25 AM

I think a big part of the charm of the EW's is the solid feel... they generally have thicker necks, and the bodies are a solid chunk of mahogany (with usually a solid chunk of maple on top of that). I think all the Jems, UV's, Prestiges, J-Customs, USA Customs, etc are well assembled, but I think it's the sheer mass of the EW's that contribute to the solid feel.

To me, it's like the difference between a Les Paul and a Strat... both could be great guitars w/ top notch craftsmanship. The LP, to me at least, will always have a much more solid feel because of its weight. The strat less so, since it's made of lighter woods & half of it's hollow anyway.

--B

iain · #15 11-08-2001, 09:46 AM

Quote:

Quote: from bduersch on 8:25 am on Nov. 8, 2001
.... but I think it's the sheer mass of the EW's that contribute to the solid feel...

I agree totally. It's easy to confuse weight/mass with solid construction. My JS1000 may be light, but that doesn't mean it isn't solid