Why dont they do this anymore?

User010101 · #1 03-21-2007, 10:41 AM

How comes ibanez no longer uses ebony for the j-customs and how comes they no longer use this construction style and no longer put this writing on the back of the headstock:

i thought that wood construction gave it an extra touch of class and further distinguished it from the prestige line.
now the current j-customs look like modded prestige guitars.

TongueShredder · #2 03-21-2007, 11:00 AM

Hahaha, the only logical reason they dont put those words behind the headstock anymore is that they dont make quality J customs like they used to.......Nah just joking

buddroyce · #3 03-21-2007, 11:04 AM

They stopped doing it to cut back on the cost. I would have to agree that it does add a touch of class to it.

(btw.. isn't that my RG8670 in the first pic?)

User010101 · #4 03-21-2007, 11:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buddroyce

They stopped doing it to cut back on the cost. I would have to agree that it does add a touch of class to it.

(btw.. isn't that my RG8670 in the first pic?)

it probably is yours, i found that pic on ibanezregister.com.
i have just fallen in love with every aspect of the RG8670 so i have been looking around the web for one. i really wish ibanez continued to make j-customs like that.

but anyways, its not like theyre going to listen to us seeing as that guitar isnt even intended for our markets

.

buddroyce · #5 03-21-2007, 11:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by User010101

it probably is yours, i found that pic on ibanezregister.com.
i have just fallen in love with every aspect of the RG8670 so i have been looking around the web for one. i really wish ibanez continued to make j-customs like that.

but anyways, its not like theyre going to listen to us seeing as that guitar isnt even intended for our markets

.

Well.. I stopped caring about the whole J-Custom line when they killed the RG8670 and replaced it with the RG8270. At least they more or less re-introduced the RG8670 as the RG8470 with the rosewood fingerboard. Although the 8470 lacks the veneer on the back of the headstock it's still a kick@$$ guitar.

GAZ · #6 03-21-2007, 12:52 PM

Personally I prefer good quality rosewood to ebony so that doesn't bother me. My RG8270VV has a striped ebony headstock overlay does that count ?!?!!? My RG8570TT has the headstock as in your pics, the 8270 doesn't, it is just a cosmetic feature, and more necessary because of the wide strips of bubinga on the 8570. The narrow walnut strips look neat enough anyway. The writing could be seen as 'cheesey' and we all know it anyway without reading the back of the headstock. Yes the J Customs are modded Prestige guitars, what's wrong with that ? There are a lot of unique features to the current JC line over the Prestige that make them unique and special, things more important than the cosmetics of the rear of the headstock. Make a list of what you think they are and I'll tell you if you've missed any off !!

Gusfmm · #7 03-21-2007, 01:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buddroyce

They stopped doing it to cut back on the cost. I would have to agree that it does add a touch of class to it.

(btw.. isn't that my RG8670 in the first pic?)

Cut back on what cost? The newer J-Craft logo is not much different in terms of stamping, ink usage, etc. I don't see how this could be a cost reduction motivation.

I think the newer design is more elegant and creates both brand-identity and commercial differentiation between a MIJ JC guitar and the rest, whereas the former stamping was just a generic non-identity associable quality message. It makes all sense to progress from that.

Gus.

GAZ · #8 03-21-2007, 02:27 PM

My RG8270 is deeply offended by the comments above, and has put in a request to be converted into a kick@$$ guitar by swapping it's striped ebony headstock for flame maple and installing maple neck binding. I told it not to worry, the extra rosewood on the fretboard and ebony on the headstock add so much more to the tone.......

buddroyce · #9 03-21-2007, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gusfmm

Cut back on what cost? The newer J-Craft logo is not much different in terms of stamping, ink usage, etc. I don't see how this could be a cost reduction motivation.

The cost of the two strips of veneers is low, but the cost of labour required to do it isn't.

voodoo_child · #10 03-21-2007, 09:32 PM

All of my J-Customs (each from a different year, all with different specs) are killer guitars in their own right.

If you look at the J-Custom line, it changes all the time.

Some years, most of the models were just glorified RG3120s (some guys think thats a bad thing, depending how much you pay it can be a GREAT thing

Other years, they were going all out with swish appointments, like the 8670.

Spec goes up and down, prices go...mostly up, details like the back of the headstock change...every now and then they put out something weird/crazy...

Its just the way it is really. I wouldnt worry about it. You might turn down a RG8270 at a good price today because it doesnt have an ebony board, and be kicking yourself in a few years time if prices go up and specs go down, and you cant find one anymore.

OR you might buy a RG8470 today, and find they re-introduce ebony next year at the same price. You'll never know, dont worry about it. If you find one and you like it, and its a good price, buy it.

psychoshredder · #11 03-21-2007, 10:22 PM

i don't know is it true or not, the current J custom was made by Fujigen, the one with writings 'masterfully crafted bla bla bla' was not made by Fujigen.. I don't see any 'F' word in front of the serial number.
Am I correct?

Gusfmm · #12 03-21-2007, 11:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by buddroyce

The cost of the two strips of veneers is low, but the cost of labour required to do it isn't.

Fluffy argument. The reason why they changed that belongs to Ibanez, but very likely they evolved in the notion of expressing and representing the same quality excellence concept by now portraying the J-Craft identity mark. Agree that how they stamp the current logo must be more automated in terms of the printing technology, but saying that this impacts costs in terms of labor is more of an intangible assumption lacking any importance when put in perspective against the time they take and the labor involved in producing the rest of the guitar.

Better looking logo, better quality, brand-identity, coupled with improvements in their imprinting process that allow them to do it in a more streamlined fashion now, from a production standpoint.

kennydoe · #13 03-22-2007, 12:34 AM

Has anyone noticed that around the same time they did away with ebony fretboards, they started bringing back maple fretboards?

I don't know what the correlation could possibly be, but I'd bet $10 there IS one.

BTW: I have an 8670 and I'll sell it for $15,000.

~K

Ironjose · #14 03-22-2007, 12:46 AM

would you rather have that script on your guitar than the team j craft? i wouldn't mind having both but... and other thing how the heck they didnt keept doing that... cost? how much does it cost to print that?... i mean comon !!!

sandman99 · #15 03-22-2007, 03:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ironjose

would you rather have that script on your guitar than the team j craft? i wouldn't mind having both but... and other thing how the heck they didnt keept doing that... cost? how much does it cost to print that?... i mean comon !!!

Well, it's not just the print that is different, I took a couple of closeup pictures of the head of my RG8670 to give you an idea about it.
There is several layers with different wood on it, todays J.Customs does not look like this.