JS market value..

[Suff]

It seems to me that Ibanez guitars don't sell well in the 2nd hand market. I've been trying to sell my JS1200 for 5 months now, and still no interest. Even customised it to replicate a JS6 with a term and still nothing.

I won't be investing in Ibanez, or even buy one in the future.

[maqify]

Ibanez is a good buy in the second hand market anyway. But from what i have seen over here,it seems to be a buyers market at the moment. Seen quite a few JS1000 and 1200 that don't sell,JS might be a little harder to sell then Ibanez JEM for instance. But Ibanez makes good guitars. Do you mean you put a Gotoh trem on your 1200 insted of the edge??

[Suff]

True, it is a buyers market at the moment, and they're hardly making any noise. I've had several guitars (Jackson, Gibson) and they all maintain their value and interest. I am at shock at how hard it is to sell an Ibanez.

As for the customisation, I've replaced the JS1200 candy body with a mahogany one to resemble the JS6. So the guitar has a JS1200 hardware, neck with a mahogany body. I hated the guitar because of its candy red colour, and I've always loved the look of the JS6 so I combined them into a unique creation. Its great only I'm stuck for cash now and have to put it on sale. I'm including the JS1200 body (excellent cond ) in the sale, in case the buyer would like to switch back at some point to the candy red.

[jono]

I think you have to look at it from the other point of view... Basically you've gutted a JS1200 and crammed on an aftermarket body of unspecified origin and unknown quality. Furthermore, by removing the paint from the headstock, you've made restoration more trouble than its worth.

You've also got the "Edge Pro" trem on it, not a plus point in the eyes of the buying majority and there are mint condition JS1200s out there for not much more than you're asking.

You've got to stop thinking you've got a "custom" in your hands, what the market is seeing is a bitzer

[satchmo72]

I'm with Jono here, the second hand market and the "custom" market are two different animals. I own a beautiful tribute Jem that I previously could not get half of what I had into it.

If yours was a complete js1200, it would most likely have sold by now.

[Suff]

@Jono: I haven't changed any of the JS1200 hardware... only switched the bodies. I still do have the original Candy red body. Ok, I have stripped the paint off the headstock in order to match the body. That might have been a mistake from my part, but it doesn't change the playability, or the quality of the neck.

So... the advice here is to put it back together, and try to sell it as a standard JS1200?

[jono]

I don't think putting the 1200 back together will help either really, cosmetically the cool thing about the 1200 was... You guessed it... The matching headstock...

I'd stick with the JS6 vibe and acknowledge that you're trying to sell a mutt not a custom. Try and sell the red body separately.

With regards to the hardware, all I'm saying is that the trem that you've got isn't as well loved by the buying public as the Edge so you're already the underdog against more recent versions of the same guitar.

Personally I quite like it, but on this guitar, I'd have gone for chrome pickup rings to look more like a normal JS. Whether anyone else would feel like that, I can't say.

I wish you all the best selling this, I think it will move, just maybe not for as much as a similar "whole" JS1200.

[Suff]

Well, I had the JS1200 for sale for 3 months and it didn't shift... so thought to try a JS6 theme on it. It worked well... I personally like it without the chrome pickup rings.

Thanks for the advice, let's see how it goes ... I've already spent €1,390 on it in total, ideally don't want to let it go for less than €950. Hopefully it'll sell soon

[maqify]

I must agree with the above, changing woulden't generate a higher price. I must also agree with that a JS with OE or lo-pro is hotter. But eventually somebody will buy any guitar, sometimes one have to go down in price in order for that to happened. Good luck.

[Takin' a Ride]

Unfortunately, customs just never command prices in line with a non-modified guitar or what you have into it, unless you find the rare example of someone who wants the exact guitar you're selling.

I got lucky on an RG2005-1 with a JEM77VBK neck and actually made money, but that had 100% Ibanez parts on it.

[mertay]

I have to agree ibanez isn't the best brand on the used make but I guess its what the company wants

They update trem.s, invent colors etc. to sell new guitars. The better models quality is very good but people always see new as "better".

Non-experienced buyers who want an ibanez almost automaticly buy new when they notice difference. But on the other hand experienced buyer never miss a good priced used ibanez.

Its also fairly easy to place the right price on an ibanez with little research. If more expensive than what it should be then it won't sell no matter what guitar brand or model it is.

[Suff]

Thanks Maqify... hopefully it'll shift.

@takin' a Ride; depends on the brand.. I had no problem selling custom Jacksons, while making a small profit.

@Mertay; Indeed, and I'm not a fan of their choice of wood for the signature models, the first time I played an JS I couldn't believe how low quality it felt to me when compared it to the USA Jackson & Fender line. It is down to preference, I know... but for me it felt a little cheap-ish. Why did I buy it? ... Well, if Satch likes it then it must be good... and it is great, only if you're looking to replicate Satch's tone. I don't think mine is over priced, $1K is about right for a 2nd hand JS, considering they go for $2,400 new in Europe at Thomann.

[djanggo]

ibanez signature series,j custom,prestige expensive buying new but the resale value is quite bad compare to most big name guitar brand...eg,fenders,gibson,suhr...etc
only ibanez jem japan is more sellable compare to other models....thats is why i prefer buying used ibanez guitar then new one so i wont loss much.....