JS neck quality control? Story + opinions request

MehYam · #1 01-06-2006, 05:15 PM

I picked up a 1000BP back when the '2002 model blow-out was happening on that friendly musician site, and the first one that was delivered had a pretty nasty dead spot on the 11th fret. After a lot of wrangling on the phone with MF, they agreed to exchange it for another one (but *I* paid for shipping back, grrrrr). The next one was much better, but there was a very very slight irregularity on the 14th fret this time. Frustrated by the hassle, and not wanting to exchange guitars yet again (it seemed like a crap shoot), I dealt with it myself. In the end it didn't bug me much, because I've been playing the VSBL more anyway...

...but I've been picking the JS more lately, and that 14th fret is annoying me. Should I try just replacing the single fret? Or filing? Or a complete refret? What about stainless steel frets, I'm very curious about those...

JESTER700 · #2 01-06-2006, 06:26 PM

I LOVE stainless, but my motto is, "do as little as you have to". I'd try filing a little, IF it bothers you that much. The smart bet if it's bad is to have it levelled & crowned or PLEKD (if you have access to one). Replacing frets exposes you to more possible hassles.

Dino · #3 01-12-2006, 07:29 PM

One of my JS 2000's has funky frets. It was made in 2002 also. Maybe just some problem that year. A good tech should be able to set it up for you.

rrhea · #4 01-13-2006, 05:37 PM

I have found that most imported guitars (including the good Ibanez's) have high frets. Even American made stuff that is assembly line (i.e. Fender) will have them. On my JS1200, every single fret is raised in the center... the edges are fine. This is bad for tone and can cause fretout on a neck like a JS with a 10" radius.

The only option is to take it to a luthier and have the frets glued down, or replaced and then leveled.

It sucks, but nearly ALL new Ibanezes regardless of price will show the telltale shadowing underneath the frets in the center. If you carefully press on them with a plastic or rubber mallet you can see them springing up and down. This has been true at least for my last 5 purchases and the dozen or more that I've played/inspected at my local GC in the last year (I didn't get to test those with the mallet

). Some are worse than others.

Ryan

chris101 · #5 01-15-2006, 04:00 PM

It would seem that Ibanez quality control has taken a nose dive, poorly fitted frets, neck joint cracks galore, paint chips near pickup cavities, the list goes on, and I for one am getting really p1ssed off with Ibanez, dont know what they are playing at, the number of guitars that Ive had to take back and keep swapping until I found one thats as perfect as my mis 1980's 540 radius guitars... makes me sick.

Rich · #6 01-15-2006, 05:11 PM

Quality control has never been better. Most of the current problems are caused by the J Craft case. As for the frets they're slightly overradiused to keep the ends set. They are set, you can't push down on the center. If it has such a negaqtive affect on tone nobody notices because everybody that plays one only talks about how great the tone is.

If you have a dead spot it needs a level, simple as that.

MehYam · #7 01-16-2006, 03:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

If you have a dead spot it needs a level, simple as that.

Fair enough, that's what I'll do. But given that this is the second brand-new JS in a row with the issue, I'm not exactly going to write home about the quality control, never-been-better or not. Disappointing for a neck that's supposed to have Prestige status.

All other Ibanii I've spent any time with, which are Jems, prestige RGs, and Korean RGs, were fine.

Rich · #8 01-16-2006, 03:44 AM

Depending on how low your action is set, it's still a 240mm radius fret instead of the 430 radius of the rest you mention. Which makes it particularly vulnerable to slight misgivings in the fretwork. Which is of course the reason I level every guitar I sell, 240 or 430. Your problem is you're obviously buying from the wrong place

The Prestige status is in how the fretboard edges and fret ends are finished, period.

chris101 · #9 01-16-2006, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

Quality control has never been better. Most of the current problems are caused by the J Craft case.

Hi Rich,
I dont see how chips to the pickup cavities - caused be careless pickup installation, or trems that arnt centrerd in the routed cavity, filler missing from the end of fret slots and faulty volume pots have anything to do with the J craft cases; neck joint cracks 'maybe' - although much less common on the AANJs. I've seen this on many JS, Jem and RG prestige guitars over the past 12 months.

If this carried on Ibanez are really going to get a bad name which is a shame as their guitars can be fantastic (as we all know).

ric232 · #10 01-16-2006, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

Most of the current problems are caused by the J Craft case.

Rich, do you mean problems caused during shipment? Or is this a bad case just to store your guitar in?

Rich · #11 01-16-2006, 03:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrisstevenson

Hi Rich,
I dont see how chips to the pickup cavities - caused be careless pickup installation, or trems that arnt centrerd in the routed cavity, filler missing from the end of fret slots and faulty volume pots have anything to do with the J craft cases; neck joint cracks 'maybe' - although much less common on the AANJs. I've seen this on many JS, Jem and RG prestige guitars over the past 12 months.

Please enlighten us. How many chips have you seen in pickup cavities?? Were they on Japanese guitars?

Trems have never been "perfectly" centered and it's doubtful they ever will be. Did it being off a hair cause that particular guitar any problems?

Fret end filler is a nice touch that they never used to do, although, it's SUPPOSED to fall out. The neck has to shrink, it is wood.

There isn't a guitar manufacturer in the world that makes their own volume pots. Keep supplier issues in context please.

So what exactly is it you've seen on MANY JS and JEMS in the last year? Be specific.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ric232

Rich, do you mean problems caused during shipment? Or is this a bad case just to store your guitar in?

The case is the only common denominator to the number of NJFC's, and not just JS's, I just sent a BRMR back. This is the way I figure the problem. Every case in the past offered at least some support over the body. The controls pushed into the tops and offered resistence, the trem made good contact, all of which helped stop forward movement of the body. The new J Craft case has absolutely no contact with the top of the guitar at all. There is a cutout the trem and controls sit in, just like the EBMM cases, and look at the NJFC problem the EBMM JPM's have. Uncannily similar situation.

Without any support on the body if the case gets slammed down, or falls, drops, etc on it's face, the body momentum keeps it moving forward. With no contact with the case top there is nothing to resist this movement. The neck is held firmly in place in these cases, which means the neck pocket where the neck is attached is also held firmly. Body moves, neck doesn't, crack. I've started rolling up white styro bags and placing them on top of the body on either side of the neck pickup and behind the trem to make good contact with the top, and bubble wrap the cases of course, all to try and cut down on the cracks.

**jemsite** · #12 01-16-2006, 03:36 PM

LOL. Those new cases dont' support the front of the body? Scary... glen

Rich · #13 01-16-2006, 03:46 PM

Not quite as scary as what EBMM did. Deduced that it was the nice form fit that was the problem and "loosened" it up almost 1/2" in all directions. Now they have no support on the top, AND the guitar can bounce around an inch in all directions!

**jemsite** · #14 01-16-2006, 03:55 PM

ROTF.

Funny but sad... glen

honky_tonk · #15 01-16-2006, 04:50 PM

a little off topic........but the last three 1570L i bought from american musical....prestige models..all had neck problems......the last one i bought was pretty bad......it appeared to me it need some more wood shaved away from the neck pocket to get it right.as i recall i shimmed the neck to get it to play pretty good....but it took to many shims.....thats why i came to the conclusion it need some wood shaved away to properly fix it