Ibanez Losing Fans

Thrash · #1 01-22-2007, 12:07 PM

1) We already talked about the lack of maple fretboards on the other post.

2) Lack of colors, stop spending time on stupid new body shapes and stick to making your bread and butter guitars better. If you have blue, red, white black, bodies on some guitars why not offer eack color on most the models. Now it's like, "Hope you like black because it's the only color you can get this in".

3) 20th Ann. model limited issue. Nuff said.

4) Crappy Indonesia models with crap trems, stop already. What's the point of 3 friggen trems. I'll bet the cost between a Edge III and Edge II is less the 10-20 dollars. Get rid of your crap trem, it just make people who happen to play one think Ibanez blows if they don't know about better models.

I love Ibanez but they need to get with it. Prices are going up as well. Focus on the RG/S series and offer options for eack model instead of the take it or leave it mentality.

the.godfather · #2 01-22-2007, 12:23 PM

I think this year is a vast improvement on the previous 3 or 4 years.
There are plenty of new models this year, some new finishes. They are "testing" the waters with the neon finishes again on the RG550 Reissues. And I'm sure those finishes will be brought back full-time sooner rather than later. They have released the first production 8 string as well. More guitars with varied pickups as well, EMG's, Duncan's, and DiMarzio's.

Okay, so suprise suprise they can't please everyone. But that will never happen. But there will always be people saying stuff like, "if only it was a maple fretboard", and "if only it was a different colour".

Ibanez can't do everything at once. They can't please everyone.
And I think this year will be a great year for them. Indonesian manufacture is a down-side admmitedly. But again, we can't have everything.

If people dont like what Ibanez have released this year, its simple. Don't buy anything from them. Go and buy a Jackson, PRS, ESP or whatever else. People should go and find what they really want.

I'm sure the people at Ibanez won't lose sleep over it.

RGR570 · #3 01-22-2007, 12:24 PM

Couldn't agree more.

General, rhetorical rant:-

I'm sure reissues of some of the classics (770DX,565,550), would waaayy outsell anything in the current Ibanez inventory, or maybe I'm deluded. Just look at the frenzy the 20ths have created, numerous 50+ page threads, can't see any of the current line up being received with such fervour. Just my £0.02.

Rant over, phew.

crevis · #4 01-22-2007, 12:46 PM

I have no complaints at all about the 2007 line.

Thrash · #5 01-22-2007, 12:51 PM

I know they can't please everyone but color options are an easy thing to offer. Jackson does it on most their stuff. And second, who hasn't asked for maple fretboards? Two easy changes to improve sales.

As far as Ibanez losing sleep over losing customers to Jackson, ESP, or Schecter. They are losing customers at our shop, and it will matter if their sales drop. Other companies imports are better made than the Indo crap and the Jap stuff is getting as pricy or more so than other companies USA models.

Ibanez is still my brand, but competion it setting in.

crevis · #6 01-22-2007, 12:56 PM

MII aside, I dont think you can find better guitars for the price of an ibanez, even the MIK stuff, of all the MIK trems out there, the Edge 3 is the only one that is actually usable to some extent. LTD is absolute rubbish and they charge the same for it as some of the MIJ Ibanez's.

Dee · #7 01-22-2007, 01:00 PM

I agree with Thrash. The 2007 range is complete crap. Sure I could go with another manufacturer, but after 20 years of staying loyal it's far easier said than done. It's their achievements from 20 years ago that still keep me interested, and that is pretty darn sad.

taracatac · #8 01-22-2007, 01:15 PM

I have been playing Ibanez since 1986. While I agree the color choices and options are lacking, you can always buy used!

Dee · #9 01-22-2007, 01:20 PM

Sure we can, if we can even find a used one that isn't battered and has a black maple board covered in filth. Some of us don't want used guitars, it's a nice feeling to own a brand new one. And this doesn't change the fact that Ibanez fell off big time.

supermau · #10 01-22-2007, 01:33 PM

I'd like to see the RG550 20th's be in regular production instead of hoping I can score one.

jkahrs · #11 01-22-2007, 01:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the.godfather

....There are plenty of new models this year, some new finishes.

There are plenty of new CHEAP models with some new finishes this year. Have you looked at the MIJ RGs, or should I say, lack there of? Only four bolt on six strings and plenty of black to go around. No hardtails, no maple fingerboards, no reverse headstocks, one lefty, etc, etc. Ibanez has NOTHING new to offer the person wanting a mid-upper range RG. A lot of existing Ibanez owners aren't buying new Ibanez guitars. (Me included.) We want Original Wizard necks, Edge and Lo Pro Edge tremolos, and locking studs. Why do you think used RG prices are going up like they are? I hold out hope every year that there will be change, but it doesn't come. the selection just gets worse.

I give Ibanez credit for the selection in their cheap guitars. But when people outgrow them, there's not much to upgrade to. --Jason

**jemsite** · #12 01-22-2007, 01:42 PM

i don't have a pulse on cheap guitars, but if you walk thru Guitar Center or Sam Ash (around here they are within 200 feet of each other) you get the sense that Ibanez needs to do more to compete in the "cheap guitar" arena. There are just other, more compelling products that unless the dealer is getting spiffs and perks to push, the customer is going to look elsewhere.

I am confident saying that that as players mature Ibanez offers less choice than they should... glen

Demiurge · #13 01-22-2007, 01:44 PM

After seeing the 2007 NAMM offerings from the competition, I don't see anyone eating Ibanez' lunch outright any time soon. I was one of the people stupid enough to think that Schecter was going to have Ibz on their heels this year, imagining them going for the throat with extended-range offerings and whatnot- instead, a much-deserved Jeff Loomis sig (which is a maple-boarded hellraiser, essentially) and guitars with pictures of 3rd-tier porn stars on them. Not exactly a coup. Jackson and ESP, just offering variations for existing models. Anything that would actively lure people away from Ibanez other than the Loomis sig?

Eggy · #14 01-22-2007, 01:46 PM

If you directly compare the 2005/06 catalogue to the 07 stuff I'd say it was a big improvement.
Still, in saying that the only 07 models I've got GAS for are the RG20th and Ibanez have done such a limited run (especialy by the time they hit UK shores) on them that they've pretty much gauranteed that I wont be able to get one.

It's not looking likely that I'll be spending this years guitar budget on a new Ibanez so hello used market, ESP, Jackson etc.

Ben

crevis · #15 01-22-2007, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jemsite

i don't have a pulse on cheap guitars, but if you walk thru Guitar Center or Sam Ash (around here they are within 200 feet of each other) you get the sense that Ibanez needs to do more to compete in the "cheap guitar" arena. There are just other, more compelling products that unless the dealer is getting spiffs and perks to push, the customer is going to look elsewhere.

I am confident saying that that as players mature Ibanez offers less choice than they should... glen

I think the problem there is that they dont want the MIK ibanez's to compete with the MIJs. There has to be a big quality difference noticable to any noob.