Ibanez RUINED the S-Series

umpteen · #1 08-02-2003, 05:26 PM

I have played an S540fm with presteige neck and lo/pro for the past 6 years. Awesome guitar. Playability. Looks. TONE.

I just demoed one of the new Korean S-470s and I think Ibanez has RUINED the S-Series.

The best thing about the guitar was that the fretwork was very accurate. Probably machined. Playability was there although the Wizrd II neck is thicker than the wizard/presteige and didnt feel as nice. The rosewood looked plasticized and is not as nice as the piece on my guitar which looks real. No biggie, im sure they're still using the good wood on the presteige-S.

The finish was a splotch blue which is INSULTING in my opinion, to build a guitar that has a flat "make it stone" appearance, like something that anyone could obtain with a can of Rustoleum. Looks like a piece of crap. Granted they have a QM and presteige models which probably have a nice finish, but the base-level S-guitars used to look SWEET, now they look like crap!

The neck joint is the same as my S540fm. Good so far. The action was fairly good for a factory setup. A little buzz here and there.

Now fof the BIG disappointment, the ZR bridge

Stayed in tune almost as well as the lo-pro. It never went "way" out of tune like some previous Korean Ibanezez, but I did have to periodicallty adjust the microtuners. Probably after guitar settles it will be better. Pretty good for a Korean guitar actually and I'm sure Ibanezx now has abridge that they can churn out in mass production with a high % staying in tune. Good for them. It has some other nice features. Basically its got a built in tremsetter for those familiar with that piece.

The problem is that the ZR bridge sounds like crap! The bridge itself probably has about a third of the mass of the lo-pro. The guitar definitely has a "plink plink" sound to it, with reduced sustain and overall presence. Boo! Imagine a mahogony mexican stratocaster. Not the best sounding axe. They screwed the tone chemistry that the lo-pro used to impart to a floyd style guitar.

The thing that has me REALLY concerned is that they stuck the ZR on the Presteige model so its now no longer possible to buy a toneful S. Granted this was a korean model, but the body wood, neck wood, neck joint are the same -- Im pretty sure the reduced sound quality is due to the new bridge. Not the fact that this was a korean.

Overall, its better than a previous korean ibanex that wouldnt stay in tune (cos this one does), but Ibanez dilluted the strength of the S just so they could get the base model to stay in tune. Now all the kids will argue that its a grgeat bridge cos the presteige has the same bridge (tjhats what I was thinking). Now Im thinking that the Preseige is a piece of junk with the new ZR. How could they do this!?!?!

spacenuke · #2 08-02-2003, 05:37 PM

i'm really disappointed they don't make an S540 anymore. I've wanted one for a long time but didn't have the means, and not that I have the means, they don't make it anymore. i could get it used, but... I guess the demand for it just wasn't there. They're afterall in the business to make money, and that means they can't keep making a guitar that doesn't have enough of a demand...

umpteen · #3 08-02-2003, 05:56 PM

But the people who have 1200 to drop on a nice guitar know better and arent going to pick up the presteige S with the ZR. There should be a high quality guitar at the top of each of their lines. As long as they make S's, they need to make an S that a professional would want to play.

Rich · #4 08-02-2003, 06:37 PM

Sorry dude, but your findings do NOT concurr with mine. I loved the ZR, there is no loss of tone, and it's actually MORE stable than the Lo Pro. And if you believe everybody here that says they ruined the S because the ZR weighs alot MORE than the Lo Pro, then you're really out of touch

umpteen · #5 08-02-2003, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

Sorry dude, but your findings do NOT concurr with mine. I loved the ZR, there is no loss of tone, and it's actually MORE stable than the Lo Pro. And if you believe everybody here that says they ruined the S because the ZR weighs alot MORE than the Lo Pro, then you're really out of touch

You own a presteige S with a lo-pro? The korean with ZR sounds like crap in comparison and I'm 99% sure its the ZR bridge, not other components. The bridge piece itself on the ZR is much smaller and less massive than the lo-pro. And if youve had a good lo-pro, you know that it doesnt go out of tune. I cant vouch for all of them, but the 2 I own are more stable than even fixed bridge guitars.

I wish it werent true because I wanted to get one of the new S470DXQMs real bad.

Rich · #6 08-02-2003, 07:01 PM

See that swirly banner up top?

Everybody else is complaining about how much more the ZR weighs, go argue with them, but there is no loss of tone.

spacenuke · #7 08-02-2003, 07:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by umpteen

You own a presteige S with a lo-pro?

for some reason, i have a feeling Rich has had them all at one point or another...

umpteen · #8 08-02-2003, 07:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Rich

See that swirly banner up top?

Everybody else is complaining about how much more the ZR weighs, go argue with them, but there is no loss of tone.

Yes there is!

Rich · #9 08-02-2003, 08:04 PM

Go argue with somebody else, because I notice no loss of tone whatsoever. And yes I've played more than one.

umpteen · #10 08-02-2003, 08:10 PM

Why didnt they put the ZR or other "improved" bridge on the signature models? I guess JS didnt want a ZR on his axe. Maybe he felt the same way I do about it.

I dunno, my ears must be better than yours.

AdamBilz · #11 08-02-2003, 08:23 PM

I hate it when this happens to a thread...

Rich · #12 08-02-2003, 08:24 PM

I love it when somebody starts a thread ranting about something that is absolutely not borne out in FACTS. And now your ears are better than mine? [JS stills plays an EDGE if you hadn't noticed!]

Please go try and convine somebody else of your revelations in a couple of the threads about the ZR equipped S's that already exist.

http://www.jemsite.com/phpbb/viewtopic.php?t=23143

http://www.jemsite.com/phpbb/viewtop...ighlight=s1620

http://www.jemsite.com/phpbb/viewtop...ighlight=s1620

http://www.jemsite.com/phpbb/viewtop...ighlight=s1620

http://www.jemsite.com/phpbb/viewtop...ighlight=s1620

Please note you are the ONLY one saying anything about it having less tone.

AdamBilz · #13 08-02-2003, 08:25 PM

Sorry, I should elaborate, I just hope this doesn't turn into a little argument about personal beliefs and 'skills'. Rich is a strong source of info and knowledge about everything Ibanez related and he's right, you should argue with someone other than him!
As far as I'm concerned, the S's were pretty sweet in the late 90's and the prestige S2020 (I think?) was pretty awesome, no complaints on that one.

Rich · #14 08-02-2003, 08:28 PM

You shouldn't argue with me because you're not going to convince me, I've already done the ZR's and I really like them.

umpteen · #15 08-02-2003, 08:40 PM

I'm not trying to convince you of anything, I'm just trying to help you inflate your post count. For all I know you own this forum and I dont want passerbys to necessarily think the ZR is better because it is newer. Nor should they believe someone who *lives* on an internet forum any more than someone with 6 posts.

I guess my only recommendation for anyone reading this thread is to definitely play one before you buy it. Dont do a mail order sight unseen, you might be disappointed if you are used to the lo-pro and the quality finishes usually associated with the S.