The RG320FM? is it a real maple top or veneer?

[VOLTAGE]

do these two have a real top like the rg3120 prestige uses? or is it just a thin veneer?

[vaijem777]

Veneer

[VOLTAGE]

damn! i knew that was too good to be true

so for the extra $120 over the 370DX you get a veneer

[vaijem777]

A basic rule-or-thumb is: Korean=thin veneer.

The RG3120 is still a veneer, since a "veneer" is "A thin surface layer, as of finely grained wood, glued to a base of inferior material". So...any time you glue one type of wood to another, the thinner piece can be considered a veneer. In the case of the Korean-made RGs, the top is little more than a paper-thin slice o' wood. Hardly enough to have any tonal impact- purely decorative. Sure looks nice though!

The USA Custom Exotic Wood models are the only Ibanez models where the maple tops might not really be considered to be veneers, since the "top" is nearly as thick as the mahogany body

[VOLTAGE]

vaijem thanks for the info! l i was considering this

which also has a veneer, do you know off hand which either the jackson or the RG will have the better tone overall with dimarzio's in them?
I am looking for a guitar that sounds solid,and has a good resonance for under $500 new and these are the ones that caught my eye.
the jackson has a alder body and a maple veneer top and is MIJ and the 320 is MIK? both are $450 new

[vaijem777]

It all comes down to personal preference. I'd go with a used RG5XX series since I'm not a fan of either Korean-made Ibanez' or Jacksons (or any kind.) You could pick up a decent used Japanese RG and hot-rod it 'till your hearts' content for $500

[Rich]

A veneer typically refers to wood razor shaved off of a rolling log and is typically 1/32" to 1/16" thick. I doubt many would consider a 3120 top to be "veneer". The only reasn the EW tops are so thick is because the subcontractor did not have a vacumn forming machine to form the normal 4mm thick maple onto the arm contour

[vaijem777]

But, by definition, the 3120 tops ARE veneers

"Thin" isn't really defined though, so I suppose that it's open to interpretation.

[darren wilson]

I think there's a bit of a semantic definition here. Veneers are paper-thin and purely cosmetic. I don't think anyone would call a 3120 top a veneer, because it has more than a fraction of a millimetre of thickness, and does likely contribute in a small way towards the guitar's tone.

Laminate top... yes. Veneer... no.

[gkelm]

Also, by the above definition the covered wood is "inferior"...to me this makes me think of furniture that may be of plywood or such that is covered to make i more appealing. I don't think mahogany is necessarily inferior in that way...it's a beautiful wood. Weren't maple caps originally put on LPs for tone (i.e. goldtop or other solid color)?...which is not to say that the aesthetics are not enhanced by it. Not that any of this is important!
Greg

[dex]

Originally Posted by randyvanmalmsteen

I am looking for a guitar that sounds solid,and has a good resonance for under $500 new and these are the ones that caught my eye.
the jackson has a alder body and a maple veneer top and is MIJ and the 320 is MIK? both are $450 new

I know that this is Jemsite and some people here eat, breathe and sleep Ibanez, but in this case the Jackson is far superior.
Maple body and made in Japan.
For a brand new guitar in this price range it's a no brainer.

ilia

[vaijem777]

Umm...the Jackson has an alder body.

[darren wilson]

The trem Jackson is using on their import guitars also looks like it's a TRS-derived unit. Probably just a TRS with the Jackson logo stamped on it. Even the Schaller Floyd Rose II licensed trem they used to use was better than TRS trash.

[dex]

Originally Posted by vaijem777

Umm...the Jackson has an alder body.

that's what I ment.....it was after 12.00AM when I posted this.
In this case the Jackson is better despite the trem - which is a direct swap for a real Floyd and if down the road the dude decides to upgrade with new pickups and a real Floyd the guitar will be sound ALDER Japanese made guitar.
The Korean Ibanez on the other hand has new and untested tremolo, doesn't have locking studs AND turns out the route for the trem is so out of place - you can't swap it for any other trem without major routing......oh and it's made in Korea.

ilia

[VOLTAGE]

the DK would get a OFR for sure,but even then with the floyd costing $159 the guitar will still be under $550 new
I really need a shred guitar, that has a real good tone ,super fast neck no matter what i get the pups will be replaced with dimarzio's