What's the difference between an RG370 and RG370X

[LonePhantom]

Hey, newbie here. I've been playing an RG470 for almost ten years now (my only electric) and now that I'm getting more serious with playing live with my band I figure I should have two axes so I always have a backup (I also want a new guitar anyways).

I unfortunately don't have tonnes to spend on a new guitar so I've been looking at the RG370 models. I'm not worried about the fact that they are Korean made as I've been really happy with my old 470, and the fact that the 370s are running Edge Pro IIs (I think??) seems to be pretty good too.

The only differences I noticed between the 370 and 370dx was the colour choices, the shark-tooth inlays on the DX model, and a bound rosewood fingerboard as opposed to just a rosewood on the standard 370.

What's the difference with the fingerboards, and is this (or if there's any other differences) worth spending around 100 Aussie dollars more than the standard 370?

Sorry for the long post, but thanks in advance for your help!

[ShadowSong]

You are correct in your understanding.

the 370 and 370 dx share:

the same neck shape
the same pickups
the same woods
the same trem system (whammy bar setup)

the differences are the cosmetic ones you noted.
whether or not those are worth spending a hundred bucks on is up to you. Many people might like those features enough so that the money would be worth it. Also many people don't like those inlays (feel that they are tacky) and so they might rather have the more understated version (I've heard this response a few times).

fundamentally they are the same guitar with a few cosmetic differences.

[LonePhantom]

That's what I thought. Still don't understand the difference between rosewood fingerboard and bound rosewood fingerboard. Is this a manufacturing process, or a missing word on a website???
http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=RG370DX
http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=RG370

I was wanting another black rg and I like the sharktooth inlays, but the colour of the standard RG370 is growing on me.

[nocluejimbo]

The bound fretboard has a white strip of binding surrounding its perimeter.

[LonePhantom]

Sothat's it then? OK, even though I like the shark tooth inlays and would like the black or blue, I think I'll go for the standard RG370. The moon shadow colour's growing on me anyway. Thanks heaps for the help. :-)

[LonePhantom]

I'll just check as well, anyone using the RG370? I understand it's probably best to replace the pickups (I'm planning to do that on both my gutiars), but playing wise how is it? It's good to hear the Korean made guitars are getting better and better (I'm happy with my 470 from 1995). I'm looking at EMG pickups to replace the current ones on both. Probably an 81 in the bridge, and something a bit warmer and bluesier for the neck position. I'm thinking DiMarzios too at this stage but not sure which ones would be best.

[ShadowSong]

It's all about what you want to sound like.....if you can describe for us what you want to change about your current guitar regarding sound and where you want to go with it maybe we can offer some suggestions

[LonePhantom]

Well I'm prety happy with my 470, pickups could be a little better (especially the single coil - so noisy). My 470 is still running the INF pickups, and the bridge humbucker is pretty good, real edgy tone that sounds great with distortion. The neck one is real thick and warm, and sounds great clean, but neither work well if you change it around.

I'd love the bridge pickup to also give a fatter sound when clean (then I wouldn't need to run so much bass on my distortion pedal). And I wouldn't have to switch pickups if I were changing sounds while playing - too unco-ordinated for that! And I'd just like to have a single coil that wasn't noisy, then I might use it.

Basically the music I write for my band is I guess punk, along the lines of NOFX, Strung Out, Millencolin, Pennywise, etc. But it's not restricted to this, I also like to throw in some metal/shredding and blues moments. Not too much soloing as the band is a three piece and I like to stick mostly to melodies more than outright soloing for an instrunmental break.

The most important thing is I want a versatile guitar where If I want to jam some blues I can get a great overdriven blues tone, if I want to jam heavier stuff like industrial, metal, etc I can, and still have my tones that work great for my band's music.