Would you recommend Ibanez to a noob?

[ironfistx]

This pains me to think about because I have been an Ibanez elitist since I started playing guitar over 20 years ago. My first guitar was a late 80s MIK Ibanez EX and it still plays better than many < $500 guitars available today.

Some of the low/mid series Ibanezes I have played recently haven't really been that good.

I played an RG3XXV at GC the other day with rough fret ends. I didn't even enjoy playing it. The RG3xx and 4xx lines seem to be really hit or miss. I have played some that are great, and others that surprise me that they passed QC. Now on the other hand, I played an RG1XXV that was really good. Reports on this forum have ranged from very good to pretty bad, too. Is that a QC issue?

The floating tremolos in some of the newer series are less than desired.

I will say that the Gibraltar bridge is pretty cool.

The necks on a lot of entry level Ibanez guitars suck. It's not the Wizard III design; it's the fret jobs.

I guess my advice to noobs would be to make sure you try out the actual guitar you want to buy to make sure you don't get a lemon. Of course, noobs won't know the difference I suppose.

[floobie]

My first guitar in 2003 was an Ibanez. It was a GAX70. It was absolutely awful in literally every way. More recent, low end Ibanezes I've played since haven't been much better.

My friend managed to find what is quite possibly the best, cheapest guitar I've seen. It's an Epiphone Les Paul Special.

[mertay]

Beginners where I live usually go for cheaper Cort, LTD, schecter, epiphone or PRS se guitars (notice no squier!?).

Few times I've read that people who own low-end ibanez need fixes or neck adjustment more often compared to some other brands.

I sometimes notice "ibanez racism" on forums, I guess people who started with ibanez never returns and badmouths the brand whenever they get the chance.

This really sucks, I have a high-end ibanez that hasn't needed any repair or part change in 12 years and I play it everyday (do the adjustments myself).

[webmaestro]

I've played Ibanez exclusively all my life, so long ago I became extremely used to the neck profile, floating trem design, and just about everything else that's unique to Ibanez guitars. I've come to depend on the "feel" of an Ibby, and no other guitar--not even a custom shop Jackson I had made to Ibanez specs WITH an Ibanez trem--feels right to me.

However, I will no longer buy anything other than MIJ Prestiges, UVs, or Jems, and will only buy older models that have the Edge, Lo-Pro Edge, or Edge Pro bridges. As far as the J-Custom line, I'd love one, but if I ever get one it will have to be an older model that does NOT have that Edge Zero abomination.

It's not because I'm a guitar snob. It's because I've seen (and felt) a definite and measurable decline in quality in their lower-to-midrange guitars, and that's very, very sad.

[Iceman24]

Noobs don't know what something like fretwork or trem feels IS so that portion is irrelevant. You think an inexperienced person is going to tell you the flutter on the low side of the lo-pro is way better than an EZII? There are different pricepoints for a reason. Starting out on a low end Ibanez would have been a HUGE step up from where I started.

[ironfistx]

I was asking if people think current low end Ibanezes are worse than previous low end Ibanezes.

[Iceman24]

You were asking about noobs and talk about the bridges that are ''less to be desired' and sharp fretwork. If we're really talking about noobs, it's all irrelevant. I wouldn't not recommend Ibanez because of it, I'd recommend they buy whatever they think is cool and that's cheap (way cheaper than a 600$ RG3XX). Noobs don't need Prestige level frets ends and Edge bridges is all I'm saying.

[silverctr]

It's tough to beat a mid 90's MIK Squier for a cheap, entry level guitar that can be setup to play fairly well.

[rty13ibz98]

ibanez still make great guitars, but all of these weird bridges and tremolos they keep throwing on the market is making for a really sketchy time to own one. reminds me a lot of the early 80's pro rocker fiasco, so i have been keeping my distance. i honestly think that the companies that are truly kicking ass on the noob/mid line market are: squier:classic vibe, fender:modern player and blacktop, LTD:anything above 300series, and mid level jackson:NT soloists.

rich

[mertay]

Personally I think the ZPS system for beginners is very good if they want to floyd option. They should adapt that to the GRG series too.

Feeling aside, its really faster to tune and with a brief introduction a beginner can understand it.

The last few years I noticed people started to run away from floyd type systems cause they find it taking too long to tune. Ibanez actually solved this instead of inversting on dive-only systems.

[ironfistx]

Originally Posted by Iceman24

You were asking about noobs and talk about the bridges that are ''less to be desired' and sharp fretwork. If we're really talking about noobs, it's all irrelevant. I wouldn't not recommend Ibanez because of it, I'd recommend they buy whatever they think is cool and that's cheap (way cheaper than a 600$ RG3XX). Noobs don't need Prestige level frets ends and Edge bridges is all I'm saying.

$600 for an RG3xx?

Oh wait, it says you're in Canada. Are guitars super expensive in Canada like they are in Europe?

[RGTFanatic]

Originally Posted by ironfistx

$600 for an RG3xx?

Oh wait, it says you're in Canada. Are guitars super expensive in Canada like they are in Europe?

I think he was talking about the 3XXV, just forgot the "V"...LOL

Ibanez has three hardtail starter guitars for under $200. Considering the specs, they're all pretty close in build and quality to every other manufacturers starters, but you get a neck that closely resembles a WizIII. Because of that reason alone, Yes, I would recommend Ibanez to a noob. I would steer them away from any type of trem until they have a firm grasp on tuning though.

[ironfistx]

Originally Posted by RGTFanatic

I think he was talking about the 3XXV, just forgot the "V"...LOL

Ibanez has three hardtail starter guitars for under $200. Considering the specs, they're all pretty close in build and quality to every other manufacturers starters, but you get a neck that closely resembles a WizIII. Because of that reason alone, Yes, I would recommend Ibanez to a noob. I would steer them away from any type of trem until they have a firm grasp on tuning though.

Are you talking about the GRG121DX? (I just found it on Ibanez's website).

I haven't seen one of those but I would give it a try if I did.

[fly_with_v]

B ought my daughter a gio RG. With a nice setup it gets the jobn done. The neck is pretty nice.

[RGTFanatic]

Originally Posted by ironfistx

Are you talking about the GRG121DX? (I just found it on Ibanez's website).

I haven't seen one of those but I would give it a try if I did.

Yeah, for $120 brand new they're better than expected. Still very much a beginners guitar, but very playable.