Custom Shop - Why not Ibanez?

[Two hands31]

Why doesn't Ibanez have one of these?

http://www.espguitars.com/html/baeol.html
http://www.jacksonguitars.com/Custom...ustorder2.html

[gkelm]

Aren't those companies American? *Maybe that's a factor. *Maybe they're doing well enough with mass production to merit staying out of customs. *It would be nice though!
Greg

[Two hands31]

I've heard of some people having "Custom Shop Ibanez" guitars, what does this mean exactly?

[Rich]

Typically it means they see the "Custom Made" inlay plaque at decide it must be a Custom Shop guitar, compounded by the fact that many of them have the U.S. address plates on them. Second you have the USA Custom series, which everybody assumes was all custom made, but in reality you had a choice of body and neck combination, that's it. The "real" Custom Shop guitars are the American Masters, but we now know they were sub'd out and not even built by Ibanez. I guess that just leaves the J Custom shop for the "real" *Customs*, unless you're lucky enough to buy an endorcees guitar, which is the only true American Made Custom Guitar with an Ibanez logo. *

[Two hands31]

Which brings me to my next question, how does an artist get a custom or signature guitar? *I only ask because I know Steve Vai was well into his career before he was approached by Ibanez, but the guitarist of Papa Roach had custom guitars from Schecter before (or at least shortly after) they released their first album.

[jemsite]

see link at Jemsite > Guitars > Ibanez Custom Shop

[keith]

Hmm...I also heard a story about a guy over here who went abroad and had a custom Ibanez made for him [don't know if it's a bass or a guitar] and got them to put his signature somewhere [inlays maybe?].

I really need to check this rumor out.

BTW: You are one lucky guy who bought and endorsee's guitar, aren't you Rich? :biggrin:

(Edited by keith at 7:45 pm on Mar. 30, 2001)

[ripl3y]

Quote: from Two hands31 on 5:06 pm on Mar. 29, 2001
Which brings me to my next question, how does an artist get a custom or signature guitar? *I only ask because I know Steve Vai was well into his career before he was approached by Ibanez, but the guitarist of Papa Roach had custom guitars from Schecter before (or at least shortly after) they released their first album.

Not to satrt a flame war, but I think money obviously drives the signature arena.

Obviously a manufacturer want's talented players in their stable, but also the appeal of Korn/Roach type bands to young kids is a major selling point that any manufacturer would be insane to pass up.
I think Roach were seen as a big hit in the Korn/Bizkit mould that couldn't fail, so it was a race to get there first, coz you gotta get there first these days with it being such a cut-throat market.

Steve

(Edited by ripl3y at 3:40 pm on Mar. 30, 2001)

[Anonymous]

I think, but I'm not 100% sure, that the guitarist of Papa Roach was playing Schecter guitars even before his endorsement.

[toshiro]

Isn't the 'Roach' Schecter a 'Diamond Series' anyway? I'm pretty sure it is, which makes it a Korean made, low scale guitar, basically a C-1 with a decal and different inlay.. To me, his sig. model is aimed at the common fan, mass-marketed.. This is all moot, but I seriously doubt Schecter would've released his sig. model under their american series.. It wouldn't sell at that price point..

I personally don't really see a need for an Ibanez custom shop, the long waits (Jackson's customs are getting close to a year wait now) and inflated prices are gonna be hard for the average person.. Let's face it, 9/10ths of the 'Custom Shop Market' is not into Ibanezs' guitars, the Jackson and BCRich players want neck-through, the rest want classic (ie F*nder Gibs*n, PRS)designs...

I see Ibanez's major market as the mid to mid-high, at the top, somewhere in the $600-1500(street price) range.. A Custom Shop Ibanez, built to someone's specs could run over $3000, I don't think they see room for themselves in that area in the US.. Sure you have the Y2K, and HAM 90th models, but those were limited edition, and all made to the same specs.. They weren't taxing their (probably small) California shop to make them either..

I'd rather see more colors in the RG5xxs, or a rebirth of the RG7xx(like the RG770FM on the Japanese site), than a US Custom shop.. How many of us would get something from said Custom shop, that would be so different from a stock model to be worth an extra $1000+ and a 12 month wait? *

Sorry, I got carried away.. I just don't see an 'Open to the Public Ibanez Custom Shop' happening in the near future.. IMO Custom Guitar Wares seems like a much better solution, and is much cheaper when you really think about it..

Whew, I can't believe I actually wrote a post this long..