Prestige RG1527CB Questions.

[motogod927]

I thought my ibanez's were the ****!! I played a Suhr the other day and it was like WOW!! I would like ibanez to take a step forward with a more precisely made super prestige guitar instead of what they are doing now by making $400 prestiges. Ya im sure it's going to make them richer in the long run butr what about us high end guitar lover's??? Do we have to go some where else?? I would like to stay with ibanez but i just cant get that Suhr out of my head.

[motogod927]

Maybe i need to check out a J-custom??

[BucketBot]

Originally Posted by sam669

oh god, even crappy nu metal and punk bands will have prestige labelled guitars

You mean they couldn't buy them before if they wanted one?

[sam669]

imagine offspring's guitarist with a 3120 O_______O
its like giving perfum to pigs!

[Rich]

Originally Posted by Rich

Add in a tightening of tollerances [which were already fine and very consistent] and that's ALL Prestige means. Depending on who actually did that finishing will determine if it feels more like a 7620 or an 8527. The goal is to get everybody up to a certain level of craftsmanship and of course that will be a stretch, there will be 7620 level 1527's right next to 8527 level [if you get lucky]. What you are getting is the guitar for $400 less than it was in 2000' and with at least a modicum of extra feel.

Don't know why I have to keep repeating myself.

If you think all J Customs are created equal they're just as dependent on who did the finishing as Prestige are.

[caprile]

Originally Posted by btweensunandmoon

so does this mean that we now have multiple quality levels of prestige? I thought prestige was just prestige and any neck with that name on the headstock was supposed to theoretically feel the same. Its "prestige" and not "prestige as compared to last years model that was just upgraded" Theres a big difference in those two and if the rg3120s have just that little extra care put into the necks, then ibanez should make this clear in their advertisements. But since Ibanez is in it for the money, that little tidbit has been left out. I can make the same statement about the rg3120 neck vs the 1570 neck and that theirs no comparison. The rg3120 is superior in feel. Furthermore prestige is misleading because it only applies to the neck. I've seen cases where the finish has been stripped off of bodies to reveal horrendous wood quality. We are talking cracks and voids that have been filled with wood filler or even bondo. I've seen it with my own eyes on a 550 i stripped a couple of years ago. Those types of things are resonation killers and is the difference between a guitar that sings and one that just sounds pleasant. I can assure you that ibanez didnt just all of a sudden start using high quality wood blanks for their bodies. Do yourself a favor and spend at least a grand on something that wont frustrate you in the long run.

Remember.....it's a $500 guitar. If you expect a 'boutique' guitar for this price, I think you are wrong. How do I see it? a extremely comfortable guitar, with THE BEST HARDWARE AVAILABLE. Sometimes you'll need some fretwork and if you want, a pickup swap....that totals maybe $800.

As you pointed, Ibanez is in it for the money, and of course the Prestige thing is mostly a marketing strategy. However, I believe Ibanez is the best bang for the buck in all its lines, I mean, I can't think of any $500 guitar that compares to a 1570 or similar, and I can't think of any $2000 guitar that compares to a RGT, Jem7VWH or something.

[Drew]

Originally Posted by btweensunandmoon

Furthermore prestige is misleading because it only applies to the neck. I've seen cases where the finish has been stripped off of bodies to reveal horrendous wood quality. We are talking cracks and voids that have been filled with wood filler or even bondo. I've seen it with my own eyes on a 550 i stripped a couple of years ago.

Hey Ed Roman, good to see you again.

no, seriously... How does a non-prestige guitar reflect on the quality of prestige guitars, exactly? 550 isn't exactly a prestige designation...

Also, someone wanna find me an example of one of these "$400 prestige" guitars? cheapest I've seen quoted here was a 1527 at $499, exactyly $100 less than any other 1527 i've ever heard a price attached to, making it a $600 guitar, not a $400.

Since Rich seems to not be able to echo himself enough here, I'll add another voice into the fray; just like ANY other guitar you're going to buy, quality will vary from guitar to guitar. This is a given. Now, that said, where else can you find a good-quality 7-string guitar with a hand-finished neck for $600?

If we were talking about a guitar that went for twice that, i could see your objection. But come on... it could have a regular, non-prestige, non-handfinished neck and at that price it's still a significantly better deal than the original 7620's that you're saying it's "only marginally" better than. It got (at least slightly) better, and it got cheaper- where is there grounds for complaint there?

If i wasn't broke (and if Rich had them in stock yet ) I'd own one by now. As it is, i want one as soon as i can afford it.

-Drew

[Drew]

and betweensunandmoon, once again, was this a Falcetti's music you were playing it at? If so, I would hold your opinion until you get a chance to play a properly set-up one, they're not exactly the best techs I've ever run across- most of their setups are a little too low and buzzy, and the RG-520QS i sold them about a year and a half ago got absolutely TRASHED by them when they were doing a setup- chunks taken out of the top, etc. I walked into the store i sold it to them in (pittsfield, MA, although they ship them out to a centralized tech center to get work done, they were tleling me) about 6 months ago and nearly cried when i saw it. I'd chipped it up a bit, but nothing like this... and the action was too low, the bridge was sitting way back in the cavity, etc.

I even offered the guys to do a free setup on the thing, because even in the shape it was in it was probably the best guitar they had in the store, but they wouldn't let me...

-drew

[btweensunandmoon]

yes....falcettis so in fairness I will hold further judgement on the 1527 until another place gets them.

In response, 550 is not a prestige designation BUT you cant honestly think that ibanez could upgrade every aspect of the guitar to prestige spec and still hold the relatively same price tag. I bet they are losing a little bit just doing the neck things. It will be same wood, same pickups, same all except for the neck. Big deal.

My point is that ibanez has committed a crime similar to gibson renaming all of the epiphone guitars to gibson. Now the comments about variences in the j-custom line is a weak argument when in comparison to this situation. There is no agument. All of those guitars are 3120 quality or higher. All have good pickups, finishes, good inlays, binding.....etc. In short they share numerous qualities that distinguish them as finely crafted professional instruments. Now when comparing the 3120 to the 1570, its like night and day. The 3120 is a tone wood 2 piece body with killer finish and binding. The 1570 is basswood (oh yay) plain uninspiring finish with no binding. One has dimarzio pickups while the other has korean made travesties. One has abalone inlays, the other has plain old dots. Even the darn logo on the 3120 is better. BUT!....they do share the same neck specs so the 1570 definately deserves to be in the same league as the 3120. That is such a joke. Prestige used to denote a musician who was serious enough about his music to buy the best of the best. Its the same as if everyone owned a jem....doesnt make it so special anymore.

[jemsite]

Some of you guys are barking up the wrong tree.

As stated MANY TIMES the J-Customs and Prestige and Signature model Ibanez axes are subject to variety and same quality control issues since they all ship out of the same shop/factory. Just because you PAY MORE or have a certain LABEL on your headstock does not mean you get a better ibanez axe.

The gibson argument is silly since Epis are made in a different country. The RG550 and new Prestige 1550 are both MIJ. A great bang for the buck... something the JCs are not (since you brought them up)... glen

[Rich]

Well, for the last 6 months I can easily say the best playing and feeling axe I've had was that RG21A [RG 1]. There you're talking boutique quality at factory pricing, and that still adds up to bang for the buck

[jemsite]

if it makes you play better, i need to grab one ASAP

i'd gladly put my AR2000 or DSY against it though and be comfortable knowing it can't really play or feel "better" only different ...glen

[Rich]

Just had 2 AR2000's go through, the 21A was many cuts above. They will not make you play better though

[jemsite]

cuts above in what dept ?

as we said... variability is a fact of ibanez ...glen

[Rich]

Fretwork, finishing, and pure "feel". Tangerines to oranges of a comparison though.