RG2027 production halted - editorial

[jemsite]

The Customer is Always Right

[Rant on]

Out of NAMM came the realization that the RG2027 7-string w/ double edge is no longer being stocked or produced. What we didn't understand is the reason. Still unanswered is if we can handle the truth... as the news is not good.

The discontinuation of the RG2027 is said to be a direct result of low sales. I'm not going to post numbers but they are said to be grim. History lesson... the Universe got cancelled in '95 for much of the same reason.

When the marketplace shuns a guitar like the 2027 it sends a dangerous message to the guitar makers. It says we don't support upscale model Ibanez guitars unless they have a name or signature or production count on them.

You see, it becomes alot smarter business decision for Ibanez to crank out a new 'collectable' each year (and sell the run before they're made) than to produce a guitar like the RG2027 with no Vai, Satch or Korn name to sell it en masse. The innovative and new guitar (ie 2027) might not provide brisk sales and an immediate reward to dealers and manufacturers.

Once again, the customer is always right. Customers didn't want the 2027 and now it has been eliminated. At the same time, it is ironic that Ibanez puts out a K7 guitar. Common sense tells me that at the same price (actually the K7 is $100 more), the 'signature' K7 is an easier 'sell' to customers. Is this merely a coincidence of timing or the result of customer demand?

Either way it is a travesty :angry:

There is no easy way to put this but I believe people who look to buy Ibanez guitars in the future need to rethink their purchasing. That is if you care about Prestige model guitars and upscale Ibanez guitars minus the nametag and signature. We've argued the 'collecting' but unfortunately it is the same limited audience being targeted for these guitars. Something must give, as this niche cannot buy them all. Guitars like the 2027 are left for dead in the marketplace as they are too pricy for the average Ibanez buyer and passed over for the latest limited edition guitar or upcoming 'yearly collectable'.

As it stands, once remaining stock is liquidated, there is no longer any piezo bridge 7s available. Chalk this up to customers, or should i say lack thereof... glen

[Rant off]

[tomizm]

................tears hit the keyboard...................

[alienx]

Yep, right, absolutely right. But on the other hand if that's the only way Ibanez helps to survive then we'll have to take the bitter pill. The market for 2027 seems to be saturated. To animate people to buy a 7 stringer in that price segment they have to put out a new product: K-7. It's business.

[tagg 7]

Its a gosh darn shame. :shocked:
I cant belive my favorite guitar falls due to popularity. Thats so odd it seems like everyone on this site wanted or had one. gerrr
Goes to show all my taste is in my mouth.

buzz

[Pablo]

Am I surprised that they discontinued the 2027. NO

IMHO it is better than the UV and at £500 cheaper than the UV and £150 dearer than the RG7620 offers better value for money. * Too me it was as if they priced it wrong.

Most guitar stores sell plenty squire strats it's what keeps them in buisness same as guitar companies 90% of their sales are due to the cheaper guitars.

Companies are about making money however certain people/companies should remain in their chosen field of excellence. If i take Paul Reed Smith as an example, Has PRS released a cheap inferior <300 copy of a Santana because it would sell in droves NO! *Will we ever ? doubtful *(The irony is he has released a production version but it will be a superb guitar and is still >1500)
but you get my drift.

With Ibanez I felt that the intoduction of the cheap signature guitars was a poor move. *It's like when your a kid and your parents go out and buy you some clothes that look designer but arn't and all the kids make fun. Same with the guitars, it's a Satch but not quite. What's more you know it.

But once in a while a company creates something great then goes " Eh.. We made a mistake"

Remember that Gibson stopped production of the Les Paul due to lack of demand at one point.

All the guitars I like are out of production.
Fender HM Strat
Eggle LA's
UVMC's
JemPBK and all the rest
Ibanez PGM100
Ibanez Ghostriders
Ibanez Artfield
Gibson Les Aaul Artist
Yamaha VG-STD
Ibanez 540 Power
Ibanez 540 Power II

You can't control what a company is going to produce or stop that's why i prefer 2nd hand sections in stores cause you may pick up something rare.

Does anyone know the production figures for the 2027?

[jay ratkowski]

That really is too bad.

I'm VERY happy I got my 2027 when I did. *Too bad not too many other people will be able to get one as well.

Sorry Kenneth, I'm keeping mine. *

Meateth out

[ryan]

I like to believe I'm one of the first people who placed an order for an RG-2027. *

I ordered mine prior to NAMM based on a quick news blurb here on Jemsite - I beleve all I needed to hear was "Piezo 7-string..." *I checked the forums for news and specs, but none were available so I called Hoshino. *They took the time to outline everything for me. *My next call was to my dealer.

This guitar suits my needs PERFECTLY and is, without a doubt, the nicest guitar I've ever played. *I prefer it to the Jem10 and the UV777PBK and the RG7-CT all of which I played for an extended amount of time at GC [they had to throw me out... * ]

The only thing barring me from buying another one at this point is that I can't truly justify the purchase - I need an RG-2020 to fill a few gaps in the stuff we're playing, and my freshly-replaced transmission has prevented even that purchase.

What I do know is if anything happens to my RG-2027, I'm gonna be severely pissed if I can't find a replacement.

[bob oakman]

Quote: from ryan on 12:13 pm on Jan. 26, 2001
What I do know is if anything happens to my RG-2027, I'm gonna be severely pissed if I can't find a replacement.

Hmmm… Maybe I won’t touch it at Jemfest after all.

[cmartin]

It is certainly a shame. Its also an ominous move by Ibanez since the guitars I am far and away most interested in are high-end, non-signature Ibanez 7-string guitars. A product rare to begin with and now looking likely to disappear altogether.

I was surprised they released the RG1077XL to begin with. I will be shocked if it lasts longer than the 2027 did. I will most likely be putting my order in early.

Besides the market being disinterested in such guitars in general, I wonder if any of the disappointing sales have anything to do with Ibanez not delivering them to market up to their potential. The 2027 is seen by many as a project guitar as sold new- when considering one I always figured in the cost of new pickups on top of the price of the guitar.

Consider the S7420, a guitar that lists for $1300 and comes with the LoTRS7, which automatically erases the guitar off my list altogether. I doubt they moved that well in stores, and they get almost zero interest from second hand buyers on ****. Ibanez probably assumes that nobody wants a 7-string S series guitar. I don't know how big a demand there is, but I know I certainly want one, just not that S7420. The 540S7s are hard to find and it seems their asking price went way up after Ibanez rekindled people’s interest with the S7420, but didn't offer a product serious guitarists wanted.

I'm already starting to feel like a lefty. I'm afraid the future is going to be rough for a while.

[Darin Helfand]

PRS just released a Korean made knockoff. *Instead of putting PRS on the headstock, he put SANTANA. Other than the headstock label and new position markers it is a cheap Korean PRS. *List price is about $700. *Guess that puts it in the $400-$600. *I think I just saw a pig fly.

[Rich]

Definately sluggish sales. I sold a few more 2027's than I did UV's this year, but the UV market was horrible also. I think I sold 2 or 3 new ones all year, maybe 5 or 6 2027's. Bleak sales figures considering the year before I sold over 20 UV's. (speaking strictly new, the used market is still very actice) This does not speak well for the future of the UV either and with such bleak sales, WHY would they release a 'special' model ala UVMC2? Would be a large gamble. The K-7 might find the same fate as it's marketed directly at the Korn market and these guys aren't know for spending big $$$'s but more for playing 7620's and beatup UV's they can buy 'reasonable' (no offence to any Korn fans/players intended) Ibanez is a large company staffed with intelligent marketers, I admire them for trying, as in the Barritone Prestige, I hope they do well with them all, but only time will tell.

[darren wilson]

I wonder if part of the problem with the high-end RG's and 7's is their lack of variety.

Would the 2027 maybe have done better if it were available in more colours than Vintage Violin? If it had better pickups? What if it cost less? Or had the S body instead of the RG body?

The 2027 was a gorgeous guitar, but not everybody wants a classy-looking pointy-headstock guitar. (Personally, i'm no a huge fan of the pointy cutaways... it just screams "rock guitar" to me, and that's not what i want to be identified with.) Add the fact that it didn't have premium pickups and was only available in one colour, and you've basically got a "love it or hate it" proposition. Unfortunately, it looks like more people had the latter opinion.

Please, Ibanez. Don't leave out the guitarists who don't want to pay for overpriced Korean guitars, or can't afford your overpriced signature/Prestige Japanese guitars. The S7420 is a real ripoff. They should kill it and bring back the 540S-7 for the same price with some nice transparent finishes over its mahogany. And bring back a quality midrange RG7. In something other than black, white or gray, please.

Ibanez once stood for excellent value in guitars... nowadays, i'm not so sure.

[trajectory fish]

a bit of irony...
i'm holding in my lap the most recent issue of guitar world, and i've found that the rg2027 appears in the new equipment portion of the magazine... * *very very weird... * i'm going to look at the prices for the 2027 and sleep on a decision to buy one... * *even though i DESPIZE floating bridges, *the piezo might be worth it... * *
anyone know how a 2027 with the trem blocked compares to the 7621? * does the 7621 have better pickups?

(Edited by bchaney at 1:28 am on Jan. 27, 2001)

[lgascoig]

Hey if you need 7-string + piezo you can always pick up a new EBMM JPM7! :sarcasm:

[Vaibanez]

EDITORIAL REPLY

[Son of Rant]

The RG2027 hit the market at a time when 7 string guitars were at a peak. The model was introduced with the new bridge that offered an "Acoustic" type sound. It also offered a choice in color, something Ibanez seems to be departing from. The basic guitar was not much more than its less expensive cybling, the RG 7620. Where Ibanez failed in this otherwise great guitar was the Piezo bridge. It had way too many drawbacks in comparison to its benifits. It was combersome. Having one guitar cord to deal with is one thing, but two? The switching was awkward, electronics confusing and stereo operation required twice the gear for optimal effect.

In short, the guitar is an awsome technical achievment, playing to a handfull of artists. But, that not with standing, it is this author's opinion that the RG2027 was way before its time, and that caused it to fail more than anything else. I don't expect Ibanez to scrap the idea, but, rather, to refine it and re-release it in the years to come.

As a side note, the K-7 U-bar can be removed and replaced with a standard bar, thus making it an RG7620 with nothing more than a fancy whamy bar and blank fret board. Not worth the additional money a signature guitar commands.

[End Son of Rant]