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JS series acceptance?

6K views 43 replies 22 participants last post by  jono 
#1 ·
What do you guys think about the JS series acceptance in the guitarist community?

I never saw a JS in the hands of top guitar players link those in guitar techniques, lick library or others.

I have seen several signature models (e.g. Music Man's, PRS's, Jem's, etc.) but not a single JS series.

Regards.
 
#6 ·
What do you guys think about the JS series acceptance in the guitarist community?

I never saw a JS in the hands of top guitar players link those in guitar techniques, lick library or others.

I have seen several signature models (e.g. Music Man's, PRS's, Jem's, etc.) but not a single JS series.

Regards.
In the wider guitar community, it's probably the most accepted Ibanez that there is. Lick Library are not the "community", they're the nerdy guitar teachers,.

The JS as andrewsfury points out is basically a strat, thus in my years it's been more acceptable to the average guitarist, 22 frets, non-angled headstock and so on. If you have the JS1000BP it's about as anonymous as a signature guitar gets and I regularly used mine as a "just a 2 humbucker strat" without any "Ibanhad" comments. My JS6 used to be my "blues jam" guitar and everyone used to love that one!!!
 
#9 ·
Fair point:D

But... I think the British scene (certainly when I was most active, during the heart of Britpop) was perhaps even more resistant to Japanese superstrats than anywhere else at the time, BUT the JS was sufficiently non-pointy and subtle enough to find acceptance with almost everyone.
 
#12 ·
Hi guys!

Not acquainted with the term "Ibanhad" and I don't know what it means. :?

Regarding the similarities with a standard Strat, we have the headstock angle, 6 strings and most important (probably what make you guys compare it with a Strat) some sort of Strat feel regarding the neck when we play a regular JS series like the 1000.

Apart from that, the JS's are complete different instruments IMHO. e.g. different wood on the body, 22 frets, 2 humbuckers, 3 way pickup selector, 2 knobs with coil taps, Floyd, complete different tone, etc.

Regarding the acceptance, very few people are using them on my country, apart from Joe's diehard fans (like me) :lol:. Let's face it, on YouTube it's hard to find guitar players using them, unless they are Satch fans playing some Satch covers.

Regards,
AK
 
#17 ·
Regarding the acceptance, very few people are using them on my country, apart from Joe's diehard fans (like me) :lol:. Let's face it, on YouTube it's hard to find guitar players using them, unless they are Satch fans playing some Satch covers.
To be fair, that's probably true of JEMs as well - you don't see them unless they're in the hands of guys playing Vai covers or Vai-influenced originals. RGs are much more common, and while there's a loose association with the JEM there, it's only a loose one.

I like the JS, I just wish it had bigger frets. :shrug:
 
#13 ·
Ibanhad is a term that was invented in the 70s and sounds like "I've been had" meaning fooled into buying a low quality instrument. Other brand reps allegedly came up with the term because Ibanez's quality was so high compared to the big American brands that they (the big guys) were losing market share to a little known Japanese firm...

A lot of older players (who're now in their 50 and 60s) will remember those days and some still have a dislike of anything that's not Fender or Gibson (or nowadays PRS or Suhr).

That dislike was more recently particularly leveled at the JEM and RG because they were easily identified. The JS, being far more subtle, in my experience, met with far less negative reaction from older guys (who make up the majority of the "guitar community" and aren't likely to be posting clips of themselves shredding on youtube) compared to the reaction to a swirled 24 fret pointy guitar with a crazy inlay and a handle routed through it...
 
#14 ·
That dislike was more recently particularly leveled at the JEM and RG because they were easily identified. The JS, being far more subtle, in my experience, met with far less negative reaction from older guys (who make up the majority of the "guitar community" and aren't likely to be posting clips of themselves shredding on youtube) compared to the reaction to a swirled 24 fret pointy guitar with a crazy inlay and a handle routed through it...
I had to laugh at that because it is so true. Also, I think you reveled your age a bit ;)
 
#16 · (Edited)
I'm sure it's blasphemy to say on Jemsite but I think the JS are the best models Ibanez make. They have a more interesting body than the RG, they feel better, IMO the bridge pickup sounds as good as the RG for high gain and the center split coil sounds even better than the RG for clean, and the electronics are more flexible for a wider range of tones. I think they would be a lot more popular if they had kept the lower-priced Radius models (Radius was to the JS models like RG is to the Vai models).
 
#18 ·
I think the JS guitars remind me of Teles.
The necks feel like Tele necks to me.

Ibanez charges way toooo much for the JS1000, JS1200, JS2400 and JS2410.
When I look at these guitars all I see is an RG520 that has been rounded off at bit.
The inlays are nothing special, how do they charge so much money for these guitars?
 
#24 ·
As a JS owner (i got my first JS obviously cuz i was a lot into Satch), i can tell that it's the most comfy guitar I have played so far.
This is obviously personal opinion, but it has a neck that feels way more comfy than the paper-thin shredding beast that is the Wizard.
Plus, with the coil splits you can get a wider range of tones with just one guitar.

AND it's less flashy! (which helps if you're not a 1000notes a second monster or sweep picking demon...people expect less from you :D )
 
#25 ·
I only got into the JS guitars very recently. Really, they are a beautiful machine to play and I'm surprised it took me this long to realize it! It's a bit of a departure for me as I'm used to the RG series and JEm with the sharper edges. I really don't see a lot of them around.

When mine comes in from ordering, it will be my first one. That being said, I've always loved Ibanez guitars. I left for a bit thinking that I got something better with PRS and Ernie Ball but quickly realized that the coin wasn't so shiney on the other side. My first Ibanez was a Roadstar II series back in the 80s.
 
#26 ·
It could be much more popular if it wasn't marketed like jem's. Like the lower-end jem's were never a hit (maybe except the new premium line, time will tell), people prefered RG's.

Same is for js but there isn't a similar line for it (I don't consider S series as an alternative to it like rg's to jem's).

I haven't heard a single complaint for the JS's but the price. It takes so much time for every player to realize its value in the competition, the potential buyers get old :D
 
#27 ·
I still don't know why Ibanez killed the Radius line. It would be much better if they just replaced the current JS100 with a new line of Radius guitars...a couple of prestiges and a few MII would be perfect IMO. At the very least, they could update the JS100 to get a new Edge Zero II trem...it still comes with that Edge III POS.

Anyway, I love the look of JS guitars. I was going to buy one, but then a Radius showed up that was much more to my liking and I went with that instead.
 
#28 ·
The JS is an awesome guitar, I got mine 2 years ago after waiting 15 years to get one (a long story but when i was young i couldnt wait for local shop to get one in so i got a les paul studio instead, apparantly not that long a story). i currently have 4 electrics the only one i play is the js, its the most versatile guitar i have ever had you can make it sound like anyother guitar. also bonus is that its not to flashy, so if people dont know who joe is then they just think i have a really nice guitar. also the first time i played mine i instantly became a better guitar player, the neck is awesome and th body is so light and comfortable my hands just glide over it, also radius should be brought back, my mates got one not sure which model but its far superior to the js100's, much better entry level guitar imho
 
#31 ·
In my early years i was a big ibanez user (rg,rbm,sa, s...) then 4 years ago i went into Fender strat US, Gibson lp STD US, i wasted my time with these guitars until i tried a JS2000 !
I sold all the others, i bought 3 different JS (700, 2000 and the new 24P).

Can't me more happy, the JS suits every style, the body shape is a dream of comfort, they are the easiest guitars to play for me :)
 
#35 ·
I read in a guitar magazine a while ago that as they were getting famous, the guys from KSE used to use a JEM and a JS, but when looking for an endorsement deal, Ibanez were interested in the band, but not in having them use other artists' signature models.
 
#36 ·
How anyone can compare a strat to a JS is beyond me, they are poles apart and the only real likeness is the fact you can get strat like tones from them. JS is probably the nicest looking guitar in the Ibanez line up at the moment and much nicer than the ugly PG and better than the dull nearly all black line up of the RG range.
 
#38 ·
I wouldn't say they are better than a strat, my strat is a fender Floyd rose classic and has a Floyd rose (obviously) and HSS pickup configuration and does just about everything. Got a coil tap on the humbucker and a switch to enable bridge and neck pickups together so you can get a near perfect telecaster twang. Very versatile and built as solid as a rock.
 
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