Hello,

I bought my Ibanez PGM30 (2002 model) about two weeks ago,
(I purchased it on-line but I havenīt received it yet coz itīs stuck in customs in switzerland for some reason I find this peculiar since it was shipped from the US to Sweden and why would switzerland be bothered? Itīs been in swiss customs for over one week... )

Are you satisfied with the PGM 30 and so on?
What are the pros and cons, so to speak?
Iīd like your views and opinions.

I canīt wait to get mine!


Regards, Anders

Hi there, yeah I have 2 PGM30's at the moment. One is the 2003 model, the other is a 2002 model.

They are both good guitars and so on......but the real problem you will have with the 2002 version, is the TRS-2 trem! They really do suck!
Even if you have it setup to perfection, it wont make a difference.

I have been thinking about getting rid of my 2002 model to replace it with an RG550 or something with a better trem. Either that or I will just block the trem, or make it fixed bridge etc....

Everything else is fine really, I really like them. Obviously the new model 2003 come with Prestige Necks and a better trem.
As for the pickups......they do their job, they arent the best in the world, but when your using a POD or VAMP it dont really matter.

And you really wanted you could get rid of them and change to DiMarzios.
But I hope you enjoy it!

F-Holes do indeed rule!!
Gary - The.Godfather

Hello and thanks for your input!

yeah Iīve heard so much crap about the low trs II
and I am pretty anxious about that.
The edge pro on the PGM30, 2003 model; does it fit the 2002 model?
Or will a switch require routing?

As far as I know, I dont *think* it requires any routing.
It will be a straight swap. But if I am wrong, someone will soon correct me

But honestly, apart from that trem, it is a lovely guitar. Just a shame that it has that trem in it, cos it deserves better!

And not only that, with that trem in it.....it isnt the easiest guitar to trade or sell. As I well know.

Gary - The.Godfather

I guess Iīll have to switch it to an edge pro or some other good trem thatīll fit.
it really is a shame that the low trs II trem is such a piece of crap.
I wonder why they decided to put something on a guitar that
doesenīt work at all. Itīd be like putting in dummy pickups or tuning pegs that donīt turn which would be totally unacceptable, a useless trem should be aswell.

I use the trem alot and I donīt wanna block it.
I think a hardtail is best suited without a locking nut.

Itīs such a good looking guitar and Iīve wanted one for a long time.
I hope Iīll be able to make it work somehow.

again, thanks for your input!

the pre-2003 pgm's are just like RG470 with one control and F-holes paint.. right?

I suppose yeah, just with a higher price tag. And as I said earlier, its a shame really cos with the looks it has it deserves better!

But honestly, if you put a set of DiMarzios in there, and stick a Lo-Pro in it, you will have a dream guitar.
But thats getting away from the point i suppose!

Because lets face it, PGM's in general do rule!

Gary - The.Godfather

that's why u have so much higher pgms...

is it that bad?

well Iīll find out myself once I get it I guess.
granted the swiss customs pass it through sometime...

I might put Tone Zones in there at some point.
Lo-pro would require routing right?

Lo-Pro will indeed require routing! Thats the problem, you cant just slot a new one in there just like that

Gary - The.Godfather

Yeah I will not put a Low-Pro Edge or Edge in there.

Iīve made some research and I found some good replacements (IMO) by Floyd Rose (OFR) , Gotoh and Schaller. They seem to fit and I`ve used them before (except Gotoh) and I like them alot.

But anyway, I still havenīt received my guitar and it seems Iīm gonna have to wait forever. It is still "being processed by customs in switzerland"
and noone can help me trackin it down. They shouldnīt be processing it at all as I live in Sweden. Oh man is it frustrating waiting...

Hopefully Iīll get it soon and when I do Iīll see if the OFR on the guitar Iīm using now will fit.

Yes!
I just got home from work and FINALLY, a note from the logistics company about the arrival of my guitar! But theyīre closed for the day so I canīt get it today but Iīll call them first thing tomorrow morning to find out how and when I can get it. Man I thought it would never arrive.

Oh why didnīt I get home earlier...man I canīt wait ītil tomorrow!

Soo happy to know that it has arrived. Iīll get back to you guys with a full report, whether you like it or not.

They are delivering it to my door tomorrow (Friday).
Oh man what a great weekend this is gonna be!
Pending for some bending.

Well I got it today and Iīm really pleased. It plays just great. Perfect action and the frets are sweet, Iīd rate them 10/10. The neck is just fantastic and the body real lightweight and well balanced. So far so good. And itīs just so good looking! Fantastic condition.
This is gonna be cool. Canīt believe such a nice guitar can be so cheap. Itīs so well built. It looks and feels like a real expensive axe (IMO). Of course, I still have to test the reputed trem and that might change my current opinion dramatically, but it has held up to my whammying so far...
I canīt play with my amp coz of the neighbours (and me being such a nice little boy (read wuss), never disturbing the peace), but as far as I can tell from playing through my genesis 1, YJM DOD preamp OD and Dunlop Wha, it sounds pretty good. The pick ups seem to be a little weak maybe but they sound clean, good string seperation (with the sound I like to play with).
Well now Iīve gotta play and test its limits!

I just gotta get YJM to sign it the way he did Harryīs Ibanez. ”Play Fender”