Steve Vai did say in a Sweetwater interview something about the JEM implying something new, or different. He was vague on the matter, but the potential for something interesting to happen is there. Predictions are welcome as well as specific information about the entire lineup. All are welcome. When Vai says something about a JEM for 2020, speculation season has begun...
Never too early for next year's NAMM thread :lol:.
I expect 2020 to be a big year for Ibanez, bringing in the new decade. All i wanna see is a new UV. It's been too long without a proper Vai 7 in the lineup. More flame/quilt prestiges would be nice too. That vintage violin flame finish looks too good on an RG not to be permanently available. Guess we'll see.
With Brexit and Star Wars on the horizon, Rich, if you have any "bread crumbs" to drop they might prove to be therapeutic during these uncertain times. lain: Aston Martin makes the greatest cars on Earth, your car may have been the pinnacle! :smile2:
Steve is using a sustainer now for 20 years. And seems to do very frequently at the moment. I'd say it's about time for this in a stock Jem. Joe has his sustaniac and patents don't last forever if Fernandes won't do it. Or is there any reason why this is not possible?
If there is a reason beyond "Steve didn't want a Sustainer in his signature model guitar" it probably isn't a technical reason. The Sustaniac installation process is less straightforward than a normal pickup, to put it mildly, but the people at Manic Music who make the Sustainiac really have the JEM sorted out. https://www.sustainiac.com/prpickgd.htm#pickguards
Ibanez can be unpredictable in their decisions regarding their product lines. That is the best I can do.
It's going to be a huge announcement, not minor additions or changes to existing guitars. All I've been able to get out of the Ibanez people is that it's big and they won't say any more.
My guess is an Ibanez dedicated guitar factory in Japan. This would have a huge, and hopefully positive, impact on what they would be able to produce in Japan which includes guitars that do not yet exist. While this may sound silly, Ibanez has never really had a "home" as far as I am aware. A building with their name on it because that is where they build their guitars has value, like a "home" has value.
It could also be price increases across the board...lain:
I hope the Genesis line continues. Sad that the RG521 was cut last year. It might do better with other color options. The RG570 too. But sales numbers maybe I'm wrong.
One of the triple mini-hum Firemen would be cool too; the purple one or the one that looks like the FRM150 would be nice.
As for the Jem a new MIJ model in a never-done-before finish would probably make a lot of people happy.
From what i've gathered, I think the steam punk guitar is just gonna be a one off for Steve. I'd imagine it's gonna be too bizarre to market to players.
From what I've gathered, I think the steampunk guitar is just gonna be a one-off for Steve. I'd imagine it's gonna be too bizarre to market to players.
That RG4620 needs to come to the USA ASAP!
More solid colors or a good clear coat on the wood grain ones would be nice. The RGR5220 looks great, but imagine when a nice glossy spot starts to show below the strings from the picking hand? The suede black and suede red finishes were cool too way back but I think they suffered the same problem. The exposed burl poplar top guitars too. How hard is it to clear coat a Prestige? Especially if Premiums get a clear coat over those tops?
Funny you bring up the RGR 5220M. I just got mine today. Those flat finishes will get shiny spots, but you can also polish the whole body and it gives it a semi gloss kind of look.
Anyway, the guitar is pretty awesome, but I'm kind of left wondering about this ash top. It's perfectly smooth so no wood texture can be felt like with some ash tops. It looks so smooth I wonder if it's really an ash top or a just paper thin ash veneer. I hate to say it but it really looks fake and not high end at all. Would have rather just had a solid finish.
I have no answers, but I can't think of an ash bodied guitar with a non-matte/satin finish. If your guitar has a clear coat finish, I imagine it would look and feel different, if not odd, then what you are used to. If it's a good guitar that is what is important. Transparent Fluorescent Green is a striking color that does not scream "high end." It just screams which I think was the point from the beginning. 😉 Nice guitar by the way!
I've been watching the RGR5220 for a while, but need to get rid off 4 surplus guitars first, then RGR4620 come up.
but now since 2020 is 3 months away, I'd be waiting.
Yeah, bright green not exactly meant for the snooty crowd. I wish they had done the same "Ice" treatment a the blue one, but that doesn't matter now. I really wasn't in the market for one, but found a smoking deal on ebay and snagged it up to go with my RG5121. I'm going to post a quick review on both. I'm thinking about having someone put some sort of candy or pearl gloss clear over the top of it, but that probably won't happen cause I'm a cheapskate. It is my opinion that the ash top should be labeled veneer rather than top in their brochure. Top gives me the impression that it's at least 1 or 2mm thick. This looks like a layer of simulated ash grain wallpaper.
That RG5121 is ace! If I were to dip my toe into using Fishmans that would be the guitar I would pick. A little too pricey for me at present though.
I guess Fishman's carry a huge premium?
Enjoy!
These guitars can be preordered because everything can be preordered, but I do not know when people will actually receive them. With that said, the idea of showing people new production models a little early, like before you can actually buy them, is not such a bad idea...most of the time.
I'm holding hope that they announce a successor to the 7VWH Prestige model with a sustainer neck pickup and stainless steel frets. I mean I don't expect that to happen, but I would be throwing money at the screen. My biggest gripe about guitars is worn frets, after going stainless steel on my Suhr and with my 7V refret I don't think I can actually justify going back. I've already properly started to wear the frets on my 30th Anniversary Jem 777, it's really off-putting.
Hoping for some sort of Sustainer and a scalloped board, which SSV seems to be using a lot more these days. Extra labor and electronics will mean $$$, but that's OK. I have a few spares lying around.
^^^Yes, a sustainer with SS frets might pull me in to purchase one of those models.
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