I've recently heard some good reviews on these guitars. Also, I own a RGTHRG2 which is basically a RGT42 with Giger graphic and an EPII. After a setup (only a little tweaking actually) it definitively has a lot better feel than MII. Also, it feels nicer than my friends Jackson KVX (MIJ) and is almost, if not equal to MIJ Ibanez (after a proper setup of course). I'm not sure if there is a thread about recent Korean quality, so there you go! Does anyone else think as high about the MIK Ibanez or what?
Veno
RG370's are made in Indonesia.
I played a RGT42 today. Very nice! Still, you're playing a neck-thru guitar, which is going to have better resonance anyway. I don't think Korean quality is all-around bad; it's just hit-or-miss. You can get lucky and get a great guitar, like I did with my JS100 back in the day. I've heard stories from people who were not so lucky.
I played a RGT42 today. Very nice! Still, you're playing a neck-thru guitar, which is going to have better resonance anyway. I don't think Korean quality is all-around bad; it's just hit-or-miss. You can get lucky and get a great guitar, like I did with my JS100 back in the day. I've heard stories from people who were not so lucky.
I have the exact same giger guitar and while they are nice to play, they still dont come close to an RG550, and after buying a Jcustom, the giger guitar is my least favourite. The floating trem is horrible, and when you open the back cavity you can see the wood used and its like compressed chipboard or something.
When i bought this guitar I was wowed by the graphics the abalone, and the overall look. But the more I Play my JCustom, I can certainly feel the difference.
Don't get me wrong the giger is nice and I recorded some successfull solos for my new album, but its just not as good.
If there was no real build quality difference, then all the ibanez range would be in the same price bracket. The korean made ibanez is for the budget musician who wants looks and enough quality to be played well.
but there is a difference !!!
When i bought this guitar I was wowed by the graphics the abalone, and the overall look. But the more I Play my JCustom, I can certainly feel the difference.
Don't get me wrong the giger is nice and I recorded some successfull solos for my new album, but its just not as good.
If there was no real build quality difference, then all the ibanez range would be in the same price bracket. The korean made ibanez is for the budget musician who wants looks and enough quality to be played well.
but there is a difference !!!
I have a RG370dx made in korea too
there are some things I dont like but I do like the pickups, as for stock pick ups they aint that bad
but the things I noticed were that there were 6 holes for the truss rod cover, they ****ed up the first time and tried again and the fret ends kinda jab out more than usual so if you slide around the neck you can feel the frets are kinda pointy
there are some things I dont like but I do like the pickups, as for stock pick ups they aint that bad
but the things I noticed were that there were 6 holes for the truss rod cover, they ****ed up the first time and tried again and the fret ends kinda jab out more than usual so if you slide around the neck you can feel the frets are kinda pointy
This is me playing my Korean S7320 from 2007:
And this is me playing my Japanese RG570 from 1995:
While they're completely different guitars, I think in terms of playability, tone and overall quality, it's pretty much a tie (no problems with fretwork or anything). Both have very good pickups, both have Wizard II necks that play very nicely, and they have tons of natural sustain, and a nice, well-defined tone in general.
So perhaps I got lucky with my Korean Ibanez, but I think it's a fantastic guitar, that easily matches much more expensive guitars (like my own RG).
And this is me playing my Japanese RG570 from 1995:
While they're completely different guitars, I think in terms of playability, tone and overall quality, it's pretty much a tie (no problems with fretwork or anything). Both have very good pickups, both have Wizard II necks that play very nicely, and they have tons of natural sustain, and a nice, well-defined tone in general.
So perhaps I got lucky with my Korean Ibanez, but I think it's a fantastic guitar, that easily matches much more expensive guitars (like my own RG).
Out of the 4 guitars I own the korean giger is by far the worst and hardest to play. Thats just a fact of my collection. The JCustom is like butter to play.
and no way is my giger as good as the RG 550. your just plain wrong, they are miles apart...
and no way is my giger as good as the RG 550. your just plain wrong, they are miles apart...
The fretwork on my RG350dx is horrible (Indonesia). There were sharp fret edges, and I actually got daring enough to file them smoothly, which turned out great. But I still can't get low action because of uneven frets. I still get some buzz on the 7th fret of the high e and more minor (but annoying) buzz in other areas.
Is this common on Korean models too?
Is this common on Korean models too?
my RG350DX(white) is much better then my RG550EX, and very near my RG 2550 prestige, and all three are stock. INF pickups are way better then V pickups in RG550 in sustain clarity and BIG sound, and before RG350 I thought basswood guitars can't have bassy sound.
I am still wondering how RG 350 can be that good. And it is not even Korean, it is Inonesian?
I am still wondering how RG 350 can be that good. And it is not even Korean, it is Inonesian?
i think that MIK guitars have a lot of potential, and a lot of them represent a very bang/buck ratio. almost invariably on MIK guitars i end up doing a lot of fretwork to get them even, comfortable, and smooth as well as other modifications to maximize their playability (i.e. rounding off the "shoulder" on some of the more square-ish wizII's.) i also usually end up putting in an edge or lopro trem and new pickups.
since i can and do perform my own fretwork, the additional cost isn't really an issue and i'd be replacing the pickups anyway, MIJ or MIK. buying a new trem is a bit of a bite, but all (both) of the lower-end guitars that i have just "felt" like good pieces of timber in my hands, and i look at the additional cost and work as simply necessary mods that serve to make the guitar work for me.
in terms of fit, finish, and QC the MIK stuff just isn't at the level that the MIJ guitars are at IMHO. the truth of the matter is there are differing price points for guitars that are meant to sell to differing types of players and at the end of the day, profit is what causes decisions to be made. there is a reason why Japanese RG's cost more, and it's more than just the sum cost of the raw materials.
since i can and do perform my own fretwork, the additional cost isn't really an issue and i'd be replacing the pickups anyway, MIJ or MIK. buying a new trem is a bit of a bite, but all (both) of the lower-end guitars that i have just "felt" like good pieces of timber in my hands, and i look at the additional cost and work as simply necessary mods that serve to make the guitar work for me.
in terms of fit, finish, and QC the MIK stuff just isn't at the level that the MIJ guitars are at IMHO. the truth of the matter is there are differing price points for guitars that are meant to sell to differing types of players and at the end of the day, profit is what causes decisions to be made. there is a reason why Japanese RG's cost more, and it's more than just the sum cost of the raw materials.
My 2 cents only. The Korean guitars seem to be less consistent in quality with a twist. I had an RGT42FM which was very nicely built so I upgraded the Edge Pro II for a new Edge Pro(drop in replacement) and installed a Tone Zone and PAF Pro and had a killer guitar. While working on it I noticed one oddity. Almost all the Korean RG models have a jack plate while the Jap RG's use a thick panel jack and have the little cover on the back behind the jack. Well, the RGT42FM has the Jap style setup which made me wonder, are some bodies made in Japan and shipped to the Korean factory for finish? Just something that makes me go "HMMMM".
I tried the RGT42 in white the other day and noticed the same thing about the jack. Overall it's a great instrument - if only they could keep power cosmo from wearing off so ridiculously fast!
All my 3 series Ibanez's are made in Indonesia. I know the older 3's were made in Korea. I guess it pays to check the back of the headstock.
All my 3 series Ibanez's are made in Indonesia. I know the older 3's were made in Korea. I guess it pays to check the back of the headstock.
Picked up a used S520EX on Monday night at the local Guitar Center.
First time in the store... I don't do chain stores as a rule.
Anyhow, the setup was absolutely horrible... no wonder it was mint, and less that 400 bucks.
Long story short:
2 hours setting it up (and eating diner, watching TV, etc)
Pickups... hmmmm I can think of all kinds of things I will be trying in there with that mahogany body... but the stock ones don't completely suck.
Stay tuned on that.
ZR trem... once the return spring bar was removed so it was full floating... simply stunning.
Neck is dead perfect (now).
Overall, I rate this right up there with (GASP!) my JPM P2, in terms of how she plays.
That's just this one, vs. that one type stuff... but... hell... for the difference in price... well, I don't think I can s**t on Korean guitars.
I've had good experiences with PRS Korean models as well.
I'm just not sure they have enough time on the assembly line to make them perfect.
You end up with a rough sketch... spend some time setting up/dressing frets if they are sharp on the edges... get a kick out of working on guitars, and it's a no brainer.
Pay big bucks cuz you need it perfect out of the box, and, well, you pay big bucks for that, right?
Cheers!
First time in the store... I don't do chain stores as a rule.
Anyhow, the setup was absolutely horrible... no wonder it was mint, and less that 400 bucks.
Long story short:
2 hours setting it up (and eating diner, watching TV, etc)
Pickups... hmmmm I can think of all kinds of things I will be trying in there with that mahogany body... but the stock ones don't completely suck.
Stay tuned on that.
ZR trem... once the return spring bar was removed so it was full floating... simply stunning.
Neck is dead perfect (now).
Overall, I rate this right up there with (GASP!) my JPM P2, in terms of how she plays.
That's just this one, vs. that one type stuff... but... hell... for the difference in price... well, I don't think I can s**t on Korean guitars.
I've had good experiences with PRS Korean models as well.
I'm just not sure they have enough time on the assembly line to make them perfect.
You end up with a rough sketch... spend some time setting up/dressing frets if they are sharp on the edges... get a kick out of working on guitars, and it's a no brainer.
Pay big bucks cuz you need it perfect out of the box, and, well, you pay big bucks for that, right?
Cheers!
I think we have enough opinions to conclude something here. Once you've picked a nice MIK, spend some time on it (frets, pups, maybe a trem, etc.), when she's set up, (by the words of Ricky Martin) "She Bangs!". Maybe you spent some dough on it after you've bought it, but it still ain't how much you'd pay for a MIJ. The quality, on the other hand, is pretty close to Prestige. Weee!
Well, it's the same as back in the day with Japanese guitars vs American.
Then again, my old Japanese RG570 is still all stock, and it's fine in every way (frets, pups, trem etc)... as is my S7320.
I suppose the more expensive Korean guitars don't need all that much work anyway. I have absolutely no idea why I read about people replacing the pickups on an S7320, because I think they do a great job. Same as the V7, S1, V8 combo on my RG... A lot of people replace them... Well I did that too, after one of them broke down... and I put a DiMarzio PAF Pro, Blue Velvet and Tone Zone in there. I actually hated the tone I got (not to mention the wimpy output and flimsy attack), and got a secondhand Ibanez replacement and made the guitar stock again.
Then again, my old Japanese RG570 is still all stock, and it's fine in every way (frets, pups, trem etc)... as is my S7320.
I suppose the more expensive Korean guitars don't need all that much work anyway. I have absolutely no idea why I read about people replacing the pickups on an S7320, because I think they do a great job. Same as the V7, S1, V8 combo on my RG... A lot of people replace them... Well I did that too, after one of them broke down... and I put a DiMarzio PAF Pro, Blue Velvet and Tone Zone in there. I actually hated the tone I got (not to mention the wimpy output and flimsy attack), and got a secondhand Ibanez replacement and made the guitar stock again.
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