Mick wrote:When I was looking at guitars last year, several people recommended Ibanez as a brand. As I recall, I played every model I could find for less than about $700 and didn't like any of them. Further discussions with local players revealed that you have to be willing to spend over $1000 to get a good Ibanez guitar, and that at that price level they are worth the money. For what it is worth, I didn't like any of the Fenders that were under $1000 either.
FWIW, I have a 1991 US Fender Stratocaster (prob cost ~$1200 new) and, as nices of a guitar as it is, there is hardly a comparison btwn it - made from ashe - and a beauty made from top quality wood. Of COURSE you gotta have great electronics, but I can't imagine a fine piece from great wood and a quality luthier would put subpar electronics in it. That guitar looked pretty cool. Ibanez is up & down - just like Fender...you can find some REALLY nice ones and some clunkers.
I'm currently about a month away from having a CUSTOM GUITAR being finished...I simply cannot wait. I sold my Gibson ES335 for $2k and put it towards this beauty. You can see the up-to-date pictures of it at
www.theCAUSEjams.com/photos at the BOTTOM OF THE PAGE under "PAPPY'S NEW GUITAR". The Luthier is master builder of stringed instruments, SB MacDonald -
www.customguitars.com - and he is the MAN. We decided on a PRS/LP design, whereby using a top piece of tiger maple (that I've had for 10 years hoping to have a guitar built from) and a mahogany back. BUT, because SB & I both knew that this piece of maple was too sweet to only use the typical 1/8" face, we went with a full 3/4" top piece...the tiger stripes cascade down the sides...hard to tell, as it hasn't been sprayed w/ the clearcoat yet...but MAN...when it's done!!!
I will be putting more photos up as I get 'em.
If you ever consider a custom - this guy is where it's at.