Ibanez and Fret Tangs

[straightshreddd]

When and why did Ibanez stop leaving the tangs in on the fret ends?

I feel like the pre-2000's models had their best fretwork(and overall quality) and they all have the visible tangs unlike the recent years' models. Even the production-Indo models from the 90's had them and those guitars were excellent. Now, no Ibanez models have visible tangs. Not even Prestiges.

I know it's not a big deal and I know plenty of luthiers remove the tangs on the fret ends and still put out amazing instruments, but I like the look of visible tangs on frets and was wondering why Ibanez stopped. I feel like it makes the fretboard look more professionally constructed.


Also, does removing the tangs affect stability or the frets' life span? Or is it strictly aesthetic? Is it a cost-reducing method?

I've noticed on a lot of guitars without visible fret tangs, there will be small gaps or holes in the filler and it looks pretty unprofessional and rather shoddy. I've seen multiple Prestiges with this in recent years and was wondering when and why they changed their fret installation method.


PS: This applies to guitars without fretboard binding

 

[tedtan]

Generally, it takes more time to do this, so it's often found on more expensive instruments. Given that, I would say they probably started doing this as a means to make those instruments look more like higher end guitars.

I don't have a problem with it when it's done well, but I agree that it looks bad when it's not done well.

 

[straightshreddd]

Yeah, some companies use great technique and filler so that the ends blend seamlessly with the rest of the fretboard, giving a nice and clean look. I've been checking out Ran lately, and their ends and overall fretwork looks really well done.

About Ibanez, I thought it might have been to cut back on manufacturing expenses. Like, I wondered if the best Ibanez's ever produced were made during a period of time when the economy was great. I mean, their older models were so raw. They even visually appear of higher quality. Darker, more mature-looking rosewood, super clean fretwork, etc.

I would love to own an early 90's RG550 in bright ass yellow or something.

 

[tedtan]

I haven't made guitars so I'm not speaking from experience here, but it seems like hiding the fret ends takes more work (cutting the tang on each end, filling the ends of the fret slot, sanding) and thus more time than just filing the fret ends, so it seems like it should cost more doing it this way.

You are right that Ibanez hit a sweet spot in the late 80's through the mid 90's. At that time Japanese manufacturing was top notch, but it didn't yet cost top dollar like US or German manufacturing. So there were quite a few nice quality guitars made then at reasonable prices. Those old RG550s you mention were just the standard line of guitars they made at the time, not upgraded models, but the quality is on par with some of the Prestige instruments made now. And even better, they can be bought for pretty decent prices, too, though those desert sun yellow (the bright ass yellow) ones seem to bring higher prices - typically $700+ instead of $300 - $550 like most other colors.

 

[Chuck]

Ehh maybe it's just a fact of being a 22 year old guitar, but my RG550 has lesser fretwork to my RGA121

 

[straightshreddd]

^True? Welp, I'm not 100% knowledgeable on the topic, but my old 7620(I believe it was a '98 model) had amazing fretwork with the tangs(besides some top-wear from years of playing of course).

Every Prestige I've come across in the past few years have the filled, tang-cut fret ends and it occasionally looks kinda sloppy where the filler is applied. Like, the playability and finish will be amazing, but the frets will just look plain old weird on the ends specifically. Then again, I'm kinda biased because I like the look of visible tangs(not protruding of course)

I've noticed that even on very high-end acoustics, the tangs are left in.

*shrugs*

At ted, yeah you could be right. I'm rather noob to these technical things, too. Any builders or Ibanez history buffs care to chime in? I've actually been wondering this for the past couple years.

 

[Chuck]

We need Max in here.

 

[Chuck]

Though you mention that it's just the recent years Prestiges. I don't know how recent you mean but my RGA is from 2006.

 

[MaxOfMetal]

Hiding the fret tangs is typically more difficult to do, more time consuming as well. That said, it doesn't have a huge baring on the overall quality of fretwork. Fret end treatment is the same regardless of where the tang is.

Saying that one method means better fretwork is like saying that since my best Ibanez guitars are black the color has to make a difference. The appearance of a pattern doesn't necessitate the existence of one.

As for the older stuff being better, that's just bullshit. Simple as that. Guitars that make it 20 years will be better, such as the "Golden Age" Ibanez stuff. Why? Well, they've had years of caring owners who have played them and taken care of them turning into great player's guitars. Not to mention the crappy ones tend to not last that long. Plenty of older Ibanez guitars are[were] awful, it's just those tend to get parted out or simply destroyed over the years.

The modern Prestige stuff is really good, it's just more expensive. I've played bad post-2003 Prestige guitars, but I've also played plenty of really shitty 90's RG550s. They exist, really.

 

[tedtan]

The modern Prestige stuff is really good, it's just more expensive.

I agree with this. I also agree that the guitars from the past that we look upon fondly now are often the better examples of those guitars simply because they have been taken care of. Like Max said, many others were destroyed or parted out along the way.

I've played bad post-2003 Prestige guitars, but I've also played plenty of really shitty 90's RG550s. They exist, really.

This part I'm not so sure about. Maybe we have a different definition of the term "really shitty", or maybe we're just not talking about the same thing (or maybe I'm just misunderstanding).

I worked at a guitar shop before heading to college in 1995, so I'm old enough to have played these guitars when they were new, and they weren't shitty then. Sure, some were better than others (you always have some variability in manufacturing), but I don't remember any complete dogs in the bunch.

Having said that, there are definitely some guitars out there that have been abused and are not up to scratch anymore. I can see calling these abused guitars shitty, but not because they lacked quality to begin with (the original topic of this thread). They are shitty now due to abuse, much like a car who's owner didn't change the oil and the engine locked up. That wasn't due to faulty design or manufacturing, it was due to a dumb ass owner. So we can't judge quality based on abused instruments, only the condition of those instruments.

 

[straightshreddd]

Hiding the fret tangs is typically more difficult to do, more time consuming as well. That said, it doesn't have a huge baring on the overall quality of fretwork. Fret end treatment is the same regardless of where the tang is.

Word. This is what I was wondering. Any idea why Ibanez made the switch?

Saying that one method means better fretwork is like saying that since my best Ibanez guitars are black the color has to make a difference. The appearance of a pattern doesn't necessitate the existence of one.

It just looks visibly neater to my eye with the tangs, I guess. I've played guitars with hidden fret tangs that play well and look good, too. It's just that I'd feel a little uncomfortable with buying a $1000+ Prestige that had gaps, holes, or discolored filler where the tang would be. Then again, I don't have nearly as much experience on the subject.

The modern Prestige stuff is really good, it's just more expensive. I've played bad post-2003 Prestige guitars, but I've also played plenty of really shitty 90's RG550s. They exist, really.

Yeah, I don't doubt it. I was just wondering why Ibanez made the change in fret installation.

 

[straightshreddd]

Though you mention that it's just the recent years Prestiges. I don't know how recent you mean but my RGA is from 2006.

Yeah, my RG370DX is from about 2005 and it was great when I first got it and has even gotten better over the years(with the exception of the Edge III. haha) Also, my buddy's old S7320 is hands down one of the best Ibanez's I've ever played.