Ibanez NAMM 2016

[eightsixboy]

You don't buy Prestige models purely for the spec sheet, you buy it because you want superior materials, hardware and build.

Exactly. But when they are pushing Iron labels with proper pickups, Gotoh locking tuners, ebony boards etc you have to ask what are they trying to achieve here? They need to make the similarly priced Prestige models more appealing.

I get the whole quality/upgraded hardware on the prestige models, thats why I bought a RG752fx over a more expensive Premium, but most people don't see that. Most see slightly cheaper + good hardware or fancy wood choices.

If you want a piece of "ebony", you get an Iron Label. If you want a piece of ebony you get a Prestige.

As for the stuff "no one asks for", it's still something new and different.

Besides the over priced upper cut series your pretty much looking at J Customs if you want ebony.

Its something new and different yes but I wouldn't go as far as saying they have exploded in variety because of a few models.

So you just want prettier Prestige models? I get where you're coming from, but I guess I'm in the silent majority who likes more simple "honest" aesthetics.

Not at all, but it would be nice if they incorporated other neck woods or tops on more models though and not just limited to the premiums.

Considering how little it would cost them to manufacturer it compared to the normal maple necks/rosewood I would say its down t them wanting to keep the premium line more attractive vs the prestige.

Distributors have a TON of control, especially with Ibanez' business model. They choose what entire regions get and tell Ibanez what sells.

That's very disapointing to hear then, as I'm not the only one who is annoyed that there are a ton of nice Rg's and S series that we will never see. If you compare the U.S or OZ online Catalog to the Japanese one it staggering how much difference in variety there is.

 

[Ibanez Rules]

Exactly. But when they are pushing Iron labels with proper pickups, Gotoh locking tuners, ebony boards etc you have to ask what are they trying to achieve here? They need to make the similarly priced Prestige models more appealing.

.

Why do they need to make them more appealing? If you buy an IR over the Prestige Ibanez wins, with probably a bigger profit margin. If you buy the Prestige for the higher quality, Ibanez still wins. And what's going to make the Prestige "more appealing"? Ebony, abalone purfling, fancy tops? Then they're going to be priced far higher and not relative anymore.

 

[cardinal]

Yeah as soon as you start adding fancy stuff to the prestige line, they'll be priced way higher than any Iron Label or Premium. It'd still be nice if they offered that type of Prestige model, but they apparently don't sell (otherwise I'm sure they'd be happy to make them).

 

[Adam Of Angels]

They don't need to do anything to an entry level Prestige to make it more appealing than a pretty Iron Label, because it will already slaughter the Iron Label in playability.

 

[PunchLine]

Yeah as soon as you start adding fancy stuff to the prestige line, they'll be priced way higher than any Iron Label or Premium. It'd still be nice if they offered that type of Prestige model, but they apparently don't sell (otherwise I'm sure they'd be happy to make them).

They already do this actually with the J Custom line. I know only very few J Custom models are offered for the US market and most J Customs are available in the Japanese market but you can get anything from anywhere around the world these days...

 

[wilch]

???

The Kiesel actually has a nice thick top. The way the Ibanez is it just highlights the fact that they're using a really thin, and cheap veneer.

 

[narad]

They are using a really thin/cheap veneer...on their really cheap Iron Label guitars! The Carvin top isn't thick at all, and costs 3x the price, so I'm not really seeing why anyone would compare these guitars??

If you're going to compare anything, also note that burled poplar is much cheaper than nicely figured maple. AND that it's pretty pointless to have a thick burl top -- many builders don't recommend it as a tone wood, and it doesn't have any of the refracting qualities of a thick maple chunk. A burl veneer has essentially the same visual effect as a thick burl top -- if you're not carving it there's absolutely no point to using a thicker chunk of it.

 

[Zalbu]

The Kiesel headstock just looks like a cheap knockoff of the Ibby headstock when you put them side to side like that.

 

[A-Branger]

The Kiesel headstock just looks like a cheap knockoff of the Ibby headstock when you put them side to side like that.

far from it, its more similar to Dean

 

[laxu]

They are using a really thin/cheap veneer...on their really cheap Iron Label guitars! The Carvin top isn't thick at all, and costs 3x the price, so I'm not really seeing why anyone would compare these guitars??

If you're going to compare anything, also note that burled poplar is much cheaper than nicely figured maple. AND that it's pretty pointless to have a thick burl top -- many builders don't recommend it as a tone wood, and it doesn't have any of the refracting qualities of a thick maple chunk. A burl veneer has essentially the same visual effect as a thick burl top -- if you're not carving it there's absolutely no point to using a thicker chunk of it.

The Kiesel top is actually fairly substantial, probably as thick as what you'd find on a Suhr Modern for example. It just doesn't cover the whole top and due to the heavy bevels looks thinner than it is. Still thick enough to have an effect on tone.

I don't really like the natural colored faux binding effect on the Aries, it just looks too thick at the bevel and makes the top look small and highlights the asymmetric arm rest contours too much.

It's the Ibanez contours and bevels that ruin the look. You can see how the bevels don't follow the body anywhere near as nicely as the Kiesel and the natural bevel edges highlight those shapes and the thin veneer top badly. Like I said earlier in this thread, the guitar would look far better if they had faked a more substantial top by painting the bevels with the same color as the veneer edge.

 

[Wildebeest]

Ibeenhad looks infinitely better.

I agree, I really can't stand the design of the new Kiesel body or headstock.

It's hard to top the RG and the Ibanez headstock.

 

[narad]

The Kiesel top is actually fairly substantial, probably as thick as what you'd find on a Suhr Modern for example. It just doesn't cover the whole top and due to the heavy bevels looks thinner than it is. Still thick enough to have an effect on tone.

Suhr moderns (non carve-top) don't have thick tops either

I don't like the look of the RGD either, but painting the bevels to match is wholly a separate issue from what wood's being thrown on what.

 

[jonajon91]

 

[JaxoBuzzo]

Please do not be the same price as the TAM100

 

[cwhitey2]

Please do not be the same price as the TAM100

 

[Captain Butterscotch]

Multiscale, 8 string, presumably MiJ, Artist Sig, new and weird shape. I'd be surprised if it was priced higher than $399, personally.

 

[r3tr0sp3ct1v3]

uke:

 

[Esp Griffyn]

Oh dear, that's a bit of an eyesore. New signature model, for whom? Tosin?

 

[KentonSummits]

Oh dear, that's a bit of an eyesore. New signature model, for whom? Tosin?

I feel that a non fanned fret version would be killer, like the black prototype he has.

 

[Hachetjoel]

You havent been on sso recently huh
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/ex...3-new-tosin-abasi-signature-ibanez-works.html