Wizard 3 necks?

[xMaNgOxKusHx]

Okay so it's been awhile since i've visited Ibanez's website and decided to do so recently (10 min. ago). I started looking at the new RG Tremolo guitars they have and realized there were no more wizard 2 necks, they've been replaced with wizard 3 necks! Please explain the differences, measurements, playability, and etc. between the old wizard 2 and the updated wizard 3...

 

[Sephiroth952]

Okay so it's been awhile since i've visited Ibanez's website and decided to do so recently (10 min. ago). I started looking at the new RG Tremolo guitars they have and realized there were no more wizard 2 necks, they've been replaced with wizard 3 necks! Please explain the differences, measurements, playability, and etc. between the old wizard 2 and the updated wizard 3...

As wide as the prestige necks.

 

[Metalus]

As wide as the prestige necks.

How so?

 

[Sephiroth952]

How so?

the wizard prestige is 43mm at the nut and 58 at the last fret.

The wizard 2 was 43mm at the nut and 56 at the last fret.Which is why prestige necks couldn't be fitted on to indo bodies.

The new wiz 3 is 43 at the nut and 58 at the last fret, so the only difference is 2mm width toward the back of the neck.

 

[xMaNgOxKusHx]

So how about opinions on playability? IMO I think I would like the new wizard 3 better from the sound of things.

 

[OrsusMetal]

I don't know if this is the same thing or not, but I know during the last half of the year of 2010 they changed the shape on the wizard 2. The neck profile is a tad thicker and rounder now and not as flat. The Rgs we had in my store felt more like the Gios necks at first, just nicer than the Gios in terms of quality. They may have renamed the those necks the Wizard 3s. That is my guess, other than the change in the neck pocket. To me though, the neck shape change was disappointing. The flat necks are why I loved Ibanez. I'm worried now about buying a new Ibanez at any point without trying it. I used to know that if I was buying their guitars that I was getting the neck that I wanted. Now these changes have made me unsure.

 

[Desi]

I've no idea what is up with Ibanez.

For one, I am not at all thrilled with their over inflated prices on some of their "Prestige" models when many of them give so little in return (I'm looking at you "S" Prestige series).

Their Indonesian made models are also a severe hit or miss (or perhaps it's just my timing).

I've played many amazing Ibanez models in the past, but it seems that the more time passes, the more Ibanez seems inclined to follow Gibson's path. (my perspective, of course)


Maybe I'm just getting jaded and my list of guitar companies with stable reputation on quality are growing thin.

 

[xMaNgOxKusHx]

I don't know if this is the same thing or not, but I know during the last half of the year of 2010 they changed the shape on the wizard 2. The neck profile is a tad thicker and rounder now and not as flat. The Rgs we had in my store felt more like the Gios necks at first, just nicer than the Gios in terms of quality. They may have renamed the those necks the Wizard 3s. That is my guess, other than the change in the neck pocket. To me though, the neck shape change was disappointing. The flat necks are why I loved Ibanez. I'm worried now about buying a new Ibanez at any point without trying it. I used to know that if I was buying their guitars that I was getting the neck that I wanted. Now these changes have made me unsure.

The wizard 2's neck radius is 400mm and according to the Ibanez website the wizard 3 neck is also 400mm so idk about the flatness issue, and just tonight I went to guitar center and tried out one of the new Ibanez models (RG350DX) and it had the wizard 3 on there. TBO I really did not recognize much of a difference between the 2 and 3. They are very bulky and thick commpared to the super wizards and original wizards. But felt and played like a typical mid-quality Ibanez.

 

[xMaNgOxKusHx]

I've no idea what is up with Ibanez.

For one, I am not at all thrilled with their over inflated prices on some of their "Prestige" models when many of them give so little in return (I'm looking at you "S" Prestige series).

Their Indonesian made models are also a severe hit or miss (or perhaps it's just my timing).

I've played many amazing Ibanez models in the past, but it seems that the more time passes, the more Ibanez seems inclined to follow Gibson's path. (my perspective, of course)


Maybe I'm just getting jaded and my list of guitar companies with stable reputation on quality are growing thin.

I agree totally. I've played so many amazing Ibby models and even MORE horribly shitty ones (and some shitty ones included an S model my buddy had, just trash and it definitely wasn't him because he takes better care of his axes more than most people I know). I am a huge fan of the older late 80s RGs and I loved the quality that they possessed for the price.

 

[Dionysian]

The wizard 2's neck radius is 400mm and according to the Ibanez website the wizard 3 neck is also 400mm so idk about the flatness issue, and just tonight I went to guitar center and tried out one of the new Ibanez models (RG350DX) and it had the wizard 3 on there. TBO I really did not recognize much of a difference between the 2 and 3. They are very bulky and thick commpared to the super wizards and original wizards. But felt and played like a typical mid-quality Ibanez.

Flatness of the neck =/= flatness of the fretboard.
A flat neck means that it's not a very round neck, but flat.

 

[Phlegethon]

I've no idea what is up with Ibanez.

For one, I am not at all thrilled with their over inflated prices on some of their "Prestige" models when many of them give so little in return (I'm looking at you "S" Prestige series).

Their Indonesian made models are also a severe hit or miss (or perhaps it's just my timing).

I've played many amazing Ibanez models in the past, but it seems that the more time passes, the more Ibanez seems inclined to follow Gibson's path. (my perspective, of course)


Maybe I'm just getting jaded and my list of guitar companies with stable reputation on quality are growing thin.

well ibanez has gotten pretty big and will be able to pawn off crap simply based on their image and NOT their ability to deliver a good guitar. they also don't want you to spend money on a 400 dollar (in canada) RG3XX series when you can pay close to three grand for a high level prestige RG to make them more money. seeing as they have a new factory they bought that they have to pay for (the indo factory where they make the premium line) I don't see this improving any time soon

and I will second the observation that the RG necks on the lower end models have been starting to feel more like GIO's. the backs of the necks are getting fatter and rounder. this isn't a good thing as the lower end RG's (3XX .. etc) are still technically RG's and not GIO's so they're going to be judged under a harsher light. I'm doing it right now .. heh. I started noticing this around the end of summer 2010 when I was taking in my 7321 for upgrades (spent the time tooling around in the store when it was being worked on).

however if one were to want a relatively cheap ibanez RG that still has a wizard II profile the workhorse RG7321 and new 7320 coming out still have it. not this round and thick as a baseball bat carve that's particularly unappealing

 

[Mordacain]

Flatness of the neck =/= flatness of the fretboard.
A flat neck means that it's not a very round neck, but flat.

I'm not sure if I'm misreading your comment, but the 400mm or the 430mm measurements you see are describing the fretboard solely. That is a separate measurement from the neck profile, which does not have actual measurement, but is described in shape (there are measurements in neck thickness that describe the taper thickness though).

The Wizard 2's have a pronounced flat back of neck profile, very much like a U or D shape. Wizard's and Prestiges have more subtly rounded shoulders, more like a progressive thin C shape. I think what was trying to be determined was if the neck profile of the new Wizard 3 was thicker than the Wizard 2's and it appears it is, to provide a better transition from the back of the neck to the shoulders.

 

[Dionysian]

I'm not sure if I'm misreading your comment, but the 400mm or the 430mm measurements you see are describing the fretboard solely. That is a separate measurement from the neck profile, which does not have actual measurement, but is described in shape (there are measurements in neck thickness that describe the taper thickness though).

The Wizard 2's have a pronounced flat back of neck profile, very much like a U or D shape. Wizard's and Prestiges have more subtly rounded shoulders, more like a progressive thin C shape. I think what was trying to be determined was if the neck profile of the new Wizard 3 was thicker than the Wizard 2's and it appears it is, to provide a better transition from the back of the neck to the shoulders.

I think you're misreading my comment.
The discussion was about the flatness of the neck, when xMaNgOxKusHx started talking about fretboard radius, which - as you also pointed out - does not necessarily have anything to do with neck profile. I was just correcting him.

I'm sorry if it was a poorly written comment, but I was at school, and English is not my main language so I occasionally manage to get my point across pretty poorly.