I've been playing guitars for over 30 years, mainly rock & metal ... who owned about 8 other guitars (lowest-mid/high range) along with this one (my first Ibanez). So how does this compare? am I happy/ satisfied? listen me out:
What I love:
LOOKS: Its such a beauty, gorgeous, slick & high-end looking guitar... its like looking at a stunning super car at a car exhibition .... it talks to you: "you can play really fast on me!"
SETUP/SPECS: You have everything to desire as a guitar shredder/ soloist. Great choice of tones - amazing hardware , great vibrato
ERGONOMICS: It just feels perfect ... easy to play ... comfortable
NECK & FRETBOARD: super smooth & "fast-playing" thin type of neck & frets, with the right adjustment the strings perfectly glide along those frets. But there is one (big/small)* problem depending on your type of playing:
What I "hate":
NECK/FRET width&bevel: The neck is a mm or 2 TOO NARROW, and the edges of the Frets (the bevel) TOO Smooth. While playing the way you're used to on other guitars, the 2 E-Strings will slip continuously out of the neck , because the bevel is so 'slippery' and the width of the neck is simply too narrow!!
Now its partially also my fault - since my playing style is a bit on the 'sloppy & rough' side... but still, strings dont slip this way on my other guitars. Even while bending ...there are a couple of solos I simply can't play them the standard way cause they require deep bends which would slip out of the fretboard!!
Now due to this I am 're-learning' to be more precise when hitting the strings and avoid any minimal bending on the E strings , but still this annoys me!
Do I regret buying it - not at all ....besides the occassional slipping strings its my go-to guitar most of the times... and now I understand the Jackson vs Ibanez debate :)
