# Is Ibanez prestige Quality Hit or miss?



## Church2224 (Aug 3, 2011)

I am about to pull the trigger on an S5470f. Someone over at Jemsite and apparently Rich Harris at Ibanez Rules says their quality is hit or miss, but the Gear Page and this Site always say otherwise. I had an RG1527 That was pretty much perfect so I am not sure. I do not want to pull the trigger on an instrument with problems...


----------



## Mordacain (Aug 3, 2011)

Church2224 said:


> I am about to pull the trigger on an S5470f. Someone over at Jemsite and apparently Rich Harris at Ibanez Rules says their quality is hit or miss, but the Gear Page and this Site always say otherwise. I had an RG1527 That was pretty much perfect so I am not sure. I do not want to pull the trigger on an instrument with problems...



QC on Prestiges is pretty much spot-on. Same level you would expect with an American Fender Standard / Deluxe. You're pretty much guaranteed of an excellent quality production guitar.


----------



## MikeH (Aug 3, 2011)

I had a 5470SOL that was absolutely flawless, two great 1527s, and am now the owner of an 1820X that I love dearly. I say pull it.


----------



## orakle (Aug 3, 2011)

not worried at all about Ibanez Prestige QC, go for it


----------



## themike (Aug 3, 2011)

Prestiege and J Craft should yield no worries. Top notch instruments with razor thin action. Sometimes I miss my S1520.


----------



## Nitrobattery (Aug 4, 2011)

I've had three Prestige models and they've all been fantastic. Out of all of the Gibsons, PRS's, Fenders, Caparisons, ESP's etc etc that I've owned over the years, my RGA321F is hands down the best built and most reliable guitar I've ever gotten my hands on. I could stick it in a snow bank for an hour and then play in room that's 90 degrees and the neck wouldn't move.


----------



## Esp Griffyn (Aug 4, 2011)

I've never played or owned a Prestige Ibanez that was not incredible, and I've played a lot of them!


----------



## MatthewK (Aug 4, 2011)

Everyone I've played has been awesome. I don't agree with the Fender comparison, I've yet to play an American Fender that is better than "okay".


----------



## Miek (Aug 4, 2011)

It's hit.


----------



## ZEBOV (Aug 4, 2011)

Upon picking up a Prestige or J Craft at any guitar store, the only reason why it would have flaws is because of some fuckwit not treating it right at the guitar store.


----------



## dsquared (Aug 4, 2011)

I would listen to Rich, he knows Ibanez better than anyone. Otoh, if you buy from Rich, you have nothing to worry about. His setups are top notch.


----------



## Dayn (Aug 4, 2011)

Hmm... after thinking about it, has there _ever_ been a prestige Ibanez, straight from the factory, that _hasn't_ been top-notch in quality?


----------



## Church2224 (Aug 4, 2011)

dsquared said:


> I would listen to Rich, he knows Ibanez better than anyone. Otoh, if you buy from Rich, you have nothing to worry about. His setups are top notch.



I also read some people think he can be a pain at times as well, but I am not sure 

There have been very few Bad Prestiges from all I have read. Most problems are apparently with Fret work and setups, but in reality that can be fixed easily. Plus their is the possibility that those things could have just happened by shipping them overseas. 

I thought htey were consistent guitars. I owned a stellar RG1527 and still have an RG550rxx. Plus I have played some S5470s that were all great, I am thinking it was my OCD about getting reassured I was right...

Thanks anyway though.


----------



## TheShreddinHand (Aug 4, 2011)

Both my RG1527 and RG1420F I got about 2 months or so ago were perfect out of the box, just needed to condition the fretboards and put on new strings.

Eric


----------



## Razzy (Aug 4, 2011)

I pick up an Ibanez Prestige every time I see them around town, because they're my favorite guitars, and they're not overly common here. I own an SV5470F and an RGA121, and I used to have an S2170SE, and they've all been spectacular, as well as all the other ones I've put my hands on.


----------



## simonXsludge (Aug 4, 2011)

they're more like hit or hit.

all the prestiges i own / have owned, including a S5470, are flawless. pull that trigger!


----------



## orakle (Aug 4, 2011)

hit/hit, exactly !!


----------



## Black_Sheep (Aug 4, 2011)

I have an Ibanez prestige RG2610z, and it's absolutely great. Bought it new couple of year ago. The only thing i dislike is the single bridge pickup (it's SD tb10, full shred, and it's good, it's just that there's only one. I'd like to have a neck pickup also). But quality-wise, it's awesome. And so is every other prestige series ibby that i've tried so far. Go for it, you won't be disapointed!  

I've also owned an prestige RG1527, which was quite good. But i bought it used and it had some flaws because of that. But it wasn't bad either. And the new stock 1527's are really good.  


This being said, i must add that i've never played a high-end Ibanez that would have some quality-issues. Even most of the low-end ibbys are really really good for the price you can get one.


----------



## Cheesebuiscut (Aug 4, 2011)

Back when I used to be on the ibanez forums you'd see enough hit or miss with prestiges but these people were comparing the old (Pre-2000) prestiges with the new ones and the old ones were a step above the new stuff.

It was very very rare there was anything overly wrong with them.


----------



## Rock4ever (Aug 4, 2011)

http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f16/new-s5470f-109288.html

...made me jizz irl


----------



## Jason2112 (Aug 4, 2011)

I've owned 7 Prestige guitars and every one of them was stellar. My only concern with them has been 1) thin paint that chips easily, and 2) the cosmo hardware wears very quickly.


----------



## Opion (Aug 4, 2011)

Just do it....you won't be disappointed. In fact, every time you walk into Guitar Center, you'll only ask to try out the high dollar expensive axes, because every other guitar just...doesn't feel the same.

It's a curse that plays so good.


----------



## technomancer (Aug 4, 2011)

Guys, they're production guitars. Ibanez Prestiges aren't magic, there are bound to be occasional lemons that make it through. Just like every other production guitar. That's why they come with warranties 

That said I wouldn't worry about pulling the trigger, as if it's new it has a warranty and if it's not and the seller didn't disclose issues and you pay by a reliable method you can get your money back


----------



## Opion (Aug 4, 2011)

^  Very true, no doubt. I admit I have seen some with sustain issues, particularly the S models. It's gonna be like that with every production line...I just happened to strike gold with mine.


----------



## FACTORY (Aug 4, 2011)

_Is Ibanez prestige Quality Hit or miss?_ From what I've seen at least over the last 10 years in a few guitar shops here in town and in Ontario (who get them brand new of course) I'd say---> Some what yes to--> absolutely, some of the time (unfortunately).

It does happen, I have seen it on some real deal Jem's and on many others in person a few of times over the years_. Not that frequent but here and there for sure. 

Just saying_


----------



## Church2224 (Aug 4, 2011)

I was feeling that they make the occasional lemon, like everyone else. But no matter what is made and how, it is bound to happen.

I am going to do it, very excited about it as well since I just cashed a few checks today and now have the money for it. I think later on I will pick up an SV5470 as well, as part of my "Epic Gear Year" lol.


----------



## yidcorer (Aug 4, 2011)

I have never owned a prestige...I feel kind of miserable right now lol


----------



## Dvaienat (Aug 4, 2011)

I'd say they produce a few duds now and then. But all guitar makers do, right?

I have an Rg1570 which has sharp and badly layed frets. Recently I played another prestige in a shop, and it was perfect in every way.


----------



## Church2224 (Aug 5, 2011)

Rock4ever said:


> http://www.jemsite.com/forums/f16/new-s5470f-109288.html
> 
> ...made me jizz irl



Haha This is the color I will get once I get the SV5470, but for now I am just going to go for red this time around, maybe get the Blue one later one 

Ibanez does use a TIGHT flame maple top on these models...


----------



## poopyalligator (Aug 5, 2011)

Out of all of the prestige ibanez guitars i have owned (probably at least 8 or so) they have all been amazing. I only had one that i didnt think met the quality of the others, and it was a rg1570 which is on the low end, and i think the person who owned it before me beat it up. Otherwise all of the prestige series are awesome.


----------



## Church2224 (Aug 5, 2011)

poopyalligator said:


> Out of all of the prestige ibanez guitars i have owned (probably at least 8 or so) they have all been amazing. I only had one that i didnt think met the quality of the others, and it was a rg1570 which is on the low end, and i think the person who owned it before me beat it up. Otherwise all of the prestige series are awesome.



If it was used and in not so good condition yeah i can see that having trouble. One of the reasons why i never buy used gear, at least not from people I do not know or if I cannot inspect it prior to owning it. 

I might be postponing this purchase(s) until December, CMC Guitars has a Jackson Soloist in stock I might pull the trigger on

Thanks for all the information. Expect an S5470 NGD from me about the end of this year/ the beginning of next.


----------



## Osiris (Aug 6, 2011)

I prefer my RG350dx to my RGA121, but the 121 was used. 
Rich's price for the SV5470F new comes with his silver package setup for the price of what most other dealers have without a setup. So it's probably a flipping good deal.


----------



## guitarister7321 (Aug 6, 2011)

Just got a RG1421, one of the cheaper (but still high end) 1400 series Prestiges. It is spot on. I love it.


----------



## Rook (Aug 6, 2011)

You don't generally see the duds when they there, the shop I use to work for has sent back 2 prestiges in the time is was there (about 2 and a half years).

To put that into perspective, we'd sent back at least 3 or 4 non prestige Ibanez, about 4 or 5 USA Fenders, about 3 PRS USA (all customer orders, they don't seem to check these anywhere near as carefully...) among others.

We weren't that fussy, but we were fussy enough that we checked guitars thoroughly when they came in that everything worked perfectly, no scratches or miscolourations in the finish, no cracks in the cases etc, if anything wasn't prefect and couldn't be solves by us (fret jobs etc) it went back.

Every Ibanez we ever got needed a goo setup but never more, Fenders always needed proper adjustment be it a fret job or intonation or something, they were a real pest.

Ibanez aren't perfect indeed but they've been more consistent in my experience than some more expensive brands that seem to have undeserved reputations at times...

It's the waiting times with Ibanez that always let them down 'this product will be out in April'

'...no July'

'...no October'


----------

