# Ibanez Jake Bowen JBM27



## TheRileyOBrien (Jan 26, 2016)

Anyone else preorder one of these? I am kind of second guessing myself and going back and forth on the idea of cancelling the order. My last Indonesian made Ibanez was a mess. I feel weird about spending nearly the same amount of $ on a non Prestige than a similar Prestige model would cost. I know there are other(probably better) guitars out there for this price but I have an addiction to Ibanez. 

I like the specs a lot. The same locking tuners as the prestige, dimarzio titans, maple neck and mohagany body with maple top, same finish as the jbm100, I prefer rosewood over ebony on fretboards, I really like the rga shape, and it comes with a hardshell case. The only iffy spec is the edge zero II trem but it is not the worst trem out there. 

My biggest concern is the quality. I have seen some pretty decent Premium models and some pretty awful Iron Labels. Fretwork I can fix...but shouldn't have to for a guitar that costs over $1000, and to be honest I'll probably ship this one back if it isn't. The wood selection of the prestige models is often on a totally different level than most other companies...I am a bit concerned about the wood quality for this one. The Iron Label 8 string I have has a really resonant mahogany body but I have played several others that are not good at all. I have played several of the recent lower end Ibanez guitars with mahogany bodies(like the poplar burl topped ones) and they sound completely dead. 

Did any one get their hands on the JBM27 on display at NAMM? Does anyone with a recent Premium or Iron Label want to chime in and talk me off the ledge. I have probably a couple of weeks until it ships to cancel the order and not have to deal with the hassle of returning it. My list of pros is pretty solid but unfortunately the cons are all things I can't really determine until I see it.


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## dongh1217 (Jan 26, 2016)

I played it yesterday at local music shop, along with all the new MiI ironlabel lines, most of them are very good solid instruments.

It is very nice considering the price, certainly more expensive than base-line MiJ ibby, but you do get the reversed headstock 

Rosewood fingerboard doesn't bother me much at all, I actually prefer rosewood over cheap ebony as cheap ebony can lead to nightmares.

If reversed headstock Ibanez 7 is a "must have" for you, then you dont have much choice anyway, otherwise, RG752 range is a better/cheaper option overall with a solid hardcase.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Jan 26, 2016)

dongh1217 said:


> I played it yesterday at local music shop, along with all the new MiI ironlabel lines, most of them are very good solid instruments.
> 
> It is very nice considering the price, certainly more expensive than base-line MiJ ibby, but you do get the reversed headstock
> 
> ...



Thanks for the response. Glad the one you played checked out ok. The reverse headstock is something I left out but is definitely part of the attraction. 

I also much prefer rosewood over ebony. It is less troublesome in the long run, it sounds better in my opinion, and it looks and feels great if it is properly conditioned. With jumbo frets you barely feel the fretboard anyway. 

I already have an rg752 so this would just be in addition to that and I don't expect for it to be better or take its place...I just hope that it is somewhat close. I have a newer version of the Schecter JL-7 that I have a love/hate relationship with and I am hoping this JBM can take its place. The JL-7 is very lightweight, comfortable, and plays nice but it just doesn't inspire me. I'm not sure if it is the brightness or something else I don't jive with.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Jan 28, 2016)

Anybody else excited about this one?

I have seen a couple highish resolution photos of these and they look very promising. Very similar to the JBM100. They have the full sized maple cap and fretwork is reportedly great(frets look well dressed in the photos). 

Anyone know if the fretboard binding is maple like the JBM100 or is it plastic/abs. That would definitely help justify the price in my mind. I doubt it is though.


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## kevdes93 (Jan 28, 2016)

I'm not sure of the binding but finding that the back of the neck is painted black like the jbm100 sold it for me


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## TheRileyOBrien (Jan 28, 2016)

I am usually not a fan of painted necks but the JBM100 I played felt just about as smooth as the standard Ibanez neck finish. This one should be the same.

It is definitely a unique Ibanez model with a lot of features not found on others. 

Thomann has some decent pics on their site if anyone is interested. 

I'll probably do a ngd once mine arrives.


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## TMatt142 (Jan 28, 2016)

For that amount of money, it's a shame they didn't put a lo-pro 7 on there... Totally bummed me out...


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## chris9 (Jan 29, 2016)

mine comes monday so i will do a NGD and a video for extra fun
reverse headstock =


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## Petar Bogdanov (Jan 29, 2016)

I think people forget that the base Prestiges are... basic. No fretboard binding, few cool finishes, no cool inlays, no pickup covers, not even metal pickup rings. It's not everyone's cup of tea. Pizzaz has value when we're talking about a musical instrument. 

That being said, I'd get a Prestige.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Jan 29, 2016)

Petar Bogdanov said:


> That being said, I'd get a Prestige.



If I didn't already have a handful of Prestiges that is what I would do also.

I know it is going to be a bit overpriced simply because it's a sig...but looking at some other 7 string signatures in the same class(loomis, merrow, ola, buzz, ken susi, the whitechapel guys) I don't think it is too far off. If it has plastic binding and the fretwork leaves something to be desired, I would say it would be a better fit in the $1,100-1,200 range. 

Many others have the 1000 series floyd rose. In my opinion I would not say the 1000 series is better than the edge zero II. I have set up many of both. I think the zero is better than most people give it credit for(probably because many people don't set them up properly...but that's none of my business). I will say the lo pro edge is a better quality trem than the 1000 series and ez. Trem is not a deal breaker for me.


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## marcwormjim (Jan 29, 2016)

Petar Bogdanov said:


> Pizzaz has value when we're talking about a musical instrument.



Just not when we're listening.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Jan 29, 2016)

marcwormjim said:


> Just not when we're listening.



So you are one of those people who denies that abalone binding improves the tone.


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## USMarine75 (Jan 29, 2016)

TheRileyOBrien said:


> So you are one of those people who denies that abalone binding improves the tone.



Abalone is the holy grail of tonewood.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Jan 29, 2016)

Looks like it actually has maple neck binding. That is huge for me because I despise plastic binding. 







Unless it's plastic made to look like maple figuring. In which case I'm shipping it back.


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## Dalcan (Jan 29, 2016)

TheRileyOBrien said:


> Looks like it actually has maple neck binding. That is huge for me because I despise plastic binding.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



I have this awful felling it's the latter...


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## Lorcan Ward (Jan 29, 2016)

Its most likely maple since premiums have maple binding.


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## Mathemagician (Jan 29, 2016)

Even if it is, it's pretty hot. Idk, not enough to upset me at that price point if everything else ends up great.


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## DIM3S0UL (Jan 29, 2016)

Im probably pretty alone with it, but i think this guitar needs an evertune bridge  dont know why, but it would fit perfectly (BUT without raising the price tag)


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## metallifan3091 (Feb 1, 2016)

Man, if they made these with a hard tail bridge I would have a REALLY hard time not buying one. I'm thinking about it anyway, since I don't have a seven with a trem.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 1, 2016)

Looks like the delivery got pushed back a few weeks. Looking at the end of February now. This sucks.


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## chris9 (Feb 1, 2016)

Hmmmm got mine 
Shocked had no case guess I should of asked.
It also has a mark on the neck pickup.
Or and needs setting up it plays terrible.
So my opinion Don,t wast your money this one is off back.


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## kevdes93 (Feb 1, 2016)

Hmm the catalog said a case was included. Sorry it didn't turn out too good, if it just needs a setup I personally wouldn't send it back but I might if it had a scuffed pickup

Could you oblige us with some pictures?


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## chris9 (Feb 1, 2016)

Sorry just boxed it back up.
I think a guitar of that price should have a case.
Just wasn't happy richtone music said it would be all set up and it wasn't even close. Then the mark on the pickup was the nail in the coffin.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 1, 2016)

chris9 said:


> Hmmmm got mine
> Shocked had no case guess I should of asked.
> It also has a mark on the neck pickup.
> Or and needs setting up it plays terrible.
> So my opinion Don,t wast your money this one is off back.



You should post a few pics if you have time. 

I think the delay is with the US shipment.

I figured the hardshell case included was a typo being that it is Indonesia made. For the price they should have thrown one in though. I have a stack of 6-7 Ibanez cases that I rarely use. I just like having them if I sell a guitar because packing for shipment is easier. 

Do you have a picture of the mark? Most of the Indo Ibanez I have dealt with have had some blemishes from obviously rushed assembly. This stuff is not a deal breaker for me. 

A setup is expected on all new guitars and I do some luthiery as a hobby so that doesn't bother me. As long as it doesn't have a major flaw in the construction I don't mind doing some work to get it playing well. 

Thanks for the input. Looking forward to more people getting their hands on these so we can find out if they are garbage or not.


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## chris9 (Feb 1, 2016)

Just liked look of the guitar and fancied one.
1st and last indo 
It's way over priced if was £500 ish fine but not worth nearly a grand.
On its way back tomorrow.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 1, 2016)

chris9 said:


> Sorry just boxed it back up.
> I think a guitar of that price should have a case.
> Just wasn't happy richtone music said it would be all set up and it wasn't even close. Then the mark on the pickup was the nail in the coffin.




Lots of them in that range actually don't have a case. I buy a lot of guitars in the $1000 - $1500 range because it usually is where I feel like I get the best bang for my buck and they don't take a huge resale value hit like higher end guitars often do. Prestige Ibanez, Fender, Gibson are the only ones that almost always have hardshell cases included in that price range. 

It appears you have already made up your mind but I will add just for future reference. Don't rely much on setups done by online retailers. I don't know about Richtone but I have seen a bunch of guitars arrive in horrible shape that were set up by Sweetwater as well as from PRS and Schecter who are supposed to go through each overseas made guitar before shipping it out. It is not necessarily their fault though, since stuff can change a lot as the guitar acclimates. It takes many days to adjust to the change in climate from Asia to Europe or the U.S. or wherever the guitars end up. These are new models so they haven't been sitting on a shelf in your country for very long. I have had some arrive with a near perfect setup but it is extremely rare for a new model that was built in the last 60 days or so.


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## chris9 (Feb 1, 2016)

All true thanks
Maybe I should sleep on it i do like the look of the guitar and setting up I can do.
Was mad because they said they would do it.
I,ll see what they say tomorrow. 
A slight refund and a case may change things.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 1, 2016)

chris9 said:


> All true thanks
> Maybe I should sleep on it i do like the look of the guitar and setting up I can do.
> Was mad because they said they would do it.
> I,ll see what they say tomorrow.
> A slight refund and a case may change things.



Probably not a bad idea. Dimarzio may even work with you on the pickup issue. They have been really great to work with for me. If you change your mind throw some pictures up here for us


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## Pikka Bird (Feb 1, 2016)

Here's the catalog. Go to page nine and read the specs. The JB models come with hardcases. The store ripped you off, like they're known to do around here with Ibanez hardcases. I've bought two Prestiges second hand that didn't have the cases, and in both cases the sellers told me it was because the store didn't provide it. It seems like some stores will just keep it if the customer doesn't specifically ask for it. Whether it's on purpose to sell it on or just ignorance is anyone's guess (and I assume we've all met ignorant employees at these places, right?)

Also, I haven't been paying attention, but this is the first time I've seen any indication that the "real" JBM has been discontinued already. It's still up on the site...


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 1, 2016)

Pikka Bird said:


> Here's the catalog. Go to page nine and read the specs. The JB models come with hardcases. The store ripped you off, like they're known to do around here with Ibanez hardcases. I've bought two Prestiges second hand that didn't have the cases, and in both cases the sellers told me it was because the store didn't provide it. It seems like some stores will just keep it if the customer doesn't specifically ask for it. Whether it's on purpose to sell it on or just ignorance is anyone's guess (and I assume we've all met ignorant employees at these places, right?)
> 
> Also, I haven't been paying attention, but this is the first time I've seen any indication that the "real" JBM has been discontinued already. It's still up on the site...



That is pretty messed up that they just hold on to the cases unless they are requested. 

That catalog is just the "new" stuff. The JBM100 should still be available.


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## chris9 (Feb 1, 2016)

Thanks very much
I have emailed the shop about the case and the damage.


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## chris9 (Feb 2, 2016)

sounds like cases are usa only non of the uk shops mention a hard case.
well that i can see i contacted headstock distribution to to check if they are coming into the uk with cases.
after looking at the guitar this morning i really like it it looks nasty ( in a good way)
so still thinking to keep it or not.


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## chris9 (Feb 2, 2016)

yeah UK buyers beware no case for us

I got a £40.00 refund for the damage i guess it goes nearly half way to a fitted case
not impressed with ibanez right now 
So i,ll keep it and post some pics when i get time


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## kevdes93 (Feb 2, 2016)

Yes please post some pictures when you can!


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## Pikka Bird (Feb 2, 2016)

chris9 said:


> yeah UK buyers beware no case for us



WTF, that's sneaky. Just saw that the EU site doesn't list a case with this. I feel short-changed.


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## A-Branger (Feb 2, 2016)

metallifan3091 said:


> Man, if they made these with a hard tail bridge I would have a REALLY hard time not buying one. I'm thinking about it anyway, since I don't have a seven with a trem.



I always wonder why JB didnt ask for a fixed bridge 

I dont think he even uses the tremolo, at least live I know he doesnt use it. And in recordings I dont recall any Periphery song with tremolo use on it. Unless its pretty soft use, more like a slight vibrato kinda thing, but dont recall any during solos either. The only thing I can think off is some dive bombs, but those are made with the axeFX as Mark mentioned during a clinic I went to.


Maybe he liked the fine tunners and stability of double locking?, but if thats the case he should have gone with the fixed version of it like Mick T or Toni Abasin guitars


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## HeHasTheJazzHands (Feb 2, 2016)

Some people love the feel of the Edge bridge. Dino Cazares does the same thing. 

Also, didn't realize this had a 26.5'' neck. That's awesome.


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## chris9 (Feb 2, 2016)

I Don,t use trems ether mine is now blocked off.
Spent a few hours playing it and I have to say it's great.
Frets are nice and finished off well, low action too.
So yeah pleased I kept it


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 2, 2016)

chris9 said:


> I Don,t use trems ether mine is now blocked off.
> Spent a few hours playing it and I have to say it's great.
> Frets are nice and finished off well, low action too.
> So yeah pleased I kept it



Great to hear!...but uhh...how bout some pics?


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## chris9 (Feb 2, 2016)

full NGD coming pics and a video
i promise before the weekend


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## kevdes93 (Feb 2, 2016)

Good man, glad to hear the frets are finished well


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## Rollandbeast (Feb 3, 2016)

chris9 said:


> Sorry just boxed it back up.
> I think a guitar of that price should have a case.
> Just wasn't happy richtone music said it would be all set up and it wasn't even close. Then the mark on the pickup was the nail in the coffin.



dude , most of the guitars i had needed a good setup, if you cant do that urself uve got a problem loll


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## Petar Bogdanov (Feb 3, 2016)

Does anyone know if it's made by the Premium people or the Standard series people?


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## chris9 (Feb 3, 2016)

Rollandbeast said:


> dude , most of the guitars i had needed a good setup, if you cant do that urself uve got a problem loll


I never said I couldn't set a guitar up.
I said they were ment to set it up as part of the service. That's what annoyed me and the damage.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 3, 2016)

Petar Bogdanov said:


> Does anyone know if it's made by the Premium people or the Standard series people?



These are expected to be more or less "Premium/Iron Label" level. 

The Premium, Iron Label, and some lower end models are made in the same place. Iron Label quality and materials it supposed to be held to a higher standard and Premium is/was similar but supposed to have more attention to the fret dressing and things like more exotic wood options. 

Ibanez reps have said Premium is mostly gone in lieu of "stepping up the Iron Label game"...Time will tell if that is the case.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 11, 2016)

Mine shipped today! Nervously excited...


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 13, 2016)

Busy day so I'll post more later. 

The case is awesome. It has an embroidered ibanez logo, a soft leather handle, and it locks. 

Guitar looks awesome. Far exceeded my expectations. Fretwork is great. Inlay looks good. Rosewood looks fantastic but is a but dry as usual for ibanez.


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## AkiraSpectrum (Feb 14, 2016)

Jake did a video for his Indo 6 and 7 string models:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RDXTJG4I0U4


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## Captain Butterscotch (Feb 14, 2016)

Cute dog is cuuuute. 

The guitars are cool too.


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## kevdes93 (Feb 15, 2016)

I'm reeeeally tempted to Zzounds a jbm27 but I JUST got an 8 string a week ago... The struggle...

That video makes me want one even more.


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## jwade (Feb 15, 2016)

kevdes93 said:


> I'm reeeeally tempted to Zzounds a jbm27



It might be the lack of caffeine talking, but it really amused me that you used Zzounds as a verb


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 15, 2016)

Sorry for the crappy pictures but that is the best I can do right now. 

I think I'll just post my thoughts here instead of opening an new thread for NGD.

For those who don't want to read the wall of text I will summarize here...It far exceeds my expectations. If you like the looks and features don't hesitate to buy one. As far as build quality and in initial sound/playability it is better than any Iron Label or Premium I have seen and in my opinion better than some of the Japanese Ibanez guitars I have owned/worked on. 


Here we go

I still haven't had much time with it but I was able to polish the frets, oil the fretboard, and throw on some NYXL strings as is customary. I started the setup last night but haven't quite finished yet so assuming work goes well today I will finish up and play it for an hour or two or more.

One of my concerns was that it would be dead sounding like some of the lower end Indo made guitars. My first strum after taking out of the box I knew that wasn't the case. It is very resonant and very loud. The action out of the box was not bad, only slightly higher than where I like it. Truss rod was close to where it needs to be and there was only minimal buzz. We will see what happens to the neck as it acclimates though. I suspect it will be good to go. The neck feels really...really good. I am not a painted neck fan but I can tolerate a satin finish. This neck is just about as smooth as the regular finish on the prestige necks I am used to and there should be no worries of it getting sticky. I noticed immediately when I pulled it out of the case that the neck felt very slightly thicker than the usual Ibanez neck and likely just because of the finish. Don't get me wrong...the neck is not thick by any means. Just different enough for a Ibanez obsessed person like myself to pick up on right away. I can't express how much I like how comfortable it is. 

I love my 6 string Dimarzio Titans and I have been anxiously waiting to try the 7 string versions. I plugged it into my Archon for 5-10 min last night before tearing into it for the setup and I instantly felt comfortable with it. Right away I got that tone I enjoy so much. They are definitely just 7 string tuned versions of the 6 string pickups and that is exactly what I wanted. The wood combo is not very common for Ibanez and it definitely was noticeable to me since I have been playing mostly basswood guitars for the last few months. It kinda of reminds me of a PRS with a nice warmth that can be very spanky and responsive. It has a combination of tone and feel that really inspires me. I can tell in just the short amount of time I have had with it that I am going to love this guitar. I didn't want to put it down but had a limited time frame to work on it last night. I know it may seem like it is just the honeymoon phase talking but I will say...I went in to this with pretty low expectations and was completely ok with the idea that I may be sending this one back. I have several Ibanez Prestige guitars and I didn't _need _this one but it is really appealing to me and I wanted to try it.

As far as the build quality goes. I am not sure if I got lucky or if this is to be expected going forward with the Indo guitars. I will not say it is "flawless" like the last two Prestige models I bought. But the only "flaws" are very minor and I have seen far worse on more expensive Japanese and USA built guitars. 

Sharp frets are a common complaint from the Indo models. This is absolutely not the case at all with this one. Not a single sharp edge or imperfection on the fret ends. As you can see in the pictures they look nearly identical from one to the next. I went through and checked that they were level and they checked out good. The only critique I have on the fretwork would be that there are some spots on the sides of a few frets(not where the string touches) that are a little rough, like the crowning and polishing was rushed...most players who aren't very knowledgeable about fretwork probably wouldn't even notice or care. There are only a few spots too, maybe 4-5 small spots that I could find. The scratches were removed when I polished the frets with flitz and a dremel buffing wheel. The frets had a lot of oxidation on them as they usually do after being shipped overseas. If you don't already polish nickel-silver frets when you get a new guitar, you definitely should. 

The tuners are the same Gotoh locking tuners that are on the fixed bridge Prestige models. They are very well made and super accurate. In my opinion probably only second to the open gear hipshots and the difference between the two is pretty small. I put the hipshots as my favorite only because they turn more smoothly than anything else out there. Tuning stability is perfect on both Gotoh and Hipshot. I appreciate the fact that no expense was spared with the tuners so this guitar can be used more like a strat style trem without locking down the nut or you can lock it and treat it like a floyd rose. 

Speaking of sparing expense...they did just that with the bridge. The edge zero II has a bit of a bad rap(online anyway). I think a lot of the issue people have with it stems from the zero point thing that was a completely unnecessary fix for a problem that didn't exist. This combined with the fact that a lot of people just don't know how to set up a floating trem. Probably over half the floyd style trems I have ever seen have been improperly set up. There are even a few tutorials I have come across that don't even show the proper bridge angle. This guitar has a normal spring setup and for all intents and purposes it is a standard floyd style trem. I have read where people have had issues with stripping screws or threads on edge zero trems but I have set up a few in the past and have had no issues. I have not checked/adjusted the intonation yet so I will be sure to post any issues if they arise. I am sure this bridge is made of a lesser quality metal than the edge pro line but from my experience with both, detecting a sound difference is a level of cork sniffery that I have yet to reach. A couple minor critiques I have is that the springs are super tight making the trem require more effort to manipulate and the springs are a bit noisy. Both issues can/will be resolved by swapping the springs out for better ones. If you don't plan to use the trem or don't mind the tension you can slap some foam under the springs and you are good to go. 

The electronics are standard issue core-tek just like the Prestige models and I have no issues with them. The volume knob turns very smoothly and the taper is good. Can dial back the volume to clean up the gain without issue. The switch is also the usual Ibanez 5-way configuration. I like the input jack location being angled up towards the strap. Not only is it quick and easy to loop the cable through the strap but I also tend to play in the classical position when sitting down and it doesn't poke into my leg at all.

The pickups had another minor issue. The bridge pickup was really high out of the box and it would touch the lower strings if they were fretted. This caused a very minor mark on the pickup cover beneath the 7th string. This could very well have happened in transport so I can't blame the factory. No big deal at all. The pickups are mounted with the usual two pieces of foam with springs placed in the middle. This is fine but I prefer to have them completely stable so I put in a couple small pieces of weatherstripping foam to the front and back of the pickup cavity. I forgot to take a pic so hopefully what I am saying makes sense. I have seen a lot of posts lately where people/noobs seem to think something is wrong because their pickup can wobble. What I am describing is what I would recommend as a fix for that. 

The finish is awesome. You can kind of see in pictures(not my pictures but good ones) that it isn't a standard matte black, it has a sparkle to it that is not flashy but definitely adds some pop that works well with the gold/maple colors. The maple binding on the neck is awesome. The edges are rolled and feel really nice. It is hard to see in the pictures because where the satin clear stops it looks like a sharp edge but I can assure you it is rounded off. The binding must have been installed before the painting and then taped off. As a result of pulling that tape off there are some small ridges where the binding meets the paint but nothing notable. In case anyone wonders. The faux binding on the body looks great and the tape line is pretty smooth and straight. 

The rosewood fretboard looks really good to me. I am a big fan of rosewood anyway so I don't mind that they went with rosewood over ebony. The grain on this one is nice and it darkened up in a good way with oil. I'll post some more pics after finishing the setup. The Titan inlay looks beautiful as you hopefully can see from the pic.

That is about all I have for now. I got off work early so hopefully I can get some serious time on it.


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## kevdes93 (Feb 15, 2016)

You pushed me over the edge, ordering one by the end of the month! Looks awesome dude.

Edit: I wonder what the 1P-01 means, its on the back of the headstock on my new RGIF8 too


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 15, 2016)

kevdes93 said:


> You pushed me over the edge, ordering one by the end of the month! Looks awesome dude.
> 
> Edit: I wonder what the 1P-01 means, its on the back of the headstock on my new RGIF8 too



Awesome! I'm sure you will love it. I'm not sure about the 1p-01 thing either.


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## gabofrison (Feb 16, 2016)

Hey man, I've just read your review and it was pretty detailed. I thank you for that. I'm planning to get one and you are the only review I could find.
I have the same concerns you had, such as the wood quality (I owned an indo ibby s470 and it was terrible), fretwork and specially... the bridge.
I'm not a floyd rose guy, because I honestly have had bad experience with them.
The LoPro edge I had was a nightmare bending and the ZR was just a crap. So my concern is if I'm paying for something I am not gonna use and could bring me potencial problems. However, if its stable, bendings are cool and tuners work well I will be happy with it. Could you tell me something else about it?
I am also start getting more into setting up guitars. I can manage it pretty well with tune o matic bridges. I know they are probably the easiest, but I will be happy to learn to set up the one of my future jbm. How did you find that process?

Sorry for bother you but you know... this things are important and I want to spend my money wisely.

Thanks in advance!
Gabriel


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 17, 2016)

gabofrison said:


> Hey man, I've just read your review and it was pretty detailed. I thank you for that. I'm planning to get one and you are the only review I could find.
> I have the same concerns you had, such as the wood quality (I owned an indo ibby s470 and it was terrible), fretwork and specially... the bridge.
> I'm not a floyd rose guy, because I honestly have had bad experience with them.
> The LoPro edge I had was a nightmare bending and the ZR was just a crap. So my concern is if I'm paying for something I am not gonna use and could bring me potencial problems. However, if its stable, bendings are cool and tuners work well I will be happy with it. Could you tell me something else about it?
> ...



Hey, no problem. I'll do my best to address your questions here. 

Wood quality - Mine is very resonant. I have seen plenty of the lower end standard series models (7xxx models especially) that are dead sounding. I have seen far fewer Iron Label and Premiums that sound bad but there are some out there. I think they are really stepping it up with these higher end Indo made guitars. I don't think I would hesitate buying another. 

Fretwork - The ends are dressed perfectly. Not even a hint of sharp edges anywhere. Every bit as good as prestige. It may need some minor leveling work done when it arrives...if you want super low action. Mine has minimal buzz and I have the action a few mm under Ibanez's recommended height. 

Bridge - I have never owned an edge zero of any type but I have set up several for other people. So my experience is a bit limited when it comes to determining the quality of it but as far as setup, sound, and playability goes I would say it does its job very well. The zero point thing is garbage in my opinion. Luckily this guitar doesn't have that. It just has the standard springs like a floyd, edge, strat, etc. Setting it up is the same as those as well. I'd be happy to assist with any questions you have while setting it up. 

This edge zero II is perfectly stable so far. Once I got it set up, I abused it quite a bit and it always came back into tune.

As far as bending goes. Bending with pretty much any trem will cause the other strings to go flat. It takes some getting used to but being aware of it will make your playing better. If it was an issue they wouldn't be so widely used. That being said if it really is a problem you can just block the trem and it will work just like your hard tail bridges. 

I would absolutely recommend this guitar to anyone who wants a guitar with these specs and likes the looks of it. Is it the best valued guitar in this price range? Maybe not, but I can't really name anything with similar specs it at this price range. I can confidently say it plays and sounds on par with the Prestige stuff.


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## Santuzzo (Feb 17, 2016)

@RileyOBrien: thank you very much for the pics and the very elaborate review! very, very cool!


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## kevdes93 (Feb 18, 2016)

Ordered the last one zzounds had in stock! Should be here Saturday or monday, I'll take as many pictures as I can and I'll try to pull a coherent review together when it arrives.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 18, 2016)

kevdes93 said:


> Ordered the last one zzounds had in stock! Should be here Saturday or monday, I'll take as many pictures as I can and I'll try to pull a coherent review together when it arrives.



Nice! Looking forward to it!


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## gabofrison (Feb 19, 2016)

Thanks man you're helping me lots!
As you said there are not proper tutorials of how to set up the edge zero II. I would pay you to make one


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## gabofrison (Feb 19, 2016)

Just a curiosity... This is the first JBM 7 string ever. It was custom made for Jake. It looks pretty awesome! This one has Bare Kunckle pups due there was not a 7 string version of the Titan at that time.
I've had that bridge in an RG. Not a big deal. I wonder how is it compared with the edge pro II that comes in the JBM 27...
There is a problem with the hand sweat... I had the same. If you have a look at the left part the chrome is affected


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 19, 2016)

gabofrison said:


> Just a curiosity... This is the first JBM 7 string ever. It was custom made for Jake. It looks pretty awesome! This one has Bare Kunckle pups due there was not a 7 string version of the Titan at that time.
> I've had that bridge in an RG. Not a big deal. I wonder how is it compared with the edge pro II that comes in the JBM 27...
> There is a problem with the hand sweat... I had the same. If you have a look at the left part the chrome is affected



That is the edge lo pro 7. Probably my favorite 7 string trem. It is similar to the edge zero II in the JBM27 in most ways and its set up is nearly the same. The only difference in set up is that the top of the edge zero baseplate needs to be parallel to the body, where as the lo pro base plate angles up towards the rear but has a mark on its side(where the knife edge protrudes through the baseplate) that needs to be parallel to the body. 

Here is the lo pro 7:





Here is the edge zero II:





The wrong bridge angle is the single most common issue with floyd style bridge setups. This is usually the source for most issues with those guitars. 

Hand sweat shouldn't be a problem because the bridge on the JBM27 has a gloss black finish rather than the cosmo black.


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## gabofrison (Feb 19, 2016)

Yes, that was one of the features I liked! I tend to rust every single screw in all the guitars.
About setting the bridge parallel to the body, how do you exactly know if it is right? People says you just put a piece of wood behind the bridge but then the exact angle will be a lotery


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## TheRileyOBrien (Feb 19, 2016)

gabofrison said:


> Yes, that was one of the features I liked! I tend to rust every single screw in all the guitars.
> About setting the bridge parallel to the body, how do you exactly know if it is right? People says you just put a piece of wood behind the bridge but then the exact angle will be a lotery



It is pretty easy to tell if it is parallel just by eyeballing it. Not sure about the piece of wood thing. Some people use a block of wood when changing strings to keep the trem from moving while not under string tension.


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## Santuzzo (Feb 20, 2016)

does the Edge Zero II on the JBM27 come with the ZPS system?


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## kevdes93 (Feb 20, 2016)

^ nope


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## Santuzzo (Feb 20, 2016)

kevdes93 said:


> ^ nope



Thanks. I noticed that Ibanez took the ZPS off of some of the Edge Zero equipped models. 
I have it on a few guitars, and I actually like it a lot as it gives the trem a more stable feel. If I want the trem to be more 'loose' it's always easy to remove the ZPS.
All that said, having the ZPS or not having it would not be a determining factor for me when deciding to buy an Ibby.


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## kevdes93 (Feb 20, 2016)

I noticed that too, this article bit explains why they ditched it better than I ever could

IBANEZ RULES!! NAMM 2014


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## Santuzzo (Feb 20, 2016)

kevdes93 said:


> I noticed that too, this article bit explains why they ditched it better than I ever could
> 
> IBANEZ RULES!! NAMM 2014



Thanks! I remember having read something about a patent infringement, but I did not know the whole story, nor did I know that it only affected the US.
Now it makes sense to me why some of the no-US market models still have the Edge Zero and ZPS unit on them.


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## Thorerges (Mar 23, 2016)




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## Black_Sheep (Apr 18, 2016)

Im seriously considering this as my next 7, i'll order one later this year probably. 

Is everyone here happy with the Titan pickups?


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## kevdes93 (Apr 18, 2016)

For the most part I like them, they feel a little muddy to me though. Feels and sounds like someone laid a blanket over my cab when I plug it in going from my other guitars. They're tight and they "djent" but they aren't very aggressive, you really gotta dig in to get a good growl. I want that aggressive snarly growl but I have to work a little harder then I'd like to get it from the titans. I've been thinking of going with ceramic warpigs


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## Black_Sheep (Apr 18, 2016)

What BKP pups did Jake's original "Titan" LACS have? 

(i tried to find his original NGD post here but couldn't)


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## kevdes93 (Apr 18, 2016)

I believe his original titan had aftermaths but I'm not positive, I'm too lazy to look up his original NGD  but I know it exists here somewhere


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## Spicypickles (Apr 18, 2016)

kevdes93 said:


> I believe his original titan had aftermaths but I'm not positive, I'm too lazy to look up his original NGD  but I know it exists here somewhere





Bored at work. Found it.
http://www.sevenstring.org/forum/sevenstring-guitars/210694-ngd-ibanez-lacs-rga-7-string.html


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## Black_Sheep (Apr 19, 2016)

Those camo-cover Aftermaths look better on it than the Dimarzio Titan's imho.


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## Mathemagician (Apr 19, 2016)

I have 6string Titans in a basswood guitar. In standard tuning they are bright as hell and have a crazy high-mid spike. Not exactly my cup of tea. $0.02


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## TheRileyOBrien (Apr 19, 2016)

Mathemagician said:


> I have 6string Titans in a basswood guitar. In standard tuning they are bright as hell and have a crazy high-mid spike. Not exactly my cup of tea. $0.02



They were voiced to work well in warmer guitars(mahogany). They were also intended to be similar to BKP Aftermaths which are bright and have the high mid spike...even more so than the Titans.

I think they sound great in the JBM and don't see myself ever swapping them out.

I have a 6 string pair that I have tried in half a dozen guitars as well. I like them a lot. They are not the best "middle of the road" choice...but they have a purpose and they serve it well.


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Apr 19, 2016)

If that is Indo made, your high on crack cocaine to pay more that 1k for it. Even then, 1k is way too much. Cost them like 12 bucks to make.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Apr 19, 2016)

7 Strings of Hate said:


> If that is Indo made, your high on crack cocaine to pay more that 1k for it. Even then, 1k is way too much. Cost them like 12 bucks to make.



You are going to have to try harder than that


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## Thelamon (Apr 19, 2016)

If anyone is looking to buy from Sweetwater (it's not currently listed at all on the site), they're available. I emailed the customer service department, and they said they could get it in June at the earliest, and it was available at the market price.


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Apr 20, 2016)

TheRileyOBrien said:


> You are going to have to try harder than that



I don't even know what the hell that means. If you want to pay 1k for an indo model that cost them 100 dollars to make, by all means, be a chump.

But I'm not trying for anything. It makes no difference to me. I buy high end items that skilled craftsmen make while getting a skilled craftsmen wage. If you want to buy a sweat shop guitar, then fine. But don't get robbed on the markup. Or do. Your call.


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## Thelamon (Apr 20, 2016)

7 Strings of Hate said:


> But I'm not trying for anything. It makes no difference to me. I buy high end items that skilled craftsmen make while getting a skilled craftsmen wage. If you want to buy a sweat shop guitar, then fine. But don't get robbed on the markup. Or do. Your call.



Commendable. Hope you apply those values to all things that you own, including many other manufactured goods, textiles, foodstuffs, et cetera.


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## Mathemagician (Apr 20, 2016)

Hmmm, I may be able to offset it by tuning lower. Or I'll get rid of the RG here locally. Haven't decided. Glad to see it holds up, I've been curious about these "premiums" that cost more than a prestige.


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## TheRileyOBrien (Apr 20, 2016)

7 Strings of Hate said:


> I don't even know what the hell that means. If you want to pay 1k for an indo model that cost them 100 dollars to make, by all means, be a chump.
> 
> But I'm not trying for anything. It makes no difference to me. I buy high end items that skilled craftsmen make while getting a skilled craftsmen wage. If you want to buy a sweat shop guitar, then fine. But don't get robbed on the markup. Or do. Your call.




I means...troll harder. Your silly economic "values" don't insult me or upset me even a little bit. I'll admit I did chuckle a bit at your last sentence.


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Apr 21, 2016)

Thelamon said:


> Commendable. Hope you apply those values to all things that you own, including many other manufactured goods, textiles, foodstuffs, et cetera.



Of course not. I get quality items when I care about the subject matter. I don't really worry about what toilet paper I get, or what car I drive. But I care about guitars and the quality, so I spent the money. Other areas I don't. Considering we are on a guitar forum, one would assume you have people passionate about guitars. Go figure.



TheRileyOBrien said:


> I means...troll harder. Your silly economic "values" don't insult me or upset me even a little bit. I'll admit I did chuckle a bit at your last sentence.



Dude, I'm not insulting you in anyway. I'm trolling because I'm giving an honest opinion? You might not like my opinion, but I'm not trolling you in the least.


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