Any Ibanez owners / shreddie type people

[Bogwhoppit]

A young lad in my area who is a fantastic little guitar player is about to ask his parents to splash out on his first real electric . He is 14 and can already handle several satch and vai numbers almost note perfect. He has been playing since 4 years old and mainly studied classical for over 7 years.

He wants an Ibanez shreddie and estimates he could raise £400 max. I have had a look around to see what is available and the two below seem ideal ( but I know jack poo about shreddie guitars, so really could do with some input )

RG350DX for around £279




or the S470 for around £340





What are they like and what others could you suggest ?


Ta

[Nik Harrison]

He could do with playing them all blindfolded and then chosing one.

[Gojirosan]

Originally Posted by Nik Harrison

He could do with playing them all blindfolded and then chosing one.

Or not. Preposterous suggestion IMO!

No matter how good a guitar plays or sounds if you have to look at an ugly lump then you will grow to resent it.

Far easier to change how a guitar plays and sounds than to change how it looks.

[Nik Harrison]

Originally Posted by Gojirosan

Or not. Preposterous suggestion IMO!

No matter how good a guitar plays or sounds if you have to look at an ugly lump then you will grow to resent it.

Far easier to change how a guitar plays and sounds than to change how it looks.

None of the guitars in any of those pictures look shite. He's not going to be passed "yesterdays blamanche vomit yellow and pointy Ibanez for £300 - £400" in a shop set up beautifully to play! I'm talking about reaching a level of comfort playing a guitar with certain fingerboard and neck dimensions, not just the action and string gauges!

Aside from that I rather assumed it may be an idea to take the blindfold off before he actually bought the guitar!!

[Gojirosan]

Originally Posted by Nik Harrison

None of the guitars in any of those pictures look shite.

I beg to differ!



However, I am sure that any of them would be an ideal purchase. Ibanez shred guitars may be hideous and distasteful to the eyes but they are usually superb instruments. Even the cheaper ones.

[Nik Harrison]

Originally Posted by Gojirosan

I beg to differ!



However, I am sure that any of them would be an ideal purchase. Ibanez shred guitars may be hideous and distasteful to the eyes but they are usually superb instruments. Even the cheaper ones.

Ok, all cards on the table those guitars aren't to my taste either, but we're talking about a kid into Satch and Vai who want's an "Ibanez shreddie". Do you think he would be disappointed if his parents bought him any of those guitars in the pictures and just handed it to him? I know exactly what would have happened next if I wanted one one and my folks had bought me an "Ibanez shreddie" when I was 14 and I replied with "I don't like the look of that one"!

It wouldn't have been pretty....

[Bogwhoppit]

The purchase of said guitar will be via the internet. So there is no way he can try them out. No dealers within striking distance around here sell either of those guitars.

Are there any other alternatives ?


Is the Wizard II neck thicker on either of these two models then that on the mid 1990's S540 Sabre. Only reason I ask, is that I had a Sabre S540 in 1994 that cost me nearly a grand , but the guitar was much better then I ever would be

[Nik Harrison]

Originally Posted by Bogwhoppit

The purchase of said guitar will be via the internet. So there is no way he can try them out. No dealers within striking distance around here sell either of those guitars.

Are there any other alternatives ?


Is the Wizard II neck thicker on either of these two models then that on the mid 1990's S540 Sabre. Only reason I ask, is that I had a Sabre S540 in 1994 that cost me nearly a grand , but the guitar was much better then I ever would be

For £400 the alternatives are inestimable, but if he wants an "Ibanez shreddie", then I would strongly recommend playing one before parting with any money. There are some very, very good Schecter guitars which are superb value which I would suggest worthy of consideration, but unless you're having a guitar made for you to your exact specifications, I cannot recommend "try before you buy" enough. Every time. Even if it's just to try a certain model and then buy one online.

[New Moon Amps]

It's really worth trekking to somewhere where they have those sort of things to hand and trying whatever he can lay his hands on.

[Sporky_McGuffin]

Aye. Try and buy what's best. I bought my Ibanez shreddy machine (not that I ever played it in such a manner) years ago; I wanted humbuckers and a locking trem so I picked a quiet afternoon and tried a dozen or so guitars - including ones I'd thought I wouldn't like.

Then I bought the one I liked best overall - looks, playability, sound. All important.