[Rollinhand]

Hey, I'm new to the board.

I've been playing for about 6 months now and I want a new guitar. I have a Epiphone Special II right now, it's not exactly a high end guitar, I want something new and better sounding.

So I've been looking at the Ibanez RG350. It's just under $400 which is in my price range.
The thing is that I like to play alot of different stuff like Van Halen, Vai, Satriani, Slipknot, Drowning Pool and other metall/rock stuff.
It's not that important that I get this super chunky bassy metall sound, the problem is, since I like to play all of that stuff I'm retuning the guitar alot.
The RG350 has a Edge Pro II system, I've heard that it can be a real pain in the ass to retune and restring it. So I don't know what to do. :dunno:
Maybe I should get this for the Vai and Satriani stuff and buy a more metal oriented guitar like a Schecter later?

I'm also wondering if you guys have tried the RG350 and what your take is on it.
Are there similar models that I might wanna look at first before getting it?
I wish I could try it out myself but there are no music stores or guitar centers where I live, so that's a bit of a problem. :doh:

I hope you guys can help me out here. :santa:
Thanks, Rob.

 

[sheikers]

Hey there, the RG350 is a good guitar. But if you've never owned a guitar with a floating bridge on it before, prepare to be frustrated the first time you go through the string changing dance.

There are a lot of different approaches to string changing, but the best advice can be found on the Jemsite. It's not that hard once you get your head around it.

As far as other guitars in that price range, well, everyone is gonna have a different opinion, so it's really about what feels best to you. I'd suggest taking a day on the weekend to go to the biggest guitar store closest to you and playing everything you can get your hands on. Ask questions, plug into different amps, screw em if they get narky at ya. You're there to pay good money for something, so you wanna get something you'll like for a long time.

Also, check prices on the internet. If you play a guitar you like in a store, don't buy it straight away. Research the hell out of it, and try and play one store of against another. I've had hundreds of dollars shaved off stuff by doing this, and it's worth the time it takes.

Best of luck man! Sometimes just the hunting alone can be more fun than playing the damn things! There's nothing as much fun as a new ride!

 

[metalnick]

I have the RG320 and it is a total bitch to retune to anything other than the neighborhood of A440. I tune mine to Eb and it took at least 3+ hours to set up. If you are constantly going to be retuning for the heavy stuff, get a guitar with a hardtail bridge so you don't have to deal with that craziness. That's what I do. I use my "Loki" RG320 for lead-ish stuff cause it has a lot of cut and mids, while my Homemade "Thor" guitar has a really thunderous sound good for rhythms and de-tuned stuff.

 

[sheikers]

Of course, if you are into altered or lowered tuning, or different string gauges to the ones the guitar is set up for, you could always swap the springs out in the back for different gauge ones that are more suitable.

Or just screw in the existing springs to take up the slack in the bridge, but that would result in a bit of difficulty with bar depressing, and also fluttering would be effected adversely.

A good alternative to edge style trems is the new ZR trem from ibanez. String changing is as simple as a hard-tail, whereby you can remove all the strings in one go, and then replace them in whatever order you like. Changing string gauge is a snap also, as you need to make only a minor adjustment behind the bridge. Double stops are possible with this bridge, unlike floyds and other edges. Also, if you lose a string mid-performance (provided it's the high e, the b or the g) the guitar stays in tune. It also has the same dynamic range as an edge or floyd trem. Fluttering is possible if you try hard enough, and if you aren't bending the note you're trying to flutter.
They're a bit more expensive than standard edge trems, but are damn handy for someone starting out with floating style bridges.
They were only realeased last year, and can be found on the S range of Ibanez guitars, namely the S470.

 

[Rollinhand]

Hey! Thanks alot for the input guys, appreciate it!

A good alternative to edge style trems is the new ZR trem from ibanez

I will definitly look into that, sounds like a much better alternative.

There's nothing as much fun as a new ride!

Agreed! :dance:

Cheers!
Rob

 

[Rollinhand]

Just had a look at the S models, if I only could afford this one! :yumyum:

http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=S2075FW&z=y

It's very hot!

 

[Joe King]

I have 3 Ibanez guitars. And by far my most played model, is my RG520QS. I absolutely love it. It has the original Edge trem bar, and it is floating, so the initial setup is a bit of a pain. But after that, wow! You can find them on EBAY for not too much money. I got mine for 400 bux brand new. They are a discontinued model to the best of my knowledge, but well worth the effort to find. If I were you, I would be checking all the online music stores for anything from the 400 series into the 500 series. Look for the 520, the 550, and the 570. You can get them for what you said the RG350 was, and they are definently a cut above the 350. Good luck

J

 

[Kai Yakamashii]

i hope to get this soon!!


http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/series.asp?s=pgm&l=e

 

[Joe King]

i hope to get this soon!!


http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/series.asp?s=pgm&l=e

Nice Yaka!!!!!!!!


J

 

[VHF]

Hey, I'm new to the board.

I've been playing for about 6 months now and I want a new guitar. I have a Epiphone Special II right now, it's not exactly a high end guitar, I want something new and better sounding.

So I've been looking at the Ibanez RG350. It's just under $400 which is in my price range.
The thing is that I like to play alot of different stuff like Van Halen, Vai, Satriani, Slipknot, Drowning Pool and other metall/rock stuff.
It's not that important that I get this super chunky bassy metall sound, the problem is, since I like to play all of that stuff I'm retuning the guitar alot.
The RG350 has a Edge Pro II system, I've heard that it can be a real pain in the ass to retune and restring it. So I don't know what to do. :dunno:
Maybe I should get this for the Vai and Satriani stuff and buy a more metal oriented guitar like a Schecter later?

I'm also wondering if you guys have tried the RG350 and what your take is on it.
Are there similar models that I might wanna look at first before getting it?
I wish I could try it out myself but there are no music stores or guitar centers where I live, so that's a bit of a problem. :doh:

I hope you guys can help me out here. :santa:
Thanks, Rob.

I got this RG1570 new for $375......might be a better guitar than the 350.

http://www.guitars101.com/vb/showthread.php?t=27601

 

[ibanezlover]

Ibanezes Rule!

 

[sheikers]

Just whatever you do, don't buy a conklin....

 

[Rollinhand]

Thanks for the help so far guys.

Got another question, does the S470 ( http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=S470DXQM ) differ much from the S520 ( http://www.ibanez.com/guitars/guitar.asp?model=S520EX ) .
The S470 has a singlecoil pup placed in between the humbuckers, the S520 don't. Does the singlecoil add much to the overall sound?
I can't help to think that 3 pup's is better then 2, but I guess that doesn't have to be true. :notme:

Cheers.
Rob

 

[ibanezlover]

I don't use my single coil at all. Most people just use the bridge and neck pickups.

 

[sheikers]

I didn't like the stock single coil in my S470DX at all. It would even colour the sound when switching from the bridge to the neck.

When I was in the states recently I got all three of the pups changed out for Seymour Duncans. I only did this because that damn single coil was so sensitive and microphonic, and it was cheaper to get all three at one time.

If you do buy an S470, I'd suggest that you swap the single coil out for a stacked pup, or a hot rail or something else. Or, if you like that authentic single coil sound, buy a decent one.

That's my only gripe with this guitar. Other than that, mine's pretty much perfect. (for me )

 

[Rollinhand]

Alright thanks again! :dance:

Laters.
Rob