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Eastmongo (Eastmongo)
Posted on Saturday, June 26, 2004 - 9:05 pm:   

I wander that JSM100 is as good as early AS200 like 79,80, 81, 82? I never get my hands on to those,so I can't compare.
Jim_Donahue (Jim_Donahue)
Posted on Wednesday, June 30, 2004 - 11:31 pm:   

I remember the first production JSM that I played and it was nice, Really I think they make these better now adays then they did way back when, But they seem to be a few Lbs heavier now adays and that has an effect on the over all tone of the instrument.

Acoustically the older ones just had something about them, The new ones are great and very well made, But I prefer the older ones.

To me this is the time line for set neck Ibanez models
1970 to 1975 Ibanez guitars were no good
1975 to 1978 they got very good
1978 to 1983 They were the best they could make,
1984 to 1991 Blah
1992 to 1994 Back to Fuji gen factory and getting good
1995 on Really good guitars, A little expensive but not compared to a real Gibson.

I will say one thing, From 1978 until 2004 you can take any Ibanez semi Hollow and put it up against any real 335 and there is no comparison, The Ibanez smokes it.
Better neck, Better binding, Better fretwork, Better finish, And better player. This is out of the box.

But I can take a Gibson ES335 and pull the frets, Level the board, refret it and set it up and it will sound and play better than the Ibanez? The reason is simple. its not that I did all that work to the 335 it is that Gibson does not bother to do it that makes the new Gibsons so poor quality.

I don't hate Giibson guitars but I feel they lost any care they had in making them.

JIm Donahue
Eastmongo
Username: Eastmongo

Registered: 03-2004
Posted on Monday, December 27, 2004 - 8:52 pm:   

Jim, I changed pick ups on my JSM100 and had set ups done by John Curruther.
John thinks new super58s aren't as good as old early 80's super 58s.
I got seymour Ducan 59(neck),JB(bridge.
Sound changed so much,now neck pick up doen't sound stif but mellow jazzy tone and bridge pick up was somhow useless for me,due to the lack of power and volume,now it much with neck pu in terms of volume and scofild sound.
Now I can switch from neck pu to bridge pu in the middle of solo like Larry Carlton.

I love my JSM100 so much now!
IMG_0001_1_1_1_5_1_1_1.JPG\clipart
Guitartim
Username: Guitartim

Registered: 04-2001
Posted on Monday, March 14, 2005 - 11:34 pm:   

Jim,

Does your Ibanez set neck quality timeline apply to the GB series also? They just seem so consistent to me over the years.
Acetan
Username: Acetan

Registered: 09-2003
Posted on Tuesday, March 15, 2005 - 4:03 pm:   

Hi Jim,

"...1978 to 1983 They were the best they could make,"
I would extend it to at least 1987 for FujiGen productions.

"I will say one thing, From 1978 until 2004 you can take any Ibanez semi Hollow and put it up against any real 335 and there is no comparison, The Ibanez smokes it."
Are you counting the Korean and Chinese made ones also? ...bolt-on neck and all?

Ace
Guitartim
Username: Guitartim

Registered: 04-2001
Posted on Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 10:46 am:   

Well, I finally received my '01 JSM100 and had an opportunity to test drive it last night.

Eastmongo says he LOVES his JSM100...and I must agree 100%!! What a great instrument. High quality woods and construction. Incredible tone. Light weight. The improvements over previous models (2630, AS200, etc.) are subtle, but significant. One important feature is the compound radius 'fretboard'. It starts almost flat from the first position, then graduates to a slight arch from the middle of the neck (5th positon) and up to the 22nd fret. Amazing to play, especially with the jumbo frets. Bends never fret out and sustain is remarkable for a semi-hollow.

I A/B'd the JSM with my '79 2630 and '88 AS200. It is closer to the 2630 in neck shape/girth and feel. But tone-wise the JSM wins, hands down.

In my opinion this is the best Ibanez I've ever played...period.

JSM100
jsm100
2630
2630
AS200NT
AS200
Guitartim
Username: Guitartim

Registered: 04-2001
Posted on Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 5:08 pm:   

Man, am I photo-impaired or what?!

JSM100
AS200NT
Guitartim
Username: Guitartim

Registered: 04-2001
Posted on Tuesday, January 10, 2006 - 5:14 pm:   

Man, am I photo-impaired or what?!

JSM100
Daveh
Username: Daveh

Registered: 07-2005
Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - 12:34 pm:   

Tim, I'll say it again, that is one beautiful axe.
Guitartim
Username: Guitartim

Registered: 04-2001
Posted on Wednesday, January 11, 2006 - 5:24 pm:   

Thanks, Daveh. She's definitely a keeper.

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