I decided to get mine From www.ibanezrules.com because Rich does pro setups and does a couple mods to the trem studs that vastly improve the stock Edge pro trem. Not that the stock trem studs are horrible, but Rich has a mod that improves the stock design a bunch. He tears down a brand new JS1200CA guitar and resets everything from scratch like neck pocket, nut, saddles, trem, dresses frets, etc. You pay a couple hundred more for this service from Rich. Go to his web site to read the extensive setup info, it's a long read but worth.
I made some custom mods to the guitar myself like getting rid of those Tele type Knurled knobs. I like numbered knobs and since the guitar has pull up switch pots, I found some really nice Black numbered knobs with rubber grips and easier profile to grab and pull. See photo below.
I disconnected the tone control, I never use it and I end up always turning it to make sure it is full up.
I added a 500P cap across the volume control, full time, so that when you turn down, the guitar cleans up. There a stock 390P cap on the guitar that is supposed to do the same thing but you had to pull up on a pot to switch it in. I like this 500P cap on full time in all my guitars.
I reversed the front pull pot switch so that you have to pull up to make the front pickup a humbucker. The front pickup is now a single coil when the pot is down. I rarely use the front humbucker, a front single coil is better for switching quickly between bridge/lead and neck/rythym.
I also had Rich set me up with 10's even though I play 11's on my Strats. I lived with the 10's for about a month and decided to go up to 11's. This stabalizes the trem a bunch more. You don't get that gargling noise when you hit a string real hard and the trem arm is much more controllable, no over bending like with wimpy strings. The palm muting on the bridge is much more stabile also. I had to add another trem spring, reset the trem position and do an intonation because of the 11's. The guitar now sounds much better with the heavier gauge strings. Seems to be way more solid sounding.
I am actually thinking about getting another one of these. I want two.
Pro's for me = Body shape is awesome and the guitar is very light. I don't like block of wood hard edge guitars like the JEM. The Satch model is very curvacious.
The neck feels incredible to me and the notes all fret perfectly up to the 22nd fret.
The rear humbucker pickup sounds awesome and cuts through the mix like a knife. I don't use the front humbucker but I can say that when the front pickup is switched to single coil and you turn down the volume, the guitar rivals my Fenders for single coil type tone. It's different than my Fenders, but so are they to each other.
The trem stays in tune very nice, even though I don't really yank it up or down in an extreme way.
The cord jack is angled upwards toward the rear strap button and the guitar cord exits the body at a perfect angle. If you weave your cord behind the strap to keep it from being yanked out of the guitar, this is the perfect angle of entry into the body.
Ibanez used a very nice chrome for all the hardware like pickup surrounds, trem bridge, neck plate, etc.
The candy apple red is stunning to look at in person. The photo's on the Ibanez web site don't even come close to showing how nice this paint job is.
The Ibanez Team J Craft case that came with the JS1200CA is top notch, it looks and feels very expensive
Cons for me: I prefer a Strat type pickup selector switch, but I am getting used to the Gibson style switch.
