Ibanez RG1570

Hey..! :)

So I've been considering getting an Ibanez off and on for years and for the last few months I have been more seriously considering it now that my soloing is tending in a direction where I actually see a need of extremely low action, wafer thin neck, and a tremolo that won't put the guitar out of tune immediately after letting go of it. So I went and played a few Ibanez's a few weeks ago..

The ones that are within reasonable price for me these days is the RG Prestige series of Ibanez guitars. I played them all anyway just to make sure, even the Steve Vai Signature Series JEM.. *drool*.. but the RG1570 was the one that I ended up with..

I'm just curious what other people, who have owned or own an RG1570 or similar, think about the RG1570. This would be my 5th electric guitar I have bought, and would be adding to my collection of Strat, SG, Acoustic (I had a strat stolen years ago). I feel that an Ibanez would just complete the set nicely.

I remember like 12 years ago or something.. I was doing this 8 week song writing and recording workshop, and at the end we had to record an album in a recording studio. Great fun and great learning experience however I will always remember the sleek feel of the sound engineer's Ibanez.. the action was incredibly low and it made everything so much easier to play because I didn't have to push down as hard etc.. I will never get that feeling with my current guitars because they are just not.. well.. the same..

When you have that kind of feeling, holding a guitar, you feel like you can do anything.. and play anything.. it's a good feeling.

Hey light,
I have a Prestige and a Jem, I use both frequently depending on what I am looking for. The only complaint I had about my Prestige wa the stock Ibz/Dmz pickups - better than most but still muddy as hell compared to Evolutions or Breeds, Paf Pros, Freds etc. I actually upgraded to a set of EMG 81/85's but to be honest if I was doing it again I would has just gone for Dimarzio Evolutions. Lovely guitars, heavy body (heavier than the Jem) and beautiful Wizard necks, not to mention the excellent low Edge Pro tremelo system. Should be a winner!

Thanks for that.. just confirms what I already was thinking.. definitely going to buy an Ibanez now.. What are your thoughts on the difference between the JEM and the RG1570? Pickups aside.. I usually upgrade my pickups on my guitars anyway, so why do you say Evolutions as compared with a hybrid of Evolutions and D Activators?..

As far as the Jem goes it is a matter of quality, it's just the next level up from the Prestige (although the wizard neck on the Prestige models are th esame quality IMO). I know it's a small thing but they monkey grip is just so damn useful - every guitar should have one. The necks are also extremely comfortable and the tremelo system is amazing (deep set in a tiger claw cavity). They just have htat rare feel that when you pick one up you immediately think 'this is an amazing guitar'.
Re the pickups, I'm just speaking from experience and a lot of obsessive reading on Ibanez in general. Evolutions are what you will find on a lot of professional guitarists setups - Vai for one uses them bridge and neck. Having had a set on a previous Ibanez I can say they are amazing. Really sensitive and tight - no background noise yet excellent for picking up controlled feedback. Also very good for harmonic whammy dives (a point that most pickups fail on). Play a set before you go with them though, they suit a certain style, very hot - all of your mistakes will be laid bare! This will only force you to play better though;-) Nver heard of D Activators, I usually go with something tried and tested and always check them out in a shop fiorst. My 'Bad Horsie' Jem came with Breeds, very impressive and very unique feel - a great buy IMO (very different to the Evo's - more bluesy and 'thick').
Let me know what you get!

Well I just found out that the car I was going to buy instead of the new guitar has been sold.. so that means I should be getting the new ax sometime in the next 2 weeks or so.. Definitely going for the RG1570 without a doubt at all now.. You've heard my evolution in playing over the last couple of months so you can hear the direction I am attempting to go.. which is why I need a new guitar! :) lol..

So the Evo's are active pickups then? Are they single coil or humbucker-like? If they are humbucker-like.. what do you put in the middle single coil pickup? If Vai uses them on front and back, I assume they are dual-coil.. but what does he use in the middle?

I'm hoping I can get the Red model.. it's kinda grey granite/marble but in the light the flecks of red show up in the paint job.. at least I think that's what the red looks like, I haven't seen it in the store.. but then again.. I might buy then get it repainted professionally or something..

Just so I've mentioned... have you seen the 'J Craft' Ibanez range? comes in between the Prestige and artist in terms of quality and cost.

Agree totally with Superhuman.... the stock IBZ pickups are often nasty.... although I have a RG770 which still has the stocks and sounds great. Evos are amongst the better picups I have used...

Evo's are passive humbuckers..

Yup, Evolutions are passive - two humbuckers - one bridge, one neck and a single coil in the middle. Just pick up a Jem in a shop and give it a whirl - stick a set of Evos in Prestige and you basically have the same guitar (different weight, wizard neck, no monkey grip or tiger claw trem cavity but it will pretty much sound the same).