Ibanez Guitars: The Ibanez Jem Story

Ibanez JEM

There are a lot of professional music artists who use Ibanez musical equipment and call it the best among the ones that they have used in their career. Ibanez is known worldwide for its professional line of guitars and among them is Ibanez JEM. Ibanez JEM is an electric guitar, which was first produced in the year 1987. This guitar has gained high level of acceptance from guitarists.

Ibanez JEM was designed by Ibanez and the guitar legend, Steve Vai. The Ibanez company asked Steve Vai to tell them of the different features that he likes in the guitar so that they can combine all those features in one guitar. Ibanez JEM is the concept of Steve Vai, which was given its physical form by Ibanez.

This model became his signature. With the passage of time, Ibanez has produced the sub-models of the Ibanez JEM. There are about four sub-models of the Ibanez JEM, which were produced on the anniversary of Ibanez JEM, which included JEM90HAM, JEM2KDNA, JEM20TH and JEM10.

JEM10

The model Ibanez JEM10 was produced in the year 1997 and this model has the letter of authenticity, which is hand signed by Steve Vai. It has an aluminum pickguard and has an engraved vine with the JEM10 serial number. There are only about 825 units of this model throughout the world.

Ibanez JEM10

JEM90HAM

The Ibanez JEM90HAM, which was made for the 90th anniversary of Hoshino was not much different than Ibanez JEM10. There are only 831 units available throughout the world out of which 72 are in US.

Ibanez JEM90 HAM

JEM2KDNA

This model was the most interesting that Steve put his blood to the mixture of the paint, hence the word DNA at the end.

Ibanez JEM2KDNA

JEM20TH

Another anniversary sub-model of Ibanez JEM was JEM20TH, which was completely made of clear plastic with multicolored streaks. This model also has a green LED that lights up inside the body.

Ibanez JEM20TH

The other models of JEM include the JEM7, JEM77, JEM777, JEM555, JEM333 and the Universe 7 string guitar.

Ibanez JEM7V

The History of Ibanez Guitar:

The Modernist Guitars

ibanez guitars

Ibanez guitars have built a name and reputation for themselves. Not only does the guitar itself have a rich and varied history but the companies that manufacture them are interesting as well.

The company that manufactures Ibanez guitars, Hoshino Gakki of Japan, went through a period of lawsuits for copying various models of Gibson, Fender and Rickenbacker guitars. Ibanez then settled the matter out of court and began producing their own original guitar designs and vastly improved the quality of their products.

Steve Vai, Pat Metheny, Joe Satriani, Kevin “Noodles” Wasserman from The Offspring all work their magic on Ibanez guitars. Many more artists have discovered Ibanez instruments. In 1964 Harry Rosenbloom, founder of Elger Guitars ended guitar building and became a guitar importer, signed on to be the North American distributors for the Hoshino Gakki Gen Company, the maker of Ibanez guitars.

Today Ibanez produces not only guitars, both electric and acoustic, but amps, effects boxes and assorted other guitar paraphernalia.

Ibanez Guitars

There are a few different types of Ibanez. There are also a couple of low-end models geared towards beginners. An example would be the Ibanez Gio.

the middle class of their guitars mainly the RG series.The RG’s are great second guitars.

The next up from the RG series is the Ibanez S Series with their extremely thin body. It measures ¾ in. to 1 in. thick. They have ZR (Zero Resistance) Tremolo and a Wizard II neck. There is also the SA and SZ series which have 22 frets and no floating tremolos. Their bodies are curved, similar to the S.

The Ibanez guitar flagship series, The RG Prestige,are for the more serious players. The Prestige series guitars usually contain an Edge Pro Tremolo, Prestige neck, and the ever so famous “Prestige” logo on the head stock.

The only higher quality guitars by Ibanez are either custom made guitars, signature model guitars, or limited editions like the Steve Vai JEM 20th Anniversary Edition.

Overall, mostly all of the Ibanez guitars are very versatile guitars that sound great from clean to death metal distortion. Whether you are a beginner or have been playing your whole life, Ibanez is the right choice.

ibanez electric guitar