# ESP vs Ibanez



## LEOVAN83

Hey guys,

My gut tells me ESP is a "better" brand, since they have a full-on custom shop, their models seem to be seen on more "expensive" places than the Ibanez, meaning, ESP has more "high end" guitars available, than Ibanez.

But, Ibanez seem to have a great reputation for their necks, specially in the superstrat realm.

If I were to buy an ESP M-II Maple fretboard or an Ibanez RG3250MZ (both cost 1,600 bucks, both Japanese)...what will it be?


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## SonVolt

Was the One video the seed of that "guy feeling"? Tell the truth.


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## diesect20022000

Esp


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## HeHasTheJazzHands

They both have the same quality with their higher end. The ESP Standard and Ibanez Prestige will be pretty close in quality, although Prestiges can be found used a lot less due to their horrible resale value. 

With that said, though, if you're buying new; ESP. More variety and better necks, IMO.


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## longfxukxnhair

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> They both have the same quality with their higher end. The ESP Standard and Ibanez Prestige will be pretty close in quality, although Prestiges can be found used a lot less due to their horrible resale value.
> 
> With that said, though, if you're buying new; ESP. More variety and better necks, IMO.



Jazz nailed it. 
For me, I do like the necks on the Ibanez but I find them a bit to thin. Also I am not a fan of bolt on necks. NTB!!!!!! 
Ibanez rarely holds value unless you get a Jem or J craft.


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## LEOVAN83

I've had my share of NTB and loved it. These days I own a Gibson LP Custom (set neck) and I've been curious about having a superstrat with the "usual" specs: having a bolt-on neck is one of them, plus I'd like to hear how a bolt-on neck sounds with a maple board and heavy metal.


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## Dave666

HeHasTheJazzHands said:


> They both have the same quality with their higher end. The ESP Standard and Ibanez Prestige will be pretty close in quality, although Prestiges can be found used a lot less due to their horrible resale value.
> 
> With that said, though, if you're buying new; ESP. More variety and better necks, IMO.



+1 on the necks, of all the Ibanez necks available, the older wizards are best for me, but I still prefer a ESP neck!


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## dreyn77

I just got an esp (had Ibanez for a while) I love the ESP. slightly larger than Ibanez. 
I would only bother with ibanez Jem and Satch models.
Esp has some great figured woods in the cheaper range too.


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## LEOVAN83

Dave666 said:


> +1 on the necks, of all the Ibanez necks available, the older wizards are best for me, but I still prefer a ESP neck!



Ok, so an ESP neck will qualify better as a "shred" or fast neck, compared to Ibanez? I'm no shredder, but it's always nice to have the best of something, I'm buying this ESP M-II Maple Fretboard sort of on a "novelty" level since I'm usually a neck-through-body or set neck player, I just have this craving for a nice Japanese "metal" guitar that has a Floyd and that is bolt-on with a maple board (true to my "superstrat" concept). It will be nice to go from the 24 inch scale to the 25.5 inch scale, low little frets and then the extra jumbo frets, etc. 

I always thought the Ibanez necks were like the ultimate in flat "fast" necks, but I've always thought ESP was a more upscale guitar brand.


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## longfxukxnhair

Leo,
I wanted to pass some info on to you. I was at a Guitar Center today. They have a ESP MII NTB with case for $1349 new out the door. Now they dont even list the NTB on their website. But my local store had 2. They retail every where else for $1899 new and that doesnt include a case.
I played it and the neck blows away every guitar I own or ever have owned. I own about 17 guitars at present. 
I dont know what your price range is but I wanted to pass this on. Sale ends on Christmas eve.


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## LEOVAN83

longfxukxnhair said:


> Leo,
> I wanted to pass some info on to you. I was at a Guitar Center today. They have a ESP MII NTB with case for $1349 new out the door. Now they dont even list the NTB on their website. But my local store had 2. They retail every where else for $1899 new and that doesnt include a case.
> I played it and the neck blows away every guitar I own or ever have owned. I own about 17 guitars at present.
> I dont know what your price range is but I wanted to pass this on. Sale ends on Christmas eve.



Thanks man! See the "process" for me will be quite different. I don't live in the US so I will have to buy the guitar and have it sent to a friends house, where I will eventually travel to pick it up or most likely, wait until my friend travels to me, bringing the guitar.

I don't like rosewood boards (the NTB model has a rosewood board), and I was looking at bolt-on necks to have a particular sound/look authentic to what I consider a "superstrat", hence the maple board and the bolt-on construction.

As much as I love NTB guitars, I will rather have a custom made Jackson or BC Rich if I was looking for that... 

Thanks for letting me know though, for that price, that model is a steal! They sell the M-I which doesn't have a Floyd and has a satin finish for about the same amount of money...


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## crossroadsnyc

Neither. Since you're looking for something a little souped up, how about getting yourself another Gibson ... maybe an SG w/a floyd?


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## LEOVAN83

crossroadsnyc said:


> Neither. Since you're looking for something a little souped up, how about getting yourself another Gibson ... maybe an SG w/a floyd?



Hehe! At first I thought about getting a Stratocaster, since I don't have one, and I've always wanted to have that tone as well, since it's as "classic" as a Les Paul, but then, I kinda thought I could "hold that thought" for a while...

I'd like to keep the LP Custom and get this ESP for me to be able to play some solos that I used to play before (with the Floyd) and at the same time, have a particular tone, different from the LP, so I think alder, bolt-on, maple board...should work for me.

Now, I could just throw the whole idea away, sell the LP Custom and together with the money I'm planning on spending on the ESP... I could maybe have a custom made Jackson... hmm


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## duncan11

while I'm not the biggest fan of fat huge nocaster or R7-R8 necks, nearly every Ibanez I've ever tried is like a toothpick. I'd have to give the edge to ESP here.


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## crossroadsnyc

I don't know why, but Ibanez has always been really low on my desirability list. Maybe it's because most people mispronounce it? Or, maybe I mispronounce it.

How do _you_ pronounce it?


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## duncan11

crossroadsnyc said:


> I don't know why, but Ibanez has always been really low on my desirability list. Maybe it's because most people mispronounce it? Or, maybe I mispronounce it.
> 
> How do _you_ pronounce it?




EYE-ban-ez


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## MonstersOfTheMidway

I got a double-locking/floating tremolo ESP model M100-FM and I do like it very much.

The neck is super fast. I absolutely love their fretwork and and the feel of the high frets (it almost feels like a scalled fretboard). The pups on this model are not the very best, but that's because it is a "budget" model and so the pups are the main feature that is slightly lacking. The pups aren't bad, but there are better aftermarket choices out there.

Best my guitar is a double-locking/floating tremolo guitar, it does need to be setup properly, as do all double-locking/floating tremolo guitars. But once you got it setup and the tremolo bridge setup just right, it's a pretty good instrument to have.


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## dreyn77

Agreed! I just got the M-200FM and what a great supprise it is. It's a great neck for your thumb, when playing all across the finger board. There's not one fault in the finish. I'm sick of great pickups at the moment, so these ESP 14k slightly cheaper brand is a interesting novelty for me. The paint on the neck makes it feel super slick.


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## Reckless_Life

LEOVAN83 said:


> Hey guys,
> 
> My gut tells me ESP is a "better" brand, since they have a full-on custom shop, their models seem to be seen on more "expensive" places than the Ibanez, meaning, ESP has more "high end" guitars available, than Ibanez.
> 
> But, Ibanez seem to have a great reputation for their necks, specially in the superstrat realm.
> 
> If I were to buy an ESP M-II Maple fretboard or an Ibanez RG3250MZ (both cost 1,600 bucks, both Japanese)...what will it be?



If your poll consist outs of the 2 guitar models you mentioned, then I'd go for the ESP.
I like the design of the Ibanez more, I think the M-II is a bit better, but mainly because (in my opinion) I find the RG3250 overpriced. I think that guitar should compete in a lower price range.

But as it comes brand vs brand, people like Steve Vai and Paul Gilbert play Ibanez and guys like Hetfield and George Lynch play ESP... who are we to judge that in a poll?


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## LEOVAN83

Despite the fact that I really don't "count" who plays what...SPECIALLY on the Japanese guitars since these comapnies pay BIG TIME to be sponsors, meaning, James Hetfield is probably very happy to get a check for some very big bucks just for playing their guitars and ONLY because Gibson or any company didn't pay the same...

But, setting that aside, yes, I do see more of the shredders like Vai, Satriani and others, playing on Ibanez, while I see more of the heavier metal guys playing on ESP's. I'm not a shredder, but I will love the feel of a "shredder's neck and fretboard" on a superstrat guitar, since superstrats are usually associated with shredding, and since I'm getting that particular "configuration". I'm getting an ESP anyway hehehe!


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## LEOVAN83

I think this is the same guitar I'm looking at getting? Except this one is blue...

[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PG2804ggsI0]Michael Romeo: Sea of Lies - YouTube[/ame]


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## duncan11

I had a late 90's esp ltd, the first permutation of the 'cheaper' alternative to the Kirk Hammett model. now they make them with the skull and crossbone inlays, (cheaper ltd's) mine had dots, but 24 frets, recessed trem, and 2 SD pickups, reverse non tilt headstock, it wasn't a bad axe but I do remember the neck being very slim, slimmer than my strats I had at the time.


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