The SLAT3-7 has been reported to be a very nice guitar - it seems Jackson are finally getting their act back together...

Ibanez do make some good guitars, but I would definitely consider other manufacturers as IMO at least you need to start looking at mid-to-top end Ibanez before they come into their own.

The new RG 1527z (Prestige) for example IS basswood but saying tha Basswood sucks isn't entirely accurate as there are grades of basswood and indeed, some people like the tone - it all depenends on personal taste so do some shopping around and you'll probably find a bundle of other guitars to try. Generally I wouldn't touch them until you're looking at the Prestige models as I don't believe anything else offers particularly good value for money...

Aww dude, I totally forgot about that one.

What about the Ibanez Universe? Isn't that a basswood body? Why the high price tag, because Vai's name is on it?

Pretty much.

Basswood isn't necessarily bad. Joe Satriani's guitars are made out of it. It's as good a wood as any, but it is looked down upon because a lot of cheap Asian guitars are made out of it since it's readily available (like agathis) there. There's also shitty mahogany and shitty alder, and so forth. Wood quality, and how well the body resonates, has a LOT to do with it, even what part of the tree it's from. Anyway, basswood is a good wood for lead playing because it pronounces the mid frequencies the most.

http://www.jemsite.com/jem/wood.htm

Well, it's true it's a matter of taste. But there's different types of Basswood. The basswood Ibanez uses for their asian made guitars (I can't comment on a LACS since I've never played one) isn't the best basswood. There is other brands that use basswood also which sounds way better, Suhr to name one.

However, the character of basswood is that it's quite "dead", it doesn't have as lively harmonics as alder, mahogany or swamp ash have to name a few. Basswood may be well suited for rhythm playing, since it isn't as rich on harmonics. But the lack of bass ruins it for me also, I think it's still a weak tonewood, but of course it's a matter of taste. I found basswood works best with bright pickups that are really harmonically rich (picks up harmonics easy) like Dimarzio Evolution as example.

I don't think any basswood guitar is even close to any alder, mahogany or swamp ash guitar I've played in the same pricerange. It's not entirely because of the characteristics of the wood but also of the quality of the wood.

+1

W-what about elm??? Apparently my 7 string is made out of it....

If you like it then it's a good wood.

I figured you'd say something like that. I've got 707's in mine, and I'm not sure how to classify how it sounds, I should've done a sound test when I had the stock pickups in there...

its i-been-had. honestly anytime i go to a guitar store and pick up an ibanez i think "wow this sucks". i think theyve gone EXTREMELY downhill. the only guitars that ive played recently from them and liked are the steve vai's. those shits are COOOL

Just picking up a guitar at a store isn't really enough to make an accurate judgment of a guitars quality. Most stores don't take the time to set up their guitars with exception to the expensive ones (which might explain why you liked the Jems). Even cheap guitars, when set up properly, can play well and maybe even sound decent with some part swaps.

I honestly haven't played that many Ibanez. But, I wasn't impressed by the ones I have played. I'm still neutral.

I'm not really into Ibanez guitars either, more into Fender, Gibson and notably prs guitars continue to amaze me when I play them in a guitar store.

I must agree on that one, but then your talking about a 2500 dollar guitar. Guitars from that price range will rarely sound like crap.

This thing is ridiculous btw: