I've got the new Ibanez JEM Jr. which looked just like the real deal. Let's hear whether it can also match the tone. Both guitars are not modified. I tried to cover Steve Vai's Sister and For the Love of God
Will sound identical with the same pickups. All electric guitars do. The woods make zero difference to the plugged in sound. The woods are Just sales shit to keep the surfs spending and the rich living tax free in their mansion-houses
Tyreek Murillo about the sustain and etc, theyre just a few easily solvable things, they are two absolutely different guitars un terms of Woods and etc, that actually sound really close, un going to spend 500 un my jr and itll end Up being a Monster sounding axe with nothing to do with the 7v, but still great and trully good looking, i trully recomend that guitar
Hearing the difference is only one thing. How they feel, how they can be adjusted, how they perform at loud volumes and over time, how they stay in tune etc - there are many more things that are just as important.
100% I do like listening to guitar demos but I mostly want hear someone say how something feels compared to something else. At least if I’m considering buying something.
@@ShihTzuPosting They don't feel the same because the Jr has a Wizard 3 neck profile with Jumbo frets and the 7V has the Jem neck with 6105 frets. However, unless you back-to-backed them, you may not care. Swapping guitars just takes a few minutes acclimatisation and you're good. Alternatively, you can do what I did. Take a Power Sander to the back of the neck. Slim the depth at 1st fret to 17.5mm and 12th fret to 18.5mm. Reprofile to a gentle "C". Scallop frets 21-24. Re-finish with 3 or 4 coats of Tru-Oil and buff with "0000" Steel Wool. Voila! Virtually identical to the 7V. Impossible to tell in a blindfold test
@professorstein True but given the huge price difference, that's something that can easily be rectified by a little set-up/fettling and (if necessary) replacement of a few components. I own both and there's not that much between them.
thanks, i been playing for 30 years and had to sell all my stuff last year to take care of my step son. now i'm back on my feet but cant afford my dream guitar, a ibanez PIA. i cant afford a jem either, but i think even at 40 years old maybe i can enjoy this jem jr. for the 500 dollars.
Wasnt watching the video, just listening to the sound. No difference whatsoever that justifies the price difference. I'd be seriously happy with a JEM Jr!
Hi, I owned a Jem 7v, fell out of love with it, sold it and then a few years later I missed it. I bought the Jem JR on a whim and wow - it is crazy... yes there is difference but not over a thousand notes difference. With a tweak on your DAW or effects rig, you can get 99% of the tone. Honestly. PS.. normally I find you get a lot more when you pay a lot more but today's not that day.
to be honest I kind of don't hear a difference and they look the same but I watch this video because my son wants Jemjr. I think I will get it for him he's 12.
Tampatec get your kid a fender strat and let him learn the blues if not get your young man a ESP ltd kh202 tbh idk how much the jem jr is but if you're willing to put in the money he'd love this one the esp ltd kh602
I actually built a copy and put good pickups/gear in it and its friggin amazing. A jem is probably the perfect first guitar other than price. I can get strat tones, lp tones.. pretty much anythign i want out of it. It's a "one guitar that does it all" guitar
My first guitar was a fake strat it was ok quality but if your just starting out with guitar playing dont get such an expensive one after all your son is only 12 and probably isnt committed to the craft of guitar playing once your sure hes good with a shit guitar and is committed to playing then you can get him a nice guitar
You may not hear perceptible differences in sound (our computer speakers tend to prevent us from hearing the details) but there is a huge difference in the way the guitar feels. The way the palm feels on the bridge, how that bridge works and reacts (actually you can see clear visual differences between the Jem´s bridge and the Juniors). And unplug the two guitars and you'll also hear differences in resonance and sustain. In other words, the Junior is a beautiful guitar and does sound "similar" to a Jem, but it clearly feels like a cheaper guitar [sorry for my crappy english]
Laguna Zancruz For Ibanez RGs basswood body X alder body made difference. If you change the pafs for evolutions on elders jem you almost can’t note the difference. Because the 80’s jem had basswood with maple scale. And the 90’s comes with alder body and dark fingerboard.
Yep friend of mine bought one we changed the tremolo to an original floyd and placed dimarzio evolution pickups in and it sounded like my jem which cost 2500 usd.
Jervis Tetch Yousician who cares about the body. I’m talking about the hardware that you can hear. I would make the body out of carbon fiber if I could afford it but it really doesn’t make a lot of difference to me.
I bought a Jem Jr WH last week. Put in a Fatter 34mm Brass Block on the Trem and gave it a set-up. It's a beast! Sustains 25% longer now than either my Jem70V or Jem77FP2 (which have identical sustain thanks to same trem & body wood). The Jr's Quantum pups are absolutely fine. Trem stability is spot on (so far..). Flawless paintwork & build quality. A great guitar for those wanting Vai style on a budget and a modder's delight. There's a full 'Evo' cosmetic makeover coming up for mine...
There was definitely a difference. The 7v does have a slightly warmer tone and more sustain. Also, for me, the overdriven tones sounded a bit "cleaner" if you can understand what I mean. The Jemjr is a $400-$500 guitar while tje jem7v is a $2700-$2800 guitar(sorry if the prices aren't exact, I was transferring them from euros to dollars so they are fairly close at least) My opinion is that the jem7v is a guitar for semi-pro and pro players. Basically for players who have gigs quite often as the sound difference isn't equal to the price difference. If buying a guitar you can enjoy playing at home and further improve your guitar skills, I heartfully recommend the jemjr as it is a great guitar for a great price. I hope this helps some people who are thinking what to buy and if you disagree with any of my claims, please feel free to respond to the comment as I'd love to see other people's opinions.
The biggest upgrade the jem jr needs is a higher quality floyd rose and a nice brass tone block. That is what fixes the sustain problem. The quantum pickups are surprisingly good. Still deciding if I want to swap them.
Damn, Junior put up one hell of a fight. And with different pickups I bet it would be so hard to tell the difference. But for I'm sure if you're the type to play 1000 hours, the subtle details/differences are worth the extra grand for the real JEM; more sustain, and tone overall sounds a tad more grandiose and spacier (and as someone mentioned earlier; a little warmer). For someone just starting the JEM Junior is a dream, but for someone whose played, you pay these huge sums for these seemingly minute differences, because you these smaller differences are the things you absolutely fall in love with over time.
I really enjoyed your playing. I can tell you're a true student of Vai, with your pinch harmonics and that sliding up or down the fretboard into your note. To my ears, your technique makes the song sound very consistent from one guitar to the next. If you played this on a $99 Squier, it would probably sound just as good. The only difference I hear--as others have noted-- is the JEM Jr.'s lack of sustain. I suspect the lower-mass tremolo block may be the culprit. Having said that, for the money the Jr. is tough to beat!!!
The cheaper whammy bar system in the JR has much less sustain. From my own experience, I am also under the impression that the JR is quite low on flageolet response. This may be connected to the low sustain. Well, no wonder for an amazingly affordable guitar that costs just 100 bucks more than a naked Floyd Rose trem - _without_ the guitar. Also, great playing! Thanks for the vid.
I have a horrible case of tinnitus and I can rarely tell the difference between guitars, but I definitely can between these two. Which is a good thing considering the cost difference.
I fitted a fatter 34mm Brass Block to the Standard DL Trem of my Jr - a £20 upgrade. Then I tested the sustain time of the Jr against my MIJ and Premium Jems (both with Edge Trem). The Jr now sustains 30% longer than either of the others. No need to spend lots of money for better sustain...
@@stryk9rockr you'll need way more than that to make it play like a 7v. i have the JR, the neck looks and feels cheap, the trem sucks, the pickups suck, it needed a full fret level and setup straight from the factory as well. okay first guitar, but i wouldn't buy another
the jem jr is a great guitar for the price and the tiny difference in sound is due to difference in pickups and upgraded hardware wish is easy interchangable
I closed my eyes and had a hard time telling when the guitars were switched. Playability is more important than tone with this kind of setup, since so much comes from the amp/effects
The weird thing is I am a die hard Steve Vai fan. Had an old UV7BK and I can say Steve's guitars were meant to sound nasal and I feel the top end is bordering on muffled. If I get my hands on a 7V or a 555 I would always look into modding them with non-Vai signature pickups. Have no experience with his recent ones though
i've own 555 (very early version when it just came out), 7VWH and 7SFG. The sound profile is almost similar however, Jr has thinner sound and less sustain, 7VWH sound fuller and more projection, 7SFG is in-between. The difference in the tones is due to the wood of the body, so the wood use for the guitar overall is equally important. But overall the EVO pickup maintains similar sound profile. I love EVO pups.. my other guitars are using EVOs too. And surprisingly, one of my Yamaha RGX420 DZ2 sounds quite good with EVO pups, has clarity and sound really crispy and clean. Whatever it is, EVO ftw! 🤣
Good idea to compare those instruments. I feel there are some subtle differences like harmonics and sustain, it would be nice to test the Jr with Evos. But what this shows is that both are great instruments and that there still company putting nice more affordable instruments.
The 7v sounds a bit more articulated. Notes are ringing out a little more. The Jr sounds a little bit muddier, but as an owner of a Jr myself I think it sounds good, and very close for a $500 guitar
It’s not only based on the sound if you have the right gear and upgrade then pickups.. it’s also the finishing of the neck and how it feels with the type of wood used. Toyota is a car that will drive you to point A to point B, the BMW does the same but it’s a premium car. That’s the difference.
Yes, I can. Look, the thing is, the hardware on a Jem jr will ware out in 6 months of constant playing, frets and neck. A Jem 7v which I will own in 3 weeks will last me till I die. The warmth of a jem 7v cannot be beat. HOWEVER, really really nice playing bro.
Great video! I thought the Jem 7V definitely sounded fuller and clearer in the clean sounds, but harder to tell a big difference once you play with distortion. I settled halfway between these two and bought the Jem 70V 😀
The issue, which is really stupid. I was a 80's rocker and still am jamming (all kinds of music) all these videos are recorded through computer. I love it and dig but it is so nice playing through a half stack and some pedals, smoking a little and jamming. Peace 🕊️.
thank you for choosing my favorite steve vai song to demonstrate these two guitars, perfect choice for a video. this was a helpful and very practical comparison. i enjoyed the sounds on both guitars, but i would go with the 7vwh due to its warmer, fuller tone and better build quality and components. but the jem jr is an exceptional instrument for the money. i would totally but this for my child if he wanted to play guitar. the japanese 7vwh is my favorite guitar ever!
@@jem555bkk your welcome, and you had the best choice of song of any comparison video ive ever seen on youtube, hats of to you, you did it properly with the melodic song. i would love to see you do steves "liberty song " video comparison one day. my wife is japanese, thats also why i love japanese guitars. they have excellent build quality! correction-i made a presumptious mistake in my first message when i said that the 7vwh is my favorite guitar ever. its is not, its the 1988 ibanez jem floral pattern, which in my humble opinion is the greatest guitar ever made and the 7vwh is my second favorite. there is a video you need to see by a guy named max cirillo on youtube talking about the 1988 ibanez jem and "why it might be the best guitar ever made" check it out and youll see why its my favorite guitar of all time. type it in youtube with the same heading i wrote and youll find it quick.
This is very helpful and you play amazingly well! The 7v is better, and that's pretty clear, but with distortion the Jr. keeps up very well. I imagine sticking diMarzio's in the Jr. would bring it even closer. I just got a Jr. and am very pleased with its neck and its sound, but, yeah, pleasure to hear your comparison. Thanks
Well the trick is in the video editing.:) I simply removing the bad parts away, but even that you can hear bad timing and out of tune playing here and there. I would love to try Dimarzio in the Jr. but too lazy for soldering work now. Maybe, someday. Thanks for watching.
They both sound close in the Video, The 7v has better Clear and more Sustain. But I have tried it at home and you can really hear the difference between the Jr and the 7v. I like the Jr as well, but I love my 7v more. Thats just my opinion
sure?? it's a warmer mahogany body vs a brighter alder body... A lot of people talk about the big difference between the ebony and rosewood fretboard on 7VWH Jems (I don't agree with that.. bet them all to tell the difference only by hearing), but here the difference is bigger, not only the pups
There's definitely much less of a difference when you begin to overdrive them. On the clean channel there's a bigger difference. Time to upgrade my Jem Jr's pickups. THANKS FOR NOTHING! /s
Both sound great! All I could say is that the Jr just sounds a little less "full" in the tonal range? Visually the thing that struck me the MOST is the beautifully polished Ebony board on the 7v.......... Both appeared to play very nicely but then that is obviously a very subjective thing. Given the price difference, I would say the Jr is a GREAT buy!!!
To my ears, the 7vwh sounds brighter on clean and sustains better with distortion. The lack of brightness would likely be the difference in body wood ( mahogany vs alder). The Jem Jr. with Evolution pickups would probably sound like a beast!
I hear the difference big time. JEM7v has a warm golden smoother tone. Best way I can explain it. By changing pickups I'm sure it would be not noticeable.
i like only playing my own style; that way I'm not copying anybody and i can focus on being all original and nobody can say i ripped this, or that guy off....
Very slight difference, but the 7v is warmer at neck and sharper at bridge. However, I had to close my eyes and focus carefully on the sound to catch the difference. Nice job!
Got the Jem 555, (in between the Jem Jr and the 7V), which comes with the DiMarzio EVOs, Wizard 3-piece neck, pearloid scratch-plate and Edge III bridge already loaded. Price-wise, it's about 2x the Jem Jr (~UK £700 - £800, the Jem Jr is ~£360). The bridge gets a lot of bad press for some reason I can't figure - I've set it up with 10s on E-flat and it's really tight, responsive and bomb-proof, no matter how much abuse I give it. It's such a comfortable guitar to play, but I've found it sounds a little bit thin and lacking in sustain, especially on the single-coil and also when you roll off the tone control in any pick-up position. You need to boost the gain to get it to ring out more, which isn't a problem in itself, let's you hit the pinch harmonics easier :-). 7v's I've played seemed to suffer from the same "problem" too. Apart from that, phenomenal guitar IMO, as good as a 7v to my un-educated ears and fingers !!Have played a Jem Jr before and TBH, there's not enough of a difference sound-wise to make me buy a 7v instead, especially at £2K price difference - not worth it IMO. Think this video shows that - I think I can pick up minor differences in tonality and sustain, with the 7V being better, but not enough to justify the price difference for me. I'd be more than happy to play live with a Jem Jr and love playing live with my 555.Really nice playing, BTW - FTLOG is one of my favourite Vai songs.
I used to have an old JEM555 too (That's where I got my youtube login name from) but unfortunately I've sold it for quite a few years back since I already got a JEM7v. It's absolutely a great guitar I thought I sold it too cheap. Thank you for checking my video out.
Just curious - how much did you sell it for ? Bought my 555 for £275 with a case - I'm pretty sure the shop I bought it from must've got mixed up and thought it was a Jem Jr :-). Second hand they normally go for ~£450 - £500, depending on condition and whether they've got a case or not.I only went in for some strings, just couldn't resist when I saw the price.
those pups in the jr definitely need changing, but with the amount of money you're saving compared to the 7v I'd say that's both expected and a pretty reasonable thing to do
Throw a thick tone block from FUtone and some EVO pickups would come pretty close....the pickups and the weak trem in the Jr is whats killing its sustain..
I could hear a definite difference on the clean passage at the beginning. The Jem sounded fuller with more depth of tone than the Jr. I could barely hear a difference during the song, which you did an awesome job of (going to check if you do any Vai instruction videos next! ), although it seemed as though the harmonics and some of the faster parts sounded more fluid on the full fledged Jem, as though the Jr lacked a bit of sustain, fretted out, and/or didn't accommodate your technique quite as well.
A great homage to Vai. I guess if you own a 7v it might be difficult to admit there is virtually no difference between what you hear on this comparison. I have a Jr and am very happy with it. My playing ability does not justify a 7v but your insight re your experience of the difference in playability between the two is really interesting and helpful.
I upgraded from my LTD Viper-10 to the Junior. And I personally was blown away. I didn't really know what they meant by a "fast playing neck" but I do now lol. But I've had an amazing experience with my JemJr.
if you want to sound like steve, get the expensive one. i would recommend getting both. one to take on the go and the other for serious performances. either you want to save money or be serious....if you can't afford the expensive one the jr. is close enough to make an awesome performance. the jr has exceptional quality in comparison to all other guitars. don't let the price make you think it is no good. it is the best you can get for the price.
Thanks jem mate for posting.I was going to break the bank (and my marriage) for the 7v but after listening to this what the hell is the point.Just put on Evolution pickups and away I go.
first i must say great video and playing , and yes of course there is difference Jem jr has little bit thinner sound , it's good for that price range . i also have JEM jr and it's good guitar and even better after i changed Bridge mic and Ibanez edge tremolo in it .
The JEM7v has a distinctly better tone in all ranges. It has more beef in the tone. The JEMJr seemed to be mostly highs without any really nice low end. I mean I'm not going to complain about how it sounds for the price that it is. Not to mention a simple pick up change out later is not an issue whatsoever.
I've always wanted a jem. Was shopping for guitars back February and played a jr. I'm used to my 98 rg 550 which is just amazing btw, so that's what I was comparing the jr. It played fine, but not like my 550, which may be an unfair comparison considering the 550 was made in fujigen. Sustain, sound, feel, tuning stability, I found all of these much better on my 550. I ended up getting a used EVH Wolfgang standard which constantly blows me away, amazing guitar for the price. I still want a jem but I'm probably going to shoot for a premium 77bfp or a real fujigen model. Those ebony fret boards really help make the more sing. A jr with upgraded pups, brass block, locking tuners, maybe a different bridge could be cool, but considering the price of those upgrades, I may be better off getting a used premium which plays a lot more closely to the 7v imho. Jem jr with upgrades or used premium, Any one have thoughts on this? I'd love the input.
Bit late for a reply but.... The Jr is a fantastic modding platform. If you love tinkering with guitars (I do), you can make it feel and sound just like a 7V. I know. I have both. However, 'best back for the buck' Jem has to be the Premium Jem70V. A fantastic guitar which can still be found at bargain used prices. Nicer woods/construction than the Jr and all the important Jem7V hardware (e.g. Trem, Pups). My first Jem and still my favourite. A pro-musician buddy of mine agrees. If you absolutely need the Ebony fretboard you'll have to find a 1994-2003 Jem7V or the current Premium Jem7VP. Neither are cheap...
The difference on the clean is evident, but to be honest the jr is not that bad when it's distorted. Obviously the 7v has much more sustain, but i think it's because of the high end pickups. Not saying it's the same guitar, but hey, at least they tried.
appart from the clean part, where the 7v has a bit more sparkle than the jr , I hear very little difference. At this level of processing on the sound I believe that the amp and effects are a lot more defining for the sound than the pickups or the guitar used.
The Jem JR Quantum pickups sound a bit lifeless compared to the Evo's, with much less sustain and high-frequency harmonic content etc... definitely not bad for the price though! I just grabbed one of these Jem JR's off of eBay and will probably put a PAF Pro in the bridge at some point. Thanks for the comparison video!
The Jem 7 is rounder, defined, warmer tone. Well considering difference of the pick up used on the two guitars, for sure it should be a factor too. Also the bridge. Another is the body used. I thought the Japanese JEM used an American Alder which sound rounder and has good resonance. On the Jem Jr which used Mahogany that is also a factor. If I get a Jem Jr I would definitely change the pickups, not bad and can be greatly improve.
If you’re planning on recording the next Steve Vai album get the 7v, if you’re just gonna play on your home studio get the Jr... the 7v has a more sustained and warmer sound but definitely the Jr is a great buy if you’re on a budget
Great comparison video. For the most part, very similar....I could only tell the difference on the spots where there was some harmonics and sustain. You could hear the Jr. die out faster. For the money though, I'd buy the Jr.
I own the JEM7V WH for 10 years, it's just brillant and flawless. I played the Jr in a guitar shop and thought this was quality wise extremely disappointing, felt really cheap. You can't have top features at Macca's price point. You get what you pay for.
They sound massively different. I guess the Jr could be improved a lot by fitting in a set of Evolution pickups and a Lo Pro Edge or even better an original floyd rose pro, and it would sound 99% like the JEM7v but cheaper. Does the neck feel too differently?
I hear big sustain difference - tone is pretty close. Swap the pickups and maybe the Floyd and the locking nut and you would rectify that. Good demo man.
going thru the comments...the original jem 777 was basswood with an edge trem and dimarzio paf pro pups , the jem 7vwh is alder with lo pro edge trem and evolution pups , the jem jr is mahogany with a cheap trem and quantum pups . The new "woody" is mahogany with lo pro edge and breed pups. The woods ,pickups and tremolos definitely make a difference. I love all the comparisons , but....with the youtube compression its very hard to telk the real differences unless youre there.
least we forget the pricings....if you want an original jem 777 at 25% of the cost , get an old rg550 and put paf pros in it. The jem jr is basically the same as a "woody" just change the trem and pups.
The Jem jr is a bit more beefier compared to the 7v but it seems the Jem jr you certainly get your bang for your buck especially with an extra 150-200$ to put evo pickups in it wouldn't tell the difference considering the wood to build Jem and Jem jr are exactly the same pieces and types
I have a jem jr and am very happy with its tone and feel. I think for the money its a great guitar. I can hear some tonal advantages with the jem 7 no doubt, but for a hobbyist as my self its a no brainer. Jem Jr (great for the money)
The jem has more sustain on the neck pickup. You seem to be able to hold a note for longer with the Jem. The Jem Jr. has a “muddier” sound in the bottom end of the pickups. I would be very interested in the possibility in putting Evolution pickups into the Jem Jr. Very good playing, by the way. 👌
Well if you ever played a Japanese Jem you know they are worth what they cost. For what it costs the Jr fit and finish is better than what you usualy get. Never tried a premium Jem yet.
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Let's hear whether JEM Jr. with Dimarzio Evolution will make a difference.
th-cam.com/video/prozXBbdSZ8/w-d-xo.html
jem555bkk I
Thanks for watching!
amd a better trem
@@Big_Uncle_Randy So you can tell ...
Will sound identical with the same pickups. All electric guitars do. The woods make zero difference to the plugged in sound. The woods are Just sales shit to keep the surfs spending and the rich living tax free in their mansion-houses
the 7v has a much warmer tone, a lot more atmosphere to it, but tbf, the jem jr comes close!
Spot on ! I agree.
no shit. the more expensive guitar is gonna be better obviously
well it's gonna have things like higher output pickups more sustain and better frets
Tyreek Murillo about the sustain and etc, theyre just a few easily solvable things, they are two absolutely different guitars un terms of Woods and etc, that actually sound really close, un going to spend 500 un my jr and itll end Up being a Monster sounding axe with nothing to do with the 7v, but still great and trully good looking, i trully recomend that guitar
Also clearly much more sustain
Hearing the difference is only one thing. How they feel, how they can be adjusted, how they perform at loud volumes and over time, how they stay in tune etc - there are many more things that are just as important.
Pickups on JEM JR is real shit?
100% I do like listening to guitar demos but I mostly want hear someone say how something feels compared to something else. At least if I’m considering buying something.
@@ShihTzuPosting They don't feel the same because the Jr has a Wizard 3 neck profile with Jumbo frets and the 7V has the Jem neck with 6105 frets. However, unless you back-to-backed them, you may not care. Swapping guitars just takes a few minutes acclimatisation and you're good.
Alternatively, you can do what I did. Take a Power Sander to the back of the neck. Slim the depth at 1st fret to 17.5mm and 12th fret to 18.5mm. Reprofile to a gentle "C". Scallop frets 21-24. Re-finish with 3 or 4 coats of Tru-Oil and buff with "0000" Steel Wool. Voila! Virtually identical to the 7V. Impossible to tell in a blindfold test
@professorstein True but given the huge price difference, that's something that can easily be rectified by a little set-up/fettling and (if necessary) replacement of a few components. I own both and there's not that much between them.
Once distortion is added they're quite close, and no one buys these for the clean tones. The Jr is an excellent value.
KassperT tbh, the cleans sound kinda nice
@@PixieMinie Pickups on JEM JR is real shit?
Pickups on JEM JR is real shit?
@@jimmydover1632 I don't wanna say 'sh*t' but you can easily feel the power difference when you upgrade them to Dimarzio Evolutions that are in 7V.
@@JangYounghwan I really fully agree with you, I got these pickups in past on jem555bkk and they are so powerful !
Also props to the player. You have a good feel and playing ability.
Thanks for watching!
thanks, i been playing for 30 years and had to sell all my stuff last year to take care of my step son. now i'm back on my feet but cant afford my dream guitar, a ibanez PIA. i cant afford a jem either, but i think even at 40 years old maybe i can enjoy this jem jr. for the 500 dollars.
One of the best comparisons ever made !!
Thanks for watching!
Wasnt watching the video, just listening to the sound. No difference whatsoever that justifies the price difference. I'd be seriously happy with a JEM Jr!
Hi, I owned a Jem 7v, fell out of love with it, sold it and then a few years later I missed it. I bought the Jem JR on a whim and wow - it is crazy... yes there is difference but not over a thousand notes difference. With a tweak on your DAW or effects rig, you can get 99% of the tone. Honestly.
PS.. normally I find you get a lot more when you pay a lot more but today's not that day.
to be honest I kind of don't hear a difference and they look the same but I watch this video because my son wants Jemjr. I think I will get it for him he's 12.
If this is his first guitar and he's serious about it, then you're making the right choice
Tampatec get your kid a fender strat and let him learn the blues if not get your young man a ESP ltd kh202 tbh idk how much the jem jr is but if you're willing to put in the money he'd love this one the esp ltd kh602
I actually built a copy and put good pickups/gear in it and its friggin amazing. A jem is probably the perfect first guitar other than price. I can get strat tones, lp tones.. pretty much anythign i want out of it. It's a "one guitar that does it all" guitar
My first guitar was a fake strat it was ok quality but if your just starting out with guitar playing dont get such an expensive one after all your son is only 12 and probably isnt committed to the craft of guitar playing once your sure hes good with a shit guitar and is committed to playing then you can get him a nice guitar
I just bought one the other day, it gets here Thursday, so I can't wait, I bought the jem jr for £400 btw
You may not hear perceptible differences in sound (our computer speakers tend to prevent us from hearing the details) but there is a huge difference in the way the guitar feels. The way the palm feels on the bridge, how that bridge works and reacts (actually you can see clear visual differences between the Jem´s bridge and the Juniors). And unplug the two guitars and you'll also hear differences in resonance and sustain. In other words, the Junior is a beautiful guitar and does sound "similar" to a Jem, but it clearly feels like a cheaper guitar
[sorry for my crappy english]
Get the Jr, upgrade it and enjoy the $1000 saved.
How can you change a mahogany body to alder? And it's a big difference!
Changing the pickups makes a hell of a more noticeable difference in tone, than wood
Laguna Zancruz
For Ibanez RGs basswood body X alder body made difference.
If you change the pafs for evolutions on elders jem you almost can’t note the difference. Because the 80’s jem had basswood with maple scale. And the 90’s comes with alder body and dark fingerboard.
Yep friend of mine bought one we changed the tremolo to an original floyd and placed dimarzio evolution pickups in and it sounded like my jem which cost 2500 usd.
Jervis Tetch Yousician who cares about the body. I’m talking about the hardware that you can hear. I would make the body out of carbon fiber if I could afford it but it really doesn’t make a lot of difference to me.
I bought a Jem Jr WH last week. Put in a Fatter 34mm Brass Block on the Trem and gave it a set-up. It's a beast! Sustains 25% longer now than either my Jem70V or Jem77FP2 (which have identical sustain thanks to same trem & body wood). The Jr's Quantum pups are absolutely fine. Trem stability is spot on (so far..). Flawless paintwork & build quality. A great guitar for those wanting Vai style on a budget and a modder's delight. There's a full 'Evo' cosmetic makeover coming up for mine...
Hey man. Can you give me a link to where you purchased the block!?
There was definitely a difference. The 7v does have a slightly warmer tone and more sustain. Also, for me, the overdriven tones sounded a bit "cleaner" if you can understand what I mean.
The Jemjr is a $400-$500 guitar while tje jem7v is a $2700-$2800 guitar(sorry if the prices aren't exact, I was transferring them from euros to dollars so they are fairly close at least)
My opinion is that the jem7v is a guitar for semi-pro and pro players. Basically for players who have gigs quite often as the sound difference isn't equal to the price difference.
If buying a guitar you can enjoy playing at home and further improve your guitar skills, I heartfully recommend the jemjr as it is a great guitar for a great price.
I hope this helps some people who are thinking what to buy and if you disagree with any of my claims, please feel free to respond to the comment as I'd love to see other people's opinions.
The biggest upgrade the jem jr needs is a higher quality floyd rose and a nice brass tone block. That is what fixes the sustain problem. The quantum pickups are surprisingly good. Still deciding if I want to swap them.
Agreed. Brass block & (possibly) softer springs are the answer. Pickups are fine
Steve could play that song live with a Jr.... or any other guitar with floyd and no one would ever tell the difference
Damn, Junior put up one hell of a fight. And with different pickups I bet it would be so hard to tell the difference.
But for I'm sure if you're the type to play 1000 hours, the subtle details/differences are worth the extra grand for the real JEM; more sustain, and tone overall sounds a tad more grandiose and spacier (and as someone mentioned earlier; a little warmer).
For someone just starting the JEM Junior is a dream, but for someone whose played, you pay these huge sums for these seemingly minute differences, because you these smaller differences are the things you absolutely fall in love with over time.
I really enjoyed your playing. I can tell you're a true student of Vai, with your pinch harmonics and that sliding up or down the fretboard into your note.
To my ears, your technique makes the song sound very consistent from one guitar to the next. If you played this on a $99 Squier, it would probably sound just as good.
The only difference I hear--as others have noted-- is the JEM Jr.'s lack of sustain. I suspect the lower-mass tremolo block may be the culprit. Having said that, for the money the Jr. is tough to beat!!!
The cheaper whammy bar system in the JR has much less sustain. From my own experience, I am also under the impression that the JR is quite low on flageolet response. This may be connected to the low sustain. Well, no wonder for an amazingly affordable guitar that costs just 100 bucks more than a naked Floyd Rose trem - _without_ the guitar.
Also, great playing! Thanks for the vid.
I have a horrible case of tinnitus and I can rarely tell the difference between guitars, but I definitely can between these two. Which is a good thing considering the cost difference.
The 7V sounds slightly better but the Jr. Is hella lotta cheaper. Gonna buy one soon, thanks for the comparison
Thanks for watching!
the sustain difference between the 7v and the jr is really huge, i'm sure the 7v is worth all its money
for $200 you put the 7V's trem in it....sustain problem solved...also...pick ups are not too expensive to change....major savings
Skip Towne you’re better off getting the Steve vai Jem “woody”
I fitted a fatter 34mm Brass Block to the Standard DL Trem of my Jr - a £20 upgrade. Then I tested the sustain time of the Jr against my MIJ and Premium Jems (both with Edge Trem). The Jr now sustains 30% longer than either of the others. No need to spend lots of money for better sustain...
I have both guitars. And i can tell you the difference is like night and day. Stop giving comments if you dont have em both and mislead people
@@stryk9rockr you'll need way more than that to make it play like a 7v. i have the JR, the neck looks and feels cheap, the trem sucks, the pickups suck, it needed a full fret level and setup straight from the factory as well. okay first guitar, but i wouldn't buy another
Hey man i love Sisters its so beautiful you played it quite well. Keep on rocking.
Thank you for watching.
Great playing, and actually I think the Junior did well holding up to it's more expensive brother.
Thanks for watching!
the jem7 has more output from the dimarzio pups and a more warmer tone to it but the jem Jr is still a great guitar for those that are on a budget 👍
7v shows shimmering high end at times. Soundwise + price, Jr is a steal. Nicely done.
I came for the guitars, I stayed for your incredible playing. You sound so much like Vai.
Thanks for watching!
Jem7v is a bit warmer and has a bit more sustain? Jem Jr. sounds great for an affordable guitar.
Your vibrato is badass. You have a lot of soul in your playing. And youve convinced me to get a jr
Thank you for the compliment! I'm glad the video is useful.
the jem jr is a great guitar for the price and the tiny difference in sound is due to difference in pickups and upgraded hardware wish is easy interchangable
I closed my eyes and had a hard time telling when the guitars were switched. Playability is more important than tone with this kind of setup, since so much comes from the amp/effects
Good job. There is a difference. I'm switching from my JEM Jr to Dimarzio. Bridge - AT-1; Middle - Cruiser with side-by-side coils; Neck - Evolution.
Thanks for watching!
The weird thing is I am a die hard Steve Vai fan. Had an old UV7BK and I can say Steve's guitars were meant to sound nasal and I feel the top end is bordering on muffled. If I get my hands on a 7V or a 555 I would always look into modding them with non-Vai signature pickups. Have no experience with his recent ones though
i've own 555 (very early version when it just came out), 7VWH and 7SFG. The sound profile is almost similar however, Jr has thinner sound and less sustain, 7VWH sound fuller and more projection, 7SFG is in-between. The difference in the tones is due to the wood of the body, so the wood use for the guitar overall is equally important. But overall the EVO pickup maintains similar sound profile. I love EVO pups.. my other guitars are using EVOs too. And surprisingly, one of my Yamaha RGX420 DZ2 sounds quite good with EVO pups, has clarity and sound really crispy and clean. Whatever it is, EVO ftw! 🤣
Good idea to compare those instruments. I feel there are some subtle differences like harmonics and sustain, it would be nice to test the Jr with Evos. But what this shows is that both are great instruments and that there still company putting nice more affordable instruments.
rvrb.io/2017-pickup-humbuc-3t24o8
Yes. The difference is the Dimarzio pickups on the Jem7v. Brighter,hotter, and more sustain.
The sustain on that 7v is very nice! You can hear it die out on the Jr. I just ordered the Jr today. I cant wait until it arrives.
The 7v sounds a bit more articulated. Notes are ringing out a little more. The Jr sounds a little bit muddier, but as an owner of a Jr myself I think it sounds good, and very close for a $500 guitar
It’s not only based on the sound if you have the right gear and upgrade then pickups.. it’s also the finishing of the neck and how it feels with the type of wood used. Toyota is a car that will drive you to point A to point B, the BMW does the same but it’s a premium car. That’s the difference.
Yes, I can.
Look, the thing is, the hardware on a Jem jr will ware out in 6 months of constant playing, frets and neck.
A Jem 7v which I will own in 3 weeks will last me till I die.
The warmth of a jem 7v cannot be beat.
HOWEVER, really really nice playing bro.
Thanks for watching and congrats on the new guitar.
The Jem 7V has more bite because of the DiMarzio pick ups. The Jem Jr though sounds nice and pretty close as well. Got the Jem Jr though.
Great video! I thought the Jem 7V definitely sounded fuller and clearer in the clean sounds, but harder to tell a big difference once you play with distortion.
I settled halfway between these two and bought the Jem 70V 😀
sustain , brillance of sounds and body are way better on 7V to me, also on distorted tunes it make a thick difference.
The issue, which is really stupid. I was a 80's rocker and still am jamming (all kinds of music) all these videos are recorded through computer. I love it and dig but it is so nice playing through a half stack and some pedals, smoking a little and jamming. Peace 🕊️.
Big differences from both builds crazy still a nice video!
Thanks for watching!
thank you for choosing my favorite steve vai song to demonstrate these two guitars, perfect choice for a video. this was a helpful and very practical comparison. i enjoyed the sounds on both guitars, but i would go with the 7vwh due to its warmer, fuller tone and better build quality and components. but the jem jr is an exceptional instrument for the money. i would totally but this for my child if he wanted to play guitar. the japanese 7vwh is my favorite guitar ever!
Thanks for watching!
@@jem555bkk your welcome, and you had the best choice of song of any comparison video ive ever seen on youtube, hats of to you, you did it properly with the melodic song. i would love to see you do steves "liberty song " video comparison one day. my wife is japanese, thats also why i love japanese guitars. they have excellent build quality! correction-i made a presumptious mistake in my first message when i said that the 7vwh is my favorite guitar ever. its is not, its the 1988 ibanez jem floral pattern, which in my humble opinion is the greatest guitar ever made and the 7vwh is my second favorite. there is a video you need to see by a guy named max cirillo on youtube talking about the 1988 ibanez jem and "why it might be the best guitar ever made" check it out and youll see why its my favorite guitar of all time. type it in youtube with the same heading i wrote and youll find it quick.
i hope you enjoy it like i did.
This is very helpful and you play amazingly well! The 7v is better, and that's pretty clear, but with distortion the Jr. keeps up very well. I imagine sticking diMarzio's in the Jr. would bring it even closer. I just got a Jr. and am very pleased with its neck and its sound, but, yeah, pleasure to hear your comparison. Thanks
Well the trick is in the video editing.:) I simply removing the bad parts away, but even that you can hear bad timing and out of tune playing here and there. I would love to try Dimarzio in the Jr. but too lazy for soldering work now. Maybe, someday. Thanks for watching.
They both sound close in the Video, The 7v has better Clear and more Sustain. But I have tried it at home and you can really hear the difference between the Jr and the 7v. I like the Jr as well, but I love my 7v more. Thats just my opinion
Thank you very much for this Video. I love my JR and now i love her a little bit more.Best value for money!!!
Thanks for watching!
Dude, you were shredding. Nice work.
Thanks for watching!
Swap out the pickups in the Jem Jr and I bet you would hardly tell the difference at all between the two :)
sure?? it's a warmer mahogany body vs a brighter alder body...
A lot of people talk about the big difference between the ebony and rosewood fretboard on 7VWH Jems (I don't agree with that.. bet them all to tell the difference only by hearing), but here the difference is bigger, not only the pups
What pickups can be pickups?
I wnat change , Because I haave JEM JR
Get the Dimarzio Evolution Set, that is what Steve Vai's Evo has in it
Replace the edge bridge for a real Floyd rose
Yes you can hear the difference fir sure. Both nice though and nice playing
Thank you for watching!
There's definitely much less of a difference when you begin to overdrive them. On the clean channel there's a bigger difference. Time to upgrade my Jem Jr's pickups. THANKS FOR NOTHING! /s
Nice comparison, I'll be changing the pickups in my Jem JR to either "Evolution" or "Gravity Storm" pickups soon :)
Both sound great! All I could say is that the Jr just sounds a little less "full" in the tonal range? Visually the thing that struck me the MOST is the beautifully polished Ebony board on the 7v.......... Both appeared to play very nicely but then that is obviously a very subjective thing. Given the price difference, I would say the Jr is a GREAT buy!!!
Better than Steve himself. You are a Master Player. I been playing all my life , I wish I could play like that.
I know you can't be serious about that but thanks for watching!
It all comes down to parts that are exchangeable to make the Jem jr better and up to par with Jem 7v or at least close
To my ears, the 7vwh sounds brighter on clean and sustains better with distortion. The lack of brightness would likely be the difference in body wood ( mahogany vs alder). The Jem Jr. with Evolution pickups would probably sound like a beast!
I'm partial to the Dark matter pick ups but I also had a sustainer put in mine like Steve's
I have a Jr .. that's the one thing I do not like about it ...is the lack of sustain ... but I can't really complain. ..the price it's awesome ...
I hear the difference big time. JEM7v has a warm golden smoother tone. Best way I can explain it. By changing pickups I'm sure it would be not noticeable.
Oh yeah once I saw your description of it I could tell the difference very well
i like only playing my own style; that way I'm not copying anybody and i can focus on being all original and nobody can say i ripped this, or that guy off....
Very slight difference, but the 7v is warmer at neck and sharper at bridge. However, I had to close my eyes and focus carefully on the sound to catch the difference. Nice job!
Thanks for watching!
Great job, on a VERY difficult piece!!!
Thank you for watching!
You're welcome. Was a very enjoyable watch. :-)
Original slightly clearer & more definition than the junior. But is it a $1000 difference? Junior is a steal!
Whatever the sound this guy plays fuxxing amazing, Boss level 🤟
Thanks for a nice comment!
Got the Jem 555, (in between the Jem Jr and the 7V), which comes with the DiMarzio EVOs, Wizard 3-piece neck, pearloid scratch-plate and Edge III bridge already loaded. Price-wise, it's about 2x the Jem Jr (~UK £700 - £800, the Jem Jr is ~£360). The bridge gets a lot of bad press for some reason I can't figure - I've set it up with 10s on E-flat and it's really tight, responsive and bomb-proof, no matter how much abuse I give it. It's such a comfortable guitar to play, but I've found it sounds a little bit thin and lacking in sustain, especially on the single-coil and also when you roll off the tone control in any pick-up position. You need to boost the gain to get it to ring out more, which isn't a problem in itself, let's you hit the pinch harmonics easier :-). 7v's I've played seemed to suffer from the same "problem" too. Apart from that, phenomenal guitar IMO, as good as a 7v to my un-educated ears and fingers !!Have played a Jem Jr before and TBH, there's not enough of a difference sound-wise to make me buy a 7v instead, especially at £2K price difference - not worth it IMO. Think this video shows that - I think I can pick up minor differences in tonality and sustain, with the 7V being better, but not enough to justify the price difference for me. I'd be more than happy to play live with a Jem Jr and love playing live with my 555.Really nice playing, BTW - FTLOG is one of my favourite Vai songs.
I used to have an old JEM555 too (That's where I got my youtube login name from) but unfortunately I've sold it for quite a few years back since I already got a JEM7v. It's absolutely a great guitar I thought I sold it too cheap. Thank you for checking my video out.
Just curious - how much did you sell it for ? Bought my 555 for £275 with a case - I'm pretty sure the shop I bought it from must've got mixed up and thought it was a Jem Jr :-). Second hand they normally go for ~£450 - £500, depending on condition and whether they've got a case or not.I only went in for some strings, just couldn't resist when I saw the price.
Too long ago, and it was in local currency. It cannot get much cheaper than what you got anyway.
The better trem/tone block will make the 7v warmer and thicker toned with the same pups.
The Jem7V has a warmer, more beautiful tone. The sound on the Jr. seems "thiner"...
💯 agree...
You can order a custom brass block online! I had one made for my cheap Jackson with a Floyd Rose Special!
those pups in the jr definitely need changing, but with the amount of money you're saving compared to the 7v I'd say that's both expected and a pretty reasonable thing to do
Throw a thick tone block from FUtone and some EVO pickups would come pretty close....the pickups and the weak trem in the Jr is whats killing its sustain..
I changed my Jem JR pickups to a Dimarzio Evolution and also changed the bridge for a Schaller Bridge that is awesome.
The main difference i can hear is that the Jr has less sustain, but it doesn’t bother me at all, i think this is going to my next guitar
I could hear a definite difference on the clean passage at the beginning. The Jem sounded fuller with more depth of tone than the Jr. I could barely hear a difference during the song, which you did an awesome job of (going to check if you do any Vai instruction videos next! ), although it seemed as though the harmonics and some of the faster parts sounded more fluid on the full fledged Jem, as though the Jr lacked a bit of sustain, fretted out, and/or didn't accommodate your technique quite as well.
I don't dare to do Vai instructional video. Thanks for the comment!
A great homage to Vai. I guess if you own a 7v it might be difficult to admit there is virtually no difference between what you hear on this comparison. I have a Jr and am very happy with it. My playing ability does not justify a 7v but your insight re your experience of the difference in playability between the two is really interesting and helpful.
I played a Jr with much hope but it felt cheap in my hands.
The-Art-of-Guitar yeah it was the same with me, because I was going to buy one, but I played it in person and it felt like a Squier
I upgraded from my LTD Viper-10 to the Junior. And I personally was blown away. I didn't really know what they meant by a "fast playing neck" but I do now lol. But I've had an amazing experience with my JemJr.
its sort of hit or miss often to me, but if you can buy from a local store after playing that you feel good then it's a steal.
yeah I agree
Probably because yours wasn’t setup properly. Mine wasn’t, but I got it fixed and now I feel like Steve vai (:
Nice playing!! ... On clean sounds the 7v sounds warmer. On the Hi gain sounds they were really close!
Thanks for watching!
if you want to sound like steve, get the expensive one. i would recommend getting both. one to take on the go and the other for serious performances. either you want to save money or be serious....if you can't afford the expensive one the jr. is close enough to make an awesome performance. the jr has exceptional quality in comparison to all other guitars. don't let the price make you think it is no good. it is the best you can get for the price.
Pickups are the difference, the Original is brighter but they both sound amazing. Im buying the Jem Jr really soon cant wait!!!
Thanks jem mate for posting.I was going to break the bank (and my marriage) for the 7v but after listening to this what the hell is the point.Just put on Evolution pickups and away I go.
glad I've saved your marriage and thanks for watching. :)
first i must say great video and playing , and yes of course there is difference Jem jr has little bit thinner sound , it's good for that price range .
i also have JEM jr and it's good guitar and even better after i changed Bridge mic and Ibanez edge tremolo in it .
The JEM7v has a distinctly better tone in all ranges. It has more beef in the tone. The JEMJr seemed to be mostly highs without any really nice low end. I mean I'm not going to complain about how it sounds for the price that it is. Not to mention a simple pick up change out later is not an issue whatsoever.
I've always wanted a jem. Was shopping for guitars back February and played a jr. I'm used to my 98 rg 550 which is just amazing btw, so that's what I was comparing the jr. It played fine, but not like my 550, which may be an unfair comparison considering the 550 was made in fujigen. Sustain, sound, feel, tuning stability, I found all of these much better on my 550. I ended up getting a used EVH Wolfgang standard which constantly blows me away, amazing guitar for the price. I still want a jem but I'm probably going to shoot for a premium 77bfp or a real fujigen model. Those ebony fret boards really help make the more sing. A jr with upgraded pups, brass block, locking tuners, maybe a different bridge could be cool, but considering the price of those upgrades, I may be better off getting a used premium which plays a lot more closely to the 7v imho. Jem jr with upgrades or used premium, Any one have thoughts on this? I'd love the input.
Bit late for a reply but.... The Jr is a fantastic modding platform. If you love tinkering with guitars (I do), you can make it feel and sound just like a 7V. I know. I have both.
However, 'best back for the buck' Jem has to be the Premium Jem70V. A fantastic guitar which can still be found at bargain used prices. Nicer woods/construction than the Jr and all the important Jem7V hardware (e.g. Trem, Pups). My first Jem and still my favourite. A pro-musician buddy of mine agrees.
If you absolutely need the Ebony fretboard you'll have to find a 1994-2003 Jem7V or the current Premium Jem7VP. Neither are cheap...
The difference on the clean is evident, but to be honest the jr is not that bad when it's distorted. Obviously the 7v has much more sustain, but i think it's because of the high end pickups. Not saying it's the same guitar, but hey, at least they tried.
appart from the clean part, where the 7v has a bit more sparkle than the jr , I hear very little difference. At this level of processing on the sound I believe that the amp and effects are a lot more defining for the sound than the pickups or the guitar used.
Almost sounds like there's a noise gate on the JEM Jr during the 00:56 mark, serious difference in sustain.
The Jem JR Quantum pickups sound a bit lifeless compared to the Evo's, with much less sustain and high-frequency harmonic content etc... definitely not bad for the price though! I just grabbed one of these Jem JR's off of eBay and will probably put a PAF Pro in the bridge at some point. Thanks for the comparison video!
Thanks for watching!
@@jem555bkk Thank you mate for the great video!
Jem Jr. actually sounds way better...it 'sings' more, more character.
Its Mahagoni
@@tolgacelik6446 meranti actually
The Jem 7 is rounder, defined, warmer tone. Well considering difference of the pick up used on the two guitars, for sure it should be a factor too. Also the bridge. Another is the body used. I thought the Japanese JEM used an American Alder which sound rounder and has good resonance. On the Jem Jr which used Mahogany that is also a factor. If I get a Jem Jr I would definitely change the pickups, not bad and can be greatly improve.
the ton of JR is fairly good but it needs more powerful or higher output pickups. it has the lower sustain comparing the 7v.
If you’re planning on recording the next Steve Vai album get the 7v, if you’re just gonna play on your home studio get the Jr... the 7v has a more sustained and warmer sound but definitely the Jr is a great buy if you’re on a budget
Great comparison video. For the most part, very similar....I could only tell the difference on the spots where there was some harmonics and sustain. You could hear the Jr. die out faster. For the money though, I'd buy the Jr.
Thanks for watching!
I own the JEM7V WH for 10 years, it's just brillant and flawless. I played the Jr in a guitar shop and thought this was quality wise extremely disappointing, felt really cheap. You can't have top features at Macca's price point. You get what you pay for.
with distortion sound very closer , both are good guitars
They sound massively different. I guess the Jr could be improved a lot by fitting in a set of Evolution pickups and a Lo Pro Edge or even better an original floyd rose pro, and it would sound 99% like the JEM7v but cheaper. Does the neck feel too differently?
The 7v feels much better but the video could not capture that. Thanks for watching.
I hear big sustain difference - tone is pretty close. Swap the pickups and maybe the Floyd and the locking nut and you would rectify that. Good demo man.
Thanks for watching.
going thru the comments...the original jem 777 was basswood with an edge trem and dimarzio paf pro pups , the jem 7vwh is alder with lo pro edge trem and evolution pups , the jem jr is mahogany with a cheap trem and quantum pups . The new "woody" is mahogany with lo pro edge and breed pups. The woods ,pickups and tremolos definitely make a difference. I love all the comparisons , but....with the youtube compression its very hard to telk the real differences unless youre there.
least we forget the pricings....if you want an original jem 777 at 25% of the cost , get an old rg550 and put paf pros in it. The jem jr is basically the same as a "woody" just change the trem and pups.
The Jem jr is a bit more beefier compared to the 7v but it seems the Jem jr you certainly get your bang for your buck especially with an extra 150-200$ to put evo pickups in it wouldn't tell the difference considering the wood to build Jem and Jem jr are exactly the same pieces and types
I have a jem jr and am very happy with its tone and feel. I think for the money its a great guitar. I can hear some tonal advantages with the jem 7 no doubt, but for a hobbyist as my self its a no brainer. Jem Jr (great for the money)
The jem has more sustain on the neck pickup. You seem to be able to hold a note for longer with the Jem.
The Jem Jr. has a “muddier” sound in the bottom end of the pickups. I would be very interested in the possibility in putting Evolution pickups into the Jem Jr.
Very good playing, by the way. 👌
I heard a difference for sure. The 7v cuts through better and sounds warmer.
Well if you ever played a Japanese Jem you know they are worth what they cost. For what it costs the Jr fit and finish is better than what you usualy get. Never tried a premium Jem yet.