Ibanez almost always uses their own Tremolo system on their higher end Japan made Prestige and Jem line. Usually Lo-Pro, ZR, etc. Any Ibanez made in Japan is considered their top-shelf offerings.
Hi Mark, Thank you very much for your great video’s. You are 100% correct, It is a fake Jem 7V. On the Genuine 7V the name on the pickup’s is etched on and NOT highlighted in black, The overall contour of the body around the parimeter on original is not rounded like this one. The caps on the tuners on the original have got Gotoh and a small emblem underneath that name. The list goes on and on. . The Japanese Luthier’s are superb , And their attention to detail is second to none. A lot of people say that a Fender Stratocaster built in Japan is better quality than an American made one. I compared your video against my Japanese Prestige Jem 7V-WH and i was upset for the owner of the Chibanez .
They must be getting better, i have one of these, looks just like the one in the vid but the Di-Marzio is etched onto the pickups, not highlighted in black, bought it last year from local pawn shop, thought i'd got an absolute bargain at £250, came with no tremolo arm so i bought one for a Jem 7V, of course it wouldn't fit, that's when i got suspicious, removed the neck to check the neck pocket (i learned that real Jems are marked 7V-WH in there) of course this was not, it's a fake, not too bothered, at least i didn't pay £1000 + for it, plays ok and suits me. Feel sorry for people who have been suckered though.
Yep, I can verify all of this. Just bought a mint-condition Jem7V from 2017. Always wanted one and finally decided to pull the trigger in February only to learn they'd discontinued it in 2019. I "settled" for ordering an Onyx Black PIA and the Indonesian-made Jem7VP instead. Well, I really lucked out because while I was waiting on the Jem7VP to come in, the same store just happened to get a used Jem7V in and it was in PERFECT condition. Not a single blemish on it. The pickguard/cavity covers even still have the original cling wrap. Only things missing were the extra steel tremolo arm, and the Ibanez multi-tool from the "Team J-Craft" bag, though those are easy to get so I'm not super concerned. Nicest guitar I've ever owned by far, and it immediately has me considering trading in the rest of my guitars because this is just so much better. The next best is probably my ESP E-II M-II, but the Jem just feels like it's in a league of its own. Now I'm even more excited to see how the PIA compares when that gets here! Though, that won't be until November. Honestly, I'm so happy with the Jem that I may still take home the Indonesian one when it comes in, just to have one with an ebony fretboard, and to have one that I'd feel less guilty about modifying. Plus it would be nice to own a less-expensive, more easy-to-replace equivalent to use on the road instead of risking the "real" one. I haven't really decided yet, though I'm curious on your thoughts.
Mark handled this so well, I referred the owner of thee guitars to Mark because of his honesty and professionalism. Two out of three we're terrible, all three we're fakes but one was decent enough to play cover tunes...
Think I got one from a seller it don't sound bad and the code for the wizard 🧙♂️ neck checks out though the bridge is the same as in the video found out that there was a series of jem that they made for a price range of $1399 hard to find pictures of I think it's the jem 505 or 535 model cheapest jem before jem jr
One of the biggest tells: Ibanez doesn't use their own hardware, and they certainly don't put their logo on the hardware. So if you see "Ibanez" on the bridge/tuners, it's not real. I believe there were some exceptions to this rule such as the ~2003 Edge Pro, but the modern ones don't say Ibanez on the hardware. Also, the Edge bridge found in Ibanez guitars (not a Floyd Rose bridge, as mentioned in the video, just a Floyd-style) has not had the "Licensed under Floyd Rose patent" disclaimer stamped on it for years now, as the Floyd Rose patent expired in 2003. So, again, you might see it on older Edge bridges from the early 2000s or the '90s (specifically the Lo-Pro Edge), but not on modern Jems.
Not 100% true. The 'Edge Pro' Trems used on the Japanese Jems from around 2005 (think Bad Horsie Chrome Jem era) did have the Ibanez logo cast on them, and those are 100% genuine. For all who are interested, Ibanez Trems on the Japanese instruments are made for Ibanez by Gotoh :)
The bridge is a dead Giveaway. I can tell it's not an Ibanez edge. It's easily one of those phony, Chinese made licensed Floyd's that aren't actually licensed by Floyd Rose and Floyd doesn't license out their name so much anymore because they offer several different versions of actual Floyd Rose units at every relevant price point even the specials are labeled as Floyd Rose. I believe they still license to fender for some Jackson guitars and most of the EVH models but these are still Floyd Rose bridges with Jackson or EVH branding on them. They're still Floyd specials or FRT 1000 bridges. The Ibanez edge, low pro edge, edge zero, edge zero 2 edge 3, and most of their 2 point vibrato bridges are made for Ibanez by Gotoh in Japan. The edges of the pickgaurd being rough and sharp, the crappy tuners and fake DiMarzio pickups also give away the falsehood even further. Unfortunately, this customer got scammed for $1,000.
Exactly but less if you buy this "Jem" (sorry for pun) to mod and experiment on. :) LOLwww.alibaba.com/product-detail/Minsine-Factory-price-good-quality-Customized_62416560291.html The one prior to this was a Butterscotch Glarry GTL made in CN. (Basically a Telecaster 69', took me a lot of setup work to get it nice but what experience I gained and know it backward and forward now. About 190.00 total cost in it. (Compensated saddles, shielding, bridge pup, CVT push/pull pot, and of course decent strings. Glarry did refund me 40.00 because the bolt on neck screws were drilled cockeyed (fixed) but just one of a few small issues. All that said.... I do not buy counterfeit , China guitars.
First thing that got me right away, the fretboard is not ebony JEM7 has an ebony fretboard, person who bought that guitar should have noticed right away
This isn't true. The "real" Jem (as in the made-in-Japan Jem7V) did start off with an ebony fretboard from 1993 - 2003 but it was swapped out with a rosewood fretboard in 2004 and stayed that way until they discontinued the Jem7V in 2019 for the new PIA model. That said, the highest end Jem that you can buy now (which is the Indonesian-made equivalent, the Jem7VP) is back to using an ebony fretboard.
Its a popular one in Philippines a beginners unit SELVES NEW for LESS than $300 USD,LOL,SOMFOR THATNYOUMGETS A NICE SOUNDING UNIT FOR A BEGINNER OR NON PROFESSIONALMPERSON AND IT LOOKS GREAT,ACTUALLY THE ONE I SWAMUP CLOSE WAS A GOOD BUYNFOR A NON PRO,LOL
im building a tribute that will not say ibanez anywhere visible on it. i have studied this guitar a t6on. the input cover on the back should have only 2 screws. the rear bridge cover should have the center screws offset. the tuners should be gotoh 510s. the bridge should be an ibanez edge zero 2, i am making mine with all original authentic parts, even the electronics are from ibanez factory. instead of the ibanez logo i am putting my logo so there will be no mistaking it for a real jem. i have already purchased over $800 of parts. plus spent $100 on mahogany for the body. im making the covers and pickguard out of brass and using magnets for attachment of rear covers. but i will even put my Q5 Graphics logo in the neck pocket and considering adding a (This is not an ibanez) tag on the neck pocket and back of the headstock. I am making my tribute to simulate the woody model with dimarzio dark matter pickups (a nice $450 purchase) and i am also not painting it i am going for a plain satin finish. I just like the shape of the guitars but having bought a lower price ibanez i dont want to rebuild a jem jr to replace all the crap parts in it then have to do hours of fixing their crappy work on the frets. the next one i build will be a PIA tribute for my granddaughter.
It's the same with the gunmaker's in the Philippines. These guy's make pistol's that are handmade with hand file's. Some look so good' that an expert can't even tell they are fake. I bought a Beretta P.92 for $200..turned out it was a fake. I just grabbed it so fast when I saw it, This gun was made so well that every part was mirror polished, had all the stamp's right, serial #s were perfect in fact they were in the 4 digit's. Finally I did what I alway's do...loaded a clip, ( which was real) and set up a pop can. At 30 feet you couldn't hit a pop can. So I broke it down, and the whole time I'm thinking here is a $1000 pistol that doesn't jam is so clean you could eat with it. I look down the barrel and it was a smoothbore...not even a hint of rifling's!!! A buddy of mine in the gunshop had a barrel and said $50 buck's it is your's. It went in like a glove. So I went back out and loaded another clip. It was accurate as hell, long story short I sold it to a buddy for $450 buck's with the knowledge it was an illegal knockoff. Damn he probably put 1000 round's through it in a year with no jam's or hangup's of any kind...and ended up selling it at gunshow, for $550. So it is probably still out there.I looked into it know who probably built it. This was about 20 year's back.😂😀👍
But this guitar is not japanese!. If the onte you have is japanese then you have the real deal, the one he is taöking about is a fake copy that's never been in Japan!!
Ibanez almost always uses their own Tremolo system on their higher end Japan made Prestige and Jem line. Usually Lo-Pro, ZR, etc. Any Ibanez made in Japan is considered their top-shelf offerings.
Hi Mark, Thank you very much for your great video’s. You are 100% correct, It is a fake Jem 7V. On the Genuine 7V the name on the pickup’s is etched on and NOT highlighted in black, The overall contour of the body around the parimeter on original is not rounded like this one. The caps on the tuners on the original have got Gotoh and a small emblem underneath that name. The list goes on and on. . The Japanese Luthier’s are superb , And their attention to detail is second to none. A lot of people say that a Fender Stratocaster built in Japan is better quality than an American made one. I compared your video against my Japanese Prestige Jem 7V-WH and i was upset for the owner of the Chibanez .
They must be getting better, i have one of these, looks just like the one in the vid but the Di-Marzio is etched onto the pickups, not highlighted in black, bought it last year from local pawn shop, thought i'd got an absolute bargain at £250, came with no tremolo arm so i bought one for a Jem 7V, of course it wouldn't fit, that's when i got suspicious, removed the neck to check the neck pocket (i learned that real Jems are marked 7V-WH in there) of course this was not, it's a fake, not too bothered, at least i didn't pay £1000 + for it, plays ok and suits me. Feel sorry for people who have been suckered though.
Thank you Dingo617 for the reply. If your guitar plays good without any problems, Then the amount you paid for it is great. enjoy the guitar.
Yep, I can verify all of this. Just bought a mint-condition Jem7V from 2017. Always wanted one and finally decided to pull the trigger in February only to learn they'd discontinued it in 2019. I "settled" for ordering an Onyx Black PIA and the Indonesian-made Jem7VP instead. Well, I really lucked out because while I was waiting on the Jem7VP to come in, the same store just happened to get a used Jem7V in and it was in PERFECT condition. Not a single blemish on it. The pickguard/cavity covers even still have the original cling wrap. Only things missing were the extra steel tremolo arm, and the Ibanez multi-tool from the "Team J-Craft" bag, though those are easy to get so I'm not super concerned. Nicest guitar I've ever owned by far, and it immediately has me considering trading in the rest of my guitars because this is just so much better. The next best is probably my ESP E-II M-II, but the Jem just feels like it's in a league of its own. Now I'm even more excited to see how the PIA compares when that gets here! Though, that won't be until November.
Honestly, I'm so happy with the Jem that I may still take home the Indonesian one when it comes in, just to have one with an ebony fretboard, and to have one that I'd feel less guilty about modifying. Plus it would be nice to own a less-expensive, more easy-to-replace equivalent to use on the road instead of risking the "real" one. I haven't really decided yet, though I'm curious on your thoughts.
Great video Mark. Super informative.
Biggest tell for me is the middle pickup ,on the Ibanez Jem the Evo middle pickup has silver polepieces not gold!
Exactly.
Chibanez JEM777
Awesome detective work Mark
Wouldn't they use a gotoh ibanez bridge
Many jem jr have a similar bright design though pickups sound different
Mark handled this so well, I referred the owner of thee guitars to Mark because of his honesty and professionalism. Two out of three we're terrible, all three we're fakes but one was decent enough to play cover tunes...
Real Jems have 5 screws on the bottom edge of the pickguard as well
I have a Jem7vwh and I have never seen a Team J Craft on any Jem I have looked at since 1987..
yes quite true. even my fake jem has the "proper" stamp on the back of the headstock lol
Think I got one from a seller it don't sound bad and the code for the wizard 🧙♂️ neck checks out though the bridge is the same as in the video found out that there was a series of jem that they made for a price range of $1399 hard to find pictures of I think it's the jem 505 or 535 model cheapest jem before jem jr
Made with the finest quality Chineseum!
One of the biggest tells: Ibanez doesn't use their own hardware, and they certainly don't put their logo on the hardware. So if you see "Ibanez" on the bridge/tuners, it's not real. I believe there were some exceptions to this rule such as the ~2003 Edge Pro, but the modern ones don't say Ibanez on the hardware. Also, the Edge bridge found in Ibanez guitars (not a Floyd Rose bridge, as mentioned in the video, just a Floyd-style) has not had the "Licensed under Floyd Rose patent" disclaimer stamped on it for years now, as the Floyd Rose patent expired in 2003. So, again, you might see it on older Edge bridges from the early 2000s or the '90s (specifically the Lo-Pro Edge), but not on modern Jems.
The LO-TRS bridge, which that one is a copy of, has Ibanez branding. It's a piece of shit bridge that's only on low end models.
Not 100% true. The 'Edge Pro' Trems used on the Japanese Jems from around 2005 (think Bad Horsie Chrome Jem era) did have the Ibanez logo cast on them, and those are 100% genuine. For all who are interested, Ibanez Trems on the Japanese instruments are made for Ibanez by Gotoh :)
The bridge is a dead Giveaway. I can tell it's not an Ibanez edge. It's easily one of those phony, Chinese made licensed Floyd's that aren't actually licensed by Floyd Rose and Floyd doesn't license out their name so much anymore because they offer several different versions of actual Floyd Rose units at every relevant price point even the specials are labeled as Floyd Rose. I believe they still license to fender for some Jackson guitars and most of the EVH models but these are still Floyd Rose bridges with Jackson or EVH branding on them. They're still Floyd specials or FRT 1000 bridges. The Ibanez edge, low pro edge, edge zero, edge zero 2 edge 3, and most of their 2 point vibrato bridges are made for Ibanez by Gotoh in Japan. The edges of the pickgaurd being rough and sharp, the crappy tuners and fake DiMarzio pickups also give away the falsehood even further. Unfortunately, this customer got scammed for $1,000.
@@jasonalmgren3050 thanks so much for the insight! It is just a shame that this stuff is out there and people fall for it!
I thought my Indonesian spec RG350 was a little rough around the edges. Compared to that thing my RG350 is a gem ;)
You can buy those fake Jems all day on AliExpress for $250
Exactly but less if you buy this "Jem" (sorry for pun) to mod and experiment on. :) LOLwww.alibaba.com/product-detail/Minsine-Factory-price-good-quality-Customized_62416560291.html
The one prior to this was a Butterscotch Glarry GTL made in CN. (Basically a Telecaster 69', took me a lot of setup work to get it nice but what experience I gained and know it backward and forward now. About 190.00 total cost in it. (Compensated saddles, shielding, bridge pup, CVT push/pull pot, and of course decent strings. Glarry did refund me 40.00 because the bolt on neck screws were drilled cockeyed (fixed) but just one of a few small issues. All that said.... I do not buy counterfeit , China guitars.
First thing that got me right away, the fretboard is not ebony
JEM7 has an ebony fretboard, person who bought that guitar should have noticed right away
This isn't true. The "real" Jem (as in the made-in-Japan Jem7V) did start off with an ebony fretboard from 1993 - 2003 but it was swapped out with a rosewood fretboard in 2004 and stayed that way until they discontinued the Jem7V in 2019 for the new PIA model. That said, the highest end Jem that you can buy now (which is the Indonesian-made equivalent, the Jem7VP) is back to using an ebony fretboard.
I want an original ebony Jem. They have the low pro edge in them. I like that trem the best
the monkey grip is 2 small too
how can you run a shop but know so little about so many things? i find that quite amazing
I strive to amaze people! Thanks!!
@@VCustomShop lololol. you handled my trolling like a boss. good game sir
Its a popular one in Philippines a beginners unit SELVES NEW for LESS than $300 USD,LOL,SOMFOR THATNYOUMGETS A NICE SOUNDING UNIT FOR A BEGINNER OR NON PROFESSIONALMPERSON AND IT LOOKS GREAT,ACTUALLY THE ONE I SWAMUP CLOSE WAS A GOOD BUYNFOR A NON PRO,LOL
im building a tribute that will not say ibanez anywhere visible on it. i have studied this guitar a t6on. the input cover on the back should have only 2 screws. the rear bridge cover should have the center screws offset. the tuners should be gotoh 510s. the bridge should be an ibanez edge zero 2,
i am making mine with all original authentic parts, even the electronics are from ibanez factory. instead of the ibanez logo i am putting my logo so there will be no mistaking it for a real jem. i have already purchased over $800 of parts. plus spent $100 on mahogany for the body. im making the covers and pickguard out of brass and using magnets for attachment of rear covers. but i will even put my Q5 Graphics logo in the neck pocket and considering adding a (This is not an ibanez) tag on the neck pocket and back of the headstock. I am making my tribute to simulate the woody model with dimarzio dark matter pickups (a nice $450 purchase) and i am also not painting it i am going for a plain satin finish.
I just like the shape of the guitars but having bought a lower price ibanez i dont want to rebuild a jem jr to replace all the crap parts in it then have to do hours of fixing their crappy work on the frets.
the next one i build will be a PIA tribute for my granddaughter.
Oof, $1K for something that's well inferior to a Jem Jr, the headstock isn't even the correct shape for starters 😪
It's the same with the gunmaker's in the Philippines. These guy's make pistol's that are handmade with hand file's. Some look so good' that an expert can't even tell they are fake. I bought a Beretta P.92 for $200..turned out it was a fake. I just grabbed it so fast when I saw it, This gun was made so well that every part was mirror polished, had all the stamp's right, serial #s were perfect in fact they were in the 4 digit's. Finally I did what I alway's do...loaded a clip, ( which was real) and set up a pop can. At 30 feet you couldn't hit a pop can. So I broke it down, and the whole time I'm thinking here is a $1000 pistol that doesn't jam is so clean you could eat with it. I look down the barrel and it was a smoothbore...not even a hint of rifling's!!! A buddy of mine in the gunshop had a barrel and said $50 buck's it is your's. It went in like a glove. So I went back out and loaded another clip. It was accurate as hell, long story short I sold it to a buddy for $450 buck's with the knowledge it was an illegal knockoff. Damn he probably put 1000 round's through it in a year with no jam's or hangup's of any kind...and ended up selling it at gunshow, for $550. So it is probably still out there.I looked into it know who probably built it. This was about 20 year's back.😂😀👍
Someone paid 1k for a fake Jem....damn
Head stock is shaped weird and the Floyd Chremelo looks weird as hell.
That is really nice
For 239.00
all the negative comments you made couldn't find in my guitar, i think different batches , made at different Japanese location
True, different factory would yield big differences. But prolly not in Japan as Ibanez would send their best samurai over and make things right!! Lol
th-cam.com/video/0SmpWCQuP1Y/w-d-xo.html
The pickup name embedded hardly noticeable, the back head print is different.
But this guitar is not japanese!. If the onte you have is japanese then you have the real deal, the one he is taöking about is a fake copy that's never been in Japan!!
This Guy doesent even know its a fake,lol
It's an Ibanez Junk
lol such a poor fake. Nothing matches.