Suhr Pro vs Ibanez Jem

[mystixboi]

So... I decided to compare and contrast my new Suhr Pro M4 to my Ibanez Jem777DY. I would have compared it to my Jem 7VWH, but I sold it to get the Suhr!!!

Anyway, I haven't picked up my Jem in a while, but I was completely shocked that it was 100% in tune when I picked it up. After playing for 10 or 15 min, I questioned why I even bought the Suhr at all... the guitar looked, played and sounded sweet!!!!

Then I picked up the Suhr. Immediately, I knew why I bought it, this beast just slays!!! I have her outfitted with Aldrich pickups... she's hot, but refined sounding. The satin neck and stainless steel frets were a breeze to play!!! Wow wow wow... I was just floored with this guitar. The quality of the guitar, hands down, far exceeds the Jem. Granted, the Jem is from 1989 so that might have something to do with it too!!!

Here's a pic of both:

Ibanez



Suhr


Which do you prefer or consider the "better" guitar?

 

[ChadVanHalen]

I love the funkyness of Desert Yellow RG/Jems with the multicolored everything as opposed to quilt maple with a transparent finish... But that's just me!

As to playing? I'm sure the Suhr's play much nicer, especially with Aldriches in it, with it being new and American made and all that

 

[cardinal]

I think it comes down the preference. Much more forum-street cred to have a purty Suhr, but for a work horse guitar, I really like the Japanese Ibanez guitars, though you might have to pick through a couple. Suhrs are dead-bang consistently awesome.

 

[amiller]

I had a Jem for awhile and didn't like it. The tone was just too thin. On the other hand, I have a couple of JS1000s and I love the tone and the trem...great guitars. I've never played a Suhr but I've read nothing but positive comments about it.

 

[Nico]

That Jem looks so nice! I always loved the old ones.

I have only tried the Suhr I own. And bought it because I had read nothing but great things about their guitars!

The attention to detail, and general build quality on the Suhr is far beyond any Ibanez I've played...
How this thing resonates unplugged floored me. It made some CS strats sound dead in comparison...

However I am not too fond of the SSH+ SSV pickups. Especially the neck SSV which is too hot and sterile...

However they come at a price, and when you get to that kind of cash there are some Greaaat builders out there so I was not expecting anything less out of the guitar to be honest...

 

[se7en]

I have a Suhr Modern and it is a great superstrat with a lot of sounds in it and great playability. I definitely prefer it over the Ibanez guitars I've played, but they weren't in the same price range. Just curious what body wood(s) are in your Suhr?

 

[ibenhad]

Kinda hard to compare a factory assembled non-luthier built guitar from Japan to a hand assembled non factory guitar assembled and tweaked here in the good ole US of A. Smell what I am cooking here? That speaks volumes for the JEM. That being said I have several JEM's and they are very consistent. They "ARE" production line guitars. I will have a Suhr coming in a few and I am sure it will be amazing but then again shouldn't it be. Plus with the Suhr you get your choice of everything if you do a build sheet. The Ibby only really comes in different colors. Although there are many Jem's to choose from these days. I really like my Jem 7 DBK it has a neck closest to my old RG 550 in feel. Ibanez makes some great guitars and always had. Yes they have some turds but for the most part they are pretty good bang for the buck. Hell "I Been Had" many times as I currently own 15 Ibanez's and love them all.

 

[dsquared]

I love the funkyness of Desert Yellow RG/Jems with the multicolored everything as opposed to quilt maple with a transparent finish... But that's just me!

As to playing? I'm sure the Suhr's play much nicer, especially with Aldriches in it, with it being new and American made and all that

It's nicer because it's MIA vs MIJ? LOL

 

[ChadVanHalen]

I love the funkyness of Desert Yellow RG/Jems with the multicolored everything as opposed to quilt maple with a transparent finish... But that's just me!

As to playing? I'm sure the Suhr's play much nicer, especially with Aldriches in it, with it being new and American made and all that

It's nicer because it's MIA vs MIJ? LOL

Mass produced MIJ vs custom shop MIA from a smaller builder?
Yes.

 

[mystixboi]

I have a Suhr Modern and it is a great superstrat with a lot of sounds in it and great playability. I definitely prefer it over the Ibanez guitars I've played, but they weren't in the same price range. Just curious what body wood(s) are in your Suhr?

Here are the specs except for the Aldrich pickups


Body Wood: Alder
Neck Wood: Maple w/Pau Ferro
Neck Back Shape: Modern Elliptical
Nut: Tusq
Frets: Jumbo Stainless Steel
Bridge: Gotoh 510
Neck Pickup: JST SSV Humbucker
Bridge Pickup: JST SSH+ Humbucker
Finish: Custom Paint - Purple
Case: Custom Suhr Bag
Strings: .010-.046

 

[Heritage Softail]

Have a few Suhrs. Just a well built guitar. Can't find a fault. As long as you buy the right one, hard to go wrong.

 

[PBGas]

I tried a very nice Suhr last summer that one of the local retailers had. I liked it to an extent. But then I got home and played my J Custom, my JemFP2 and thought....yup.....I'm very happy with what I have.

I'd take that Jem anytime. Regardless of opinion, you have a couple of beautiful guitars!

Well done!

 

[Tone Zone]

I have found Suhr Moderns to be the best guitars to fit my playing style in every way possible. So much in fact, I play them exclusively now. I've got to the point that I do not have GAS for any other guitar.

 

[dsquared]

I love the funkyness of Desert Yellow RG/Jems with the multicolored everything as opposed to quilt maple with a transparent finish... But that's just me!

As to playing? I'm sure the Suhr's play much nicer, especially with Aldriches in it, with it being new and American made and all that

It's nicer because it's MIA vs MIJ? LOL

Mass produced MIJ vs custom shop MIA from a smaller builder?
Yes.

Well, that's not what you said. You said it was nicer because it was American.

Nevermind all that for now - in your experience, what did you like about the Suhr when you played it and what did you not like about the JEM? How did each sound with your AVT head and Line6?

 

[ChadVanHalen]

I love the funkyness of Desert Yellow RG/Jems with the multicolored everything as opposed to quilt maple with a transparent finish... But that's just me!

As to playing? I'm sure the Suhr's play much nicer, especially with Aldriches in it, with it being new and American made and all that

It's nicer because it's MIA vs MIJ? LOL

Mass produced MIJ vs custom shop MIA from a smaller builder?
Yes.

Well, that's not what you said. You said it was nicer because it was American.

Nevermind all that for now - in your experience, what did you like about the Suhr when you played it and what did you not like about the JEM? How did each sound with your AVT head and Line6?

Lol, really? Gonna be asshole? Bringing up my gear? Ya, I don't have top of the line amplifiers. I apologize oh Tone-y One for being young and broke.
Did I say one was better and every other guitar ever was shite?

I was giving my two cents that the JEM is more my style but I'm sure the Suhr played better... Jesus, I wasn't expecting the Spanish Inquisition... You gonna stab me with pillows next?

 

[Les Zombie]

I owned a jem for a while and it was nice but i like my suhr modern better, i also had a suhr pro series S-2 and i also liked it better than the jem.
im a fan of the necks of the suhr and the feel, both my suhr sounded awesome too. overall they are a great guitar imo.

 

[yngzaklynch]

IMO Suhrs are the among the top of the heap. The quality is supreme. At the level Suhrs and a few other builders are at it is more a matter of preference. I think Ibanez builds fantastic guitars but i have yet to play one that is nearly as nice as my Suhr. YMMV

 

[mystixboi]

IMO Suhrs are the among the top of the heap. The quality is supreme. At the level Suhrs and a few other builders are at it is more a matter of preference. I think Ibanez builds fantastic guitars but i have yet to play one that is nearly as nice as my Suhr. YMMV

Well, I think up have the best looking Suhr I've ever seen

 

[yngzaklynch]

If by "up" you meant "u" than thanks! If i ever buy another it will look something like this one but with a 510 trem. http://www.suhr.com/gotw-week13-day3.html

 

[mystixboi]

Whoops. That's spell check on my iPhone. Dang

I still like your more than the one you posted