Soloist or RG?

[Hendro]

I've been narrowing down a list of guitars, and believe I have come to two final options:

Jackson SL2H Soloist
Ibanez RG1820X

http://www.ibanez.co.jp/world/countr...e_finland.html

http://www.jacksonguitars.com/produc...uct=2803071803

Now what I've been looking for has been a 24-fret super-strat with a good tremolo. From previous opinions I have heard that the Soloist has an original Floyd Rose, and I've heard great things about this, I haven't heard much of the Double Edge Pro Trem on the Ibanez, so any opinions would be needed.

Another big point has been versatility. On top of having normal pickups, the Ibanez comes equipped with a Piezo pickup in the bridge, so it gives top quality clean tones with that. But the Jackson has gotten bad marks versatility-wise. People have said good stuff about the pickups if you're going in a shredding direction, I am, but I would also like some versatility that I'm not bound solely to metal. They've also said it has great sustain. I've been thinking of switching the pickups, but I wonder, does it affect the sustain? And what kind of pickups could be used for a more versatile tone in the Soloist?

Also, if people could just give their general conceptions of the two, and compare their pros and cons, it would be really appreciated.

Thanks!

[EADGBE]

If the Soloist has the original Floyd Rose that's what I'd go with. It's one of the best guitars made. The Soloist has probably the best pickups made. You can cover all kinds of territory with them.

[GASattack]

Hey, me again ... lol ...

On your trems ... I can do ANYTHING to my Double Edge on my RG2020X that I can do to my Original Floyd
on my old Kramers, and they both hold their tuning great! They do both feel different under your picking
hand when palm muting. The Edge Pro series (double edge included) has a lower profile than the floyd, to
my feel and opinion. Everybody always argues which is better than the other, I own both, they are both fantastic.


Versitility - I think the Ibanez is a bit more versitile than the Jackson. Why? Look at the tone woods between
the two of them.
Jackson: Alder body with quartersawn maple neck thru with ebony fretboard.
Ibanez: Basswood body with maple/walnut neck with a rosewood fretboard.

The tonewoods of the Jackson are 'brighter' than they are with the Ibanez. You can put the same pickup
configuration in both of them, and the Jackson is going to be lacking warmth every time. Compounded by
my thoughts that tone is lost when you shave that neck down so thin. But the latter is my opinion.

They are both GREAT guitars, dont get me wrong there. But they are 2 different beasts in their hearts.
I currently own all the above (Ibanez RG2020X, USA Jackson Fusion, 2 USA Kramers with Original Floyds, and a Jem7VWH w/ edge pro) .... when i am going somewhere and I want
something that is going to be versitile and sound very good at everything, I grab that RG2020X Ibanez, and dont look back.

[Bleak]

Specs wise, I'd go for the Jackson.

PERSONALLY, I don't like the wider fretboard of the Jacksons, but it'd require less upgrading (imo) than the Ibanez.

[Hendro]

Thanks for all the info! Still haven't decided but have a much better idea of what these guitars are like Again thanks so much

[shane88]

pick the 1 U like to play!!

[GASattack]

Hey Hendro,
Your welcome! I guess your in Finland and buying one of these from the internet without having the opportunity
to test drive first .... I think I read that somewhere. Thats why Im attempting to give you as much hands on
info as I can ....

Your more than welcome to swing thru and give mine test drives, if you fancy ...

[GAD]

Play them. That's the only way to decide.

[XmasTree]

i would normally say Ibanez

But i have to give it to the Soloist

[Eagle1]

They both work great .
If you find an older RG2550 with dimarzios and the edge pro it is as good as the Soloist .I've had six Soloists four RG's and four Jems and the only one I still have is the above RG2550 plays perfectly and sounds better than the others did.

[Hendro]

Originally Posted by GASattack

Hey Hendro,
Your welcome! I guess your in Finland and buying one of these from the internet without having the opportunity
to test drive first .... I think I read that somewhere. Thats why Im attempting to give you as much hands on
info as I can ....

Your more than welcome to swing thru and give mine test drives, if you fancy ...

Yeah, live in finland Sometimes a bit of a problem, and that's why I find these thread so useful. I have found a good Ibanez store, but the Jackson soloist is a bit hard to find :P

[dkaplowitz]

I'm a long-time strat player and a fan of strat tones. I own regular strats and I own super strats (and have since I started playing in the mid-80s). I bought a SL2 Soloist and that thin neck, neck-through design and the 24-frets pushing the neck pickup down all made for a really crappy sounding guitar (and it wasn't cheap!). It would have been cool if I was only playing death metal rhythm guitar on it (which actually would be pretty cool to do....just be a rhythm guitar player in a metal band, that is). But I wanted something I could use for metal rhythm AND for shredding/soloing. This guitar just didn't do it for me. Sold it on ebay within a month of buying it and lost a few hundred dollars.

So, if the Ibanez is a bolt-on (have no idea, your link doesn't work), I'd vote for that. They're both 24 fretters, which I'd advise against. You gain 2 notes (eb, and e) and you give up that good, sweet strat neck tone that sounds so awesome with fast or slow playing. Not worth it!

YMMV o/c.

[Dyingsea]

Sl2H-MAH

[clothwiring]

I'd go for the Ibanez. I'm an Ibanez convert after being a Jackson/Charvel guy from years ago.

[Fretburner]

Jackson for sure unless you really dig the wizard necks. They are super thin.