TESTIMONIALS

I thought about starting up another feedback page, but the one I already have up started to be too much of an irritation with all the spammers hitting it. It wouldn't have been an honest page if I edited it so it was always left as it was. But I can see the use for a page I can just add some of the many letters I get post sale. Not to sound like an old sap but these are the kinds of letters that make you feel really good about what you do, and I'd almost say "make it all worthwhile". But then, let's not kid ourselves, I work for the profit margin, so these are just a nice perk ;o}

Thanks to one and all who find your letters posted here.

Rich!

How goes it ? Its me, Winston from Denver. Its been a couple of months now and I just wanted to drop you a line to say much thanks for the guitar and your service. You've got many customers, so let me refresh the memory. Its the red RG 1570 with custom DiMarzio pickups. Im hoping you remember, cuz it was quite an ordeal with DiMarzio. Well, this is all hind sight, but every bit of the delay was worth it.

Over the weekend I got together with a new local band and just jammed with 'em over some 80's cover tunes. The band's guitarist also had an RG 1570 .... the black one and it looked cool too. We traded guitars and did the "show and tell thing", but feeling the two guitars became apparent that the two RG 1570 were NOT alike; from the fret work to the trem set up .... his RG felt so " box -stock". The point here is, I believe Ibanez makes great guitars but its the little things like attention to the detail and proper setup that really separates a good guitar from a great guitar... and I don't have to tell you who had the great guitar that night.

I just wanted to give credit where its properly due. Thanks Rich for your service. BTW... I still think about the PGM 301.. ALOT, but I just can't seem to put down this RG, it calls to me. You know what I mean ?!

Have a Happy Thanksgiving and a Merry Christmas!!

Winston
Denver, CO

11/24/08

>quite an ordeal with DiMarzio - This was a set with Black / Red humbuckers with a reversed coil neck pickup for typical Ibanez HSH wiring. The first set Dimarzio sent, the neck pickup was not reverse coil. It was returned, and the replacement was a completely different red. Both humbuckers were sent back to make sure they were color matched, and upon final installation I realized *I* had screwed up and hadn't ordered the single as reverse polarity, leading to another 10 day delay. It wasn't all Dimarzio's fault, I have to admit my part of this Murphy's Law pickup order.

Hi Rich,

I bought a Jem7VWH from you about a month ago and just wanted to let you know how happy I am with the purchase. No doubt about it, I made the right decision. Plays awesome, stays in tune and just feels right. The fret end dressing and the oiled rosewood finish it off. Like I tell my wife, sometimes you can't put your finger on exactly what the difference is but "the good is in the details" as Neil Peart says and all the attention to the details makes the whole thing more than the sum of its parts.

Thanks for the great service and quality work. If you ever need a reference feel free to use me.

- Ken C., New Hartford, NY

3/10/08

Hey Rich,
It's been a year now and the three JS1200's I ordered from you have been fantastic. They've been problem-free and I've pretty much gotten used to doing the string changes now. There was definitely a learning curve. All in all it's been a great change for me as I only owned Fenders in the past. I now have a FRED in the neck positions and the MO'JOE still in the bridges. It's a pretty cool set-up. Anyway, I just thought I'd check in and thank you again for the outstanding guitars and set-up. I'll be purchasing some more from you in the future. (I'm a really picky guitarist when it comes to quality and I'm more than satisfied.)

Sincerely,
John Sielski

3/24/08

Rich,
Two quick things:
1) Did you end up putting 10 gauge strings on the guitar? If not, no biggie, I just want to make sure I buy the same gauge in the future.
2) You've lived up to your reputation and exceeded my expectations. You have top notch quality control. I went to town on checking out the guitar (making sure new pickups were wired correctly, played chromatic runs at every fret position on every string, checked the intonation, etc). This guitar blows my mind. Seriously, thanks dude. In case you missed that last part...

YOU ROCK

- Jason

P.S. I'm not easily satisfied, especially on big ticket items,

3/24/08 [2 in the same day] [this was an RGT220 that had 1mm+ nut height, string alignment off to the bass side 1mm+, and to top it off short drilled claw screw holes so that 1 of the screws broke 1/4" inside the body, had to be ground out, plugged, and redrilled, along with normal enhancements and adjustments of course. I could say a lot of jobs were tough, but this one was a true pain]

Hi Rich, guitar got here today, in one piece. It's crap. Naaaaw! I've had to put it down 'cause my hand is hurting quite a bit and I'm playing all day at work tomorrow. Still got it where I can see it tho! I'm just beginning to get a feel for it but the original idea was to get something to play for life and I'm sure this is it. If electric guitars get any better than this well, I just don't wanna know! It sounds as good as it looks and I don't think even my Mesa Road King does it justice. Some one has dropped it in transit though, the case has a slight crack where the strap button has rammed into it. The guitar is fine and that's all I'm bothered about since I can't see any situations coming anytime soon that will mean taking it out of the studio. There's no way I'm leaving this propped up in a bar! My old one will be gracefully retired now, with all due pomp and ceremony, with full military honours. This neck is fuller but it's growing on me mucho already and I can't get over just how beautiful the guitar is. Hardly dared touch it at first! There seems to be no sound it won't make either, I've had Kossoff (Free) and Knopfler (Dire Straits) already and there's much more to come. I think you can say I like it... a lot. To think I could have wasted another $4000 on a Gibbon LP. I've made a slight tweak to the pickup heights (bass lower & angled a bit, treble higher) but apart from that the set up is also spot on. I am staggered to be one of the 45 owners of these worldwide. Lil' ol' me got one!!

Thanks Rich. [His name also]

AR5000 to the UK
3/25/08

I talked to my Dad today and he gave me some great news. UPS dropped it off yesterday but his lazy ass didn't get to it until I went to sleep, damn this time difference. Here is what he had to say.

First, when he opened the case, which he said was brand new, he liked the darm red color lining, but the color of the guitar blew him away. He said it reminds him of the Hulk, I found that funny.

After he picked his jaw up off the floor he plugged it into the Bose system he has, along with some other electronic processors, and said it sounds totally different than anything he has ever heard. I told him it has different pickups, but I think that is less than accurate since this Jem has Evos while my other one has PAF Pros. The other Ibanezes I have there have older stuff as well, so this shocked him.

The action is awesome, and he said that the frets are the best he has played on. You got major props from him on that.

He played it while I was on the phone so I can hear it. It sounded very different than what I thought it would, even over the phone I can hear this. I am very happy that I bought this guitar. He said it is like a mix between a strat and a tele, but something else as well. I guess this might make sense to you since you have heard all the types of Jems that are out there. I have only heard a few.

Anyways he says I will love it and it will be perfect for what I play. He said whoever the guy was who set this up did the best job he has ever seen. He has been playing guitar for a long time and putting up with me and my Ibanezes since I started playing. For him to get this blown away i'm sure that you take your job seriously and that goes a long way for me.

I have looked at some other guitars that you have and I got a few questions for you. How do the Breed pickups compare to the Evos that are in the BSB? What about the pickups in the 20th? Your site also said that you can get some of the 20th's from a friend who has some to unload, so are any of those still available? Are they worth picking up? How heavy is it?

I wouldn't mind picking up another one or two before I get home, so let me know which Jems you like the most, sound wise and playing wise. I also saw the blue stained JS that you have. I really like the way it looked but haven't played them long enough to know if they will work with my style of music. I know you love the JS models, so maybe you can tell me more about them, comparing them to a Jem would be perfect.

With my Dad being blown away by the work you have done and how this guitar plays i'm sure to buy more. Let me know what you think of the other Jems, especially the 20th and the ones with Breeds in them, and i'll see what we can do. Thank you for all the work you have done to make this happen. I really need to come back to the states to play this guitar and enjoy myself. Sometimes I wonder why I came over here. Talk to you soon.
 

Steven, contractor in Iraq

7/25/08

Hi Rich,

I bought a Jem 7DBK from you five or six years ago and I never had the chance to thank you properly! The setup was AMAZING; literally, the first night that I had it I was doing stuff that I had previously thought
"impossible." I was in highschool at the time and the stuff that I could do thanks to your setup just started blowing people out of the water. Long story short, you are responsible for getting me laid for the first time! THANK YOU. Now, 6 years, 1 college, 3 cities and 3 guitars later; this is, by miles, still the best electric guitar that I have ever owned. I have
recommended this website to all of my guitar playing friends and the next time I buy an electric guitar, it will definitely be from you!

Thank You so Much,

Javier,
Atlanta

Buy a guitar from Ibanez Rules and get laid!! ;)

[EDIT - Guaranteed carnal knowledge no longer available with new guitar purchases]

9/20/08

Hey Rich,


I went out to the local music store (big chain) to pick up some strings and then I spotted a JEM 7VWH. I couldn't resist the temptation to pick it off the wall and play it. I was completely baffled by the difference. When I received the JEM you sent me, it was in topnotch condition and to this day I haven't had to change anything on the setup (just replaced the strings n-number of times) and so I knew you did a great job. However, I would've never thought the difference to be this big.
The JEM I played at the store was horrible compared to mine. The neck felt rough, it sounded 'different' and the setup on it was, I assume, standard, which is just really bad. They were even asking more than what I paid you.
I left the store with a HUGE smile on my face knowing that the JEM I bought from you was the best possible guitar I could get with, IMHO, the best possible setup! In short, you're worth every single penny you ask for guitars and setup. I will never buy an Ibanez from anywhere else and would recommend others to do the same. If you haven't bought a guitar from Rich, you are truly missing out!


Dom

9/22/08

Rich,

I just wanted to let you know that I received both of my Ibanez RG321's in cases and was very excited. Upon opening each of the shipping boxes I immediately realized that you do not skimp on packaging. These where packed as if I had purchased a PGM321 or better "A NEWBORN BABY". I am impressed that you would take such good care with such an inexpensive guitar. Ok, the cases are now open and, BAM! "Those are the best looking frets that I have ever seen!" You take great time, patience and pride in your work and for that I commend you. I can't wait to get these ready for the plug! I'll send you pictures of the finished project soon. You have just earned the trust of a lifelong customer and friend!



Thank you,

Nick Smith

When shipping Newborn Babies always remember to double diaper!

3/11/09

Rich,

The EGEN-18-TVF was delivered at 12:45 CDT this afternoon. Naturally, I was called in to work and had to leave the the house at 12:35 for 2:00pm start in the French Quarter. One of my roommates called and said "It's here".

I got home late; I would have written you sooner if it was possible.

Please pardon my language, but this guitar, and the set-up job you have done is "FUCKING AWESOME!!!" I could write for hours about how fine this is, and I will when I have time. Brother, you're even better than you THINK you KNOW you are!

I must go; I'm beat. I'll email to you the greatest accolades you've ever gotten ... just as soon as I get some sleep (don't call me before 10:00am, man).

I can't thank you enough, Rich. It's simply beautiful to the touch and it absolutely SCREAMS. Do you set-up basses?

Tom

3/13/09

Hey Rich,

It's been 5 months since I last contacted you. Five months ago I ordered a SV5470, and since then I've been playing it, a lot. And I've been wanting to write you an email from the day I received it but Procrastination got the best of me.

I want to start off by saying it was set-up perfectly, ZERO fret buzz, Fret ends were very nice, and Pickup height was perfect.

But of course the sustain was pretty weak, but that's beyond your control and all S series has that problem. And I also believe that it excels more in the less heavy side of music, but once again, It's not your Problem

It's actually very hard to tell you everything I like about the guitar, because there are completely no problems. I like how I play this guitar way more often than any of my 5 other guitars namely, A gibson Les Paul Studio, A Fender American Strat, a Gibson SG, a Schecter and a Fender American Tele. So I'm pretty sure I Liek this guitar way more than the others.

I will be studying in New Jersey starting from next September, and I WILL order another guitar from you to play the Heavier side of music then.

I hope to hear from you soon

Chris

3/19/09

Hi Rich,
 maybe you remember, in March I got a 2007 RG8470F in Fire Agate from you, after a long search and lots of e-mail ping-ping with you. I just returned from a trip to Japan, where I had the chance to see and test lots and lots of J Customs from different years, so I could do a comparison - btw, I am the guy who posted that picture of the "J Customs on the wall"
 in the Jemsite forum (threat about the new purple RG8570). What can I say, for me, the guitar I got from you is pretty much the best I have seen so far. The finish, the flame maple binding (boy, there are some huge differences there!), the clear coat on the flame top, the book match seam quality, the fretwork, everything. The Kurosawa-specific MRG-8 and MRG-9 topped all of the models in the store in terms of quality (keep the EZ....) and beauty, but nonetheless, my 2007 FE truly rules.
 Your detailed pictures and answers to my e-mail questions were incredibly helpful before the decision, and I could now completely confirm that I made the right choice of guitar and source. It's a joy to even just open the case and stare at it, and even more when it comes alive while playing. Once more, thanks so much - I shudder when I think that other people order
 them from ebay sellers or other dubious sources without having such detailed contact...and awesome pro-rebuilding, of course!
 Keep it up!
 best,
 Christian (cm_17)

6/6/09

I have it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I have it !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
It's amazing !!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thank you Rich !!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you for all answers, thank you for the great communication we had
!!
You make buying a guitar an easy thing even buying it at the other side
of the earth !!!
You are great !!!!!! You are awesome !!!!!! You are the best !!!!!!!!
Thank you very very very much for what you do !!!!!!!!!

How can you not like a letter like that?

11/16/09

What's goin on? Ok, now that I've played with this thing almost all night last night and most of the day today, I have to send you one of those long, detailed, "you are the greatest guitar dude on earth" emails... Ready? ok, brace yourself....

DAAAAAAMMMMNNNN!!!!!!

Ok, I don't know how you did it, but.....THIS IS THE BEST FEELING GUITAR I'VE EVER PLAYED!!!!!

I've played lots of high end stuff, including other Jems, most of them backwards because I'm left handed lol, but I just can't get over how this thing plays!!!!

The fretwork, fingerboard, neck, etc, is THE BEST I've ever seen or felt. The neck feels like silk, the frets like "buttah", it's just unreal!

The neck and body are put together soooo well. The notes sustain for days, weeks even lol. The whole guitar resonates as if it were one piece.

This is honest... I've played this guitar for two days straight, and played looots of Steve Vai stuff (heavy whammy work), and I've touched the fine tuners TWICE! Haven't even unlocked the nut yet, I haven't needed to, it won't go out of tune!

The bridge floats better than any I've felt. Even after playing stuff like "the audience is listening" etc etc....still in tune!! Honestly, the only adjustments I've had to make tuning wise are probably due to the climate change and string stretch, cause it sure as hell isn't the bridge :)

The action is fantastic. But after playing for two days I actually raised it just a hair on both the bass and treble side, just so I could "grab" the notes a little better. And if I want to raise the action, that means it was loooowwww....lol. But it doesn't buzz much at all, especially considering how low and flat it is.

Oh, I love how you rounded and smoothed the ends of the frets. I didn't really notice it until I picked up one of my other guitars and it felt horrible in comparison lol. And it makes it look a lot "cleaner" and just, well, better :)

The fretwork really is amazing, you are a fretboard GOD! lol. Sorry, was that a bit much?

To put all this more simply.... Have you ever seen the movie "Beerfest"? If not its a great movie, go rent it :). If you have, you remember when they made the beer with the "secret recipe", tasted it, and the clouds parted, angels sang, etc etc etc.... This guitar is kind of like that ;)

Oh, a couple quick questions about this guitar specifically....

1. Did you put anything on the strings themselves to speed them up or is it just the neck and fretwork that makes them feel so good?

2. What brand/type of fretboard oil do you use? Just bore oil, fret doctor or what? How often would you recommend using it to keep it feeling this way?

3. If for some reason I decide to raise the action in the future, how much do you think I could raise it without having to "add" relief? .1mm, .2? etc.

4. If you remember, what were the measurements for relief, bass side, and treble side action? When I get my RG refretted I'm gonna have my local guy set it up the same way if he can :). If I were to guess I'd say .2mm relief, and 1.1mm bass and 1.0mm treble....something like that.

Ok, I guess that's enough ass kissin' lol, but you definately deserve it! The wife is starting to get tired of me talking about it so much, but I just can't help it, this guitar is just ridiculous. And it's not because it's a Jem, I've played lots of those. Those are just "guitars".... This is damn near a work of art!!!

Thank you for doing what you do, you're ridiculously good at it :) From now on, any new Ibanez I buy will be from you. Anyone I know who wants to buy a guitar, I'll tell them to come to you.

Thanks for being cool, patient, putting up with my crap, my babbling, my money situation, etc etc etc.... lol.

If I ever have any set up questions or whatever I might email you, but I doubt I'm gonna change much on this guitar except for strings, it doesn't really need it :).

Ok, gonna go play some more. At this rate these strings aren't gonna last the rest of the weekend, but I have more..... ;)

Thanks,

Kevin

JEM7VWHL - I still hate lefties!! [the guitars, not the customers!]

11/21/09

The guitar (PGM401) is a GOD. YOU'RE A GOD! Now I can die happy. It plays like a dream. I leveled up, just going to this guitar from my Jackson. :P
You are the most awesome guitar guy on the earth. The setup is SO perfect. Almost to perfect. Even my guitar teacher said "This guitar is almost too good to play on" And he have played guitar some years more than me. Pickups were awesome. I love the neck pickup. So creamy and nice. Bridge pickup is ok, but you can't do anything bout that. It's still VERY good.

And of course you. You are so awesome. Answers mail in minutes, when other people use 2-4 days to answer one mail. Holy moly. 1 1/2 month with mailing, and you still didn't block me. And everybody.
DO NOT BE AFRAID TO BUY FROM THIS GUY. I promise you 100% it delivers. I was, of course a bit sceptical paying 2000$ to an unknown person in america (I'm from norway) but after a week and a half, my guitar arrived. Even in tune!
Buy from Rich. You won't regret.

So thank you Rich. For an early christmas present, and for having no alternatives next time I buy an Ibanez :P
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year :D

12/23/09

Rich,

You have done it. I am pleasantly amazed by this. You have simply exceeded my expectations, in every category, across the board.

I usually NEVER write a company to thank them or commend them for their quality. Usually because in today's world, companies do not deliver anything but the bare minimum. And generally far less than that.

While I was initially skeptical about spending the additional money for a "pro set-up" - I figured that I would give it a try to see the difference your work would make.

Answer: A hell of a lot of difference!

Like most of your customers (and Jem owners in general) I own multiple Jems from different production years and models. I can honestly say that the '03 VSBL I received from you is absolutely the best set-up guitar I have ever owned. This guitar plays the way I imagine "Flo" and "Evo" would, and I have your exceptional skill and experience to thank for that.

Your attention to detail is immediately apparent upon receiving a new guitar from your shop. The packaging was bombproof, and the care taken on the inside of the case to make sure the guitar did not shift or bounce around showed that you really take the extra time in every detail of preparation. As I slowly and carefully un-cased this Jem, I also noticed that there was not a single - no, not one - fingerprint on this guitar. These are the "little" things that other companies seem to miss the boat on, and they simply cannot fathom why this level of care would be important to customers who are spending thousands of dollars.

Then there is the guitar itself. Amazing, truly amazing. The action, the neck set up, the trem angle and intonation and on and on and on... I noticed the perfect placement of the shims under the saddles and the flawless prep you do to clean a fingerboard so that it is in better condition than when it left the factory. And not the least important factor, the guitar was absolutely as described on your web site and documented in your extensive photos. All of these things are HUGE to me!!

I have read nothing but positive comments on websites the world over, and have spoken directly to people from around the country - all of which have nothing but great things to say about you, your shop, and your incredible attention to detail. I have not run across a single person that would not recommend you fully or purchase from you again. I am wholeheartedly in this category of customers.

This is not the first Jem that I have purchased from you, but it was the first to receive your special touch, and I would say again that it was worth every penny.

Please don't ever retire. Or die, or go on vacation, or anything else for that matter that would take you away from our community of customers that understand and appreciate what it is that you do.

Sincerely,

Now lifelong customer - Rob Parks
Denver, Colorado

12/23/09

I dunno if you remember me, but I bought a JS1200CA from you a few months
back. I just thought I'd drop you a line and let you know how it's been.
Straight up, it's the best guitar I've ever played on, and my co-worker who
is a HUGE guitar player with a sizable collection himself agrees it's the
best he's ever played. The tone is perfect, the action being so low has
really helped me develop into a better player with a light but deliberate
touch, and best of all the thing just LOOKS perfect. However, something
really special happened on Sunday. Joe himself signed my guitar just below
the tuning pegs on the back of the head.

I now have a JS1200 guitar, bought from the best guitar tech on the planet,
signed by the best guitar player on the planet. Thank you for your
attention to detail, reachability before, during and after the purchase, and
for your deep commitment to excellence. Feel free to use me as a reference
in the future, I know I'll never buy a guitar from anyone else but you.

Again, thank you.

Q

3/16/10

Hey Rich,

Michael Rusher here. I'm the birthday boy that my daughter and wife purchased the JS1200 platinum setup for back in May.

Just a short note to say thanks for making a nice guitar an incredible instrument. I have had a couple of weeks to play this thing now, all I can say is "WOW", it's truly a monster.

Thanks again Rich for all of your hard work and dedication.

"Mikie likes it"

BTW, thanks for the B-day card is was great!!

Have a good one

Best

Michael Rusher

PS, Rich, you should consider making a few videos on how to take care of and the maintenance on the setups that you do for your customers. I realize you have a ton of info in your tech section, but videos would bring that home. Sell them for $40.00 a pop, Hell, I would have bought one. I know you're a busy man, something to think about.

6/6/10