# Help With Jackson DK2M Dinky vs Ibanez RG350MYE



## jb007 (Dec 6, 2006)

Hey.

Which would you chose as the better option as far as an 80s vibe...


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## zjq426 (Aug 23, 2009)

just my 2 cents. Quality-wise the Jackson should be better - price is higher, the and hardwares are better. Its crucial to get a good quality tremelo system, or you got pain for not on tune all the time. Never tried the tremelo on not-made-in-Japan Ibanez. Tremelo on MIJ Jackson should be good if properly set up. The jackson got better pickups than the IBZ. Ibanez neck should be thinner. I would go for the Jackson if money is not an issue, because i prefer 2 humbuckers to 2-1-2. 
All in all, try before buy, you never know.


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## Bevo (Nov 24, 2006)

Zjq got it right.

My preference is also the 2 humbuckers and no third, plus look at the Jackson it is timeless.
The 80's version is almost the same as a new one minus hardware and goofy colours.

If I was in you shoes, I would get the real deal, track down a real 80's guitar not a modern take.


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## al3d (Oct 3, 2007)

I would go Ibanez..better quality build and hardware all acrosse basicaly. More tone with a HSS system. BUT you're comparing a 399$ guitar to a 599$ guitar here. if you HAVE 600$ to spend, 

These will blow away any Jacksons within the same price range.

Ibanez MTM2.









Ibanez RG420


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

zjq426 said:


> just my 2 cents. Quality-wise the Jackson should be better - price is higher, the and hardwares are better. Its crucial to get a good quality tremelo system, or you got pain for not on tune all the time. Never tried the tremelo on not-made-in-Japan Ibanez. Tremelo on MIJ Jackson should be good if properly set up. The jackson got better pickups than the IBZ. Ibanez neck should be thinner. I would go for the Jackson if money is not an issue, because i prefer 2 humbuckers to 2-1-2.
> All in all, try before buy, you never know.


I'm pretty much with zjq on this too. Aside from the hardware issue which I can't really say anything specific about. I would also differentiate on the overall quality issue because I think both of those companies are neck-and-neck with the quality - unless that Jackson is a made in Japan in which case MIJ has likely still got the edge. You will pay a bit more for MIJ because it is MIJ too but that is no big deal IMO.

Those Jacksons have pickups that are a standard 'go to' (Seymour Duncan) whereas the pickups on the Ibanez guitars are typically bland to me and I want to change them immediately. If you are using a lot of effects then the Ibanez pickups are fine. The Jackson probably has the compound radius fingerboard which is a really nice feature to have and Jackson has been making them forever. 

The Ibanez neck feel is quite different and if you are already an Ibanez guy then I would suggest that you try a Jackson prior to buying...many Ibanez guys really only like the little Ibanez necks and the unique feel that they have. The trems can be quite finicky on the new Ibanez guitars as well.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

Track down an actual RG550, or get the jackson IMO


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## Jaybo (Jun 3, 2010)

Jackson necks are really BIG. They're thin, but from E string to E string is a lot of real estate. I do like the Ibanez colour and price. But the bound maple neck on the Jackson looks pretty sweet too. Just make sure you are comfortable playing one!


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## Phlegethon (Dec 18, 2009)

going with ibanez on this one . . as it's been mentioned by al3d, their quality is consistent (in a positive way). and the edge 3 doesn't deserve nearly the amount of bad rep it's gotten. a large amount of complaints come from beginners with their first guitar or guitarists who purchase one and haven't had any experience with a floating double locking trem. but as smorgdonkey pointed out you might want to do a pickup swap. for what they are the INF's are good pickups. . .but in the big picture the RG350 would definitely sound better with a pickup swap (did this on my RG321MH, and was worth the money spent and more) 

asthetically the jackson doesn't have the melt your face off yellow . . and horrid colours that attack your eyes like a chainsaw is definitely important with an 80's vibe if looks factor into this. the jackson looks a little to professional to cop an 80's vibe LOL 

with playability do you usually go for thin, flat necks or not? that's going to be the biggest factor here. doesn't matter if the jackson is better sounding if it's playability is inferior to the ibanez. it's easier to swap pickups than to reshape a neck, and no guitarist should ever compromise fretting hand comfort and say "I'll get used to it" IMO. so the standard "get out there and play both" to see which one you'd get on with better would apply here


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## Guitar-n00b (Jul 17, 2010)

I have the Ibanez RG350DX, which is basically the same thing but white, it's got an extremely thin neck, really fun to play, your fingers just seem to get faster when you touch it, It's a decent tone wise guitar, but it's made for shredding anyways, I am able to do pinch harmonics quiet easily so that's neat. Also it's easy to set-up to low action, mine is anyway. 'll be selling mine so if your interested PM me.


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## Budda (May 29, 2007)

.. why was dis bumped? the thread was started in march..


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## Schectertastic (Jul 12, 2010)

For what the new Jackson DK2M's include for the price you'd be stupid to still buy the RG350...the jackson comes loaded out with Duncan's and also includes the SKB flight case for about $799-$949 depending on finish...the Ibanez is about $499 to $549 and you get all ibanez pickups which you will pretty much have to upgrade, and no case (value of that SKB case is about $149 street price). So between the two the Jackson is far better...also the DK2M is Japanese made...to get Japanese made from Ibanez you have to enter the prestige RG line which is $1200 and up...

So Jackson wins on all counts.


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## Guitar-n00b (Jul 17, 2010)

Thanks, I bought the Ibanez....


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## smorgdonkey (Jun 23, 2008)

Guitar-n00b said:


> Thanks, I bought the Ibanez....


Uh...what do you mean? It wasn't your question.


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## Diablo (Dec 20, 2007)

This thread took a confusing turn....Noob bumped it to offer to sell the OP his (Ibanez), and now claims to have bought one instead?
Might be better if the mods just lock this thread and call it a day


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## holyman (Dec 22, 2009)

Get a used Ibanez RG570 or 550. They are made in Japan and are the same specs as the current Prestige line. You can get an excellent example for under $500 easy. 

The rg570 is pro grade gear - which may be why it is one of the iconic guitars that helped create that 80's vibe you said you want. I wouldn't waste my time with either the rg350 or dk2. Both are (at best) middle of the road. 

Get a 570 with the all access neck-joint and the bubinga stripe on the neck. I am telling you, you cannot go wrong with these guitars. I remember when I got my first one long ago and and took it to a guitar tech to get set up. I told the tech I wanted the action set as low as possible. He was able to somehow set it up so low that the strings seemed to be practically sitting on the fretboard but still have no fret buzz. I remember him commenting on how low the action was, he said "you know, I have set up a lot of guitars and can tell you that there isn't another guitar in the world that can be set as precisely as the 570, they almost seem to defy the laws of physics". 

Go to your local L&M and play a $1000+ dollar Ibanez 1570 Prestige (which is similar to and almost as good as the old 570) and compare it to the lower end Ibanez and Jacksons. You'll see what I am talking about.


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## Milkman (Feb 2, 2006)

Nevermind.


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## deadear (Nov 24, 2011)

As jb07 stated he was after 80's vibe. All performance aside I would go with the Jackson because it looks like the eightees Jacksons and Charvels. If you were going for a 80's looking Ibanez you would be playing a Roadstar which was the pre RG , with the same body apperance as a Fender Strat. That RG body style I think of as early nintees but I could be wrong.


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