okay, so here's the deal!

I own a telecaster, so i've been playin with single coil sound for ages allready. I'm tryin to get myself a decent humbucking guitar, probably ibanez. I got one GRG170dx back at home but the tone just doesn't really cut it.

I've narrowed down my selection to RG320FM or the S470, both korean model (cannot afford prestige or higher end japs models). Thus i want to ask some question about both models.

1) Which bridge is better? edge III(RG320FM) or the ZR tremelo system(S470)?

2) Which pickups is better? INF3,4 (RG320FM) or INF 1,2 (S470) ?

i cant really test them personally since i cant seem to find a shop which got both guitar. neck width shouldnt be a problem as both got the same wizard II neck. Thus need a little bit of personal info or any useful information anyone of you can give me thus i can determine which one is the better deal.

*edit - i did read the s470 review in here but there is no RG 320FM review in here!

This post has been edited by Snipe_EX`: Feb 16 2007, 02:15 AM

bentley carries both of them now, in fact, u can see them in display in the store...

i've tested both guitars before, i personally prefer the S series...as i just love the light body and the neck...pickup wise, i don't hear any difference between them (i'm tone deaf...) in the end, i got myself the SA120...feels the same like the s series, except it don't have a locking trem and the pickup are different...

oh yea, S/SA/SZ series are 22frets...while RG goes all the way to 24fret...that may be part of your deciding factor also...but would be best to try them out personally as different ppl have different taste and requirements...

This post has been edited by asura_86: Feb 16 2007, 02:23 AM

oh yea, just a note

I'm currently in London and shops nearby doesnot have both of them in the same store. I've tested the RG 350dx which should have the same feel but for the look the amber finish RG320 really caught me. as in the ice blue s470 too.

does anybody knows whats the difference between the pickups?

Do you play alot of Drop Tuning Songs? If Yes then the ZR is better as it gives Drop Tuning moer stablity. The edge is technically the high end whammy bar for ibanez as opposed to the ZR(new technology) if you tend to play in standard then i suggest the Edge III.

Do you play alot of songs that require 24 frets? if Yes then go for the RG.

Both INF 1,2 and 3,4 are very simple stock pickups. You can't ask much for the price but technically the pickups are the same only the RG catered more for the highs and mids whilst the S is very much towards the low and mids with warmth and roundness in tone. RG pups give you more bite.

All in all it goes down to what type of music you play and what kind of guitar you like? The S is thin,smooth and yet because of the mahogany it sounds realyl heavy.

The RG is still the undisputed shred machine, easy to play, feels great, and a good all rounder.

My suggestion to you is why not change the pickups on your GIO with DiMarzios/Duncans/EMG?

it will still be cheaper then buying a new guitar. and to be honest if you were to get either of the above 2 guitars you'll still end up changing pickups if you're demanding on the Tone of the guitar.

Hope this clears some doubt on your part and hope i helped you in some way or another.

Cheers

thank you for the info, but let me clarify things alittle bit again,

i live in london, i got my fender tele, line 6 ux1, korg ax3000g, and just a decent senheizer headphones here. The gio is in malysia and i will be coming back during the summer at the end of june. thus, i need a humbucker as in now. cant really wait till june though(let say upgrade it). and i wanted a middle budget ibanez as of the moment (GAS).

snipe...
it is really an easy choice ! and equilibrium gave you ALL the tangible facts to help you do it.
it boils down to this :
S-serie = blues / rock / jazz feel
RG-serie = rock / hard / metal feel

and this is true not only sound-wise, but also the looks follow the same patern. Each of them has a really typical look... How can you hesitate between the two ? For instance, I'll go for the S, while someone like blacktrix or zeroleet would go for a RG.

Haha.. that's also true.

Since I own a telecaster, I always think of myself as blues, or just rock kind of people, not metal. now I still dont know whether i want to change my supposing style or keep it. AAAAAAAAAAa....... head ache. If i have money i buy them all! (GASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS)

Still thanks for the advise.

this weekend i think i'll go and try to get the feel of RGs and Ss.

Well, have to agree and disagree with Pix's comment......

It IS true that the RG is geared towards the more metal crowd, and the S series is geared towards a more wide area of musical style then the RG series......

BUT (and here's the clencher)

If you like a particular sound..... then just go for that... Look at Herman Li! I mean..... EXTREME POWER METAL.... and he famously uses an S series...... granted it's a prestige... but still an S series......

So unfortunately, for a guitar, you can't really tell which is the one you want unless you pick it up and try it for yourself.....

(and pix..... I would actually go for an S series myself......)

yea, who says S series cant be used for metal.

and whoever said the same for the tele hasnt seen this yet...

totally agree with you blacktrix. . .
but the thing now with most of the S series is that it's all made in Korea even for the prestige. So technically workmanship and all are the same only the woods used for the construction of the guitar. . .(price still the same. . . new models even cost more =.=)
I own both S and RG and both work fine to me. . . If you hardly use the 24 frets then go for the S for a more rounded guitar. . .

for those skeptics who claim that the Tele has no balls they are wrong. . . most of the songs done by Jimmy Page (Led Zep) on their Lep Zep I and II are dubbed with Teles all over. Some were even played entirely with a Tele. And check out Songs For Sanity (John5) tell me that's Guitar with no balls. . .

Another thing you could do is get a Boss pedal(not sure which model, it's one of the COSM pedals) that can change single coil tones to humbuckers and vice versa.
Boss used to make them but not sure about now tho. . .

You might want to consider the weight factor as well, since the RG is a bit heavier than the S series, which may make it less ergonomic depending on your style of playing/practising (sitting down or standing up etc.).

Satyr (Satyricon) also use S-series

And Marty Friedman is using S-series as well (SZ to be precise)

every electric guitar can be used to play any kind of music, i totally agree with that. Let's just say that each guitar is designed to fit more or less one "spirit" (soundwise, lookwise, feelwise, etc), and that concept works well with the RG and the S. The difference in attitude is noticeable between the two.

but what i notice is that many of us would actually choose the S maybe that's a hint...

I agree with Pix. . .

I own both an RG and a S and i use both. . .

Mostly it's due to the fact the the S is more unique, in a sense that it's different from other guitars out there, and the RG looks like your normal everyday Metal guitar. .

But simple yet elegance may be the winner!

Both rock in their own worlds. . .

Just change pickups and it'll both sound nearly the same. . . Only the harmonics because of the neck positioning and the EQ from the body wood


This post has been edited by Equilibrium777: Feb 16 2007, 05:01 PM

dont forget that the RG320 has been made in indonesia since last yr.

S/SA series are made in indonesia starting this year also...but i don't feel any significant different between them (MI.Indonesia and MI.Korea)

one thing for sure is, with the right settings, right pedals and effects...u can still achieve that heavy metal tone out of the S/SA series...

also S470 of cos is made of mahogany, while the RG320FM is basswood with a maple veneer.
im not a fan of ibanez anyway, but i would take the ZR trem over the Edge III, as it doesnt have knife edges so should last longer.

thank you for all of your opinion! I'll be sure to check the feel thouroughly before actually buyin it. and one thing I just realize that there is a new s model which is S320, which has the similar hardware. what do you think of it. cuz its cheaper. the blackie colour things and almost no fret inlays somehow looks cool. is it made in korea?

one question.
do you need the floyd rose?

one of the cheaper ibanez guitars that i like is the SZ520.
MIK, roughly RM1600 after discount.
fixed bridge and comes standard with ibanez duncan pickups.

After considering of what everyone is saying, I think i still need more time to think about this. I dont want to spend alot of money only to have teeny bits of regret later.

thus i'll do more research on ibanez guitars (I definately want an Ibanez!)

thank you for everyone's comment though. If anybody have anything elso to suggest can you please do so. I hope you mods dont close this threads yet!