IBANEZ ROADSTAR vs Mexican Strats.

[Jeff]

Drove out to the Coast to visit my elderly parents, just so happens Rosevear's Music in downtown Aberdeen was open.

Inventory wasn't terribly interesting, except there was an Ibanez Roadstar, maple neck, trem bar, & the bridge pu had been replaced with a Dean Markley. Guitar has some gentle miles on it, consignment price $150.00.

I played it for a half hour or so, fun to play. Might have bought it just for a lark if the volume knob wasn't positioned so I was accidentally turning it up or down while picking.

I came away questioing the prices & desirability of Mexican Strats & the like.

Any other opinions ???.

Looked a lot like this one currently on ebay. Relic'd a bit more.

http://cgi.ebay.com/1984-IBANEZ-ROADSTA ... C294%3A200

 

[cjd-player]

I'm far from an expert on these, but I have looked at several cheap "strats" over the years. I once actually got a "free" one with a box of strings deal. The ones I've seen and played: nephews, friends' kids, my free one, etc, are decent guitars, and made decent electric guitar sounds. The issues were mainly the pickups and hardware. The bodies have all been plywood, so not much resonance and sustain. Pickups generally sound very thin. Tuners don't hold tuning well. Electronic hardware: pots, switches, are not smooth functioning and are unreliable. The qualty of the fretwork on the necks has varied a lot. A couple were actually pretty good.

For just noodling around at home, probably not a bad buy, but I would never use one in any kind of public perfomance for fear that the electronics would fail unexpectedly.

My G&L Legacy on the other hand is a great guitar. Superb fretwork, great sustain (solid alder body). All of the electronic hardware pieces have a substantial feel to them. Stays in tune forever, even with the whammy bar use. Leo Fender really did impove on his original Stratocaster when he was at G&L, even though the Legacy model was not produced until after his death.

 

[stig]

I bought an Ibanez Blazer Strat copy back in about 1982 because I couldn't possibly afford a real one. Looked a lot like the one in that pic above, only candy apple red with matching headstock face. It was a real nice playing guitar, and even sounded good. That and an old SG (which would later be traded for my Starfire!) were my two guitars at the time, and I used them both equally.
Later, I traded the Ibanez toward a Tele, but it was a VERY good guitar for the money. Probably as good as a Mexican Strat - maybe better.

Oh, here's one exactly like my old one:

 

[Ross]

I've had a Roadstar bass (P-copy) for over 20 years. Bought it used. I've put a lot of hours on it, and it's been completely reliable.

cheers
R

 

[Jeff]

. Pickups generally sound very thin. Tuners don't hold tuning well. Electronic hardware: pots, switches, are not smooth functioning and are unreliable. The qualty of the fretwork on the necks has varied a lot. A couple were actually pretty good.

For just noodling around at home, probably not a bad buy, but I would never use one in any kind of public perfomance for fear that the electronics would fail unexpectedly.

Thanks everybody for your opinions.

CJ,

Tuners on the unit I played had been replaced with a set of decent locking tuners. I probably would have bought it if the volume knob wasn't in such a irritating position.

 

[jp]

Jeff,
I had a buddy who had a Roadstar II, and it was a decent guitar. If it didn't have a locking nut and heavy metal whammy bar setup I'd say it was a very good guitar. The basses are supposedly very good, and I think are sought after by the nostalgic oldsters who had them when they started playing. Overall, it was a very well-built guitar--solid and playable. Pickups could have been better, though the Ibanez ones had their own personality.

 

[Jeff]

Jeff,
I had a buddy who had a Roadstar II, and it was a decent guitar. If it didn't have a locking nut and heavy metal whammy bar setup I'd say it was a very good guitar. ..

JP,

I kind of liked the whammy bar, go figure :lol: :lol:

 

[jp]

Jeff,
I had a buddy who had a Roadstar II, and it was a decent guitar. If it didn't have a locking nut and heavy metal whammy bar setup I'd say it was a very good guitar. ..

JP,

I kind of liked the whammy bar, go figure :lol: :lol:

They are kind of fun, but I don't like fussing with the locking nut and vibrato fine tuners. The really newer ones are easier to use. I must admit, though that there is a part of me that wants a newer Ibanez, Dean, or Carvin heavy metal guitars to play with. Eddie Van started a revolution when I was a teen, and it would be fun to take a stab at some super fast metal playing again. Guitar set up for this kind of playing are fine-tuned sports cars. Very fast necks, really light, and sensitive strings and super hot pickups that scream. No spandex, makeup or big hair, though.

 

[cjd-player]

No spandex, makeup or big hair, though.

Dang, we were hoping for pictures. :twisted:

 

[jp]

No spandex, makeup or big hair, though.

Dang, we were hoping for pictures. :twisted:

I would in no way look like that. . . the lenses of my glasses are clear!

 

[cjd-player]

I would in no way look like that. . . the lenses of my glasses are clear!

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[JerryR]

And he has committed the sartorial crime of wearing socks with his sandals :shock: Can't see much else wrong though :mrgreen: