Single cutting it

Ah... making good use of my days off to attend to my guitars (what else?!) 😎

Managed to do a 'mileage' check on my Ibanez FR420:

• re-string, please!
• neck was flex-bowed, required truss rod adjustments
• action was too low, choked notes when bending strings, action required revision

I took a big risk of rectifying the anomalies listed above based on the old set of strings in the guitar. Pro techs would advise doing so based on a fresh set of strings so the guitar could adapt to the quirks manifested by the newer string set. I was half way through when I realized this so it was done till everything was addressed & then the fresh set of strings came into the picture. A set of John Pearse 9 - 42 this time.

This is one of those Ibanez guitars of mine with a deserving set of Seymour Duncans in there to manifest the tones that I want to hear; menacing top end when it comes to solos in the neck (Distortion) & deep, roaring riffs in the bridge without sounding bass excessive (Screamin' Demon). 

My thoughts on the FR

It's one of those familiar body outlines we relate to a specific non-Ibanez guitar, we know too well what that guitar is. The Standard FR models have already been phased out from the Ibanez catalog, you need to spend good money on either an Iron Label or Prestige version which many of us would not do considering the after-market value of this guitar. For that amount, we'd rather spend on something else with a stronger re-sale worth. Why is this the case? This single cut design does not sit well with the Ibanez name, which is more known for the RG, S, Jem & Satriani models (among others). In fact, the more radical designs propelled the Ibanez name further than this traditional take. Examples would be the Iceman & Destroyer outlines which we are more compelled to spend on than the FR. Compounding this bleak outlook would be the fact that the FR feels like an RG with a different body design.