Vigier vs Ibanez

[Yassuo]

I need help tying to decide to buy a Vigier Excalibur custom or an Ibanez Jem. I already own a 2007 Jem but I’m looking to pick up a second superstrat. I’m really comfortable eith the Jem as it plays amazingly well, but I have had some neck and sustain and tuning issues. Iv never seen a Vigier in person(I live in California) but know all about them and their superior carbon fiber neck system and their patented bridges. Do you guys think a $3700 excalibur custom is worth the price over a used $1400 Jem?

[marcwormjim]

I imported one when I lived in CA. I own a Vigier Shawn Lane because there’s no production guitar like it. And while Vigier’s quality is second to none, the blunt truth is that there are many other “super strats“ in the same category available to a California player for far less money. A used Suhr or Kiesel, for example (without saying any one beats out the other for quality) is more likely to fill that void for well under two grand. I own neither because my SL checks more superstrat boxes than any of their models do - But unless you know, for certain, that the specs of a particular Vigier model are for you, you’re liable to feel you paid more for the import costs than the product itself. 

[1Patrice Vigier]

 

If you hesitate between a Vigier and an Ibanez, then, and sorry if I'm direct, it is that you do not know what we are doing.

 

Counter of what is written here, our price is not due to import as our guitars are at the same price in France than in USA but because the way we make them. If they have the financial choice, everybody is free to pay their guitars for less and Ibanez is a good choice.

 

2.5.0.0

[Yassuo]

Oh, I definitely know that the price is due to quality of the guitar. Vigier in my opinion has the greatest made guitars worldwide, I’m just curious as to what the biggest diffwrenches buildwise are between that of a Jem and Excalibur custom. Also the neck, as that is a huge part for me. 

[marcwormjim]

Counter of what is written here, our price is not due to import as our guitars are at the same price in France than in USA but because the way we make them.

Apologies if my post was taken to suggest what was addressed. My comment attempted to state that, to the uninformed or unacquainted, the cost difference is easy to dismiss as being due to importation, rather than quality. DJ explained to me in 2011 or so how the Vigier brand makes the point of keeping their international pricing competitive; and that knowledge informed my purchase.

[niquekay]

The only Ibanez models that are equivalent to Vigier's builds are the J Custom's, and they are also a pain to get if you live in the USA.

There's only a handful of them that they build for sale in this market, most of them are made specifically for the Japanese market.  The 2017 J Custom RG30 is pretty sick though, not my style with the unstained quilted maple though.  Looks too much like a piece of furniture and not a guitar.  But on the other hand, it has titanium neck reinforcements and stainless steel frets.  

The Prestige line is okay, they are nice guitars and all, but they're not exactly comparable to a Vigier; the fret work on them is not too great, and most of them don't offer stainless steel frets like Vigier does.  

The Premiums are very hit / miss, mostly miss.  Not very good quality on those, the QC in Indonesia lets through a LOT of major flaws to the customer.

I'd suggest saving up and getting the Vigier, but that's just me.

The biggest PITA is going to be the neck, and depending how often you play, how hard you play, what kind of strings you use, etc, those nickel frets are going to wear out in no time.  

I had to get my RG 7 Prestige level'd / crowned twice within 3 years of buying it brand new, each time I lost the guitar for a week or so and had to pay over 100 bucks to get the work done, then I eventually had it re-fretted with SS, again lost my guitar for a week and this time it cost close to 500.  

So -- at the end of the day -- consider the cost (and inconvenience) of a re-fret or multiple levels / crowns by a competent luthier that knows what they are doing and factor that in, also factor in the chance of the neck bowing or the truss-rod breaking, which believe it or not, happens more often than you'd think, even on a JEM or any Prestige / MiJ Ibanez.  I've even seen J Custom's with broken truss rods and twisted necks.

[niquekay]

Oh, I definitely know that the price is due to quality of the guitar. Vigier in my opinion has the greatest made guitars worldwide, I’m just curious as to what the biggest diffwrenches buildwise are between that of a Jem and Excalibur custom. Also the neck, as that is a huge part for me. 

It's been my experience that Vigier's in the USA, sold by authorized shops, are priced a LOT higher than the same models sold by authorized shops in the UK.

The neck is going to be the star of the show with a Vigier like I said in my previous post, SS frets, no truss rod, carbon reinforced, also consider that it's a non-tilt back headstock (which is something I prefer myself to Ibanez's tilt back / angled ones, especially if there's a volute, not my cup of tea).

[Ben]

It's been my experience that Vigier's in the USA, sold by authorized shops, are priced a LOT higher than the same models sold by authorized shops in the UK.

 

Shouldn't be so, with shipping and taxes. Our guitars are priced the same worldwide. You may see guitars at old prices (before any increases), but these could be from anywhere in the world and only on that particular guitar. Also take into consideration any fluctuation in exchange rate...I can tell you right now the $v£ is not good for us Brits wanting to buy from the US - stuff in US (to us) has almost doubled!!

[michaelbarre]

I own a 2008 Ibanez JEM7V Steve Vai signature model and a 2017 Vigier Excalibur Custom.  Both are fine guitars, but I think the Vigier is superior in every way, especially the tremolo bridge.  Call Joe at Guitar Poetry for the best price on a Vigier.

[C-4]

I have owned an Excalibur since 2011.  I have used it in any conceivable weather, but under a tent when it rained, here in Florida.

No other guitar that I have owned or currently own stays in tune nearly as well as my Vigier.  The neck just doesn't move out of it's facotry set position at all.  Everything works as it did the day I received it.

The quality of the wood, as well as all the other parts used on Vigier guitars, is the same high quality for all models.

The little (or not so little) things Patrice has designed into the guitar that one may not see on the surface, such as brass inserts for the strap buttons, painted shielding in the electronic cavities, etc., help to make the Vigier guitars way better then any other bolt-on guitar I have ever owned.  (I have owned several Fender Master Builds, 7 andersons and Suhrs).

I now have a Normandy Red Retro '54 on order and am really excited about getting it.

I bought mine after reading on line about Vigier, looking at videos on Youtube, and asking questions.  I don't consider it a gamble to do it this way, as the end product will outshine even your most high expectations.