For some time I've been interested in buying an Ibanez S520 due to its light weight and sweet melodic tone, but recently Ibanez has replaced its Mahogany body with a cheap Meranti body. I couldn't find any reviews that demo the S520 after this modification online, but I suspect it has a dead-dull tone that has no presence and definition. Meranti is a cheap wood and it's very likely it has a low sonic quality. I'm afraid that even if somebody puts Demarzio pickups on this guitar, it won't give a satisfactory sound.
Is it worth buying this guitar and experimenting with replacement pickups?
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Basswood is/was a cheap wood
Don't over think it
Not my favourite wood to work, but it makes a decent enough guitar
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Of course I played many Ibanez S guitars, and I can say they were so responsive melodically and harmonically. I do agree that RGs are better Metal machines especially for denser and heavier rhythms.
Generally speaking thinner bodies resonate more and thicker bodies have fuller sound, so it's a matter of personal choice.
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Never been able to notice the difference between rosewood and maple fingerboard or ash vs alder body Fenders, tonally speaking.
Everything you need to know about "mahogany" type species
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By the time you factor in pickups, bridges and all the rest of it to the equation, I'm truly skeptical that people can really hear the differences between woods in solid-body electric guitars. But if you can, more power to you!
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