Here's a weird one for you - Levinson Blade or Ibanez Prestige needing frets stoning?

[cacofonix]

My huge bill turned out to be less than expected, and my beautiful missus has therefore released purse strings due to the cash now being "spare" (I'll have to remember this circumstance).

There is a Blade Deluxe available to me within budget, which is apparently in superb nick.

There is also a HH Ibanez Prestige which is battered as hell on the body, and needs a fret dress (looks like it has already had one) which I can get for similar cash provided I lob in my Aria TA50 as well.

I have played the Ibanez and it sounds and plays marvellous, as expected; but not played the Blade, which is in another town.

What do the forumites think?

[John_P]

I'd go for the blade - partly since I've not owned one and the few i've tried have been great and I have had a few RG's.

Sounds like you like the RG though ;-)

Which one would be more practical for your needs and more importantly - which one "speaks" to you

[cacofonix]

That's the point, really. I haven't seen the blade up close. I don't know if it'll suit, as I like the idea of strats, but my mex strat is not quite "right", somehow.

Could be the lack of sustain block, or fret spacing or what, but a tokai strat I played once was just amazing.

[axisus]

The battered Ibanez sounds very interesting, and if it "sounds and plays marvellous" then it's a no brainer as far as I'm concerned. I would say if you don't get it let me know where it is, but I'm broke.

[ICBM]

If the Ibanez needs work *and* needs you to give away your Aria as well to get it, it's no contest at all.

Buy the Blade.

They're fantastic guitars, very well made - the equal of anything I know of from the far east - but for some reason have never 'caught on' as a brand.

[meltedbuzzbox]

What kind of money are you talking about here? You can get a lot of Ibanez second hand for around £300 even £200(ish) if you get lucky.

[Jetfire]

Personally, Id buy the Blade too. But let me know what RG Prestige is, esp if your going to sell it lol

[cacofonix]

What kind of money are you talking about here? You can get a lot of Ibanez second hand for around £300 even £200(ish) if you get lucky.

£450 for the blade (opinions on whether that's good value?) and £750 - but negotiable, within reason, for the Ibanez.

I'm inclining more towards the blade provided it is in fact mint, as I won't have to worry about fret wear for a wee while.

[stickyfiddle]

I'd definitely got the Blade, but I hate Ibanez necks

[maltingsaudio]

PX the mex strat against the blade, use the change to treat the missus for being so nice win